« Foreign travel electricity converters, hairdryer, electric razor ... | Main | Seven Tips To Get The Best Discount Car »
June 25, 2006
Travel Light - Its The Weigh To
It certainly makes sense to travel lighter these days. Many of the airlines are charging additional fees for overweight luggage. They have a 50 to 75 lbs. weight maximum per bag. With large suitcases weighting up to 20 lbs. empty that does not leave a lot of room for clothes and other assorted items. It's time to learn to travel more efficiently. To start with, look for lighter weight luggage or downsize to a smaller sized piece. It's not practical to take those oversized 30" or 31" suitcases. Plan to start with no larger than a 29" case. Then look for the lighter weight brands. Many pieces of luggage, that are now advertised as "light weight", are in reality no lighter than the old pieces. Make sure you actually lift the case before purchasing. You do not have to sacrifice quality either, as there are many truly lightweight cases available in the better fabrics with the better wheel systems. Try to limit the number of pairs of shoes you are taking. Shoes and sneakers are much heavier than clothing. Check out the many travel accessories available. Take along travel sizes of toothpaste, shampoo, and all to the other assorted sundries you cannot live without. If you are packing a hairdryer, take one that is compact and designed for travel. Also think about bringing a small travel steamer instead of an iron. These are lighter weight and work quite well, steaming out all of the packing wrinkles quickly and efficiently. Instead of bringing along a heavy raincoat, purchase one of the super light umbrellas that are now available. These are made of airplane aluminum and weigh only a few ounces. There are also foldable rain slickers available that are lighter than a raincoat would be and they work well in an emergency. Weigh your case before you go. Stand on the scale with the suitcase, then deduct your weight. Or there are also several portable scales available that you can hook to the luggage and lift. This will save you the arguments and the surcharges you'll get at the airport. There's also new luggage that just became available with an actual scale built in to the top of the suitcase. Of course, that will eliminate the excuse at the airport that (a) you did not know or (b) that it weighed less at home! Plan your wardrobe with "mix and match" items. One pair of slacks can be teamed with several different tops. There are also lightweight reversible jackets that can be dressed up or down. These are very lightweight and completely wrinkle free so they are a natural choice. If you plan on doing shopping, there are folding bags you can use to pack your purchases for the trip home. This way you will not overload your luggage. Most trips allow for 2 bags per person, as well as one carry-on and one personal bag. Maxine Greco has worked in the luggage and travel industry over 35 years. She is currently at Village Luggage & Gifts.
From Travel Light - Its The Weigh To
There are ways to find air travel cheap. The first thing to do is invest some time in research. If you call a travel agent they will offer you a fare that might seem reasonable but it?s important to remember that the agent has to make money and therefore they normally need to charge service fees. Taking a vacation is always a welcome thing. The cost of the airline tickets isn?t nearly as entertaining. Another point to consider when you are searching for air travel cheap is last minute deals. Many airlines offer very good fares a day or two before the day of the flight. The reason is that they want the airplane to be as full as possible. This can be difficult to plan for and it?s not advisable if you have your heart set on a certain destination on a particular date. You can begin your search by visiting one of the search engines. Do a search on discount air travel and you?ll be pleasantly surprised by the number of results. You can then visit a few sites and compare the prices of flights on the dates to the destination you desire. One of the drawbacks of purchasing air travel cheap is that there are often penalties if you decide to cancel or change your flight. For that reason it?s important to be firm about your upcoming plans and to choose an itinerary that you know you?ll be able to stick to. The time of year you travel can also impact whether or not you find air travel cheap. Certain weeks are considered very popular and therefore fares are increased. Some of those time periods include late December, the month of March and the summer, in particular July and August. One of the reasons is because more families are traveling during this period because of school holidays. One of the best ways to find air travel cheap is to look on the internet. In recent years there has been an onslaught of websites that offer discount travel. The flights are the same ones that are booked through the airlines directly and the service is exactly the same. Once you find a flight that fits your preference and budget you simply purchase a ticket. Most tickets are now e-tickets or electronic tickets. This simply means that you don?t receive a hard copy of your ticket, instead when you check-in with the airline they will issue you your boarding pass. Air travel cheap can be found, it?s just a matter of planning and research. You?ll be glad you invested the time and the effort once you realize how much money you really can save. Learn the secrets for getting the cheapest prices on air
