BE organized when planning a trip. It helps save time-and you from stress. Here are 12 tips:
1. Pack light. Having been said over and over, packing light is almost a virtue. But really, packing light is important if you want to save yourself from the hassle of lugging around heavy bags. If you're going on a short trip, consider bringing just a backpack or carry-on, and a smaller bag for your day-to-day adventures.
Having to check in unnecessary luggage will have you waiting at the luggage carousel.
Going on a shopping trip? Leave enough space in your luggage. Airlines have weight limits. Bringing too much stuff leaves you little room for new purchases. You may have to pay extra for additional kilos, or worse, have to leave some items behind.
2. Prepare for the unexpected. As a bunch of travelers learned on a trip to Boracay in December 2006, a dream vacation could easily turn into nightmare. The island suffered a direct hit from what was dubbed its "worst typhoon in 20 years," leaving them stranded on the island as violent weather conditions capsized boats and ferries.
Thankfully, most of them had the common sense to bring extra clothes and spare cash. And-bring extra underwear.
3. Bring a little bit of everything. Unsure whether the place you're staying provides toiletries? Bring some, in little portions. Bring small bottles of shampoo, body wash, lotion, insect repellant. Be mindful of airline regulations on liquids, though.
4. Pack in plastic. Zip-lock bags are handy. They keep your belongings dry and prevent hassles such as "shampoo explosions." You can store liquids in zip-lock bags so Customs or security officials won't have to go through all of your stuff. They're great for wet items, too, such as swimsuits that didn't have enough time to dry on your last day at the beach. Keep plastics to a minimum though, and please recycle.
5. When in doubt, don't bring it. If you have doubts whether the items you're planning to bring will be allowed on board, leave them behind. You risk having your favorite lighter, Swiss knife, compilation of "Heroes" episodes on DVD-R, or what have you confiscated. You can also get penalized for bringing pirated goods.
6. Bring medicine. Be prepared for the worst. Equip yourself with a small first-aid kit, and pack no-brainers such as multivitamins, anti-histamines, pain relievers, cough and cold medicines, anti-hyperacidity and other medications you may need.
7. Split up your valuables. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Cash, ATM and credit cards should be in different pockets so you don't lose everything in case you get robbed.
8. Keep personal details on hand. Bring various forms of identification. Bring photocopies of your IDs and store them separately from your ID cards so if you end up losing your IDs, you'll still have access to important information. Keep an ID card with emergency numbers at all times.
9. Tag it. Make sure your bags have identification so 1) You can easily spot yours among a sea of luggage; and 2) It can be returned to you if it gets lost. Traveling can be so stressful that sometimes people just pick up their bags (or what they presume to be theirs) as soon as they come out of the luggage carousel. You wouldn't want to rummage through other people's dirty laundry in search of ID so you can return the bag you took by mistake.
10. Research on your destination. Know exactly where you're going so you can prepare accordingly. If it's 10° there, it's highly unlikely you'll need your swimsuit. Find out if locals speak English. Locate the nearest police station. Know where your embassy is. Check out your destination's laws. Secure a map of the place you're visiting so you don't waste time getting lost. Unless, of course, that is the entire point of your trip.
11. Bring a camera. Forgetting your camera is much worse than leaving your cell phone. Wasted opportunity is what you call great adventures without photos to help you remember them by. Then again, mobile companies have already found a way to give you the best of both worlds through handy phones equipped with stellar cameras. Bring your mobile device's charger, extra batteries and memory cards. Bringing film? Carry them on board. Screening equipment for checked luggage may damage fresh rolls of film.
12. Relax! Sometimes you must ease off a bit and not have to make a check-list of must-dos and must-sees. The point of going on a vacation is taking a break and having fun.
