Despite the sheer magnitude of the COVID-19 outbreak, the average person hasn’t suffered from it directly. They’ve been protected from infection through remote working, social distancing, travel restrictions, hand-washing, and most recently vaccination. Each of those things has proven inconvenient, of course (though hand-washing is no great hardship), but it’s possible that the reduction of travel options has caused the most distress overall.
Consider the international families kept apart, for instance, and the tourism businesses left to struggle for income. It’s also true that even avowed introverts (those relatively unconcerned about working from home) tend to look forward to solo trips. This is one of the biggest reasons why life has felt so static since early 2020. The world has been divided.
Today, due to the efforts of so many (and despite the apathy of some), plenty of countries are able to accept travellers, and a myriad of others are ramping up their efforts to support national travel (particularly for much-discussed staycations). And since you clicked on this post, it’s fair to assume that you’re lining up your first post-COVID adventure.
That’s exciting news! But if you’re going to make the most of it and proceed safely, there are some steps you need to take first. Here are five essentials to get right before you leave:
COVID-19 safety
It’s an obvious inclusion, but it’s so important that it needs to be stressed. Even if there somehow isn’t a mask mandate in the area you’re visiting and you’re using a form of travel that doesn’t require you to wear a mask (perhaps you’re riding a bicycle), you need to have at least a couple of masks with you. You may intend to keep your distance, but it still matters.
Additionally, you need to maintain great hygiene. Pack hand sanitizer, wipes, and enough clean items of clothing that you can change somewhat regularly: it may be very unlikely that the virus will be transmitted via material surfaces, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. And just in case you do contract COVID-19, you might want to pack some throat lozenges and painkillers to tide you over as you seek emergency medical attention.
Travel insurance
Travel has always had its fair share of risks. Flights get canceled, bags get stolen, and hotels prove much less appealing than they looked in their photos. For obvious reasons, things are much riskier now. You never know when a new order will require people to stay at home, lock down airports, and/or make quarantine a necessity.
Due to this, having great travel insurance in place (such as Post Office travel insurance) is a mission-critical concern. Money has been particularly tight for many people in the last year, and it isn’t a time to be frivolous. Knowing that you’re covered (most importantly for accommodation if you need to stay somewhere longer than expected) will be a huge relief.
Connectivity
Consider the need to stay online for everything from directions and recommendations to safety updates with friends and family members. The modern smartphone offers enough speed for most of your needs, but do you have enough data? Will your plan continue to work in the area or areas you’ll be visiting? And what if your phone breaks? Do you have a plan?
If you can find a sturdy phone to serve as your backup, do so. It could be one of your old phones, or something designed specifically to handle basic needs in emergency situations. You might also want to buy a mobile hotspot device (Gear Patrol has some good recommendations) so you can keep various electronic devices connected at the same time.
Your itinerary
What are your plans for your trip? Which places will you visit? Where will you stay? You may be the sort of person who likes to wing their excursions, but winging it lost much of its appeal when pandemic restrictions started changing on a regular basis. If you don’t plan ahead, you might discover at the last second that your selected attractions aren’t currently open.
You can still leave some flexibility in your plans, of course, allowing you to come up with new plans on the fly. Excessive regimentation can leave you feeling trapped inside a walled garden, after all. But if you proceed without a basic structure for the entirety of your trip, you won’t make the most of it, and you’ll regret it afterwards.
Budgeting
They say that money makes the world go around, but it’s more accurate to say that it makes you go around the world. Money has always been the biggest obstacle to travel, and that hasn’t changed during the pandemic era. In fact, it’s become more significant. People with means can afford private jets, business visas, and extended ad-hoc hotel stays.
Even if you’ve shielded yourself with excellent travel insurance (as suggested), you should still have a reserve fund to cover you in the event that something goes wrong. Keep in mind that it can take time for insurance payouts to be made. You don’t want to be left waiting for your insurer to transfer funds while you should be enjoying your adventure.
You’ve been waiting long enough. It’s time to get out and enjoy life without thinking about COVID-19 all the time. But if you’re going to have a fun time, you should ensure that you get these five things right before you start. Good luck.
Image credit: Wallpaper Flare
