People often ask me, how do I travel so inexpensively and I'm quick to say research. I typically send many hours researching when to travel to a particular destination and I try to discover what the off season is for this place. Why travel during the off season? Well for starters, when you travel in the off season, planes and hotels are typically not fully booked, which means that there are cheaper airline tickets and accommodations to be had. It also means that there are smaller lines to museums and other popular attractions as well as easier access to premium restaurants. I typically will travel during this period and save a substantial amount. However, there are certain downsides to this strategy. For instance, the last time I was in Barcelona it was in the middle of March and just too cold to enjoy swimming in those beautiful azure waters. However, I was still able to see all of the many sites that make this an incredible city (La Sagrada Familia, Eixampla, The Gothic Quarter, Parc Guell, The Picasso Museum, etc...) and saved over $600 in the process. All because I went in the off season and not in June or July like the tens of thousands of others that descend upon this magnificent destination. Don't get me wrong it can be great to see a site in all it's glory, who wouldn't want to experience the unbridled romance of Paris during spring, but if you are traveling there just to see sites like The Eiffel Tower or The Louver, than why not save yourself hundreds of dollars in the process and go two months earlier.
So when does the off season occur? Well that truly depends upon the location that you are planning to visit. If you want to find great deals to Mexico and the tranquil islands of the Caribbean then go during hurricane season (which falls between June and October). Yes, hurricane season! The Caribbean is a very large body of water and meteorologists can predict storms over a week out. Thus, a hurricane can be creating utter havoc in one location while another can be completely calm and relaxed. In October of 2011, I was sipping Mai tai's on a a sugary sand beach in Jamaica while the Riviera Maya was pounded by down pours from a very large hurricane. The best part of this situation, was the ever present knowledge that I was in absolutely no danger from this storm. In fact, many of the guests at the resort that I was staying at were supposed to be in Mexico, but rescheduled their trip to avoid the storm. If you plan on traveling to the Caribbean or Mexico during hurricane season, than you Must pay the extra money for the trip cancellation insurance (which only costs an additional $50 or so). That way you can be versatile like those vacationers who were able to relocate from the destruction occurring in Mexico to the peaceful waters of Jamaica and not get stuck paying a fortune for a second trip. The trick is to book your trip months out when rates are low for this for of the world and wait. About two weeks out, start to watching the weather very intently (check every day until you are ready to leave). If it looks like a storm is going to interfere with your getaway than cancel and book elsewhere. If a storm is tracking in the eastern Caribbean like the Bahamas or The U.S. Virgin Islands then move west to The Cayman's or Aruba (or vica versa) . Or delay your trip a week and bypass the storm completely. This will allow you to enjoy the warm turquoise waters and still save hundreds of dollars. For Tropical Storm Isaac (Aug. 2012) I would have used this strategy and moved from Dominican Republic, Key West, and the Grenadines to Mexico, Jamaica, or the Bahamas.
Another great off season discounts can be found in the desert. Trips to places like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Moab, Egypt, and Agra are much cheaper in summer. The reason you save money on this move, is that most people do not like to travel to places that experience 100 plus degree weather during their summers. Thus, if you can handle the heat than there most certainly can be a reward for you. If you would like to travel to Europe, go in late fall (October- November) or the middle of winter (January-February). In fact, many travel companies offer deals to Europe during the week of Thanksgiving. Americans are typically to tied up with their turkey diner and shopping deals galore to travel abroad. Also, I have traditionally found great deals to England in September and Paris in November. It is the wet season and always raining during these months so bring your umbrella.
The most inexpensive time to travel to Australia and New Zealand is during June. It is their winter and consequently prices are much lower than in January and February. Ironically, if you want to hike in the outback or scuba dive in The Great Barrier Reef, this is the best time of year to do it. The temperatures in The Outback are much more temperate (a pleasant 70 degrees compared to a blistering 100) and the bugs are in less abundance (they are still there and just as annoying, but in smaller numbers). As for The Great Barrier Reef, the water is cooler in June but the box jelly fish migrate north for the season. This is phenomenal news because these aquatic animals can potentially kill you with their lethal stings! So you can enjoy the breath taking beauty, without the threat of danger.
