Laptop Travel Lifestyle

Anyone who travels regularly is aware of luggage and carry-on restrictions post 9-11. However, if you travel abroad, there are other considerations to keep in mind. No foreign country wants undesirable insects, rodents, or diseases to infiltrate their population via border crossings.

Before reading further, remember that if you have outstanding police warrants or a criminal record, you should probably forget about foreign travel. Period.

* What NOT to Take With You *

Regulations vary by country. The snacks you pack for a domestic flight may not pass customs inspection for an overseas destination. Start with a good dose of 'common sense' and you will quickly realize why most of the items on the following list are not permitted:

- Beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages that have been opened

- Pets without appropriate vaccination certificates

- Native wildlife

- Weapons - or toys and other items that look like weapons

- Big game bagged while on your safari or hunting trip

- Prescription drugs without an accompanying doctor's prescription

- Drugs, vitamins, or nutritional supplements with unreadable labels

- Illegal drugs or paraphernalia - *DEATH PENALTY* in some countries

- Potted houseplants, seeds, soil, pebbles, or sand

- Natural products like seashells, pieces of coral reef, whalebone

- Uncooked pork, poultry, beef, and other meat or animal products

- Unprocessed or uncooked vegetables, fruits, tubers, roots, etc.

- Hay, straw, oats, and similar items

- Any other natural products that may harbor diseases or pests

- Fireworks and incendiary devices

- Clothing and souvenirs manufactured with any of the above products

Some prohibited articles may be allowed with appropriate permits or certification. If you don't know for sure - don't pack them or bring them back home with you.

* What you MUST Take With You *

Imagine your chagrin should you go through customs on your return trip and discover that you must pay duty on your laptop computer, digital camera, and jewelry - even though you purchased them in your own country prior to your trip. Yes, it can - and does - happen. Protect yourself!

Pack copies of documents such as sales receipts, credit card statements, insurance policies, and appraisals for all valuable items to prove ownership and purchase date - especially for anything that looks like new.

No receipts or paperwork? Take a picture of each item next to a newspaper that plainly displays a readable date. Note the serial number(s) with each photo. Keep all photos and paperwork in a safe place along with your passport and other important documents. They will be invaluable when you fill in customs declarations - both leaving and returning.

* Do Your Homework *

Spend some time doing research on the internet before you travel. You should be able to find a government or embassy website that provides the regulations online. Do searches such as:

- customs regulations France

- customs regulations Spain

- customs regulations Brazil

- customs regulations USA

Advance investigation may save you considerable time, money, and effort as you pass through each border crossing.

Be aware! The resulting peace of mind will make your holiday much more enjoyable.

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Kathy Steinemann writes regularly for 111 Travel Directory: http://www.triple1.com/ - Adult Escapes: http://www.adultescapes.com/ - and 1000 Travel Tips: http://1000tips4trips.com/ - as well as several other websites.

Taking your dog with you when you travel, whether you go by land, air or sea, can present real problems. I know - I do 100k miles a year, and most of them I get to take Beck with me. It's worth the extra hassle, no question. But what tips can I offer you?

Air travel with your dog

It takes most dogs a long time to get used to traveling by plane. It took Beck about 6 flights before he stopped getting stressed about it. The big thing is to make sure your dog knows that it's just a temporary thing - to a woofer, a flight can seem to last forever! Each airline has their own set of rules - you need to check these before the flight. No good turning up and finding you are denied access to the plane because you didn't bone up on the regs!

Number one tip is - get a vet to sign a health certificate for your dog certifying that he has no diseases. Also make sure the dog is up to scratch on his anti-flea programme, and bring documentary evidence with you if you can. No airline wants a flea infested plane! Check his dog tags. Make sure YOUR contact details are there and easy to read. If you do get separated, this ensures you'll be re-united fast. For the same reason, you carry a photo of your dog in your wallet.

Number 2 tip - no food for Fido for 6 hours before the flight, and no water for 2 hours before. We wouldn't want any nasty 'accidents' now, would we???!!! Also put a note on his crate saying what his eating and drinking needs are - if the flight gets delayed, the ground staff will have a duty to live up to these.

