Travel Check List

When traveling, I witness travel dilemmas, flight changes, and the mismanagement of luggage, therefore, it is my responsibility to assist you when you begin to prepare yourself for a trip.

When I moved from home (in the south) and moved to the north, travel ideas became the theme for the gifts I received from my mother. First it was the foldable luggage cart, the next year it was a piece of luggage on wheels. If it wasn’t something for travel as my gift it was something to help keep me warm. I have unwrapped two different pairs of the latest in winter gear, insulated gloves. Even though it gets cold here I have found few events here in New York where I needed such heavy-duty hunting gloves.

One year my mother gave me a pocketknife, once opened she said, “It’s in the shape of a credit card.” I am not a pocket knife kind of guy. It was one of those Swiss Army knives with two-inch scissors unfolded, nail file, and tweezers in a flat three by two inch case. All of these gifts gave me the impression that no matter what; I could get back home for the holidays; she had prepared me with gloves, luggage carrier, and a weapon just in case.

Sadly once the travel rules changed after 9/11 my pocketknife was confiscated, I forgot I had it on me until I passed through the security checkpoint and I pleaded with the guard to allow me to keep it, I said, “It was a gift from my mother.” I deliberately went to the garbage can and threw it away. I knew in their collections box the token of my mother’s love would become the guard’s loot.

Let me help you avoid the perils at the ticket counter and mismanaged or lost luggage.

1. Make sure your luggage has clear up-to-date identification information.
2. Traveling as a group it is good to have color code luggage tags with group name and information.
3. Pack your chargers in your carry-on, because if your stowed/checked luggage is lost you will be able to use your electronics.
4. It is smart to have an extra pair of fresh underclothing in your carry-on in case luggage is mismanaged.
5. All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in 3.4 ounce (100ml) or smaller containers.
6. All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.
7. Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.
8. If shopping is the purpose for the trip, pack an extra collapsible bag in order to distribute the weight of bags and avoid extra charges at the ticket counter.
9. For international travel I wear a passport pocket or badge case so that I can secure to my passport on my person, therefore it is independently stored and I don’t have to search through my bag, plus I carry a copy of my birth certificate just in case I drop or misplace my photo identification.
10. Always check the weather of the destination in order to pack the necessary attire. It is always smart to be prepared for rain or cool weather, whether or not the local forecast calls for it, wasting money on incidental, everyday items can ‘bust’ a travel budget.

At One Token Tours, we want you to be prepared, prepared to enjoy your trip!

Contact me if you have travel questions and travel Safely!