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One of the greatest discoveries as you enter into retirement is that now you have the time to travel. Possibly you have traveled during your work life. But much of this travel may have been work-related, and what was not travel for work, may have been rushed and stressful, or worse, an "on the bus, off the bus" group trip. None of these forms of travel would have given you much of an idea of how glorious and engaging travel can be when it is not work-related, rushed and stressful, or tethered to a group.

Now, as you enter a period when your travels may be more extensive, your questions may become more pressing. You have your bucket lists of travels to accomplish, and you know that it is essential to undertake your travel adventures while you are still energetic and agile. Of course, your questions will likely start with: "Where shall I go?" Next, you may ask: "Shall I travel independently or in a group?" Then you will inquire: "How shall I plan my trip so it will be an enjoyable and memorable experience?" And probably your next query will be: "What shall I take with me?"

Each of these questions leads to its own set of issues and considerations, all worthy of discussion. This article will focus on what to take along with you on the road. Although what to take with you may seem to be a relatively minor concern compared to the others, it actually will have a high degree of impact on the ultimate enjoyment and success of your trip. Becoming expert at preparing well for travel will yield high benefits and ensure that you enjoy your trip fully while you are taking it. Determine to become expert at this, and you will become a happy traveler. If travel is about to become an important part of your way of life, you need to get really excellent at doing it.

A good way to think about what to take with you on a trip is to enlist your own well-developed expertise about how to live a comfortable life in your own home. It is typical to furnish a home in terms of functions, establishing an orderly and comfortable environment where you have a way to meet needs and accomplish the basic tasks that you encounter in your day-to-day life.

At home, you have readily available not only clothes for getting dressed in the morning, but also outfits that serve you in other important functions-- taking a vigorous walk, dressing up to go to the theater, staying warm when you take a boat ride on a chilly evening. If you need to clear your head from congestion, you have only to walk to your medicine cabinet to find your antihistamines. When you are thirsty, you head to the refrigerator door for ice water to stay hydrated. On days that are too pretty to eat inside, you pull out a table cloth and your picnic gear, and head to a park or out to the table in your backyard.

At home, not only do you have everything that you need when you need it, but you also know exactly where to find it. Shirts are hanging in the closet and pants are on the shelf. Socks and underwear are in the drawer and shoes are on your shoe rack. Plates are in cabinets, utensils are in drawers, antihistamines are in the medicine cabinet. A place for everything, and everything in its place.

If everything seems so easy at home because you have gathered together and organized your belongings based on function, the same is also true for travelling comfortably. Start with what you will want to be able to do, listing the functions you will need to carry out over the course of your trip. Then determine what you need to take with you to support each function, and where you will keep it so you will know exactly where to find it when you need it. Think function, not packing list, and you will find that you already know very well how to do this.

Functions you will need to carry out as you travel include being prepared to:

  • Dress comfortably, for cool and warm days, sunny and rainy weather.
  • Walk many miles a day, including up and down hills, and possibly across cobblestones.
  • Navigate your trip, with maps, essential information, and a detailed trip plan.
  • Manage your money, credit cards and passports safely.
  • Access critical trip documents, including passports, plane and train tickets, confirmations, addresses and phone numbers, taxis and drivers, and dinner reservations.
  • Communicate and stay connected.
  • Use and recharge electronics, converting to the power system in the country you will be visiting.
  • Stay healthy for the duration of your trip, ready to handle a variety of possible physical challenges without lost days.

Taking each of these functions individually, here are some guidelines about what should earn a place in your suitcases, keeping in mind that everything you take along you will need to carry or drag, on and off trains, up and down stairs, and sometimes across cobblestones. If your destination happens to be Costa Rica, you may even find yourself hauling your bags down steep muddy banks to board boats that take you up a river or across a lake.


Be prepared to dress comfortably for cool and warm, sunny and rainy weather

Avoid taking either too many or too few clothes. While on your trip, you will want to feel good about how you look. So take some of your favorites. Don't bother to stick with neutrals unless these are your personal taste and style. Take along the colors you like, but have in mind multiple ways they can be worn together and layered with each other.

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A good rule of thumb is to divide the number of days you will be traveling by three, and take that many outfits, all ones that you like to wear. Of course, you can consolidate further by counting a skirt or a pair of pants as part of multiple outfits. For women, take along a few scarves and necklaces to mix it up a bit. Or, even better, plan to purchase these during your trip.

