You’re about to head out for vacation, but are you really prepared?
Many travelers think that just doing the basics, like booking a flight and hotel, means they are ready. But they’ve failed to take into account that things can go wrong.
From canceled flights to no Wi-Fi – you have to plan for the worst but hope for the best.
And don’t count on airlines or hotels to have your back and help you out.
But if you take the time to do some prep work beforehand, you’ll be in a good position to not only handle a crisis with ease – you’ll be prepared for your trip once you land by having a rough blueprint already worked out.
Here are some basic travel prep opportunities every traveler should do before their next trip.
Store Important Information In Your Phone
Think of all the important information you’ll need for your trip and store the names and numbers in your phone.
From airline customer service phone numbers to flight information and confirmation codes– you’ll want to keep this info in your phone so you can access it quickly.
Should your flight get delayed, instead of wasting time searching for the right phone number to call – you’ll have it all at your fingertips.
Make sure to also store your hotel’s address and phone number should you arrive late or early or have questions.
Wi-Fi isn’t always the most reliable – so don’t always count on having service to look these things up.
Create A Custom Google Map
Create your own Google map of places you want to see while you’re on your trip. You can pin different restaurants or museums and even make your map more in depth should your family want to see different things.
Having a general idea of the places you want to see and their distance from each other can help you plan out your route.
You can even have Google figure out the best walking or driving route for your must-see destinations!
Make A Copy Of Your Passport
It’s always good to have a color copy of your passport.
Everyone approaches this differently while traveling – some keep their original passport on their person in a money pouch and leave the copy in a hotel safe.
Other times, it’s more dangerous (like in El Salvador) to actually carry your passport on you – it’s better to keep the colored copy with you and store the original in a locked safe.
But some hotels either don’t have safes or the safe situation is sketchy, so use your discernment.
Regardless – you definitely want to have two copies on you!
A Little Bit Of Preparation Goes A Long Way
Once you arrive at your destination, you’ll want to get out and see the sites – not spend time online trying to find that “one restaurant” your friend told you to check out while in Paris.
Don’t waste precious time searching for information you can already have set up in your phone ahead of time.
With just a little bit of preparation, you’ll have a list (and locations) of all the restaurants and places you want to go, along with their contact info should you have any questions.
And by having your own Google map, you can navigate your way around without looking too much like a tourist!
So discipline yourself and spend some time preparing for your next trip – you’ll be thankful that you did.
What types of prep work do you do before going on vacation?
Do you agree planning ahead will make your vacation less stressful?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to share this article with all your friends!
