The hour of departure has come. Are you sure you have not forgotten anything? It would be a shame to see you at the time of boarding that you miss your passport.
Getting things ready will make the entire experience far more enjoyable, experience less stress, get to your gate faster, and kick off your trip with a smile. Here is a checklist that sums 8 things you need to do before closing the door of your home.
Table of Contents
Travel documents
It is absolutely essential to have photocopies of all your travel documents (passport, plane ticket, vaccination book, etc.) and keep them in a safe place, separately from the originals. For the passport, it is necessary to copy the main pages and, if necessary, the page with the date of prolongation of the validity of the document, as well as those with the visas. If lost or stolen original documents, this precaution will save you a lot of worries.
Do not forget either your medical prescriptions (in case of taking medicine) and your other cards: student, hostel, senior citizen, certificate of your repatriation insurance. Have your blood type and vaccination card on hand (mention your allergies, if applicable!).
Our advice : scan your official documents (passport, airline tickets, etc.) and place them in the briefcase of your e-mail e-mail so you can consult them from any connected electronic device.
Do not forget to also have a list of important phone numbers:
- Telephone number of the French Embassy or Consulate in the country of residence;
- Phone of your loved ones (with e-mail addresses);
- Telephone to call in case of loss of credit card (s).
Postal mail
What to do with your mail that will accumulate in your box? You can ask your concierge to put it aside for you, or a friend to pick up your mailbox.
If you leave for a long time, the easiest way is to forward your mail in the mail. One week before your departure, go to your post office with a piece of identification. You will complete a postal tracking document with your departure and return dates and your vacation address (or those of friends, if you are traveling).
Prices range from 26 € 54,50 depending on the duration.
More about La Poste services .
Vaccinations and the pharmacy kit
For vaccinations, it must be done in advance and check those that are mandatory to do: consult the “Health” pages of our online guides .
Carry enough to cope with small sores, which have nevertheless quickly spoil a trip.
What to deal with more serious problems: the quality and quantity of drugs to take away depend on the type of travel of course, but especially the level of training of the traveler in medicine. All easily available, traveling in hand luggage and not in the hold, in a simple canvas bag (not in a briefcase, too uncomfortable to carry).
In a minimum pharmacy kit you will find: analgesics (aspirin), antiallergics, anti-diarrhea, antihistamines, laxatives, disinfectant lotion, dressings. Depending on your destination, add an insect repellent, insect bites, sunscreen for the lips and skin.
Anyway, always leave insured (care can be ruinous, especially in North America) and take your European health insurance card to Europe.
Luggage
Put all the luggage with labels with your coordinates (also inside). Weigh your luggage so you do not have a bad surprise when boarding … Close your luggage with small padlocks where you will keep the keys in your carry-on with all your travel documents. If you have cumbersome luggage to ship, here is a company that will take care of everything: Luggage of the world
GPS Tracker
No matter whether it is a trip in big city or a hiking in the mountain, it is essential to carry personal GPS trackers for you and your team member. With personal tracking devices, everyone can share real-time location on the phone app even when there’s no cellular service. Anyone encounters emergency can send SOS signals to others. GoFindMe is one of the best GPS tracking device for personal use. The battery lasts as long as 72 hours, and tracking range can reach up to 5 kilometers. What’s more, there’ s no monthly fee for this tracking device.
The vehicle
Have your car completely overhauled (tires, brakes …) before leaving. Do not forget your mandatory documents: your driver’s license, your registration card, your vehicle’s technical inspection card, your green card. Also check their validity.
Money
The ideal is to provide you with several means of payment to not be caught off guard: one or two bank cards, cash, etc. It is strongly advised to change a local amount of money at the airport upon your arrival so as not to be in need to pay the first expenses. A reserve of dollars in small denominations is often very useful.