Traveling over the holiday season, no matter if you’ve been naughty or nice, can be stressful. Inclement weather, delays, the middle seat, the incessant chatterbox glued to her cell phone next to you can all make you wonder if this really is the most wonderful time of the year. This year, I pulled out all the stops, to make my travels go more smoothly and seamlessly. When traveling from A to B during the holidays, I think it’s best to approach the process with a “get in and get out” mentality. So listen up!

1. Skycaps may just be the most undervalued people in transportation. Savvy travelers know to skip the swelling lines indoors and go straight to a skycap that will check-in your bags curbside, check your ID, usually know if your flight is scheduled on-time and send you to your departure gate. Don’t forget to have a few small bills at the ready to expedite things quickly; they work for tips and a dollar or two per bag is average.
2. Now more than ever, when more airlines are increasing checked baggage fees, you can save time and money by traveling with a well-packed carry on. This time of year, consider sending gifts in advance of your trip to avoid checking (and potentially losing) additional luggage. If you must travel with gifts, avoid wrapping them–security might have to unwrap them anyway (read: per Murphy’s Law, if you wrapped them, that will definitely be the time security wants to see them), so stash a few gift bags in your suitcase.
3. The roads are busy, weather is spotty and soliciting a friend to drop you at the airport seems just plain cruel. Parking in the airport lots (and surrounding satellite lots) can add up quickly (and is even less fun to pay upon your return). This year, Collette introduced complimentary round trip sedan service that takes you from your home to the airport when you purchase an air-inclusive Collette tour. I hate worrying about getting to the airport, so this service worked out perfectly for me. If you’re traveling on an escorted tour, see if the company can do this for you. It’s a time saver and a cost saver (even gratuities were included).
4. Slip ID and tickets into pre-board organizer to avoid fumbling for essentials while juggling bags and going through security whether traveling by air or rail. Also, if traveling by air, choose function over fashion and wear comfortable, slide-in shoes without laces.
5. Finally, it might be too late to replace that black suitcase everyone else also seems to have, but make luggage retrieval easy by adding a quirky tags, or jump into an easy DIY (Do It Yourself) project and make your own.

Whether planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy that includes the Oberammergau Passion Play or a quick San Francisco Getaway, the To Do list for today’s savvy traveler should include 3 very important items:

1. Buy travel insurance that promises a full cash refund for cancellation up to the day prior to departure. This small investment will eliminate risk should your plans or budget change.
2. Investigate guaranteed rates and dates. When planning a vacation, it’s good to know that the date you selected will go no matter what and that changes in currency will not affect the price you signed up for.
3. Check that the tour operator you plan to travel with is a reputable company with good financial standing; and a member of The United States Tour Operators Association, backed by the organization’s million-dollar Travelers Assistance Program.

After that, it’s time to starting thinking about the fun you’ll have.

 So what’s a savvy traveler to do?  You could look into shipping your clothing essentials ahead of time. Or, (and this is probably the best solution) you could simply pack more efficiently to ensure that everything fits into one airline-approved carry-on bag, whether leaving on a quick getaway or spending close to a month in Australia and New Zealand. Easier said then done, I know, but my fellow blogger at Collette offers some tips on the art of packing.

 My personal favorite for utilizing every square inch of available space in a carry-on involves rolling and plastic bags. I just realized how odd that sounds—I definitely don’t recommend packing illegal contraband. The method I approve and that backpackers swear by involves laying the item face down (this method works best with pants, skirts and sports shirts), folding back the sleeves where applicable and then rolling from the bottom up. I then group outfits together for short trips or pack all shirts, all pants, etc. for longer trips and put the rolled items in plastic bags (I save and use the bags that items like pillows, sheets and blankets come in but you can buy packing bags as well). It works for me—not always—but as I mature I like to think I am getting better at packing.

 I’d love to hear your ideas for packing light to avoid paying airline baggage fees.

1. Embrace cultural differences. Allow yourself to see things from a different perspective.
2. Pack light. You’ll have more room for souvenirs.
3. Get practical. Notify your credit card companies of your travels before departing.
4. Try to learn the most important phrases for the destination you’re heading to.
5. Take half as many clothes and twice as much money!

And of course – Have Fun.

While on vacation it’s easy to get sidetracked. Heck, that’s part of the point. Sitting down with a notebook and a pen at the end of an amazing day provides a break from the swirl. I like to find a nice quiet corner of a hotel bar and knock out a few pages before going to bed.

Your experiences will be richer for it. You’ll start to approach things with a writer’s eye, engaging all of your senses. You’ll see things you might have missed. Talk to people you might have passed over. And you’ll climb that next hill just to see over the horizon.

When you do sit down to write, I only have one piece of advice – and this is something that every novelist, poet, or journalist I have ever met (who was worth anything) tried to impart upon me – ignore your inner editor and just write. You can always go back later and besides this journal is for you. The idea is to record the experience… how you felt at that moment in time.

