6 Biggest Things People Forget to Do BEFORE They Travel
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- Traveling for a few weeks & wondering if everything is ready to go? Here are SIX things that travelers tend to forget to do before they travel. Whether it is a vacation at Disney or heading to Europe here are some travel and vacation tips not to forget.
filmed in Hamburg, Germany
Copyright Mark Wolters 2015
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Lay the whole content of your check-in luggage out on the floor and get one picture where everything is clearly visible. Put it in your online Dropbox. If your suitcase goes missing and you need compesation, you have proof of your belongings which makes insurance claims so much easier. Also do a close-up of jewelry, etc. if they aren't easy to see on the big picture.
Billythachikk Great tip and I do the same. However, on trips I don't wear much jewelry, only a simple watch and one pair of earrings.
Super smart! Thank you :D
Don't put your jewellery in your check in language or anything really expensive put it in your carry on.
Very useful tip!
@@holger_p but if you're an honest player, it'll remind you of what you put in your luggage... So you know what to try to claim.
Small tip but important. Run your garbage disposer. It's not nice to come back from a vacation and find the broccoli you had 10 days ago has fermented in the disposer.
I am guessing this is from personal experience ;)
HAHAHAHA
We always unplug our wireless router before we go. Eat or throw out any food that will go bad while you're gone. And whatever you do, do not leave on a trip with dirty dishes in the sink!
+Nate Lloyd ...Or you might find your very own penicillin culture in the kitchen sink when you come backXD
Haha! Or, you can draw up a plan to charge the new life forms rent!
Reminds me of a way to mess with your neighbors. Leave an anonymous note on their door: "Have you been on vacation? Your wifi is not working!"
Nate Lloyd Yes!!!!!!
Take a few days off earlier to pack and clean the house. This reduces packing stress and nothing beats getting back from your holiday to a clean house and a freshly made bed (to sleep off the jet lag) :)
I'm not even joking this video reminded me to turn off my oven lol
Dingus
Doofus
Lolo
Bring an international electrical outlet adapter plug
Pam Bennett genius! Actually first person that mentioned it :o good point!
I would have totally forgotten about that and then been screwed when I arrived.
Thank you for reminding me
Doesn’t every where in the world use US plugs???? Sorry about the sarcasm because I’ve run into people while travelling with that problem. Usually our mates from the US are the worst offenders. Best wishes from Australia. Thanks, Mark, but you shouldn’t have to tell people this sort of info.............
Mark, very good information.
Somethings I do just prior to leaving the house to go on my trip;
1- Empty garbage.
2- Shut off water main.
3- Shut off water heater breaker.
4- Adjust A/C temperature to a moderate setting.
I then don't have to worry about bad orders, water leaks/brakes, or high electric bills , when I return.
Take an empty 2L pop bottle. Pour a couple of inches of a coloured liquid into it and freeze. Repeat the process with different coloured liquids until you have multiple layers of different colours going all the way up the bottle. Leave it in the freezer and check it when you return. If the colours have run into each other, you know the power went off long enough to spoil your food while you were gone.
Olga Nohra great hack!
If you're gone a couple of weeks, that's plenty of time for the food to refreeze. You wouldn't know the power had gone off or for how long.
you can't just check frozen food. as dude said, it would refreeze and you would have had no idea
Thats the point of the bottle woth the layered frozen liquids, if your freezer went off you'd notice a dofference in the bottle
Great idea!
Thank you!
Live long and prosper!
Moira
Mark, one thing you mentioned a long time ago that I had never considered was prior to every trip, locate the U.S. Embassy in every city on your itinerary or at least find the closest one and note the contact info; very prudent advice and part of my pre-trip routine.
Also, if for whatever reason your nation's embassy isn't in the country you're visiting (rare, but it happens), find out if there are any other countries embassies or consulates that have agreements with your home nation to help you if you run into trouble.
Same goes for doctors too - several western European nations have reciprocal deals with Australia (my home country) to provide emergency medical care if you show your Medicare card. Check it out, maybe your home country has similar deals in place with others. Very handy to know if it applies to you.
