A Witty Guide to Wimbledon Etiquette

I try to avoid checking any luggage, but the airlines are getting stricter every day about the size and weight of carry-ons. So when I pack, I put any important stuff in a plastic bag and place it in a front pocket. If I'm told to check my carry-on when I get to the gate, I can just pull out the smaller bag and board.

Rather than automatically using your hotel's valet parking, you should check to see if there's an adjacent parking lot or garage that offers a better rate. On a recent trip, I was able to park across the street from my hotel for $10 per day--versus $27 per day to valet park with the hotel.

When planning a vacation, we send away for brochures from major tour operators. They provide hotel and restaurant recommendations and sightseeing itineraries, which we then duplicate on our own. Use this trick to mimic the vacation packages of high-end tour operators for what can turn out to be a fraction of the cost.

Everyone knows that duct tape is great for helping out in travel emergencies, but no one wants to lug around a bulky roll of the stuff. By wrapping a few feet onto a pencil or ballpoint pen, you'll get a miniature roll that does not take up much in the way of additional space.

Place a fabric softener sheet in your suitcase when packing. It'll absorb odors and dampness and keep clothing smelling fresh. It's most beneficial in warm, humid climates and while at sea. I found this quite useful during my twenty-three years in the U.S.Navy.

While traveling abroad, I've frequently encountered some appallingly bad (and often very funny) English translations of menus. In those cases, I simply offered to clean up the translations in exchange for a meal. This has worked quite a few times.

Spring skiing often means a wild temperature shift from morning to afternoon. If you want the option of removing outer layers or switching to a lighter ski jacket midday, attach the lift ticket to your clothing with a split-ring key ring. You'll be able to move your ticket as the weather warms up.

I travel with two cameras: a digital SLR for the majority of my shots, and a small disposable camera for when I ask strangers to take pictures of me. As much as I tend to trust other people, I'm not ready to hand over my $1,000 camera to someone I don't know at all.

If you've accumulated more souvenirs on your trip than you can carry, drive your rental car up to curbside check-in, then return the vehicle and come back on the shuttle bus with only your carry-on. This only works if there's no check-in line, but can save dragging your luggage onto the shuttle bus, across parking lots, etc.

I work for a major airline and can attest to this tip for redirecting lost luggage. Place a copy of your itinerary--including contact info for where you're staying--inside your checked suitcase. If name and flight tags are missing, we'll still know where your bag needs to go.

If you arrive in a foreign city after banking hours (and you can't use an ATM), convert only the money you'll need for the night. Some exchange booths offer a less favorable rate after banks close and then switch back to competitive rates when banks reopen.

I always take a digital picture of the gas gauge to prove that I returned the rental car with a full tank. Some agencies try to charge for a minimal amount of gas when they "top off" the tank (which you're not supposed to do anyway). I've used these digital photographs to get refunds for gas charges that appeared on my credit-card bill after the fact.

Making international calls back to the States can be confusing if you're using a calling card and you're dialing a number by its catchphrase, such as CALL ATT. Obviously, many countries don't have the English alphabet on the telephone keypad. My solution? I create my own small keypads on a computer, print them out, and attach them inside my wallet, to my passport, and to my calling cards.

Always carry peanut butter. A plastic jar is easy to pack, doesn't need refrigeration, is a great source of protein, and makes a quick, cheap meal when coupled with local bread. (But don't forget to pack a plastic knife for spreading it.)

If you plan to visit a theme park, always bring a few sandwich-size Ziploc bags. They'll protect your cell phone and wallet when you're riding on flumes and other water attractions.

I was booking tickets online for an upcoming flight to Europe from the East Coast. One particularly attractive fare was offered on a U.S. airline as well as on its foreign "partner airline." Same plane, same flight, same base price. But it was more than $100 cheaper per ticket to book with the foreign airline versus the U.S.one. We saved more than $400 for four tickets, but we'll be on the same plane!

Attach a few carabiners--the kind of clips rock climbers use--to the top of your wheeled suitcase. Purses, cameras, and shopping bags can be clipped to your suitcase, giving your hands and shoulders a rest while you're walking around the airport.

Going to a place where you don't speak the language? Take along a picture booklet filled with examples of common food items (chicken, cow, rice, bottled water, coffee, wine, etc.) and use it to find dishes you like—you only have to point to the picture of what you want. We did this during a recent trip to Asia and always had wonderful meals.

Ever since my children were small, I've carried recent, wallet-size pictures of them when we all go on vacation, in case we get separated. Now that they are teenagers and traveling with friends' families, too, I send pictures for the other family to bring along with them. I also write my telephone numbers on the back of the pictures so they know where to reach me in an emergency.

Flight attendants often work vampire hours and have to sleep during the day. How do we keep the sunlight from leaking into our hotel rooms? We clip a skirt hanger (or two) to the middle of the drapes to seal them together.

When you travel to a beach destination, bring your own snorkel gear. We bought snorkels, masks, and fins at home for half-off (at an end-of-summer sale) before a trip to Hawaii. They didn't take up much room in our luggage, and we would have spent as much or more renting the equipment.

When booking a rental car online, click on "special offers" or "hot deals" to find the company's current promotional codes. Price your reservation using each code. Also, keep in mind that rates fluctuate according to seasons and slow periods. I managed to save more than $170 on a ten-day rental in Orlando, Fla.,by changing my reservation dates twice and by using different codes.

A beach ball can replace many expensive in-flight gadgets. Depending on how much you inflate it, the ball can function as a very comfortable footrest, a back support, or a lap pillow to support your book.

We're active travelers but find guided bike tours from companies like Backroads too expensive. Our advice: After rolling into town, ask at a bike shop for the best routes. Better yet, call or e-mail before you leave home (search the Web). We've found group rides and races this way, and have made a lot of friends. We're instant locals!

The middle seat isn't always awful. On a recent trip overseas, I called too late to confirm an aisle or window seat. After explaining the plane's AB-CDEFG-HI configuration, the customer service agent urged me to take the very middle seat, E, because D and F have less foot room. (In some rows, there are metal boxes underneath the seats in front of you that house wiring for onboard electronics.) I went along with her advice somewhat skeptically, but I ended up with plenty of room. The people on either side of me weren't so lucky.

If you're divorced and plan to travel out of the country with your children, check the legal requirements in advance. When I tried to take my kids to Cancun, I learned too late that Mexico requires a notarized letter of consent signed by both parents for minors traveling alone or with one parent or guardian. If the parents are divorced, a copy of the parental custody agreement is allowed instead. The airlines enforce this rule before you get on the plane.

Whenever I go somewhere, I bring a supply of postcards from my hometown. I write my name, address, and e-mail on the back, and offer a card to new friends so we can keep in touch. I also pack small souvenirs (key rings, etc.) that carry my local sports teams' logos. They make meaningful but inexpensive thank-you gifts for the small kindnesses that ease one's way during a trip.

I reverse the batteries in my portable CD player before packing it in my suitcase or backpack, in case it's accidentally turned on when my bag is jostled. I came up with the idea after arriving at my destination to find that the brand-new batteries I'd put into my Walkman were dead.

Before you book a room over the phone, peruse the hotel's site for its "Web only" rate. It's often cheaper than the best quote you'll get by calling. Recently, over the phone, I was quoted a daily rate of $129. I booked the same room online for $89.

An extra contact lens case holds enough toiletries for a short trip. Squeeze a few dabs of toothpaste into one side and perhaps some facial cleanser or moisturizer in the other side. Just the right amount of each will fit for your overnights or weekends away.