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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling on Oct 10, 2011
Going on a long plane ride and don't know where to start packing? Selecting what to bring and packing can almost be more stressful than travelling.
- There may be an additional charge for over weight baggage. While this is usually 50 pounds, it depends on the airline. Sometimes more than one checked bag will incur an extra charge.
- Don't go crazy and bring 4 giant suitcases because you can't seem to choose.
- Read up on any travel warnings and/or customs in a country that you may not be familiar with.
- If you have liquids that are larger than 3 oz, you should check them instead of carrying them on with you on the plane. Remember USA has the 3-1-1 rule for liquids.
- If you have a long airplane ride, sleeping is the best way to pass time. Also, bring extra toiletries.
- Only pack things that you know you will use/wear.
- Beware of size limitations on carry on and checked baggage.
- Usually people pack more than they need and end up coming home with many clothes unworn. You are going on a vacation, not a fashion show!
- If you plan on shopping at your holiday destination, leave some extra room in your travel bag or suitcase.
- Consider buying something small for your friends back at home. Don't buy anything to big.
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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling
Whether you're headed to Spain, Sudan, or Switzerland, you can never underestimate the importance of proper packing. How you pack can set the tone for your trip. If you've ever arrived at your destination only to find your suitcase splattered with the remains of a shaving cream explosion, you know this to be true.
- Stretch your travel wardrobe by color-matching. If you simply make sure every piece of clothing you pack works with every other piece, you can create a host of mix-and-match possibilities and no one will be the wiser.
- Going abroad? Make a photocopy of your passport and store it separately from the original. If you lose your real passport, having a copy will speed the replacement process.
- Avoid overpacking. Do you really need 4 t-shirts for an overnight?
- If you're going to be bored, be sure to include things like books or games to keep you occupied and happy.
- Keep in touch with your friends with stationery!
- Wear your heaviest clothing such as jeans, running shoes/tennis shoes, sweatshirt to save on space. Consider replacing your jeans with light-weight travel pants which take less space and dry quickly.
- Pack neatly. When folding your clothes to put in your suitcase, fold them neatly and don't just throw them in. Try to be space conserving. When you fold neatly it'll definitely give you some more space! Also, try to use every part of your suitcase (every gap between objects or so).
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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling
When your family put you in charge of planning your Grand Canyon vacation, all you could say was "Help!" This article will show you how to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon.
- Realize that long drives are a fact of life in the American Southwest. Example: Flagstaff, the nearest city to Grand Canyon South Rim, is a 90 minute drive from the park.
- Be aware that the Southwest is probably drier than you are used to. Be ready to carry water and drink it. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen year-round. Contact lens wearers should pack a spare pair of glasses in case the climate makes your lenses uncomfortable. Pack plenty of your favorite hair conditioner, moisturizer and lip balm.
- Plan to dress casually and comfortably. The attitude toward attire in the southwest is generally relaxed, and even the more upscale restaurants will usually have a very relaxed dress code. Wear comfortable shoes for walking.
- Purchase or bring flashlights or headlamps. Artificial lighting is deliberately kept to a minimum in national parks, making nights extremely dark. Some Grand Canyon hotels are situated in wooded areas.
- To find Grand Canyon South Rim on MapQuest, Yahoo!, Google Maps, etc., enter "Grand Canyon AZ," Zip Code "86023" or airport code "GCN."
- Remember to pack a first aid kit just in case of any injuries.
- Although they can be prohibitively expensive, you may wish to consider bringing a satellite phone if hiking, especially without a guide.
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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling
China is a very interesting and thrilling place to visit. There are a few key things that you need to be sure to bring with you, and some tips that can help you along your way.
- Decide where you want to go, and do research before you leave. Know the general weather for the season and location you will be. There's nothing more miserable than being dressed for the wrong weather. Also, it is important that you dress conservatively. Long pants and nice shirts and tops are good.
- Read several histories of China to make the sights more comprehensible. Bring your guide books with you so you can read them on the airplane and in your hotel room so the information will be fresh in your mind.
- Find a cassette language course, or bring a translation dictionary. While it is important to understand some Chinese, don't stress, just know the basics, enough to get you by. Keep in mind, though, that most Chinese people, outside of employees at 5-star hotels/restaurants and shops that cater to foreign tourists, will NOT be able to speak English. (aside from "hello!!") So, if you want to venture off the beaten path, learn some key phrases. Also, ask someone at the hotel you are staying at if they could write down, in Chinese, the places you wish to go during the day. That way, if you have a taxi driver, you can show them where you want to go. #If you are staying in the urban areas, chances are high that you'll be able to communicate OK in English.
- Always carry a business card of the hotel you are staying at. This way, no matter what happens, someone will be able to get you back to where you want to be. Just in case of emergency, it would also be a good idea to bring a copy of you passport with you and leave your real passport locked in the safe at your hotel.
- Know where to find your currency collection places. It is not possible to obtain Chinese currency outside of China. So you will need to know where to access major hotels and big banks in the big cities so that you can cash the travelers' checks or credit card when needed.
- Pay attention to how much cash you have with you. It is a good idea to keep enough to get a taxi back to your hotel. All major airports will have ATMs, so get the money once you arrive.
- Spend some time with a map and get to know the places you are staying or will be visiting. It will help you get your bearings before wandering off into the city. If you have a small hand-held GPS, you'll be even less likely to become lost.
- Make sure you know what you're eating and how well it's been cooked. In places like Wangfujing market in Beijing, sometimes many of the snacks aren't cooked thoroughly. Drink beer whenever you're in doubt about the kinds of foods you have eaten - it will help digest whatever is not appropriate in your stomach...but don't overdo it.