Tosh T Hey Tosh did you go to the Embassy??
+Uncle Chuckles No. Fortunately I've never needed to. I recall that Mark's original advice to locate the embassy was in case one loses or has their passport stolen.
Tosh T oh cool
Do you have any experiences in Europe? or favorite cities there
I do this!
On your mobile phone turn off automatic updates. So it wont update while you are paying for the more expensive data....
scott917 YES, this comment is underrated
Or just switch your phone on flight mode
Nathan Alder
Your phone 📱 automatically tells you to shut off cellular data. And turn on WiFi. At least my phone did.
scott917 my phone company sends a text “ Welcome to “(=&+” You are part of the Roam abroad plan. For $8 or 5 whatever, you can have access to talk and text or just talk or just text. This runs from 12.01 am to 11.59pm so you decide what days you want your phone on/off. I think he needs to update this video because even my credit card company doesn’t require a heads up. Maybe it’s just a Canadian thing
Check your fridge for things like milk that have expiration dates and can cause a major stink. Use them up BEFORE you go. I've only had to go through that lesson once.
Also, make your bed and tidy up a little before you leave your house so you're not faced with having to take out two-week-old trash when you get back from your fabulous and exhausting trip. Plus, a made bed is just nicer to come home to.
I remember going to Cyprus with an ex girlfriend and when we got back she hadn't done the dishes in her apartment and there was a layer of mold over the whole sink. Yuck
Thanks for the videos. You are also giving your sons a tremendous gift by showing them the world. Our family lived in Switzerland for a year when I was 8 years old (1972) and I still have fond memories of that year. God bless you and yours.
take a photocopy of passport put in a separate place
I do this! And, I have the addresses of both the US and Canadian Embassies in the countries I'm travelling to--in case of emergency/lost passport (I have dual citizenship)
Okay Mom.
Scan passport and all reservations and put them on google drive or Dropbox or somewhere you can access them.
Email them to a relative.
Before I leave: I get a copy of my prescriptions and a copy of the info sheet from my pharmacist. Check the weather forecast at my destination. Clean the house, including changing the bed linens. (Sooooo nice to come home to.)
I keep a list in my suitcase of things to do before I leave and things to remember to bring with me. That way I cannot forget to check my list before I leave.
Put a paper cup with water in it in the freezer ahead of time. Once frozen place a coin on top. If your power goes out while you were gone you will know by the flashing clocks, but you won't know for how long. If the coin is still on top your food remained frozen. If the coin is inside the ice you will know that your freezer thawed and then refroze the food.
I have a travel kit (including nail clippers) that stays in my luggage even when I'm not on holiday. That way I don't need to think when I pack before trips.
+Tosh T Such a no brainer... just have two sets.. one for home and one ready for travel. The items never go bad. (I have three... one at work as well)
Don't forget prescription medications.
Unplug all electrical stuff
Take out trash and throw away or eat food that will expire
forgot todo that for 2 wks. Had to through out the trash can. Gross
Take out the cat and feed the recycle bin.
Make sure your bills are automatically deducted from your account. Set your phone to airplane mode and only use local wifi; otherwise get a local SIM card.
I definitely would never ever turn it on airplane mode (other than on the airplane..). There's the option to just turn off mobile data or even just to turn off mobile data in foreign countries in general.
Just in case there's an emergency at home and someone needs to contact me - or if there's an emergency in the country I'm traveling in and my family or the ministry of foreign affairs needs to make sure I'm okay. Wouldn't want to find that call hours later when I turn on the connections.
@@Mikirlav Yes. Turning "Mobile Data Off" does not affect you receiving calls.
unless u have tmobile ur good to go... love tmobile free text and internet mostly in europe 😊
What I learned while travelling: ALWAYS bring your nail file you.
1) If using AirBnb: bring a small TORCH (or use your cellphone) I have only great experiences with AirBnb, but some places there are no or little light from the main door from the street up the stairs to the apartment.
