Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

For a memorable trip

PERFECT PLANNING For an enjoyable trip

If you are a senior citizen or are travelling with older people, some sensible planning can go a long way in making it a memorable trip for them.

Advance planning: Get the essentials such as tickets, permits, bookings, etc sorted out and finalised early enough. Nothing can take the joy out of a holiday like an unconfirmed booking or reservation. If you plan in advance, you could shop around for discount fares and the most reasonable holiday packages.

Keep people informed: Have an itinerary. Make copies of it and leave them with close friends or relatives with your passport number, name, address and telephone numbers of people and hotels you are visiting. Keep a copy with yourself and if there is a change in the programme, make sure you intimate your people back home.

It would be a great idea to read up on the places you are visiting.

Pack right: Plan your holiday in such a way that you do not pack in too much. That will leave you feeling tired and irritable rather than refreshed and happy. What to pack is a question one has to consider carefully. If you have done your homework then depending on the place you visit you should be suitably equipped. Take an extra set or two for the unexpected thundershower, or the hotter and sweatier climate. Or some warm clothes for the cool climes. Comfortable shoes are a must. Make sure your hand baggage has a spare set of clothes, just in case the rest of your baggage is misplaced. It might take anything up to two to three days to locate and receive your luggage. It would be a good idea to leave valuables back at home. No point losing it during travel and ruining the remaining holiday.

Don't forget medicines: Ensure you take enough medication along. Carry copies of your prescriptions as well as the generic names of the medicines you take. A letter from your doctor explaining your medical condition would be a great help too. If you wear glasses, take a spare pair and make sure you have enough spare cells for your hearing aid. If you are allergic to any particular medication or food, etc, then write that down and carry it in your person so that in case you are not in a position to speak the person attending to you is in the loop about everything.

Money matters: Barring the basic requirement of cash, traveller's cheques are the best way to carry money. Ensure that the credit card you use is internationally recognised. Make sure you exchange your currency at a recognised institution and not with quacks who might offer you larger sums but who might also get you into serious trouble.

Keep passport safe: Make sure your passport is always with you if you are travelling abroad.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail