Traveling is meant to be a relaxing vacation, but without proper planning, travel can make you more stressed than your normal daily life. This article has easy to follow tips on how to make any kind of traveling fun, simple and stress free. Be prepared before you leave, by reading this advice.
Be aware of scams that attempt to prey on unwary travelers. In many poorer areas of the world, it is safest to assume that anyone begging for money or trying to stop you for just about any reason could be a pickpocket. Don’t ever show or hand over your wallet to anyone, even if they claim to be police officers.
When you arrive in a new hotel room, let the hot water run in the shower for a little while. Even the nicest of hotels can be somewhat dirty. Letting the hot water run will help kill spores that the regular cleaning might have missed. You aren’t paying for the water bill in the room anyway.
Consider attaching small bells to your carry-on bag. If you are worried that someone might steal or tamper with your luggage during a flight, attach bells to it. Inexpensive, Christmas jingle bells will do nicely. The noise is likely to deter criminals. If not, the noise will draw your attention.
Before you leave on any long vacation, try to find some time to get into shape. Generally while sightseeing, you will be doing quite a lot of walking. If you don’t prepare for this, you can end up sore and unhappy. Also, being more fit might give you added courage for a nude beach or other new experience.
If you are planning a long cruise, consider selecting a cruise line that offers self-service laundry. This will reduce the amount of laundry you need to bring along when you pack, and is also significantly cheaper than asking the ship’s crew to do your laundry for you. Longer cruises require more clothing, so a laundry is very useful.
Traveling by bus is an economical alternative to flying, but you should be aware of luggage requirements before packing for your trip. Find out the weight and size limits of luggage imposed by your chosen bus company, in addition to the number of bags you can take. If you are bringing skis, snowboards or other bulky equipment, make sure you comply with the company’s policies. Be prepared to move your own luggage if transferring buses, as most bus companies do not provide this service.
Joining a hotel’s loyalty program can provide you with many different traveling perks. Members of these programs often get special bonuses that are not available to the general population. Some hotels offer free internet access or a free drink every morning for breakfast. Others will iron a few items of your clothing for no charge. Loyalty programs are a way to make your hotel stay a little more pleasant.
When traveling abroad, always make a copy of your passport and keep it in a separate location from your original. Should you lose your original passport, having a copy can make getting a duplicate easier and faster. Your embassy will also likely ask for some basic information that the duplicate will contain.
Instead of purchasing souvenirs when you are traveling, consider asking the hotel where you are staying if you can take home a sheet of notepaper and envelope as a memento. These items usually have the hotel’s logo and address written on them, and are great backgrounds for albums. You can also write memories of your trip on them, and place the note in your scrapbook.
If you are traveling to a hotel that requires payment for internet access, get a room on the first floor. Hotels are located around many establishments that offer free wifi, like cafes or book stores. While a room on a higher floor can not pick up their signals, a first or second floor room should be able to access them.
You can save time in the security line by purchasing a Clear Security Pass. Many large airports, and a few smaller one, are offering this high-tech pass to pre-screened travelers. The initial cost can save a traveler hours spent in security lines and the stress associated with the normal screening process.
See what transportation options are available in the cities and towns you plan on staying during your trips. There may be no requirement that you opt for car rental. Many times public transportation is much cheaper and actually an easier method of traveling because of constant traffic congestion and the stress this brings.
If you follow the helpful tips in this article, you will find that traveling does not have to be stressful. There are many simple ways to make sure everything is taken care of before you leave, so your time away from home will be more relaxing than you can imagine.
