This post was last updated on October 17th, 2022 at 09:45 am
Are you anxious to start traveling again? Well, this current situation is really hard for all of us travelers, but our time will come. Right now it’s the perfect time to start planning your around-the-world trip and prepping for anything you might encounter on the road. Here’s a little to-do checklist that will come in handy before your trip.
Handle your administrative situation
Many travelers find it hard to think about their financial and administrative situation, but no matter how you feel about it, they need to be handled, especially before such a long trip. Do you own a business? Check how you can do everything from the road. If you’re employed, you will most likely need to quit, but you might be able to take a sabbatical. Do you own a house or rent a place? Consider selling your property or canceling your rent. Inform the authorities about your address changes. Ensure your passport and bank cards are up-to-date.
Get your shots
This is not the fun part, but it’s something that needs to be handled. In most cases, shots are basically painless, but you might develop some minor side-effects like swelling or redness, both of which go away pretty quickly. Visit your local travel clinic in advance, preferably three months in advance, and see which vaccinations you need to receive (this depends on the countries you’re visiting). If you don’t have a 100% clear travel plan, when in doubt, take the shots.
Acquire visas
Getting visas is usually not a complicated part. For instance, you don’t need a visa for places like Singapore and you can expect to receive an automatic visa for countries like Thailand (if you’re staying less than 30 days). Other countries such as India provide e-visa applications that can be granted in a day. If you know you’ll be visiting certain countries with complicated visa rules, handle that in advance.
Start packing
This is probably the hardest part—packing for your long trip. First, start by making a list of all the items you want to bring and go shopping for anything you don’t have at home. Make sure to very moderate and try your best to travel light. For this step, you can find many packing lists online and useful Pinterest boards. Also, make sure to practice packing, unpacking and carrying your luggage. Checking the airline luggage weight limits is also very smart. Pro tip: invest in a universal adapter and settle on a good data plan so you can always stay connected.
Pay special attention to hygiene
Traveling is not a very clean work and you need to be clever when it comes to freshness on the road. In today’s world, you really need to pack a lot of hand sanitizer and protective masks so you can keep your hands clean and protect yourself from viruses and pollution. Also, if you have normal hair and skin, you’re in luck, but people with oily scalp and problematic skin might suffer additionally during their travel adventure. Luckily, if you find quality oily hair shampoo, you can ensure you feel and look good every day. Pack a bottle or two with you, so you don’t have to worry about getting your favorite brand on the road.
Make passport copies
All your important documents need to have a copy. One set goes with you and one set stays back home with your family or trusted friends. If you happen to lose your documents in a foreign country and have no replacements, you will be basically stuck and waste a lot of money on delays.
Get emotional support
Not many adventurers pay attention to this part of travel. Long-term travel can bring you enlightenment and peace but it can also make you feel nostalgic and sad. You might receive a lot of support from your family and friends, but your life is about to change drastically, so make sure to take it easy and adjust to the change. Many people who embark on an around-the-world trip leave everything behind and need to say goodbye to everything they know for a long time. So, take some time to self-care and seek like-minded people who can offer support.
When you prepare well, you can really travel the world with all your heart. Knowing your safe and free to explore different cultures, learn languages and try different food without any worry will make your trip so much better.
