Checklist for Planning and Preparing for Your Trip

Some of us are list people. Whether it’s planning a RTW trip or simply a trip to the grocery store, we don’t leave home without a list. When planning a trip of this magnitude, we like to have all our ducks in a row, which is why we created this massive checklist to help you stay organized in your RTW planning.
First, check out the RTW FAQ’s to find get all your questions answered. Then head over to the more in depth RTW Planning Guide to find out all you need to know about planning a RTW trip. Then you can come to this checklist, print the page, and start crossing stuff off as you go, or just bookmark it (hit CTRL-D) and come back as often as you need.

Master Checklist

The Budgeting and Money Checklist

• If you haven’t already, start a budget on a site like Mint
• Track your income vs. expenses
• Are you spending more than you’re making? If yes, see below. If no, skip to # 9
• Start cutting back on non-essential expenses like going out to dinner, going to the bars, and shopping
• Get a second (or third) job to help bring in more money
• Sell or rent big items that you won’t be using while on your trip
• Go through all the stuff you’ve accumulated and prioritize what’s necessary to keep
• Put the stuff you don’t need/want on Craig’s List or Ebay for some extra cash
• Figure out the absolute minimum you can save per month
• Start putting that money into a separate account each month-This is your travel fund
• Pay your travel fund each month just like it is a bill
• Think about when you might want to depart based on per month savings
• Think of a total amount you may be able to save based on per month savings and when you want to depart (remember that these don’t have to be exact, yet, and lowballing is better than overestimating)
• Research RTW vs. Point to Point Plane tickets (more on this below) and start researching costs.
• Decide on hostels vs. hotels, dorms vs. privates, and start researching costs
• Check out guidebooks, blogs, and other travel websites to get a per day food budget
• Factor in entertainment and activities to your budget. Don’t forget to add in those large expenses
• Research different countries overland travel options and websites. Many have schedules and costs, so get familiar with average costs for bus and train travel
• Don’t forget your miscellaneous expenses. Remember costs like airport transport, local transport, laundry, bottled water, internet, visas, vaccinations, pre-trip gear, and foreign transaction fees. They all add up!
• By now you should have an idea of now much you can save in total, how much your trip may cost in total, and therefore can figure out how long you can travel for (remember, these are all guesstimates, so figure high instead of low)

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Working on the Road Checklist

• Decide if working on the road is something you can/want/are willing to do
• Research working options
• Research Teaching English on sites like Dave’s ESL Cafe
• If necessary, take a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA course
• Make sure you have your college degree accessible-you’ll have to prove it to get a job teaching
• Check out different resources to see what jobs are available abroad
• If you already have the skillset, consider a move to a location independent lifestyle
• Do you have any freelance skills you can use to work from the road (writing, web developing, consultation)?
• Is it necessary that you’re in the office every day?
• If so, start looking for something that allows you to work from anywhere.
• If not, consider asking your boss to start working from home a day or two a week.
• Make sure you work extra hard to prove that it’s unnecessary for you to be at the office.
• Ask to go to 3 or 4 days a week from home.
• Ultimately build up to where you’re working from home all the time.
• Try to make the move to full location independence by asking your boss to work from anywhere in the world.
• Make sure you have an airtight case and have thought of any rebuttals your boss may have.

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Where to Go, a Route, and Flight Options

• Start researching destinations (old guidebooks from the library, travel websites, blogs, etc.)
• Start crafting a must see list that will become the backbone of your itinerary (keeping your budget in mind)
• Start researching RTW plane tickets or point to point
• For RTW, plug your rough itinerary into the RTW Trip Planner for a rough estimate
• Research one way flights to various destinations based on your tentative itinerary. Factor in a cushion to be safe
• Consider if you want to travel in summer, fall, spring, or winter in each region you plan to visit
• Consider high, low, and shoulder seasons when planning your itinerary
• Consider hot and dry season and the rainy and monsoon seasons for tropical regions
• Develop a tactic for visiting the more expensive regions on your itinerary
• Develop a tactic for visiting the more difficult to travel in regions on your itinerary
• Develop a tactic for planning vs. being spontaneous, keeping an open mind that this will most likely change once you’re on the road (many times)
• Make a pros and cons list for your unique situation
• Decide which way you are going to go (RTW or point to point)
• If buying RTW tickets, then choose your favorite carrier, decide on your route, and start working with a representative
• If buying as you go, keep an eye on airfares to the region you want to begin (be open-minded about where to begin and have a few options in mind-this is why you chose this option-flexibility)
• Purchase your RTW ticket or ticket to your first destination!
• Sort out visas that you are able to before you leave
• Be aware of what you need for visas you have to get on the road (bring plenty of passport sized photos)
• If you plan on working or volunteering, research what you need to make it happen

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Overland Travel Checklist

• Accept and embrace that you will have to travel overland often
• Research different regions you plan to visit and what overland travel is like there
• Look into traveling overnight in the regions you will be visiting
• If you are traveling in more developed and expensive regions, research overland travel there
• Research flights in those more expensive regions-they may be cheaper
• If passes are available, cheaper than flying, and must be purchased before departing, buy them

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Accommodations Checklist

• Do some research and realize that hostels are good for any traveler
• Read up on hostel dorms, what they’re like, and if they would be a good fit for you
• If traveling with another person or a family, research hostel and hotel prices in your first few destinations to check price differences
• Read stories about other travelers and their experiences of booking in advance vs. waiting-Keep these in mind when planning your strategy
• Remember that most of these decisions can be made on the road, but being prepared is always good
• Develop a strategy for when you will book in advance and when you will wait (realizing that this is not set in stone)
• Start making a list of holidays, festivals, and high, low, and shoulder seasons in the regions you plan to visit and keep these in mind when finalizing your itinerary

