What are your checkpoints for getting ready for a trip.

[JohnCarrWestwood]

Have a " lost baggage pack " in your carry on . Got caught out once arriving in the dead of night and no baggage except carry on .
Minimal toileries,; spare tshirt , socks and underwear, some cash , medications if required.
3 times my main bag has gone astray in the last couple of years and was returned within 24 hours so no great drama.

Scan of all docs on a flash drive

sensible precautions at home .Mail collected etc

contact detail/itinerary for those left behind and kind of notifications you need. No point in spoiling the trip cos the dog up and died . It can wait till you get back

Should someone be opening your mail or can it all wait? My business cost me/us $20k cos he couldnt be bothered with paper work and left something until I got back 6 weeks later. (He is now my former business partner)


Pay power gas rates etc in advance to cover whileyou are away.. What about stuff like insurances & rego? call em and find out when they are due and can you pay in advance ( cos you ar e going into hospital for major brain surgery although the why is NON of their business )

I am going to USA at end of March.. I have my carry on all ready with my lost baggage pack . My toiletries all done Itinerary , passport ok ESTA done sitting on my desk handy in case there are flight changes ..(already had 3 minor changes ) So night before . the big ( not so big ) pack and grab my carry on ... no stress . Anything clothes wise I forget ,I can buy as soon as I get a minute Ill grab some USD notes in 20's and less.

 

[Ikara]

I don't think this was covered.

I always take a photo of our suitcases on the phone (which is (usually) always with me) so that if we lose one, a photo is easier than a description.

JB

 

[abstraction]

I must admit to making most of the points in the article part of my routine, although checking the destination weather has occasionally been overlooked (strangely when I am crossing the equator when Asia is actually cold in some places)! So what do you do that is not part of the list?

Most of SE Asia is FREEZING indoors. They put the aircon down to 15 or lower in my rooms in places like Bangkok or Manila. The meeting rooms are often the same. In frustration I once asked why. 'Because it's so hot outside.' :shock:

 

[AVC]

I like the photos of the suitcase idea. I'm using that one!

Err, how does a 240V kettle work if you're in a 110V country? Vice versa can be even more entertaining!

I'm a list guy. Microsoft Excel is my friend. Itinerary tab, what to take tab, status and FF tab, costs tab.

As far a "travel items" go, all our travel stuff lives inside the suitcases, just add clothes and technology and go!

 

[Kangarucci]

Universal voltage travel kettle.

 

[JessicaTam]

As I try very hard to stick to HLO I go with the wash and wear system. I will make sure that I have at least 2 days in one spot every 5-7 days so I have time to hand wash and dry smalls and t-shirts etc.

So as long as I have enough clothes for a week, some local cash and a well stocked iPad there is not much else I need. If I forget something I will go without or buy it.

 

[afflinesman]

When packing, I tell my wife and kids the moment they think "I will pack something, 'just in case' " stop and put it aside. You probably won't need it, and besides, you can't take everything.

 

[Selby]

Welcome to AFF, a great first post, although point 1 reminds me of the Nespresso ad with George Clooney packing the coffee machine

Thanks for the welcome! Would love to add George to my checkpoint on things to travel with! (Did look for him while at Lake Como.....)

 

[k_sheep]

I'm somewhat boring in that I take pretty much the same thing every time I travel! Given that mainly I'm in and around SE Asia, I don't really have to pack for cold weather (beyond a hoodie for the plane). All my holiday shots have me wearing the same clothes all around the world :shock:

So packing is quite easy! I tend to make a list of stuff to grab on my way out in the morning though so I don't forget (am NOT a morning person) - normally things that are still charging, or bottle of cold water in the fridge, hairbrush I want to use one last time etc etc.

 

[bricky64]

i live in the carribean..i travelled to south east asia and discovered my banking details were NOT accessible due to a banking dispute between the regions...since then i always check with my bank as to whther i can access cash via CIRRUS...

