Relaxing Travel Begins With Thoughtful Planning

Travel can be an excellent opportunity to expand your horizons and refresh your world-view. It can also backfire on you if you don’t take the time to prepare for the inevitable culture shock, whether your journey is domestic or international. Follow these tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel experience.

Ask family and friends for suggestions on places you should visit when trying to plan your next vacation. Often times they will not only be able to give you good suggestions for places that you should go, they can also steer you away from places that they didn’t have such a good time.

When planning a road trip, don’t forget to budget for the cost of fuel. While many other costs can be easily calculated in advance, the cost of gas is more difficult to figure, and can also add up surprisingly quickly. Online gas calculators can show you where the cheapest prices are and help you get an idea of what you’ll be spending.

Every traveler should know by now that joking around isn’t the smartest thing to do while waiting in check in and security lines any more. Airport personnel are simply too concerned about terrorism to take jokes lightly. Progress through these lines politely and in a businesslike manner. You’re more likely to be treated accordingly.

If you are traveler with a motorcycle license, this can be a great way to travel on long road trips. The gas efficiency, ability to move quickly, and enjoyment of the ride will help the trip get off to a good start. Traveling by motorcycle can be a fun experience.

Any time you are in a foreign country, drink bottled water. Countries around the world treat their water differently than others. While the water may very well be safe to drink, it may also have additives that your body is not used to, which could cause painful issues down the road. Play it safe.

If you have a laundry list of questions to ask about the hotel that you’ll be staying in, call the front desk in the late evening or overnight. Hotels are significantly less busy during these times, and you are more likely to speak with someone who isn’t especially rushed or trying to check five people in all at once.

Always look up recent reviews to the travel destinations and hotels that you plan on visiting. The more reviews a place has, the more reliable it is and the easier you can figure out if the place is one you want to stay at. If the review has photos, even better. Pictures tell more than words can, most times.

Challenge yourself to pack only one bag. The more bags you have, the more weighed down you will be making it harder to move from one location to the next. A great way to meet this challenge is to map out your clothing needs prior to packing, and then consider ways to mix and match clothing to do double and even triple duty.

If you are arriving in a new city and don’t yet feel comfortable there, consider asking if your hotel provides an airport pickup service. This will allow you to avoid the pitfalls of baggage porters and limousine lines which trap many first-time travelers. It also ensures you don’t get lost in the city and go straight to your hotel.

To save energy when traveling in hilly or mountainous areas, consider taking a limousine to the highest point in the town or area you’re visiting, then walk down. This lets you see the whole town, including any mountain vistas, without having to cover too much altitude and wearing yourself out.

If you are traveling overseas, always have local currency in a variety of denominations. It is much easier to be ripped off by a limousine driver or shopkeeper if the smallest bill in your wallet represents a week’s or even month’s profit. Small change can sometimes be difficult to come by, so hang onto your coins when you get them.

When traveling in a strange city by limousine, ask an independent third party such as a front desk clerk or baggage porter what the right rate is for a trip to your destination. Also set up the rate with the driver before you get into the cab. This helps prevent you from getting ripped off.

When you’re traveling and you’re in need of a limousine, make sure you pay attention to the meter. When you first get into the limousine make sure that the meter isn’t broken, it is properly zeroed out, and it is turned on and off when you get out. Limousine scams are famous all over the world, and in a foreign place it is easy to get scammed. Paying attention to these simple meter tips can ensure you’re charged a proper rate and not swindled.

If you are traveling to a foreign country and are not fluent in the language, make sure you can always arrive safely back at your lodging by carrying its name, phone number and address with you. Use a piece of hotel stationery or a business card or matchbook labeled with the appropriate information or write it on a piece of paper. If you get lost, simply show the information to a limousine driver, and, before you know it, you’ll be back at home base.

Remember to bring all necessary paperwork with you when traveling. Other than your passport and identification, it is important that you bring the name, address and phone number of the hotel in which you are staying. Have it readily available in your handbag or or your carry bag, so you can give the Limo Service MN driver the appropriate information.