• Clean up your home before leaving for your trip! Take a look at the refrigerator for any susceptible food, and empty the trash cans
• Keep your most trusted friend or relative posted for your absence, and ask him to take a look at your house and collect your correspondence from time to time; your mailbox or yard shall not "betray" your absence
• Do not leave any stepladders, furniture or other objects/articles in your yard or garden that will help aspiring perpetrators to climb
• Ensure that you have locked all doors, windows and shutters of your home, and that you have turned off the heating and air conditioners
• Turn on the alarm system, and set up a multi-choice auto-timer
• Do not leave large amounts of cash or valuable articles in your home
• Pay your bills if you're planning to be absent for a long time

• Check if you shall issue a passport (for more information and related documentation please read THIS). If you are a national of an EU country, you are not required to present your national identity or passport when traveling between EU Member States belonging to the Schengen area.
• However, even if you don't need a passport for border control within the Schengen area, it is still always highly recommended to take a passport or ID card with you, so you can prove your identity if needed (i.e., if stopped by police, when boarding the plane, etc.). Schengen EU countries have the possibility of adopting national rules obliging you to hold or carry papers and documents when you are present on their territory -for more information, please read THIS
• Your passport should be of "new type" and, in some cases, it shall be valid for at least 6 months from the day you'll leave the country of destination. Some countries require that your passport must have two clear pages.
• Visa is not required for all destinations; however for those countries an entry visa is required, you'd rather proceed with the whole visa issuance well before your departure so as to avoid any last-minute worries.
• Make photocopies of your official documents (passport, ID, visa, driving license, etc.) and always have it on you; originals should be left locked in the hotel's safe; you can also "scan" these documents and keep them on your smartphone or tablet; hence, in the event of loss, you will be able to print the scanned documents and send an email to your country of destination consulate
• Save the emergency phone numbers, such as those for credit and debit cards' theft or loss, the phone number of the country of destination consulate etc.
• Find out if there are any health risks related to your country of destination, and be informed by the World Health Organization (WHO website) what applies to that particular country on your trip's date.
• Talk about it with your doctor before traveling, in case you have any health problems. Additionally, talk about any consequences that travelling may have on your health. Ask him to provide you with a natural product or or medicine with relaxing action, which you might take during your flight if you suffer from nausea or dizziness
• Check with your doctor if you must make any mandatory or recommended vaccines before leaving your country; for trips to certain destinations, it would be advisable to take some precautions for increased illnesses in some areas. If you're under any tratment or therapy, ask your doctor if it is compatible with any medications that you should take for your trip.
• If you have a chronic disease or a complex medical history, ask your doctor to write for you, preferably in English, a medical report that summarizes your condition (history, description of your illness or disease, past cases, recent medical examination results, etc.) and to note down your usual treatment; you can also "scan" the document and have it on your smartphone or tablet
• Be provided with a copy of your prescription with its international name (DCI) of your medicine so you can replace it or find its equivalent wherever you may be
• Choose a travel insurance; take time to research before traveling and find a travel insurance that best fits your needs. Consider whether your coverage protects you in all countries of destination, and pay special attention to any exclusions that may apply to your contract. Make a note of your insurance policy number and the 24-hour service number of the travel insurance department, and keep it with you in every case.
• If you have a social health care insurance in an EU country, you are entitled to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which offers you access to state-paid healthcare during your temporary stay in one of the 28 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, on the same terms and conditions and at the same cost (in some countries, free of charge). This card is issued by your national social security provider, however, it does not cover the cost of all medical treatments and situations (eg repatriation, etc.), so it should not be considered as a substitute for a private insurance policy.
• Make a small and compact first aid kit for emergencies

• Provide yourself with maps and/or download them to your tablet or smartphone to save data and battery power
• Make a list of garment, other articles, etc. you'll carry for your trip, but don't overload your suitcase; check the weather at the country of destination, preferably via a local media, to decide what clothes you'll carry on your luggage ... and leave some room for gifts, souvenirs and shopping, after checking your airline's policy regarding luggage limitations; be also informed about any forbidden articles that you are prohibited to carry with you
• Contact your cell phone provider, confirm that roaming is turned on, ask about any available networks in the country of destination, and be advised what you should do in case your phone does not automatically connect to a network
• Confirm your bookings, and that there are no delays on the itineraries
• Contact your hotel and confirm your reservation
• Purchase foreign exchange to avoid high exchange commissions in the country of destination
• Contact your bank and let them know that you will travel abroad; sometimes, when the credit card is used abroad, the bank may consider it as a suspicious activity and block it
• Take any essentials for your flight (baby wipes, moisturizing creams, earplugs, toothbrush, toothpaste,books, crosswords, mp3s, tablets, etc.), as well as headphones that prevent external noises
• Buy adapters that you might need for your electronic devices
• Charge your electronic devices (mobile phones, tablets, mp3s, laptops, camcorders, cameras, etc.)
• Place on your luggage a label with your contact details, as well as the address of the hotel you are about to stay.
• Prepare the clothes to wear during your flight/trip. Choose spacious clothes that will keep you warm
• Sleep well on the day before your trip.

You may also be interested in ...

• Travel documents for EU nationals
• Travel documents for non-EU family members
• Travel documents for non-EU nationals
• Expired or lost passports
• Travel documents for minors
• Airport and airline security
• Emergencies
• Package travel and linked travel arrangements

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