Traveling can be a major hassle if you are unprepared or haven’t shopped around for the best deal. You could end up paying out the nose for your airline tickets when you could have gotten them for half the price. This article will give you some traveling pointers.
Luggage is often a large problem when people travel. While it might seem like a good idea to buy your children small size luggage, remember that they are entitled to a full size carry-on on most major air carriers. This extra luggage space can often save you from checking an extra piece of baggage. This will save you from $25 to $50 on most airlines!
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 you travel to visit friends or family, be a courteous guest and do not assume they will make all your sightseeing plans for you. Many people assume they are there to be entertained, which is of course an incorrect assumption and generates bad feeling. Instead, do your homework ahead of time, let your hosts know what you’re planning to do, invite but don’t oblige them to accompany you, and spend your time together in good will, knowing you are being a gracious guest.
An excellent way to reduce costs on your next travel adventure is to allow for flexibility of your flight date. You can literally save hundreds of dollars just by changing the day of the week you are willing to fly, as some days during seasons of high travel are sure to be packed with excess costs.
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.
In addition to making a photocopy of your passport before you leave on an international vacation, write down your passport number and place of issue. Store this information in your money belt or wallet, separate from you passport. The more copies of this information you have, the easier it can be to recover lost or stolen passports.
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.
Pack a multi-tool knife in your luggage. The scissors can cut through zip ties, and the corkscrew is perfect for impromptu wine tastings. When you reach your destination and unpack, make sure this multi-purpose tool goes with you wherever you go. Don’t put it in your carry-on though, as the airline won’t allow it on your person in flight.
Make all your travel arrangements yourself, without the assistance of company employees. Book your flights online because many airlines will charge an extra fee when you talk with one of their workers to secure your travel plans. Check your bags online because doing it at the airport could also subject you to extra fees. Be as self-sufficient as possible to save money.
If possible travel during off-peak hours. The price of flights changes depending on the hour, the day and the month of travel. You can save a lot of money by booking flights during off peak hours. For example, flights on Thursdays are usually cheaper than those of Fridays. This is because the demand for seats is lower on a Thursday as people who work away from home during the week normally want to fly home on a Friday.
Take cookie sheets with you when you are traveling in a car with children. Cookie sheets can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including snack or meal trays. They can also be used as a coloring desk and game table. Small children will enjoy using the trays with their magnetic letters and numbers, keeping them busy and happy during the drive.
Try to schedule layovers that are a minimum of two hours. While direct or nonstop flights should be your first choice, sometimes a layover is inevitable. By scheduling a long layover, you may slightly increase your travel time, but you will also be less likely to miss a connecting flight if there is a delay.
Don’t let your children sit on the aisle. Have another adult or yourself sit between the aisle and your child. You don’t want their fingers getting caught by a passing cart. They won’t be able to run away either.
Don’t be too rigid with your trip time, especially if another person needs a bathroom break. Stopping for a few minutes really isn’t a big deal. This also allows people to feel better and not so annoyed while travelling.
Be sure that the activities that you are going to be doing are covered under your travel insurance policy. There are some travel insurance companies that will not cover even the simplest of activities and others that will cover all of them. Read your policy completely to avoid not being covered.
Traveling is not only an enriching experience, but a frustrating one sometimes as well. Whether for business or pleasure, you have to come prepared. Making a list before you go can be very beneficial. Make sure you know the weather of the place you’re going and pack accordingly. Also read up on the prohibited items list at the airport of your choice as it can be a bummer to have to leave something behind.
As long as you remember the helpful tips in this article, you should be able to travel without being stressed out, which is the best way to travel. Your bank account will thank you also because you’ll be saving a lot of money by getting cheaper airline and hotel deals.