Inevitably, all agents are sent on assignment. The difference between other agents and double-ohs are the double-ohs know how to travel in style. If you think this month’s JQ column is about to dive into the world of four-star hotels and first class travel, guess again. Style comes from knowing what to do, not where you do it.

While those of us that work have an expensive account, not all of us have as generous of employers as James Bond does. Pennies are counted, so when planning to travel, it is best to save your money for the essential items for yourself. Those items are your luggage and your clothing. These items are always with you, whereas your modes of transportation will undoubtedly change.

LUGGAGE: Luggage is an investment, period, and when you make an investment you are going to lay out a nice sum of money. Do not feel bad about spending a moderate sum of money in order to insure your luggage and your clothing arrives in one piece. If the luggage is good, it will last you far longer than that money ever would have.

DO NOT kid yourself into thinking that the overnight bags and other pieces of luggage that you get for free with magazine subscriptions, credit card applications, from banks, etc., are good for travel. They are not. They are made to be given away and used casually. Nothing about traveling Bond style is casual. Besides, often enough these bags are only acceptable for overnight trips, and your adventures will last longer than that.

When shopping for your luggage, be honest with yourself. Do you pack too much when traveling? Do you tend to travel in the cooler months, when heavier (and therefore bulkier clothing) will be necessary? Do you buy a lot of souvenirs for your friends and for yourself? Make those calculations in your head as you look for your suitcase. Picture what is going in there, and then some. If it all fits, you know you have the right size.

Look too for the quality of the material. Stronger fabrics that have some give to them are ideal, for those can absorb the shock of being bounced around in security checks, loaded onto trains and planes, cramped into car boots (trunks), etc. The material should also allow for the occasional pointy item to be present, without tearing the material. If you go for a solid piece of luggage, i.e. one that is made out of heavy duty plastic and not cloth, make sure you can lift it. True, we have never seen Bond wheel his luggage around, but we have never seen him carry it that far, have we? For us mortals, wheels are best.

When the luggage is damaged, get it repaired. Immediately. You have no idea when you might have to travel again, and it is better to have your luggage ready to go than to be caught with none.

Another worthy investment is another much smaller bag that you can carry onboard with you on a plane or use on an overnight/weekend trip. With new security concerns at the forefront, and the ever present need to be mindful of your fellow passengers, your carry on bag should conform to the standards of the airlines. It should be no bigger than 9 x 14 x 22 inches (22.86 X 35.56 centimetres) or 45 linear inches and should have in it those items you cannot live without if your luggage is lost. Those items are (with no exceptions or additions) your medication, your valuable papers (tickets, passport, other forms of identification, travelers’ cheques, etc), your fine jewelry, your camera(s), a change in undergarments, and anything else of MONETARY value that can not be easily replaced.

PACKING: You might wish to keep an ever-packed toiletries bag ready to go. When traveling you will always need a brush, comb, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, razor, shaving gel, soap, shampoo, condition, and medications such as aspirin and something to calm your stomach down if the local conditions do not agree with you. Keep those items in the toiletry bag at all times, and replace them as soon as one item is used up. In that way, there is one less thing to worry about when packing.

For all other things, make a list at least a week before you leave, that way you can add or subtract from the list as your plans are finalized. Obvious items to pack include underwear, socks or stockings, pajamas, slippers, exercise attire, if you intend to keep up your workout routine while away, and a swimsuit. A swimsuit, you ask, but I am going to Alaska, you say. Even in Alaska, there are hotels with indoor pools, Jacuzzis, and or saunas. Such soaks are great way to relieve stress, and any aching muscles that might be caused by your travels.

You should plan on bringing a business suit with you, the darker the better. Suits for men and women are perfect for any occasion. Try to bring with you at least two dress shirts and ties (for men) so you can be prepared for whatever formal occasion might come up — either planned or a surprise. Obviously, if you know you have a formal occasion to attend while you are away, do bring that formal clothing with you. Suits and formal attire should be packed, if possible, in a plastic laundry bag, and folded half over, and laid on top of the packed clothing to avoid wrinkles. For men, use your best judgment as to whether to rent a tux in the area you are staying or bringing it with you from home. From my own experience, I can tell you it is probably safer to rent the tux from a store you are familiar with than risking dealing with people you do not know.

