Are you travel ready ?
The pandemic has left a huge void in our travel aspirations. We all do watch most of the travel vlogs/blogs, and wish we were there at that particular place which is showing on your televisions or Mobiles or Tabs. But then again, the pandemic is not going to last forever. It is going to be over soon.
Yes, the holiday sun will shine again ! We will all be excited all over again and look forward to our desired destinations.
We shall all have that rush to the airport. The long queues for checking-in. The Embarkation stamping. The Strapping of Seat belts. The switching off all our electronics before take off……
But wait a minute.. Are we actually ready for it if it starts sooner? or are we going to be straddled with forgotten documentations ? Read the points to prepare yourselves again.
1- Is your Passport Travel Ready and valid ?
Yes, this is the first thing to be careful of. As most consulates require your passport to be valid for more than 6 months before you travel. In case it is not, then you need to immediately set about it once the lockdown is over of course. you can do it yourself without any help, only be careful about the spellings of your name etc. Click here for passport application portal
Check all pages of your passport – Is any page damaged? Even a small blot is taken as a damaged passport and you could be denied emmigration entry. Is the stitch in the middle intact ? Is the lamination on your passport coming off ?
If not then you have to apply reissuance of damaged passport, and this could take more time than usual.
2 – Do you have a current Picture ?
Not all are aware but every office expects a latest picture of yours. for example, you may give a picture which could be latest according to you. But when you actually apply for a visa and if the picture is the same as your passport which may be issued a year ago, then the consulate office takes it that your pic is a year old, they may give your passport back for want of latest picture.
Also, you need to be careful that your picture/Photo has to be of specific sizes for different requirements, like it is different size for ID, different for a some visas. different for Schengen visa, Different for UK Visa, Different for Passport, etc. Even the backgrounds are required to be different in most cases. Please read instructions of each office and print your picture accordingly.
3. Documents for visa and immigration .
You need to revalidate all those documents which go into proccuring your visas, It may involve a fresh bank statement copy/ies, Latest Income Tax papers, etc. This could be the first things to get done when things open up.
4. Is your baggage travel ready ?
Is your bag fit to travel all those kilometers ? even if they are going by air, are they strong enough to be thrown by loaders with limited automation ? are the coasters rusty and jammed up ? you may need to oil them or get them up to date. It is not necessary to spend extra and get new bags when the old ones can be as good as new.
5. Are your clothes in order? shoes gloves etc.
A lot of times We tend to forget to check our gear or clothing required for specific travel, like snow wear, gloves, Boots, Inner wear etc. It becomes absolutely necessary to recheck all your specific-travel clothes to prepare you. You may feel the need to replace some of that gear. Sometimes clothes don’t fit.
6. Is your health travel ready ? Are you fit to travel ?
When was the last time you walked for over a kilometer ? If you have been regurarly exercising it is absolutely ok. If not, then you better start getting back into shape as a holiday is never done on a wheelchair but by physically transporting yourself, maybe with children in arms. Also you may have to tug your baggage up the stairs in a lot of places. Even picking up your suitcases to put them into the trunks of cars or taxis may get you very tired. So it is best to be fit for all occasions, or get fit to travel.
7. What about the kids ?
Are your kids old enough to walk on their own or do you need to carry them / get a Pram ? if this is the case you must prepare your selves first. And then prepare your children informing them about the excitement of travel. In a lot of cases, especially amongst teen agers, they prefer to . Click here for a detailed post.
8. Do you remember all the travel timings ?
how long it takes to get to the airport. there maybe new checks for covid which could take more hours before check in. So start early and if necessary, give an extra buffer hour to get to the airport. As we always say “It is better to be waiting in the airport than to be frustrated in traffic and miss flights”
9. Is your covid vaccine certificate in place ?
Yes. Covid certificates are going to be a kind of a digital passport to enter most of the tourist points like restaurants, entrances, and of course airports, flights, hotels etc. So for this you need to be fully vaccinated. Click here for link on the topic
10. Have you rechecked your all your tickets, hotels etc ?
Last thing to do but certainly not the least, As we may have lost the practice to reconfirmation of all our travel. Begin with your airline pnr. It will be good to check in online as well. Mail your hotels for reconfirmation/payments etc. Make sure your transportation if any has got the correct date and time to pick you up. You may even want to recheck all your entrances for timings and to see if there are any unwanted developments.
So it’s time to take off.
Having checked and rechecked all as above, you have to give yourself the first day free in your destination. relax in your hotel surrounding before heading for your desired sight seeings or Excursions.
Bon Voyage
See you on tour !!