2) Shopping fashion: if you travel light, like with a medium-size backpack like myself; pack some old clothes ready for trashing, use them during your trip, and then trash them. THEN you can shop some NEW shirts, jeans or whatever, and stuff them in your backpack, using the space the old items used up.
it's not a torch. Torch has a flame. It's called a flashlight
ahahh
Jim Crabtrey, he's using British terminology. A FLASHLIGHT is called a TORCH in Great Britain.
That's true. Bed & Breakfasts have regulations about how much light per square foot but Air BnB doesn't have the regulations. Thanks for that! I've not encountered a problem at any Air BnBs for that but never thought about it.
Not in UK.
One of the items people often overlook when preparing to travel is to notify their veterinarian of who will be caring for their pet while they are away, and that that person is authorized to make care decisions and incur expenses on your behalf.
I leave a letter with my pet sitter giving them authorization
This is so smart! Never thought of this for my pup. Thanks 🐶
GET TRAVEL INSURANCE!!! Plan ahead!!!
Also another tip a friend told me is to check your health insurance coverage if it extends to overseas
Set up a radio to a talk station on a timer with volume up fairly loud - like you would if you were running around the house doing chores. Just an added measure to the lamps on timers.
Also don't forget to reprogram your thermostats to save on your utilities.
These are some "must do" before you travel ...
Scan your passports, send to a relative or friend, so if you lose it, they can email it to you. Makes it a whole lot faster to get a replacement.
PRINT OUT all your reservations, air, hotel, etc. They come in handy if you lose your cellphone or don't have a connection (this has happened to me many times)
PACK, one change of clothes in your carry on, if you check luggage. You will then always have a least one change while you wash and dry the other
BRING the bottles(with labels) and prescriptions of all medication you bring with you. Some countries it's illegal to have without them
OUTLET CONVERTOR, you don't want to get into the hotel late at night to find you can't plug anything in!
CREDIT CARDS! Always have a back up, a card that you never use (make sure you call to activate, etc). One that you will pack separately, with some cash and some sort of ID. I had a friend who got her wallet stolen in Paris, with all her credit cards, cash and id/passport. Talk about feeling naked and afraid!
Set up your bills on auto pay then you don't ever have to worry about it. If you can't pay your bills and afford to travel then you should probably wait anyhow.
Fantastic tips. Also, TURN YOUR MAIN WATER VALVE OFF. TURN YOUR WATER HEATER OFF!
I have a sprinkler system so I never turn off the main line. I do turn the lines to the toilets and washing machine off. Also never have turned off the water heaterand have never had an issue
I do love having the mail slot in my front door. Just piles up inside, no worry of an overflowing mailbox.
Buying a sim card in Europe just for the trip might be the way to go. From what I've experienced so far, American cellphone plans are always very expensive (like $40-80/month, even without traveling to a different country), but in a lot of European countries you only pay 10-15€ a month for (a limited amount of) calls, texts and data. Or you go prepayed an pay roughly 9ct/min. And the good thing is, as long as you don't leave the union, prices per EU call or text won't go above a certain limit (something like 15 cents I think), so you won't spend huge amounts of money. I even used my German sim card in the US because I had Wifi most of the time and calling people wasn't much more expensive either. Hope I could help!
+CrimeOnWings they are and if you have an unlocked phone and if you are staying in the same country I would just buy a chip (I have a chip for Italy, uk, Germany, Portugal, spain, Poland and lithunia) so I hear you :) thanks for the info!
+woltersworld knowroaming.com. Get your phone unlocked, and they will send you a tech film that goes over your chip. I come automatically, with a US and UK phone number, and you just get a local number for about 70 countries, through their app.
+CrimeOnWings Best tips ever! Especially about the fingernails! As to the phones...The past few years, I have found the best (well, cheapest) thing is to buy a local SIM card for my GSM phone (in the USA, AT&t or T-mobile) for about 10-20 dollars, with 1 gig of data, then e-mail folks back in the USA with a local number, or better yet, just tell them to use SKYPE, VIBER, or email to contact me, all of which just use internet data.
