How do you manage all the details throughout the holiday and travel?  Share your best ideas.  Here are some helpful tips to get you through this busy month.

Managing the Gifts

Because you cannot bring wrapped presents on a plane (and they’d get wrinkled or torn anyway), I pack cloth bags to put gifts in, such as velvet bags from fabric stores or a fun purse I may find on sale. It’s easy to “wrap” the presents once I arrive, and the bag is a bonus gift. It also helps the environment a little by eliminating discarded wrapping paper.

To travel light and save money when visiting my family in Germany for the holidays, I purchase gifts through the German branch of Amazon.com and have them sent to the home where we celebrate, thus saving international shipping charges.

Traveling With Children

A few tips for traveling with young children on a long flight: (1) Check in early and request front-row seats. You’ll be less frazzled because Junior isn’t kicking the seat in front of him for 10 hours, and the nearby crew seat is needed only for takeoff and landing, so you can get some extra space. (2) Bring along little gifts: mini coloring books and crayons, to make your kids happy and relieve boredom; chewable candies to prevent earache and tears on landing; and a spare set of clothes for each child, plus a fresh T-shirt for yourself. (3) If you have a baby or a toddler, take your umbrella stroller with you on the plane. The crew will store it during the flight, and customs and luggage checks are much less stressful when your hands are free.

When I traveled overseas with my 16-month-old daughter, I was inundated with equipment (car seat, stroller, diaper bag). To thank fellow travelers who helped me through the customs and immigration lines, I gave them gourmet chocolate bars―a great way to see smiles on your travels rather than scowls.
Holly Driggers
Austin, Texas

My husband and I make his-and-hers travel CDs with copies of our favorite holiday tunes. As we take turns playing them throughout the long road trip, it’s fun to see which songs the other has come up with.

For long drives, I bring holiday and thank-you cards, stamps, and my address book. During the drive, I write cards for those I am on my way to see. On the way home, I write thank-yous for gifts, dinners, or parties for the people we just left. That way, no one is forgotten and the details are fresh in my mind. Finally I stamp them, and they are in the car, ready to be taken to the post office.

RealSimple readers share favorite tricks and strategies to make traveling easier.

Article by RealSimple

While electronic gadgets were created for convenience and entertainment, sometimes they can be frustrating at places like airport security checkpoints. This is an alert for our tech junkies with gadgets like laptops, laptop accessories, MP3 players, iPod, pager, cell phone, Kindle, video game consoles, video cameras, DVD players and much, much more.

I can completely understand the fun in listening to your favorite music, watching a movie filled with humor, or playing a thrilling game that makes time fly while on a plane. However, the TSA says Pay now, Play later. If we follow the TSA rules, we can have a fun enjoyable flight. All we need to do as travelers is pay attention to their rules especially for the electronic gadgets and it will make our security process smooth and neat.

Few quick gadget security tips:
Simplify…have only the electronic gadgets, which are crucial on your journey. This can quickly add up though between your laptop, phone, iPod, GPS and Kindle.  Besides the laptop and dvd player, many of your electronics can stay stored in your carry-on while passing through security – even your Kindle!  TSA prefers that you put most of your electronics in your carry-on as it makes it easier to screen the devices.  I once was pulled aside in security for an iPod docking station (last minute purchase).  I didn’t even think it was something that would be a concern…but it was!

Most corporate travelers have their laptops in their carry-on luggage. The best thing to do is to have laptops in checkpoint friendly bags. For more information on the styles, visit http://tinyurl.com/358hojk .  The seasoned business traveler has this process down to a science.  It really is important though for the average traveler to keep all the electronics organized.  Mini, convenient packing cubes are perfect for packing cords and small electronics.

Don’t be surprised if you are requested to switch off all your battery-powered devices. While packing your carry-ons, make sure the electronic gadgets are organized to make the screening process easier. If not, your bags have to undergo additional screening process, which would be more time consuming.

Every airport within U.S and international airports have similar regulations for electronic gadgets. If you are planning for a domestic or international travel, it is highly recommended to check the electronic regulations for the country.  You wouldn’t want your favorite gadget to end up in the hands of TSA in another country…never to be seen again!

What is the ONE gadget you can’t stand to travel without?  Have you ever had electronics confiscated?  Please share your gadget drama.

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias (adias@bottlewise.com).

