8 Essential Tips to be Prepared for the Unexpected While Travelling

8 Travel Tips for a Peaceful Holiday 

Staying prepared beforehand can be the best defence in case you encounter any mishap during your vacation. Follow these 8 simple travel tips to face any unforeseen situations that may arise while you are on a much-awaited vacation. Let’s get started:

1. Pack Emergency Supplies

You never know when you can get stuck in an emergency resulting in a physical injury. Thus, you must make sure to pack emergency supplies like a first aid kit, Q-tips, earplugs, approved antibiotics, anti-allergy pills and all the prescription medications that you are taking. You will be able to find everything at your nearby pharmacy at home but in case of any emergency abroad, you may face difficulties in finding these supplies. Therefore, you should have your supplies prepared and carry them during your trip. Also, keep your medical prescription handy in case you need to show it at the airport security checks.

You should also keep a portable charger or power bank in case your phone runs out of battery during your travel or at the airport.

2. Safeguard Your Luggage

Loss, mishandling or exchange of your luggage with another passenger are common incidents while travelling. As a result, you must make sure to secure your luggage and your valuables properly. You can follow the steps given below to protect your baggage from any emergency during your travel:

1. Select hard-shell bags so that they do not crack from rough handling.
2. Customize your suitcase with a bright fabric or a unique luggage tag for easy identification.
3. Put baggage tags on both the outside and inside of your luggage.
4. Use zip-up bags for toiletries and other essentials.
5. Encase your luggage in plastic cling wrap or bag protectors.
6. Keep cash, card and other important documents close to you.
7. Buy international travel insurance with baggage cover to get compensated in case of a loss of your check-in baggage by your airline staff.

3. Keep Emergency Cash

Most places provide an option of paying your expenses via a credit card, but there might be situations when you cannot use them. Moreover, you may come across instances when your credit cards get denied in another country. To encounter such cases, it becomes essential to keep emergency cash with you while travelling.

You should also keep one backup credit card just in case your bank locks your account or denies your transactions without informing you. You can also notify your bank about your travel beforehand so that you do not face any problems later.

4. Keep a List of Emergency Contacts

Carrying a list of emergency contacts can be very helpful in times of medical or financial adversity. In case you meet with an accident, your medical professionals will know who to contact at that time. Moreover, you must be aware of your destination's local emergency numbers, such as the number of the nearest embassy or consulate, police station, and other local emergency departments, in case you get stuck in a problematic situation.

You should also keep your family and friends updated about your whereabouts. Give a copy of your itinerary to your friends or family members before you travel.

5. Buy Travel Insurance

Having travel insurance in place is one of the most important ways to keep you and your loved ones protected throughout your trip. Even when you are not travelling abroad, having a travel insurance plan can protect you against many emergencies, such as baggage loss. But if you are travelling overseas, you can get an international travel insurance plan that will cover you against the loss of passport, accidental injuries, trip cancellations, flight delays, loss of personal belongings or any COVID-related emergency as well. Thus, if your trip is fully insured, you can get coverage against major monetary losses arising out of your travel.

6. Check Vaccine Requirements

Depending on which destination you are going to, you may be compulsorily required to get certain vaccinations in advance. Therefore, you must get yourself vaccinated as per the vaccine requirements of your destination before travelling so that you do not encounter any problems during your trip. You can check the embassy website to know about any vaccine requirements to travel to your destination country.

7. Keep Copies of Important Documents

There can be instances where you can lose your documents while travelling. To handle such situations, it becomes necessary to keep multiple copies of all the important documents handy. For instance, you may get robbed of your bag and lose your original documents. In such situations, a duplicate copy of your documents can help you in filing a police report if needed. Therefore, make sure to keep a copy of your flight tickets, passport, visa, international travel insurance documents and credit cards as well.

8. Learn Basic Phrases

Language can be a barrier in case you are travelling overseas, especially in non-English speaking countries. To overcome such a situation, you can learn basic phrases, like saying "hello", "thank you" and “good-bye”, etc., in the destination country’s language to make interactions with locals easier. You might also consider learning nonverbal ways to communicate with locals by using facial expressions or gestures if such a need arises. Also, avoid using slang or jargon that might have a different meaning in another country.

Stay Aware and Prepared!

Before you plan your trip, you must do ample research about the destination, its travel restrictions, travel insurance requirements or any other rules related to vaccinations, COVID-19, etc. This will help you in planning your trip in a better way and make sure that you stay prepared for any unforeseen situations during your trip. We also suggest you to always stay alert to your surroundings and keep an eye on all your belongings whenever you are in a crowded location. Don’t forget to follow the above-mentioned tips to keep yourself prepared in case of an emergency.