Learn How You Can Be A Master Traveller

By Brian French


Remember, when traveling abroad it is better to avoid drinking the local tap water. Most visitors will be unaccustomed to the local water, and can get quite ill. It's much easier to go to the local supermarket or grocery store, and buy bottled water instead. It cuts down your chance of sickness, as bottled water is usually produced to the highest of standards.

When you travel, it's important to stop for the cheese as well as the big-time monuments. What that means is this: Go to Mt. Rushmore, sure. But first, you need to stop at the Jolly Green Giant Statue in Minnesota and get your picture taken. You need to actually go see the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD, and Wall Drug. These places are kitschy, and that's exactly why they're essential. America is both a place of great beauty and great silliness, and both should be celebrated by the traveler.

Going on a trip away from home can make you want to take a bit of home with you. To ensure that you don't take too many things, only take the toiletries that you need. Make a list of toiletries that you generally use throughout your day and can't live without. Pack the ones that are most important to you.

Peruse the blogosphere. Bloggers are everywhere, and there is most likely one, if not many, bloggers blogging about your destination. Their blogs are a great resource for finding information about hidden gems of the city--restaurants, hotels, attractions, and more. Don't be shy. If you contact them, many will be happy to answer your specific questions as well.

When traveling, if you have to use a public computer for anything, whether it's to check your email, your Facebook, or your bank account, make sure you log out! Don't just close the browser like you might do on your personal computer, make sure you click the log out button. This will prevent anyone else from accessing your data.

Before booking any vacations, do some comparison shopping. Make sure you're getting a good deal on your flight and hotel by looking at the prices of several websites. If you don't need to leave or return from your trip on an exact day, check the price of several days in the same week. One might be cheaper.

You always want to make sure that you have a visa, if it is needed for entry into a county. Research exactly what you will need to present, to be allowed access to that location. Also, be aware that sometimes a visa will not even allow you entry.

Pay attention to hidden fees when booking airline travel. It is becoming commonplace to charge fees for checked baggage, especially overweight baggage. In addition, airlines now charge fees for checking in at the terminal instead of online, and may even charge extra to select a more coveted seat on the airplane, such as exit row seating.

When traveling out of the country, it is advisable to drink only bottled water. This is especially important in countries where the quality of their tap water may be questionable. It's better to possibly pay a bit more and be safe than risk getting sick because of contaminated tap water.

When travelling on a road trip, make sure you bring a bag with you for trash. Even people who don't normally eat in the car will during long road trips, especially if you don't want to stop to eat and add more time to your trip. A trash bag can help you keep the mess and clutter to a minimum.




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