Put blouses and shirts in a packing envelope so you can transfer them to a drawer or closet shelf as a unit, and disturb only those items that you actually wear. This way part of your repacking will already be out of the way when it comes time to move on to the next stop. Roll skirts and pants and pack them to they form a single clearly displayed layer in your suitcase. This will enable you to locate and remove your selections while leaving the rest undisturbed, again saving you repacking time.

Take along any additional pieces you will need to dress in layers and be comfortable in both warm and cool weather. Certainly, carry along a sun hat and an umbrella. Every day on a trip is precious time. You will not want to be sidelined by sun or rain. Select clothing that does not wrinkle or that will not show wrinkles, with a preference for textured or blended cottons, not synthetics.

Pack enough underwear for a week, in a zippered pouch of course, and plan to do a mid-trip wash. Even if you do not have a washing machine in any of your accommodations, it is a simple task to fill the bathtub with water and liquid soap or shampoo, and wash your clothes that way, hanging them to dry around your room. To be prepared for this function of doing the wash, take along a small container of liquid soap and a stretchable clothes line designed to be used without clothes pins. Keep these laundry items together in their own zip-lock bag so you can readily put your hands on them.

All of this pre-organization of your clothing will make unpacking and repacking go quickly, so you will have more time to be where you are.

Be prepared to walk many miles a day, including up and down hills

Traveling can tire out your feet fairly quickly. You will be walking farther, and over more varied and challenging surfaces, than is your custom at home. Take along multiple pairs of comfortable walking shoes to keep your feet happy for the duration of your trip, and swap out your shoes regularly. Happy feet make for a happy trip.

Spend the money necessary to purchase very comfortable shoes, with memory foam to ensure an equal distribution of pressure to the feet, and an anatomically-shaped foot bed to eliminate pressure and friction. And make sure that at least one pair of the shoes you take has a closed-back heel and fastens securely with ties or Velcro closures. When you are walking up and down steep hills and steps, slip-ons can become treacherous.

Be prepared to navigate your way through your days smoothly

Carry with you a full set of Day Pages with the day-by-day details of your trip. These will be your "ace in the hole" - an essential ingredient to your having a smooth, stress-free journey. They will give structure to your travels, and optimize how you navigate through each day, always knowing what's coming next, with all the addresses, telephone numbers and closing times you will need, together in one place.

A good set of Day Pages includes orienteering instructions so that in each new destination you can immediately begin learning your way around. These include small Google-map walk-arounds, starting at the door of your hotel. Their purpose is to help you get your bearings quickly, including where to find your own neighborhood bakery, wine shop, fresh market, deli, and café, as well as the nearest ATM.

Be prepared to handle your money, credit cards and passport safely

Money handling is an important function while traveling. You need to have a system for keeping your money, credit cards, and passport safe, while also having convenient access to them. When traveling in another country, exchange enough cash in advance of your trip to get you started when you arrive. Then use ATM machines to replenish your cash supply as needed. Plan to use the ATM machines and debit cards that minimize foreign exchange fees, with bank ATM machines being the best option.

Call all debit and credit card companies before you leave to give them notice that you will be traveling so they will not deny your transactions. Make copies of your cards and passports, front and back, so you can immediately report any theft or loss. Keep these paper copies in a separate place from your cards.

Be prepared to access all critical trip documents

You will need to be able to access your critical trip documents quickly--to be prepared to locate and board your train and present your tickets to the conductor as required, to call ahead to your hotel and give its address to your taxi driver, and for all the many additional critical connecting points of your trip. This means you will need all of your trip documents where you can find them without delay, including passports and insurance papers, plane and train tickets, hotel and tour confirmations, addresses and phone numbers, taxis and drivers, dinner and concert reservations.


To keep your travel documents completely organized, purchase a zippered passport wallet and always return your passport to it throughout your trip - no exceptions. Use clear plastic sleeves for itinerary and accommodation information, keeping the next needed information visible through the front, for easy access even in the rain.

Use an accordion folder for train tickets, vouchers, confirmations and reservations. Designate a separate portfolio for each destination's upcoming Day Pages, and another one for days that have been completed. Take along an empty coupon holder for receipts, and a small journal to keep track of them. The key is to get organized and stay organized. This will considerably reduce stress during your trip.

Be prepared to communicate and stay connected with the right phones

It has become easier to communicate abroad now. Country SIM cards are readily available to be installed in your iPhone. Or, as an alternative, you will be able to purchase an inexpensive pay-as-you-go cell phone, complete with a country SIM card and generally some complimentary minutes. "Topping off" your cell phone minutes as needed is a simple matter of stopping by a newsstand. If you plan to use your smart phone and install a country SIM card at your destination, be sure to unlock it before you leave on your trip.

