When you are ready to travel, you need to be sure to have copies made of each of your vital papers. You want to have copies of your passport, insurance, and other vital documents. Put them in some safe place other than with you. It is also a good idea to leave a set with a friend or relative in case all the sets you have are lost or stolen.
Be sure to bring along your children’s car seats if you are planning to get a rental car for your trip. Bring your own car seats if you want to ensure the safest option for your children.
If you are bringing any electric appliances with you on an international trip, check their power standards and, if necessary, purchase an adapter. If you have to buy one at the last minute, you will pay a premium for the convenience.
To avoid issues when flying with gifts, never wrap your presents. If the TSA is suspicious about something, they will be forced to open your presents. Instead, wait until you get to your destination to wrap the gift.
Stay up as late as possible, or at least until around 8 o’clock in the evening, to help adapt to the time change. Resist the urge to fall asleep too early because this will only prolong the disorientation of jet lag. If you can adjust to the local time zone, then your jet lag will be gone.
If you want to save on currency exchange fees, don’t change your money until you reach your destination. If you know that where you’re going won’t let you exchange your money for the local currency before you land, make sure to bring exchange it before you go.
Review any hotels or resorts you plan on staying in through online reviews and travel sites, so that any potential issues can surface before you finalize your itinerary. Reading traveler reviews can give you some sense of what to expect and what to avoid. This can prevent a bad experience on your dream vacation.
There are some criminals in foreign cities that pretend to be police officers, so be careful. Do not let anyone have your passport unless you are sure they are legitimate. If they want to take you in for questioning, insist on walking. Never, under any circumstances, get in a car with an unknown local.
Leave all unnecessary valuables at home. Too many items often burden travelers with additional responsibility, which increases the possibility of these items getting lost or stolen.
When traveling by car and have more than one licensed driver on board, it is a good idea to take turns driving. If you stay behind the wheel until you are sleepy or exhausted, you increase the chances of getting into an accident. Never drive to the point of exhaustion. Develop a schedule, instead, where you and another driver switch every couple of hours. With this method you will avoid the tiredness and lack of attention that comes with long hours on the road.
Put all of your contact information on a clearly visible label inside all of your luggage. Doing this can really be a lifesaver if your luggage is separated from you, so when someone else finds it, they can contact you. Remember that your luggage and its contents are at risk whenever they leave your sight.
Due to the downturn in the economy, you may feel like you should skip this year’s vacation. Follow these tips to design a vacation you can afford.