I never really compiled the pointers I shared along our three month journey to (and into!) Yucatan. If you are planning on traveling with your family, here is a very good start for your long 'to do' list. The trick is to start planning at least 8 months before departure, and budget for ALL expenses involved. It will seem like a lot to do, but if it all flows nicely over a few months - your prep work will pay off with peace of mind and more enjoyment while you're away.
-Research your destination thoroughly : main airports, average flight cost, different types of accommodations, language, food, currency and pricing, banking, schools, transportation, main attractions in the vicinity, etc.
-If you intend to sub-let your residence while you are away : do you need to fix-it up or renovate? How much is it worth for rental? (see sabatical.com, or vrbo.com) Will you need to hire a maintenance service for the renters, snow removal, etc.
-Get everyone to the dentist, and to the doctor for vaccinations - about 2 to 3 months prior to departure. This step might have a pretty price tag for the whole family... one expense I did not plan for. Ouch!
-Insurance : Look for decent health and travel insurance, and if you intend to drive, look into liability insurance too (chiching!).
-When shopping for your flights (I used Kayak.com), make sure to look into the luggage policy. Many charge extra for check-in luggage. I recommend to bring one suitcase for every two persons, and plan on coming back with one each. Note that a suitcase exceeding the maximum weight will cost you much more than checking in an extra suitcase. Also assess what you can buy once at destination, and discard or give away before you return (things like a cooler, soccer ball, life jacket, beach towels, and basic toilet items, etc).
-In light of all the info and pricing above, make your itinerary, set your departure date, and make a complete budget.
-Prepare a will, and a living will to the best of your ability- even if it is not notarised. Bring one copy with you, and leave one copy with your main contact at home.
-Make sure that all passports and health cards are valid for the entire duration of the trip. Join a copy of all these documents to the will papers, and copies of your insurance info - all for your main contact at home.
-If you intend to home school, arrange for a couple of meetings with the teachers at least 3 months prior to departure. Ask to borrow the essential books (be careful to not take too much...some teachers may get carried away). Look for a small and cheap printer (or buy it on location) so that you can print assigned homework or various exercises, and have a camera or iPhone to take a low resolution picture of the completed homework- which you email back to the teacher. I recommend to allow for 2 small school shifts per day (90 minutes per shift), and BE CONSISTANT with your school schedule (make weekly plans for a varied program - including sports and Arts). Plan for possibly hiring a tutor to help with the re-integration after you return home.
-If you intend to drive while you're away, try to produce one or two colour and laminated photocopies of your driver's license. I know I know... but it might save you some good bribing money! And on the topic of driving... for convenience and comfort, consider buying a roof bag like this one : http://roofbag.com/
-Set-up your banking so that you have one main bank account, and one back-up bank account. You may use your bank card abroad instead of buying the currency before you leave. Most banks will charge you a $3 flat fee for each withdrwal, and calculate the going exchange rate of the day. However beware of President's Choice banking... they also charge a hefty percentage of each withdrawal! Notify your bank and credit card company of your destination and timing - otherwise they will block your accounts.
-Get Skipe, or any other cheap online long distance deal. It cost us about $3 per month for unlimited calls from Mexico to Canada via Skype. And make sure that you have an updated list of phone numbers, emails, and addresses for postcards.
-DO NOT bring your iPhone !!! You will get skinned alive with insane roaming fees... and I do mean insane. Instead, buy a cell phone there, or use your computer to communicate.
-Bring one or two USB keys to store computer information, or to send and receive documents and photos from an internet cafe. If you don't have internet where you will be living, you can organise everything in files, and just go to town and connect to proceed - send what you wan, etc.
-Pack a basic first aid kit, a couple of bungie cords with a dozen clothes pins, a deck of cards or other small games, load your audio device with a good selection of music, and you're good to go!
-Make plans to manage everyone's well being for at least 3 to 4 weeks post return. Some people get a little depressed, or overwhelmed with the change of pace, etc. Pamper yourself a little, and engage in regular activities (like the gym!)
I hope this is helpful... and to finish off this post my main advice here is simply... GO FOR IT !!!
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