TravelBuzz! - Preparing for Extended Travel (Two Months Away From Home) - Any Tips?

I'll be away from home for over two months, and this will be the longest period of time that I've ever been away out of the country (even domestically). I'm married and my wife will be at home, however I've been making a master list of everything I do on a monthly basis, in particular financial items. Is there a master checklist on Flyertalk of things to do? Any tips from others that have made extended trips? I leave for Beijing on Sunday and will be back August 31st, so I want to make sure that I've done everything that needs to be done.

You might want to register with the US Embassy in Beijing since you'll be there for a couple of months.

Have a safe trip!

1. Make sure your wife is okay with the trip.
2. Make sure you have enough money.
3. www.thatsbeijing.com
4. Make sure you bring double the amount of meds than you'll need.
5. You might want to contact your bank/cc to let them know you'll be there for a few months.
6. Make sure that your accounts have online access.
7. Hire me as a translator. :D

Oh yes, don't forget to wear sunscreen.

You might want to register with the US Embassy in Beijing since you'll be there for a couple of months.
Thanks, did that last week.

1. Make sure your wife is okay with the trip.
2. Make sure you have enough money.
3. www.thatsbeijing.com
4. Make sure you bring double the amount of meds than you'll need.
5. You might want to contact your bank/cc to let them know you'll be there for a few months.
6. Make sure that your accounts have online access.
7. Hire me as a translator. :D
1. Covered that one last year - I'm ten years in, figured that one out 9.99 years ago :)
2. How much RMB and/or U.S. Dollars should I carry in CASH for arrival? Should I load up with 10k to 20k RMB in advance? I'll need to rent an apartment for two months when I arrive.
3. moondog turned me on to that's BJ a few months back - great site!
4. cool - my main one is industrial Deet to ward off the mosquitos!
5. Great tip, I had my ATM card turned off while I was in Prague back in March - they thought it was stolen.
6. I'm 100% online
7. Well, I am there to actually "learn" Mandarin - but if you're in town, I'll buy if you guide :D

If you do the bill paying - be sure to go into online banking and set up "ebill initiated payment" ( thats what B of A calls it anyway). When the ebill hits your checking account the bank automatically pays it before the due date based on parameters that you set up.

Have a great time :)

4. Make sure you bring double the amount of meds than you'll need.
Especially, Viagra/Levita/Cialis. When you see the talent that's available there, you'll want to maximize your efforts. Most of the locally available pharmaceuticals are counterfeit (placebo if you're lucky), so don't get caught short.

Especially, Viagra/Levita/Cialis. When you see the talent that's available there, you'll want to maximize your efforts. Most of the locally available pharmaceuticals are counterfeit (placebo if you're lucky), so don't get caught short.
I won't be purchasing any of that stuff because 1) I'm married and 2) if the wife was there I'm 36 and well.... well I've never purchased any of the above :cool:

I won't be purchasing any of that stuff because 1) I'm married
That's what they all say :p

and 2) I'm 36 and well.... well I've never purchased any of the above :cool
That's the wrong attitude. If you're going through 5 or 6 honeys a day, it's not a sign of weakness, it's a battle aid. Many 18 year olds utilize them.

That's what they all say :p


That's the wrong attitude. If you're going through 5 or 6 honeys a day, it's not a sign of weakness, it's a battle aid. Many 18 year olds utilize them.You obviously don't know Ken.

He'll have a copy of Ann Coulter's new book to keep him occupied on the long nights. :)

You obviously don't know Ken.

He'll have a copy of Ann Coulter's new book to keep him occupied on the long nights. :)


:D :D :D

A more serious suggestion: you might want to let your credit card companies know that you will be in Beijing. We have had a few problems with our account getting flagged for above average use in another country. One company put a hold on our account, which caused a bit of a problem checking into a hotel. Also, if they know your return date, the cc company can watch for additional continuing charges. After traveling in Israel a few years ago, we had a small monthly charge that kept appearing. We never had to pay it but it was a nuisance to call the cc company every month.

You obviously don't know Ken.

He'll have a copy of Ann Coulter's new book to keep him occupied on the long nights. :)
And most likely be on a christian mission :D :D :D :D

Enjoy your travels to Beijing!

My only suggestion.... bring lots of Tang.

Thanks, did that last week.

2. How much RMB and/or U.S. Dollars should I carry in CASH for arrival? Should I load up with 10k to 20k RMB in advance?

It's now 8RMB to 1USD. I'd bring a few hundred USD worth of RMB. Change the rest when you get into town or ATM it.

I'll need to rent an apartment for two months when I arrive.

Try a service apartment. Although more expensive, it has it all.

3. moondog turned me on to that's BJ a few months back - great site!
4. cool - my main one is industrial Deet to ward off the mosquitos!

I meant Immodium/Pepto Tablets/Cipro, double whatever you think you need. Also I'd look into any OTC things you use at home.

5. Great tip, I had my ATM card turned off while I was in Prague back in March - they thought it was stolen.

Glad to help.

