Posts Tagged ‘Belongings’
5 Top Tips to Frustration-free Travel
It’s common for many travellers to suffer post-travel regret. Whether it’s because of lost or stolen belongings, being taken for a ride, getting lost, or just suffering a poor travel experience. No one wants their memories of a long anticipated trip to be peppered with bad experiences, and fortunately there are some incredibly simple things you can do to lessen the chances of it happening.
1. Prepare before you go.
Obviously the more prepared you are for your trip; the less likely you are to suffer frustration when you arrive. A good start here is ensuring you have most of your plans pre-booked, particularly your accommodation. Usually when you arrive you’ll be exhausted, and often it will be in the evening, so as a minimum it’s a good idea to have your first night or two in each city booked. And check the city tourist websites prior to booking to see if there are local events being held at the time of your travel, as this can affect availability & price. Otherwise you can still bargain-hunt when pre-booking, by using a price-comparison site, or last minute engines.
Here are a few other items you shouldn’t leave home without.
- At least one power adapter for the country you’re visiting.
-Local guidebooks are invaluable for determining places to see, times & days of sight openings, places to eat, and the basic & words phrases you’ll need in that language to get by. If it’s a heavy guidebook, you may find removing the language pages & jotting other day trip details down is a good option. You can then carry them separately in your bag, which is a much lighter option to the whole book.
-Printed directions for the hotels you’re staying at. Google maps are perfect for this whether on foot or by vehicle.
-At least 2 ATM cards. Preferably 2 per person if you’re travelling with a mate. This way if one is rejected in certain countries, or worse gobbled up by a machine, you have a back-up. It’s usually worthwhile to take a credit card, but there are some cautions here. See more on this below.
2. Pack light - Pack right
One of the major frustrations when travelling can be either having too much luggage or the wrong kind. The all-time most important tip any regular traveller will give you is to pack light. Inevitably at some point even with planned travel, you will need to pull or carry your luggage. If there are two of you, this makes it somewhat easier. But remember there’s a good chance you’ll pick up a few souvenirs or other items while you’re there, so starting with a lot of luggage, will only make it more difficult later. Layer clothing is the best kind to take, with a good mix of easy wear t-shirts & singlets. Check expected temperatures before you go, but inevitably you’ll almost always need at least one warmer jacket. Choose one that is warm, but not too bulky. If you are travelling with a mate or spouse, combining your luggage into one medium or large case can be a great decision. If you find you’re picking up items on your travels, and running out of room, it’s usually extremely easy to pick up a cheap knock-off bag on wheels that will see you out til you get home. Starting out with just one main piece of luggage, makes sharing the load with a companion easier. This is also a much safer option, see more on this below.
3. Get the right travel gear
If you are travelling through a westernised country and are likely to be in built up areas, luggage on wheels is almost always the best option. It’s easier to pull luggage than carry it, and it’s more secure against serious thieves.
However for rural, remote areas or under-developed countries, a backpack is definitely best. It’s not only more practical if you’re getting around on foot more or transporting via boat or bus, it’s also a lower security risk in many of these places. You don’t want to draw attention to expensive-looking baggage, which could imply you have expensive contents. If you take a back-pack, make sure it’s sturdy, and can be kept secure. Don’t keep items of value in any external pockets.
The other major key to having fuss-free daily adventures is to make sure you have the right carry-bag. A long-strapped sling bag is best. Small backpacks of any description are a shining beacon to thieves, where your belongings are easily reached conveniently behind your back. You should have a bag you can cross over your shoulder. Ensuring it has a comfortable, strong strap. This bag will do a lot of walking with you, and hold most of your valuable items, so getting it right is a high priority. A zipped bag is mandatory, one which allows no gaps for sneaky hands. If it has a flap, ensure the zip under it is always fully closed, and the zip opening facing to your front. In this way, your valuables are carried at the front of your body, and near impossible to access by another person.
If you are travelling as a male & female, a satchel which is more uni-sex is ideal, because you can share carrying the load.
