Travel Tips

When you are visiting Europe, you need to watch out for thieves and scammers. This isn’t to say that Europe is a dishonest continent, just that thieves are waiting to prey on tourist in every country. I’m sure you have heard of tourists visiting your country being robbed, on occasion. It is a good idea to know of common scams so you can avoid them.

Cashiers in many establishments such as stores, restaurants, and hotels may count out your change particularly slowly. They are hoping that you will become impatient and leave before collecting all your change. While this is annoying, it is not patently dishonest. Less honest cashiers may drop your money, and switch it for a smaller bill while picking it up. Then you are shortchanged, and there is not much you can do about it. When you hand over a bill, state what bill you are giving.

The “bump and grab” is a common pickpocket method, widely seen in the movies and on television shows. Someone jostles you in a crowd as someone spills fake bird poop or catsup on your shirt. The thief apologizes while seeming to try to clean your shirt, but is actually grabbing whatever valuables from your pocket as quickly as possible before disappearing into the crowd. The best way to deal with this is to avoid giving pickpockets anything to steal. Do not keep any valuables, including identification, in your pockets. If you must keep things in your pocket, back away from anyone who bumps you, and do not allow strangers to paw at your clothes. Also, be aware of your surroundings, as one person could be telling you how to get back to your hotel while someone is behind you, relieving you of your wallet while your attention is diverted.

There are a variety of “good Samaritan” scams. One will offer to help you with the ATM (while he helps himself to your pin number), another will “help” you pay way too much for subway tickets (you get the tickets, he gets a wad of cash surreptitiously moved into his wallet). If you need help, ask the ticket vendor or someone of your choosing. If someone offers to help, you can accept the help, as long as you pay attention to what he or she is doing. Not every helpful person is looking to scam you, but be aware of those who are.

If you enjoy the company of an attractive woman, choose carefully. It is common for male tourists to be approached by a beautiful woman who is begging for his company. A trip to the nightclub leads to a tab several hundred dollars more than you bargained for, and no way to avoid paying it. One way to avoid this is to skip the bar or nightclub she suggests, and go to one of your own choosing. This way you can enjoy her company without her bartender buddy fleecing you while you drink.

Now that you are armed with this information, you can avoid being an enterprising thief’s ATM machine. Most people in Europe are good, kind people, and most offers of help are genuine. Just be aware of your surroundings to avoid the dishonest few.

Traveling with a friend is much more fun than traveling alone, but what if none of your friends are willing or able to travel with you? It may be a good idea to find a travel partner who you can enjoy the trip with. Here are some ways that you can find a travel partner.

Talk to people who are already part of a group you belong to, or put up a notice that you are seeking a travel buddy. The notice can be shared with your church group, a pick-up basketball group, or even a sewing club. Checking with people who already have something in common with you is a good first step. There may be a woman at church who has always wanted to visit Greece, but didn’t want to go alone. Or maybe a guy from basketball would love to go to Oktoberfest in Germany, but wanted a buddy to go along.

For shorter trips, check out Craigslist. There is a rideshare board on Craigslist where people list places they are going or placed they would like to go. Dates of travel are usually listed, and sometimes the ad includes the amount of space available. If you find someone going to the same place you want to visit, make contact. Just make sure you spend some time talking before hitting the road. If the person claims to have a drivers license, check that they do. Ask about drug use also. The last thing you need is to be in the next state over and learn that the guy you and your child are riding with has several pounds of illegal drugs in the trunk, and makes his living smuggling drugs from state to state.

Search online for websites, forums, and messageboards that help people find travel partners or travel buddies. You can look for someone who has similar interests, is near your age, and is your gender. It is generally not a good idea for a woman to choose a strange man as a travel buddy. He may be a perfect gentleman, but it is a risk. You may find someone who wants to travel with you for a portion of your trip, and someone else to travel with you on another leg of your journey.

If you don’t find a travel buddy, you can still meet lots of new people while on your trip. Look into “couch surfing,” and you can find places to stay while on your trip that do not cost anything with the added benefit of meeting new people. Sometimes you can find people who are willing to show you the hottest nightclub, or the most magnificent museum that isn’t on any travel brochure. Use the Internet to find these great matching sites.

Use these tips to find a travel buddy for travel in your country or abroad. Make sure you and your new buddy mesh well by meeting prior to your travel dates. Enjoy your trip together, and maybe you will want to enjoy this experience again someday!

A common mistake that many travelers make is assuming that hotel rooms are safe. You can take a few moments to ensure that your belongings and family are safe in every motel that you visit during your vacation or business trip.

Your hotel room door has two locks for a reason, so be sure to use them! When you or any member of your family is in the room, make sure that all the locks are locked. You can take a simple door-stop with you that adds a bit of additional security. Another thing to consider is packing a portable door alarm. These alarms sound when the door opens, and the noise is loud enough to wake you and your neighbors, and will frighten any would-be thief away quickly. When you leave the room, lock the door. Most hotel room doors lock automatically when the door closes, but double check to make sure. Do not leave your door propped open while you bring in luggage or walk the dog. It only takes a minute to lock and unlock the door and your safety is worth at least that little bit of time.

