Have you been thinking about traveling? Going away for the Christmas Holiday? There are some important things to plan weeks, and even months before traveling. The following few tips are the most important that you should consider before escaping to the tropical islands or even simply visiting your family in a different state or province.

1. Passport, passport, passport. This is now the most important thing to plan for months before your vacation. Passports are extremely important for going outside your country even from the US to Canada, Canada to the US. Passport procedures can be a lengthy affair because getting together all the appropriate material will take more than a few hours. Also, you may need to take a day off from work to go and sit for hours in a government office. Finally, once your passport papers are submitted, it can take awhile, especially since you won’t be the only one getting away for Christmas. Planning to get your passport months in advance will also allow a buffer time if anything goes wrong, like losing your application.
2. Travel insurance. You may need to shop around for this. Travel insurance is a must for traveling and many will say, more important than the passport. If anything goes wrong, no matter where you are, you’ll need something to lean on. If nothing goes wrong, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that you will be covered if the unforeseeable happens. When I traveled years back I found the medication I needed was nearly double in the country I was visiting than back home, so having travel insurance eased my stress of not being able to afford it. I had bought insurance for 50$ where my medication came out to approximately 200$. This is a minor case, and imagine you or a loved one needs surgery or helicopter transportation because this could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Insurance is worth buying so go ahead and find your best deals.
3. Photocopies of important documents. Another important tip would be to make photocopies of your itinerary and passport. Bring a photocopy of your passport with you to use it as a backup in the event that it gets stolen or lost, because you do not want to be trapped in a foreign country with no identification. Also, leave a photocopy of your passport and itinerary at home, that way if worse comes to worse you can have it faxed asap. If in the event you go missing, I would not wish then on anyone, your family or friends will have an itinerary of where you are suppose to be and when. This will be a great help for local authorities to start a search.
4. Research laws, before traveling to a foreign country, or even state or province. What may be legal in one state, country or province may not necessarily be legal where you are going.
5. Customs regulations. If you will research laws as above, make sure you research the foreign country’s customs, too. When visiting, you should accommodate the best you can their rituals and customs, especially if not doing so will harm someone physically or psychologically. For example, some countries believe that pictures will steal their soul, so before taking a picture, ask the natives if they would mind.
6. Vaccines and other prevention. Know as much as you can about the country because you may need to get a special vaccine to keep you away from lots of nasty diseases. Call your friends that have been there or search the internet, but make sure you don’t miss this one on your list.
7. Money, money, money. These are not Abba’s lyrics is just a way to make sure you can come back home. When you plan a budget for your vacation you should know that anything can happen from buying something that you don’t need or maybe a lost luggage that would empty your pockets. You need a small reserve stashed somewhere. Be it a hidden credit card or a few hundred dollars in the secret pocket of your wallet or a traveler’s check you need to make sure you have it.
8. Check your gadgets. You will need a cellphone in case anything bad happens so don’t forget your charger. You may also want to take pictures, that means batteries and enough storage devices.
9. Luggage. If you fly then the first thing you should know are the items you can and cannot bring with you. Also make sure you stay under the radar with the weight of your luggage or the companies will charge you extra. Don’t forget to tag your luggage, or you will say thank you in case they send it wrong.
10. Misc gadgets. You may want to take your shaver, toothpaste and toothbrush, clothes for all kind of weather (you never know if forecasts are correct) and so on. Make a list of what you need before you start packing anything and just check on it what you’ve put in already.
11. Check your car. I have a few friends that would drive 3,000 miles instead of taking the airplane even if the price would be the same. If you’re car traveling or you just can’t fly in an airplane, then I suggest you to get your car for a check up. Tires, engines, lights and every other important parts should be checked before you leave.

These tips will help you better plan your vacation and to have a better time after you get there. You shouldn’t have to worry about medical expenses or being trapped in a foreign country! You should be enjoying the new culture, the new places and people!

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