Whether you’re going on a short holiday, a business trip, a honeymoon or your ultimate trip of a lifetime, a stint abroad is a big investment in time and money. Make sure it’s worth your while – and the best it can possibly be – by following these planning and travel tips.

Be a Scout – Be Prepared

The bare minimum of preparation is what I call the administrative work. This means you’ve checked your passport, tickets and bookings are all in order. Be certain your passport is valid for at least six months, check that your name is correctly shown on your ticket, and make sure your accommodation or tour bookings are all locked in for the right dates.

And then there’s the fun side of preparing for a trip, which can be at least as fun as the holiday itself: do some research! These days it’s so easy to pick up a guidebook or two, or surf the net for a couple of hours, to learn all kinds of interesting facts about your destination. You don’t need to read so many pages that there are no surprises left when you arrive, but getting some background knowledge can really enhance your experience. Useful information can include a bit of history, some climate facts, details on popular sports and hobbies or topical news issues. Knowing about Slovakia’s national obsession with ice hockey, for instance, helped me start up plenty of conversations with Bratislavans in bars.

Flexibility is the Key

You can’t control the weather (but if for some reason you can, let me know!). Nor can you control national holidays, museum opening hours, bus schedules or the taste of your lunch. Plan ahead, know what you’d like to do – but stay cheery if you need to switch to Plan B, or even if circumstances render a move to Plan C necessary. Often the most memorable travel experiences arise from an unexpected detour or a last-minute activity.