TRAVEL TIPS

Pre-Travel Check List

• Make arrangements with a neighbor, friend or relative to check your home periodically and remove any flyers or newspapers from your front door. Also pick up mail so it doesn't pile up while you are away. If you require a pet sitter, you will find that they also provide these services.
• Stop newspaper/mail delivery if possible.
• Check prescriptions for necessary refills before you go.
• Put valuables and jewelry in a safe deposit box.
• Purchase traveler's checks, if needed. Most credit cards are accepted worldwide. Inform your credit card company that you will be traveling, especially if traveling internationally.
• Label luggage, inside and out.
• Reschedule any appointments without telling anyone you will be leaving the house, if possible.
• Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends.
• Leave house keys and garage door opener with a neighbor or friend.
• Turn the hot water heater down to 120 degrees before you leave.
• Leave drapes and shades as you would normally.
• Set automatic light timers.
• Lock all doors and windows, including basement and garage, disabling automatic garage door opener if possible. 

Tips for Packing

• Pack heaviest items first. Shoes, etc. should be packed in the corners of the suitcase
• Use luggage space wisely. Stuff hosiery/socks into toes of shoes. Protect your clothing from shoes by placing them in plastic bags. Roll sweatshirts and under-garments to fill spaces. A full bag helps keep the contents from sliding around and becoming wrinkled. On the other hand, don't pack too much. An experienced traveler's trick is to lay out everything you think you may need, then put half of it back in the closet.
• Coordinate your wardrobe around one or two basic colors, therefore making mixing and matching easier.
• Minimize wrinkling by packing shirts buttoned, and use tissue paper or t-shirts inside the folds.
• For silk shirts use large zip lock food bags. Bring extra bags for any wet garments like bathing suits.
• Pack some of your traveling companion's clothes in your bag and vice versa in case of any lost luggage.
• As you pack, make a list of the contents for a possible lost luggage claim.
• Carry fragile, valuable, or perishable items with you. Money, jewelry, and prescription drugs should always be carried with you, along with a toothbrush!
• Make sure all liquid toiletries are 3 ounces or less and are all contained inside a quart size zip lock bag.
• Make sure your luggage is clearly labeled to your next destination. Remove all old airline tags. Make sure your name and contact info is both outside and inside of each of your bags.
• Unpack as soon as possible after your arrival as this helps eliminate wrinkling.
• Remember to leave room for souvenirs. You may even want to pack an empty canvas bag for your purchases.

Things to pack in your carry-on bag

• Identification
• Credit Cards and Traveler's Checks
• Airline or other tickets, Itinerary and Passport
• Wallet
• Medications
• Eyeglasses & Sunglasses
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, makeup, hairspray, lotion, other assorted toiletries
• Sunscreen
• Umbrella
• Change of clothes and shoes
• Camera, camera accessories (battery charger, extra memory card)
• Cell phone and charger
• Inflatable sleeping pillow
• Emergency Contact Info

TSA Recognized Baggage Locks

TSA screens every passenger's baggage before it is placed on an airplane. While their technology allows them to electronically screen bags, there are times when they need to physically inspect a piece of luggage. TSA has worked with several companies to develop locks that can be opened by security officers using universal "master" keys so that the locks may not have to be cut. These locks are available at airports and travel stores nationwide. The packaging on the locks indicates whether they can be opened by TSA.

 

Make Your Trip Better Using 3-1-1

• 3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.  3 oz. container size is a security measure.
• Consolidate bottles into one bag and X-ray separately to speed screening.
• Be prepared. Each time TSA searches a carry-on it slows down the line. Practicing 3-1-1 will ensure a faster and easier checkpoint experience.
• 3-1-1 is for short trips. If in doubt, put your liquids in checked luggage.
• Declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, breast milk, and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint.
• Come early and be patient. Heavy travel volumes and the enhanced security process may mean longer lines at security checkpoints.
• TSA working with our partners. TSA works with airlines and airports to anticipate peak traffic and be ready for the traveling public.

 

Travel Safety Tips

Here are some suggestions for playing it safe while traveling:

• Don't take help from strangers.
• Never consent to carry a bag for anyone you don't know.
• Never leave your luggage unattended in a public place, even for a few minutes.
• Check the back seat before getting into a rental car.
• Park only on well lit streets, never pick up hitchhikers and don't ask directions from strangers. Ask a policeman, security personnel or hotel concierge.
• Leave only the ignition key for valet parking attendants.
• Try to get a hotel room between the third and sixth floors. Burglaries are most likely to hit the bottom floors and fire rescue equipment doesn't always reach beyond the 6th floor.
• Lock all valuables and excess cash in a hotel security deposit box.
• Pack a flashlight to keep beside your bed.
• Check doors and windows for broken or faulty locks and alert the front desk immediately if you find one.
• Locate fire exits and elevators and make sure they work. Read the hotel's safety instructions.
• Know the layout of your room in case of fire/smoke. Know where your room key is at all times.
• Avoid hints that your hotel room is empty, such as signs asking for maid service. Tell housekeeping personally when to make up your room. Leave the TV on and put a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.
• Never open a door without visually ascertaining who is outside. Do not accept unexpected packages. Call the front desk to confirm before allowing anyone to enter your room claiming to be maintenance, etc.
• Learn about local customs to avoid insulting anyone.
• Learn key phrases to ask for assistance.

 

Safety Tips Especially for Women

• If you are being followed in the corridor as you walk to your room, don't stop at your door. Pass your room and wait to see if the person enters their own room.
• For added security at night, wedge a rubber door stop under the door.
• Put a business address, not your home address on your luggage.
• Do not travel with diamond studs, pearls or other expensive jewelry. Wear costume jewelry instead. If you wear a diamond wedding ring, turn the diamond inside so it is not visible.
• Leave a masculine item, such as a shaving kit, in your rental car so potential criminals think the car is being driven by a man.
• Ask for a hotel room near the elevator as opposed to way down a long corridor.
• Try to avoid entering an elevator with a strange man, especially late at night or while weighed down with a lot of luggage or packages.
• If the lighting on your hotel floor is dim, ask for a room on a better lit floor.
• Ask a security guard for an escort to the parking lot.

 

Comments

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"Put a business address, not your home address on your luggage." nice idea.

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Excellent post. However, the tips may vary from a country to country as the culture changes. Secondly a system in a country is designed for their own people and not for the foreigners. Therefore, we should keep this in mind when visiting the other country.
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