Traveling Helps
Source of Recipe
travel.com
List of Ingredients
Questions & Answers
What should I do to keep my property safe while I’m traveling?
Make an arrangement with a neighbor, friend or relative to check your home periodically.
If a friend or neighbor cannot collect your mail, make arrangements for it to be held at the Post Office.
Arrange for lawn care or snow removal. Ignoring these areas will make your house stand out in the neighborhood and announce to everyone that you are gone.
Arrange for someone to start your car during very cold or very hot weather.
Purchase automatic light timers for lights and a radio. Plug a cheap radio into a timer so you can have some noise in the house during part of the day.
Check your insurance for expiration dates and coverage for your automobile, home and the valuables that you’ll take with you, as well as those you’ll leave at home.
Put your valuables and jewelry in a safety deposit box. If you don’t have, or can’t get access to a safety deposit box, you still want to hinder a hurried burglar by hiding valuable items in your house.
Notify the local police and security system company to immediately consider any alarms as real. Leave with them the names of anyone responsible to watch over your house.
Move houseplants away from direct sunlight, water thoroughly and wrap pots with plastic. Most plants can then live without further watering for two weeks.
Empty the refrigerator of items that might spoil.
Cancel or hold your newspaper delivery.
You might want to turn your refrigerator to its lowest setting.
Turn water heater down to the lowest setting.
Turn your air conditioner up in summer. You want to reduce your bills, but you may have to keep the house from getting too hot to protect your pets and electronics.
Turn your heat down or off in spring or fall. Be sure to leave the house warm enough in the winter. You may want to reduce your bills, but you may need to keep the house from getting too cold to protect your pets and water pipes.
Leave shades or drapes as you normally do.
Lock all doors and windows including basement & garage.
Unplug electronic items, such as, your computer to protect them if you have a storm while you’re gone. Remember to unhook your phone line from the modem. Unfortunately, you may have to leave it all hooked up if your computer is your only answering machine. Make sure your surge protectors are properly installed.
Pack the car inside the garage, with the door down, so people driving by won’t find out you’re leaving.
Disconnect the garage door. Unplug it if you can, don’t pull the fuse for the garage door until you verify the fuse isn’t hooked up to something that needs to stay on, such as, your refrigerator or maybe a freezer in the garage.
What information should I leave with my house sitter?
Plan to leave your house sitter with the following information.
A complete trip itinerary with a list of where you’ll be staying with address and phone number.
A security system lesson if applicable, keys to the doors and mailbox.
Leave them a copy of your passport so they could fax it to you in case you lose your copy.
Plant care and watering instructions.
Pet care instructions.
Have your house sitter stop by at random times. Make sure they put out your trash, you don’t want to be the only house without garbage on garbage night. See if they can share some of their trash with you if you won’t have any to put out while you’re gone.
What outgoing message should I leave on my answering machine?
The same one you usually do. You don’t want to announce to the world that you won’t return their call immediately because the house will be empty and unguarded for a while. Most answering machines have the ability to update you on your messages if you call in and use a special code to retrieve those messages. The answering machine’s manual should have instructions on how to retrieve your messages with an incoming call. If your answering machine doesn’t have this feature, and you are worried about a delay in receiving important messages, consider buying a new answering machine with this feature.
How can I get access to the Internet when I travel?
www.kinkos.com/mapquest/
This site contains a searchable database with contact information and maps for Kinko’s in the United States and several foreign countries.
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If you’re looking to buy new luggage, you should consider luggage with these features:
Retractable rollers, rollers will make it easier to make it through the airport. You’ll also want retractable rollers, so the rollers won’t be pulled off.
Removable straps. Straps make luggage easier to carry, but they can get caught on conveyor belts and either break or damage your luggage.
A lock, preferably one that doesn’t dangle off the luggage too much.
Carry-on luggage in a size that will be allowed under the recent more restrictive carry-on size limits.
How can I find out about my Airline's luggage restrictions and limits?
Check out their web site for information and limits.
Go To: Airlines Links
What should I pack in my carry-on luggage?
A passport, for all travel outside the U.S. and identification purposes.
Wallet
Driver's License and/or other proper photo identification required for domestic travel.
