I am very proud of the travel packing lists on the AWR website.  I feel that they are very complete, apply to everyone, and are easy to read.  But, that's not to say they are the be-all-end-all.  Here are few more words of wisdom when packing for your trip.

Airline Tickets

Make sure the names on the tickets match your passport.  This is getting tighter and tighter every year.

Credit Cards

Some credit cards charge high fees and ugly conversion rates for international purchases.  Check with all of your credit cards to which ones are best for international travel.  Rumor has it that Capital One cards and Charles Schwab cards have the lowest fees.

Copies of travel documents

Make a copy of all travel documents and any personal documents you have (passport, credit cards, etc.), and leave one copy with someone at home, swap copies with a travel companion, and put one copy in your email or Google Docs. I always make a copy of the back of my credit cards as well since that is where the phone numbers are located.

Wallet

Wallets are the first things to get stolen, so leave them at home and put everything in a money belt.

Shoes

Flip flops are small and lightweight and can be very pleasant in a not-so-pleasant hotel bathroom.  Also bring newspaper plastic bags to store shoes in case they get muddy.

Photograph everything

Take a picture of everything you have packed.  If something is stolen, you have a record for your travel insurance.

Packing

Use a packing cube or envelope to make all your clothing smaller, more organized, and less wrinkled.  I used to ignore this piece of advice, but I am sold on them now. If you are afraid of things getting stolen out of your luggage, check out PacSafe bags.

Clothing

Morino wool shirts are very comfortable and dry quickly.  Jeans do not dry quickly and are heavy.  Sarongs are great at the beach and also as a shawl.  Bring a clothes line, sink stopper, and detergent and cut your clothing in half.

We highly recommend travel insurance for any trip you take.  You just never know what is going to happen before or during a trip.  Many people do not realize that travel insurance covers things like your hotel if your flight canceled or delayed, lost or stolen baggage, and trip cost if a family member becomes hospitalized.

There are many travel insurance companies, and the coverage varies in subtle ways.  When picking your travel insurance, check the coverage that applies to you.

Hurricanes, earthquakes, and mudslides

No one could have predicted that a mudslide would shut down the train to Machu Picchu or that Haiti would be devastated by an earthquake.  Will your travel insurance cover you?

Rental cars

With most travel insurance companies and credit cards, this is "secondary" insurance.  This means that they will cover whatever your regular auto insurance does not cover.  Travel insurance with "primary" coverage is better if you are renting a car.

Purchase quickly

If you purchase your travel insurance within days of your initial deposit, many extras are included like pre-existing conditions and terrorism.  Read the fine print!