Travel/Packing Checklist
   Suitcase Packing Checklist
      Vacation Packing Checklist , v03

Travel Checklist

[ ] Suitcase(s) in clean serviceable condition:
[ ]   ID Tag: Name, Address, and Phone Number
      - Philosophy: Your Home Address or Work Address?
        There was a ring of thieves that read the home 
        address off of suitcases in foreign airports
        and hotels and they called accomplices to rob
        the bag owner's home. Some travel advisors say
        to leave your business or travel agents address
        and phone number. Some say to leave your name
        and telephone number only.
      - Some Suitcases have hard to find or hard to read
        name tag locations. Baggage Handlers and Lost
        Luggage Managers will NOT see these ID's 
        (and may not care). Be sure that your ID is
        legible, durable, and noticeable.
      - We delberately use common, ugly, beatup luggage
        and use AAA lugagage tags to make us look like 
        low budget uninteresting travelers.

[ ]   Photocopy of your passport (not to include your SSN),
        allows for a quick regeneration at the consulate or
        embassy. Pack inside the suitcase, briefcase, 
        and carry-on.
[ ]   Itinerary, so that your bag can catchup to you
        while you are on tour and so that you may be 
        contacted while you are on tour in different
        locations, daily. Pack inside each suitcase,
        briefcase, and carry-on.
        
[ ] Travel/Traveling:
[ ]   Passport, Visas, Property Visitation Statements,
        Permission Slip(s), Reservations
[ ]   Wallet, Picture IDs, Purse (money, listed elsewhere)
[ ]   Communication Device, Cell Phone, Sat Phone,
        Pre-Paid Cards, Local SIMM Card 
[ ]   Address Book, Local or Special Telephone Numbers, 
        EMail, URLs
[ ]   Itinerary 
[ ]   Transportation Tickets-Receipts
[ ]   Reservation Documents
[ ]   Passes, Licenses, Paid Receipts, Keys, Codes
[ ]   Language Translation Books / Dictionary / Device
[ ]   Electricity Converters
[ ]   Travel Book(s)
[ ]   Language Book(s)
[ ]   Personal/Light Reading Material
[ ]   Professional Material
[ ]     Briefcase
[ ] For use at destination(s):
[ ]   Maps (broad area, local areas), Directions-Instructions,
[ ]   Compass, Altimeter, Hand held GPS (working, batteries),
      Vehicle GPS Navigation System (mount, wiring, area updates)
      Compass, Mini-Compass
[ ]   Light weight backpack (empty, for use at the
        destination to carry items for day trips)
[ ]   Fanny Pack, Water Bottles, Water,
[ ]   Camera(s), wise to have a cheap backup camera,
      batteries, memory card, download cable-method,
      storage device (notebook, memory disk, ...)
[ ]   Caution: Open hotel room safes the night before departure,
      after your evening out, in case the lock won't work. 
      Read Details.
       

[ ] Clothing, Wear:
[ ]   Underwear: 
[ ]     Tops and Bottoms
[ ]     Thermal, extra layer (for some places)
[ ]     Socks, thermal, regular
[ ]   Middle Wear:
[ ]     Pants
[ ]     Shirts
[ ]     Hat, as appropriate
[ ]     Shoes, Boots, Sandals, Good, Walkabout
[ ]     Socks, thick, thin, half, hike wicking
[ ]   Outer Wear:
[ ]     Sweater, Heavy Shirts
[ ]     Parka, Jacket
[ ]     Gloves, Light, Gauntlet
[ ]   Extreme Wear:
[ ]     Waterproof Jacket/Coat
[ ]     Waterproof Pants
[ ]     Waterproof Footwear/Boots
[ ]     Waterproof Gloves
[ ]     Waterproof Hat/Pullover
[ ]   Sleepwear
[ ]   Business/Nice Wear
[ ]     Suite Pants, Coat, Tie, Clip, Cuff Links, Shoes
[ ]     Dress, Shoes, Accessories
[ ]     Rain Coat, Rain Gear
[ ]   Swimming Wear:
[ ]     Suit, Optional: Goggles, Mask, Nose Clip                        
[ ]     UV Lotion                                                        
[ ]     Towel 
[ ]   Glasses (Sun, Rx, cases, spares)
[ ]  

[ ] Toiletry:
[ ]   Container / Toilet Bag 
        (Soft Sided Cloth / Canvas / Plastic Bag)
[ ]   Tooth Brush
[ ]   Tooth Paste  
[ ]   Floss / Sticks
[ ]   Deodorant, Unscented (for walks, hikes, adventures,
       to not attract bees, flying bugs, flies, ...)
[ ]   Mouth Wash  
[ ]   Soap & Container
[ ]   Comb
[ ]   Brush
[ ]   Shaver / Razor
[ ]   Nail Clippers / Knife Scissors Work Well
[ ]   Extra Towels (Adults, Swimming, Boating, ...)
[ ]   Alarm Clock / Watch (NO Hour Bleeping Watches
       except for business meetings - makes them shorter) 
[ ]   Laundry Mat, Self Serve:
[ ]     Coins
[ ]     Soap 
[ ]     Book
[ ]     Clothes Bag/Net, 
[ ]     Light weight back pack (to carry other stuff)

