[Ocean Swimmer]

Well. I'm finally going tomorrow.
I'm putting the finishing touches on my wardrobe. Washing a few small loads of stuff I'm not sure I'm taking.
How do you pack?
I start a few days in advance with a big empty table. I continue to look around and add or subtract stuff.
I have an especially big challenge this time. I'm going on cheap-0 Spirit Air and because I didn't want to pay $100 extra each way, I'm limited to 16"x12"x6"
Small personal item. Obviously very loosely packed. And things I take for granted and put in my checked bag like toothpaste,shampoo,conditioner,nail polish, et al can't be taken unless very small 3/4 ounce each for TSA requirements.
The lucky part is it is only a 3 day trip. I've put my meds in one bottle to save space. I'm a little paranoid about this. My husband who travels constantly( he works in China) reassured me it'll be ok.
**** Any hints out there ****????

[Keegan2015]

I love to travel. I've been trying to figure out what my next trip will be, I'd love to go to Europe but that's too expensive. Maybe I'll find a cheap spot in the caribbean to post up in for a few days.

I think your travel plan sounds good. The medications in a single bottle doesn't seem like it would be a problem as long as you pay attention and don't accidentally pop the wrong pill. Where are you flying to?

[Ocean Swimmer]

I'm going from Costa Rica to Hollywood Florida.
I've got a villa on the beach. It has it's own kitchen. So no expensive Restaurants.
I've been to France. Loved that trip. Had two private houses instead of hotels that were within walking distance to the train depot. Bought a special bag that was the dimensions of the overhead train space.
I'm still considering what clothes I'll take. It's super hot here. My first flight on a 12 seater will be hot. SJO airport hot. Plane? Don't know. But they're having a cold spree this week in Fla. so I've got to have some warm stuff.
I loved Korea. And Hong Kong. Mexico is always a blast.
I went to the University in Mexico City. Great.

[Keegan2015]

That's cool. I'm too paranoid to travel to Mexico these days, but I've spent 2 weeks in Nicaragua a few years back -- beautiful country and great food.

I've traveled extensively through the United States -- my favorite cities are probably San Francisco and New Orleans. Im not sure if I'd want to travel to Southeast Asia due to the language barriers but I definitely want to make it out to Western Europe.

[TishaBuv]

I love to travel. I get nervous taking planes, but that doesn't stop me. I pack last minute and learned not to over pack.

Have a great time. Make sure you keep your meds on you and not in a suitcase that can get lost.

[Ocean Swimmer]

Thanks Trisha.
I'm putting a little fanny pack in my back pack with money pills passport.

[BipolaRNurse]

I have recently discovered that I LOVE cruising! I'd thought it was merely a bucket-list item, but I want to go again, and soon. There's nothing like being out in the Caribbean, watching a big-screen movie from the pool out under the stars...looking down into that incredibly clear blue-green water...enjoying the endless variety of food and drink. Now, getting to the cruise is a brass-plated pain in the tush---I hate airports and cramped airplane seats---but it's well worth the discomfort to be able to feel like a VIP for a week.

[DesigningWoman]

I LOVE to travel. I wish I had money to travel this year. Airplane travel is a pain but anything is worth getting to experience a new place.
Forget what guide books say. They sometimes strongly advise not looking like a tourist so you can blend in, supposedly safer. No matter how cool you are everyone knows you aren't a local. Waste of effort. You want to wear a fanny pack. Go for it. Be comfortable and sensible. Pretending you aren't lost is more wasted time.
Big European guidebook warning was never let stranger help you with your bags on or off a train. Author must have never attempted to get two large heavy bags, heavy laptop, over 60 mother, carry ons, and self on a train in the Netherlands. They stop for only a few minutes and take off whether you are in or not. At first I got nervous when random Dutch man grabbed one of the big suitcases and threw it onboard. I quickly realized it was pretty much a necessity. I always kept laptop bag and purse. But otherwise I would pretty much heave the heaviest bag at the strongest looking man or woman for loading or unloading. Lessons learned: 1. Dutch trains pull in and out of stations very quickly. 2. Dutch people are incredibly kind, good humored, and willing to help out especially tourists struggling to dead lift a giant suitcase. 3. The longer the trip, the more I kept hoping someone would steal one or both of heavy suitcases filled with stinky dirty laundry.

