Basic Travel Guide !

Travel Insurance is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of preparing for a trip. Getting the right insurance cover is very important. Choosing wrong policy for the bad consequence is unbearable pain; take your insurance policy based on your travel option. Travel insurance recommended by many travel agents is extremely expensive, mainly due to commission plus administrative costs, and you will pay disproportionately to the risk by a huge factor. It is recommended to do on your own.

Medical Kit: Always carry a small medical kit, which should include: bandages, pain killers, antiseptic wipes, antiseptic cream, plasters, scissors, throat soothing tablets, iodine, diarrhea tablets, etc. Put this in your backpack, not your daypack (carryon luggage), when flying - to avoid problems with airport security. And consult with your doctor if you have any specific health problems.

Visa:
Visit (links to government sites): US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland all have travel advice sites. (TBA)
US Citizen, UK Citizen, Australia Citizen, Canadian Citizens, New Zealand,
Spanish

Passports and Visas
For every country you want to visit - find out if you need a visa. For a list of embassy and consulate websites http://www.visaproject.com  this can help you.

Before applying for a visa, check out your passport, how long is it valid for ? If it is not valid for more than 6 months after the expected end of your travels - get it renewed - many countries require you to have a period of validity on your passport of 6 months beyond your entry, for example Australia.

How to choose a Travel Agent?:
*Do not go with the package as everything comes with money and you are paying more than you suppose to pay unless you are a group leader or something.
*Choose the services that offer you freedom of choices, after all it is your holiday not a task.
*Be careful in terms of choosing your agents see their commitments and do not pay entire money unless they fulfill their commitments.

Travel tips:   Look after your passport - on the road it is one of your two most important possessions, the other being your money/atm/credit card. Do not let these get damaged or stolen. Get an under-clothes wallet, and a watertight plastic bag that is slightly larger than your passport - a zip locking freezer bag is suitable, with a piece of rigid (but thin plastic) that is the same size - place your atm card, credit card, rigid plastic and passport inside the water tight bag, and place all this in your under-clothes wallet. Keep some of your money, a photocopy of your passport in a more accessible place, as you'll be asked for your passport details quite often for administrative purposes, such as checking in to hostels and hotels - so use the photocopy instead.

Simple Packing tips:    keep the heavy things towards the bottom of your pack; put the lighter stuff and things you'll need soonest nearer the top, not forgetting to make guide books easily accessible.

Contact us for case specific information!

Essentials for those planning Hiking/Trekking

1.    Backpack or suitcase
2.    Clothing    (Hot/Normal Destination)
3.    Wind and waterproof jacket - try to get one that is breathable.
4.    Fleece, designed for under the jacket when cold and wet, or used on its own when
       just cold.
5.    2x Lightweight shirts/blouses - long sleeves - for warm nights with mosquito about,
       and which can double up as slightly smarter wear.
6.    2x Light weight travel trousers, long legs, suitable for trekking. Consider zip off
       trousers/pants that turn into shorts.
7.    3x Tshirts
8.    2x shorts/skirts.
9.    Socks and underwear - matter of some debate, between 5 and 10 pairs.
10.  Shoes - designed for hiking/walking, but also not so shabby as to look out of place in
       a restaurant.
11.    Sandals - for when you're not wearing the shoes.
12.    Plastic slippers - known as thongs, flip flops as well, for use in showers or just
         lounging around.
13.    Second bag - light weight, collapses down to a small size, designed to be packed
         away 90% of the time
14.    Duct Tape - essential, massively strong tape good for fixing just about anything.
         Black electrical tape, slightly different uses.
15.    Guidebook - maximum two - one for your destination and the next area, you'll have
          to pick up the rest as you go, carrying too many is crazy.
16.    First Aid Kit - bandages, disinfectant wipes, antiseptic cream, pain killers.
17.    Sun glasses - get a good quality pair that protects against UV in your home country,
         those on the streets often come from dubious origin and may not protect your eyes
         again harmful UV rays.
18.    Swimsuit
19.    Sleeping bag - for the occasions where you don't have bedding provided, or you
         don't trust it.
20.    Silk or cotton sleeping bag insert.
21.    Earplugs - if you can wear these, they are an essential. You will be in dormitories
         where someone snores, where the doors bang, where the sound of the motorway
         next door is too loud for sleep. Earplugs will allow you to sleep when otherwise you
        can not.
22.    Eye-mask - dormitory lights go on, go off, go on - so do bus lights.

Nice to Have:

1.    Fiction books - take two paperbacks, when you have read one, trade it for another -
        hostels often have a trade bookshelf.
2.    Music Player - CD Player, Ipod, Cassettes, Minidisk - what you take is up to you.
       (See the techie part of this guide).
3.    Camera - SLR or digital - as long as you have something to record your adventures.
       More in the toys section.
4.    Torch - small one - a LED head torch is perfect, as it allows your hands to be free
        when in use.