What to Consider When Preparing for Extended Travel

Mums Tips

Travel with kids

Published on Thursday, 31 January 2019 14:48

Last Updated on 28 November 2019

travelwondrous

0 Comments

Are you planning a trip that includes an extended amount of time away? Perhaps your job requires you to temporarily relocate, or you are taking a sabbatical and visiting another country for a few months. Regardless of the reason, there are a number of considerations to think through before embarking on extended travel. 

Deciding to travel is the easy part, but preparing for an extended absence requires a lot more planning. As a mother you are not only planning a trip for yourself, but also for your family. This means that a lot of detailed preparation needs to be done.

Once you have decided on the location that you would like to travel to, and for the amount of time that you would like to travel for, you need to set a budget and a draft up a to-do list. This will make sure that the months leading up to the trip are smooth and stress-free. Here are a few important things to consider when preparing for extended travel.

 

Finances

This is certainly no surprise, but without finances a trip cannot take place. Before traveling long-term, you will need to consider how much will you need to not only book your accommodation and travel, but to make sure that you can live comfortably each day.  Gone are the days of roughing it with a few pounds in the bank. You’ll have multiple family needs to take care of, so make sure you draw up a detailed and realistic budget that will factor in a few surprises.

Upon arrival in your new location, you need to consider how you will manage your cashflow. This will involve banking, bill payments and taxes. If you are traveling internationally, it is important to let your bank know of the countries that you will be visiting. Most banks allow for international transactions and this can easily be set up by contacting your specified provider. If you don’t do so, they may freeze your account if they detect foreign transactions.

 

Belongings

When traveling, you leave behind more than just your city. You also leave behind all of your belongings. Before your jet off for an extended period, you need to make sure that your valuables are kept safe, especially if you are looking to rent out your property while you are away. Using the likes of Airbnb has become an extremely popular means of making a bit of money while you spend time exploring other parts of the world, but it does of course come with some risks.

Many travelers who choose to rent out their property, use self storage to keep their valuables safe. Self storage also allows you to declutter your home in preparation for welcoming those paying guests, or it may be as simple as not wanting someone else to sit in your favourite chair!

Make sure that you choose a self storage facility that is not only accessible but also offers optimal security through the likes of CCTV and alarmed units. Prices of self storage units differ depending on the size of the individual unit and location of the storage facilitiy. We recommend Storage King as not only do they offer secure and convenient storage, but their service has always been great.

 

Administrative logistics

Make sure that you do your research on the area that you will be traveling to. They may require certain VISAs upon entry or recommend specific pre-trip immunization. Also bear in mind that if you or any of your family members are on prescription medication, that you have an adequate supply for the duration of your trip. Another important document to add to your list is your travel insurance info as this will help reduce the stress should something unfortunate happen while you are out and about.

Handy tip: Make copies of all important information such as passports, credit cards and bank information in case of theft or loss, and save them in the cloud.

 

Maintaining lifestyle

While children are adaptable beings, a routine can ensure a sense of security and provide a great learning opportunity. If you are taking your children out of their current education system, consider how you will supplement their education while traveling. Will you home school your child or enroll them into a local school in your new location? Maintaining other lifestyle habits, such as exercise regimes and healthy eating, can also reduce the stress that often accompanies travel. It also makes returning back to normal life much easier when you do eventually arrive back at home!

Related features: 

Travel with Kids: Tips for Travelling with Baby

 

Travel: Tuscany with kids