10 tips for planning your next trip
Ten travel planning tips from the thousands of TID customers.
Get Inspired
Try these web sites for travel inspiration
Lonelyplanet.com - Hardly needing an introduction.
Fodors.com - Making it possible for every trip to be a trip of a lifetime.
Roughguides.com - travel guides to hundreds of worldwide destinations
Frommers.com - explore your travel destinations the way locals do.
Intrepidtravel.com - real life experiences.
i-to-i.com - meaningful travel.
Worldexpeditions.com - Take the path less travelled.
Peregrineadventures.com - The spirit of adventure.
Adventurous Women - Sharing the spirit of discovery.
holidayswithkids.com.au - Family travel specialists.
www.baliwaves.com - The original Bali surf report.
Ask for help
It doesn't matter how experienced you are, there are usually people out there who have specific knowledge of a particular destination. Try asking a question about where you are going.
Get organised
Make sure your passport is up-to-date (not today but when you are planning to travel) and has plenty of spare pages.
Check visa requirements for the country you are travelling to. Some countries require that you arrange a visa before you leave home, while others will grant a tourist visa when you land.
Book online & save
One of the fun parts about travelling is the booking of your flights and accomodation. Most TID customers choose to do this online these days as the savings can be significant.
Tripadvisor.com - User reviews on the best places to stay
Jet Abroad find the best price for your flights
Get Flight - get alerted when cheap flights are offered.
Get vaccinations early
Make an appointment with your doctor to check what vaccinations you need or any medicine you should take with you. Common ones to look out for are Typhoid, Malaria and Hepatitis... not the kind of things you want to take home with you.
While you are away
While you're away, there are often still things that need to be looked after back home. Cancel your post and if your house is going to be empty for a while, consider finding someone to house-sit.
Organise things to do
Make a list of things that you plan to do while away. Do some research on the internet about your holiday destination. There may be special events on that you can only attend if you book in advance. Planning what you're going to see will make it a lot easier to relax when you're on holidays!
Make a packing list
Start making a packing list a few weeks in advance, because you'll undoubtedly think of more things to add as you go. This can save you a lot of stress on the last day as you lock up your home and wonder if you've remembered everything. As the weeks go by,
Save Money
Find out what currency you will need and figure out the best way for you to deal with it. Credit cards can be convenient, but also unsafe in a lot of areas. Travellers cheques are a good safe alternative. Foreign Exchange rate variations might not sound like much but if you shop around, you can save thousands. Western Union is consistently recommended by TID customers as the place with the best rates.
Stay in touch
Is your address book on your phone? What happens if you lose it? Make a note of the most important names and numbers (including those of your bank, mobile phone company and credit cards) on paper and keep it safe. Before you start your trip, make sure you let people know that you will be away and how they can contact you while you're away.
Right there. When you're in need.
Trusted by more than 1 million Australian's, Travel Insurance Direct believes in looking out for our travellers. Take us with you on your next trip.