You will, at one point or another in your travels, come across delays or hiccups in your perfectly planned itinerary. It’s a fact of life, and what we love most about travel is the unexpected nature of the journey. It’s not something you want to dwell on before you travel I’m sure, but having a clear head and prepared processes will significantly reduce the stress and impact this scenario could have on your trip. If you are about to embark on a trip of a lifetime, here are some simple ways you can pre-plan for any travel delays so that you are back in the air, and off to your next adventure sooner.
Get travel insurance
Travel insurance has been a life raft for many travellers who have found themselves in trouble when abroad, covering minor inconveniences right through to incidents more sinister. This travel insurance doesn’t need to be an expense to your budget, as there are many reputable providers with comprehensive cover that will look after you in the event of a travel delay. If you are looking for cheap travel insurance, start by comparing the covers on their merits and pay close attention to the parameters of the cover and the claim eligibility terms and conditions.
Have an emergency fund
No travel delay is the same, and you want to be preparing for the worst-case scenario. Arming yourself with a small emerging fund will relieve any pressure, and give you options when you feel like you have none. This travel emergency fund could be used towards a hotel stay if you are grounded for one or more days, taxi transport if public transport is unavailable, and even buying essentials that you might need if your bags have made the trip but you haven’t. You also want to make sure that this money is easily accessible, as when you need this money you typically don’t have a lot of time to wait for the banks to send through the funds. You can even load these onto a travel card separate to your daily one, ready to go when you need them.
Have copies of all documentation
There is no such thing as being over-prepares for a trip away, but you can be under-prepared. Emailing yourself important documents is very, very important. When you book your flights, activities, tours, accommodation or visa declarations, get in the habit of printing or at least saving these records on your email, cloud storage or in your phone as a photo. It might also be a good idea to scan a copy of your passport, license and visa to send to your email, in the unfortunate event that your wallet and/or bag goes missing in transit.
Have chargers on hand
When you get the news that your travel plans have been delayed or cancelled, you want to gain back a little bit of control by planning your next move. This will be impossible if you do not have your phone, tablet and/or laptop fully charged and ready to go. You will also want a universal adapter so that you can charge in every place you visit – including the places you may have a layover. You can also purchase some charger packs that are compact enough to be charging when they are in your handbag or backpack.
It’s important to keep perspective when your travel plans change or completely turn upside down. When you back yourself with the right travel insurance, there is very little harm that can be done as you will be entitled to a number of benefits to ease the implications caused by travel delays.
