Expert tips for leisure travel

Thinking of where to go next?

Traveling is an eye-opening experience that everyone should enjoy at least once in their lifetime. After years of work, school and family, taking a much-needed break from daily life is a good way to let loose and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Whether you want to go to a boutique hotel or a guided tour through the African wild, you need to plan well to ensure all goes smoothly.

Here are a few tips on what you need to know when you travel for leisure:

1. If you don’t have time to change your money to the currency of the country you are traveling to, never ever exchange money at the hotel front desk or at the airport. Bad idea! Instead, find an ATM and use your card. The charges you will pay will be far less than the exchange rate you will get at the airport or hotel. The other good thing is, whichever country you travel to chances are you will always find an ATM machine that works.

2. Notify your bank of your travel especially if you intend to use your cards to pay for transactions. If you don’t do this your cards will be declined as a form of precaution by the bank.

3. Take photos of all your important documents and cards before you leave. Better safe than sorry. Things get lost or stolen so this ensures you can still access your information hence the need to also email yourself the photos just in case something also happens to your phone.

4. In your wallet, have extra passport photos just in case you lose your passport while in another country. This hastens the process of replacing it without having to go look for a photo studio in a strange place.

5. Skip the expensive jewellery and keep your appearance simple when traveling. Too much or expensive jewellery will attract all the wrong attention and you could become a target to thieves and pickpockets.

6. Make it easy to spot your luggage by tying a colourful strip or band at the handle. Also, if you’re traveling with your partner, have half of your clothes in his suitcase and vice versa. This way should one bag get lost or delayed no one is left without anything to wear.

7. If you’re having an extended vacation it is a great idea to buy a cheap phone or simply just get a sim card from the country you’re visiting upon arrival. Alternatively, you can find out about roaming charges and whether they are worth the while.

8. Leave expensive items behind. If you don’t feel comfortable carrying your diamond encrusted watch in your carry bag then simply don’t bring it along. Chances are you will either misplace it or it will simply get stolen.

9. Always carry your wallet and other valuables at the front pocket should your hands be too full. If you must, wear a jacket or light cover up to conceal it. You may not take it seriously but tourists tend to stand out from the locals becoming a target to thieves. Let them work for it!

10. Use a travel agent to get the best deals especially when it comes to tickets. If you think you can book aisle or window seats through an airline’s website you are greatly mistaken, and good luck with that! Travel agents work miracles and do the impossible when you thought all hope is lost. For example, if your flight is cancelled your travel agent will find solutions immediately unlike going directly through the airline customer service where you will find everyone else with the same issues.

11. For peace of mind, never compromise on travel insurance. Always travel with proper coverage from a reputable company.