InsureandGo’s Top Tips

Finding out you’ve lost your passport the day before you travel isn’t pleasant and can mean that you can’t go away. Arranging a new passport can take up to a week and if you’re supposed to be leaving the country the following day, that’s no good! To avoid this bad experience, make sure you track down and secure your passport and other important documents well before you travel. This will give you plenty of time to arrange replacements if you’ve lost them.

Everyone loses things at some point. But this can be especially troublesome if you lose your important documents while you’re away. To avoid this happening, make photocopies of your essential documents like passports, tickets and your travel insurance certificate and leave copies with someone at home too. Also, don’t forget that a travel insurance policy from InsureandGo includes cover for replacing lost or stolen documents.

Long haul flights can be unbearable, especially if you get claustrophobic from sitting in a cramped plane for hours on end. If you’ve got a long flight ahead of you, make sure you bring plenty of entertainment with you. A good book or portable music player can make a long journey fly by! Most planes will offer their own entertainment in the form of an in-flight movie but they often charge for headphones to listen to the film. If you do decide to buy a pair, make sure you hang on to them for your next flight.

Crossing time zones often causes jet lag which can spoil a well-earned trip. The last thing you want is to feel tired before you’ve even begun your holiday! There’s a simple way to combat jet lag, however. If you’re travelling to the east, try going to be early for a few days before you leave and, if you’re going west, go to bed a little late instead.

As the plane ascends and descends, you may feel the odd sensation of your ears popping. This is the result of a change in air pressure and it can sometimes be quite uncomfortable and leave you slightly deaf for a bit. Overcome this by sucking a boiled sweet, chewing gum or simply by swallowing or yawning.

Did you know that blowing your nose in public in Japan can be seen as quite offensive? Or that handing someone an object with your left hand in Indonesia is considered unclean? No? Every country has their own rules and traditions and travelling prepared can be invaluable. You can read up-to-date information about local laws, customs and travel advice on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

Packing is probably one of the least enjoyable parts of going away. Getting all of your clothes and toiletries to fit in your suitcase can be very tricky and time consuming, especially if you’re going to be abroad for a long time. By simply rolling your clothes up, you can save lots of space for other items in your luggage. It also prevents your clothes from getting creased.

Mosquito bites can be very irritating and often cause unsightly red lumps on your skin too. There are several ways to avoid getting covered in mozzie bites when you’re away. Wearing dark clothes in the evening often helps. Mosquitoes are attracted to bright colours and they’re less likely to see you if you’re wearing darker clothes. You can also ward off mozzie attacks by lighting citronella candles, applying insect repellent to your skin and avoiding still water.

Sunbathing is a very popular pastime for us Brits but it can also be very dangerous. Long exposure to direct sunlight, especially in a hot country, can lead to bad sunburn and skin cancer. Make sure you’re protected from the sun’s rays by regularly applying sun cream that’s has a suitably high factor for your skin colour. Also, don’t overdo the sunbathing to begin with. Give your skin time to build up an exposure slowly.