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Even beofre the new security regulations, I always carried some spare plastic bags in my suitcase. They come in handy for bringing back dirty laundry, safely wrapping fragile souvenirs, or storing containers of liquids to protect against spillage.

Wait til you get out of the city limits before you fill up for your road trip - gas tends to be a bit cheaper outside the city.

Tip for cruising: Pack light and keep your suitcase with you. No need to mass-check it at the dock. Like an airline, you can "carry-on". This insures you will definitely have your luggage when you need it. Also, allows you quicker disembarkment when you get home.

When packing your luggage, to keep clothes from getting wrinkled, place dry cleaning bags between each piece of clothing to keep it from wrinkling. It works!

In some travel instances my wife and I have found that shipping our dirty clothes home after a few days on the road is both economical and very practical. We don't have the extra weight to carry, no odors to contend with, and we have made room in our luggage for potential souvenirs. Additionally, underware is sometimes just thrown away.

One thing I do when I travel is to take my older underwear, then instead of bring it home dirty I just throw it away after wearing it.

Take a bungee cord along on your cruise,they are handy for holding the door to your balcony open [if you have a balcony] so you may enjoy the sea air in your cabin. Also take a few extra hangers in your luggage as there are seldom enough in your cabin. Extra camera batteries also may be useful.

We recently did a trip to Italy by doing our own planning. We saved enough money to pay for the hotels by using an Italian travel agency (Viaggi Unlimited in Aviano, Italy). (Our air fare was booked through a local agency) We flew into Milan nonstop from Miami, took the train to Florence, spent two nights, train to Torino, spent one night, train to Milan, spent three nights, train to Verona, spent one night, train to Venice. Then, we rented a car and drove through Trieste to Opatija, Croatia to look up family roots in Poljane. We flew home from Venice. Our one concession was to use 3-star hotels instead of 4 or 5-star. The only difference is the size of the rooms and showers. If you can put up with somewhat
smaller accomodations, you can save a bundle. All were near the train stations and we walked to the hotels in most cases.

my greatest experience after my husband of almost 40yrs pass,I did a 20hrs trip which made me feel like super women,because I had vowed not to do the trip by myself and with a great car,willpower,I did it and I feel like I can accomplish a whole lot by myself,of course that is not that I don't miss my hubby,I had loving people that surrounded me and that help me get through some of those dark days of mine.

When you travel do the math. When you park your car at an airport lot it cost over $6.00 a day or more. If you stay at an airport hotel the night before it may cost a lot less. Many hotels by airports will let you park in their lot for free with a stay at their hotel. It also means you can sleep later, maybe get a free breakfast, and have the hotel shuttle take you to you to the airport in the morning. Do the math - it may be cheaper and more convienent to stay at a hotel the night before you travel!!!

My best advice for joyful, fascinating travel is checking on my own attitude. If I expected everything to be just like it is at home, possibly I need to reevaluate my reasons for traveling. Yes, there may be delays, misplaced luggage, unpleasant people with whom one must deal, unexpected weather, but none of those issues cloud my joy in being able to see wonderful places and in meeting such interesting fellow-travelers.
Deane

I use my computer to make up a list of travel items I need. I add to the list every time I think of something else I may need. Then a couple of days before packing, I print out the list and start using it by checking off items needed for the specific trip. Winter packing is different then summer packing. I cross off the non-season items immediately. Also on this list are items like, house key, who will take in our mail, did I make arrangements for the dog & will I need the valet key for the car, plus if I visit relatives I need to bring updated pictures and a house gift. Certainly needed is passport & plane tickets. I have been using the same list for years. This organization works every time.

We all worry about losing passports when we travel, and we already know to make copies of the data pages. I've taken it one step further and scanned my passsport, then e-mailed the scanned copy to myself. This way, I will always have secure access to it. Since I would have to go to the embassy to get a new passport, they would certainly have a secure e-mail server.

Take photos of every piece of check-in and carry-on luggage -.On the back of each print, write a description of the bag's contents. This saves a lot of time if your bag doesn't show up on the carousel. Also, if you don't always travel with the same stuicase, you may not remember what it looks like.

If you have bought a new bag, don't dump the product tags before checking if they include a description or a picture of the bag. The tag will give the brand, the dimensions and usually the colour of the bag. That's better than taking your own picture.

This works only if you carry the picture or tag WITH you.

Put a little extra hair conditioner in your suitcase and add a bit to rinse water when hand washing garments in the sink. It acts as fabric softener and gets all the soap out leaving garments soft and sweet smelling.

Here's my second tip: Instead of trowing away an old nightgown, undies, sweater with too many fuzz balls, socks, etc, I put a small gold safety pin in the neck or label and put them in a special place. When packing, I go through these first and choose several to take. As I travel, these get tossed away when they're dirty or I'm through with them. The pin reminds me that these can go. This way I don't carry dirties with me and also it makes room for stuff I purchase.

Ive been to las vegas alot,found a place for the best food and not buffet,Ellis Island,great steaks and prime rib for under $10 and a nice Kareoke bar every night,i mile from the strip behind Ballys,a must try. Dennis Clancy,need more tips,i have alot. clanc914@verizon.net

In addition to packing some 1 qt ziplocks for your liquids, pack a few 1 or 2 gallon size. They can be used forpacking dirty clothes or even better as a small washer! Add your dirty undies or tee shirts, fill bag with water and a bit of detergent or shampoo, seal and swish the clothes around for a few minutes. Much better than tring to do it in the sink with just your hands.

Packing is compartmentalizing to me. I put underwear, socks & hose in one corner. (Sometmes I pack socks around the outside spaces after I finish packing everything else.) I usually put sleep wear to the front of the underwear section. Shorter items such as shorts and tops go in the open section. Longer items then go on top of all the rest.

Shoes go in one of the zIppered sections on the outside of the suitcase.

I choose the size of suitcase by length of stay. Smaller for weekend - larger for week, etc.

As I grow older I seem to pack less. I try to pack things that coordinate and can be interchanged. I find that I can usually wear shorts and slacks more than once, but need more tops.

When I am going on a weekend trip I have an insulated rectangular-shaped zip bag that I put my bathroom items in.
It goes in one side of my small suitcase and a change or two of underwear, bathing suit, towel, nightwear change or two of clothing go in the other side and across the top of all. Shoes still go in the outside zip pocket. I use the zip pocket inside the suitcase for magazines, writing materials and such.

