Photo by moon 69

Ever wonder how you are supposed to carry on a purse, a tote with stuff for the flight and your laptop? I used to take my small roll on suitcase and a purse. But now it makes more sense to use a multipurpose approach. In my small backpack, I can tote my laptop, my digital camera, my cell phone, a bottle of water and a snack, a book to read, and a small wallet. Best part is that carrying it on your back is pretty easy when jockeying up and down escalators. I have everything I would need for the flight all in one place.

The rest can go in my roll on which I can just check if I can’t also take it with me on board. Besides the usual packing items, I can pack a very soft and a collapsible tote bag that can double for a purse and shopping bag when I get to my destination.

                                                                                  Photo by Dave McLean

I am in the market for purchasing some airline tickets to a couple of places for this summer. I was just thinking to myself that I wish I could figure the best days to get the best buys on tickets. Quite by accident while going online to follow up on a totally unrelated news report on ABC this morning I found another report on “What is the Best Day to Buy Cheap Airfare”. Now, if that isn’t the universe speaking to me, I don’t know what is.

The column, written by Rick Seaney, a noted expert on air travel, offered some good advice to get a good deal. He confirmed what I already figured out with my searches for good flights. In his opinion – there is a method.

First, don’t be in a huge rush to buy too soon. He noted that four months before is time enough to start looking. He also said that you should shop around a bit to get a good ballpark of going rates among the airlines so that when specials are advertized you will know if it really is a good deal. Usually, there are not many seats at those prices, so don’t delay or they will be gone.

If you can wait, sometimes, as the date gets closer, you could see an airline offer a sale, usually on a Monday. And by mid day on Tuesday the other airlines will follow. So, Seaney says that Tuesday afternoons are the best days to get a good price. Wednesdays and Saturdays are good days for a deal too as people don’t often pick those days to travel.

Other considerations are the time of day. Most do not prefer real early mornings or late at night, so there could be some deals there too if you don’t mind the inconvenience.

If travel dates are flexible he reminds that off season travel or not going the day before or after a holiday would save you too.

Finally, he suggests using a site that will show you monthly calendars with posted fares for each day and you can do that at his site. I went there and put in my travel dates and could see the prices day to day. It was great. I also was able to sign up for email alerts reporting price changes. Take a look. It was a bit of good luck that I was able to find his report just when I was thinking about it for myself and then to be able to share the tips with you.

Photo by pellaea

I am a list person. I make lists to tell me what groceries to buy. I make lists to remind me of any appointments I have each month. I make to do lists for the week and for the day- every day. It is no wonder then that I make lists when I am getting ready to pack a bag – even if it is just for a weekend.

I start with how many days worth of STUFF I need to organize.

I have categories. All together I do clothes, medications and vitamins, cosmetics, snacks and water for on the way, camera, tickets-itinerary-travel book, money, cell phone and charger, hair care items, outer wear – will I take a wrap, a sweater, a coat, rain gear. It all depends on where I am going and the time of year.

First I select clothes which also includes accessories- like jewelry , shoes, slippers, robe and pj’s.

I count out the correct number of changes of clothes I will need. Then I make piles for each day for what I will need to make a complete outfit, starting with undies and all the way to accessories. If I need a special item for a night out, for example, that goes on the list. After I have all the clothes, accessories, including shoes, then I move on to each category and lay out the piles as I go.

When I have all the piles assembled, I go back to the list and check things off to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Finally, it is time to pack. Sigh of relief!! Some may find this tedious, but for folks like me, it is worth it to start out a trip feeling relaxed and prepared.

                                                                        Photo by gourabstock

I guess I have been lucky in that of all the times I have traveled somewhere be it car, train or air, I have never had an incident where I actually needed or even thought about getting traveler’s insurance. When I think of all the things that could have gone wrong, I wonder why it never occurred to me to purchase some.

Recently, I was contemplating taking an overseas and rather expensive trip and one of the things the tour company discussed was the purchasing of protection. That prompted me to think about it more carefully and to do a little research into why it might be a beneficial thing to have.

When planning an expensive trip months in advance there are a number of things that could happen. What if plans change – an accident, illness, weather emergency? What happens then? What if you get to a place and your luggage doesn’t? What if you are in a tropical place and a hurricane hits? What if you are involved in an accident? Does you own medical insurance cover you?

