Here's a summary of the best travel pearls. Most of these I've learned by error and the others are tips from very seasoned travelers. Be sure to review all of them before heading off on your next trip! 

Passport and Visas:

1. Be sure that you have at least 6 months on your current passport.

2. Determine if you need a visa and whether it's one that requires that it be placed in your passport ahead of time (ie. Ghana and China (if you are not using a 72-hour visa free entrance), e-visa or visa-on-arrival. If you run short of time for a visa that needs to be placed in your passport, consider using an expedited service (but it can be very expensive) or finding a consulate where you can go in person for a rush. For example, if you are in a rush to get a visa for Ghana, there is a consulate in Houston where you can have it processed in 15 minutes. You can also have a rush passport processed in Houston. My last passport was processed in two hours. 

3. Keep a photo of your passport in your phone photos and in Dropbox.

4. Always have a pen ready for customs/immigration forms.

5. Carry a copy of your passport and several passport photos with you. Passport photos are also used for visa-on-arrival applications and required to purchase SIM cards in certain countries (Ie., Bangladesh, India, Nepal). You will likely need to pay for your visa-on-arrival 

6. Download the Mobile Passport app. You use it to enter back to the US and it can be as fast as Global Entry with no fee or application processing time. My last return from Amsterdam to Seattle was less than one minute in customs and immigration. It doesn't cover all airports but it covers many.

7. Keep your passport, travel documents and photos in a ziplock baggie to protect them from any water damage.

8. If you have a flight in Europe that is delayed over three hours or cancelled, be sure to file your trip with the airline. Because of an EU regulation, EC 261, you may be entitled to up to $700. Check out https://www.airhelp.com/

Health/Wellness/Insurance:

1. Always purchase travel insurance with at least $500,000 to cover medical evacuation.

2. Keep records of your medical and travel insurance as well as vaccinations (like Yellow Fever) in your Dropbox or another cloud system.

3. Consider registering with your Department of State (Smart Traveller Enrollment Program) before travel. You can also review and be sent travel alerts.

Packing:

1. Use packing cubes, compression packs or roll your clothing and place them in a ziplock to make better room. Shampoo and conditioner bars (from Lush) save significant volume, too. 

2. If you are doing a short trip and don't want to check a bag, consider wearing extra clothes to save on carry-on or checked bag fees.

3. Carry a small foil emergency blanket in case you are stuck sleeping at an airport for a delayed flight, etc.

4. Always travel with a change of clothes and underwear in your carry-on for accidents like spilled drinks on the plane.

5. Baby wipes are a life saver. Keep those on your carry-on, too. Use a few to wipe down your tray table before using it.

6. Earplugs and headphones help with noise on the plane.

7. Bring your own snacks in baggies for the plane and travel to save money.

8. Always carry a light sweater or jacket for cold planes and airports. Dress in layers for travel.

9. Carry an empty water bottle and after you get through security, you can fill it at a fountain instead of buying water.

10. Wear compression socks for long flights and move your feet often.

11. If you check luggage, place some identification within the suitcase, too, in case the outside tag is torn off.

12. Print and screenshot all of your itinerary.

13. Stash a small amount of emergency money in your socks.

14. A small hand sanitizer. 

15. Rain protection and a smaller crossover bag or backpack for daily touring.

16. A Turkish towel can be used for a scarf, sarong, towel, sheet, privacy curtain and a picnic blanket and it's very portable.

17. A headlamp can be a lifesaver in loss of electricity or hight hiking.

18. Consider buying an RFID wallet to protect yourself from electronic skimming.

19. For women, make sure to bring your own tampons. Many countries do not have them or have tiny ones that many don't find useful. 

20. Use the shower caps in hotel bathrooms for shoe covers when packing.

21. When packing small amounts of hair products (Moroccan oil, hair mask, etc), use contact lens containers.

Apps/Entertainment:

1. Charge all of your electronics ahead of time and bring a portable charger. Converters are a must in most countries, too.

2. Download lots of video on Netflix before the trip and at hotels and locations with wifi along the way to keep you entertained on the way to and from your destination.

3. Download the app Maps.me for finding your way around new cities offline without needing WiFi or cellular service before leaving on your trip and a VPN if going to China.

4. To organize all of your flights especially if they are with different airlines, download the app CheckMyTrip. Then you can email every itinerary to [email protected]

5. Rome2Rio - This app has saved me hundreds of dollars in travel costs. It searches for your best options to travel from point A to B, by plane, bus, train, car and ferry. It compares price ranges and trip time. I used it for an upcoming European trip to several countries and it has been a life saver. (NOTE: You can book travel through their site and American Express is accepted. If you book through the train, bus, etc., often AMEX is not an option. I say this for all of the Points Queens out there like me!

6. For housing, Booking.com has an option on their app that has a page for each hotel booking showing the address in the local language. You can screenshot it and give it to your taxi driver if you cannot communicate in a common language.

7. Transportation apps - review what ride share apps are used at your destination. It is often Uber, but can also be Lyft, Careem, GoJek, Grab or a myriad of apps that are created uniquely for different countries where Uber is not available. If is it US travel, remember that rides from the airport are the most expensive so get a free shuttle to any hotel and Uber from there when you have time.

Hospitality:

1. Bring treats for your flight crew especially on holidays.

2. If you are sitting near the rear of the plane, make friends with your flight crew for extra snack and drinks.

First Aid/Medication:

1. Pack your own Tylenol (Paracetamol) and Ibuprofen

2. Consider buying Vet Bond from Amazon which seals the skin for minor scrapes. It's cheaper and more available than the human version of Dermabond.

3. Don't ever travel with prescription medications that don't have a label or are not in your name.

4. Consider bringing a round of antibiotics (if prescribed by your doctor) depending on your location of travel and a box of OTC antidiarrheals.

And while you are at each destination, if you feel like you're carrying too many items, leave a few behind for your hotel staff. You'll be lightening your load while giving back to the countries you've traveled. I've done it on several continents. 

If you have more tips to add, please let me know and I'll do that! And give yourself permission to forget something. I've missed many items on this list which is why I'm sharing them with you!