When we travel to our timeshare in the Bahamas, we take non-perishable food to save on cost. I use one larger suitcase for that. I pack containers with liquids inside gallon ziplock bags or wrap them in a plastic grocery bag if they are too large for the zip bags. I pack heavier things on bottom and lighter things to the top.

I hope these tips will help someone.

Sincerely,

Sarah Ketcham

pick up the book "the smart traveller's passport" by budget travel. it lists 399 tips from seasoned travelers. i have found it to be an incredible help as it lists all sorts of ways to make travel easier and cheaper. one example is destinationcoupsons.com which gives coupons for cities all over the u.s. and world.

I've got quite a few tips on how to avoid booking a bad hotel. My post was inspired by my adult daughter's recent nightmare experience in Dallas. My tips include how to scope out hotels online, how to get a refund when your hotel does not work out so well for you, and links to most of the rating systems. Travels with Tish -- Girlfriends's Getaway Guide.

Escape the Extremes of Temperature.
The beauty of Alaska or the Canadian Rockies without the cold winter temperatures (and without the summer heat and mosquitos). The Lakes District of Chile and Argentina has a moderate climate. The Argentine side is colder, with less humidity. Chile is warmer and wetter, with the Pacific influence. For those of us that cannot tolerate heat as well, this is an ideal place to vacation or even live.

We always take several large zip lock freezer bags when we travel. Air can be blown in the bag and zipped if needing to protect a fragile item. When packing to come home, we roll the dirty clothes tightly and place in bags, forcing the air out before zipping. Saves lots of room for all the new stuff we bought on the trip and is not as expensive a buying those fancy bags that remove air!
We also print business cards with the vacation we're on on one side (cruise, etc) and our names, address on the other. That way, people we've met remember us when they get home and many have used the same idea.

When flying, find out how many pieces of luggage are allowed, without additional charges. If you only need one, take two! You can pack your favorite pillow(s) with you as hotel/motel pillows are typically of poor quality/comfort, and you may need the extra space to redistribute weight, or to take gifts back home! And add two garbage bags, to store dirty laundry, as necessary, and two sheets of Bounce - to keep your luggage fresh-smelling!

While on a trip overseas my traveling companion put her water bottle in her purse with her camera and cell phone. Unfortunately the water bottle came open and ruined her electronics. My travel tip is to make sure if you carry your water bottle in your belongings to make sure the lid is on tight.

The best advice I can give is that you should use AARP Travel Service with EXTREME CAUTION. I used it to book a trip to Orlando in April of this year and it was a total fiasco. I got screwed out of a chunk of money, got stuck in a sub-standard hotel (because the room I originally booked and paid for wasn't available upon arrival); and then, to add insult to injury, I wrote to AARP Member Services to tell them what a horrible experience I had and they didn't even bother to respond. I'll be calling hotels directly in the future.

Ladies, try Travelers by Chico's or a similar nylon fabric wardrobe. It can be rolled and packed or just stuffed into the case and it still comes out wrinkle free. It is a bit heavy for very warm climates, but perfect for most off season travel and cruises. Everything is mix and match.

How about rates for single travelers that are the same as doubles. Some of us retirees are widowed and can not afford the rates for single travelers.

I have found that putting things in baggies, and pressing all of the air out before sealing leaves an abundance of room in a suitcase. I also "roll" a lot of things as it leaves them "wrinkle-free."

Destinationcoupons.com doesn't work, I tried it.

Always take some plastic bags for odds 'n ends...plus big rubber bands.
Roll your good clothes and they come out good after you hang them up in a bathroom and steam them (military habit)...otherwise let them hang overnight.
Think of what you really need on the trip and don't overdue it...woman don't need 10 dresses and men don't need 5 suits.
My wife and I launder our clothes and have the best with us.
When you buy souvineers put them in the U.S. mail special rate boxes that cost about $9.10 each (2 different sizes) and weight is no problem...even if you put rocks in them. Insurance, etc. is extra.
Take a good digital camera, good battery charger, extra compact cards for photos. Have the cards put on CD asap, but do not erase the cards until you are sure the CDs come out. I've lost some beautiful photos because employees did not know what they were doing.
Hot and humid climates, along with cold and wet, can play havoc on cameras and video cameras...beware.
Keep your medications in the original containers so you are pulled over to the side for suspicion of smuggling drugs.
DO NOT get rude with airport employees, TSA, Customs, etc. as it can ruin your trip...we've seen it happen to people. You sure would not want to get stuck in a foreign jail. US jails are like motels.

Unfortunately, and I mean unfortunately because I love the US very much, the only way at present to travel with minimal trouble is to avoid the US at all costs.

The treatment by US Immigartion is that everone is gulity unless proven otherwise (and I am an obvious caucasian - goodness knows how ethnic middle-easterns etc are treated); service on US airlines is on a spiraling slide downhill; the service at US airports is going down even faster (I would now rank Dhaka (Bangladesh) and New Delhi (India) airports far, far ahead of Washington Dulles and dallas Fort Worth that I consider to be the worst airports in the world (of more than 300 worldwide I have visited) and p[lease don't even think about how the US Government and their "servants" the TSA handle the security and safety of individual travellers and their property - it is an absolute farce.

Place makeup, medication, candy snacks, hair items in visible quart-size (or smaller) plastic bags when flying. The ones who check your bags really appreciate it.

Remember to wear one basic color (such as blue) and coordinate your purse, shoes, blouses, etc. to go with the color.

Always carry an empty plastic bag for toting dirty clothes back home. It will crunch nicely in your suitcase.

when going on vacation where I might be bringing home gifts, I pack an extra empty duffle bag to bring home the extras or dirty laundry..tand if you are one to buy clothes on your trip, clean you closet before you go and throw away your clothes as they get dirty and wear your new ones..penny

The Elegant (but lightweight) Pack List for a Cruise
By Joan Dann

Packing light is challenging for an elegant cruise with the newest weight restrictions by the airlines. What you bring on a cruise depends a great deal of the kind of ship it is.........casual or elegant.........and your plans for "fine dining". Here are some thoughts on how to "lighten up" without loosing your style.

