Traveling can encompass a lot of different things depending upon whom you ask or talk to about it. We all know that it can be fun to travel to a new location, but you should still have a plan so that you do not waste money. Try using the tips below to create a better plan.
Don’t over-schedule your vacation. While it is important to plan some activities, especially ones which require tickets or additional travel, leave yourself plenty of free time. There is no better way to see a location than to just wander around. Take the time to explore and see where you end up.
When traveling, increase your safety and your peace of mind by wearing a money belt. This item is one essential that you cannot go without when traveling, and is barely noticeable to wear. Keep your wallet and your passport safe in your money belt so that no matter what happens, they don’t get lost.
Plan ahead to make traveling with your pet easy. More and more people taking their furry friend with them on vacation, and many destinations are now aware of this and very accommodating. Make sure you contact any hotels ahead of time, both to verify that they allow pets and to find out if they have any fees or restrictions. If you plan on attending any events or attractions where your pet is not welcome, ensure you have a safe place to leave them temporarily such as a doggy day care.
Before departing on a trip, the wise traveler makes sure at least one person back home knows where he will be. This “home base” contact should also be updated with any unplanned changes the traveler encounters on the way. Someone who knows where a traveler is – and where they should be – can be a great help in the case of trouble on the road.
When traveling to a strange city, always be aware of your surroundings. Both, extremely busy and extremely quiet streets, can carry added risk. Tourists who are busy gawking at the sights may turn around to find their wallet gone. Always check to see who is around you and pay attention, if you feel like someone might be following you.
When booking flights for travel, always select your specific seat in advance. This ensures that you will get the seat you want, be it aisle, window, or emergency exit row. It also helps prevent you from getting bumped to standby in the event of an overbooking, since your seat assignment is locked in.
One factor that may not come to mind right away when planning travel is weather. By looking up the weather forecast ahead of traveling, or possibly even before deciding when to travel one will know what to expect. If the weather looks bad, it can be prepared for or the trip even rescheduled.
To make it easier to find your luggage when it comes around, put a very unique tag or marker on your bag so it sets itself apart from all of the others. It can be a scarf, some neon tape, a sticker, etc. Just make sure that it is something bright and obvious.
Check out international fast food chains when you travel abroad! At first this sounds like a silly suggestion that will make you miss out on authentic local cuisine. However, the restaurants of international chains are often localized to cater to the palate of the natives. You may be surprised and interested to see the novelties on the menu at a restaurant you thought was familiar!
If you’re planning on travelling internationally any time soon, make sure you’re prepared for customs inspections and the forms you’ll have to fill out. Have your social security number memorized and keep your passport handy at all times. Find out before you leave your destination what you aren’t allowed to bring home, as your gifts can easily be confiscated.
Flexibility pays when it comes to booking your plane ticket! If your arrival or departure dates aren’t set in stone, you can often times find better deals on tickets. Likewise, if you’re willing to depart from a variety of airports in the area, you can often save big bucks.
When traveling by plane, make sure to wear shoes that are easy to remove. You will be required to remove your shoes to go through security, so wearing slip-on or Velcro shoes will allow you to remove them quickly. Once they come out of the scanner, you will be able to quickly replace them and be on your way.
To avoid jet lag and getting sick while flying, make sure to drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated while you fly will increase your energy levels and combat fatigue. You can always ask for water on board, but it is often easier to buy a large bottle of water after you go through security.
Language is the key to making your trip easier and getting better service. Foreign travel is great fun until you need to ask for something in a location where you are confronted with only native speakers. Learning a few phrases about general things and some specific to service related needs can save you from playing charades when you really need help.
It’s true that traveling can be a lot of fun. That said, you still need to plan to save money and for emergencies. You can always refine your traveling plans to accommodate these things and more. Hopefully, these tips gave you some useful advice on how to create a better travel plan.