Passport-Are you sure you're ready for international travel?

Your bags are packed and you've gone over your travel checklist the third time. You have made sure you have your passport packed and accessible. But have you checked the expiration date on your passport? Your expiration may be months away but did you know some countries have rules that might cause you headaches during your travel. Thailand and European countries for example, require that your expiration date is good six months after you travel. Your passport is good for ten years but with the six month rule, your passport is actually valid for 9 1/2 years in those countries. A good rule would be to renew your passport at the nine year mark. Here is a related article from Travel and Leisure Magazine. Happy travels! -George