With today's newest and very stringent 50 pound weight limit for bags on airlines, packing well for a vacation became just a bit harder. If you are sailing a ship with all the elegant evenings, this takes special forethought on your part. Even though they say that its two formal evenings, three "informal" and two "casual"........you are sitting in such elegant surroundings and eating a wonderful 5 course meal (with incredible service)...........you will want to look your best every evening ! Consider that this will be like a fabulous dinner party every night ! One more great things about cruise ships is that you unpack once. Once something is in your closet onboard--you are set. But now that your suitcase can only contain 50 pounds, or you pay a surcharge, you must really think this through ahead of time.

Here are some of my thoughts...........

Most ships provide robes, beach towels (both on deck and if you are going ashore to the beach) and hair dryers...all depending on your level of accommodation. Check on this for your particular cruise............and if they are provided then leave these items at home.....that's half a suitcase right there !

Ladies----If you are planning on "fine dining"-----Think thru 7 wonderful evenings of dinners and cocktails beforehand. Think Black !! Black or cream flowy pants or skirts topped with several different jackets, dressy dinner jackets, big satiny tops..........if you pack separates you will have so much more mileage. Bring several evenings handbags......a nice selection of jewelry........several different pair of dressy shoes..........several bright colored Pashmina-type shawls are PERFECT. This will give you lots of color over your basics and different little accessories to mix and match. These little things that do not take up much room but will make allllllllll the difference. Remember...........half the beauty of cruising is that you have these elegant evenings. On a recent cruise, I brought 2 jackets with me --one Black flowy elegant one that worked well with black accessories and flowy black pants for elegant evenings and one Coral one (for a punch of color over basic bottoms) and wore my Navy Blue Blazer on the plane with me. In addition to dinner, we had lunch in the nice dining room three times, breakfast there twice and High Tea one afternoon. All worked over basic bottoms. (I love to wear my Navy Double Breasted Blazer over cream or white pants--I always feel so nautical !) For casual clothes, you will want fun things............some wrap skirts..........bathing suit (or two !) and cover-ups (bright sarongs are great), flip-flops & fitness workout clothes (be sure to bring a pair of sneakers for the workout room and to wear for shore trips). Cruises can be so romantic and you will feel so pampered, be sure to bring along a soft and silky robe and negligee as well. Now.....stand back. Carefully look at what you have......and then possibly edit yet again. For the lightest wardrobe........take only black basics, a cream or white pant, and lots of accessories. The online shopping shows sell a great number of those nice knit wardrobe sets that really look great and are really elegant. Order a Black Jacket and Pant and long skirt. They roll up and you can accessorize them like crazy ! Be sure you have some sort of Jewelry Roll for jewelry. I do not wear all that much jewelry at home but when you are dressing for dinner every night on a cruise, its the bracelets and necklaces that I have collected in our travels that I reach for. For shoes I bring one pair of little gold flats that are elegant and a pair of Black "Slides" heels.......that work with everything including being fine for elegant evenings in addition to the flip-flops and sneakers. I also have a pair of black flat sandals with little straps on them. They do not take up any room, are comfortable and work with everything from casual to elegant.

Kids------Remember no shorts in the nice dining rooms ! I have found that kids really love these nice evenings and dressing up. Be sure they bring some nice pants, dress shoes, dresses, a Navy Blazer for boys as the elegant dinners are really a great experience for them. Where else can they have 5 courses of anything they want ?? Shrimp cocktails and lobster always a hit. Teenage boy still hungry ?? What else would he like ? Another lobster tail ? (Take lots of pictures-this can be great family time !) I also feel that this has been a wonderful opportunity to expose our kids to Fine Dining.

Men---Quite Easy ! (Of course !) Tuxedo -optional...........but very nice for the formal evenings. (Certain ships it is not optional) Dark Suits also work on some ships.You may consider bringing two tuxedo shirts or two different sets of Tuxedo Stud Sets for variety. Navy or basic blazer and dress pants...dress and sport shirts...several neckties....dress shoes.....khaki pants....knit shirts.....basic shorts....workout clothes...casual shoes...sneakers...flip-flops....bathing suit....golf clothes if golfing ashore. Hawaiian type shirt for fun ! A short sleeve linen solid sport shirt with a collar is lightweight and perfect for casual evenings. So much depends on the kind of cruise ship you are sailing. (By the way, Golf shoes as well as golf equipment can be rented.) For longer or very elegant cruises, I highly recommend a White Dinner Jacket, as there is simply nothing more dashing. (On a recent 21 day Seabourn Mediterranean cruise, my clients had 6 Formal nights ! You need something other than one black tuxedo for all of this !)

You can check two bags with the airlines and carry-on one more. With the new weight rules of a 50 pound limit, people are finding that carrying two of the mid-size suitcase is a better choice than one giant one. I carry-on a garment bag (full of my dress clothes) and a very full large purse. Bring some sort of granola bars or snacks, bottled water, your meds, and reading material with you on the plane.....airport and runway delays are all too common and food is no longer served onboard as it once was. Also, I always carry-on my bathing suit and sarong and some of my evening clothing in the hanging bag with me. If my luggage is lost, I will still have something to wear to dinner and can go to the pool ! (I do not find replacing a bathing suit at all easy ! There are nightmare stories of luggage lost and people sailing with the clothes on their back only.)

Other Good Basic tips.....

~Bring a collapsible, fold-up carryon bag. We have one at the bottom of our suitcase constantly--never take it out----and cannot tell you how many times its service has been enlisted for new purchases. My husband and I each have one and both were used on our last cruise.

~ Pack a pad of Post-It notes to leave messages for your cabin steward (you will get to know him !), family, and shipboard friends.

~ Have a supply of one-dollar bills handy for tipping airport skycaps and porters at the pier.

~ Don't pack photo film in checked luggage as new airport screening equipment could ruin it. Put it in your carry-on instead. Bring plenty of film and Batteries (even if you don't think you need batteries ! )

~ One of my traveler friends told me about putting a rubber band around wallets in your back pocket will inhibit pickpockets. Some "ports of call" have large pick-pocket communities....unfortunately.

~ Toss a few empty plastic bags into your suitcase. You may need them later to pack dirty or damp clothes or for creams or shampoo bottles.

~Walkie-Talkies are great for families sailing. Great way to communicate and stay in touch ! (Particularly important if you are traveling with teenagers !)

~ Tuck fabric softener sheets between garments as you pack to keep clothing fresh during travels. Foot-powder spray for your shoes (you may be doing a lot of walking) and some sort of freshener for the bathroom.