4. Be travel wise
By following the above suggestions on luggage, you should hopefully have a limited amount of it which is always a far more secure way to travel. If you stop at anytime to make arrangements, always stay with your luggage, and if possible always keep a hand on it. Un-attended luggage is the No.1 kind to go missing in high traffic areas, such as train & bus stations. For this reason when travelling on trains over longer periods, you should keep your luggage close to you, or at least where you can see it. Ideally, get a compartment where you are guaranteed to have it with you.
Where possible you should carry your passports with you at all times. Even many hotel safe’s, unless it’s a reputable hotel, are not very secure. So aim to take things of value with you throughout the day. You should keep your valuables at the bottom of your carry bag, and in an internal zip compartment if you have one.
In many parts of the world credit card fraud is still rampant. Whilst you’ll usually want to take a credit card with you, try to use it sparingly to lessen the chances of the number falling into the wrong hands. It’s a good idea to try and pay for transportation, dining etc with cash withdrawn from an ATM. Do your best not to let your credit card leave your sight.
In certain countries, over-charging tourists is common, so be cautious. For hotels, take all paperwork detailing the room type with you, to help ensure you get what you’ve paid for. Scams can also occur in cafe’s, particularly with getting wine inferior to that which you’ve paid for. If in doubt query it before you consume it. If you are blatantly overcharged, stand your ground. And try to give close to exact money, so there’s no opportunity for them to conveniently keep the change.
In most under-developed countries, you can expect scams around every corner. From travel agencies, to people approaching you on the street. When you arrive, read the hotel information or speak to them about what dangers there may be in that area. Guidebooks will usually indicate which tour agencies don’t offer products as displayed, so peruse these before spending your money.
5. Be travel safe
In many cities all over the world, you can find yourself a target for those who prey on un-wary travellers. Be sensible, do your best not to look like a tourist. Pulling out maps in the middle of the street is a clear sign you’re a tourist, and an easy target. So try where possible to find a convenient spot to do this discretely, or make your plans over lunch. Waist bags worn outside your clothing are to thieves like a red-flag to a bull. There are far better ways of keeping your money close. If you’re not carrying a bag, choose a belt that goes under your clothes.
When walking from place to place, try to stick close to others, and avoid dark streets at night & quite alleys in the day. There’s usually another way you can go that’s populated, or catch transport.
Being street smart is fairly common sense. Stay aware, and cautious..and you’ll likely ward off any potential incidents. This doesn’t mean you have to be paranoid, but just remember you’re away from home, and as a tourist you’re at risk.
If you keep these few basic rules you should find you enjoy fairly fuss-free travel. Inevitably there will always be things that go wrong, and can’t be avoided. But don’t let them spoil your dream trip. Prepare well, be travel wise, and you’re very likely to have an adventure full of wonderful memories.
Rachel Barlow
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/5-top-tips-to-frustrationfree-travel-700282.html
Pre-Flight Travel Planning Tips
When planning to take a flight, there are a number of important things one should do before boarding the plane. Whether it is for personal or business reasons, making sure you have made the appropriate preparations is a key component of having a pleasant flight experience. Below are a few pre-flight airline travel tips to help you prepare for your flight.
Pack Smart: Don’t put all of your essential items in one luggage bag. Divide the essentials between your luggage bags. If you do this and a luggage piece is lost, you will not lose all of your important belongings. Mark your luggage bags with something that will make it easy to identify. This will help prevent someone else from taking your luggage by mistake. When it comes to traveling with cash in another country, carry only the required amount of local currency that you need when you are in the foreign country. Make sure that you will be able to use your bank debit card in another country. As well, make sure you have the appropriate traveler’s checks that can be used in the country.
Make Copies of Essentials Documents: With any important document that you are taking with you on your trip, make sure you have made copies of those documents and they are stored in a safe place on your trip and in a safe place at home.
