27 Feb 09 Passing the Time While Travelling
Travelling can be very boring, especially if you’re on a long flight, bus ride, or train ride. There are a number of different things you can do to pass the time, however, and any of them will make the hours go by much more quickly.
You can always settle into your seat and take a nap. Many flights even offer pillows and blankets, and you can take your own pillow on the bus or train. However, some people find it very difficult to sleep while travelling. Either the motion disturbs them or the noise is too much. For those who do fall asleep, though, the hours can pass by very quickly. Listening to music can often help people sleep while travelling since it blocks out a lot of the noise.
Reading is another good way to pass the time. Whether you have a novel to finish or a few magazines to get through, you will be entertained for a good hour or more. Most planes include at least one magazine for you to read during the flight.
If you’re travelling with a friend, you might want to take a deck of cards with you and play a card game. You may even be able to play with three or four others if you can all sit near each other. You can also play cards in your hotel room once you arrive.
For those who are social, chatting with other passengers can be a way to pass the time, although this isn’t for everyone. Note if people look uncomfortable or seem to want to do something else. Don’t be an annoyance—if someone doesn’t want to chat, don’t make them.
Tags: hotel, hotel room, travelling
13 Feb 09 Take a Nap While Flying
If you’re flying to your destination, or even if you’re taking the bus or the train, you have the opportunity to take a short (or long, depending on how far you’re travelling) nap. However, sometimes it can be difficult to nap while travelling. Here are some tips to help you get some (perhaps very necessary) rest while on the way to your luxury holidays.
First, take your own travel pillow. While you may be able to get a pillow on a flight, you may not find it to your liking. Many people have become very accustomed to their own pillows—they’re not too firm or too soft, but they’re just perfect. Many people prefer to take their own pillow with them when they travel because they have difficulty sleeping on a hotel pillow. If you’re one of these people, see if you can take your pillow as a carry-on. If you don’t want to deal with a full-sized pillow, you can purchase a smaller travel pillow or even an inflatable pillow that flattens down when you’re not using it.
Noise is another factor for sleeping when travelling. To that end, a pair of ear plugs or headphones helps. Ear plugs will help you block out all sounds, but be aware that this means you may miss a stop on the train or bus route. The driver will usually wake you up, and on a flight, the flight attendants will make certain no one is left on the plane. If you’re using music to block out noise, be certain not to have your MP3 player or CD player up too loud. You want to block out music, but you don’t want to annoy the person next to you. He or she may be trying to sleep, as well, and will not appreciate hearing your music.
Finally, those who have anxiety while flying may want to take a sleeping pill once their flight has taken off. This will help them rest while on the flight, even with noise or flight turbulence.
Tags: hotel, travel pillow, travelling
13 Feb 09 Tips on Packing
Airlines are cutting down on the amount of baggage passengers are allowed to take. In fact, many have actually cut out all free checked baggage—you have to pay for every bag you check. Along the same lines, taking a lot of baggage with you on a train or bus can be a hassle, plus there may be some extra costs if you have a lot of luggage. To avoid these extra charges, here are some packing tips for you to keep in mind.
If you don’t need it, don’t take it. Only take those things are you know you’ll absolutely need. If you aren’t planning on going to an event that requires formalwear, don’t take anything fancy. If you don’t plan on using your hotel’s swimming pool, don’t pack your swimsuit. Try to avoid taking more than one pair of shoes since shoes can take up a good amount of space.
Take clothes that can be mixed and matched. Jeans can often be worn for a couple of days before they need to be washed, so they can be worn with several different shirts. Likewise, you may be able to wear a t-shirt twice if you wear it as an undershirt.
Buy travel-sized toiletries. Instead of taking full-sized bottles, pick up small trial or travel-sized ones. They take up far less space in your bags. You can also use the soaps and shampoos found in your hotel room’s bathroom if you don’t want to pack your own.
Combine luggage. If you’re travelling with your spouse or a friend, pack everything in one bag instead of two. Splitting the cost of one checked bag instead of paying for two can help you both save money. Another option, especially if you’re only going to be out of two for a few days, is to pack everything into a carry-on.
