Printable Checklists and Planner Pages

From the book Go Well: A Summer Field Guide for Graduates and College Students · Updated October 2026

Every appendix from Go Well, ready to print.

Appendix A: The Master Summer Checklist

The full countdown is in Chapter Twelve. Here it is again on its own, for printing.

6 months out

☐ Region, dates, and trip length chosen
☐ Passport checked; applied or renewed if needed. Choose Well’s rule, six months beyond your return, is still the safe default for any trip. Chapter Three and Appendix D show the actual rule for each destination in this book
☐ Trip budget and monthly savings goal set
☐ Named travel savings account opened
☐ Group Trip Agreement signed (if traveling with friends)

3–4 months out

☐ Long-haul flight booked
☐ Travel insurance bought (medical, evacuation, cancellation; named-storm rule checked)
☐ First and last nights booked
☐ Timed tickets booked for must-see sights
☐ Festival-night rooms booked, if relevant

1–2 months out

☐ Remaining housing booked (Rental Scam Screen passed)
☐ Train tickets priced against a pass; if a pass wins, bought 30+ days ahead and seats reserved
☐ Ferries and short flights booked, with the right bags
☐ Doctor or travel clinic visit done; medications checked against each country’s rules
☐ International Driving Permit, if driving
☐ Entry rules checked again, including ETIAS

2–4 weeks out

☐ STEP enrollment done; emergency numbers saved
☐ Phone plan or eSIM set up
☐ Bank notified; no-fee card and backup card ready
☐ Documents backed up (cloud and paper); two spare passport photos packed
☐ Pre-arrival forms completed on official sites
☐ Offline maps and bookings saved

Final 48 hours

☐ Checked in; weather and storms checked
☐ Packed (Appendix B), medications in carry-on
☐ A little local cash or a first-ATM plan, plus about $200 in U.S. dollars for emergencies, kept separate from your wallet
☐ Final itinerary shared with someone at home
☐ Everything charged

On the plane

☐ Passport, phone, cards, and medications in your personal item
☐ Address of your first night saved offline, in the local language
☐ Water bottle (empty through security), snacks, headphones
☐ Sleep, hydrate, and set your watch to local time

The world is wide. Go well.

Appendix B: Summer Packing Lists

Carry-on rule: if your route includes European budget flights, measure your bag. Many fares include only a small under-seat bag, such as 40 x 30 x 20 cm (about 16 x 12 x 8 inches) on Vueling (Vueling).

The core list (every region)

Documents (in one waterproof folder)

☐ Passport (and passport card, if you have one, kept separately)
☐ Paper copy of your passport photo page
☐ Two spare passport photos
☐ Student ID, if you have one. Many sights and museums offer student or under-30 prices; at Sagrada Família, for example, under-30s and students pay €24 (about $27) instead of €26 (about $29) (Sagrada Família)
☐ Driver’s license and International Driving Permit, if driving
☐ Travel insurance details and 24-hour help line
☐ Printed first-night booking
☐ Emergency card (Go Well, Chapter Eleven)

Money

☐ No-foreign-fee card plus a backup card, stored separately
☐ A little local cash, plus about $200 in U.S. dollars for emergencies, stored separately

Electronics

☐ Phone and charger
☐ Plug adapter (see Appendix D)
☐ Portable battery, 10,000 mAh or more
☐ Headphones
☐ One spare charging cable (cables fail more often than phones)

Clothes (5–7 days’ worth; you’ll do laundry)

☐ Light, breathable tops and bottoms
☐ One “nice dinner” outfit
☐ Comfortable walking shoes, plus sandals
☐ Swimsuit
☐ Light layer for planes, trains, and air conditioning
☐ Rain jacket

Health and toiletries

☐ Prescriptions in original containers, with copies of prescriptions (carry-on)
☐ Sunscreen and a hat
☐ Insect repellent
☐ Hand sanitizer
☐ Basic first aid: bandages, blister pads, pain reliever, rehydration salts, and an anti-diarrheal medicine
☐ Laundry soap or a soap bar for washing clothes in the sink
☐ Reusable water bottle

Safety

☐ Zipped crossbody bag
☐ Padlock for hostel lockers
☐ Rubber door wedge

Region add-ons

City Europe (Paris, Barcelona)

☐ Shoes you can walk 20,000 steps in
☐ A scarf or layer for churches and cathedrals
☐ A small foldable tote for market picnics

Mediterranean coast and islands (Nice, Mallorca)

☐ Water shoes for rocky beaches and coves
☐ Quick-dry towel
☐ Waterproof phone pouch