Leave your phone and other electronics at home. You are on vacation and you are there to enjoy the fun not wasting time with emails. You can do all that when you get home.
You can pay as little as $2/month in Europe for basically unlimited everything. At least in Ukraine. I would love to have those prices in the US.
These are wonderful tips. Thank you so kindly. And please have someone regularly checking INSIDE your place. My friend came home to the entire first floor of her house flooded from a water pipe that had broken while she was on a trip.
Check your calendar the days you will be traveling! Cancel or reschedule any appointments! Like a dental or doctor appointment. Some offices charge for a failed appointment.
I love your videos Mark! When you talked about nails I thought: it would be amazing if Jocelyn could make a video about what women should do before travelling, like waxing or shaving , moisturizing the hair, taking care of eyebrows, etc., so we can be less worried during the trip.
I will ask her. She is a bit camera shy so it might take a bit but I will try to get her to help :)
you have no idea how much your videos are helping me out thanks for everything!!!!!!
+Melissa Maya that is really nice to hear. I am really happy to hear we can help!
Dude's awesome.
Find someone to feed your flowers and water your cat.
If you make a last second bathroom trip make sure you turn the faucet off correctly, i had friends come home to a disaster after a 2week vacation.
Suspend your newspaper subscription if you have one (especially if it's daily)
Yeah, a stack of newspapers building up is a sign burglars use to know if you are away. Also either have someone you trust pick up your mail or have the post office hold it until you get back.
I notified my bank about being abroad and they still annoyed me with calls on my first trip to Europe, more than once. The second time it wasn't as bad. I think they called once. That brings about another tip to mention: if you have a different number while abroad, make sure SOMEONE is receiving calls on your number at home so they can let you know if the bank IS calling you, because they might still bother you even if you do notify them.
If you're going to be gone longer than a week, hire a neighbor kid to mow your lawn/shovel snow. Nothing says no one is home like a neglected exterior. Great video!
I like to have a meal or 2 in the freezer for when you come back & pass out. Maybe I should start making a shopping list, too, for those long trips. No good making housework plans post travel euphoria! Always a disaster for me...
Da Roadrunner We live in Florida and sometimes go on vacation during hurricane season. We use as much as possible in the the freezer and refrigerator, just in case a storm hits when we are gone. All we usually have left in the refrigerator is something for breakfast for when we get home. I also make sure we have pasta and sauce in the cabinet.
Put a cup of water in the freezer with a coin on top once frozen. If no coin on top when you come home you know the power has been off a long time.
Great tips! One thing I would add that could really be a life saver would be to either get a bit of a base tan or pack lots of sun screen. If you're going somewhere sunny and you haven't been in the sun much, might do you good to walk around barefoot for a bit before. I've had sun burns on tops of my feet and other weird areas that I didn't think of that just ruined my vacations.
Thanks for the tips man good work! I watch all your videos
"Jocelyn wants you to know that this is a Mark problem, not a Jocelyn problem." 😂😂😂
I've made most these mistakes at all at once when I went to Japan for a month except the phone data package as I just rented a phone. Online check in, photocopying and scanning all important documents like passports etc., having the embassy number for your country saved, adequate supply of any important medications and exchanging currency beforehand instead of at the airport are few other things I tend to do
I think it is very good to create a packing list. You can start this list about a fortnight before you leave. First put everything on it that you can think of, then as other things come to mind put them on that list. Then when you pack the day before you go you will have this comprehensive list of the things you need. Take the list with you and use it when you are packing to leave, this way you won't forget anything.
I keep my lists on my laptop. I don't throw them out, I keep them in a special travelling folder. When I am planning on going somewhere I copy the most recent packing list and use that as the basis for my new list. There are always some items to remove and some to add. I always take my laptop with me so the list travels with me of course.
+brighton dude I do that actually. have my list and check it off one by one
Yes a packing list does indeed bring peace of mind. It ends all those doubts about whether you have packed the tickets for such and such.
