by L.E. Duncan

Created on: May 28, 2009

You've scoured the tourist guides and the Internet. You've discovered every little nook and cranny that your destination has to offer and that you plan on hitting during your short stay. As a first time or infrequent traveler, you don't want to miss a thing. You have discovered everything you will do on your trip, adding it to your beloved itinerary, and this behavior may create your disappointment later.

The fear of missing something forces many travelers to pack their schedule so full that they are missing the whole reason they were traveling to begin with. The fear of not living up to other's expectations can also lead down the same path. Remember, for whatever reason you are traveling, the journey is yours.

Many inexperienced travelers face the same dilemma as many do when they are at the all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet, their eyes grow and they load up that plate! Filling your itinerary with activities, cramming it with barely doable goals does nothing but pile on the stress and exhaustion. Needless to say, the more activities you try to include, the more expensive your trip becomes.

Your trip should be a journey. Don't get caught up at the hotel, get out, explore and get involved with the local culture and people. Often our most precious memories of a trip are unplanned interactions that turn into grand adventures. Trying to hard to get too much done turns into traveling too quickly, resulting in an exhausting trip with blurry memories.

There is however a short list of precautions, musts if you will, that you should be aware of before traveling. Traveling is exciting! The planning and the moments that lead up to the trip beginning are the most exciting of all. A plane ticket, a pocket full of money and the unknown adventure that lies ahead. In all of your excitement, put a short three step checklist in your head. Its only three steps because, well, what do you really need?

All you really need is your money, the plane ticket (or other tickets you have pre-purchased) and your passport if your traveling out of the country. Everything else is pretty much replaceable, even with some inconvenience. You should carry your money in three different ways, traveler's cheques, cash, and a credit card. You should invest in a money belt, especially if traveling abroad.

Traveler's cheques are probably the least popular anymore. They are becoming harder and harder to cash. They are still very good because they can be replaced if lost, so you should

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