Dream Trip To Yukon and Alaska By Road, To Anywhere Else By Any Means At All

EZ Guide to Trip Planning and Pinning Down Costs...

My planning list always has five sections:

• touring,
• eating,
• transportation,
• lodging, and
• life’s necessities.

"Life's necessities" include access to money, what-to-do’s for a lost credit card or if I fall ill, emergency phone #s, and plans for other less-than-happy things that are much easier to deal with at home than on the road in strange (to me) places.

I begin the list by writing down in each category the three worst things that could go wrong.

That starts a process inevitably producing a list of things that must be done correctly and, roughly speaking, the order in which to do them – such as hotel reservations, tour books, car rentals, plus one - and only one - top-ten list of things I'll want to do on the trip.

I write in a “Do It By” date for finishing each item; even if the deadline slips, at least I know where I stand.

Then I do what the list tells me. Along the way, no matter how well I know my destination, I’ll spend serious time on the web searching out up-to-date info.

And, I’ll always buy up-to-date maps and one good tour book.

I’ll also make sure I have (or buy before I leave) at least some local currency.

Too often, I’ve arrived at night at smaller airports, after currency exchanges are closed, thinking I’ll get by with US currency or my credit card. Alas, when you least expect it, only local cash will do.

Speaking of debit and credit cards, call your card issuer a week before you leave and tell them you’ll be using your card in unusual places.

Verify whether there’s a daily transaction limit (more often than not, even with American Express, there is). Insist it be raised to allow for covering the cost of things that might go wrong.

Finally, not. in your wallet or purse, have the right phone numbers written down for reporting a lost or stolen card.