It's almost 2 a.m. (haven't stayed up this late in awhile...I know, I'm lame now) and we are finally packed and set for our trip to Riviera Maya tomorrow morning! Being in such close proximity to Mexico, this trip is not a new country to add to our list but I really wanted to go to Tulum after seeing K.L.'s postcard-perfect photos on Facebook of the crystal blue beach and the lure of the Mayan ruins was just too much to resist.[1] In August I saw an amazing deal on Travelzoo at for an all-inclusive resort and here we are now, ready to go! We’ve never done the all-inclusive thing, as we are typically adventure-in-a-backpack travelers, so we’ll see just how much lounging around we can stomach =)
Here are some tips I have learned (usually through my own tribulations) and come to live by from my many travels:
1) Always pack a sarong – it hardly takes up any space and has multiple uses…[obviously] as a coverup, makeshift pillowcase/bedsheets if the ones the hotel provides look questionable, towel, rolled up pillow, etc.
2) Make a photocopy of your passport photo page and drivers license all on one sheet. I have used the photocopy to cash travelers cheques and even get on board domestic flights abroad in lieu of showing my actual passport, which I usually have hidden (see #3.) I [almost] learned the hard way just how valuable a U.S. Passport really is when mine turned up missing just before docking in Cuba. Lucky for me, my passport got stuck in someone else’s…but those sinking couple of hours in fear before it was found were NO FUN at all! On a side note, if a cop in a Latin American country pulls you over and asks for ID, give him the copy and NOT your original…tell him it’s locked up at your hotel. Or else be prepared to pay a bribe. (Happened to my friend S, not me.)
3) Carry your passport, money, valuables, etc. in an under-the-clothes wallet. I personally like the one that hangs on a long string (like a purse) rather than the one you wear around your waist. It’s especially convenient for the ladies wearing dresses when traveling in humid destinations (i.e., South East Asia) because you can strap it around one shoulder, across your chest, and basically let it dangle between your legs. If you have on a skirt—so long as it’s not skin tight—the undercover wallet doesn’t get in your way at all!
4) Call your credit card companies before you go to let them know where you are going and for how long. Duh.
5) Photocopy the fronts and backs of all credit cards you are taking (preferably on one sheet) so you have all the pertinent info, including credit card number and international phone number to reach your CC company on one sheet.
6) Roll your clothes, don’t fold, to save space. I like to sort first by article of clothing. For example, I roll all the tops together by laying out the biggest one (usually a long sleeved shirt), then piling up each next article by size so that the smallest article is on the top. Then you roll ‘em up like a cigar.
7) Pack a few extra plastic grocery bags. They take up almost no space and come in surprisingly useful for dirty laundry or wet clothes, etc.
8) Scan all the above mentioned 1-pagers (passport/drivers license and credit card info) and save as pdf. Keep the pdf in your email account…if you somehow end up with no originals and no copyies, you can rest assured knowing that you have an electronic copy somewhere in cyberspace. I haven’t run into the situation to need the pdf version ever but still…
9) For multi-day or destination trips,keep clothes in luggage separated into clean/never-worn, worn-before-but-not-dirty, and dirty-cannot-wear piles. Makes it easier when you’re on the go and when you get back home and unpack!
[1] I seem to have an excessive number of people with K names in my life!
