quote:

Originally posted by tanner:

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Originally posted by Rigby470:Flying to Skopje, Macedonia. Turkish Airlines out of Chicago. Short layover to change planes in Istanbul.

So be sure to check out what your luggage sizes/weights/carry-on limits are for each leg and airline change in your trip. For instance, You might be allowed two bags in Chicago but only one in Istanbul. Worth checking out before hand, especially carrying-on sizes and limits.

^^ THIS ^^

I went on a short-term mission trip with my church, and did my due diligence on airline regs for every leg of the trip to Africa. There was a 10kg carry-on limit from LAX to London and from London to Kenya the checked baggage limit was 22 lbs (10 kg) less. I shared this ahead of time with everyone on the team. One know it all who only traveled domestically said that it wasn't true (as if I can't read) and guess who was repacking his carry-on into his checked bag at the airport?

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Originally posted by corsair:

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Originally posted by sns3guppy: Take travelers checks.

Nobody uses travelers checks anymore, let alone places to accept them. It's either cold hard cash or, credit cards.

Yes, they do.

As I said, cash in the local currency; have enough that you can get by if the cards don't work.

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:

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Originally posted by sns3guppy:
Carry small quantities of the meds you'll need, and make sure They're in original packaging.

How are you supposed to do that when the "meds" you take don't come in small quantities?

Sure, I can take a single "card" of Allertec-D (Costco's Zyrtec-D clone), but my lisinopril, saw palmetto and turmeric (herbal supplements) come in the bottles they come in. I really don't want to haul along three months of those for a ten-day trip.

Never mind the gigantic bottle of enteric coated aspirin and the whole bottle of ibuprofen.

I'm sure I can do without the vitamins and CoQ10 for ten days, but what am I supposed to do about the rest of that stuff?

Take what you need, obviously.

o Keep a photo copy of your passport. If original is lost or stolen, a photocopy can always get you back in the US.

o Are you bringing any expensive Camera, computer or similar equipment? I forget what the # is, but if the value exceeds something like $2.5k, when you come back, USC could try and hit you with a tariff. Same on the other side of the pond... In so many words, with a Carnet: you document what you have, "Check-it-out" of the US and when you come back you "Check it back in".

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
Get the Mobile Passport Control App loaded onto your phone and set-up your profile. It'll make life a lot easier upon you and your family's return.

If it's supported at your point of entry. In my case it's not--and I'm traveling with a furriner in tow, anyway.

Have a pen handy to fill out those customs forms on the fight.
Make photocopies of the back of your credit cards too (in case they get stolen and need to call and cancel them, or you need to call to get a replacement mailed to you).
Download a sound machine app to the phone.
Download several movies to your iPad or laptop.
Pack several spare chargers and cables to refill ipad or iphone on the flight and to use as GPS if needed.
Pack a small car charger, so you can charge phone in rental car.

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
Carry small quantities of the meds you'll need, and make sure They're in original packaging.

How are you supposed to do that when the "meds" you take don't come in small quantities?

Before you leave home: take the original container. Dump everything in excess of your trip needs into a ziplock bag or something, leave this at home. Now, the original container just has what you need for the trip and you're not schlepping any excess. Big container, maybe? Sure, but it's not huge and it really doesn't weigh anything.

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Originally posted by sns3guppy:

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy: Take travelers checks.

Nobody uses travelers checks anymore, let alone places to accept them. It's either cold hard cash or, credit cards.

Yes, they do.

Ok, I'll bite, where?
Besides an AmEx office where you'll pay ridiculous exchange rate. Banks you'll get knocked on the fees. Then there's the fraud risk, which is the entire reason why such notes are no longer in use, forgery is too easy with modern printers. Travelers checks died about 15-years ago.

Didn't see it mentioned, might have missed it. You will want to take an international adaptor for your plug in electronics and chargers.

Avoid coach if at all possible

Not much to add, yes, be sure an do a ‘travel notification’ with any credit cards you plan to use. I’ve never got into the ‘travelers check’ usage. I like cash for small incidentals, CC for the big stuff.

Load up an IPad with some shows, at least for the Son, maybe both with 2 iPads.

As to any cell phone use, I normally just use apps when on WiFi. I don’t mind being ‘off the grid’ with routine calls. Depending on your particulars, may or may not work for you.

Even any airport hassles should be a grand adventure for your Son, rushing or being late takes the fun out of it.

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Originally posted by Speedbird:

o Are you bringing any expensive Camera, computer or similar equipment? I forget what the # is, but if the value exceeds something like $2.5k, when you come back, USC could try and hit you with a tariff. Same on the other side of the pond... In so many words, with a Carnet: you document what you have, "Check-it-out" of the US and when you come back you "Check it back in".

Great replies so far! Thanks so much!

This one is one I haven't heard about. Yes, my camera/lens combo would run $4000 or so.

Casino's usually have very good exchange rates as well.

Some already mentioned. Just reinforcing:

Take a picture, on your phone, of each piece of luggage before you leave. Keep your luggage check-in tags in a safe place. Strangely enough, they lost one of my bags temporarily and numerous friends have had bags permanently disappear. It seems like this couldn't happen in high-security, computerized-tracking 2018....but it does.

