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A Handy Guide for Planning Your Next Extended Holiday | Travel

This post brought to you by Heritage Bank

 The last couple of weeks have been so super busy. Tafe is kicking my arse with the amount of work that is required this term. We've also had our days increased from 3 to 4, with an added one hour online class as well on a Monday. So tafe, 5 days a week. It's been hard to adjust.

Add to the that the fact that we have all been sick and life just seems a bit of a drag at the moment. You'll have noticed I haven't been blogging as much and that has a lot to do with the fact that I either haven't had the time to write, or I just haven't felt like it.

 The times when I have been online, all I can do is google tropical holidays in an attempt to daydream myself somewhere else. It's been so long since we've been on holidays that I'm getting a little wanderlust. Our last long trip was over 5 years ago now. Of course figuring out how we would actually pay for and manage a decent trip with the girls would take a loooot of planning, so I asked the guys at Heritage Bank if they had any tips for me.

 They've given me this handy guide for planning a holiday and I had to share it with you coz I know I'm not the only one suffering from a little wanderlust right now!
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Paying for Your Holiday

The things you can do and places you can visit during your time away are limited only by your imagination… and maybe your budget. But don’t resign yourself to backpacker hostels just yet. Even if your savings won’t cover an extravagant vacation, a fantastic holiday is not necessarily beyond reach. As soon as you have a rough estimate of how much your trip will cost you, start putting away a little extra cash each week specifically to cover this.

If time runs out and your travel aspirations are still loftier than your budget, consider getting a personal loan to help ensure your extended holiday can be as satisfying as possible. Use the Personal Loan Calculator at the bottom of this post to get an approximate idea of how much you may be able to borrow. For more information about personal loans and other tips for saving for holidays, visit the websites of trusted financial institutes like Heritage Bank.
New York City & the Empire State Building, as seen from Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Centre,
Taken when Dave and I visited the US in 2010

Preparing for Your Journey

Nobody wants an unpleasant flight to dampen their holiday enthusiasm. While there’s nothing you can do to shorten transit times or eliminate turbulence, there are ways to ensure your journey goes as smoothly as possible.

Create a checklist of everything you will need during your time away and aim to have it all compiled (or even packed) at least a week before your departure date. This should include:
  • Your passport (original and photocopies)
  • Any visa documents if required
  • Clothes
  • Entertainment items
  • Toiletries
  • Medicinal items
  • Comfort items (such as eye masks, inflatable pillows & cuddly toys)
  • The actual luggage all your belongings will be travelling in!
Of course, it’s also wise to book your accommodation and flights as far in advance as reasonably possible. Having all your necessities and itinerary items lined up and ready to go will help you transition smoothly into holiday mode.
Wakiki in Hawaii had some of the best sunsets I've ever seen. I can't wait to get back there one day!

Choosing Your Destination

When your chosen destination will be your temporary home for several weeks, it becomes crucial that you decide wisely. This means you have some intensive (but exciting) research to do on the local weather, currency, language, highlights, and dos and don’ts. Don’t just be mindful when selecting a city – look carefully at suburbs as well. Make sure you will be staying within close proximity to all the attractions, sites, and shops you are interested in.

Planning for an extended holiday can seem a bit stressful and overwhelming. But, ultimately, putting in all the work prior to leaving is the best way to ensure your actual holiday will be as relaxing and refreshing as you want it to be.

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I am definitely a planner and being able to see things written down like this really helps me see how to make things possible. We're hoping to take the girls to the US when they get a bit older and I know I am going to be referring back to this post when the time comes to start serious planning!

 Do you have any tips for planning an extended family holiday? How do you save for a holiday?


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