Top 5 things you need to do before going on an International Trip!

Do you fantasise of being a globe trotter?

Go on, have a look at these breathtaking captures!

Japan!

Paris, France!

Bali, Indonesia!

Bali, Indonesia!

Canada!

Do these pictures enrapture you?

If the answer is Yes,

abandon your comfort zone and gear up for an international ride!

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Even if you are planning or not, I am sure by the end of this article, you are going to give a thought to a vacation!!

To commence with, I know, It’s a Fantastic idea!

But, does the thought of tedious paperwork scare you? Or are you thinking of the struggles on how and where will you start?

Yes, I agree it is a stressful task to plan a vacation!

And after my recent overseas visit, I got quite a lot of basic queries from my friends and acquaintances. So I thought of sharing my experience and how we managed to plan an international trip within a month’s time. Yes, that’s right!

I will be helping you to be hassle-free before your first trip, providing you with all the elementary things you need to do.

Just remember these Top 5 things!

How to Start?

First things first!

1- Get your Passport 

(We had our passports ready with us, so we conveniently skipped Step 1)

Passport is the sole ID proof recognised globally. If you have a passport, well and good, if not, go get it. It is always good to possess a passport. You never know, you may need to fly anytime, like we did! 😄

❝ You can apply for your passport on Passport Seva, Ministry of External Affairs ❞

Fees:
A 36 page booklet is adequate for people like us, who are sporadically travelling.
Fees for 36 pages booklet – 1500 INR (with a 10 year validity)

In the meantime, jot down the places you can visit. Passport will get issued to you within a month’s time, so you have plenty of time to think. Ponder the list and zero in on the place you wish to explore. In our case, we chose to explore the most expensive city in the world in the most economical way and not going too extravagant.

2- Visa

After the passport is handy, you have to now apply for the Visa to that country. Some countries offer on-Arrival visa, for others you need to apply beforehand. Look through the embassy’s website and identify how do they issue the visa – Is it directly via their website or through the authorised visa agents (like, ThomasCook Visa Agents or Visa Agents). Visa issuance will take around 2-3 weeks – different countries, different timelines.

Countries like, Thailand, provide visa on arrival!

Singapore requires visa to be obtained beforehand and through agents only.

❝ Note: Visa process requires your passport as a prerequisite. ❞

3- Flight Tickets

In the meantime, you can start assessing flight ticket prices for the dates you want to fly. You may reserve your tickets prior to getting your visa on a tentative date basis or you may even book it later. For booking tickets, you should weigh the differences between individual airline’s websites and travel websites, like MakeMyTrip, TripAdvisor, etc.
❝ Note: Book round trip tickets, which will be slightly economical. ❞

4- Hotel Booking

After tickets are finalised, decide on your hotel. Pre booking a hotel is beneficial. You can e-mail the hotels to enquire further information and get yourself complementary deals, like free breakfast or so. You can even make a reservation to some hotels at a 0% fee. Seek information from the websites like, Trivago, GoIbibo, MakeMyTrip, etc.

5- Currency Exchange

You will also be in need of currency for the country. So, contact the agents (MakeMyTrip or ThomasCook), or banks and look for the cheaper exchange rate. It is viable to carry cash with you. In addition, check if your credit/debit card is internationally active (Mostly credit cards are internationally accepted, if not, you can get it activated by contacting your bank’s customer support).
❝ Note: For getting currency exchanged, you will need to provide copies of Passport, Visa and flight tickets. ❞

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This completes all your documentation!

Pretty easy, right? Do you feel relaxed?

I don’t think so!

Because It is time for the biggest question to arise!! (Valid only for girls and ladies out there!)

Documentation can get over in a month, but I anticipate shopping will require another month! (pun intended)

So all the girls, head straight to your favourite shopping complexes or malls, and for Delhi-ites, just go insane shopping in Sarojini, Lajpat, Kamla Nagar.

Clothing:

Consider the weather in the months you will be visiting the country. For countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, where it is humid all year long, carry cotton clothes (lightweight and breathable) and comfortable footwear.

Food:

For all the pure-veg foods consuming travellers, check if that country offers vegetarian food options. Yes, McDonald’s is present in almost all the countries, but keep in mind, you won’t be getting as many vegetarian choices as you get in India. Nonetheless, in case of emergency you can still go to the supermarkets and buy breads or so.

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As we approach towards the end of this article, let’s go through our checklist one more time!

☞ Passport ✔︎

☞ Visa ✔︎

☞ Flight Tickets ✔︎

☞ Hotel Booking ✔︎

☞ Currency ✔︎

You are all set and organised, cram your bags and explore the world!

I hope I must have given you food for thought. I believe I have got you all sorted with what you need to do now. Connect with me if you need to know anything else, I would be happy to help!

If you wish to travel to Singapore, you may want to create an itinerary for yourself. Do not worry, I have got you covered! Visit my blog post on Travel to the most expensive city in the world: Singapore

You can Like, Follow, Comment on my blog! 😊 It will keep me inspired to work on myself and get you the best of information.