Well, things have been awfully quiet around here. I’ve been busy with a lot of family stuff. My partner and I have been planning a trip for a long time, but this trip is special: we don’t have an end date in sight. So tickets are booked, plans are setting into shape and we’re really heading off. I’m very excited, but now we have the challenge of getting everything sorted before we go.
I’ve become a bit of a pro for getting ready to travel, but my partner is new to overseas travel and hasn’t had many of the vaccinations he’ll need, has never had to worry about travel insurance and never needed a visa. There’s still a lot of work to be done before we leave, as well as completely unpacking a whole apartment that’s filled with bits and pieces we’ve both collected over the past year.
Here’s my list of things to get sorted before we jet off:
1) Get Comprehensive Travel Insurance
I wouldn’t travel without it, especially as we’re going to South East Asia and Europe. If we wind up in hospital for any reason, I wouldn’t want to deal with the hospital bill which can often be financially crippling. Travel insurance also helps if things, such as laptops, get stolen. It provides a peace of mind that I’m not prepared to travel without.
2) Get Travel Gear Sorted
I already have a large backpack which I travel with, but as I’m taking my laptop, camera and working overseas I wanted a little carry-on suitcase that I can easily pull around. Ben doesn’t have a backpack, so we’ll be looking for one for him. Fortunately I have all the adapters etc we’ll need, but little bits and pieces such as a travel pillow and extra locks are important.
3) Get Vaccinated, Again
I’ve had all my vaccines, but was told I needed to get a Hep A booster, but never got around to it. Before we leave I’d like to get another Hep A shot and Ben needs a few other ones such as Typhoid. Getting sick overseas is something I want to avoid at all costs, so spending a few hundred dollars for the protection vaccines provide is worthwhile.
4) Sell Our Stuff
One of the hardest things we’ll have to do before we go is pick and choose what we’ll keep and what we’ll sell. We have an apartment worth of stuff, which is actually quite a lot of stuff. Things like dishes, a blender, pots and pans, bedding, TV, couches… it all adds up quickly. It’s gonna be hard to sell some of our things, but I know it’ll be worth it in the end.
It’s so exciting and scary preparing for a trip without an expiration. I can’t wait. We’re departing on the 30th of July so expect lots of travel posts after then!