~ Bring your own travel alarm clock most staterooms do not have them. Be sure to wear a watch on a cruise as well. Your daily schedule will become a well-worn piece of paper that is with you at all times.....chock full of great lectures, classes, events, parties, floor shows, Casino Events...etc.etc. Bring your own way to keep track of the time.

~A nightlight is great for inside cabins, particularly. They are DARK.

~ This idea is for anyone who lives in a colder climate and is traveling in winter to a warm weather cruise. When you put your summer wardrobe away for the winter, set aside the casual outfits, sandals, swimwear, and sleepwear
you want to wear on your cruise and store them in the suitcase you plan to use. You'll be at least half packed and won't be hunting down an outfit or a pair of shoes later. You will also free up some drawer and/or closet space at the same time. Hang your evening clothes in a separate area of your closet and pack them when you're ready to leave for your trip.

~ Pre-address stick-on labels for postcards to the folks back home & you won't have to carry along a bulky address book. Don't forget email addresses !! All ships today are "connected" and you may want to fire off a quick note to family and friends....maybe even forward photos to them....from the ship.

~All those elegant and lovely Five-course meals at night need a bottle of wine ! Did you know that you can carry on your own wine and will simply have to pay a $10 or $15 corkage fee (plus tip) ? When you consider that you already own many of these bottles and that the normal price onboard starts at $40....you are ahead of the game by packing and bringing your own. Simply divide them up.....wrapped in a plastic grocery bag.....amidst soft clothing. I have done this often and have not had one break yet. But check on this ahead of traveling....some cruise lines no longer offer this option and many have made recent changes.

~ Make two copies of your passport, driver's license, and credit cards before leaving home-in addition to your Cruise Documents, and Trip Travel Insurance. Leave one set of copies in a safe place on your ship.

If the ship's purser holds your passport (which is sometimes the case, to expedite clearing the ship in foreign ports), carry the passport copy ashore with you. Leave the other copies with a friend or family member at home.

~ Binoculars ---lightweight, small ones..........particularly for Alaska, Hawaii, Europe !

~A compact umbrella. I now carry one that is tiny--6" long--in a little carrying case.

~Your own insulated water bottle with carrying strap. Another great item to have in your tote to carry ashore. I fill with some on that non-stop ice cold water my Cabin Steward keeps constantly refreshing.

~A hanging Toiletries kit for the tiny bathroom. Limited counter space is always a problem so making good use of vertical space is a good idea. I cannot tell you how valuable this item is in those small bathrooms ! It is found space.

~Bring along a $2. Bottle of Purell to supplement your handwashing regimen with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It just might make the difference between a cruise you'll always remember and one you wish you could forget as the Norwalk Virus can be a concern. (Wash your hands often and use those sanitizers every chance you see them onboard.)

~ Print cards with your name, address, phone number, & email address to share with new friends. Having your cards handy sure beats hunting for pens & scribbling on scraps of paper to swap addresses. Fun, inexpensive, colorful cards can be ordered online from a company called www.vistaprint.com. (Allow plenty of time to order and receive these !)

~ Leave any paperback novels you've finished for the crew library. You'll have more room in your suitcase and crewmembers will have fresh reading material--they will really appreciate this !

~ Don't forget to pack and USE your sunscreen. Why take the chance of a nasty sunburn ruining a great cruise vacation? Protect your skin from injury and aging. Throw in something for Sunburn too. People have a way of overdoing on vacation.

~ Check the balance of your on-board account before the end of your cruise. Straighten out any discrepancies immediately (check your balance a couple of times during your cruise) and avoid a long line at the Purser's Desk that last morning after your final bill arrives. Actually, try to do the final late in the afternoon of the last night...try to beat the rush ! Many ships now have the ability to do this on the tv monitor in your stateroom. It is really quite easy and avoids those long lines.

~ Don't you all look gorgeous in your formal attire? Have a family portrait taken to preserve the memory. There's no obligation to purchase any photos you don't care for.

~Don't forget work out clothes. They say you can gain 2 pounds a day on a cruise ship from all the fabulous food ! "You come on as a passenger and leave as cargo." Bring your sneakers and get ready to sweat a little at a class or in the exercise room. Relax afterwards in their wonderful saunas and steam rooms. The onboard steam rooms are one of my absolute favorite things to do.

~and my all time favorite..........(depending on what type of trip, ship, elegance level etc etc)...........bring t-shirts you might want to work out in.......sleep in..........tour in...that you will wear and leave behind as they are dirty.......this will give you room in your suitcase for your wonderful purchases made while traveling....a little more room in a drawer at home for your new purchases once you return. This is a VERY important tip if you are trying to pack light. Let's say you are planning to sail the Mediterranean this summer for 10 days. You are flying over 4 days early to do some touring..........maybe flying into Paris but then sailing out of Rome. Packing "disposable clothing" for those 4 days is really a great idea.

Have a wonderful trip .......... Bon Voyage !........there is no better way to travel, in my opinion.

Joan Dann can be reached via her website at
www.Dann-Online.com and email her at dann@dann-online.com.

She is President of Great Explorations ! Travel and a Cruise Expert. She is also Co-Owner of Dann Mens Clothing & Dann Formal Wear as well as other upscale shops at www.Dann-Online.com and has spent almost 30 years in the better clothing business.

I travel to Italy quite frequently for two weeks at a time and I only take a small 19in roll about carry on luggage. No waiting, no lost luggage. I roll every piece of clothing. If it wrinkles easilly, I use tissue paper when rolling the item. I, also, try to put a nylon-type duffel bag flat on the bottom. When going home, the dirty clothes go in the duffel bag and it is checked. My italian purchases are in my carry on never out of sight.

For flights, suggest taking the largest lightweight fold-up duffel bag and wad it into a corner of the big checked-through suitcase. On the way home, fill the duffel bag with dirty laundry and check it through with the airlines. Makes more room for souvenirs!

I am a pro at packing for a cruise and getting the best price for our choice of a balcony cabin on the big ships, but I have a serious problem these days booking a flight from Norfolk, Va. to Miami, Fla. My husband and I have decided to travel a day early and stay overnight but even that has been difficult.

