When you think about packing for a trip, you are often focused on the essentials – clothes, bathroom supplies, snacks for the trip, how much money to bring, etc. But! There are several other things to consider bringing with you. Below are some suggestions and information that may prove helpful for your travels both near and far.

Tip #1 – Ship cabin walls are generally magnet-friendly. We always bring a couple of magnets to hold our excursion tickets, daily newsletters, hats or other items that are easily accessible yet up and out of the way. Cruise ships frown on using adhesive tape.

Tip #2 – Speaking of magnets, grab a map of the area and place it on the wall. We’ve done this a few times as we cruise an area to identify lighthouses.

Tip #3 – Door Decorations – These can be fun on certain cruises and/or for special occasions. Many cruisers decorate their doors. I think you have to consider the type of cruise and ship that you are on. On our Disney Christmas cruise, we created a Mickey Mouse wreath for our cabin door. Some people use a decoration to easily spot their cabin in the hallway. Just remember, do not use tape! Use magnets! And remove your decorations at the end of your cruise!

Tip #4 – Irons, ironing boards, hair dryers and curling irons – always best to know in advance if these items are available or not. On some cruise lines, curling irons are not allowed. On others, there is a self-serve laundry area that offers irons and ironing boards. Most rooms provide hair dryers, but not all hair dryers have diffusers, as my daughter found out!

Tips #5 – Most travel agencies and cruise companies provide luggage tags. If you have a transfer service, this helps the crew to easily spot your luggage. Bonus tip: make sure you have ID on the inside of your luggage, in case the outside tag gets removed in transit. And, you do not need your address on the tag information! This is for your safety! A last name and phone number are sufficient. Or use a business card.

Tip #6 – Cabin luggage tags – Do not place on luggage until you have retrieved your luggage from the carousel at your destination. These are only needed for the crew to identify your luggage and to deliver your luggage to the correct stateroom.

Tip #7 – Ground transportation, excursion/admission tickets – Take some of the stress off of travel by planning in advance before your trip. Depending on the excursion, limited tickets are available daily. If you wait until you get there, you may be disappointed.

Tip #8 – Place all your travel information in your carry-on luggage. Do not pack it in your checked bags! This includes travel documents/itinerary, flight schedules, transfer information, excursion tickets, rental car contracts, international driver permit, visas, passports and any other information that you may need to be one your way, in case your checked bag takes a vacation to another location without you.

Tip #9 – Credit cards and local currency – Check with your bank or AAA office for local foreign currency before you leave home. Or, there are always currency exchange booths in airports or train stations. Your ship may not be able to assist you with currency exchange. Know that in most every instance, if you give a merchant in a foreign country American currency, your change will be in foreign currency. And of course, exchange fees apply. Better to go with smaller denomination bills.

Tip #10 – Check to be sure your health insurance covers treatment abroad. As a rule, the farther you go and the more elaborate the trip, the more likely it is that you’ll need some type of travel insurance to cover emergencies, including medical evacuation, plus expenses related to delays, cancellations or baggage problems. It may be worth the cost for piece of mind. Make sure you read the fine print carefully! Some policies do not cover pre-existing conditions and have other restrictions.

BONUS TIP – Make sure you have all your documents before leaving home and make copies to carry with you and/or leave with a family member or trusted friend. Renew your passport about nine months before its expiration date. Some countries deny travelers entry with a passport that expires in less than six months.

EXTRA BONUS TIP – Don’t forget the camera, SD cards, batteries, phone cords, multiple-end extension cords and any other electronic devices you can’t live without!

Safe travels!

*Flags from http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/pictures/flags.html

My daughter, Karen, started hinting (pulsing with excitement is a better description) around Easter that she had a special Mother’s Day gift for me. But, since it was Easter and not Mother’s Day, I didn’t really want to know any details! Otherwise, what would she give me on Mother’s Day? Well, she had to tell me before Mother’s Day, since we wouldn’t be home that day. So, with four days notice, I received a beautiful card from her. The inside hand-written note quoted a song written by John Denver – “Leaving on a Jet Plane”. Yes, my wonderful daughter has surprised me (spoiled me is more like it!) with another trip! She won’t tell me where we are going, only that the temperatures will be in the upper 80’s. WARMTH! Hooray!

After a game of 20+ Questions, I still don’t know where we are going. I do know that it’s to be a stress-free, relaxing, no passport needed, oh and pack your swimsuit stay at a Four Seasons hotel. We will be setting the alarms and leave early Sunday morning (5:30AM) and I won’t know our destination until we get to the airport.

I’ve been trying on summer clothes, digging out the white capris and sandals. We went shopping and I found a new pair of walking sandals and also got a nice RFID Baggalini backpack. With a couple more upcoming trips this year, I’m sure I’ll get some excellent use out of both of them. Two days before we leave, I had to get her ideas about what to actually pack. The suitcase is open, there is some stuff inside, just waiting for the last minute to put a couple items in, zip ‘er up, and head to the airport (DCA).

