Heading off for any holiday is a pretty life-affirming experience. Your time is your own to dedicate to whatever you plan to do for the next week or so. You can relax by a pool and just let the world slide by, or you can embed yourself in the heart of a new place and get a real feel for your surroundings. Essentially, you control the itinerary, so you can make it the best it can be.
The fact that you control all of this is a selling point, but it does come with its responsibilities, too. After all, when you’re leaving your usual surroundings behind for a while, you’re also somewhat leaving your comfort zone. It needn’t be a reason to get apprehensive, but it does make sense to prepare before you leave, so you know you have all the essentials covered and nothing needs to get in the way of you having the best possible time once there.
Be prepared for specialist dietary needs
If you have any specific dietary requirements, it is essential to think about these before you set off for your destination. How thorough you are about this is up to you, but at least you should be sure that you can feed yourself for the duration of your time away. It could entail writing to the hotel ahead of your trip and explaining that you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, and asking if they can make adjustments for you when cooking on-site.
You may wish to email local restaurants asking the same, or just check their menus online to see what they can offer. Also, a little bit of searching online can usually uncover how well local supermarkets cater to your specific needs, as well as what’s in those street foods you’re keen to try.
Have medical cover nailed down
You know you’re on holiday. Your boss knows you’re on holiday. Your friends know you’re on holiday. Your body, however, is another matter, and you can’t be sure that you won’t get ill while away. So it is essential to know what you will do if this happens, and this goes double for digital nomads who may be spending longer abroad and are therefore more likely to experience at least one spell of ill health. It’s also essential on a longer break to know if you can get any essential medication at your destination. If not, can you get a longer prescription from your doctor, and can you bring the medication into your target country?
Read up on legal expectations
Everyone has their own plan to stay on the right side of the law while in a new country – just don’t do anything illegal. However, different countries have different laws, and you might not have imagined that something you’d do without thinking back home may be illegal in the place you’re traveling to. It can’t be stressed enough that ignorance of the law is no defense when you break it, so carefully read up about public order laws and any legal specifications in your destination. Maybe there is a strictly enforced dress code in a specific area, or maybe there are certain places you can’t drink alcohol. Find out about these laws before you go.
