RTW Trip with 2 adults and 2 children

[Shanye2233]

So I'm leaving in under a week now and im sort of trying to make sure I'm not forgetting anything . So I searched for something similar to a check list but couldn't find one so I thought I would I ask .
Having never been overseas it's hard to prepare because I don't know what to expect . I'm goin mainly to Europe and the united states so I know one thing is for sure I need money. With the recent decline of our dollar it hasn't made life easier so I lodged a application for a 28 degrees credit card with a $2,000 so I top it up and that should help . I also cchanged a few thou into euro to have some cash just in case.

I have packed clothes for all nappies iPads cameras . Imnot sure if I'm allowed to take perfumes or bathroom amenities . But I was reading some of the flights provide this so I left it out. I have passports our tickets I have a few screen shots of the areas we are going in case we get lost .printed out hotel reservations and a intinrary . I have travel adaptor charges for Europe and the states , aam I missin something ? I have y drivers licence a few cc just in case. All our bags have tsa locks on them . I'm even taking a booster seat or my 4yr old stuff paying $400 for two seats .
I think I have covered everything but because it's my first ttime I thought someonew
Has beenany times has learn a few extra things they found handy to take .

Thank you for all your help

 

[Mwenenzi]

Make a pdf of ALL your documents:, passport, tickets, travel insurance, hotel reservations:- the lot and email these to yourself at an email account you can access anywhere. Like gmail or hotmail.

Do not rely on your ipads or phone for web access. Turn off global roaming. Communication costs can be horrendous if your are not careful or checked what you may be liable for. Phone cards can be cheap.

Type up a list of phone numbers (including country & area code) that you may need:- family, bank, hotels, airlines, insurance, work, doctor, lawyer

If you have something very valuable or that has sentimental value leave it at home. If you would regret something being lost or stolen do not take it.

Large & heavy bags you will soon regret. I traveled the world for 5 years with 10 kgs (was far too much weight)


We expect a trip report every few days
Enjoy the trip

 

[Stephen65]

I hope you are taking more than one credit card. I take three, each from a different issuer, along with a hidden stash of cash.

 

[Shanye2233]

Valuable information thanks. I have activate global roaming on my phone but turned off 3G . I will buy pre paid where ever we go. I have no doctors or lawyers phone number so maybe I should look into having. All the hotel and car reservations are accessible by Internet . I'm travelling with two carry on and two checked Baggage plus stroller .obivously the iPads and camera I don't want to lose but can't go without them.
Im takin some cash I brought one of those hidden money belts and the 28 degrees credit card and my visa platinum.france is my first stop so if I can get thru that then the rest should be a piece of cake. I'm more worried about Europe and communicating to people .

Am I allowed to take liquid or Panadol on board or checked in baggage ?

 

[Mwenenzi]

. All the hotel and car reservations are accessible by Internet...

You need to be able access them easily without your Ipad. Do not trust or rely on 1 device
Need to know the booking reference numbers, passwords, etc

pdf maps / transit info is good to have. Public transport in Eu cities can get you most places

Regularly down load photos and email them to yourself. Just assume your camera and/or memory card will not be with you at the end. A cousin of mine lost her 1st camera memory card. Has the 2nd card but the 1st is still in Eu.

Always watch your bags/phone/camera/etc: its easy to get distracted and and then they go for "walk" !

And finally always have a pen and small note book read available: at times you need to write stuff down. Not a good idea to start searching in a small back pack for a bit of paper / pen.

==
France is good. Its just the french that are @@!@.
And then there are the French - Italian drivers.

 

[dejium]

Agree with all the other suggestions.

If you have time, get all your reservations into TripIt. There's apps for Android and iDevices which sync up to the website, meaning you don't need a data connection to view them on the road. It can auto import from your email too to save a heap of data entry.

Might not be a good idea to rely on it for your first o/s trip, but give it a go and just use your paper versions as a back up. I've been able to get away with just using the app for several trips in the last couple of years, which has saved carrying stack of paper everywhere.

Best of luck, and have a great trip!

 

[Shanye2233]

I have signed up to something I have my flights on my iPad calendar it maybe tripit. Why do I need all this paper and pen for. I have the reservations online and screen shots !

 

[robd]

Have you phoned your bank/credit card providers and told them that your going o/s?

Registered with DFAT?

I usually take a double adapter to use with the travel adaptor (we always seem to need charge our devices at the same time).

Remember these before you walk out the door: PASSPORTS, TICKETS, MONEY.


Bon Voyage.

 

[Shanye2233]

DFAT ? No idea what that is I haven't called Citibank I will thank you .I have notified the 28 degree I'm travelling to these countries

 

[Mwenenzi]

I have signed up to something I have my flights on my iPad calendar it maybe tripit. Why do I need all this paper and pen for. I have the reservations online and screen shots !

Ipad's do not work if the battery is flat or if the iPad is stolen.
Do not rely on 1 device. Technology is great until it fails.

 

[robd]

DFAT ? No idea what that is I haven't called Citibank I will thank you .I have notified the 28 degree I'm travelling to these countries

DFAT - Smartraveller: The Australian Government's travel advisory and consular assistance service | Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - It's all on the website.

 

[Deewhy]

My tips:
- don't pack valuable items in your suitcase, keep them in your carryons
- pack a change of clothes, enough (and snacks?) in your carry ons esp for the little ones, for those mishaps, delays and event of lost baggage. Will keep you happy i can tell you. Learned a lesson not having a change of clothes on us with a travel sick child...
- prep your kids for the customs searches ESP for the potential pat downs in the US.
- leave a a printed copy of your itinerary and phone/email address inside your cases, just in case the airline loses it
- oh, did you get your USA Esta?
- and yes, you can take panadol as long as it is 100ml or less. There are 100ml size bottles.

