A Quick Planning Checklist for Travelling

For Travellers in a Hurry

This is the Quick Planning Checklist for Travelling.
See also the Complete Planner for those who enjoy the thorough approach to planning.

You have been looking forward to that Vacation for months and now it is "just around the corner" and you have a thousand things to do. What to do first?

Here's a planning checklist for travelling that can help you. Use it as a starting point, maybe print it out, and then update it with your own ideas.

Use the Form at the end to tell us how you improved it.

BEGIN your trip NOW, with this planning .... this can be great fun !

There are FIVE sections:

.. Things to do NOW
.. Don't Forget to Pack - why not Check your Packing List
.. In the Final Hours Before You Leave Things to Do
.. Just before you Walk Out the Door
.. At the end there are some LINKS that could assist you in your planning

THINGS TO DO NOW

Research

__ How much time do you have to travel ? This is really important as you determine what to do on your trip.

__ Research your destination - talk to those who have been there, obtain brochures:
__ Maps
__ What places to visit and things to do
__ Check Government and State Department Advisory Agencies, Departments of Foreign Affairs about travel warnings
__ Check travellerspoint.com on the internet.

Organise Your Documents

__ Get tickets and reservations
__ Ensure your Passport is up to date
__ Check on the VISA requirements for your destination
__ Organise your Travel Insurance needs
__ Planning to rent a car?

__ Check your Travel Insurance you may be able to avoid supplemental insurance offered by the
rental company and avoid the "upsell" for additional cover and waivers which are already covered.

Health

__ Visit your Doctor and arrange for your vaccinations and shots if required for your destination
__ Ensure you will have enough prescription medicine for the trip - order if required
__ Have your doctor write any special instructions

Pets
__ Arrange for pet care or boarding
__ Ensure pets are vaccinated if Boarding

House
__ Arrange to have the lawn cut
__ Ask a neighbor or friend to keep an eye on things and to pick up any drop off, leaflets, etc. left at your door.
__ Consider asking a neighbour to park a car in your driveway

__ Buy the extras you might need

__ Sun Screen
__ Insect Repellant
__ Anti-nausea pills
__ Money/passport bag
__ Power converter for Europe or USA
__ Power leads
__ Entertainment for kids and yourself during travel time
__ Camera batteries
__ Digital Camera memory stick or film for another camera

__ Your list .....

DON'T FORGET TO PACK - Why Not Check your Packing List

__ Tickets or your eTicket that was emailed if an Internet booking

__ Flights
__ Other Travel
__ Entry to Exhibits etc

__ Passport

__ Maps

__ Reservation Confirmations

__ Contact numbers and addresses for all bookings, reservations and important places
__ Phone numbers for reporting lost or stolen credit cards or debit cards
__ International and Country Telephone codes

__ Prescription medicine

__ Eyeware - Glasses, spare glasses, contact lenses, lens case, and cleaning solutions
__ Consider taking your lens prescription

__ Rain gear - umbrella, rain coat
__ Clothes for cold weather - layered clothing is best

__ Digital camera or photographic camera

__ Power leads and chargers for all equipment
__ Power converters for Europe and USA (depending on your destinations)

TIP 1: If leaving the country, a copy of proof of purchase of expensive camera equipment can avoid customs problems

TIP 2: If you plan to bring back souvenirs, leave some room for them in your luggage

TIP 3: Include a plastic bag for dirty clothes

THINGS TO DO JUST BEFORE YOU LEAVE

__ Inform family and friends of your Intinerary and major contact numbers at destinations
__ Consider an online Blog to stay in touch - Travellerspoint.com will enable two-way messaging

__ Stop the mail
__ Stop the newspaper

__ Update "Out-of-Office" messages in voicemail and an auto reply of absence notification

__ Get money and/or traveller's cheques or checks ( Note that many places, even some banks, are not accepting traveller's checks)

__ Ensure all Cards are activiated and checked

__ Pay upcoming bills that can't wait

__ Put name and destination address or phone number on luggage. Don't put the address of your vacant home.

__ Remove non-essentials from wallet or purse

__ Consider locating essential cards etc in a place other than your purse or wallet

__ Record emergency phone numbers to leave with neighbours, relative, or pet boarding facilities

JUST BEFORE YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR

__ Place the iron in a visible safe place on the floor so its the last item to check as you close the door
__ Close and lock all windows
__ Unplug small kitchen appliances (toaster, can opener, coffee maker)

__ Turn off water to external faucets

__ Turn off water to washing machine (especially if your hoses are old!)

__ Turn off your Airconditioner or heater

TIP 1: If a credit card is stolen, you can report it and stop additional charges.

If your debit card is stolen, stopping additional charges can freeze your access to cash. Consider using your credit card when away from home.

TRAVEL LINKS THAT COULD BE HELPFUL

If you are Backpacking, have a look at this List from Lonely Planet in 2002.