Travel Advice

By and large there’s nothing inherently dangerous about travelling abroad. In most places you’re likely to visit, you’re no more at risk of crime or injury than you would be at home. Nevertheless when the unfortunate does occur, it can often be much more stressful if it happens when you’re away from home and in unfamiliar surroundings.

With that in mind, here are a few pieces of general travelling advice for making sure that you’re as safe as possible while on holiday:

Securing your luggage:

One of the biggest areas of risk when you’re abroad, keeping your luggage safe and secure is essential for any traveller – whether you’re backpacking across Asia or staying at a caravan park in France, losing your luggage can be disastrous. One simple step you can take is to padlock your luggage and mark it somehow, so that you can easily identify it and that no one can simply reach in and take something. This can be helpful when you can’t keep track of it, such as when you check in for a flight. Once you’ve arrived you should carry anything truly vital on your person, until you get to your accommodation – where you’ll most likely be able to hire a locker or at the very least, leave it in a locked hotel room.

Prepare for an emergency:

Preparing for the worst isn’t always an enjoyable mental exercise but it never hurts – and if the worst does happen, you’ll definitely appreciate it. For example, it’s recommended that you always keep a reserve of emergency cash in a secure location as well as carrying some funds with you; never carry all of it with you at once and never leave all of it in one place. Similarly you should make sure that your travel arrangements can’t be spoilt by securing your passport, air plane tickets or other travel documents.

Research your destination:

Although there’s definite appeal in the romance of venturing into new territory without any preconceived ideas, it can be a recipe for disaster. At the very least, a lack of advance research is likely to be extremely expensive, as you won’t know what the average cost of living is – so you won’t know how much money you’ll need or whether or not you’re being overcharged. At worst, it could put you at risk of some serious hazards that you could easily have avoided with a little warning. The main point is that when you travel to somewhere different from home, it could well have different laws, different diseases and different standards of behaviour. A little preparation such as visiting your doctor for immunisations or reading the advice on the Foreign Office website can go a long way to helping you prepare for your specific destination.

Before you go out on to that dream vacation, here are some travel advices and great vacation ideas. First of all, find out what documents you might need for entry. Also vaccinations, if there are any infectious diseases that you should know about. If for some reason you are under any medications, do you need any kind of approval to be able to bring it with you? Know that you have that all covered and out of the way. Start considering where you want to go in the Caribbean or in Europe. Look for a place where you have lots of options. Great places for sightseeing, eatery and accommodation. If you are not going alone, find a place with a good balance, where everyone can enjoy and have fun.

Always consider booking your trip at off peak times, where you can save and also get to that special place without the crowds. That way you can roam around and discover more freely. Limit yourself to a small carry on size bag. You don’t want to travel with a huge suitcase and not be able to move around with ease.

Now lets get to what things you should pack. Always carry with you the essentials, passport, insurance, travelers checks. For your use an all purpose small first aid kit. In that kit make sure to have aspirin, bandages, antibiotic ointments, sinus medication just in case your allergies flare up, you know how that is. And to keep those germs away always have those antibacterial wipes, they are always handy for those times that you might not find where to wash up.

One no no, never bring your laptop or tech gadgets that you may have. Leave it at home. You are vacationing so just enjoy. A few little things you might need, a small umbrella that can be portable and will not take any unneeded space. You never know when a little rain can come down. Well now it’s time to see what are the best places in the Caribbean and Europe to vacation in. So we can have an idea where to chose to go to.

When it comes to a Caribbean vacation you can have your pick of islands. They all have one thing in common, they all share the Caribbean. That beautiful turquoise water with crystal like sand. Let’s start with Aruba. It’s known for its diverse culture and their fun loving people. They offer the best hotel facilities. When it comes to nightlife you have various choices from dancing to casinos so if you want to try your lucky streak Aruba may be the place. Best time to visit Aruba is from April 15 – December 1, which is the low season for tourist. And you can also get better deals as well.

