The UK is home to an enormous amount of culture, history, entertainment and natural beauty. As Brits, we cannot sing Old Blighty’s praises enough. Therefore many of us, and it’s a fact that we often forget, never end up leaving the country. After all, we suppose when your own back yard has so much to offer, what’s the point of venturing any further? But of course, the rest of the world provides us with plenty of incentive to pack our bags and jump onto a plane. What if you want to see the Grand Canyon? The Himalayas? The gobsmacking scenery surrounding Machu Pichu? Life’s too short to stay put. With that in mind here are some tips for the first time traveller. We hope they make your first trip as easy and stressfree as possible.
What do I need?
If you are a first time traveller heading out of the country can be tricky especially when you are deciding what to pack. After all, you don’t want to forget the essentials. Therefore, we thought it would be a good idea to put together a checklist. Sort these things out in advance of taking off and your trip has a great chance of going smoothly.
Sort your Passport Out
Your passport is the most important document you need when travelling abroad. Without it, you’ll be unable to leave the country. But applying for a passport presents a few administrative costs and you’ll need to leave enough time for it to go through especially if you are a first time traveller. This can take up to six weeks for your first passport and three weeks to renew an existing one. Therefore, if you don’t have an in-date passport, the time to apply for one is right now.
Sort your Medical Insurance
If you’re travelling within the EU (or a few other non-EU, European countries), then you can get free, or substantially discounted, medical cover, courtesy of a special card. This is called the EHIC card, and it needs to be kept in date. But there’s a complicating factor: if the UK leaves the EU without a deal on Hallowe’en, then this might not cover you – so make sure that your travel insurance extends to medical expenses, especially if you have any pre-existing medical condition.
Get your Money in Advance
If you need to exchange cash while you’re travelling, then you’ll likely be fleeced. The exchange rates are at their most offensive if you buy foreign money in the airport, so it’s worth shopping around for something preferable before you get there. If you want the best possible rate, then apply for a specialist credit card. Just make sure you get it paid promptly to avoid interest rates.
Sort out Airport Transfers
Getting your airport transfers sorted ahead of time will save you hassle and stress. This is especially important if you’re travelling somewhere where English isn’t widely spoken, like Turkey or Japan. An Antalya airport taxi, for example, will take you from the airport arrivals hall right to your hotel’s front door – but only if you arrange it well ahead of time.
Don’t be fooled by Star Ratings
We’re all familiar with one-to-five star ratings for hotels. But there’s no worldwide standard for the awarding of stars to hotels. Often governments and travel agents will hand stars out on dubious grounds. A far better measure of the performance of a hotel is the testimony of its guests – so be sure to check out comparison sites like Tripadvisor or check out blog reviews before taking the plunge.
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