These are just a few of the ways to save money on your next vacation by timing it with the slow season. So if you want to save hundreds of dollars on a future trip, try to coordinate it with the off season.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Saturday, August 25, 2012
India, The Land of Contradictions
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| A Tuk Tuk In Front Of A Road Side Diner |
For anyone who truly wants an adventure, try a tuk tuk ride in Jaipur. A tuk tuk is a three wheeled taxi with an engine no larger than a lawnmower. They have no sides and no seat belts and roll through traffic at surprisingly fast speeds (around 45 mph). Thus, if you fall out of one these little green and yellow vehicles, than your more than likely heading to the morgue. Look on the bright side, you only live once, right! Unless your a Hindu like the confident and highly skilled driver maneuvering you through the throngs of chaos, that is Indian traffic. As we slip through the thick but ever moving conglomerate of compact cars, motor cycles with whole families jumbled upon them and bicycle rickshaws hauling massive piles of textiles, I am shocked to see an old fashion camel drawn cart pulling about twelve flat screen televisions on it. Then I realize that this is India, a place where you see brand new Dell stores full of men in suits buying the most cutting edge technological gizmo's on the market and yet there is a tarp covered shack in front selling the best naan bread that you will ever eat in your life. This is a place where if you are in need of hair cut you head to a street islander, where a guy has placed a rickety chair and a small mirror in front of a banyan tree and is ready for business. This is a place where road construction workers consist of women in elegant dresses and thousands of dollars in gold jewelry carrying large dollops of concrete on their heads.This is a place where homes are impeccably clean and yet you have piles of trash everywhere. The trash men employ pigs and goats to eat up the almost endless supply of garbage. This is a land where orange clad Hindu priests, who are covered from head to toe in ash since they have not bathed in months since their last pilgrimage to a Varanasi, are talking on cell phones on the side of the road.
This is truly a land of contradiction, and a place where you will find unique surprises on every block.
So as I sit back and listen to the honks of the cars (every time a car passes another one they honk to avoid collisions) as they carefully swerve around a cow meandering through traffic, I cannot help but realize how modernity and tradition are constantly clashing in this exotic part of the world. It is an amazing experience, to go half-way around the world to visit a culture so unfamiliar to my own and see how these individuals live. I truly believe that India is not for everyone, but only when we step out of our comfort zones and try new things can we truly have the most unique, meaningful, and life altering experiences of our lives.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, then contact us at thriftyadventure1@gmail.com
Or friend us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chris.morrison.507679
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Group Tour Or Do It Yourself?
Many people ask me if they should go on a group tour or not, and my answer typically varies. There are many great reasons to travel in a group. One of the biggest appeals of going in a group is the camaraderie. You get to meet people from all over the united states who have similar interests as you do. They are taking a tour of the same places that you are. You usually will have a knowledgeable tour guild who knows the sites that you are seeing and the history behind them. Usually, you will stay in nice western style hotels and eat in very familiar types of restaurants. You will have a much safer experience when traveling to more rougher parts of the world. The language barrier will not be as significant. Finally, you will be able to see a lot of sites in a very short period of time, and you will not have to worry about how to get to them.
The problem with going on a group tour is that you will be limited to the sites that you will see. Group tours rarely divert from their itineraries. Most tour groups limit the free time you have, it's always go, go, go. You always have the mandatory cultural arts lesson, be it a rug making demonstration or a glass blowing show or maybe a ceramics exhibition. These can be very interesting, but they are designed to get the tour group to drop some money. They are simply organized shopping expeditions, where your tour company gets a percentage (usually 20%) of the money spent by the group. By going on a group tour, you will typically eat in restaurants that are designed to accommodate westerners and thus are not as likely to be frequented by locals. Finally, by being in a tour group, you will not have as many genuine experiences with locals. Many people can be intimidated by a crowd of strangers.
If you travel independently, you will have the opportunity to meet more locals and have more intimate experiences with them. In fact, some of the best experiences I have had on the road have come when traveling by myself. People will gravitate towards you and you can meet some very interesting individuals. When you travel independently, you can plan the itinerary that you want and see the sites that you would like to check out. You can eat in more authentic restaurants and stay in more traditional housing (bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, hostels, convents, even barns). You can embed more down time in your schedule, which is great if you are trying to unwind on your vacation. You can avoid the trappings of shopping or you can shop until you drop. Of course you can have the fun of trying to communicate with locals in another language (always a blast!).
