With just one month to go until takeoff, the excitement is building—and so is the to-do list. This is the time to shift from planning mode to action mode, taking care of all the final logistics so you can leave with peace of mind and arrive ready to enjoy. If you missed earlier posts, check them out here:
Plan for using my points to get Norway
1. Finalize Your Itinerary & Reservations
By now, our itinerary is mostly set, but I’ve been revisiting it to confirm details. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to:
- Double-check opening hours and reservation policies for museums, tours, or popular restaurants.
- Book anything that requires advance tickets (I just reserved time slots for a couple of high-demand attractions).
- Confirm times for the Norway in a Nutshell tour.
I also added a couple of buffer days where we can choose between downtime or extra exploring, depending on everyone’s energy.
2. Lock in Local Transportation
Public transportation passes and airport transfers are next on my list. In Oslo, we plan to use Oslo cards, which I’ll either purchase online in advance.
We’ve also started organizing airport transport here at home to avoid any last-minute scrambling. My cousin recently realized she’d booked a couple of activities without sorting out how to get there—something that’s easy to overlook!
Pro tip: keep all your confirmation numbers, addresses, and tickets in a digital travel folder and download them for offline access, just in case WiFi is spotty or your data plan fails.
3. Get Serious About Packing
Packing practice has officially begun! I started laying out potential outfits and gear, partly to test how everything fits and partly to make sure I’m not overpacking.
A few things I’m doing now:
- Creating a shared packing checklist for the family in Google Docs.
- Testing packing cubes to stay organized (especially helpful when sharing suitcases).
- Finalizing footwear—comfy walking shoes are non-negotiable!
- Trying on layers to make sure they still fit the kids.
- Checking the weather forecast trends (Norway’s climate can be unpredictable).
This is also a great time to label luggage, charge backup batteries, and make sure everyone’s headphones still work.
4. Prepare Your Travel Documents (Yes, Again)
Even if you did this at the two-month mark, it’s worth another pass:
- Print and/or download copies of your passport, itinerary, insurance, and reservations.
- If you’re using any e-tickets or QR codes (for flights, trains, etc.), test that everything loads properly offline.
- Organize documents in a travel wallet or digital folder accessible to both adults.
We added digital backups to a shared family folder, just in case.
5. Health & Safety Prep
If you take any prescription medications, refill them now and make sure you’ll have enough for the full trip plus a few days’ cushion. I also picked up a small first-aid kit with motion sickness pills, blister pads, and allergy meds—things that are harder to track down abroad when you actually need them.
Travel insurance/Health insurance is in place, but I did one last review of our coverage details so I’m not caught off guard if we need to file a claim. I think we should be good with trip coverage from my credit cards, but I do plan to get travel health insurance.
Link: Travel insurance, Chase and Venture (Venture X) (read information on the credit card site for more information on Travel Coverage).
6. Prep Your Tech
We finally decided to try an eSIM for this trip! I’ll share how that goes in my post-trip recap. We’re also:
- Downloading offline maps via Google Maps
- Also, in Google Maps, I’m adding in where we are staying and places we want to go.
- Saving key phrases in Google Translate (in case our Norwegian practice doesn’t cut it!)
- Clearing storage space for all the photos and videos I know I’m going to take
Each kid has been assigned one tech-related task—one’s in charge of downloading movies and playlists, the other is managing our shared travel photo album.
7. Plan for the Home Stretch
I’ve started a list of what needs to be done in the last week before departure:
- Hold mail or arrange pickup
- Pause subscriptions and deliveries
- Confirm pet care (we ended up going with a kennel that came highly recommended!)
- Clean out the fridge, water plants, and do a final home tidy-up
Final Thoughts
At one month out, it’s less about dreaming and more about doing. We’re in the home stretch, and even though there’s still plenty to finalize, it’s all manageable if tackled step by step. Don’t forget to include the kids in the prep—it makes the experience more exciting and helps them feel involved.
The next update will probably come from the airport or just before we board. Can’t believe we’re almost there!
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