As fairly seasoned travelers I figured the list of what we do before we go out of the country may be useful to others. I welcome any comments from others who may want to add to the list.

Here’s local stuff we do for the homestead. By now our family and friends are probably sick of hearing about our plans so there is no need to let them know we’re leaving. They’re probably glad to see us go.

– Stop the mail.
– Stop the newspaper.
– Leave a key with a trusted neighbor.
– Notify police of the dates we’ll be gone.
– Notify the alarm company.
– Put household plants in the backyard where they will be watered by the sprinklers.
– Take out the trash. (If you’ve ever forgotten this you’ll understand why)
– Clean the house so it will be less inviting to bugs.
– Turning off the heater is a safe thing to do in Phoenix, so we do it. If you live where it freezes you know this is a bad idea.
– Eat, donate or give to our neighbors anything that will spoil in the refrigerator.

Here’s stuff we do before going out the door that could be important on our trip.

– Get credit cards activated for our destination.
– Get local currency.
– Store electronic copies of our passports in the cloud.
– Make a paper copy of our passports to take with us.
– Keep a printout of our itinerary in a folder that goes in carry-on.
– Make sure my emergency info is up-to-date.
– Check the cameras. (See “Those Darn Spots”)
– Download some of those cool apps that are pertinent for our trip to our iPhones. There is no need for a sim card because everyone is following us on our blog and you don’t need one to connect to the web.

This part is for men only but I know you ladies won’t skip over this. Admit it ladies, that’s just the way you are. Years ago I gave up my wallet. Instead I use one of those credit card holders and in it I have two credit cards, my license and emergency info. That’s it. I leave my debit card at home. You certainly don’t need any of those club membership cards. Then it goes in the front pants pocket. If I know I’m going to a pickpocket area (do your research ahead of time) I put a credit card in one sock and my license in the other. Okay ladies, you can start reading again. See, I caught you.

What we pack is a different subject and one that’s requiring a bit more planning than usual due to weather changes we will experience as we go north. Cheers, Wooly