Paperwork

There is a surprising amount of paperwork you will need to sort out before you embark on your trip, and it’s best to start doing this two or three months before you plan to leave. Having everything in place in good time will cut down on last minute panics and will save you time and money.

• Find your passport and check the expiry date. Usually you will need it to still be valid for six months after you plan to return— you need to give yourself time to renew it if that is not the case. Make sure it has plenty of spare pages. 

• Check the visa requirements of the countries you plan to visit. Some may let you apply at the airport when you arrive, but it is a good idea to have at least your first destination (or any which take a long period of time to arrange) already in place before you depart. You can find agencies that will apply for the visa on your behalf for a fee, and you will have to weigh up the relative time saving merits of this for yourself. 

• It is often cheaper to use an agent than to travel in person to an embassy to present yourself. Once your visa is in place (it is best to secure this first of all, just in case you are refused or it takes longer than expected) you can buy your plane ticket. The more flexible you can be with dates and times and the further in advance you are looking, the better deal you are likely to find. 

• Take a few spare passport photographs of yourself with you. They may come in handy when applying for visas and other forms. 

• Get adequate travel insurance and make sure that you are covered for any specialist activities you plan to undertake (water sports, horse riding, skiing, etc) and that any expensive items (such as cameras and laptops) will also be covered.

• When deciding on your level of insurance cover, look into the individual countries you will be visiting. If you are an EU citizen travelling in Europe, you may not need health insurance (unless undertaking dangerous sports) but may need to complete an E111 form. If you are a UK citizen in Australia, you will be covered by the Australian health service (there is a reciprocal arrangement in place with the UK). Make sure you are aware of the circumstances surrounding healthcare in your destinations. 

• Read your policy in full. You may find that there are exclusions (many policies do not cover accidents which happen while you are intoxicated, for example) so make sure you know what risks you are taking. 

• Check with your doctor about which vaccinations are recommended for your destination. Bear in mind that some vaccinations need to be given a month in advance or may take more than one shot, spaced over the course of days or weeks.

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