I always say that the portion of the trip before you go can be almost as exciting as the vacation itself. You can fantasize about walking down streets of a new city or luxuriating in a wonderful hotel on a great beach. It’’s wonderful to have something so lovely to look forward to.
In this spirit, I thought I’d suggest some very practical actions to take before you travel.
1. Don’t advertise on Twitter or Facebook that you are going away for an extended period of time. This is like putting out an advertisement that you want your house to be burglarized. I know it’s fun to tweet about the great hotel package you just booked with your travel agent, but don’t provide the dates on when you are traveling.
2. Be equally cautious while you are away. Again, be discrete about the fact that you’re not at home. Use your best judgment. If you post photos on Facebook don’t announce that this is where you are at present. Your good friends will know you’re on vacation, you don’t have to spell it out for them. Leave the bulk of your photo posting for when you return.
3. Before you go, check to see if you need a visa to get in to the country you are visiting. A colleague of mine was all set to go to Brazil until he realized the day before that he needed a visa. He didn’t go; it was simply to late to get all the paperwork done.
4. Packing. I’ve been a “professional” traveler for more than 20 years and I can’t believe I just figured this out. Layout the articles of clothing you want to bring on your trip on a flat service. Don’t just start putting everything in to a suitcase; if you do that, you will just keep adding things until your bag is full and you’ll be bogged down with items you don’t need and with pieces of clothing that don’t match. Instead, assemble all of your outfits with their accessories away from the suitcase. Once you’ve finalized your selections, it’s ok to pack.
5. Sundries to take and purchase. You cannot go wrong taking a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and a package of Band-aids with you since you’ll no doubt be eating new foods and walking much more than you’re used to. I also pack a small pair of scissors in the suitcase I’m checking, which often comes in handy for one reason or another. If you realize you’ve got a facial blemish while you’re on the road, remember that a dab of toothpaste will usually do the trick of getting it under control. If you can, upon arrival at your destination, buy bottled water at a drug store to stock in your hotel room. I’d rather pay $5 for a case than for one bottle from a mini-bar for when I’m thirsty in the middle of the night.
That's it for now! Happy trails to you!
Ruthanne Terrero
For more travel tips, follow me at www.twitter.com/RuthanneTerrero
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