going on a trip — 6 ideas to make travel easier

Packing is the least fun part of traveling. I'm leaving for England in just three days — I'm literally  counting down the days — and I've had stuff sitting on our guestroom bed for a week or so. But putting it all into a suitcase? That feels like work.

Here's how I get ready for a trip — six things you might do (or bring) to make your travels as easy and pleasurable as possible:

#1 — create a laminated packing list. Before I had a packing list, I had to re-invent the wheel each time I travelled. I had to remember all the clothes to bring, all the toiletries I'd need, and all the various gadgets I'd want. How many times have you forgotten a belt, a tie, a hat, a tube of toothpaste, or forgotten to cancel the newspaper?

So I created my own customized packing list, printed it in a column on both sides of a sheet of paper, and had the friendly folks at Staples laminate it (about $5). Every time I get ready to travel, I consult my check list. It reminds me of all the things I need to do: fully charge my electronics; put my passport and foreign currency into my carryon; pack power adapters if I'm visiting Europe or Asia; etc.

#2 — save your business class amenity kits. They are the perfect size to store electronics items you always need. One for my MacBook holds the computer's power plug and cord, a multiport adapter, and a USB-to-lightening cable. Another for my various iDevices always has a Dual USB wall charger and two USB-to-lightening cables.

#3 — Bose noise-cancelling airbuds; click here to see the item. I find in-ear headphones preferable to over-the-ear when traveling because they take up so much less space in a carryon. Expensive but worth it if you fly a lot, my Bose eliminates most jet noise. With my earbuds, I can hear clearly the audio from the flight's entertainment system or my iPad. They also serve as headphones for my iPhone.

#4 — Cree LED mini flashlight; click here for a photo. Light and tiny, this item takes up no space in my toiletries bag. A flashlight on your side table is very handy if you need to use the WC in the middle of the night — no need to turn on the room lights which tends to wake you up ... or stumble your way into the bathroom in the darkness. A flashlight also comes in handy when you need to get ready while your partner is still sleeping.

#5 — LL Bean travel pillow; click here to see the item. This isn't for the plane; it's for my hotel bed. I'm very picky about pillows. I prefer soft, thin feather pillows, cushy with just enough support for my neck. If a pillow is too thick, it pushes my neck and head forward all night and I wake up with a neck ache. When packing, the pillow compresses and takes virtually no space — and I only use it if the hotel pillows are too thick.

#6 — check in online 24 hours in advance, print your boarding pass, confirm your limo, and track your flight on the morning of your departure. If you're flying over the pond (as I'm doing on Monday on British Airways), I'll also check the incoming flight. If you know ahead of time if an incoming flight is going to be very late, you'll be able to make alternate plans.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

last minute planning for a trip

Seven days from now I'll be on a plane, somewhere between San Francisco and London. Hopefully, I'll get be getting some sleep - although getting quality sleep on a plane is always difficult. Between now and then, during this final week before a trip, I'll be going through my last minute trip planning.

What do you do to get ready to travel? I travel a lot — it's part of my job description as a travel consultant — and I find it helpful to have a plan. Here are some things you should do seven days out:

1. Reconfirm your flights. Sometimes reservations mysteriously drop out of an airline's computer system or flight schedules change. Call the airline with your confirmation number in hand, make sure your frequent flyer number is in the record, and get seat assignments.

2. Do your connections make sense? If schedules have changed, make sure you still have enough time for any connecting flights. If you don't because of a schedule change, this is one time you can get the airline to change your flights without penalty.

3. How are you getting to the airport? Now's the time to make your limo reservations, not the night before. What time do you want to be picked up? I always build extra time into my schedule so that even if rush hour traffic is terrible, I can arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in for my flight.

4. Get your itinerary in shape. Include your flights, your airport transfers, your hotel confirmations with confirmation number and room rate clearly indicated. Make a day-by-day schedule with any tours you've planned, any trains or busses or rental cars you'll be taking.

5. Find your passport and put it in your carryon. Make sure the expiration date is at least 6 months beyond your date of return, and ensure that you have empty pages. Find out if you need any visas for foreign destinations.

6. Call your credit card company and let them know where you'll be traveling. That way, you're much less likely to have charges rejected while you're a continent away.

7. Put out your suitcase. While you don't need to be packed a week ahead of time, a suitcase on your bedroom floor will remind you of things you'll want to bring along. Whenever you think of something, stick it in the suitcase.

8. Develop a personal packing list. List everything you want in your carryon and accessories you'll need for your computer, cell phone, and camera. What toilet articles will you want to bring? Why invent the wheel every time you have to pack for a trip? Develop your own packing list and keep it on your computer.

9. What details do you need to take care of while you're away? Someone to watch your kids? bring in your mail? take care of your pets? Make sure they remember. Any bills you need to pay? Need to stop the paper? You can schedule all of that now!

10. Remember to have fun! It's been said that only two things are absolutely necessary in life: to breath in ... and breath out. With that in mind, get your final plans in place, and then enjoy your trip!


last minute planning for my trip (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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