Did I Pack My Toothbrush? Getting Organized for Travel

For many of us summertime = vacation time. Some people will spend their days off at the local pool. Some may choose to sightsee in their own town. Many will leave behind the comforts of home for the open road. Regardless of the destination or mode of transportation, it is important to be organized for travel.

A few benefits of being organized for travel:

1. Being organized will save you time.

Having a copy of your packing list on the computer will cut down on the time used for re-creating it every time you travel.

2. Being organized will save you money.

Doing pre-travel shopping at home will save you big bucks (especially on film and batteries...) that might be otherwise be spent at a tourist trap.

3. Being organized will save you stress.

No need to stress while scrounging for your tickets and ID at the airport if all of your paperwork is organized in one place.

Follow these organizing tips to keep your vacation a stress-free, time and money saving event:

Plan ahead. Create a general itinerary before you travel. Grab pen and paper and jot down your travel times, hotel check-in/check-out times, and a list of activities/places you'd like to visit. This will help you make sure you have allowed enough time to get to your destination, and whether or not you've scheduled too many activities for one day.

* Stop by your local 'AAA' office for a Triptik and other travel-related services to help map out your route if driving.

Create a checklist to help you pack. Keep it on the computer so you don't have to write it over every time you leave home. Use it as a template and update it before each trip to include anything new such as medications, toiletries, accessories, etc.

Keep all information related to your trip in one place. Create a folder for papers such as reservations, confirmations, and tickets. When you look for the information you need before or during your trip, you'll have it all at your fingertips.

Keep a toiletry bag packed with small sized travel sized-containers all year round. By doing so, you're always ready for a long trip or an overnight stay. Take a quick inventory of its contents before you leave home-you might have run out of toothpaste on your last trip.

*If your favorite products don't come in sample sizes, purchase small, travel sized containers and fill them with your favorite shampoo and creams. Label them clearly so you don't accidentally condition your hair with a facial moisturizer...

Place items you'll need immediately at the top of your suitcase. Items such as comfortable shoes, pajamas, and toiletries are more easily accessible if they're closer to top. When you're tired from a long journey, the last thing you want to be doing is rummaging through your suitcase.

Use suitcase organizers to separate outfits or types of clothing. Products such as Pack-It Cubes or Ziploc bags do the job well. Hefty makes One-Zip 2.5 gallon bags (found in many supermarkets) that are large enough to organize clothes and later can be used to keep laundry or wet bathing suits away from the rest of your belongings.

*Wearing your bulkiest pair of shoes while traveling will give you more space in your suitcase.

Organize your wardrobe around one basic color such as black, navy, or brown to prevent overpacking. You'll be able to mix and match easily and you won't need to bring a ton of different shoes. Also, when packing--think about your vacation activities. Will they include hiking? Days at the beach? Having dinner with relatives? Think ahead and pack items you may need for those activities such as band-aids for hiking, aloe vera for sunburns, and the scarf Aunt Shirley gave you for your birthday if you'll be seeing her.

Travel safely and have an organized trip!

Tips for Packing and Traveling Lite

In this day and age of traveling cephalalgia, there are a few packing tactics to employ. To cut out an extra thirty to forty minutes at the arriving airport, start with packing small luggage. Since carry-ons can not exceed a linear dimension of 45 inches, you can escape the fiasco of the baggage terminal by simply packing and traveling light. To learn how to pack all your needs into one suitcase, read more.

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.

5 Romantic Travel Resolutions

A new year always means a chance for a new start. You and yours can begin this new year by making some travel resolutions together, regardless of your time and budget restraints. Put aside those old travel habits and make some new ones! Let this be the year that your travel plans focus on fun, fantasy, and festivities!

(1) We're going to plan a real vacation. No, it doesn't have to be an around the world cruise or first class getaway (but if you can afford it, what are you waiting for?) It does have to be an honest-to-goodness vacation, though. No cell phones, no laptops. Mark the dates on the calendar and keep it just like you'd keep any business appointment. The business of romantic travel, though, is a fun one and an activity that the two of you can plan for months.

(2) We're going to involve each other in the trip planning. All too often, one partner gets the job for planning a trip...and that task quickly becomes a bore. Plan your trips together! Anticipation is half the fun. Visit a travel agent. Collect brochures. Buy a guidebook. Rent a video about your destination. Search the internet for information.

(3) We're going to do something we've never done. Here you can be as mild -- or as wild -- as you dare. Go whitewater rafting. Rent a houseboat. Take a hot air balloon ride. Spend the night in a local bed and breakfast. Learn to scuba dive. Dance the whole night away under the stars. The choice is yours.

(4) We're going to take one mini-vacation every month. Whether it's for the night or just for the night out, plan one tiny slice of a vacation every single month. The only rule: you must pretend you're on vacation. Book a night at a local bed and breakfast. Call your local hotel and find out their non-peak nights (in business-oriented cities, it's usually Friday and Saturday) then plan a short romantic getaway.

