Plan AheadAirfare, hotel accommodation and car hire can be the holy trinity of travel preparation, but nailing these aspects of your vacation is just the beginning of the travel planning process. If you want to achieve a smooth trip without headaches (and who does not?), Taking care of essential tasks such as research activities at your destination, manage your finances and get your house in order is key. Do not leave home without carrying the next 10 tasks! 

Contact the kennel and / or House Sitter 

Once you have a travel date, your first step should be to contact your pet kennel or house sitter (or any other reliable service) to ensure availability. You may even want to take care of this before booking; as a reader E. B. Hughes writes: "I had to pay change fees twice since we got our dog just because the local pound, was packed for one night of my trip." 

Care of orders "Stop" and advances 

Once your travel is booked, you should look at the placement of orders "stop" at any delivery or services that occur regularly. These may include mail, newspapers, house cleaners and the like. If individuals want to continue (such as gardening) services consider paying in advance if this is not your usual arrangement. 

Many service providers allow you to place stop orders online; this is particularly the case for mail delivery and most newspapers. Like most of the stop orders requiring notice one or two business days, make sure you take care of this at least three days prior to travel. 

How do you prepare for a trip? 

Manage your cash flow 

If you're traveling in the country, be sure to hit your own bank before leaving for the trip; that way you do not get short on cash and you need to immediately seek an ATM. Plus, you save on ATM fees on machines run by someone other than your own bank. These charges cost Americans billions of dollars annually, and can be exorbitant if you are forced to use the airports or convenience store machines. Go to the website of your bank and draw any ATM locations available near your destination so you are not forced to use the equipment of the other banks. 

Interactive Packing List 

If you are traveling abroad, the cheapest option is to visit an ATM as soon as you arrive at your destination and make a withdrawal in local currency. Visit the website of the airport where you arrive to make sure that you have an ATM you can use. Most international airports have several, but if you are flying to a smaller airport in a developing country, there is no guarantee that there will be (or will work correctly). In these cases, you may want to purchase some local currency soon. For details, see ATMs abroad. 

Call your bank or credit card company and let them know your travel plans. Most banks and credit card companies track spending patterns and may play a unexpected overseas purchase as credit card fraud. Your bank or credit card company may block your account if you use your card in another country without notifying them. 

Plan Your First Day 

Plan Your First Day 

The first day of your trip is often lost to logistics and unfamiliar surroundings. First you have to drag yourself and your stuff to a place of rest. Then you have to figure out exactly where you are, what attractions are nearby and the best use of your limited time. Planning ahead will help you make the most of that first confusing day. 

You may want to sketch out a walk near his excavations, which can help you get oriented and get rid of travel fatigue and jet lag. Also, check out the nearby facilities - such as a nearby rooftop lounge, a balcony overlooking a heated election or for maximum chill-out at the end of a harried day trip. 

10 Things to do in the first 24 hours of your trip 

Plan your first unit 

Similarly, if you will be driving during your trip, it may be worthwhile to trace the first route ahead of time. Some car rental companies offer GPS units, but not always in English and can not be in good condition. Find out how to get where you are going in an unknown location in a map of a page choked with advertising is another way of risking more than his late; you could end up driving around with the doord locked and windows sealed in a neighborhood that is anything but Tourist- or strange environment. Outlining his first album as if plotting an escape route will save you time and anxiety in those first hours of stress from your journey. 

Pack the handsfree 

While we're talking about driving, there is a modern element that has become an essential element of packaging: the cell phone headset or other Bluetooth device that allows you to keep both hands on the wheel (without a phone wedged between neck and shoulder). Local laws governing cell phone use while driving vary considerably, sometimes from one municipality to another. Pack your hands-free device in your hand luggage bag and will not be found on the side of the road with a siren red spinning in his rearview mirror. 

Do a Web search for your hobbies to your destination 

You never know where to find the "best" in any given company; for example, two of the best guitar shops in the world can be found in Staten Island, New York, and Carlsbad, California Who knew? Melbourne, Australia, is known for its rich coffee culture, and Udaipur offers cycling enthusiasts spectacular trails to explore rural India. Do a little research and you may be pleasantly surprised by what you find at your destination. 

Check public transit maps on the Web 

On a recent trip to Seattle, a quick web search on public transportation produced two very valuable pieces of information: 1) the public monorail system was not working, and 2) the downtown bus system was free for all length of the city center. It is no wonder Seattle, it rained all weekend, and the buses was very useful for short trips of a couple of blocks, so that you would not want to drive but also want to slog through the rain. 

A little research online before you leave also allow you to check prices, print transit maps and plan your itinerary. 

Entertainment Check local listings 

Most cities and towns, even medium have some sort of weekly entertainment rag like Time Out New York, Time Out London or even entertaining entries into Montgomery Township, PA. 

These are excellent sources of entertainment  listings, reviews, lists of "best of" the city and more. It is best to check these from home, because then you can buy tickets in advance if necessary, make restaurant reservations, etc. 

Check the weather 

Time is the most likely factor that affects your trip positively or negatively, and one of the things that many others take for granted. Of course it's going to be hot in Spain in the spring - but there are always exceptions to the prevailing weather patteren , especially during times of transition. A forecast can guide your packaging strategy, and failure to check the time to unsuspecting, unhappy and very soggy travelers may result