Some last ideas

Three sleeps to go; it's beginning to feel very real now. My packing is done, paperwork is ready, and seats for our flights chosen. I've made sure all outstanding accounts here at home have been paid, or have made arrangements for them to be paid while I am away

I still need to prepare my iPad for safe and secure travel, and the day before we leave I will check the weather forecast for our first destination, which is England and we all know how changeable the weather there can be.

Last week I went to the Department of Human Services website and looked through the list of countries that the Australian Government has reciprocal health agreements with. The UK and Italy are both mentioned. This agreement means Australian citizens are entitled to basic health care, meaning treatment that is 'immediately necessary'. It does NOT mean that we don't need travel insurance. Go to the website to learn more, and remember to take your Medicare card with you if the country you are visiting has such an agreement in place.

Because the bushfire season is almost upon us, and because I live in a rural area, I've shown my daughter and my brother where my evacuation box is. In that box are all my important papers, digital backups of my computer files on USB's, and a few precious photographs. If the worst happens, all they need to (if it's save to do so) is collect that box. I have many other things I'd like saved but not at the expense of someone's life; things can be replaced, people can't.

One last thing we are considering and that is registering at Smart Traveller, a website at the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It's a good idea to register your travel plans so that you or your family can be contacted in the event of an emergency, such as a cyclone. Your registration will let the department know if you are in an affected area and they will be able to contact you to provide the latest safety information. No destination or traveller is immune from crisis so it is important to register, even if you intend to travel to a safe destination, or just take a short trip. The Smart Traveller website also has some interesting tips and loads of information to help you plan your trip.

My next post to this blog will be from the United Kingdom. I hope you can come with us and share our experiences as we take our Grand Tour!