Brigada

Try
http://www.tripit.com
List your airfare, housing info., rental car, and more… and let TripIt do the heavy lifting for you to keep everything streamlined and on the same page — all for free. You can always do TripIt Pro for $69/year, regardless of whether you’re in or out of the USA. The ‘pro’ version adds text messaging [...]

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Looking for a solution for carrying all those assorted items once you reach your destination? Try the $10 Kiva backpack at…
http://www.amazon.com/Kiva-Key-Chain-Pack/dp/B000BNGHJO
My 19-year-old says it folds up really small… and it would be very handy to throw into your luggage… then deploy upon arrival. Can’t beat the price.

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One of our member care volunteer families has just purchased a special airfare from Raptim that lets you pick virtually any airports around the world so long as the next destination keeps traveling in the same direction. So our new volunteers are starting in Indy, stopping at 8 different int’l airports. Their itinerary includes some [...]

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If you’re from the USA and you run on a network that isn’t global (like — Sprint maybe?), you’ll likely need to pick up a different phone for travel. Why buy when you can rent one for just the handful of days you’ll be gone? What’s your favorite vendor? Here’s one such vendor that Brigada [...]

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OK, maybe more than a song, but not much. Thanks to Brigada user Greg for tipping us on the fact that you can fly round trip anywhere within Africa that Kenya Airways goes (and they go all over the continent) for only 25,000 frequent flier miles (and about $70-80 reg fee) from any of the [...]

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Overseas missions travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous. Just yesterday, a personal friend of mine watched as thieves duct-taped the mouth of his wife in his own home. A handful of thieves took whatever they wanted, then drove off in the missionary’s car. Traveler kidnappings, illegal detentions, carjackings, and home invasions increased 300 percent just [...]

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Here is an excellent site full of useful information about electronics and communications, especially helpful for those who travel.
http://kropla.com/index.html

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[Note I said "herding" not "hurting" :-) ] Truly, this is a heartbeat item, as is evidenced by the email I recently received from a faithful Brigada participant from Taiwan, who wrote, ” In my experience… when a small child has jet lag… EVERYONE has jet lag… no matter how much I *believe* that my [...]

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Maybe this seems like overkill, but, for malaria-infested areas, there’s something deeply secure about knowing that wherever you land to sleep, you’re covered. I recommend taking along something like the Epco Tropicscreen II. (Google it and the Campmor.com version will probably come up in the top 5 for about $70. Worth every penny of it. [...]

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Read the fine print on the AC Adaptor for your camcorder, laptop and/or digital camera. Odds are, if it’s less than 5 years old, you really don’t need an adaptor/transformer for it. (It’ll probably say something like 110-240V.) Just get a “tip adaptor” to change the shape of the plug so it’ll properly plug in [...]

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If you’re unsure about relying on cell coverage for any reason, for dangerous or “out back” areas, see Telestial. (See link above.) They might not be the cheapest, but they know their stuff. Again, the cost is prohibitive … unless you’re about to be kidnapped and you need to get a call out. Then the [...]

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If you’re not sure there will be good connectivity in your area and you simply *must* remain connected, consider a Thrane Sat Modem or its equivalent. Something like the Thrane Explorer 500 (via the BGAN network) shouldn’t set you back more than $115/week. Granted, that’s too much for the typical instant messaging with your kids, [...]

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Make a checklist. Take it with you on trip so you can add things as you “miss” them. Prioritize them according to a scale where 1 is “imperative” and 5 is “luxury”. When you pack, try to always stay within one checked bag, one carry-on. Go light!

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This new generation of rolling carry-ons and rolling suitcases is the berries. What a back-saver. Find the lightest, most durable stuff you can find. I like the ThinkPad Vertical Roller Case (model #40Y7384) but that’s probably just because I’m a Thinkpad guy. Still, they’ve thought of everything on this briefcase: gel padding, vertical “upright” design, [...]

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I’ve been carrying the Bota “Outback” for some time now…
http://store.botaofboulder.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BOB&Product_Code=outbackSystem&Category_Code=FS
But pick your favorite. I like this one because it has the built-in lexan guard over the top, so you don’t have to suck on a dirty “straw”. Because you can “squeeze” water out, you can also use the Outback to filter a glass of water [...]

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Write everything down. Get in the habit of making good notes. The notebook has to be thin enough to stick in your shirt pocket or hip pocket, so you always have it with you. Do a section for finances. Write down every expense, make note of every currency exchange, including the commission and the exchange [...]

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Desperate people do desperate things. Until the entire world is completely satisfied with every basic human need, you and your belongings will still be a target. Keep your credit cards & your cash in there.

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I realize this might or might not be your style. But at least consider it. Get breathable cotton, with 15 or more pockets. It becomes a walking, incognito extra carry-on. On one occasion recently, a cultural “insider” had said he could only take 2 people with him into a Muslim area. I volunteered to stay [...]

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I always tell my kids, “If you want Ferrari performance, you better power up your engine with high octane fuel.” How do you power up your own personal engine? You decide, but I’ll tell you what works for me. No matter where I am in the world, I make sure I have breakfast food with [...]

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Find a camera you can carry, then *use* it. Making the choice — now that’s the tricky part. For example, I was hauled into the back of a swat truck once in Uruguay because, unbeknownst to me, policemen were making a drug bust in the market I was photographing. I think they concluded I was [...]

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When I was a scout as a 7th grader, they taught us to pack “a sack of sacks.” Today, that advice still applies — for missionaries and short-term missions travelers too. This is a great use for those plastic grocery bags from your neighborhood grocery. You can either pack socks all in one sack, underwear [...]

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These will do you double-duty. Not only can you use them with your mp3 player or laptop, but also, most airlines have switched to the same “stereo mini-plug” size for their in-air entertainment and movies sound tracks. So rather than use their cheapies, you can reduce the ambient jet noise (and crying kids, bless their [...]

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