This list is our main RTW TO DO list. It has all the big things on it that we need to get taken care of before we lift off into our new lives of long term RTW travel.
It is crazy to think we are under 30 days. It seems like yesterday I was putting together our 205 Days and Counting! list.
Long Term Travel Preparation Checklist
Table of Contents
PLANNING
- Finalize general route √
- Put the information together for ‘extras’ (Safaris, Antarctica Cruise, homestays, Spanish classes, volunteer work, treks, etc.) √
- Map out first few weeks itinerary √
- Make lodging arrangements for the first few weeks itinerary √
- Explore Travel Insurance Options & select/purchase a policy √
- Add pages to both passports √
- Arrange Visa’s for first couple countries √
- Get passport photos taken for VISA’s (have several printed) √
- Scan all documents into digital format and save to both emails √
- Gather all CC contact numbers, embassy numbers, etc. √
- Get new international drivers licenses √
- Get family and friends set up with Skype √
- Order travel wedding band (I’m leaving the diamonds at home!) √
- Figure out where to forward the mail while gone √
- Finalize packing lists ( we are REALLY close on this) √
- Put together medkit √
SEPARATING FROM THE STUFF
- Sell our house (we accepted an offer right after Christmas!) √
- Sell unused stuff on eBay/Craigslist √
- Have a rummage sale ( we made $850!) √
- Donate stuff not worth selling (in progress) √
- Make arrangements for storage of the small amount we plan to keep √
- Sell Lina’s car √
- Sell Truck √
- Sell Corvette √
- Sell all Farm Equipment (horse trailer, bobcat, bulldozer, 4wheeler, mower, utility trailers) √
- Sell laptop √
PETS
- Find Kobe a foster home √
- Lease Smarti ( in progress) √
- Find Tigger & Cali a foster home √
- Sell project horses √
MEDICAL
- Go over vaccines needed (it’s not many) √
- Make a visit to our travel doc for meds √
- Dentist appointments √
- Discuss BC options with OBGYN √
- Eye exams (contacts) √
MONEY$
- Sign up for Charles Schwab Account ($0 ATM fees worldwide!) √
- Setup layered bank accounts √
- Cancel un-necessary credit cards √
- Spend on mileage cards to keep miles from expiring √
TO BUY
- MacBook Pro 13″ √
- Purchase a second 14″computer(realized we both need one!) √
- iPod for David √
- Packing cubes √
- External Hard drive 2TB Mac compatible √
- External Hard drive 1 TB PC compatible √
- wire padlocks (TSA) √
- new telephoto lens (Canon 100-400L on the wish list!) √
- video camera √
EVERYTHING ELSE
- Cancel cell phones (just before we leave) √
- Get the website up and running √
- Photo website up and linked into our Blog √
- Open YouTube account for uploading and linking to the website √
- Write letters of resignation √
Things are getting very close to being done! We are in full move out mode at the house and once we are done moving out, we will have 2 weeks to focus on the last few things before we hop a plane to New Zealand on February 21.
Note to readers: We departed on our around the world (RTW) trip on February 21, 2014. We traveled full-time, backpacking across 6 continents for the next 2 years. Since 2016, we travel 7-10 months out of every year creating content and telling stories for this website. It’s been a wild ride!
More on Long Term Travel:
- How to Plan A Trip: Step by Step Guide
- How to Plan A Travel Budget
- 11 Easy Tips on How to Find Cheap Accommodation
- 10 Killer Tips on How to Find Cheap Flights
- How to Save Money for Travel: A Step by Step Plan
- Essential Travel Vaccinations Guide: What You Need & Why
- How to Sell Everything to Pursue Long Term Travel
- What We Told Our Families Before Long Term Travel
- Giving Up Our Couch to See the World
- Ultimate Long Term Travel RTW Packing List
- Where Will 2 Years of Long Term Travel Take Us?
- Redesigning My Life at 30: Long Term Travel Career Break
- House to Hostel: A Married Couples Perspective
- 6 Month Long Term Travel Recap
- 2014 Travel Review: 1 Year of Full-Time Travel
- 2015 Travel Review: 26 Countries on 4 Continents
- 2 Years of Long Term Travel Down: What’s Next for Divergent Travelers?
- 2016 Travel Review: 16 Countries on 4 Continents
- 2017 Travel Review: 7 States & 7 Countries
- How Traveling the World Changed my Perspective of the USA
- 5 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprints while Traveling
I love this list! It’s like we’re right there with you planning your final things before you set off. And how much better it looks on screen than on the tatty bits of paper I used!
Those 20 days are going to fly by!
The adventure is about to happen!
Hi!! Thanks for stopping by! I am glad you are following along and can relate! LOL I am such a dork about planning and lists!! I cannot believe how fast the time is flying by, my head may spin off. 🙂
We did the round the world trip for a year and a half in 2012-2013. We feel so much “envy” for you guys, I still remember the days of excitement before departure! Will follow you most definitely! Good luck
We’re so excited!!! Things have been so crazy here at home right now, we are moving out of our house and still working. So we have NO spare time to just relax! The days are going so fast! So glad you envy us, we know we won’t regret it but with as busy as we have been and all the change this past month, it’s nice to have support! Thanks for stopping by!
Very exciting. I remember those last couple of weeks before we left. I was in such a strange daze. Nothing felt real, but somehow I was crossing things off the list, getting it all done. I was ecstatic and frantic and scared. Little did I know the crazyness would be SO WORTH IT! Happy travels!
Best of luck with the rest of your to-do list! I am saving this to my RTW planning materials in hopes it will come in handy in the future! I can’t wait to follow along on your journey!
Thanks!! We are happy to have you onboard!
So soon!
I know!!! Full on freak out mode over here in WI. 🙂
Yay!
🙂
So exciting! Can’t wait to follow along! 🙂