A Touch of Southern Grace : Guest Post :: 6 Things to Take Care of Before Long-Term Travel

Monday, January 15, 2018

Guest Post :: 6 Things to Take Care of Before Long-Term Travel

I love everything about the winter season – all the holidays, the decorations, the chance of snow, actual snow, comfort food, and the list could go on and on. However once the second of third week of February approaches I start to get an itch for warmer weather and a change of scenery. I feel like I’m probably not alone in that thought and feel pretty confident in say that a lot of people start planning trips during that period of time. For today’s guest post Nina is sharing the six things you need to take care of before you go on a long-term trip!

Yes, finding appropriate accommodation and booking a plane ticket are an absolute must when it comes to travel preparation, but the truth is that there are many more important things you should take care of before your long-term travel. Here are six such things you should take into consideration, so keep on reading and check them out!

Check your passport and apply for any necessary visas

The first thing you should do before you leave is to check your passport’sexpiration date. The general rule says that your passport should be valid for at least six months after entering a foreign country. If you realize that its expiration date is approaching, you should definitely renew your passport before taking your next trip. Apart from that, you should find out if you’re going to need a tourist visa, since the application process differs from country to country. Making copies of your travel documents is also a must, so don’t forget that either.

Take care of stop orders and advance payments

Any deliveries or services that occur regularly should also be properly taken care of, so don’t forget to place stop orders on them. We’re talking about newspapers, house cleaning, postal mail, and other similar services you won’t need while you’re away. Of course, if there are some services you want to continue, there’s always an option of paying in advance. Many service provides offer the possibility of placing stop orders online, which is a fantastic option if you forgot to take care of them before you left.

Manage your cash flow

Searching for an ATM can be a bit frustrating, especially when you’re exhausted from a long trip. That’s exactly why you should find out everything about the ATMs and ATM fees in the country you’re travelling to in advance. Besides that, you can always hit your bank before you leave, so that you have enough cash on you – at least for the first couple of days, until you find an ATM. You should also check out your bank’s website and check out their ATM locations, so that you don’t have to use other banks’ machines and spend more money on their fees.

Make some money while you’re away

One way to make some money while you’re away is to rent out yourhouse, which is a perfect option if you plan to be away for a long time. This is a great way for you to ensure that the bills are paid, and you’ll be able to earn more money every month via rent. Of course, looking for the right tenants can be quite challenging, but trust us – it’s much better than being afraid of someone breaking in when you are on the other side of the globe. On the other hand, if you’re worried about your storing your stuff and making room for your new tenants, don’t worry – there are ways to successfully tackle these issues. There are professional companies that offer self storage services and take proper care of your things until you come back, no matter their size and quantity. This is never a bad idea, so give it a try and you won’t make a mistake!

Take care of your health insurance, prescriptions, immunization, and food you’re eating

Find out if your health insurance policy includes international coverage before you leave. If it doesn’t, you should definitely buy a policy that’ll cover you while you’re abroad. Apart from that, you should also see if you need to get some special vaccines or medications as a precaution against particular diseases. A regular health check and mandatory preparations suggested by your doctor are an absolute must, as well as stocking up on your prescription and non-prescription medications that won’t be easy to find. It’s also important to remember that too greasy food can take a toll on your digestive health, so educate yourself on the local foods and get some fresh produce on a daily basis.

Check out the laws of the country you’re traveling to

Dozens of countries from all over the globe have adopted some really strict and strange laws everyone has to obey, which is why you should check out if the country you’re travelling to features any of them. For example, holding hands in public is okay in the UAE, while kissing and touching aren’t. Also, taking photos of other people without permission is illegal, which means that you can’t take those random photos or videos since it’s highly likely that someone will photobomb it.

As you can see, there are so many things you should take care of before leaving for your long-term travel. Just be sure to stick to our six tips and you’ll manage to get it all done like a true pro!