Essentials for Travelling

Last year, we said our goodbyes at the airport as we sent our 13 year old off to Guyana on a missions trip. It was very exciting for him and somewhat wrenching for us at the same time. As we stood by the gate, we were going over the list in our head. That list that is absolutely essential when planning a vacation or a work term outside of your own country.

The main items that are "must haves" are:

• The proper attire. Know your location. If you are going somewhere hot and full of beaches, be prepared, but remember, it can cool down quite a bit in the evening. If you are going somewhere cool/colder, make sure you know what kind of cold. Do you need your parkas or just a few good sweaters? Check out the local weather online and see how far in advance you can see. Ask people who have been what they suggest for travelling there. Just remember, that you need to be knowledgeable about your destination in order to be comfortable and enjoy yourself while there.
• The right money and the right amount of money. My son, while planning his trip to Guyana, decided that the best money to start out with was the American dollar. We learned that it was widely recognized there and he would be able to trade in for GYD (Guyanese Dollars). He was so excited when he came home with over $1000 in Guyanese money, we asked if he wanted us to bring him to the exchange centre to change it back to Canadian and he said that it wasn't worth much, so he wanted it as a souvenir.
• Passport and Documentation. Make sure that you have updated any information that you are bringing with you. In my sons case, since he was a minor, we had to have notarized letters allowing him to travel with the group and information about where he was staying and for how long. This is something that you need to start working on earlier then later. The longer you wait, the better the chance that you may not get to it in time.
• Up-To-Date Immunizations. Contacting your local public health is the easiest way to get all the information you need. They were wonderful to deal with and were very informative about the decisions that we needed to make. We were able to decided whether some of the immunizations were worth getting or if they could just be skipped over. Generally they look at the destination and they are aware of what the biggest risks are. Not a fun process to go through, but when it is made this easy, it is a little less painful (well, for me anyways).
• Travel Medical Insurance. This is the one that I think is the most important. When my son came home, we found out how happy we were that we had purchased this for him. He decided that he would pat a market cat during their travels. He touched his face afterwards, at some point, and ended up with a massively swollen eye. The infection was big time!! Thank goodness he didn't require any serious medical intervention, and was fine with some anti-histamines, but if he needed the extra attention, I know that he would have received it without a problem. There is so much insurance out there, and sometimes it is better to be safe then to be sorry. Hindsight is always 20/20.

These are what I consider the travelling essentials. As we prepare our son for his next trip in the summer, to Romania, we are already starting this process. Going through the list and checking things off, making sure we are more then prepared, for any and all circumstances that he may encounter.