For those of you that are out there traveling over the holidays, I've compiled a list of things to bring aside from the obvious money and passport. You'll see that the common theme here involves planning ahead. Hopefully, these suggestions will help to relieve some of the stress associated with what is supposed to be a pleasurable experience :

1) Bring one of those inflatable (or stuffed) neck pillows. The inflatable ones take up no room and are very helpful in avoiding inadvertently snuggling up to your new neighbour or the hard plastic wall.

2) Carry hand sanitizer with you. It's no substitute for proper hand washing, but it will help to keep you safe from invading microorganisms. Believe it or not, even though you should wash your hands before you eat, it's actually touching your eyes and nose with dirty hands that can make you more susceptible to disease.

3) Bring proper shoes. This may sound obvious, but if you'll be doing a lot of walking don't sacrifice your feet for the sake of style. I learned this the hard way as I was running 270 degrees through the circular San Francisco airport during the construction to catch my connecting flight.

4) Bring a travel guide and map ahead of time ( buy or borrow one from a friend, auto club, or library) to get the most out of, and safest trip for your money. These guides usually have helpful tips and local emergency phone numbers.

5) Have a phone card in case of emergency (if you have a GMS cell phone even better). Always make sure to look up the country code and figure out the right dialing instructions for you and those at home (along with your itinerary) in case they need to get ahold of you. By the same token, you should figure out how to call out of the country you're visiting before you leave home.

6) Bring your address book/PDA. Maybe this one sounds obvious, but important to have in case you want to send a postcard or are scrambling to get a hold of some information from home while you are away (from your lawyer, doctor etc.)

7) This depends on where you live, but always make sure you have medical insurance. Depending on what province you live in, in Canada your provincial health plan will only cover so much. You don't want to be stuck in a foreign country with a serious injury or illness and no way to get help (the insurance company will have a number that you can call right away).

8) Get a bit of local currency before you leave home. This helps with porter, cart, or taxi fees until you get to your final destination. As a side-note, this came in very handy when we flew into the opposite side of the island of Tenerife than we were staying on, and had to take their public transport across the island to get to our hotel. This also applies to point number 4--thankfully we figured out the bus schedule online before we got there!

9) Have a survival kit in your carry-on in case your checked luggage takes a detour. Everybody's kit will be different, but mine includes a change of clothes that can be easily rolled up to save space, hand sanitizer, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a paperback book, a couple of packaged snacks and any prescription medication that you would need.

10) A smile! You may not speak the same language, but a smile is universal (giving one will get you further than talking slower and louder).

We hope that this article helps you to avoid any unnecessary scrambling, expenses or stress on your next trip. Happy traveling!