Sunday, September 9, 2012

Travel Brief: What To Know

By Peter H Learnington


Many of the most exotic, romantic travel destinations are in areas susceptible to natural disasters. Certain disasters are seasonal - late summer and fall are hurricane season in the Caribbean, for example. Travelers headed for areas that may be subject to seasonal disasters should be aware of that fact, just in case they find themselves in an evacuation situation.

When traveling by air, if you find that you need to check your bags, make sure you that keep at least a change of clothing with you in your carry-on bag. Then if your luggage accidentally gets lost and the airline has to track it down you'll at the very least have a clean change of clothes. Even if it takes a day or two to find your luggage and get it for you, you can most likely wash your clothing at your hotel.

Check to see if your airline offers future flight credit for fare drops. Some airlines will give you credit to use on your next trip, if they post a lower fare for the same flight. This is not an industry-wide offer. Check with your individual airline, if you notice that the fare dropped below what you paid.

When you are traveling and want to purchase a souvenir, focus on things that you can use to decorate your home. Too many people bring back items that clutter their rooms and eventually get thrown away. Instead of buying a lot of little things, invest in one or two nice items that you will enjoy decorating your house with.

A great travel tip if you plan on going for a cruise is to purchase a room that has windows. A room with windows will provide you with a beautiful view of the ocean. You'll also be able to tell whether it's daytime or nighttime outside, which a room without windows can't offer.

When traveling to tropical areas, always keep your dirty laundry in a closed bag. Hotels and homes in tropical parts of the world aren't as bug-proof as most American homes. Dirty laundry will attract insects, especially ants, meaning that clothing that was simply dirty, is now completely unwearable for the rest of the trip.

If traveling to a location where the inhabitants do not speak your language, try to prepare yourself by learning key phrases in their language. Important phrases to learn are how to ask where something is, how much an item costs, thank you's and greetings, asking if anyone can speak your language, and asking for help. This will allow you to communicate somewhat if a situation arises so that you don't have to try to navigate things on your own.

Whether you are taking a family vacation or a solo trip, traveling away from home can be a stressful event. There is always so much that needs to be taken care of before you leave, and if you are like most people, there is always something that you need that gets left behind. By applying the advice in this article to your future journeys, you can turn stressful trips into enjoyable memories.




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