Traveling abroad with your family is a very enjoyable activity. The main requirement for that is you and your family should be: 1) in good health (If you are pregnant, you are still recommended to fly before 36th week of pregnancy; 2) during the school holidays; and 3) enough funding. Therefore, it is usually done when the family savings are adequate, or indeed the trip is financed by the company as a home-leave benefits. You should prepare carefully for your journey especially if you have a limited budget for your travel abroad. Many steps should be followed to make your travel go smoothly. These steps and how to travel cheaper are mentioned here.
General tips below could also help you what to do before and during travel abroad.
1. Check completeness of documents: make sure that you have a valid passport (your passport be valid not only for the duration of your visit, but also for 3-6 months after your entry or return from their country, including Indonesia) visa for traveling overseas. There are some countries require visa before traveling, or visa on arrival in the destination country. Make sure that you have covered also travel insurance.
2. Hunting flight and accommodation (hotel/hostels): you must book or online booking these things at least 4 weeks in advance, but are much better target for 2 months. Survey several different travel agents to find the most suitable price. In addition, check if they offer price includes taxes and other charges. Use your Miles and More that it probably could decrease your expenses or could increase your level of air tickets from economic class to business class.
3. Bring necessary medications: Discuss with your family doctor what kinds of medicine / vitamin needed to carry or vaccines that are required for a particular country before traveling. Remember, you do not know exactly how the situation there.
4. Stay notice condition of the house: while you are away from home, make sure you have someone who can help to take care of home, pet, plants, keep the letters and bills if any.
5. Organize things: make a list of things you would do or visit in your destinations such as rental cars, to see exotic places, etc. If your vacation with family takes place at the same time with your business visit, you should arrange them in such away that all programs are managed properly.
6. Make a packing list: start to create a packing list 2 weeks before the day. Make sure that all you need are available on the list, then start doing packing one or two days before D-day.
7. Consider your money: find out about the currency used in your destination country. Decide how best mechanism that must be taken. Do you need to carry cash or just need to carry a credit card. Remember, there are some countries that the possibility of a credit card is not necessarily applicable. You should better bring cash in addition to rely on credit cards.
8. Keep in touch: before you leave, make sure your family or your friends know that you will be traveling abroad and they know about how to make contact with you. Make an email from a free web-mail such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or create blogs or diaries of travel.
9. Be ready for Culture shock: different countries different cultures, which means about different tribal cultures, it turns out a lot of things you have noticed in your journey abroad. You need the physical and mental preparation, because at least there are some cultures that have to be learned to avoid mistaken. Some things that seem trivial in your eyes, such as hand gestures not necessarily be accepted easily by people from other cultures. This is to avoid your trip turned into a nightmare.
