A Great Vacation Guide Will Help You Plan Your Trip

The key to any dream vacation is in the planning and the best way to make your dream come true is with a travel vacation guide.

Any traveler will tell you that having a travel vacation guide is indispensable. Get one as soon as you can – it will make your trip go much better. Here is what to look for in a great guide:

• First, make sure it has detailed listings of attractions in the area: museums, parks, etc. A good guide will list hours of operation, amenities offered, prices, directions, and contact information. There also may be listings of discounts and tips (peak seasons, clothing recommendations, etc.)

• Second, a guide should have a thorough listing of hotels, restaurants, car rental options etc. These listings should include rates, discounts, amenities, locations, contact information, and possibly even ratings. While some of these places may be booked as part of your travel itinerary, it is nice to have additional options available in case something unforeseen occurs.

• Third, the guide should have general information about the area you will be visiting: maps, climate, peak seasons, customs, transportation tips, etc. You will be amazed at how much these little bits of information will help you plan your trip. You may decide to reschedule it for the off-peak season, so that you can get lower rates and will have to face fewer crowds. In the off-season, many businesses will offer lower, unadvertised deals that you just cannot get in the busy peak season.

All travel guides are alike aren’t they? Hardly. There is a variety of them out there. You can find travel vacation guides at your travel agent, online, at local bookstores, and at your automobile club.

Some travel guides are geared towards specific travel needs, such as for senior citizens or families. Others are more general, but vary in the quality of the information offered. Look at several to decide which will best meet your needs. It is okay, and even recommended, to buy more than one. You can never have too much information when it comes to your travel plans.

While most people use travel guides to flesh out their existing vacation itinerary, there is another way to use them: Go to a bookstore or library and pick out several at random. Leaf through them and plan a trip then and there. What a fun way to choose your next travel adventure!

As you can see, that little travel vacation guide can make a big difference in your travel plans. Make sure you get at least one and read it before, during, and after your trip. You will be glad you did.

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Travel Essentials: Important Things to Take on a Cruise

Going on a cruise is a very exciting time. A cruise is filled with fun recreational activities, great dining, a wide variety of quality entertainment, and much more. Because you will be on the water far away from the stores on land, there are a number of essential items that you should take along.

1. Clothing: When selecting the clothing you will take, you have to consider what ports you will be visiting. Warm climates will require light clothing, shorts, bathing suits, etc. If you are going to colder climates such as Alaska, take warm clothing, coats, gloves, hats, and so forth. If you will be attending formal dinners, make sure you take the appropriate attire that fits the occasion.

2. Health Items: When going on a cruise, there will be a variety of different foods and beverages that may result in an upset stomach. You also may get seasick, headaches, or minor scrapes. You should pack a medical kit that includes an antacid, aspirin, band-aids, and antibiotic ointment.

3. Useful Items: A few items that you may require include hair dryer, alarm clock, books for late night reading, sunscreen, sunglasses, flashlight with batteries, and a notepad and pen to make notes about what activities you want to take part in.

You may also want to pack binoculars to look out over the ocean and perhaps see dolphins, whales, exotic birds, etc. Do not forget prescription glasses and your contact lenses and spares. Walkie-talkies are great a method of keeping in contact with one another on the ship.

4. Cameras: If you want to have a keepsake from your cruise, take a camera or video camera. You can even purchase underwater cameras for swimming when you are in a port.

5. Electronics: When taking an MP3 player, compact CD player, laptop, or PDA, make sure you have batteries. As well, do not forget your cell phone and charger.

6. Important Documents: Necessary documents that you will need include passport, I.D., cruise tickets, maps, guidebooks, and travelers’ checks. You can also take a language translator if you are going into a country where English is rarely spoken.

7. Medical: It is important to take any identification that indicates you have a medical condition (medical bracelet.) As well, pack any important medications that you require on a daily basis. Keep a list of medications with you in case of an emergency. Tell the cruise medical staff if you have a condition that they should be aware of such as epilepsy. Also, if you are allergic to foods or medications, make sure you inform the medical staff. Take a list of emergency phone numbers.

