Upon arrival in Europe, hit the bathroom, and get a drink before getting in the endless customs line upon arrival, or even before commencing the sometimes endless wait at the carousel for your luggage if you’ve checked it. This, of course, is another reason for packing light, as those with only carry-on items will be able to skip the luggage claim area and go directly to customs, leaving the heavy packers fuming as the customs lines grow longer. 0 When and if you get to England, obvious as it may seem, slow down and actively practice looking both ways when crossing streets.

The British habit of driving on the left runs counter to years of ingrained habits for most tourists, and every year several are hit by cars. Near misses abound, including several that involved me. Though Brits may snigger at this advice, this is not a matter of intelligence. Winston Churchill, on a visit to New York, was nailed by a taxi after looking the wrong way. Some time ago some genius had the brilliant idea of painting signs on the crosswalks telling you which way to look. Follow these directions; they saved my life once.

- Finally, the best way to deal with the inevitable jet lag is to try to get in synch with the time difference as soon as possible. For example, if you arrive at midday local time, you should attempt to stay awake until reasonably late in the evening rather than taking a nap in the afternoon.