I think that for the majority of times, most travel worry free. Yet, there is that old adage “better to be safe than sorry”.

Anyone out there have an experience where having insurance saved the day? Or, on the other hand, anyone have a sad tale about not having it and wishing you had? I’d like to hear what you think.

                                                                            Photo by Craig Murphy

We are in the middle of winter and the Olympics are going to be in Canada this year – brrrrr. With many people headed up North to watch their favorite winter sports, talking about how to dress to stay warm seems like a good idea.

It is much different to run in and out of a car to a building in the cold than it is to stand out in it for hours at a time. Not just a comfort issue, but a safety one as well.

The one word to best describes how to protect ourselves is LAYERS.

Here are some suggestions of how to dress in the cold to stay warm.

In general, as we go over specific layers, keep the clothing loose to allow for free circulation and to help with the insulation by allowing warm air pockets to be trapped. Don’t neglect any area of the body. Often people do the right thing from the chest up but don’t worry as much as what is worn below the waist. When you think of if, there is more skin area on the lower half of the body overall.

The advantage of layering is obvious. You can add or remove as you go according to conditions. For those like me who live in a tropical climate and do not even own a winter coat, dressing for the cold is going to take some planning

The first layer should be a fabric that will wick perspiration. Cotton is not it. Silk or synthetic thermals will make a great first layer – tops and bottoms.

Next would be a light weight wool shirt and pants. For those who don’t like wool a densely knitted microfiber fleece would be a good option. Gore-Tex, Teflon or a nylon shell pant is another good option. Cotton jeans are not a good choice. They don’t keep out wet and they don’t block wind.

Thirdly, comes a lightweight button down shirt or jacket that can be easily removed.

The outer layer for extreme cold would be a heavier down filled coat that goes down past the hips and preferably with a hood.

The next areas of concern are the head, neck, hands and feet. When it is extremely cold, blood moves away from these areas to protect the vital organs leaving these areas basically unprotected and that would be when fingers and toes could succumb to frostbite.

Hopefully, your coat or a layer under it will have a hood. Top that with a warm hat that can be pulled down and to that add a warm, close knit scarf to wrap around your neck, mouth and nose.

Hands can be difficult. While mittens are best, they often restrict using the fingers. Insulated hand coverings are good. It was recommended to look in a sporting shop for mitts that had one or two fingers like hunters use.

And finally the feet. Think two pairs of socks. The first pair might be a lightweight airwicking choice – again not cotton. The outer one should be wool. If they can go up the calf all the better. Make sure you have plenty of wiggle room for circulation. Top these with water proof, over the calf boots that have a soft, warm lining. Having a thick sole will add more protection to the bottoms of your feet that likely will be tramping around on ice and snow.

If all this fails to keep you warm try doing a couple of minutes of jumping around and then head to the lodge for a warm fire and some hot cocoa.

                                                                                 Photo from here

Many people get caught up in the excitement of going on a trip by going out to the nearest resort boutique and buying a new, fancy wardrobe to travel in style. I do understand how good it makes me feel to don a new outfit or to get a new hairdo, but it really isn’t necessary to get all new finery just because you are going on a trip. Not only will it help to cut unnecessary costs but it will be less worrisome to just wear your comfy favorite clothes, shoes, suitcases, etc. You won’t feel as bad if anything gets lost or ruined and you might even have a little extra left over for a souvenir.

It would be a good bet to leave expensive jewelry at home too. Things could easily get lost or stolen. The same goes for pricey cameras. Unless you are a professional, why drag around an expensive or cumbersome camera, lens, tripod etc, when a little digital will do the job for you. Some people I know just buy some really pretty post cards to remember the places they have been.

The main thing is to relax, and have a fun, worry free vacation.

                                                                          Photo by Bill Mayer

A few weeks ago I did a post discussing accommodation options that could save you a little money while you travel. I want to talk about accommodations again but this time I want to talk about what can be called “Dirty Little Secrets”. This morning in the period of about 30 minutes I heard two reports that made me want to take a shower right away. The first was when I just woke up. There was a news item on the radio about a well known hotel in London that offered bed warmers as a customer service. Human ones. They felt it was a good thing because “people sleep better when the sheets are warm”. Hello!! The bed warmers are supposed to wear one piece pajamas and have their hair covered. But they couldn’t guarantee that they would have had a shower. Call me crazy, I wouldn’t want a stranger warming up my sheets even if they had a shower!

