It's an sad reality that any journey these days is fraught with potential perils. Travel has always been something of a risky venture, and more people are traveling more places more safely than ever before, and doing it with a degree of speed and comfort previous generations would have found astounding. But even as we've reduced physical risks, new concerns have cropped up. Call them trip-idations.

For starters, there's the blizzard of pre-trip details, the working out of the where, when and how of a journey, getting reservations for times and places you want to visit and at the best price. While it's easier than ever for on-line travelers to connect the dots themselves, how reliable are those connections? As we assume more responsibility for making our own travel plans, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the coordination of details or fixated on what could have been or might be.

Then there are jitters of the journey itself. Separation anxiety or aerophobia aside, trips these days can be unexpectedly taxing. Getting to the airport earlier for flights that might be hours late. Bad weather, canceled connections, faulty documentation, lost luggage or unexpected mishaps, myriad in-transit factors might disrupt your plans. Not counting the inconveniences and uncertainties that might await one on arrival or the way home, the accumulation of trip-idation is easy to understand and important to control. The best advice: Plan carefully and be a vigilant voyager. Anticipate both positives as well negatives. Relax and try to enjoy the journey, no matter what hurdles may arise. The worst experiences make the best stories.