7 Things to Remember for Your First Travel Trip

Going on your first trip can be an exciting and nerve-wracking experience at the same time. However, remembering to pack essential things or make specific arrangements can help your trip.

Different destinations might also need other preparations. That’s why it’s vital to pack essentials and tie any loose ends that may prevent you from having a smooth vacation.

Here are the handy things that you need to remember when planning your first-ever trip:

1. Make sure you can access your money on your trip

Gone were the days when travelers needed to carry cash when traveling overseas. It’s much easier to manage and access many things while traveling.

So, if you’re traveling abroad, check with your bank informing them when and where you’ll be traveling. You can also inquire about international fees to know if they have partner banks in the destination. This will help you save money from ATMs’ costly foreign transaction fees. Know more about travel tips for beginners here.

2. Pack your essentials

Before you start packing, ensure you have a list of essentials you’ll want to bring with you. You’ll need to pack the basics, such as clothes, toiletries, and gadgets.

However, here are some commonly forgotten items that you may want to consider start packing:

First aid kit
Prescription medications
Your ID and passport
Hotel reservations and itineraries
Sunscreen
Electronic devices and charges
Contacts or glasses
Shaving kit
Perfume or cologne
Headphones
Blanket or pillow

It would help if you also packed what you need for your upcoming top. Let’s say you’re headed to the beach. Then, you might consider bringing your snorkeling gear and aqua shoes, so you don’t have to rent them later on!

3. Bring your debit or credit cards

Ideally, travel with three or more cards. Ideally, bring one debit card (if you need to access cash) and at least two credit cards (if the former isn’t accepted.) Make sure you notify your bank ahead of time to avoid declined transactions.

It would help if you traveled with credit and debit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees. Usually, cards with these cost you about 1-3% for every international transaction.

You can also save on currency conversion charges by asking to pay in the local currency whenever you make transactions.

4. Make copies of your important documents

Another thing that you need to keep in mind if you’re traveling abroad is to have copies of all your important documents. Just in case, have copies of your IDs, passport, travel itineraries, and credit cards. You can either have hard or electronic copies of these.

The most important thing is that you can access these if you lose your luggage, purse, fanny pack, or whatever you’re traveling with that has all your personal belongings.

Make sure to bring these with you, and keep them in a safe place whenever you’re traveling.

5. Plan to beat the jetlag

One of the most effective strategies to beat jet lag is to change your sleep pattern a few days before your trip. You can go to bed an hour or two later if you’re traveling west. If you’re traveling east, go to bed a little earlier.

Also, think about how long it takes you to adjust to a new bedtime. Make sure that you plan so that you can change a few days or weeks before your trip.

6. Charge your electronics

Before going away, make sure that you charge your electronics. That way, you can play games, watch movies, or listen to music without worrying about your phone dying.

You can also consider getting several portable power banks as these work well in case you have to charge your laptop, phone, tablet, or any device and there isn’t any available outlet in the area.