I first started doing packing lists when I started work as a freelance film maker. I had so much equipment with many small items to pack for every journey, so I created a list.
The list making is so useful that now I do it even when I go for a weekend somewhere with only hand luggage and no video stuff.
I do the same, actually. For my upcoming trip I have a concise online Word document with several sections, one for a packing list (where everything I have yet to find in the house is in red color, so it stands out), 1 section for budgetting, one for travel ideas for the area I'm visiting and one is for different links and such that I have collected that I will look at when I arrive. I feel like preparing for the trip is half the fun, to be honest. And it makes you a lot less stressed about any possible mishaps, if you're openminded about your plans, at least.
Wolters World Me too, especially when I stop in different cities. Check it off at each destination. It’s a lifesaver!
I love having packing list too. This way you don't forget anything.
Excellent advice! Thanks, Wolter!
Great information from this cool man!
The finger nail thing is REAL. I've put clippers and a file in my travel toiletry bag bc I always seem to break a nail or snag them when I'm travelling. There is nothing worse than having scraggly looking nails and having no tools to fix it!
Mark is probably the best father ever haha
+Worldatwarwhore I keep telling my kids that... though they don't always seem to agree with me :)
+Worldatwarwhore He can't be, because mine is. :)
+Slimy Weasles is that you Caleb? ;)
great video Mark.. i keep finding more and more great videos.. Thank you.
T-Mobile is the way to go, has always worked throughout Europe, 3G data speeds, no extra charge, only calls are like 25c
Such awesome advice! Thank you! :)
Thanks a lot for all those advices
Very useful information, Thanks :)
Thanks a lot!! Good advise!
Thanks for the tips
I live in a shared house, so turning alarm clocks off is also on my list :P
Turn *ALL* the alarm clocks in the house off, the day that you leave.
Your housemates will thank you for giving them a morning sleep-in that first day... ("What's that? You missed your college final exam because you slept in? Really you should plan better than that!")
Great Information. Thanks.
I love this channel!
I love your videos! Saw the phone abroad video, and now I’m watching this video. Just subscribed!
Thanks for sharing 😁😁😁
You could also fill your freezer and pantry with a couple of instant meals and uht milk. Food shopping is the last thing you want to do on the first day you're back home and exhausted from jet lag. Also clean your home before you go. It makes coming back easier, especially if you've only given yourself a day or two before going back to work.
I find this video to be amongst the most intelligent and useful of the whole range; mr Wolters, you ought to request a raise in salary, because you are certainly worth it ! The closing item about clipping the nails is actually priceless... and unique: I have never encountered anything like it - yet - but, how about including nail clippers, scissors, file etc. in one's toiletries tote ? Just a tought. At any rate: an unqualified BRAVO ! You actually DO seem to foresee everything; beware however that you are fighting a losing war, not just a battle against "stupid". Besides one cannot forestall Murphy. All the best.
You have such good advice. I’m planning to travel next year (hopefully) and this is going to help a lot, thanks 😊
dang guy, super helpful actually really good advice! thanks for this video :)
Mark, Love your advice.
Great tips!
I didn't know you were on FB too. Have subscribed to you for over a year maybe two and shared your videos with many traveling friends. Thank you, I enjoy them very much!
Thanks Jennifer! I appreciate all the follows :)
Some good advice about things I didn't think about...
Great Video!
Hey Mark! Are you ever going to go back to Ireland? Updated videos about Dublin and Ireland in general would be awesome!
Great advice 👍
Make sure your water is off in your home. Came home to a waterfall coming down the front porch lol. Learned the hard way.
Tolls, make sure tolls are paind and non delinquent.
Love your videos! A big YES on finger and toenails! When you said that I was sitting here watching and nodding vigorously! Thanks for your videos, keep up the awesome work.
Great tips! Thank you!
great videos friend
Homeowners - remember to shut the main water line. You don't need to come back to a flood due to a busted water line and turn off your water heater as well. Also if you have a security monitoring system, they need to be notified as well that you'll be away.
