THE SAFE AND HEALTHY TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO PACKING: PART ONE

It used to be simple to pack for a vacation. Packing for a trip used to be easy. I would grab a bag the morning before the trip and throw in extra clothes. I’d also dump everything from my bathroom sink in my Dopp kit*. I’d sign a stack traveler’s checks, and write their serial numbers down in a separate booklet, just in case.

Two items. (Are they blog posts or newspaper articles? Does it matter? In yesterday’s papers, I read an article about planning a trip abroad. Laura Landro, a Wall Street Journal reporter, writes in Traveling with a Bite about the importance of vaccinations before travel. We have written a lot on the H1N1 flu virus. However, you are still more likely to contract an infectious disease if you travel to certain countries. If you don’t consult a travel medicine specialist before your trip and do not get recommended vaccinations or prophylactic medication, this risk will be multiplied.

In a totally different article in The New York Times, The Smartphone: From Gadget To Necessity and, it is made clear that smartphones are not going anywhere. Although it doesn’t mention travel specifically, they have become essential for international travel. A smartphone is a multi-purpose device that can be used as a GPS (duh), a gateway to Internet, an MP3 player, an alarm clock, and a currency converter. If you’re willing to browse your phone app store for a while, you’ll find more features that are tailored to your travels. Did I mention the iPhone 3G S has a built-in GPS (just like T-Mobile G1 Android phones)?

These two articles are both about the complexity of traveling internationally – the first is on the dangers of travelling abroad and the precautions you should take before you go, and the second is about a tool you can use to keep you connected and informed during your travels.

Keep an eye out for the second part of our What to Pack Series, where we’ll be focusing on how to put together your own personal medical kit.

Dopp Kit – Named after Charles Doppelt a Chicago-based leather goods maker, the Dopp Kit was made popular during World War II, when it was issued to U.S. military personnel. In the U.K. they are known as’sponge bag .’