Travel Smarts

TRAVEL

Our QH Guide To Travel-Smarts

By Lynsey Riach

It’s that time of year again when so many of us long for a little wanderlust, the desire to spread our wings or escape the heat! But before we take to the skies, know you’re fully prepared by following these top traveller tips.

Where To? Perhaps you already know where you fancy going on your trip – but if not there are lots of tools to find inspiration. I especially enjoy Lonely Planet books that provide the top lists for any particular year.

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For 2015 they recommend Best Value Destinations: 1. Singapore 2. Namibia 3. Lithuania 4. Nicaragua 5. Ireland 6. Republic of Congo 7. Serbia 8. The Philippines 9. St. Lucia 10. Morocco

Whenever I travel I always pack a Lonely Planet guide, which I read in advance and prepare an itinerary; this also helps me to look forward to my trip – an essential part! You can never be too planned, especially if you want to make the most

out of your stay, so plan ahead and you’ll feel you already know the place before you touch down.

These guidebooks also help you learn about local laws and customs, because while you’re travelling you’re subject to the local laws of that country.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from your own and it’s very important to know what's legal and what's not.

Safe & Sound Before you set off, it’s essential to check that the destination you’re going to is deemed safe. With an ever-changing world, you can never be sure when political or geographical unrest may occur; but to play it safe do some research before you decide to book your trip and be aware of any travel alerts and warnings for your chosen destination. Check out

A little planning and preparation will go a long way to making your next trip a smooth one!

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and search by country. This website is an excellent checker with various warning levels from health to terrorism.

You’ll know if you’ve made the right choice.

The Paperwork When travelling over a border to another country, you’ll need a valid passport and in some cases, a visa. This is also relevant for any children you’re travelling with. It’s advisable to check with the embassy or authorities of the country you intend to visit to be aware what requirements are needed for your nationality.

Feel Fly Once you’re ready to book that ticket the options may seem endless and it can often be pretty daunting to know what websites to trust with your credit card and which ones offer the best deals. If you’re more familiar with booking through a travel agent then do so, but know that the internet is often where the best deals are to be found.

Have Lonely Planet, will travel.

If it’s just a flight you’re after, then try www.skyscanner.com as your first stop. Simply enter the route you wish to take and it will do all the hard work for you – trawling the internet and price-comparing. You’re then left to make your mind up on the flight that suits you best and you can even narrow your search by airline, flight duration, flight time and of course…price! It’s my absolute

top traveller tip and my first stop before booking any flight or vacation. They even have a mobile app downloadable for free!

Add It All Up If it’s more of a flight-and-hotel combined trip, then it may be smarter to book with some sites that offer value deals such as www.expedia.com or www.ebookers.com. Both offer extensive airline and hotel choices – often cheaper when booked together rather than separate.

But a little word of warning – before you do hit the ‘Buy Now’ button on that ‘five-star hotel’ it’s best to do a little background check to be sure it’s all it’s cracked up to be. As a regular reviewer and Senior Contributor to Trip Advisor, I can assure you that this site is the go-to for getting the truth on that hotel.

Travellers leave their reviews and photos of their stay along with a rating scheme so you can be sure it’s really what you want. Visit www.tripadvisor.com for more details.

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TRAVEL

Stay healthy: make sure you and your family are properly vaccinated before travelling

Call your bank before you leave to make sure your cards can be accessed for overseas transactions

Don’t forget that if you’re taking any prescription medication with you that you have enough and be sure to carry your medication in their original labelled containers in your hand-luggage in the event your checked baggage went missing (it happens!).

Get Covered It’s wise to be fully covered for any health or travel issue while you’re away. Check with your current health insurance provider that they will cover overseas travel to your chosen destination. If they don’t, consider purchasing a short-term policy that does. Many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health care expenses incurred overseas including emergency services such as medical evacuations.

Stay safe and travel well this summer from the team at QH!

In Case Of Emergency

Funny Money

Now that you’re all booked up and have started plotting your trip, make sure you have the contact information for the nearest Embassy or Consulate where you’re going, just in case you need them – you never know! Leave your travel details with a family member just in case anyone needs to reach you.

Foreign currency may look interesting but hey, it’s real money, so be prepared to handle it properly.

Know the currency you need, buy enough but not too much and understand the exchange rate before you travel.

It’s also wise to make two photocopies of all your travel documents in case of emergency or if your documents are lost or stolen. Leave one copy with a friend or relative at home and carry the other copy with you stored separately from the originals.

Documents to make copies of include: • Passport ID page • Foreign visa (if applicable) • Itinerary • Hotel confirmation • Airline tickets • Driver's license • Credit cards brought on the trip

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Before you leave, notify your bank and credit card company that you’re going overseas and avoid carrying too much cash on you. Consider using major credit cards instead for most of your transactions, this is also easier to keep track of what you actually spent (then again…maybe you don’t want to know!)

Vaccinations And let’s not forget our health before we even jet off! Vaccinations are required for entry to some countries and it’s best to be healthy and know you’re protected before you visit.

Check before you travel and check the country-specific information at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

Take note – regardless of whether your insurance is valid overseas, you may be required to pay for care when you receive it and then claim the expense back.

Time To Pack!

• Pack light so you can move more quickly and have a free hand when you need it.

• Carry a minimum number of valuables and plan places to conceal them.

• Check your bags and clothing to make sure you’re not carrying any banned items.

• Use luggage tags.

• Keep essential travel documents within easy reach at all times .

Safe travels and happy holidays! n Lynsey Riach is a qualified yoga instructor living and working in Doha normally walking her dogs, on her yoga mat, or on her travels.

To learn more about her services visit www.andstretchyoga.com.