And speaking of sheets that brings me to the second story I heard this morning. It is fairly common knowledge that the cleanliness of hotel rooms comes under question at times – even the GOOD ones. But after I heard a report on GMA this morning, I felt the need to report what I heard. Maybe some of you saw it too. They had a segment that was even worse in the creepy crawly division than the bed warmer. Trip Advisor has a list of the 10 dirtiest hotels. They are listed for you if you visit their site. The show featured a microbiologist going into a few of the hotels with an ATP Meter that picks up bacteria and mold. While they say a meter reading of 300 is considered safe, they were picking up readings of 2040. That and other instruments showed not only mold and bacteria on walls, floors, bathrooms, etc.; they also found rust, water damage on ceiling tiles, bodily fluids on bedspreads, walls, chairs, floors. A real cesspool. And then there are the bed bugs.

Now that I most likely have you all retching, what is a traveler to do? The first thing to do when you get to your room is conduct a room inspection. Do not put your suitcase on the bed. (And when you get home, do not put your suitcase on your own bed.) Put it on the bag holder. Look for stains on the spread. Remove the spread entirely. Who knows when or if these ever are cleaned. Check the linens for stains. Pull up the corners of the sheets and look for bug debris or dander or any little droplets of what could be blood in the crease if the mattress along the seam that would indicate the presence of bed bugs. Then move to the bathroom. Look for rust, water damage or stains in the sink, tub and around the toilet floor. If ANY of these are found at this point, ask to have a different room.

If the room passes all of these tests, here are some more just general things to do. Bring you Clorox wipes and clean off the doorknob and the remote. Give a good healthy disinfectant spray on surfaces in the bathroom. Don’t use the glasses or cups unless they are paper and wrapped. Bring slippers or at least Flip Flops when walking on the carpet or in the bath. They had these little plastic mattress bags that you could bring along but didn’t say where they got them. Anyone know? Precautions like these, while annoying, can help prevent things like the flu, colds, or athletes feet.

I am sure that many hotels go out of their way to keep their rooms clean and safe. But there are always some that might look the other way when it comes to training and monitoring staff. Better to be safe.

If you can think of other things to look for or have any other ideas to protect yourselves from unwanted contaminants, please leave a comment.

Photo courtesy of Bradipo

Tipping for services provided can be tricky, if not confusing, for a traveler. This travel tip is not going to go in to all the many service providers that in the states particularly are accustomed to getting tips, like your favorite hair stylist or mailman. For our purposes, this is just to bring up the idea of tipping while on travel – whether in the US or abroad. Should you or shouldn’t you? And who and how much?

Whether one considers tipping an option or that people expect a tip, there is no arguing that most of the people who are the recipients of tips are the ones who most often rely on what is given for the bulk of their salary.

If this is an area of concern for you, then it is best to know what is the norm in the country you are heading to. Just do your research before you go. You might be surprised at the difference in customs from one country to the next. There are many tipping places on the web where amounts are suggested for various services – be it the cleaning staff in your hotel or the person who serves your food and I will list a few links for you at the end. The thing to remember is that this person is providing a service. If, for example, you do not like your room or the meal is not as tasty as you wished, it is not the maid or the waitress who is to blame. You tip for the quality of service you receive. (The one thing about room service that I will mention is that if you are going to tip and are staying multiple nights, it is to your advantage to tip daily, leaving it before you head out in the morning. This will go a long way in placing you in good hands during your stay.)

When you leave a tip, you should know whether or not leaving US money is convenient. Many times folks will prefer getting tips in their local currency which is most likely available at the airport when you arrive. This has to do with the inconvenience or loss of value when the recipients would be faced with changing it to their currency.

Please visit these places for specific tipping information.

http://www.magellans.com/store/article/367

http://www.itipping.com/

http://www.findalink.net/

Do you have any travel experience or advice on tipping from places you have visited to share ? Please leave a comment!

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Travel has become so common place that people who heretofore would always put their pets in a kennel or have someone home sit, are now thinking about the rewards of taking their pets along for the ride. I am sure if you asked the pets to vote they would say “take me too”.

