by Lisa Pool November 19, 2019
Getting on top of the pre-travel admin will make your life a lot easier when you set off. Don’t worry too much if you haven’t managed to do everything, or if you forget something – there is likely a way to fix it later.
If you’re just looking for quick information, this basic timeline gives a snapshot of the steps you need to take at each stage. But if you read on below, I dip into the details of all you need to do before a long-term round-the-world trip.
6–12 months to go
Check for what, if any, vaccinations you will need and arrange them. [The Government of Canada travel website has a list of suggested vaccinations by country. You can also contact your physician or local health unit.]
3 months to go
If renting, make your landlord/landlady aware of your travels and leaving date (the exact timing depends on your tenancy agreement)
Apply for a prepaid travel money card (we recommend Revolut)
Apply for a credit card to use as emergency backup
Arrange entry visas if required [See the Canadian government Travel Advisory website for details.]
Buy any clothes and gear you will need especially if it is cheaper here or difficult to find in your new location
1 month to go
Cancel your phone contract (if not using on your trip) or arrange a suitable new one for travel
Let your bank and credit card providers know about your travel plans
Make sure all payments for bills are arranged – rent, electrical, phone, insurance, etc.
Get your travel insurance sorted out
Read up on common scams in your first destination (see travelscams.org website)
Book some activities in your first few destinations
Get an international driving permit, if required
1 week to go
Scan all of your important documents, make electronic copies and give some print-outs to friends and family, and store electronic copies securely online
Fill out a passport information and leave it with someone you trust, and store electronic copies securely online
Have emergency phone number list (credit card, banks, friends, embassies) stored securely online.
Cancel direct debits that do not need to be continued during your time away
Forward or hold your mail
Have extra passport photos printed
Set up online storage for your travel photos
Research travel apps and download any that you’ll need
How do I handle my finances?
On long-term travel, you need to budget well and spend your money in increments. You don’t want to carry lots of cash in different currencies, because this leaves you open to theft and other problems.
That said, it may not be the best idea to use your regular bank card to withdraw cash abroad. Unless you have money in an international bank like HSBC, you may find yourself subject to hefty fees.
Step 1: inform your bank of your plans for long term travel
Before you set off on your trip tell your bank where you will be going and when, even if it’s just a rough plan. This will make it less likely that your bank card will get rejected. Even if you’re using a prepaid travel money card (see below), you’ll need to top it up from your regular bank account.
If you tell your bank where you are going to be in advance, they will make a note on your account so that it doesn’t get flagged as strange activity.
Step 2: get an emergency credit card
Get two if you can, and hide them in different pockets of your luggage or in your clothes somewhere. If anything happens, you will be grateful for access to cash.
(We had one credit card each, plus our regular bank cards, plus our prepaid travel money cards. We were left with only one credit card after our bags were stolen in Argentina. Without that card, we would probably have had to fly home.)
Step 3: get a prepaid travel card
One of the best ways to access and keep track of your money while travelling is to get a prepaid credit card. They have little to no charges on withdrawing money abroad, and they are managed through great apps that let you see how much you’re spending.
You can top them up easily with your bank or debit card, and you can even top them up with the currency you are using.
Step 4: cancel any direct debits that are not absolutely necessary
The last thing you want while travelling is an unexpected bill being taken from your bank account. Make sure you’ve got your direct debits in order and that you’ve cancelled any subscriptions that you won’t be using while away. This includes things like Netflix and Spotify.
Chances are you won’t use those a lot while travelling, and it’ll save you plenty of money each month. Also make sure that you cancel your phone contract, or arrange a suitable new one that you can use while travelling.
Tip: keep a small amount of money in an account you can’t access easily while travelling. You’ll need it when you get home. If you have any direct debits or bills that you don’t want to cancel, set the payments to be made from this bank account, and transfer enough money into it to cover the bills for the duration of your career gap. That way you won’t confuse your budgeting.
For more on pre-travel money admin and everything you need to know about looking after your finances on the road, check out our complete guide on how to manage money when travelling.
What happens with my house or apartment?
Unfortunately, leaving your home isn’t just about packing up and shipping out. There are a few more things you need to sort before heading out on your travel career break.
Forward your mail
Even though you’ve changed all of the addresses on your accounts, it’s still a good idea to let the Post Office or Postal Service know your forwarding address. You might receive an unexpected birthday card, or there may be something else that has slipped through the net.
How do I protect myself for long-term travel?
You can almost guarantee that something unexpected will happen when you’re travelling for a long period of time. It could be as small as losing your mobile phone, or as big as having all of your belongings stolen or getting injured.
Don’t let this fact scare you or stop you from travelling. Just make sure you are prepared and have plans in case of any crisis.
