Reservation? What reservation?

Here's how to assure that your hotel has your reservation when you book online. Even tho you booked the reservation online the hotel may get it on a fax machine. If your luck is like mine when the internet sent the hotel the reservation the machine was out of paper. Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than getting to paradise only to find out that you've got spend your fun money on another, more expensive, room. If you can get one. The day after you make your reservation call the hotel and make sure they got it. Read more!

Has anybody seen my bags?

What you can do if the airline looses your bags. The best thing is to minimize the chances your bag will be lost. Check in early. When you check your luggage check and make sure you have the correct number of claim checks and they list the correct destination. Always leave plenty of time for connecting flights, preferably a minimum of 2 hours. The more time the better.

If the airline looses your bags there are a few things you can do help you get them back. Hopefully you placed a copy of your itinerary and your contact information on the top of our clothes. If the airline finds a bag with no tag they will open it. This will let them know who it belongs to and how to get in touch with you.

If your bags are missing report it to the baggage claims office immediately. You need to have an accurate description of your bags and their contents. Don't leave the baggage claim office without the phone number to that office. The 800 number may be in India. You also need the file number and a copy of the report. You also want to get the phone number of the delivery service the airline uses to deliver the bags when they are found. Call the delivery service and establish a relationship. You want them to deliver your bag early, not at the end of the day.

The best way to prevent lost bags is to ship them using FedEx or another delivery service if you are flying domestic. Customs delays and requirements make overseas shipments impractical.
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Don't take it if you don't need it.

If you're not going to be driving, leave your license in your hotel safe, along with the credit cards you're not going to use. Never carry your Social Security Card unless you're sure you'll need it. Have copies of the credit cards you take, along with the phone numbers to report them lost or stolen. Remember identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes.
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You've been robbed!

In the event you get robbed or loose your passport or credit cards you need to have a copy. The easiest way to always have a copy available is to email yourself a copy using one of the free email services like Yahoo. If you need a copy it is available at the nearest internet cafe. Copy both sides of your credit cards so you have the card number and the customer service number. A copy of your passport will help the U.S. embassy to get you a new one. Don't forget to copy all your travel documents for the trip you are going on.
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