With spring break upon us and summer vacations quickly approaching, parents are typically more nervous than excited as they prepare for a vacation with their lively kids in tow. As many know, traveling with kids can be stressful. Fear not, we have a few tips to easily prepare parents to think ahead and get organized for their vacation.  This will transform your vacation with kids into an “expedition of amusement” rather than a bitter experience.

Here are a few things to have prepared when traveling with kids:

1) A detailed agenda and tour plan of the places you are planning to visit.
2) Copies of all schedules and time lines to various places to cover.
3) Kids should be actively involved in certain activities such as:

• Putting together your trip ideas
• Planning out activities to do on vacation
• Making family rules during vacation
• Having a small rewards and penalties if the rule was broken
• Assigning roles based on age group such as food carrier, water carrier, photographer, etc.
• Collecting memorable items like tickets, brochures, pictures, etc.

4) Family games, cards, checkers,art supplies.  Many games come in travel form which are perfect for planes, trains and cars.

5) Electronic devices for kids(big and small) like cameras, laptops, DVD players, hand held games.  Don’t forget extra batteries and chargers.  Taking a GPS along is perfect for exploring your new destination and finding points of interests.

6)  Have a supply of healthy snacks on hand.  Don’t count of the airlines for much more than a drink and a bag of pretzels.
7) Packing your baggage:

• Limit check in luggage. Try to have carry on luggage and have backpacks for each kid and allow them to carry their own stuff. This will save you money and time.
• Pack light clothes, sweaters, jackets, beach wears, shoes.  The more items each individual can wear, the easier it is to pack and keep items to a minimum.  Ideally your destination has laundry facilities to do a quick load if necessary.
• Follow TSA’s 311 rules when are packing the liquids, gels, toothpaste, shampoo and other stuff for your kids. These are all important for your kids, but at the same time are restricted to carry on the planes in great volumes.

Packing the family’s items can sometimes be quite a challenge, one parent commented, “Nowadays opening my baggage after a trip can be full of surprises. I only wish that I don’t end up having a toothpaste stained shirt and shampoo covered pants.” A few great products that will come in handy when packing toiletries are Pitotubes and GoToobs. Often packing many of our daily necessities slips our mind and it is often a pain to carry full size products, make sure you have the TravelRite travel kit, which will make your life so much simpler. All of these items meet TSA 3-1-1 regulations so you can use them in your carry-on luggage.  Shop www.BottleWise.com.

Pitotubes Quart Size

Family vacations can be fun, enjoyable, memorable, cherishing and adventurous. Don’t let the detail of packing and planning ruin a family memory.  It  pays to plan ahead.  Have some planning trips that have worked for you and your family in the past, we would love to hear them!

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias (adias@bottlewise.com)

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Weekends are short-term fun, yes? Well, how about a long weekend. Most “long” weekends are just a day longer than regular weekends, yet that extra day creates an adrenaline rush like no other. While all that is fun, the best vacation starts with good planning.

Often, long weekends mean travel. Everyone wants to spend a few days with loved ones and away from the stresses at home.  So when we think about long weekends, our mind now calculates a laundry list of to-dos like packing food, packing clothes, travel arrangements, making hotel reservations, managing the kids, and locking up the house. Inevitably this list is never ending.

Once we figure out the duration, location and affordability of the trip, things fall into place. Despite all this, regardless of whether you’re a kid or an adult, hunger is always an issue. Though a travel destination might be alluring, tummy growling still takes the first place. Packing food with the tact picnic baskets, coolers and heaters is essential. We can achieve that by opting for the best choice of products, which make our job simpler and easier.

Predict the hassles and avoiding those using wise and simple techniques. You definitely need a wine carrier which would ease your travel much more. BottleWise has been on your side thinking about just fun during travel and vacation whether by plane or car. For a stylish alternative to a big plastic cooler, the Classic picnic basket cooler is fully insulated to keep food and drinks at the perfect temperature. BottleWise is currently offering special pricing on all of their picnic accessories now through May 31st and free shipping.

Magnolia Wine Basket

All we need at the end of the vacation is great memories about the weekend and we can say that that Memorial Day weekend was among the best. Plan for the best and get the best. Have fun!

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias (adias@bottlewise.com)

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The crowds. The lines. The security and scanning. The sprint to the gate. All of it can overwhelm air travelers — especially during the holiday rush — but it doesn’t have to be that way.

