No matter how great your vacation, you will find the going rough at some stage. It could be a little thing like an unfriendly cabbie or a more serious issue like your hotel room being robbed, or your luggage going astray at an unfamiliar airport. Whatever your horror story, here are 10 ways to make sure such hurdles are minimized: http://www.etravelforum.com
1.Use a hidden wallet to carry most of your valuables and identification. Also, carry important papers on your person and DO NOT check in anything that you cannot afford to lose. For good measure, photocopy your passport, driver’s license and credit cards and leave them at home. And try not to carry more than two credit cards. Better still, use a prepaid credit card
2.Mail a money order or travelers checks to yourself at your hotel so that even if you lose some of money, more will be coming
3.Bring important phone numbers with you and put them in two different places. Carry the phone number that will cancel your credit card; if traveling abroad, carry your country’s embassy details; and carry the numbers of family and friends who can help you if you get into trouble
4.Be sure to keep a copy of your travel insurance at home as well as on your trip so that a family member can access it if necessary. Credit cardholders should know what kind of insurance is covered on you’re their cards before they set out
5.Carry basic medical information like your blood type and allergies, and make sure it is translated into the primary language of the place you are going to for the benefit of non-English-speaking doctors. Your prescription medicines should be labeled accurately because certain prescription drugs are forbidden in some countries. Also carry a basic first aid kit with bandages, iodine, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, alcohol packets, diarrhea medicine, etc.
6.Never list your home address on the luggage tag. If on business, put the company’s address on the tag; if visiting friends you can list their address. Stay with your luggage until it is checked in. If you must put your bag down, keep one foot on the handle. Also, do not wear name tags in public
7.Never wear anything that indicates affluence such as jewelry and gold watches. Also, do not flash your passport and money in public and do not discuss travel plans, your room number or any other personal information within earshot of strangers
8.If traveling with children, carry a recent photograph of each child in case you are separated from them. Write each child’s name and your hotel number on a card and include a close friend or relative’s contact information. Give a card to each child which they will carry with them
9.Familiarize yourself with train and bus schedules before traveling. Have an alternate plan in place in case your transportation plans change
10.Preferably stay in hotels that use cards to open room doors and make sure your room has a peephole and deadbolt lock. A room near a stairwell is always better than other rooms. Beware of over-friendly fellow guests. Women in particular should never accept a drink from a stranger. Keep an eye on your drink at all times
Have a safe journey! http://www.etravelforum.com
Below are ten sneaky hidden fees you may encounter while traveling.
Car Rental Fees
1. Drop-Off Fee Charged for returning a vehicle to a spot other than the pick-up location, 'drop-off' fees are a catch most often associated with one-way rentals. These fees can be pretty costly with some places charging hundreds of dollars per drop-off.
2. Fill the Tank
Upon returning a rented vehicle make sure to refill the gas tank since companies can charge up to double the local price per used gallon of gasoline. Make sure that the tank is full before you leave and ask a rental attendant to fill it up if necessary.
Cruise Fees
3. Go Your Own Way
Your brochure may showcase ship-sponsored tours like scuba diving or swimming with dolphins but these can cost anywhere from $30 to $350 per person. Plus your guide will expect to be tipped 5% in addition to the tour price. To avoid these types of costs, find local tour operators or take the family to the closest beach.
4. Beverage Bummer
Drinks on cruise ships are not free. Despite what you shelled out for your trip you can expect to pay even more each time you take a sip. Everything from alcohol to bottled water will be added to your tab. Also, ordering drinks from a bar comes with an automatic gratuity charge.
Hotel Fees
5. Beware of Resort Fees
Hotels can charge you up to $50 per day for extra facilities. These include tennis courts, gyms and pools. You might also pay a 'housekeeping fee' to cover cleaning costs and 'energy and fuel' surcharges to cover electricity.
6. Beware of 'Extra' Fees
Daily 'Telephone' fees can be charged whether you use the phone or not. The same goes for 'Internet access' fees. 'Mini-bar restocking' fees usually run about $10. Getting a fax may land you a 'fax' fee of up to $5 a page. Aside from meals, 'Bottled water' fees of up to $5 per drink also apply.
Airline Fees
7. Live Person Convenience Fee
Airlines can charge anywhere from $5 to $20 to book flights in person or over the phone.
8. Recycling Frequent Flyer Miles
You can be charged from $50 to $100 if you trade in your miles then do not use your ticket. The fee covers the supposed cost of sticking the miles back into your account.
9. Not Enough Advance Fee
For frequent flyers, some airlines allow you to book a flight up to the day of departure for free. However airlines such as Continental, Delta and American charge fees up to $100 for insufficient advance notice.
10. Lap Children Fee
Did you know you may have to pay from $10 up to 10 percent of the adult fare (international flights) if you travel with a child on your lap? Also, if there is a fuel surcharge on your flight, you can wind up paying nearly $90 each way for your child.
Both David Smith & Thecrossman are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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