Step 1: get travel insurance
The first thing you should do is purchase good quality travel insurance. Make sure the insurance covers you for the duration of your trip, in all of the countries you intend to visit. You may already have travel insurance through work or with a credit card, but these are usually only good for a maximum of 30 days.
We recommend World Nomads for travel insurance, as it offers the most flexible and reliable options for backpackers. [See my section on travel insurance for Canadians.]
Tip: check the repayment limits for individual items. A lot of travel insurance companies have limits of £500 per item, which might not cover cameras and laptops. If you do choose travel insurance with smaller limits, consider getting separate insurance for your gadgets.
Tip: don’t just look at what is covered in the policy, check the insurer’s process for claiming as well. Do you have to submit pictures and receipts? Can it be done over the internet, or do you need to call? How long does it usually take for a claim to be settled? These are all very important questions.
Step 2: scan and save your important documents
Getting photocopies of driving licenses, passports, insurance documents, vaccination certificates and any other important documentation could save you a lot of trouble. It’s a great idea to save electronic copies too, in case you need to access and reprint them.
Tip: print out copies of documents and give them to your friends and family in case they need to send something from home.
Step 3: read up on scams and crime in the places you are visiting
Learning about the places you visit in advance will make you much more prepared in case of emergency. There are common scams in lots of different places that, if you know about, are usually fairly easy to spot and avoid.
Again, this isn’t intended to scare you about where you’re going. There are probably plenty of scams and crime in the place where you live. It’s just making sure you are prepared and able to prevent yourself from getting into trouble.
Travelscams.org is a good place to start with finding out about common scams targeted at tourists.
How do I save memories from my travels?
We took thousands of photos on our career gap. When you’re away for a few months or years, you will amass memories that you want to cherish and look back on later.
There are plenty of digital options to help you with this. You don’t need to lug around heavy journals or hard drives.
Step 1: set up an online storage facility to back up photos
Storing photos online is the best way to keep your memories safe. You can use Google Photos, Amazon Photos on Prime or Flickr. Sometimes you will have slow or no WiFi, but try to upload in regular intervals whenever you can.
Tip: sort your photos as you go. Delete blurry ones and duplicates. Doing this will save you a lot of time when you get home and avoid wasting uploading time and storage space.
Step 2: set up a private online community for your friends and family
A private Facebook group, or Whatsapp chat, is a great way to keep in contact with close friends and family. You can share photos and talk with your loved ones.
Updating people regularly while you travel will give you a record of your favorite things to look back on. It’s a free and easy way of sharing your experiences with the people you care about, without broadcasting it to the whole world. It also helps provide an extra level of safety if you agree how often you will post in the private group. If you go quiet, they will know to raise the alarm.
Step 3: set up a travel blog
It doesn’t cost anything to set up your own travel blog. Even if you don’t know anything about website design, there are plenty of options that will provide you with a ready-made site.
You can use your blog like a journal, writing entries about your experience and sharing photos or videos. Again, this is a great way of sharing your experiences with your family and friends.
A blog can also be a great way to make extra money while you travel. If you want to take that extra step, we highly recommend Adventure In You’s Blogging Fast Lane course. This walks through every step of the process from getting set up to monetizing it. Tom and Anna, the couple behind the course, are among the world’s most successful travel bloggers and are excellent tutors too.
Tip: don’t worry about whether it looks correct or how good your writing is. Just get started. Think of it as an online journal and change the privacy settings if you only want certain people to see it. Don’t get sucked in to doing it too much – remember to enjoy travelling!
What else do I need to do?
The sections above cover the main areas you need to consider before setting off on your travel career break. There are still a few more things to tick off:
Make sure you’ve had all the right vaccinations
Get your entry visas if required. [See the Canadian government Travel Advisory website for details.]
Set up profiles on Hostelworld, booking.com and Couchsurfing
Book accommodation for your first few days of travel
Also book some bus journeys if needed – find the best prices on Busbud
Book some activities in your first few destinations – GetYourGuide is a great resource for finding local tours, with best price guaranteed and free cancellation. [Another widely used site for finding guides is Tours by Locals.]
Download all the apps you’ll need while travelling
Get extra passport photos printed
Depending on your circumstances, there may be more things you need to do that we haven’t listed here. Travelling the world is a wonderful thing to do, but boy does it involve a lot of admin! Don’t let this deter you though.
Write yourself a to-do list and set realistic deadlines. Before our trip we allocated certain days and times to get things done, and we made sure we stuck to those plans by entering them into our online calendars and holding each other to account.
That’s it… what are you waiting for?
Lisa is the co-founder, design lead and brand strategist at Career Gappers. She loves hiking, scuba diving and a glass of red wine.
