Validity of your passport: Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months/180 days period from the date from the last date of your return journey. For example you are completing your trip on 12th Dec 2005, while applying for your visa you should check if your passport is valid till 12th June 2006. Else your visa may be denied by the respective country's consulate.
Photographs: Some countries need latest photographs taken with specific rules like white background, face only etc. It is always useful to adhere to those rules.

How soon should you apply?: Though some countries process visas in 2 working days, calculate the time for sending passports, endless queues, local holidays, courier delays and unforeseen events. We advise you to keep a week in hand for these unexpected delays.

Documents to attach: Send all documents with an additional set of photocopies to your agent who is applying for visas.

What to wear: Check about the local weather at the destination you are heading for. This will help you inn deciding what to wear whether it is light cottons or heavy woolens.

Conservative dressing: Some countries expect you to dress conservatively in sync with the local culture. Check with your travel agent or the local guide about the customs.

Carry On/Hand Baggage: Have a pair of clothes, pajamas, toothbrush, essential medicines, copy of all your tickets, hotel vouchers, important telephone numbers valuables (if any) some cash in your hand baggage. These will come handy when your baggage is delayed or lost. If you are on a business trip, have your business cards and all the important documents you need for your meeting in the hand baggage.

Car Rental: If you are planning to rent a self-drive car, check if your driving license is valid and leave a photocopy of your driving license back home just in case you forget your driver’s license in the car you have rented.

Sharp items: If you are carrying a Swiss Army Knife keep it in your checked in baggage not in the hand baggage.

Mobile phone chargers: Always carry your mobile phone charges with you if you are carrying your mobile phone. The ones available at the hotels may not be compatible with your phone. Also check for the voltage at the destination to see if your gadgets are compatible.

Breakfast: Normally most hotels offer a complimentary breakfast during stay. You have to go to the designated coffee shop or restaurant of the hotel to have breakfast. If you wish to order breakfast in your room you may be billed for the breakfast service or a tray charge especially while you are in London.

Telephone calls: Avoid using hotel telephone to make calls as they bill 100% extra as a surcharge plus taxes. It is always advisable to purchase a telephone card to sue it in a public telephone booth.

Meal plans: Some meals plans offered by hotels are confusing. Please check carefully while booking. If the hotel stay is on EP basis or European Plan which means no breakfast in included during your stay. CP meals continental breakfast is included, BB means buffet breakfast is included. MAP or Modified American Plan means Breakfast and one major meal either Lunch or Dinner is included and AP or American Plan means all meals i.e., breakfast, lunch and inner are included in your room rent.

Minibar: All items consumed from the minibar are billed to you. Normally a minibar price list is provided in the room. Check this before you consume any items.

Drinking Water: water kept in a jug in your room is safe for drinking, however, if you are particular about hygiene ask for bottled water for which you will be billed.

Towels & bath accessories: If you wish to re-use the towel after bath for the next day you may hang it inside the bathroom. If you want your towels to be replaced with fresh ones for next use, you can leave them on the bathroom floor. Do not take hotel towels with you when you checkout, you will be billed for the same.

Do Not Disturb sign: Most hotels offers this. Please note that when you put this sign to your outside door knob you may still get telephone calls connected to your room if someone is calling for you. In order to avoid this inform Hotel reception not to connect any calls to ensure absolute privacy.

Laundry: Normally a paid service, however, some business class hotels offer at least one free service like ironing a suit free of charge. Please check with your hotel. Normally an ironing board and iron box is provided free for usage within the room if you wish to do your own ironing. This is done by housekeeping department.

Complimentary services: Most hotels offers some freebies in the room like a fruit basket or a bottle of champagne depending on the hotel standard.

Seat-in-coach tour: Normally when you book seat-in-coach tours from a travel agent, they arrange for an English speaking tourist guide included in the tour pricing. Private tours may not always include a tourist guide. In such cases the driver or chauffeur acts like a guide for you. You have to note that a driver is not a trained tourist guide unless your travel agent tells you. However, it is necessary that you tip the driver and the guide at the end of your tour.

Shopping assistance: Your tourist guides can help you in shopping and bargaining for prices especially if language is a problem. They are quote helpful if you want to find a restaurant or any other place in specific as they have a good local knowledge.

Hiring a guide: If you have not hired any tourist guide don’t worry. There are guides are available at the monuments or major sightseeing places especially in India. You can use their services at the sightseeing place and tip them after the tour. Always hire a qualified tourist guide. Normally the Destination Tourism board offices provide tourist guide services. You can call them and ask for a guide. The guides provided by the tourism board are certified in guiding services, know the places to see very well including the history and also charge a minimum fee. Beware if someone voluntarily offers to be your guide at new places. As a tourist you are easily recognisable, no matter how much you try to blend in, you can be robbed enroute by a total stranger posing a guide. Hire tourist guides from reliable sources like your travel agent, local tourism boards and hotels where you stay.