(5) We're going to go to at least one festival. Special events take place at just about every community around the world. Whatever your interests -- from square dancing to sandcastle building -- you'll find a festival celebrating with a day or two of fun and food. If you don't have the time or budget to go far, contact area chamber of commerce or tourism offices within a day's drive of your home for their calendar of events. If you can, extend your trip into a long weekend. If you've got the time and resources, check out some of the major fun festivals: Carnival, Mardi Gras, Rio's Carnivale. Don't forget your costume!

Airline Travel Lingo! Does The Language Need An Interpret

With airline travel increasing in record numbers, more people are experiencing the frustration of understanding the airlines industry language, and leaving them feeling that they need an interpreter for the travel information they're receiving from the airline industry! It seems that air companies think that every individual that flies should have to understand all that travel Jargon they place on their flight reservations, and maybe it's about time we figure out what they're talking about, because it's costing you money and valuable time!

Once you learn all the airlines travel terms, you won't be dependent on your local travel agent anymore, and he/she won't be able to collect all the wonderful service fees from you for being your traveling interpreter.

The price of your travel flight is based on many intricate components that the airlines reservations department implement, not to purposely confuse you, but to formulate their airfares and determine what they need to charge each passenger for all flights taken.

Now if you already know most of these airlines flight terms, then that's ok. However, there are many people that are new to traveling, and are now beginning to use online air suppliers to capitalize on the great deals they offer. But when you're making that reservation, you want to understand why the flight you selected is so cheap, and what are the reasons for the low pricing.

Misunderstanding in Airline Terms can cost you more money!

Most of the airlines service terms you will come across will play a big factor on whether you pay an expensive price for you ticket, or getting the discounted travel deals you're looking for in the first place. I will explain the most common industry terms that many people get confused about:

Nonstop versus Direct or Through Service: Don't get this one confused, because many airline companies don't explain this properly. Nonstop means exactly that, and most travelers want these flights, so they book-up quickly. You fly from your origin and land at your desired destination without any stops in between.

Direct or Through Service: This can get a little confusing to many individuals. The aircraft even though is en route directly to your destination, it may be making some routine stops on the way, and all passengers must remain on the plane at that time. There are many times when you print your ticket that it will not list the cities that it will be landing in, so it is always wise to investigate a little further, and see how long the stop is going to be in each individual city.

Connecting Flight: When you're on this type of service flight, now this is treated differently than the other services above. With this type of flight the plane travels from one city to another, however, the passengers must change aircrafts at some point between the origin city and the destination city.

On-line Connections: This is when you change an aircraft but continue to fly with the same carrier. So if you're flying form Los Angeles to New York on American Airlines. If you make a stop for example in Denver, you will change planes at that airport, but with the same American Airline carrier.

Interline Connection: This is when you as a passenger changes airplanes, but instead of boarding the same company plane you will be on a different airline. For this example, you're flying from Seattle, Washington en route to San Antonio, Texas. If you were on a United flight, you will have a stop in a city in-between your origin and destination, and let say you have to get on an American carrier to continue your journey. The main reason for this is that the particular airline company may not be flying into certain cities due to particular business reasons, so then they share with competing airline business companies.

Open Jaw: No it's not when you see the price of your ticket and your jaw drops. This trip is one in which you depart out of one city, and later return from another city. For example: you fly from San Diego, California to New York City, and then return back home from the city of Boston back to San Diego. This can dramatically increase your airline ticket, so if you're looking to visit a family member in another city that you arrived in, and then depart out of another city where your families live, then carefully check and make sure you understand this term.

Consolidators: A consolidator can be your friend if you understand how they work. Simply put, they purchase tickets from an airline at a rate less than the tariff, with the intention of reselling the tickets to either you the public or travel agencies. They buy tickets in bulk from air carrier companies, and therefore offer substantial savings. If you happen to be wondering what a tariff is, it's basically set pricing, rules, and regulations all put in place by authorized organizations in the airline industry.

Lets talk types of Fares! If you're searching for fares online, you will come across a list of different terminologies for your ticket, and it will reflect on the price you end up paying. The airlines distinguish certain fare prices by the terms normal or restricted.

Normal Fares: A normal fare is first class, business class, and economy. These have no restrictions such as advanced reservation requirements or minimum stay stipulations. Such flights are valid for one year from the date of the first flight and can be extended if not used within that period.

Restricted Excursion and Discounted Fares: These have certain restrictions, and that is why they are cheaper to purchase. They're sold with a number of conditions attached, which most require advanced reservations, and there is normally a minimum and sometimes a maximum stay requirement. Travel dates are pre-determined, and any changes in most cases are subject to a penalty, or at times you can't make any changes at all! Airlines limit the number of seats at these fares to encourage travelers to book early.

With an understanding how the air travel industry communicates, and how they determine a flight schedule and pricing, you will eventually be able to speak their language, prevent air lingo confusion, and obtain the best flight itinerary and price with this new knowledge!
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