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Travel Bucket List

Do you make a bucket list for places you want to visit? Many people do. They cross off sites as they see them.

What does your bucket list mean to you? Is it only a list of places you want to see? Or, do you want to do more than visit? Do you want to really experience those places?

Does it include something other than site seeing? Do you want to learn the language before you go? Do you want to spend two weeks hiking the back country?

Do you want to bring home souvenirs? Do you want to take photos for your scrapbook?

Does your list include places and sites in many different countries? Whatever you bucket list is like…enjoy the journey.

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Oregon Pinot Noir

Tasting Pinot Noir wines at Sokol Blosser in Oregon…

Wine barrels decked out for the holidays…

If you love Oregon Pinot wines, the Willamette Valley would be a wonderful place for you to visit. If you go in late November, harvest will be finished a long time ago and only a few lonely bunches remain shriveled on the vines.

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Airport Security

What do you do to make your time getting through airport security easier? Lately, I’ve seen some people that either don’t travel very often or don’t think ahead. They must not listen to the agents who repeat the same message over and over, either.

These are just a few tips that come to mind to avoid your delay and everyone behind you in the security line.

Do have your ID and boarding pass out before you get to the TSA person. Now is not the time to fumble in your purse because you can’t remember which pocket you put it in.
Do remove your belt before you walk through the metal detector. It will beep if you don’t.
Do remove everything from your pockets…everything.
Do remove your shoes…yes even flip flops.
Do remove your jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt.
Do remove any clunky jewelry…even if you think it will make it through.
Do remove the zipped bag of your 3 ounce bottles of liquids. Yes, 3 ounce bottles. The TSA doesn’t care if your 12 ounce bottle only has 3 ounces left in it.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Some thinking ahead will get you ahead. And the people in line behind you will thank you.

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Travel Questions

When you travel, do you pack everything you might need? Or, do you pack fairly light?

Does it make a difference if you’re checking your luggage or carrying it on as to how you pack?

Do the airlines you travel charge for checked luggage?

If you carry on your luggage, do you try to stuff as much as possible in that one bag?

Just curious…

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Traveling With Credit Cards

Remember to contact your credit card company to let them know you will be making purchases and using that card outside your normal location. This is especially true if traveling outside the US.

Look for transaction fees. Many credit card companies charge foreign transaction fees that can be around 3%. You can check out www.bestcredit.net to compare cards and companies.

Always have a back up card. Or, if traveling with a spouse or significant other…each take a different card with you.

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Traveling With Your Phone, part 2

Remember to bring your phone charger with you when you travel. If you are outside the US, check to see what type of plug and voltage are used in your destination. If you pack the right converters, you can charge your phone just like you do anywhere.

If you have a phone with data roaming features, you may want to turn that off before your flight. This will tell your phone not to connects to data networks outside of your home network. This also helps in keeping the data roaming charges less.

Same with automatic emails. You could be using data without knowing it. If you turn off the auto features, your charges should be less.

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Traveling With Your Phone

When you travel, do you use your phone for more than making calls? Probably. Most of us use our phones for photos, texting, staying connected in a variety of ways, and keeping up with our friends.

You don’t want huge roaming or other unwanted charges. This is especially true if you’re traveling outside the US. What do you do if you want a phone but don’t want those charges?

Call your service provider before you pack that bag. There may be options for international calling or data plans. They may offer rental options so you can have a local phone to use when traveling.