Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Having the correct amount and type of luggage is essential to any trip. If you are traveling by air, familiarize yourself with the airline's luggage restrictions and pack accordingly. If you anticipate acquiring more items during your travels, consider packing an extra, empty bag to pack them in. If you are traveling via car, bus, ship or train, be aware of the available trunk or storage space available to avoid over-packing.
If you will cross any borders while traveling, proper documentation, such as passports and visas, are required. If you do not already have a passport or the necessary visa required for the country you are visiting, be sure to apply for one in advance so that it is available for your trip. If you are traveling by airline, train, bus or ship, be sure to bring all necessary vouchers, tickets and boarding passes.
When you are traveling to an unfamiliar area, or if you are forced to detour from your regular route, a map is a useful tool. Travel with the map you used to plan your route because it will be familiar to you and easier to read during travel. Small folding maps are available for most major cities and many tourist offices offer local city maps and maps of the public transportation system. Guidebooks provide maps and details about local hotels, restaurants and points of interest.
When you plan a trip, estimate how much money will be necessary for gas, food, tickets, souvenirs and emergencies. If you are traveling abroad, look up the exchange rate. Bring your major credit cards and your ATM card with you. Do not bring a lot of cash; ATMs issue local currency. If you plan to take travelers checks, be sure that the brand of travelers checks you are bringing are accepted in the country you are visiting.