Sorting out your communications during your trip is essential so you can stay connected when you get separated from your travel companions or decide to head in different directions. Also you will need to call ahead to hotels, make reservations for restaurants and tours, and call taxis when you need them.

To keep track of all your communications paraphernalia, including charging cables and portable power banks, designate one zippered pouch or large zip-lock bag for this use only. These are items that easily can get lost in a suitcase, or left behind in a hotel room. Before leaving each location, check your designated communications pouch to make sure everything is there in its place before you go.

Be prepared to use and recharge electronics

Designate another zippered pouch for everything else you are carrying that pertains to electronics. Into this pouch put all of the power adapters, converters, charging cables, extension cords and multi-socket extension plugs that you will need to keep your electronics functioning throughout your trip. Keep all of these wires neat and compact with rubber bands. And, again, check your electronics pouch before you leave each hotel to ensure that nothing essential gets left behind.

Be prepared to stay healthy for the duration of your trip
Another zippered pouch should be reserved for everything you will need to stay healthy, inside and out. Put in your prescription drugs and supplements. Also carry a supply of cold medicine, Tums, pain medicine, and any other types of medication you could possibly end up needing. Take foot powder for sore feet, Band-Aids and Neosporin for various mishaps, and lotion to protect your skin. Depending on your destination, also pack bug spray and/or sunscreen. Last, but not least, take along a bottle of melatonin to overcome jet lag and to control sleep irregularities caused by time changes or other unfamiliar sleep disturbances. Consolidate these items in zip-lock bags to cut down on packaging and conserve space.

Traveling can be strenuous. You may develop blisters, various aches and pains, or even sniffles. By taking along a selection of items to handle various contingencies, just in case you need them, you will be ready to prevent small complaints from slowing you down.

Some additional advice

Any comfortable home needs storage space. This is also true when your home is your suitcase. During your trip, your storage space definitely should not be in the suitcases you are carrying with you day after day. Do keep everything you need with you. But lighten your load whenever you can. Yes, this will cost money, but not as much as you might think. And you are worth it!

Designate a zippered pouch for mailing supplies - at a minimum packing tape and address labels. Then, periodically, as your suitcases begin to take on weight, mail home a box. Purchase the box at the local post office and get one large enough to do yourself some good. Into this box put anything you will no longer need during your trip - past Day Pages, brochures and booklets, shoes that didn't turn out to be comfortable, books you've finished reading, treasures and gifts you have purchased along the way. Tape this all up and address it to yourself.

This advantage to give yourself when traveling is well worth the cost and bother. Each time you lighten your load, you will feel your burdens lifting. And, of course, you will free up room for additional treasures that you may discover along your way.

As you enter your prime time for traveling, what you take with you, and how you organize it, is critical to the quality of your travel experience. Before you depart on a trip, look back through your list of the functions you will need to perform while you are traveling to ensure that you are prepared to carry out each of them. And then you are off!


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The thought of flying with a newborn is cause for one of the largest amount of stress that parents encounter when planning for a family holiday. Mothers are worried about traveling on a plane with their newborn babies because they are very delicate. The thought of traveling with their newborn babies in a plane is overwhelming for both new mothers and the newborns. What all new mothers need to know is how to prepare well before flying. There is also a feeling of exhaustion after delivery when many mothers have not fully recovered after childbirth. Here are ten tips that can help a travelling mother make good arrangements and have a trouble-free flight with a newborn and, also make the flight comfortable for the mother and the newborn.

1. What to do before the flight and what to bring for the newborn and the mom

Depending on whether you are giving formula milk or breastfeeding the child, ensure you have packed things such as warm water in a flask, formula milk powder, feeding bottles, and other essential materials. Carry extra supplies because sometimes flights are delayed in order to avoid running out, causing your newborn to cry for food when in the air. Also, ensure that you carry enough clothes and diapers for the newborn.

Doctors advise that babies rest their heads on a pillow to enhance comfort during feeding. Usually, airlines do not provide pillows, and if they do they are sometimes slippery and small. It is therefore recommended to carry your own baby pillow. In addition, if it is possible, you can roll up the baby's, or the airline's, blankets to make a cozy and soft pillow that will hold the baby in a comfortable position while feeding.

