The heat, the promise of a long weekend ahead, a pause before the summer semester...there are many reasons why we’re seeing a hike in vacations right now. If you’re booking flights and checking out hotels, here are a few things to take care of before you start your trip.The financialsUnless you want to come back home to a disconnected phone/water/electricity line, make sure your bills have been taken care of before you set off for travel. This goes double for credit card bills. The last thing you want to face is seeing your credit card declined while you’re on the trip because your banker had a heart attack at the size of your overdraft.
On that note, speak to your bank and inform them of your travel plans so that you’re not caught by a surprise fund freeze.DataFrom hotel information to passports and id’s, make sure you make some copies of all your important paperwork, to have at hand in case you lose the main thing. From personal experience, we can say that having scans of both in your email also helps when you least expect it.Cleaning upThe absolute worst feeling is coming back from a few days of hotel housekeeping and fresh sheets to a house that’s covered in grime. Give your place a good clean before you go, and cover the furniture with sheets and lock all doors and windows, not just for security’s sake, but to minimise the pile-up of dust.
Don’t forget to clean out your fridge, and remove all the perishables, unless you want to be greeted by a stink when you get back.
Also, it is probably a good idea to change your sheets and finish the laundry before you leave, because you’ll have plenty of dirty clothes to wash when you unpack your luggage after the vacation is over.
Finally, reduce the headache of sorting through foreign and deshi currency by cleaning out your wallet beforehand, and taking out anything you won’t need on the journey.ElectronicsTo prevent any kind of accident or unnecessary electric bills, unplug everything and turn off the light before you go. Also, charge your phone, laptop, and camera before you set off; you’ll never know when you’re next getting a compatible charging point.
Don’t forget to pack chargers, and at least one multiple converter.Let 'em knowUnless you want to undo all the RnR you got from your trip, make sure you’ve apprised your work colleagues of your plans, set out an auto-responder on your email, and (if possible) done some advance work so there’s less of a backlog.
Of course you’re going to check-in on Facebook at the airport to let everyone know you’re getting away, but make sure you’ve got one responsible family member appraised of your travel plans so that getting back home from the airport is taken care of, and should any kind of emergency arise while you’re away, someone is on top of it.
Good luck, have fun, and enjoy your trip!
Thursday, April 25, 2024
