Research does come in handy. The Tips for Trips guide Witte Travel provided has quite a bit of great general knowledge. In addition to that, I also:
- Purchased a guide book. If extending your trip and visiting other areas, I find this the best way to get the most information on the destination I will be visiting. What book would I recommend? Now that is entirely up to you. The best bet is to look at reviews online, which is generally how I decide what guide book to get. Using this logic, I have never been disappointed in my choice.
- Reviewed the TSA and the airline website to see what restrictions/procedures were needed for carrying on specific items. I always like to go right to the “source” to find out the most up-to-date information.
- Checked with the “appropriate” companies/manufacturers to find out if I would have any electrical issues with my netbook or CPAP machine. Other than needing an adaptor plug, I didn’t have any requirements issues. Since I have sleep apnea and it was my first trip overseas with my machine, I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t run into any problems. I must say, I felt so much better after contacting the manufacturer.
- Created a packing list and yes “checked it twice” to make sure I didn’t forget any absolute MUSTS that I needed while traveling.
Attitude truly goes a long way to really make your trip a success. I say this because invariably something may not go “just right.” If you have a game plan and accept that you may have to just “go with the flow,” you will be able to truly immerse yourself in the country you are visiting and start to blend in with your fellow travelers and the locals.
Outwitting jetlag…sorry, but there is no way around it. I think of jetlag as a small price to pay to get the opportunity of visiting another country. For instance, Michigan is EST and Amsterdam is 6 hours ahead. This means once I boarded my plane in Detroit at 4 p.m. our time, when I disembarked in Amsterdam, it may have been 5:30 a.m. there, but my internal clock was reading 11:30 p.m. I slept very little on the flight, but did manage to rest as needed and got to enjoy my first day to its fullest.