Once you’ve decided what you wish to do and where you want to travel to, there are several important tasks that will prepare you for your journey.

Of course it’s vital that you ensure that your passport is up-to-date and isn’t likely to expire before you are due to return. You should also make sure that you have the required visas and appropriate travel insurance.

One of the things that helps me to prepare for a journey is to research my destination and other places that I may visit on the way. I don’t just mean finding out about the best hotels and restaurants (although I do that too!); I mean looking into the local culture, seeing if there are any environmental issues and getting to know something about the local political climate.

Taking time to learn something about the places that I intend to travel to helps me to settle in much more quickly, alerts me to any local problems and helps me to be aware of local customs. I also like to become familiar with enough of the local language to get by during the first couple of days of my visit. Even just knowing the words for hello, please and thank you can make a big difference to how you are seen by the locals.

Time invested before the journey can pay huge dividends and make your trip so much more enjoyable.

Although there is increasing awareness of the impact that tourism can have on our environment, tourist travel continues to grow year on year.

Tourism can be a powerful force for conservation, there are more than 5,000 national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserves around the world. Many of these resources are heavily dependent upon the tourist industry for their financial security. However, tourism can also be the cause of significant environmental damage. For example through CO2 emissions and the damage to to local species and habitats. In parts of the Mediterranean region turtle nesting sites have been destroyed to make way for hotels and other developments.

The travelling light philosophy means that we travel with responsibility, we aim to have the minimum impact on the environment and we respect the local traditions and culture of the places we visit.

I encourage you to think globally but to support locally by avoiding taking unnecessary items on your journey, by choosing the most appropriate mode of transport and by immersing yourself in the local culture and environment. If you must leave a footprint behind ensure that your footprint benefits the local community and economy.

You may have heard a lot about the Kindle which is a small, dedicated machine with a few extras. The Kindle is designed to be the reader for your ebooks purchased from Amazon. You’ll get a discount on the ebooks but with the cost at $399 will take you a considerable period of time to recoup your investment; even with discounts off the latest titles to hit the bookstores.

There is one other major limitation with the Kindle and that is the fact that it is currently only available for distribution within America. The ASUS Eee offers a viable alternative.

The ASUS is a full sub-notebook PC. You have WiFi installed so you can connect to the Internet at any WiFi hotspot in the world. It also includes an Internet browser. Firefox is the browser on the Linux-based one and you will find that is very much better than Internet Explorer. You can call your friends using Skype. The ASUS Eee has integrated microphone and speakers as well as a webcam so there is no need to carry around loads of extras.

So, you have your toothpaste, your cereal bars, suntan lotion and so the list goes on. The final thing would seem to be the digital camera and the portable computer. Why the portable computer? you might ask. Very simple really the screen on the camera is too small to get a good look at the pictures to make sure they will look OK.

Do you really want the hassle? Do you really want to be looking after it all the time? You see the problem is that the value of a computer is not the price you paid for it. It is not even the cost of the software you loaded onto it. It is the price of replacing the data you put into it. Some pictures are irreplaceable.

Some photos that you have kept on your hard drive to remember people or places long gone cannot be brought back. I always tell people taking a portable computer with them on their travels to make two backups of the data.

The first backup is to take with them to restore something that was accidentally deleted. The second backup is to be kept at home so that the data can be recovered again.

The weight, the replacement time and effort and everything else will say don’t take your portable computer with you. Until now there was not really another option. But now you have the ASUS Eee.

It will allow you to look at the pictures you have taken. To clean off the hair or grease that has clouded the lens before it ruins all the holiday snaps. It will allow you to have a copy of the pictures you have taken in case your camera and memory cards are stolen.

The ASUS Eee is small (the maximum screen size is 8.9 inches) and light (less than 2 lbs). The ASUS is not so easily damaged as a conventional notebook as it has a solid-state hard drive. The drive may be small but it is harder to break then the spinning disks of a standard notebook drive.

The ASUS Eee comes with a choice of operating systems either Linux or Windows XP You can have either a Microsoft Works suite or, my preferred set up, the OpenOffice suite. Either will allow you to write using the word process, calculate spreadsheets and perform database transactions. The OpenOffice suite does have the advantage of allowing you to produce presentations and they can be saved either in OpenOffice format or in Power Point (pre-2007) format. I cannot really imagine someone preparing a major presentation on the small screen of the ASUS Eee.

