There is a lot of information available ,on every travel subject imaginable. Wading through all of this information to find the best pearls of wisdom, can be a hard task to take on. Fortunately, we have compiled some of the best information available to make your travels as rewarding as possible.
A useful tip for travelers is to make certain to have sufficient health insurance in place to cover medical expenses in case of injury or illness while abroad. It is often the case that domestic health insurance policies do not provide extensive coverage for treatment and hospitalization in foreign countries. Therefore, it is important to procure such coverage for the entire duration of your trip.
Tip your concierge! Whether it be on a cruise or at a hotel, your concierge will be your go-to guy for reservations, directions and almost everything else! Many concierges have admitted that if someone is willing to tip them well, they will go out of their way to make sure those great tippers, have a fantastic time.
When you travel, it’s tempting to try to pack activities into every spare minute. But you should also plan for some downtime. For example, a three-day weekend in New York City can be crammed with things to do, but why not build in a couple of hours’ ramble around Central Park? It will give you time to regroup, relax, and just enjoy being in your new surroundings.
The advice “don’t drink the water” if you travel to a foreign country is, unfortunately, accurate. However, you can also have intestinal upsets any time you drink water from a place other than where you live, even in the U.S. That’s because the bacterial flora that live in your gut (intestinal tract) are very sensitive to the composition of your own water, in your own area. It takes them a while to get used to water from elsewhere, and in the meantime, they want to push that unfamiliar water right through. So until you get used to the local water, wherever you are, sip slowly or stick with bottled H20.
Before you decide on a travel destination, make sure to read as many user reviews about the area as possible. Finding out what other travelers experienced can save you from staying in a decrepit hotel room, visiting a terrible attraction or eating a restaurant that it out of your budget.
If you are planning a trip with young children, pack a cookie sheet or two. Their flat surface is great under playing cards or coloring books. You can also bring along magnetic numbers and letters if you want to have a bit of educational fun.
If you are going to be traveling I would highly suggest planning your itinerary ahead of time. Many travel agents agree that doing so prevents you from wasting time when you actually arrive at your destination. This is not to say you cannot improvise, however it can and will maximize your enjoyment.
Take advantage of the hotel ice maker when making your next pot of in-room coffee. The ice makers in most hotels are filled with filtered water, while your room only offers tap water. A cup of coffee will taste better if the water is filtered. Fill your ice bucket at night and use the melted ice for your coffee the next morning.
Families traveling with children should consider asking the front desk of their hotel room to take the video games off of the television. You are automatically charged when someone plays the games, and you may not always realize when your children have accessed them. Disconnecting the games will help you avoid any unexpected charges to your bill.
When your travel plans involve a road trip, allocate a “stop” card to each member of your family. You can’t get out at every place that looks fun, but each member of your family should have an equal voice in deciding what attractions you see. If you give each person one “stop” card a day, they know that when they pull it out the family will stop to check out the attraction. This reduces arguing and is fun for the entire family.
Constantly take pictures of your children while you are on vacation. Use your phone if possible, and take pictures when you are going in to any activity where there are large crowds and getting lost might be possible. You then have a clear and current description of your children to give to authorities who are helping locate them.
Set up an account on a “cloud” site and upload scans of important documentation that you may need on your trip. Loss and theft occur quite often during travel in-country as well as abroad. By having documentation stored in a “cloud” location you can easily access them from anywhere you have Internet access.
Alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum while you are traveling. It is fine to have a few drinks yet if you get drunk while waiting for a plane, train or bus you may be targeted by people looking to take advantage of the situation. Always be aware of your surroundings and staying sober will help you do this.
If you are traveling with small children, visit a small hospital beforehand. They can give your child an identification bracelet so that if your child gets lost, their personal information is available. If you are traveling to another country, get the identification tag in the language of the country you are visiting.
Remember to bring all necessary paperwork with you when traveling. Other than your passport and identification, it is important that you bring the name, address and phone number of the hotel in which you are staying. Have it readily available in your handbag or or your carry bag, so you can give the taxi driver the appropriate information.
These are just a few of the many great ideas you can choose to incorporate into your travel planning. Take your time and do not let all of the many preparations you must make, detract from your enjoyment. Keep these tips in mind and your trip will be the best you ever had.