Luckily, we are not going until Dec. 8th but we need to settle this problem. The only thing that makes me wish I had AAA is the Travel Services, they will make the airline reservation and book the hotel. We use a Carnival Rep. because she is always been loyal to us and given us the best prices on cruises! We'll share our cruise savvy with you if you will help us book a flight and and hotel on Dec. 8th! balcony cabins

I hate when underwear and socks get lost all through my suitcase after a few days out. So, I use one of those net bags used to launder delicates in the washing machine for my undies and socks. I do the same for my husband, although his suitcase always winds up looking like a disheveled dorm room after one day.....

The best advice for making your travel plan no trouble is to have your passport and any other papers you need are in order if needed. If you are going to need special assistant let the appropriate place know you are coming. Look into becoming an referring travel agent where you can travel wholesale vs retail and get upgrades & perks and go on cruises at discount prices or for free. Other tips take only the items you will need for your trip. Make sure you take enough of all your medication and instructions on how to take it just in case. If you are allergic to any type of food allergies make sure its identified with id tag, etc.

Zip-lock bags help to keep clothes and other belongings together and make it easier to rummage thru your suitcase and still have the contents in a little order.

Not a huge idea, but to make travel less stressful, I pack one extra outfit in my carry on and a second set of weekly medications also. It came in super handy when my luggage was lost for 3 days in Italy!

Buy the cheapest fare you can get for a cruise. Prices are mostly geared to the size of cabin, with or without a window, and with or without a balcony. Everything else, the food, the entertainment, etc. is a all the same. Best time to make your reservations is at the opening of the season when the full ship needs to be booked and the cheapest rooms are limited in number or within the last three weeks before leaving.when the remaining cabins are discounted to avoid sailing with them empty. I usually book direct with the cruiseline and rarely pay more than $800.00 for a 7 day cruise. If you go through a travel agency more than once, ask for a complimentary gift of flowers or fruit from them.

Please send tips on "how to finagle a first class upgrade and
"secret to stuffing a suitcase. I will be travelling on Aug. 18, to Frankfurt Germany on Air India. Thank you, O.G.

My husband and I take one suitcase, but we pack half of his clothing and half of mine in each. That way if one bag is lost, we're both still "covered!" :)

We try to pack light, but when we know we're traveling to a place where we'll want loads of souvenirs, we place a smaller packed bag into a larger empty bag. When we get where we're going we have the empty outer bag to fill with everything we want to buy.

Pack wash & wear. You can always wash on other end. hold up on different shoes for everyday. 1 everyday & 1 dress plus1

My best advice for making my travels "no trouble" is to seek out a trip I can afford and then - pay for it! I can't enjoy a trip if I know that I have "finagled" my way onto a cruise ship or into a fancy place that I cannot afford and feel uncomfortable amid those who can afford it.

It is much easier to enjoy one's self among your peers.

Rolling garments instead of folding, keeps items free from unwanted creasing.

You are more apt to get an upgrade (or two) on a cruise by
making reservations early. We did the first day it was possible for a spring cruise and our room was upgraded two
floors! Reason: more demand for the lower/cheaper levels.
So if you are early, they know you are a promising customer
when the late-comers maybe won't be repeats.

I have a secret way of packing that always works. I have saw this method on a travel show, I don't remember which one. The secret to packing is ROLL all your clothes. It really works. By rolling you take up less room and get rid of air. Most clothes unroll fine and do not need to be ironed. Try it you will be surprised.
Evelyn Hooker

Hello
On our recent short trip we had not reserve a room in the area (Portsmouth, NH). We arrived about 9 pm and It was to be only a quick stay traveling early the next day. Trying to be frugal we check out the highway motels but all were either fulled or asking very high prices knowing that demand was high. At a Best Western they had 1 room at the high price and as I said I will keep shopping I asked if there was anything else that could serve our needs. She indicated that they had 1 other room but that the A/C was not working and the window would not open but it had a fan. Not a very hot night we took it. The room was very large (2 queen beds, 2 computer tables, new bathroom, fridge, cable tv, coffee pot and coffee, 3 chairs. They discounted this room from $159.00 per night to $40.00. I now will always ask if there is a room that has issues or problems. What a deal! And the window did open to a nice breeze and a great view.

I can't imagine traveling without my storage bags (the ones you roll the air out instead of vacuuming the air out -- made by the same company). I pack my pillow in one, take one empty to bring back wet laundry and swimming suit, and the others to pack up most of my clothes. Mostly I pack non-wrinkle clothing and I can get twice as much plus the pillow in a regular roll-on bag!

My other trick is to carry snacks and dietary substitutes so that I can cut down on eating out as much. There are so many portable items to choose from.

As with most airlines here is a flyers club of some kind. Delta's rewards are called Skymiles. Many times you want to fly and there are none of the special skymiles seats avaliable. First of all, just because there are none avaliable on the day you inquire, does not mean that a person won't cancel and that seat becomes back as a skymiles seat. Now here is where it gets tricky. Say you want to go to a certain place and your dates are pretty tight. You call and are told there are no skymiles seat open but you are offered a skychoice seat which is double the miles. A domestic (Hawaii is not included) skymiles round trip ticket is 25,000 miles, the skychoice would be 50,000...but what you are NOT told is to ask if there is a Y fare seat open, if there is then the airlines policy is that you can move to first class for 40,000 miles less. Who would not want to go first class for the extra? People who do nt know about this sit in a cramped couch seat that they paid 50,000 skymiles for instead of first class for 40,000 skymiles. This is just my opinion but I would think loyal customers should be informed but it does happen. There is also an upgrade to first class at the airport as long as there are seats open. The do make an announcement at the gate in case anyone wants to upgrade if there is room. The trick to that is be ready to be first in line cause the seats will go fast. One more thing about the first class issue is no children under 12 in first class on a skymiles seat.

How to have lots of room in a suitcase for travel..First button all the buttons on the jacket...fold the jacket in half, then place the sleeves in front one to the right and one to the left.Place in suitcase flat.Nothing will need to be ironed, You will lots of room. You can do this with all you clothing,

I always pack 1 tube of "Tide to Go" and 1 "Clorox Bleach Pen" in a ziploc bag along with my toiletries. This makes it possible to get by with fewer changes of clothes on a trip.

For fragile items, use a shoe box!
I was going to visit my friends and family in Thailand, a 17 hour flight. One friend wanted me to bring a bag of Cheetos cheese puffs for her. (Guess they can't get them there or they are very expensive). I said they'll get crushed. She's traveled a lot and told me that a shoe box is great for anything like that. And it did work well, then when I bought some ceramics and other breakable item to bring home I put them in that same shoe box and never had a problem. Both my suitcases are soft sided too.

