Tag: fly

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Pack, Pack, Pack

 

  • Back pack
  • Day packs
  • Camera and accessories; extra battery, memory card, battery charger
  • Water bottle
  • Notebook or journal
  • Pens…plural
  • Notebook or tablet computer and charger
  • Reading material
  • Maps
  • Translation dictionary or app on your phone
  • Rubber bands
  • Resealable bags
  • Duct tape
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Extra glasses or contact lens
  • Foldable, reusable bags
  • Compression bags
  • Laundry bag
  • Extra memory card

 

 

Most of these things, I pack. Again, in small quantities. Some are must-have items. You’ll figure out which ones are yours. Keep in mind, they may differ depending upon the trip you’re taking. That’s the beauty of this list.

 

Compression bags are perfect for consolidating less-needed items, or even dirty laundry. Don’t have compression bags? Use large re-sealable bags. After you put your things in the bag, close it part way, and squish out as much air as you can. Then, finish sealing it.

 

If you use a resealable bag for each charger and label the bag, you’ll know exactly what goes with what device. If all your devices take the same charger, it’s still handy to have it in its own bag. In your hotel room, put the empty bag by your glasses, phone, or something else you know you won’t forget. That will remind you of the charger sitting in an outlet across the room or behind the desk lamp.

Trying to figure out how to pack your shoes? You may need to take a nice pair and don’t want them scuffed up in your suitcase. Or, you may need to bring home some sandy ones after a day at the beach. Use a disposable shower cap. The elastic edge helps hold the shoes in and the plastic keeps them away from other clothes. In fact, I keep one from a hotel in my suitcase.

 

Wondering why you need to pack some of these things?

 

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Six Months to Go

Check out these simple tips if your trip is six months out:

  • Purchase airfare, especially if it’s international travel.
  • Check time on connecting flights, if applicable. Do you have enough time to make your connection if your flight was delayed? Are the arriving gate and departing gate close together or will you have to make a dash for it?
  • Check seats on Seat Guru. You can find seats based on the aircraft and the booking class.
  • Book seats.
  • Decide where you are staying. This may need to be done earlier than six months if you are traveling during a busy time of year. Contact the hotel or vacation rental in person or by email.
  • Make sure you have all necessary documents. Do you know what you need if you’re visiting Africa? How about Canada?
  • Decide if you should buy travel insurance. Make sure it covers what you might need, as they aren’t all the same.
  • Download maps of the area. Paper maps are good, too. But, it doesn’t hurt to have them in your phone.
  • Download books of the area. Guide books are great. They’re also heavy and cumbersome. Many guide books have digital versions you can download for a small price.
  • Download public transportation maps and information in the area.
  • Download apps for maps, public transportation, etc.
  • Register your international trip with the State Department. This allows you to get assistance in an emergency, either abroad or at home. XXXXXXXXXX
  • While you’re on the State Department’s website, check out where the nearest U.S. Embassy is located. Put that address in your phone.
  • Check the exchange rate if you’re traveling outside the U.S. There’s nothing you can do about it. But, it will give you some idea of what things will cost compared to what you pay at home.

 

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How Do You Sleep?

Do you sleep on planes? If so, you probably already have your routine set. If not, maybe some of these tips will help.

A sleep mask blocks out the light. Ear plugs block out sounds. Noise cancelling headphones can be a great addition to your carry-on bag.

If your flight is an overnight one, it might help to dim the screen or shut it off completely.

If you’re taller than the blankets given on long flights, you might want to bring a shawl or lightweight blanket of your own. That way you can stay warm enough.

Consider bringing an extra pair of socks.

Make sure your legs have enough room. I know there isn’t much extra space to deal with, but moving whatever you can out of the way will help.

If you’re used to taking Melatonin to help with sleep, consider taking it on long flights as well.

If motion sickness is an issue, be sure to talk to your physician and see what you can take.

Sometimes, having an essential oil like lavender helps as well.

If you normally have a glass of wine before you go to bed, have one in the air.

If you have extra time in the airport before you depart, get a massage.

Be sure to wear comfortable, not constricting, clothes.

What are your suggestions?

 

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Trip Planning…

9 months out…

You’re excited about your destination. You could be going to visit grandkids, or you could be heading to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It’s exciting either way. What should you look at for your upcoming trip?