Humid Japan

☐ Compact umbrella (rainy season)
☐ Cooling towel and a small handheld fan
☐ Socks without holes (you’ll take your shoes off often)
☐ A small bag for carrying your trash
☐ Only medications that are legal in Japan (Go Well, Chapter Three)

Mexico

☐ Rain jacket for afternoon storms
☐ Water purification or filter bottle
☐ Extra anti-diarrheal medicine and rehydration salts
☐ Extra insect repellent
☐ Layers for Mexico City’s cooler evenings

Beach and Caribbean

☐ Reef-safe sunscreen
☐ Rash guard or sun shirt
☐ Snorkel mask (optional)
☐ Copies of your storm-policy details (Go Well, Chapter Ten)

What not to pack

Anything you’d be heartbroken to lose
Full-size toiletries
Medications that are illegal at your destination
Outfits you’ll wear only once

The final test

Pack everything. Close the bag. Lift it, then walk a city block with it. If you can’t do all three comfortably, or if it won’t fit the airline’s bag size (Vueling’s small under-seat bag is 40 x 30 x 20 cm, about 16 x 12 x 8 inches), take something out. Your future self, on a hot train platform in July, will thank you.

Appendix C: Housing Scam Screen and Booking Record

The Rental Scam Screen

If you answer “no” to any question, slow down (Go Well, Chapter Four).

Am I booking and paying through the website or app, not by email, text, or WhatsApp?
Am I paying by credit card or through the platform, not by wire, gift card, prepaid card, or a payment app?
Does the listing have recent reviews from real guests?
Does the price look normal for the neighborhood and dates?
Does a search of the address match this listing?
Do the photos show the actual street or building?
Is the host or property verified on the platform?
Is the full price, including fees and taxes, shown before I pay?
In a city with rental licensing, does the listing show a license number?
Do I know the cancellation policy, in writing?

Booking Record

One block per booking. Keep a copy offline.

Booking 1

City and dates: ____________________
Property name: ____________________
Address (local language): ____________________
Booked through: ____________________
Confirmation number: ____________________
Price paid: ____________________
Cancel by: ____________________
Check-in time: ____________________

Booking 2

Booking 3

Booking 4

Booking 5

Appendix D: Region Fact Sheets and Verify-Before-You-Go

Check every entry link before you book. Rules change. Exchange rates are from early October 2026 (Go Well, Chapter Two), and entry details are in Chapter Three.

U.S. emergency line for citizens abroad: 1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada) or +1-202-501-4444 (from other countries) (U.S. State Department).

France, Spain, and Monaco

Emergency: 112 (U.S. State Department)
Currency: euro (€1 ≈ $1.13)
Plugs and voltage: France C/E; Spain C/F; Monaco C/D/E/F; 230V (IEC)
Tipping: round up; service is usually included
Tap water: safe to drink in Paris (Eau de Paris) and in Barcelona, where it meets the EU drinking water standard (Barcelona Urbana)
Ride apps: Paris has Uber and Bolt alongside licensed taxis (Paris Tourism); Barcelona has Uber, Cabify, Bolt, and Free Now (Barna News)
Passport: valid at least 3 months past the day you leave the Schengen area
Pre-arrival: check whether ETIAS has started

Japan

Emergency: 110 police; 119 fire and ambulance (U.S. State Department)
Currency: yen ($1 ≈ ¥158)
Plugs and voltage: A/B; 100V (IEC)
Tipping: don’t tip
Tap water: safe to drink, and restaurants usually serve it free (Japan National Tourism Organization)
Ride apps: GO, Uber, DiDi, and S.RIDE, which send licensed taxis (Tokyo Airport Guide)
Passport: valid for your whole stay
Pre-arrival: Visit Japan Web

Mexico

Emergency: 911 (U.S. Embassy in Mexico)
Currency: peso ($1 ≈ MX$18)
Plugs and voltage: A/B; 127V (IEC)
Tipping: usually 10–20% at sit-down restaurants, in pesos (AFAR)
Tap water: not safe to drink (CDC Yellow Book); drink bottled or filtered water
Ride apps: Uber and Cabify (Go Well, Chapter Nine)
Passport: a passport book, not a card, to fly
Pre-arrival: none by air

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Emergency: 911
Currency: U.S. dollar
Plugs and voltage: A/B; 110–120V (IEC)
Tipping: 15–20%
Tap water: generally considered safe to drink in Puerto Rico (Welcome to Puerto Rico), though some visitors choose filtered water, especially after storms (Onme Travel)
Ride apps: Uber operates across Puerto Rico (Uber)
Passport: not needed for U.S. citizens; bring a REAL ID-compliant ID
Pre-arrival: none

