Before You Go

Things to do before leaving

Forward your mail or arrange to have it collected by family, friends or neighbours or ask the post office to hold it.
Put a hold on newspaper & magazine deliveries.
Pay telephone, service provider accounts and bills before you go, so they will not be disconnected while you are away.
Ensure arrangements for your pets are in place.
Please ensure that that you contact your bank or credit card company before travelling if you intend to use your card in the different countries visited on your tour. This will ensure your bank is aware that you are out of the country and any transactions made in the countries visited are valid and will not be declined due to increased Global security measures.
If you are taking your mobile/cell phone on tour contact your provider to ensure international ROAM is on or purchase a phone card to call home.
Turn off any preset alarm clocks and all electrical appliances at the switch.
Alert the airline if you have any special food consideration – vegetarian etc.
Inform neighbours & neighbourhood watch groups of your holiday dates.
Make sure your family & friends have copies of your overseas travel itinerary and hotels you will be staying at, in case they need to contact you.
Some airlines will allow you to check-in online and select your seats before you travel. You can also register online to receive an email or mobile/cell text message if your flight is going to be delayed.

Avoid Cell Phone Bill Shock

'Bill shock' is becoming increasingly common for international travelers, arriving home from their trip to a hefty cell phone bill that can be as much as the actual trip! Before leaving on your trip you can take steps to avoid returning home to an expensive phone bill:

Check international calling and text rates, disable data roaming and consider a prepaid service designed for international travelers.
An international cell phone and prepaid SIM card lets you stay connected and in touch with family and friends, and control your costs at the same time.
Insight Vacations partners with ekit to offer travelers international cell phone packages and prepaid SIM cards, to save travelers up to 85% on international roaming rates for calls, texts and data.

For more information and to choose the right prepaid service for your trip visit http://www.insightvacations.ekit.com

Security before you go

Monitor the media for any changes to security or safety in the regions you plan to visit. Your foreign affairs department will be able to provide you with the latest travel advice for your destination(s).
It is essential that you take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover all overseas medical costs for the duration of your travel. Your travel insurance should also cover any activities in which you plan to participate.
Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.
Consult your doctor regarding recommended vaccinations or other health precautions for your destination(s). Check that any medication you need to take is legal in the countries you plan to visit. It is a good idea to carry a prescription from your doctor for any medicines you take with you.

Passport & Visas

While your travel agent can give you advice it is up to you to ensure you have a valid passport and the right visas.

Make sure your passport is valid for travel for all the countries you are visiting or transiting in.
Many countries require your passport to be valid during and beyond the length of your stay (usually a minimum of 6 months), so check what applies to your itinerary.
It is a good idea to carry two additional passport photos with you in case your passport is stolen or lost and you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Depending on your nationality you may need to obtain visas for the various countries you are visiting or transiting in. It is often essential that these are obtained prior to going overseas.

Be prepared, if you are unsure about what to do talk to your Embassy.

What To Pack

There is nothing worse than realising on tour that you have left some crucial items at home, the following packing tips should help you to better prepare.

Start by writing a packing list, be sure to check the weather forecast of the destination you are visiting and take into consideration the activities and outings you will be going on. You can find the average temperatures of most Insight destinations in the Travel Tips section of Insight’s website, under Travel Tips.
When packing an item think about how many times you are going to wear it. If you are not going to wear it more than three times, don't pack it!
Choose clothes that pack well and colour co-ordinate. For example, choose a base colour for trousers, skirts & shorts like beige or khaki and then match with a couple of highlight colours.
Be aware of local traditions and dress codes, especially if travelling to Muslim countries.
Accessorise, accessorise! Ladies scarves or wraps can give your limited wardrobe extra colour. They can easily be used to dress up an outfit. Also, when visiting places of worship you will need to cover your shoulders so a wrap is perfect for this situation. Also, a few pairs of inexpensive earrings are fun to bring and can also change the look of your outfit.
Pack sunscreen and insect repellent.
Take a few plastic zip lock bags for carrying wet items or keeping things dry.
Check the electrical outlets and adapters of places visiting.
If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair or at least have a copy of your glasses prescription.
To avoid problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original labeled containers. If a medication is unusual, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take it.
If you plan to wash some items in your hotel bathroom, take a travel clothesline, sink stopper & soap. Remember micro fibers dry quicker than cotton.
If taking a digital camera clean out your photo card memory and get a back-up one and spare battery.
If you have any severe allergies write them out in English and translate to languages in countries you will be visiting. Write on business card size card and keep on your person. This is easy to do by using Google language tools.

What Not To Pack

Remembering what not to pack can sometimes be as important as remembering what to pack. Follow this simple rule - don't bring anything you would hate to lose. Leave at home:

Valuable or expensive-looking jewellery.
Irreplaceable family objects.
All unnecessary credit cards.
Your Social Security card, library card, and similar items you may routinely carry in your wallet.

Tips for packing your suitcase

Start by putting your name, address and telephone numbers inside and outside of each piece of luggage. Use covered luggage tags to avoid casual observation of your identity or nationality.
Lock your luggage to prevent theft and tampering.
When packing, lay out the items you intend to take and re-evaluate your list to eliminate any unnecessary or single-use items.
Iron everything before placing it in your suitcase as you may not always have time to iron clothes when you are on tour. Button all buttons and zip all zippers to avoid items getting caught on them.
Pack chronologically, with items to be worn first on the top. This will make it easer to pull things out of your suitcase and save you time, handy for when you are on the go.
Pack items tightly so that clothes do not have too much space to move around and wrinkle.
Pack toiletries in plastic bags to avoid spillages. Individual containers with more than 100ml of liquids are not permitted to be taken in your carryon luggage in many airports. They must be placed in your checked in luggage. Check with your airline or airport for up-to-date security restrictions.
To save room pack items in shoes (i.e. rolled socks etc).
Always carry travel documents, medication, jewellery (only take the absolute minimum), money and travellers cheques, and other valuables in your money belt).
Remember to pack your bag only two-thirds full to leave room for shopping and souvenirs.