While some business or pleasure traveling can be enjoyable, some journeys can be boring, dangerous, expensive and full of hassle. This article contains some tips to make your travel experience better, and help you avoid some of the common pit falls.
When traveling, travel as light as you possibly can. If you can, avoid checking baggage. This will help speed things up when you’re getting on and off planes. The less you take with you, the less chance you have of something getting lost or damaged in transit. If you can, try and travel with only a carry-on bag.
Make sure you leave extra valuables at home. The more you take with you, the higher your chances of losing the items. Even worse, they could be stolen.
When booking your hotel stay, pay attention to cancellation policies and fees for date changes. Prepaying for a cheaper rate only benefits you if you can definitely travel on those dates. If you might have to change dates, you can save more money by paying a higher rate at a hotel with a more lenient cancellation policy.
Research as much as you can before you book anything. Look at different websites with reviews about the place you want to travel to. Get advice from friends who may have traveled there previously. Research will ensure you don’t end up in over your head.
A laptop or an Internet capable smart phone is one of the best travel tools you can take with you. By having the ability to go online you have all the maps and other resources you need right at your fingertips. You can research destinations, motels, and attractions while you are on the road.
Use other’s experiences to plan your vacation. By utilizing online review sites, as well as friends and family’s experiences, you can avoid making mistakes that have been made by others. Online review sites can help you choose the best hotel, restaurant, attraction and often contain many other useful tidbits to make your vacation the best it can be.
Long flights are notorious for cramped quarters. If you stay cramped in your seat for the entire time, there is the possibility you could develop deep vein thrombosis, which can lead to blood clotting in your legs. Take some time to walk around and stretch your legs at least once every hour.
One of my favorite ways to visit new places is to travel by cruise ship. I board the ship and settle into my cabin, leaving most of my stress and worries behind on dry land. On board a cruise ship you will have 24 hour access to some of the finest food you will ever taste. There are nightly shows and many shore excursions to choose from. If simple rest and relaxation is what you’re looking for, you can opt to spend your day laying by the pool, sipping on your favorite drink, and reading.
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.