Dominican Republic

Emergency: 911 (U.S. State Department)
Currency: Dominican peso ($1 ≈ RD$60)
Plugs and voltage: A/B; 110V (IEC)
Tipping: check for a service charge
Tap water: not safe to drink; use bottled water (Go Dominican Republic)
Ride apps: Uber, including Santo Domingo (Uber)
Passport: ideally valid 6 months beyond your stay
Pre-arrival: the free e-Ticket

Jamaica

Emergency: 119 police; 110 fire and ambulance (U.S. State Department)
Currency: Jamaican dollar ($1 ≈ J$158)
Plugs and voltage: A/B; 110V (IEC)
Tipping: check for a service charge
Tap water: varies by area; generally treated in major cities, less reliable in rural areas (TapWater.wiki). Ask your hotel
Ride apps: Uber operates in some Jamaican cities (Uber); otherwise use licensed taxis
Passport: valid 6 months
Pre-arrival: check current rules

Aruba

Emergency: 911 (U.S. State Department)
Currency: Aruban florin, fixed at $1 = Afl. 1.79 (Central Bank of Aruba)
Plugs and voltage: A/B/F; 127V (IEC)
Tipping: check for a service charge
Tap water: safe to drink; it’s desalinated seawater (Aruba Tourism Authority)
Ride apps: no Uber; use taxis, the public bus, or a rental car (Aruba Tourism guide)
Passport: required
Pre-arrival: ED Card and $20 sustainability fee

Curaçao and Bonaire

Emergency (Curaçao): 911 police and fire; 912 ambulance (GOV.UK)
Currency: Curaçao uses the Caribbean guilder, fixed at 1.79 to the U.S. dollar (Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten); Bonaire uses the U.S. dollar (Bonaire.com)
Passport: required; check each island’s official entry rules before you book (Go Well, Chapter Three)

Official links

What	Link
U.S. passports	https://travel.state.gov/en/passports.html
Travel advisories	https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories.html
STEP enrollment	https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/smart-traveler-enrollment-program.html (the old step.state.gov address now forwards to https://mytravel.state.gov/s/step)
CDC Travelers’ Health	https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Europe ETIAS (official)	https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias
Visit Japan Web	https://services.digital.go.jp/en/visit-japan-web/guide/
Dominican Republic e-Ticket	https://eticket.migracion.gob.do
Aruba ED Card	https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements/before-you-travel
National Hurricane Center	https://www.nhc.noaa.gov

A word on verify

This book is general guidance from a licensed travel advisor. The official sources above are the final word for your trip. Every price, fee, schedule, and rule in this book was checked against its source when the book went to press, and some of them will have changed by the time you read it. Summer makes that worse, because prices and schedules move fastest in peak season.

So treat every number as a starting point, not a promise. Five minutes on the official site, once when you book and again the week before you leave, prevents most of the preventable problems of travel. Updated links and dates are at leah.travel/.

Appendix E: Trip Planner and Printable Pages

Itinerary Grid

Day 1 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 2 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 3 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 4 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 5 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 6 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 7 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 8 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 9 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 10 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 11 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 12 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 13 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Day 14 · Date: ________ · City: ______________
Sleeping at: ______________ · Getting there: ______________
Morning: ______________ · Afternoon: ______________ · Evening: ______________ · Booked? ☐

Daily Budget Tracker

Spent = sleep + food + transport + activities + other.

Day	Planned	Spent	Running total	Over/under
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______
______	______	______	______	______

Contact Sheet

Who	Name	Phone	Email
Emergency contact at home	____________	____________	____________
Travel insurance (24-hour line)	____________	____________	____________
Bank / card emergency lines	____________	____________	____________
U.S. embassy, country 1	____________	____________	____________
U.S. embassy, country 2	____________	____________	____________
Travel companions	____________	____________	____________

Journal Pages

Three moments. Two lessons. One thing I’d do differently. One meal I’ll never forget.

Pre-Trip Safety Setup (from Chapter Eleven)

☐ I’ve enrolled in STEP.
☐ I’ve read the advisory for every country (and state) on my route.
☐ I’ve saved the local emergency numbers (Appendix D) and the U.S. emergency line for citizens abroad.
☐ I’ve filled out my Emergency Card (below).
☐ I’ve made document backups, in the cloud and on paper.
☐ I’ve shared my itinerary and check-in schedule with someone at home.
☐ I’ve turned on two-factor authentication and set up remote phone lock.
☐ My group has a buddy system, a meeting point, and location sharing.
☐ I have a heat plan and a water-safety plan.
☐ I know what I’d do if my passport, cards, or phone were stolen.