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Health, Immunizations, and Travel Insurance Checklist

• Eat healthy. You can’t treat your RTW like a one-week vacation.
• Be safe with what you eat – only eat fruit you can peel, don’t drink water when it’s not advisable, only go to crowded street carts.
• Get a Cipro prescription from your doctor before leaving to help out if/when you get Delhi Belly.
• If you have any prescriptions, make sure to bring them with you and have your doctor write down any other names it may be known by.
• Make sure to get some exercise on the road besides your normal, daily walking.
• Other people have sex around the world, so wait to get condoms until you’re on the road (be sure to carry one or two with you just in case, but no need to stock up).
• If you take birth control, you probably want to stock up before leaving.
• Start the immunization process early, more than six months before your departure
• Research which shots are necessary for the regions you are visiting
• Research which shots are recommended for the regions you are visiting
• Start compiling a list
• Go see your primary care physician and/or a travel doctor
• Check with your insurance company to see if they cover any of the immunizations
• Shop around for the best prices-your doctor, travel clinics, city and county health clinics, hospitals-make a call to all of them
• Make an educated, informed decision on debated vaccinations like rabies
• Start making appointments-remember that shots like Hepatitis are done in a series, 6 months apart
• Get your shots, put your proof in a safe place, preferably with your passport
• Start your travel insurance research early and learn the differences between travel insurance and trip protection
• Call your home insurance company to see if they cover anything that happens abroad
• Check out BootsnAll’s various travel insurance policies and options as a starting point
• Keep notes about what policies cover which activities
• Prioritize what’s most important to you-expensive gear and extreme sports being covered are a few things to think about
• Start thinking about what type of gear you will be bringing-expensive gear means you may also want trip protection
• Consider emergency evacuation insurance in case of emergency or serious injury
• Look into policies that cover shipping remains home in case of death
• Make sure you have a plan in place for your return-many policies end immediately upon your return home and don’t offer coverage in your home country

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Clothing, Gear, and Packing

• Start researching travel-specific clothing–costs, comfort, necessity
• Consider where you are going, seasons you’ll be traveling in, and climate
• Decide how much you’ll be doing as far as activities like hiking – they will require different clothing and gear
• Check out various packing lists around the web to get an idea of what others brought
• Get an idea of what you many need early on in the process, so you aren’t scrambling
• Consider light-weight, moisture-wicking clothing, and start shopping around
• Ask for specific clothes as gifts for birthdays and holidays leading up to your trip
• Try out your clothes beforehand. Don’t buy travel-specific clothes and gear if you’ve never worn them before, then wait to wear them for the first time on the road
• Don’t pack too much – you will be able to buy more clothes on the road as needed
• Buy Ex-Officio underwear. You’ll thank me later
• Decide on a bag to bring-go try them on-do NOT buy online without trying it on first!
• If you are a music lover, bring you iPod-don’t even contemplate it
• If not, research and think about pros and cons of buying/bringing one
• Look into things like podcasts that are a great, entertaining time-killer
• If you are really into photography, bring a DSLR
• Be picky about things like lenses and tripods, and make an informed decision on what to bring
• Bring a point and shoot regardless-they can be found for cheap, and they are small and light
• Don’t bring a video camera unless you are a professional
• Open an account on Flickr (or a similar site) to store your photos online
• Invest in an external hard drive for another photo back-up option
• Weigh pros and cons for bringing iPod speakers
• Weigh pros and cons for bringing an eReader
• Will you be taking tons of photos?

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Laptops and Cell Phones Checklist

• Do you plan on blogging?
• How important is it to stay connected?
• Do you get bored easily? Do you break out in hives at the thought of limited movies, tv shows, and sports?
• Strongly consider all the above things when deciding whether to bring your laptop
• Do you know how to jailbreak/unlock your cell phone?
• Do you understand the concept of sim cards for using your cell internationally?
• Do you want to have a budget for your cell phone bills/costs?
• Is a goal of your trip to get disconnected?
• How much do you plan on Skyping/staying in touch with family and friends?
• Consider other options-netbooks or an iPad
• Remember that internet cafes and hostel computer stations are more and more common

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Your Stuff and Dealing with Bills Checklist

• Start assessing all your possessions
• Begin making lists -1) Definitely get rid of -2)Definitely keep -3)Maybe
• Start listing things you can sell on Craig’s List and/or Ebay
• Have a garage/yard sale
• Give away things you can’t sell to Goodwill or other charities in your city
• If you own a house or apartment, make a decision on renting or selling
• If renting, try to find a friend or family member
• If renting to a friend or family member, try working out a deal to have them store some of your stuff while gone
• If selling, research storage options in your city
• Do you have any friends/family members that have extra space for your stuff?
• Make a decision about your car – 1)Sell -2)Keep -3)Rent to a friend/family member
• If you have a pet, try to find a friend/family member to watch him or her
• If not, find a good home for your pet
• Find someone – a family member or friend – to take care of your mail for you. Have it forwarded or use a mail opening service if you don’t want to bother your loved ones with this task.
• Get all bills set up for paperless billing and automatic bill pay so you don’t have to worry about paying bills on the road.
• Research ATM fees at your bank.
• If they are extremely high, start shopping around – some banks offer a certain amount of free withdrawals per month.
• Research credit card fees and make sure you bring the one with the least amount of international surcharges – Capital One is one of the leading credit cards for international usage.
• Make sure you have an emergency cash fund -in US dollars or Euros – somewhere safe.
• Research and try different money belts and have a plan for how to keep your money, cards, and passport safe.

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Right Before You Leave Checklist

• Have a huge going away party
• Pack all your stuff, get it in storage
• Pack your bags, get a ride to the airport
• Go, Live, and Have the Experience of a Lifetime!!

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Next: Telling Family and Friends About Your RTW Trip »