Saturday, March 30, 2013

Tips To Improve Your Personal Travel Experience

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By Brendon Bath


Traveling can be a special and fulfilling experience for you if you take advantage of it. Learning how to plan trips is not that hard, but it does require some research so that you don't end up getting lost or losing money on something you don't need. This list of tips should help you become a smarter traveler.

Before you leave for your next trip, make certain that you have a place assigned for your personal documents, including identification. Keep your passport or drivers license on your body at all times to avoid the panic and hassles associated with misplacement. Use the same place consistently so that each time you travel, you know exactly where it is.

If you're going on a road trip, make sure you print a copy of the directions. GPSs and cell phones are great help for navigating, but they can break easily. And you don't want to be stuck in the middle of no where without any directions! It's better to print the directions and not use them than to be lost.

While Spanish is the lingua franca in most countries in the Western hemisphere, remember that Brazil is not one of them. Brazilians speak Portuguese. If you intend to visit Brazil, learning a little Portuguese can turn out to be a lot of help; learning Spanish will be considerably less valuable to you.

Once you are in the airport, it is best to stay close to your departure gate. Don't go get a last minute coffee or stop at the gift shop. You want to board when your group number or your row is called. This number will be printed on your boarding pass so you will know when it's coming.

Being careful about purchases while traveling 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.

When traveling, never take an item from someone to transport it for them. No matter their situation or how nice they may seem, this is almost always a trap to convince an unwary tourist to transport drugs or other contraband into secure areas. Even "gifts" can fall into this category.

Keep hand sanitizer in your purse or pocket. When traveling, keeping hand sanitizer with you is a great idea. If you go through a lot of it, considering buying small reusable bottles. Buy one of the larger sizes of hand sanitizer and just continue refilling the small, reusable bottle.

When you are driving to an airport and parking your car in a lot, take the time to research what lots are closest to the terminal you will be traveling out of, if they offer direct shuttles to the terminals, and if there are any discounts or promotions running at the time of your trip. Then select the one that best suits your needs.

This travel tip goes out to all those who are proud to be Americans. You know who you are and you're terrific. The only thing is, if you travel globally, you embarrass our country if you engage in loud, flag-waving, obnoxious behavior. You will make a far better ambassador for the U.S., if you make an effort to observe the cultural and behavioral norms around you and adjust your volume and actions, accordingly.

There are a few essentials everyone should have whenever they're travelling. No matter where you're going, make sure to bring your photo ID, preferably in more than one form, any medication that you frequently or infrequently need, and a small amount of cash. Everyone has their own personal needs, so think of what yours are before you travel.

When travelling in different countries, instead of exchanging cash for the local currency, use an ATM to withdrawal some pocket money. Most of the time banks and the like get much better exchange rates than you as an individual can get. This can end up saving you a good bit of money in the long run.

If your travel plans include photo opportunities through train, plane, cruise ship or hotel windows, pack a handful of moistened, single-packaged glass cleaning wipes in your camera bag. Don't miss out on some great photos or come home with a memory card full of blurry prints because of smudged, fingerprinted or dirty windows.

If you are traveling to an area that has a high level of crime, consider purchasing your own padlock for the hotel room door. These locks are more difficult to pick than the ones the hotel will have already and no one in the hotel will have a spare to let in "visitors".

As you make your travel arrangements, consider renting a vacation home from the residence's owners. There is a large selection of properties online, and owners are usually very willing to negotiate the price of the home. At a hotel, the employees can't always authorize those types of changes to the rate. Always ask for references and make sure that you look at a lot of pictures of the home before you book your vacation.

When traveling on a red eye flight, wear comfortable clothing and bring a pillow, blanket, eye mask, and ear plugs. If you are prepared to rest, you are much more likely to be able to sleep and arrive at your destination well-rested, even if other passengers make noise or put their reading lights on.

Backpacking can be a great alternative for travelling lightly. This type of plan is nearly impossible with a medium sized group and for a large group it is truly a challenge. It works best for two to three people as this size allows for easy changes in plans and more flexibility.

Make arrangements with your insurance company and tell them that you will be travelling out of the United States. You might need to purchase supplemental programs or they might have another program. Better yet, you can save money by finding travel insurance companies that are far more specialized than your general insurance company. As you can see, there is a lot more to traveling than most people think. It requires a lot of research and planning, but it will be worth it in the end to have a great trip. By following the above tips, you are well on your way to becoming a smarter traveler.




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