What is your Pre-Travel Checklist?

Rarely book onward flights (have flyonward.com as a backup)

I know it’s not the greatest answer, but once accom is packed and visa sorted. The only things I really worry about are,

• passport
• credit card
• phone

As long as I have those three, nothing else really matters. Cash sorts everything. Other stuff you forget, you can buy. But I also fly up to 2-3 times a week so don’t stress much anymore - sometimes I don’t even unpack my suitcase.

I always have a Plan B for nearly everything just in case I need a backup - what would you do if your phone or laptop are lost/stolen?

• Back up all important documents on a hard drive and/or cloud you can access from anywhere.
• Print AND electronic copies of all ID’s (passport, DL, visa, credit/debt cards, insurance, itineraries/tickets)
• Alternative mode of transportation if your flight, train or bus gets cancelled.
• Contact info for relatives, friends, business associates
• Alert your bank of your travel plans so they don’t block transactions. Some banks flag specific countries so I always know which ones they block, and use a different card for those.
  Something always goes awry along the way, so being prepared makes these snafu’s easier to handle.

I don’t have an actual checklist but do have a getting to and from the airport plan. About a week before I travel, I made sure I have all the details I need - if it’s an Airbnb and they haven’t contacted me, I get in touch and work out check-in details etc.

I always have travel insurance - and I’ve used it enough to continue using it. But I don’t get it for every trip, just every 6 months or so since I’m constantly on the go.

Before travelling, I do a check that I have all my stuff. Using the same bag and putting stuff in the same spot every time makes that easy.

Checking out SIM card requirements is worth doing since in some places it’s much easier to pick up one at the airport than anywhere else.

I’ll normally book my accommodation for my full time in a place and like to plan things out (eg. buying flights, booking accomm) a fair way in advance. I’m not that comfortable with leaving things to chance/my whims.

I never worry about co-working etc. If I arrive somewhere and find that I don’t have the requirements I need for working, I’ll think about it then but would rather work in my apartment.

Normally when I book a place, I’ll look up the address on google maps and save it so it’s easy to find. I’ll also look up cafes and other places of interest in the neighbourhood and save them.

Workwise, I have everything scheduled ahead in a spreadsheet and add in where I’ll be to that as I make plans so I can adjust for it. If I’m going to only be somewhere short-term then I try to make it a lighter work week, that kind of thing.

Here’s my checklist I usually reference while packing:

• passport
• check visa requirements
• check car rental requirements
• aux cable for car
• iphone clip for car
• daypack
• water bottle
• headphones
• offline maps (CityMaps2Go)
• paper clips (to change sim card)
• pen (for immigration papers)
• earplugs (for sleeping)
• bose speaker
• hammock
• converter
• iphone charger
• iPad charger
• iPad (if using Duet)
• USD cash (small bills)
• foreign currency (rarely beforehand)
• debit card (notify bank)
• credit card (notify bank)
• drivers license
• swim goggles
• baseball hat
• flashlight
• deet
• lock
• microphone (if recording screencasts)
• sleeping mask
• kindle
• towel/sarong
• socks
• tshirts
• tank tops
• swimtrunks
• shorts
• jeens
• collared shirts
• light sweatshirt
• sandals
• laundry bag to separate dirty clothes
• toothbrush
• toothpaste
• battery powered shaver
• razor
• brush
• deoderant
• lotion
• shampoo
• conditioner
• qtips
• scissors
• tweezers
• sunscreen
• long underwear

Yes, I wander when you’re an experienced traveler you don’t have to think about this very much. But until now I only travel like once every two years. So until I get used to it, a checklist is useful

@wanderingdev

• you never get asked about the onward or out of the country flight at immigrations, or at getting a visa?
• same question for travel insurance?

wow… that’s intense. lol

i’ve been doing this a while (@ 8 years)

mine is basically:

• do I have all my crap?
• do i know where I’m staying my first night?
• do I know how I’m getting to the next place?

cool, let’s go!

• i rarely have onward flights
• i have only had visa stuff twice, but that’s a benefit of being from the USA
• i never print anything
• i don’t cowork
• i rarely plan the next stop unless i have a commitment elsewhere (house sit, etc.). i generally plan the next stop a week or so before i leave my current location.
• i don’t do travel insurance
• i don’t bother checking the weather, i can’t change it