Why do people have a passion for travel?

I think I know why. 

Let’s talk baseball.

Opening day of baseball day is right around the corner. The boys of summer will take the field. The smell of hot dogs and beer and peanuts will waft through stadiums. The sound of the crack of a bat and cheers of the home team crowd will resound.

It reminds me of my father.

At one point in his life, my dad wanted to visit every one of the major league baseball stadiums in the U.S. He was passionate about sports

and loved the sounds and smells of a ball field, the excitement of the games, and the architecture and history of the individual baseball stadiums.

He never reached that goal, partly because he replaced it with the more ambitious goal of visiting every one of the continents. With the exception of Antarctica, my father and mother did achieve that travel goal.

What do baseball stadiums and travel have in common?

• Sounds and smells unique to a particular location
• Food that fits the setting and is different than what we usually eat
• Architecture to admire
• History to learn
• A language (or jargon) to learn in which to communicate with others in this locale
• Folklore of the place to appreciate
• Fashion and attire commonly worn in this destination
• Culture (or sport) in which to immerse oneself
• A welcome escape from everyday life

Why are people passionate about travel?

Travel can whisk a person off into a new world crammed with unique experiences. It is both an escape and an education. In that way, it’s like baseball.

Play ball!

You peer at a small carry-on suitcase—or whatever luggage you plan to bring—and are stumped when it comes to planning your clothing for the trip.

What do you put in your suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or bag and what do you leave at home? 

Here are five items you should have—or not have—in your luggage.

 1. Pack a small umbrella or water-repellent jacket with a hood.

Walking will likely be one of your methods of touring in cities and towns. Being drenched is no fun! If your luggage is filled to the brim, remember that you can wear a coat onto the plane in addition to your permitted carry-ons, and then place it on top of your luggage in the overhead bin. Some people use this technique to bring a sport coat or blazer, if they need one.

2. Depending on the season and the geographic location of your destination(s), bring compressible layering garments for warmth.

3. Pack a money belt that can be worn underneath your clothing to hold money, credit or debit cards, passport, and train passes. In large cities, train and bus terminals, and near major tourist attractions pickpockets may target foreigners.

4. Unless you plan to frequent places or have business or social events with an understood dress code, don’t pack fancy clothing. Most of the restaurants I’ve encountered in Europe permit their customers to be attired in casual or dressy casual clothing, by which I mean a shirt and slacks or skirt, or a dress.

5. Bring shoes in which you can comfortably walk long distances over hard cobblestone streets.

Buon Viaggio!

You are only days away from your trip abroad and now it’s time to get serious. It’s time to pack!

What do you put in your suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or bag and what do you leave at home?

Here are five items you should have—or not have—in your luggage.

 1. Bring, or have quick access to, emergency documents and numbers. Carry or know how to quickly find the emergency telephone numbers for lost credit or debit cards. Have secure access to your card number, such as from secure, encrypted cloud storage or from a trusted friend or relative back home. In similar manner, have readily available a photocopy of your passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and medical powers of attorney, if any. Having this access is like an insurance policy you hope to never need.

 2. Don’t bring unnecessary credit, debit, membership, or identification cards with you. If you don’t plan on driving during your trip, you may find you do not need to bring your driver’s license since you will be carrying your passport.

 3. Consider bringing a sleep aid—over-the-counter, prescription, or natural—to help you rest during night flights and for when you first return home from Europe.

 4. Bring snacks and water onto the plane for delays, tight connections, and emergencies.

 5. On the plane and throughout your journey, one thing you should always have with you—your smile! Your pleasant demeanor will allow you, and the people you encounter, to enjoy the trip.

Buon Viaggio!

You are headed to Europe and now face that dreaded, much anticipated, terrorizing prospect—packing.

What do you put in your suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or bag and what do you leave at home?

Here are five items you should have—or not have—in your carry-on luggage.

1. Pack your passport. Verify—long before you trip starts—that the expiration date on your passport is after your planned return to the U.S. (or home country).

2. Carry your medications with you. Luggage can get lost or delayed and at times even over-the-counter medications may be difficult to acquire at your destination.

3. Bring chargers for electronic devices onboard with you, unless you don’t mind spending precious hours of your time hunting down replacements.

4. Don’t attempt to carry-on anything that will be reason for security officials to stop and question you, such as: anything deemed a security risk, cash over $10,000 without having filed a Form FinCEN 105, illegal drugs, etc. You don’t want to delay your departure and miss a connecting flight!

5. What else should you carry on the plane? Pack one or more good books—paper or electronic—to help you pass the time on the long flight over the ocean! 

Buon Viaggio!