TRAVEL PREPARATION

A. LONG TRIP

1. Three months out: Eliminate useless belongings (what is the 20% of your belongings that you use 80% of the time?) AND set up accounts with all possible airlines and hotels that you may stay at for their reward point accumulation.
2. Two months out: Automate (bills, power of attorney, etc)
3. One month out: Mail (Fwd mail, pay someone to de-junk mail), get immunizations (per www.cdc.gov/travel), setup remote CPU, etc
4. Two weeks out: Personal Information (scan all identification - health insurance, credit cards, passport, etc - put in computer, print multiple copies leaving one with a family member, and several to be taken with you in separate bags, e-mail the scanned file to yourself) Get a GSM phone that is unlocked, find apartment, get foreign medical evacuation insurance if ne
5. One week out: Replace my dumb treo with an iphone - excellent
6. Two days out: Vehicle in storage (or friend's garage, fuel stabilizer, unhook battery, etc), Cancel all auto insurance except for theft coverage

B. SHORT TRIP

C. BAGGAGE

• Baggage sizes and quantities are dependent upon the type of trip you are taking (e.g. taking a safari across Africa then don't bring all of your suitecases)
• Minimum required: Toiletries bag (deoderant, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, calogne/perfume, razors, hair product, etc) backpack/roll-away (carry-on items, one change of clothes), and larger bag (rest of clothes, shoes, etc)

TRANSPORTATION

A. AIRFARE PLANNING

1. Use credit cards with reward points to build points for later travel (these build up faster than you think)
2. Purchase ticket far in advance (3 months or more) or at the very last minute (less than a week) aiming for departure and return between Tuesday and Thursday (start research on www.Orbitz.com - www.Priceline.com - www.Travelocity.com - www.cfares.com - www.i800flyeurope.com - www.ryanair.com - www.easyjet.com).
3. Consider buying one ticket to an international hub and then an ongoing ticket with a cheap local airline. Overseas local airlines can be extremely cheap. When I was in Italy they had tickets for less than $100 one-way.
4. Private jet Charters (http://www.charterjets.com/ (recommended) - http://www.bluestarjets.com/ - http://www.onesky.com/ - http://www.celebrityjet.com/ - http://www.aircharternet.com/ - http://www.jets.com/ - http://www.imperialjets.com/ - http://www.privatejetcharters.com/ - http://www.studiojet.com/ - http://www.netjets.com/ - many more, just google 'private jet charter')

B. TRAIN

• Amtrak (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage)
• Eurail (http://www.eurail.com/)
• Britrail (http://www.eurail.com/)
• Japanrail (http://www.japanrail.com/)
• Rail Australia (http://www.railaustralia.com.au/)

C. CAR

• Car Rentals (http://www.carrentals.com/)

COUNTRY INFORMATION:

• US Deparment of State Country Profiles (www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/ )
• World Travel Watch (www.worldtravelwatch.com )
• US Department of State Worldwide Travel Warnings (http://travel.state.gov )
• Round the World FAZ (www.perpetualtravel.com/rtw )
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/travel )

PLACES TO STAY:

• Hotel Chatter (www.hotelchatter.com )
• Hostels (www.hostels.com ) (not just for youth, but you can do the appropriate research)
• Craigslist (www.craigslist.org ) (an overlooked site for house rentals, apartments, etc overseas)
• Interhome International (www.interhome.com )
• Rent villas (www.rentvillas.com )
• Couch Surfing (www.couchsurfing.com )
• Global Freeloaders (www.globalfreeloaders.com)
• Hospitality Club (www.hospitalityclub.org)
• Home Exchange International (www.homeexchange.com )
• Hotels.com (http://www.hotels.com/)
• Video Reviews of Hotels (http://hotelvideoreviews.com/italy/city/990801/Florence.html)

COMMUNICATION

A. PHONES

• Skype (www.skype.com )
• Vonage (www.vonage.com )
• Satellite Phones (www.satphonestore.com )
• iChat - best video conferencing, but for macs only
• Gizmo Project (www.gizmoproject.com )
• SIM Phones - My World Phone (www.myworldphone.com)
• Bands - World Electronics USA (www.worldelectronicsusa.com)

B. COMPUTER (REMOTE-ACCESS TOOLS)

• Go to my PC (www.gotomypc.com )
• Web Ex PC Now (http://pcnow.webex.com )
• Gold Lander Wi Finder (www.goldlantern.com/homepages/wifinder.html )

ELECTRICITY

• Generator - Freeplay foundation ( a hand crank generator)
• Generator - Pocket sized solar panel (www.solio.com ) (you'll need this if you are in a remote location and have to charge your phone)
• Universal Plug Adaptor (www.franzus.com )
• World Electric Guide (www.kropla.com )

STUFF TO DO WHEN YOU ARE THERE (not just travel sites)

• Transitions Abroad (www.transitionsabroad.com )
• Meet Up (www.meetup.com )
• Become a Travel Writer (www.writtenroad.com )
• Teach Engrish (www.eslcafe.com )
• Test a New Caree Par- or Full-Time (www.workingoverseas.com )
• Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (www.wwoof.com )
• Virtual Tourist (www.virtualtourist.com)
• Lonely Planet: The Thorn Tree (http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com)
• Turn Your Brain Into Playdough (www.jiwire.com)

VARIOUS

• Tax Planning (www.irs.gov/publications/p54/index.html ) or just have a good accountant
• US Sponsored Overseas Schools (www.state.gov/m/a/os )
• Universal Currency Convertor (www.xe.com and http://www.oanda.com/)
• Escape Artist (www.escapeartist.com)
• Outside Magazine Online – Free Archives (http://outside.away.com)
• GridSkipper: The Urban Travel Guide (www.gridskipper.com)
• Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com)
• Travel Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel)
• Check travel reservations (https://www.virtuallythere.com/new/homePage.html?pnr=&name=&language=0&host=&clocktype=12&error=&nosub=N)