- If you are of Caucasian,African, or Hispanic/Latio ancestry, do not be surprised if people ask you to take a picture with them.
- Prepare for your trip by making a print with all the hotels you will visit in Chinese characters (use the Chinese website for this or Google translate). This will help the taxi drivers. Very rarely they speak English. Before going sight-seeing, have the concierge at your hotel write your destination in Chinese characters for the taxi driver
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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling
Long haul flights require more preparation than short flights, especially if you're leaving for a while or going overseas. Preparation is the key to enjoying both a comfortable flying experience and to ensuring that you arrive at your destination with everything needed, as well as knowing you've left your life back home in good hands. Along with a good sense of humor and some stamina, not only will good preparation help you to ease into a rhythm from the moment you leave your house to getting through airport lines and enduring the long flight, but the more ways you have prepared to occupy yourself, the better!
- Pack medications in carry-on luggage.
- Pack several days worth of beauty and sanitary supplies in carry-on luggage. One spare pair of underwear is a good idea too in case bags get lost.
- It is crucial that someone picks up your mail. A mailbox full of social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal info is an identity theft dream. However, it is possible for the post office to hold your mail if you make a request.
- Bring chargers for electronics. Don't assume that charging all of the electronics beforehand will work, because your DVD player probably doesn't have enough battery for a 6 hour plane ride, a week-long vacation, and another 6 hour plane ride.
- Invest in electrical converters and/or adapters for foreign destinations.
- Some good entertainment items are portable video games (DS, PSP), iPods and MP3 players, magnetic "travel" board games, crossword puzzle or Sudoku books, a good novel, magazines that interest you, and a cell phone.
- If you don't have a cell phone and are 7+ years of age you can always use your parent's phone.
- Be courteous to flight attendants and all airline personnel. You never know when they might upgrade you because they liked your smile or seated you next to the toilets at the back of the plane even though you asked precisely to avoid that, all because you irritated them.
- Make sure to buy a meal in the airport if they do not serve one during your flight. Most airports have tiny food courts with familiar restaurants like McDonald's or Taco Bell.
- Realistically, you won't be listening to your iPod for the entirety of a ten-hour flight, so pack more than one source of entertainment.
- Read the airline's magazine (usually in the back pocket of the seat in front of you) for things you can't use during flight. You don't want your flashy new iPhone confiscated from you.
- Pack gum to chew so you don't get the ear pain that may occur with the plane's landing.
- Check with your medical care giver about giving a bottle to a baby during take-off and landing to help prevent ear discomfort.
- Arrive at the airport 2 1/2 hours early before the plane's scheduled departure. This will allow time to have a bite to eat, buy a book to read during the plane flight, or use the bathroom. Otherwise, you will have to rush through everything in the airport and have an uncomfortable flight. Remember that due to new security screening measures it might take awhile to have your bags cleared.
- If you have a problem with air pressure in your ears, such as tinnitus, pack some plane earplugs in your carry-on luggage so you can wear them. The airplane's air pressure may be constant, and they have air conditioning, so you may not need them. Ear plugs and eye shades will also help drown out unwanted noise and light when you want to sleep on board the plane.
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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling on Oct 8, 2011
In this age of airline fare wars, globalization, and the Euro, traveling across multiple borders is increasingly common. Combined with the horror stories of lost luggage that never made it to the baggage claim, and the higher prices for bringing more luggage, the option of traveling with just one bag is becoming more and more attractive. Unless your trip is highly specialized or requires carrying certain items, it is possible to travel and even live indefinitely out of one bag. Here's how.
- If you are planning a bicycle touring vacation, consider leaving your bike at home and renting one for the duration of your trip (or buying and selling or giving away a cheap or used one). You can save the hassle and cost of bringing your own bike.
- Even if you are checking one main bag, be sure to take one change of clothing and all your important items (documents, prescriptions, etc.) with you in a carry-on bag in case your checked luggage is delayed or lost.
- Most youth hostels have laundry rooms and most hotels have laundry services, if you prefer not to wash all your clothing by hand.
- When travelling in a group, share common items (shampoo, detergent, books etc.)
- Plan to dress in layers, especially if you anticipate changes in the weather. For example, you could wear a sweater with a shirt underneath.
- If the trip is longer than a few days, you may consider doing what certain travel writers do: take only the essentials with you on the plane and ship everything else to your final destination (if possible). Buy insurance to cover any damage your stuff may incur when it is shipped.
- If you are bringing a purse, try to fit it in your larger bag. That way, you'll have fewer pieces to lug around.
- Wear clothing with pockets whenever possible so that your essentials (ID, passport, credit card, money, hotel key) are on your person at all times. An alternative is a money belt or leg wallet, especially if pickpockets are a concern.
- Take photographs of your travel documents, credit cards and keep them securely on-line. You can retrieve them from an Internet cafe or hotel business center. That way, if anything gets stolen you will have the information when reporting it.
- Consider fast-wicking (drying) layers of expedition clothing. These clothes are light, designed for frequent washing, high durability, and are rated by "zones" for specific climates.
- Pick neutral colors so your outfits are easier to coordinate.
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TRAVEL TIPS : How to Be a Good Traveler and Having a Great Time Travelling
Travel is wonderful but it is also often comes with expecting luxurious travel choices. It can be a little difficult to downgrade your expectations but you don't need to downgrade your experiences; just your impact! Here are some suggestions to get you started.
- Prefer lightweight clothing when travelling and always have layers. This will serve you best for any sort of vacation and the vagaries of the weather and will help you to avoid mad dashes to clothing stores at the last minute to try and find something warmer or cooler.
- All low-impact travellers are culturally-sensitive. Read up beforehand.
