Raymond Shwartz has a great tip if you're getting sick of your tour group and want a bit of peace to go exploring on your own...

Dear Michael,

I am not sure where this fits in, but I want to add a tip for international travelers who have a Mobal World Phone and are going on a tour.

I always load in the tour director's and the hotel's numbers into the phone when arriving.

Then, I can wander off on my own without worrying about getting lost. My tour guide is only a phone call away!

Once, when I was really lost and could not communicate in the taxi driver's language, I phoned the hotel, handed my phone to the taxi driver, who talked to the hotel and promptly got me back there.

Regards,

Ray Schwartz
Memphis, TN.

Barney Popkin went above and beyond the call of duty and sent me 2 tips. He has a way to reduce your luggage by a whopping 75%, without taking any less stuff. And, a way to lock your suitcases when traveling, even if the airport is saying no to locked suitcases...

Michael,

I've got TWO travel tips that have recently made my travel MUCH easier.

1. I purchased roll-up vaccum packing bags which have a line of one-way valves that bleed out the air so my clothes now take up about 25 percent of their otherwise luggage space.

These don't require a vacuum-cleaner hose!

This means I can travel with fewer and smaller bags, which is WAY more convenient, or travel with normal bags and have WAY more room for SHOPPING!

Try for www.safetycentral.com.

2. I purchased oversized combination luggage locks that can be opened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspectors at airports, so I don't need to unlock my luggage for US air travel.

The oversized locks are especially nice because the have a slot for a business card.

I got them through www.travelsmith.com, for $19.75

Regards,
Barney Popkin

Wilbur Anderson sent me some feedback of his own experience about last months article -- 20 Tips To Prepare Your Health Before You Travel...

Michael,

Here are a few comments on your article "20 Tips to Prepare your Health Before You Travel".

Your tip to take extra medication for constipation and diarrhoea, etc. is good advice. On a stay in Tahiti and a subsequent cruise with Princess Cruise Lines, shortly after leaving shore, I started to feel bad so ship's hospital arranged for air evacuation at the first port.

Had I have carried the very cheap insurance of constipation and diarrhoea medicine, all this would have been avoided and I would have not missed my cruise.

Next, the point about water purification. When traveling to many countries with poor health conditions be prepared. We traveled to Mainland China in 1983 we could not find any bottled water so to prevent dehydration, we finally ordered two bottles of beer for breakfast (we neither drink beer, but then we never got sick).

Some water purification tablets would have been welcome.

Finally, in areas of poor hygiene and possibly contaminated water, DO NOT BRUSH YOUR TEETH USING THE TAP WATER. My wife did that in Kenya and got sick, the only sickness she has ever experienced in worldwide travel.

Regards,

Wilbur Anderson

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Email it to me now at michael@mobalphone.com