One Week Countdown - What Do I Need to Do?

Set up travel alerts for your bank account. I made this mistake on my first solo trip in Panama. I didn't set up travel alerts for my debit card. When I went to withdraw cash from an ATM, I was rejected and unable to withdraw any money my entire six week stay in Bocas del Toro. I ended up just getting a job down there and I made it work. But, save yourself the trouble and set up a travel advisory. All you have to do is go into your bank and notify them how long you will be gone, and where you will be traveling to. 

Switch to international phone plan​. This is the first time I will have set up an international phone plan before my departure. If you aren't interested in paying a bit extra, I would just stick to messaging and video/audio calls over WiFi. The platforms that I most utilize are Apple's Facetime audio/video and iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook's Messenger and audio/video calls. 

Withdraw cash. In order to exchange on-site, you will need to have cash on hand. Withdraw cash. 

Tip: If any of your bills are particular crinkled, bent, or have a rip of them, your money might not be taken. So when withdrawing cash, you need to inspect every bill to make sure they are perfectly crisp. Otherwise, there is a chance you won't be able to use them. 

Pay bills. Honestly, if you can pay some of your bills ahead of time, that's just one less thing you have to worry about when you're away. 

Clean out fridge. Although this isn't a "must-do", you will thank yourself when you come home to a clean fridge. Otherwise, you will find some gross surprises of leftover and/or spoiled food that you forgot about. 

Print out all travel documents. Save yourself the trouble of relying on your memory and/or your electronic devices. Print out all documents you need for your trip, flights/accommodation/directions. 

Send a copy of travel information/documents to your homebase. ​Someone needs to know of your whereabouts. Make sure they have all necessary documents before you take off. 

Do laundry. Obviously, in order to pack, you have to do laundry. 

Upload all pictures from all devices (GoPro/cell phone), then wipe out
the memory. Without cleaning out your devices, you might run out of storage during your trip and be forced to start deleting things as you go. Save yourself the hassle and just wipe it out ahead of time. 

Pack. You need to pack. Take your time. If you try to do this the night before, you will probably forget something. I spend almost an entire week thinking about what I'm going to bring and packing slowly.

Tip: Write down everything you put into a bag--- to ensure you don't have to unpack just to double-check that you've already packed something. 

Start wearing your safety equipment. If you plan on using any safety equipment on your trip, I suggest you acclimate yourself. to it before you takeoff. I use a safety alarm, a PacSafe purse, and a money belt. A few days leading up to my trip, I switch over my purse, wear my money belt, and get used to wearing my safety alarm. If you get used to using them before you leave, that's just one less thing you need to think about or worry about when you're on the road. And you are much less likely to make a mistake with securing valuables if you're comfortable with the equipment you're using. 

Every trip is different. Some things are most pressing than others. But hopefully this at least provides you with a starting base to prepare for your trip.