Tips for a great Bon voyage!!

Planning a trip can be very exciting and overwhelming for all of us, some people enjoy the process like myself, and some people don’t have the time and bandwidth to go through this daunting process of putting the plan together.

Below are some essential points to be considered to have a smooth and enjoyable trip.

1. Decide Your Destination: You would have run into some great reels or posts online to even get started to think about the trip. First browse for the details for that country and geographical location.

Check what is the best time to travel and visit that country based on climate for the dates or holiday seasons.

I always Look up for any travel advisories or regulations going on at that time in that country.

Next Ill check online government official websites and google couple of links to check the Visa requirements – like if it is On arrival visa, Apply before departure, E-visa, Fees, visa process duration etc

2. Decide When & How Long: Based on the season (Holidays/summer) and distance from your country I would plan to determine the duration of the trip.
   • Ill check the typical itineraries online and decide the length of the trip
   • We need to budget the trip based on the flights, typical hotel cost and food. The major cost would be flight if you are travelling across continents, so check travel portals to get rough idea of the fare and typical hotel cost and daily expenses.
   • If I go with my family of five, I will make sure I have the budget for the same and some extra for emergencies. This is very crucial for any pleasure trip, you don’t want to regret or burn out after the trip. You will defeat the whole purpose of enjoyment and fun during this pleasure travel.

3. Apply for the Visa:  Applying for Visa before should be done at least 2 to 3 months if you are applying for some countries.

• Some nationalities don’t require Visas, if you are one of them you are lucky. But please check and recheck to confirm the visa requirements.
• Compile all the documents, Bank statements, Sworn statements, etc and some countries need the Flight itineraries and Hotel bookings also.
• Most of the countries just need the bookings not the actual purchases of the Flights/Hotels.

4. Create a Killer Itinerary: Design an itinerary which covers the most important places you want to see.
5. Include the Must-do attractions and activities you always dreamed of
6. Check your bucket List items and dine-in restaurants if any to be included.
7. We always include some adventurous activities on one day and more relaxed sightseeing on alternate days.
8. We always do forward-planning but leave room some flexibility and for some spontaneous adventures.
9. Always try to make a rough draft at high level and you can start adding or updating as per your convenience.
10. If you are doing multi-city trips, make sure the flights/buses are included and travel durations too.

5. Book -Early: Once the plan is finalized and dates are fixed, make the flight bookings first according to your budget and prefered airlines.
6. Some airlines are cheaper, but they have long layovers. I usually use Google Flights or Kayak to get best deals. Mid-week offers better rates too.
7.  If you want to save on hotel night you could fly during the night to arrive in the city early morning and check in into the hotel later.
8. We always book early about 3 months into the trip to grab good deals and connections on flights and best rates on hotels.
9. I usually check Trip advisor or other online reviews about the hotels within the city and research ways to book good star hotels for affordable prices
10. Popular attractions and activities sometimes require advanced reservations.
11. Pack Smart: I am a light packer, but people always wonder when they look my pictures with so many different outfits.  The secret is I usually pack lot of Mixed and Match clothes for different outfits, with different shoes and accessories. I can wear layers according to the season.
12. Always keep your essential documents such as passports, tickets, hotel vouchers and other digital backups in Carryon luggage
13. Don’t forget Chargers/Adaptors, medication, small travel size toiletries and cosmetics, sometimes hotel bathroom toiletries are suitable.
14. I always pack one pair of change clothes in carryon, if the checked baggage is delayed for a day or so you can have as backup.
15. Keep extra copies of your important documents,  passports and tickets just in case if you misplace somewhere.

• Understand the Local culture: It is always good to read and understand the local culture, food habits and their traditional customs.
• In some religious places there is requirements to cover your heads or wear long skirts, so carry them accordingly
• Again, certain temple premises and religious gatherings don’t allow non-vegetarian food inside he buildings, so please try to check before buying the food
• Adapt to changes which might arose and be prepared for any deviations in the plans and due to inclement weather conditions.

Finally, do make sure you are updated on vaccinations, extra medications, and also consider buying travel insurance for any emergencies.

Enjoy the Journey and embrace new experiences and stay positive, sometimes things may change and don’t go as planned but keep your Tavel bug alive and enjoy the ride!!