How to organise a once-in-a-lifetime trip abroad
As Jack Kerouac said, “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” Travelling abroad is an experience everyone should have at least once in their lifetime, and it can teach you a lot.
There’s so much to see and do out there, and there are many would-be travellers simply champing at the bit to experience it.
For some, travelling abroad may be something taken for granted or that you must do for business so often that much of the thrill has been taken out of it.
For others, travelling to new and exciting places gets them so excited that they can’t sit still!
This is a collaborative post.
Whether you’re a travelling newbie who still has stars in their eyes when you check flight prices and make day-dream itineraries or a seasoned traveller who could benefit from a way to find the magic in the process of travelling again, you’ve come to the right place.
There are a few things that you can do when planning your trip to ensure that you have an experience that you’ll never forget.
We have the goods, from booking the best private jet charter to accommodation secrets and packing advice. If you want all of your travels to be of a once-in-a-lifetime quality, then read on for our tips.
Plan ahead
This tip will ensure things run smoothly and there are few bumps in the road wherever you are going. Spur of the moment, spontaneous trips can be entertaining, but nothing is better than knowing you have all your bases covered.
Plan your trips well in advance and begin booking your private jet flights as early as possible; the longer you wait, the higher the cost will be. The same goes for booking accommodation, especially if you are travelling during peak tourism months.
It is also helpful to spend time learning about the cost of living at your destination before you leave. Check restaurant menus for places near where you are staying, ask questions online and check advertisements for supermarkets nearby if you are going the self-catering route.
Researching all the activities you could participate in for your trip abroad and all the available sightseeing options will mean you cut down on time wasted looking for things to do while you travel.
The same can be said for learning essential phrases like “good morning”, “which direction to…” and “thank you” in the local language. All these things may seem like a lot of extra work, but planning and learning these things in advance means your trip will go far more smoothly and leave you stress-free.
Read reviews
If you want the best experience, you can read reviews before you book or plan anything. Customers will usually be brutally honest about their experience with accommodation or travel providers, and that experience can be invaluable to you.
You can see from reviews whether a tourist destination is safe after a particular hour.
You can tell if the accommodation that looks so lovely online delivers everything it promises or which of the two private jet companies you should decide on.
Avoid nasty surprises by reading reviews before you book!
Pack safe
The phrase “rather safe than sorry” is a traveller’s best friend, especially an inexperienced traveller on a trip abroad. Practical packing can ensure you do not want anything while you’re travelling. For example:
Even if you are going to a warm weather destination, pack at least two warm outfits, including warm shoes and a jacket.
Should the weather turn unseasonably cold, you’ll be grateful you did. Do the reverse for cold weather destinations.
Pack mix-and-match outfits. Tops and bottoms that work well in various ways and shoes/ accessories that are attractive with a combination of outfits.
Pack an adaptor that conforms to your destination’s norms. Include a spare phone charger.
Make copies of your important documents like your ID and passport and any other pertinent information such as TEFL certification.
Store a copy digitally in a cloud you can access from anywhere, store one safely in your room and keep one on your person at all times.
Packing safely also means checking the rules and regulations concerning any questionable devices or items you plan to bring along.
For example, you might have concerns regarding the permissibility of carrying Bluetooth devices on planes and the best thing you can do in such cases is to contact the airline directly to ensure you comply with their regulations.
By doing so, you can avoid any unnecessary complications or delays during security checks and have a smoother travel experience.
Packing sensibly will mean fewer worries about what to wear to a nice dinner or stress about being out of contact if your charger decides to break or gets lost along the way!
Check your mindset and attitude
There are lots of things that are entirely out of your control when you travel. The two things you can control on a trip abroad with any degree of certainty are your attitude and your mindset.
Your attitude will keep you above water even in a situation that might not be ideal.
If you remain as pleasant as you can with everyone around you even if your room is double booked, for example, the staff at the hotel will be far more likely to help remedy the situation promptly.
If you’re hiking in some gorgeous forest and it begins to rain, you can still have a great time if your mindset is one of acceptance and willingness to roll with the punches. Attitude and mindset are the two things that define the kind of trip you will have.
Take note of our top travel tips, and you’ll have a travel experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life!