 

  • Check airfare. I recommend checking several sites, including the airline’s site. You’ll have a feel for what the airfare prices are now, even though it’s too soon to book.
  • Set up alerts with several different places. I like to use Kayak and the airline itself. When I receive an alert of an airfare that is in my price range…I check the airline and then book the fare. This usually happens about six months out for international and three or four months out for domestic. If your dates are flexible, you could wait and see what the airfares do for price.
  • Sign up for individual airline’s websites and special deals emails. Think you’ll have emails flooding your inbox? Don’t worry. You can always unsubscribe after your trip.
  • Inspect your luggage to make sure zippers and wheels work. If not, you might want to invest in new luggage. It’s no fun dragging a bag that should be effortlessly rolling.
  • Check hotels, vacation rentals, or B & B prices. Start looking at places where you want to stay. This will give you an idea of costs and allow you to decide what type of accommodation you want.
  • Check rental cars prices. Again, I recommend checking different sites. Prices do vary.
  • Check your passport expiration date and make sure it doesn’t expire for at least six months from your return date. It you’re traveling with others, check the dates on theirs as well. If the expiration date is close to the six-month time frame, apply for a new one now. It could take six weeks or more, depending on the time of year, to get yours renewed.
  • Check your driver’s license expiration date, and make sure it won’t expire while you are gone. You don’t need the surprise of returning, only to find you can’t drive home.
  • Check with your physician, tell them where you are going, and refill any prescriptions you will need. Get copies of all prescriptions.
  • Check the State Department’s website to see if there are any travel alerts where you plan to go. https://www.state.gov/
  • Check to see if you need any shots or vaccinations and how soon you need to get them.

 

 

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Drugs? I don’t have any drugs…

But…you might be carrying something you don’t consider a drug that is actually a drug in another country.

Did you realize some popular prescription and over-the-counter drugs are illegal in some countries? Things like pain relief, better sleep, allergies and even the common cold medicines.

The United Arab Emirates and Japan, for example, are among the most restrictive nations. However, other countries ban or restrict importing narcotics, sedatives, amphetamines, and others.

Most travelers won’t run into problems for carrying small amounts for personal use, said Katherine L. Harmon, who oversees health analysis for iJET International, a travel risk management company. But noncompliance can result in confiscation, (which could, in turn, have severe medical consequences), deportation, jail time, and even the death penalty. “Does it happen a lot? No. Could it? Yes,” Ms. Harmon said. “Consumers need to understand this and how it might adversely impact them before they book that awesome trip to an exotic location.”

Plan Ahead

Laws vary by country and there is no central, up-to date repository. It would be best to consult with your physician, travel medical insurance company, or local pharmacist four to six weeks before traveling. Another good thing to do is to check with the embassy of your destination country. The State Department website lists foreign embassies in the United States, and their contact information.

Be sure to label and pack all you medication properly and easy to read. Carry all your medication, including vitamins and supplements, in their original, clearly marked containers or packaging. Put these in a clear plastic bag in your carry-on luggage. Make sure everything including the name on the prescription, the medicine container, and your passport all match. If you lost the product information insert, ask the pharmacist to print a new one for you.

If you have any gel-type medication, let TSA know that when you go through security. You don’t need them taking it because they don’t know what it is.

 

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State Department and Trouble Spots

From the Chicago Tribune

The State Department on Wednesday introduced shades of gray into its system that tells people about trouble spots around the globe.

The standard jargon at the State Department’s website (travel.state.gov) used to be a “warning” — something serious that would suggest extra caution (and sometimes more) — or an “alert,” which often was a red flag, sometimes temporary, telling travelers about, say, an election or the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The revised system assigns levels of advice (1 to 4) about travel as it pertains to every country.

None of levels prohibits travel. North Korea is the only country that’s off-limits to Americans without special permission.

Five states in Mexico have gotten the sternest “do not travel” advisories under the revamped system.

The five include the northern border state of Tamaulipas and the Pacific coast states of Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero.

The State Department had previously discouraged travel to all or part of the five states’ territories but the new warnings are sterner, placing the drug- and crime-plagued states on the same level warning level as Somalia, Yemen, Syria or Afghanistan.

