Vacationing This Summer? Valuable Tips From A World Traveler

By MAUREEN JONES (Star Patcher)

I just did a trip to Europe, and it was a blessing that what I tell my clients to do came in handy.

Always go to your destination one or two days ahead of schedule. This way, if your flight is delayed or cancelled you can still get to your cruise or tour in time. San Francisco - United airlines - has one of the worst records for causing a problem for connections.

A United airline rep at the Frankfurt airport told me San Francisco has the oldest planes in the fleet and they are regularly cancelled or delayed as much as nine or ten hours. She was very frank with me, since I told her I owned a travel company and getting our clients to their destination on time was of the upmost importance.

Always have travel insurance. If you do miss your cruise or tour, you have lost all your money. Making sure you have medical care for an emergency in a foreign country is important.

We have clients who refuse travel insurance sign a waiver that we did advise them to take travel insurance. This way, if they miss their cruise, they can’t say we didn’t tell them about it and the consequences.

Always pack half your clothes in your companion’s case. This way, if one case is lost, you still have some clothes to wear.

Always carry a change of clothes, underwear, your overnight things, makeup, medicines in your carry on bag.

Put two luggage tags on each case or bag. For example, put your name, the hotel you are staying in and dates, then the cruise information or tour. This way, if your luggage is lost, and has to catch up with you, they know your route. It is no good just having your home address on the tag. I put the route information on top of my home address so coming home I can throw that information away.

On the inside of your luggage, plus all the details I have just mentioned above. This is in case the two tags get ripped off the case. Put it on an 8 x 10 piece of paper so its easy to see when they open the case.

Several European airports I went through on this trip has very tight security.

Put your toothpaste, hand cream, anything in small tubes in a separate plastic bag. They put them into a special scanning machine, which I haven’t had done before.

Take a photo of your suitcase. Carry it with you. On my return I went Budapest, to Frankfurt. I was told by an airport official that United had cancelled their flight, Frankfurt to San Francisco non stop, I was told at the United desk that it would be seven days before they could give me a non-stop flight due to it being the Easter holiday period. It would mean my staying in Frankfurt for three days if I want to connect through New York.

Before the agent went on to list all the horrible connections I might be asking for, I said – just get me out of here. They put me up overnight at an airport hotel, then routed me the next day through London. I only made that connection by a miracle. There was a severe storm in Great Britain and some of the runways at Heathrow had been closed down. On top of that, when I got to San Francisco, I had no luggage. Because I had a change of clothes, my overnight items, make up etc, at least I was able to stay at the hotel in Frankfurt with some degree of comfort for one night.

The chap at the lost luggage desk in San Francisco told me, if you have a photo of your luggage, it would help. I have a red suitcase, with very distinctive luggage tags, so in future, I will have one to be able to hand in should this happen again..

I was told, it could be in Budapest, Frankfurt, or London . I asked everyone in the office to pray for me since all my best clothes where in that case, plus all my notes from the trip. I had been on assignment to write an article for two travel magazines and a newspaper on Amawaterways River Cruise.

Five days later, I got a call from United. They had found my suitcase. It was a blessing, since the travel insurance would not have fully covered the cost of my suits, evening clothes, and my weakness….. shoes.

The airlines are charging for overweight luggage. If you don’t wear something several times, you don’t need it.

One important point to keep in mind. The lowest air fare might be one who has two or three connections. Forget it, the chances of your luggage arriving when you do is slim.

Pay the extra and go non stop if you can. An early morning flight if you have a choice.

I’ve been to 130 countries, 150 times to London, and know how to work the system. Take my advice and follow these important tips. It will help make your travels less stress free.

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street, Los Altos. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.

Previous columns by Maureen:

• Your Travel Expert On: Munich
• Your Travel Specialist On: London, England
• Your Travel Specialist On: Elite Entree in Spain
• Your Travel Specialist On: Alberta- A Wonderful Province in Canada
• Abu Dhabi- A destination apart
• Mougins, Cote De A’zur, France
• HIGH FIVE: What Tops Your List in South Africa?
• Lima, Peru’s Crossroads of Past and Present