Traveling should be something to look forward to, shouldn’t it? Of course it should. The problem is, that many of us have had so many stressful trips in the past that a lot of the fun has gone out of it. But what if you could avoid much of the stress associated with traveling? You can; take a look at these suggestions.
When staying at a high-end domestic hotel, bring along your own A/V cable for your laptop. Most hotel rooms at nicer hotels offer free in-room WiFi and a large HDTV, but will then charge a premium for in-room movies. Having your own A/V cable gives you access to your own selection of downloaded movies or an online account.
It might be a good idea to pack a small bag of goldfish or bring a little toy from a fast food restaurant on a flight with you. Even if you don’t have children, there may be some desperate parent that will be so grateful to you for your gift.
Every traveler should know by now that joking around isn’t the smartest thing to do while waiting in check in and security lines any more. Airport personnel are simply too concerned about terrorism to take jokes lightly. Progress through these lines politely and in a businesslike manner. You’re more likely to be treated accordingly.
Make sure you pick a favorable season to enjoy your travels, when possible. You don’t want to travel to somewhere and be stuck in the hotel during your entire stay because of unfavorable weather conditions. If you are unsure when it is best to travel to a given location. ask a friend or look it up online.
If you are leaving children with friends or relatives while you are away on a trip, make sure to leave important papers like health insurance cards and a notarized letter, stating that their caregiver has your authority to make medical decisions. They made need this information if there is a medical emergency.
To save money on baggage fees, you should weigh your baggage before leaving home. You can buy a good luggage scale for less than twenty dollars, and it could help you save big on airline baggage fees. If your bag is over the weight limit at home, it is easy to move things around or take something out, but it is much harder to fix a weight problem once you are already at the airport.
Ask around on the social networks you frequent for any tips or recommendations of the area you’re planning on visiting. You’ll be surprised just what may come up. Ask what the best hotels are, what the best restaurants are, what places of interest you should visit. Friends usually give the best ideas!
If you need a rental car for your trip, ask your travel agent which car rental companies are available while on your travels. There are different companies that serve different cities in the world. Using your travel agent will save you the effort and time, calling around, trying to find the best car and rate.
If you have a guidebook to help you in your travels you can tear out the sections you will be using and staple the pages together. This will lighten the load you are carrying. When you are leaving a place you can leave the used sections behind for other travelers to use.
Utilize the social networking sites before and during your trip. You are sure to get a lot of feedback from people who have made the same trip as you have in the past. They will likely guide you to the best restaurants, landmarks and hotels in the area.
Pack your toiletries into a Zip-lock bag. You will need to do this to get through airline security and it is sure to save you some space in your baggage as well. It will take up less room than the typical toiletry bag and it will help avoid a mess in your luggage if anything was to spill during travel.
Look into the seasonal flight prices. You will be able to find a chart that shows when it is cheapest to fly to different destinations. Plan your trip around peak travel dates and you will likely find that you will save money on the flight as well as the hotel.
Use the online check-in for your flight whenever possible. Airlines continue to cut back on staff and because of this, lines at the airport are getting longer and longer. The online check-in process takes only minutes and often allows you to make seat selections and check baggage as well.
Alright, not every trip is for fun and recreation, and not all of the tips that are mentioned in this article will apply to your plans. Nevertheless, if you make a note to try out some of the aforementioned suggestions, you can be well on your way to having more pleasant traveling experiences, whether your trip is for business, family or pleasure.
