Top Things to Do Before Long-Term Travel

By Twothirstytravellers @2thirstytrav

If you’re planning to take a long backpacking trip, move to another country for a few years, or even go on a lengthy holiday, there are plenty of things that you should do beforehand that have nothing to do with booking hotels, packing, or booking flights. When you take a lengthy trip to other places in the world, there is often a lot more preparation that goes into it than you may realize. This is especially true if you’re planning to stay somewhere for a long period of time, assuming that you will need a method of earning an income whilst you are there. Read on to discover more of the top things you should do before you travel to make it a better experience.

Learn to Drive

If you do not already hold a full driving license, it’s definitely a good idea to get one before you travel. Being qualified to drive a car means that you’ll be able to get around much easier when you are abroad, and have the freedom to explore and go wherever you like without having to rely on public transportation. Not only that, but if you’re planning to stay in a particular place for a long period of time, having a driving license means that you could consider purchasing your own car. For more information on preparing for the theory part of your driving test, visit Top Tests.

Get Qualified

If you’re going backpacking through various countries or plan to find a job and settle somewhere for months or even years, it’s a good idea to gain a qualification which will make this easier for you. If you plan to travel to a country where English is not the first language, a qualification in teaching English as a foreign language is an excellent choice. With English being the most widely-spoken language in the world, there are always people who are willing to pay to learn it no matter where you go.

Do Your Research

If you plan to stay or even live in another country for a long period of time, it’s more important than ever to make sure that you have done your research and are fully clued up about the specifics of your destination. This could include a whole range of different topics – for example the crime rate, risk of disease, terror threat, local customs, and even the language if you really want to settle in and befriend the locals. The last thing you want is to turn up in a country that you know barely anything about, so start researching as soon as possible. Thanks to the internet, you may even be able to befriend and speak to a native of the country where you plan to travel online!

If you are planning to travel to or even move to another country for a long period of time, it’s vital that you go fully prepared. Along with ensuring that you have somewhere to stay, it’s essential to make sure that you have the skills, qualifications and knowledge to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.