The very thought of traveling evokes a mixed feeling of curiosity, exuberance and anxiety. What kind of place it is going to be? How much fun and enjoyment we are going to have? What difficulties lie in store? All these questions come up for consideration immediately after hearing about traveling. Is it possible that the anxiety part is eliminated to make the whole concept of traveling a positive exercise. Perhaps not 100% but to a great extent through a proper planning process . The nature of traveling might vary from family travel to business travel but , the basic requirements mostly remain the same.
Following are the basic components of any kind of travel for each of which a decision has to be made
Travel budget
Place(s) to travel
Dates of travel
Number of people involved in the travel
Mode of travel
Nature of accommodation
The purpose of this article is not to provide help in making decisions with respect to the above but to provide hints for successful implementation of the decisions made in some of the areas.
PRE-TRAVEL PREPARATIONS
SECURITY
Security in all cases must be the paramount consideration. If the place of travel includes cities declared/ considered dangerous then except extremely necessary all travels should be avoided. Unavoidable travel should be undertaken by first thoroughly checking and counter checking the security aspects. Special attention must be focused on the places likely to be used for local travel, accommodation and purpose of the travel. Travel insurance is a must in all cases of traveling.
Make a checklist of all the items needed during traveling like tooth paste, tooth brush, gel , shampoo, etc. It is advisable to know whether the items like iron, hair dryer are provided at the accommodation booked to further cut down the items.
Always take extra care to ensure that important items like passport, medications, important telephone numbers and items relating to small children have been included in travel items.
As for clothing roll it into cylinders when packing. It takes up less space and it will help keep wrinkles down. Clothing that resists wrinkling, such as polyester blends may be packed.
MODE OF TRAVEL
Early planning of the travel if possible helps a lot down in cutting down the cost of travel fare. The earlier bookings may ensure better discounts in rates. Always allow for delays in connecting flights to be on the safer side. Availability of Tour Packages should always be explored . Controlling the weight of luggage facilitate cutting the cost and also avoid inconvenience. Provide identification marks on the luggage which are easily visible for avoiding unnecessary hassles at the landing port. In case of dietary restrictions prior information is to be provided at the time of booking reservations . Similarly requirement for aisle seat be made at the time of reservation specially if travelling alone to avoid disturbing the person beside you. To avoid ear problems use ear plugs. In case of having infant traveller have a soother to stuck on during descent to avoid pressure change effects .
Choosing suitable accommodation is always an important part of the travel plan. It is always helpful to collect maximum information regarding the availability of hotels, motels, hostels and inns . Internet is the best source for this information. Tour guides and travel agencies can also provide this information. It is advisable to select an accommodation that is cost effective and not far away from the place(s) intended to be traveled during the visit as it will again cut down the cost of travel.
Early booking of accommodation not only ensures peace of mind and also better rates. Late bookings may be risky and a cause of great worry later .
Hostels are a cheap accommodation type mostly used by students and individual travelers having a low budge. There are dormitories to be shared with other travelers, along with other amenities.
Motels are located along highways and are thus the accommodation of choice for motorists embarking on long road journeys.
Tasneem Hameed
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