So we are ready for that fantastic trip. We called our bank to say we would be overseas, rechecked all our passwords and hid them somewhere, stopped the paper, rechecked tickets and passports for the nth time. What now can possibly go wrong?

The most common mistakes are so easy to make!

You don’t separate out the small change you will need for a taxi or airport food. Then you pull out a wad from your money belt,  and drop some of it. Separate out some US change for your airport time. Keep the rest of your money safely elsewhere.

You carefully return your credit card to its zippered pocket then forget to zip up the money belt itself. Take your time checking each step of the purchase. Put receipts somewhere else so you don’t have to leave anything unzipped.

You go into the ladies room, take a middle stall and put your money carrier on the floor. Always take an end stall if possible and use the wall to prop up your valuables.

You put small items through the TSA machines. Small purses and wallets should always be packed into something larger which can be locked both at TSA and on the plane.

You use an overpacked carry on bag, which forces you to handle too many items: the newspaper? your pizza? iphone? charger? passport? hat? coat? Carrying too many items is guaranteed to make you lose one of them. Lets hope it is not your passport!

Be cool in airports and take your time. Don’t worry about seeming slow to others; they will not suffer if you lose something. You will.

Join us to Colors of India Nov 11-22 and to Paris at the Holidays. We take care of your airfare, offer insurance and arrange the tours. You just take care of being organized in the airport.

The Women’s Travel Group offers all kinds of interesting tours for women: from city weekends like Mexico City to unusual trips to Iran. Email us for information or to answer any question. Phyllisnycity@gmail.com or Phyllis@thewomenstravelgroup.com