Travel Chats
Fellow travelers,
if you or someone you know has had an amazing travel experience that you would
like to share with others in our Travel Affinity Group, please let us
know. We are hoping to host a number of such "chats" throughout
the year. We would love to travel vicariously through your experiences. There
are so many places in the world to see and often so little time to see them
ourselves.
Please contact
either Phyllis Paetznick at phyllispaetznick@gmail.com
or Jane Stubblefield at janestubblefield@hotmail.com
for more information, or if you would like to present your experience,
information, photos, etc. Locations and
dates are flexible!
Other Travel TIPS
BEFORE YOU GO
·
Determine
(and agree on if traveling with a companion(s) the purpose for the trip.
·
Prioritize
your trips – take more physically challenging trips sooner?
·
Research,
research, research! Do your homework on
the internet and by talking with travel agencies, reading books, seeing videos,
before you book anything.
·
Check
local calendars for holidays, special days that tourist sites may be closed,
bank closings.
·
Compare
prices. Pay attention to the season
(shoulder, peak and off-season). Be
flexible!
·
Read
personal reviews and check local weather for the dates you will be traveling.
·
Check
for any health or safety warnings if traveling internationally
·
Anticipate
any problems or challenges (Broken glasses?
Run out of meds? Need a Dr.?)
·
When
purchasing foreign currency at an airport, keep your receipt to avoid paying
additional fees when selling back currency to the airport.
·
Know
the local currency rate/exchange rate.
·
Decide
what credit card you’ll use and be sure to contact your credit card companies
before you travel to tell them where you will be using your credit card so they
are aware of your expected charges.
·
Take
two credit cards in case one is lost or stolen, remember to call both CC
companies.
·
Make
2 copies of your passport - one for your traveling companion to carry and
another copy to leave at home with a family member or friend who can quickly
access it.
·
Leave
your Itinerary and contact information with someone at home.
·
Have good walking shoes. Be mindful of
cobblestone, uneven streets everywhere.
·
Only
bring with you what you can afford to lose.
·
Only
travel with carry-ons, if possible. Do not check luggage. Pack less than you
think you will need.
·
Pack
all meds in your carry-on.
·
Always
check current height/weight restrictions for luggage.
·
Be
aware that some immunizations/drugs need to be taken days/weeks before
traveling
·
Make
car rental reservations before your trip – always check for discounts
·
Sign
up for loyalty cards for future travel discounts
·
Avoid
the waiting lines - purchase tickets online for popular sites before you go.
·
Don't
take your whole travel guide, just make copies of the pages you will actually
need.
·
Learn
2-3 local phrases, like please, thank you, good day, etc, and read up on local
customs so that you do not offend anyone by slang American phrases or
gestures.
ONCE YOU ARRIVE
·
Convert
US $ to local currency. Always carry
some local currency for small purchases (water, etc.)
·
Pick
up free brochures and coupons in airports, hotel lobbies.
·
Take
a city tour to get oriented, then go back to your favorite spots on your own.
·
Purchase
snacks locally for your room and your carry-on or purse.
·
When shopping internationally, be aware of VAT
taxes-value added tax (VAT) on goods and services tax (GST) is a consumer tax.
·
Don’t
shop downtown when the cruise ships are in port.
·
Do
not use Travelers Cheques. Retailers charge fees and often refuse to accept
them.
·
Have
a cheat sheet handy while shopping to help convert money.
·
Make
use of the hotel safes but remember to empty them before checking out of the
hotel.
·
Put
your wallet in your front pocket.
·
When
traveling internationally, write down the name of your hotel(s) and the
addresses on a card and carry it with you (in case you get lost!)
·
Dress
up - no shorts in downtown areas.
Respect the churches and dress appropriately.
·
Don’t
wash all your underwear at one time. Stomp on it in the shower, roll it up in a
towel, hang it to dry.
·
There is FREE WIFI in hotel lobbies, restaurants,
cafes (no need to pay additional fees in hotel rooms).
·
Use
public transportation rather than cabs whenever possible; better yet, WALK!
·
Purchase
7-day passes to sites to save money. Also purchase a museum pass to see
multiple museums during the week.
MISCELLANEOUS
TIPS
·
Veterans receive a 10% discount for many sites and
attractions in Branson. MO. Check with your County Vets Service Officer to get
a card identifying you as a Vet.
·
Instead of Europe, try Montreal or Quebec City,
Canada – much cheaper and closer!
·
When on a cruise, check with the purser when you
board to see if there are any cheap last-minute upgrades.
·
Monograms Tours – a happy medium between traveling
independently and having support from an organized travel company that has reps
who give a ½ day guided tour in each city, put you up at 4-star hotels, arrange
for transportation between cities and take you to the gate at depots and
airports, etc. Monogram Tours also
arrange for day trips if wanted.
·
Senior Pass is $10 for the Mississippi National
River and Recreation Area at the Visitor Center in the Science Museum in St.
Paul.
·
Make sure your passport expiration date is at
least 6 months after your return home.
·
Read Rick Steve’s books!
·
Anyone interested in Birding? Check out the Audubon Nebraska Crane Festival
March 17 – 20, 2016 in Kearney, Nebraska.
NOTE: If you have Travel Tips that you would like to share with the group please email your Tips to sotvtravelaffinitypp@gmail.com.
WEB SITES FOR
ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONALTRAVEL TIPS
·
www.travelandleisure.com
·
www.thepointsguy.com/2014/09/how-to-prepare-for-international-travel-tips-tricks-more
·
www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/passports-and-international-travel/10-things-you-should-never-wear-when-traveling-abroad
