Top Travel Essentials After Covid-19

Top Travel Essentials After Covid-19: Your Must-Have Items in 2020.

You must be getting itchy feet after several months confined to a tiny part of this beautiful world during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the restrictions will soon be lifted, and adventures await.

Before you head off to pastures green, give some thought to what might be different following the Coronavirus crisis. Also, don’t assume that the danger of COVID-19 infection is completely over. It’s up to you to protect yourself and your family from potential harm.

Check with the U.S. Department of State or your own country’s foreign affairs department to see if there are any specific travel advisories concerning your destination. And when you are packing, consider taking some things you wouldn’t normally consider.

Masks, hand sanitizer, and wipes.

To protect yourself from potential infection, pack hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes. If you are staying in a good hotel and booking tours with reputable operators, then the equipment you use should be sanitary. However, taking extra precautions doesn’t do you any harm.

For public transport, travel hubs, and crowded places, you may want to consider wearing a face mask. Buy ones that offer a good degree of protection without being too inconvenient to wear, such as an N95 mask.

Things that come into contact with your hands and face.

Better hotels supply towels and robes in their bathrooms but think twice before using them. Pack your own if you want to be 100% sure they’re free from infection. Consider also packing pillow covers. Use antibacterial wipes to clean surfaces you may come into contact with.

While on vacation, you probably enjoy new experiences you can’t have at home, such as paragliding off cliffs or snorkeling around submerged shipwrecks. Good tour operators will often provide free equipment hire as part of the package. Think carefully before using any pieces of hire equipment.

For example, snorkeling masks have come into close contact with other people’s mouths and noses. Can you trust that they have been properly disinfected since last use? It’s safer for you to purchase your own snorkeling mask than to use a hire one. If it’s a larger piece of equipment you can’t fit into your luggage, ensure you clean surfaces yourself with antibacterial wipes.

Things you normally purchase or obtain at your destination.

Due to disruptions in the supply chain and the collapse of businesses during the lockdown, it is possible that some products normally available at your destination are not currently available. If you can find up-to-date information from local expert guides, this may help you to pack.

If you have specific requirements, such as gluten-free food or a particular brand of shampoo because others bring you out in a rash, you may need to take such things with you or make arrangements to ensure they are available when you get there. Do not assume that because you can still buy these things at home you will be able to buy them on vacation.

Travelers with serious medical conditions should take sufficient doses of their medication for the duration of their stay. Do not assume that local pharmacies will be able to provide what you need. If it is impossible to carry your medicine for some reason, don’t travel until you have confirmed with a local medical expert at your destination that you will be able to source it there.

Payment methods.

You may prefer to exchange money at home and pay in cash for meals and services during your vacation. However, cash is known to spread bacteria and viruses. Instead of taking cash, pack bank cards you can use with minimal contact. If your bank issues contactless cards and you don’t have one, order one before you travel. Also investigate the use of other contactless payment systems at your destination, such as Apple Pay.

Suitable clothing.

Dressing inappropriately for the weather can lower your body’s natural defenses to disease and infection. Before you travel, check the weather report for your destination. Ensure you don’t get caught in the rain and cold without appropriate protection from the elements. Don’t rely on being able to purchase suitable clothes at your destination. Disruptions to the supply chain may mean shortages in the stores.

Electronic devices.

You may be accustomed to using your vacation as a time to disconnect from the world and leave all your communication devices at home. While that may be a good idea in normal times, in the immediate wake of the crisis it is probably a good idea to ensure you can obtain up-to-date and reliable information whenever you need it.

Pack a smartphone, tablet, or laptop you can connect to the Wi-Fi at your destination. This will enable you to keep your eye on the local weather, read the latest reviews on places you plan to visit for advice and check with local travel experts about potential health problems. Don’t forget to also pack the necessary chargers and adaptors for the local power sockets.

Luggage.

Because you may need to pack more than usual when traveling post-COVID-19, consider purchasing larger or more convenient bags. Hard-shell, wheeled suitcases are becoming more and more popular for traveling because they can hold more, protect fragile items, and are easy to handle with their wheels.