Be a well-prepared traveler, whether you are planning a leisure vacation, business trip and leaving home for several months. Prepare for your trip by reviewing the following tips and guidelines.
Insurance
When Travelling by Car
Home Prepaaration
- Pay bills, rent and utilities
- Setup online access to bills and accounts
- Put valuables in safety deposit box or other safe place
- Unplug electronics (save energy and protect from power surges)
- Have the furnace serviced and change the air filter
- Turn down thermostat at home (depending on the time of year)
- Turn off water and drain the pipes
- Drain the water heater
- Empty garbage and recycling
- Clean the house (arrange for house cleaner while you are away)
- Arrange for someone to water your plants and take care of your pets. (Hire a Home Watch service) http://www.kanatahomewatch.com or http://www.ib42.ca
- Don't forget to leave the house, car, mailbox, yard gate keys and itinerary with who ever is looking after your house.
- Make arrangements for pet care
- Wash clothing (leave front loading washer door open)
- Turn the eater off at the washer and unplug
- Empty fridge of perishables
- Forward or put mail on hold
- Suspend cable, internet and telephone services
- Suspend newspapers and magazines
- A pile of newspapers or a stuffed mailbox tells thieves that you are not at home. You may come back from your trip to an empty apartment or house.
- Turn off computers, modems and other electrical equipment that does not need to be on.
- Ensure you have passwords set on computer, tablets and other devices
- Just before stepping out of your door, make sure that all faucets are turned off, and that the water in toilets that you flushed has stopped running
- Ensure all windows and doors are locked (put broom handle in all sliding doors and windows)
- Put a C-clamp on the track of your garage door and unplug the power
- Put a couple of table lamps on timers
Visa and Passports
- Obtain any visa from the destination countries
- Passports - check the expiration date two months before your trip
Hotel
- Hotel reservations, take along confirmation numbers
- Include information on itenerary
Money
- Obtain enough money or foreign currency (cash, traveler's checks, credit cards)
- Carry some emergency cash in a neck wallet or money belt
Tickets
- Airline tickets
- Train tickets
- Cruise tickets
- Make arrangements for transportation to and from the local and destination airports
- Get and bring any confirmation numbers
- Bring 1-800 numbers or website URL's for travel or tickets companies that you use
Wallet or Purse or Backpack
- Bring your health insurance information.
- Essential to include in your wallet: your insurance coverage card and your medical card.
- Pack your emergency help numbers and your family doctor’s contact information.
- Bring your itinerary and photocopies of personal documents
- Bring phones and cameras (spare batteries)
Luggage
- Do not pack your travel documents or money in a suitcase that may get lost. Take your important documents and money in a wallet or purse that you can access at all times.
- Make sure that your luggage has a tag with your name, address, and telephone number.
- Tie a colorful ribbon or attach distinctive stickers to your luggage so that you can identify it easily, and other travelers will not take it by mistake at a busy terminal.
- Check luggage number and size (dimensions and weight) restrictions and fees for the airline.
- Bring car keys, house key (only as required)
- Leave unnecessary keys at home (mailbox key)
- Check on any vaccinations that may be needed
- Obtain and verify travel insurance to cover the duration of your trip
- Review your benefits coverage and out of province or country coverage. If you have any questions about your benefits coverage, refer to the appropriate benefits documentation.
- Provide your family members and travelling companions with details of your health insurance.
- Make sure you will is up to date and family knows where to locate it
- Fill your prescription if you take any medication on an ongoing basis
- Pack enough to last your entire trip, including some extra in case you are unexpectedly delayed.
- Carry your medications in their original labeled containers, and pack them in your carry-on bag since checked baggage is occasionally lost or delayed.
- Ask your pharmacy or physician for the generic equivalent name of your prescriptions in case you need to purchase additional medication abroad.
- Get a letter from your physician in case you are questioned about your carry-on medication; some countries have strict restrictions on bringing prescription or even non-prescription medications into the country without proper medical documentation.
- Talk to your doctor if you have a medical condition but wish to travel.
- If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor to get approval for travel. As long as your doctor has approved your travel.
- Check the travel report and health notices for your destination and all the points you will be visiting in-between.
- Don't forget your vitamins
Prepare an Itinerary
- List of your planned day-by-day activities
- List the name, address and telephone number of the hotel or place where you plan to stay.
- List the addresses and GPS coordinates of the places that you are going to visit.
- Program your GPS and verify that the place on the GPS map corresponds to your intended destination.
- Plan to schedule your travel during the daytime to avoid the hazards of driving at night, such as deer crossing the road.
- Plan before you depart. Once you are on the road, it will be more difficult to get the information that you need.
