Travel Tip #13 - Be prepared (clothing)

     One of the potential problems you run into when traveling is wearing the right clothing. Since you often do a couple of different activities in a day, what may be the best outfit for one activity might not be the best for another. If you are close to your hotel room, that might not be a big problem; but if your hotel is on the other side of town, or you are traveling to a new location, and all your clothes are packed away in your suitcase, it could be problematic.
     If your activities are outside, you have the additional complication of the weather. Depending where you are, it may be hot during the day, but cold during the morning or evening hours. Or it may be cold all day even though it's summer. If you aren't familiar with the area, it pays to check the projected temperatures before leaving for the day.
     For example, when we were in Oregon a number of years ago, it was a nice summer day, so I wore shorts and a T-shirt. Unfortunately, our destination was Crater Lake. As we drove up the mountain, the temperature kept dropping. Eventually, the road was lined by ten foot snowbanks. When we got out of the car, I started shivering. I found a sweatshirt to put on, but there wasn't anywhere to change into long pants.
     One solution is to dress in layers. It is easier to remove an unwanted clothing than to go digging through your suitcases for items you want to add. You can keep the extra layers in a day pack or in a special location in the car that is easily accessible. Even in the summer, you should have jackets handy in case the weather suddenly changes. It is much less stressful to have access to something and not use it, than to not have access to it, and wish you did.
     Another idea is to lay out everything you will need (or may need) the night before. This gives you an opportunity to calmly think through your schedule so that you don't forget something important (ie. sunscreen, hats, diapers, medication, specialized shoes, etc.) as you rush around getting ready the next morning. A little advanced preparation can save you a great headache later on (particularly if you forget the aspirin).
     So take a page out of the Boy Scout handbook and be prepared!