Prepare for the trip to Vietnam

Porfolio

Time to do a financial risk assessment evaluation and move your millions around accordingly. This isn't nearly as complicated as it sounds (especially if you don't have millions). Basically you want to answer a few questions, like "If the stock market crashes while I'm gone will I be stuck in Katmandu with $2 to my name?" and "If the market triples in the next three months will I watching my net worth accrue at a solid thirty-five cents a month in my bank account?" It also wouldn't hurt to find out how to transfer cash from your assets to wherever you happen to be when you need it most...

Checking account

There will probably be some bills coming in while you're gone. Unless you're a total recluse, you can find someone from among your friends or relatives who would be willing to pay these bills for you - either through cash you give them in advance, a joint checking account, or (if they really like you) a promise to pay them back when you get home.

Addresses

Never, ever take your original address book with you. If you are quailing at the idea of having to write to thirty friends a month, consider writing a "newsletter" to a friend who will photocopy it and send it around. It wouldn't hurt to give them mailing labels, etc. in advance.

Taxes

You can file for an extension that will take you through to August. If you are working out of country for seven months of the year then you may not have to pay US taxes on your earnings. Double check this information.

Passport

You need one of these. More importantly, you need it to be less than six months from expiring. Many countries won't accept a passport that is about to go out of date. If you think that getting arrested may be a part of your itinerary, try to get your visa issued on a separate piece of paper from your passport.

Visa

Tourist visas are easy to get but tend to be of short duration. Consider trying to finagle a business visa if you plan on being in one country for any length of time. Travel agencies can sometimes do this for you but it is almost always expensive. Under no circumstances get a journalist visa even if you plan to do some writing/photographing/filming for publication.

Travellers' checks

Some countries seem to prefer smaller denominations and some charge you a fee per check so make sure you are getting the right size bills. And bring more than you think you need. You never know when you will stumble upon a ruby mine that needs exploiting or a leopard that needs