You may feel guilty about attempting to take a vacation in this economy. This article will give you some great ideas for the budget-minded traveler.
Calling a family or friend when you leave and arrive on a trip isn’t just for kids. It is a good way to put them at ease, and also to make sure that if something goes wrong on your trip, someone will know about it quicker. If you have not called by a certain time, and they cannot reach you, this person will be able to take appropriate actions to find you or find out what happened.
Keep important things in your carry on bag. You definitely do not want to lose your passport, prescribed medications or any other necessities you can’t afford to travel without. Make sure you put these things aside, either on your person or safely inside a bag that you can bring aboard the plane with you.
If you are staying in a country with a high crime rate, treat even your hotel room as suspect. Place a piece of furniture in front of the door to prevent midnight break-ins. Also check that that windows lock securely. You never know which hotel owners might get a kickback from local crime gangs.
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.
Trust locals over the concierge. Unfortunately, many hotels and their concierge services have agreements with certain businesses to steer guests to them, regardless of whether or not it is in your best interest. Instead, scope out a place that looks like your style and ask other customers for additional recommendations.
Get to the airport early to get a good seat choice. Most airlines ignore seat selections made when purchasing your ticket. When you get to the counter to check-in for your flight you can request the seat you want without too much hassle. This also helps you to be seated next to people you are traveling with.
It’s easy to get bored while waiting in airports or at bus stations. One of the best items you can carry along is a small hand held computer or a smart phone. Before the trip you can pack it with games and even books so that you will always have something to do while waiting on your ride.
Carry your hotel’s business card or matchbook with its logo on it when you’re tooling around the city. If you are out on the streets of a foreign city and find yourself lost, this small item will be very useful when trying to get directions from a taxi driver or a local on the street. This is helpful, especially for those in unfamiliar places.
When you are traveling overseas, make sure that you know and obey all of the local laws. The embassies and consulates can only help you so much. If you commit a crime on foreign soil, according to foreign law, your government will be unable to override those laws and you must submit to the punishment of that country’s laws.
If you are traveling by airplane, be sure to bring along your own headphones. Most in-flight entertainment systems today require that you wear headphones. You may be able to buy them in-flight, but it will be at a greatly inflated cost. Headphones are also a great way to create ‘white noise’ to block out your neighbors and/or the plane noise.
Bring your own adapters, unless you want to buy over-priced ones. Many foreign countries have differently shaped and sized outlets. Buying adapters while you are still at home is much more cost-effective. Businesses in these countries have learned to take advantage of travelers who forget that the plugs are quite different from back home.
When it comes to destinations unknown, online bloggers are a veritable treasure trove of local information. There’s at least one in every city, in every country – someone who is passionate about their surroundings and loves discussing the things that make each place particularly wonderful. Blogs are also generally written in a completely user-friendly way, which is often easier to read than complicated rating systems on review sites.
Business travel can seem overwhelming when you are on a budget. If you know you will be traveling for work often, make sure to have your travel plans done in advance. This will include all payments that need to be made while you are away. Planning ahead will help you to not worry the whole time you are gone.
If your travel plans involve taking a red-eye flight, eat your meal at the airport and then take a pill to help yourself sleep after your flight leaves for your destination. Make sure that you only take the sleep aid after you are in the air. If you take it before then, you may have difficulty if the plane has to go back to the gate. These two steps can help you make the most of a difficult flight.
Be adventurous! When traveling, try to visit some places that are off the beaten path. This will allow you to experience some of the local culture. It’s always fun to try new and different foods as well as experience new things! You will be able to fondly look back on it afterwards.
Jet lag happens to be a real drag. It can’t be avoided completely, but getting as much sleep as you can in the days preceding the flight will help. If possible take a nap on the airplane.
You don’t have to forget about your vacation just because money is tight. Armed with the suggestions from this article, you should have no trouble making your next trip as affordable as it is memorable.
