BACKPACK GEAR, INC.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA

When going through airport security screening I always put my money clip, watch, etc. in my shoes. This helps prevent me from accidentally leaving something behind in the tray. I'm traveling alot to India and I found out that pens and penciles are the best thing to give to kids (& adults to). I'm working in pharmaceutial biz so i get alot of pens from company as marketing -- I collect them and kids all over India enjoying these pens & pencils. Better than money or sweets. If you have a cell phone, program your credit card company's lost card number before your trip with at least the last 4 digits of the card number in the 'memo' field if that's an option to help you identify which card it is when you call. If you live in the US and are traveling outside the US make sure to get the NON TOLL FREE number for the bank or card provider before you go - many places outside the US you can't dial a US toll free number. 2) If a tout approaches you on the street in Asia trying to sell you a tour or something you don't need, respond to them in Spanish. (Even a few words will do the trick). They seem to know English, Russian, German, and their local language, but NO Spanish. They will leave you alone very quickly, and it is a polite way to get rid of these pesky characters. Glasses wearers, if your lenses are held in by screws, get extra screws of the correct size from your occulist or optometrist. Kits with a tiny screw driver are essential but the accompanying screws may not fit your glasses. Hubby and I spent 45 minutes in the middle of the night on an airplane in turbulence over the Pacific managing to keep our cool while replacing a screw in his glasses. Also take an extra pair of glasses and be sure to keep all pairs in strong, protective cases. A small squirt bottle of lense cleaner and a good lense cloth are nice to have. At least take a lense cloth. Stash your glasses prescription with your other papers. Use of a credit card overseas does not always translate into better exchange rates. While, true, credit cards are able to negotiate better exchange rates, some credit cards charge a service fee for overseas transactions. For example, American Express charges "Foreign Currency conversion rate is base rate plus 2%." Read the small print, or call your credit card company to make sure. Supplements &/or meds are easy to manage if you pack your daily dose in an individual mini ziplock. I buy mine at a local coin/stamp shop. It's easy to grab a "pack" on your rush out the door to breakfast and to have what you need in your purse or pocket while you're on the move. I store a whole trip's worth in a regular zip-lock where I use a permanent marker to identify the contents and snip and include the labels, dosage instructions, photocopy of rx/ or the ends off the product boxes to identify, just in case an inspector asks, none ever has. Don't display your name and address on your luggage tags. Thieves working in teams will call you by name to distract you so one of them can steal your luggage. Or they will approach you later, by name to get your guard down and mug you. Use tags with a cover flap. On tags that allow for a business card to be inserted, put the card in face down, and write "Turn Over" on the side that shows. American Express now has the traveller's check CARD- it looks like a regular Amex card with your name and everything on it and you simply use it like a regular credit card-but it's got a preselected amount of cash on it, like traveller's checks. You simply fill it up and use it with most if not all of the general protection that American Express provides but if you lose it, since it's first and foremost a prepaid card, your valuable personal information-other than your full name- aren't linked with it! It's refillable and replaceable too! We had great difficulty finding money-changers for US dollars in Chile/Argentina on the weekends when banks are closed. ATMs were the only available way to get money. On the other hand, local currency was difficult to get from frequently out-of-service ATMs in Guatemala, so we had to use money-changers. We always take a combination of many forms of money to ensure that we're never without it: Dollars (or Euros) can be exchanged at banks or money-changers; Traveller's Checks can be exchanged at the local Visa/Mastercard office for no service charge or at upscale hotels for userous rates; and Debit Cards and Credit Cards are also essential. Regarding the baby powder tip for hair: Rather than baby powder, I read about no-rinse shampoos that you can use to get rid of that greasy look. Apply the product into your hair, it absorbs excess grease, then comb it out! Keep your credit card company's toll-free fraud number in your cell phone. If you try to make a purchase and it's denied, you can call your credit card company right then and there, verify the legitimacy of the transaction and be on your way. Good idea whether you're traveling or not. If the place you're staying doesn't have a business card, take a digital photo of the hotel/hostel sign out front, and the nearest major intersection (with street signs if they exist) -- very helpful in countries where many people rely on landmarks to redirect lost travellers! Happy Adventures! Since I am not able to "travel light" and take tours, I skipped the $60 luggage protection through the tour co. and used my AmEx to pay a $10 fee per trip for luggage protection. This includes up to $500 if the bag doesn't turn up in 3 hours - you can call and get $$ credited to your card prior to purchasing, includes $2000 in theft if your carry-on is ripped off and $1000 for checked bag for replacement and 2 nights hotel/transport if you have a delay. AmEx has offices worldwide that can be accessed for help directly. You do have to charge the flight on the card and call if you don't want it automatically charged on future trips. Another good reason for taking more than one credit card. We spent several hundred dollars in one day in China and had our credit card blocked because the card company could not verify that the purchase was not fraudulent. The good news is that the card was unblocked in about three days.