Trip Preparation

One stressful aspect of travel is preparing for the trip. Regardless of how much you look forward to your travels, the many tiny tasks that need to be accomplished before you leave can start to seem like a hassle. This is especially true if the trip is prolonged, or to a remote area.

Something I find useful in preparing for a trip is making a "to do" list several days before, and checking off each task as I accomplish it. This gives me a feeling of satisfaction that I am not forgetting important things. Some people also use a packing list, and I sometimes use an abbreviated form of this, including essentials such as computer, cell phone, passport, credit cards and cash.

The very devices such as computers that make our lives easier also can make our luggage heavier, since they need to be on most trips with us. This is where I can see the value of light weight alternatives such as tablets and e-readers, though I don't yet have either myself.

One positive aspect of modern travel is the ease with which you can buy most forgotten items abroad. There aren't many parts of the world where it is still hard to buy clothing, personal care items or technical equipment, so if you do forget something it is usually fairly easy to replace it.

I would be interested to hear from readers about how they make travel preparation easier, and will pass along useful suggestions in a future post.