When it’s time to get away, whether for business or pleasure, the experience of travel and vacationing can be rewarding and fun. Take some tips from those who hit the highways and byways on a regular basis. A little planning and forethought can go a long way on the road to a pleasurable journey.
To save money when travel and vacationing for pleasure, look into swapping homes. Swapping homes saves you a great deal of money that would otherwise be spent on a budget hotel room. It is also a great deal more comfortable and spacious than your average budget hotel room. There are several places online that allow you to make house swapping arrangements.
Being careful about purchases while travel and vacationing will help you through customs. Remember anything you buy on your trip must pass through customs when you return home so exercise caution when you see street vendors abroad or other sellers who may be offering counterfeit or unsafe souvenirs you will have to surrender later.
For safe travel and vacationing, don’t carry all your valuables in one place. No one wants to deal with missing belongings while on a trip, but if you do have to, it’s better to minimize loss. Put your credit cards, cash, jewelry, and whatever else you value in a variety of different locations — some in your bag, some in your pocket, some in your wallet, and such. That way even if something gets stolen or lost, you probably won’t lose everything.
If you are travel and vacationing overseas or even to a part of the country you’ve never visited before, it’s a good idea to let your bank and credit card company know. Many credit cards are equipped with fraud protection, which could block transactions that the company isn’t sure the card holder authorized. Travelling far from home is an almost certain way to trip these sensors.
When planning a trip overseas, be sure to check on any required or recommended vaccinations and speak to your doctor early about getting them. If you fail to get the shots that are required, you could become very ill while travel and vacationing. Alternatively, even if you don’t get sick, you may have difficulty re-entering the country and may be forced into a period of quarantine to ensure you aren’t carrying any diseases.
Plan clothing for your trip so that everything can be worn together. This reduces the need to pack individual “outfits” and allows you to plan for the number of days you’ll be travel and vacationing. If all of your clothes match, you don’t have to worry about which are clean when you’re doing laundry.
When booking a budget hotel room, don’t be afraid to negotiate. While many budget hotel clerks aren’t able to move too much on price, there may be other perks they can offer, such as meals or parking. In some cases the desk staff isn’t able to offer discounts or packages unless the guest specifically asks about them.
Peruse the blogosphere. Bloggers are everywhere, and there is most likely one, if not many, bloggers blogging about your destination. Their blogs are a great resource for finding information about hidden gems of the city–restaurants, budget hotels, attractions, and more. Don’t be shy. If you contact them, many will be happy to answer your specific questions as well.
Instead of putting your liquids in a plastic bag to prevent them from leaking, try unscrewing the lid and putting a piece of plastic from a grocery bag over the top and screwing the lid on over it. While a zip-lock bag will prevent spills from ruining things, this method will prevent things from spilling in the first place.
Now that you’ve armed yourself with some insight and information, you’re ready to venture in a relaxed and informed manner. Stay alert, and at the same time remember to relish the experience of meeting new people and embracing new cultures. Try these tips and you can be confident and enjoy the trip.
