Travel is a hobby for some and a business necessity for others. But regardless of your reason for getting from one place to another, there are ways to make it easier and more pleasant, and ways for it to bring stress into your life. Try these great tips for making travel time into a more enjoyable time.
When traveling internationally, do not keep all your valuables in one place. Separate your passport, identifying information and cash and travelers checks from each other. Unfortunately, tourists tend to keep these items together, and in the event that they misplace a bag or are the victim of theft, they lose all their essential documents.
When planning to travel to a country that uses a very different language or even alphabet than your own, it’s a good idea to get precise, up to date information about exactly how to travel to hotel bookings or sites of interest ahead of time. Often, maps or travel guides won’t go into the amount of detail necessary, so make sure to have a custom map which shows everything you’ll need.
When you are traveling, invest in money containers that you can wear inside your clothing or sew simple pockets into the inside of your waist band. If you can not sew, ask someone who can to do it for you or bring it to a tailor or seamstress, and request they sew an inside pocket for you. This keeps your valuables, identification and money safe and you need not worry about someone stealing your travel bag or wallet.
Try to wait until the last minute to book. It may sound counter-intuitive, but waiting until the last moment often frees up deals brought on by companies looking to fill their open slots for low rates. A hotel room with no one in it does not provide revenue, so many last minute visitors can request, and get, great deals.
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.
Don’t take sleep aids until you’ve taken off. If you use sleep aids to help you get through a long flight, wait until after you’re airborne to pop the pill. If you take them earlier, you run the risk being unbearably tired if your flight is delayed or you have to deplane and take a later flight.
Never put your home address on your luggage. When filling out the information card on your luggage, use your business address instead. If you do not have a business address, leave it blank. If you happen to leave your luggage somewhere, only give your contact information to the hotel or airline staff.
To save money you want to plan your trip as far in advanced as you can. Both plane and hotel tickets will most likely be cheaper if you purchase them months before your trip takes place rather then a couple of weeks before. You can use the money you saved to enjoy yourself better on your vacation, or you can save it to go on another.
When you get to your hotel, check the alarm clock. In some cases, the last person who stayed in the hotel will have previously set the alarm. If you do not wish to be awakened at four in the morning, you may want to double check the all the alarms.
There are lots and lots of cruise lines offering fine travel packages in the Caribbean. Some are more memorable than others, though: Consider a barefoot windjammer cruise as an exciting alternative to a more modern, conventional cruise ship. Visiting the islands of the Caribbean powered along by wind and the tides is more romantic than steaming around them on a massive cruise liner.
Avoid rush hours of any city when travelling by car. Try to plan around those hours. It’s a great time to grab something to eat and let the kids run off some energy for a bit.
Everyone can’t afford to stay somewhere like the Ritz, but you may get stuck staying in a hotel that’s below one star. Bring a doorstop with you when staying in a hotel that makes you uneasy. In addition to chaining and locking your door, you can slide it under your door for extra protection from intruders. While intruders can easily break the lock or chain, getting into the room is next to impossible with a door stop firmly lodged beneath the door.
Hostel living is a great way to travel. You can stay at hostels all over the world as you travel in continent or abroad. Most will allow you to stay for free, while others charge an extremely small fee or have you work a bit for room and board while living there.
Reading online user reviews can be a great way to find out about your vacation destination. There are various sites available, with multiple reviews from both travel professionals and every day people. Reading a few reviews can help you find the best hotels, most popular restaurants, and great out of the way places to consider visiting during your travels.
If you are traveling in a car, take a bike with you. A bike will help you get exercise after a long day in the car, and it can also help you learn a little about the place that you are in. You will also be able to see more local landmarks than you would have in the car. Try to fit the bike in your trunk if possible.
Smart travelers have a smart routine that keeps their travel plans running smoothly and that makes every trip, no matter where or why, as easy as possible. Tips like the above can help everyone travel smarter, from the most world-weary traveler to the fresh-faced new traveler setting out on his or her first adventure.