Tags: baggage, hotel, hotel room, luggage, packing tips, travelling
28 Jan 09 Taking your Pet on Holiday
Many people leave their pets behind when they go on holiday. However, if you don’t want to pay to board your pet or can’t find someone to watch your pets while you’re away, you may elect to take them on holiday with you. If you do, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make certain your hotel allows pets. Many do not, and those that do usually charge an extra fee. Be certain you know how much this fee is and what, if any, special rules the hotel has for pets. You will also need to take food for your pet, and you may need to take a litter box, too. A pet carrier may also be necessary, especially if you are travelling by plane, train, or bus. That brings up the second point: know how your transportation system handles pets. Some may not allow pets to be transported at all. Others may have specific requirements for the type of pet carrier used. Make certain you understand all the fees and regulations for transporting your pet. Think carefully about what activities you plan on doing during your holiday. If you are primarily doing things you can’t take your pet to, it may be best to leave your pet at home. However, if you’ll be outdoors a lot, you can take your pet with you and give him some exercise. Just be aware that you’ll need to clean up any messes your pet makes!
Tags: holiday, hotel, travelling
22 Jan 09 Taking your Laptop Abroad
Many people, especially those going away on business, will take their laptop computers with them. However, this opens up a few new concerns that you have to deal with. First, if you’re travelling abroad, you need to make certain that you have a voltage adaptor. If you don’t, you may risk damaging your laptop by plugging it in to outlets that run on a different voltage. Be certain you know if you’ll need an adaptor or not, and if you do, be sure you get the correct one. It’s also a good idea to find out about internet access if you need it. Not all hotels provide internet access, and in some cases, you may have to pay for it. You may also have to go to an internet café or other location to get internet access. Always keep an eye on your laptop, especially if you’re using it in a public place and are alone. If you need to leave your table for any reason (to order or to go to the restroom, for example), take your laptop with you. It may seem like a huge hassle, but it’s better than having your laptop stolen. Be sure to write down the serial number and other important information about your laptop and your laptop accessories just in case it’s stolen. This way, you’ll be able to give the authorities all of the information they need to track down your computer. It’s also a good idea to make a copy of all of the information on your laptop and leave it in a secure place at home in case your laptop is stolen or damaged during travel.
Tags: hotels, travel, travelling abroad
07 Jan 09 Renting a Car
For some trips, especially business trips, you may never need to leave your hotel. For other trips, especially holidays, however, you will probably want to get out and really enjoy the local sights. For this, you may actually need to rent a car. While it may not sound too difficult, there’s more to renting a car than you may think. First of all, you need to reserve your rental car as far in advance as possible. Many of the most popular cars get reserved very quickly, and if you don’t claim yours as soon as you can, you may find yourself stuck with a larger, more expensive car or with a tiny car that won’t fit everyone. You also need to shop around for rental cars. Most large cities have branches of the major rental car companies (Hertz, Enterprise, etc.), and some have better deals than others. You may also want to look at local rental companies. While they don’t always have as many selections as the bigger companies do, they may have better deals. Also look at weekly prices. Sometimes you can rent a car for a week for less than it would cost to rent it for five or six days. When booking a car, make certain you know when you can pick it up, where you can return it, and where you pick it up. Many rental car companies will allow you to pick up your rental car at or very near the airport, but if that’s not an option, you will need to arrange transportation from the airport to the car company. Also make note of the cancellation policy. If you have to cancel your trip or decide you don’t need a rental car, make certain you know what penalties, if any, you’ll have to pay for cancelling.
Tags: business trips, hotel, rent a car, rental car, rental companies
06 Jan 09 Cancelling Your Holiday
No one wants to do it, but sometimes life simply interferes with your plans and you have to cancel your holiday. It can be more than disappointing, though - cancelling your plans can actually be very frustrating, and not just because you won’t get to travel. You may, in fact, actually lose money! One of the most important things to know when booking transportation, lodging, and event tickets is the cancellation policy. Many places do allow you to cancel up to 24 or 48 hours in advance, but some, especially events, may not allow refunds at all. If that’s the case or if you’re cancelling at the last minute, there are a few things you can do. First, of course, is that you can just take the loss. However, if you were planning to travel with friends or relatives, you can ask if you can transfer the reservation or ticket to them. This way, at least someone gets to make use of it. You can also ask if you can have credit instead of your money back. Some businesses are willing to give credit for a later stay or ticket but are not willing to refund money. Because of these policies, it’s very important that if you are going to have to cancel your holiday that you cancel it as early as you can to avoid penalties. If you’re cancelling a trip, it probably means you’re already caught up in anxiety over something. There’s no need to be even more anxious about losing money. If, however, the reason you’re cancelling is because of something that does not actually conflict with the dates of your trip (such as losing your job or an unforeseen expense), you may still want to take the holiday. If you can’t get all of your money back, why lose it? Take a break, get out of town, and worry about other situations once you get back.
