Get Ready to Go: Must-Dos Before You Travel
We’re all looking forward with our upcoming trips, but sometimes the excitement comes with forgetfulness, and it’s pretty normal. As a matter of fact, there was a study that being in a good mood may lead to poor memory. Thus, we created this list to remind all of us of important items we need to do before traveling.
Must-Dos Before You Travel:
- Take photo of your identification card(s)
- Scan or take a photo of your passport, visa page (if applicable), driver license, and travel insurance card then upload them to an online drive such as a shared album in iCloud photos or a folder in Google Drive. This will be a lifesaver in case you lost your ID during travel.
- Enroll your trip at STEP
- STEP stands for Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and it is a free voluntary service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
- Enrolling your trip will keep you informed, connected, and safe as the U.S. Embassy will be able to contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
- Install Mobile Passport Control (MPC app)
- U.S. citizens and U.S. legal permanent residents can use MPC app on their return to USA. If you don’t have Global Entry membership, this app will help expedite process upon entry back to the country as it has shorter lines in immigration.
- Review your travel insurance
- Apart from taking a photo of your travel insurance card, take time to review your coverage before the trip so you know what to do should there be a delay, cancelation, lost baggage, or a medical assistance is needed during your vacation.
- Haven’t purchased a travel insurance yet? Don’t worry, it’s not too late. Contact us if you need help.
- Download Allyz Travel
- Even if you don’t have a travel insurance policy with Allianz, this app can provide you immediate access to the information you need while you’re traveling such as universal names for medicines, hospital finder, etc.
- Order foreign currency from your bank
- We generally recommend using credit card as the mode of payment during travel, but there are still some items that you may like that needs to be paid in cash, or use cash for gratuities, thus it’s still good to carry some amount of cash with you. And to get the best bang for your buck, order foreign currency from your bank than doing an exchange in airports.
- Some banks allow you to order online and deliver foreign currency to your home. See if your bank provides such convenient service.
- Download map for offline use
- Map application in our phones works really great as long as we have internet connection. At times, even if you have roaming data enabled, signal can be tricky on certain locations and we couldn’t get to use map anymore. Google Maps allow you to download maps to your phone and use it offline. You’ll be able to navigate the unfamiliar streets in your destination even without internet service. Click here on How to download Google Maps to use offline.
- Install Google Translate and download specific language for offline use
- Check-in online
- If your flight or cruise allows you to check in online, do so! This will save you a ton of time in port or airport since most will have a dedicated line for web/online check-in.
- Plus, you will avoid any surprise on required documents for your travel. You don’t want to be stressed looking for documents on the check in counter on the day of your travel, right?
- Configure roaming features of your phone and mobile number
- We all know we cannot live without internet connection. Though most places now offer free WiFi, it’s still not a good idea to rely on them and to use them for accessing secured data such as your email or bank accounts. Best to check the roaming services from your mobile network provider or have your own mobile hotspot when traveling abroad. For more data protection, consider a VPN.
- Check the memory storage available on your phone
- There’s definitely a lot to see in your trip with so many pictures and videos to capture, and the last thing you want to deal with is insufficient storage space in your device. So before you go, check the available memory on your phone and cleanup then you’re all set to capture the picture perfect moments in your trip!
- Secure Your Home
- Take measures to secure your home while you’re away. Notify a trusted neighbor or friend of your travel plans and request them to keep an eye on your property. If your house is not yet equipped with smart lighting system, consider installing timers for lights to create the impression that someone is home.
Complete these pre-travel steps, pack your essential items, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure with lots of picture perfect moments. Happy travels!
Comments are closed