Check Your Passport Expiry Date
Most countries require a minimum of 3 to 6 month validity on your passport. This is due to visa precautions ensuring you have valid travel documents when it is time to depart and return home.
Even if the expiry of your passport is after your scheduled return date, this requirement will still stand because there could be unforeseen circumstances that force you to stay longer, such as an accident that requires medical treatment.
Some countries are more conservative than others so make sure you check with the embassy if your passport expiry is approaching and you are questioning whether there will be a problem.
You can read more (Here)
Do You Need A Visa?
Some countries will allow you to enter visa free or visa on arrival. However, this can differ between countries and largely depends on the agreements your home country has with the country you are traveling to.
You can check with the embassy if you are not sure. Simply google the embassies email address.
Print Relevant Documents
It can be handy to have hard copies of your travel documents, particularly hotel reservation, international vaccination certificate and even a photocopy of your passport.
It is much easier handing over a piece of paper when you need to verify something rather than searching through your email.
My travel check list always includes hard copies of all relevant documents that can get me out of a sticky situation if one arises.
Power Bank
The last thing you want to experience on your holiday is having to wait in the room for your phone to charge, I have experienced this on many occasions.
Either you have an older phone, or you are using your phone a lot on your adventures, if the battery dies when you want to take pictures or more importantly, use a navigator to get back to your hotel, it can be a real hassle.
A power bank can prepare you for a flat battery and reduce the risk of being stuck without a phone.
You can buy power banks at a reasonable price from Ali Express. Make sure you read the sellers reviews and allow for shipping time.
Buy International Sim
Some countries have favourable cell plans that include a roaming allowance. From my experience in Australia, roaming on your cell plan can be very expensive.
Typically, when you land at your travel destination there are vendors at the airport selling sim cards with data. It is generally cheaper to buy a sim card in the country that you will use it.
Different countries will vary of course. To reduce the risk of having to make an expensive phone call when you land, and potentially racking up a large bill, you can pre buy a travel sim.
I use Sim Corner for my pre departure travel sim. There are many companies like them so it may pay to shop around.
Back Up Phone
No one plans on losing their phone. However, this is a potential risk, and it can be eliminated by packing a spare phone just in case.
Bluetooth speaker
It was 2019 and I was in Ho Chi Mihn City Vietnam, as I walked up the stairs heading to the roof top pool bar, I heard beats pumping from a speaker. When I got to the top, I was surprised to see it wasn’t the hotels speaker, rather it was a guests portable Bluetooth speaker pumping out the tunes.
Up until this point, I hadn’t thought of taking a Bluetooth speaker with me on my travels before.
From that day onward, a Bluetooth speaker is on my travel check list.
You can play your favourite songs in your hotel room or on the beach as you watch the sunset.
Buy Spirits Duty Free At Departure
Buying alcohol duty free at departure can be cheaper than buying the same brand of alcohol in the country you are travelling to. This is because duty free means you don’t pay tax on the purchase.
Some hotels allow you to leave your duty free sprits at the pool bar. Particularly in Bali at the White Rose.
If not, you can go back to your room for top ups. Hotels vary in their rules, make sure you check with reception.
A Lock for Your bags
After reading Schapelle Corby’s autobiography I am always prepared with locks for my bags. I even go one step further and take a picture of the weight before my bag is whisked away on the carousel.
Sheppelle was caught at Depasar airport in 2014 with 4kg of cannabis. There is speculation that corrupt baggage staff were running an interstate drug smuggling syndicate and her bag was used to transport the drugs. When Sheppelle’s bag was being transferred on a connecting flight it was missed by the syndicate and on arrival in Bali, she was found in possession of the drugs.
If this is true, it is a very rare event. Nonetheless, a lock on your bag and proof of its weight as it leaves your possession could save you from decades in a foreign prison.
A lock for your bag can also be used in your hotel room. Housekeeping will clean your room daily and you should reduce the risk of theft.
Pack Sunscreen
Wearing sunscreen is a sensible preventative measure. You might feel like you don’t need it until you realise the next day that you were roasted like a chook in the oven.
If the sun burnt you bad enough, you could miss out on activities the next day as a result.
Take Some Currency With You
Exchanging your native currency in the country you are traveling to can give you a better exchange rate. Sometimes as much as 20% more buying power. Ensure you are using a legitimate currency exchanger and be alert during the process. Do the math yourself and count it in front of the staff member before leaving.
Some hotels allow you to leave your money in their safe, make sure you get a receipt.
You can also take a bank card. This could be a good strategy that ensures no matter what happens you will have access to funds. If you withdraw from an ATM, make sure there isn’t a card skimming device attached to the card reader.
If you can think of other things that are essential for a travel check list please comment below.