 

[cove]

Resmed sleep machine and lithium batteries to suit, banking toggle thingys, credit cards for the US and UK, a bit of starting cash and a fairly minimal amount of clothes seeing Los Angeles and London are half priced compared with Perth.
4 weeks of prescription medication if the trip is planned to be 20 days. My Tumi power adaptor and IPad and IPhone connections.
Mrscove spent more time selecting and waterproofing shoes for the English slush than packing.

 

[browski]

Most my flights are 2-3 weeks to the Africa/Asia about 10 times per year. I only start packing about 1 hour before I depart the house. If you travel frequently......especially for work..........then your mind gets into travel mode as soon as you start packing; so best leave this task til as late as possible. It allows you to enjoy every golden minute at home. On the way to the airport, my wife will often remind me to talk to her and not be mentally gone already.

However, since many departures are very early morning (often complete with hangover) then I have developed a 18-point list which I have stuck up in my home office. This list only contains things to pack; it doesn't have things "to do". It has saved me many, many times; especially things like Immodium, headphones and 2nd phone.

 

[optimisticTraveller]

Welcome to AFF, a great first post, although point 1 reminds me of the Nespresso ad with George Clooney packing the coffee machine

Ha! I work in the South Pacific with a guy who brought his Nespresso from his homeland and carries it around while on the job!! Who'd have known you can get a carry case for a coffee machine?!?!

 

[JessicaTam]

Ha! I work in the South Pacific with a guy who brought his Nespresso from his homeland and carries it around while on the job!! Who'd have known you can get a carry case for a coffee machine?!?!

Travels with a coffee machine?

 

[HH Wanderer]

Many of the preparations are common sense. As most of our travelling overseas is backpacking, there are a couple of preps that we do. We have a comprehensive spread sheet of everything we take including medical kit, etc. The spreadsheet also includes "Things to Do",ie cancel papers etc. Each item is then ticked off when completed.

As part of our preparation, all documents are scanned and copied onto a memory stick, including passports, credit cards, insurance, flights, accommodation etc. My husband then keeps the stick on him at all times and I keep the hard copies.

 

[Chuq]

Before traveling, unplug devices such as your television, microwave, or air-conditioning unit to save on electricity.

This really annoyed my wife and kids last time I went on a business trip.

 

[Chuq]

Regarding the cash - when I went to the USA for two weeks last year, the only cash I took was about US$230 which I still had from the last time I was there 23 years prior! I figured that would see me through the first few days and I'll sort the rest out before then.

Turns out, I returned with US$22 still on me. Credit cards are so ubiquitous and unlike in Australia, it is acceptable to use them for purchases of $2-3. It was pretty much all I used.

(Note: the credit card that I used was a 28 Degrees Mastercard - got one especially for overseas travel.)

 

[AusTraveller]

I like the photos of the suitcase idea. I'm using that one!

Err, how does a 240V kettle work if you're in a 110V country? Vice versa can be even more entertaining!

I'm a list guy. Microsoft Excel is my friend. Itinerary tab, what to take tab, status and FF tab, costs tab.

As far a "travel items" go, all our travel stuff lives inside the suitcases, just add clothes and technology and go!

+ 1 for the Excel and having the suitcase (minus clothes) ready to go.

Would add plastic zip lock bags in various sizes, just a couple of each size, they are just handy to throw things in that might leak, need to be kept together etc.

Also number/s to cancel credit cards should you be separated from them. Usually print these on labels and stick them to a few places - including the inside of the suitcase, carry on wallet etc...Just in case your phone is keeping your wallet company Never had to use it but I like to be prepared

Sometimes for new destainations and/or extended trips I make a quick reference card (usually has numbers addresses like the consulate/emabassy/travel insurance policy number and phone details/phone number of bank etc)

 

[dzinh]

Love to travel with zip lock bags as AusTraveller mentioned, expectially when we are doing water activities, the mini iPad, iPhones and camera live in 2 zip locks when unattended.

 

[flyingsal]

I have a packing list and a 'things to do before going' list. I generally pack a week before going and start my countdown of things to do about 6 weeks prior to leaving. After 2 weeks away at Christmas I returned home to an ant plague, so am adding ant rid, talcum powder and strategically placed saucers of sugar (outside!) to my list to ensure the little blighters stay out of the house next time!