Thursday, March 28, 2013

Traveling To Exotic Or Not So Exotic Locations

By Shirely Bergemann


For many people, traveling is one of life's greatest joys. While traveling to a new destination is fun for almost everybody, the headache and stress of making travel plans are felt by many people. This article contains a number of tips on how you can make travel plans easier and faster.

If you have questions about the hotel, the best time to call is around midnight. The people working the desk most likely aren't busy and will be able to give you their full attention. If you call during the day, most likely they've got people there in person and others calling on the phone to distract them.

Don't rule out cruise travel entirely just because you are prone to motion sickness. Cruise ships especially, are really big hotels on the water and little to no movement is felt while aboard except in the roughest seas. Book an interior cabin as close to the center of the boat as possible for the smoothest ride possible.

When you're taking a trip that requires a passport or any type of paperwork for that matter, make sure that you have a second copy available. Go to your local photocopy shop and make a copy of all of your documents. This is a great way to stay safe, even if you lose your original documents or if they are stolen.

When planning a trip, don't count on a single booking website to show you the lowest fares. Compare prices across a variety of sites, including meta-searchers if you can find them. Also check with the airline and hotel directly, as they may actually be able to offer you a better rate than the website.

To get the most relaxation while you travel, make sure to bring things to do in your down time. People often think that a vacation means they will be on the go the entire time. In reality, there is time to unwind at night, waiting in lines, and during travel time. Bring a book you have been dying to read and see how much you can accomplish.

Pay attention to the extra things your airline is charging you for. Most airlines are charging you for every bag that you check in. One airline is even charging people to use the restrooms on certain flights. Make sure you have enough money to cover these expenses, or consider using another airline that does not charge as much.

Before spending hundreds of dollars on a plane or train ticket, consider traveling by bus. Especially for regional trips, you may find the bus is a very economical alternative that adds very little to your travel time in comparison. Often times bus tickets are thirty dollars or less, giving you more money in your pocket to spend.

Before travelling, make sure you check the projected weather for your destination. You don't want to be stuck with nothing but winter clothes during a heat wave or only shorts and tank-tops during a blizzard. Purchasing new clothing while on vacation may not only be expensive, but you might not have room in your luggage to take everything home with you!

Make sure you keep your receipts. Saving receipts and keeping them organized while traveling is always a smart idea, especially if your trip is business related. Not only is it a good idea for financial reasons, they can also serve as a journal of sorts and can even make nice mementos from your trip.

You should take any opportunity to avoid dealing with customer service at the airlines that you can. Airlines are beginning to charge fees for almost anything. Fees for checking your bag at the airport instead of online, handling fees and some are even considering charging for using the bathroom on the plane. You can't avoid the latter if it happens, but anything else you can take care of, without a human to help you, should be done.

Keep prescription medicine in their original bottles. While space is often at a premium when packing, it is important to keep your medications in their properly labeled containers, especially when traveling internationally. Each country's drug laws can vary, and if you are prescribed a narcotic (which are more closely regulated), get a letter from your doctor to avoid potential legal troubles.

You can save yourself a lot of time and avoid hassles by traveling as light as possible. If you just take carry-on luggage and don't check any bags, you won't have to waste your time standing around the baggage carousel after your flight and you'll never have to worry about the airline losing your bags.

Inexpensive travel can seem nearly impossible today. Gas prices are astronomical, and airlines are too expensive for many people. You can still travel cheap if you are willing to take a bus or travel in a car pool with other people. You can search in advance for inexpensive destinations that will make your travel expenses less.

To wear adapted clothes while traveling, look up the weather in advance.

As a traveler with a disability, you should be careful to take time to research the countries you intend to visit. Some knowledge of the infrastructure, modes of travel, types of architecture, and cultural biases you may encounter will be invaluable to you in planning a happy and successful trip. You can find information online or in book or audio formats.

Keep hand sanitizer in your purse or pocket. When traveling, keeping hand sanitizer with you is a great idea. If you go through a lot of it, considering buying small reusable bottles. Buy one of the larger sizes of hand sanitizer and just continue refilling the small, reusable bottle.

They just vary in terms of location, costs, activities, and more. All it takes to decide what will work for you is some research, browsing, and asking around to get the best deals so that you can focus on the excitement of the trip.




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