| Packing for a vacation can be a maddening | | | | copy at home or with a trusted friend. The others |
| experience. You spend hours digging through your | | | | are stashed in your room safe. (If you don't have |
| closets, chests of drawers, and other storage spaces | | | | access to a safe, hide the paperwork in rolled up |
| looking for all the right clothes. Then comes the fun | | | | clothing.) If your passport is lost or stolen, the sooner |
| part: Trying to pack it all into a suitcase while staying | | | | you can provide the consulate or embassy with a |
| under the weight limit. You surely don't want to get | | | | photocopy, the faster you'll get a new passport. You |
| socked with a surcharge once you arrive at the airline | | | | may even consider scanning the appropriate page, |
| ticket counter. | | | | and leaving that file home. Your contact there can |
| Throughout this mind-bending exercise, it's easy to | | | | easily e-mail the file, should that become necessary. |
| overlook some very important steps that can help | | | | 4. Copy any pertinent medical records and |
| make your vacation go smoother, especially if you | | | | prescription information as above. |
| suffer a loss. Here are some suggestions to consider | | | | 5. Record the lost/stolen number of your credit card |
| before packing your luggage. | | | | company. Include the last eight digits of your card |
| 1. Buy a backpack. Talk about versatile baggage. | | | | number for quick reference. Keep a copy in your |
| Forget that small piece of luggage that comes | | | | room safe and hidden in your suitcase. (Remember |
| snuggled inside your main suitcase. A backpack has | | | | that thieves are most interested in valuables and |
| multiple storage compartments that secure with a | | | | cash.) |
| zipper, and it easily stores in the overhead bins. Best | | | | 6. Leave contact information in your suitcase. Don't |
| of all, you can sling it over your shoulder for easy | | | | rely solely on the hang tag provided by the airline or |
| transport. | | | | tour company. Those can tear off during flight. Stash |
| 2. Store your valuables in the backpack during the | | | | a couple business cards inside your luggage (ditto for |
| flight. This will keep them in sight, but also protects | | | | your backpack). |
| them. A 35mm SLR camera and a handheld | | | | 7. Buy a money pouch. These are great for storing |
| transceiver (H-T, to you ham radio ops out there), | | | | cash and documents, including your passport. They |
| bit the dust on separate trips because I stashed | | | | are inexpensive and available in lots of places. |
| them in the suitcase. Even though I wrapped them in | | | | Yes, packing for a vacation can be a lot of work, but |
| clothing, they still got jostled enough to break. A | | | | is worth it. Every moment spent carefully planning for |
| very costly learning experience. | | | | contingencies just adds to the comfort as you are |
| 3. Make photocopies of your passport. Leave one | | | | relaxing on the beach or in the pool. |