- Make and bring photocopies of travel documents (assport ID page, Foreign visa (if applicable), Itinerary, Hotel confirmation, Airline ticket(s), Driver's license, Credit cards brought on the trip, Traveler's check serial numbers
Travel Advisories
- Travel Advisories from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)Travel Health Notices from the Public Health Agency of Canada
- Determine if you need immunizations and/or are required to carry vaccination certificates when travelling to specific countries or areas.
- Some travel-related information is available on the following web sites:
Travel Benefit & Medi-Passport Brochure
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Useful Traveller Checklist from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Well On Your Way – Canadian Guide to Healthy Travel Abroad from the Public Health Agency of Canada
When Travelling by Car- Change the oil and have any required car maintenance is done.
- Ensure your up-to-date auto insurance is in your wallet and car registration stickers on are license plate.
- Ensure you car registration doesn't expire while travelling.
- Put gas in the car, ensure you have enough windshield washer fluid
- Check your tires and pressure.
- Confirm your destination addresses.
- Get directions or check that it comes up on your GPS device.
- Program your GPS with destination addresses in advance
- Reserve hotels, and confirm check-in time.
- Shop for snacks and/or bottled beverages for the trip.
- Determine how much luggage space is available if you are taking large objects and/or have many people in the car.
Car (leaving at home)
- Fill the gas tank to the top
- Add some fuel stabilizer and run the car to get it through the gas lines
- Consider having the car started or driven once in a while if you are away for extended periods
- Disconnect the battery if you aren 't having it started
- Reserve your flights.
- Check here to see what can you bring on the plane: http://www.catsa.gc.ca/medication-and-medical-items
- Get list of frequent flyer numbers
- Reserve hotel, and confirm check-in time.
- Coordinate pick up or transportation after arrival.
- Confirm flight time and check-in times.
- Confirm when you will need to leave for the airport.
- Get directions or check that comes up on your GPS device both to the departure airport and from your arrival airport to your final destination.
- Coordinate rides or look into parking options.
- Shop for snacks. If desired, bring an empty water bottle to fill up once inside the security checkpoint.
- Check luggage number and size (dimensions and weight) restrictions and fees.
- Decide whether you will check baggage.
- Make sure you have a large Ziploc bag and three-oz. or less size containers that fit in that bag.
- If desired, check in 24 hours in advance.
- Follow all airline guidelines for size and weight and items you can carry on. (An easy way to check the weight is to weigh yourself and then step on your home scale holding your bag.)
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority –
See what is permitted as carry-on vs checked: http://www.catsa.gc.
Before Your Trip
- Decide what you will want to wear and bring.
- Do any last shopping: food, clothes, toiletries, items to bring on trip.
- Do laundry and/or dry cleaning.
- Check the expected weather conditions.
- Pack up all of the items in your bags to make sure that they will fit inside.
- Put liquids into a large Ziploc bag.
- Go through your purse/camera bag and other carry on items to make sure that you don't have any prohibited items (sharp objects like scissors or liquids like lip gloss).
- Do online check in 24 hours in advance, and print out boarding pass.
- Do your final packing of toiletries, food, books, etc.
- Double check the flight status and that you have your boarding pass and passports/government ID
- Give yourself some "buffer time" so if you're running late or hit bad traffic.!
Packing List
Carry-on items
- Airline ticket(s)
- Tissues
- Book(s)
- Travel Pillow/Blanket
- Passport and/or birth certificate
- Coupons for car rental, hotels, etc
- Additional pair of socks
- Prescriptions
- Snacks (attention to the customs restrictions)
- Pen
- Ear plugs
- Games or playing cards
- Tablet /laptop / phone / MP3 player
- Ear phones
- Use the weather report and any schedule events/activities to help guide your packing.
- Pants, shorts, dresses and/or skirts
- Shirts, including one that would be nice for an evening event
- Sweatshirts or jackets
- Underclothes, socks, nylons
- Pajamas
- Work out clothes
- Shoes: dress shoes, workout shoes, informal shoes
- Swim suit and cover up (and if necessary, towel and goggles)
- Accessories: scarves, hats, gloves, jewelry and watch
- Plastic bag for dirty clothes
Toiletries:
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority –
- Floss, tooth brush, tooth paste, mouth wash, skin care, moisturizer, deodorant, glasses, contacts, contact case, contact solution and perfume
- Hair brush, curling irons, flat irons, gel, hairspray
- Makeup
- Vitamins and/or medicine
- Soap, shampoo, conditioner, razor, shaving cream, face wash, blowdryer
- Voltage Converters (according to the destination)
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority –
Check these guidelines for liquids and food items on Canadian airlines
- Wallet, credit cards, cash, drivers license and Passport (leave unnecessary cards at home)
- Cell phone and charger
- Camera (including extra battery and if applicable, device to upload photos to the computer
- Gum or other snacks or necessary foods
- All chargers for phones, computers, cameras, other electronic devices
- Computer (laptop, tablet)
- Pens, paper, stamps
- Any school work or other work materials
- Gifts and thank you cards for anyone who is hosting you
- Business cards
- Sun glasses
- Spare glasses
- Travel alarm clock (if you don;t have a smart phone)
- Collapsible bag that you can use to bring home extra items
- A printed list of emergency phone numbers or address book may be handy if your cell phone batteries die or you lose the phone.
