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Trip Tools...Get Ready

The following information has been collected throughout 30 years of travel both nationally and internationally. These resources have been separated into three sections:

Get Ready

Where to Go?
Reservations
Health
Paperwork

Get Set
Go

Where to Go?

www.whatsonwhen.com	Established in February 1999, this site provides high-quality travel and entertainment content services, so you never have the excuse, “I don’t have anything to do.” Search by date, destination, or theme to find the right event for you.
www.bootsnall.com	Tagline – The Ultimate Resource for the Independent Traveler. Spend days reviewing this site for destination ideas, travel community blogs, reviews, parking information, adventure tours, and anything else you can think of that pertains to travel.
www.adventuredivas.com	Celebrates the wide world of divadom®. This multi-media corporation aims to connect like-minded women with things as simple as a recipe for Kiwi teacakes to tools for planning your own pilgrimage.
http://www.roadandtravel.com/travelnetwork.htm	A section of Road and Travel Magazine whose mission is to RTM's mission is to “…provide content and resources from which consumers can make informed and intelligent decisions regarding automotive, travel, and personal safety needs.”

Reservations

www.site59.com	Named for the 59th, or last, minute, this site has great all-encompassing, flight, car, hotel deals for upcoming national weekend travel. Check it out two weeks before a free weekend and pick a place to go, go, go.
www.cheaptickets.com	To plan specific trips, enter airport codes and dates then click search. Great sort feature: by carrier, price, departure time and flight length. Holds a profile so no need to keep re-entering your information. Rarely use for international travel. Difficult to cancel a reservation. Not the best for hotel or rental car bargains.
www.qixo.com	Use in conjunction with Cheaptickets to find the better national price. The one-page list of price, carrier, and number of stops makes it quick to use. Click on the Details button to learn specifics of the reservation. Fantastic rental car prices. Easy to use online cancellation instructions. The $20 per ticket service fee is one of the highest online.
www.airbrokers.com	Used this site for my South East Asia trip. Longer multi-stop round about journeys can be custom designed with the help of their knowledgeable service staff. Ticket times/dates changeable throughout the route within a one-year time frame. Must send/fax photocopy of credit card and signed consent form to secure reservation.
www.airlineconsolidator.com	Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Airline Consolidator offers superior prices on international airfares. Hard copy international tickets are delivered to your doorstep. The website appears a little sketchy, but I’ve had nothing but super luck and unbelievable prices. Not familiar with additional services such as EuroRail passes, cruises, hotel nor rental car reservations.
www.tripsrewards.com	Take advantage of this easy to use site for budget hotel accommodations. Partners with AmeriHost Inn®, Days Inn®, Howard Johnson®, Knights Inn®, Ramada®, Super 8®, Travelodge® (U.S. hotels only), and Wingate Inn® hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada. Especially like the Map It and Photo options. Easy cancellation procedures. The Wingate Inn hotels are the newer, nicer option.
www.webtourist.net	Gigantic international hotel database operated by Webtourist Network AG, a private, Swiss incorporated Company. This multi-lingual site partners with higher end hotels and services. The Webtourist separates hotel discount, sightseeing, reviews, and tourist information lists by city for easy to find information.

Health

Vaccinations	The only required vaccination by the International Health Regulations is Yellow Fever. It is good to get a Hepatitis A and B shot as well as Typhoid Fever. The effectiveness of anti-malaria medication is questionable. But, it is a virus, so once you get it you always have it. Ask a health care professional for more information. Keep up-to-date on the usual vaccinations such as influenza, and measles. See www.cdc.gov/travel for more information.
Medicines	Common medications are usually available in over the counter forms in other countries. It may be difficult, however, to obtain the correct dosage and pill in another language. I always take ample supply of the following: Imodium, aspirin, ibuprofen, and Benadryl.
Insurance	According to www.squaremouth.com, “Travel insurance protects a traveler's vacation cost against cancellation and interruption while also providing medical, lost or damaged property and travel delay coverage.” Check out the site to learn more. For Prescriptions: Most health care insurance will give an exception for travel of up to three times the normal supply.
Specific Health Issues	Asthma: I recommend purchasing several inhalers before departure. (I do.) Birth Control: Pack one month extra just in case you stay or get stuck. If necessary, visit a local pharmacy and ask for the “big book”. Select a pill with similar estrogen content. I take my own condoms.

Paperwork

Passport	U.S. Passports can be purchased from the U.S. Postal Service. Plan on at least two months to receive a renewed or new passport. Expedited delivery is available for an additional fee. Check your expiration date. Passport validation requirements vary for each country. To visit Ecuador as a tourist, for example, your passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival.
Visas	Most guidebooks have visa requirements in the visitor information sections. Or, search the particular country’s government website for more information. Things to look for: Cost, Type, and Duration (Maximum Stay) to know how long you can stay without renewing.
Tickets	Whether it’s an e-ticket or a paper ticket, keep at least the confirmation number and name of the airline carrier on you while traveling.
Contacts	Make a list of emergency phone numbers at home. (1-800 numbers do not work out of the country.) Handy to have a list of names/numbers/email addresses for friends at home and in other countries. Visit www.countrycallingcodes.com to discover how to call. Type it up and email it to yourself to leave in your inbox for reference while traveling.
Copies	Make two sets of photocopies of each: passport, visa, tickets, and contacts. Leave one set with someone in your home country and pack the other set in a zip lock bag somewhere in your luggage. It is also wise to scan your information into the computer and email yourself a copy. That way you can always call it up and print it at an internet café.