The First Thing to Do When...

You wind up lost, check in to a hotel, pack a suitcase, or enter a historic site. Plus, advice for other common travel scenarios.

by Teri Cettina

Dip your toes in the sand. That is the very first thing you want to do when you arrive at your destination. But what about all the other things you should do to ensure the best possible experience? For example, what is the first thing you should do when you enter a hotel room? And when you walk into a museum, how can you make sure you see the best exhibits? On the following pages, you'll find 10 common travel scenarios, along with advice on the numero uno thing you should do in each situation. Consider this a resource to help you stay on your toes, however sandy they might be.

When you go online to plan your trip:
Head to www.kayak.com

Kayak is like the Google of travel deals, according to Dave Fox, a guide for Rick Steves's tour company, Europe Through the Back Door. Instead of visiting multiple sites--such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz--to check out airline and hotel prices, Kayak's search engine lets you compare those sites' options, then book flights and accommodations directly with whichever one has the best deal.

When you get out your suitcase:
Update the luggage tags. Remove your home address and add your cell phone number.

Most of us dutifully write our full name, home phone, and home address on our tags, but that reveals too much personal information, says Anne McAlpin, a packing expert and the author of Pack It Up: The Essential Guide to Organized Travel (Flying Cloud, $20). Instead, print your first initial and last name -- a safety precaution for women, since it doesn't signal your sex or that you might have jewelry in your bag. Second, leave off your home address. It tells a potentially unscrupulous baggage handler, "No one's home at this address." Third, instead of including a home phone (which isn't much use when you're not home), include your e-mail address and your cell-phone number. Other information to include on the airline's paper bag tags (which you can update for each trip): a phone number for (1) your first hotel and (2) a friend or a relative at home who can reach you.

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