DESTINATION: Surfside, Florida
HOTEL: The Surf Club at Four Seasons

Definitely a surprise location! I didn’t know where we were going until after I passed through the initial Pre-Check point and got my boarding pass handed back to me! We flew Southwest Airlines into Fort Lauderdale. A note about our Southwest flight from DCA – I was met at the door from an escort with a wheelchair. WOW! She saw me through TSA and to the gate. Before boarding the plane, one of the pilots was not happy to have to circumvent the pre-boarding line at the gate. I haven’t flown Southwest in a while, but remember it as a fun flight because of the crew. Not the case this time. Upon arrival into FLL, a wheelchair escort met me on the jetway and, as the pilot had the seatbelt sign on most of the trip, I asked to be taken to the ladies restroom. He said he would be right back with the motorized cart. Several minutes later, we saw him whisk by with a full load and not even a glance our way. There was another passenger also waiting for him to come back. After a few more minutes, we decided to walk. Eventually, the same cart and driver passed yet another time with no recognition. The walk to the rideshare area was quite a ways away, with lots of passengers and luggage to navigate. Yes, I did it…20 steps at a time!

Our Uber driver was chatty and we enjoyed the ride. Don’t be afraid to ask to sit in the front seat! It’s much easier for me to get out of a vehicle from the front seat than the back. Our room was ready for us when we got to the resort. After a quick orientation to this historical building, we headed to our room. Let me just say that I loved that they retained the old original part of The Surf Club. Beautiful archways. Original terra cotta tile floors. Greenery. Ambiance. I could just close my eyes and see The Rat Pack there. Or Winston Churchill painting the seascape. What a place this must have been back in the day!

As we often find when we travel, the weather clouded over a bit, and we even had quite the rain shower during our visit. We just took advantage of those times to rest or enjoy a beverage on the terrace. We headed to the beach on a sunny morning then took a dip in the pool. I liked the easy steps into the pool. Also of note is the handicap chair lift into the pool. While I do love the beach and being near the water, the soft sand was very difficult to navigate. Good thing Karen was at my side helping me along the way! The steps from the main hotel area to the lower beach/pool area were a bit blinding for me due to the bright sun on white steps. There is a lift nearby for transport to the lower level.

We enjoyed the poolside restaurant, terrace restaurant, room service and Mother’s Day dinner at The Palm. All too soon the trip was over and we headed back to the airport. It’s always sad when the trip is over, but it’s also always nice to come home. Until the realization that there is no chef and no housekeeping service!

We are off again in two weeks, flying Southwest again. Hoping for a better experience and no rain! Check back for my post about Karen’s birthday trip to Nashville!

I belong to a few online travel groups. A couple of the most often asked questions are, what’s the weather like and what to pack for a trip. Many people have extensive packing lists for all types of travel and weather. And then there’s also suggestions on how to pack your luggage. Questions about when and where to put the luggage tags. How strict are the airlines with baggage weight? What you need to pack and what you can leave home. What do I do if I have to take medicine? This is yet another huge minefield, full of information and personal preferences among travelers. I’m just going to put tons of information here for you to sort through for what is relevant to you and your travel needs.

Weather – Something that I’ve done for the past several years, is track the weather the previous year – of course this only works if you’ve planned a trip a year in advance! Otherwise I search the internet for the average temperatures for that particular area. Of course we all want perfect weather for our much anticipated vacation, but unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate!

Clothing – See Weather above. Depending on the time of year and destination of travel, you should be able to pack what you will need to enjoy your vacation. First and foremost, I recommend good walking shoes with non-slip soles. Next, try mixing and matching various outfits to help reduce the amount of clothing needed. If you are heading to Australia in December-February, that’s their summer, so leave the heavy clothing behind and bring a sun hat instead. If it’s the rainy season, a water-resistant jacket with a hood is a good idea. Umbrellas – not so much.

Luggage – Base the size of your luggage on what you need. A weekend trip? A carry-on bag should suffice. A longer trip? Well, that depends! If you are going for a longer period of time, there’s a few options. 1) Pack for a week and take a break for some laundry. Some hotels and ships have self-service laundry areas. 2) Wash out underwear in the shower or bathroom sink. Most rooms have a retractible clothesline in the shower. 3) Use the hotel or ship laundry service. Some ships have a laundry special that it quite reasonable. But, if you must pack 6+ pairs of shoes and lots of clothing for every possible scenario, be prepared to pay extra for that heavy suitcase if you are flying! Here’s a tip: Your luggage fits under the bed on the ship so you have more room in the closet!

Liquids, Medicine & First Aid – Know the TSA rules for these items, especially if packed in your carry-on luggage. If you don’t know, ask! Better to ask than be denied an item at the security check point. Travel size items are just the right size! Zip lock bags are great for transporting just about everything. If you have prescription medicine, be sure to bring a copy of your prescription with you. You never know when this may come in handy. Or here’s a tip: Ask your pharmacy to put a label on a small bottle for each prescription. I always travel with band-aids, antibiotic cream, tweezers, nail clippers, nail polish remover, antiseptic wipes, OTC pain relievers, safety pins, sewing kit and more. Some things are not always readily accessible when you need them from shops in town or on the ship.

Tip #1 – If you are a frequent traveler, consider creating a special drawer or area for items that you always need when you travel. This makes it easy to grab your travel essentials from one spot, instead of running all over the house to collect them. I have such a drawer.

Tip #2 – Some travelers swear by rolling their clothes to pack. Others fold. I like using the packing cubes. It helps me keep my clothing organized, as well as fitting it all in my luggage.

Tip #3 – Create a packing list. This can be trip-specific or a general list of items that you always pack, with room to add trip-specific items, such as binoculars or suntan lotion.

See It’s Time to Pack – Part 2 for more valuable tips and information!

“Hope for the best, plan for the worst.”
– Jack Reacher