Travel Pre-Departure List

January 8, 2020

After many international trips, some well planned out and some very last minute I have a pretty thorough pre departure list. I always run through checklist if I am going anywhere outside the USA or Europe, just to be sure as missing any of these steps can create major headaches! And some of the steps later in the list make traveling simply a lot more fun! Happy travels!

• Book Flights & Travel insurance, also consider medical insurance depending on your trip. I use Global Rescue’s Signature Travel Insurance and have had great experiences with them. And with medical insurance on a Trans Continental cycling trip it helped with peace of mind to know my insurance included full coverage. Do the research, the peace of mind to focus on your trip when you are on it is worth it!

• Check your country Visa Requirements, including the number of days in country covered by your type of visa (ideally you want to look into this before you book flights, as you may get caught up on this. I booked 2 days too long a trip recently and had to spend half a day re-upping my visa, and a good deal of money.)

  If you get the Visa by mail get on it asap, and if the Visa is acquired upon landing, print out copies at home and fill them out on the plane. This could literally save you hours in line.

• Visit a Travel Clinic to check for in country medical risks and challenges, get vaccines as needed and reup on knowledge. Unless you frequently visit the country or it is a first world country this is a must. As about the International Certificate of Vaccines, the small yellow booklet, if you don’t have one already.
  Be sure to pack the International Certificate of Vaccine, alongside your passport. Many countries will not allow you to enter without this signed evidence of vaccination. Also ask the travel clinic doctor for reputable clinics in country in case you get sick, need follow up vaccines etc. Fingers crossed you never need this, but there will be times you do.            

• Register your travel plans with the US State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is a good idea, and only takes a moment. You will receive in country emails about any incidents to be aware of and the safety level in country, if the US Embassy is advising any actions etc. And if a massive event occurs the State Department is aware of your location. I have found the emails very helpful as local news sources are often unreliable in such events.

• Clean and Layout Gear, camera, sports, weather, medical/safety and other specialized equipment as needed, check what you need and order asap.
  

Other Helpful Actions

• Pet/plant sitting, I go with friends, but Rover has great reviews.

• Pick up medications travel clinic prescribe from Pharmacy. Also acquire over the counters recommended.

• Go onto apps or online accounts and setup the travel notice for your credit cards. Having your cards shut off while traveling is way too big a hassle to skip this step.

• Check in on your international Phone plan, better yet if your phone is unlocked, buy a local sim card in country.

• Set up your Out of Office for email. This brings down stress and allows you to be present.

• Back up phone and laptop if they’re coming with you and leave the external HD at home. If you take a volume of photos as I do, bring an external HD with you, you have one travel HD for Images, and a 2nd Copy of the Travel HD which remains home.

• Put your mail on hold if longer than 6 weeks, the post office will have the papers up front if you don’t want to deal with creating an account

Last Minute

• Take out cash if you are going to a country which is unlikely to have good atms, or hit up the first atm in country for equivalent cash in the local currency. Much of the world is still CC free.

• Download travel entertainment and research content through Libby, Hoopla (both use your local library card-free and awesome!), Amazon Audible, Skillshare Classes & workout classes through apps like Gaiam’s Yoga Studio App, and analog books for low battery areas. 

Last bit of advice I am working on - as you are packing - take anything out which you don’t actually use at home. Light travel is the best travel!