Checklist

  • Clothes
  • Diaper
  • Wipes
  • Tissue
  • Changing Pad
  • Blankets
  • Diaper Rash Powder or Ointment
  • Formula, Bottles, and Hot water
  • Lotion
  • Pacifiers
  • Car Seat and Stroller (Can be checked or stored in the overhead)
  • Nursing Shawl


2. How to book an air ticket for a newborn

Infants are usually allowed to travel without any medical testing or approval as long as they are less than seven days old. While booking a newborn ticket, you will need a name and birth date to comply with airline requirements for secure flight information. Booking requires that you put the infant's details accompanied by your details. Also, specify the desired seating options, noting that regulations and fees for flying with a newborn vary from airline-to-airline.

While booking the airline tickets, don't forget to add your newborn as a passenger. If booking via phone, you simply inform the agent that you will be traveling with a newborn. Before booking the flight, be sure to check first on the fees added for an infant seat or lap. All airlines normally charge a fee for lap infants traveling on international flights. After booking a seat for the newborn, you are allowed to bring an approved car seat onto the plane for the infant to sit in during the flight. Even if you have earlier stated the birth date of the newborn, you will probably need to prove the baby is below two years of age. Present the birth certificate along with the boarding pass and your ID at the check-in even if you have already checked in earlier.

3. Changing your baby and feeding

A majority of airline toilets are fitted with a changing table. It might save you the dirty looks from passengers if you try to change your baby's diapers on the passenger's seat. Ensure you carry enough diapers. Breastfeeding on the flight is also easy since there are no regulation policies by the airlines. When taking off or, when landing, the baby's ears hurt, so a good idea is to bottle feed or breastfeed the newborn during landing and takeoff. This forces the baby to swallow which normally relieves the pressure on the baby's ears. If not feeding during these times try to make sure they suck on a pacifier.

It is important to change the diaper once the newborn pees or poos. However, you should change the diaper around ten minutes before boarding the plane. This is because the plane may have to wait on the runway for even up to an hour. Changing the diaper before boarding ensures you have ample time before the next change.

4. Pick an appropriate time for the flight

After the first few days from birth, the mother starts understanding the sleeping pattern of the baby. However, with a newborn, changes are very frequent and cannot be predicted. Even with that, you can still ascertain the best time that the infant sleeps, or is more relaxed. This can help you schedule your flight according to the best time for the baby. Early morning flights are the best since newborns that were not able to sleep well at night are normally asleep through the first part of the morning.

5. Choose a window seat

While traveling with the newborn on your lap, a window seat is best. It is recommended because your baby is more relaxed, gets a little privacy, and you have less disturbances from fellow passengers when they want to move.

6. How to ask for a baby's bassinet

A baby's bassinet is like a tiny bed that can be fitted on the aircraft. A bassinet can be life-saving because it helps the mother and the baby sleep comfortably, especially if the flight is longer than 12 hours. To ensure you get a bassinet, you have to book early. Bookings can be made on the phone so that your baby's ticket can be given to you right on the spot. During the booking stage, you should put the request for your seat to be provided with a bassinet. Don't show up at the airport assuming that the airline will accommodate the baby. After booking, call several times to keep on reminding them and make sure that it's arranged. The bassinet is free of charge and is usually installed after taking off and uninstalled before landing.

7. Know your liquids

The TSA has put limitations on what types of liquids are allowed on the plane. It is therefore important to familiarize yourself with the restrictions. When passing through security, you have to remove all the juices, creams, and liquids from your luggage. Water bottles are not allowed. You are only allowed to bring a reasonable amount of liquid.

8. Dressing for security

You and your baby should dress in a simple manner. Wear shoes that you can slip on and off easily because it saves you time during a security check. Avoid wearing accessories such as a belt because you don't want to keep on removing your baby from a wrap to get through the security check.

9. Be on the lookout for special privileges

When travelling with a baby, you often have access to a lot of special services to simplify the process. Keep an eye on special security access that allows a mom with a baby to bypass long queues. Most airlines permit parents with infants to board before other passengers.

10. Ask for help

If you need any help it's always important to ask because the flight attendant is there to help. It is hectic to fly with a newborn. Therefore, don't make it tougher for yourself by not asking for help when, and if, you need it.

Author: Bob Tom


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One of the greatest discoveries as you enter into retirement is that now you have the time to travel. Possibly you have traveled during your work life. But much of this travel may have been work-related, and what was not travel for work, may have been rushed and stressful, or worse, an "on the bus, off the bus" group trip. None of these forms of travel would have given you much of an idea of how glorious and engaging travel can be when it is not work-related, rushed and stressful, or tethered to a group.

