As I was searching my travel journal for blog ideas I came across some “travel tips” I gathered during various “travel adventures.” Some of them are common sense; others are tongue-in-cheek, while others may inspire you to say, “Oh Yeah.” Whatever the case may be I hope they can help you on your next trip.
· Make a note of where you parked your car at the airport. After a long trip, your memory will almost always fail you.
· Ditch that hard-sided carry-on. A soft-sided bag has some give, so it can be crammed into tight spaces.
· Put a unique marker on your suitcase so you can recognize it easily when it comes around on the baggage carousel. (See my blog: “Black Bag War.”)
· Stock up on zip-lock bags. You can use them for snacks, as leak-tight carriers, and to protect important documents.
· Never place important documents in the front seat pocket — especially not your passport!
· Visit the restroom before boarding the plane.
· Bring your own bottled water (or you are forced to be at the will of flight attendants).
· Take sanitary wipes with you. This goes double for passengers traveling with children.
· Make sure that there is a “barf bag” in the seat pocket in front of you. You might not get sick, but you never know about your seatmate.
· If possible, schedule your flight for the kids’ naptime. Also try hard to keep kids awake until you get on the plane. The flight is so much more relaxing for everyone when children sleep through it.
· Arrive early. You may have had a seemingly uneventful time in the check-in area, but things can turn chaotic fast at security checkpoints or even in the boarding area.
· Wear comfortable slip-on shoes. (Especially good idea for getting through security quicker.)
· Pack your patience and be prepared to use it.