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
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
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