Carry three wallets: two "decoys" with just enough local currency for immediate needs. Keep the serious money in a security wallet under your clothes.

As far as meds: "small quantities" is really as much as any one person might need, even with spares. Just don't take amounts that are OBVIOUSLY beyond personal needs. I took full bottles of naproxen, Tylenol, Vitamin D, caffeine energy pills, etc... I actually even took some extra bottles of vitamins to give to family in China. No problem as long as it isn't a kilo of weed, or such

TRAVEL NOTIFICATION ON THE CREDIT CARDS (or they may get refused)

Photocopy of passport and DL in separate place....just in case.

The "throw your underwear away" trick was already mentioned. But I don't buy new. I save up my older underwear for specifically this purpose, and then this is where I dispose of them !

Remember: almost everything you hear about happening to travelers that is "bad" involves alcohol and being out late at night.

Well if you were traveling to Asia I could help more.

-Make sure you take an extra USB battery pack with at least 10,000mah rating in case the flights you have don't have power outlets under the seat. This goes in your carry-on. They are no longer allowed in your checked bags. Don't forget to charge it before you leave home.

-Pack ibuprofen in your carry-on as well as Pepto-Bismol chewables.

-Pack a good neck pillow and eye covers (not sure what the actual name of those is called).

-Keep one extra change of clothes (or at least skivvies and socks) in your carry-on in case your bags get lost.

-Get noise cancelling headphones. Pack earplugs so you can sleep.

-Power adapters for the country(ies) you'll be visiting.

-Go online and look at the airport maps for your stops. Depending on the airport and the layover time, you may have time to take a shower. Some airports have showers. Look at the restaurants at the airports and figure out where you can eat, or pack lots of cereal bars if nothing looks appealing. Carbonarra pasta at Avion restaurant in Narita was one of my favorites. It's my regular routine.

-Depending on your flight time and layover time, try to be nice and tired during your flight and try to sleep during the same time as people at your destination would sleep. When traveling to Asia, I stay up all night the night before my flight and as soon as I'm over The Pacific for my first leg (usually 10-12 hours), I've already had a good meal and popped some melatonin and drank a couple of glasses of wine

-Load the iPad with lots of movies for the kid and for yourself.

-Pack some snow socks and when you're ready to sleep, kick off your shoes and wear those. Take a plastic bag to throw your dirty clothes in during your flight instead of mixing them with the clean.

-Verify what immunizations you might need with CDC and see if your doctor will prescribe a small supply of antibiotics in case you get sick or food poisoning

-Pack lots of baby wipes in both your carry on and your checked bags.

-Get an aisle seat somewhere in the middle of the plane. If you need to go to the bathroom you don't have to step over people to get out. Its also convenient to be able to get easy access to your carry-on in mid flight so you can stow/retrieve things without inconveniencing others.

-Don't be too close or far away from the bathroom. If you're too close, you'll never be able to rest because you'll hear everyone that comes and goes by

-Planes are usually well air conditioned. I pack a hoodie and a beanie and wear them when I sleep. I tuck my arms in the front hoodie pocket, put on the beanine, ear plugs and eye shades and zone out.

-Let someone back home know what flights you're on, where you're staying and when you're expected home. Check in periodically.

-You may have to buy a local SIM card to use your phone.

-Never wear a wallet in your back pocket. Always in the front pockets.

-Whatever device you take with you, weather its a laptop, phone or tablet, do a full backup on an external hard drive and leave it at home. If you lose any of them, you'll have a backup ready when you return.

Tony.

Download the following apps for your phone:

Google Translate. Download the offline language pack for the countries you are visiting, so you can still use the app with slow or no internet.

Google Maps. Download the offline map packs for the cities you are visiting, so you can still use the app with slow or no internet.

Uber. Uber is popular in many cities, and if it's available, then absolutely use it before you consider a Taxi. Uber clearly lets you know how much you will pay for the ride, and maps out the proposed route for you. You never pay the driver directly, no chance of a Taxi driver schlepping you around the city randomly to rack up the bill. You also don't have to deal with cash and change.

AirHelp. It's a dispute resolution app that seeks reimbursement for flight changes and flight delays on your behalf, and takes a percentage of the money they can get for you. Free money for the delays and changes that you don't have any control over.

Yelp and TripAdvisor, for looking up restaurant and attraction reviews. I try to stay away from touristy spots, so this helps me find restaurants that are a little off of the beaten path or ones that locals might eat at.

TunnelBear. It is a VPN so that 1) you can encrypt and hide your data traffic when using public wi-fi and 2) so you can access U.S. content from your device. If you pull up Google to do a search while traveling, you'll get your results in the local language and targeted to locals. This is usually not what you want--you usually want your results tailored to your American expectations, and in English. There's a way to force Google to use a location agnostic search, but I prefer the VPN.

Your favorite messenger apps: Google Hangouts, Google Allo, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, etc. I use Google Hangouts to make Voice over IP telephone calls to restaurants to make reservations or inquire about wait times, and to message/call people at home without additional cost. I load a few bucks into Google Hangouts to make international calls.