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- A good rolling travel bag made for scuba equipment.
It should have fin pockets and plenty of extra storage.
- If you’re looking to buy new luggage, you should consider
luggage with these features:
Retractable handle and rollers, rollers will make it easier to make
it through the airport. You’ll also want a retractable handle,
so the handle won’t be pulled off in transit.
- 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.
- The Dive Shop will give you the luggage restrictions and
limits on each of our sponsored trips. This includes
weight limits for smaller aircraft.
- For your own travel, check with your airline by calling
their toll free number or visiting their website.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 them.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 temperatures
- 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.
- 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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