Your long-awaited holiday is finally here! When planning for a trip, you expect to feel relaxed and excited but that’s highly unlikely cause being the typical Singaporeans we are, our itinerary is usually packed to the brim so we can maximise the whole duration of our trip.
To lessen your stress and aid with your planning, here are then some tips for a #StressFreeTravel.
1. Get travel insurance
It’s always a wise choice to purchase travel insurance immediately after you’ve booked your flight and accommodation. Most insurers cover trip cancellation for legit reasons (e.g. illness, death) so you don’t have to worry about unexpected situations in the days leading up to your vacation.
Or have you ever booked a holiday with your pals only to drift apart months later and you wish you could back out of the trip? With Aviva’s Travel Prestige, you can now give your trip a miss (and feel less heartache) because we cover 50% of your expenses if you cancel your trip for any reason!
Tip: If you’re planning on doing some extreme sports during your holiday, read the fine print of your policy booklet because you’re likely not going to be covered for these activities. Alternatively, you could opt for an additional rider if you’re getting Aviva’s travel insurance which provides coverage for winter and extreme water sports.
2. Prepare an emergency pack
Like the name suggests, these are items that you could need during emergencies but never thought about packing it in. Here’s a list of recommended items:
- Lip balm
- Medicated oil
- Moisturiser / face mask (the air in the cabin can get quite drying for the skin)
- Tissue/ wet wipes
- Medication (painkillers, anti-nausea pills)
- Shawl/ light-weight jacket
- Spare set of clothes
Keep this bag close to you (e.g. under your seat) and easily accessible instead of checking it in.
3. Get your own entertainment
Whether you’re flying by budget or full-fledged airlines, it’s recommended to load your favourite drama or movies into your smartphones or tablets because more often than not, you’re likely to get sick of the in-flight entertainment (especially during long-haul flights).
4. Go digital
Get a snapshot of all the important documents you need on the trip and upload them into cloud storage and keep a copy in your phone’s album as well… In the event where you lose your hardcopy file or even your phone, all you need to do is find a computer and log in to your cloud account.
Some important documents we can think of:
- Identification card
- Passport/ visa
- Booking confirmation (of flights, hotels, attractions)
- Itineraries
- Electronic tickets
- Travel insurance policies (so you know your coverage during emergencies)
- Emergency contacts
Tip: Find out what your travel insurer provides in the event of emergencies. For example, Aviva’s 24/7 emergency assistance hotline can help to arrange for emergency medical treatment and hospital admission amongst many other services – something you will find useful when caught in a dire situation.
5. Visit your general practitioner to get medication & vaccinations
Let your doctor know which country you’re going to and he can advise on the vaccinations that you and your family needs to take. Since you’re at it, get him to prescribe some medication that could help with common travel ailments such as food poisoning, flu or cough.
According to Aviva’s Travel Insurance statistics, the highest medical claim paid out was a whopping S$41,000! Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will never be caught in a medical situation. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
6. Call your bank
Inform your bank of your vacation and get them to activate your credit card for overseas usage. If you don’t already have credit card SMS alerts, ask your bank if they provide such service. This is important as credit card fraud is common nowadays and with the SMS alert, it provides you with the option to flag suspicious activity immediately.
Tip: Travel insurance such as Aviva’s Travel Prestige provides you the coverage against unauthorised use of credit card. If credit card scams are what you’re worried about during a vacation, check with your insurer if they provide such coverage.
7. Dress wisely
Have you ever been caught in the awkward situation where you held up the security check queue because you were busy taking off your boots, jacket and accessories? We did!
Ditch the #airportfashion and go for convenience and comfort instead. If you’re traveling somewhere with vast weather differences, dress in layers so you won’t be caught rummaging through your luggage at the arrival hall.
8. Arrive Early
Other than arriving at the airport earlier for the duty free shopping, one other important reason is to check-in earlier so that you can avoid getting bumped off the plane due to an overbooking issue. Most airlines offer online check-in and you can do it 24 hours before your flight.
Do you have any more #StressFreeTravel tips to share with us? Leave us a comment below!
Find out more about Aviva travel insurance or get a quote here.
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