The ongoing travel restrictions mean that we’re unable to visit many of the places we did last year. In fact, we’re unable to travel just a few minutes down the road if we don’t have good reason to!
But no lockdown lasts forever, and thus there will come a time that we’re once again free to roam the country (and the world) as we once did.
Which means that those of us with itchy feet can make good use of the time available, and plan for another trip. If you’re planning to make up for lost time by marking the return to normality with a long trip overseas, then it’s worth taking the opportunity to prepare.
Let’s take a look at what your travel preparations might look like.
Research
Putting in the research before you spend any money will help you to understand the customs of an unfamiliar place, and to prioritise which attractions you’d like to pack into a single trip.
The internet is replete with travel blogs offering an on-the-ground perspective from destinations across the world. Get reading, and you’ll find plenty of information, as well as inspiration, for your trip.
What to Pack
It might seem unusual to pack your bags this far ahead of time – but there are certain non-perishable items that are worth investing in ahead of time, to save you the trouble of looking for them when the time comes.
These might include bottles, maps, memory cards, and travel adaptors. Store them inside your case and forget about them until the week before your trip. Sun-block also stands out as the kind of thing that’s worth buying ahead of time.
Another category of purchase is the stuff you can use right now. That might mean sunglasses, swimming costumes, hairbrushes, and other devices. There are always new travel fashion staples to go for each season. It’s worth browsing them before start packing.
If you’re finding that you’re spending plenty of time in the garden sunbathing, then why not make those purchases now, and make good use of them.
Then, when you’re able to travel again, you’ll have a holiday wardrobe that’s all ready to go! On the other hand, if you’re planning a winter holiday, you might opt to invest in warm clothes, like men’s and women’s thermals, hats, scarves, and salopettes, before the ski season rolls around.
Passport Renewal
Being grounded for a long time might allow your passport to lapse, especially if it was near to expiration anyway.
A new one takes several weeks to process and arrive, and it’s a headache you won’t want to have to deal with while you’re making other plans closer to the time – so do yourself a favour and apply for a new one!
Featured Images | chuttersnap on Unsplash
*This is a collaborative post
We rented a car during our visit…and couldn’t have winter tires…difficult drive along the snowy roads….but loved our time there.