Unless you have the memory of an elephant, which most of us don’t, then you could be forgiven for forgetting the odd thing every now and then. Provided the things you forget aren’t important, then really it doesn’t particularly matter if you forget to put the rubbish out in the morning, but in the case of holidays, if you forget a particular detail, you might be putting your whole holiday in jeopardy.
There are certain things which holidays need, and if you fail to do one of them, or forget to print something out, then you could run into problems. Don’t stress about it, simply make sure you organise yourself well ahead of time.
Consider this your list to tick off as you go through your holiday planning stages, and once you have a tick at the side of all of these points, you should be more than good to go.
Getting to the airport
Have you given thought to how you’re going to get from home to the check in desk? So many people leave this until the last minute and then find the cost of buses and trains has shot through the roof. Make sure you organise your transport ahead of time, and if you have an early flight, give serious consideration to booking an airport hotel, to make your travel day much less stressful as a result. I do this regularly, often using the Stansted Airport hotels, and I find this a stress-free approach to my travel.
Passport validity
Check your passports as soon as you book, because most holiday destinations the world over require you to have at least six months’ validity on your passport from the date you return home. This may mean you need to renew your passport early.
Do you need a visa?
Sometimes you may need a visa, other times you won’t, but do check early in proceedings, because if you need to apply in a more formal manner then this can be a lengthy process. Check online on the Embassy website if you’re not sure.
API
If you need to do API (Advanced Passenger Information), make sure you do this at least 72 hours prior to travel, to avoid problems at the check in desk.
Health issues
Check with your GP whether you need any additional immunisations or medications to travel to your chosen destination, and make sure you have enough of your regular repeat medications to see you through the duration of your trip.
Print out confirmations
Sometimes you don’t need a paper copy of a booking, but I always find it’s a good safety cushion to have one just in case. Check spellings of names and details on any confirmations, and print them out, storing them in your hand luggage.
Pack!
Obviously you won’t forget to do this, but I find doing my packing in stages eases the total stress-fest for me!
Tick off these items and you should have everything vitally important for your upcoming trip. If you forget anything else, well, that can be sorted out quite easily at a later date.
