Travelling tips Documents 1



On the next page is a check-list of what I consider the most important documents to take on any trip.

As I mentioned before, I scan or photograph everything

 One of the handiest things I do when travelling is scan all my travel documents.
As both mum and I travel with tablets (think ipads but cheaper), when I scan the items I create a folder in the picture albums and store all the copies of the documents there.

How I do this on my tablet and other reasons we HAVE to travel with tablets and a phone is on an other blog entry.( my Travels with my mum - Travelling tips - Entertainment)


I scan our passport photo pages, any visa pages and vaccination certifications.

 I scan  any and all e-tickets,our flight itinerary, any reservations or booking for hotels or cars, our travel insurance , our credit cards and take photos of our suitcases and carry ons.
I take photos of the labels  on all prescription medicine bottle.

Easy tip- If you havent got a scanner take a photo of everything instead.

I upload these to my tablet,my phone, mums tablet and I email them to myself and my children. (see more on - Travelling tips - Entertainment)
 

This has come in handy , not having to get passports out of the overhead locker during a flight  to fill out entry information or visa information on the forms they give you on the plane.

 Identifying lost luggage in a foreign land where they might not speak English (here I'll show you the missing suitcase)



With hotel bookings, I take a screen grab  of the information or location
page which will say the address in local language.



I also put the address in Google maps and take a few screen grabs of the map, one from a distance, maybe showing major roads or subway stops. Google maps will say the name of roads etc in local language



 

One closer showing the local streets around the hotel (yes I got lost going to buy water once)



I have used these maps so many times to show taxi drivers where we are going, or to orientate myself getting out of a subway system.
Because I have no sense of direction.. at all, I put this in my phone and always carry my phone with me even if its in airplane mode and I dont use it for calls.
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I also print little slips that go in the luggage tag holders , one side says "this belongs to " my name and phone number (cell /mobile),  the other says  "If lost, my next hotel is.. "and I print 4 for every hotel, one for each case or carry-on. After the last stop it says "If lost, send me home"with my home address typed on it.
If its a cruise that we are flying to I put "If lost, I am on" eg MS Volendam Holland America Line leaving this port on  date and put Holland America Line phone number on it.



They simple fold in half and slip into the cases luggage tag holders.

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Photocopy your passports. Even after you have a scanned copy of your passports,  its worth it to have a paper copies with you as well. That way if you need to leave your passport at a hotel check in or a tour venue you can leave the copy instead of the original.




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