Pre-planning Travel Tips

Hopefully these tips and our general travel checklist will make your trip less stressful.

Learn as much as possible about the places your planning to visit. Talk with friends and family, surf the web, check out bookstores, libraries and travel bureaus. If possible familiarize yourself with local customs and laws.

Medical/Dental: Review your coverage for abroad. Leave copies of pertinent medical/dental cards and records with a family member or friend. Check with your doctor about any necessary vaccinations before you leave. Have a copy of current prescriptions or make sure your prescriptions are refillable. Carry medications with you. Make sure they are in original containers. If you are carrying your prescriptions with you, make sure while you are traveling to keep a duplicate container of medications in another safe place. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to have an extra pair of glasses, or better yet have a copy of your eyeglass and/or contact lens prescription. These extras are invaluable in the event of loss or theft. Consider obtaining travel or medical insurance if you do not have any. Contact a travel agent for more information.

With the above in mind, make two additional copies of your passport, airline tickets, credit cards, driver’s license, and travelers checks. Leave one set of copies with a family member or friend and keep the other copies in a safe place while you’re traveling. Again, in case these documents are lost or stolen, you will be able to expedite replacements. With credit cards, be aware of your balance and limits. In some countries, exceeding your credit limit is a legal offense.

Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends in the event of emergency. Let family members know where you keep other important documents such as your will, insurance, trusts, power of attorney, guardianship papers for children, etc. Also, consider signing up for a free e-mail account through any portal sites like Excite or Yahoo. It’s just another option to stay in touch with family members. Many cities have cyber cafes as well as libraries with internet connections.