December 7, 2001, Newsletter Issue #55: Preparing for Holiday Travel, Pt 2
Tip of the Week
You`re counting the days now...with work, family, last minute shopping and parties claiming your attention, make sure not to forget the important little things:
* Visit the post office to suspend mail during your absence, or arrange for a neighbor to collect for you.
* Make a deal for someone to shovel your walk in the event of major snow - you don`t want to come home to a lawsuit.
* If you have a security system, make sure the service has the phone number of someone in town who has the authority (and the password) to make decisions for you.
* Do you know where your airline tickets/or e-ticket invoice are?
* Where`s your luggage? (Did your cousin ever return it?)
* Have you got enough prescription medicine to last while you`re out of town?
* Call the airlines to double check that the flight is still scheduled for your ticketed departure time.
* If you`re driving to the airport and intend on parking there, call the lots (many big cities have hotlines during holidays) and inquire about capacity.
* Keep all tickets, passports, jewelry, medicines and valuables with you. Do not check them.
* If you can use curb check in for luggage, tip the skycap $1 per bag. If you don`t, the odds of your bag being "lost" increases. (Apologies to the 99% of skycaps who deplore that practice.)
* In northern climates, make sure your car`s gas tank is full, with antifreeze and windshield solution. Check that you have jumper cables in the trunk.
* If your drive to the airport is for a very early morning flight, make certain your headlights get turned off - or you`ll come home to a dead battery.
* If you`re heading to a warm destination, lock your heavy winter coat in the trunk instead of carrying.
* Attach a sturdy luggage tag to your detachable wheels...check them.
* Bring snacks on the airplane.
* Bring more reading material than you think you`ll need.
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BONUS TIP: Airport demeanor
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Common sense, but dead serious: never joke or even mention the word "bomb" or anything that sounds like "hijack" anywhere on airport grounds. In June, 2000 a man greeted his friend in Detroit Metro Airport saying "Hi, Jack!" and was actually detained and arrested. Funny to us; not funny when you get strip searched and delayed because of a stupid joke. Keep your bags with you at all times, or with a traveling companion. Carelessness on your part keeps terrorists, thieves, conmen, and smugglers in business.
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My Recommended Link of the Week
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http://www.airport-parking.com
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My Tip of the Week: Packing-Sundries
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Donīt wait until the night before departure to pack your "last minute" items. I always have a bag (like a shoe bag, large with zipper) containing the following for the length of my trip: sample size shampoo, conditioner, gel/hairspray, deoderant, travel toothbrush and toothpaste, powder, razor, lotion, a pillbox with all vitamins, painkillers, antacids or prescription drugs needed, a sewing kit, bandaids, sanitary products, condoms, perfume samples...etc! If you keep a bag like this, then refill upon your return home, youīll never forget anything in your haste to "grab īnī go" the day of travel. (Most of these items are nice to have on hand in your guest room for visitorsī use, too.)
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