From Learn How To Find Dirt Cheap Air
New Zealand Car Rental If you're visiting New Zealand a rental car is one of the best ways to get around. New Zealand is a small country but has the astounding geographic diversity of a major continent squeezed into its small size. For example, within 3- 4 hours drive of Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, are sub-tropical beaches, volcanic mountains with ski fields, boiling mud pools, ancient forests, unspoiled trout fishing rivers and world class golf courses. Having a rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to go where you want and when you want. Driving in New Zealand For most overseas visitors driving in New Zealand is a breeze because, compared to what they are used to, there is surprisingly little traffic on the roads - especially in the South Island. Whilst New Zealand is about the size of UK its population is only 4 million - UK by comparison has over 60 million. Another difference is the limited number of motorways and freeways. Roads are generally only 2-laned and frequently windy due to the ever changing landscape. In New Zealand we drive on the left, as in UK. If you're from America or another country that drives on the right then you might feel apprehensive about having to drive on the "wrong side of the road". Don't be - it's straight-forward and tens of thousands of foreign visitors happily do it every year. New Zealanders typically show a little less consideration to other drivers than is seen in UK, Australian, and the US where more cars on the road force people to be more considerate. Having said that, don't be put off - driving in New Zealand is nothing like the harrowing experience of driving in Italy or parts of Asia! New Zealand Car Rental Firms New Zealand car rental firms range from the familiar multi-national big brands through to small local car rental firms. The advantage of the big name rental firms is they can be found throughout New Zealand and offer the biggest and newest range of rental vehicles. The disadvantage is that generally they're the most expensive and often have lots of hidden costs. At the other end of the scale are the small local operators who typically have older rental cars. Whilst you may not end up driving this year's latest model the advantage is that the smaller car rental firms can be substantially cheaper, so leaving you more money to spend on the many exciting attractions New Zealand offers. Between these extremes you'll find a wide range of NZ car rental firms catering to different needs and budgets. What Sort of Driving Licenses are Required in New Zealand? You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver's license from your home country, or an International Driving Permit. Most car rental companies require drivers to be over the age of 25 and to have held a full license for at least 3 years. Some firms will rent vehicles to younger drivers. For example, A2B Car Rentals rents vehicles to drivers who are 20 or older and hold a full driver's license. At the manager's discretion, a holder of a license for less than three years is acceptable but may incur a higher insurance excess. Make sure your overseas driver's license is current. If your license is not in English, you should bring an English translation with you or obtain an International Driving Permit. Contact your local automobile club for further details about obtaining a translation or an International Driving Permit. In New Zealand it's a legal requirement that all drivers, including overseas visitors, must carry their license or permit when driving. Naturally you will only be able to drive the same types of vehicles you are licensed to drive in your home country. What are New Zealand's Road Rules? Here's a brief over-view. You can get more details the NZ Government Land Transport Authority website (www.ltsa.govt.nz/roadcode/) In New Zealand, all vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road as in UK. When turning left, give way (or yield) to traffic crossing or approaching from your right When the traffic light is red, you must stop Speed limits are strictly enforced by police using radar, speed cameras and un-marked patrol cars. Fines for speeding can be expensive The speed limit on the open road is 100 km/h (approx 60 mph) In built up areas the speed limit is 50 km/h. (approx 30 mph) Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts at all times In Summary If you're planning to visit New Zealand a rental car is one of the best options, especially for independent travelers who want to experience everything New Zealand has to offer. A rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to go where you want and when you want to enjoy this wonderful country. Article by Chris Webber who works for A2B Car Rentals (http://www.discount-car-rental.co.nz/), one of the largest independent car rental companies in New Zealand. Apart from rental cars, they also offer minibus rentals and 4x4 rental vehicles. A2B are the discount New Zealand car rental specialists offering rental cars at the lowest rates with no deposit and no hidden costs.
