There is nothing quite as exciting, or anticipated, as an extended holiday abroad. Whilst you always get your annual holidays, the cost of an extended holiday abroad may be several years in between. If you have saved up days and have holiday time coming that will enable you to spend perhaps a month abroad, you’ll want to follow a few tips for ensuring you can enjoy your holiday without worrying about what you are leaving behind.
Plan & Book Early
It can’t be said enough that one of the most important steps to take when planning an extended holiday of any kind is that you should begin making plans the moment you have your dates set. For example, you are going to be travelling from Birmingham Airport (BHX) with Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) as your final destination. Not only is it vital to get your air tickets lined up at the cheapest price you can find but you’ll also want to book at Birmingham Airport Car Park 5. Why Car Park 5?
That’s the long stay car park at Birmingham Airport and if you will be travelling at peak times of the year, you should book early to guarantee a space. You can book your long stay car park at Birminghamparking.com with the calm assurance that this car park is Park Mark accredited and has CCTV security to ensure your vehicle is safe while you are away.
Pack Lightly
One of the biggest mistakes so many holidaymakers make is to pack like they are going to be away for an entire year. Remember, you are only going to be away for a few weeks, perhaps a month, and you can find laundry facilities almost anywhere on earth! Most travel guides recommend that you pack a few day outfits, a few evening outfits and perhaps two or three nightgowns or pyjama sets.
Always consider what you will be doing so that you can pack appropriately for activities as well as climate. For example, if you will be visiting Thailand during monsoon season, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve packed an umbrella and rain coat. Believe it or not, this can be the nicest season to visit this Asian country because prices may be somewhat reduced. Who’s afraid of a little rain anyway?
Leave Your Itinerary with Someone You Trust
It is always said that you should plan for the best but prepare for the worst. When you are going to be away from home for several weeks, anything can happen. For example, a pipe could burst and the neighbour checking on your home needs to know which plumber you use.
Or, perhaps you fail to check in on your regularly scheduled time so the person watching your home or following your safe trip will need to know how and where to reach you. Always leave a detailed itinerary listing all the necessary contact information with a trusted friend or relative.
Stop Postal and Newspaper Delivery
If you are of the digital age, you may not be having papers delivered to your home daily. However, if you do, it is imperative that you remember to stop delivery whilst you are away. Nothing screams quite as loudly that no one is at home than a pile of newspapers outside the door.
This goes for the post as well. Don’t forget to advise your post carrier that you will be away and to hold all your mail. You can check out the particulars for holding your mail on the Royal Mail website.
Secure Your Home
This may be one of the most important steps in planning an extended holiday abroad. Some families install a CCTV security system on the premises which they can access remotely online no matter where they happen to be. With internet access, it’s only a matter of logging in and checking all the webcams to ensure everything is up and running. If any camera is not operational, call the neighbour or family member you’ve left in charge during your absence.
Perhaps the security company you’ve contracted could be informed as well. Don’t ever believe that just because you’ve taken all the other steps to prevent a home invasion in your absence, criminals won’t be alerted to your absence. This extra bit of precaution can often protect your home from being vandalised.
Your Key Takeaway
Summing this all up, your key takeaway should be that when planning an extended holiday abroad you must plan for both ends of the trip. It isn’t enough to focus all your thought and energy on planning for what you will do when away. Just as importantly, you must plan for property left behind.
There is no way to enjoy that time away with the constant worry over what is happening back home. Take the initiative now so that when the happy day comes, you can step on that plane assured that you will have the time of your life.
