How to Prepare for an Extended Trip

Thinking about spending the summer in Europe? Or maybe you want to through-hike the Appalachian Trail? There are many great trips you could take beyond the standard one or two weeks away. Spending a few months on an extended trip gives you the chance to really get away and reset while also learning a new place inside and out and really immersing yourself in the experience.

However, spending a few months on an extended trip also means making more plans than you otherwise would for a vacation. You will have to take care of your needs for that whole time and make sure that your business back home is settled. Here are a few things you’ll need to take care of for a longer-term trip:

Get Insurance

Most people rent a car or take a SUV or a camper if they are going on an extended trip. It ends up being less expensive than taking buses and trains everywhere, and it gives you more flexibility in your travel. You can stop when you want, change up your route when you want, or even sleep in your car sometimes if you want a little adventure.

It’s important that you get the maximum liability auto insurance for every person who will be driving during your trip. You’ll be on the road a lot, which will increase your risk of accident. You don’t want your trip to end in a major accident that decimates your finances because you didn’t have the right insurance coverage.

Photo CC by by Millennium Luxury Coaches.

Save Up More than You Think You Need

You never know what can happen when you are traveling. You might break your camera and need to buy a new lens. You might decide you want to splurge for that helicopter tour after all. You might eat out a bit more than you expected. Or, unfortunately, you might even get robbed or lose some of your things.

It is important that you save more money than you think you will need for your trip. Otherwise, you may find yourself stranded and calling home for someone to wire you some money, or you might have to end your trip early because you can’t pay to keep it going. Have the money ready for whatever unexpected expenses might come up.

Take Care of Things at Home

The longer you will be away, the more you’ll need to take care of at home. You might need someone to come by and check your mail, water your plants, or take care of your pets. You might need to cancel certain services, like your internet, cable, or magazine subscriptions. You’ll definitely need to put your utilities on a timer so that you aren’t paying for your home to be heated or cooled when no one is in it and so that the lights aren’t always out, letting everyone know that you aren’t home.

If you are going to be gone for a very long time, you might even want to rent out your home or sublet your apartment on a short-term basis. That way, someone is taking care of your house and you are making a little extra money at the same time.

Get Any Prescriptions You Need

Many insurers only let you get a certain amount of prescription medication at a time, such as a month or two’s worth. You will need to contact your doctor and your insurance company to make arrangements to have the prescriptions you need while you are traveling. You may be able to get special permission to get a larger amount, or you may be able to set something up so that you fill the prescriptions on the road.

Perhaps the most important thing you should do when preparing for an extended trip is to make an itinerary and send it to loved ones who can check in with you periodically to make sure everything’s OK. Your itinerary might change, but you can update people as you go.

It’s important that people know where you are expected to be in case anything goes wrong. Do that and follow these other tips, and you’re sure to have the trip of a lifetime that you’ll remember for many years to come.