1) Change address: Make sure all the important people like the banks know you’re correspondence address whilst you’re away.
2) Visas: Research if you need a visa the type you need how much it costs and when you should apply for it. Some countries will give you an exemption that lasts for a few years allowing you to travel numerous times such as the American ESTA. Others require your time of travel so you can apply anytime for them and others you must apply for within 3 months of entering the country. Some are free and some are expensive. Some countries need exact trip details and others just approximate arrival and depature dates.
3) Vaccinations: The requirements change month by month. Make an appointment with your GP to see what they offer and the cost. Some vaccinations I had to go to my local travel clinic for as my GP did not provide. Most I received at my GP for free but the others were quite costly.
4) Pack: G loves packing and re-packing and unpacking to try and pack again smaller. As much as it can get annoying to have a years worth of stuff laid out in the living room everyday and disgruntled that I have sacrificed our dinner table to host all his adventure gadgets, it does have its merits. I know all the secret compartments my rucksack has and I’m pretty quick at grabbing stuff now.
5) Passport: quite an obvious one but make sure you have a passport with at least 6 months left on the expiry date. Also carry copies of your passport and extra passport pictures. Once you’ve got it all keep it safe until, you leave to avoid the dreaded misplaced passport scenario and think about where you’re going to keep it when you’re travelling.
6) Flights: Think about how you’re going to get from A to B and book early to keep things low cost.
7) Hotels: Its a good idea to book your first hotel and any hotels after really long transits. Also make sure you have somewhere to stay over busy periods such as Christmas and new year.
8) Say goodbye & Know how you’re keeping in touch: Take time to say goodbye to everyone. Have a party to see lots of people in one night or plan meals/ house parties for more intimate goodbyes. Make sure you know how you’re going to stay in touch while you’re away and let your friends and family know you plans when you say bye. I’m going to be updating Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as my blog. I’m taking a mobile and tablet and plan to use local pay as you go SIM cards for the best data deals.
9) Bills: Make sure you’re direct debits are consolidated to one account and that there is money there to be taken. If you can end contracts before you go then make sure you put requests in writing usually a month before your last payment. I’m also taking a travel friendly credit card with separate cards for me and G. He’s doing the same I case we get robbed. Our banks know we are travelling too to avoid fraud squad shutting the accounts down!
10) Travel insurance: Don’t scrimp on insurance. It’s costly but use comparison sites to get the cheapest that fulfills your requirements. Make sure you’re covered for helicopter rescues if you plan on trekking up any mountains 🏔
expeditioningloveandstuff 