During my time here at Dream Vacations, I have blogged only about the places I would like to visit. To say the least I’ve been at a disadvantage compared to my co-workers, but now my time has come!
This year I will get to take my first Dream Vacation to Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso in the Riviera Maya. If everything goes well, my husband and I will be basking in the Mexican Sun mid-September. Having never left the country or only being gone for an entire week only once in my life (honeymoon to Arkansas) I realized I need to prepare. With the expert help of my colleagues, over the next 3 months I’ll fill you in on how to prepare for the trip of a lifetime.
Three Months Prior to Depature - We’ll start slow but these are good tasks to get us started.
1. Passport! My husband nor I have ever had one. Find your local post office and make an appointment with the post-master to get this. You can even go online and complete the application before you go. Most people say it can take up to 3 months to get them back and sometimes less than that. So, if you don’t have one…get going on that one now.
2. We have 2 dogs and a cat. Deciding if we will have a friend/pet-sitter come over or if we want to board them is a major decision. If you have pets, you know they truly are like your family. Finding the best pet care facilities can take time. This is when you should start checking out kennels if required.
3. Get Active! Walk, swim, dance or whatever you can enjoy and still get some exercise. The better shape you’re in the more you’ll enjoy your vacation. Also, start working on your tan. If I go to the Riviera Maya as white as I am now, I’ll burn the first day out.
4. Start picking up travel size products. Shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, sewing kits & lotion are just a few to think of. These are easier to pack and take up way less room. An important function in these days of strict luggage restrictions.
5. Gather information on where you’re going. There’s still lot’s of time to research your destination, additional tours, cultural aspects and events you might want to attend. A great source of information is your travel agent at Dream Vacations. They’ve been where you’re going and can point out excursions you might enjoy and how to prepare. I know at least 2 things we will be doing…Tulum Extreme Tour and an ATV tour through the Mayan Jungle.
6. Learn the lingo! It’s not too late to pick up at least a few common phrases of the language spoken at your vacation destination. Buy or borrow language CD’s, books, etc. A small pocket translator will be easy to keep up with and could make conversations with any locals fun.
Like I said, this will get you started. We look so forward to our vacations but somehow we always forget something. Make this time fun as you prepare. Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to September. I’ll talk about luggage, bank cards, automatic timers for your house and cameras!
