Travel Checklist

Before You Go…

A Continent Tours Checklist

Getting ready for a Trip can be a pretty hectic time. Remembering every little detail can be close to impossible even for the experienced traveler. Here’s a comprehensive Continent Tours checklist to take away some of the pre-travel stress.

1. Check in with your doctor. Double-check and make sure that you have all the proper vaccinations and that you have renewed all essential prescriptions. 
2. Bring colored copies of your passport. If your passport gets stolen or lost you want to be sure that you can still get back into the country, or be able to prove your citizenship.
3. Leave a copy of your passport. For extra backup, leave a copy of your passport at home or with someone you trust. Consider making an electronic copy you can store in your email account as well.
4. Look up the monetary conversion before you go. Make sure you do your math before you travel to get a sense of the value of your currency.
5. Make sure your credit card will work in the country you’re visiting. European banks have switched almost completely to the more secure chip-and-PIN technology, and fewer businesses abroad are accepting the outdated magnetic-strip cards.
6. Always have local cash. Not every place takes credit cards. Especially important places like trains or buses.
7. Call your bank or credit card provider to inform them of your travel plans. Sometimes banks think that fraud may be occurring if transactions are suddenly happening somewhere other than where your billing address is and they will turn off your card as a security measure.
8. Check the country’s entrance/exit fees. Some countries require travelers to pay in order to enter or leave the country. These fees are not included in the price of your airline ticket and can vary.
9. Bring a charger adapter. Countries have different size plugs and voltage. So if you want to use your iPod, make sure you can charge it. A power strip can be a way to cheat and charge multiple devices off of one adapter.
10. Check the voltage of your electronics. You can have an adapter and still not being able to use some appliances like a blow-dryer or a straightener because the voltage isn’t high enough for that country.
11. Activate your phone’s global capabilities. There’s usually a charge for doing this, but it is much less than the roaming charges you’ll get if you don’t.
12. Pack an extra set of clothes in your carry-on bag. Things happen with airlines, so an extra outfit in your carry-on is a better option than any “I ♥ City-you’re-visiting” apparel. 
13. To check a bag or not to check bag. Each airline has its own set of guidelines as to how many bags can be checked or carried on for free. Make sure to look up what your airline’s rules are to avoid any incremental fees. And, if you are connecting during your trip, know the luggage rules/fees for those airlines as well – especially for regional or low-cost carriers.
14. Bring snacks. Small snacks will tide you over in between meals or until you find that perfect restaurant with the authentic cuisine experience you are looking for.