The days may be getting shorter, and the weather may be getting worse, but we all know that the winter is no reason not to get excited about packing your bags and heading out on vacation. A winter break can be essential to dusting off the cobwebs and giving yourself a much-needed break at a stressful time. And let’s face it, the last eighteen months have been more stressful than most. Whether you have been worrying about health, work, money, or a combination of all three, you owe it to yourself to give yourself the vacation you deserve.
However, it is just as important to make sure that you properly prepare yourself for your time away. You do not want to arrive at your destination only to find that you are missing something crucial, that you never made the booking you were supposed to, or that the info you need is still sitting in a drawer at home. If you are treating yourself to a winter getaway this year, here are some essentials that no one should be without.
Prepare For A Lot Of Weather
We are sure that it will not have escaped your attention that the weather has been getting more intense over the last few years. We are not necessarily saying that you will experience an extreme weather event while you are on vacation, but it makes sense to be prepared for a lot more weather than you may expect. With that in mind, make sure that you have packed clothes for a range of different temperatures, prepare for rain, cold and ice, and take some sunglasses with you, just in case.
Be Ready For COVID-19 Disruption
We could not be happier that we finally seem to be heading out of the other side of the pandemic, as vaccination numbers continue to climb, and places of business and leisure reopen. However, it is important to remember that we are not quite out of the woods yet and that there are several reasons why you should be ready for COVID-19 to cause some disruption to your vacation. Anything from too many cases at the hotel you have booked to a new variant could play havoc with your plans so make sure that you have some back-up plans in place. You should also make sure that you have some facemasks handy and do not forget the hand sanitizer.
Make Sure That You Are Covered For Insurance
When we are planning our vacations, no one wants to think about how things could go wrong. However, the fact is that there is always the chance that something unplanned or unfortunate could occur, and if it does, you need to know that you are covered. Insurance is an absolute must if you are planning to travel, especially in the winter.
Up to date health insurance is a must, but what else should you be looking at? Car insurance, of course, if you are driving to your destination. Travel insurance if you are using any other form of transport, and to cover you if there is an issue with where you are staying. If you are heading for a biking vacation, then bicycle insurance is a must. Velosurance offers bicycle insurance that will cover you in case of theft, loss or damage and they can also cover some of your medical bills if you are hurt while riding.
Let Yourself Disconnect Properly
The stress of the last eighteen months has been overwhelming, but it can be hard to put all that stress to one side when it’s finally time for a break. In the same way that it is tough to leave your work for the day when you are working from home, it is going to be difficult to leave all the habits that you have accrued during the pandemic at home when you head off on vacation.
So, here are a few pointers to help you disconnect properly from all that real world stress. For starters, make sure that you are using your phone as little as possible. Experts advise that we should stop looking at our screens at least an hour before bed, so why not take that book that you have been meaning to read with you on vacation instead of your tablet? If that piece of advice sounds a little too much like a buzzkill, then why not focus on how you can use this time to really detach from the world?
An active or sports vacation is a great way of getting your body back into gear after so many months spent stuck inside, whether that is all-terrain cycling, skiing, or hiking. If relaxing is more your thing, then the winter is the perfect time for a proper pamper treatment. A spa break could be just the thing you need.