Although traveling nationally or internationally gives you the opportunity to see the world and interact with people of all backgrounds, it can also be a hassle, an expense or even a danger. However, there are ways to make your trip less stressful and more enjoyable, whether it’s for business or pleasure. All you need to do is follow these simple tips.
Be respectful and patient towards security checkpoints and customs officials. In most cases, these exist for your safety. If not, being upset still won’t help you get through any faster. In fact, making a fuss at the security checkpoint is almost always a ticket to the express lane for the extra search.
If you are traveling to an area that has a high level of crime, consider purchasing your own padlock for the hotel room door. These locks are more difficult to pick than the ones the hotel will have already and no one in the hotel will have a spare to let in “visitors”.
If you don’t want to be around children when you are on vacation new options are becoming available for you! Cruise lines are increasingly offering “adults-only” cruises, which offer weary parents and childless couples the ability to vacation without the little ones. These trips are becoming popular for cruise lines and are expected to be seen more often in other venues as well.
The best part of traveling is being able to spend freely once you get to your destination. While the hotel and the flight are usually the most expensive part, the best trips usually involve spending a ton of money out and about. So before you travel set up a savings plan such that you have a fat wallet after paying for the hotel and the flight so you can maximize your enjoyment.
Taking time to travel to new areas while on the way to an intended travel destination can help one find new places to stay at for the next time they want to take a trip. Side trips can often yield new and exciting places for one to explore either on their trip or to book a separate trip to experience fully.
If you are traveling by airplane, take advantage of the in-flight entertainent. In most cases, it is free to watch a movie or TV show from your seat and you can even pick which shows you want to watch. It’s a great way to escape the noise of other passengers and the airplane.
Melt a bucket of ice if you want to have fresh water for morning coffee. Tap water is not always the best tasting option, so fill up the ice bucket with lots of ice to melt overnight. When you awake the next morning, you can brew some fresh coffee that has some decent filtered water.
Hotel stationery is a great souvenir, and hotels do not charge you for taking it. The hotels realize that their stationery is a form of advertisement for them, so if you take it and use it, you are doing them a favor. Most higher-end hotels have beautiful stationery, so snap it up! They don’t mind.
When you are traveling overseas, try searching for souvenirs in unusual places. It has become increasingly difficult to find souvenirs that were made at the place you are visiting. Try looking in supermarkets, stationery shops and hardware stores. You will find things that people in the area actually use and the packaging will be unique to your destination.
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 in a car, take the time to go slightly out of your way and visit small town bars and restaurants. You will meet some interesting people and have the chance to sample some of the local fare. Residents of these towns will instantly recognize unfamiliar faces and often go out of their way to talk to you.
Use a broomstick to lock your sliding door. Sliding doors are difficult to safely secure. Their locks aren’t always the best but you can fortify them by placing a cut-off broomstick in the channel behind the sliding panel. Cut the broomstick so that it is long enough to reach from the inside edge of the sliding door to the opposite door frame. It’s simple, and it’s cheap. Just explain it to all the members of the household – you do not want it to be a fire hazard either.
Look into last minute deals with cruise lines. They are a often much cheaper than what they would be if you were to book in advance. The cruise lines are anxious to book their empty cabins and will give a great rate for the last minute booking. These can also be found and booked through travel sites.
Volunteer to travel. Many charities now offer volunteers the chance to travel abroad for free in-exchange for time and work at the destination. These trips can last from a few weeks to a year or longer, and the work could involve, building local schools, constructing water wells, working in orphanages, fundraisering and much more.
Before you leave, give friends, family members and work colleagues a copy of your travel itinerary. If there is a problem or emergency they will know where to contact you. Additionally, if you go missing it will be easier for your contacts to help find you if they have some idea of where you were heading.
As you can see, there are a number of ways to make traveling more pleasurable, as well as safer and less costly. Many of these tips come from seasoned travelers who have learned through experience. Use their knowledge to your advantage the next time you have to plan a trip, whether it’s in a neighboring city or another country.