Number 3 tip - buy a crate big enough for your dog to stand up in. Only buy custom made crates from your pet shop. Buy one that is designed for the rigors of air transport. NEVER try to 'get by' with any old crate. Trust me - your dog will thank you for the gift! Also remember that the airline you are using may have specific requirements for cases that go in the hold. Check the livestock regs.

Car Travel with your Dog

Tip 1 - Just like air travel, make sure your dog has all his ID with him, and you carry a photo. Even in the car, keep him leashed. Dogs have been known to get excited and leap out the window. Bad things happen on the freeway!

Tip 2 - Always book your hotel or motel ahead of time. If they don't allow dogs, you will be turned away whether or not you have a booking. I learned this the hard way with Beck - sleeping in a car ain't fun!

Tip 3 - acclimatization. Get your dog used to trips - start out with short trips, and gradually extend them. Let him experience the aircon, and maybe even stick his head out the window (dogs love this - make sure he's on the leash first, and that there is no contra traffic!)

These tips have enabled Beck and I to enjoy many great trips together, and believe me, it's nice to have some company on those long empty miles! If you like Beck, please vote for him on the petmillions.com contest at Vote for Beck in the petmillions contest!

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Terry Hanson is in sales, but doesn't like to be separated from his pooch Beck, who is entered in the http://www.petmillions.com/ pet contest.

Here's a little inspiration someone recently shared with me. Every time you come back to your laptop in the hotel room you'll be greeted with gorgeous 3D animation. Best part... they're free!

You do have to install the free toolbar, but you can deactivate it after you download the screensaver :-).

Get a heavily padded carrying case or pack that fits your laptop computer, your peripherals and any accessories you need to carry. It's wise to select a case that isn't obviously for a laptop, to deter theft. Backpacks with laptop compartments work great. My Lululemon Cruiser Pack works very well for me.

Leave your external DVD-ROM drive or other components you won't really need at home, but rememember your charger adapter. If you're going to be gone for more than a week, and you store more data than it's practical to backup with an online service, you will want to bring along a compact backup hard drive. I've discovered that the padded water bottle 'parkas' they sell to winter backpackers at camping stores work great for protecting external hard drives. If you're going to use your laptop on the plane, bring an extra charged battery or two.

Remember to take out your removable disks from drives and any memory cards before your trip.

If you're traveling internationally, bring power and telephone-jack adapters. Find out the power requirements and plug shapes for your destination before you leave. Do not plug your laptop directly into a foreign outlet, even if you have something that changes the plug shape, or you may melt your computer. Always use a quality adapter for your computer that claims it can handle the voltage at your destination. You'll want to confirm that the adapter can handle your computer's current draw as well.

Do some checking online and through your travel agent. Is wi-fi Internet available where you're going, or will you be connnecting with a telephone cord? Learn how you can connect to your ISP if necessary and obtain the required telephone numbers. If you will be purchasing Internet access cards where you are travelling, remember to allow for them in your trip budget.

Scan and back up all important documents before you leave. Check your insurance and warranty coverage.

Be sure your battery is fully charged before you leave, so you can boot your latpop if required by customs or security personnel.

Avoid leaving your computer unattended in the airport or coffee shop. If you have to leave for the washroom, don't leave your computer and luggage in the care of another trustworthy looking traveller. Airport theives usually pose as travellers with their own luggage in tow. Bring your laptop bag along with you to the washroom. If you can't fit your luggage into the stall with you, use your cable lock to secure it to a pipe or stall leg. When using a cable lock, always attach the cable directly to the computer. Do not loop a cable through the handle of your luggage. Airport theives are professionals and they carry knives to cut luggage handles.

Deter theft and damage by monitoring your laptop closely as it travels through the x-ray machine. An X-ray machine will not erase your data, but a metal detector can. I ask for a manual inspection. Keep your laptop out of overhead bins and in plain sight when flying.

When you land, change the date and time settings and the modem settings, if necessary.

Happy travelling!