The summer holidays are here! If you’re booked up to jet off for a beach break of banana boats, bar crawls and beach volleyball with your mates, don’t leave your sensible head at the departure gate – student writer Eilidh Stewart offers some top tips to ensure a safe, happy, memorable holiday for all.
Summer’s all about one thing – holidays. Thanks to student life, you’ve got loads of time away from work and studying, a chance to catch up with all your friends and do something brilliant, preferably in a hot, sunny country without your parents on the scene. Tenerife, Zante, Ibiza, Sunny Beach…
Wherever you end up, it’s going to be AMAZING. While your first holiday with friends is exciting, it’s important to remember to stay safe and plan ahead while you’re overseas. When you’re far away from home, you don’t want to get into trouble. We’ve put together a list of things to think about before jetting off so that you’ll be ready for anything your summer holiday has to throw at you.
Insurance
Travel insurance covering your health and belongings is a really important thing to sort out before you go away. However, almost half of 15 to 24-year-olds who went on holiday during 2012 were uninsured and the same proportion didn’t realise that, without travel insurance, they’d have to pay for their own medical bills. Getting travel insurance is really easy and doesn’t take long. Going to sites like moneysupermarket.com is probably
the quickest way to sort out the best deal.
Make sure you read your documents before you go so you know what your cover includes – activities like bungee jumping and waterskiing are often excluded, so if something goes wrong, your insurer won’t cover
your hospital costs. On top of insurance, sign up for a European Health Insurance card before you travel too – this will give you access to state healthcare across Europe at a reduced cost.
Accommodation and travel
If you haven’t booked up already, shop around before choosing your destination. Make sure that you’re getting the best price you can, rather than buying impulsively. Like getting insurance, it’s worth looking on comparison sites like HotelsCombined.co.uk and checking out reviews on tripadvisor.co.uk. That way you can browse all the different hotels available but also make sure you’re getting the best price for your room –
don’t get ripped off! Package deals are a good idea for first-time travellers – if you can sort out a deal which includes flights, accommodation, transfers to and from your resort and food, almost all the stress is taken out of your holiday planning! When it comes to jetting off, don’t forget that airport security can take a long time. Always arrive at least an hour before your flight is due and pay attention to your baggage allowance and the types of things you’re actually allowed on the plane. No nail scissors, no cans of deodorant, and leave the big bottles of shampoo at home!
Foreign law
Many people who travel don’t realise that you must observe foreign laws and customs. It’s really important to research the country you’re visiting, since the kind of things that are illegal there might not be a problem
back home. For example, you could be fined for feeding pigeons in St Mark’s Square in Venice, it’s illegal to run out of fuel on the autobahn in Germany and if you don’t observe customs such as Ramadan in the United Arab Emirates you could face a prison sentence. So make sure you do your research – ask other people who have gone on holiday to the same place as you and look online. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s
Before You Go site (www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo) is really useful –just type in the name of the country that you’re visiting and it’ll give you a summary of the things you should know as a tourist.
Drugs and alcohol
A summer holiday means one thing for most – it’s party time! It’s easy to get caught up in the party lifestyle but it’s important to remember that being abroad is different to being at home. You can’t stagger home from
a club and let your mum look after you. Remember that being in a hotter climate means you need to drink more water too, especially if you’re drinking alcohol. It’s really easy to get dehydrated and it can leave you really
ill. Also remember that you should never leave your drink unattended, or you’ll run the risk of getting your drink spiked. Just hold your drink or keep your thumb on the top of your bottle. Drugs are quite common in places with a party atmosphere – you never know what you’re being offered, be it pills or a cigarette, and no one wants to spend their holiday in hospital. The solution? Just say no.
Health
Definitely listen to your mum when she says don’t forget the sun cream. Everyone loves getting a tan but it’s important to do it safely – with an SPF of at least 20. Remember to keep putting it on if you go swimming and stay out of the sun around noon. Also, if you’re travelling to more exotic places (lucky you!) check in case you need any injections or medication before you leave. Make an appointment with your doctor and get some advice from them. Getting injections may not be the nicest experience but getting ill away from home would be a lot worse. Being sensible doesn’t mean you can’t have fun – and let’s face it, it’s a whole lot easier than being forced into an early flight home. If you keep all of this in mind, you’ll have the holiday of a lifetime – just don’t forget to send us a postcard…
Useful websites
Know Before You Go
www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougoMoney Supermarket
www.moneysupermarket.comEHIC Card
www.nhs.uk/ehic