If you are traveling with pets, either cage your pets when you leave the room or take them with you. If a hotel employee enters the room in your absence and you have a cat or dog loose in the room, there is a chance that the employee or your pet could get injured. Your pet could be mistakenly let out of the room, leading to potential disaster for your beloved cat, dog, or ferret.

If your hotel room has a safe available, use it to store important documents and other valuables. If there is not a safe in the room, ask if the hotel has a safe in the office to store guest’s valuables. If so, use it. Make sure you get an itemized, detailed receipt for anything you place in the hotel safe though.

When you leave your room to go out for supper or to meet with a friend, leave the television on at a reasonable volume. This suggests to potential thieves that you are still in your room. You should also leave the light nearest the door on while you are gone. There are two reasons for this. First, it suggests that you are in the room. The second reason is to allow you to re-enter your room safely. You will be able to see any obstacles in your path and make sure the room is as empty as you left it with a quick glance.

If your room has a closet, put your larger valuables in the closet. You can also store your luggage and pet carriers in the closet, leaving fewer thing visible to possible thieves.

Theft can occur at even the nicer hotels, so whether you are staying in a two-star or five-star hotel, make sure you follow the tips outlined above to keep yourself and your belongings safe. Safety is a priority!

Road trips are an enjoyable alternative to the often stressful trips taken by plane or ship. The obvious advantages are a less expensive trip, and a trip through scenic countryside which offers opportunity for unexpected discoveries. Use the informational tips in this article to plan a great road trip for you and your family.

Deciding on a destination is the first step you need to take in planning your trip. Make sure everyone taking the trip is interested in visiting the vacation attraction you choose. Make advance reservations at your choice of hotel or motel so you are not left without someplace to stay when you arrive. If you need to spend the night at a motel along the way, make reservations there ahead of time also.

Buy an up-to-date road atlas which shows the back roads and side roads not usually outlined on regular maps. If you decide to take a shortcut or need to detour you do not want to worry about getting lost. Many times there are road signs about nearby attractions, and you may need a good map to find your way there and back to the road to your intended destination.

Make sure your automobile is in good running condition before you leave. Your tires should all have lots of miles left on them, and you should have a good spare along in case of a flat. You should be sure you or someone with you can change a tire beside the road if you need to. Your trip can be rudely interrupted by a breakdown or a flat which nobody knows how to change.

If the drive to your destination will take more than one day, plan to stop at one or two attractions along the way. Just stopping to refuel and grab a bite to eat is not enough to break up the boredom of endless miles. Check online for local attractions in the towns your route takes you through or near. You may discover a charming antique shop or a unique restaurant with a great menu.

Your trip is likely to take you through or near towns and cities which offer interesting sights. For example, you may be interested in touring a thoroughbred horse farm as you travel through Kentucky, or stop in Nashville as you drive through Tennessee.

Stopping in towns is a great way to strike up a conversation with some of the local citizens. Most often people are proud of their town and are interested in answering any questions you may have about it. Many times you can learn information about an area or a town which is very interesting, and you would have had no way of finding out this information otherwise.

Once you begin to consider the advantages of a road trip, more ideas are likely to occur to you. Spending time with your family on a relaxing trip through the countryside might be just what you need for a truly memorable vacation. The ideas in this article will get you started on planning that once in a lifetime vacation.

Traveling to another country can be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, but there are many things to consider in order to ensure that the trip will be pleasant. Following are some tips that can help.

Traveling to almost any foreign country requires a passport. If you do not have a passport, be sure to apply for one well in advance of your departure date. It can take several months for a new passport to be processed and mailed to you. Some countries require that you have a visa as well. Find out if any of the countries you plan to visit have this requirement. If so, find out how to comply with their requirements.

Some destinations are known to be less hospitable to visitors. If you are traveling to one of these countries, let the State Department know of your travel plans. They are more likely to be in a position to help you should the need arise. Also, in some parts of the world, you may be exposed to diseases that are rare in the United States, if you want to know more about these diseases look for more news on reportshealthcare .You may need vaccinations before you visit such countries. Visit the website of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to help you determine what health risks you may encounter when you visit a particular country and what vaccinations you may need. It also provides current travel notices in effect for each country and hints regarding how to stay healthy while you are traveling.

Leave your itinerary and contact information with a family member or trusted friend. Include the names and phone numbers of the hotels you plan to stay at so you can be contacted should an emergency arise at home. Also, in the unlikely event that you go missing, this person will be able to provide the authorities with your travel information.

Learn all you can about the areas that you plan to visit. Gather maps, decide where to stay and decide what attractions you want to visit. Find out the best ways to get around in that area, whether it is taking public transportation, taxis or renting a car. (If a car rental is involved, you will need an international driver’s license, and you should look into the rules of the road and other driving requirements involved.) If you are going to a country where the native language differs from yours, try to learn at least a few common phrases that you may need to know. While many people throughout the world speak English, it can’t hurt to have some familiarity with the language of the place you are visiting.

Consider taking a tour. When you are unfamiliar with a country and the language, you can waste a lot of time finding your way around. When you take a tour, your bus driver and guide handle the transportation and many of the details, leaving you to enjoy your trip.

Traveling to another country can be exciting, fun and educational. Make sure you plan in advance for as many eventualities as possible, so that your trip goes smoothly.