Where to Begin: Backpacking Prep

With my upcoming trip to South America mere months away, I’m starting to prep for my travels. Before every big trip I take, there is always a long list of things that need to be done beforehand. I figured my process might be useful to others so I’ve compiled a list of recommendations to make sure when you finally jet off, everything is in perfect order. 

1. Leave Your Old Life Behind

Depending on how long your trip is, you might need to get the ball rolling on some big ticket items such as quitting your job or subletting your apartment. Maybe you need to give your cat to a trusted friend or sell your car. Maybe you need to break up with your looser boyfriend or trade some stock. Whatever it is that you gotta to do leave the country for an extended period of time…start the process! 

 2. Research n Plan

The first thing I do when I’m gearing up for my next trip is research! I scour the internet for useful information on the country or region I’m traveling to. What will the climate be like? What are the common routes? Best towns to visit? Activities or hikes unique to that country? Local food to try? Common scams to look out for? I look at blogs, travel websites, Instagram influencers etc to get a wide range of information. 

Then I start to compile a list of all the things I wanna do and see in each town/city. I do this so that when I’m actually traveling, I’m not overwhelmed with the possibilities. I’m coming in with a general idea of what I’d like to do so I can be spontaneous from there. I like to call it ‘informed spontaneity’…trademark pending. I hate the feeling that I left a country having missed out on something amazing, so I always make sure to do some research beforehand so I’m at least in the know. More often than not, you will find out what is best from the people around you, but hey no such thing as too much prep. 

 3. Make a Sexy To-Do List  

 Lists are the only way to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Make a big list of everything you need to do and buy. Maybe you need new hiking shoes or a quick dry towel. Perhaps you need more of your special prescription toothpaste the dentist gives you (or wait is that just me…).  

Whatever it is that you need, make a big ol’ list of everything so you don’t forget. In the months leading up to your trip, make sure to buy it and cross it off the list. If you are wondering what are the backpacking essentials to get, I have another post allllll about it. Click this!! Something to keep in mind, everything you bring traveling could easily get ruined or lost so don’t buy anything too expensive or fancy. 

 4. Doctor Visits and Vaccinations 

Since you will be away for a while, it’s important to schedule any doctor or dentist appointments you may need. If you have prescription medications, you will need to stock up in advance since it will likely not be available for you abroad. I always make sure to get a teeth cleaning before I go since I will deff be missing the usual 6 month check up. It’s also wise to check the necessary vaccinations for the country you are going to. I’ve also been asked to show proof of covid vaccinations so make sure to have your vaccine card with you. 

 5. Finances 

Trust me on this one and get a good travel credit and debit card! I didn’t do this for the longest time and I lost out on so many points and paid way too many international fees. For credit cards I highly recommend VentureX by Capitol One or Chase Saphire Preferred. There are tons of perks and extra points allotted if you spend on travel related purchases.

 It’s also important to get a no fee debit card since many countries only take cash thus you’ll need to pull local currency out of the ATM. If you have a regular debit card, the ATM fees will slowly but surely deplete your account. To make things even safer, I keep all my money in my savings account and then transfer $500 to my debit card every time I need to pull out cash. Doing this ensures my money won’t vanish if my card gets stolen or has fraud. Another good tip is to inform your bank that you will be traveling so they don’t lock your card for unusual activity. It can be a pain in the arse to call your local bank when you are in a foreign country. 

 6. Budget

Ah yes, everyone’s favorite thing to do. It’s a necessary evil and will allow you to travel for even longer if you do it right. Make a decision about how much you are willing to spend on this trip. Then consider how long you want your trip to be. Divide it out and you have your daily spending budget. If you’re like me and you are going for as long as the money lasts, then trying to keep costs down everyday is how you are going to elongate your trip. Finding a work exchange program or volunteering for parts of your trip will also help keep costs low and length of trip high.

 I like to use a budget app so I don’t have to add up all my costs everyday. The app will tell you if you go over/under budget and it will even convert the local currency to your home currency for you. It also categorizes each item entered so you know exactlyyyy how much you are spending on alcohol a month. 

7. Visa Requirements 

 9.  Back It Up

Unfortunately I also learned this one the hard way. I got my phone stolen and nothing was backed up so I lost all my photos of my trip. Then I couldn’t remember the password to my email so I couldn’t two factor authenticate any of my other passwords and I was locked out of my bank apps etc. It was a headache and a half. So be a smart cookie and back up everything!! Use iCloud or GooglePhotos. Turn on FindMyiPhone. Choose some friends/fam to track you on FindMyFriends. Use GoogleMaps location sharing. Put all of your important passwords to your accounts in a hidden Googledoc so you can access it from anywhere. Or give it to a trusted family member. I also take a picture of all my credit cards, IDs, and passport and upload it to a GoogleDoc in case any are lost. 

10.  Phone Plan

Decide what you would like to do with your phone plan. Whether that is using an international plan, an eSIM or a local SIM. I always use a local SIM because its the cheapest and easiest for me. If you go this route, make sure your phone in unlocked because it will only work in an unlocked phone. I once got a new iPhone and Apple automatically locked the phone for the first few months. I had to have my dad call Verizon for me and unlock it while I was abroad. So check ahead of time to avoid this little headache. When you first arrive in a new country, use the airport Wifi to map the way to your accomodation. Once you arrive at your hostel, ask the front desk where to get a local SIM. You can also get one at the airport but its the most expensive option. 

11.  Cancel Subscriptions 

If you are gone for more than a few months, I would recommend canceling any subscriptions you won’t be using so you aren’t paying needlessly. Whether that is Hulu, AppleTV, MyFitnessPal etc. Anything you won’t be actively using should be canceled. I always keep a few that I know I will be using abroad like Netflix or Spotify. 

12.  Learn the Local Language 

Always wise to look up a few words in the local language to give yourself a bit of a leg up. Since I’m traveling to South America soon, I’m brushing up on my Spanish skills. Knowing the language (or at least the basics like bathroom and thank you) honestly go a long way. The more you know the language, the easier it is to get around and speak to locals….and not get ripped off for being a gringa. 

13.  BOOK THAT PLANE TICKET!!! 

Once I feel like I have a good idea of how my trip will look and feel, I pull the trigger and buy the plane ticket!!  If you got that credit card, then try and use your points so you don’t carve into the budget. I recommend using the Skyscanner website on an incognito browser because those cookies will get you! Don’t look up flights a million times before you buy because the prices will increase. Try to check once or twice and then when you are ready to buy, search the dates and airports to find the cheapest one with the shortest flight time. Once the flight is booked, everything starts to feel VERY real. You are actually doing it!!! 

14. Book First Nights Stay

I never book accomodation ahead of time since I want to leave room for spontaneity and plan changes; but I always book the first night when arriving in a new country. Most border officers will ask where you are staying so have the address handy! The taxi driver will also ask so I make sure to take a screenshot of the address and show them on my phone if there is a language barrier. 

15. Bid Home Farewell

If I know I’m leaving home for a long time, I like to have all my favorites one last time. Doing this is like a goodbye ritual that leaves me feeling more complete; as if I checked home off the to-do list. I’ll eat at my fav restaurants, have my fav scoop of ice cream (Wild n Reckless Baskin Robbins iykyk), and indulge in the Trader Joes snack aisle. This way, when you are gone and missing flavors from home, you had it as recently as you could’ve so its freshest in your mind (and mouth). 

Then make sure to carve out some quality time to say goodbye to your loved ones. Schedule a goodbye dinner/drinks and have a little send off so you can see everyone one last time before you set off on your big adventure!