I've got a friend, Christine, who calls me before every trip she takes for advice, counseling, and more advice. She has a love-hate relationship with travel. She likes seeing new sights, but she hates being without her creature comforts.

I tell her a trip is an adventure, and it's not the end of the world to get to your destination to find, say, you forgot to pack your contact lens solution or your camera battery recharger. You can usually pick up a replacement wherever you are, or worse-case scenario, you can suffer and go without.

Tahiti 2004

Still, it would be helpful to have a packing list so you don't have to strain your brain to remember what to take, when you're tossing items in your suitcase willy-nilly the hour before you are supposed to leave for the airport. Since Christine loves my list, I'm going to share some of the salient points with you in the event you find it just as helpful.

Remember, this is a list I've compiled over a range of trips, from disaster zones to luxury resorts. Not every suggestion here is going to be appropriate for your one trip!

PACKING SUGGESTIONS:

CASH:
How much cash you bring depends on where you're going, how long, and what you intend to buy. A general rule of thumb I use is to take roughly US$500 worth of cash per one week stay. Again, that can vary based on each journey.

I do it one of two ways. I convert US $100 here in Hawaii about a week before the trip. I use Travel Ex in the mauka side of Ala Moana Shopping Center. (I was not paid to say this!) As of this writing, they charge a $5.95 flat fee to convert up to $600 and an additional 1 percent fee for anything after that. They have all major currencies (Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe, Japan) and some minor ones (Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Philippines). The rest I take in new US bills and convert as I go.

It costs money to convert each time (including converting back to US dollars), so if I'm not sure how much I will spend, I exchange as needed during my trip. I like to rely on this method if I'm going somewhere credit cards are accepted, because I get the best exchange rate on my credit cards.

Or, I don't convert anything in America and wait till I get to my destination. Sometimes, that's because I am going to a weird destination like Bhutan, where I can't get the currency in Hawaii. Sometimes, that's because the trip was planned so last minute, I lack time to do this. In this case, I exchange $50 at my destination's airport, for taxi and tips en route to the hotel. It's cheapest to find a bank the next day and exchange the bulk of it there.

I like to take new US bills because sometimes my crumpled American dollars have been rejected overseas. I do make sure to convert some money before I leave my destination's airport, though. I made the mistake of assuming all countries accept American money, but I've learned twice (Shanghai, 2005 and Bali, 1995) that some retailers will actually reject US dollars, for reasons which I have not yet figured out. I can see if the retailer is unaccustomed to seeing US dollars in a place like Bali 12 years ago, but in the quasi-capitalist new China? That was a surprise.

A word about exchanging cash. Some will tell you the currency conversion rate to change your dollars here in Hawaii before you go is poor. Maybe so, but my impression is that the conversion fee is more expensive overseas. So maybe it comes out just about the same in the end? It's up to you to decide.

I keep an emergency stash of funds separate from the rest of my money. Sometimes when I'm walking around I even sprinkle cash around different pockets (never my back pocket) in case I'm pickpocketed. I have an acquaintance who was held up at gunpoint in Africa, but he had some counterfeit money with him which he handed over to robbers, who didn't know the difference. I think he called it Kingdom of Hawaii money, which they believed. People still seem to consider Hawaii separate from the USA, which apparently can work to one's advantage at times!

Lastly, save some in case there is an airport departure fee. Some places won't let you out of the airport after you check in, in which case, you're up a creek if you're penniless.

OTHER ESSENTIALS:
3 copies of your passport: keep one with you at all times, keep one at home which a friend can access in case you lose yours, and keep one in your suitcase at the hotel.

2 copies of your itinerary: bring one with you and leave one at home with a friend

Maps, directions, tour book

DRUGS:
Medications: pack in your carry on luggage

Ambien sleeping pills: sleep on the plane and more easily regulate to a new time zone

Copies of prescriptions for refilling abroad. Make sure it's legible, and generic drug names are posted.

TOILETRIES:
Sunblock

Bug repellent

Soap and shampoo, if you're staying in a cheaper hotel or a condo. Call ahead to see what they provide. Sometimes hair dryers are not included, either.

