I like to be pretty well organised when travelling, to avoid as many “damn it, why didn’t I do that?!” moments as possible.
I was wondering if there were many other blog posts like this one you’re about to read, so I thought I would do a quick search. The first one that came up – essentials to have in your carry on: lipstick, bronzer etc etc. – I mean really?! it didn’t even mention her bloody passport for crying out loud!! Anyway, moving on, my point is – the stuff i’m about to mention has REALLY helped me, and hopefully it will help you too.

1. Google is your best friend – and not just for searching This is a massive one for me. Firstly, make sure you have a google account (its super easy to set one up). Now with my phone being android, I have a google app folder already installed, but i’m sure if you don’t have this, its easy to download too. In this folder you will have your standard chrome, (which is useful to open an incognito tab for flight searches) gmail (which is the easiest email to deal with) and google maps (which is very very useful if you’re lost). I use those every single day, but the other apps are just as important.

– Google Drive is an online folder, where you can store photos/documents/videos etc up to 15GB. This is where you make sure you have a photocopy of your passport!!! Because if you loose it, your life will be a lot easier if you at least have the details. Also use this to save your insurance details, visa document, copy of your drivers licence, and any booking documents you have. That way, if you suddenly need a document or details, you can access it quick and easy on the move (ie look on phone or log onto library computer).

–  Google Docs Is pretty useful if you do not have Microsoft Word on the go. This saved me when I needed to re-write my CV, which generally needs to be changed for every job you apply for (in order to direct it towards the desired job).

–  Google Sheets is another fairly useful Google app, which may not be an essential, but at least you can make a spreadsheet on the move (which I find handy for meal planning!)

2. TRAVEL INSURANCE I know so many people who have gone travelling or on holiday without insurance, and it makes me wince. 9 times out of 10 you won’t use it (and I hope you don’t) but if you don’t have it, you can be seriously caught out. For starters, i’ve been pretty unlucky on the illness front, when I was in New Zealand I caught glandular fever, meaning I spent about $400 on the doctors. Thankfully, because I had insurance, I was able to claim some of this back (there is generally always an excess of roughly 100pounds). If I had been really ill, my insurance would have covered me to be flown home, or cover any expensive medical costs, which I can assure you, is expensive! and if you’re use to the NHS in the UK, you need to remember that the UK is one of the only places with free health care!

3. Always have a poly pocket with important docs in. This is mainly important for flying, but also useful to have. This must include a photocopy of your passport, visa and flight details. Not many people are aware of this, but if you go travelling to New Zealand, and do not have a return flight booked yet, sometimes they like to ask for ‘proof of sufficient funds’ to show you can get home, so it’s worth printing off a copy of your latest bank statement.

4. Have a notepad with details in incase your phone dies/breaks. We can’t always rely on technology, so noting down important details like your insurance policy number and claim line can be very handy. I also use this to note down contact details of people from home, plus addresses, because which grandparents don’t like postcards?!

5. Book accommodation before you leave I stick to this because I don’t want the risk of having to pay big bucks on the day, or worse, having no where to stay. Some people like to live life on the edge, and thats fine, but my advice – find accommodation. Its one less thing to worry about. My biggest advice on the accommodation front, is to book with airbnb, as it is by far the cheapest, plus you get to meet some locals, and find out good info on the area. Backpacker hostels is another option, but be aware that if you are in a dorm, you need to keep a good eye on your stuff, plus you may well have people walking in at all times of the night. If it is your first time travelling, then I would recommend booking a starter pack through STA Travel as they can book you 7 nights in a backpackers, plus set you up with heaps of other useful stuff. I did this when I went to Auckland, New Zealand, and it is worth it.

I hope this helps, its saved me many times! Has it helped you? drop a comment below 🙂