Now, as you enter a period when your travels may be more extensive, your questions may become more pressing. You have your bucket lists of travels to accomplish, and you know that it is essential to undertake your travel adventures while you are still energetic and agile. Of course your questions will likely start with: "Where shall I go?" Next you may ask: "Shall I travel independently or in a group?" Then you will inquire: "How shall I plan my trip so it will be an enjoyable and memorable experience?" And probably your next query will be: "What shall I take with me?"

Each of these questions leads to its own set of issues and considerations, all worthy of discussion. This article will focus on what to take along with you on the road. Although what to take with you may seem to be a relatively minor concern compared to the others, it actually will have a high degree of impact on the ultimate enjoyment and success of your trip. Becoming expert at preparing well for travel will yield high benefits and ensure that you enjoy your trip fully while you are taking it. Determine to become expert at this, and you will become a happy traveler. If travel is about to become an important part of your way of life, you need to get really excellent at doing it.

A good way to think about what to take with you on a trip is to enlist your own well-developed expertise about how to live a comfortable life in your own home. It is typical to furnish a home in terms of functions, establishing an orderly and comfortable environment where you have a way to meet needs and accomplish the basic tasks that you encounter in your day-to-day life.

At home, you have readily available not only clothes for getting dressed in the morning, but also outfits that serve you in other important functions-- taking a vigorous walk, dressing up to go to the theater, staying warm when you take a boat ride on a chilly evening. If you need to clear your head from congestion, you have only to walk to your medicine cabinet to find your antihistamines. When you are thirsty, you head to the refrigerator door for ice water to stay hydrated. On days that are too pretty to eat inside, you pull out a tablecloth and your picnic gear, and head to a park or out to the table in your backyard.

At home, not only do you have everything that you need when you need it, but you also know exactly where to find it. Shirts are hanging in the closet and pants are on the shelf. Socks and underwear are in the drawer and shoes are on your shoe rack. Plates are in cabinets, utensils are in drawers, antihistamines are in the medicine cabinet. A place for everything, and everything in its place.

If everything seems so easy at home because you have gathered together and organized your belongings based on function, the same is also true for traveling comfortably. Start with what you will want to be able to do, listing the functions you will need to carry out over the course of your trip. Then determine what you need to take with you to support each function, and where you will keep it so you will know exactly where to find it when you need it. Think function, not packing list, and you will find that you already know very well how to do this.

Functions you will need to carry out as you travel include being prepared to:

  • Dress comfortably, for cool and warm days, sunny and rainy weather.
  • Walk many miles a day, including up and down hills, and possibly across cobblestones.
  • Navigate your trip, with maps, essential information, and a detailed trip plan.
  • Manage your money, credit cards and passports safely.
  • Access critical trip documents, including passports, plane and train tickets, confirmations, addresses and phone numbers, taxis and drivers, and dinner reservations.
  • Communicate and stay connected.
  • Use and recharge electronics, converting to the power system in the country you will be visiting.
  • Stay healthy for the duration of your trip, ready to handle a variety of possible physical challenges without lost days.

Taking each of these functions individually, here are some guidelines about what should earn a place in your suitcases, keeping in mind that everything you take along you will need to carry or drag, on and off trains, up and down stairs, and sometimes across cobblestones. If your destination happens to be Costa Rica, you may even find yourself hauling your bags down steep muddy banks to board boats that take you up a river or across a lake.


Be prepared to dress comfortably for cool and warm, sunny and rainy weather

Avoid taking either too many or too few clothes. While on your trip, you will want to feel good about how you look. So take some of your favorites. Don't bother to stick with neutrals unless these are your personal taste and style. Take along the colors you like, but have in mind multiple ways they can be worn together and layered with each other.

A good rule of thumb is to divide the number of days you will be traveling by three, and take that many outfits, all ones that you like to wear. Of course, you can consolidate further by counting a skirt or a pair of pants as part of multiple outfits. For women, take along a few scarves and necklaces to mix it up a bit. Or, even better, plan to purchase these during your trip.

Put blouses and shirts in a packing envelope so you can transfer them to a drawer or closet shelf as a unit, and disturb only those items that you actually wear. This way part of your repacking will already be out of the way when it comes time to move on to the next stop. Roll skirts and pants and pack them to they form a single clearly displayed layer in your suitcase. This will enable you to locate and remove your selections while leaving the rest undisturbed, again saving you repacking time.

