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With the school summer holidays approaching many of us will be looking forward to a well earned holiday. I am heading off in a couple of weeks and have been making all the arrangements to ensure a trouble free trip.
It struck me how much there is to consider which prompted me to share this experience.
Booking holiday insurance came up top of the list. It really is a must do. Lost luggage, cracking your ribs falling off the jet ski - or bar stool, theft, flight delays, war and pestilence - well may be I’m being a little pessimistic but you get the point. If you are heading for “volatile” out of the way places you can always check on www.fco.gov.uk/en/ for latest Foreign Office travel advice. In any event let someone at home know your travel plans and itinerary and how to contact you in an emergency.
I am going to the relatively safe Euro Zone but I did find a contact number for the nearest British Consulate, useful if you lose your passport or find yourself stranded. I also take a photo copy of my passport ID page which of course I keep separate from my passport. I also have a record of numbers to call if my credit cards are lost or stolen although my other half has a duplicate set of cards as a backup. I take the precaution of stashing some emergency cash in the hotel safe deposit box, so that we can get on with the holiday regardless and only go out with sufficient cash on me to enjoy the day - or night!
If possible I try to avoid ground floor hotel rooms. It is convenient being able to walk straight out onto the pool deck but the downside is there is a lot more foot traffic and access over balconies is easier for the sneak thief. “Statistics” apparently suggest floors 4-6 are the safest. Really don’t know how they arrive at this but I throw it in regardless. Make sure you check out the hotel fire safety provisions and nearest exit so you know your escape route in advance of any incident.
Lock all doors when you leave the room and when (or is it if) you retire to bed. It seems obvious enough, but you’d be surprised how often people don’t take advantage of the internal locking mechanisms on their hotel doors. I recall one group of lads we met on a previous jaunt who left their patio door open overnight -”to let some air in” only to wake, around midday I recall, to find all their gear had gone clothes, cases – everything.
Prepare as best you can and have a great holiday.
Tony
