I'm given to making lists. The preparation for this trip has involved lots of them. Fortunately, I've been able to check most things off.

Home and Car

✔ Furnace tune-up for house.

Furnace is a-okay, but old. The first sign of a problem may be the presence of CO. My CO detector (in my bedroom, above the furnace in the crawl space) had an end-of-life alarm a few weeks ago. So the next item...

✔ (10/15) Buy a new CO detector.

✔ (10/15) Get a timer for my lights, while I'm at it.

✔ Set up vacation schedule for house thermostat.

✔ Renew car registration (due in November, subject to a fine if done after December).

✔ (10/19) Get an oil change and add extra tire pressure for car.

✔ Purchase Battery Minder for car (these modern cars with all of their electronics!)

✔ Change car insurance to comprehensive only while car is garaged for trip.

✔ Cancel recycling pick-up.

Trash collection is covered by the HOA, but recycling is extra. The weekly pick-up is far more often than I need. Why pay for it while I'm gone? When I'm back, I can resort to monthly trips to the recycling center.

Electronics

✔ Load apps onto new Amazon Fire.

✔ Download maps.me offline maps for Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

✔ Make sure Dhamma Simanta is pinned on maps.

✔ Download Google translate for languages available.

✔ Find out how to best keep my phone number while not paying for a service I'm not using.

I'm using Go Phone, AT&T's prepaid service. The guys at the AT&T store said to just not pay my bill, and my number would be held for 90 days. I found out that's wrong. It will be held for 60 days from my last payment, unless I put $100 on the account in which case it will be held for 90 days. Or I can put $25 in the account before I leave to hold it for 60 days, and another $10 after 60 days for another 30 days, and that money won't be used if I don't use my phone.

✔ Download Open Street Maps for the region to Garmin.

✔ Put FreedomPop SIM card into second SIM slot in phone.

FreedomPop doesn't actually work in SE Asia. I think it will allow a phone call if I'm connected via wifi, but I'll see. The 2nd SIM slot in my phone is only 3G, which should be okay, but I can't seem to access the FreedomPop data at all.

✔ Make sure all of my banking and credit card apps are up-to-date and that I can log on.

✔ Choose and use a VPN service that is suitable for SE Asia

I'm using Express VPN. It is well-reviewed and has the features recommended for privacy and anonymizing my connection. There are servers throughout the world. I had been using Cyber Ghost, but they don't have servers in SE Asia. Express VPN is a little pricey, but I think it is worth it. Here is a referral link. If you use it, we each get a month free.

Bike

✔ Touch up scratches and dings with clear nail polish.

✔ Put fresh silicone grease on S&S couplers.

✔ Lesson at Old Town Bikes for changing the brake pads. (Thanks, Old Town!)

✔ Get frame pads for packing, since the stuff I used before didn't work very well.

✔ Get spare Gates belt, 115 teeth.

✔ (10/14) Pack bike!

Travel

✔ Set up travel alerts on credit cards.

✔ (10/14) Get cash, new or newish bills.

My credit union tried to convince me that partially torn bills and bills with worn creases were okay. I said "no", and they ordered me some newer ones. As of this writing, they haven't come in.

Update 10/14. I got a call from the credit union today. They got some new $20, $5, and $1 bills for me. Nothing larger. They suggested I try elsewhere if I want $50 or $100. I took what they had, and think it will be okay.

✔ Print out copy of itinerary, hotel reservation for 1st night, bank statement for visas, etc.

✔ Remember to bring USA and Canada passports and immunization record.

✔ Make arrangements for a ride to the airport.

Miscellaneous

✔ (10/13)Vote.

I picked up an early ballot, filled in my bubbles, and sent it off! Unfortunately, I still get to listen to all of the election rhetoric.

✔ Get a haircut.

✔ Talk with Insurance Broker about Obamacare open enrollment. 

A bit of a headache. The plan data is available now, but the website is mis-behaving, and the actual enrollment can't be done until after November 1. The broker should help me with remote enrollment.

❏ Final bill pay and money transfer before departure.

❏ Bike lots!