Trip Tips

Well we've made it to the final phase of our preparation for this trip. For any of you planning a trip around the world, you're in for some work! Here's a list of things, in chronological order, we've taken care of so far.

1. Make the decision to go. This is especially important for large groups of guys like us, who are unnaturally flaky. We made the pact in an Old Chicago, and then returned several months later to renew the pact over a pint in an Irish pub. If you're going to do this, you have to be dedicated.

2. Decide the places you want to go. This will invariably change in time for different reasons. Our original trip began in Western Europe, went through Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, India, China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. Western and Eastern Europe were cut for costs, Oceania was cut for practicality, and Russia was cut because they're too unwilling to let you in their country. However, in order to start planning the things you want to do and see, you need to know where you're going.

3. Research. This step encompasses a lot of areas and is the most time consuming, but you should begin with steps that are necessary for you to travel in these countries (visas, vaccinations, official documents, etc.). From there, research a possible route and whether the route is more feasible over land or through the air. We chose over land, because you feel more connected to the land and have a better sense of the distance you travel. Safety concerns are another element to take into consideration. Just as you would if you were traveling to Chicago, you would avoid dangerous areas, do the same abroad. This is a good time to confirm the places you want to go.

NB: Don't believe what you hear about countries. Countries demonized in the media are often safe for travel, and extremely hospitable. I've received so many lectures about my travel to the Middle East. Our original route included Iran until the protests broke out after the elections. Now Syria and Lebanon are the main topics of others' concerns. Before you decide to skip certain countries because of mainstream knowledge, do some research of your own. Go online, read testimonies of people who have been there, because they will know better than anybody.

4. Plan medication and insurance. If you're traveling to Asia, you will need malaria medication. Anti-diarrheals are another good idea. Altitude sickness pills are also common if you will be in areas of high altitude. Research these far in advance so you can prepare the necessary steps to obtain them.

Look into travel insurance as well. I tried to conceive every angle in which I would not need travel insurance, but every option was overshadowed by the possibility of serious injury. Travel insurance not only is much cheaper than getting hurt in another country without insurance, but it offers piece of mind.

5. Begin packing preparation. This is one of the most difficult steps to begin, because it's hard to decide what to bring. Everything I've come across says pack your bag, and then take half of the stuff out. Take a minimalist approach to packing. You will have to accustom yourself to washing your own clothes often. A t-shirt or two. One nice shirt. 1-2 pairs of pants. 1 fleece. Walking/hiking/clubbing shoes and sandals. Just remember that you have to carry everything you pack.

Begin writing down the things you will need other than your clothes. Toiletries, ear plugs, ziplock bags, etc. Also, items like an ipod and a phone. Customize your ipod with applications that will be useful for your trip. Read packing lists online to get a sense of what to pack. If you're using your phone to communicate with people locally while you're abroad (probably a good idea), you will want an unlocked phone so that you can insert local sim cards and be charged local rates. More on this later. Oh and don't bring jeans!

6. Get a new credit card and bank card. This is an important step. Most debit cards charge around 3% of every ATM withdrawal for an international withdrawal and 1% for a currency conversion. 4% of every withdrawal adds up! The solution is with the Schwab. Charles Schwab that is. They have a high yield investor checking account that has no international ATM fees. On top of that, they reimburse all ATM fees you acquire for withdrawing from ATM's not associated with your bank. Sounds to good to be true, but it is.

Capital One offers a credit card with no international fees on purchased items. With these two cards, you can withdraw from the ATM with no fee, and purchase items in stores with no fees as well. Sweet deal!

7. Buy a pack. You need something that fits (important!) and is large enough to accommodate your needs. Something between 60-80 liters is probably best, because any smaller and you wouldn't be able to pack everything, and any bigger and you'll want to pack too much. I bought the Northface Backtrack 70, listed here.

http://www.altrec.com/the-north-face/backtrack-70-adventure-travel-pack

This is going to be your best friend on the trip, so choose wisely.

8. Phone. Either buy one or unlock your own, which can be done simply if you call the company. Local calls can be made easily with local sim cards, and international calls (which should be few and far between) can be made with calling cards, skype and google voice. I bought the Nokia 6303, listed here.

http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-6303-classic

9. Get vaccinated. After researching your vaccinations, set up enough time with a travel clinic to get vaccinated. Also, see how much of shots your insurance will cover. The common shots are Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis (if you are traveling to Asia), Yellow Fever (if you are traveling to South America or Sub-Sahara Africa), a DPT booster, MMR booster and a polio booster. Don't forget your malaria prescriptions.

10. Buy your final gear.

11. Pack several days in advance so you're prepared completely when you leave.

12. Go!

This is the information I've acquired over the last 18 months of planning, but be sure to check other sites and info to be completely prepared when you leave!