Travel Experta, Expat Mama, Educator and Entrepreneur - Inspiring Families to New Horizons

Traveling to another country can be a wonderful experience and should be on everyone’s bucket list. If you are able to visit different parts of the world with your family, you’ll be able to teach your children about different cultures and customs.

You’ll also learn a bigger world view yourself. There are a few things you will need to do to prepare for your vacation outside the country. Here are seven of those things.

1. Make sure you’re insured

Insurance it the most important thing you can purchase for yourself and your family. Many world citizens purchase insurance. When it comes to international travel, this is especially important.  Take the time to search for international travel insurance for Australians.

If you are in a country that has a natural disaster, you’ll want the insurance to help you cover the costs of medical treatment during a crisis. You should also check with your credit card company and homeowners insurance to  see if you’re covered if you have unexpected expenses for flight cancellations and stolen or lost luggage. These expenses can add up quickly and can be easily taken care of with a comprehensive travel insurance plan.

2. Research and be informed

Research all the entry and exit requirements for your destination. Make sure to have the nearest embassy information handy and always check the security alerts for and security messages.

If you are a student, woman, or LGBT individual traveling to another country, you’ll want to make sure you know the area and risks of the country you’ll be visiting. Not all countries are safe for individuals or even couples. So be prepared and informed about those risks and do your best to mitigate them.

3. Get your documents and immunizations

If you don’t have a passport or visa, you’ll want to start that process well before you travel. In America it can take weeks to get a passport, so plan ahead and make sure you’ve got the documents you need in order. Make sure you have received all the immunizations required to travel.

Also, do your research to make sure you don’t need a visa to enter the country you want to visit. You can check with your embassy to see what countries require visas and which don’t require them. Don’t forget to let your doctor know you’ll be traveling abroad so they can update your medications and make sure you have the correct letter that allows you to carry your prescriptions. You’ll also want to make sure you have enough for your whole trip.

4. Learn about the customs and language of your destination

On a lighter note, it would be a good idea to learn all about the country you’ll be visiting and their customs. If you are vacationing with your children, you can make it a game to learn as much as possible about the places you’ll be visiting.

It’s also important to learn key phrases in in the language of your destination. Learning key phrases and teaching them to your children will help your trip be more comfortable and fun. Most locals will appreciate that you’ve tried to learn their language and customs and be more apt to help you.

5. Purchase adapters and converters for your electronics

Other countries don’t have the same electrical requirements as the ones you are from. Therefore, it’s highly important to purchase adapters and converters for all your electronic equipment.

You can usually get them much cheaper by ordering them ahead of time rather than trying to purchase them once you get there. It’s a perfect way for vendors to charge you a premium for these things knowing that you require them for your electronics to work.

6. Make sure you get extended service from your carrier

You’ll want to check with your cell phone carrier to make sure you’ve purchased out of network usage. It’s much cheaper than paying per minute for out of network data usage. This is important for those places where you’ll be checking in with family and friends on a regular basis.

7. Make sure your home is secure

Finally, make sure your home is secure by stopping your mail, newspaper and regularly delivered items. If you have a home security system, make sure to let them know you’ll be traveling so they can monitor any intrusions that our out of character.

The best idea is to have a home sitter stay at your place, so it still has that lived in look. You can hire someone through an agency or ask a family member to stay at your home.

This preflight checklist will help you prepare to have a joyful and safe vacation and return home to a happy and clean house.

The post Preflight Checklist: 7 Things to Prepare for Your Vacation appeared first on Travel Experta, Expat Mama, Educator and Entrepreneur.