While travelling, the ASUS Eee and a good supply of high capacity memory cards and there you have a recipe for an easier and more enjoyable journey. We do not need to fight our way through airports with a heavy computer. The ASUS Eee is small enough and light enough to use on the airplane while you are flying, but do remember to switch off the WiFi as it may well interfere with the airplane’s systems.

The ASUS will allow you to surf the web and to use Skype to make international phone and computer to computer calls.

So look out for the ASUS Eee and get to realize how much easier it can make your travels. Less stress and more relaxation, isn’t that what every one of us needs?

Just like anyone else, even the most experienced business traveller can get into the habit of carrying around far more than they need. Obviously the business traveller’s main focus is the success of their business trip, travelling light may be low on the list of priorities. However a little thought and organisation can mean that they do not have to carry around unnecessarily cumbersome luggage.

Carrying around too much luggage is not only inconvenient it can also hit you in the pocket. Many airports have tightened up security which means more luggage checks and the majority of airlines are now imposing substantial fines for overweight luggage. So rather than suffering the extra hassle and falling foul of the rules and regulations here are a few tips to ensure you travel light for business:

Ensure you choose the correct luggage, some bags are actually heavy without any contents! Pick luggage that is light yet strong - you don’t want it falling apart. Bags with good lockable outside pockets are particularly useful as you can store things you may need to access quickly and easily. The pockets being lockable ensures your items are stored away and there is less chance of your bag being interfered with.

Wear a travel suit that is designed for the purpose, will remain relatively crease free and can be ironed and pressed quickly. With the advent of modern crease resistant materials there is now a great choice of specially designed lightweight travel clothing that is also of smart appearance. Hanging your travel suit in the bathroom in steamy conditions will often remove any creases and save you valuable ironing time!

Try and use flexible outfits by combining jackets and trousers that can be worn with a number of different shirts/blouses and shirt/blouse colours. Using neutral colours to base your outfits around means you instantly have a few different combinations and saves you having to bring multiple heavy and space consuming outfits. Accessories such as ties and scarves can be used to change the outfit and give it a different look whilst still maintaining high professional business dress standards.

The most effective packing method is to roll clothing in to neat bundles, this allows to pack smarter, not only will you benefit from the increased storage space created but it will help your clothing to avoid wrinkles that in turn saves you time in having to press the items again. Remember to stuff small items of clothing such as socks in to your shoes; both saving space and preventing your shoes from becoming squashed and pushed out of shape.

Use travel sized items for your trip, the small travel sized items of toiletries tend to be noticeably smaller than the regular size meaning more space.

With the ever increasing security at airports you will be asked to produce your travel documents and have your bags checked and x-rayed at the designated check points and possibly be subject to random searches from the security authorities. So, make sure all your important documents and items that will need to be inspected are easy to access. This prior planning will hopefully mean you enjoy a smooth passage through the checks and do not misplace anything.

Carry your important documents, any medications, toiletries and one change of clothes in your hand luggage just in case your luggage gets lost. Avoid carrying any documents, credit cards and personal items that you do not need, if you loose them you will have the additional burden of taking to deal with all these issues.

Travelling can be simpler and go smoother if you create an effective system and follow it consistently.

So, how do you fit an entire trip’s worth of luggage into just one small backpack or suitcase?

Speaking from personal experience, I can tell you that it took me a while to figure it out. But eventually I discovered the answer is to take very little.

Before you put anything anywhere near your bag, try this excercise…

Collect everything you think you might need in one place and then lay it all out on your bed or on the floor.

Select each item individually, examine it carefully and ask yourself a few questions:

1. Is this item absolutely essential?
2. Will I definitely use it?
3. Can I justify carrying it with me for the entire journey?
4. What would happen if I don’t take it?
5. Will the same or a similar item be easy to acquire locally during my journey?
6. Can this be replaced with a disposable item I can buy locally?
7. Regardless of my budget could I buy it locally and then sell it or give it away before moving on?

My advice is not to pack for the worst scenario, but to pack for the best possible scenario and to be prepared to buy, or negotiate, yourself out of any jams.

If in doubt, leave it out. Why carry an entire season’s supply of toiletries, when you can buy cheap supplies locally? Let’s face it, the world is becoming smaller and smaller; you can buy many of the most popular brands just about anywhere - unless you are in the most remote areas.

