Being sick is always a drag. But being sick when you’re away from home is doubly so. Toughing it out in a strange hotel room with none of the items that might make your feel better is miserable. In fact, the only thing that’s worse is being on a crowded plane or train, unable to sleep or get any rest.
We’ve been stricken in Africa, South America, Alaska, and Europe, and an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. And though you can’t prevent everything, you can stack the odds in your favor. Read more…
Very few things make us grouchy right off the bat. But getting lost does. And to be honest, our grouchiness probably ends up inhibiting our ability to regroup and find our way.
That’s why we always take detailed maps and travel directions wherever we go. Plus a GPS. For us, knowing how to get where we’re going is a trip planning essential that makes travel a lot easier. Read more…
France has one of the most extensive rail networks in the world, and as rule, French trains are convenient, comfortable, and punctual. Traveling by train is a great way to see France because you don’t have to do anything but lean back and enjoy the scenery. And it’s quicker and easier than flying.
You can usually get where you’re going in a matter of hours. And you can make most of your arrangements before you leave home. Read more…
Back in the old days, when you were going somewhere, you went to a travel agency, and they arranged everything for you.
They reserved your flights, hotels, and rental car with a Computerized Reservations System (CRS) like Sabre or Apollo. And when they were done, out popped a written itinerary showing every detail of your [...]
A friend at work is going to travel to Italy for the first time and asked me for a little trip planning advice.
It was harder than I thought it would be, because she only has ten days. And there are so many great places to see in Italy that narrowing it down is a real challenge.
My first tip was not to bite off more than she could chew. On your first trip, you want to see as much as possible. It’s only natural. But the less time you spend traveling, the more you’ll enjoy your trip. So we decided that with ten days, she should only stay in three places. That way, she’d only have two travel days. Read more…
Last year, more than 14 million people took a cruise. Most of them were happy, well-fed, and had the time of their lives.
But some were disappointed, disgruntled, and even down-right miserable. So when you’re finally ready to take the plunge and try cruising yourself, how can you sort through all the cruises ships that are out there to find one that’s right for you?
As is so often the case, our advice is to do plenty of trip planning in advance. The more you figure out ahead of time, the happier you’ll be. Read more…
In 2006, we flew in business class to Buenos Aires. It took forever to clear customs and immigration. And by the time we got to baggage claim, our travel bag was long gone.
Although we recovered it quickly – someone had picked it up by mistake – spending our first two hours in Buenos [...]
Dining out is one of the great pleasures of traveling in France. But Americans are often befuddled or irritated by what they consider to be bad service or rude treatment.
With a better understanding of French culture and more realistic expectations, these problems can usually be avoided. So be sure to do a little trip planning in advance. It will help you feel more relaxed and more confident when you dine in French restaurants – which also aids in digestion. Read more…
One of the most captivating cities in the world, Rome’s top attractions span nearly 3,000 years of history. The forum, the pantheon, and the coliseum provide an up-close and personal look at the powerful ancient culture that shaped virtually every aspect of western civilization. While St. Peter’s, the Vatican and its incredible museums, and the city’s magnificent churches and piazzas show the splendor of Renaissance Rome.
But Rome is very much a city of the present. So your trip planning should include some insider experiences that let you enjoy la dolce vita away from the crowds. Read more…
The right hotel can really make or break a vacation. So before we go on a trip, we do lots of research, both on and offline, to try to find the perfect places to stay. But sometimes, it seems like no matter how much trip planning we do, we’re still disappointed. [...]
We adore Paris. Who doesn’t? And the great thing about going often is that once you’ve crossed all the major attractions off your must-see list, you can relax and discover all sorts of wonderful treats you may have missed while you high tailed it from the Musee d’Orsay to the Louvre.
Over the years, we’ve discovered many trip planning ideas to make your next Paris vacation more rewarding – whether it’s your first visit, or your fortieth.
Here are our top ten tips for enjoying Paris like a local: Read more…
Ten or fifteen years ago, travel agencies made money by selling travel services to consumers. Airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and rental car agencies paid travel agents commissions every time they made a reservation. So their services were essentially free to consumers.
Back then, there was no reason not to go to a travel agent for all your travel needs.
But by the mid 1990s, online travel agencies like Expedia and Travelocity made it easy for consumers to make their own airline, hotel, and rental car reservations. And travel review sites like Tripadvisor, Fodors, and Frommers, Read more…
A lot of people don’t do any travel planning before they go on vacation. They just show up and let whatever happens, happen.
But if you’re like most of us, you have a lot invested in your vacation, both financially and emotionally. A little pre-trip planning can save you money, eliminate hassles, and maximize your precious [...]
Almost everyone we know loves to travel. But for the average vacationer, trip planning can be a real hassle. Just figuring out where to go and what to do can take hours of research.
Is it any wonder that most people just take the easy way out and book a cruise or vacation package?
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But doing [...]
Do a Google search for “travel,” and you’ll see that there are nearly 800 million sites on the topic.
So how do you know which travel sites can actually help you with your trip planning, and which ones you should check out first?
If you read Trip planning basics – three key questions to ask yourself before you plan a trip, you probably have some idea where you want to go. So figuring out how much it will cost to get there is a good first step. Read more…