[ ] Medicine / Hygiene:  
[ ]   Toilet Paper, Baby Wipes
      Hint: Outside of the US
            Most places away from big cities
            may not have toilet paper and/or
            you may have to pay to use a Toilet/WC
[ ]   Bandages (Big, Medium, Little)
[ ]   Prescription (Rx) Meds, Actual Prescription
      (Sometimes), Schedule
[ ]   Allergy Meds
[ ]   Aspirin, Tylenol, Other 
[ ]   Sun Block, Sun Burn Medicine, Chap Stick (Lip Balm)
      In a pinch, the waxy powder of an Aspen tree may be
      used as a Sun Block (˜SPF8) - It Works!
[ ]   General Anti-Biotic Salve
[ ]   Lotion 
[ ]   Feminine Hygiene Products 

[ ] Bath Gear:
[ ]   Soap, Shampoo, Conditioner, Containers
[ ]   Coins
[ ]   Mirror
[ ]   Shower Shoes / Sandals
[ ]   Wash Cloth
[ ]   Towel(s)
[ ]   Optional: Hair Dryer
[ ] 

[ ] Finance:
[ ]   Wallet / Purse, Satchel / Brief Case
        Hint: Use Separate Travel Wallet/Purse
              Only Necessary Cards & IDs
        Hint: Have learned that AAA card is useful in
              countries that AAA doesn't supply maps
[ ]   Document / Money Holder:
        Neck, Waist, Leg
        Hidden / Open Display
        Hint: Have seen open air thefts and pickpockets,
              So far, nothing stolen from on body 
              (pants & shirt, NOT coat or purse).
[ ]   Money, Country Denominations
        Hint: Always arrive with small bills and
              some change or obtain ASAP in country
        Hint: Toilets often require small change
[ ]   Drivers License
[ ]   Registration (Car, Trailer, Boat)
[ ]   Insurance
[ ]   Credit Cards
[ ]   Checkbook (with lots of checks)
[ ]   Travelers Cheques

[ ] Safety:
[ ]   Pocket Knife (cannot carry on airplane)
[ ]   Glasses  (Sun, Rx, Cases)
[ ]   Canteen, Water Bottle(s) 
[ ]   Electrolyte Replacement
[ ]   Rope, Cord, Twine
[ ]   Batteries
[ ]   Kleenex Packet
[ ]   Anti Bug Gear:
[ ]     Mosquito Hat, Sleeping Net
[ ]     Bug Repellent (100% DEET works best)
[ ]     Permethrin (Requires prior wash application)
      
[ ] Personal:
[ ]   Watch / Timepiece / Alarm
[ ]   Book(s)
[ ]   Spiral back note pad and writing instrument
[ ]   Camera, Film / Memory Cartridges, Flash, Batteries,
        Up &/or Down Load Device(s) and Cable, H/W, S/W
[ ]   Letter Writing Equip, Stamps, Addresses
[ ]   Musical Instrument, Sheet Music / Book
[ ]   iPod, MP3, EGame (Batteries and Accessories)
[ ]   Notebook Computer (Batteries and Accessories)
[ ]   Umbrella
[ ]  
[ ]  

Travel Survival Tricks:

Airplane

• Some airlines have monitors on the backs of every seat (for you to watch movies and to view the flight safety video). If you want to watch a movie some airlines have a credit card slider to take your card impression. If you do not want to watch a movie (as you may rather sleep, rest, eat, or read), you may find yourself in the role of a captive passenger-audience, figuratively and literally. After a while the monitors play or flash advertisements and it only takes a few minutes to become annoyed by this purposefully distractive display. Furthermore, in my case (on Frontier Airlines), there was no way to turn off the monitor. It was just there, always on, like Dante's Inferno and that is the really annoying aspect of this distraction - it never stops! I find this passenger treatment to be very déclassé on the airline's part.
  
  To avoid seeing endless advertisements, Bring and cover the monitor with black plastic sheet.
  I did see an elder citizen cover her monitor with a paper napkin and what I think was chewing gum.

Hotel, Motel, Inn

• Hotel Safe Issue: We read about a traveling couple who had a closet safe with a digital code lock. They had waited until just before their checkout to open the safe and recover their wallets, tickets, and passports. The safe would not open. The hotel had it opened in four hours - the hotel had to get hold of a special lock smith, which they did. Unfortunately, the couple had missed their flight, an entire travel day, and a subsequent days worth of pre-paid tours. It does not take much of life's experience to know that this incident could have been worse.
  
  Moral: Open hotel room safes the night before departure.