A stocking full of tips for Christmas trips

Between travelers taking vacation and those heading home for the holidays, these next three weeks are generally the busiest travel period of the year. Although 2000 has been the worst year on record for airline delays, there are still steps holiday travelers can take to help ensure that Santa's helpers and their gifts arrive on time.

Flight delays and cancellations are a constant possibility, especially when the weather's bad, when diversions become a third possibility. Furthermore, labor problems threaten to interrupt regular operations at several carriers. Delta has already announced the cancellation of 100 flights for December, and United, an employee-owned airline, also is bracing for a holiday action by several unions.

That's why when they make their reservations, savvy travelers always make sure to give the airline a phone number or e-mail address for them so they can be easily reached with any early news of schedule changes. They also make a point to double-check the status of their flights and their seat reservations, either online or by calling the airline directly, before leaving for the airport, no matter what the weather looks like outside. A storm anywhere on an airline's system can play havoc with routings.

Whenever possible, ask the airline or travel agent to send a paper ticket rather than an e-reservation, which can be difficult to change and transfer. In addition to tickets and other travel documents, always take along three cards -- a government-issued photo ID, a credit card and a telephone calling card.

Anticipating longer lines at ticket counters and security areas, resist the urge to check in at the last minute, and bring plenty of reading material. If traveling with small children, take advantage of pre-boarding services and bring along a quiet toy or new book for them. If visiting relatives, use travel time for a quick lesson in family history. Food service being what it is on planes these days, bring along emergency snacks and water.

Other tips:

If carrying fragile or unusual gifts, be aware of tighter restrictions regarding the size and number of carry-on bags, especially when planes are flying full. Since you can be asked to open any package at security, it's wise to leave one end of the box untaped until you arrive. Also know that toy weapons for children may create extra problems.

As far as checked luggage, make sure every piece is properly identified with your name and address, as well as the airline's destination tag. To be safe, put a contact number for where you're going inside the bag, too. When retrieving your luggage, check your name tag to make sure the bag is really yours. There's a chance someone else also marked their bags with a sprig of jingle bells and holly.

Finally and above all, try to travel with a jingle bell spirit, relax and be courteous. It'll go a long way to helping everyone have a safe and pleasant journey.

Readers Paul and Kim Vaccaro recently wrote with a question about electricity:

"Our daughter will be traveling to Ireland in January to attend the University of Cork for a semester. What type of electric adapter will we need to purchase to allow her laptop computer, hair dryer, etc. to work in Ireland?"

Foreign current can be as confusing as foreign currency. Electrical currents, voltage levels, even wall plugs vary from country to country around the world. For the unprepared, this can be frustrating, even dangerous. To help simplify the situation, here are a few points on plugs and juice:

Electrical current around the world is generally delivered at either 110 volts, like at home, or at 220 volts, as it is through much of Europe and Asia. Running an appliance on the wrong voltage will fry its circuits. Even AC can present problems. In the United States, current alternates 60 times a second; in other places, it cycles just 50 times. While that won't be a problem for modern electronic equipment, it causes appliances that use current as a timing device, such as a plug-in clock, to run slowly. And while 220 volts is standard in many electrical outlets around the planet, in a few major countries such as Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and India, that power might be direct current (DC), which presents a different set of conversion problems.

Whether you can use a particular electrical device depends not only on where you're going but on what kind of appliance it is. In general, plug-in devices can be divided in two categories, electric and electronic.

Electric products with simple heating devices and universal motors, such as hair dryers and irons, can generally be run with a power converter that either steps up the voltage to 220 or steps it down to 110. Simple electricity converters can be bought in a variety of sizes at computer, travel and department stores. The wattage of the appliance you'll be using will determine what size converter to get. Appliances rated to draw more than 25 watts require a bigger converter. Also, converters are only meant to be used for a relatively short time. A basic transformer and plug kit costs about $20; heavy-duty units can cost considerably more.

Power transformers, on the other hand, are necessary for electronic appliances that have integrated circuitry or computer chips, including power tools. Like converters, transformers step the current up or down and come in a variety of sizes based on how many watts of power the appliance requires. Transformers are more expensive thanconverters, but they can be used for longer periods of time.

It's worth noting that battery chargers on many laptop computers and camcorders are designed for dual power, and will automatically adjust to the local current, assuming, of course, you also have the proper wall plug.

In addition to different currents, the world also has five basic, ungrounded (two-prong) electrical plug configurations, as well as eight different ones for grounded plugs (three prongs).

The configuration we use, two flat, parallel prongs, is found throughout the Western Hemisphere and Japan. But most places in Europe require plugs that have two round prongs. There are exceptions. In Britain and Ireland, plugs have two oversized round prongs, while in Australia, New Zealand, and much of the South Pacific, plugs have two flat prongs but set at angles. And in many countries, the plug configuration varies from area to area. Grounded plugs are a whole other issue. Inexpensive kits with a selection of common plug configuration adapters can be purchased the same place you buy power converters and transformers.

Confused? Here's a basic rule for plugs. Since the two-pronged American system is used in Central America, the Caribbean, South America and Japan, U.S. travelers need only be concerned about buying adapter plugs for visits to Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceana.

Franzus Corp., which manufactures a full range of electrical conversion and adapter devices, publishes a free brochure listing 147 countries and their plug and voltage systems. It's available by phone at 800-706-7060 or online at http://www.franzus.com/.