Packing for International Travel: Not Enough or Too Much?

It can be a tough decision to decide what to bring when traveling overseas. What's too much? After all, you don't want to lugging three or four huge bags across Europe.

Could you fit all your luggage in that?

There are definitely a couple schools of thought on this one. Tim Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Workweek and other best-sellers, outlines a plan to take as little as possible with you. Ferriss also advocates trips that span at least a month and rely on you purchasing needs while traveling, rather than carrying them with you. You can read his article on the subject here.

For most folks Ferriss' approach is a no go - you'll probably want a balance between taking everything and taking less than 10 lbs. Our TripResource.com International Travel Packing List is exhaustive, even telling you what NOT to bring with you, and providing a laundry list of tips and suggestions for surviving abroad.

What the Government Isn't Telling You About Your Passport

Did you know that all United States passports issued since August 2007 contain RFID chips? RFID chips are small microchips that operate on radio frequencies so that they can be scanned without physical contact - if you have to wave your ID card to access the back room at your office, that's an example of RFID chips at work. US Passports are outfitted with these chips now and they carry all of your personal information. Why is this so important to you?

Be careful of pickpockets in crowded urban areas

Identity theft is a very serious and growing threat, and RFID chip scanners are readily available and in use by thieves all over the world. It's very important that you do not leave your passport in someone else's hands for this reason, just to be on the safe side. Some travelers even go so far as to purchase scanner-blocking wallets or cases for their passports than ensure they can't be read unless they are removed from the case. Naturally, the government outfits the chips with layers of protection, but such measures are no guarantee and provide no particularly enhance identity theft protection. Hackers become more sophisticated all the time, so it is better to be safe than sorry.

While traveling, be careful to make sure your passport is not seen or opened by anyone other than legal officials. Never leave your passport as collateral, unless it is required in a medical emergency. Make sure your travel insurance protects you in the event of identity theft, and be alert for anything or anyone that seems suspicious.

Travel Horror Story - A Trip To The Hospital Abroad

I would like to introduce you to a man named Jim. Jim and his wife were vacationing in France. It was great up until Jim fell and broke his wrist. Pretty painful but not necessarily a horror story right? Wrong! Jim went to the hospital in agonizing pain. All he wanted was for the doctor to make the pain stop. The doctor did.

Jim was feeling much better, but he was about to feel much worse. Upon leaving the hospital he was presented with a bill, $8,000. Jim said "Just send it to my insurance company". Not so fast. This is where the story gets interesting.

What Jim did not know is that his domestic insurance does not cover him while he is out of his home country. He says to himself, "I could have bought my wife a new car with that money". He thinks he is going to have to start making payments on this bill when he gets home which will take him a while to pay off, but Jim is wrong again.

The interesting thing about France is that they will not let you out of the country if you have outstanding debt within their country.

What would you do in this situation? Jim maxed out his credit cards. So now not only will he have to pay off that $8,000 but he also has to pay the 20% compounding interest to his credit card company. In total Jim ended up owning $14,000.

This is a cautionary tale to international travelers. For less than a hundred dollars Jim could have bought travel insurance. This would have covered him and his wrist. Don't get stuck owing thousands of dollars in a foreign country. You may not make it back.

US Passport Application: Card, Book, New, Renew?

Today's post is aimed at United States citizens with an eye to travel abroad. Not everyone is aware of the restrictions and rules that come with leaving the Land of the Free, so here are a few basics to get you started.

Americans can't scale the Great Wall without a passport

It's all about the passport. You can't get into Canada without a passport. In fact, U.S. citizens can't leave the United States at all without a valid passport. That means anyone taking a Bahamas or Caribbean cruise needs a passport, as does anyone heading to Mexico for spring break. Those rules are new; citizens flying abroad have always needed a passport to do so.

If you've never had to get a passport before, the process can seem daunting. Do you want a card or a book? (Answer: the card is for land and sea access only to neighbors like Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean; the book passport is needed for any international air travel) Where do you get your picture taken? (Your local post office or warehouse store can do the trick) First time applicants must submit their passport request in person; the closest "Acceptance Facility" is usually a post office. You can do a search at the Department of State's website.

You'll need to prove your citizenship (an original or certified copy of your birth certificate is best), along with photo ID (such as your driver's license). Full requirements and fee schedules are found at the government's travel.state.gov website.