- Print outs of insurance policies and all other travel documents
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority –
Check these guidelines for batteries on Canadian airlines:
Check these guidelines for batteries on Canadian airlines:
International Travel:
- Exchange money
- Double check passport up to date and any visa's
- Tell credit card company / banks that you will be travelling and provide details
- Cell phone, calling card rates
- Access code for the country
- Give itinerary and contact info to parents and roommates
- Go to doctor for immunizations, medicine and food precautions
- Research local customs in terms of acceptable/unacceptable dress and activities
- Research converters for electronics-voltage and/or plugs
- See world electrical guide: http://www.journeystravelgear.com/documents/WorldWideElectricalGuide2.pdf
- Buy travel insurance and emergency medical insurance
- Check that your carry-on items are allowed in each airport where you need to take a flight. (Restrictions can be different for different countries.)
Seniors Travelling
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority –
Specifically for seniors who have limited mobility or specific medical needs.
Your Safety
- Prepare to handle money overseas - do some research
- Check and understand the exchange rate before you travel.
- Before you leave, notify your bank, credit card company, or other financial institutions that you are going overseas.
- Avoid carrying cash and consider using traveler's checks or major credit cards instead (but make sure they are accepted at your destination before departing on your trip).
- Change traveler's checks only as you need them.
- Do not flash large amounts of money when paying a bill.
Keep receipts
If anything goes wrong on your trip, such as theft of your belongings, you should do everything by the book when it comes to making a travel insurance claim, including contacting your travel insurance provider and the local police immediately. To allow you to do this, before you travel, make a list of everything you buy for your trip and keep the receipts. In most cases no receipts means no travel insurance claim! Also you will need receipts as proof of any purchased when going back through customs.
Be Prepared for an Emergency and Medical Help
Make sure you have the contact information for the nearest Embassy or Consulate where you are going. Consular duty personnel are available for emergency assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at U.S. embassies, consulates, and consular agencies overseas and in Washington, D.C. Contact information for U.S. embassies, consulates, and consular agencies overseas may be found in our Country Specific Information pages. If your family needs to reach you because of an emergency at home or if they are worried about your welfare, they should call the Office of Overseas Citizens Services in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (during business hours) or 202-647-5225 (after hours). The State Department will relay the message to the consular officers in the country where you are. The consular officers will then try to locate you, pass on any urgent messages, and, if you wish, report back to your family on your welfare.You can read more about what the Department of State can and can’t do for you in an emergency here.
Canadians who need assistance abroad can contact:
http://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates
You can also register before you travel with the Canadian Government here:
http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration
Canadians who need assistance abroad can contact:
http://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates
You can also register before you travel with the Canadian Government here:
http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration
Planning to Drive in the destination Country - You may need an IDP (International Drivers Permit)
- Bring your driver's license, registration, insurance cards
Research the Local Laws and Customs of the Destination Country
While traveling, you are subject to the local laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own and it is very important to know what's legal and what's not. If you break local laws while abroad, your passport won't help you avoid arrest or prosecution, and your Embassy cannot get you out of jail.
Duty-Free
As of January 31, 2014, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority will accept, subject to screening, duty-free liquids, aerosols and gels purchased from any airline or airport retailer that are properly sealed in official security bags and accompanied by a receipt.
http://www.catsa.gc.ca/duty-
This information is provided for you by Inspected by 42 Home Inspections and Ottawa Home Watch. 613 799 3698 . We specialize in the Kanata and surrounding areas for Home Inspection, Home Watch or Home Check or House Sitting and Ottawa Home Repairs
http://www.ib42.ca
http://
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This information is provided for you by Inspected by 42 Home Inspections and Ottawa Home Watch. 613 799 3698 . We specialize in the Kanata and surrounding areas for Home Inspection, Home Watch or Home Check or House Sitting and Ottawa Home Repairs
http://www.ib42.ca
http://
http
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