Vacations are great. But getting there and back again can be a huge pain.
Whether it’s a weekend getaway to the beach or a multi-city European adventure, the days and hours before leaving home can be brutal, full of stressful tasks and hectic packing.
To help ease the burden of these tasks, a few companies have popped up to become experts in the field of keeping your travel time easy and smooth. Among the industry leaders are Travel Flow Services, a documentation service firm committed to creating easier, faster travel experiences.
The team at Travel Flow Services feels that the most important part of mitigating stress and last-minute errands is to devise a thorough pre-travel checklist – especially for international travel.
Here are some helpful, savvy steps that the travel logistics company recommends taking before embarking on your international journey:
Secure travel insurance
Insurance is essential for international travel, addressing the need to cover emergencies, medical needs, evacuations, lost baggage, and trip cancellations.
Obtain an international driver’s license
While not universally required, having an international driver’s license can be invaluable if legal or traffic enforcement issues arise. It’s an easy step, and it’ll make you feel ultra prepared.
Ensure adequate passport pages
Check your passport book before you leave, and avoid any complications by confirming that your book has plenty of available pages, especially if you require visas. Certain countries only accept visas on specific pages, not on amendment pages.
Obtain the necessary visas
Speaking of visas – be sure and verify if you need one for every country you plan to visit. This step is overlooked way too often, but it’s of course crucial; lacking proper visas can lead to significant financial losses, as well as the likelihood of being turned away at the airport.
Companies like Travel Flow Services specialize in border security and cross-country travel, expediting their clients’ entries and saving the usual time and hassles. It’s wise to look into these kinds of services if you’re crossing lots of borders.
Update your vaccinations
A visit to your doctor before traveling is always wise, ensuring necessary prescriptions are filled and discussing any essential medical precautions. Additionally, certain destinations may require specific vaccinations – the CDC guide can help clarify these requirements.
Print copies of your reservations
While digital confirmations are widely accepted, it’s always good to have the hard copies. It ensures preparedness, particularly in areas with limited cell service or Wi-Fi.
Print copies of your tickets
Just like with hotel reservations, some transport providers may not accept digital copies, leading to a potential repurchase at a much higher cost – a hassle easily avoided by just having the hard copies.
By proactively completing these tasks before your journey, you can significantly reduce last-minute chaos and ensure a smoother, stress-free travel experience. The experts at companies like Travel Flow Services can help make sure you don’t miss a step.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
