Happy Tuesday!

Before every trip, I have a checklist I follow to make sure I have everything ready. These things help me communicate with locals, stay safe, have a stress-free arrival, and be prepared for any emergencies.

Here are a few things I always do before I leave:

• Buy travel insurance: I use SafetyWing because it’s affordable, easy to buy whether I’m traveling for a week or a few months, and covers a lot. Even though my credit card includes some travel insurance, I still buy SafetyWing for extra coverage. I also have a full blog post if you want to learn more about why I use it.
• Enroll in STEP: If I’m leaving the U.S., I register my trip through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). It lets the U.S. government know where you’ll be in case of an emergency and allows you to receive important travel alerts. If you aren't from the US, check your government website for a similar program.
• Check the weather: I always check the forecast a few days before I leave so I can make any last-minute changes to my packing list.
• Double-check the time difference: I make sure I know the local time so I don’t accidentally miss a tour, train, or flight after I arrive.
• Share my itinerary: My family always knows what country I’m in, where I’m staying, and when I’m moving to my next destination.
• Download offline maps: I save Google Maps offline before every trip so I can still navigate even if I lose service.
• Download offline languages in Google Translate: This has saved me more times than I can count when I don’t have data or Wi-Fi.
• Save my hotel addresses: I pin every hotel in Google Maps before I leave. It’s much easier than searching for the address after a long travel day.

It only takes a little bit of planning and these are the things that help my trips go much more smoothly.

As always, you can follow along with my current travels on Instagram and Facebook, or reply to this email if you want to chat!

Have a great week :)

Sarah

P.S. My Patreon discount is on now! Use code WELCOME by August 31 to get 50% off your first month. If you join the premium tier by the end of August, you'll also receive my September postcard from my travels. Your support means the world to me!

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Travel Giveaways

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Travel Resources

Flytographer: Flytographer is my go-to for vacation photos. You can book a local photographer in cities around the world for quick, professional shoots that capture your trip without the stress of taking your own photos. Plus, you can save $25 on your first shoot with this link! Learn more and see examples in my blog post about Flytographer.

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