Travel can mean the exhilaration of seeing new places or the nightmare of not having the comforts and security of home. Like anything, travel goes much more smoothly with a little bit of knowledge and preparation. Keep reading for some sound advice from seasoned travelers on making your journeys pleasant memories.
If you love to travel but have a chronic illness, don’t fret! Your traveling days are not over. Just remember to travel smart by having all of your necessary medical supplies and emergency information readily accessible. You’ll feel more comfortable leaving home and be prepared for any emergency situation!
In order to get the most out of your trip with a toddler, when choosing a hotel, you should make sure that you have either another room or a balcony. Since toddlers take frequent naps and also go to bed early, this will ensure that you will be able to occupy yourself while your little one sleeps. No one really wants to call it a night at eight in the evening when they are on vacation.
If you are traveling and planning to wash laundry in your hotel room, set up your drying line somewhere with a good breeze, preferably in front of a fan. In areas with extremely high humidity, your laundry will not dry quickly enough to avoid developing a smell unless there is also air movement.
Choose a seat as soon as possible. If your airline allows you to select a seat at the time of booking, be sure to do so. To make the best decision, use airplane seating websites to look up information on seating layouts and details for your specific type of plane online. Airlines often charge extra for exit rows and more spacious seats, the value of which you must determine based on the flight duration and cost.
Long driving trips can be fun and economical, but the cost of stopping for meals every few hours will add up, especially for a family. If you are planning a longish car trip, make sure you have plenty of car food available in advance. You may be able to get away with skipping the hourlong lunch stop, which will not only save you money, but will get you to your destination sooner. If you have a second adult in the car, that person can serve as “lunchmaker,” handing around sandwiches, cutting fruit, and making sure everybody gets their midday meal on the road.
When traveling on an airplane, always be sure to have everything you would need for the next day in your carry on. Since your carry on is always with you, you can be sure that if they will loose your luggage that you will be able to get by on the next day. In most cases, airlines should have your luggage to you by then.
If you plan on going on a road trip, you should look at maps ahead of time and choose the best road. Make sure you have enough money for gas and food. You can choose ahead of time where you are going to stop so that you do not waste time looking for a gas station.
If you are planning to take a trip that involves children, be sure to prepare them for the trip well in advance of the departure date. You should provide them books that feature the location you will be visiting, age appropriate information, and pictures of places you plan to visit. Also, if there are movies available that feature the location you will be visiting, share them with the children. Depending on the age of the children, the library can be a great resource for obtaining information about the location you plan to visit.
Talk to any road warrior and they can tell you both stories of great trips and disaster journeys. Some of the things they have learned have been shared in this article. Keep these tips in mind in preparing for your future travels, and you are sure to come home with great memories rather than headaches.