You have decided to spend up large and go on vacation. It’s costing a lot, but hey – you only live once, right? If you are new to travelling, you will want to optimize your chances of having an enjoyable time by considering these tips for before, during, and after travel.
1. Look for the best fares
Competition for passengers is strong amongst major airlines. Look online for specials – booking online can be considerably cheaper than booking through a travel agent. However, you need to take care that the airline you choose has a good reputation for safety – online research will help you make such decisions.
2. Do your homework
While there is a lot to be said for serendipity in travel, there is even more to be said for knowing where you are going. This includes finding out about the climate (both physical and political) of the countries you will be visiting and taking notice of any travel advisories concerning political unrest, disease and so on. For example, travel in Zimbabwe is not a safe option at present, because of the military regime and a widespread cholera epidemic.
3. Get the shots
Find out in good time, before you travel, what vaccinations you need for the countries you will visit. Arrange with your doctor to have the shots well in advance so you are feeling fine by the time you leave home.
4. Organize your life
Make arrangements to stop mail and newspapers; ask someone to care for your pets and water your plants – do whatever is needed to enable you to gain peace of mind and to depart with a light heart.
5. Travel light
One suitcase (preferably with wheels) as checked luggage and one carry-on bag should see you right around the world. Depending on where your travel leads you, two of each basic item (skirt, trousers, shirt) plus a warm jacket and enough underwear for a week (for women – ditto for men minus the skirts) will be enough. It is likely you will find places to do laundry, so keep it simple, making use of color co-ordination as much as possible.
6. Take toiletries
In small containers, pack soap, toothpaste, essential cosmetics, sunscreen – all the items you may not be able to find away from home base. Do not try to carry toiletries in your carry-on luggage – you may be asked to throw them away before boarding your plane.
7. Remember medications
If you need to get a prescription filled, make sure it is ready before you leave. Some countries require that you carry a note from your doctor concerning certain medications. Over-the-counter drugs are more easily obtained at home.
8. Watch the water
Drinking water, that is, including water for brushing your teeth and water that is used to wash fruit and vegetables. Remember that people who have lived in an area all their life have built up immunity to local diseases. You have not. Drink bottled water where possible. When that is not possible, stick to well known drinks like Coke.
9. Stay visible
Leave a copy of your itinerary (and of your passport) with a friend or family member and arrange to contact them a couple times while you are away, by phone or email, so someone knows where you are (or should be) at all times.
10. Have fun
When all your preparations have been made, relax. Meet people, talk, see new places and be open to new experiences. And don’t forget the photos, to show those envious folk back home.
Travelers Advisory: SFO Limo Service Users, Watch For Undisclosed Charges
San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Jose and Oakland host many trade shows each month. Often smart business traveler hires a limousine or car service for airport pick-up and delivery to the trade show or hotel.
But when hiring a San Francisco limo or car service there are several hidden charges
an executive assistant or trade show planner should be aware of.
First, understand the cancellation or rescheduling fees of the car service. If a flight is canceled and you are put on a later flight, you may be charged for ‘rescheduling”. Many firms do not charge rescheduling fees for customers with profile accounts, unless the driver has actually been dispatched. At most reputable limousine and car service firms, there are no cancellation fees of any kind for established accounts.
Second understand the car service policy for waiting time and charges for delays. For example, Quicksilver TownCar (www.QSTC.net) allows a 10-minute grace period for reservation pickups, including loading and unloading a vehicle. Be aware that some firms add charge after 5 minutes.
It is important for trade show managers to understand the cost for waiting while executives and others on international flights clear customs. Most firm figure in a waiting 30 or 40 minutes no charge, grace period after an international flight arrives. But at some point a waiting charge will kick in, for example, while the sales team from Australia is celebrating their arrival in San Francisco.
Schlepping Last Minute Press Kits
Third, schlepping last minute press kits, giveaways and brochures can add up. If you will be loading up the limo for your trade show, find out in advance if there are “extra” charges. Sometime extra boxes can cause another $20+ charge to the trip. If you know in advance that you will be arriving with a lot of trade show materials ask your car service of an SUV.
The Bay Area is home to the legendary Golden Gate Bridge and other spectacular bridges. Find out if any bridges are to be crossed and how much will be charged. Generally no receipt is available because the car service pays via electronic transponders.
When sending people to a trade show in the San Francisco Bay Area the savvy executive assistant or trade show planner should know the questions to ask advance regarding all the charges are when hiring a car service.
Free SFO Parking For Cell Phone Use
If your trade show schedule has you picking up at SFO, airport management has provided a free parking lot where people can wait for cell phone calls from arriving passengers. It’s free for now, Location: http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/parking/options/cell-phone/index.html
A similar lot at Mineta San Jose (SJO) was eliminated during construction of the new airport is the North Concourse, currently under construction, located between Terminal C (American Airlines and Southwest) and Terminal A (the rest). For more information check in with SJC: Mineta San Jose International Airport Ground Transportation: http://www.sjc.org/travelers/ground_trans.html
By the way, all Quicksilver TownCar drivers carry cell phones with radios. When you land, just call quicksilver dispatch and dispatch will notify your driver to pick you up.
Planning a trip to a far off destination can be a lot of fun. But if you don’t plan ahead, you can sometimes end up with a bad travel deal or some bad timing when you want to see some special events on your trip. This is why it is important to utilize the internet in order to plan your trip. You can get free travel guides and free travel brochures right from the internet so that you can get a great overview of nearly any major tourist destination anywhere in the world.
Planning a trip online will usually save you money. You can save a lot of money when you book your flight, hotel, and rental car (if needed) all from a single website. And many of these websites can give you an overview of the major tourist attractions that are in the city, mainly near where you are staying. They will also provide you with orientation as where you will be located from the airport.
The main concern for people that use the internet to plan travel is to find a website that will cater to your own philosophy about travel and the price that you want to pay. If you find a great, comprehensive site, but all it can offer you is information on five star hotels and swanky restaurants for two, you may not want to use this particular website to plan your family vacation.
If you are working with a tight budget, you can still travel in nearly any city in the world. All you have to do it think outside the box for money saving strategies. If you want to head somewhere warm and tropical, think about trading in your plane ticket for a room of a cruise. Cruises can be much more affordable and you will be able to cover a lot of ground quickly. And if you are worried about hotel costs once you get to your destination, you can explore different options for housing such as house swapping with someone who wants to go to your home and stay for a vacation, or think about couch surfing if you feel safe doing that.
If you want to find a lot of free events and attractions to attend while you are on your vacation, you will want to utilize the local chamber of commerce or city run websites. These will list all of the upcoming events, and things like parades and festivals that celebrate something unique are usually free to the public. Most of these festivals will happen in the summer and fall months, so you will want to plan the timing of your vacation accordingly.
And to make sure you are safe when traveling, you will want to check the US Department of State travel website for any warning and travel advisories for US citizens. It’s not always an ideal situation to travel to an area where US citizens are not welcome.