Travelers Checklists By Mary Gallagher

A Variety of Travelers Checklists

Here is a compilation of items and tasks some “experts” and various other people think is necessary for travelers. You may take them all if you’re traveling via semi trailer or with your own porter. As I’ve mentioned with other “hints” that many of these items can be bought at your destination. It’s fun to remember that disastrous hotel while using your toothpaste from France safe and sound at home.

Possible First Choice Essentials

• Travel Watch or Alarm. Time zones change all over the world
• Pocket knife with multitude of features Knife, corkscrew, bottle opener and scissors are especially helpful
• Sunglasses
• Extra prescription glasses plus copy of prescription Inexpensive reading glasses are available almost everywhere
• Flashlight with extra batteries Batteries are available everywhere but usually a little more costly
• Electrical converter/adapter Make sure you know what you need for the specific countries your visiting. Eliminate as many electrical appliances as you can. Converters and adapters can add a lot of weight.
• First Aid Kit Particularly an elastic bandage for sprains. I’ve had to buy them everywhere!
• Passport/Money Carrier - hidden type
• All airline, train, bus tickets and any vouchers
• Zip close plastic bags
• Binoculars - Mine are small fairly powerful “hands free” style that you wear like regular glasses
• Camera, film and camera batteries - Again available but frequently expensive

Best Done Before You Leave

• Passport **
• Visa **
• Health Documents
• Transportation Tickets**
• Frequent Flyer Account Numbers
• Emergency Information
• Insurance**
• Tickets or Reservations for Special Events
• Hotel Reservations - at least for the first night
• Guide Books - buy used ones and rip them apart- take what you need
• Maps
• Personal Identification with Photo In train stations and some metros you can have photos taken in a booth inexpensively for your orange carte etc.
• Credit Cards**
• Currency
• Travelers Checks**
• Refill prescriptions**
• Get a haircut
• Upon arrival buy a phone card for local calls

** plus copies

Home Checklist

• Arrange care for pets, plants and lawn. In the possibility of a delay returning, tell them to keep coming until you call.
• Stop deliveries
• Notify post office to hold mail
• Leave itinerary and house key with neighbor
• Lock doors and windows - after you shut off the coffee pot and unplug the iron
• Pay any bills that may come due while you’re away
• Set up timers for lights (including second floor) and radio
• Notify police - ask if they do vacation home checks in your area
• Have someone check the interior of your home in case a pipe breaks or the HVAC system dies. Leave a list of your preferred tradesmen i.e. plumber, electrician in the home

Useful Everyday Items

• Duct or electrical tape
• Sewing kit
• Inexpensive plastic rain poncho
• Crushable hat or sun visor
• Sunscreen and bug lotion
• Towelettes
• Ear plugs
• Tissue
• Address labels/ book including e mail
• Cassette or CD Player
• Wash cloth
• Laundry detergent - Put some in a large pill container
• Motion sickness and/or other over the counter medications - although I feel many european products available in the pharmacies (and the service) are superior to those available in the states
• Hot water heating coil and mug
• Paper back books or magazines that can be left behind

Frequently recommended items, I’ve never used.

• Rubber sink stopper
• Travel iron or steamer
• Hair dryer or curling iron - I have very short straight hair
• Eye shade
• Neck pillow
• Travel journal - As a writer I tape record everything
• Language phrase books or electronic translator
• Portable door lock
• Firehood - protects for a few minutes in case of hotel or a plane fire

What I d like to bring but can’t carry

• My favorite feather pillow
• Gallons of Gatoraid
• My friend CGM