No , locks aren't necessary...and I don't think security likes them. To keep the zippers from separating I always use the large size heavier paper clip and thread it through the two little holes where the zippers meet.
Since a lot of suitcases look alike we put a big neon green strap around the suitcase(made for that purpose). This keeps it together.....but also draws attention.(?) A few times there has been a card on the inside of the luggage telling us that security hand checked it.....but I haven't heard of this happening much lately. Perhaps!???
You will be fine and I KNOW you'll have a great trip.
You are guest in their country and things might be different....but we don't fly "across the pond' to have things like they are in America. It's a fun adventure...
And mainly~~~KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR!

ameelynn, I admire your spunk...where are you going in Italy and have you traveled solo before? If I may ask also,have you been oversees often? I would love to read your trip report...I hope you meet some interesting people..good idea to call them and ask about shortening to two weeks...

ameelynn, glad you're going on your trip to Italy. And you're not alone in your pre-trip jitters.

I'm having them right now. I have a flight tomorrow night, and I feel like I have a ton of unfinished business at home and at the office, which causes me to have jitters. But I also know that once I'm on that plane, there's nothing else I can do, so might as well enjoy my time there.

For your luggage, I agree with the other posters, get a TSA lock if you have to check luggage, and you should be set. When you're on the rails, keep a close eye on your luggage.

You'll do fine on your trip. Have fun, and don't bother cutting back on your time there unless you absolutely have to. And don't worry about not booking tours. I have never found myself sitting around doing nothing while on vacation. Especially Italy. You'd be hard pressed.

And just to let you know I did an enormous amount of research on my trip to New York once, organised my flights and accommodation and paid for them all on my credit card ( I did have the money but wanted the points). Then I pulled out and have regretted it ever since. I didn't lose out financially as it happens but when the date came around when I was supposed to have left I really felt miserable. So I am going to Italy next year come what may and I will definitely plan again for New York in the future. So go and enjoy yourself. Life is too short!

Oh whew! I'm so glad you decided to go. I read down through the thread and almost shouted aloud when I read your decision to go for it.

Pretrip anxiety is common. Don't forget to pack your sense of humor, roll with the punches, savor every moment and please post a trip report when you return!

Hi Aimeelyn - I'm wondering if this is your first solo travel and thinking it's a good idea that you have decided to cut your trip in half....that way you'll know whether solo travel is for you or not...and also will feel better about the money you'll be spending...( I do hope you have taken out travel insurance: never travel without it in case you have to cancel things)....I have done solo travel quite a bit...not because I always wanted to but refused to sit home if others couldn't go - and I always met people to talk to,sometimes went site seeing with other gals I met who were also traveling alone...not difficult to start up a conversation while you are queing on line...or sitting on a bus siteseeing,and a friendly smile and face is a good thing to sport...although I'd be careful at smiling at men in a foreign country LOL!

I did cancel a trip once though. I tend to go by gut feelings...and it was the August that London's subways were attacked by you know who a couple of years ago - I just didnt have a good feeling about going there at that time and waited til the next year - but as a matter of fact I would not fly into London now and know several other people who feel the same way.

Anyway, go by your gut intuition, I think you've done the right thing, and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. (Tip: the hotel concierge's can always give good advice for a good restaurant, or best places to go, or safety tips.

Have a great time.

Nerves. Fear of the unknown. (including possible terrorist attacks) Finances. Leaving your home. These are all emotions that go through my head a few days before I leave.

Mahya didn't go to London because of the terrorist attacks. A lot of people didn't. I did. I was there the whole four weeks taking a course next to Green Park. It was a perfect August in every way. Great weather, fewer people in London, lots of police so I felt very secure after the first two days and very nice locals.

Glad I went.

About luggage security:
We buy plastic ties - available in Walmart - and attach them to our luggage. Noone can get in the luggage without cutting them. Security at the airport can cut them easily if needed.
Usually we get to our destination and they are still intact.
We put blunt small scissors in the side pocket of the suitcase to cut them off - be sure you don't pack the scissors inside the suitcase!

Frankly, you haven't saved any money at all for the trip -- you have merely diverted funds for another use.

<i><b>I could put that to better use paying off some past due debts, getting caught up on bills</b></i>

In such circumstances, I would certainly not be traveling, at least on an ambitious trip.

Ameelyn,

I would tell you to go but if you have past due bills, I would take care of those problems first.

When I am on vacation I don't want to worry about bills and what have you. I don't go on vacation unless I have money to pay for everything when I get back.

