Traveling is meant to be a relaxing vacation, but without proper planning, travel can make you more stressed than your normal daily life. This article has easy to follow tips on how to make any kind of traveling fun, simple and stress free. Be prepared before you leave, by reading this advice.
TO ensure you have a pleasant and safe traveling experience, make sure your health insurance is valid in the country you’re traveling to. Doing this will make you feel more secure, and make it easier to enjoy your trip. It could prevent big problems down the line if you do fall ill.
In countries that you travel to, be aware of the cultural view of how questions are answered. In some places, especially India and Asia, it can be considered very rude to tell someone that you don’t know the answer to their question. Others may simply answer “yes” to any question asked in English. Pay attention to doubtful body language.
When booking your hotel stay, pay attention to cancellation policies and fees for date changes. Prepaying for a cheaper rate only benefits you if you can definitely travel on those dates. If you might have to change dates, you can save more money by paying a higher rate at a hotel with a more lenient cancellation policy.
Limit the amount of luggage you take on your trip to a carry-on bag. Luggage has a nasty habit of getting lost in airports. Even if it does not get lost, you often spend an annoying amount of time waiting for it to show up on the luggage carrousel. Limiting the luggage you take to a single carry-on bag will eliminate this problem entirely.
If you travel a great deal for work, the constant change of venue and planes can be exhausting. Make it a bit easier on yourself by always requesting the same seat when you book a flight (“9A, please, or right over the wing.”) Actually, over the wing is a good spot because the plane tends to be most solidly anchored and less susceptible to vibration. That way, you will feel as though you’re sitting in “your” seat on the same plane back and forth, and you’ll also be accustomed to working in that particular position (window at your left, etc.)
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.
Traveling to a foreign country can be fun, but not knowing what the locals are saying is not. Carry a small book of common phrases and translations to help you on your trip. This can really help when you need to ask for directions or book a hotel room for the night.
Look for “nonstop” rather than just “direct” flights. Nonstop flights, as their name implies, make no stops before arriving at the destination, whereas direct flights may stop at other airports on the way to the final destination. Although you are not changing planes, the stops you make on a direct flight can lead to many unexpected delays.
As you make your travel arrangements, consider using the bidding features that are available on several websites to secure your hotel accommodations. You can bid on hotel rooms at drastically reduced prices, but you don’t know which hotel you are staying at until they charge your credit card. You can often get at least 50 percent off the regular rate of the room using this method.
When traveling by car in the winter, it is best to pack a safety kit. Make sure you have the essentials for a safe road trip. You should have a cell phone and charger, tow rope, jumper cables, ice scraper, first aid kit, sand or cat litter, which can be used to help with traction, flashlights, matches, blankets, emergency candles and a portable radio, in your safety kit.
When flying, always try to pack light. Mix and match outfits and pack only the essentials when possible. Packing just one suitcase means less baggage to carry through busy airports and security. It also means more cash in your pocket, with the rising baggage fees most airlines charge.
When you return home from your travels, make a photo album of your adventures. Particularly if you were on a road trip, you probably encountered a lot of interesting sights on your journey. A photo album allows your family and friends to see everything that you did and helps to preserve your memories.
Always have a copy of your passport available, and keep it a different location than your actual passport. In the event of a stolen or lost passport, having a copy will make replacing it much easier and faster. You can tuck a paper copy into your shoe or scan your passport and keep a digital copy on a small flash drive you can keep on a key chain or lanyard.
Join the loyalty program at the hotel you are staying at. Even if you are only staying that one time, it will provide you with added amenities that you would likely be charged for otherwise. Read the fine print when signing up for these because there may be a hidden charge in some cases.
Have a better road trip by actually going with people you actually enjoy being around. Don’t plan on traveling this way unless there is some kind of friendly relationship between you and the people who would be going with you. Good companionship makes for a quicker and more enjoyable road trip for everyone involved.
If you follow the helpful tips in this article, you will find that traveling does not have to be stressful. There are many simple ways to make sure everything is taken care of before you leave, so your time away from home will be more relaxing than you can imagine.