Be Ready to Leave, Hope to Stay:

Why a Current Passport and Escape Plan MatterWhy this matters now (especially in the U.S.)

- Disruptions are more common: extreme weather, wildfires, grid outages, cyber incidents, sudden job moves, civil unrest, and family emergencies abroad.

- Passports have backlogs, and many countries require six months’ validity beyond your travel dates.

- When stakes are high, time is short. Decisions you make calmly now are better than decisions you make under pressure later.

Passport readiness

- Renew early: Aim to renew 9–12 months before expiration because of processing delays and the six-month validity rule many countries enforce.

- Know the types: The passport book works for all international travel; the passport card is cheaper but only for land/sea crossings to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean (not air travel).

- Children’s passports: Shorter validity and in-person application with parental consent—start early.

- Backup your identity: Keep encrypted scans/photos of passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, vaccination records, and key visas in secure cloud storage plus an encrypted USB. Paper copies live in a waterproof sleeve.

- Loss plan: Know how to report and replace a lost/stolen passport and where your nearest passport agency or U.S. embassy/consulate would be.

Escape plan essentials

- Define triggers: Write down conditions that would make you leave (e.g., evacuation orders, escalating local violence, multi-day utilities failure, medical need, job relocation). Precommit to thresholds to reduce hesitation.

- Pick destinations:

1) Local shelter or friend’s home

2) Out-of-region address within the U.S.

3) International fallback (only if legal and feasible; check entry and visa rules in advance)

- Routes and rendezvous: Map two routes for each destination (car/public transport/on foot). Set primary and backup meeting points. Save offline maps.

- Communication plan: One out-of-state contact for check-ins, plus a group text protocol. If cell service fails, agree on check-in times over Wi Fi or satellite communicator (if you own one).

- Go-bag (72 hours): Passport, cash in small bills, credit/debit cards, water and filter, shelf-stable food, first-aid kit, prescriptions, glasses, phone + charger + power bank, headlamp, seasonal clothing, sturdy shoes, multipurpose tool, whistle, toiletries, masks, copies of critical docs, small comfort item for kids.

- Documents packet: Insurance policies, property titles, medical records/shot cards, emergency contacts, pet records, key account numbers. Keep originals secure; travel with copies unless originals are required.

- Pets: Carrier, leash, food, water, meds, vaccination and microchip info. Check destination rules if crossing borders.

Financial resilience

- Build an accessible emergency fund (even a small cushion helps); separate institutions/cards reduce single-point failure.

- Carry two credit cards on different networks and one ATM card with low foreign transaction fees if international travel is possible.

- Keep some cash at home and in your bag; ATMs and card networks can fail temporarily.

- Document your belongings (photos/videos) for insurance. Store files in the cloud.

- Freeze your credit proactively to reduce identity theft risk; unfreeze when needed.

Digital safety and portability

- Use a password manager and turn on two-factor authentication. Print or securely store backup codes.

- Encrypt devices; keep OS and apps updated. Consider a travel laptop/phone with minimal sensitive data if you may cross borders.

- Cloud-backup essential files, medical records, tax docs, and family photos so you can start over from any device.

- Keep a printed list of essential contacts and accounts in your documents packet.

Health readiness

- Maintain a 30–90 day prescription buffer if your plan allows; ask your doctor for a travel letter and generic names for meds.

- Pack a compact medical kit tailored to your needs (allergies, asthma, diabetes).

- Keep vaccination records and your primary care contact. Identify telehealth options you can access from anywhere.

- For family: copies of custody/consent documents for traveling with minors.

The mindset shift: be willing to walk away

- Safety over stuff: Decide now which irreplaceables you’d grab and what you’d leave. Photograph heirlooms/art for records.

- Pre-pack a “grab box” for essentials (docs, hard drive, small heirlooms).

- Consider offsite or fire-resistant storage if your risk profile is higher (wildfire, floodplain).

Online remote work: start building optionality

- Skills and portfolio: List what you can deliver remotely (writing, design, coding, customer support, bookkeeping, teaching, ops). Build a simple portfolio site and polished LinkedIn.

- Channels: Network directly with past colleagues and communities; use reputable job boards and company career pages; avoid “too good to be true” listings.

- Classification and taxes: Understand W 2 vs 1099. Long stays in another state or country may create tax or legal obligations. If you plan extended relocation, consult a tax professional and follow visa/work rules.

- Work kit: Reliable laptop, noise-canceling headset, encrypted storage, password manager, backups, and a lightweight hotspot or eSIM plan. Learn to use VPN and basic cybersecurity hygiene.

- Payment resilience: Multiple ways to get paid (direct deposit and a backup), and a separate business account if freelancing.

Practice makes it real

- Run a 30-minute drill: Can you be out the door with your go-bag and documents? What broke?

- Quarterly check: Rotate meds/food, update contacts, test your routes, verify passport dates, refresh backups.

- Fuel and charging habits: Keep your car above half a tank; keep power banks charged.

- Alerts: Enable local emergency alerts, weather apps, and, for international trips, enroll in the U.S. State Department’s STEP program.

Legal and ethical guardrails

- Travel legally. Verify entry, visa, vaccination, and pet requirements before you go.

- Know your rights and responsibilities at airports and borders. Cooperate with lawful orders; don’t transport prohibited items.

- If you must evacuate due to orders, follow official guidance and communicate your status to loved ones.

Quick checklist

- Passport: valid 9–12+ months, scans saved, loss plan known.

- Destinations: in-town, out-of-region, and (optional) international; two routes each; offline maps saved.

- Contacts: out-of-state coordinator; family check-in plan; printed list of key numbers.

- Go-bag: documents, meds, cash/cards, power, clothes, water/food, first aid, pet kit.

- Money: emergency fund, multiple cards/banks, insurance docs, itemized home inventory.

- Tech: password manager, 2FA, backup codes, encrypted devices, cloud backups.

- Work: remote-friendly resume/portfolio, basic kit, target roles, legal/tax awareness.

Preparedness isn’t pessimism; it’s self-respect. A current passport and a realistic exit plan give you options you hope you never need—and the calm that comes from knowing you can act quickly if you must. If you want, I can turn this into a personalized plan with product-agnostic packing lists, a passport renewal timeline, and a remote-work job search roadmap.

I am a global nomad/permanent traveler, or coddiwombler, if you will, and I move from place to place about every three months. I am currently in Peru and heading to Chile in a few days and from there, who knows? I enjoy writing articles, stories, songs and poems about life, spirituality and my travels. You can find my songs linked below. Feel free to like and subscribe on any of the platforms. And if you are inspired to, tips are always appreciated, but not necessary. I just like sharing.

YouTube Top Song List.

https://www.YouTube.com/results?search_query=julia+o%27hara+top+songs

Amazon PlayList

https://www.amazon.com//music/player/artists/B0D5JP6QYN/julia-o'hara

Spotify PlayList

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sVdGmG90X3BJVn457VxWA

You can also purchase my books here:

https://www.lulu.com /spotlight/julie-ohara

I am also a member of Buy Me A Coffee – a funding site where you can “buy me a cup of coffee”

https:www.buymeacoffee.com/JulieOHara