I’m desperate for a ‘proper holiday’ next year, although realistically I’m not sure it will happen as Sam as just went self employed, so there will be a bit of an adjustment to our finances, and we’re also far more restricted to school holiday dates too which will bump up the prices! However it doesn’t stop me from browsing and pricing up ridiculous holidays! I did have a couple of holidays myself in the last year though, one to Israel and one The Hague, as well as holidays in the UK too. Here are the three things that I do as soon as I book a holiday
Sort Travel Insurance
You would be so daft to go on holiday without insurance, it may seem like another expense to factor in but compared to the expenses you’d incur if you fell ill or had an accident in another country it’s a drop in the ocean! You’re also likely to be covered if an airline loses your luggage and you have to buy new clothes, or if something gets damaged or stolen (like that new camera or the tablets you took to entertain the kids on the flight!) It’s worth looking into specialist medical insurance if you’re travelling with a pre-existing condition to make sure you’re fully covered.
Create an Itinerary
I always make a list of the things I really want to do, and the places I really want to see after doing a LOT of research. Are there any musuems or art galleries you really want to visit? If so what days are they closed? What about date-specific events, is there a weekend thrift market you don’t want to miss? If you’re planning a shopping spree then look up opening times too, as in some European cities especially big shops don’t open on Sundays! It’s also worth checking out local transport links and booking any return travel to the airport in advance if you’ll be using a cab! For example I arrived in Israel on Friday night, which is the Jewish Shabbat so no public buses were running.
Check Documents
As soon as your travel documents get emailed or posted to you CHECK EVERYTHING, including that your name is spelt right, your DOB is correct and that all the dates, hotels and transport times are correct, and if not get on the phone to sort it out immediately! I then make sure I have a scanned copy of anything that comes in the phone emailed to myself so I can access it from anywhere, and I also have copies of my passport encrypted and stored online too, in case I were to ever lose it!
So, those are the three things I do once I’ve go a holiday booked in – I just need to book one now!