Traveling solo is not a problem, I did it for years and without a guide book. I remember my first trip to Venice byself and I had the best time just walking around and being thankful that I was in such a beautiful city.

Good Luck with your decision, if you decide to go have a great time!

I've never done this but I've never planned such expensive trips in comparison to my income. In fact, I've never gone into debt for one penny for a vacation, even when I was young and not earning much. I don't believ in debt except for things that you can't buy without it (which is pretty much only a house or maybe a college education). I've never owed credit card debt in my life, either, because I never buy things I don't have the money to pay for. I think you blow too much money irresponsibly and it's a pattern if you owe any money and you think you need thousands of dollars for Christmas. No one should spend that much money on Christmas presents. I'll admit I come from a family that just doesn't do those kind of things, so it has always seemed odd to me to buy a lot of presents for holidays or go into debt for Christmas presents.

So, I think you need to re-think your fiscal picture and how you spend money, but cutting the trip short if you need do sounds like a compromise. Sort of, as you said, you can't usually change plane reservations that easy and that could cost a bundle. If you just cancel a flight, you usually can apply it to another ticket with a change fee of maybe $100. I think you can get a refund on a railpass if it isn't used at all.

Hi ameelynn:
I would cancel the rent-a-car, there's no pre-booking/cancellation charge, &amp; take the local trains &amp; buses, which are excellent &amp; a great way to meet &amp; see others. Also, if your traveling solo, a better place to stay where other solos stay and are friendly are the hostels. Cancelling within a decent time-frame will not cost any cancellation fees. Third, Do the local tour group route, rather than hiring a driver. And lastly, I can't imagine spending any where near your exuberant $3,000-$4000 in 20 days! The hostels are 20E-25E with breakfast compared to 50-75E, which is nopt going to be much better of a hotel at that price. So I strongly suggest you adjust your plans, and be adventurous as it's incrediably easy to get around in Italy. And Tuscany is a bike-used area were yu can meet and greet eople. One last thing,watch for the 'slow' count at different places, it's where the cashier goes slow in giving you change, and stops, mid-way, hoping you'll think that's it. And the cafeteria-style restaurants, tatotia(?) where they put the food on your plate at the display case, it's sold by weight and they LOVE to pile it on let them remove too much before they give you the plate, otherwise yu'll pay dearly for too much food.

I am really surprised by some of the responses. What is basicly a question about dealing with pretrip anxiety with a side comment about unpaid bills, has opened the door to some severe lectures and pontificating on financial management. Give her a break. You don't know her financial background. Her casual remark about past dued bills hardly indicates someone on he edge of bankruptcy. She obviously has enough financial skills to accumulate the thousands of dollars needed for the trip. The last thing she needs is posters trying to lay a guilt trip on her for going because she has some upaid bills/

Every trip I have made is a spending priority decision. And even those with the pompous attitude do exactly the same thing. Without 300 days of European travel my savings account would be substantially larger, my mortgage could have been paid off sooner, the car payments shorter. etc. ---- And memory bank would be much lower.

So, lets not suggest that any of us knows how to better spend her money. And add to her anxiety.

<b>She obviously has enough financial skills to accumulate the thousands of dollars needed for the trip.</b>

No, she obviously hasn't. &quot;Past due debts&quot; and a big plan for a trip to Italy do not indicate financial skills. She has not accumulated any money. She has accumulated (past due) debts.

Kerouac, you have no idea what she has or has not done. Until I have more information, I will take her words a face value. How can you be so quick to judge on such limited information?

Which of the 3 words &quot;past due debts&quot; do you not understand?

I have no intention of giving advice on your personal financial situation, but I will say MANY people have a &quot;Why did I think up this crazy idea?&quot; type of anxiety a few days before a major trip.

now you know why she only has 7 posts...Ameelynn change your name again..

.I really think it is important to figure in her age(experience) where she was planning to go( if Naples etc.which is not so great for single women),if her itinerary is doable,and if she has gone solo before...
Only then can we can offer advice.She either needs reassurance or a reality check.
Come on people even if you are right ,her finances are none of our business..

To the question posed in the title of this thread... No I have not ever booked a trip then decided not to go myself.

Hello. Thanks to everyone for their comments and advice. As I mentioned yesterday, I have decided to take the trip, but am scaling it back by one week. I just got off the phone with the airline and have changed my reservation. This will allow me to return home a little earlier, and I will be able to apply some of the money from the trip towards bills, etc.

Thanks again.