oh wow, this thread has really taken off. :ears:
Thanks to DisneyDancer92 and orangarnold for adding some very valuable tips and hints from their own experiences.
I've changed the title a bit to fit in with how the thread has evolved, as I think this thread should be a standalone thread and I will do a new thread for my trip report.
To add on to what orangarnold posted
1, I always print 2 copies of my initiatory and all reservation confirmation emails, I leave one set at home and put my set in a folder.
2. I plan every travel route before hand, Googling maps and depending on the route, sometimes printing maps.
3. I make sure to give my home contact person the name, address and telephone number of my accommodation, the airline and flight numbers or the train /bus company name & expected time of departure and arrival. I always text my home contact person at each stage of my journey and depending how long I am away & what I am doing, I usually text a couple of times during the trip.
4. Depending on the country I am visiting and how long I will be away, I also bring a basic first aid kit. This usually includes painkillers, re-hydration sachets, plasters, anti diarrhea tablets and throat lozenges.
5. Travel Insurance is also something you need to have and as orangarnold stated, Europeans make sure you have your E11.
6. Also contact your bank if you plan to use your bank cards in ATM's or pay in shops and restaurants. Tell them you are going out of the country and will be using your cards when away. This might seem a bit silly but I learnt the hard way with this. When you use your card your Bank knows and if there is something outside your normal usage, it gets flagged immediately. This means your bank will block the use of your card and will contact you to verify it is you and that your card has not been stolen. If this happens in a foreign country, it can leave you without access to your money for a minimum of 12 hrs. If this happens, its easy to get your card unblocked but it just takes a bit of time and effort. If your card gets blocked when in a different country, you need to contact your bank immediately. You will need to have the international phone number of your bank, and your full account details. I always make sure that my home contact person has a copy of my bank details, just in case I have a problem calling my bank from a different country. You will also need to remember time differences and if it is outside regular banking hours.
This sounds scary but the main thing if this happens is not to panic and that it will get sorted but it might take some time.
7. Another thing that has happened to me is travel disruption. In a perfect world, every flight takes off on time, roads are always open, people don't go on strike, and all the other things that happen to delay or disrupt your journey.
If something happens on journey, don't panic.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, it is the airlines responsibility to make sure you complete your journey. Many people get angry and abusive towards airline staff but if you don't, if you remain calm and just go with the flow, then things will get sorted much quicker. Yes your plans will be disrupted, yes you may have to miss something at your destination, but take it from me, so what. The only thing that matters is that you arrive at your destination safe.
Depending on how long your flight is delayed, the airlines offer various things. My advice is to take whatever the airline is offering, don't cancel or re-book with another company, as you will just get yourself all stressed out with trying sort out a new itinerary.
8. When flying, bags do get mislaid. If this happens , again, don't panic. Every airline has a customer service desk in the baggage collection area. Just go to them with your details. When this happened to me, it was due to a very short time between connecting flights. I had run through the airport and made it onto the connecting flight but my bag was not processed as quick and didn't make it. When I arrived at my destination, my bag never appeared on the luggage carousel. I went to the airline customer service desk and they knew exactly where my bag was. I filled in some forms, gave them my hotel info and I was given a tracking number. My bag was put on the next flight and delivered by the airline to my hotel the next morning. It meant that I couldn't change my clothes when I arrived but I knew my bag was on its way as the airline gave me a phone number which I could ring and with the tracking number I could follow my bags progress. Again, many people would get angry and abusive with the airline staff in this situation but to me, it wasn't worth it. I knew how short the time was between the two flights and I could understand why my bag had not made it onto the second flight.
