Tickets, money, passport… what have I forgot?

We are now entering the busiest time of year for holidays, whether you are cruising, flying, driving or camping.

I can guarantee no matter how organised most of us are when it comes to planning our most precious time off of work we always forget something. Normally with me it’s actually arranging my travel insurance would you believe? I would never, ever travel without it, but it is normally the last thing to tick off of my check list. Really, it should be one of the first, as god forbid, I had to cancel my holiday I wouldn’t be insured. So now when I am planning my holiday, the first thing I do try and arrange is my insurance.

The common ones are usually insurance, arranging parking at the airport or at the cruise port. Last minute dash to the bureau de change.  Luckily, these can be arranged at short notice, but some things can’t always be done last minute.

Over my many years of working in travel there have been some good ones, the best is thinking your passport is still valid and then finding out it is not!

Last week I had to help out a friend whom did just that, she had her flights booked and was due to travel in 7 days, she thought her passport run out April 2015 when she checked her passport she then realised it actually run out April 2014.

There has been a massive backlog this year as heavily reported in the press and news, that there is a longer wait than usual for your passport application.  Thankfully, I managed to get her a 1 day passport service and she got her passport 4 days before travel at a cost of £128!

Now, that’s ok if you live close enough to get to the passport office. If she didn’t, it would be a different story and she wouldn’t be sunning herself on a beach in Benalmadena with the rest of her family.

One of the questions that we will always ask you at time of booking your cruise holiday is if you are in possession of a passport with a minimum of 6 months validity.  70% of the time most people say yes, without even checking, that’s because we do tend to know roughly when our passport is due to run out, but there is always that little bit of doubt that will always make you check after, just in case.

Most travel agents and tour operators do recommend that you have a valid passport in place before booking for this reason, especially if you are booking a last minute holiday. As it is your responsibility to make sure your travel documentation is valid.

I normally try to start my packing about 5-7 days before travel, work out what I will take and combine outfits together, take a few extra clothes and plenty of shoes to go with each outfit. And guaranteed I will repack everything the night before I travel and change my mind on most of my packed clothes.  No matter how long or often I have travelled I have never mastered of travelling light.

Each of us has our own way of organising our holidays from packing to travel arrangements to point of departure and it can be a very stressful time, especially if you are the main person arranging everything whilst the rest of the family just about manage to pack their toothbrush.

So, next time I travel I have decided to try a travel checklist and see if this can make things a lot smoother and less stressful. Rather than wait, I will arrange all my necessary additional travel items, such as insurance and parking at time of booking, rather than waiting until I remember the night before I depart!

So with the forthcoming busy holiday season nearly upon us, how do you prepare?

Would love to hear any tips and advice you can offer to me and the rest of the holidaying nation on the way to prepare for a stress free holiday.

Dawn

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