Travel can be one of the most stressful parts of life, but also one of the most rewarding. Being prepared and knowing what to expect on the road, at sea or in the air is essential to having a good trip. Read on to discover some knowledge that you can use to make good memories away from home.
If you are traveling overseas, always have local currency in a variety of denominations. It is much easier to be ripped off by a taxi driver or shopkeeper if the smallest bill in your wallet represents a week’s or even month’s profit. Small change can sometimes be difficult to come by, so hang onto your coins when you get them.
If the hotel chain you will be staying at offers a loyalty program, join up. Even if you’re only planning on staying one or two nights, there are many perks to these programs. On the top of the list, is the fact that loyalty members are less likely to get bumped, if the hotel overbooks.
Use carry-on luggage. Most airlines now charge extra to check a bag. So, to avoid this cost, try to fit everything into a carry-on bag, if possible. Even if your airline is one of the few that doesn’t charge to check a bag, you may still want to avoid checking a bag. In a move to cut costs, many airlines have reduced the number of employees who handle baggage, making for a much longer wait at the baggage claim.
You already know you can’t take drinks with you through security at the airport. But you can definitely take a water bottle as long as it’s empty. Save yourself the two dollars on water you’re going to buy immediately after you get through security – just bring an empty water bottle from home and fill up with icy-fresh fountain water once you’re through.
If you need to find a travel destination, you should watch some documentaries about foreign countries and perhaps look at some travel guides. This should give you a better idea of what kind of landscapes and monuments you can see in different parts of the world. Choose what interests you the most.
Always leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone back at hom,e so that they can keep track of you. Be sure to include phone numbers and addresses so that they will be able to contact you if needed. You never know what sort of emergency might come up while you are away.
Don’t hoard your frequent flyer miles. It’s hard to know if those miles will be worth anything in the future, especially since many frequent flyer programs expire miles if they have not been used in eighteen months. If you don’t want to use them on flights, most programs also offer magazine subscriptions and product discounts.
Taking your credit cards with you on a trip is a great way to have access to any money you may need. In addition, they will help to provide a list of your expenses, and generally offer good exchange rates. However, before you leave for your trip, you should notify the credit card provider about your trip, this is so they won’t block any transactions from the new location.
Use a broomstick to lock your sliding door. Sliding doors are difficult to safely secure. Their locks aren’t always the best but you can fortify them by placing a cut-off broomstick in the channel behind the sliding panel. Cut the broomstick so that it is long enough to reach from the inside edge of the sliding door to the opposite door frame. It’s simple, and it’s cheap. Just explain it to all the members of the household – you do not want it to be a fire hazard either.
If you are going to be rock climbing, you will probably need new shoes. Your shoes should fit so tightly that you can stand in them, but it should be uncomfortable to walk in them. Having tight shoes will increase your ability to use your legs and you will have optimal control with your movements.
If you are in an unfamiliar location such as a hotel and someone knocks on your door, do not answer until you have checked them out. Anyone who is coming to see you at the hotel has either spoken to you or been in contact with the front desk. Call the desk and ask for information about the visitor to verify.
Ninety percent of any good trip is preparation and knowledge. Having read this article, hopefully, you are now full of ideas on getting ready for and surviving your next adventure away from home. Apply what you have learned and you are sure to come home with good memories of visited destinations.
