Before You Leave For Your Vacation Checklist

By Author: Jesse Henson
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Often people are so excited to head off on vacation that they forget little things along the way. It always helps to have a checklist to follow so that when you feel like you are rushing around chasing your tail, you can tick off items and know that there are a few less things to worry about.

Prepare Your Home

Ask a neighbor or friend to check in on your home while you are away. Get them to water your plants and feed your pets if you have any. It's good to have someone coming and going from a house to discourage burglars. Switch off your plugs and appliances, and make sure that all faucets are securely turned off. Also, check that your household insurance is up-to-date, and give your insurance details to your friend. In this way, they can handle any emergency for you while you are away.

Draw up a List of Contact Details

Give your friend or neighbor who will be looking after your home all your necessary contact details. This will include the number of your travel agent, as well as the hotel or resort where you will be staying. If you will be moving around a lot, give them a copy of your itinerary. ...
... In most countries, you can purchase a local cell phone SIM card to use on a pay-as-you-go basis. Once in your destination, send this number to the friend back at home so they have a direct way of contacting you.

Check the Weather for Your Destination

While the season you are travelling in should give you a good indication of what type of clothing to pack, it's always a good idea to check the weather just before you leave. Do a quick search on the Internet on your destination and you can usually get up to a seven-day forecast. The area may be experiencing an unseasonal heat wave, snow blizzard or heavy rain, and you can be better prepared.

Make a Clothes and Packing List

Consider the number of days you'll be travelling for and try to pack only what you'll need each day. If just travelling for a week, you may take an outfit for each day. If travelling for a longer period of time, take clothing that doesn't crease easily or require special care when washing. When drawing up your list, consider if you'll be staying at a resort or moving from place to place? You may spend all day in your swimming costume but the resort may have a dress code for dinner, in which case you will need something a little fancier. If you are going on a cruise, read your itinerary carefully as they often have theme dinners that require dressing up. Make sure you include items such as underwear, socks and shoes. Keep your passport and travel documents in a safe place and be sure to include them in your list. Sometimes people forget to pack the most obvious things.

Make Copies of Your Travel Documents

Make copies of your plane tickets, tour vouchers and passport, and keep these safely stowed away in your luggage. Better still, swap copies with your travel companions. In the event that you do lose your passport and other documents, it makes life much easier if you can produce a copy of the original. It's also a good idea to make a note of the address and phone number of your country's consulate in the destination you are visiting. If you do run into any major trouble, the consulate should be your first port of call.

Make Copies of Your Medication Prescriptions

If you take regular or chronic medication, it is essential that you have several copies of your doctor's prescriptions with you when you travel. Get your doctor to write the generic names for your medication on the script. There are a number of scenarios where you may need these scripts. Airlines do not allow syringes on aircrafts unless you can prove you need your medication on-hand; for example, if you are a diabetic, you'll be allowed to keep your syringes with you. Customs officials will also need to see that whatever medication you have in your bag corresponds with your prescription. If for any reason your bags get lost or stolen and you need to replace your medication, then a prescription with the medication's name and your doctor's contact details will make the process much easier.

Check Your Health or Travel Insurance

Some health plans cover you for local or international travel but often you have to inform them of when and where you will be travelling. Make sure you understand the level of insurance coverage provided. If you feel it may not be adequate for your destination or your health plan does not cover international travel, you can look at taking out a separate travel insurance policy. These policies tend to be expensive but they are generally very comprehensive and can cover everything from medical emergencies to attending to a burst geyser in your home while you are away. They are very much worth what you pay for, and knowing you have extensive cover will provide you with added piece of mind when you are travelling.
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