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Off Somewhere Nice? Here are our Top Travel Tips for 2009
| Been dreaming about getting away for a richly-deserved break? You're not the only one. And if you're going to make this dream a reality anytime soon, we'd love to come with you! Hopefully you'll take some of our handy hints to enhance your holiday experience. So, without further ado, here are our top tips for a top trip: 1. Get passports and visas up to date It may sound a little like teaching granny to suck eggs, but making sure you have the right documentation in order to enter a country is imperative. Firstly, check the expiry date on your passport. Even if you think you have time left, some countries require that you have at least six months left on your passport on the date of travel. Secondly, check to see if the country in question requires additional visas prior to entry. To cover both bases, do a bit of research into the country you're travelling to on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's website well in advance. It isn't just a last-minute fright you'll be saving yourself by organising these things in plenty of time. For example, at the time of writing, renewing a passport by post costs £72 and takes about three weeks - or two weeks if you use the Post Office's Check & Send service. However, if you really left it to the last minute and needed a same-day passport renewal, it could only be done by appointment and would cost £114. The £42 difference could get you a lot of jugs of sangria. 2. Put your trip on your credit card Using a credit card as the payment method for your holiday is a good idea - for the pure and simple reason that you will be afforded greater legal protection than if you pay by debit card. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act provides that you will be able to recover any loss from your credit supplier in full if, for example, your holiday falls through due to an airline or travel operator going out of business. Compare credit cards here 3. Get yourself an EHIC If you're on your way to somewhere in Europe, then getting an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) isn't a bad idea, as this can entitle you to reduced-cost or even free health care. The level of protection can vary from country to country however, and so the EHIC shouldn't be viewed as a substitute for full medical cover. Nevertheless, it's worth having and doesn't cost a bean, so find out more about the EHIC here. 4. Get yourself a great deal on travel insurance Whether you're heading abroad or even holidaying in the UK, it's always smart to get travel insurance. And don't feel obliged to accept the insurance offered by your travel agent… You're far more likely to get a deal that suits your budget if you shop around. Another thing worth considering is taking out an annual policy rather than individual policies per trip. This can work out much better value in the long run... Not in the least because an annual policy will cover you for every single domestic day trip or weekender - not just the bigger and more adventurous journeys. |
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