Essential Gear
3 Day Traveler couldn't make it through a long weekend trip without the following recommended gear. While some items are trip specific, and some are no brainers - a long weekend can't be done without these essentials!
Easy access to an international airport - If your goal is international travel, then this is essential. 3DT's home base is Newark Liberty Airport, with JFK International as a close backup. From these airports we can fly non-stop to places such as Tel Aviv, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mumbai... And the list goes on. If you aren't near a large airport, there are feeder opportunities but they will add time to your trip.
Camera - Don't leave home without it! Depending on your skill level, there are a variety of cameras on the market that can be easy to carry and still accomplish the job. We prefer prosumer cameras. For example, the Canon S90 is a great point-and-shoot camera with the manual features for you to hone your skills with. Or, the Nikon D5000 is a great, brand new SLR camera (interchangable lenses, zero delay) that even does HD Video. Of course, if you wish to maintain a local look and not be a tourist, a compact camera such as a Nikon Coolpix would get the job done as well.
http://www.nikonusa.com
DK Publishing Travel Guides - We recently had a 3 day trip in Auckland, New Zealand, where long-lost family took us on a whirlwind tour of all the sites throughout the city. When we were on the plane to Sydney, we looked at our DK book to see if we had missed anything... But it was all there. The DK books give you such a variety of options and detailed information, it really is like you are being toured around with a local guide. We never leave home without a guide for the area we are going.
http://www.dk.com
Purell & Zicam - Are we paranoid? Maybe. But, we don't want to get sick on the flight out and lose our 3 day trip. And if we're only going away for 3 days, then we probably have something important to do back home too. Protect yourself.
GSM Worldphone - I've used my T-Mobile Blackberry in every country except Japan. And now with the new phones, you can use it there too. And, with T-Mobile's data roaming, you can get unlimited data worldwide for just $20/mo. Cancel it whenever, start it whenever. Compare that to AT&T - which I hear will overcharge you greatly for international internet access. Don't like the charges when using your phone abroad? Pop the SIM card and get a local, prepaid one. Either way you are a winner.
http://www.t-mobile.com
Airline Elite Status - I guess this is easier said than done. Without elite access, you will spend more time in lines, more time boarding... You'll wonder why you took a 3 day trip. Now, with most airlines, you won't get elite access until you fly at least 25,000 miles in a year. But, there are ways around that. The Presidential Plus card from Chase will get you elite access with Continental Airlines and membership to their Presidents Club lounges. The fee is $395.00, which may seem like a lot... But at Newark Airport, 3DT's home base, we routinely show up for international flights less than 90 minutes before departure and have time to spare.
A Plan - More on this later, but every destination will need you to prepare in advance, have a plan, and execute it. Thats why you need 3 Day Traveler!