I've done a lot of traveling in the past, so I wanted to share some of things I've learned (many times the hard way) that make international travel easier. You should try to get as much information as possible about the country you are visiting, but this list of tips should give you some good starting points that are relevant for most any destination. A couple great sources for safety information on foreign countries are the CIA World Factbook and the US Travel Advisory site. Take Copies - Having a copy of your drivers license and the first page of your passport are very handy in getting your visa or vehicle permits. They also serve as backup if your wallet and passport are … [Read more...] about International Travel Tips
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Tips for Airport Travel
The next time I check luggage at an airport I'm going to say: "I am flying to Hartford. Can you please send one bag with me and one bag to Boston?" When they say, "we can't do that," I will reply, "really? You did it last time..." Joking aside, here are some tips I've compiled from the time I've spent in airports. Ship Your Luggage With the additional fees airlines are charging simply to check a suitcase, shipping your luggage to your destination can be cost effective. Not only do you skip the extra fees, but you can avoid the long lines some airports have waiting for your checked luggage to be x-rayed. Minimize Metal Anything you can do to reduce the number of metal objects … [Read more...] about Tips for Airport Travel
Tips for Car Travel
As the summer months approach, I wanted to share some simple tips for traveling by car. We do a lot of travel and these are some of the tips we've found that make our lives easier on the road. Driving into the Light When I was younger I could drive through the night without a problem. Now I find that I get very tired driving past about 10:30pm. Tired enough that it isn't safe. By leaving early in the morning I can drive into the day light. I am much more alert getting up at 2 am and driving until 5 pm than leaving at 10 am and driving until 1 am the next day. Podcasts On a long trip I can make the hours fly by listening to technology podcasts. I feel better traveling when … [Read more...] about Tips for Car Travel
Travel Tip: Create a Checklist
If you travel a lot, it can be helpful to create a checklist of items you need to take with you. This lets you perform the decision making process once, instead of repeating it again each time you go on a trip. Obviously you may need to tailor your plans to match a particular trip, but your list can help make sure you don't forget anything important and can help reduce the feeling of, "I'm forgetting something, but don't know what it is." … [Read more...] about Travel Tip: Create a Checklist
International Travel and Credit Cards
If you are traveling out of the country, be sure to call your credit card company and have them place a note on your account regarding your trip. If their computers suddently see a bunch of activity internationally it is likely to trigger the fraud alerts. Letting them know ahead of time won't guarantee that it won't get cut off, but it can help. In my experience American Express is less likely be cut off than Visa or Mastercard. … [Read more...] about International Travel and Credit Cards
Controversy over Pay by Pound Flight Idea
In May I asked if readers would be willing to pay by the pound for airline travel. (The idea sounds fair to me.) The comments are pretty interesting to read so I thought I'd point them out for anyone who is interested. Bloomberg has a story about the idea as well. … [Read more...] about Controversy over Pay by Pound Flight Idea
American Airlines Suitcase Charge
American Airlines is going to start charging an extra $15 if you want to check a suitcase to help with the high cost of fuel. I've heard that some airlines are considering charing passengers "by the pound" so the cost of your ticket better reflects the cost of the fuel required to move you from point A to point B. What do you think? Would you mind paying for flights based on your weight? … [Read more...] about American Airlines Suitcase Charge
Simple Tip
When buying electronics, try to get items that can be charged using a standard USB cable. It makes it a lot easier to travel when one charger fits multiple devices. … [Read more...] about Simple Tip
Noise Canceling Headsets
Many years ago, I was reading a popular science article reviewing the first noise canceling headsets. (Noise cancellation is done by creating a sound wave exactly the opposite of the ambient noise so the two waves cancel each other out and you hear silence.) The reviewer noted that he had no jet lag when wearing the headset on a long flight. Has anyone experienced this? … [Read more...] about Noise Canceling Headsets
Tuesday’s Tip: Travel Paper Folder
We have done more than our fair share of traveling. When you are going to another country there is always a certain amount of paperwork you have to take with you. When you are traveling with a pet you have even more requirements. Years ago, we started a folder for Travel documents that has everything we might need for traveling. If a copy might work, we have several copies in the folder ready to go. That way when we decide to take a trip, we have one place to go for everything we might need including, copies of our birth certificates, marriage license, passports, dog's immunization records, etc. Having everything in one place has saved us many hours because we don't have to think … [Read more...] about Tuesday’s Tip: Travel Paper Folder