The word, ‘safety’, gets the most attention in travel media. The word, ‘clothing’, gets the most attention in travel media from women readers. So it is all too frequent that article themes are ‘new travel clothing for women’! Today a google alert about women and travel, had another promo about a travel shirt for women. DON’T SPEND YOUR MONEY ON THINGS LIKE THIS.

The best safety tool you have is your common sense and your ability to go on a trip as rested as possible. Be prepared for jet lag, disorientation and new surroundings by taking care of yourself for some days before you travel.

Before you run out of your hotel room, do an accounting of important items: money, passport, itinerary, phone and charger, room key and such. If you have to make a list, do it and follow it religiously. The savviest of us, when tired, has memory lapses. There is still room in our modern lives for paper and pen lists. If you are a solo traveler, this is even more important.

Most common losses for women travelers are: earrings (small enough to forget), cash left in pockets, suitcase locks, and whatever you used last night in the shower! Then come alarm clocks, phone chargers and adapters which we leave in the wall.If you have been shopping as on our India and Italy trips, do not leave small purchases in crumpled paper.

Finally take everything out of the safe the night before you leave to avoid a last minute safe problem.

So here is your beginning list of what NOT to forget:

Passport ( and any paperwork from immigration you need to retain)

Money

All trip documents

Telephone, charger and adapter you put in the wall electrical outlet

Same for Ipads etc

Shower items and anything left plugged in the bathroom.

Room key

Suitcase locks, often dropped into your bottomless suitcase.

Alarm clock and anything left in the side table drawer.

Jewelry: just don’t even wear it of put it in your wallet every night.

Travel Tips are brought to you from The Women’s Travel Group