Check List: Time Frames –
One year prior to travel
- Establish destination contacts
- Define purpose of travel
- Request time off from work, if applicable
Six months prior to travel
- Confirm work time off, arrange coverage if required
- Purchase airline tickets
- Confirm lodging
- Arrange house sitter-pets, plants, mail, lawn, newspapers
- Confirm passport will be good for at least six months after trip
- Renew passport if necessary (or obtain one)
- Get application in with deposit to confirm registration to go
- Begin learning essential basic phrases in the language of the culture visited
Six weeks before travel
- Schedule vaccinations and order foreign currency
- Obtain gifts, wrapping paper
- Practice language skills, music for destination, review cultural information
- Arrange for mobile phone service
- Prepare travel guide
- Refill medical prescriptions
- Order foreign currency from bank
Four days before travel
- Begin malarone (anti-malarial) treatment if indicated (Start two days before departure)
- Begin Argonne Jet Lag diet (if desired)
- Pack bags to go, and take bag to local park and drag it for one mile
- Notify U.S. Embassy of your visit and how you may be reached in an emergency
- Notify post office to hold mail
- Make final arrangements for pet car, plant care
- Pre-pay essential bills that will come due while out of town
- Pick up travelers checks,
- Photocopy passport, eyeglass and medication prescriptions
- Consume perishable foods in refrigerator-vegetables, cheese, items that will spoil
Just before leaving home (If no one is covering for you)
- Arrange transportation to airport
- Minimize wallet/purse – Take only what you absolutely need
- Minimize key chain – Take only the key(s) you need
- Be sure electrical appliances, lights are turned off
- Set electrical timers to activate lights, radios, TV
- Turn down thermostats
- Rinse garbage disposal with lime or orange peel
- Flush toilets
- Empty trash
- Insure all doors and windows are locked
- Leave key with relative, neighbor, or trusted friend
- Leave emergency contact information with friend or relative