Tags: holiday, lodging, reservation, transportation, travel
12 Dec 08 Taking Your Pet on Holiday with you
Some people prefer to board their pets when they go out of town or hire someone to either house sit or visit their home every day to take care of their pets. However, some people like to take their dog or cat with them when they travel. There are some issues to this, but if you’re serious about travelling with your furry friend, it can be done.
First, you have to book lodging that will take animals. Not all hotels accept pets, and those that do may charge you extra to have your pet stay in the room with you. Make certain you know exactly what the pet policy is before you book the hotel. You may actually want to call the hotel and find out all of the regulations concerning pets in the room, including noise, where you can take them, and how you should go about dealing with their bathroom breaks.
Transportation is also going to be an issue if you aren’t driving. Often, you have to place your pet in some sort of pet carrier, and they generally have to travel with checked baggage or in a special section of the plane, bus, or train. Again, there’s a charge to transport your pet, and you should know all of the procedures before you arrive at the airport, train station, or bus station.
Finally, you want to think about what your pet will do while you’re travelling. If you’re going to be out and about to plays, conference events, meetings, or at other events, you may not be able to take your pet with you. If you’re going to be doing things that aren’t dog or cat friendly, you may actually want to consider leaving your pet at home. There’s no real reason to pay extra if you’re just going to leave your animal in your hotel room all day. Also, if you’re going to be visiting relatives or friends, you should make certain none of them are allergic before you arrive with your pet.
Tags: airport, baggage, hotels, travelling
04 Dec 08 Travelling with Young Children
Everyone loves a holiday, but there’s a large difference between holidaying with adults and holidaying with young children. In fact, there are some holidays you really can’t even take with small children, such as backpacking adventures or extended camping trips. However, just because you have young kids, it doesn’t mean your travelling days are over.
The first thing to remember with young children is that you may have to pack differently. If your child is under a year old, you’ll need to pack nappies, baby formula, baby food, bottles, bibs, a pacifier, and more. In fact, you may even need to take an entire carry-on bag just for your baby. You’ll have to take that into account when packing and preparing your baggage. You’ll also need to find out what the airline, bus, ship, or train regulations are regarding young children. While you may not have to pay for a separate seat for babies, you may have to purchase a ticket for some children.
You will also need to check with your hotel about young children. Again, very young children generally get to stay for free, but there is usually a fee for older children and teens. Find out what the age limit is so you know exactly how much you’ll be spending on your lodging.
If you’re travelling by bus, train, or car, you’ll probably need a car seat or some form of bed for your baby. If you’re taking the bus, you might not need a car seat for a young child, but you should check with the bus line. If you’re travelling by car, a car seat is required.
Finally, plan a few events for your young child. While there may not be much for babies to do on a holiday, there are some interactive museums and amusement parks for young children around five years old. Just don’t expect young children to enjoy going to events like operas, music performances, plays, or art museums. Those events should best be left to trips when your kids are older or when you have a baby sitter.
Tags: holiday, travelling
21 Nov 08 How to Tip When Travelling
One of the biggest issues when travelling is tipping. Because it happens so often and there are so many people who receive gratuities, it can be hard to know who to tip and how much. Here are some tips on tipping.
Remember that most people who receive tips really depend on them. In general, their base pay is very low because their employer expects them to make their living on their tips. Unless service is really, really poor (when you should notify the person and his or her boss), then you should follow the following guidelines (US dollars):
Bartender: 15 percent of the bill.
Bellhop or skycap: $1 per bag
Tour bus driver and/or guide: $1-$2 per passenger per day, up to $10 for long trips or extenuating circumstances (poor road conditions or if the guide really made an effort to be entertaining and informative)
Cab driver: 15 percent of the total bill. (The tip should be larger if road conditions were poor, if he or she handled the luggage or if he or she got you to your destination exceptionally fast.)
Cruise cabin steward/waiter: $5 per passenger per day, if not included in the fare.
Hotel concierge: $5 to $10 depending on the service rendered (making reservations at exclusive restaurants, obtaining hard-to-find theatre tickets etc.)
Hotel maid: $1-$3 per night, depending on the quality of the hotel and whether extra service was given, such as additional towels or roll-away beds. Give the tip directly to the person, rather than adding it to the room bill.
Hotel room service waiter: 15% of the bill
Maitre d’: $5 but only if extra service is given
Valet: $4 total; $2 for parking then $2 for retrieving your vehicle
Waiter: $15 percent of the bill
When leaving a tip, be kind and dignified. Don’t just toss the money at the person. Either leave it discretely under the plate or the pillow or pass it off while shaking the person’s hand. Always tip a little extra for extraordinary service.
Tags: tipping, travelling
