Whether it is for pleasure or business, traveling can be a lot of fun. It can also be more than a little bothersome. Planning for transportation, packing and finding a place to stay can add up and become incredibly stressful. Here are a few helpful tips to ease the burden a bit.
Pack your luggage in such a way that it can be easily carried, even for fairly long distances. You’ll be walking with your luggage more often than you might think. A lighter bag will make your trip easier, safer and much more fun for you than if you are lugging a heavy case.
Make your luggage bright and noticeable. Try to avoid carrying bags that are one matte color and blend in with all the other pieces of luggage in the airport. Having unusual-looking luggage will make your bag easier to spot and will discourage criminals from stealing it in a busy airport.
If you’re traveling somewhere where you’ll need tickets, like amusement parks or a play, look for ways to have them ahead of time. Even if there’s a fee, it is very much worth it to be able to skip the long lines for purchasing tickets at the venue. If the park you are visiting has a timed entry, you can skip admission lines too.
For a trip to wine country or just a beach getaway, if there’s a chance you’ll be drinking wine, pack a waiter’s corkscrew. This tool will come in handy for the bottles you buy at the winery and can make picnics and hotel drinks much easier. A corkscrew can be especially difficult to buy when traveling abroad, so plan ahead and toss one in your suitcase to make life easier.
Try packing with reusable compression bags to save space when packing. If you travel often, reusable compression bags might be a smart investment. You can find them in most retailers that have a housewares section. They are usually sold for storage use, but work very well in relation to packing luggage.
To find good deals on your air fare, make sure you get prices from as many companies as possible. Booking on the internet should save you money: most travel agents take a commission on their sale. Consider taking a route with several stops and changes if it is cheaper.
Next time you’re out on the town and looking to grab a bite, consider chowing down at the nearest Japanese restaurant. Fresh sushi and sashimi are full of protein, very low in fat, and also incredibly delicious. Salmon, for instance, is amazingly rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
In an attempt to childproof everything, make sure to lock up poisonous items that your child is able to reach. Items such as medicine, cleaning supplies or perfumes, should be put away in a hard to reach cabinet or locked up. Make sure that you also organize your furniture, such as stools, in order to keep them out of your child’s reach.
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.
If you need a rental car while on vacation consider renting an eco-friendly car. Zipcar and Flexcar are both “green” car-sharing programs which offer travelers low fees and convenient drop off and pick up. You will be able to reduce car emissions by renting the smallest car you can or a hybrid car.
If you are traveling on a road trip with other drivers, make sure to switch up frequently. Many people drive until they get sleepy and then change, going to bed while the other driver continues the journey. You will be able to drive for longer periods if you change drivers on a schedule before anyone becomes overtired.
Road trips make great excuses for taking along some of your favorite CD, MP3 and cassette mixes to listen to and enjoy during the ride. When you are driving through multiple cities, you will find that there are some spots where your radio will not pick up a signal. If you bring your own music, you can constantly enjoy some good tunes.
If you travel often on business or with your family, make sure that you get the most out of the airline miles that you accumulate over time. This can help to pay for a vacation or trip with the people that you love. Using airline miles can save you thousands of dollars.
Traveling abroad? Make sure to pack a passport holder! These nifty devices are slim, discreet, and very useful to protect yourself against pickpockets. You can slip your passport and money into the small pouch, and wear it under a sweatshirt or t-shirt so no one is able to get to it on the street. American passports are worth a lot of money on the black market in many other countries, so better to be safe than sorry!
Write contact information like your name, phone number, and address on the inside of your luggage when you travel. Should your luggage get lost and handle tags have been removed, your luggage hopefully will find you. Having your luggage out of sight can result in it getting lost.
If you tend to get chilly during flights, you are going to want to be sure to bring your own blanket from home. You should also bring your own disinfectant wipes. Airplanes are filled with all kinds of germs and you are going to want to disinfect your area so you do not get sick during your trip.
Hopefully, these tips have given you something of value – or at the very least – something useful to mull over. Above all else, it is important to stay safe while traveling. Aside from that, try to just push the stress aside and have fun. Enjoy!
