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? Leave it in the comment’s box below…
Eyeglasses….Yes, keep the old pair in your travel kit but when you get a newer pair, donate the oldest ones to the Lion’s Club. They then distribute them around the world.
Passport – always carry a photocopy in your wallet and another in your luggage. I lock my passport in a hotel safe, when available (in more developed countries, always carry it in a hidden money belt in developing countries where it’s worth a fortune). If requested, I can always show the photocopy and produce the original when returned to the hotel. Also handy to have it in the wallet to complete immigration papers or add the number to the hotel registration form.
To Prevent Colds –
Fly First Class – Just kidding.
Seriously, wear a surgical mask for flights longer than three hours. I always caught a cold after long flights until I started doing this and never after.
I wonder how many people have found the high-dose vitamin products, marketed to the traveler, to be helpful at all. My sis swears by them. I will be sure to get the wipes and saline also.
1)If you are traveling to more than one location, attach one of the airline-provided disposable luggage tags with “itinerary inside” written on it to each bag. Print out a list of hotels by the dates you will be staying there and the location. Include the hotel phone number and your mobile phone number, and place it inside each bag so that delayed bags can be delivered to you even when you are traveling from one place to another. A copy of this same page can be given to the agent charged with tracking down lost luggage.
2)Have each travel companion carry a copy of every one else’s passport information. Carrying an extra sheet or two of paper can save valuable time if someone’s passport is lost or stolen.
Another tip for preventing colds while traveling:
Take along a bottle of “Ocean”; it is a simple saline solution that keeps your nasal passages moist while you are breathing dry, airplane air.
The reason it works: dried out nasal passages are more prone to infection than moist ones.
I must be one of those rare breed who do have their passport number and date memorized.
Passport:
I always have at least one photo copy of my passport. So when it comes time to fill out the forms, I use it instead of the original. As Wendy puts her information on a book mark, I use the photocopy itself as the book mark. It’s also a good idea to have a copy in more than one place since it’s much easier to get it replaced. I also leave a copy with family/friends.