Hints and Suggestions for Travel

Luggage

• Try to limit your luggage to one large suitcase per person that can be locked and checked. In addition, take one carryon in which should be two changes of clothing, your toiletries, medicines, and anything you need should your checked luggage gets lost. This allows you to survive until your other luggage is found.
• You may want to take along an EMPTY fold-up suitcase (which can also be locked) so you have something to pack your purchases-souvenirs and such--in. Remember! Any suitcase that is being checked, should lock.

Clothing

• Comfortable, low-heeled walking shoes or tennis shoes are a must. Break them in BEFORE the trip.
• Almost all of the tour will take place in hot climates. Evenings, though, especially in Antigua, can be chilly. So you will want to include a sweater or light jacket. Otherwise, all cotton, casual clothing is best for the hot places we will be exploring. Walking shorts are the norm at archaeological sites.
• Please don't wear fancy or obvious jewelry or clothing that draws attention.

Valuables

• Leave valuables and other important documents you usually carry in your wallet, at home. We recommend bringing only one credit card, like Visa or Master's, but you do not have to bring any. Also bring your driver's license. It is a good idea to photocopy the face page of your Passport, credit card and Driver's License. Keep these photocopies in a different place than the real documents.
• Don't carry all your money in one place! Divide it up. Consider a money belt to be worn under outer clothing.
• Money can be changed at hotels and/or banks. We will allow time for changing money. US dollars should be in new bills; old, torn or faded bills are not accepted for exchange. Traveler's Checks may be taken but they are more difficult to change and sometimes the exchange rate is less than for cash.

Food

• Sometimes when touring it is difficult to find a place to eat, and/or meal times may not be when you are accustomed to them. Therefore, you will want to bring along some snack food like granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, crackers, small cans of tuna or chicken, etc. Note that the tour normally includes breakfast and dinner. During lunchtime, when we are mostly at the sites with no food facilities, you'll need to provide your own snack or lunch.

Health Items

• Take prescription medicines in the bottles they come in.
• Some people take one or two Pepto Bismal tablets or acidophilus tablets a few days before leaving and continue on the trip. This helps, for some, to prevent "Monteczuma's Revenge." Imodium is good to have along.
• Be sure your tetanus and polio shots are up to date.
• Take a Malaria preventative such as Chloroquine.
• The CDC travel medicine site is: http://www.cdc.gov/travel

Other Items (You May Want to Bring)

• Suntan lotion -
• Toilet paper (Carry a roll anytime you are away from the hotel.)
• Wipies, moist towelettes - Kleenex
• Wash cloths (Most hotels don't have them.)
• Small flashlight -
• Alarm clock
• Ziplock plastic bags-lots of uses for these
• Insect repellent which has 20 to 30% DEET.
• Your Book of Mormon and the reference material we give you.
• Binoculars if you have them.