Terrific Travel Tips

When flying, your normal eating schedule may be disrupted. Limit your eating on the plane and have a light snack or meal after you arrive at the airport.

When going on a road trip, mark your route on a map with a yellow highlighter before leaving home.

When flying roundtrip, make sure that your trip includes a Saturday night stay over for a discount of up to two-thirds.

When flying, only take carry-on luggage. This will save you a lot of time, no luggage to check in or pick-up and you'll always have everything with you.

When flying, always keep your passport, driver's license, or other identification on you. You'll probably need to show it when you check your bags, get your boarding pass, and of course at customs
checkpoints.

United States interstate highways that have odd numbers run in a north-south direction, while those running in an east-west direction have even numbers. Highways in Canada are the opposite.

When traveling, safety begins when you pack. Dress conservatively. A flashy wardrobe can make you a target.

If you plan to bring home more than you take, pack an empty bag to bring home the items in.

Try to choose the right size suitcase for your clothes. If it is too crowded your clothes will be crushed. If there is too much space left over your clothes will slide around too much. A good idea might be to fill the extra space with tissue paper.

Luggage tags with your address clearly marked should be placed on the outside as well as the inside. Use your business address if possible, so as not to lead possible thieves to your home.

When it comes to family visits, always have a plan A (if things go well) and a plan B (if things become less than desirable). Plan B should include leaving the situation and heading for home, but do not go straight home. Try stopping somewhere you enjoy first so that you can unwind and diffuse your emotions. Often having a Plan B is all that it takes to better enjoy your visit.
Submitted by Sandra A.

Hanging your wrinkled clothing in a steamy bathroom, helps to iron out the wrinkles.

Shoes can be placed into plastic bags to keep them from soiling other items. Soft items, such as socks, etc. may be placed inside of other crushable items, to help keep their shape.

Pack toiletries and cosmetics into plastic containers to avoid breakage.

Apply for your passport at least three months before your departure date.

If you wear glasses or take medications, keep them with you at all times. This is especially important when flying, if your luggage gets lost.

Wear a bra with removable demi-pads, remove the pads and slip your money inside the pockets.

When flying, avoid salty foods as they can cause your ankles and joints to swell.

If you are prone to air-sickness, ask for a seat in the wing area, the most stable section of the plane.

When using a rental car, try to get a car you are familiar with.

Never leave your bags unattended. Keep them always within your sight. Crowded areas invite criminals, who create distractions. Stay alert in crowded areas.

Try to pack color-coordinated clothing. You will have more looks for less space.

Use car seats when traveling with small children on planes. Children are used to sitting and sleeping in them and they will be safer.

Purchase a gallon of water, and freeze it the day before traveling. It will slowly melt throughout the day, and always remain ice cold. Remember that water expands as it freezes, so don't fill the container to the top.

If you are traveling overseas, be sure to check out the area before going. Contact your local embassy to check out the laws in the country you will be traveling to.

Keep a packing list in your suitcase to ease the hassle of thinking of what to pack each time you travel. If you travel on business often, be sure to have a list for business and one for pleasure travel.

When you are flying with your baby, make your baby more comfortable during takeoff and landing by giving the baby a bottle. The constant swallowing can help equalize the ear pressure.

Give children, that are old enough, gum to chew while flying to avoid having problems with their ears.

Anyone who wears glasses should carry a copy of the prescription with them when traveling.

When traveling abroad, carry several passports with you in case you lose one.

When traveling with a small child, carry along the child's monitor. You will be able to listen in on your child, from another room. It will come in handy.

When traveling by car, be sure to put a gallon of drinking water in the trunk and another gallon of water for the car.

When flying, tie brightly colored yarn or ribbon to the handles of your luggage. You'll be able to easily spot yours.

When packing bottles of shampoo and other liquids in plastic bottles, squeeze out some of the air. This creates a partial vacuum and helps prevent leakage.

Remember this valuable phone number when traveling, 1-800-555-1212. This is the number for the toll-free information operator.

When going on a road trip for the day, take along a frozen gallon of water. As the day goes on, you'll have ice cold water as it melts.

When going to a beach, bring a sheet. It will give you a little more room than a towel to put on the beach. The sheet will be lightweight, takes up little space and dries very fast.

Do your feet swell when you fly? Wear shoes that lace up and replaced the shoe laces with braided elastic. The elastic will stretch when your feet swell.

When traveling by air, don't pack all of your clothes in one suitcase. Use two suitcases, so if one gets lost you'll have the other one. If someone else will be traveling with you, divide each other's clothes between the two suitcases.

When staying alone in a motel, if you feel that a person in the lobby is watching you get into the elevator, press several different number buttons. That way they won't know which floor you got off on.

When traveling with children that are potty training, take the potty chair along with you. When the child needs to use the potty, place a disposable diaper over the bowl and lower the seat. When your child is finished, lift the seat and throw away the diaper.

When traveling, mark your luggage with your email address or your cell phone number. Never use your home address.

Use a felt square and fasten earrings through the felt, then fold or roll. This allows you to protect them from damage.

Buy a inexpensive TV/vcr combo that plugs into the car lighter, it is a lifesaver on long trips with kids. I have no idea how we ever traveled without it. Submitted by Tammy E.

When traveling you need not buy travel tissue packages, simply take three squares of bathroom tissues and fold as many as fits into a ziplock baggie put it in the glove box. In an emergency the family has them.
Submitted by Teresa M.