I don't know any shortcuts, but I can tell you a few things about Japan. I spent two weeks in Tokyo visiting my son who lives there. It is a very clean city. You cannot talk on your cell phone on the trains or in restaurants. You may text message though. You may not smoke on the streets of Tokyo although you may smoke in restaurants. And you should not stare or belch. There are hardly any benches to sit down on and a trash can is hard to come by. No eating on the trains, either or walking down the streets. Unheard of. No drive thrus there. Customs was a piece of cake and planes were on time. Don't go to Tokyo unless you like crowds. Lots to do and see and it is very beautiful with all the temples and shrines and the cemeteries are very interesting. I did not go to Hiroshima, but my daughter did, and she said it was so very interesting. Kamakura is a coastal town which is very quaint and artsy. Also went to Kyoto. The train station there is the most modern building in all of Japan. And I had one of my best meals there, too. Over 900 temples in Kyoto. Japan is a country with no borders; surrounded by water, so they are truly a country unto themselves. The dollar was very good when I was there; better than the Euro.

Actually, I have a question !

I'm looking into a one-way from Phoenix to Albequerque in September(9-19).
The rates I'm quoted are more than twice what a "one city" rate would be.
The very cheapest is $455.00--$45.50 per day !

Can anyone help me figure out how to get a lower rate ?

Thank you !

Lori Morse

Pack only one outfit per day and shoes that can be worn more than one time. Roll clothes rather than fold them and try to put everything into one bag. If you are traveling with Children make sure they have their belongings in their backpack. You can't lose.

~Pack small things like underwear inside shoes.
~Use tissue paper or plastic, things wrinkle less!
~Next time you need new underwear, saw the old for the next trip & after you wear it, toss it!
~When travel from US to Europe when you arrive at hotel, unpack a bit, get settled then sleep for only 2 hours. You must make yourself get up and get on local time but the 2 hours will refrsh you!!
~Pack, then unpack half of it, you won't need it all!

I stuff my suitcase by rolling everything except my dress clothes, and those I layer with tissue paper. Also, I put my "nightly things",such as shampoo,conditioners,brugh,coms,etc in a large ziplock bag, then I put my toothbrush,toothpaste,mouthwash and floss in a separate ziplock bag.I put my nylons or socks rolled up and put in the shoes.

My wife (69) and I (85) flew from Houston to New York, from New York to Amsterdam with a change of planes in London, on British Airways. This convoluted intinerary saved us some $ 500.

I was not worth the savings. The BI portion was the worst flying experience we ever had. In Houston there was a line of some 200 passengers with only one agent processing the checking-in which took close to two hours. Thbe airline had arbitrarily shanged the seats we had reserved. Apparently they had done so with others also: one mother was assigned a seat in front, her 1-year old infant was given a seat in the rear.

We complained via e-mail online to B.I.. They would respond within 24 hours. We never heard from them.

Next time we'll stick with KLM or Continental.

We flew from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv where we had a compact car reserved wth Avis..That car was delivered filthy. The air conditioner did not work. The car was short on oil and coolant, which we had added and paid for ourselves. When we complained, Avis stated that our reservation number was invalid although it was the one we had been issued.

Moral: stop being penny wise and pound foolish. Use a traditionally reliable airline. Re Avis: in te past I always rented their cars at Ben Gurion airport and invariably the cars were in prime condition. The feeling I have is that both B.I and Avis are on a cost-cutting spree that is creating a shortage of competent personnell.

The ONLY way to pack is with Eagle Creek envelope folders. You can pack 10 teeshirts in each small folder... 6 pairs of pants in 1 medium folder and 3jackets, 1 vest, 3 sweaters plus underwear and everything else in a large folder.... Everything nice and organized... I have traveled all over the world and my clothes are not wrinkled or crushed!!!!!!

Use gallon size zip lock bags to pack your clothing in. Underwear in one, blouces in another. kneel on the bags and squeeze all of the air out. stack them in your suitcase and label the bags with an indelable pen. you can pack more in a small suit case. it is called "packing light" great for over seas travel, especially if you pack nylon things that you can wash out at night that will be dry in tge morning.

I used to travel a lot, including international trips. I found that if I took the time to plan my clothing, I would take half as much.

In order to get a great bargain on crusing, let the agents compete for your business. This is done by logging on to cruisecompete.com, fill in your information submit and within hours you have several offers for the trip you want and you choose the least expensive. I have a great cruise booked for November, and it is less than the cruise line and others wanted.

For the Phoenix to ABQ trip, try GotCheapTickets.com. The prices are $109 plus security fees, etc. for the dates you listed. I use GotCheaptickets.com for all my airline tickets. I even have booked some hotels at great rates thru them. I get some really low rates there so you might want to try them too.

I never know what I'm going to want to wear when I go on a trip and after one too many trips with way too much luggage my Mother showed me a fantastic way to pack.
Now I can pack a suitcase like no one else!
I can get at least two suitcases full of clothes in one.
Simply take each piece of clothes, lay it out and roll it up!
Roll each piece, even the undergarments. Rolled clothes fit lengthwise in your suitcase and you won't believe how many layers you can fit!
Also, when you arrive, your clothes won't be as wrinkled!

Please visit my travel site at: ytbtravel.com/cindyhu

We offer excellent travel arranagements with very reasonable and affordable prices.

Thank you.

Pack articles of clothing in drying cleaning bags and you will prevent wrinkling.

FYI - We took a "5 day" cruise on one of the biggest lines. The first day we couldn't get on until around 3 p.m. The 5th day, they made us leave before 10 a.m! We felt cheated on the time as it was really only a 3 1/2 day (and that was stretching it) cruise.
Also, if you love to gamble, drink and watch amateur entertainment, go; if not, save your money, or go to NYC and see a few Broadway shows. You'll spend less and enjoy it more.

I have a bad habit of over packing. I usually bring way to many things.
I finally got that under control, when I packed and repacked 3 times.
I pack the first time, than unpack and take only half of what I packed, I do that 2 more times.
I end up bringing just enough, with a few extra things.
It has brought me down to one bag from 3 or 4 bags.

For long road trips take care in planning the mileage to be covered each day, and don't over do it. Stop at least every two hours and get a place to stay before dinner. A GPS is a big help to find destinations, motels, restaurants and get you on the proper side of the road when approaching highway intersections.

