Make sure your passport is in date
Is your passport in date? If not, you’ll have to apply for a new one and this will take time. Send it to the relevant address several months before you fly, otherwise you might not receive it before your holiday. Be aware that many countries require your passport to be in date for a while after you return, so visit the embassy of the country you’re visiting for advice – or do your research online. The UK Government offers a wealth of travel advice, so start gathering information today!
Arrange transport to the airport
Arrive at the airport on time by making travel arrangements in advance. Get train tickets to Gatwick (or to wherever airport you’re flying from), reserve your seats on a luxury coach or leave a deposit with a respectable taxi firm. Just bear in mind, off peak travel tickets are more often than not cheaper, so try to get your money’s worth and save the pennies, or Euros for that matter for your trip.
Check in online
If you’re prompted to do so, check-in online as this could save you a lot of time, it can also be cheaper with some airlines. You’ll avoid long queues at the airport and will be able to grab a bite to eat or get a duty free bargain – what could be better? Fill out all the relevant details carefully and make sure you spell all names as they appear on each passport. The slightest error could cause problems, so eliminate all mistakes.
Find your passport
It sounds simple, but you must locate your passport – well before you fly. Even if you know where it is, dig it out and put it in your travel bag along with your other important documents. This will ensure everything’s safe and will stop you from panicking at the last minute. Tearing your room apart in the hope it’ll appear is not what you want when you should already be in holiday mode.
Arrange jabs
If you’re going to a country with an array of exotic diseases – don’t forget to get vaccinated. Typhoid, yellow fever and other nasty illnesses are far from pleasant, so protect yourself in every way! If you’re travelling to somewhere with malaria, you must also take tablets for the duration of your stay and a while afterwards – so visit a travel clinic in good time.
Holidays should be fun, but make sure everything’s well organised!