Safeguarding your important documents is a must and making copies of the originals is a great idea.  But carrying them with you in a small "drive" might not be such a good idea.  Even if these drives come with hardcore password-ing features, they are yey small and could easily slip out of your luggage when you're traveling around the world.  Worse, you could forget when you keep them.

The Travel Stix USB drive is both a 2GB/4GB USB drive, small enough to fit your wallet and big enough to store your emergency travel documents.  How it works:  You print out the emergency travel documents that come inside.  Some might require the aid of a notary public, but just the same, you sign all of them.  You scan these documents and keep them in the Travel Stix USB and they're ready to go with you everywhere you go.  Think of it like an iPod that is filled with the world's best songs but these documents are actually about your identity.

The four kinds of Travel Stix available in the market today contain different documents.  If you will notice, most the travel products today give much emphasis on children—what worried parents should bring with them when they travel such as medical releases, permissions slips, etc.  Not only parents will benefit from these travel products.  They are also popular with coaches and teachers.  While it's important to have extra copies of such authorizations secured inside a Travel Stix, a safeguarded photocopy would also do the job.

But the Travel Stix that is designed for adults might pose some security risks.  The website did not specify the exact documents you should safeguard in the Travel Stix but some other sites strongly suggest that you should store you birth certificate and photos just in case.  The risks are for you to consider.

So far the best way to secure your documents is by using a program like the TrueCrypt.  The program will help you create a volume of encrypted documents in your laptop or USB.

Earlier this month, a 32-year-old German was caught with £45,000 hidden in his underpants when he arrived from Brussels via the Eurostar Train in St. Pancras International station in London.  When confronted by the UK Border Agency (UKBA), the German claimed that the £45,000, which consisted of 500 euro notes, was intended for business.  However, the man was unable to supply ample proof that the money was legitimate.  The UKBA officials seized this horde until he can convince the court with ample proof that the cash was all his.  The man was not arrested, though.

When evidence pointed over 90% of UK demand was connected to criminality, several wholesalers from the British bank extracted 500 euro notes from sale.  According to UKBA's assistant director Peter Avery, the agency is working hard to prevent weapons, drugs, and crime proceeds from leaving or entering their borders.  Avery mentioned that when a large amount of unexplained cash turns up, it might be involved in some sort of a criminal action, and therefore, they have the legitimate power to confiscate the loot until the owner can prove to the court that it is legitimate.

The UK Border Agency is one of the law-enforcing agencies in the YK.  The UKBA's main responsibility is securing the UK border and handling the migration to the United Kingdom through the enforcements of custom regulations.  The UKBA also handles the application and permission to enter the UK borders and stay in the U K for citizenship and refuge.

While most of us are accustomed to arriving and departing from hotels in cabs and rented cars, the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel in Halifax, Canada offers something different—taking the train.  The Canadian hotel is located in the business district city proper and close to the OneLight Theatre, Pier 21 National Historic Site, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Public Gardens Park and Halifax Citadel. The Westin Nova Scotian Hotel is very accessible if you travel with VIA Rail Canada.  But don't worry, the hotel has parking spaces for guests who prefer to travel by cars.

The Westin Nova Scotian Hotel's position offers a magnificent view of the harbor. Its proximity to the boardwalk, soon-to-open Farmers Market, and railway station is also a great advantage for guests who want to take in the scene of Halifax.

The rates are also a steal.  At $250 CAD per night, guests can enjoy the luxurious amenities of Westin Nova Scotian Hotel.  The hotel's restaurants offer the best of what the city has to offer and they have round-the-clock room service.  For the sports and health buffs, the hotel is equipped with a health club, a spa tub, a large fitness facility, an indoor pool, and of course, tennis courts.  For those who yearn for a relaxing and rejuvenating stay, com and enjoy the four star hotel's spa.

The free Wi-Fi connection, meeting rooms, and audio-visual equipment will be very useful for those who need to attend to some business matters.  So the next time you visit Canada, come and stay at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel.

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