Photocopy all of your travel documents, forms of identification and credit cards. Keep one copy on you, and give another copy to a friend. If anything is lost or stolen, you can easily cancel a credit card or file for a new passport.
Find the addresses of embassies or consulates in the cities that you plan on visiting. If anything goes seriously wrong on your trip, you will have at least one place to go.
Plan the logistics of your trip. Before you leave the country, collect subway and train maps and figure out how you're going to get from the airport to the hotel.
Give your travel information to friends or family members back home. Giving out flight numbers and hotel addresses can make it easy for loved ones back home to reach you. It will also cut down on time you might have to spend calling home to say that you're alright.
Make plans for your home when you leave the country. Put timers on your lights, ask someone to get your mail and take care of any pets and arrange anything else that needs to be taken care of while you're away.
Pack your clothes in space-saving bags. Leaving room in your suitcase means you can bring back more souvenirs.