Make sure you take care of getting your passport well in advance of your travels. What if you can't locate a certified birth certificate? It can take weeks to get a new one. Getting your passport is one thing you can't procrastinate with when it comes to trip planning.

Luxury in Paris…for $40 a Night?

If I told you that you could go 25,000 miles and visit 11 countries in 150 days on a budget of $0, you’d probably laugh. Michael Wigge did just that, and laughed his way around the world for free.

Dream of visiting Hong Kong? Make sure you do your homework first!

His book, documentary and upcoming television series, all titled How I Traveled the World for Free, chronicle the journey in incredible detail and Wigge offers countless strategies and tips for anyone who wants to put life on hold and wander.  Adventurous ideas like sleeping on beaches, eating edible flowers, dumpster diving and story bartering (telling a funny story in exchange for food). Not exactly my idea of a four star vacation, but good for him - with a TV series in the works, hopefully he can now afford to crash at a Holiday Inn every once in a while.

Realistically, very few people have the will (or the stomach) to pull this kind of stunt. If you’re like most people, you won’t be interested in couch surfing your way through Europe, so how about some practical cost saving measures you can take without making a go of it hobo-style?

Sure there are obvious things like Priceline bidding, but fewer folks even consider something other than a hotel for their vacation lodging. For example, there are hundreds of charming apartments in Paris that are fully furnished. You can rent them for as little as a week and as long as several months, with most falling in the $1200 - $1600 per month range (roughly $40 - $55 per night). In contrast, a Parisian 3 star hotel can set you back $250 or more per night. Having laundry and a kitchen on hand can drastically reduce expenses if you’re willing to do some of your own cooking, but the hotel savings are truly gasp-inducing. A simple Google search for apartments in the city you’re visiting will help you price check in advance. Paris is one of the more expensive sites; most South American and Eastern European cities are even cheaper.

The added upside? You get to experience your destination of choice like a native instead of a hotel-bound tourist, all while more money stays in your pocket.

Cruising During Hurricane Season: The Top Five Questions You Have to Ask

I get asked often if it’s worth taking the chance on a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season. It’s not a simple yes or no answer, as you have to take a few factors into consideration.

Cruise ships anchored at St. Maarten

Do you know when hurricane season is? Generally speaking, hurricane season runs from June through November, but there are exceptions to the rule (nature doesn’t put much stock in calendars). You’ll notice voyages during the thick of this period are cheaper than other times of the year – the risk of a storm is higher and some great fares can be had as a result.

Do you know how hurricanes impact cruises? Every year there are hurricanes and every year thousands of people safely cruise the Caribbean…around them. Cruise lines and their captains have contingency routes for every storm scenario, and that contingency is to stay as far away from the storm as humanly possible. The result for you can be anything from shuffled schedules (this island today, instead of that island) to completely altered itineraries (you booked eastern Caribbean but see the western half instead). In the worst case scenario, the cruise could be cancelled altogether.

Do you get seasick easily? In the event your ship runs anywhere near a tropical storm or worse, it could be subjected to some massive waves. Our trip on the Disney Cruise Line in December 2007 was impacted by tropical storm Olga for the first two days of the voyage. Thirty foot swells kept everyone walking like they were in a funhouse and the dining rooms virtually empty. I’ve got a stomach of steel and didn’t get queasy once – but I was one of the few.

Does the ship have enough to do if going outside isn’t an option? When choosing a ship for hurricane season, this factor is especially important for families traveling with kids. If the cruise line you’ve selected is light on activities and features, an indoors restriction due to a storm can leave you with few options. Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships have everything from casinos to ice skating arenas, and Disney offers all-day kid’s activities with the Disney characters. No one wants to spend their cruise watching TV, so choose wisely in the event the pool is temporarily unavailable.

Do you have insurance? Travel insurance is a necessity, especially with the uncertainty of hurricane season. The iTravel Insured line of policies are affordable and comprehensive. If your trip is impacted by a hurricane, you could be at the mercy of the cruise line’s generosity (not to be depended upon, just ask the folks who escaped the Costa Concordia). Better safe than sorry at such a small price to pay - check here for some trip cancellation insurance quotes.

There you have it – the things you must consider if you want to cruise during hurricane season. Regardless of when you set sail, nature can still act up. The above factors should be considered for all cruise vacations.