Make a photocopy of the pages in your passport that have your photo and information. When you get the passport stamped in the airport, it’s a good idea to make a photocopy of that page as well, and store the copies somewhere other than with your passport. This will facilitate things if your passport ever gets lost or stolen. Also consider taking a small address book, credit cards, a travel insurance policy, and an international phone card for calling home.
Be discreet when using a money belt—the best option is to buy one that looks like a regular belt, where you can zip the folded bills inside, and don’t do it in open public. A separate passport pouch can be used for documents, but make sure it’s waterproof so it won’t get soggy from your sweat.