Traveling is my absolute passion and I am lucky as I do get to travel quite a bit every year but since 9/11 the way the world travels has changed completely and airline travel has become quite a stressful affair what with all the security procedures that have been put in place at all the airports world wide. In recent times we face yet another adversity which affects the way we travel, the high price of oil which translates into higher fares, curtailment of routes and for a traveler like me the dreaded weight restrictions and fees on checked luggage which is a source of much of my stress when I travel. In order to combat and reduce my stress I have developed a system of travel tools which seem to help me immensely on my journeys.
Online Check-in is a boon
As soon as I book my tickets either online or through my trusty travel agent (believe me sometimes he can secure a better deal than all the online travel agencies and airline web sites especially for carriers like Air India and Kuwait Airways.) I then always check if my chosen airline allows me to choose my seats before I fly. An extremely useful website which helps me in this endeavor is www.seatguru.com , a website operated by trip advisor which has the seat configurations of most aircraft on it and tells you which the best seats for your flight are. This information is critical for someone like me who always wants an exit row seat or bulk head seat in Coach as I do have reasonably long legs and tend to fly long haul. Most airlines like British Airways, Virgin, Singapore Airlines etc now allow you to do an online check-in for their flights as early as 24 hours before your flight. This sometimes helps me get my highly coveted seat though some airlines like Virgin are loath to release them until you request and pay extra for them at the airport.
Pre- selecting my meal preference
At the time that I do my online check in I also use the airline's facility to pre-select my meal. I usually ask for a special meal as this ensures that I get a meal of my choice and I am often served way before the rest of my fellow passengers.
Samsonite's Spinner suitcases
These four wheeled beauties are absolutely a dream to travel with as they are quite unlike the bulky suitcases of old. These suitcases are contoured, stylish and also have great maneuverability which eliminates your need for a trolley at airports like JFK which charge you $3 for the rent of a trolley.
Balanzza digital luggage scale
Before I bought my Balanzza digital luggage scale I used to find weighing my luggage an absolute ordeal as it involved me either first weighing self (gulp!) then standing on the bathroom scales with my usually heavy suitcase to figure out the actual weight of the case. Now weighing my luggage with the Balanzza digital luggage scale is a breeze and since it is easily portable I always carry it with me on my travels in order to avoid paying those nasty excess baggage charges abroad.
TSA locks
These travel sentry certified locks are essential only for travel to and fro from the USA and since I live in the USA an absolute necessity for my travels as I would never travel with my luggage unlocked! TSA locks are available from a large number of luggage manufacturers and stores that sell luggage and accessories.
100 ml or 3 ounce bottles in a zip lock bag
Airports around the world now don’t allow liquids in quantities more than 3 ounces or 100 ml in your carry on luggage. Despite the many notices and circulars many travelers seem unaware of these restrictions and continue to carry liquids which exceed these restrictions. I have invested in some 100 ml plastic bottles which I bought from the hip Japanese design store called Muji into these I fill in all my essentials from my industrial size containers at home. These bottles enclosed in a zip lock bag, along with a change of clothes and my laptop all travel with me in my hand luggage.
Travel adapter and GSM cell phone
Since I always carry my laptop with me , I consider a world power travel adapter with a multitude of plugs an absolute necessity for my journey, though many companies make these plugs I find the ones made by Targus to contain combinations for almost all areas of the world. Another necessity for my travels is my unlocked GSM cell phone, sure the i-phone is a cool gadget but when you use it abroad you probably will have to pay AT&T's high roaming charges. My Nokia N72 unlocked cell phone works very well with any pay as go sim card which I usually buy at my destination as most economical way to stay in touch with loved ones back home in the USA.
Travel images originally posted on http://www.flickr.com by bosconet, adnan yayah, jimmymac210 and Larsz
