How to Avoid to avoid jet lag

Air travel is a part of our life and it is becoming almost unavoidable. No doubt it is the fastest, the easiest, the most comfortable and the safest way to travel but taking a flight can be a task, right from booking your airline tickets to flying and much more. One of the most common set back of air travel is jet lag, which is caused by sudden change in temperature, shift work, daylight saving time and so on. Here are some tips on how you can avoid jet lag.

• If you are visiting a destination with a different only for a day or a two, brush aside the difference in the time zone and maintain the same schedule as according to the time back home. But if you are visiting for a longer period, start adjusting your schedule in advance, like, adjust the time on your watch to the time at your destination, going to bed and waking up an hour or a two earlier each day.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages on the flight and sleep during the daytime. Take some medicine if you are prone to motion sickness. Get enough sleep right before the date of your flight.
• If your flight reaches, in the morning, afternoon or early evening, head for your hotel and instead of heading straight to the bed, take a shower and go out, visit some of the sights or just explore the city, get some fresh air, then grab an early dinner and try get some sound sleep.
• Bring along some sleeping pill, in case if you can sleep in the new time zone. You may also carry one of those medicines to prevent jet lag. But consult a doctor before purchasing.

Follow these tips, nest time while you are flying to a different time zone. With these tip you will surely reduce the risk of jet lag. Please fell free to share your tips by posting it as a comment. Your tip can help other fellow travelers to enjoy a more comfortable travel!

Online Travel Sites To the Rescue

Even if you are a die hard traveler, you may think twice before going on a vacation at this current economic status. For the more budget conscious travelers, it’s almost impossible. Does that mean that our glorious days of traveling, vacations are over? No, we can still relive those days. It’s not that easy but it’s not impossible.

Am sure many fellow travelers must be using the hundreds of online travel sites out there in the web to book their travel plans. But if you haven’t, I would suggest you better start using these sites such as CheapOair, Expedia, OneTravel, Tripadvisor, Orbitz and so. Online travel sites are a great way to save while traveling. But if you are not careful, you could land yourself in serious mess. So here are some tips to help you get that best travel plan yet excluding the hazards while booking your travel deals on online travel sites.

• Hook up with a well known, reputed online travel site, which offers secure booking page. Check out the site terms and conditions; read the cancellation policy and browse the FAQ section, if you have any doubts.

• Booking in advance is undeniably the best way to get the cheapest deal, but this does not mean that you have to book months in advance. The best time to book is 21 days before the day of your journey. Incase if you could not, book 7 to 8 days ahead of your travel dates.

• Never end your quest by just visiting one site. Do a research on multiple-sites. If you don’t know the address of such travel sites, use search engines such as Google, yahoo search and so on.

• Sign up for fare alerts like Fares newsletters and RSS fares that the many travel sites offers. Most of the online travel sites allow visitors to sign up free for fare alerts, by which one can get all the latest updates of airfares, hotel deals and so on of a destination through emails.

• Always inquire about extra-charges or any hidden cost before finalizing your deal. Do not give up the PIN number of your credit card besides the three-digit security number on the back of your credit card.

• Once you complete the process of booking, you should receive an email confirming all the details, print it and keep it safe and handy as you will need it while check in at the airport or at the car rental office, if you have booked a rental car.

Next time while buying your travel plans online, follow these simple tips. If you have any tip or experience, feel free to share by posting it as a comment.

Swapping your Home? Here are some Tips

Planning to take a vacation but worried about all those hotel and restaurant bills. Why don’t you swap your home? Started in Europe, home swapping is a fast spreading trend, allowing vacationers to enjoy the comfort of a home while away from home. Home swapping has myriads of advantages, right from, you get to save on your accommodations; you experience local cultures and traditions at its best, and so on. Just as its advantages, home swapping also has its own downfall, but we can avoid such pitfalls by planning wisely. Here are some tips and tricks that you need to know before and while you swap your home.

1. The most important of all is, don’t rush. Give plenty of time to find the best suitable swap partner. Use a well known established home swapping agency. Before you agree to swap your home, spend time corresponding with your swap partner, this will help you feel more comfortable in entrusting your home to your partner.
2. Ask your partner to leave instructions for using the home appliances such as, washing machine, TV, music system, dryer, and so on. Be extra sure to inquire where the keys will be and nearest food store.
3. If you are traveling with a baby or a toddler, try you best to sway your home with someone who has children of similar age. Ask your swap partner whether they have a regular babysitter or where you can arrange one.
4. Don’t forget to get a list of emergency numbers from your partner. Inquire about nearby attractions, dining areas, neighborhood parks and so on.
5. If your swap includes cars, be sure to check whether your car insurance policy will allow you to add a named driver. If not, then get a policy from a company which understands your needs.
6. Before you depart from your home, be sure that your home is clean and tidy; leave instructions on how to operate your home appliances.