6. I'm 100% online

7. Well, I am there to actually "learn" Mandarin - but if you're in town, I'll buy if you guide :D

Good Luck. It's a great language, but honestly it will take MUCH longer than 2 months to learn.

You obviously don't know Ken.

He'll have a copy of Ann Coulter's new book to keep him occupied on the long nights. :)
Dude, I'm laughing with tears in my eyes :D Tears from what you said, and tears thinking of hooking up with Ann Coulter :eek: :D

if they know your return date, the cc company can watch for additional continuing charges. Thanks, I didn't think about that one.

Regarding medications, I have found that in many Asian countries you can't just walk into a store and buy the over-the-counter medications that we (Americans) are used to. If you like Nyquil, bring along Nyquil (gel tabs are easier to carry). "Baby" (81 mg) aspirin doesn't seem to exist over there. Cold-Eeze - never heard of it. (I almost always catch a cold a some point in my Asian trips - too much hot weather + frigid aircon.) On the other hand, local drugstore pharmacies will often have medications which are readily available there but prescription-only in the US.

I picked up a RX for Ciprofloxacin and 800mg Motrin (I'm not on any meds). Then I have my usual road backup items like Theraflu, Pepto, bandages, hand sanitizer, etc.

My only suggestion.... bring lots of Tang. My Mandarin professor told us a lot of funny stories about Tang :)

Dude, I'm laughing with tears in my eyes :D Tears from what you said, and tears thinking of hooking up with Ann Coulter :eek: :D

I know one guy that's "been there, done that" with Ann ("the Man in Drag") Coulter. He explains a large part of her hate for certain ethnic and religious minorities -- especially as she was not to his long-term liking. ;) At least you won't be seeing her a lot around China, unless she's gotten off the horse in search of trust fund babies, not many of which are to be found in China.

A couple hundred dollars and an ATM card is more than sufficient to start things off. A two month trip or two day trip won't much phase, especially when all the bills and routine maintenance are arranged for.

1) Leave your itinerary and contact info not only with your wife, but with a couple other interested parties -- parents, siblings, friends...
2) I always bring a small bottle of iodine water purifying tablets (avail at camping or most sporting good stores), doesn't take up any room and it's handy if I'd super-thirsty and all that's available is sketchy tap water.
3) Buy a quad-band phone. It's very comforting to know that, wherever in the world I am, anyone who needs to reach me can just call my regular cell phone number like usual, and reach me on the other side of the world.
4) Have a great time!! You're going to have an experience that very few people get to have! Try the chicken feet, speak to people who don't know a word of English, do (legal) things you can't do at home.

No chance you can run back to see your family for a long weekend? Or fly them over? 2 months is a long time.

...2 months is a long time.

Especially for a 36-year-old guy.

No chance you can run back to see your family for a long weekend? Or fly them over? 2 months is a long time.
Maybe during the short break after the midterm exam. However, the fares are sky-high right now during that time (~$1500) and we're holding on to the miles for big trip we're planning in the winter. My wife and I are fine. I think people that may have other underlying challenges in their relationship, or have never really spent any time apart, may have trouble with 9 weeks, but we're good. :)

We planned this trip over a year ago when I decided to go back to school and focus my studies on East Asia. After spending two weeks in Asia last August, my wife decided that she didn't want to spend the two hottest months of the year in China.

Heck, I think there will be about a gazillion different people visiting NYC and staying with my wife while I'm gone including her sister, my sister, her niece, nephew, cousin, former college roommate and best friend from high school.

Sancha "quad band phone"
Thanks - I have a phone that works in China, I'm just going to purchase a pre-paid SIM card. We have a phone plan for calling China, so the connection is pretty good. We're Sprint/Nextel users, and I'm not particularly fond of their int'l calling plan, and I'm not willing to change providers and break a contract for a single trip.

Registering with the US embassy is the most useless suggestion that I have seen above.

One thing u might look into is suspending your car insurance in the U.S. My insurance company allows doing so if for longer than 30 days out, and there are some coverages they can reduce but not totally eliminate. Saves me about $80 per 2 months, but would be a lot more if I had collision or lived in a higher rate area. Truth to tell, they don't really want to do it, but they don't cover anything outside the U.S. and Canada even if I did rent a car, and I've got better things to do with the $80.

Thanks - I have a phone that works in China, I'm just going to purchase a pre-paid SIM card. We have a phone plan for calling China, so the connection is pretty good. We're Sprint/Nextel users, and I'm not particularly fond of their int'l calling plan, and I'm not willing to change providers and break a contract for a single trip.

You might get better value from giving your loved ones pre paid or rechargeable calling card to call you on (my family contacts me on my local mobile number in Fiji using one of these).

Also, colleagues who've recently worked in China report free WiFi in the hotels they've stayed in so think Skype!

Other than that, the extended trip is all about the kind of common sense you probably already exercise on shorter trips. With the possible exception of the clothes you like, you can usually buy just about everything else wherever you happen to be (unless you are in the arse end of nowhere and China could hardly be descried as that). So, hope for the best and prepare for hell :).

