Hello, my name is Pam and I have been in the Travel Industry for more than 40 years.  These are just a few of the “words of wisdom” that I pass on to my clients and friends as they experience the world.  It is my way of holding their hands a bit as they explore and perhaps make their trips a bit less stressful and certainly more enjoyable.

 

1)      Photocopy your Passport

First and foremost, I always tell people to photocopy their Passports and not only leave a copy at home, but take several copies with them.  These come in very handy when checking in at Hotels or lodges and they require a copy of your Passport. You can just hand them one of the copies and then your Passport is never away from you behind a closed door.

 

2)       Be Careful With Your Personal Info on Luggage Tags

Please do not have your home address on your suitcases for the entire world to see. Consider turning the address and personal information to the inside so as to not broadcast that your house is empty and you are on Vacation.  Trust me when I say that if the airlines or anyone else needed to find you, they would take your bag tag apart to find the information.

 

3)       Cross Pack

The next piece of advice I give is when 2 or more people are traveling together, I suggest they “Cross Pack”.  Cross packing is when travelers put a few of each other’s things in each other’s bags. If a piece of your luggage gets lost, you will be very happy to have some clean underwear and toiletries in your companion’s bag.

 

4)      Tell Your Credit Card Company That You’re Traveling

Always let your credit card company know when you are going to be out of the country (or your hometown for that matter). Informing them will ensure that security features don’t prevent you from purchasing some lovely African art or an amazing case of wine to have shipped home!

 

5)      Be Sure to Thoroughly Inspect Rented Vehicles

This just makes good sense!   When renting a vehicle anywhere in the world, you will usually be asked to do a “walk around” to make sure there is no damage before you drive off. Be sure to take video or photos of the car with your phone or camera so you have a good record for when you return the car. This way you can’t be wrongfully accused of damages that may have already been there.

 

Please visit us at www.stellartravel.com and feel free to email me as well!

PAnderson

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Pam Anderson

About the Author: Pam spent her first years in travel as both a flight attendant and a reservation agent for two major airlines. Her background includes thirty years travel consulting experience and ten years owning a local Eastside travel agency. Faraway travel adventures have led her to Australia (one of her favorite places), New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Africa, Egypt, England, France, Germany,...

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