Great tips, thank you.
thanks this will help a lot when i go abroad!
+the physics nerd glad we can help :)
We clean up before we go, it's much more relaxing to come home to a clean house!
I do the same thing, too.
Good suggestions!
Download offline maps to your phone before you leave. That way you don't have to rely on data connections every time you have to look for a place.
Clean your house before you leave. Like do the dishes, vacuum, make your beds etc. There's no better feeling than coming back from a long trip to a nice clean house.
You can always turn off mobile data on your cell phone instead of purchasing an international data package. I always purchase a local sim card for the country I'm visiting. Many countries require passport size photos on sim card applications.
Solid video Mark! I'm one of those travelers with the local bank that doesn't have emergency hours. LOL. Mine flags any purchase that is not based in a country that I have told them I'm traveling to. Hence, I've had them flag me on Hostelworld (corporate is apparently in Ireland) and a few airlines carriers. But yeah, the rates are good. I have looked into getting a different card for travel tho. ;)
Very very useful
Great attitude! Wonderful contributions to the To Do List.....especially the finger and toe nails.
You’re awesome ! My current fav CZcams guy 😎
Four more things to better not forget:
1. Turn off all the electrical devices you don't need while not at home. Paying for my TV, PlayStation, computer and so on being in standby or even in full mode is a total waste of money! And the longer you are away the more expensive it will be.
2. As a woman: If you take the pill, don't forget to check that the amount you have is enough to last the whole journey AND don't forget to take the package with you.
3. Best bring all the instruction leaflets of every medicine you take regularly, because if you get sick or have to stay in hospital or simply run out of the medicine, this will help doctors and pharmacists find out what you need or may not take and so on. This is important, because the names of medicines, the concentration of ingredients and the package design may vary from country to country. If you have to take many different medicines, I would advise you to also prepare a list of all the things you take, the dosage and against what you take it. Keep this list on you all the time. This will be really helpful in any emergency.
4. Don't forget to look after your plants and pets before you leave. I mean not only ask someone to feed/water them while you are gone, but also check that they are healthy and in good condition before leaving. Nothing ruins a trip like getting a call "uhh, is it normal that your dog's eyes are running all the time." Of course animals can get ill while you are gone, but leaving behind a pet that shows symptoms of illness without seeing what you or the person in whose care you give it can do against the illness, is making unpleasant calls very likely.
Oh and number 5: Again for the women: if you know that you're going to have your period during the journey take the sanitary products you use with you. You might not find the products you like where you go. And in many countries there are no 24/7 opening hours so it is better to have stuff with you than sitting e. g. in a caravan in Germany at 2am in the morning wondering how you will get the bloody mess out of the bed.
Number 2 and 5 are oddly specific, haha :P But I totally agree. Number 5 is a good tip in general, if you have a certain amount of regular purses, always carry 1 or 2 feminine products in each so you're sure no mishaps happen. Sometimes they happen for other people, and I've never seen a woman so relieved as when you offer her a pad because she's missing one. Using toilet paper as an alternative is NOT fun.
Definitely give yourself enough time before you go, and even day of. So many times I’ve rushed out wondering if I turned the oven off etc. If I went more slowly, I’m sure it wouldn’t happen. It’s tough though. The trip begins.. and ends…at home! Cheers happy and safe travels (and arrivals back home)
hey, the best nail clippers we own were bought in Switzerland! They are amazing!!!
it’s really helpful!
+Arturo Guzmán glad we could help! have great travels!
Spot on!
Yes.... down to the toenails! Great tips!
lol nail thing sounded kinda like a deep childhood trama lol love your vids thanks!
Nails...so true!
One of your best videos
+momomum thank you
These have saved me money!
Clipping nails is a great tip!
Molto bene!! Grazie!!
Very thoughtful and great advice, all of which I can back up by experience! (And I know this isn't my business but I noticed you seem to have lost a bit of weight. Good job on that too!)