1. Planning is your friend
With all the talk about the ‘post-pandemic’ world that we’re now allegedly living in, it might be easy to forget that COVID is not quite gone yet. Wherever you decide to go, read up on the latest COVID travel advice to make sure you get all the required vaccinations, masks and tests in order in time. Also, be sure to send your passport in for renewal in time, delays are up to 10 weeks in the UK at the moment.
2. Be considerate
2. Be considerate
This links to the last point. Beyond getting on the plane, cultural expectations of what might be required in places you plan to see on your trip may also vary widely. It might be worth reading up on the latest advice from local travel guides, not just the official government sites, to avoid any disappointments. Wherever you go, think beyond the travel hot spots: consider the people you will meet on the other end of your plane journey. Their attitudes to where we are in the pandemic trajectory might be quite different to your own.
In a recent InStyle article, the travel writer, Annie Daly, highlighted this point. Being considerate of the people we’re visiting on our travels is good practice, whenever and wherever we go. It might have always been true, but it has never been more apparent than in the new ‘post-pandemic’ reality. It might be worth talking to some friends who have recently travelled to the region or looking at some travel advice from locals living in the area before you fully commit to the destination.
3. Plan B
3. Plan B
Following on the first point (and the recent USA Today article), make sure that you are prepared to stay an extra week or even ten days, depending on the local guidelines, in case you do catch COVID as a result of your travels. Ensure you have an idea of where you might stay in case that happens and that you have good travel insurance or enough cash to pay for the extra days, should the need arise.
4. Be smart about your destinations
4. Be smart about your destinations
Perhaps you’ve dreamt about sea bathing in Greece for a while? Or finally, seeing the sights in Rome? It might pay not to get too set on your dream destination this year. With so many people longing to go away after an extended wait, the travel industry is expecting to see a boom this year, according to The NY Times, Business Wire or Fortune. Thus, being smart about your destination choices this year might be more important than ever, especially if you’re still trying to avoid excessively crowded places. Avoid the more popular tourist spots, like Rome, and consider some more hidden gems, such as Freiburg, Germany, for a more pleasurable, less crowded experience.
5. Don’t give up on staycations
5. Don’t give up on staycations
Not completely anyway. Particularly if the prospect of all this planning puts you off a bit. While you might be really keen to go somewhere further this year, having kept away for a long while, travelling smart in the ‘post-pandemic’ reality might mean being a bit more strategic.
If you want to travel stress-free, staycations might be your best option, at least for the time being. They involve less time spent preparing for the various possible local COVID restrictions, including booking tests, printing COVID passes or getting more vaccines (not to mention no need for standing in boarding queues!). Or it might be the case that combining an escape to a hidden gem destination abroad with a couple of long weekends away more locally would be the best way to satisfy your explorer curiosity, while also being more mindful of your budget.
Either way, staycations might be worth considering again this year for a less stressful holiday plan. (And let’s not forget the added benefit of being greener!)
6. Travel light
A rather compact, but well-designed weekend bag can take you a long way. It can be a holiday go-to, especially if you are planning some weekends away this season, as well as the perfect bag for a family day out or a quick work trip. A well-made leather changing bag could also provide for most of your essential needs – from personal, baby and work, all the way through to that dream getaway. It can offer just the flexibility you need in your busy life, meeting both your practical and aesthetic needs. This season might be just the one to get that perfect Women’s travel bag you’ve been thinking of treating yourself to for a while. Why not invest in comfort and travel in style, while getting ready for that long-awaited holiday season. Check out some fab options from Keri Kit today and get started planning for that dream getaway.
Finally, remember to enjoy your escape! All this preparation might seem like a lot of work, but it will make your holiday much less stressful once you’ve arrived at your destination. It can mean that you will enjoy your holiday more at the end of the day – having familiarised yourself with not just the rules, but the culture of the places you’re going to, and maybe even made some local friends while seeking advice, who knows! The days of spontaneous travel abroad as we know it might be largely gone, at least for the time being, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have great holidays, as long as we’re well prepared for them.
Blog by - Ayo Isinkaye. Why Matters - Shopify Agency
*Collaborative post
I always try and travel light, but my husband doesn't!
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