You have always wanted to find out about, or possibly enhance your current knowledge of how to get the most out of travel and have scoured the Internet for information to help you. The tips and tricks we provide in this article, when followed as suggested, should help you to either improve on what you have already done or help you start off well.
If you’re going to be travelling by air, make sure you don’t put any valuables or electronics in your checked luggage. Luggage handlers aren’t known to be gentle and any electronics may end up damaged during transport. Airlines are also known to lose luggage and you don’t want to take a chance of losing something valuable.
Family and friends can be very gracious in letting you stay in their home, while you are visiting. Show your appreciation by taking a small thank you gift for them. It will show your gratitude and make them more open to allowing you to stay there again, in the future.
Check out user reviews. The experiences of others who have traveled to the same location can be much more helpful than the biased sales information from the destination itself. Also, check out guest-contributed photos, which will be more real and less doctored than the professional photos. Be sure to look for recent reviews, and find ones written by people having similar vacation needs to your own.
For some the road trip is the only way to travel. If you’re going to be taking a road trip do this simple things before hand so you don’t end up stranded half way across the country. Number one, be sure to get an oil change! Number two, have your mechanic give your car a once over before you depart. The last thing you need in the middle of no where are easily preventable mechanical failures.
It can be beneficial when traveling to put together a large group of friends and family to travel with. In a large group, one will be less vunerable to criminals targeting lone tourists who look like ‘easy pickings.’ You will also have the added bonus of sharing your trip with the ones you are close to.
If you will be traveling to a foreign country where English is not the primary language, please make the effort to learn at least a few basic phrases, and make sure your pronunciation is as close as possible to the real thing. If you start out in THEIR language, most non-English speakers will quickly realize that you don’t actually speak their tongue, and will meet you more than halfway in a helpful attempt to communicate. Starting out in English, on the other hand, sends the message that they need to communicate on your terms, which is impolite.
When thinking of the items you are going to take with you on your trip, think about what the weather will be like. You can check how the weather has been in the region for the past week and also look at the forecast. Just make sure you take precautions if necessary, so you won’t be caught off guard, if the weather decides to change.
If you’re traveling with kids, buy each child their own disposable camera. Tell them to take pictures of anything they find interesting. If they fill it up before the trip is over, you can get them another one fairly cheap. Then they’ll have something to remember all the things they liked – you’d be surprised how different the pictures your kid takes are from yours.
Always ask for upgrades. You can’t get it if you don’t ask. No one is going to offer you a free upgrade just because they like your shirt. When you check in with airlines and hotels, even car rental companies, ask if there are any upgrades available. If it is a special occasion like an anniversary, honeymoon or birthday, make sure to make mention of that.
Traveling by bus is an economical alternative to flying, but you should be aware of luggage requirements before packing for your trip. Find out the weight and size limits of luggage imposed by your chosen bus company, in addition to the number of bags you can take. If you are bringing skis, snowboards or other bulky equipment, make sure you comply with the company’s policies. Be prepared to move your own luggage if transferring buses, as most bus companies do not provide this service.
When it comes to exchanging your currency, it is all about location. Do not be a last minute currency exchanger running through the airport to try and get your foreign money. Airports can be a very costly source of currency exchange, and the rates may not be to your advantage. Exchanging should be one of the early things you do in your planning, as it also secures the money you intend for foreign spending.
Before you go anywhere, check if you have any of those extra rewards miles on your credit card. These miles can really help you save money and you might not even know that you have all these reward miles on your car. So next you go anywhere, check your resources.
If you are in an unfamiliar location such as a hotel and someone knocks on your door, do not answer until you have checked them out. Anyone who is coming to see you at the hotel has either spoken to you or been in contact with the front desk. Call the desk and ask for information about the visitor to verify.
To summarize, there is quite a bit to learn about travel. Do not be overwhelmed though, because there is a lot to take in. Depending on your situation, either your continued success or the start of a new challenge is dependent solely on your willingness to learn and also the personal commitment that you invest.
