One thing I have learnt in this life is you never stop learning and this holds very true in the world of travel; every time I have traveled , I always learn something new that adds to my travel knowledge and ensures a better travel experience going forward .
So in this weeks blog post , I’m going to talk about travel tips i have learnt and lessons i have gained so that you dear reader especially a first timer gets to travel like a pro and not a JJC (Johnny just come ) when you decide to travel the world .
This is in no particular order of what’s important because I believe all are important
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Ziploc bags
Might sound fickle but in all my travels i have come to appreciate the importance of that clear plastic bag. You see the liquids that they say must be in clear plastic bags ? Your ziploc bag is always a lifesaver.
Some airports like Heathrow airports provide clear plastic for such usage but for airports like O.R Thambo airport in South Africa , its OYO (own your own ) and they would drop all your priced perfumes or liquids into the bin if it’s not in a clear plastic bag (proper tears ) so please don’t learn the hard way like i did .
Have a whole pack of ziploc bags in your luggage!
This item is an essential and a lifesaver for trips . Please carry it along
2. Universal/ Travel Charger
this is very important if you are traveling especially to Europe. Their charging port are different and trust me you don’t want the stress of not being able to charge your gadgets.
Even if you’re going to a country that has same charging ports as one of your originating country, please take your travel charger . Can’t stress this enough.
This kind of travel charger has been a lifesaver for three years and counting now for my trips across the world
3. Colored photocopies of your passport biodata
Make colored photocopies of your passport biodata and visas and keep on YOU ALL THE TIME !
Fortunately technology has made everything easier so alternatively , you can scan and email all the important documents to yourself.
Keep your passport in your hotel or wherever you’re staying. You don’t need to be moving around with your passport, such a risky thing to do .
4. Get your health shots and know your blood type
Take your health shots seriously! Especially in these COVID-19 times where the new normal might be proof of immunization, please don’t move around without it.
Your vaccination card is your second passport. Carry it at all times .
For some countries like South Africa embassies, your visa request won’t be processed without your vaccination card attached to the application.
Tip : my vaccination card is stapled to my passport so no possibility of leaving it behind, would suggest you do same .
Tip : just walk into any public hospital to get one, takes a few minutes 😄( got mine from 37 Military Hospital)
Stock example of a yellow fever card . the yellow card look is universal
5. Have physical cash on you
Yes I know the world outside of Ghana is cashless so you might want to follow same and load all your money unto your card – please don’t do it !
Load 50% and keep 50% on you. Cash is always king .
My card was blocked on one of my trips and had to rely on the cash on me till the issue was resolved for me to use my card . Imagine how hot i would have been if i didn’t have cash at all.
What others also do is have different cards from different banks because these banks can stress you out, so options.
6. If you miss the first leg of your connecting flight, the rest of the flights will be automatically canceled.
If you purchase your tickets and there’s a connecting flight and you miss your connecting flight, your next leg of flight would be canceled by the airline ! Confused ? Don’t be . Lemme explain.
So in 2018, I purchased a ticket on KLM with the route Acc-Amsterdam- London-Acc. My flight plan was to go from Amsterdam to Santorini and return to Amsterdam for my flight to London.
Well, I did go from Amsterdam to Santorini alright but i didn’t go to London from Amsterdam, rather i went from Zurich to London on Air Swiss and foolishly didn’t inform KLM .Remember in my Santorini post , I said I purchased my ticket in Amsterdam? https://www.abenayalley.com/blog/4o3mn9j8n1hq8a69eb6wrdmkocca31
I reasoned after all it was my ticket so what if I missed my connecting flight and in any case I was going to leave London to Accra on my return flight
Such a stupid reasoning which I paid dearly for.
My return flight to Accra was canceled and I only got to know when i got to the airport on my return to board to Accra.
Let’s just say it wasn’t the most airport experience ever ! and wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. If your tickets has connecting flights , please make sure to fly on every one of them.
Don’t miss any and if you’re going to miss it , please inform the airline way ahead of time .
I had to pay £400 for one way ticket to Accra to be issued me before I could fly out of London.
Don’t be me , don’t learn the hard way 😄
7. Pack your medicated drugs and some OTC’s
Ensure you have OTC (over the counter)drugs for mild ailments such as headache , stomach bug , malaria etc . You don’t want to fall sick in a country like UK where malaria is treated as an infectious disease so quarantine when coartem can do wonders for you.
Or be suffering from diarrhea because food poisoning when some antibiotics can sort you out.
However a note of caution ⛔️: please read up on the ingredients of the drug you’re carrying and check if it is allowed in the country you’re going to .
This is very important! You don’t want banged in abroad to happen to you . Please
8. Know Your Baggage Allowance
I know the excitement of being called borga might lead you to buy everything under $1 or £1 to come share to your squad but please stay within your baggage allowance! Or if you’re a Ghanaian and you travel to UK , you will have everyone trying to give you something to bring to someone. No matter how nice a person you’re , your default response must be : MY LUGGAGE is full! Unless they’re willing to pay for extra baggage to carry their stuff.
Again , learnt the hard way in 2015 when i did European and UK tour and again on my return to Accra at Heathrow airport, my baggage was over the limit and I couldn’t afford extra baggage allowance so had to bin some of my stuff to stay within the baggage limit.
I am not wicked so i threw my stuff away so I could bring people’s stuff.
Never again !!!!😫
9. Always carry along a hand luggage
For a very long time , I used to see hand luggage as cumbersome especially when I was flying out of Accra .
Because in my mind , my luggage will always be on the same flight I am .
haha, such foolish assumption.
Nothing like i have flown with this airline for years and they’re reliable, it takes just one flight for you to regret not taking a hand luggage.
Don’t be stuck in a new city (like i experienced in Istanbul with Turkish airline ) without any clothes and being forced to go shopping for entirely new toiletries and clothes.
And hand luggage MUST contain toiletries, clothes to last you 3days and some essentials . Airlines can and will disappoint you when it comes to your luggage not arriving on the same flight with you so please hand luggage IS A MUST .
Ps: check your airline for the accepted allowance and stay within the limit
A hand luggage with essentials is a must have
10. Read about your destination
We have the advantage of the internet, please use it !
No question is stupid, it’s better to ask ‘stupid questions’ and be informed than to arrive at your destination looking stupid and helpless.
Google is truly your friend, use your friend. Also social media apps such as Instagram/ TripAdvisor and even Facebook can help in your information knowledge, just know what you are looking for and you will have it at your fingertips.
Don’t arrive at your destination looking like someone they dropped from the sky,this can’t be your portion.
Dont be shy to ask people who have traveled to your destination any useful information they can provide.
ASK ASK ASK
11. Always be early to the airport
Yea I know I said ten but I’m a benevolent queen so adding one very very important traveling trip : be early to the airport.
I know there are some people who love to be fashionably late to the airport and run to catch their flight.
Trust me , it doesn’t always end well.
My friends laugh at me when I arrive at the airport 7pm for a 10:30pm flight.
See eh, this didn’t happen in vacuum. Lol again , I had to learn the hard way so since then , I’m always early to the airport.
The fun part is, you get to check in at a relaxed pace and can do all the window shopping at Duty Free Shops.
Overttime , I have come to enjoy airports so much because it’s a potpourri of culture and beautiful sights so please be like me and get to the airport EARLY !
I hope you found these tips useful and it would help you or someone you know, why don’t you please tell me in the comments section?
If you have any to add too, please do so in the comments section, we are all trying to catch flights not feelings 😄.
Everything sugar , spice and sweet
AB
“I choose to collect memories instead of things ”