Traveling to a Foreign Country? Here Are Some Smart Tips

Who does not love to travel to new places, see new things and experience various cultures and traditions? But is traveling to foreign countries safe? Of course it’s very safe to travel to almost anywhere, be it Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North, South or Central America, unless that country is in the middle of a war. But while visiting a foreign country, especially a complete foreign country, one should be always on the look out. Here are some tips and tricks on how to enjoy a hassle-free vacation in a foreign.

• The most important of all is; do a research of that destination you will be visiting, in advance. Spend some time surfing the net, check out the endless of online travel sites; visit the country official tourist site. Collect information about the current political situation, best time to visit, tips on accommodations, things and places to avoid, medical related tips, your embassy phone number, emergency numbers and so on.

• Knowing the local customs and traditions is very important, especially while traveling to Middle-East, Africa and some parts of Asia. This includes like how you should dress, especially for ladies, public display of affection (PDA), hand gesture and so on.

• No matter, where you are heading, always try your best to dress like the locals. Leave all your blings at home, try to avoid white sneakers, especially white, and fanny pack. Don’t show off that ultra-chic digital camera or any electronic gadgets like cell phones, iPods in the public.

• As any wise traveler would do, do not keep all your important documents like credit cards, cash, ID cards, and passport in the same place. Get at least three photocopy all your important documents. Never give your passport to the hotel clerks, but in some countries like Italy, you need to surrender your passport to the hotel clerk. In this case, while submitting demand the hotel to issue some sort of written proof that the passport is with the hotel.

• Always carry your bags, handbags or suitcase on the side of the body not facing the traffic. Always be on alert while using public transportations like bus or trains. Avoid places which are not well-lighted. Never exchange your currency with illegal agents.

You need not worry about a thing, even if you are traveling to a complete foreign country. All you have to do is plan wisely and follow common pre-cautions. Head out to the streets of the world, explore and experience the world, life loves to be ridden to the fullest. Feel free to share your tips and experiences by posting it as a comment.

Next Time Make Your Business Trip Hassle Free

Some travel for business, some for leisure, while some travel just for the sake of travel, no matter what, travel is an unavoidable part of life. With limited budget and time, occasional flight delays or even lost luggage, business travel may not be the most pleasant things to do. Here are some tips to make business travel smoother.

* Booking in advance is always encouraged. Besides, print out your flight confirmation and keep it in handy just in case. Do not book the last flight.
* Try to reach the airport well in advance. Grab a bite before your flight. Drinking alcohol on the plane is highly discouraged unless you are hitting the sack.
* If this is an over-night flight, try to sleep as much as you can. Put a blind-fold and blanket over your head, while sleeping, this way you can prevent dry throat, plus no one will disturb you.
* Decide on what you will be wearing and pack as light as you can. A travel bag with enough space to hold a change of clothes, laptop, charger, phone, pen, paper is very ideal for business travelers. Never put your laptop or any important documents in your hold luggage.
* Do carry along some extra USB memory sticks (also known as pen drives). A pen and papers are a must, just incase if your lap top battery wears down or face any problems.

Traveling is a very enjoyable experience, even if it’s a business trip, if you spend some time planning. Please feel free to share your tips and idea by posting it as a comment.

Enjoy Solo Travel Without Any Hassles

If you have never traveled alone, you should try it at least once in your lifetime. Many would encourage traveling with friends or groups and discourage traveling alone, but the adventure of traveling alone is quite an experience. Traveling alone has myriad of advantages, including, you get more freedom, you don’t have to please anyone except you, its easier to mingle with locals and other fellow travelers and your time, budget and the experience is all yours. Yet at the same time, traveling alone has its downfalls. Here are some tips that you need to know while traveling solo.

• Since you are traveling alone, you will have to carry your stuffs almost everywhere, whether you are in line to buy your train ticket, while going to the toilet or anywhere else. So pack as light as possible.

• Instead of that luxury 5 star hotel, choose a family run bed & breakfast or a hostel, where you can mingle with locals as well as with other fellow travelers. While going for sightseeing, take a tour bus, this way you will be able to meet more travelers. Be polite and make sure your clothes are clean, if you want to meet more people.

• Knowing even the slightest of local language always pays off. Never take out your map and read it in the streets, if you feel you are lost or you need to know the direction, go to a cafe, grab a bite and do the map reading.

• Get a photocopy of all your important documents and keep the original in your hotel room or somewhere safe. Never carry all your money in one place.

• Stay away from drugs and alcohol, since you are traveling alone and you don’t have anyone to watch your back.

Traveling solo has its advantages as well as disadvantage, yet we can make our solo travel much safer by just planning wisely.

