16 Steps to a New Adventure:

1. Choose a destination.
2. Do you need a Passport?
3. Do you need a Visa?
4. Do you need vaccinations?
5. Purchase transportation (airfare, train ticket, rental car).
6. Create an itinerary.
7. Reserve lodging.
8. Create a trip budget.
9. Purchase travel insurance (optional, but never a bad idea).
10. Register with the US Embassy.
11. Pack smart!
12. Stop mail, arrange for house / pet care, etc.
13. Have cash on hand for travel incidentals and emergencies.
14. Important!: Notify your bank and credit card companies that you will be traveling. Make a travel plan or call a banker and apprise them of your destination(s) and dates of travel. Otherwise, your bank or credit cards may not work.
15. Notify loved ones and co-workers of your plans. Leave at least one itinerary with someone.
16. Make copies of your travel docs and pack them separately from the originals (ideally, in a plastic / ziplock bag or weather proof envelope). This will expedite replacement should the originals be lost or stolen:
    • Itinerary
    • ID Page of Passport(s)
    • Foreign Visa(s)
    • Airline Tickets
    • Hotel Confirmations
    • Health Insurance Card
    • List of emergency contacts (names, phone numbers, emails, etc.)
    • Driver’s License (if applicable)
    • Trip Insurance Confirmation (if applicable)
    • Prescription Letter from doctor (if applicable)

Submit suggestions or changes to this checklist by commenting, below.