Insurance cards for both your medical and automobile insurance
Credit cards
Travelers checks
Coupons
Airline, Cruise or Train tickets
Itinerary with confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers of where you'll be staying
Travel brochures and maps
Lots of crisp one-dollar bills for all those tipping opportunities
A small amount of local currency for immediate use to hold you over until you can make it to a currency exchange, if you're planning foreign travel.
What is the best way to carry my medications?
Carry them in your carry-on since it will be less likely to be lost than your checked luggage. Your carry-on will also do less harm to temperature-sensitive medication.
Carry your medication in their original bottles to help avoid security questions.
Bring along the generic names of your medications since brand names can vary.
If you have any questionable drugs or particularly large supplies, you might want to bring a letter from your doctor stating you have a legal right to use these drugs.
If you are traveling outside the United States, check to see what you can take with you. Something legal here might be illegal elsewhere. It could get dumped, or you could get dumped in jail.
How should I pack the liquids I bring with me?
So your clothes aren’t covered in the liquids, use plastic bottles in your packing. Only fill the bottles to the ¾ mark incase they are crushed or the contents freeze and expand. You also might want to pack them in plastic freezer bags just in case.
How can I avoid damaging my film?
High-speed film is the most susceptible to damage, but all your film is at risk.
Carrying your film in your checked bags used to be a safer bet, but with stronger bomb detection devices, your film is now more likely to get fried.
Buy special carrying cases designed for protecting film.
You can ask for a manual inspection in the United States and some foreign airports to avoid the x-rays if you place your film in your carry-on bag.
The walkthrough and hand wand security devices shouldn’t effect your film.
The safest bet for film is to buy it after you arrive and develop it before you go. This may not be the cheapest route, but it is the best guarantee to keep your memories safe.
What should I do with my valuables?
Leave them at home in a safe place if you can.
If your luggage has locks, you should use them.
Shrink wrapping your luggage will not only protect the outside of your bags, but also the contents inside.
Do not carry valuables in your checked luggage, they will be safer in your carry-on bags.
If you do place any valuables in your luggage, hide them in the lower sections of the bags so a quick look inside won’t reveal
How can I keep my items neat in my luggage?
Pack your liquid items in less than full plastic bottles, they might freeze and expand if you’re traveling by plane or putting them in a trunk and traveling through cold weather. Place the bottles in freezer bags with a seal to further protect your items.
Bring along a plastic trash bag to keep your dirty items separate from your other clothes.
Pack your shoes in shoe bags or old socks to keep their dirty soles from touching your clean clothes.
Pack carefully to avoid wrinkles.
How can I avoid wrinkles?
Don't over pack your bags.
Travel with clothing that is less likely to wrinkle.
Roll up T-shirts or underwear and wrap your items around them at a fold line. This will help keep a crease from forming.
Take the proper size luggage for your trip. Too big a bag will allow your items to move around and make damage and wrinkles more likely.
Button the buttons on shirts so items will hang properly.
Use plastic dry cleaner bags between items. Make sure the dry cleaner bags do not have any advertising printed on them. The ink can rub off and end up on your clothes.
Unpack as soon as possible.
Hang wrinkled items in the bathroom while you shower to help steam out the wrinkles.
How can I avoid losses on my trip?
Don’t pack valuable, perishable, and fragile or items sensitive to the heat and cold in your checked baggage. Try to avoid these items altogether, but if you must take them, they will be safer in your carry-on bag.
Never leave your luggage unattended or take your eyes off your bags.
Learn your destination's airport code and make sure the correct one gets put on your bag.
Avoid taking luggage with flashy brand names, as it will make them more attractive to thieves.
Avoid carrying your laptop in a bag that lets everyone know you are carrying expensive electronics.
Use the locks on your luggage.
Clearly label your luggage on both the inside and outside of your bags.
Remove any items that are hanging off your luggage and could get caught on conveyor belts.
Place a trip itinerary in your luggage so your bags can easily be returned to you.
Place a unique bright marking on your luggage so you can easily identify it. This way others will recognize that their similar looking bag did not have the markings and leave yours alone.
Switch some of your items with those of a traveling companion. That way if your bags go missing, you’ll still have some items with you.
Cover your hands when you are entering ATM or phone card numbers so others can’t copy them down and use them.
If an airline loses your items make a claim before you leave the airport; some Airlines will not honor claims made after you have left the airport.
