SnapshotJourneys.com for all your travel information

Travel Planning Supplies to get Before You Go

GPS, Calling Cards, Maps, Guidebooks, Phrasebooks, Camera, Watch

Travel planning supplies are the items you buy well before a trip -- GPS, calling cards, SIM cards, guidebooks, phrasebooks, maps -- when you are still in the travel planning stage. You may pick up a travel guide or a map to learn more about a destination, or to help you decide where to go and what to see. Perhaps you've been taking foreign language lessons, but want a phrasebook to help you out when you are on the road. If you plan to take pictures of your travels, you'll want to prepare your camera for the trip. All these items are travel planning supplies, some of which are listed here, and others listed on specific pages. See the menu at the bottom for more choices.

Phone Cards to Call Home See WHY to get cheap phone cards before you travel.

Handheld GPS system If you have a handheld GPS, take it along. See some on Amazon GPS systems.

Map and Travel Guides Before I decide on a destination, or start any planning, I look through a few travel guides and pore over maps. That way, I'm aware of factors like rainy seasons, possible routings with interesting stop-overs (and which places to avoid), high season versus low season, travel health concerns, local customs, upcoming elections, suggested hotels. (I've posted some specific guidebook and phrasebook titles by destination on the Books page). All these and more help me decide whether or not it's a good time to travel.

Learn a Language Even if English is commonly spoken in a country, if it's not the official language, I like to learn a few phrases. That way, I can at least say 'Please, Thank you, Good morning, Good night'. A basic phrasebook can be a great help if you find yourself on your own, or with a group wondering what the Mandarin word is for 'wine'. Best of all, these little books fit easily into a purse or pocket, and give you something to read. iPhone apps can be a great help, but in some countries, it's not a good idea to use expensive electronic gadgets in public.

Travel Forums and Hotel Reviews Most tours offer a choice of hotels, and give links to the hotels. Naturally, on the web sites, they all look pretty good. I like to check hotel reviews at Trip Advisor, and see what other travelers think of a hotel and resort. You don't have to register to read reviews, just to post to forums or submit reviews. See Hotels attractions page.

Travel Photos I love to take pictures, so before a trip, I get my camera battery checked (and pick up a spare one) and buy enough film to last for the trip and beyond. It's a lot easier to buy film at home than go hunting for it when you are on the road. I estimate how much film I think I will need, then add 3-6 more rolls. Even if you swear by your digital camera, make sure you have spare batteries, lots of storage space, and a way to download photos, if necessary. Consider taking a disposable camera as a back up; if you plan to snorkel, take along a waterproof disposable camera.

Travel watches When I travel I leave my good watch at home (see travel safety comfort page), so pick up an inexpensive watch or travel alarm clock before you go, or shop online for travel watches and clocks to save time (no pun intended).

Travel and Volunteer/Teach English Abroad I have a TESL certificate (Teacher of English as a Second Language) and although I have not yet had the opportunity to teach abroad, it's nice to have that option. There are a number of tour operators who offer volunteeer type holidays for you to test your wings.

Share Your Trip Online You can set up a web blog and post entries while you are on the road, as long as you have internet access. (See my travel blog at Snapshot-Travel-Blog; I found it too difficult to find time to post while I was on a recent trip, but you'll get the idea.) Or you can build a family web site fairly inexpensively, and make a new section for each trip. If you love to travel and want to try making a website of your own, see this fast video tour of one good company, especially for neophytes.

Keep a record of Your Trip Travel journals help you remember all the details of your trip, especially photo information. You think you'll never forget your experience, but when you have so many new impressions and details coming at you, it's easy to forget. See travel notebooks, journals ( and more!).

You may also want to have a look at these travel tips pages



Got a question or a tip?

If you have any questions or would like to Comment on any page, please do so here. If you would like to be notified when your comment is online, please include your email name in your Comment.
Add A Comment

Add A Comment

This is a captcha-picture. It is used to prevent mass-access by robots. (see: www.captcha.net)
Code in the picture:
Title:
Your Name(*):
Email:
Notify me of any further comments to this thread:
Website:
Comment(*):