 

[Maca44]

Valuable information thanks. I have activate global roaming on my phone but turned off 3G . I will buy pre paid where ever we go.

Forget 3G, DO NOT activate global roaming, or if you have, turn if off. It will cost you heaps to make/receive calls. Even if you intend buying a prepaid sim card for your own phone, you still don't need global roaming. Don't even ask about data downloads on your phone. If you are going to Canada you will find it difficult to buy a sim card (all want you on a plan), but in the USA just buy a new phone from one of the larger department stores with say 300mins of air time, it works out a lot cheaper then just notify your friends of the new number.

As mentioned, photocopy all of your travel documents and your credit cards and leave it with your parents/relatives etc at home. If you lose documents/cards etc , they can email the record of your travel document to you which will assist. This is more or less repeating what Mwenenzi said above, but heed his advice (or warning).

 

[Saji]

Take a copy of all your documents and just email it to yourself. Thats way you can access it anywhere where you can access an internet.

Keep a stash of US Dollars with you all times...there are many countries who do not accept AUDs. USD is accepted almost everywhere. make sure you have a few $20.00 bills for emergency exchnages. That way you dont have to change big amounts wher the forex rates are bad.

Kids medicines are allowed to be taken on board..

and also... ENJOY your trip overseas...nothing else is more important.

 

[Shanye2233]

My tips:
- don't pack valuable items in your suitcase, keep them in your carryons
- pack a change of clothes, enough (and snacks?) in your carry ons esp for the little ones, for those mishaps, delays and event of lost baggage. Will keep you happy i can tell you. Learned a lesson not having a change of clothes on us with a travel sick child...
- prep your kids for the customs searches ESP for the potential pat downs in the US.
- leave a a printed copy of your itinerary and phone/email address inside your cases, just in case the airline loses it
- oh, did you get your USA Esta?
- and yes, you can take panadol as long as it is 100ml or less. There are 100ml size bottles.

Now what is US esta ? I will take a change of clothes for kids on carry on luggage thank you. I think we in first/business most of the way so snacks should be covered I hope . We are going SYD-BKK-CAI-CDG-ZAG-FRA-YYZ-LAX-NRT-AKL-SYD.
I will photocopy everything hotels car rental and star alliance intinerary .

I have already called Telstra and told them to activate global roaming and they explained to me how to turn it off. Maybe it's a risk they could tell me I downloaded info without my knowledge I.e updates , etc . I might give them a call and explain to them I don't want the global roaming. I also found out that you have to unlock your phone (if your in a contract) to allow foreign sim cards.

 

[TraceyK90]

I travel with our three little ones and have found a bag of goodies to keep them entertained is a good idea. We take magnetic play sets, lapser explorers with headphones, these can also be used with the aircraft entertainment system and are noise moderated, ie the kids can't turn them up to ear blast level. iPad, with lots of apps and movies, the kids usually find something to watch (like our Miss 3, who watched the smurfs five times one flight, but hey it kept he quiet), snacks, musli bars, crackers, vegemite...lollies, coloring in books, stickers. Sometimes some airlines give out activity packs but these are in limited quantities and I wouldn't rely on them.

Spare clothes in your carry on. Make sure when you sit down that you locate the spew bag, when a three year old says mum I feel sick, the appropriate thing is grab the bag, don't say no you don't! Pack the kids nappies in a couple of bags incase one goes missing. We also pack so if one bag goes missing, onne person isn't left with no clothes!

Good luck with citibank, the last three trips I've had, they have suspended my card while on the trip, due to suspect transactions - despite having notified them of my plans, hhhmmmmm yes strange I would have a us truncation given I am here!

 

[TraceyK90]

An ESTA is the visa you need for the us entry. It costs about 15 dollars and is valid for a year or maybe two. You need to do it before you arrive! Make sure you use the official website, others charge extra. The link is below.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

 

[TraceyK90]

Also split the money and cards up between the two of you. Decide on who does what at airports etc, eg I have child control and hubster has luggage duty. Have a plan if you get separated or if you loose a kid (also prep the kids for what to do if they get lost, unlikely your little one will but the older one has potential. We tell ours if they can't find a policeman find a mum with kids).
We also have one on duty on the plane while the other rests. Travel with kids is stressful, if hubster sees me getting stressed he steps in and vise versa. Kids usually find the plane exciting, look I get a seat with a tv in it, a nice lady comes around and gives me food, mum is letting me drink coke, windows are great for them.

Enjoy it

 

[Sequel]

Lots of little snacks for the kids packed in your carry on. If you take what you know they will eat, there wont be the risk that there is nothing to their tastes on offer. They also act as a great distraction.

F/J is great for adults, but I find the kids still need lots of little simple snacks rather than some blue cheese and imported biscuits every 4 hours.

Sent from my MB526 using AustFreqFly

 

[serfty]

I always travel with printed copies of all reservations documents. You might not always have access to the internet when checking in to a hotel/flight/tour and if things are different to what you expected you may need this as back up. I'm running at about 40:1 on this.

ESTA are travel authorities for the US and are linked to your passports - they cost USD14 each, are valid for 2 years and each member of your party must have one, regardless of age, prior to traveling to the United States.

You will not even be able to check-in for a flight to the USA if you don't have them.