1. Are you tired of catching colds while traveling?
Take along a travel-sized package of Clorox wipes. Disinfect the tray table and armrests on the airplane, and the telephone and TV remote in your hotel room.
William Alabaster, Rochester, N.Y.
2. Keep your passport information handy
On international flights I used to fumble through my belongings—often having to retrieve them from the overhead bin—after a flight attendant appeared with the landing card, (I don’t know of many people who have their passport number and date of issue memorized.) Now I write all my information on the bookmark of whatever I plan to read on the long flights so I don’t have to dig out my passport. I can then fill out the card quickly—giving me more time to loan my pen to people who never seem to carry one.
Wendy Anderson, Orange, Conn.
3. Don’t toss out old prescription glasses
Whenever my husband and I get news of eyeglasses, we relegate the old ones to our luggage, along with an inexpensive repair kit from the drugstore. If something happens while we’re away from home, we can hopefully fix the glasses ourselves. If they’re beyond saving, we have the backup pairs to get us through the rest of the trip.
Wayne Babcock, Chandler, Ariz.
4. Even the disposable-camera lenses should be protected
They scratch just like any other lens would. Place a small piece of painter’s tape (or another that won’t stick too much) over the lens to protect it from contact with other items in your purse of backpack during travel.
Ursalene Baker, Santa Cruz, Calif. Suzanne Barr, San Diego, Calif.
5. Secure any small electronics to a bag
I’m a gadget freak and I don’t like to travel without things like my digital camera and my iPod. On one trip though, I put my camera down in a crowded restaurant and then, distracted, forget to put it back in my bag. By the time I remembered where I’d left it, the camera was long gone. Now, I attach those kinds of items to my daypack with a lanyard. They’re still easy pull out and use, and they never get left behind.
Susan Beagle, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Got a travel tip to share? Leave it as a comment below…
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I agree with D. Olson. I’ve had my passport stolen from my carryon while on a flight in Europe. It’s dangerous (identity theft) and a waste of holiday time having to sort this out overseas.
With the easy availability of color printers, making a copy of your passport page is quick and easy. In addition, it can be enlarged 20% or so which makes the numbers readable in poor light. Laminating it is also easy and cheap to protect it. Then the passport can be left in the carryon and in many countries, put in hotel safe and not lost while sight seeing. Additionally, if the passport is lost, it is a much better document to show to local and then U.S. officials.
I disagree with the person who suggested putting their passport number on their bookmark or other reading material. What a good way for a thief to steal a portion of your identity for later use. Keep your passport in a neck pouch, money belt or something on your body at all times, not in the overhead or anywhere else.