Hats are another must item. In some cultures, it is required for men and (more often) women to have their head covered, particularly in places of worship. It is important that when you are guest in a foreign country that you respect their customs. Besides, all good agents need to blend in, no? By visiting such sites as Orbis.com you can find hats that are made to be packed and are easily “crushed” to fit into a suitcase. Yes, the price might be a bit dear, but like good luggage, these hats can last a very long time. Also, in most climates you will see some sunshine, and protecting yourself from the elements is important. For that same reason invest in a good pair of sunglasses, and make sure they are in your carry on, not checked in luggage. Just underneath your formal wear and hats, should be your tops and or sweaters (jumpers), trousers and skirts, and shoes, in that order.

In terms of trousers, a pair of jeans, and two or three nicer pairs of trousers should be sufficient for trips of a week to a fortnight. If going longer, increase one pair per week. Because they are lighter, bring with you four to six different tops, (again, increase by two per week), bringing the ratio to two tops for every pair of trousers. Different tops with the same trousers will make a different look.

For the ladies, you might want to exchange a pair or two of trousers for a skirt or two, depending on what you are more comfortable wearing. When you pack that suit, it should be a skirt suit, and you should also have with you a more casual skirt as well.

Sweaters (jumpers) are trickier because they are heavier. If you are traveling in the Spring, Summer, or Fall, you really only need one, perhaps two, if the climate where you are going to is particularly chilly. The sweaters (jumpers) in this case should be lighter, and perhaps with buttons or zippers in the front so you can take it on and off easily. In the winter months, to decide how many sweaters (jumpers) to bring, use the ratio for tops to trousers. Since no one will see under your sweater (jumper) unless he or she is a very good friend, you can get away with a camisole or t-shirt underneath, or perhaps one or two dress shirts with collars or turtlenecks.

Your clothing when traveling (as opposed to walking around in your destination), should be lighter than what you might wear while there, and loose fitting. There will be enough things crowding you in while you travel, so your clothes shouldn’t add to your misery.

Pack your sneakers (trainers) and formal shoes. These should go on the bottom of your suitcase, because they are the heaviest items. Wear your casual shoes or boots (depending on the climate) when you are traveling.

Be sure to lock your luggage. Thefts do happen, but if you do lock your luggage, you can at least say with certainty that your items were stolen, not lost by you. Buy a good quality lock, not from a luggage shoppe, but in your local hardware store. Keep the keys with you, either on your person or in the carry on luggage, that way should you have to open your luggage, you can do so with the least amount of inconvenience. Also, get a name tag your luggage that way it is easily identified, and given the tag, perhaps easier to locate on a luggage conveyor belt, or within a pile of unloaded luggage from a train or ship.

There is a technique to packing your clothes in such a way to prevent them from getting wrinkled. Go to the following website: 1001 Tips For Travelling and look for the paragraph that begins “Saving Your Clothes From Getting Creased.”

Now you are packed, let’s see to those arrangements.

ARRANGEMENTS: When booking airfare, try using cheaptickets.com. I have used them for years, and have had no complaints. Keep in mind, because it is a website that gets you deep discounts on airfare, there are some strict conditions. You will lose your money if you have to cancel or otherwise change your plans. If you think such a situation might occur, book directly with the airline, so you can make such changes to your itinerary. Don’t be afraid to ask the airline agent if there are discounts; it’s quite possible they do and they may direct you to the website to purchase your tickets to be able to take advantage of them.

For other arrangements, try such outlets as Travelocity.com or Expedia.com if you want to get good rates online. Keep in mind the same non-cancellation rules that apply for airfare could apply in these cases as well. Read all the fine print before handing over your money.

