Travel tips help pave road to a better trip by avoiding loss of luggage

Dear Readers: Here are some travel hints to help prevent you from losing your luggage when traveling.

While the problems may be with the airline, airport or service you use, there are some steps you can take to help prevent luggage from being lost:

URemove old flight tags so there’s no confusion about where your bag is going. Check that the correct destination tag is attached — many sound the same: SBS (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and SVS (Stevens Village, Alaska).

UPut identification tags on the inside and outside of every piece of luggage.

UTraveling with expensive luggage can catch the eye of thieves, especially if checking bags for overseas flights.

UDo not leave your bags unattended for a minute! Keep them close, watch them carefully and always count the number of pieces, too.

UGet to the luggage-claim area ASAP and claim your bags right away.

UTake a picture of your bag or clip it from a catalog and keep it in your wallet. If your bag is lost, you can show someone what it looks like. Take photos of what’s packed inside, too.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: While cleaning out a closet, I came across a storage container of Christmas wrapping paper. Since it was just a few rolls and the container took up so much room, I took elastic ponytail bands and put one at each end of the paper so it didn’t unroll. Then I had several large twist-ties, and I used a couple of them to tie all the rolls together. This way, they take up very little space, don’t unroll and can be stood in a corner of a closet. A loyal reader in Montana

Dear Heloise: When I fly in an airplane, the changing air pressure can cause a sharp pain in my ears unless I prepare for the descent by taking a decongestant and using nasal spray an hour before landing. Chewing gum seems to help, too. But for my last plane trip, I decided to chew gummy candies instead. They take more effort to chew, and my ears popped more than they did with the gum.

I hope this helps others who have this problem. The pain and loss of hearing are no fun! Jane, Spring Branch, Texas

Dear Heloise: It has been some time since I’ve seen two of my favorite hints. I am still using them:

•Instead of replacing the twist-tie on a loaf of bread, simply twist the open end of the plastic wrapper and fold back the cuff over the remaining slices.

•My grandchildren always like my mashed potatoes. Simply drain the cooked potatoes, reserving the liquid. Mash them and add your desired amount of nonfat dry milk powder and butter, then add the reserved liquid, gradually, while whipping with a hand-held mixer until the desired consistency is reached. Ellen A. Hills, Solon, Maine

• Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate