Top 9 Things not to Take for Granted when Preparing to Travel 

Travel preparations can be overwhelming for anyone. There’s a lot to keep in mind whether it be during the planning, preparing or packing stages of your trip – and if you’re like me, guaranteed you’re still going to forgot something (probably not realizing) until you’re already at your destination. I’m not referring to your passport or your favorite pair of shorts, what I mean here is nitty gritty things that will put your mind at ease before you arrive knowing that you’ll have a smooth transition.  

Taking written notes or keeping digital memos are by far the best way to retain key information, not only for your upcoming trip, but for any future journeys that you may have. Unless you have an excellent memory for this kind of thing, you run a real risk of forgetting something important in the future.  

Planning can prove a real challenge in general, there is lots of evidence showing that planning performance is often impaired in autistic individuals. Nevertheless, a lot of autistic people (including myself) are incredibly meticulous when it comes to research and pre-planning. This is something that works to my advantage in travel, as it certainly counterbalances several of the struggles. So, over the course of my years of solo travel, I have compiled a list of important things I’ve learned along the way. As is always the case, this is by no means a comprehensive list – rather use it as a guide to work with as a baseline for preparing for your journey, and hopefully it will spur you on to think of other important things that you might want to consider. 

• All Things Money Related 

If you’re traveling, then chances are you are spending at least a little hard cash.  

Some of the more obvious things to consider is the currency used in the country you are visiting, which sometimes might seem obvious, but to use a good example, not all countries in the European Union use the Euro.  

Similarly, some factors may also lead certain regions to use a separate currency from the rest of country. 

It’s also good to research if your destination commonly accepts other forms of currency, just in case of an emergency. This is way more common than some might realize, with US dollars and Euros being commonly accepted in a multitude of countries where they are not the official currency. 

Another important factor to research is how common card payments are where you are going. If coming from a country where cards are readily accepted, it’s easy to forget that in many countries such an option is almost non-existent, so you should always try and carry enough cash on your person. On the flip side of this, a relatively new phenomenon is seeing several countries ditch cash payments across the board. In Scandinavia for example, it’s extremely hard to find anywhere that will readily accept hard cash – even in major tourist hubs. Similarly, many UK businesses are now going also cash free. 

If you are paying by card abroad, then it is definitely a good idea to get yourself a travel card to avoid any additional fees for card payments abroad (think Monzo, Starling, Revolut etc). 

• ATM fees 

 This technically falls under the above point, but I think it is important enough to have its own point for emphasis. 

Banks vary from place to place, and using a foreign card abroad comes with the chance of card transaction fees to withdraw your money. I think it’s safe to say this is something most of us would rather avoid, so it’s worth doing some research online beforehand to see which ATMs offer free of charge transactions using foreign cards (there’s plenty of great websites out there providing comprehensive up-to-date information about this).  

Also of note, is that sometimes it can be the difference between using a VISA or Mastercard which will determine whether you incur fees in certain circumstances.  

• Quiet Days 

I’m used to Sundays being the day of rest, where you will typically find most stores and attractions closed, or on a reduced schedule. Don’t take this for granted, though. This varies across the globe, and if you are only visiting somewhere for a few days then it is worth checking online to see what days/times your chosen attractions and stores are open and when they will remain closed. This will prevent any major disappointment and could also help you plan which days you choose you go.  

• All Things Food 

Many autistic people are sensitive to taste, smell and texture in foodstuffs – with many having their own ‘safe foods’ (foods that they can eat without any sensory distress). If you can relate to this, then you should absolutely be sure to pack several of your ‘safe foods’ in your luggage/backpack in case you find it difficult to find other viable food options while traveling. That said, it is good to be aware of restrictions on taking certain food items in some countries – as attempting to take them in can incur hefty fines.  

Something else I always do before journeying is to save at least a handful of restaurant/cafés to my Google Maps based on my own tastes. You can narrow your search by area, cuisine, prices etc., as well as checking any available menus online. All of which have proved invaluable to me when the hunger finally kicks in after I’ve arrived. 

• Transportation to/from Airport (or Train Station/Ferry Port etc.) 

Another thing I’ve learned not to take for granted after some hard lessons, is getting from point A to B – especially when arriving from abroad. Taxis are always readily available, but are often the most expensive option, so should be avoided in most cases. Be sure to check what public transport is available to and from your arrival point, including pricing and operating hours. Should none be available, Uber (or the local alternative) can be a good option. However, this again varies from country to country – with Uber being banned or non-operational in several locations.  Just make sure you have made firm plans for how you will get to your accommodation before you leave to begin your trip.  

• Luggage Fees 

Airlines (and other modes of international transport) will always come with luggage restrictions, and this will differ between each carrier. This can come in the form of the number of pieces of luggage (ie, 1 piece, 2 pieces and so on), weight, size and diameter. Make sure you do a thorough search beforehand to avoid any on the spot fees, which can often add up very quickly if even slightly over. 

• Return Ticket 

There are several countries that require travellers to have a return ticket when they arrive, to ensure they do not overstay their welcome.  Many travellers will not think about this and will have learned the hard way. Some of the countries which implement this rule are the UK, the US, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Costa Rica. In some countries this isn’t checked scrupulously at arrival airports, but it isn’t worth the risk as failure to produce evidence will result in entry being denied unless a return ticket is purchased on the spot. There are ways around this if you want to be a bit more spontaneous – which I previously covered in this post.

• Entry Visas

It is also important to check whether an entry visa is required when visiting a new country. This is something that I’ve heard of people forgetting to apply for prior to travel.  Whether you need a visa depends entirely on what your nationality is and/or which passport you are traveling with but beware, the requirements can be subject to change at any point – often with little to no notice. So, be sure to check online before you travel to avoid any nasty surprises at the airport. This information is readily available online on a country-to-country basis.  

• Passport Expiration Date

A little known fact that catches numerous travelers out is the fact that in numerous  cases, you cannot travel abroad with a passport that expires in less than 6 months. Some countries (primarily in Europe) even have this set ay 3 months. My advice is to check with the rules for your chosen destination before booking if your passport is approaching its expiry. This will prevent any unpleasant surprises when you actually travel.

This particular rule is supposedly in place to prevent passport expiration should there be an emergency in which the holder needs to stay in the country longer than expected.

However, a country with an active agreement with your destination country may allow it. You may even enter with an expired passport in some countries as long as you still have the document with you.

If you liked this article and would like to support my work, then please consider clicking on one of the buttons above to donate a little to either buy me a coffee or support my business initiative. Your generous support enables me to keep creating new and better content, as well as cover business development costs. Please only do this if you are financially able to do so, as these are challenging times for us all – Thank you!