When you take time to create a good travel plan, it really does pay off. You have saved a lot of money by planning out things like transportation, so that you can enjoy your vacation with a little extra cash in your pocket. Like with any plan, you can always add and improve. Below are some tips to help.
Take a good book with you to read when traveling. If you always have something interesting to do, you will be less likely to get frustrated or bored during layovers and other time delays that are beyond your control. Buy a new title that you have been wanting to read so that you have something to look forward to.
Before departing on a trip, the wise traveler makes sure at least one person back home knows where he will be. This “home base” contact should also be updated with any unplanned changes the traveler encounters on the way. Someone who knows where a traveler is – and where they should be – can be a great help in the case of trouble on the road.
Pay attention to your intution when traveling. If a specific store, person, or neighborhood gives you “bad vibes”, just walk away. Your intuition might be telling you something that you haven’t consciously noticed. Even if you’re wrong, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your safety.
Scan your passport and email a copy to yourself. It rarely happens, but in the chance that you lose your passport during your travels, this will be a lifesaver. Getting a replacement passport can be a headache and having a copy can make the process much faster and less traumatic.
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.
Airlines
Pay attention to hidden fees when booking airline travel. It is becoming commonplace to charge fees for checked baggage, especially overweight baggage. In addition, airlines now charge fees for checking in at the terminal instead of online, and may even charge extra to select a more coveted seat on the airplane, such as exit row seating.
Use carry-on luggage. Most airlines now charge extra to check a bag. So, to avoid this cost, try to fit everything into a carry-on bag, if possible. Even if your airline is one of the few that doesn’t charge to check a bag, you may still want to avoid checking a bag. In a move to cut costs, many airlines have reduced the number of employees who handle baggage, making for a much longer wait at the baggage claim.
When choosing an airline, it’s important to take more than just the price of the ticket into consideration. A lot of airlines charge money for checked bags now, and many charge other excessive hidden costs. Before ‘shelling out your hard earned money’ for what seems like a cheap ticket, do some research.
To make a long airport layover fly by in a flash, see if you can purchase a day pass for one of the airport’s exclusive lounges. These lounges are meant for the airlines’ best customers, but with a day pass, you will be able to relax in style with free food and drinks, as well as, clean bathrooms, while you wait for your flight.
You have the research, the plan, and are now ready to apply them all to a great and well-thought out trip. Fabulous! The above tips were constructed to add to your personal travel plan, as you are never done improving it. You may have even found something new to experience on your next trip.
