Always on the road, you come across many situations you’d rather speed up or avoid altogether. I hope this list of hints will help your travels! Check back each month for a new tip!
PREPARATION
- Confirm your travel dates and destination country names with your bank. That way, you won’t receive nasty surprises like a blocked account when trying to withdraw cash overseas.
- Always carry an updated International Certificate of Vaccination with you. Available from your doctor, this little yellow book is sometimes required to enter a country or when visiting a doctor overseas.
- Make sure you take a photo and keep receipts of luggage contents before you travel. Travel insurance policies will not pay for lost luggage unless you have proof of ownership of all contents.
- I use TripIt Pro to easily access all my flight and hotel bookings from one place! It also sends me an SMS if my flight is delayed or cancelled and notifies me of alternate flights. A really great tool! (added December 2011).
PACKING
- Many electronic devices to charge? Mobiles phones, camera batteries, laptop computers? Pack a double adapter or power board so you can charge them all at once (added April 2011).
- Want to drive in a foreign country? Most countries require that you carry an International Driving Permit with your licence when driving (added May 2011).
- Pack your umbrella in a plastic zip-lock bag. After the rain, save the rest of the contents in your backpack from getting wet! (added July 2011).
- Worried about overweight luggage? I always carry luggage scales with me! Make sure you get a battery operated one as they memorise the weight so that you can check it after you put the bag down! Take a look at Magellan’s (added January 2012).
ON THE DAY
- Avoid wearing a belt. This will only slow down your (and everyone else’s) time going through security.
- Check your flight is on time before going to the airport. Check your airline or departure airport’s website. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you’ve saved yourself a trip to the airport.
- Avoid the long queue for Economy at the airport! How? Check-in online (even if you have luggage). When you arrive at the airport, go straight to the ‘internet check-in’ or ‘fast bag drop’ counter and avoid the Economy line altogether! Or, if you only have hand luggage, go straight to the gate! (added June 2011).
ON THE PLANE
- It’s courteous, if you are sitting on an aisle or window seat when sitting three-abreast, to allow the poor bugger in the centre to have both armrests :P (added September 2011).
- Bigger planes, more people, less space! When should you recline your seat? Everyone is entitled to recline, however as a general guideline, you should not recline your seat during taxi, takeoff or landing (for safety reasons) or during meal times (respecting those trying to eat behind you!). (added October 2011).
- Place your carry-on bag in the overhead bin across the aisle from your seat, not above you, so you can see if someone tries to reach into it during the flight. (added November 2011).
- Beware of theft on planes. Place your carry-on baggage in the overhead compartment face down with the zip facing the rear of the luggage bin. This makes it harder for unwanted hands to slip into your bag. (added February 2012).
AT THE HOTEL
- At check-in, take one of the hotel business cards for your wallet. In foreign countries, show the card to the taxi driver and you can avoid the language barrier and possibly ending up in a different part of the city! (added August 2011).
