Please feel free to bookmark our Travel Checklist, which is not exhaustive, but can be a really handy guide in preparing to go away.

Obviously, your personal list will vary according to which travel operator you are using, and which country you are travelling to and from, and you will need passports, visas, clothes, tickets and everything else! But here are a few helpful reminders:

*Before booking make sure you have a valid passport with at least a few months remaining on the term, otherwise in many cases you may have to apply for a new one. Very often you may need 6 months remaining on term. Check! The wait varies but if you want it pronto it will cost and will take at least a week, often , weeks. At the same time, check and doublecheck which visas are required.

1. Research where the nearest embassy will be , go online to your home countries site & find out the address, email, telephone numbers, and opening hours.
2. Get comprehensive travel insurance. If you are a UK citizen, the post office generally offers the cheapest and best cover, and you can get annual family cover for frequent travellers. Take the original certificate with you & leave a copy at home in case you lose it.
3. If you are an EU citizen & travelling within the EU, then get your free European Health Insurance Card . Emergency telephone number in Europe is 112
4. Go online, preferably to Vacation.mobi from your pc or mobile phone or to your government travel site and check what vaccinations or shots you will need. You can also ask your tour operator, they should know.
5. Let other people know you are going away, for how long, and leave contact numbers.
6. Leave copies of important documents online or at home.
7. Buy a good guide on your destination country, study maps, online articles, you will enjoy your trip far more if you are educated about your destination.
8. Be aware of driving restrictions and laws if you are driving abroad, if your licence allows you to drive. Even in Europe you need to be 25 years of age to get a hirecar and insurance!
9. Know what you can take into a country in terms of limits, alcohol, cigarettes etc, and what you can bring back! At best it will be taken off you if over limits, at worst you get fined. If you take anything illegal into a country and it is a country with bad human rights abuses like United Arab Emirates for example, BEWARE. In Dubai for example simple painkillers or alcohol are highly illegal. See our guide on this.
10. Again, on the subject of restrictions, think about what you’re doing, don’t go taking photos of potentially sensitive places like police stations or army bases. Greece anyone and the planespotters??? This applies to video and recording items also.
11. Respect local traditions, keep your eyes and ears open, go with your instincts.
12. Look into internet access and mobile phone coverage and costs before you go. You don’t want the dreaded huge bill when you return. Sometimes its cheaper to buy a cheap local pay as you go sim on arrival if you need to contact your home country. Don’t use the hotel phone.
13. Never leave your bag unattended whilst travelling to and from your destination, it is your responsibility. Of course never agree to carry anything for someone unless you have checked it and know it is an innocent present. Use luggage locks or cable ties on your luggage.
14. Try and fit in locally wherever you travel, try not to look too much like a tourist walking into shops with large amounts of cash, or walking around with maps. Don’t carry too much money at any one time, keep your passport and the bulk of your money in the hotel safe, or draw out as & when you need.
15. Drink bottled water, and keep plenty in your room. Don’t eat market foods or anything you can’t be sure of its origin. Your stomach isn’t as tough as the locals. Take diarrhoea tablets and a small first aid kit where necessary, again look at local rules , particularly carrying of painkillers etc in arab countries.

Above all, take the advice, plan well, and have a great, safe vacation.mobi