[Ocean Swimmer]

I love going by train. France has those old fashion compartments you see in some old movies.

[Imah]

I love to travel. I miss it. Make sure they don't check your meds. Have fun!

[DesigningWoman]

I used to be very nervous about traveling with my meds. Post 9/11 especially. However I have never once even had any security glance at the scrip bottles. This is actually pretty startling. I usually travel with my mother. She has several very serious health issues and I have a couple myself. I usually put all the scrip bottles in a back up to go through the screening. So I have an approx 20 scrip bottles in a backpack plus diabetic supplies including needles for injections. More than half the scrips don't have my name on them.
I have traveled extensively and not once has security ever been the slightest bit of interest.
This goes back to when I was 19, essentially carrying a backpack stuffed full of prescription drugs.
I have also traveled this way internationally into strict customs departments in airports, London, Belgium, and Germany. In Belgium, they asked what we planned to do. We mentioned visiting the Netherlands. Customs were concerned by that. They wanted to know our interest there. Belgium is obsessed with drug trafficking.
Anyway, not once even in Belgium did any security care about the many bottles.
Frankly airport security around the world are looking for explosives, very large quantities of currency, and very large quantities of illegal drugs. If they started looking at even a small portion of the prescription drug bottles, planes couldn't take off because everyone would be standing at security.

The only other item I have seen searched for is cheese. Unpasteurized cheese is illegal in the USA. There is a great deal of illegal European cheese coming into USA. TSA is looking for very large quantities of illegal cheese coming in to USA. That will resold on the black market. Bizarre yet true,

[Keegan2015]

Originally Posted by DesigningWoman

I used to be very nervous about traveling with my meds. Post 9/11 especially. However I have never once even had any security glance at the scrip bottles. This is actually pretty startling. I usually travel with my mother. She has several very serious health issues and I have a couple myself. I usually put all the scrip bottles in a back up to go through the screening. So I have an approx 20 scrip bottles in a backpack plus diabetic supplies including needles for injections. More than half the scrips don't have my name on them.
I have traveled extensively and not once has security ever been the slightest bit of interest.
This goes back to when I was 19, essentially carrying a backpack stuffed full of prescription drugs.
I have also traveled this way internationally into strict customs departments in airports, London, Belgium, and Germany. In Belgium, they asked what we planned to do. We mentioned visiting the Netherlands. Customs were concerned by that. They wanted to know our interest there. Belgium is obsessed with drug trafficking.
Anyway, not once even in Belgium did any security care about the many bottles.
Frankly airport security around the world are looking for explosives, very large quantities of currency, and very large quantities of illegal drugs. If they started looking at even a small portion of the prescription drug bottles, planes couldn't take off because everyone would be standing at security.

The only other item I have seen searched for is cheese. Unpasteurized cheese is illegal in the USA. There is a great deal of illegal European cheese coming into USA. TSA is looking for very large quantities of illegal cheese coming in to USA. That will resold on the black market. Bizarre yet true,

I wonder if medical privacy laws have something to do with that? Also the cheese thing is hilarious, I've never heard of that before.

I haven't traveled much, but I want to. Been throughout Oregon and went to San Diego for 2 weeks a couple of years ago. Also I've been to, Virginia, Michigan, Washington dc, Utah. But I really, really want to go to western Europe. Hopefully one day....

[Christopher1990]

I've been on many planes, but I fear them. Right now, I think I could get an anxiety attack if I got on a plane. I'd just have to take a couple benzos I guess

[DesigningWoman]

TSA can examine scrip bottles. In my experience, they never bother.

[pirilin]

I travel light.

[Ocean Swimmer]

Getting ready for another trip. 1st to big city. Later international airport and on to the states. Clear customs in GBI Houston.
Then on to LAX.
First time in 10 yrs, getting picked up,don't have to take shuttle bus home. Yay.
I miss California. It's beautiful there.
Sad part= my cat and dog must stay in CR.
Where's your favorite place to go?

nope.

never left the UK, though at some stage in the future, i would like to go to vegas (i admit mainly for the gambling asspect) and to actually have been in a real cacino