Travel is a great way to open up your world. Not only is it a fun experience, it educates you about different cultures and ideas, even if it is within your own country. At the same time, travel can be intimidating. This article will outline some tips that will make travelling easier on you, your family, and your friends.
To really get a feel for where you are vacationing, follow the locals. Many top vacation spots start to feel very generic and touristy. By asking around and finding where the people who live there hang out, you will get a more authentic feel for the area, and as a bonus, avoid the price markups that plague tourist hot spots.
Making a friend of the concierge will make your stay at any hotel a much safer and smarter experience. This person should be greeted and tipped like your life depends on it. The concierge has a wealth of information on where to eat, play, relax, shop, and can also; get you out of any bind you might find yourself in while far from home.
While savvy travelers know that buying tickets directly from airlines saves them money, they also know that package deals from online travel agencies are an opportunity to save. By getting a single deal that includes airfare, hotel stay and car rental, a traveler can save money overall, even if certain portions of the package could be bought more cheaply on their own.
When traveling to tropical areas, always keep your dirty laundry in a closed bag. Hotels and homes in tropical parts of the world aren’t as bug-proof as most American homes. Dirty laundry will attract insects, especially ants, meaning that clothing that was simply dirty, is now completely unwearable for the rest of the trip.
When traveling, don’t forget that you can travel by bus to many areas in North and South America. It can be much less expensive than flying and is generally lower-stress for the travelers. Traveling by bus has lost much of its stigma in recent years, with many companies purchasing new vehicles and even hiring security guards to ride along.
If you are traveling with a group, be sure to book in advance. Booking in advance will make it more likely that your group will be seated together. If you are traveling with children, you certainly do not want to leave seating arrangements to chance. Book early and confirm your seating arrangement.
If you’re going on a road trip but don’t have space to keep a cooler, there’s a simple way to make sure you have ice cold water on you trip! The night before you leave, fill some water bottles (but not all the way to the top!) and put them in the freezer over night. Take them on the trip with you the next day and they’ll slowly melt over the course of the day, leaving you with ice cold water.
If you are taking your car to the airport and leaving it there, always make a note of where you parked it. You should write it on a piece of paper or put it in your phone. Most likely when you return from your trip, your memory will not be enough to find it.
If you are traveling by air and have to make multiple stops in airports, take a look around at some of the bookshops. Many airport bookshops now trade in used books. You can take that paperback you just finished on your last flight and get a new one to read, while you wait for your upcoming transfer.
To ensure you receive the most personal and high quality service from your chosen hotel, call at night. The night desk clerks are usually much less busy than those working in the daytime, and are therefore, both willing and able to take you through the steps of securing the best deals.
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.
Don’t stop researching prices after you have booked your flight, rental car and hotel room. You may find that the prices have dropped even further. Be sure to thoroughly read the cancellation policy on your reservations. If you can, cancel your current reservations and book at the better rates.
It is important to be aware of all the ways to make travelling easier. Travelling can enrich your life–do not miss out just because you do not know exactly how to organize it. Use the advice in this article to take the stress out of travelling and maximize your vacation time.
