Holidays can be pretty hard work

Passports, visas and currency conundrums are all impediments to getting away in the traditional travel season in the Gulf.

Immigration trouble awaits for those who don't prepare for their travels. Randi Sokoloff / The National

The phrase “holiday from hell” entered the public vocabulary some time ago, along with all the other things that might be from hell, which is to say especially difficult or fairly unpleasant – a neighbour, a boss, a friend’s toddler, your sister’s pet. In this, the season of getaways, there is always the risk of an unhappy holiday or, at the very least, a break that might have been a great deal more restful or refreshing but for some misadventure. Something that leaves you feeling, to quote that old phrase: just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. Never again.

But what could possibly ruin a summer holiday, ripe with the delightful prospect of no more work for a week or two, lots of sightseeing, late nights and languorous lie-ins, exotic feasts, new sights, sounds and smells? Believe it or not, there could be any number of things that could ruin a holiday even before it is begun, as we’ve been reporting in recent days. These could include problems with documentation, with foreign exchange or even outrageous bank charges overseas. So, for instance, a passport that’s set to expire within six months is generally not going to get you on to that plane. Ditto, one that is damaged or worn or has less than one full blank page left. Then there are visa regulations – is a visa available on arrival and what currency can one use to pay for it? Finally, there is that minefield of modern travel – cash or card?

Odd though it may seem in our global village, when everyone is travelling so much more than before and everywhere seems so much less inaccessible, many people either ignore or imperfectly understand some of the basics of taking a foreign holiday. Simply put these are as follows: most countries require that a visitor’s passport be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. It’s best to check visa rules ahead of time. And the best spending option particularly for UAE travellers is a prepaid card that’s somewhat like an electronic traveller’s cheque and saves foreign currency transaction fees. In a sense then, careful preparation is everything when going on holiday. Every bit of work – and thought – that goes in to planning will go towards a happy holiday.