Tweezers: I got stung by a cactus in, of all places, a hotel in Denmark, and had to pray they had one in their emergency kit. (The cactus was a table top decoration in their restaurant.)

Nail clippers: I've ripped nails on trips. It's uncomfortable to walk around that way for the rest of the time.

Earplugs, eye mask, travel pillow for the plane

Moleskin for blisters

Bandages, in case you still get blisters

CLOTHING:
2 - 3 outfits (and no more): I launder on the trip. It saves space in my luggage. My wife had a hard time getting used to this idea at first, but once she tried it, she liked it. She has room in the suitcase to buy more!

2 pairs of walking shoes if I'm going to a wet location. Scotchguard it before you go.

A swimsuit and a sweater, no matter where you go. You never know when you might want (or need) it.

Sunglasses

Sippers for the hotel room

A watch with 2 time zones and an alarm, so I don't have to pack a clock.

MISC:
Energy bars: they pack well, last long, and can tide you over in a pinch.

Business cards: you never know who you'll meet, and you might even get to write off part of the trip as a tax deduction.

Electricity adapter: I also bring a US converter that converts a three inch prong into a two inch prong, because all the electrical converters accommodate only two-pronged machines.

Plastic Ziploc bags

Extra luggage bag, if you plan to shop a lot

Duct tape: It patches ripped clothing and fixes luggage. Wrap several yards worth around your shampoo bottle to save space.

Towel: You might want to carry a towel so you can lie down on long layovers. On the plane, roll it up and put it behind your back for more support.

Pocket knife in checked luggage

Calculator

Small flashlight: Easily count change in the taxi, read maps when you're driving at night, find the lock on your B&B door, or find your way out of the hotel in a blackout.

ATHLETIC TRIPS:
Binoculars, dry bag in case you get rained on, an Ace bandage, a Camelback for quick access to water, and candle/matches in case batteries run out.

UNDEVELOPED COUNTRIES:
Prescription Cipro (generic antibiotic good for diarrhea and bacterial infections), doxycycline (for leptospirosis and other bacterial infections), Immodium AD, Zithromax (a broad spectrum antibiotic), and malaria pills.

Non prescription: Thermometer, antihistamines for bug bites and allergies, Neosporin, hand sanitizer, mosquito coils, sleeping net, Tylenol or aspirin, cold tablets, water purifier tablets, Pepto Bismol tablets, powdered Gatorade, military MREs. You have to be going pretty hardcore if you need this section of the list.

Bleach purifies water. Use 2 drops per 1 liter. Lemon kills the taste. Or boil the water for 15 minutes. I use a leakproof vial with an eyedropper, wrap duct tape around the lid, then double wrap that in 2 Ziplocks. The last thing I want is a bleach leak in my bag.

List of inoculations

BEFORE LEAVING:
Register with US Embassy. If you're going to a place too small to have an embassy, register with the next nearest country.

Leave your itinerary and contact information for a friend at home.

Activate your global cell phone plan, and find out if you can buy a SIM card abroad to save money.

Or, buy a calling card and learn to use it. I've had trouble on several trips not knowing what the country code was to dial out.

Read up on tipping etiquette. You'll need it right away, for the taxi driver and the bellman.

Turn off your water pipes at home as it might burst while you're away.

Make reservations for fancy restaurants ahead of time. We booked a date at Napa's exclusive French Laundry 3 months ahead of time- as soon as we got our plane tickets.

List important phone numbers like credit card companies, insurance agencies, travel agent, airlines, doctor, and US embassies. I carry one with me and keep a list on my e mail.

E mail yourself important data, like passport and credit card numbers.

E mail addresses of friends. Even if you don't have a laptop, you can still write friends from airports and cyber cafes.

Save the e mail confirmations of hotel reservations in case you need to prove it when you get to the hotel and find you've been bumped.

Inform your credit card company of your plans. If not, they might block the card if your overseas purchases seem suspicious. It's actually happened to me!

FUN FINDS!

At Cinnamon Girl, my wife saw a pair of practical cargo pants for $59. They've got a lot of pockets and snaps, and they zip off at the knees to convert to shorts.

Also, a $14.95 passport purse that hangs around the neck.