Going away for Christmas?
We are very jealous! If you’re struggling to think of presents that will fit in your luggage, we’ve listed our favourite 2017 ideas below for you (you can thank us later!).
In the 21st Century, most people have at least one holiday per year. If you asked these people to describe their holidays, most would probably depict an airplane journey, lovely sunny weather, beautiful beaches, relaxation in a hotel and some kind of adventure or anecdote.
However, the origins of these kinds of holidays were very different;
Wherever you decide to holiday this year, make sure you invest in top quality Travel Insurance before you travel.
It’s rare to leave the house these days without carrying some kind of gadget with you; whether a now ubiquitous smartphone, or gadgets with more specific uses, such as sat-navs and mp3 players. Indeed, they are now so commonplace and easy to use, that it can be easy to forget just how many you regularly use, what conditions could potentially damage them, and, most importantly, how desirable they can be to other people.
The advice on this blog will help you to make the most out of your holiday, allowing you to be sure of the maximum efficiency and safety of your gadgets while abroad. After all, the last thing you need when on holiday is to have your favourite or most expensive device stolen from you, or find yourself robbed of all of your diligently gathered holiday snaps!
While there’s not a dramatic risk of theft or damage occurring to your gadgets while in flight, there are certain restrictions and security measures that may impede the use of certain devices, or prevent their transportation completely. Different airlines may have slightly different policies, so be diligent with when you use certain gadgets during flights. In many cases activating flight mode is plenty to prevent any inflight issues; though double checking with airline staff is always the best policy.
One recent change in airport regulations now means that electronic gadgets must be kept charged, or else passengers risk having them confiscated, or being refused access to the plane itself. The criteria that airport security will judge a gadget by is whether or not they can turn it on; the thinking being that if they can’t, there’s a good chance that the device in question may instead be camouflaging a weapon or bomb. By making sure that your devices are fully charged before you leave for the airport, you ensure that they will be completing the full trip by your side.
When it comes to keeping your gadgets safe and secure in your chosen accommodation, your most paranoid instincts are often the most effective at safeguarding your property. Avoid revealing your gadgets as much as possible, and ensure that they are stored securely in your room (in a locked safe or locker if possible) to minimise the risk of theft in your absence. This can be especially necessary when staying in youth or traveller’s hostels, as there is not only an increased likelihood of strangers sharing your room, but of there being a high turnover of other tenants; making it that much easier for your favourite gadgets to disappear if not sufficiently hidden, or used in a conservative enough manner. A little bit of common sense can make all the difference; it just isn’t worth taking chances with your expensive tech!
On a similarly paranoid note, it’s also a good idea to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, such as the ones found in many hotels, wherever possible, as these networks are vulnerable to enterprising hackers, potentially opening up your devices to unauthorised access by third parties. There are plenty of ways to secure your devices in such situations, but if you’re not confident about such things, it may be worth avoiding public Wi-Fi networks altogether.
While we’re talking about data networks, also make sure that you’ve turned off data roaming! The last thing you want to find when you return from your trip is a ridiculously large roaming charge.
While it’s a good idea to avoid drawing too much attention to expensive devices while staying at a hotel, this advice goes double for travelling out and about in foreign climes. Tourists often make extremely easy targets for thieves and pickpockets; flashing the latest smartphone, or showing of a desirable model of mp3 player just mark you as an obvious, affluent target; which in turn may ultimately rob you of more than just the gadgets you brought with you.
The risk of mugging or theft alone makes a good case for leaving your most valuable and/or desirable gadgets at home when you travel abroad, though there are also other more practical, and environmental reasons for the restriction of gadget usage while abroad.
Extremes of temperature and humidity, for example, can play havoc with electronic gadgets, as can the egress of dirt, dust and sand; so take extra precautions when staying in areas that are likely to expose you to these kinds of conditions. Other factors that may damage or impede the usage of your devices include excess sun cream preventing easy operation, and, as obvious as it may sound operation near or in a swimming pool increases the odds of a gadget finding a premature, watery grave!
More physical holiday activities, such as skiing or snowboarding, also risk damaging your precious gadgets; the usual places that you carry them may place them in harm’s way when on piste. While carrying a smartphone in your back pocket, for easy access should the urge to take snow-based-selfies prove too powerful, may seem like a smart idea, the second you wipe out you may find yourself sitting on the shattered remains of your favourite device!
Needless to say, while it won’t mitigate the risk of any of the above taking place, taking out the correct level of gadget travel insurancewill go a long way to offsetting any doubts you have about bringing them with you on your travels. A good policy won’t bring back a lost or damaged phone, but it will give you fast access to a replacement, and possibly further restitution.
When most people plan their holidays, they head to hotter climates for some much needed sun. However, every year people fall victim to sun burn, heat stroke and dehydration.
To avoid a holiday disaster in hotter climates, here are our top tips for dealing with heat;
Enjoy the heat safely!
Every year, more and more teenagers and young adults are heading abroad on group holidays or backpacking adventures. We are not suggesting that these people abstain from having fun altogether (as this would be extremely naïve), but to stay safe we warn them to be sensible.
Follow the guidelines below, to avoid a holiday disaster;
In our modern day, more and more people are travelling more often, further afield and for longer durations. Therefore, these tourists must respect the places they are visiting, by following their customs and helping local people. Below are our top tips for being a responsible tourist; Read more
Public transport is a great way to travel around abroad; it throws you head first into the culture, and allows you to see more of your destination, plus it is usually a lot cheaper than using a taxi.
Every year, more and more people are heading further afield for trips and holidays, unfortunately a long flight and the effect of entering into a new time zone will usually result in jet lag.
Jet Lag will have different effects on different people, and these can range from lethargy and grumpiness, to headaches and stomach upsets, to disorientation and diarrhoea.
To help avoid and counteract jet lag, here are our top tips;
If you follow these guidelines, it should reduce the effect jet lag, and help your body clock to readjust and conquer it as quickly as possible.
Driving can be a great way to get around a foreign country and avoid busy public transport. Many people choose to drive abroad as it allows them to travel and see as much as possible, and do it at their own pace. However, if you are intending to drive abroad you must be extremely careful, most countries have different rules, laws and behaviours when it comes to driving and you must be aware of these to keep safe.
Here is our advice for avoiding disaster when driving abroad;
We are normally at our most relaxed when we are on holiday or travelling, unfortunately this is usually when disaster strikes. In our tranquil state we let our guard down, and increase the risk to our possessions and personal safety. Here we have created tips and advice for keeping safe whilst abroad;
Holidaysafe is a trading name of Travel Insurance Facilities Plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN306537. tifgroup is trading name of Travel Insurance Facilities Plc registered in England No. 3220410. tifgroup; all rights reserved. Registered Office: 1 Tower View, Kings Hill, West Malling, ME19 4UY. All policies offered are on a non-advised basis.
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