Well, for those of you following my exploits, or who care, I made it home from the Myanmar photography workshop in one piece. It’s taking me a little longer to recover from the jet lag, but other than that, all is well. However, nearly two weeks later, that darned suitcase is sitting there, still packed, staring me in the face. This is not good. I need to take a lesson from the experts at Independent Traveler. I don’t need them to tell me to empty that suitcase, but here are a few of their tips about what to do when you get home from a trip.

Check your bank and credit card statements. Travelers are especially vulnerable to identity theft. Within a day or two of getting home, go online and check your bank statements for things like double charges, missing refund credits or spending that you didn’t authorize. Report any issues immediately. 

Turn off the International Package on your cell phone. If you added this to your plan to use on your trip, be sure to cancel it so that you don’t keep paying it into the next month and beyond.

Deal with your email. The longer you wait to deal with this, the more it will pile up, so take a few minutes to zip through the heap. Turn off any ‘out of office,’ or ‘on vacation’ notices, and don’t forget to send a quick ‘home safely’ message to friends and family.

Take care of your body. Hey, don’t force yourself to get back into the swing of things too soon. If your body’s craving sleep, take a nap rather than forcing yourself to adapt immediately.

Filter your photos. Sort and catalog your pictures while your memories are still fresh.

Check your loyalty programs. Log on a few days after your trip to make sure you’ve received the miles or points you’re entitled to. Hold on to your hotel receipts and/or boarding passes until you’re sure your account has been properly credited.

Start planning your next trip. Planning a trip is almost as fun as taking one. Get rid of those post-trip blues by dreaming about that next journey. Speaking of which, don’t forget to sign up for the BC Non-Profit Black Sea Cruise by March 31, to take advantage of the $150 Early Bird Discount! Call 294-4365 for details.