From New Zealand Car Rental - Things You Should
Is there a vacation that you have been dreaming of taking? Perhaps you have been dying to visit Vancouver Island in Canada's British Columbia, or maybe you want to tour Europe with nothing but your backpack. Have a desire to relax on a Caribbean island or on the islands of Greece? Any of these amazing vacations could become a reality for you. Unfortunately, many people who dream of traveling are hindered because of the great expense and hassle of finding good airfare to make it to their dream destinations. Obviously, you cannot get from here to there without airfare, and therefore, you can throw away any dreams of a great vacation unless you are willing to search for airfare that works for your budget and needs. Finding airfare can be really easy or very difficult. One of the easiest ways to find great airfare is to talk with a travel agent. Travel agents are paid to help you find the best possible airfare for all of your travel needs. You can simply relay to them your travel desires and your budget and then trust them to come up with great deals. However, if you have the desire and ability to look for airfare on your own, you may be able to find better deals. Finding your own airfare can be a great way to save some money and to be selective about the particular airlines and schedule for your flights. Just jump online and do a search for inexpensive airfare. You will probably be overwhelmed by the amount of options you have, but just begin somewhere and don't give up too quickly. Be sure to compare prices, schedules and other details between websites. You may even be able to find great airfare by bidding for your own prices on certain websites. No matter how long the process takes, press on to find great airfare. Why? Because your dream trip will quickly become reality when you find airfare. Once people overcome the obstacle of choosing airfare, often the rest of the trip details fall into place quickly. Details such as accommodations, food, entertainment and recreation never seem as overwhelming as finding airfare. Take my advice: find your airfare first. Don't let a flight get in the way of making your dreams come true. Belina Storrey has discovered ways to find great airfare and make her biggest dreams reality. You can too by checking out www.funairfare.info for
From Airfare Doesn't Have To Hinder Your Dream
Long before, but especially since the 911 airline hijackings, people are weary of airline travel. A lot of people want to know they are riding on a safe airline. Airlines for the most part are safe, and the most dangerous factors usually include flying conditions (such as storms, or mountain terrain). Proper planning of destinations and good airline security lessens the chance of terrorists, bombs and hijackings. Of course there are always the rare occasions that something horrible will happen, but it is said to be 100s of times more dangerous to travel by car than it is by plane. That statistic should be comfort enough. The International Aviation Safety Assessment is a guide to which countries meet the airline safety checks, not the airlines themselves. The majority of airline accidents occur on take off and landing, so you should try and book flights that don?t have a stop over destination. That?s a good preventative measure right there, not only that, but you wont have to sit and wait to change planes half way through your flight. Another good way to fly safer is to know that larger airplanes have stricter rules and the passengers have a better chance of survival if the plane should crash, so you might want to consider booking your flight with a large airplane of thirty or more passengers. Like anything else, always be aware of the closest emergency exit, and consider keeping your seat belt on at all times while seated. This is especially true if you are nervous about turbulence; which is often unexpected and can cause injury. You should also keep anything too heavy out of the overhead carrier in case of turbulence. You don?t want anything to fall on you or anyone else. Also, allow the flight attendants to handle your hot drinks and food as they are trained to handle it and can safely manage giving it to you. You don?t want to be walking around with a hot cup of coffee in your hand and have some turbulence spill it all over you or someone else. As far as airplane crashes go, they are very rare. However, if the incident should occur, try to remain calm and listen to the flight attendants. They know how to handle situations and keep you safe. Often the very front or very back of the plane is the safest. Sitting close to the wings is the worse place to sit. If the plane wings get torn off in a crash it could tear the fuselage and cause death to anyone near the carnage. But don?t worry, airline travel is safe. I wouldn?t worry too much about it. Just believe you will live and you don?t have anything to worry about. The author makes a substantial living in this field and if you have found this article useful, then try clicking on his specialist resource site, http://www.discount-airline-travel.info . For other more general information on this topic, try this site http://www.instant-knowledge.com
From Airline Safety: Increase Your
... cruises, restaurants, theme parks, kids, and trip planning information for domestic and foreign travel. ... Will I need a passport? Where can I get a passport? Where can I find online passport
From Passport, Visas, and Documentation - Foreign Travel
Posted by Mel at June 25, 2006 11:58 AM