5 Travel Tip While Arriving in a New City: A Must Know

Arriving in a new city can be quite a challenge, if you have no prior planning. Seriously, traveling to unknown destinations in not everyone’s cup of tea and your thirst for adventure, alone is not enough. As you will also be needing a place to stay, food and so on. Planning is as equally important as your thirst to see new places, travel to unknown destinations or to visit places you have never been to. Here are some things that you need to known while arriving in a new city.

1. Before the day of your journey, do a research or collect information on what that you will be reaching your destination. Avoid arriving on the middle of the night or early in the morning.

2. Book your hotel room in advance. Confirm your reservation in advance, inquire the hotel, whether they provided any means of transportation. If not, you can ask them whether they can arrange someone to pick you from your arrival point or, how much the cab or bus, would charge from the arrival point to the hotel.

3. Always carry extra cash along with you, especially if you have no prior hotel reservation. Even if you have reserved your hotel in advance, you will be need them, since you are visiting this city for the first time and you won’t have any idea where the ATM is. Do carry some change.

4. A good map is a must. You don’t need to buy it from a tourist office or a travel agent, search the net; you will find plenty of excellent sites like Google Maps and Yahoo Maps, offering maps of destinations across the globe.

5. Knowledge of even the slightest of local language will surely reward you, especially if you are arriving in the middle of the night.

How to Get a Free Airline Upgrade

Air travel can be very comfortable especially if you are traveling in the first class. But not every one of us can afford to enjoy the comfort and the luxury of a first class passenger, unless you get a free airline upgrade. Getting a free upgrade to first class or business class, sounds more of a fairytale yet it does happen! Though getting a free upgrade is very unpredictable but we can increase our chances of landing in first class without spending a fortune. Here are some tips on how to get a free airline upgrade.

* Instead of flying with different airlines, try to stick with one airline and join their frequent flier program. This way you not only increase the chances of getting a free upgrade but you also get access to airport lounges and so on.
* Early afternoon and late evening are probably the best time to get a free upgrade as early-morning flights and late-night flights are usually packed with business travelers.
* Try to book a flight where their economy section is full, you can known whether their economy section is packed or not by going through a false booking on the airline website. As there is so much competition, the airline may squeeze you to first class instead of turning you away.
* How you dress, can also increase or decrease your chances of getting a free upgrade. You need not wear a suit or a tie but at least dress like a business executive as airlines won’t be willing to upgrade a person wearing torn jeans and dirt shoes, to the first class.
* Being polite always pays off and even in the case of getting a free upgrade, being polite sure does help. Ask the check-in staff, ‘whether you are eligible for an upgrade’. Those traveling alone have a bigger chance of getting a free upgrade than those traveling in groups.

Who does not want to travel in first class but everyone cannot afford the luxury of a first class. But with a bit of luck and some common sense we can, not always but at least once in a while.

Booking Hassle Free Travel Plans on online Travel Sites

Lately I have come across articles, blazing out about the hazards of booking airline tickets, hotels, car rentals and vacation packages through online travel sites. I don’t disagree with them but I don’t even agree with them as everything has its bad as well as good sides and in most of the cases, we fall into such pitfalls because of our own carelessness. Seriously, I have been using various online travel sites like CheapOair, Expedia, OneTravel, Tripadvisor, Orbitz and so on for years, to book my flight, hotels and more and I have always noticed that travel has become cheaper, more convenient and easier since the birth of online travel.

Here are some tips and tricks that you need to known while booking your travel plans online:

• Hook up with a well known, reputed online travel site, which offers secure booking page. Check out the site terms and conditions; read the cancellation policy and browse the FAQ section, if you have any doubts.

• Booking in advance is undeniably the best way to get the cheapest deal, but this does not mean that you have to book months in advance. The best time to book is 21 days before the day of your journey. Incase if you could not, book 7 to 8 days ahead of your travel dates.

• Never end your quest by just visiting one site. Do a research on multiple-sites. If you don’t know the address of such travel sites, use search engines such as Google, yahoo search and so on.

• Sign up for fare alerts like Fares newsletters and RSS fares that the many travel sites offers. Most of the online travel sites allow visitors to sign up free for fare alerts, by which one can get all the latest updates of airfares, hotel deals and so on of a destination through emails.

• Always inquire about extra-charges or any hidden cost before finalizing your deal. Do not give up the PIN number of your credit card besides the three-digit security number on the back of your credit card.

• Once you complete the process of booking, you should receive an email confirming all the details, print it and keep it safe and handy as you will need it while check in at the airport or at the car rental office, if you have booked a rental car.

Next time while buying your travel plans online, follow these simple tips. If you have any tip or experience, feel free to share by posting it as a comment.