We know that 2020 hasn’t gone to plan, as COVID-19 took hold and shattered pretty much all of our travel plans. Yes, lockdown hit hard, flights were cancelled, and planes were grounded for the foreseeable – and for the most part, we’re still in the dark about how long it will all last.

That said, while the light at the end of the tunnel may be small, there is still a light, and we know that the pandemic will, at some point, come to an end. It’s for this exact reason that we encourage you to not give up hope! Dreaming of your next trip is not a crime, neither is starting to make initial plans for it.

With this in mind, here are some of our thoughts on why it’s ok to start thinking of your next trip, even if you can’t yet pin a date on it.

Use Lockdown for Research

Even though you can’t book flights and start getting excited about going to the airport, what you can do, is research. Initial planning and research from the comfort of your living room. Why not make the most of lockdown and use your time being productive? Not only is this a great use of time, it’s good for your state of mind, as you are giving yourself a little inspiration and thinking positively about life after lockdown.

Get online and research some of your favourite countries, discover new places, get onto some travel forums and chat to people who are also thinking along the same lines. Overall this is a very positive move, and think of how well educated and well-equipped you will be when you are finally able to jet away!

Get your equipment sorted

Another good thing about having more time on your hands is being able to take your time buying the stuff you need. We’re in the age of online shopping, so being stuck at home doesn’t restrict you from at least looking around for the gear you need. Bookmark those pages and build yourself a checklist for your travels, from the obvious things such as suitcases or backpacks to the things you might not think of straight away.

One of the main ones, surprisingly, is custom cut foam which you can use to keep your valuables safe when you travel. Musicians carrying musical instruments use foam to keep their prize possessions in pristine condition, despite all the travelling, but this is just one example. Perhaps you’ll buy something while you’re away, a gift which is fragile or valuable? Packing with foam is the ultimate safety item.

It may seem like it’s too early to get organised with travel equipment, but it could actually be the best time ever!

Stay positive!

Perhaps a term you’ve heard over and over again during the crisis, but for good reason. Keeping a positive mental attitude towards travelling is important at the moment. If you tend to travel with friends, remember to keep their spirits up too, reminding them that they will travel once again. The points mentioned above are just as important as ever, if only for the purpose of keeping you in the right mindset while we get through the rest of the pandemic.

Until then, stay safe.

What is a FEIN? A FEIN is a federal employer identification number is used for the internal revenue service to identify a business for tax purposes. It is a nine-digit number, much like a social security number, that the IRS uses to identify different entities and is formatted like 12-3456789. All business entities are required to have a tax identification number to identify the taxpayer. To apply for a tax identification number, you can visit the website IRS-EIN-Tax-ID, to fill out paperwork from the Internal Revenue Services known as a SS-4.

Different Entities

To know if you should apply for a FEIN, you should first decide what entity you are. The different entities that require a tax identification number include:

• Sole Proprietor/Individual
• Limited Liability Company
• Trust
• Estate (Deceased Individual)
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Corporation and S-Corporation
• Partnership
• Personal Service Corporation
• Church Controlled Organization

You also need to obtain an EIN number if you:

• People work for you
• Your business operates as a partnership or firm
• You file any tax returns under excise, tobacco, firearms, alcohol, or employment
• Any of your taxes are withheld on revenue, besides pay, paid to a foreign alien
• You operate your business under a Keogh Plan
• You have any affiliation with a trust, IRA, real estate mortgage, farmers’ cooperative, or a plan administrator program

If any of the following applies to you then it is time to apply for your tax identification number. IRS-EIN-Tax-ID has broken the filling process down into three simple steps.

1. Select entity
2. Enter information
3. Review and submit

They have government agents available for any questions. They also provide a processing and filling service to make the process easier. If submitted during business hours, you will receive your EIN that same day via email, typically within an hour.

As regular readers know, we are a couple who loves to travel together. But we wanted to do this article to reach out a little bit and include people among our readership who have been asking about an article on travelling alone.

Some people may feel some trepidation about the whole thing, and be reluctant to go abroad as a single traveller, but really it’s a very viable option. Let’s analyze this a bit more deeply.

Types of Solo Travelling:

The Solo Tourist- You just bounce around the planet at will taking it all in, perhaps without even an itinerary. This experience can vary greatly depending on your budget levels.

The Working Traveller-  This is when you are obliged to go somewhere for work-related reasons, but you take advantage of such and take in as much as you can of the local culture, flora and fauna.

The Visitor- The solo traveller who hangs out with friends wherever he or she goes, visiting them in series. This is a great way to connect with people who otherwise would just stay at the margins of your existence. Of course, it’s not as flexible as the first option, so there’s your tradeoff.

The Singles Event Traveller- This person travels to singles’ events abroad, whether it be quick getaways, extended cruises or stays at resorts, etc. This traveller is usually hoping to meet a potential SO on these voyages.

Pros And Cons of Travelling Solo:

Pros:

-You get to keep your own schedule, or even avoid having one entirely. This is ideal for people who are either very early risers or very late risers.

-You don’t have to take into account anybody else’s tastes or prefereneces but your own.

-You get a mental reset by being away from everybody with whom you normally interact.

-You are much more likely to make friends abroad when travelling alone.

Cons:

–The loneliness can set in, and it is very real. Try to limit the length of your solo trips, or go for options like singles’ events or visiting friends to mitigate this. Be realistic; you may be surprised how much greater your need for company and non-superficial relationships is than you may have previously thought.

-Sometimes your fellow travellers will have the best ideas that you may never would have thought of by yourself.

-Some things, let’s face it, are best done in good company. For example, a great meal at an amazing restaurant is just that much better when shared with one or more people whom you esteem greatly.