Commentary: A little planning makes travel much easier

Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Apr 3, 2008 by Christine Ann Hughes

I'm a little frazzled, apprehensive, nervous, tired, overwhelmed and excited.

Winter is gone. Spring is officially here, and I am preparing for a 10-day tour of Israel.

As I write this, I will leave in two days and hope and pray that I have not forgotten anything.

I am amazed how many things I take for granted and the length of the checklist that comes with planning a trip abroad. I am going with a tour group, which eliminates a tremendous amount of responsibility on my part for scheduling events and making air and hotel reservations.

However, one should always be proactive in one's own safety and well being. Therefore, I have tried to expand my awareness of international travel by spending time researching the U.S. State Department's Web site at www.travel.state.gov.

The first thing that I needed to do after deciding to make this trip was to get my passport renewed. That process is fairly easy and can be accomplished by downloading the form from the State Department's Web site, providing two passport pictures and then mailing the completed application along with your old passport to the address provided on the form. The fee for renewing a passport is $75.

If you have never been issued a passport, you will need to apply in person at a passport acceptance facility with two passport photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver's license.

Keep in mind that all U.S. residents age 19 or older are required to show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, and a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license -- or a passport -- when traveling to western hemisphere countries by land or ferry. This also applies to sea travel if cruises begin or end outside the United States.

As summer of 2009, U.S. citizens entering the United States by land or ferry will need a U.S. passport, a U.S. passport card, or a trusted transfer card such as NEXUS, FAST or SENTRI.

When traveling abroad, I urge you to register your trip with the U.S. Department of State (https://travelregistration.state.gov) before your trip begins. In case of an emergency, the State Department can contact you. This is important, especially if there is a crisis in the country you are visiting. After registering my trip, I printed the contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.

The State Department's Web site is a goldmine of information to heighten your awareness of the current affairs of the country you are visiting. There you will find travel warnings and extremely important advice regarding travel safety, which you should check often and take seriously.

You will want to plan for everything to be taken care of at home while you are away. Many people often find that right before a trip is the time that they think about estate planning. Make sure your will is up-to-date and easily available for your heirs to find. In other words, put your affairs in order.

Make sure your bills are all paid forward, and notify the post office to hold your mail. Turn your thermostat down or off if there is not a danger of extreme heat or cold to save on your energy bill. Give an extra house key to a trusted friend or neighbor, and ask that person to watch your house. Give a copy of your itinerary and hotel phone numbers, along with a copy of your passport, to your supervisor, family, pastor or neighbor for emergency contact. Water your plants, and make arrangements for your pets to be cared for

Some practical things to take on your trip include a cloth passport pouch to wear around your neck and under your clothes. This keeps your passport, credit cards, insurance card and driver's license concealed and close to your body for safekeeping. You may want to photocopy your important documents and put a copy in each piece of luggage you take with you for a reference in case you lose your identification.

Check with your medical insurance provider to make sure you have medical coverage in the country you are visiting.

Try to pack as light as practical for the length of your stay. In Israel not all hotels furnish washcloths, so I'm taking my own. I'm also taking sunglasses, sun lotion, an umbrella for sun and rain, layered clothing, a small flashlight, an extra memory card for my camera, extra batteries, a cell phone, good walking shoes, a roll of toilet paper, Handi Wipes, a travel pack of toilet seat covers, aspirin, bandages, vitamins, breath mints, a plastic bag for wet clothes, a watch and much more.

Considering small purchases and tipping in deciding how much money to take. You might want to take some travelers' checks or a prepaid Visa or MasterCard. Hotels notoriously charge outlandishly high rates for international calls, and cell phone companies charge as much as $2.49 a minute for an international call. Do some online research, and shop around for some thrifty prepaid international phone cards.

Making lists and planning early helped me get ready for my trip. When you think of something, write it down! Which makes me think of something I forgot to mention: Take a journal with you, and write down all of your thoughts and experiences each day.