My Pre-Travel Checklist

*The following to-do list is my holy grail before any trip I go on. Making sure I have everything in order before I leave the country always ensures a worry-free departure. Trust me, being organized before your trip makes it a bajillion times easier once you’re traveling.*

1. The Necessities 

This will vary per person but I always make sure to do a Target run where I buy all the little things I want to pack. Certain brands/products are either way more expensive or just not available abroad; so grab everything you think you will need before your trip. Some examples include chapstick, sunscreen, aloe, wet wipes, travel adapter, neck pillow, portable charger, hand sanitizer, razor, mini first aid kit, Advil, and gum. (Tampons are odd ones you never think about packing but in Asia they are super hard to find!) If you want to read my full recommended packing list click here! 

2. Medications 

For women who are on birth control: you have to ask your doc to request a 3 or 6 month supply of your birth control in advance. Shipping medication can get really complicated and possibly taken at border control; it’s way easier to have it on you for the duration of your trip. I also take Zyrtec for my allergies so I packed a ton of that too.

3. Passport

Most countries have the requirement where your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip. If yours is not, go get your passport renewed! Also make sure it has enough pages for all those lovely new visa stamps. A pro tip I learned along the way (that saves you $$$) is to have a stache of extra passport pictures. When you are backpacking around and hopping from country to country, most border controls will ask for a passport picture along with the visa/ payment. If you don’t have one, you have to pay an extra fee to have them take a picture of you (which always takes a while). So having a bunch of extra passport pics will save ya time n money.

4. Google Docs 

I learned this one the hard way. After having my phone stolen (4?) times, I’ve come up with solutions to lessen the damage. By putting all the passwords to your email, social media apps, bank accounts etc into a Google Doc it makes it soooo much easier to get all your shit back on your new phone. You can access your Google Drive on any computer or device which makes it ideal for traveling. I also include pictures of my passport, drivers license, debit/credit cards, and insurance cards. In case you lose any of the above, at least you have a pic to get you by worse case scenario. Just don’t forget your password to your Google Drive!

5. Google Photos

Honestly just thank the technology gods for Google. I haven’t had storage on my iCloud since 1998 so I use GooglePhotos to backup all my pics/ videos instead. You can get the app on your phone and it automatically uploads from your camera roll. Just in case your phone is lost (or stolen), all your pics are saved. The first time I had my phone stolen I was in Paris and sadly didn’t know about GooglePhotos… so I lost everything. The only pics I have of that trip are the ones I had already posted on Facebook for my Mom 🙁

6. Travel Card

I only just got a travel card and my godddd does it save you so much money. Debit/credit cards charge huge fees for purchases and for pulling money out of the ATM. So get a fee-less card (I use Capital One) to save on spending. Also make sure to tell your bank you will be traveling so they don’t lock your card when you first use it out of the country.

7. Savings Account 

If you have a savings account, I would keep all of your money in there (rather than your checking account).  In the case of a card theft, it’s really difficult to get your money back on a debit card. My bank teller advised me to keep all my funds in my savings account (which can’t be stolen) and then periodically fill my checking account when needed. I usually do $500 every 2 weeks.

8. $$$ 

It’s always smart to bring a few hundred dollars in your local currency. USD is a golden standard abroad. Visas at border crossings are always paid for in cash AND if you pay with USD there is usually a discount. Fun Fact: In Cambodia the USD is actually used more than the local Cambodian Riel. Their currency is so worthless that they prefer USD so all the pricing (even at hole-in-the-wall restaurants) are in USD.

9. Unlocked Phone

You need to have an unlocked iPhone to be able to switch out the SIM cards. I always buy a local SIM card with data roaming and keep my Verizon SIM card safe in my pack. For the Android users, I have no idea how your phones work so go ask Google.

10. Travel Insurance

Sooo I actually have never bought this (because I’m cheap and dumb) but I’ve learned my lesson and will now always be purchasing before I go. There are a ton of different sites to choose from, so do some research on pricing before you buy.

11. Visa Check

For most countries, you can just show up to the border and get a visa. But for some they do require a little planning beforehand (Vietnam for example).  So do some research into which countries you’re going to and if you have to apply for a visa ahead of time.

12. Haircut n Mani/Pedi 

It’s real hot (especially in SE Asia) so I always make sure to get a haircut so I sweat the least amount possible. I’ve gotten a few haircuts while traveling and honestly it was… weird. I walked into a salon in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam and I had 7 people circling me at once, all doing something different to my head. Let’s just say I was not happy with the results. So if you want a confident cut, get it done at a salon you trust. I also loveee having those white gel nails on before I fly. They just make me look way tanner and overall improve my mood by 576% so.