08.31.10
Everyone loves a vacation but no one loves to air travel. It seems that with all the fees that are coming up and the long lines and waits in airports that flying anywhere seems to have little appeal to the common traveler. However, since flying is a necessity for so many vacationers there is this constant struggle to make flying less stressful and more enjoyable than it already is. So how do you do that? How do you make flying fun again? Well, while there is no concrete answer, these are some helpful tips to making air travel better for everyone involved.
You must be ready to do it right from the start. Getting to the airport with 2 and ½ hours to spare is a good rule of thumb. It won’t take you nearly that long to get to your gate and so being early with not give you the feeling of being rushed and will actually give time to settle in and be ready for travel.
Another idea is to bring as little onto the plane as possible. Sure they charge you a fee to check your bags at most airlines but it might be better than lugging all those bags around with you. The other argument against checking your bags is that there is always the potential they will get lost but if you ask the people you know that have traveled they will tell you that it’s unlikely and infrequent that they would get lost. So do yourself a favor and just check your bags and bring either your purse, multi-media bag or nothing at all and have a relaxing and freeing experience waiting for your flight.
Once you are on the plane there isn’t much you can do for extra comfort expect making sure you have some relaxing music to listen to and maybe something to read. Take with you a neck pillow so it will be easier for you to sleep. Then just enjoy the flight as much as you can and think ahead to the wonderful vacation you are about to take.
08.27.10
How do you take a vacation you have always wanted and do it for less? How do you enjoy everything a town has to offer without breaking the bank? These are questions everyone asks when planning their next trip. No one wants to go into debt for a good relaxing time in the destination of your choice but the vacation you really want can sometimes set you back more than you bargained for. So how do you do your vacation for less? Luckily there are ways to do it for less and ways to do it with the same quality you had before.
The first thing is to think about when you take your vacation. Going to a destination in an off season can save you a ton of money. Warm wheather places in the fall can be much cheaper because people fear that there won’t be the sun they have been clamoring for, but taking a vacation off season doesn’t mean cold weather it just might be a little more inconsistent weather.
Buying flights on Tuesday or Wednesday nights are also good too. Before you go to a travel site to buy the whole trip all at once check the airline sights at these times because it is well known that those are times when they run deals for flights. If you can find a cheaper flight than on those travel sights you could save 100 dollars and over on the right flight.
If you are saving money on the flight then you could give some serious thought to giving doing a hotel that is a little off the beaten path. Instead of staying right on the resort you could take a hotel a little off the main tourist area and save yourself some money. A lot of times these hotels are within walking distance of the stuff you want or there are shuttles that will take you to wherever you want to go and it could be a great way to save considerable money on the vacation you have always wanted.
08.25.10
Taking a vacation is one of the most fun experiences you can have in your life but sometimes there are obstacles that make taking a vacation a little harder. Kids is one of the biggest obstacles that you can face when it comes to travel and vacationing. It is often the main reason parents shy away from taking vacations altogether. But taking a vacation with kids doesn’t have to be as stressful as it could be. You can bring your kids along on vacation and still have a great time if you are smart enough to do it the right way.
First, if you are not planning on visiting the Magic Kingdom and would rather go somewhere a little cheaper than a simple search of the outlying area you are going to should help decide if it is kid friendly. Search that area and kids attractions and it should get you to a website where all that information is available. If you can’t find enough information then you may want to shy away taking your kids there.
What you are looking for are good local parks, good kid friendly restaurants, and an attraction or two that is specifically designed for kids. If you are staying at a hotel then you should ask the front desk for a television with a DVD hookup so you can bring your kids favorite movies. Usually the front desk will make the exception because you are dealing with children. You should also inquire about hotels in the area that have child care services. This could be a great way for you and your spouse to get a break for a few hours while you get a bite to eat or hang out at the pool.
If you are looking for something a little different you might want to make a choice to go with a hotel that has efficiencies or even go so far as to rent a condo so you have all the comforts of home including a full working kitchen. Taking kids on vacation does not have to be a pain.
08.24.10
Imagine strolling the streets where Jack the Ripper once lurked, or riding the subway to Baker Street and seeing the stomping grounds of Sherlock Holmes. In London, you can walk down the streets and see history. While some buildings are new, it’s also possible to see buildings built in previous centuries. At times, you can feel like you’ve stepped back in time. You can see Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. You can pose for a quick snapshot on the famous crosswalk where the Beatles took one of their most popular photos.