Flight Confirmation: It is important to call and reconfirm your booking about 24-72 hours in advance of the scheduled flight. Check with news sources such as local television to make sure there have not been any issues that will cause a flight disruption or cancellation. You can also check the airline online to see if there have been any changes with your flight.
Identification and Passports: Passengers over the age of 16 must show government-issued photo identification for domestic air travel such as a driver’s license or health card. For those under the age of 16, non-government issued identification such as a student ID card or birth certificate is recommended. When traveling internationally, every passenger, including their children, must provide a valid passport.
Visas: It is essential that you check the visa requirements for the countries you are visiting. The Consular Affairs website has a list of countries that you need a visa to travel to. Check the International Travel Reports to make sure there are no security, safety, and health issues with the county you are going to visit.
Insurance: When traveling to another country or even state or province, it is important that you are protected. Check with your Credit Card Company, home insurance policy, and auto club insurance to see if you have adequate coverage for medical emergencies, lost or stolen luggage…etc. Consider purchasing travel insurance. Make sure you know exactly what your coverage entails.
Immunizations: It is important to make sure you have the appropriate vaccinations for the health risks associated with the country you are traveling. In some countries, immunization is a requirement for entering that country. Anti-malarial medications may have to be started weeks in advance of the flight.
Prepare for Airport Security: Make sure you know what you can take on the flight and what is prohibited. Passengers are allowed to bring liquids, gels and aerosols through security screening as long as the items are packaged in containers with a capacity of 100ml / 100 grams or less, and that the containers fit in one sealable clear plastic bag.
Before you embark on your next flight, it is important to make the necessary preparations so that your trip will be relaxing and enjoyable.
Adriana N
Tags: Airline Travel Tips, Bank Debit Card, Belongings, Birth Certificate, Business Reasons, Flight Airline, Flight Check, Flight Confirmation, Flight Disruption, Flight Experience, Flight Pack, Government Issued Photo Identification, Health Card, Home Flight, Important Things, Luggage Bags, Passports, Safe Place, Student Id Card, Travel Planning | No Comments »
Travel Insurance: Tips to Make your Trip Great
An insurance covering your trip is like a reliable travel companion. Availing this insurance means that you will be looked after appropriately during the tour. And if any trouble persists, you will be aided and compensated as well. But, travel insurance comes to little or no use if insurers have no adequate information about the insurance. Some useful tips about this insurance how you can avail and utilise it in its best way can be of great help.
Financial survey in UK states that almost 10% of all claims are fake. Taking this matter seriously, it becomes difficult for people to get their compensation exactly what they are promised by insurance company to be paid. Thus, it becomes very important for insurance buyers to take precautions at every step, from buying the insurance to making claims to be compensated.
The most important point to consider while you are buying a travel insurance is checking what all are being covered by the insurance. Before you finally make a deal, be sure of the insurance that it is giving you good cover. Usually, the insurance will cover for your lost luggage, stolen cash and other belongings. Though, it will pay you limited amount of cash, but it is of great help during the travel. Hospital treatment is also covered by the insurance.
Even most of the insurance will give give you 24 hour medical and legal assistance. Similarly, you need to be well aware of conditions in which Travel Insurance will not pay you any compensation. If you have lost your luggage/belongings/cash due to your faults, insurer will not pay you any compensation. Again, if the reason of cancelling trip is not valid, you will not be paid. Besides, some hazardous activities like adventurous sports like scuba diving and mountaineering are not covered. Knowing some of these important information could help you having a memorable trip.
Allan
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/travel-insurance-tips-to-make-your-trip-great-204859.html
Tags: Belongings, Faults, Financial Survey, Hazardous Activities, Important Information, Important Point, Insurance Articles, Insurance Buyers, Insurance Company, Insurance Tips, Insurance Travel, Insurer, Legal Assistance, Lost Luggage, Memorable Trip, Mountaineering, Reliable Travel, Scuba Diving, Travel Companion, Travel Insurance | 2 Comments »
