Travel is one of the best ways to enjoy yourself, whether it’s a road trip to a nearby city or a cruise around the world. Before you set off on your great adventure, though, be sure you are up-to-speed on the latest travel tips and advice. This article will help you out.
Make sure you carry a bottle of water with you. Whether you find yourself out in the wilderness or in a bustling city, having a bottle of water on your person at all times is never a bad idea. These are especially easy to keep handy if you carry a purse.
When selecting a location to travel to, there is no better source of information than a fellow traveler. Other travelers with similar needs and plans, can tell you what destinations are must-sees and what areas you should try to avoid. No guidebook can replace the first-hand experience of another person or family.
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 traveling to tropical areas, always keep your dirty laundry in a closed bag. Hotels and homes in tropical parts of the world aren’t as bug-proof as most American homes. Dirty laundry will attract insects, especially ants, meaning that clothing that was simply dirty, is now completely unwearable for the rest of the trip.
If you are planning on flying or riding a long distance with school-age children, consider investing in a small portable DVD player. The least expensive ones can run as low as $75, and the peace of mind it buys you on that nine-hour international flight is more than worth the cost.
Check out user reviews. The experiences of others who have traveled to the same location can be much more helpful than the biased sales information from the destination itself. Also, check out guest-contributed photos, which will be more real and less doctored than the professional photos. Be sure to look for recent reviews, and find ones written by people having similar vacation needs to your own.
Protect your liquids from spilling when you travel with a homemade bottle stopper. Before screwing the cap on your travel-sized toiletries, cover the top with a small piece of plastic removed from a plastic shopping bag. This will both protect your clothes from the liquid and keep the liquid inside its container.
Replace the lock on your luggage with a combination lock. Many pieces of luggage come with locks and keys. Keys get lost. Not that it matters. The locks are so cheaply made, they can be broken right off. It would not be a bad idea to discard them entirely and replace them with a sturdier combination lock.
When staying at a hotel, remove the top quilt or comforter from the bed. Often, housekeeping is not responsible for washing the top comforter, which means it can be harboring dirt, bedbugs, or other remnants of other guests. If there is a spare blanket in the closet, use that one instead.
When traveling to a new location, consider packing old clothing that you no longer care about. If you can discard old clothing along the way, you will have more room in your luggage for new clothes or souvenirs that you buy while on your travels. Also, travel is hard on clothes and can wreck new ones.
If you’ve got a day ashore planned, why should you spend your time finding a place to eat and then paying a fortune for some food? Most cruise lines offer 24 hour room service. So before you disembark, have a sandwich and chips brought up to your room. You can pack it up and use it for lunch while you’re out enjoying the sun.
Always try the local cuisine when you visit a new destination. Part of a country or localities culture and lifestyle is in the food. You can’t completely experience these places without trying all that their food has to offer. Seek out the experience of locals and ask for their favorite lunch and dinner spots, then make several of those must-do’s of your list.
Keep your wallet in your front pocket, and wrap a rubber band around it. Both of these tactics will allow you to feel if someone is attempting to steal your wallet. Keeping it in your front pocket is a big deterrence anyway, because it is more difficult for you to be distracted.
You don’t want to let your dream vacation turn into a nightmare, so make sure you remember what you’ve just read about in this article. A little planning and some common sense can help you have the trip of a lifetime. Your trip will go smoothly if you use these tips.