Mexico as a whole has a level-two rating, “exercise increased caution” in the new four-level alert system, because of concerns about crime. But an additional 11 Mexican states got a level-three warning, “reconsider travel.” Mexico has 31 states, half of which are under level 3 or 4 warnings.

The State Department also appears to have softened its stance on Cuba, advising people to “reconsider” travel to the Caribbean island nation under the new system.

Last September, it issued a warning that told Americans to avoid travel to Cuba in the wake of health problems reported by Havana-based U.S. diplomats and their family members. The U.S. government evacuated most employees at its embassy in the Cuban capital.

The department issued this fact sheet about the changes on Wednesday:

On January 10, 2018, the Department of State launched improvements to how we share information with U.S. travelers.  These improvements will provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide.  Under the new system, every country will have a Travel Advisory, providing levels of advice ranging from 1 to 4:

  • Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel.  Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.
  • Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.  Conditions in any country may change at any time.
  • Level 3 – Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.  Conditions in any country may change at any time.
  • Level 4 – Do Not Travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance.  The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or leave as soon as it is safe to do so.  The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.  Conditions in any country may change at any time.

The Travel Advisories for each country replace previous Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts.  While we will issue an overall Travel Advisory level for every country, levels of advice may vary for specific locations or areas within a country.  For instance, we may advise U.S. citizens to “Exercise Increased Caution” (Level 2) in a country, but to “Reconsider Travel” (Level 3) to a particular area within the country.

Our detailed Travel Advisories will also will provide clear reasons for the level assigned, using established risk indicators, and offer specific advice to U.S. citizens who choose to travel there:

  • C – Crime: Widespread violent or organized crime is present in areas of the country.  Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
  • T – Terrorism: Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
  • U – Civil Unrest: Political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.
  • H – Health: Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure, are present.  The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control Travel Notice may be a factor.
  • N – Natural Disaster: A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
  • E – Time-limited Event: A short-term event, such as an election, sporting event, or other incident that may pose a safety risk.
  • O – Other: There are potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators.  Read the country’s Travel Advisory for details.

We will review and update each Travel Advisory as needed, based on changes to security and safety information.  Additionally, U.S. embassies and consulates will now issue Alerts to replace the current Emergency Messages and Security Messages.  Alerts will inform U.S. citizens of specific safety and security concerns in a country, such as demonstrations, crime trends, and weather events.

The Department’s newly-redesigned hub for traveler information, travel.state.gov, will host all Travel Advisories, recent Alerts issued for each country, and an interactive map in mobile-friendly formats.  Country pages on the site will continue to include all travel information currently available, including details about entry/exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, transportation, and other relevant topics.

To receive security and other important updates while traveling, U.S. citizens can enroll their travel plans in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (step.state.gov), and follow us on Twitter (@travelgov) and Facebook (facebook.com/travelgov).

This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune. In our crazy world, there are many warnings about travel. If you’re going to travel, it’s best to be informed about your destination. This is not cause for alarm…just information.

As always…travel safe and pay attention. It really doesn’t matter if you traveling to a far away destination or a local one.

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Airports and Instagram

A new survey reveals the most popular airports on Instagram.

Do you have a favorite? Is it because it’s close to you? Or, does it have something special? Maybe it has a terrific food scene or the best art.

Check out these that made the Instagram list. Agree…or disagree?

Los Angeles (LAX) may not be your favorite if you don’t like busy airports. But, with its great restaurants and entertainment…there’s a lot of photo ops.

Chicago O’Hare is number two on Instagram’s list. Have you ever had time to check out the impressive art collection? Or, were you too busy trying to catch your next flight?

San Francisco is considerably smaller than LAX and O’Hare, but is the major airport for the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. As expected, great food can be found here. Also check out the flight history museum.

Dallas/Fort Worth has an on-site pet hotel. Hmmm.

Miami…with it’s Miami style and great art exhibits, it’s an Instagram worthy placed.

So many of my favorites are missing from this list.

I love flying in over the entire downtown of San Diego, the simple yet stunning landscape surrounding Santa Barbara, the mountains in the background of Denver, and so many more. To me, they each have their Instagram shots.

What are some of your favorites?