For years I kept a personal journal. Since I first learned to spell, I’ve been writing down my thoughts in one form or another. Yet, somehow over the last few months I’ve let that habit lapse. Maybe it’s because there are so many other ways to record our lives. From digital cameras to twitter there are a million outlets. But I always go back to my journal when I’m out on the road.

1. Limit stress by allowing yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, check in, and get through security.
2. Reverse the batteries in your electronic devices. That way they won’t go dead if the device is accidentally switched on during your travels.
3. Always take a card from the front desk of your hotel before going out for the day. That way you will have the name and address written down in case you need help getting back to the hotel later

As each airport will only have a few of these scanners, not every passenger will be required to go through the new process. It’s important to note as well that all facial features will appear blurred to protect privacy and ensure anonymity. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer operating the scanner will be in another room and communication with the passenger will be conducted via radio, while the TSA officer escorting the passenger in and out of the scanner will not see the images. Following inspections, all images will be deleted, according to the TSA.  

Passengers are not required to go through the scanning process, says the TSA, and those who feel uncomfortable participating in full-body imaging can decline but will undergo traditional security procedures: being screened by a metal detector or hand-wand, and/or a physical pat-down. The process is as follows: Each passenger will walk into the imaging portal. Once inside, they will be asked to stand in different positions and remain still for just a few seconds while the technology creates an image of the passenger in real time. Once complete, the passenger will exit the opposite side of the portal.

For more information, including which airports are currently using scanning technologies and which will be receiving the machines soon, click here.

What do you think? Would you do it?

Clif and Luna natural nutritional bars are loaded with whole grains, vitamins and minerals. High in fiber and protein and in a variety of flavors, the less-than 2.5 ounce bars are compact and easy to toss into a purse or carry-on. New bite-sized LUNA minis (in packs of 18 in 6 different flavors) are perfect for traveling in a group, and Clif Bars for kids (made without high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors, hydrogenated oils or trans fats) are healthy alternatives for little ones. 

Nuts, crackers, and dried fruits in clear baggies will usually pass TSA security, as will most sealed cheeses, while most liquids exceeding 3.4 ounces will have to be tossed at the security checkpoint (for guidelines, visit www.tsa.gov/311). Of course, most airlines permit to-go meals and beverages purchased inside the secure area on-board. Depending on how much room you have to spare in your carry-on, many travelers bring an empty bottle to fill with water from a fountain after screening. Instant cereal packets including oatmeal are also easy to toss into checked baggage as hotels are usually happy to offer hot water. This way, you can start your day off right instead of wasting travel time to pinpoint a breakfast spot. (Flight attendants will usually be happy to accommodate hot water requests too, just be courteous and ask after beverage service is complete.)

Your best bet? Contact your airline ahead of your flight to confirm foodstuffs you may have in question. International travel regulations will usually prevent you from bringing food in or out of the country, so if you fell in love with an Italian sauce or French marmalade spread, ship it ahead of time to avoid a time consuming customs debacle.

Do you remember the first camcorder you ever saw?  It probably came in a suitcase, had a huge light on top and weighed 25 pounds. Now my iPhone can capture video.

But wait a second.  Is that a good thing?

I am sure we have all sat through someone else’s home movies or had a photo album plopped in our laps. “Want to see pictures of my grandson’s 4^th birthday?” In the old days this was bad enough.

As technology has advanced, recording our wonderful vacations and landmark events has become easier and easier. Yet, there’s one ugly drawback – volume. It’s almost too easy to record every moment of a trip. Today you can come home with hours of video in a compact format. Imagine getting stuck watching 5 gigabytes worth of someone else’s trip to Italy.

I am a quality over quantity kind of guy. With that old axiom in mind, here are a few video tips straight from Sean McVeigh, Collette’s Media Supervisor.

• Try to keep the shots steady.
• Get a variety of shots.  Wide Shots, Medium Shots, and lots of Close Ups.
• Avoid shooting with a bright background behind the subject.  
• If you must shoot something handheld: Zoom out and move closer to the subject and brace yourself against a wall or stand with your feet spread apart.
• When on a bus or train be aware of window glare. 
• Avoid too many zooms, pans, and tilts.  Be sure to hold the shot at the beginning and end of the action. 
• Set up shots with interesting foregrounds and background, which create depth.

My advice - use these tips to capture the feel of a trip. Shoot some video of you standing in front of the Eiffel Tower or roaming the Tuscan countryside. There are landmarks (like Big Ben or the Sydney Opera House) that you should take pictures of but remember why you are traveling. These are the places you’ve always wanted to experience, so experience them.

Take great shots but also make sure you are making great memories, a few minutes here or there should do the trick