It's an over-generalisation, but in my experience men to under-think the packing issue for trips. If you read women's discussion threads about travel preparation, you will often note that they start planning, getting advice, shopping and packing far in advance of the trip. Men wake up 2 hours before their flight, grab the clean stuff, shove it in a suitcase and hope for the best.

If you're leaving on Sunday, spend some time today (Friday) assembling the relevant stuff, checking that it's clean and in good repair, evaluating each item's usefulness, packing everything (and I mean absolutely everything you will be taking), and then trying to move the suitcase. Watch out in particular for heavy shoes (especially those that only go with one or a few wardrobe items); light colours (get dirty easy), clothes that only look nice when just cleaned/just put on (e.g. crisp black, linen trousers will look rumply and linty quickly); clothes that are hard or expensive to clean (e.g. dry-clean only); heavy/bulky clothing (e.g. more than one pair of jeans, heavy cotton sweater instead of lightweight polar fleece); and separates (shirts, jackets or trousers) that only work with one or a few items in your wardrobe. It probably will be quite humid, so you'll want to have enough lightweight shirts that you can go through at least 2 per day for 5 days, unless you've got very easy access to laundry. And while you're at it, pack an extra stick of deodorant.

You might have limited access to the internet, so you might want to buy a portable storage device or two and download relevant files and email addresses, including travel e-tickets, hotel bookings, etc.

It's an over-generalisation, but in my experience men to under-think the packing issue for trips. If you read women's discussion threads about travel preparation, you will often note that they start planning, getting advice, shopping and packing far in advance of the trip. Men wake up 2 hours before their flight, grab the clean stuff, shove it in a suitcase and hope for the best.

If you're leaving on Sunday, spend some time today (Friday) assembling the relevant stuff, checking that it's clean and in good repair, evaluating each item's usefulness, packing everything (and I mean absolutely everything you will be taking), and then trying to move the suitcase. You should do this today, so that you have time to clean or repair items - or buy something if you have to. Watch out in particular for heavy shoes (especially those that only go with one or a few wardrobe items); light colours (get dirty easy), clothes that only look nice when just cleaned/just put on (e.g. crisp black, linen trousers will look rumply and linty quickly); clothes that are hard or expensive to clean (e.g. dry-clean only); heavy/bulky clothing (e.g. more than one pair of jeans, heavy cotton sweater instead of lightweight polar fleece); and separates (shirts, jackets or trousers) that only work with one or a few items in your wardrobe. It probably will be quite humid, so you'll want to have enough lightweight shirts that you can go through at least 2 per day for 5 days, unless you've got very easy access to laundry. And while you're at it, pack an extra stick of deodorant.

You might have limited access to the internet, so you might want to buy a portable storage device or two and download relevant files and email addresses, including travel e-tickets, hotel bookings, etc.

Ive had two two-monthish trips overseas, and I think the most important thing, for me at least, was just to settle my finance-related issues first. After that, everything else is easy. I typically (for any trip) prepay rent and any bills I can, call the bank/cc company, order some currency to get me started, buy the fam some phone cards, leave all my info and travel plans with people, copy my cc/ passport and give copy to roommate and put one in bag, then pack toiletries. I also usually use trip planning as an excuse to buy new memory cards,cameras, jackets, jeans etc. Don't know how big you are, but you might not want to plan on buying clothes over there. That was my plan first time to Japan, and it didn't work out so well. Also, do not try to put puppies or kittens in your checked baggage. Just saying.

Maybe during the short break after the midterm exam.
Sancha "quad band phone"
Thanks - I have a phone that works in China, I'm just going to purchase a pre-paid SIM card. We have a phone plan for calling China, so the connection is pretty good. We're Sprint/Nextel users, and I'm not particularly fond of their int'l calling plan, and I'm not willing to change providers and break a contract for a single trip.

I'd suggest taking a VoIP router if you can. Its very convenient and
works great if you have an ethernet connection in the apartment/hotel.

Buying a local SIM is also a good idea. Just dont buy it at the airport though
its overpriced.

I think if you buy Air tickets locally from there, you may be able to get
something much cheaper for a weekend trip home.

Ken, at least you know you're going to be there a long time. That's a step ahead of me when my last trip was extended from one week to 4.5 in total --- all with four days of clothes!

I'm heading back to PVG myself this weekend and am bringing more clothes this time.

Regardign money, ATMs are everywhere in PEK and I've not had an issue using my Bank of America card over there. I find this far preferable to carryin-around large amounts of cash. I would arrive with approximately $100 in local currenty (around 800 RMB) and no more.

[QUOTE=Kate_Canuck]
Watch out in particular for heavy shoes (especially those that only go with one or a few wardrobe items); QUOTE]

Which ones are those? I've got 1 week left out of two months in China and hadn't realised I needed more than one pair of shoes :D

I meant Immodium/Pepto Tablets/Cipro, double whatever you think you need. Also I'd look into any OTC things you use at home. When you get a tummy thing, ask for "Po Chai" pills. They are an herbal remedy that knocks out stomach stuff fast.