Planning your summer vacation?

Check out this awesome new site called Family Tripster (http://www.familytripster.com/)!

My friend Lisa Bergren and her friends started this website after traveling with other families. They realized that because of their experiences they had MUCH to share with other families embarking on family adventures.

The site offers trip planning advice, a travel store, and first hand accounts of families who’ve been where you want to go! From their homepage, “We’re working on making this a place for you to discover great ways to use travel to draw your family together. We invite you to participate and become a part of the FamilyTripster.com story. Share your experiences while you glean information from other “travelers.” Enjoy the journey!”

Here are just a few of their travel tips:
• Invest in the plastic airless envelopes that you pack, roll, and squeeze out the air. You’ll get twice as much in.

• Leave 1/3 of your suitcase space for the return home. Between treasures and expanding clothes, you’re bound to need the room.

• AND/OR pack a smaller duffel bag inside the larger bag.

• Pack laundry detergent in small baggies. Many countries use front loading washers, which do best with low-suds detergent. You can also use this for sink washing.

• Take an extra memory card and extra batteries for your camera. Put an extra set of batteries in the camera case—it always dies when you’re hours away from being able to buy more!

• It works well to have a backpack for each person (can serve as plane bag and day bag) as well as a suitcase for each person.• A family traveling together can share shampoo, conditioner, lotion. Pack two sets in two separate bags in case a bag goes missing.

• Bring a box of Kleenex and an extra roll of TP.

• Put ALL liquids (sealed or not) in a gallon-sized ziplock bag; explosions and spills will be kept from crisis mode.

• Squeeze any bottles a bit before closing and packing them away; this will release extra air and keep them from expanding/exploding with airline pressure changes/altitude changes

• Going with Infants? Add 20% more diapers and wipes than you think you’ll need. Do not assume you can obtain suitable diapers abroad.

• For women, pack your favorite brand of tampons/pads with some extras—unless you feel very adventuresome and want to go shopping for these necessities in a foreign country! If you’re not due to start your period while traveling, still take enough to get you through a day and a night. Traveling can upset your cycle.

• For women, pack a light purse that can be worn across the shoulder like a messenger bag, which is more secure than a backpack for credit cards, etc. See FamilyTripster’s Safety Tips under TIPS for more ideas.

• For men, pack a money belt or neck wallet to carry can’t-lose-this items

While you’re there make sure to check out the contest…Win our Spring Break Contest: Three year-long subscriptions to “Budget Travel” magazine! Enter by midnight, April 30, 2008. Each “Travel Advice” post gives you another chance to win in the Budget Travel drawing. Enter as many times as you can!

Oh and if you’re thinking about traveling to Montana this summer, check this out!

Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner’s choice! Tell your friends.