There are down sides to traveling on your own, like seeing a site, only to miss out on it's importance. If you do travel independently, invest in a good guild book. They are invaluable tools when traveling. You may get lost or have problems communicating. You may eat at terrible restaurants and not accomplish everything that you set out to do. Mainly, your trip may not go as smoothly as it could if you had someone organizing it for you.
So, what should you do? Well, it truly depends on the type of person that you are. If you like to kick back and let someone else do everything for you, then you should try a group tour. If you are a control freak like myself or ultra independent, try doing it yourself. If the trip is very intimidating to you, then go with a group. If there is a major language barrier, consider a group. If the area of the world that you are going to is in political turmoil, dangerous or anti-American, than consider going with a tour group (or possibly consider a different destination). If being herded around puts you off than go by yourself.
Lastly, you can always piece together a vacation with tours. This is a great way to get the best of both worlds. For instance, if you travel to Rome, you can stay in a hotel that your cousin raved to about and you can eat at that trendy restaurant that you saw in some magazine, as well as take an English speaking tour of the Colosseum to get the background on this amazing place. By incorporating a guilded tour or two into your itinerary, you can have a more rounded and in depth vacation. This can be truly experienced when you take a guilded day trip. You can find these for almost any location you plan on visiting. You can easily find tours that will take you from Rome and give you a scenic trip through Tuscany or to Florence. This is a nice way to get you out of a city and to a places that you would have to rent a car to see (like Volterra) This ability to use a group tour as transportation can come in real handy for independent travelers who want to see out of the way sites; like Stonehenge (England), The Blarney Castle (Ireland), or Uluru (Australia).
At the end of the day, you have to make a decision based on your needs, preferences, and goals for your trip. In case you are wondering, I have taken several trips both independently and with groups, and have loved traveling with each method.
The problem with going on a group tour is that you will be limited to the sites that you will see. Group tours rarely divert from their itineraries. Most tour groups limit the free time you have, it's always go, go, go. You always have the mandatory cultural arts lesson, be it a rug making demonstration or a glass blowing show or maybe a ceramics exhibition. These can be very interesting, but they are designed to get the tour group to drop some money. They are simply organized shopping expeditions, where your tour company gets a percentage (usually 20%) of the money spent by the group. By going on a group tour, you will typically eat in restaurants that are designed to accommodate westerners and thus are not as likely to be frequented by locals. Finally, by being in a tour group, you will not have as many genuine experiences with locals. Many people can be intimidated by a crowd of strangers.
If you travel independently, you will have the opportunity to meet more locals and have more intimate experiences with them. In fact, some of the best experiences I have had on the road have come when traveling by myself. People will gravitate towards you and you can meet some very interesting individuals. When you travel independently, you can plan the itinerary that you want and see the sites that you would like to check out. You can eat in more authentic restaurants and stay in more traditional housing (bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, hostels, convents, even barns). You can embed more down time in your schedule, which is great if you are trying to unwind on your vacation. You can avoid the trappings of shopping or you can shop until you drop. Of course you can have the fun of trying to communicate with locals in another language (always a blast!).
There are down sides to traveling on your own, like seeing a site, only to miss out on it's importance. If you do travel independently, invest in a good guild book. They are invaluable tools when traveling. You may get lost or have problems communicating. You may eat at terrible restaurants and not accomplish everything that you set out to do. Mainly, your trip may not go as smoothly as it could if you had someone organizing it for you.
So, what should you do? Well, it truly depends on the type of person that you are. If you like to kick back and let someone else do everything for you, then you should try a group tour. If you are a control freak like myself or ultra independent, try doing it yourself. If the trip is very intimidating to you, then go with a group. If there is a major language barrier, consider a group. If the area of the world that you are going to is in political turmoil, dangerous or anti-American, than consider going with a tour group (or possibly consider a different destination). If being herded around puts you off than go by yourself.
