A vacation can soothe the soul and leave you renewed, refreshed, and invigorated. Whether you are just now starting to plan your next vacation, or are merely looking for travel ideas and suggestions, it is our hope that this article will be of help to you as you plan your next trip!
Avoid crowds and save money by visiting in the off-season. If you want to be able to enjoy your vacation without having to battle a crowd of people everywhere you go, learn when the popular months are for the location and plan your vacation for the less popular time. Be aware, while it can save you money, in some locations you may have to contend with less than ideal weather.
To save money when booking airline flights, check the round-trip prices — even if you only want to fly one way to a destination. Thanks to quirky airline policies, sometimes it’s less expensive to purchase a round trip to your desired locale than to fly one way. At least if that happens, you can save money by buying the round-trip tickets anyway and simply not take the return flight back.
In areas that offer air conditioning as a “luxury extra” on buses or inside movie theatres, always carry a lightweight jacket or sweater. Instead of bringing the heat to a manageable level, the air conditioning in many of these locations can be overwhelming, especially if you are coming in and out of high temperatures.
As you plan your vacation, don’t be shy about using your frequent flyer miles for a wide variety of traveling perks. Stockpiling your miles isn’t a good idea, because no one knows if they will be worth anything in the future. Go ahead and trade them in for a free flight or anything else that would make your traveling experience a little easier.
When you’re traveling and you’re in need of a taxi, make sure you pay attention to the meter. When you first get into the taxi make sure that the meter isn’t broken, it is properly zeroed out, and it is turned on and off when you get out. Taxi scams are famous all over the world, and in a foreign place it is easy to get scammed. Paying attention to these simple meter tips can ensure you’re charged a proper rate and not swindled.
While Spanish is the lingua franca in most countries in the Western hemisphere, remember that Brazil is not one of them. Brazilians speak Portuguese. If you intend to visit Brazil, learning a little Portuguese can turn out to be a lot of help; learning Spanish will be considerably less valuable to you.
After deciding where you would like to travel, compare the prices offered by many booking engines online for your hotel rooms and flights directly with the companies themselves. Although many booking engines do offer reduced or eliminated transaction fees, you will often get a better deal if you speak directly with the hotels or airlines. You will also receive better customer service.
If you are going to travel to another country you will need to get a passport. This can take some time so it is best to prepare in advance. You should be prepared to answer questions, bring in legal documents to prove who you are, and plan to wait a few weeks or more for the passport to be ready for you to travel with.
Bring postcards from home to show off or trade. Striking up a conversation is much easier if you can whip out a postcard and tell someone this is where you are from. You can also trade these with street vendors for local postcards or other merchandise, especially if you are from a well-known or beautiful city.
Carry a mini notebook with you wherever you go. It is much easier to write the name of your destination and have someone understand you, than it is to make wild gestures while trying to say a difficult town name. Carry the notebook and write in it when you feel necessary. You will be much better understood.
Nothing can dampen a vacation like poor service. Tipping is an important part of service expectations and knowing the customary standards at your destination are important. Research will allow you to appear knowledgeable and generous when dealing with service providers and increase your overall enjoyment. Be frugal but not stingy.
Bring copies of important information with you and leave a copy with a friend at home. In the event you lose your passport, tickets or any important documentation, photocopies can be a help in replacing or verifying the documents. In the event you lose both documents and the copies, your friend at home can get their copies to you as needed.
The travel tips and suggestions that have been presented in this article will help you as you are planning your next vacation. So take away some of the stress of making travel plans, and get started thinking about the fun and relaxing times you will soon be having on your next trip!
