How To Prepare And Plan For An Upcoming Sports Tour
No matter how long you have supported your favourite rugby, cricket or football team, whether it has been just a few months or a lifetime, there is nothing quite like travelling overseas for a sports tour, following your team’s progress and cheering them on.
For most people, these types of trips are planned months, or even a year in advance. This is because the tickets for tours tend to sell out extremely quickly and moreover because a great deal of preparation needs to be done for this type of trip abroad. Here, we offer some tips on how to ensure that your experience goes as smoothly as possible.
Getting There
One of the most basic, but crucial tasks which you will need to get out of the way several months before the trip is organising your passport if you don’t already have an up-to-date one. Keep in mind that if you need to renew this, or apply for a brand new one, the process can take quite a while and so it is worth sorting this out as soon as you decide to go. When booking flights for sports tours, it is best to tack a little extra time onto each side of your trip, to allow for any delays or emergencies which might occur during your travels. Not only this, but arriving a few days before the first match begins will give you the time to recover from jet lag and perhaps even fit in some sightseeing.
Accommodation
As soon as the dates and venues for sports tour are announced, the hotels closest to the stadiums will begin to charge premium rates and will be booked to capacity within just a week or two. If you have been planning your trip well in advance and can afford to stay in one of these hotels, it really is worth the investment, as it will ultimately save you from enduring the stress and expense of travelling a great distance from your hotel to the stadium for every match.
Game Day
As any sports fan knows, the crowds on game day can be overwhelming, to say the least! Attempting to navigate the public transportation system, or hail a taxi can be a challenge in and of itself and it often takes hours to get to the venue, even if you are just a short distance away. Regardless of how close your hotel is to the stadium and what method of transport you intend to use, give yourself as much time as possible to make your way there. Even walking down the road will take longer than you imagine, as there will inevitably be thousands of other sports fans going in the same direction. It is also worth noting that shuttle bus services and taxis tend to hike up their rates quite a bit on game days, so make sure that you have enough cash on your person to pay for a higher rate. When navigating the crowds, remain vigilant and keep your cash, tickets and other valuables safely tucked away in a secure bag or pocket.
AUTHOR BIO:
Jennifer Doherty writes regularly for a number of sporting blogs, magazines and websites. She frequently attends sports tour and has travelled the globe, supporting her favourite teams.
