Do you sit at home each night and wonder why you’re not travelling the world, seeing the sights or meeting new people in exotic locations? If you want to make this dream a reality then read on for our great tips.
It seems that my friends are always jetting off here there or everywhere for some amazing travelling experiences so I’ve been picking their brains for their best pre-travel planning hints. The itinerary though, that’s up to you.
Time
by wwarby
If you want to keep your job then find out the absolute maximum amount of time they’ll let you go away for. Many companies will offer a sabbatical and a lot of smaller businesses are willing to be even more flexible. See if these match up with your dream or else you’re facing a couple of alternatives. The first one is to quit your job, scary because you’ll have to find work once you get back, and the second is to see if they’ll let you make a long holiday a regular thing so you can divide your dream into chunks!
Money
http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/5394616925/
by epSos.de
There’s no two ways about it, you’ll need to save some cash. How much depends on where you want to go and how much you’re prepared to “rough it” when you’re there. Somewhere in the region of £1000 a month if there’s two of you will probably be a minimum requirement. Make sure you know your rights when it comes to work too so that you can look out for chances to stop in a gorgeous spot and earn a bit of cash along the way. Save money by transferring a chunk of your paycheque before you see it, or start taking lunches to work or cutting out the posh coffees and save the difference. You’ll soon see it add up!
Companions
by Mara 1
Needless to say, you’re going to be spending a huge amount of time with this person, and you’ll get to know each others’ quirks inside and out. Learn beforehand whether they are a planner or a we’ll-figure-it-out type and make sure you’re compatible when it comes to the places you want to go. If you’re travelling alone that can be liberating but also isolating so it’s worth thinking about organising a couple of things along the way where you know you’ll meet people, like volunteering or festivals.
Plan
by orangeacid
You don’t want your grand tour scuppered by silly things like visas or immunisation certificates so make sure you check out all the countries you’re planning on going to before you jet off. The Foreign Office is an excellent resource for this and they also have up-to-date country warnings covering everything from pirates to hurricanes.
Back-up Plans
by IvanWalsh
Always have a back-up plan! This can be as simple as an emergency fund that can get you home at a moment’s notice, which is a great safety net to have. Take out a credit card, even if you don’t use it, they are perfect in a crisis such as unforeseen medical costs. And make sure you always have a secret cash stash in case something bad happens to your wallet.
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top image by mckaysavage