Travel is loaded with the unexpected and that's why it's such an adventure. It, therefore, follows that the more prepared you are for your trip, the better you will be able to handle any unforeseen circumstances or incidences.

Regardless, there are signs you have to be aware of to actually know if you are prepared for your travel or not. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 7 signs you are not quite prepared for your next trip.

Your house looks the same

You are probably not ready to travel if you haven't taken care of important tasks around the house. These could include general cleaning of your home, switching off sockets and ensuring all your home devices such as your television, microwave, or air-conditioning are unplugged.

You don't know your flight status

You should check your flight regularly before you depart. This will help you know if there will be any significant changes in your flight such as cancellation, delay or reschedule. If you are not in the know, you are definitely not ready for your trip.

You don't know your passport expiration date

You would be surprised that some frequent travellers do not know when their passport will expire. These travellers would have booked their trips only to discover weeks or days prior to departure that their passport has expired or close to expiring. So, do not hesitate to check your passport expiry date.

You haven't packed

Use a packing list and start collecting what you will need for your trip at least a few days before departure or even longer. However, due to procrastination, some travellers will delay their packing until the last minute. At this point, it is possible to forget some key items.

You do not have enough cash

Having enough cash at hand will help you deal with any emergency as soon as possible because you do not need to run around in search of an ATM. By the way, it is not entirely advisable not to have cash in your wallet when you travel.

No one knows you are leaving

For safety reasons, tell someone reliable where you're going so that they can help you to keep an eye on your house. You do not want your home ransacked or burgled before you return.

You don't have a backup I.D.

Always carry a copy of your passport and driver's license (or other identification) when you travel, especially if you are flying. If your passport gets lost or stolen, a backup copy will ease the process of applying for an emergency passport.