My Life in Travel

Summer, sun, holidays… It’s time for some fun, for fresh impressions, new emotions. What’s the best way to get this? Yes, it’s traveling. Dalai Lama once said that once a year you should go someplace you’ve never been before. And this is true. It doesn’t matter how far you go from home, every time you feel the fire inside when you see a breathtaking landscapes or beautiful architecture in the city, an amazing sunset over the sea or a sunrise on the top of a mountain. But if you decide to go somewhere, for a day trip or a long travel, you should plan everything beforehand. I will try to share some tips on how to plan the trip, and I hope one day they will be useful for you. For this I will share my own experience together with Google help. I’ll describe how to plan a trip from the beginning, what to take with you, how to pack a suitcase and hand luggage, how to keep the safety and save (or not waste in vain) your money, what you need to know if travel with kids or diabetes, etc.

Let’s start 🙂

Every trip starts with a packing the suitcase.
Here is a list of basic essentials that you might need to take with you:

• Copies of travel documents (Passport, ID, Visa, Driving license & Insurance)
• Wallet (with cash, local currency, credit cards and contact information)
• Mini first aid kit (motion-sickness remedy, pain relievers, sleep medication)
• Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body/face wash, shaving cream, razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss)
• Makeup bag (makeup, makeup remover, nail products, lotion, lip balm, deodorant, perfume, mirror)
• Hair accessories (hair brush/comb, curling/flat iron, hairdryer)
• Laptop/tablet with charger and voltage adapters, headphones
• Map, guide book
• Accessories (sunglasses, sun protection, sewing kit, etc.)
• Light reading like journals/books
• Pocket umbrella
• Snacks, sweets, a bottle of water
• A pair of flip flops

Roll clothing up and then use air-compression plastic bags to squeeze air out of clothes.
Invest in wrinkle-free, light weight clothing that you can layer. Pack clothes with a similar color palette so you can mix and match outfits.
Place a dryer sheet inside your suitcase to ensure that your clean clothes don’t take on the odors of the dirty ones.
Bring individual packets of laundry detergent so you can wash your clothes on the go. Pack empty tote bags for dirty laundry and souvenirs.
Put chargers and cables in a glasses case to keep them neat. If you’re travelling internationally, don’t forget to bring a voltage adapter – a multi-plug universal one is best.
Double-bag toiletries to prevent spills.
Pack travel-sized toiletries that are 3 ounces or less. Or, leave the toiletries at home and buy what you need at the destination.
Put a binder clip over your razor blade to preserve it and prevent you from getting nicked.
Put a rolled up belt inside your shirt collar to keep it stiff and rolled up socks inside your shoes to help them preserve their shape inside your suitcase.
Cover the soles of shoes with shower caps to prevent dirt from touching the other items in your suitcase.
Place shoes feet-to-toe in the bottom of your suitcase to save space and make sure that your suitcase is balanced.
Weigh and measure the luggage before leaving for the airport. Be sure that the luggage is below the size and weight restrictions that are imposed by the airline.
Always add name and address tag to your luggage.

Your hand Luggage

Of course, always better to pack all you need in your checked in luggage, so you can travel light without carrying the heavy hand luggage with you in the airport, especially if you have layovers in the airports. But in case you still need to have it, see what you can carry on with you and what is forbidden to take to the aircraft cabin.
Maximum allowance of hand luggage size and weight can vary depends on the airlines policies. Thus check this information with the flight operated airlines before you pack, otherwise you might need to remove something from it at the last moment or will be asked to pay extra.
Usually you can carry almost anything you might need during the flight, but there are some prohibited items that you’re not allowed to carry on with you due to security reasons.
Make sure you don’t have any restricted items in your hand luggage, such as guns or firearms of any kind, sporting goods, liquids, items with a sharp or pointed blade, explosives and flammable substances, chemicals and toxic substances, as well as helium balloons, aerosols & hair mousses. Again, more detailed list you can find on an official web site of the airlines you’re planning to fly with.
In addition to hand luggage, the following items are allowed to the aircraft cabin: handbag/briefcase, laptop/tablet/camera/cellphone, folders, umbrella, carrycot, walking stick/cane and crutches, magazines/newspapers/books, baby food, bag with Duty Free purchases. Note that these items are not required to be weighted, checked in or labelled.

At the Airport..

What to do: Be early at the airport. Stay calm and focused. Watch your suitcase when at the airport. Travel light. Watch out for thieves. Avoid changing money at the airports. Don’t flash large amoung of money in public.
What to wear: Wear something comfortable. Don’t display affluence. Avoid layers, belts and under-wired bra. Don’t wear fussy or tough to remove shoes. Don’t wear expensive jewelry – rings, watches, necklace.
What to bring: Passport/Visa, Government issued photo ID, Just enough cash, Universal charger, Mobile phone with charger and extra batteries, Mobile device with internet capability. Don’t bring any weapon if possible. Don’t bring anything you don’t want to lose: Unnecessary credit cards, duplicate stuff, irreplaceable family stuff, valuable documents not needed in your travel.

In any case, travel Earth Friendly!

Before you leave, unplug cell phone chargers, computers, your toaster, coffee machine and anything else that does not need to be plugged in while you’re gone.
Turn down your thermostat – no need to heat your house when you’re not in it.
Flt nonstop to your destination, and you’ll reduce the amount of fuel used throughout your trip. With a layover, precious energy is used to take off and land again.
At the hotel, refuse your towels and sheets. Turn off the lights and air conditioner when you leave the room.
When hiking, stick to the trail to preserve the local flora.
Keep your hands to yourself while snorkeling. If you touch coral formations, you might irreparably damage it.
Buy local when shopping for souvenirs.
Interact with the locals – you’ll gain new appreciation for their environment.

On the next pages I will share with you some tips on how to keep secure your devices, how to save money during your trips, what you need to know if you travel with kids or people with diabetes, how to avoid culture shock while travelling, etc.

Stay tuned 🙂