Bahamas, another popular Caribbean island. What is it best known for? Well, for example, it is the Earths third largest barrier reef. It has the clearest water in the world. For all people that love to venture underwater this is the place. Love fishing, they have Deep Water Cay. It’s known for the best spot around the world in fishing. So if you are into aquatic sports, this is the place for you.

Let’s sail into Jamaica now. Jamaica is known for its wonderful warm weather, its people and beaches. Just like any other island. But there is one thing that stands out, it’s ska music. Their traditional meto and calypso with a bit of American jazz and rhythm and blues sound. Jamaican food with its exotic flavors and different kinds of blends of spices offers a wide variety of choices. It all originates from African, Indian, and Chinese which are influences in the Jamaican cuisine. And the most famous is their jerk, which is barbecued meat and chicken Jamaican style. Jamaica has it all. Delicious food, music and nature. Everything all in one place.

Now let’s explore a bit of the other side of the world. Europe. Italy is so full of richness in every sense of the word. From food all the way to it’s people. They have art, wine, music, fashion and so much that no matter what your interest is you will find it there. You can enjoy a Cathedral all the way to a saucy plate of spaghetti. This is a country where you have to visit with time to spare, so you are able to enjoy every aspect of it because of it’s rich culture. You cannot just pass through.

Believe it or not Germany has become one of the most important places to visit, worldwide. Tourist have fallen in love with the country’s scenic landscapes, gorgeous villages and it’s castles. As a tourist you can walk through it’s history, learning from its past and how it is now in tuned with it’s present. The country is impressive and romantic at the same time. If you happen to find yourself in late September to early October in Germany, go on to Munich. Oktoberfest is held in Munich during this time, and is the largest beer drinking festival. If you are planning a trip make sure you book your vacation early because it gets difficult to find a hotel room for this time. And be ready with rain gear, as it’s the rainy seasons in the country.

The ordinary Western tourist poking around in Asian cities is usually sorely in need of some Asia travel advice, especially as relates to local laws and customs. Apart from the language, the lack of knowledge about local culture is a big hindrance, and sometimes even a danger. Something that might be very common in New York or London may be a big crime in parts of Asia.

There’s no need to get all worked up about it, and neither is there any reason to not enjoy the trip. Actually, it’s a selective thing that depends mostly on the destination and country being visited. As an example, let’s consider two very popular Asian destinations – Dubai and Thailand. A visitor from a Western nation might be forgiven for mistakenly assuming that the laws and customs would be about the same in both nations.

Maybe it would be better to separate it out into two sections, one for ‘Dubai travel advice’ and the other one for ‘Thailand travel advice.’ Let’s start with Dubai. In terms of local customs and laws that visitors need to be aware of, the most important ones are related to alcohol, indecent exposure and displays of public affection.

One has to be very careful while drinking alcohol in Dubai, and it should be done only in restaurants which are licensed to serve alcohol. It can also be purchased from some stores, but when in public the alcohol has to be tucked away inside bags. Anyone caught driving after consuming even a little bit of alcohol faces a fine and possible imprisonment.

The second and third points about clothing (or lack thereof) and public displays of affection are interlinked. Visitors from the West can and do easily fall afoul of these laws with a kiss (or more) on the beach or in a mall, or making out in the car, and so on. Tourists have been jailed and put on trial in Dubai for offences of this nature.

As for Thailand, it is a much more progressive culture that allows visitors quite a lot of freedom to enjoy the visit and the urban pleasures of cities like Bangkok. But they do have some strict laws that can land visitors in trouble. The penalties for possession of even small amounts of drugs for personal use are harsh and can lead to lengthy jail sentences.

Another thing to remember in Thailand is never to disrespect the monarch or his likeness in any form – it is also a crime. Third, tourists are required to carry their passports or risk being arrested. It is also not a good idea to show off the soles of the feet in public or touch the back of someone’s head.

