Here are some things I have found useful in many, many trips to JA and elsewhere:
1. Bring an extra pair of sunglasses.
2. Pack a first aid kit. I pack a comprehensive kit, as I do a fair bit of athletic activities whilst on vacation. In the kit pack SUPER GLUE(2-octyl-cyanoacrylate, if you can find it). My son can testify as to super glue's usefulness as a liquid suture...twice!.
3. Pack at least one flashlight.
4. Color photocopy of your passport.
5. Have a folder/dossier to keep all your travel docs and info. Having a single location to go to for any documentation is very useful.
6. Consider having health info on a jump drive if you have medical conditions. I have one that has all my MRI, CT, surgical notes and a summary of all surgeries/hospitalizations. I'm carrying some hardware inside, so having a way to show it to a health care provider in an emergency is essential.
7. MEDICAL EVACUATION INSURANCE. I can't stress this enough. A bad ski accident in Switzerland and a bad car crash on Nevis have taught me the value of being able to be repatriated to a US hospital in your hometown at no expense. I suggest looking for a policy that includes repatriation to your hometown rather than the nearest US medical facility. MedJetAssist is my personal choice...
8. Get an unlocked GSM phone if you travel worldwide. You can buy a SIM card in any country and avoid the international roaming fees and have a local phone number.
9. Alka Seltzer. The original without acetaminophen. Not only is it useful for an upset tummy due to overindulgence, it is essentially the same ingredients as commercial re-hydration salts.
10. BRING YOUR ATM CARD and have sufficient funds for your vacation and unexpected occurrences. We always move a couple of thousand into the checking account right before vacation, so we can access funds quickly and in sufficient quantity. And, we have family members that are able to assist instantly. If your budget is so tight that an unexpected $100 charge will ruin your vacation, maybe you should rethink your vacation.... I have seen too many instances of tourists having insufficient funds or the inability to access funds during emergencies. I'll never forget the American couple who spent all their money...I mean ALL of their money...and couldn't pay the departure tax in Mexico. They resorted to begging for the funds from other tourists in the departure line. They hadn't brought an ATM card....
