Virtuoso travel advisors offer ten expert tips on what to do before you leave.
- Contact your physician - or better yet, a travel medicine specialist - as soon as you confirm your trip.
- Make sure that all travelers' passports are valid for at least six months after your return date. Expediting services can provide rush (and hassle-free) renewals.
- Set travel alerts for credit and debit cards at least three days in advance of departure, and research which have the lowest international transaction fees.
- Double-check that you have all flight, hotel, and tour confirmation numbers.
- Be aware of luggage restrictions - international airline allowances vary, and some trips, such as safaris, have strict weight limits.
- Pack electrical adapters and know your electronics' voltage requirements.
- Scan or make copies of passports, and leave one with your travel advisor.
- Remove photos from your phone and digital cameras to free up memory space.
- Save contact info for your travel advisor, travel insurance provider, and tour companies in your phone.
- Secure your home: Put lights on timers, stop mail and newspaper deliveries, and ask a neighbor to check on it while you're gone.
Originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of
Virtuoso Life.
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"How to Travel Better" tips from the September issue.
