4 Things You Need to Remember When Traveling in 2022
Travelling is one of the most stressful things you can do in life, second only to moving house perhaps, but that doesn’t need to be the case. Careful and thorough preparation can put so many worries to rest and will help you get excited about your next trip.
In this article, we’ll be detailing the 4 things you need to keep in mind when traveling abroad and what you can do to make sure you’re as prepared as possible. Whether you need to take a lateral flow test and have a vaccine passport ready or want to buy travel insurance we’ve got you covered.
1. Check to see if you need to have any vaccinations done
This was the case before the latest pandemic but is all the more important now as many countries will actually bar entry if you haven’t got an up-to-date travel vaccine passport. The passport states which vaccines you have had, where they were administered, and when they were done.
This is especially true if you are traveling to Europe where the EU community requires all travelers to be vaccinated or risk having to pay for a test upon arrival and then possibly enter quarantine for up to 14 days, at their own expense.
As well as having all your coronavirus vaccinations up to date, you should also check online to see if you need any additional jabs or boosters, especially if you are traveling to a country, or countries, that experience different kinds of illnesses and diseases that you don’t have in your home nation.
Vaccinations for malaria are a common one and you can usually get this done at your local doctor’s office, though they will almost certainly need to be informed ahead of time as they may not have the necessary vaccinations ready for use.
2. Have a travel money card
A travel money card is a must for anyone going on holiday as it allows you to load multiple currencies onto one card, which can be used in many places around the world that accept MasterCard. This means you don’t need to worry about carrying around large amounts of cash or taking out multiple traveler’s cheques, which can often be difficult to cash in.
This is also much safer and reduces the likelihood of you being mugged and losing all your cash – a street mugger is unlikely to take a money card that they’re unable to access. Another great thing about using this card is that you can lock in rates before you go away so you know exactly how much spending money you have and won’t be caught out by any sudden currency fluctuations.
You should always make sure, however, that you have some cash on you as well as there are still some places that don’t accept cards and it’s always good to have a backup just in case – this is especially true if you’re heading to areas of the world that don’t have an abundance of ATM machines.
3. Make copies of all important documents
This includes your passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, etc., and anything else that might be needed if something goes wrong whilst you’re away. It’s also a good idea to take photos of these documents on your phone so you can easily access them if needed and email them to yourself so they’re stored safely online too.
The last thing you want is to get stuck in a medical emergency without access to the insurance forms that would exempt you from having to pay. While you might be used to having to pay a lot for medical procedures at home in the US, these are often covered by your insurance and so having to find thousands of dollars at short notice can make a stressful situation all the more precarious.
4. Get travel insurance
It’s important to make sure that your policy covers everything you need it to, so read the small print carefully before buying anything. In particular, check to see if it covers any pre-existing medical conditions as many policies will not pay out for treatment if these are not declared in advance.
When choosing travel insurance, it’s important to consider what you need to be covered for. The most basic policies will cover you for cancellations, lost luggage, and medical emergencies. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, make sure that your policy covers you for these too.
It’s also worth considering whether you need cover for activities such as skiing or scuba diving as many policies will not cover these by default. If you do need cover for these activities, make sure that you choose a policy that includes them. This will cause the price to rise, as you would expect, but this additional cost is nothing compared to how much it could cost you if something goes wrong.
The cost of travel insurance varies depending on the country you are traveling to, the length of your trip, and the level of cover you require. Basic policies start at around $5 per day but can increase to $20-$30 per day for more comprehensive cover. It ain’t cheap, but it’s certainly worth being safe than being left with thousands of dollars in debt in a foreign country.