If you find yourself completely stuck, check out one of the major international hotels and I can virtually guarantee they will have that personal item that you couldn’t find in any of the local shops.

If you can’t find one of your essentials, ask yourself: “What do the locals use?”

Whether you’re travelling for ten days or a whole year, pack the same things. Just take enough to get started and look forward to the opportunity to run out of something. After all, that will provide you with the perfect excuse to go shopping in the local stores, markets and souks. You can practice your haggling skills over a bar of soap!

Travelling light requires you to be resourceful and to use your creativity and problem solving skills. It’s about having fun, freeing yourself of unnecessary burdens and enjoying the journey.

The majority of the travellers luggage is clothing and, therefore, it makes sense to invest time in choosing the right quantity and type of clothing well in advance of setting out on our journey.

Be prepared to pack less and wash more often. Every few nights you may need to spend up to 10 or 15 minutes doing a little wash. It’s not about doing more washing; it’s about doing it little by little as you go.

Dark clothes that dry quickly and either don’t wrinkle or look good wrinkled make an excellent choice when travelling light. To see how wrinkled your clothes may get, give everything a wet rehearsal by hand-washing and drying at least once at home. Be sure to check labels for washing instructions.

Drying clothing overnight in your hotel room is relatively easy, many hotel bathrooms have heated towel rails which make great drying racks. Look out for the ubiquitous trouser press, which is standard issue in even the cheaper hotels these days, they can both dry and press damp clothing.

Be sure to plan well ahead, choose the correct type of clothing for your destination. There’s no need to take a complete wardrobe that covers all four seasons. Check out the the type of climate in the region that you’re visiting and pack accordingly.

Leave space in your bag for new clothes, it’s fun to buy clothes as you travel and yet another reason to start your journey with less.

My best advice is to go casual, simple, and very light. Remember, in your travels you’ll meet two kinds of tourists: those who pack light and those who wish they’d packed light.

Travelling light is as much a philosophy as a it is a way of travelling. Travelling light is first and foremost a learning experience. Through travel, we can learn about the culture and territory that we visit and we can also learn a great deal about ourselves. Travelling to remote and unusual places, far from the typical and well-traveled tourist destinations, can rekindle our spirit of adventure and renew our sense of perspective in our daily lives.

The further we travel from the beaten path the more we will encounter places which are highly sensitive to outside disruption and exist in a delicate cultural or environmental balance. As travellers, we each hold a responsibility to protect and maintain this balance.

Understand and Observe Local Customs: Familiarise yourself with the culture and customs of the countries and regions that you visit and respect them. Other cultures may take offense to certain innocent and unassuming gestures. For example, in some societies people do not wish to be photographed without their permission.

Support the Local Economy: Staying in locally owned establishments will give you better cultural exposure to the region and it is of direct economic benefit to the local community. Try to avoid the corporate chain hotels, which often channel profits out of the region or country. Enjoy the local cuisine. Why waste your taste buds on totally familiar foods you can eat at home and are not indigenous to the area. Enjoy the provincial fare which supports the local restaurants, growers, fishermen, wineries, and other suppliers.

Be Patient and Positive: Remember that travel means unfamiliar languages and unusual surroundings. Expect the unexpected. Try not to get frustrated and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Courtesy is usually responded to with kindness. Delays, detours, and other inconveniences will occur. Be patient, be positive, and remember to smile!

Packing light has a number of distinct advantages:

If you are able pack everything you will need into a small case you’ll able to take all you luggage into the cabin as carry-on.

This means that you won’t lose your luggage, your bag won’t get thrown, dropped or otherwise damaged, and, if you have a tight connection, you won’t have to wait for your luggage at one of those terrible carousels!

Additionally, if you need access to anything, such as a change of clothing, during your journey you have everything at hand.

It’s a great idea to make sure that your luggage is as small and light as possible. It’s often necessary to carry luggage over long distances, especially at airports when the gate is usually several miles from the departure lounge!

The lighter and more compact you can make your luggage, the less time you’ll need to spend fighting with your bags, the less you’ll need to keep track of, and the less you’ll have to worry about.

When you arrive at the other end it makes it so much easier for your onward journey when you travel light. For example, some remote towns use motorcycles or rickshaws as taxis. Imagine trying to hold onto a number of huge bags on the back of a motorcycle or a bumpy rickshaw.

Or imagine how much easier it is to run to catch a bus, a tram or a train when you’re carry a small light bag.