Tip 1: Your Medical Records and Information: Don’t Leave Home Without Them

• If you have ever lost your glasses or needed emergency or even routine medical attention while you were away from home, you know how helpful it is to have your health records (your doctor’s notes and test results), immunizations, allergies, medications and dosage, even familiy medical history, and personal medical history. Family Health Library can put all of that information online so that it is available from anywhere and anytime you might need it.

Tip 2: ‘Friendly Bacteria’ for the Lactose Intolerant Vacationer

• Eating yogurt before you travel is a great way to help cope with bacterial infestations. However, if you are lactose-intolerant, yogurt is not an option.
• Try ‘probiotics’ capsules instead. They are available in most stores that sell vitamins, as well as your health food store. Look for ‘acidophilus’ on the label. Good preparations will contain various *active* strains of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium longum.
• These probiotics help your system to fortify its own natural defence against the bacteria found in the water supplies, fresh fruits, uncooked vegetables, etc. of foreign countries.

Tip 3: Departure Taxes

• Find out before you depart whether there is a departure tax, and how much it is. Some countries do charge a small fee, and will not let you board your flight without first paying it. It is best to reserve that amount of cash, as credit cards and other forms of payment are not accepted.

Tip 4: Another Use for UPS Envelopes

• On most trips I collect business cards, receipts, and other small pieces of paper. I take a UPS International Manifest envelope which is really a ZIP LOCK bag with adhesive on the back and glue it inside a file folder (You could always use a one gallon Zip Lock bag and attached it to the folder). This way all of the papers remain secure, in one place, that I can easily find upon return. In addition, the folder holds larger items such as maps, menus, larger photos, etc. that we may collect. Once home, the receipts are removed, and all other materials remain in the folder, labeled and filed for future reference. This also helps me assist others going to the same area. I merely retrieve the folder with all of our maps, menus, hotels, etc.

Tip 5: Antibacterial Handwipes a Necessity

• ALWAYS bring antibacterial handwipes. They are good for refreshing yourself on a dry airplane and you can wipe your tray table before eating off of it. I also like to put one over my hand when in airport bathrooms!

Tip 6: Are Your Personal Papers in Order?

• Make sure your will and personal papers are all in order. If something were to happen to you while traveling, it’s good for your family and heirs to know where your will is, where your insurance papers are kept, where the safe deposit box keys are, etc.

Tip 7: Duplicate Important Documents and Cards

• Go to a copy machine, take everything out of your wallet, put it on the copy machine, and copy it (front and back) 3 times. Leave one set home and store the outher 2 in a secret place in your suitcase and carry one. If your wallet is ever stolen, you will know exactly what you have lost and will have all the telephone numbers to call to cancel credit cards and the credit card numbers, etc. at your fingertips. Make 3 sets of your passport if not more.

Tip 8: Aromatherapy Recall

• Ever wish you could make your memories of a holiday more vivid? Consider this: Most of us have had the remarkable experience of being presented with a simple odour and finding ourselves mentally transported to a time in our lives when we were exposed to that same smell. Next time you are planning a trip, drop by a chemist and test the various essential oils to find one you like (consider what aromatherapy qualities they have too – apparently some are of particular benefit to travellers, ie., helping to prevent travel illness or jet lag). Remember to choose one you haven’t had a great deal of exposure to already and use it often during the fun times on your holiday. Then later, years down the track, you can pull out the old bottle and take a wiff while looking at your snaps and you might feel like you are there once again!

Tip 9: Buying Your Airline Tickets Online and print out luggage rules, extra charges rules, change fees, etc

• Buy your airline tickets online! But, beware! Sometimes it’s a hassle but it can be worth the trouble! I had an airline in a tizzy due to a published fare I had seen online the night before. There was a fare to the Caribbean for under $550 U.S. I tried to book online and their system was down. I called the airline directly, and of course the rate was higher. I then went back online and tried again and same thing, system failure. Should I have waited until morning to try again? NOOOOO! I did and guess what?!?! I called the airline and of course was sent to several operators until one was savvy enough to put me through to tech support. The airline stated that there was never a fare for that rate to my destination from the night before. I should have PRINTED OUT that page and it would have been honored by the airline the next day due to the fact that there really were tech problems on the site. Use that wacky printer of yours if you can’t book online, and then with your proof … demand that the rate be honored! Print, Print, Print. It will keep them on the ball.

Tip 10: Does Your Home Look Lived In?

• If you are worried about your house not looking lived in while you go, it is very simple and inexpensive to change that. Firstly, redirect your mail to a friend or family member’s home (make sure you check with them first!) and secondly, you can purchase - quite cheaply from any major department store - lamps and radios that have timers on them. You can set them to turn on at times in the evening so from the outside it looks like there is someone home. (Don’t forget to set the radio to a talk back show so it’s more talk than music - makes it more real). This is definitely a cheaper way to take care of things than installing new wiring for expensive timers on the household lights.

Do you have any travel tips?
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