It’s obviously not possible here to list tips like this for every major tourist destination in Asia. But the general drift of it is that each place has its own laws and customs, so the best Asia travel advice that can be provided here is that visitors should know beforehand what is acceptable and what isn’t. Most destinations are quite friendly and welcoming, but it’s important to show some respect for local sensibilities.

Let’s face it: Budget travel advice is everywhere. It’s a lot like advice on how to lose weight; there’s a million people saying the same few things a million different ways. What baffles me is how many folks advise blatantly obvious “advice” such “cook your own food, stay away from restaurants.” Thanks a lot! I’ve decided to put together three of the biggest ways to travel on a reasonable budget. With no further ado:

Rock around the world. If you are going to spend more than a month traveling, and want to see additional parts of the world for less money, look into buying a round the world ticket. I’ve seen eleven destinations sold for less than three thousand dollars. The place to find these screaming deals? Check out airtreks.com.

Buy months or minutes before. As a travel agent, it galls me to see so many folks lose hundreds of dollars waiting for the price to go down. Uh-huh. You know you’re guilty of it too. A simple rule to follow for budget travel: buy far in advance if you know where you want to go, or purchase last minute if you don’t. Flexibility is the key; the more flexible you are on dates and locations, the better deals you’ll find.

Average sucks. My beautiful fiance and I rode our bikes around Ireland (a very expensive country) without spending a bundle, and had several really comfortable evenings, including a king size room in an old Irish castle. How? The answer is shockingly simple: We would camp out two days for each night spent in a nice location. The cost averaged out, and we stayed in places that were definitely beyond out budget. By the way, camping is usually a quarter the cost of a hostel for two people, and it’s cleaner and more private.

You often hear people talking about adventure travel and that makes you wonder as to what adventure travel actually is. It is something by which u can add adventure and fun to your life. So before going for an adventure travel, you must know what it is. Adventure travel doesn’t mean that you have to endanger your life for your trip to be called adventurous!

The term adventurous is a concept that is not defined physically when you talk about adventure travel. This concept is defined psychologically. Different people have different definitions of adventure. Earlier adventure travel meant going abroad or just traveling to different places. However, its definition has changed today. Adventure travel is when you experience an event rather than being a mere spectator in your travels. It is actually living in the present and experiencing the place and not just sight seeing.

Adventure is different for everyone. What may appear adventurous to you could be totally boring for someone. And that is reason that there are so many options available if you want to go for adventure travel. You can choose the one which suits you, and more importantly the one which excites you! White water rafting or kayaking can be fun for someone. On the other hand camping in an interesting place can de defined as adventurous by some people. Hot air balloon ride may sound boring to you but it can be the perfect adventure travel for some.

Adventure travel is when you get yourself involved in an enthralling experience. It includes boating, kayaking, hiking, sky diving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, sailing, bicycling and much more! You should not indulge yourself into any form of adventure travel in which you are not comfortable. The level of risk in your travel is defined by you just like term adventure is defined individually. Adventure travel is getting yourself engaged into a new experience but make sure that you are totally comfortable in what you are doing.

You can choose a tour if you wish to go for adventure travel. Such adventure travel tours are available for couples and families. But don’t worry in case you are single, adventure tours are also available for you. So you can make a plan for an adventure tour. You can choose a tour which suits you best. These tours usually have two groups of people. One group goes on sight seeing and visits their areas of interest, whereas the other group involves itself in adventurous activities. Of course the type of activity depends on the tour which you have selected.

It is a misconception that adventure travel is only for the younger people. You can indulge yourself into it irrespective of your age. Adventure travel is enjoyed by one and all. It’s not uncommon to see an old couple getting engaged in adventurous activities. Having worked hard throughout their life, they want o experience something new and enthralling. You can meet people from all quarters of life in adventure travel. Now, meeting different people from different backgrounds can itself be very adventurous!

You can choose an adventure travel which excites you. It can simply be going out of the country to some distant place or maybe engaging yourself in bunjee jumping. Whichever activity you choose, just make sure that you are comfortable in it, for there will be no fun and no adventure if you are not comfortable!