The prospect of long-term travel is exciting. But it can also feel overwhelming. There are a lot of things you need to plan before you go and it can be difficult to know where to begin.
Luckily we’ve got you covered! Here’s what you need to do to prepare for long-term travel.
Decide where you want to go
You know you want to travel for a long period of time. Great! But now you need to decide where you actually want to go.
Chances are you’ve already got a destination or two in mind. But there’s a difference between wanting to go somewhere and actually planning to go there. Make a list of all your must-visits and see if any of them are in reasonably close proximity. You’ll get a kick out of ticking them off your list.
Create a travel budget
Figure out how much things cost — the big things like flights, accommodation and adventure activities, and the smaller, everyday things like food and sightseeing. You might also need to buy some new clothing or equipment for the trip, depending on where you’re going and what you plan to do.
Start saving
Saving can be easier than you think. Start by keeping track of everything you spend — and we mean everything. You’ll soon see which payments are essential and which payments can be cut out or switched.
Easy ways to save money:
- Set up a direct debit and put a percentage of your salary aside each month. You won’t miss what you never had.
- Invest in a flask and bring tea or coffee with you instead of buying it every day.
- Buy a metal water bottle and stop buying plastic water bottles.
- Make your lunches at home and cut down on takeaways and eating out.
- Switch to a cheaper phone contract.
- Get rid of any paid-for TV channels and stream for free (or use an inexpensive service) instead.
Top tip: Create a separate savings account for your travel fund. You’ll be less likely to spend the money you put into it.
Check your passport
A lot of countries need you to have at least six months’ validity on your passport when you leave. Make sure this applies for the whole of your trip to avoid any nasty surprises at the airport. If in doubt, renew your passport before you set off.
Apply for visas
In some places, you’ll simply be granted a tourist visa on entry and receive an exit stamp as you leave. In others, you’ll need to have sorted your visa out before you’ve even left your home country, which is why it’s so important to check — no one wants to arrive at their destination only to have to head straight back home.
Buy travel insurance
Although there’ll undoubtedly be hiccups along the way, as noted by The Secret Traveller, most trips are relatively trouble-free. Even so, that’s not an excuse to avoid paying for travel insurance. It could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in medical bills if you have an accident or fall ill on your trip, and if nothing happens then at least your peace of mind will be intact.
What do you do to prepare for travelling? Let us know in the comments!
This post was made possible through a partnership with 1Clover.