And as security measures continue to ramp up, with pat-downs and new scans, navigating overbooked, overflowing airports just got a bit more dicey. We asked travel experts to provide tips to make the airport experience a smooth one, especially if you haven’t flown since last holiday season. But first, be aware that you’ll have lots of company in your quest to share a turkey dinner with relatives.

It’s estimated that 42.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving, according to AAA and IHS Global Insight. That’s an 11 percent increase from last year, when 37.9 million people traveled during the holiday. And about 24 million people will be crammed into airplanes, a 3.5 percent increase over last year, according to the Air Transport Association of America, which represents some of the nation’s biggest airlines.

The busiest travel day is expected to be the Sunday after Thanksgiving, followed by the Monday after the holiday, the ATA said. The Friday before Thanksgiving week and the Wednesday before the holiday will be the other peak travel days.

The least busy travel day? The holiday itself: Thursday, November 25.

No matter what day you fly, here are five tips to survive the airport this holiday season.

1. Hit the web before you head for the airport

Let modern technology save you some hassles and maybe even some money. Check in online up to 24 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave, and print your boarding pass at home.

“This allows you to secure your seat assignment, double-check for any schedule changes … and decrease your chances of getting bumped if your flight is oversold,” said Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor at Travelocity.

New since the holidays last year: More carriers now allow you to check in from your smartphone and use a digital bar code on the screen to pass through the airport. If you’re using this option, save the bar code as a photo on your device, which will make it much easier to retrieve at security and at the gate, advised Bryan Saltzburg, general manager of TripAdvisor Flights.

If you’re checking bags, many airlines have raised their fees this year, but some offer discounts if you prepay during the online check-in. Delta, Continental and US Airways, for example, take $2 off the first bag and $3 off the second if you pay online when you check in for your flight on the carrier’s website.

“Know before you go,” Saltzburg said. “There are fees, and it’s important to educate yourself and be prepared and handle as much of the check-in process before you actually get to the airport.” He recommended the ultimate airline fee guide on SmarterTravel.com to get a clear picture of any extra charges you might pay.

2. Pack light

Avoid checked-bag fees altogether by bringing carry-on luggage only. (Be sure to check with your carrier on the maximum size of bags allowed in the overhead bins.) You can head straight for the security line when you arrive at the airport and skip the baggage carousel after your flight lands at your destination.

New since the holidays last year: Spirit Airlines now charges a fee for carry-ons that passengers place in the overhead bins. (Each traveler can still bring one personal item that fits under a seat for free, such as a purse or briefcase.) Every other airline allows one piece of luggage and one personal item to be carried on for free by every ticketed passenger, Brown said.

3. Give yourself plenty of time

TripAdvisor recommends getting to the airport at least two hours before your scheduled departure for a domestic flight and three hours before an international trip, Saltzburg said. It’s especially important to get to the airport early during the Thanksgiving and Christmas travel rush, because the many inexperienced fliers and families with children who are venturing out during the holidays will probably slow down the security process.

New since the holidays last year: Beefed-up screening means that lines may be moving more sluggishly. “Body scanners and additional pat-downs are the norm these days, leave extra time to get through security,” Brown said.

4. Prepare for the security line

There’s no avoiding your encounter with Transportation Security Administration agents, and there’s tension in the air as hundreds of travelers grab bins and shuffle through with their belongings.

“The one place you’ll tend to have to queue is going to be at airport security, and it’s probably your most stressful part of the trip,” Saltzburg said. You can’t speed up the line, but you can do your part to prevent slowing it down. Here are some basic tips:

• Have your boarding pass and ID easily available.
• Remove your shoes. (“Slip-on shoes should make going through security much faster,” Saltzburg advised.)
• Make sure all of your liquids are in a zip-top plastic bag that’s kept separate from your carry-on bag and adheres to the 3-1-1 rule: Fliers are limited to 3-ounce or smaller containers of liquids or gels, that can fit in a one-quart-size clear plastic zip-top bag; one bag per passenger.
• Send coats and jackets through the X-ray machine.
• Take any items that might set off the metal detector — like keys, loose change and heavy jewelry — out of your pockets.
• Don’t wrap any gifts. If security officers need to inspect a package, they may have to unwrap it. If traveling with food, check the TSA’s list of items that should be checked or shipped ahead.