In London, you’ll find a little bit of everything. Enjoy shopping at local markets, try fish and chips in the traditional manner, or grab a pint in one of the pubs. If you want to try dining at its best, visit one of Jamie Oliver’s establishments and enjoy sustainable cooking. From riding a double-decker bus to taking in a play, you can experience all the traditional elements of London.
As an added advantage, you can enjoy online sports betting while you’re abroad. While you can do some online gambling in the United States, some states prohibit it, and you may not be able to access legitimate sites like Harrah’s. But when you use a computer in the UK, the online gambling institution will recognize the foreign IP address and allow you to enter the site. Of course, with all the things to do in London, you might not find the time to log on to the computer at all.
If you want to brush up on history, London offers many museums hosting priceless artifacts. Spend the day in the Ashmolean looking at artifacts from all over the world. You can enjoy paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and Michael Angelo. View examples of some of the earliest papyrus made in Egypt. When you plan a trip to London, you won’t be disappointed.
08.22.10
When planning your vacation you usually run into the usual suspects. There are three vacations that everyone looks forward to booking.
1. The Tropical Paradise – This is a wonderful vacation somewhere just outside the country with words like “all inclusive” and “resort” it’s a way to drop a big amount of money on a relaxing week of drinks and beautiful ocean views.
2. The Out of Country Vacation – This is just to see how a different culture lives. It’s generally over a couple of weeks and involves probably 20 hours or so of being stuck in an airplane and another 10 being stuck in an airport going through customs and worrying about your luggage.
3. The Tourist Attraction – This vacation is usually stateside and involves the big places the rest of the world goes and at the same time that everyone goes. It involves very little privacy and nothing new and genuine and nothing you can experience any ole time you’d like.
If these sound on target to you then maybe you should do something different, like take a cross country road trip. There used to be a time when people would pile into their cars with the radio and a good friend and go explore America, but those days seem to be long gone. Today there is too much emphasis on a gallon of gas and getting somewhere quickly instead of enjoying the journey.
But a road trip is a perfect way for you to experience America in a way you’ve never seen it. To be captivated by the beautiful interior of the Rocky Mountains or to enjoy the expansiveness of the Grand Canyon. You can see them from a plan but until you’ve made the journey there you can never really know what promise and wonder they hold. It’s why taking your car across country is a time honored tradition that is fading away. That why this is a call for your to not just take a vacation but create an experience that will last a lifetime.
08.20.10
Perhaps you have made the smart move to do something different with your vacation this year. Maybe you have decided to go against the usual place and ideas and have decided to get back to the time honored tradition of the cross country road trip. If you have then good for you. You should be excited about making the choice to enjoy the journey. There are more than a lot of places you can go by car but for you it’s about doing the trip right and enjoying every minute of the experience. If you are dedicated to doing the trip the right way and having the best memories of a vacation you have ever had then you need to follow a few road trip rules.
1. Stay off the highway – This is obviously just a title but it’s true to a lesser degree. Anytime you can take a back road you should. America is about more than the interstates, it’s the long roads that run alongside the interstate that have that personal flavor and flare that stretch through the mountains and down into the valleys and across the great planes of a great nation. Taking these really takes you through the heart of America. Use them when you can.
2. Stay Away From Chains – Every city has the usual big name places to eat. Avoid these places. This trip is about getting to know the flavor of your country and each part of the country and each city is uniquely different so take the time to enjoy the cuisine of each city. If the place has a specialty and it is something you think you would like, try it. But make sure to enjoy the food that is different than what you can get anywhere.
3. Stop When You Want – Don’t make the trip about a place to be but rather the things to see. Stop when you can and check out anything that suits your fancy. Road trips are made up of little moments and small memories that can last a lifetime.
Perhaps you have made the smart move to do something different with your vacation this year. Maybe you have decided to go against the usual place and ideas and have decided to get back to the time honored tradition of the cross country road trip. If you have then good for you. You should be excited about making the choice to enjoy the journey. There are more than a lot of places you can go by car but for you it’s about doing the trip right and enjoying every minute of the experience. If you are dedicated to doing the trip the right way and having the best memories of a vacation you have ever had then you need to follow a few road trip rules.
1. Stay off the highway – This is obviously just a title but it’s true to a lesser degree. Anytime you can take a back road you should. America is about more than the interstates, it’s the long roads that run alongside the interstate that have that personal flavor and flare that stretch through the mountains and down into the valleys and across the great planes of a great nation. Taking these really takes you through the heart of America. Use them when you can.
2. Stay Away From Chains – Every city has the usual big name places to eat. Avoid these places. This trip is about getting to know the flavor of your country and each part of the country and each city is uniquely different so take the time to enjoy the cuisine of each city. If the place has a specialty and it is something you think you would like, try it. But make sure to enjoy the food that is different than what you can get anywhere.
