What's up travel pros!
I want to chat about pre departure organization. We want to eliminate all those loose ends that are floating around before you hop on that first plane.
3 Weeks before Departure - Visas!
I'm focusing on logistics at this point - have your plane tickets been issued? You might want to check up if your travel agency (buy your flights with cc points?) has been slack issuing those tickets.
Another key focus are visa requirements. The pandemic DESTROYED international travel and visa-free entry. So if you're traveling to another country, there is a high likelihood that you will need to apply for a tourist visa. Thankfully, these are issued within 72 hours and typically cost $25 USD.
A subcomponent of the visa requirement are Covid vaccinations and/or testing. Many countries have dropped this requirement, but Australia and New Zealand have not. These countries require a little questionnaire with my vaccination dates and Covid testing within 48 hours of departure to NZ. So if the Covid questionnaire is a requirement for you, fill it out early and update it with the test result later.
2 Weeks before Departure - Mental Packing
Two weeks to go! Now the question is do I need to buy anything before my departure? Two weeks should be sufficient time to order/borrow anything you need. So let's start thinking about what I need to bring. Here's my scenario:
I have not bought any checked in bags
I would like to have 2x carry-ons at most
My bags will mostly stay in the rental car (I worry not about carrying bulky items)
Alright - so now I have a volume constraint limiting what I can bring.
Let's think about what I'm bringing...
I'm going away for 3 weeks and the weather will be high 50s (F) in the North and high 30s in the South.
I will need to wash my clothes there
I will need cold weather clothing
Since I'm trying to pack light: I think I'll bring 3-4 change of clothes. And bring some thermals as well.
Are you doing any special activities? I'm going hiking and skiing. So I'll need to bring high socks, my rain jacket, and my second Nalgene water bottle.
I've asked around for snow gear (which is not easy in a country with no snow!) and got a beanie, some medium-duty gloves, a thermal, and a ski jacket.
Some things I would like but don't know if I have the space:
My ski boots (got them thrifting and they are way comfier than rentals!)
a sleeping bag to sleep in my rental car
hiking boots for snow conditions
snow pants
Buy or borrow anything you can before your trip!
One Week to Go! - Packing
It doesn't get more exciting than this! Get everything you want to bring together and start throwing it in bags! Do you need more room? Can you roll things up more efficiently so you can throw in a travel pillow?
Don't forget these important items:
Passport - keep it next to your wallet or in a special pocket in your bag
Credit cards with zero foreign transaction fees
bring a debit card that can use local ATMs too - you never know when you'll need cash!
Entertainment for the plane - headphones, travel pillow, MAD Baby Crier 6000, sleeping tablets
Entertainment for the ground - cards, aux cord for the rental car, car charger, sleeping mask
Phone charger
Outlet adapter - this is probably the item I forget the most!
Sun glasses
Books!
1 - 2 Days Left! - Okay Stop Procrastinating
This is where you actually do everything I told you to do before. Do it now!
Finish your Covid questionnaire and have your bags packed and ready to go. Organize your lift to the airport. Pull out unnecessary cards from your wallet. Check into your flights. Buy any bags online to avoid increased airport fees.
Have fun exploring!