Over the past decade or more, I've done a lot of packing for travel. And the more I travel, the better I get at it! I know what clothes to pack, and why, I know what size suitcase and backpack I need, I know what medications to take with me, I know how to work with my itinerary so I pack the right clothes, and I know how to avoid many of the pitfalls, like running short of money on the road.
Now, I share my travel tips with other travellers, so they won't make the mistakes I did. Time spent on travel planning pays huge dividends. You'll have a lighter suitcase to carry up 5 flights of stairs when the elevator isn't working, you won't run out of money when the banks are closed, you'll have a flashlight handy when the lights go out, and you'll have a snack in your pack when your flight is delayed and your tummy's rumbling!
Sit back for 5-10 minutes, and read through my travel tips pages. Some tips you may already know; others may be new to you. And if you have a tip that's not mentioned here, please post a comment at the bottom of the page. Plan ahead, and enjoy your trip!
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See all Travel Tips pages here ~ Travel planning pays off!
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Travel Documents tips Tips for Backing Up Passports, Visas, emails etc
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Travel Insurance Tips Do You Need Insurance or can you get by without it?
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Travel currency tips Carry Your Money Safely and Back It Up so you don't run short
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Travel planning Supplies handy thngs for on the road to get before you leave
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What To Pack General Rules (if you have time, read first, as it lays down the basics)
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Travel Luggage Tips Backpacks, suitcases, wheeled, hard sided or soft?
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General Travel Packing tips Change Your Perceptions, Lighten Your Load!
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Packing Clothes Part 1 How to Choose & Pack the Main Items - pants, tops, skirts, etc
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Packing Clothes Part 2 Choosing & Packing All the Rest - Jammies, undies, socks, shoes, etc
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Travel Packing Medications (carry-ons) Carryon prescription and OTC meds
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Travel Packing Safety, Comfort Food, drink, flashlights? And leave These Items at home!
- Holidays to Dominican Republic short list suggested clothes etc for most tropical resorts
China Travel clothing -- China travel suggested wardrobe
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Here's how my travel tips pages started:
On a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I needed some cash. No problem! Just find a bank machine and use the debit card. As long as your card works internationally, you can usually get cash in local currency. The first ATM machine I tried didn't work, nor did the second one, a few blocks away. Nor did a third.
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About this time, I realized I kept meeting the same people at these bank machines. Turns out, we were all in the same boat: No money, and no way to get any. So we headed into the bank, just before 3 pm closing, to learn that the international ATM Cirrus system was down for the day. We were invited to take cash advances on our credit cards, and patiently got into line.
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"No problem," said the bank person, "I just need to see your passport." Well, tourists out for a day on the town are encouraged to leave their passports in the hotel safe, and I had. "Without your passport, I can't help you," said the bank man. "So sorry."
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Luckily, I had just enough pesos to pay for the cab back to the hotel, where I could cash a travellers check, but this money-less incident taught me a lesson: Don't count on anything being as it should. Now I plan my trips, and carry money in a variety of forms. I find that the time spent on travel planning is well worth it, as it allows me to relax and enjoy the trip.
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