A travel agent can help you identify safe & secure hotels, hostels or other accommodations around the world that would be appropriate if traveling to a location not served by a world center.

Have interested participants complete an Intent to Travel Form.  Collect a non-refundable deposit to cover the cost of the all initial deposits required to hold reservations. 

Set dates for future travel meetings.  

Review Safety-Wise to insure all suggested activities meet GSUSA standards before finalizing your itinerary.

Many hotels and hostels overseas include breakfast - this helps with your budget.  

Don't forget to factor in additional cold drinks and a snack during the day.  (We always carried water bottles and snack bars, but those cold drinks and ice cream treats were a big highlight during a long day of walking!)

Meal and spending money were handed out each morning of the trip.  The leaders exchanged the money for local currency and distributed it each day.  Girls could choose how they spent the money during the day.  No one ran out of money during the trip - as each morning brought the next installment.  If they wanted to make a big purchase, they had to save up.  Shopping days were planned for the end of our trips.

We used this fund for tips and gratuities for the maid, tour guides, etc.

If individual fundraising does not meet the current required payment, families pay the balance due.  Individual payments and troop fundraising are tracked separately.  Troop funds stay with the troop, individual payments can be refunded at a future date, if needed.

• Passport
• Luggage
• Uniform if visiting a World Center
• Matching t-shirts or outfits if appropriate
• Neck purse for keeping passport and money next to your body and away from pick-pockets. (Available in travel sections in discount department stores.)
• Small day pack (the girls found their school back-packs too heavy and were not safe from pick-pockets on the metro and tube.
• Camera and film
• Watch
• Travel alarm clock
• Doctors appointment to complete health forms

We found that by sharing the list of items needed a year in advance, girls could receive travel gifts for birthday and holidays.

• Local customs and culture
• Exercise and getting in shape.  How many miles a day will the troop walk?  Set appropriate expectations.
• Discuss safety and emergency procedures during travel, at hotels, on the street, etc.  
• Learn to read street and underground maps.  Learn where the sightseeing locations are on the map.  Insure all troop members understand how to locate and return to your accommodations.
• Learn the local history.  Visiting a castle - who lived there and when.  Visiting an art museum - have each girl picture a work of art to research.  Plan to have a scavenger hunt at that museum.
• Read stories about the country you are visiting.  Teachers and librarians can recommend popular books for girls about the destination. (We loved Catherine Called Birdie before we went to England.)
• Learn the currency.  If possible have some at one of your meetings and play "shop" like we did when young.  The girls need to know the color and size of the bills, shape of the coins and their value.
• Discuss what it means to be "An Ugly American Tourist" and what the girls can do to avoid being labeled.  Discuss appropriate clothing and what to leave at home.
• Discuss airport and airline safety.  What not to do or say.  Review questions the girls will have to answer about their bags when checking in.  Do not lock luggage.  How to behave on the airplane.  When they can use their CD players, etc.
• Discuss paperwork and procedures for entering foreign countries and passing through Immigration and Customs.  Find information online or ask your travel agent to visit a travel meeting.
• Practice your manners and safety - take local trips to museums, etc.  Talk softly, don't call attention to yourself.  This is for courtesy and for everyone's safety!
• Locate guest speakers who have traveled to your destination or have lived there.  Have them recommend restaurants and dining options.
• Take CPR and First Aid courses, so everyone has their emergency certification.
• Hold a BAG DRAG.  When everyone has their suitcase, hold a meeting where they bring their packed suitcase and packed day pack.  Take a walk.  How do they do?  Are they whining and complaining?  Discuss what they can leave at home and what is essential.  If they are packed at the minimum - time to exercise and get in shape!

Most travel companies require final payment 45-90 days from travel.

Pay for extended GSUSA insurance.

Insure you have a special activity the last night of the trip - plan for packing in the morning and a great activity the last night!

NOTE FROM the GIRLS:  Add "sleep in days" and plenty of shopping.  

20.

• Notarized Permission slips from parents (including permission from non-custodial parents for taking child outside the country.)
• Collect health forms completed by the doctor
• Copies of health insurance cards
• Copies of passport
• First Aid permission forms from parents (for OTC drugs, sunscreen, etc.)
• Finalize a rooming list
• Prepare buddy list (we switched buddies twice a day and rotated between adult partners.)
• Create emergency info cards - with hotel info, leader info and the USA emergency contact info.  Laminate.

• Review the itinerary - provide copies to the families.
• Discuss sights they will be seeing, palaces, museums, etc.
• Share pictures and stories of where they will be staying, visiting, etc.

Have adults traveling review safety and emergency procedures.  Identify the First Aider - who will track any necessary first aid and hold the medical permission slips.

Travel Leader should review behavior expectations and consequences to insure everyone knows what to expect.

Provide contact information for hotel, etc.  Cell phones will NOT work overseas, unless you have a special adaptor or rent a special phone. 

Review procedures for the day of departure and the day of return.  (Where to meet, what to do at the airport, etc.)

Have folders for adults traveling. Share the responsibility for holding the various copies with the adults. (These can be heavy!)  Hand off the medical permission slips to the first aider.  

• Daily itinerary, including wake up time, breakfast time and meeting times for each day.
• Daily room captain - assign one girl each day to be responsible for her room mates.  She makes sure they are up and at the meeting point.
• Buddy list
• Rooming list - they can add room numbers next to the names so everyone can locate the other members of the group at the hotel.
• Adults responsible for wake-up calls.  Rotate the responsibility each day.
• Check out procedure information - girls wait in their rooms until the assign adult comes to check.  Look in all drawers, closets, in the shower/bath room, etc for any left items.  All dirty towels in one pile.  Assigned adult leaves tip for maid.

• Keep a sense of humor. 
• Take lots of pictures.
• Keep reminding the adults that the trip is for the girls and is not about them! 
• Reward good behavior. 
• Nip problems in the bud immediately. 
• Flex the schedule as needed. 
• Locate internet access (I sent daily reports home by e-mail and my troop contact forwarded to all families.) 
• Keep your emergency contact in the USA up to date on itinerary changes, etc.
• Remember that you are giving these girls memories that will last a lifetime.

Designate a troop historian to create a photo album and display about your trip.  Plan to share with other troops and younger Girl Scouts.

Have girls complete evaluations of the trip.