BECOME A SAAVY TRAVELER.

 "Those who would travel happy, must travel light."

2.  Use mesh packing cubes to keep your clothes organized and to allow visibility for securty at the airport. The mesh bags are well-made, lightweight, strong and easy zippers and keep you very organized. These are available directly through eBags which has frequent discounted sales and when they are not on sale at eBags, Amazon has regular sales at discounts.  I compare both sites before purchase to get the very best price.

3.  Visit My Travel Store for a comprehensive list of essential small travel items.  This is a fine tuned list from years of travel. 

4. The shoulder bag should be slim with a zipper and cross strap. Using a cross strap takes the load off your shoulder. Think of using the bag daily as you walk around, something that doesn’t get in your way, but is big enough to hold a camera, lip balm, sunglasses, a map, makeup, sun block, and medicines. It could work as an overnight bag with a shirt, undergarments and toothpaste. Carrying it around all  day, would it be a burden or fit just right? Magellan's has some very good discount suitcases, shoulder bags, totes and travel gear.  Click on purses and totes. Shop for travel accessories up to 70% off at Magellans.com  

5.  LAY OUT YOUR ARTICLES so that you can see them.  For longer trips start to prepare a month or two in advance. This provides you a window to really decide what you need, shop and see the items before you pack in a relaxed way. Plan outfits for each day. Think how to mix and match clothes so that shirts match with different shorts or pants. Think in COMPLETE OUTFITS per day, per night, events, toilet articles, first aid, medicines, books and information. All of these should have their own pile. Pack each outfit in it's own plastic bag.

6. Go MIX AND MATCH, WRINKLE FREE.  PLAN TO WEAR LAYERS OF CLOTHING

7.  DRESS FOR THE CULTURE YOU ARE VISITING.   Do a little research before you go.

8.  PICK SHOES THAT MATCH MULTIPLE ITEMS AND ARE LIGHTWEIGHT. 

9.  GET RID OF EXCESS PACKAGING.    As long as the bottle is labeled, outside wrappers are unnecessary and take up room in your luggage. 

10.  Buy the mesh travel pouches that are clear on one-side.  

11.  AVOID WEARING EXPENSIVE JEWELRY ITEMS when traveling. 

12. ALWAYS HAVE A BOTTLE OF DRINKING WATER.  

13.  Take a HAT that you can roll up. For RAIN, there are very simple lightweight poncho style jackets you can throw on. 

15.  COPY YOUR DOCUMENTS.  Have MULTIPLE COPIES of your passport, airline itinerary, hotel information and driver’s license.  Pack a copy in your shoulder bag, in your larger suitcase and a set should go to a friend or family member with your complete information in case you need to call back home for assistance.

16.  Use an under-the-shirt, AROUND THE WAIST MONEY BELT. 

17.  OBTAIN FOREIGN CURRENCIES BEFORE YOU GO. 

18. Pack a fold-up rip stop nylon bag that has a zipper in your side compartment of your suitcase for handy shopping for food and extra day items.

19. Books and magazines. When using travel books, I use paperbacks that I don’t mind tearing apart into sections. I usually remove the covers of the books so as not be earmarked as a tourist, especially popular books such as Let’s Go Europe or Lonely Planet. Think slim and lightweight reading material.  Discover twice the city in half the time with  Lonely Planet Encounter Guides.
Many of Lonely Planet's books and guides are also available digitally. 

19. TAKE MEDICATIONS WITH YOU. See this story below about the value of medications on your trip.

SAN PEDRO, BELIZE, C.A. 

STORY:  On a family trip, a party of about ten of us, I took a special kit in my own gear for medical needs and let my family members know I had that with me if they needed anything.  We went to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye off the coast of Belize, a small island with a tiny town.  After a few days, my sister comes running to my room to help a couple in their early thirties staying in the hotel. I grabbed my med kit and went to their room.  The young daughter about three years old had cut her foot very badly and was crying very loud.  The parents were obviously stressed. I found out that both of them were doctors, but for some reason they did not take any medications with them on their holiday weekend.  As they opened the first aid kit, they found cleaning wipes and swabs, antibiotic ointment, butterfly band-aids, gauze and tape, aspirin and Tylenol. Immediately I watched as both of them relaxed. The look of relief and sudden smiles on their faces meant the world to me. I was so glad I had packed those small, but important items. They of course, immediately knew what to do, cleaned their daughter’s wound, applied antibiotic ointment, strategically loaded on the butterfly bandages, and then wrapped the area securely.  The little girl stopped crying when her parents relaxed and took care of her.  These two doctors responded with utmost respect to my preparedness and it completely changed their situation.  I guarantee you, after that incident they travel with the BASICS. I have found that people who travel a lot are the most prepared.  It's good to be prepared for yourself and for others.

Step 20:  A few helpful SUPPLEMENTAL MEDICAL ITEMS to take include acidophilus packets, vitamin C tablets, cold prevention or Airborne for airplanes, cough lozenges, nose spray and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor if you come down with a horrible cold. I also like to take a small aromatherapy candle, essential oils and some sticks of incense.  Packets of antiseptic gels, noxema cream for sunburns, sunblock and mosquito wipes are also travel essentials. Head-on, a homeopathic roll on a stick works well for travel headaches and muscular aches. Ear plugs come in handy for noisy environments and sea bands for the wrists help prevent nausea for air and sea-sickness.  Please note that most of these items are small or can be bought in packets or small 3oz. tubes.  Pack your medical supply kit in a single small medic type zipper bag.  Packing a HOT WATER BOTTLE is also excellent to keep you warm and ease aches and pains. The hot water bottle is easier to pack than you think and not a silly item as you might think. It is flat and can easily be put in a zip compartment on the side of your travel suitcase or lay it out flat in the bottom of your suitcase.  It makes a lot of difference in places where you can’t control the heat. I've been in remote areas in India, Asia and Central America with no electricity, but I've always been able to get water heated on a wood stove in someone's kitchen. Think about what items will make you comfortable when traveling and keep you healthy.

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