Because of the above reasons, or perhaps because you truly do prefer to make such arrangements in person, you might want to use a travel agency to make your arrangements. Ask someone you trust for the name of a good travel agent. DO NOT simply pick one out of the phone book. Some travel agents are better than others, and some agents are simply hideous. If no one can recommend a good travel agency to you, go to your local Better Business Bureau (or your local equivalent) and see who has won their seal of approval.

Whatever arrangements you do make, get them in writing. Have your itinerary ready to display at the check in counter, just in case there is a question about your ticket or reservation. If the agent or clerk sees you have something confirming your reservation, they can’t argue with you. If something has gone wrong, it then becomes their problem to solve, not yours.

SECURITY ISSUES: Unfortunately, the events of September 11, 2001 have forever changed the rules of travel. Real life agents undoubtedly get passed through security, but we are only James Bond wanna-bes, not the real deal. For us civilians, new, stricter guidelines are in place, and here I often you some helpful websites that lay out the rules for travel by air, land, and sea:
For the latest in airline regulations, go to: Airline Security Measures
For what is required when traveling on a cruise ship look at: Cruise Ship Security Measures
For what you can expect when traveling by train in the United States look here: Amtrack Security Measures.

It is equally necessary to be aware of the violent elements out there. Check with your country’s foreign ministry office (in the US, the State Department), for travel advisories. If you are being told not to travel somewhere, DO NOT GO. No trip, unless you are truly working for your government as a secret agent, is worth your life. In order to protect yourself in case something happens to you or your country while you are away, know the number of your local embassy, and roughly where it is located, in case you have to get to it quickly.

When traveling abroad, ask your travel agent or call the country’s embassy to find out what sort of security measures you can expect at the local airports, train and bus stations, tourist attractions, etc. Without fail, you must follow the procedures, no matter what you might think of them personally. To not do so will inconvenience your fellow passengers, by delaying their time in the security area, and quite possibly get you arrested.

If you are staying aboard for a long time, say as a student studying abroad, or you are temporarily relocating overseas, give your name and address to the embassy as well as an emergency contact number of a family member abroad so officials can contact your loved ones, God forbid something should happen to you. Stay in contact with the embassy and update your information as necessary. That way, if something should happen you are familiar to them, and they are to you.

CURRENCY: A friend of mine once gave me one hundred one dollar American bills to take with me when I went to England for the first time. He thought it might be a novelty to the service staff I would come across to be tipped in American cash. Luckily, I knew better. As soon as I could I changed those dollars for British pounds.

It is never a novelty to pay someone in a currency they cannot use. Have travelers’ cheques with you, and change them into the local currency as needed. Never carry an excessive amount of money on your person. Let’s face it, pickpockets are well trained to know tourists, and there is no reason to make yourself into a bigger target. If they get a little bit of cash from you, it’s bad, but it is not the end of the world. The thieves cannot exchange your traveler’s cheques, and you can always get new ones.

LOCAL CUSTOMS: There are far too many categories and sub categories to list here. I will suggest however getting a guidebook to your destination in order to find out what is acceptable in terms of tipping (and to whom), what is appropriate attire when walking outside (yes ladies, in some countries, you will have to cover your heads), and what to do in houses of worship, whether you are there to pray or merely to look at the architecture.

If you are visiting a friend overseas, about two weeks before you leave, begin an correspondence with them by email or fax asking them what customs you need to be aware of. You should ask them directly about the matters I mentioned above, and ask them to tell you anything you need to know that you haven’t asked. Again, if all else fails, call the embassy and hopefully there is some sort of pamphlet they can send you about what is expected behavior.

Finally, I would like to conclude by asking you to help me write a follow up column to this one. I started my research for this column by attempting to gather information on the best hotels, airports and train stations around the world. I now invite all of my readers to submit their favorites to me, in the hopes that a later JQ column can revisit the topic of travel, and can suggest good airlines, hotels and airports. A long time ago, someone gave such advice to Bond, and now it is our turn to pass on our own advice to each other in order for us to join 007 in the ranks of the well-seasoned traveler.