Create a "Master Packing List" on your computer. Each time you travel, print a copy of that list. As you put things into your suitcase, check it off the list. Before you go out the door, look at your list and see if everything you need has been checked-off. It reduces the stress of packing because the fear of forgetting something, often leads to over-packing.

I made up my mind years ago to treat flying as a potential all day "adventure", and now am much less frustrated. I use the overbookings to my advantage, actually booking my tickets early for busy flights. If free tickets/money is offered for someone to wait for the next flight, I am waiting close to the desk to be first in line to accept. I have books and snacks in my bag, and walk alot in the airport to pass the time waiting to board (or be given another ticket for taking a bump)!

1. If your trip is 300 miles or less, drive - don't fly. The time is about the same with 2 hours in advance of the flight, 1-1/2 hours flying and 1-2 hours renting a car and/or getting to a hotel. Plus NO delays with driving. In fact, I now drive for up to 600 mile trips. I have had severe airline delays in the last 6 months.

2. If you fly .. pay more to get a non-stop. Connections can be grief. Check on leaving from more than one airport or arriving at more than one airport. For instance .. coming into Colorado Springs might be better than Denver .. or leaving from Love Field Dallas instead of DFW ..smaller and less hassle and same price. Also, know your luggage weight limits and number (and size) of pieces allowed. Important !!

3. Make your hotel reservations well in advance. Print out your reservation. Joining a hotel club is ok but it doesn't make things any smoother.

4. Make your car rental in advance. DO join a car rental club .. most of the time you can bypass long lines and get to your car faster.

5. Have a basic checklist of things to take. At least have the basics .. like you MUST have shoes or you MUST have this item or that item. Work on the MUST haves first.

6. If it is business, and you made the appointment months ago - reconfirm before you go. People forget over time. Better yet, reconfirm before you buy your non-nonrefundable airline ticket.

7. If you have a complex itinerary, especially international, use a travel agent. At least you have someone to talk to with problems. You cannot count on airlines or hotels to help you out or care about your grief.

8. Always allow extra time. Expect the unexpected. For instance I have made reservations for a 5:30am flight expecting no lines ... wrong !! I got burned.

9. If you have medications you must have, carry them with you. Be sure they are in the labeled prescription bottles.

10. Carry your cell phone charger with you. If your flight is canceled you may need it a lot for alternate plans. Charge your phone before heading to the airport.

11. If you are away from home and returning by air, look up the phone numbers for a couple of local hotels by the airport. If a lot of flights are canceled they can fill up fast. You don't want to sleep in the airport. This is another good reason for a travel agent .. but agents aren't there if your flight is canceled at 8pm.

12. Use the manual Kiosks for the airlines. They are easy and you can bypass lines. And .. sometimes they offer a first class upgrade for a nominal fee. It might sound like a lot ... like $90 extra for a one way ticket for 700 miles ... but try to get it cheaper any other way !!

With the above guidelines your trip will be better - guaranteed !! Enjoy.

Travel in Europe, and maybe other places outside the USA:

Pack a washcloth and your favorite soap. Bring an old one to toss, or remember a plastic bag if you want to bring it home.
Other folks got the throw away old undies and roll your clothes things. I'd like to add that I take print tops. The spots don't show as bad! Add a couple of cardigans for layering. One should be in your carry-on to snuggle on the flight. I take slacks, undies, and bras for half the days and hand wash the undies. I wear the slacks twice with print tops that I take 1/day. Remember to plan what you're going to wear home. For the long plane rides I wear support panty hose w/no undies to prevent constriction and a sport or leisure bra. I wear a long skirt or loose-fitting slacks. I may wear socks and always wear the largest pair of shoes I'm taking. That usually means the walking shoes or sneakers. Pack the sandals and dress shoes. You carry on a pair of slippers or whatever for walking around the plane, or just walk around in the socks. Leave the clunky shoes under the seat in front of you. It's important to be comfortable and move about the cabin for health reasons.
I disagree with the person who said to take a 2-hour nap upon arrival. Your body thinks it's 1 or 2 am when you arrive in Europe. Go to your hotel to dump the luggage, and walk, do some sight-seeing. Use the excitement in being there to keep you moving until bedtime there. Eat meals on time there. Then sleep. I've never had a problem traveling east. Jet lag on return is a different matter altogether.

If you have trouble dragging wheeled luggage through terminals and down the aisles of airplanes, look at the "Walkin Bag" from Magellans.com. It was invented by a Japanese polio survivor to make travel easier, and it does. The bag comes in two sizes; the 20" is carry on, will fit in the overhead bin, and, with its four wheels, will roll effortlessly either upright or on its side on the plane. The manufacturer claims it takes one-sixth the effort of regular luggage, and they are right. I bought one in California, and "compared" it to standard luggage the hard way in Los Angeles Airport. My wife was in a wheelchair, so I handled both her bag and mine simultaneously.I will order another before we fly again.

I always send my luggage UPS in advance and just fly with my one carryon.

Avoid Access America travel insurance!!!!

ALL BAGS MUST HAVE A "TRIP-LIST"! That's a list of where the bag should be on any given day. Start the list by saying "On Saturday, August 11, 2007, this bag should be on Delta Filght #xxx. If not, please call (and give phone numbers of cell, relatives with your travel data, hotels, whoever), or forward to (and list destination addresses, home, or whatever). LEAVE THAT LIST STICKING VISIBLY OUT OF THE BAG so that a finder can return it quickly. My wife's handbag, with money, drivers license and etc clearly visible was returned by a stranger before we entered the terminal - IT HAD BEEN LEFT ON THE SIDEWALK WHERE WE WERE VISITING! I know that Good Samaritans are rare - but without the"Trip-List", we had no prayer of seeing that bag anytime soon - let alone being allowed to board the plane! Let's just say it gives you "an edge".

Your suitcase will hold much more if you roll your clothing tightly and lay it out in rows.

WHILE WE TRAVEL IN EUROPE WE PLAN VERY LIGHT.ONE SUITECASE AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE, WE WASH OUR CLOTHS WHEN NECCESERY, AND BUY WHAT WE NEED ON OUR TRIP. ALSO SYTHETICS WASH & DRY FAST. ON THE CRUISE SHIPS WE PACK ALL WE WANT AS WE ONLY UNPACK ONCE & LUGGAGE IS HANDLED BY PORT WORKERS.

