Benefits of Being Prepared

Your personal organizational habits may be an indicator as to how easy it will be to get out of town in a hurry. A last minute vacation or getaway can be as simple as grabbing a map, a weekend duffle bag, and hopping into the car, or as complex as self-booking transcontinental flights, arranging ground travel and accommodations in a variety of European cities. But even the latter can be smooth sailing when you have some factors already in place.

Leaving your residence for more than a day means you need to make arrangements to care for pets, even cats. If you are fortunate enough to have a trusted neighbor who already has a key and knows the routine, you’re set. However, many pet owners need to plan otherwise. Yes, most kennels will have a spot for you in a jiffy, if you’re not leaving town on one of the busiest holidays, but already having one scoped out would be even more productive. Ask friends and business associates to recommend the kennel they use and drop by to ask questions. Know their busiest seasons and how much advance notice they need to board your pet. Also, they will certainly require that immunization and vaccination records be recent. Keeping up with your pet’s vet visits is part of being prepared for that unexpected trip. Pet sitting businesses are convenient ways to attend to your pets’ needs without the undue stress of kennels, transporting, etc. Though, slightly more expensive than most kennels, pet sitters make regularly scheduled daily visits to your home. They feed, dogwalk, and play with your pets. A business such as this might be an appropriate choice with some pre-planning and many cities have a host to choose from. Most pet sitters require an initial visit to familiarize themselves with your pets and home. Some will expect to see updated records of vaccinations and immunizations as well. A benefit, too, of using a pet sitter is that most are willing to bring in mail, turn lights on and off, and water plants. Being familiar with one of these services and already having their number added to your cellphone contacts will be a few less steps you need to take when booking flights and checking hotel availability. If you choose to, you can even give them a key upfront for them to file. Ask your veterinarian ahead of time to recommend one of these convenient services. Make sure you get a number of customer testimonials, know how long they have been in business and if they are insured.

Planning for a last minute vacation outside US borders means you need a passport. Though some websites and services “promise” to deliver rush passports, you might not want to risk the chance you won’t have it the day your flight to Paris is scheduled to depart. Often you can get one legitimately within a couple of weeks. But anyone who thinks they might be in a position to plan in a hurry would be wise to already have a passport(s) on hand. Also, have birth certificates and current identification. The savvy traveler will also keep backup copies of these important documents, perhaps in the hands of a trusted family member or friend.