Airport

Going through the airport scene isn't really all that interesting, but I am always suprised at the lack of preparedness by the passengers. So, I will spare the boring stuff and just impart some words of wisdom.
First of all, know your airport. I left out of Orlando Intl. which is a big tourist destination, just like Vegas or Hawaii. In this type of place, it's important to remember that most travelers are not going to be well-versed in the airport game. It can be frustrating, but if you make sure you have your business sorted out, you won't have to make anyone wait for you.
You can be prepared by:
-GETTING THERE EARLY! Don't chance being late ever, because things can happen on the way and changing flights is a major pain.
-Checking your bags! While it's tempting to take the kitchen sink on board, it is a pain when there is too much overhead baggage and the entire flight has to be delayed.
-Go lean! Too much means too much time to inspect.
-Remember that you have to take off your shoes, so wear some that are easy to remove and put back on.
-Have your documents ready for inspection, along with I.D. No one wants to wait for you to shuffle through your bags looking for your paperwork.
-Be patient. Be early. Be nice. Security is a good thing and it's not their fault if it takes a while. You're life may depend on it.
-Bring dried fruit, nuts and bottle water. The airlines are charging for food these days and airport fare is very expensive.
-Bring a diversion, such as magazine or book and if possible, bring portable music. Don't bring your knitting equipment as they will toss it when you get through security. On that note, don't bring anything sharp at all, not even nail clippers.
-Bring on dollar bills on the flight, it helps the flight attendants, gets your your drink faster and scores you brownie points if you are jostling with your neighbor for the last blanket.
-For the flight, I also like to bring little socks, inflatable pillow, earplugs and eye cover. Especially on long flights. Just some creature comforts that are well appreciated when you are cold or your neighbor is snoring.
-Also, it's good to have a hooded sweatshirt because it can double as a blanket.
-Upon disembarking, let the people who seem to be in a hurry leave before you. They may have a meeting and it's never fun to sit at the turnstile waiting for your baggage anyway. Speaking of baggage, it's good to put some kind of marker on your bag, like a brightly colored scarf or tag. Everyone seems to have a black bag these days and you don't want to get back to your hotel to find that you are loaded up with someone's cricket uniform or Aunti Marge's support hose.
-Finally, don't try to be cute with immigration and customs. It's never fun to sit in the back office for hours trying to explain that you were "just joking" about that time when the national football team lost the world cup.