Top Ten Things to Do to Make Sure Your Travelling is easier

CanuckAbroad » Top Ten Things to Do to Make Sure Your Travelling is easier

Getting from one place to another can be stressful, especially when you’re travelling far away from your home to a new location. Having the right information on hand can make the difference between enjoyable and maddening travel - here’s what you need to know.

1. Check and double check - Before you even head out the door to the airport, make sure you have checked with the airport and the airline to see if your flight is still on schedule. While many travel agencies will call you with these changes, you still need to be proactive.
2. Make sure you have your ticket with you - It sounds simple enough, but when you don’t have your ticket with you when you go to the ticket counter, you might be faced with having to buy an additional ticket or paying a fee to get to where you need to go.
3. Check in ahead of time - Most airlines are offering online check-in that can dramatically cut down on your travel time. Simply enter in your confirmation number and print out your boarding pass, then go to the baggage check in area curbside and head straight to the security line.
4. Call ahead about your hotel reservations - The best way to make sure your reservations are in tact is to call two days ahead of your arrival to double check. If you’ve made a reservation with an online travel site, this is imperative. Sometimes, reservations don’t go through and you don’t want to arrive without a place to stay.
5. Don’t bring anything valuable - Because you probably don’t need it, don’t bring anything that you don’t want damaged, lost or stolen.
6. Always have cash on hand - Many places in exotic locales will only take cash, so be sure that you have some to begin your trip with and then replenish each day.
7. But not too much cash - Credit cards are safer to carry when you’re travelling because they can be reported as stolen and excessive charges removed. But when you carry large amounts of cash and it is stolen, there isn’t much you can do.
8. Have your travel itinerary in your checked luggage and your carry on - This will alert baggage officials to your travel plans, should your luggage become lost. Plus, it gives you an extra copy of your plans should you misplace them.
9. Bring a local map - If you’re heading to a place that you’re unfamiliar with, try to bring a current map with you. This will help you find out where things are, plus give you an idea of where cabs should be taking you.
10. Relax - Things go wrong on nearly every vacation, but taking a deep breath and laughing about it can help keep you relaxed and stress free.