If you travel a lot (or even a little) something, sometime, is bound to go wrong. Maybe your flight gets canceled. Maybe your layover is too short, and you miss your next flight. Maybe a hurricane disrupts your vacation. It’s a sad but true fact of life – nothing ever goes exactly as planned.

If you know how to travel smart, however, you’ll find yourself better prepared to deal with life’s little practical jokes.

Travel Trouble 1: The airline sends your bags on a whole different trip than it sends you. The best thing you can do for yourself is to pack a few different outfits and all your essentials (including your medications!) in your carry-on bag. There’s a product called Space Bags – they are your friend. Space Bags allow you to pack more in less space by taking the air out from between your clothes. By being prepared, you’ll still be PO’d when the bags go missing, but you also won’t have to wear the same underwear for three days while you wait for their return from Bora Bora.

Travel Trouble 2: Mother Nature messes with you. I’ve been on three trips now where acts of nature have made things more difficult. Again, it’s the being prepared part that will help you manage the mayhem. For example, I was in Aruba for a week, and knew that a hurricane was rearing its ugly head in the Atlantic. I kept informed about it’s path, and when I realized that it was going to hit Miami – one of the legs on my journey home – I was at the concierge immediately trying to change my flight. I had to wait until the airline would allow changes at no charge, but because I was one of the first to act, I was lucky enough not to be one of the hundreds stranded at the airport. Be aware, and you’ll be prepared!

Travel Trouble 3: Your flight is delayed, which means you’ll miss your connection. I’m not advocating anarchy, but I am advocating that you be your own advocate. The instant you learn that your flight is delayed, take action. The last time this happened to me, the gate agent requested everyone remain in their seat and he would get to each person in his own time to get them reassigned. I said “the heck with that!” and rather then wait, I went to another gate and another agent that didn’t have 200 people lining up waiting to get another flight. Since I took control of the situation, instead of the situation controlling me, I was able to get us the last two seats that would get us to our connecting city on time.

So when it comes to travel be a boy scout (or a girl scout.) Be prepared! Which means, you should always have a book on hand to entertain yourself while you wait for the troubles to get sorted out.