Take along any additional pieces you will need to dress in layers and be comfortable in both warm and cool weather. Certainly, carry along a sun hat and an umbrella. Every day on a trip is precious time. You will not want to be sidelined by sun or rain. Select clothing that does not wrinkle or that will not show wrinkles, with a preference for textured or blended cottons, not synthetics.

Pack enough underwear for a week, in a zippered pouch of course, and plan to do a mid-trip wash. Even if you do not have a washing machine in any of your accommodations, it is a simple task to fill the bathtub with water and liquid soap or shampoo, and wash your clothes that way, hanging them to dry around your room. To be prepared for this function of doing the wash, take along a small container of liquid soap and a stretchable clothes line designed to be used without clothespins. Keep these laundry items together in their own zip-lock bag so you can readily put your hands on them.

All of this pre-organization of your clothing will make unpacking and repacking go quickly, so you will have more time to be where you are.


Be prepared to walk many miles a day, including up and down hills

Traveling can tire out your feet fairly quickly. You will be walking farther, and over more varied and challenging surfaces, than is your custom at home. Take along multiple pairs of comfortable walking shoes to keep your feet happy for the duration of your trip, and swap out your shoes regularly. Happy feet make for a happy trip.

Spend the money necessary to purchase very comfortable shoes, with memory foam to ensure an equal distribution of pressure to the feet, and an anatomically-shaped footbed to eliminate pressure and friction. And make sure that at least one pair of the shoes you take has a closed-back heel and fastens securely with ties or Velcro closures. When you are walking up and down steep hills and steps, slip-ons can become treacherous.

Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash

Be prepared to navigate your way through your days smoothly

Carry with you a full set of Day Pages with the day-by-day details of your trip. These will be your "ace in the hole" - an essential ingredient to your having a smooth, stress-free journey. They will give structure to your travels, and optimize how you navigate through each day, always knowing what's coming next, with all the addresses, telephone numbers and closing times you will need, together in one place.

A good set of Day Pages includes orienteering instructions so that in each new destination you can immediately begin learning your way around. These include small Google-map walk-arounds, starting at the door of your hotel. Their purpose is to help you get your bearings quickly, including where to find your own neighborhood bakery, wine shop, fresh market, deli, and café, as well as the nearest ATM.


Be prepared to handle your money, credit cards and passport safely

Money handling is an important function while traveling. You need to have a system for keeping your money, credit cards, and passport safe, while also having convenient access to them. When traveling in another country, exchange enough cash in advance of your trip to get you started when you arrive. Then use ATM machines to replenish your cash supply as needed. Plan to use the ATM machines and debit cards that minimize foreign exchange fees, with bank ATM machines being the best option.

Call all debit and credit card companies before you leave to give them notice that you will be traveling so they will not deny your transactions. Make copies of your cards and passports, front and back, so you can immediately report any theft or loss. Keep these paper copies in a separate place from your cards.

Photo by Nicole Harrington on Unsplash

Be prepared to access all critical trip documents.

You will need to be able to access your critical trip documents quickly--to be prepared to locate and board your train and present your tickets to the conductor as required, to call ahead to your hotel and give its address to your taxi driver, and for all the many additional critical connecting points of your trip. This means you will need all of your trip documents where you can find them without delay, including passports and insurance papers, plane and train tickets, hotel and tour confirmations, addresses and phone numbers, taxis and drivers, dinner and concert reservations.

To keep your travel documents completely organized, purchase a zippered passport wallet and always return your passport to it throughout your trip - no exceptions. Use clear plastic sleeves for itinerary and accommodation information, keeping the next needed information visible through the front, for easy access even in the rain.

Use an accordion folder for train tickets, vouchers, confirmations and reservations. Designate a separate portfolio for each destination's upcoming Day Pages, and another one for days that have been completed. Take along an empty coupon holder for receipts, and a small journal to keep track of them. The key is to get organized and stay organized. This will considerably reduce stress during your trip.


Be prepared to communicate and stay connected with the right phones

It has become easier to communicate abroad now. Country SIM cards are readily available to be installed in your iPhone. Or, as an alternative, you will be able to purchase an inexpensive pay-as-you-go cell phone, complete with a country SIM card and generally some complimentary minutes. "Topping off" your cell phone minutes as needed is a simple matter of stopping by a newsstand. If you plan to use your smartphone and install a country SIM card at your destination, be sure to unlock it before you leave on your trip.

Sorting out your communications during your trip is essential so you can stay connected when you get separated from your travel companions or decide to head in different directions. Also, you will need to call ahead to hotels, make reservations for restaurants and tours, and call taxis when you need them.

