When we take ourselves out of our usual surroundings, it is the prime case for 'survival'. I have a bunch of travel tips I have gathered over the years that I will be posting up to help make your trip just a little better.
Figure out where you want to go, and where it is. That sounds stupid, but I know of people from England who were visiting in the United States who were planning to see the Washington Monument in the morning and the Grand Canyon in the afternoon. For places in the US, try the governments Atlas to know where things are.
One of the things we can do to make any trip better is to plan. Almost every destination at this point has a web site. Start with your destination State, Provence or Country and work down from there. Some, like Northern Ontario or the Ontario Park system, will send you flyers or full books full of good information, maps and such, just for asking.
If you have a certain destination, Las Vegas, for example, do not rely on the Cities' Web site. Go to the Hotel, Restaurant and campground sites that are available. Look for festivals and happenings. They all may have information, deals, coupons and ways of dealing with the local people and places that you just can't find in the Government publications. Since I went there, I have some personal tips that I would like to share. I have a page of links that will have more information on how to find tourist books and such.
There are ways to travel, too. Trains, planes and automobiles, as it were. Use the Web for the resource it is. Look at the different ways to get where you want to go, and see what stops there are along the way. Getting there and enjoying the scenery can be as fulfilling as getting there.
When you get there, you will need someplace to stay. I have checked out many of the online booking sites like the Ramada site to directly book, room wholesalers like Travelocity and just using Google. The best deals I have found are actually at hotels.com. They saved money off the basic room price, and then the local taxes were eliminated because it had been pre-paid online. In New York, that was a savings of almost $75.00 a night. If you have even less of a budget, think of using Hostels.
When you are planning a trip, remember that it may be warm wherever you are going, but it still may get chilly. Take into account the weather, the water supply, and the type of terrain to help you choose what to pack, and how much. You generally will not need a tent if you are going to an urban area and high heels are silly in the woods, but then again...
Speaking of shoes, if you know you are going on a trip, try to pack at least two pairs of shoes. This will let your feet change pressure points and the shoes will get to air out between uses. Three pair is a little excessive, unless you are going to New York for Fashion Week. Invest in a pair of Aqua Socks(TM) or other submersible foot protection, even if you are just going to a spa for a weekend. You never know what kind of things lurk under the water.
If you have any medications, toiletries or personal comfort items that you use in everyday life, pack them. There is little guarantee that you will be able to find what you need once you get there. And if you find something at your destination that you cannot find at home, get more than you need, or find out how to order for resupply. Use the camping list to help with your planning.
If you are nervous, no, paranoid about pickpockets and cut purses, do something about it. If you wear a belt, there are belts with money compartments in them. There are sock and bra bags that can hide money and documents. If you are used to carrying a purse or bag of some sort, try to cut down on what is in it, or eliminate it all together. Or have just s little bit of cash in your pocket, and the rest hidden. A reader sent in a story about just that.
Since I am such a Cyber person, I have started to compile a list of Local and Travel 'hot spots' for wireless internet.
Knowing how to find bathrooms is always a good thing!
I went on a trip... New York, here I come!