Travel tips

Useful tips for the traveller. ( Check with your travel agent or airline for any recent rules for your luggage etc.)

Instead of agonizing about the choice between easy identification and home security, mark your luggage with your email address. Chances are you will be e-mailed before you know it has gone missing. Also - as mobile phones can increasingly work anywhere in the world - put your mobile number on the luggage id. - if you are taking it with you.
I bought a portable hairdryer in Europe when I was there about 5 years ago. (The cost is comparable to one purchased in the US). I always take it with me now, and don't have to carry the heavy converter, transformer and adapters required for appliances purchased in the States. I just plug it in and dry! It saves both room and weight.
Yes, I agree to leave a name, address and phone inside your luggage, but DO NOT put your HOME address on the identification tag. Put your work address and phone only. Luggage thieves will know you're not home, know your home address, and you may come home to an unhappy surprise.
Only pack and bring as much as you can carry by yourself from the car to the plain/train/bus. This will cut down on trips back and forth and cut down on having to give big tips for help. This will also make you narrow down what you bring and avoid the unnecessary items.
Mary McInnis
When travelling, it is wise to never put your name and address on your suitcase or carry-on luggage. Thieves hang out in lines at airports, look at luggage tags, and know you are going away. It is an easy burglary. Just put Name and Phone Number, grab a few extra airline tags, and change it once you are on the ground again.
When going through mountains and what not, bring cans of Spam and baked beans. If you are stuck in the middle of a Costa Rican mountain in the middle of the night with a flat tire and no phone and you are really, really hungry ... put it on the engine and you'll have a perfect meal.
When I fly, I replace the shoelaces on my travelling shoes with 1/4-inch braided elastic to ease the pain of swollen feet - works well with walking footwear. Also, I carry my important ID in a separate holder. And, I have a "phoney" wallet for the pickpocket. I also use "bicycle" cable locks for my luggage when long waits are expected.
When packing for a cruise I always dread the fact that my luggage may get lost and I'll be on a boat unable to do anything about it. To try and avoid a ruined trip, pack a lightweight outfit and bathing suit in your carry-on. Then you can bake in the sun next to the pool and you'll have a clean outfit for dinner. Hopefully your lost luggage will catch up with you in a day. If not, at least you have something to wear shopping!
When travelling overseas on international flights, replace any aerosol cans of hairspray, deodorant, and insect repellent with non-aerosol versions. Many are available as travel size or in smaller containers. Customs agents and airline employees will be less likely to hassle you if they need to search your luggage.
If staying in the same location for the duration of your trip, for example a cruise, I pack a hanging shoe holder. The holder is the type that has rectangular shoebox size openings. It will Velcro around the closet rod. It works great for socks/hose, belts, underwear, and of course, shoes.
Large zip lock bags are useful for holding maps, especially if you're hiking in wet weather. You can pull them out of your pocket without worrying about getting them soggy and unreadable. Film canisters are great for holding little jewellery items like earrings and rings.
I save the free shower caps from hotel rooms and when I pack my shoes on the next trip I place them in the shower caps - they keep my clothes from getting soiled. Best of all, it is cheap and you can recycle the old ones.
Rather than using flimsy locks on your baggage that can be opened with a bobby pin, why not use electrician ties. They are extremely tough. (Larger ones are even used instead of handcuffs by many police forces!) They can be purchased at home improvement stores, will hold the zippers shut and if they have been cut off you know that someone has riffled your bags. They are also available in various colours that will help in bag identification - while making it less possible for airport personnel to have spares in their pockets to replace any tie that they cut off.
Place a dryer [fabric softener] sheet in your suitcase. This will keep your clothes smelling fresh while you travel!
INSIDE of every bag you bring, carry-on or checked, place your name, address, phone number on a card inside a small zip lock bag. You wouldn't believe how many of those nametags fall off the outside of bags. If the airlines find your bag, they will search the inside for ID.

Never carry a wallet with you on a trip. Your bank can give you free sleeves for your bank card/credit card/license - simply use one or two of these. Also, keep these items in your front pants pocket - or in a security pouch inside your pants.
If your itinerary is reasonably firm, make a clothing diary. Prepare a list of clothing items you think you want to bring on your trip. Insert outfits into each day of travel based on where you might be visiting. Try to get several wearings out of each piece of clothing. If you find that an item is only worn once, or if you aren't wearing most of your clothing items several times, perhaps those articles of clothing should be left at home. Bring "Shout" wipes or a similar product for those accidental stains.

Make a list of everything you pack and keep it with you. If your luggage is lost, you will have a complete checklist of all of your belongings for the airline.
Print a copy of your itinerary on the back of a business card (there is software to print on business card stock if you are so inclined) and put it in a luggage tag on your suitcase. Alternatively, put a copy of your itinerary in an outside pocket of your suitcase with the note "itinerary in outside pocket" emblazoned near your name on your luggage tags (you should have at least 2-3 luggage tags on each piece). When I've been forced to check baggage, this technique resulted in my baggage being returned to me much sooner than it otherwise would have.

For those who travel often and have little time to pack, keep a cosmetic bag or drop-kit with dry goods (cotton balls, Q-tips, nail clippers, scissors, bandaids, etc.) and medications (i.e., aspirin, Dramamine, etc.), and another with small bottles of personal items such as shampoo, soaps, lotions, razors, etc. This way you have everything you need always, and the only thing you need to do before a trip is restock if low.
Paperclip inside the back of your passport an emergency contact list and include the telephone number of your insurance people, credit card issuer, and home numbers in case of emergency.
Airlines in Europe (and Australia) have much stricter carry-on policies than in the US - and the policies are enforced. Don't assume you can carry-on your wheeled carry-on; in most cases you can't. Within Europe, SAS is always bad, BA is generally bad, Alitalia isn't too bad, Meridiana seems to have erratic carry-on enforcement, as does Iberia. Within Australia you have to check all but the smallest bags. It's best to plan to carry your most important items in a small briefcase and be prepared to check everything else. (And DO complain to carriers with draconian carry on policies).

If travelling for two weeks or less, always opt for a "two-part" suitcase (the type with a larger bottom bag WITH wheels, a telescoping handle, and a detachable smaller top bag). Every airline I've flown will consider these a carryon. You can put the larger bag (clothes and things you are not likely to need) in the overhead compartment, and the smaller bag (snacks, books, money, gum, passport, etc.) with you on your lap or under the seat. You never have to worry about lost, damaged, or stolen luggage again! You'll thank me when you breeze right through the airport, passing by all the unfortunates waiting at the baggage claim wondering when (sometimes if) their bags will come through. This also saves you time so you won't be late for your connection. TIP: Jaguar makes a good one for less than $60.
Tie a colourful ribbon on each of your bags for quick identification at the baggage claim. So many black bags ... so little time!