To keep track of all your communications paraphernalia, including charging cables and portable power banks, designate one zippered pouch or large zip-lock bag for this use only. These are items that easily can get lost in a suitcase, or left behind in a hotel room. Before leaving each location, check your designated communications pouch to make sure everything is there in its place before you go.

Be prepared to use and recharge electronics

Designate another zippered pouch for everything else you are carrying that pertains to electronics. Into this pouch put all of the power adapters, converters, charging cables, extension cords and multi-socket extension plugs that you will need to keep your electronics functioning throughout your trip. Keep all of these wires neat and compact with rubber bands. And, again, check your electronics pouch before you leave each hotel to ensure that nothing essential gets left behind.


Be prepared to stay healthy for the duration of your trip

Another zippered pouch should be reserved for everything you will need to stay healthy, inside and out. Put in your prescription drugs and supplements. Also carry a supply of cold medicine, Tums, pain medicine, and any other types of medication you could possibly end up needing. Take foot powder for sore feet, Band-Aids and Neosporin for various mishaps, and lotion to protect your skin. Depending on your destination, also pack bug spray and/or sunscreen. Last, but not least, take along a bottle of melatonin to overcome jet lag and to control sleep irregularities caused by time changes or other unfamiliar sleep disturbances. Consolidate these items in zip-lock bags to cut down on packaging and conserve space.

Traveling can be strenuous. You may develop blisters, various aches and pains, or even sniffles. By taking along a selection of items to handle various contingencies, just in case you need them, you will be ready to prevent small complaints from slowing you down.

Some additional advice

Any comfortable home needs storage space. This is also true when your home is your suitcase. During your trip, your storage space definitely should not be in the suitcases you are carrying with you day after day. Do keep everything you need with you. But lighten your load whenever you can. Yes, this will cost money, but not as much as you might think. And you are worth it!

Designate a zippered pouch for mailing supplies - at a minimum packing tape and address labels. Then, periodically, as your suitcases begin to take on weight, mail home a box. Purchase the box at the local post office and get one large enough to do yourself some good. Into this box put anything you will no longer need during your trip - past Day Pages, brochures and booklets, shoes that didn't turn out to be comfortable, books you've finished reading, treasures and gifts you have purchased along the way. Tape this all up and address it to yourself.

This advantage to give yourself when traveling is well worth the cost and bother. Each time you lighten your load, you will feel your burdens lifting. And, of course, you will free up room for additional treasures that you may discover along your way.

As you enter your prime time for traveling, what you take with you and how you organize it, is critical to the quality of your travel experience. Before you depart on a trip, look back through your list of the functions you will need to perform while you are traveling to ensure that you are prepared to carry out each of them. And then you are off!



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You don't have to search forever to find the best travel deals. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of patience and the knowledge of where to look. Successful travel planning involves things like online comparison shopping and deal alerts.

To help you save time (and money!), here are a few tips to simplify the process:

• Always do your research and price comparison in incognito windows. This way, the cookies in your browser won't be tracked. It's not uncommon these days for airfare and hotel prices to actually increase when a particular route has been searched, as the websites and companies behind the advertisements want to scare you into booking that deal ASAP by making you think the price is increasing. This unscrupulous practice won't be an issue if you do research in incognito. Only open up the normal browser when you're ready to book the trip.

• Figure out the cheapest day to fly out. Most experts say it on a Tuesday, but that isn't the case 100% of the time. Sometimes the best travel deals can be found on other days. The best thing to do is to select the "whole month" button on a travel search site to view the expected rates on every day of the month instead of trying to play around with the dates manually.

• Keep an eye out for "flash sales" and "last minute deals". The cheapest possible rates are often short-lived and not ongoing. The only way to catch one of these offers is to sign up to receive emails or text notifications from travel sites or airlines you are likely to use.

• Have an opened mind in regards to destinations, airports, accommodation, dining, etc. The best travel deals are easier to find when you are flexible with your plans. If you can't find an inexpensive plane ticket to the city you want to visit, for instance, consider flying to an outlying airport and taking a bus the rest of the way. You could also consider connecting flights instead of direct flights.

• Take advantage of travel-related coupons and promo codes. The great thing about the internet is that it is filled with special offers that will help consumers save money on anything - including travel. You'll find discount codes and e-coupons that can be used either directly with the airlines/hotels/car rental companies themselves or with third-party travel sites. Read over the terms and conditions for each offer so you'll know exactly where you can use it and how to apply it to your order.

And that's how you get the best travel deals.