Emergency Card

Cut it out, fold it, and keep it in your wallet, separate from your phone.

Name: ____________________
Blood type: ____________________
Allergies: ____________________
Medications: ____________________
Emergency contact (name and phone): ____________________
Travel insurance policy number: ____________________
Insurance 24-hour line: ____________________
Where I’m staying (address in the local language): ____________________
Nearest U.S. embassy or consulate: ____________________
Local emergency number: ____________________

Group Trip Agreement (from Chapter Twelve)

Fill this out together before anyone books anything, then sign it.

Dates: we’re leaving on ______ and returning on ______.
Daily budget: about ______ per person per day.
Who books what: ______ books housing; ______ books transport; ______ books activities.
Shared costs: we’ll split ______. Everything else is individual.
Tracking: we’ll log shared costs in ______ the same day, and settle up every ______.
Pace: about ______ activities a day, with ______ free afternoons.
Alone time: anyone can take a solo morning or afternoon, no explanation needed.
Nights out: buddy system, a meeting point, and location sharing.
If someone leaves early: they cover their share of nonrefundable bookings.
Deal-breakers: we’ll talk it out the same day.

Signed: ______ ______ ______ ______

Worth the Line? Scorecard (from Chapter Six)

Score each row from 1 to 5.

Taste: do the comments agree it’s great? ____
Price: is it fair for what you get? ____
Wait: how long is the line right now? (5 = short) ____
Local cred: do locals eat here too? ____
Photo value: do you actually care about the photo? ____
Total: ____

18 or more: go. 12 to 17: go at opening, or skip. Under 12: find the place two blocks away.

18 or more: go. 12 to 17: go at opening, or skip. Under 12: find the place two blocks away.

Appendix F: Summer Tools and Resources

These are the sites, apps, and forms that are new in this book. For the basics (flight search, hostel booking, travel insurers, no-fee banks, eSIM apps, maps, translation, and language learning), see Choose Well, Appendix E. Those still apply.

Paperwork and entry

U.S. passport processing times and expedited service: https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/processing-time.html (Go Well, Chapter Three)
ETIAS, Europe’s new pre-travel authorization: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias
Visit Japan Web, Japan’s arrival form: https://services.digital.go.jp/en/visit-japan-web/guide/
Dominican Republic e-Ticket: https://eticket.migracion.gob.do
Aruba ED Card and sustainability fee: https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements/before-you-travel
STEP safety alerts: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/smart-traveler-enrollment-program.html

Trains and buses

Eurail passes: https://www.eurail.com (Go Well, Chapter Five)
Eurail seat reservations: https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/reservations-costs-1255
SNCF Connect, France’s train timetables and tickets: https://www.sncf-connect.com
Japan Rail Pass: https://www.jrpass.com/buy-the-japan-rail-pass-online (Go Well, Chapter Eight)
Suica, Japan’s tap-to-pay transit card: https://travel.rakuten.com/contents/usa/en-us/guide/suica-card/
ADO buses in Mexico: https://tickets.ado.com.mx/ado-bus/popular-routes?locale=en (Go Well, Chapter Nine)

Flights and ferries

Budget-airline bag sizes (Vueling example): https://help.vueling.com/hc/en-gb/articles/19798835176081-Hand-Luggage-Allowance-Cabin-bags-allowance
Puerto Rico ferries to Culebra and Vieques: https://www.puertoricoferry.com/en/buy-tickets/ (Go Well, Chapter Ten)

Tickets that sell out in summer

Park Güell: https://parkguell.barcelona/en/planning-your-visit/prices-and-times
Sagrada Família: https://sagradafamilia.org/en/prices
Timed-entry sights in every region: see “Book these early” in each region chapter

Weather and health

National Hurricane Center: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov (Go Well, Chapter Ten)
NOAA hurricane season outlook: https://www.noaa.gov/tropical-cyclone-climatology
CDC Travelers’ Health: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Getting around by app

Ride apps by region: see Appendix D
NiceCar, small electric car rentals on the Riviera: https://www.nice-car.fr/en-GB/ (Go Well, Chapter Seven)

Money

Exchange rates: check a live rate before you go; this book uses early October 2026 rates (Go Well, Chapter Two)
Choosing local currency at a foreign ATM: https://wise.com/us/blog/choose-local-currency-at-foreign-atm (Go Well, Chapter Two)

This book online

Updates, Trending Now food lists, and printable versions of every appendix: leah.travel/
The Friday Letter: sign up at leah.travel/

Prices and rules change. Everything on this page was checked in October 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you book.

All Go Well pages · leah.travel/ · Get updates every Friday: sign up for the Friday Letter at leah.travel/.