3. Stop When You Want – Don’t make the trip about a place to be but rather the things to see. Stop when you can and check out anything that suits your fancy. Road trips are made up of little moments and small memories that can last a lifetime.
08.19.10
The idea of taking a road trip evokes a romantic feeling. It’s you in your car, with your tunes and the open road. It’s you exploring the vast landscape of the country and taking on the sights and sounds and people that come along. It’s diners with worn down booths and countryside that holds more promise than you ever thought possible. It’s can be the best time of your life so you think “why not share this amazing experience with my friends?” Doing a road trip with your friends could be one of the best and worst ideas of your life depending on what ground rules you put in place. If you play your cards right you’ll be waxing romantic about this for year. If you do not you could end up never wanting to take a road trip again.
Gas – Don’t make the mistake of letting gas be paid for in turns. This causes all kinds of problems with who filled up when it was at empty and who filled up when it was at a quarter tank, plus each state has differing rates for gas and it could end up giving one of your passengers the short end of the stick. Do it this way: everyone put in 100 dollars for gas. At the end of the trip if there is any left every can split and if you need to re up then everyone should put in the same amount.
Food – Decide as a group when you are stopping for big meals. If someone needs food in the meantime you can hit a gas station but it’s best to stop as a group or you’ll spend your trip looking for food. Also, do not make a collective fund for food. Everyone eats different portions. It’s only bound to work out unevenly.
Silence – There are lulls in the trip and there will be times when you just need quiet. Don’t force a conversation if it isn’t there. There will be plenty of time to talk. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
08.18.10
You are probably sitting at your computer right now daydreaming about the next time you can leave the shackles of your office and take a long overdue vacation. You are searching websites as you read this and the time can’t come soon enough. But let’s face it, when the time comes you are going to be poised to take the same run of the mill vacation you always do. Some boring plan ride into a boring, albeit beautiful setting. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take a vacation that is a bit off the beaten path and have the time of your life doing it. So here are a few vacations that might be worth exploring.
Road Trip – This is the way people used to see America. Not from a plane ride but through the eyes of the car and an amazing time. They used to experience the wonder that the country holds. So now is the time for you to do it too. Get yourself a road map and a chunk of time and plan on seeing the sights of the countryside. This is a great alternative and it will cost you less than what you are paying for a traditional vacation.
Staycation – This might seem like a boring way to spend your vacation but if you live in a city like Chicago or New York then a staycation would be the perfect opportunity to enjoy your own city. Living and working in you home city doesn’t give you a lot of time for you to enjoy the things that makes your city the wonderful place it is. So save yourself some money and some travel time and explore your own hometown.
Camping Vacation – Instead of spending your time in doors, spend that time outdoors. Camping in a great place like Yellowstone or Yosemite could be a great way to get in touch with nature and have some of the best memories of your life. Rough it and find yourself talking about the experience for years. Either way it beats the traditional.
08.17.10
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visually spectacular cities in the world. When looking at Rio from above it looks almost like a fake city created for a Sci-Fi movie. It is no surprise that Rio de Janeiro will be the first city in South America to host the Olympic Games. It is a developed first-world city with amazing beaches, great nightlife, tremendous cultural offerings, spectacular sights, and beautiful people.
Sugar Loaf
Sugar Loaf is one of the many must see tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro. Despite what part of the world you are from and natural beauty you enjoy close to home Sugar Loaf will “wow” you. It is essentially two enormous rocks jutting out of the earth the size of cargo ships. An enormous gondola takes you from the posh neighborhood of Urca to the first level of Sugar Loaf and another gondola takes you all the way to the top. Each round-trip gondola jaunt costs 12.50 USD, but you can save money by hiking to the first level and only paying for the second gondola. It is only about a 10-15 minute climb and engaging small monkeys along the way in common. Once at the top you can see tremendous views of Rio de Janeiro and the city of Niteroi.
Christ the Redeemer – Corcovado
This may be Rio de Janeiro’s quintessential tourist attraction. One of the highest points that can be reached in Rio atop Corcovado Mountain, Christ the Redeemer provides 360 degree views of Rio de Janeiro. The gigantic Christ statue is also amazing to see up close. You can reach the top on foot (which make take 2 hours), by train (20 minutes, or van (10-15 minutes). The best option is the train; however, it has limited capacity and only departs twice per hour. When purchasing the entrance fee and the train ride together it is a few bucks cheaper than taking a van and paying the entrance separately. The train is the most sought after option hence you must be prepared to get there early or endure a line.