If you keep these tips in mind, you should be able to find the best travel deals more easily.

Online discount codes are always very helpful. You can easily get the best travel deals anywhere, domestically or internationally. Some websites' price searching and comparison tools are very easy to use as well. Let it be your source of all travel-related information.

Author: George Botwin

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When it comes to vacations, we all try to have the best time of our lives. Things don't always turn out the way we planned. As such, all-inclusive cruises have become all the rage due to their ability to do what seems impossible --- everything. It truly makes your jaw drop to see how they handle such a diverse mass of people and meet their needs at just about any hour of the day.

Still, if you happen to be going on your first all-inclusive cruise, there are a few things you should be thinking about before, and during, your trip:

1. Do Your Research! As with any successful vacation, the success of your trip comes from your willingness to research all aspects of your upcoming adventure. Sure, the planning may seem to take a little of the actual 'adventure' out of it, but given that this is your first cruise, you want to be sure you're not left in the dark on any detail. Travel experts indicate that 75-80% of the success of a cruise comes from taking the time to research and plan your trip.

2. Choose the Right Ship - The nice thing about cruise ships is that you have a number of choices depending on your price point and list of requested amenities. Here's where part of the research you do pays off. Always be sure to check into the actual ships rather than the cruise line as what is offered may greatly vary.

3. Set A Working Budget & Stick To It - When planning your first cruise trip, you want to be sure to create a budget. Nothing makes a vacation fall flat on its face quicker than money problems, especially if you know you paid too much for something. One thing to consider is how much it will cost to travel to the ship port. Does it make more sense to fly or drive? Also, keep in mind any special interests you may want to indulge while on your ship. Cruise lines actually offer themed cruises as well, so it's worth checking out.

4. Choose the Right Time to Go - This is a little tougher to take into consideration as many of us have designated times when we can set off on a vacation. Still, if you want to get a great deal on a cruise, book during off-peak times as the lack of general traveling traffic has cruise lines more willing to lower pricing.

5. Plan Your Packing - Yes, you're excited about your first all-inclusive cruise, but try to avoid massive amounts of luggage. Also, take the time to actually unpack. Living out of a suitcase is no way to operate on vacation. Plus, whether you're making a run for the swimming pool, buffet table, or dressing for a formal event on board, it's easier to get ready if you've got things available and visible.

6. Don't Forget to Just Explore the Ship - Here are the simplest items to keep in mind for the first-timers on a cruise ship. While you've done your research and your attention is being pulled in every direction, take the time just to look around. Get familiar with the ship's layout and take it as an opportunity to talk to others.

7. Find a 'Special' Place - Even when you're on an all-inclusive cruise, being able to call a place your "go-to" hangout can be an easy way to decompress after a busy day. Remember --- you're on vacation, so relax!


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Regardless of if the traveler is a male or a female, it is vital to take precautions when traveling. Women travelers especially need to be cautious of traveling alone anywhere around the world. However, unlike many other countries, travel to America is much safer in comparison. Taking precautions will help abundantly, especially if you are a female.

The foremost thing to consider is understanding the culture. The culture you follow may be very different and so it is vital to learn about the place to which you are traveling. Trying to follow the values of the country when you are visiting will help abundantly. Being a rebel may lead you into trouble. So it is vital to never overlook. Try communicating with locals with an open mind and mingle with them with an open mind.

Be prepared to be shocked by the weather. Each state that you travel to might have a different climatic condition. Southern states are usually hot and humid and the northern parts are cold. You may have to be prepared to experience snow and carry different types of clothing too. Take these weather conditions into consideration when planning your packing. It would be a better idea to carry more that require rather that finding out that you do not have enough. Think about the places you will be visiting, understand the weather conditions and then be prepared with clothes.

Relying on maps is a good idea. However, ensure you have other ways as well. most tourist places are huge and just having one source for your travel may leave you stranded. The distance you will be traveling will be really long. Ask locals and improve your knowledge on the distance you will have to be commuting on a daily basis. Prepare yourself depending on the distance you will be traveling. Highways are more often deserted and you wouldn't find a lot of eateries on your way if you decide to travel by road. This is exactly why you would have to stock up on food, water as well as gas. It would be best practice to not venture out on these routes.

Apart from these tips, make sure you follow the regular safety tips. Keep your money to yourself and never flash it out in public. Using a lot of jewelry can land you in trouble with robbers. You may want to reserve doing that for a later place. Never talk to strangers whatever the circumstance. Keep the emergency number in memory and use it when necessary.



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