5. Plan for flight delays

Don’t expect all of your Thanksgiving travel plans to happen without a hitch, Orbitz.com advised. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and if you have connecting flights, build buffers into your itinerary so that one disruption won’t jeopardize your entire trip. “Keep any medication you need and something to keep you busy in your carry-on bags,” Brown said.

Saltzburg, who flies several times a week, said he depends on noise-canceling headphones to provide him with moments of Zen. “I put my headset on, and it tunes out the world around me,” he said.

Safe Travels.

This article was written by A. Pawlowski, CNN

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Crashed your rental car? Missed a flight? Lost a passport? Don’t panic: When the you-know-what hits the fan, we have the strategies to salvage your vacation.

What Should I Do When…

…I MISS MY FLIGHT?
Get to the airport right away and ask to be put on the next flight. If an agent gives you grief, explain why you missed the flight—particularly, why it wasn’t your fault (snarled traffic, for instance). Airlines are more likely to ask for additional payment if an agent thinks you missed the flight simply because you wanted to change your ticket without paying a change fee. With a little luck (and a sympathetic agent), you’ll be on a flight later that day at no extra charge.
Worst case: Paying the difference between your new ticket and the original fare, plus a ticket-changing fee of about $150 for domestic flights.
When all else fails: Realize that no matter what the official policy is, agents can cut you some slack. Mentioning that you belong to the airline’s frequent-flier program can’t hurt. May we also suggest crying as a tactic?

…THE AIRLINE LOSES MY LUGGAGE?
Take the obvious first step and contact the airport’s lost-and-found. File a bag-claim form and ask about the airline’s policy for reimbursing you for toiletries and other essentials. Most bags are recovered and will be shipped to you (at home, a hotel, wherever—and at the airline’s expense), so stay polite.
Worst case: About 2 percent of delayed luggage disappears forever. If your bag vanishes for good, file a form that itemizes what was inside it. Most airlines won’t pay for precious items, including cash, artwork, electronics, and jewelry. So don’t pack them in luggage. For covered items, you’ll be paid for the depreciated value, not what it would cost to buy brand-new gear (including the bag itself). Sometimes you’ll even have to produce receipts. On domestic flights, a carrier’s liability maxes out at $3,300 per passenger. Weirdly, liability on most international flights is even less—about $1,700 per passenger.
When all else fails: Instead of looking for receipts for items purchased years ago, bring in printouts of the current value of comparable items for sale as “used” on Amazon. Overall, the moral is: Never pack anything of value in your checked luggage.

…I CRASH MY RENTAL CAR?
After the accident (here or abroad), insist on calling the police (even if it’s a minor fender bender), and make copies of the report. If you declined collision damage waiver insurance coverage, your auto-insurance policy should cover damages. If you declined rental coverage and don’t have auto insurance, the credit card you used to pay for the rental should pay for damage to the vehicle.
Worst case: You didn’t check for loopholes in your policy’s fine print, and now you’re stuck with a huge bill. Coverage provided by your credit card or auto insurer often doesn’t apply to vans and luxury vehicles. Rentals in some countries, such as Ireland and Jamaica, may not be covered either. That’s why you need to call your credit card company and check the fine print before you depart.
When all else fails: Never agree to pay anything to the rental company on the spot. If you’ve looked into all the other options and it looks like you’re on the hook for thousands of dollars, call a lawyer.

…MY TOUR OPERATOR GOES OUT OF BUSINESS?
Hopefully, you paid with a credit card, which you should always do because it offers the most protection. If so, call your card company and explain what happened. Your money can be refunded if you contest the charges within 60 or 90 days of when your statement is mailed to you.
Worst case: You paid with a check and didn’t buy travel insurance that specifically covers the financial default of a tour operator. In which case, you’re not getting your money back.
When all else fails: Contact the United States Tour Operators Association (ustoa.com) to see if the tour operator was a member of their group—and as such, would have been required to keep $1 million in reserves to refund to customers.

