Since we often travel with the children – we already developed our own holiday checklist to use whenever we need to get holiday ready. Even as a well-travelled family we rely on these tips, because they never failed us and they make our life so much easier. There are so much things to keep in mind – especially if you’re the one who organise almost everything. My husband books everything and my task is to take care of the rest from packing to the sorting out insurance. I prefer it this way, because I’m better organised, especially with the children’s stuff!
Holiday Checklist: My Top Tips for Preparing for a Family Holiday
Cash in foreign currency
Never rely on your debit or credit cards solely, it’s always better to have some cash with you in the local currency and this applies even if you are travelling to the most developed countries in the world.
Airport to hotel plan
Familiarise yourself with the route and decide which is the best and the second best route, wether you’re planning to take public transport, taxi or something else. If there’s a strike for instance, you need to find another way getting to the hotel.
Travel insurance plans
Get travel insurance that provides appropriate cover even if you have any pre-existing and chronic medical conditions. Ideally, you need 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access – you never know when you need to use it, do you?
Travel as light as possible
This is probably the hardest thing to do as a family but in the reality you need the same amount of clothes and toys for one week and for three weeks (and a washing machine at the accommodation). We normally try to buy some things at the destination: nappies, sunscreen lotion (ideally, you need a newly open bottle for every holiday), etc. We try not to take favourite snacks from home, but expose them to something new and local. It’s always a good way to stretch my son’s food related boundaries too.
Onboard entertainment
We normally only take pads and some books – and the children can pick a magazine or a small toy for themselves at the airport. This is to make hand luggage lighter and also to make it a bit more exciting for them (as well as a bit of bribery to be honest, in exchange for good behaviour…)
Travel documents
I keep all travel documents in a small bag, so I always know where things are and what to look for. Check and print everything in advance. We always carry the children’s birth certificates, since we already have been randomly asked to present them a few times (especially when one parent is traveling solo with the children!).
Hide valuables
The best if you can give them to someone reliable, a family member or good friend. We always keep them in a box at home and before the journey we just pop over to my mother-in-law’s to leave them with her. We also give her a set of keys and the alarm details – just in case.
Supermarket order for your return
Take a few minutes and order all the basics with your regular grocery to be delivered on your day of return. Alternatively you can ask a family member or just buy long life products and pop some sliced bread in the freezer.
Important things go in the hand luggage
I always put my most important belongings I can’t do without in the hand luggage. Like a pair of glasses, my spare contact lenses. But your regular medication for example, devices etc should all go into hand luggage – in case something happens with your luggage in the hold.
This is a collaborative post.
