1. Be sure to renew your passport and to change the name on your passport, if necessary, before you travel. The name on your ticket must match the name on your passport. 

2. A pen with a cord is useful.   Place around your neck and you will not have to search for a pen for quick note taking. 

3. When traveling to a foreign country, try to find out some of the laws of that country. Doing this will help prevent inadvertently breaking a law. Americans tend to take our constitutional rights for granted; we forget that we do not have these same rights in other countries. 

4. If you are heading to a place and have not planned for your communication needs you might want to think about it well before you travel. US cell phones do not work overseas, and many remote areas may need a handheld satellite phone like GlobalStar. I suggest you check InTouch Global http://intouchglobal.com. They have helped us a lot! 

5. If time is at a premium, and you don't have time to read books about your foreign destination, I have found a wealth of material, usually at no cost, readily available from the consulate offices, readily listed in most newspapers in the travel section. They are happy to send it, as it encourages their tourist trade. Since it is yours to keep, and it is lighter than books, it is convenient to carry the material with you, and use it as you go along in your trip.  

6. If planning to buy clothing while on a holiday, take a list of the garment measurements which you know will fit each person. This is especially helpful for children, since ages can correspond to totally different sizes depending on country. Then carry a tape measure with you wherever you go. 

7. When traveling with others print out the day's itinerary on note cards (laminated) and give them to each person. 

8. Look up the emergency numbers of the country you go to. You never know what may happen, and if you have the emergency numbers handy you will have a chance for quick help! 

9. It is advisable to keep copies of medical reports on X-ray, ECG and blood /urine or any other tests prescribed by the family doctor, since insurance companies do not reimburse on medical expenses for existing illness in countries abroad. These copies can also be with the family as well as in the personnel file of the employer to assist individuals during crisis. 

10. When traveling to destinations that require you to take a mosquito net, don't forget to take some string or twine (or spare shoelaces) and a couple of small screw-in hooks. If there is nothing handy to tie the net to, the hooks only make tiny holes that don't show when you remove them. 

11. At least a few weeks before your trip, write out a list of things that you think you'll need and want to bring along on your trip. Giving yourself more than a few days before the trip to plan what you'll bring will ensure that you won't forget anything important and give you time to add or eliminate things on the list. Also, when you are ready to re-pack to come home, you can check off your belongings on the list to make sure that you haven't left anything behind - and, oh yes, do make a list of new things that you have acquired as well. 

12. Consider getting 2 smaller cases instead of a large one. Large suitcases are limiting in many ways. Buy 2 small suitcases, where one fits inside the other for ease of storage. Always make sure the smaller of the 2 is small enough to carry on to a plane. My small suitcase measures 16" long x 12" wide by 5" deep. This size is ideal for up to a 4-day weekend, can be put 'long ways' in the overhead bin, and can go under my seat if necessary. One last note about 2 suitcases - make sure the suitcases come with a pull-along strap, allowing you to attach the smaller case to the larger and then wheel them as 1 through the airport. 

13. Choose dark colors for suitcases. Black is such a popular color because it doesn't show the dirt that will eventually get on your new bags. While practical, it makes identification at the airport a challenge. The best 'identifier' I ever saw was a large home-made 'pom-pom' made of bright yarn colors. 

14. If locking your suitcase is something you want to do, consider purchasing a separate lock. The standard lock that comes on most suitcases is identical to every other lock, and the same key that opens yours, opens everyone else's. 

15. Don't  spend a lot for suitcases. Experience has shown me that even the inexpensive suitcases will give you good wear for the dollar, and if they do break, can be inexpensively repaired. Another plus for less expensive luggage is that you are not advertising that you have money. The first suitcases to be stolen are the ones that look expensive. 

16. Sending Postcards While You're Away - Type or write out address labels to send cards back home. It saves you taking your address book, which could be lost, and also saves you time when writing out postcards. 

17. When planning a trip have each member of our family plan one day of the time we are on vacation. Then I have them type copies on note cards for each person. That way we all know what we are doing, and we all get to do something we like. 

18. There is a new service TraveLite-Virtual Bellhop, Inc., 877-BELLHOP that we heard of through American Express. They will pick up your luggage at home one day prior to departure and ship to your hotel destination. No special boxing necessary and charges are reasonable.

19. When planning to stay in a small inn with no microwave or coffee maker, check local power requirements and bring a traveler's water boiler. This comes handy when you need a hot drink or a cup of noodles. It works especially when you are visiting a high-cost city. A small water boiler only costs the price of 6-8 hot drinks. 

20. If hiring a self-drive car abroad, contact local firms (find them on the net). We have always found them much more reasonable than the international groups. But check that you are fully covered by insurance. Hiring a slightly older car can also save a great deal. 

21. If you want to buy posters and prints in the location you are heading to, I suggest taking a tube like architecture students use to carry plans in.  For the trip back, you can mail the tube home ahead of you to make room for more goodies! 

22. Before you travel check what the weather is likely to be like at your destination. It is inconvenient leaving one country in a raincoat and getting to another in a heat wave and having to carry your raincoat because there is no room in your baggage or your baggage has gone ahead to where you are staying. 

23. If you are traveling overseas to visit a friend/ family member, have them research plane fares from there as well as from your departure spot. 

24. Some countries overseas will not accept American money; Paris and Ireland, for instance. It's very easy to have money exchanged at your local bank before leaving. There is a one time fee, regardless of how much money you order. More than one person can order together and split the fee. If you are going on pilgrimage, this should be done before you leave. You can exchange money at an airport, but it must be done individually and the lines are long. Most itineraries do not allow for time to do this. If you have an ATM card, you can get money exchanged through an ATM overseas. 

25. Before going overseas, contact your local long distance company and get them to change your billing for one month to the international rate. It's very cheap and inexpensive to dial home or have your loved ones reach you. Make sure you leave your phone numbers where you will be staying and the dates at home.