…MY PASSPORT IS STOLEN—AND I’M THE VICTIM OF A CRIME?
For most crimes except minor pickpocketing, call the police. If you’ve been hurt or robbed, or your travel plans must be changed, the police report will help you file claims with health and travel insurers. Cancel any stolen debit and credit cards, too.
Worst case: Your passport was stolen, and without it you won’t be allowed back into the country. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate ASAP. With luck, you normally either travel with a photocopy of your passport, which will help speed up the process of getting a new one, or you’ve e-mailed a scan of your passport to yourself at a Web-based account you can access.
When all else fails: Bust out your emergency stash of traveler’s checks, which you brought along for just such an occasion—and which should hold you over until you get your hands on new cards and a new passport.

…MY CHECKED LUGGAGE IS ROBBED?
You’ll probably never get your stuff back, but you should file reports anyway. Why? They increase the chances that the thieves will eventually be caught. If there’s a slip in your bag stating that the TSA inspected it, file a claim at the TSA website (www.tsa.gov).
Worst case: There’s no slip of paper from the TSA noting that your bag has been inspected. So file a claim for reimbursement for lost and stolen items with the airline directly—and quickly, because claims often must be submitted within as little as 24 hours of an incident. Ironically, airlines won’t pay for the most-likely-to-be-stolen items, such as jewelry and electronics, and they impose caps on their total liability per passenger.
When all else fails: File claims with the airline, the airport(s), and the TSA. To be safer next time, put a TSA-recognized lock on your bag to prevent the half dozen, non-TSA workers who handle it from being able to pry it open.

…I GET SICK WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER PASSENGERS ON A CRUISE?
If your cruise is interrupted or postponed because of an outbreak, you should expect to be given the option to cancel for a full refund or to reschedule at a discount of up to half off.
Worst case: Cruise ships are not required to compensate passengers for illnesses. If you and a small number of passengers get sick on an otherwise uneventful sailing, don’t expect a refund.
When all else fails: Call the cruise line’s customer-service department and request a discount on a future sailing, explaining that your vacation was ruined and that you’d like to give the experience another shot at a discounted rate, or with credit for on board purchases.

…I NEED EMERGENCY MEDICAL HELP AT MY DESTINATION?
Most U.S.-based health-insurance plans offer some coverage overseas, but only for emergencies, such as broken bones or heart attacks—anything that would send a reasonable person to the ER. Chances are you’ll have to pay the hospital or doctor directly and get reimbursed later, so keep all receipts. In some rare cases, health plans work with doctors and clinics overseas, and if your treatment occurs in-network, your insurer may be able to pay the bill directly, saving you the trouble of paying out of pocket.
Worst case: You have no insurance and rely on Medicare or Medicaid. Neither program will protect you outside the U.S. Be sure to buy supplementary travel insurance in advance of your trip. To scout out the policies of multiple established, well-regarded providers, use insuremytrip.com.
When all else fails: Get to a doctor or hospital and worry about payment later. In many parts of the world, medical treatments cost far less than in the U.S. And in countries with socialized health plans, medical bills have a way of disappearing, even for foreigners.

…I’VE BEEN ARRESTED OVERSEAS?
Drugs are involved in roughly one-third of the arrests of Americans abroad, so it goes without saying to just say no. Legal systems vary widely around the globe, however, and to avoid getting in trouble because of an unusual foreign law—in Singapore, for instance, you can be fined for not flushing the toilet—study up on your destination’s peculiar regulations in guidebooks and at travel.state.gov.
Worst case: You’re facing serious jail time, or worse. When speaking to the police, be respectful and apologetic without necessarily admitting wrongdoing.
When all else fails: Tell everyone who will listen that you demand to speak with a U.S. embassy officer, who can help you navigate that country’s legal system, find a local attorney, and send messages to your family.

…I’M CAUGHT IN A NATURAL OR MAN-MADE DISASTER? Serious emergencies can happen anywhere (see: London, Haiti, Chile, Mumbai, New Orleans), so it’s a good idea to e-mail your itinerary, including flight and hotel info, to a friend back home. Register your trip with the State Department for free at travel.state.gov, so that the government will know where you are and will be able to help get you to safety in a crisis.
Worst case: If you’re fortunate enough to have life and limb intact, money shouldn’t be a concern: When true emergencies occur, hotels and airlines are generally very sympathetic to travelers and waive cancellation and change restrictions.
When all else fails: Figure out a way to get yourself to a U.S. embassy or consulate, which can provide safety and coordinate evacuations. Getting home may take time, so be patient, and try to console the travelers around you, who may become your new best friends.

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