8. Traveler’s Bag: Assemble a travel carry bag with all of the important items that you should keep with you at all times. (Travelers’ checks, wallet. etc.) Watch out for people who pick pockets by keeping your items secure when you are on the ship and out in the ports.

The best method of ensuring that you take all the essentials on the cruise is to make a list. This will make packing much easier, and when you are heading out to sea on your luxurious vacation cruise, you will be relaxed knowing you have everything you need.

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13 Tips on Planning Your Solo Road Trip

So you’re at least considering a solo road trip? Good! First, realize it’s not brain surgery. The logistics are simple, subjective, and subject to change – a beautiful thing. And keep in mind, SOLO road trips and road trips have little in common in the way of either experience or preparation.

Now that we’ve covered the touchy-feely side of solo travel, let’s talk about the practicalities, most of which revolve around safety. Until 2007 my solo road trips were taken in a 1994 Mazda MX-6. No 4-wheel drive, no GPS, no OnStar, no AAA membership, and just enough clearance to not be a turtle killer. And I had a fantastic time, no matter what happened, and a lot happened.

1. The single most important component: your mindset. Make sure you’re ready to consider everything that happens part of the adventure.

2. If you can afford it, purchase a AAA membership.

3. Inform close friends and family you’re leaving and what general direction you’re headed. Yea you’ll have to hear all the crap about it, and listen to your Mom tell you not to sleep in your car, but do it anyway.

4. Designate one person as your daily contact (and tell the others who that person is). Make that call once a day, without neglect.

5. Purchase a recent Atlas.

6. Pack a warm blanket in the car, heavy duty gloves, a rain jacket, jumper cables, ice scrapper, a pair of boots, and all the tools required to change a flat. Make sure you’ve got a good spare.

7. Have the oil changed, tires and basic fluid levels checked.

8. Place a first aid kit in the vehicle.

9. Never allow your fuel to go below ½ tank.

10. Know the territory you’ll be in. If hiking, know the rules, the dangers (are there bears in the area, snakes, etc.) and be prepared for those. If you don’t know, don’t go. Actually, unless you’re familiar with survival techniques, I’d caution against going into any backcountry situation alone. With quite a bit of experience under my belt and some near misses (a run-in with a full grown mountain lion comes to mind), I now avoid most wilderness situations unless I’ve someone accompanying me.

11. If you have any alcohol to drink, drink it after you’ve checked into your lodging for the night. Besides not wanting to drink and drive, you’ll also have all your capacities and wit about you during the time you’re out and about.

12. Take both a car charger and a wall charger for your cell phone, and keep it charged.

13. My own rules: No fast food. I pack sandwich fixin’s, snacks and drinks in an ice chest before I leave home. And I limit major highway travel. I’ve seen few things of note at 75 mph. But if you’re contemplating your first SRT and you’d feel better staying on major freeways, then do it! You’ll get all the benefits of solo travel and you’ll feel safe (VERY important).

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How To Become A Travel Ninja

A few months ago, Chris Guillebeau released How to Become a Travel Ninja, a 39-page guide designed to help travelers save money.

In case you haven’t heard of Chris, here’s what you need to know: He’s on a mission to visit every country in the world in 5 years. He’s well on his way – over 100 countries have been ticked off the list – and flies over 40 times a year. In short, if you’re looking for an expert who can tell you how to travel more for less, Chris is your guy.
If you’re looking for an expert who can tell you how to travel more for less, Chris is your guy.

Travel Ninja is a welcome companion to The Unconventional Guide to Discount Airfare, Chris’ ebook about finding cheap (or free) airfare. There is a little overlap, but Travel Ninja has a wider scope and goes into more depth on a few topics. Here’s what it covers:

* How to reduce airfare surcharges and fees
* Tips on attaining elite status for major North American airlines
* The ins-and-outs of Round the World Travel
* Finding cheap (or free) accommodation
* How to get anywhere you want to go
* Troubleshooting solutions to common issues, including airline waiting-lists, arriving at a destination without a visa, traveling with multiple airlines on the same itinerary and international dateline confusion

As with all of Chris’ e-books, the design is impeccable and the writing is fluid and conversational. I read through it in one sitting, effortlessly, and came away with some solid advice and unique strategies for saving money on the road.

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