Carry a list of all your items in your carry-on and leave one at home, to help you make a complete claim form if your items go missing. Carry a copy of the final list in your carry-on bags, you’ll be able to use it to fill out claim forms with the airline if they lose your luggage.
Consider purchasing trip insurance that offers protection for your property.
How can I pack light and still have everything I need?
The more you travel, the more you know that traveling with the smallest possible amount of luggage is the best way to go. But, how can you cut down on your luggage burden?
Call ahead to the hotel to see if they offer any laundry services. See if they include items in your room such as, robes and toiletries that will reduce your packing needs.
Coordinate your outfits around a central color so you’ll be able to mix and match.
Check the weather, so you can bring the most appropriate items. Remember to account for seasonal and daily temperature fluctuations and also keep in mind that increases in altitude will decrease temperature.
Plan your outfits so you can layer instead of bringing lots of coats.
Take a solid color sweater that will match any outfit to use to keep you warm
List all the items you are taking and check to see if you really need each item, in other words, is there something else you could take to kill two birds with one stone.
Take small sample sizes of toiletries that will last just long enough instead of huge bottles.
Don’t waste an inch of your luggage space, pack underwear and socks inside your shoes. This will also help your shoes keep their shape. Pack your belts around the edge of the luggage.
Take some old clothes with only one last wear in them. You can then toss them out and use the room for the souvenirs you’ll want to bring home.
Things to Carry on Your Person
A passport, for all travel outside the U.S. and identification purposes
Wallet
Driver’s License
Insurance cards for both your medical and automobile insurance
Credit cards
Travelers checks
Coupons
Airline, Cruise or Train tickets
Itinerary with confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers of where you’ll be staying
Travel brochures and maps
Lots of crisp one-dollar bills for all those tipping opportunities
A small amount of local currency for immediate use to hold you over until you can make it to a currency exchange, if you're planning foreign travel.
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ONE DAY BEFORE
Pay bills that will come due while you are away.
Walk around with your packed luggage to evaluate your comfort with the weight of the luggage.
Move houseplants away from direct sunlight, water thoroughly and wrap pots with plastic. Most plants can then live without further watering for two weeks.
Empty the refrigerator of items that might spoil.
Cancel or hold your newspaper delivery.
Fill the car with gas before you pack the car. Check the fluid levels and tire pressure, since your tire pressure will effect the ride and gas mileage you get on your trip.
You might want to turn your refrigerator to its lowest setting.
Set automatic light and radio timers. Check the bulbs to see if they will last for your entire trip.
Recipe
THINGS TO DO THE DAY YOU LEAVE
Turn water heater down to the lowest setting.
Turn your air conditioner up in summer. You want to reduce your bills, but you may have to keep the house from getting too hot to protect your pets and electronics.
Turn your heat down or off in spring or fall. Be sure to leave the house warm enough in the winter. You may want to reduce your bills, but you may need to keep the house from getting too cold to protect your pets and water pipes.
Leave shades or drapes as you normally do.
Plug a cheap radio into a timer so you can have some noise in the house during part of the day.
Lock all doors and windows including basement & garage.
Unplug electronic items, such as, your computer to protect them if you have a storm while you’re gone. Remember to unhook your phone line from the modem. Unfortunately, you may have to leave it all hooked up if your computer is your only answering machine. Make sure your surge protectors are properly installed.
Pack the car inside the garage, with the door down, so people driving by won’t find out you’re leaving.
Disconnect the garage door. Unplug it if you can, don’t pull the fuse for the garage door until you verify the fuse isn’t hooked up to something that needs to stay on, such as, your refrigerator or maybe a freezer in the garage.
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What should I do if I’m taking a road trip?
How can I find information on road conditions, construction and rest areas?
How can I make our time together in the car more enjoyable for everyone?
What snacks should I bring for the road trip?
Where is a good place to take a break on a road trip?
What should I do if I’m taking a road trip?
Look at maps and plan your route.
Research the roads you’ll take. You’ll especially want to know if you’ll be traveling through areas of major road construction.
Make estimates of travel times along the route, so you’ll have an idea when you’ll be at certain points on your trip. This will help you to plan rest and meal stops. It will also help you plan to avoid traveling through a major city or area of road construction during rush hour.
Get the car checked, especially the filters, belts, fluid levels and have the oil changed. Don’t wait until the last minute, it may take time to get an appointment and parts may need to be ordered. You also want some time to drive around town and make sure that whatever they fixed stays fixed.
