Monday, 4 March 2013

Use These Tips To Improve Your Traveling Skills

By Domenic Boyack


If you want to travel and do it to the best of your ability, then you want to learn as much as you can about traveling. Traveling is a subject where the more you know, the more you can apply and improve your trips accordingly, so take these tips into serious consideration.

Bring an empty water bottle. We all know that bringing a full bottle of water through security is a big no-no. If you don't want to be stuck paying a premium for bottled beverages after security, bring along your own empty bottle to fill at a water fountain. If the tap water is less than appealing to you, bring a single serve packet of drink mix to add to the bottle.

Before you leave your hotel for a day of exploration, jot down some directions and notes on a stack of index cards which you can consult discreetly for directions. Carry a map, but if you need to look at it, don't just stand in the middle of the street gawking. Go into a caf or restaurant where you can order something to eat or drink and sit inconspicuously at a table to study your map. These steps will help keep you safe in a strange land.

Allow time in your travel plans for diversion. When you are planning events and activities during your trip, separate some of these plans with an hour or two gap in between. This allows for extra time at an event or the opportunity to explore some of the local scenery that you might not see otherwise.

Double check your reservations. It may seem obvious, but there have been many cases where reservations suddenly disappeared from the databases, leaving you and your family with no place to stay. To prevent this from occurring, check with your hotel several times throughout the process to make sure that your reservation is still right where it should be.

When traveling, always make sure you have money and photo ID with you at all times. In the event of an emergency these two items will allow you to access resources that you need. If you take medication regularly be sure to carry a two-day supply on you as well.

When you are traveling you should make yourself aware of the local laws and customs. For example, if traveling to a Muslim country you will not be able to drink, or partake in pornography, which the punishments for such are quite severe. Ignorance is no excuse in the name of the law.

An excellent way to reduce costs on your next travel adventure is to allow for flexibility of your flight date. You can literally save hundreds of dollars just by changing the day of the week you are willing to fly, as some days during seasons of high travel are sure to be packed with excess costs.

If you know you are going to be travelling, purchase tickets for your flight at least two months before your dates of travel. The closer to a departure date that you buy, the more expensive the tickets will be. Waiting to purchase tickets close to a flight will only cost you more money.

Make sure to have all medical information for yourself and your family on hand. If any member of your family has special medical needs, then you need to order medical alert bracelets if you do not own them already. These are the first thing medical professionals should look for and it also can give a point of contact in the event of separation.

If you are going to travel by air, make sure that you order your tickets with the same name that is on your identification. Even the slightest typo can cause you significant delays. If you have an alias listed, it could lead to being denied access to your flight at worst, and at best a lengthy questioning by authorities.

While traveling to a foreign country is an exciting experience, it can also be risky if you aren't familiar with its laws and customs. For that purpose, the State Department of the United States created a website (travel.state.gov) that you can visit to find out a wealth of information on the country to which you are traveling, including facts on crime, health conditions and popular attractions.

Because security does not allow you to lock your luggage, you run the risk of the zippers coming undone and your belongings leaving a trail across the country and around the baggage claim. To help prevent this, use zip ties, which hold the zipper together, but can easily be cut off (with little cost to you) by security, if necessary.

Take your own travel items on the flight. This includes a pillow, blanket, entertainment device and headphones. Bringing these items allows you to be self-sufficient rather than being forced to rely on the airline for your needs. Also consider taking your own food. Airline food prices can be reasonable, but they don't have a very good selection.

Before going out to visit attractions for the day, always ask someone at the hotel for directions. You may have gotten map directions there, but those directions may take you to parts of town that are unsafe. A hotel employee will most likely be able to guide you there in a way that avoids an dangerous areas.

If you are going to take your cellular phone from home to travel abroad make sure you find out if your carrier's network will work in that country. Most large carriers in the US will. You can find out the rates and fees and find out more about what it will cost when you call.

If you are planning to travel to a country in a very different time zone to yours, make sure you factor jet lag into your plans. Having a low key, relaxing first day planned will get your trip off to a good start, and avoid you having to explore when all you want to do is sleep.

So as you pack all your bags and start to plan your itinerary, remember the information found in the tips you have just read. This great advice will help you at every step of your vacation or business trip, from the very moment you set foot at your destination to the return trip home.




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