last minute checklist

[Immi666]

what sort of things do i need to do in the last few days before travel?  i know, i just wanna check i havent missed anything, so everyone tell me anyway.

[pega]

Hi. Most important is Passport, currency, insurance.  A pen have to fill in a visa form on plane.

have a great trip.  Things to do what like cancelling any papers, asking someone to keep an eye on your place.not leaving any food that may go off  just a general check all windows and doors are secure.

[Clanad]

You're really fretting over this aren't you?  Don't worry, everything will go well.  Seems you might miss all the heavy rain the region's been getting... supposed to be good weather for the next week or so, but it will be cool, so bring jacket and sweater. Cancel your newspaper delivery, have your mail picked up, leave a light on in the house, leave a radio on in the house.  These will help keep thieves away. Turn the water to your washer off, in case a hose decides to rupture while you're away.  You can now buy disposable cell phones in the U.S. in case yours doesn't work here... Check here for more...

http://www.gofox.com/tools/checklist.php

Now... Go!

[Immi666]

thanks guys.  i have a friend staying here while i'm away so i dont need to worry about my house.  everything's good.   pega, i always have a pen on me.  usually two or three actually, but thats a good bit of advice.

clanad, yes i am fretting.  like i said in my other thread, this is the biggest thing i've ever done, and it's the one thing i've always dreamed off.  i'm wise enough not to expect it all to go perfectly, but i dont want any major things to go wrong.  i want it to be something i can look back on with pleasure and fond memories rather than shame and regret.

[jno]

Money, passport, ticket are the last things I check before I leave home. Anything else you can buy when you get there - especially in NY! Insurance is important too, but arrange that well before you leave (like now, if you haven't got any.)

Regrets? I was robbed of $50 the first time I went to NY... and I still didn't regret a moment of the trip. (But, ahem, keep your money out of sight all the same.) You won't regret it either.

[vehelpfulguy]

One other thing I find useful when abroad is one of those neck wallets. It is a wallet you hang round your neck with string. You can buy them at any airport.

I am always worried about having my money and credit cards in a wallet in my back pocket so I put them in the wallet round my neck. That way they cannot be stolen, and almost impossible to get lost.

At the airport I even put my passport in there. With all the fluster of checking in it is easy to mislay your passport but if it is in your neck wallet you can take it out, show it when you need to and then put it back.

They are great for theme parks as well, When on a roller coaster it is good to know your money and cards are safely around your neck and not in your trouser pocket where they can fall out.       

[kaktus]

Well Just because it has already been said, MONY; PASSPORT and TICKET. As jno says, everything else can be bought once you're there. The neck wallet is a good idea. I always use them to keep all the important stuff together in the airport because my handbag is alwys filled with erhm very useful stuff... Make sure your travel clothes are ready and make them comfortable as it is a long flight. Remember a good book for the flight as well, but you're a writer right? So I guess I don't have to tell you that. Good walking shoes. In case you're as silly as me remember to put your mascara in your hand bag so you can freshen up an hour before you get off the plane. Ok my advice are getting more and more useless so I'll just stop now :0) Only one thing left to say: money, passport and ticket! Ok one more thing: have a wonderful trip!!

[Dom Tuk]

A passport is no use without a visa (if you need one). The expiry date on the passport is important.

leave yourself enough time to get to the airport. Remember crashes on motorways mean a delay of atleast 1.5 hrs. Factor that in.

Many people miss flights as they have got the timing for the flight wrong ie: mistook at 6.00 am flight for a 6.00 pm flight. so make sure you got it on a 24 hr clock.

and try not to be clever when the checkin staff ask 'have you packed your bags yourself'

[Dom Tuk]

And after you have locked the front door, say loudly to yourself 'Yes i have locked the front door'. This way you will not worry when checking in for your flight  if you have left your front door unlocked. Works for me all the time.

[Emily Ball]

If you have a digital camera(and who hasn't nowadays?) make sure you have spare, charged batteries and spare memory stick(s) for all those wonderful photos you'll have to take.

[mycatis]

have a great time!!!! x x x

[Immi666]

thanks for the advice guys - all excellent!

i cant wait. only three days, five hours, 19 minutes adn 25 seconds to go.

[jno]

to be fair: no plane in living memory has ever left on time. Don't be alarmed if you pootle round runways for half an hour waiting for a takeoff slot, it's very common.

[mimififi]

I lived in Hong Kong for a while as a kiddie and one thing my mum always did when travelling (we went to lots of places) and if we were in a busy, high crime area like the tube, or the market square etc, was to have two purses.  She kept her actual purse with her in the bottom of her bag, or mostly in a bum bag (it was the 80's so that was ok.), and she kept a dummy purse/wallet in the top of her bag or her pocket.  In the dummy she had a few store cards that were expired, a fake credit card like the ones you get in the freepost, some small change and a few dollar bills, a non sentimental photo, a few till reciepts etc etc etc.  That way if we were ever mugged and told to hand over the wallet, she would hand over the dummy.  Theives don't expect you to carry two and only give it a quick look before scarpering.  So it does protect you.  Also, don't keep hotel keys or car keys etc in your handbag, I don't even here in rural UK. I keep them in an inside pocket or on the pocket of the pram.  That way if my handbag gets nicked, I can still drive home and get indoors.

The one time she was ever mugged was in South Africa in jo'burg.  She had a gold locket nicked from round her next (stooopid woman for wearing it, I can say that now I'm a grown up), and her dummy wallet.  The thieves got away with a very nice piece of non-sentimental replaceable jewellery and a lot of expired store cards.