Check the condition of your wiper blades.
Check the operation of your turn signals, brake lights as well as the high and low beams.
Examine the tread on your tires.
Make sure your car is prepared for the weather it will encounter on your trip. You might need more antifreeze, snow tires or recharged air-conditioning.
Today, many cars have fancy wheels instead of hubcaps. These wheels usually have a lock to prevent them from being stolen. If you have a car with wheel locks, make sure you know where the key is stored (often with the jack). Otherwise, a flat tire will become a major problem since you won't be able to get the wheel off the car.
Get your car cleaned. You’ll feel better in a clean car.
Pack an emergency kit in your car. Include motion sickness medication if anyone in your group suffers from it. Remove any items from the car that you won’t need on your trip.
Prepare some on road entertainment for your trip. Include games and CDs of music and/or audio books.
Check your plates, registration and insurance information to make sure they are all valid. Be sure to place your insurance company’s emergency contact number in your car.
Check with all the drivers in your party to make sure their driver’s licenses haven’t expired.
Check your insurance for expiration dates and coverage for your automobile.
Arrange for someone to start your other car, if you leave one home, during very cold or very hot weather.
Fill the car with gas before you pack the car so all the fumes won't bother your passengers. Check the fluid levels and tire pressure, your tire pressure will effect the ride and gas mileage you get on your trip.
Pack the car inside the garage, with the door down, so people driving by won’t find out you’re leaving.
How can I find information on road conditions, construction and rest areas?
Go to: Department of Transportation Links
Check out the roads before you go. This page contains links to the Departments of Transportation for all 50 States. Each state’s site is different, but most sites contain detailed information on highway construction, road closings, rest areas and maps. Many of the sites also contain links to major cities within their own state.
How can I make our time together in the car more enjoyable for everyone?
Buy some new music or interesting audio books to listen to while on the trip.
If your music interests are vastly different than your children’s, you might consider getting them a portable CD or tape player and bring lots of batteries. But, agree in advance about its usage times.
Take advantage of this time together and talk.
Play games in the car to help shorten the trip. Hunt for different license plate numbers, see who can add up license plate numbers of the cars that pass you the quickest. Kids get a head start since they are in the backseat. Play "I spy". See who can find the most out of state license plates. See who can find the most models of cars.
Play "once upon a time". One person starts a story with the setting and a character. Then they pass to the next person in the car who embellishes the story and passes it on. See how long you can keep the story going before someone finishes with "the end".
Bring along games or toys to help shorten the ride. Avoid items with lots of small pieces. You might also consider small prizes or presents at regular intervals along the trip. New toys often receive the most interest and will help keep your child occupied.
If your children are old enough, give them a map of their own. Have them keep track of your progress by making them the navigator.
Schedule a quiet time for everyone in the car to enjoy. But, enforce the rules so adults are included and must also obey this rule.
Wake up sleepers a few minutes before you arrive at stops. This will give them time to adjust and be ready to get out as soon as the car stops.
What snacks should I bring for the road trip?
Bring along plenty of water and munchies in the car. It will be much cheaper to buy these at the grocery store than pay the convenience store prices. It might also save you some extra stops.
Sticking to water will be much easier on your body than drinking lots of cola. Remember to avoid large amounts of caffeine. Caffeine can wear on your nerves. If the driver needs large amounts of caffeine to stay awake then it’s time to pull over for the night.
Have the adults keep control of the munchies so mealtimes aren’t ruined.
You don’t want to get yourself sick with all the junk food along the roadside, so you might want to consider eating a healthy meal or at least bring some healthy snacks.
If it has ever made them sick at home, there seems to be a guarantee that it will make them sick on the road.
Where is a good place to take a break on a road trip?
Now, after talking about eating healthy, remember that some of the fast-food restaurants now have play areas. McDonald’s and Burger King both are offering free play areas at many of their restaurants. These can be a good place to stretch those legs and burn off some energy along the road. The adults can take their time eating without the little ones getting fidgety at the table.
Be careful when using rest stops along the road. Pass them up if they aren’t well-lit or seem unsafe. Remember to lock your car doors when you go inside. Since many rest stops suffer from criminal activity, you should always accompany your children into the restroom at a rest stop.
Well-lit, busy gas stations can provide a safe place to take a quick break.
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