These helpful tips will help ensure your trip is safer and more enjoyable.

What to pack (on a trip of any length) - What to pack when traveling? An old adage suggests bringing half as much clothing and twice as much money. This is a list of the maximum amount of stuff one should ever need to cart around (and all of it - except for what you'll be wearing - will fit into a single carry-on-sized bag). Eliminate items whenever possible. Minimize clothing by selecting a uniform (one or two) colour scheme. Choose fabrics carefully: natural fabrics wrinkle more easily and dry more slowly than modern synthetics. Learn to "bundle wrap", to avoid wrinkles and save space. And remember that there are two kinds of luggage: carry-on and lost. You can download the checklist here.

Mexico: Despite Violence, Still Safe - Travel Agent Breaks Down Recent Violence in Mexico and Why We Feel It is Still Safe. Not since Hurricane Wilma wiped out Cancun 's resorts and infrastructure in 2005 has Mexico dealt with a public-relations disaster as bad as the one it is battling now. Whereas nature disrupted Mexico tourism roughly four years ago, its crime—and the nonstop coverage of it—is giving the country a bad name in 2009. But is it really unsafe or has the media blown this way out of proportion? complete story...