Suggestions on organizing all of the details

Have you thought of creating a table in Word or Excel with this information? Something that I've found is that blank 4x6 index cards are great for keeping data on - I use them for medical information for both my husband and I. Since 4x6 photo paper is so common, it isn't hard to format to print that size. Once the page size is formatted, a Word table is then easily created and filled in. Nice thing - with the index cards it is easy to print on both sides. You could set it up so that each segment of the trip is on one card, and as you complete each segment, you can pitch the cards. Duplicate copies are easy to make, and if you are the scrapbooking sort of person, copies on a single side would be easy to print for the scrapbook. Nice thing is that the cards are CHEAP!!!!

Kelly,
Try www.packinglight.net and then use their search tool for "portable travel profile". This is organizational software that lets you store all your ID info, as well as confirmations and reservations and then download to either a CDrom or flash drive. It is $39.95, but might work if you are looking for something this detailed.
Lisa

Hi Kelly,

I'm somewhat of an Excel nut and I created a spreadsheet that serves as an itinerary and a place to put all extra information such as confirmation numbers. It is pretty simple, just a column for the date/day of the week, the day's activities, hotel information (phone number, address, etc.), and a details column where I put confirmation numbers, and any other information I want to have. It will probably be about 2 or 3 pages when I eventually print it out since we will be gone for almost 4 weeks. Like I said, it's pretty simple, but if you or anyone else would like to see it, send me a private message with your email address and I'll email it to you.

Kristy

Keep in mind that sometimes you have to present a copy of the actual confirmation at check-in, either at the airport or perhaps a car rental. A confirmation number on a spreadsheet won't be adequate for that.

Like Kristy, I like to use Excel to plan a trip, but I set up an entire workbook. On the workbook, I have a worksheet for each day of the trip and a worksheet for each place where I will be staying. On the "day" worksheets, I copy the train and bus schedules. On the "place" worksheets I paste a hyperlink to the towns' websites, maps, and, while I am planning, hyperlinks to the various accommodations in that town, along with email addresses, with the one I prefer highlighted. Then when I am ready to execute my plan, I have all the information to make my reservations in one place. In the front of the workbook, I create one worksheet with a summary, and the day numbers and town names are links to the corresponding worksheets.

Since I take my notebook computer with me, I can just transfer this file from my desktop computer, and I'm ready to go.

Nancy- Definitely agreed. I don't use the spreadsheet instead of actual printed confirmations, but in addition. I always print out all of my original confirmations, especially when there is no confirmation number, to show when needed, and use the spreadsheet as a centralized place to organize information.

I'm unomfortable not having my confirmation emails printed out but for everything else, I have copied them to my thumb drive and emailed them to myself as a back up.

Confirmation number?

I stay in small, family run "B&Bs". I get an email telling me that I have a reservation, but have never had to show it. They are always expecting me. Of course, where I stay they don't generally see a lot of Americans, so they take note of my visit. I usually send them another email the week before to confirm that I am really coming.

Lee, all kinds of places have confirmation numbers/receipts. On my last trip I had confirmation numbers for my airline tickets (four different flights), the offsite parking lot where I leave my car after driving to Chicago, my National Express bus tickets for changing airports in London, etc. My hotel in Spain didn't provide a confirmation number, nor did I need one. But the ones that did have them required me to turn in an actual copy of the receipt when checking in. It's true that B&Bs and other small places to stay sometimes don't have or need them, but lots of places do.

Here's what I did with my info. I had a concise sheet with flight, hotel, emergency #'s, dates, etc, printed up for me and my companions, and a copy of this was in each of our day bags, suitcases, and money belts. Then for the more detailed info, I had a large brown envelope for each destination (2) in my suitcase. I didn'nt need to sort through Paris while I was in London. I could transfer info as needed to a smaller envelope in my day bag. I didn't need to carry directions to something that was days away. Just go through it every night and pitch the old stuff and organize for the next day. Also, keep a stiff piece of cardboard in your envelopes, and you can use it to keep souvenir photos, etc, from bending on your return.

I stay at small hotels or B&Bs.I usually reserve all my places in advance.I confirm a week before I leave.I have not had to show the email confirmation and they are always expecting me.

I use an excel spreadsheet and put in a journal and shrink down my confirmations and taped in the pages.

The Excel spreadsheet is also shrink to fit into the journal, and it has:

1) Name of airline/Hotel/venue
2) Address or travel information
3) Confirmation #
4) Telephone or email/ contact info
And beneath the information is directions if I need it.

The journal has a band so it won't pop open.

During my journey I can jot down the places I've been. I keep receipts and restaurant cards and glue stick them in my book for future use.

I also emailed myself a copy of the itinery in case I misplace it

Kely,

You can use copy and paste feature in MS Word.
Tables might look a bit weird if you paste them into a document, but you can tweak them.

You can also try www.tripadvisor.com and Yahoo Travel.

they have travel planners on there and you can also add notes to your planner.

I've combed thru Google and I too am trying to find a program on trip planning. In the meantime, I'm using Excel, iCal and Adobe Acrobat Pro. I export all my internet emails, important docs in PDF format. I'll have a bunch of files, pictures which I then bind them all together using the Combine Files wizard in Adobe Acrobat. The final result is 1 pdf, multi-page "binder" of my passport, tickets, confirmations, maps, important contact info...etc. Acrobat does a great job of preserving the original look of your documents where as copying and pasting info from one source into an application (eg Hotmail to Ms Word), often results to loss of formatting. Other PDF spps are deskPDF, PDF Creator, PDF Converter.

Hello Kelly. I think bringing all of that information, and having it easily accesible, is important. And I think all of the replies here are good. What I do is print my itinerary for the entire trip, on standard size paper (8 1/2 inches x 11 inches). Approximately three pages for 14 days. I put all the confirmation numbers, and all the communication information for hotels, on those pages. For me, the format style of my itinerary is not important. I also write my instructions for myself, for each day, on an index card (6" x 4"), as mentioned by Sharon. On the card, I write the train departure times, arrival times, address of museums, ...One card for each day. Each morning when I leave my room, I carry only one small card. I leave my trip itinerary papers in my suitcase in the room. And, important information, pertaining to insurance companies, my personal health information, and important telephone numbers, are on small papers with my passport, in my security waller, under my clothes.

Kelly - to add to everyone else's great ideas, I do the following. I create a spreadsheet with the flight information and other transportation. On the bottom, I list the hotels, conf #s, telephone numbers, passport#. This file is very small - about the size of a credit card - I fold it in half and laminate it. This I place either in my wallet or passport holder. I then print out just the necessary info on hotel confs (if you've emailed back and forth - just print the actual conf by the hotel). I place all of these folder, in order in which they will occur. I add small maps and pulled out pages of guide books. This all goes in to a clear plastic envelope (5x10" or so)with a tie. As I leave each destination, I take out the information and file it in the suitcase (or throw it out).

In my previous reply, in my last sentance, it should read "...security wallet..." I am not able to do "Edit" here, using my computer at home.

I create my own travel notebook for each trip, starting with a spiral notebook that's about 6"x9" and having a couple subject dividers (hence pockets scattered in the notebook)to add country or city headings. Last year's notebook was a Mead Five Star with a fabric cover over the spiral binding. I start with a calendar that I've created with a basic itinerary, followed by airline reservations, hotel confirmations, etc. all reduced in size and taped in the notebook using double-sided tape. I've found that car rentals are the only ones that want the actual paper copy, so I add a smaller copy to my book and leave a regular-sized one in a pocket to give to the rental agency. That way I have the actual correspondence from hotels, etc, although just in a smaller size. I add any pages or information gleaned from the internet about each city or region I'm visiting, along with restaurant recommendations and important sites to visit. I leave blank pages between each section to tape 'souvenirs'

continued:
such as metro tickets, postcards, business cards from my favorite restaurants or shops, menus, etc. This is also where I do my journal writing so I always have a first-hand reminder of that particular trip. I've gone back and been reminded of my favorite moments and it's been great! Several friends have adopted my method and tell me that it's worked for them also. Everything is right there at my fingertips.

You all are awesome! What a great bunch of ideas....and it's nice to know that other people think about things like this. I thought it was just ME who had to have things so carefully organized :)

Thanks so much for all of the tips, I'm finding things about each one that will work.

I did this for our last trip to Germany/Austria/Switzerland and I have started this for our trip to Scotland & The Netherlands for next month.

I purchased a soft cover "binder" with the plastic pockets inside. It's not really a binder, as the pockets are part of it. (saves a bit of weight without the rings)

I have printed out confirmation emails from each of the B&B's we are staying at, plane confirmation, rental car and ferry confirmations. I have put everything in there in chronilogical order. Also, the cover is a see-through pocket where I have slipped in the itinery (in Excel format).

After we visit each place, some of the stuff can be tossed and replaced with mementos. Worked great for us last time and I hope it will serve us well again!

I also have inputed all of the information in Access, since I can put in check boxes for confirmation received, etc. (3 week trip with lots of details. Helps me keep my head on straight!)

I'm using Microsoft Outlook on my PC to track all my details. I've created an Outlook calendar entry for each day of our trip, and inside that calendar entry I put all the relevant details for that particular day (hotel details, confirmation numbers, suggestions for things to do, etc).

Even cooler, I'm taking an iPod Touch with me on this trip. It can automatically sync with my Microsoft Outlook calendar, so all my details end up in the Calendar function of my iPod, which I'll be carrying around with me everywhere. (I'll also be carrying a printout of all the same details, just in case something goes wrong with the iPod).

And of course, the iPod Touch can also be used for:

• listening to music or watching movies during the flight,

• listening to a Rick Steves' audio tour while on location,

• checking your email or surfing the net from a Wi-Fi hotspot,

• watching Rick Steves' TV episodes taken from his DVDs (you have to be a fairly tech-savvy to do that one).

I used the "Notebook" feature on Google (it is free) for a recent trip to Italy, and loved it! So much better than using Excel or Word, because your notebook "lives" on the web...as long as you can access Google, you can get to your notebook. You can create section headings on it, and best of all, you can cut and paste anything into it (great for when you are surfing the 'net and come across a great piece of info you want to capture, or a web site you want to remember to check out later). It has a handy print feature. I highly recommend it!!!