ABCs of Traveling Abroad

A – Address peel and stick labels for all your family and friends before you go. Then stick to postcards along the way and you’ll come home looking good.

B – Bottled water is a must – don’t drink anything else.

C – Cookbooks from your travels are always a great souvenir. Cook a dish from one when you have friends over to see your video and pictures

D – Digital cameras save the day; their small and you never run out of film

E – Expect excitement; go with anticipation, not trepidation

F – Food is fun, try something you’ve never eaten before like zebra pate or Australian wine

G – Give generous tips, especially in poor countries, you’ll be so glad you did

H – Hang out with the locals. Get to know a new person on your trip and get a photo with them

I – Inform someone at home of your itinerary

J – Journal every day. Can you remember now what you did last week?

K – Kids love it when you have packed little surprises to open along the way

L – Learn something: Take a pasta making course in Italy, Scuba diving in Argentina or Belly dancing in Bagdad (just kidding)!

N – Note the local artisans and buy something authentic

O – One substantial souvenir is better than a lot of small things. Then ship it home to lighten your luggage

P – Postcards will rescue you when your photography fails. You can never have too many

Q – Questions help you get the most out of all you see and experience.

R – Read before you leave. Read lots of books about your destination. Find out who the local best sellers are, and read one of their books.

S – Scrapbook within the first week of getting home

T – Travel as light as humanly possible. Dragging luggage is no fun.

U – Unpack as soon as you get home.

V – Vaccinations and certain medications are necessary in some countries – be sure to check with the World Health Organization about what you need.

W – Whining never fixes anything – buck up and deal with the differences

X – exchange your currency at the airport or a bank and be sure you understand the value of your money

Y – You are the one who will make or break your adventure. Plan to be positive

Z – Zero in on one or two experiences and squeeze the most out of them. Adventure overload will leave you confused.

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8 Tips for Packing and Traveling Light

Use the following pithy packing tips to make your travel light:

Make a list. Compose a pack list. Be sure to coordinate shirts and blouses with bottoms. To maximize your traveling wardrobe fashion savoir faire, stick with solids and versatile basics. Rule-out any clothes that do not match other items.

Roll ‘em up please. The best way to fit all your clothes is by rolling pants and shirts. First fold each item in half. Then simply roll. To try to maintain any creases, start on the bulkiest end of the article of clothing.

Gear up. How to make an awe-inspiring impression out of a basic or mundane outfit? For the most glam appeal, accessorize with a vibrant tie (for him) or a florid scarf (for her). Multihued accessories can liven up just about any attire.

Minimize bulk. After you check for space, edit outfits – ruthlessly. Try to pack microfibers with wrinkle and stain free comfort. With most of your attire, stay in the same color scheme – in case you have to layer up for warmth.

Employ shoe smarts. For men, any leather rubber-soled shoes can make the day and night transition, easy. For woman, a pair of flip-flops, strappy sandals and comfy wedges can serve all casual – chic dressing needs.

Put under garments on the top. To reduce the embarrassment of under garments becoming the side show attraction of the open luggage scan, place all panties in a plastic bag free of any clippers, lighters or other questionable paraphernalia. For expedient security review, place the transparent bag on top of your other items so security can access the bag without ruining your efficient packing method.

Lose Extra Baggage. Leave the heavy travel guide at home. Duplicate important resources to keep your luggage free of extra pounds. Since most hotels and resorts provide irons and blow-dryers –leave yours at home for light travel.

Leave restricted items at home. If you want to make it through security extra fast, avoid any firearms, weapons, box-cutters, scissors, razors, lighters and any other item that may be used in a terrorist situation.

http://blog.abroaderview.org

http://www.abroaderview.org