This hint/tip is mostly for women. When you need to carry a large amount of money don't put it in your purse or luggage, wrap the cash in a hankerchief, washcloth or other soft material and put it inside your bra under your arm pit. At first it is a little bit uncomfortable but after a while you forget it is there.

Long trips usually mean heavy bags. You can lighten your load by reducing the size of your toiletries. Almost all products from saving creme to after shave come in handy small travel sizes. Most of these priducts are readily available at your local pharmacy for only $1.00. I found mine at CVS.

I get obsessed with travel planning online; it can be an endless process. At some point you need to decide and be happy with your choices. If you have the time and enjoy the process, you can learn a lot about a place before you go. There are wonderful forum-type resources where travelers share tips. I use a notebook to keep track of my planning options and passwords for different sites.

If you want to save money (esp on cruises and tours), get discounts, upgrades and "Fam" trips, you might consider getting your IATA number as an independent travel agent: http://www.inteletravel.com/affiliates.cfm?aid=A113364&page=home

If planning's bot your thing, a good travel agent is invaluable.
If you're traveling with a small party or staying in one place a week or more, a vacation rental can be much more cost effective and fun than a hotel -- you save on meals out, meet locals and have a more authentic experience. In your search engine type: vacation rentals (name of destination).

I only wear black and then I don't have to worry about matching my clothes, shoes, bags etc. Also, if you are traveling for several weeks you take fewer clothes and they look fresh much longer. I don't take jewelry when traveling as it's too risky. I wear something simple that willl go with everything like a gold chain, gold bracelet and small hoop earrings.

I HAVE A QUESTION. I'LL BE LEAVING FOR VEGAS (FIRST TIME THERE ) ON THE 19TH OF AUG. WILL BE STAYING AT HARRAHS. THERE WILL BE 4 OF US TRAVELING. CAN ANYBODY GIVE ME ANY TIPS ON WHERE IS SOME OF THE GOOD PLACES TO EAT, BUT NOT TO EXPENSIVE. ALSO HOW ARE THE COMPS IN VEGAS? WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFO TO MAKE OUR STAY THERE MORE ENJOYABLE. YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT SUEFRJERZEE@AOL.COM..THANK YOU

Las vegas slots are not the best. Comps on a short visit isnon. existent.
Atlantic City is the place for comps.You can play the penny slots and get rearded with comp rooms,buffets,free show tickets and cash back very easy.
Harrahs Casino has the most liberal slots and early check in is available.

I keep a basic packing list of the things I always take on trips, toothbrush, razor, shoes, socks, pants, shirts etc. stored in file on my computer. Once I know the duration and destination I can modify the list to contain quantities of each item, 2 pairs of shoes, 12 pairs of socks etc. and make additions for weather like jackets or shorts, and for expected activities like swim trunks or neckties. The basic list is called "Basic Travel List", once I've completed the list for a destination or event I save that list as "Bahamas Travel List" for example, so that on repeat trips I don't have to recreate the list. It is also a good idea to make list modifications when you get home, or if you carry a laptop, while you are on the trip, to add or subtract things you discovered you needed or didn't need while you were traveling. If you don't own or care for computers, you can do the same thing with pen and paper, just remember where you store your list. I also have a folder in my file cabinet for travel where a printed list could be stored.
Another good tip I can share is about shopping for the best motel or hotel price. I worked in reservations at a motel for a while and I learned that the online and 1-800 reservation line for that property were not allowed to book us to 100 percent of our capacity in order to allow for some walk in customers. If you have a particular motel or hotel in mind and the online or 1-800 line says they are full, make a call to the hotel/motel's direct line. You may find there are a few vacancies left and you can still book your stay at your desired destination. You can also barter price @ the direct line number. I check price via the internet, then call the motel and ask if they can give me a better rate. I traveled for the government for years and we had a maximum room rate we would be reimbersed for at each particular destination. Many times when published room rates were above that allowance I just called the motel and told them I needed a room and couldn't spend more than the government rate of $X, they nearly always accomodated me. This usually works unless there is a major event in town that will fill the motels at or above the published rates.
One more piece of advice I'd add is to visit some travel web sites like tripadvisor.com or Fodor's Travel Guides or Frommer's travel Guides and look for customer reviews. I've seen plenty of hotels, motels and resorts that sounded great in their ads, but got terrible reviews from their customers!

Check out http://www.hillmers.com/pack_travel_tips.htm for some great tips on:

1. Packing Your Clothes Wrinkle-Free
2. Avoiding Lost Luggage
3. Avoiding Damaged Luggage
4. What To Do If An Airline Damages Your Luggage
5. Useing The Right Kind Of Luggage

Once my husband and I took a 10 day driving trip. I was so tired of lugging suitcases around from other trips that I had the most wonderful idea. Worked like a charm. I packed 10 paper sacks with each days change: shirt, pants, underclothes, etc. Each day we would each take a bag with us into the motel. We put our dirty clothes into another sack. It was so easy and fun.

If you are flying and have more than one bag, divide your clothes into wearable sets (underware, tops, bottoms, shoes, etc. into each bag) If one of your bags gets lost, you still have clothes for a day or two.

Take things wsuch as underware and sox that you are ready to throw out. Wear and toss.

Having hit the road many times either on a plane or on the Harley, I've found that the best way to pack your clothes is to roll everything. I recently traveled to Florida with my Mother-in-law & we shopped til we dropped. However, when we were packing to fly home, she couldn't close her suitcase. I had told her....roll your clothes up & then put them in. She finally did & was able to fit everything!

My husband and I are in our late 50's and like to splurge on one extravagent vacation each year. We take several short vacations during the year in an RV with our dogs. All of our vacations are active, hiking, snorkeling and sight seeing.

If possible travel with only a carryon bag; if not possible, use only one check in bag.
Pack outfits together; pants or skirts with at least two tops each so you'll be dressed for two days.
Pack outfits in plastic bags, zip lock if possible. Underwear, nightclothes, toiletries, and sox get their own bags.
Choose one color scheme, or if you need two make them complementary so they're interchangable.
Do not check in tickets, ID, medicines, good jewelry, pricey electronics or anything else that you can't afford to lose.

Men's shirts are best folded the way they come back from the clearners: top buttoned, collar in place. Ford in thirds or fourths and slip into a zip lock bag. Press out the air.

Happy, safe traveling!

Just s