While it is possible to take your pet on a plane or other mass transportation, there are certain safety and comfort limitations to consider. The best option would be to take your pets with you on a road trip by car. There is one exception that is worth mentioning and that is the new pets only airline, pet airways. You really need to pop over there and take a look at this amazing site. It will give all the details of how it is set up and will offer many, many more travel tips for your cats or dogs.

Car trips can be fun but they do require careful planning. It is interesting to see that pets require a lot of stuff and can quickly usurp much of your cargo space, but pet lovers would probably agree that it is worth it.

Jenn and Roberto recently took a road trip from St. Augustine to Vermont. I got a few pointers from them on what made their trip successful taking along their dogs, Pepino and Cipollina {newly acquired in Vermont and actually taking her first road trip on the way back home from Vermont).  When Nimue, their cat, goes along, she sits in the back along with her brother and sister in her crate, too.  This takes the whole back seat when you line them all up!!

Fortunately, they had a great place to stop halfway for the night at their Aunt Carol and Uncle Ed’s in Virginia. But, Roberto said that for those who must stop at a hotel or motel, he would advise calling the hotel ahead of time and speaking to someone, even if the website said “pet friendly”.

Things to know would be if you would be able to leave the pets unattended in the room when you are out dining. While they would need to be in their crates, they might be scared and may bark or cry. I don’t think most hotels would allow pets in the dining room. Although Jenn tells me that some communities are allowing dogs on a leash if you are dining alfresco. Yet, this would not be an option in the winter up North! May be a better bet to get room service or delivery. Another good tip from Roberto was to request a first floor room. It would make those middle of the night potty runs outside a lot easier. Courtesy would dictate that you do not let your pets water the hotel plants or bushes.

Here is a list of items to take for your pet:

• Food
• Water
• Container or bowl
• Lots of treats
• Kongs with peanut butter
• Toys
• Blankets
• Pooper scooper / bags
• Kitty litter
• Carriers with ID tags affixed
• Leash
• Jackets for short haired pets in winter

I asked Pepino and Cipollina if I forgot anything and they gave me two paws up!! Unless of course it was just to take their Grannie to snuggle with, too.

 Photo by Shoomeema 

I am sure by now that most of you have heard about the recent terrorist attempt on that incoming plane from Canada on Christmas. With that in mind airlines are taking a closer look and beefing up security with tighter checks for folks coming in to our airports and at other airports around the world. It is a pity that this is necessary, but that seems to be the times we are living in now.

If you are planning on doing any air travel this New Year and into 2010, there are certain areas where knowing what your responsibilities are will make it easier for you to travel.

You should be aware that:

• Airports are now planning on buying a lot more full body scanners. There are already a few out there and I imagine it is going to take some time to get these in place. They are expensive and in time, these costs may filter down to the traveler, resulting in higher fees or taxes. These scanners are reported to be a revealing invasion of our privacy. But, on the other hand, it is also possible this device will show very clearly if any potentially dangerous items are concealed in any way in any place on or in the body. I do wonder about the safety of exposure to this equipment, though. TSA reports that they emit less energy than a cell phone. But for those who fear this exposure, a physical pat-down is supposed to be offered. I don’t know enough about these to make an educated comment. If any of you know about the safety aspect, I would sure like to hear what you know.
• The no fly lists will be paid better attention. It should already be a common practice, but has apparently become lax.

Here are some tips about what we can do or expect as we get ready to travel be air:

• Expect longer delays.
• Expect an extra pat-down body search at the departure gate for transatlantic flights.
• Expect to have all baggage checked.
• Different airlines may have different regulations- call your airline for theirs.
• One carry-on will be allowed like a purse, a diaper bag, an iPod or laptop ( check on rules for electronic devices to see if they are allowed on flights overseas. If allowed, there may be times they must be turned off.)
• Liquid medications need special clearance. Check your airline for requirements.
• Food that will be eaten immediately may be taken on board.
• During last hour of travel, people will be asked to stay in their seats and will not be allowed to cover themselves with a blanket.

All of this may make you wonder if you should even travel.

Maybe we will just be safer and that is not a bad thing. On that closing thought, I want to wish you a Happy New Year and Happy and Safe Traveling.