Lastly, you can always piece together a vacation with tours. This is a great way to get the best of both worlds. For instance, if you travel to Rome, you can stay in a hotel that your cousin raved to about and you can eat at that trendy restaurant that you saw in some magazine, as well as take an English speaking tour of the Colosseum to get the background on this amazing place. By incorporating a guilded tour or two into your itinerary, you can have a more rounded and in depth vacation. This can be truly experienced when you take a guilded day trip. You can find these for almost any location you plan on visiting. You can easily find tours that will take you from Rome and give you a scenic trip through Tuscany or to Florence. This is a nice way to get you out of a city and to a places that you would have to rent a car to see (like Volterra) This ability to use a group tour as transportation can come in real handy for independent travelers who want to see out of the way sites; like Stonehenge (England), The Blarney Castle (Ireland), or Uluru (Australia).
At the end of the day, you have to make a decision based on your needs, preferences, and goals for your trip. In case you are wondering, I have taken several trips both independently and with groups, and have loved traveling with each method.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Australia, A Culinary Mecca
When you think of Australian cuisine, what comes to mind? Outside of "shrimp on the barbie" and a cold Foster's beer, most people have little idea what to expect when dining in Australia. How about smoked salmon mousse wrapped in marinated dried apricot or Queensland scallops on polenta and braised peas in a wine reduction sauce or kangaroo fillet served with sweet potatoes and a salt bush gratin. These are just some of the delicious and cutting edge fare being produced in "the land down under". Granted you can still find staples like meat pasties as well as fish and chips, carry overs from their British heritage, but things are changing. It is progressively becoming easier to find incredible food from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China. This is a bi product of the rampant immigration from this part of the world to Australia in recent years. Nowadays, great chefs from Perth to Sydney are integrating Asian inspired ingredients with concepts from the Mediterranean to create something completely original, and dare we say sublime.
Australia is a land blessed with unique flora and fauna and local chefs are taking notice. The nation is completely surrounded by an abundance of sea life. Thus, you can encounter incredibly fresh sea food, from oysters to scallops to shrimp to water bugs (claw less lobsters) and barimundi (a great tasting fish if you have never tried it), all can be crafted into mind blowing dishes. Of course, when you travel to Australia, you need to experience it's legendary exotic game. It is quite common to find kangaroo, crocodile, and emu ( and to a lesser degree camel) on menus throughout the country. These meats are all unique in flavor and can be combined to create something truly novel.
This blending of cultural cuisine and the incorporation of fresh and local ingredients has put Australia in the conversation as a place to sample some of the best and most innovative foods the world has to offer.
Australia is a land blessed with unique flora and fauna and local chefs are taking notice. The nation is completely surrounded by an abundance of sea life. Thus, you can encounter incredibly fresh sea food, from oysters to scallops to shrimp to water bugs (claw less lobsters) and barimundi (a great tasting fish if you have never tried it), all can be crafted into mind blowing dishes. Of course, when you travel to Australia, you need to experience it's legendary exotic game. It is quite common to find kangaroo, crocodile, and emu ( and to a lesser degree camel) on menus throughout the country. These meats are all unique in flavor and can be combined to create something truly novel.
This blending of cultural cuisine and the incorporation of fresh and local ingredients has put Australia in the conversation as a place to sample some of the best and most innovative foods the world has to offer.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
How to Thawart The Bad Guys
What could be worst than being thousands of miles away from home and loose your wallet or purse? Think about the logistic nightmare it would cause, to be without your credit cards or even worst your passport, and the effort it would take to rectify the situation. I am sure that calling your credit card company to cancel those missing cards is the last thing you would like to do on your next vacation. For thousands of travelers each year this is a very sobering reality. So how do people end up in such an undesirable predicament? For most it is caused by quick handed pickpockets.
Throughout Europe (especially in the Mediterranean) pickpockets are a serious problem. Unless you travel in extremely sketchy neighborhoods, you will never be mugged, but in crowded situations it is a very realistic possibility to have your valuables liberated. So why do thieves target unsuspecting travelers? Because they are clever and the fact that we happen to carry all kinds of goodies on us. Like big expensive cameras, tons of cash on us since were so far from home, and the most cutting edge smart phones to text our friends and families on. Most thieves are extraordinarily skilled at what they do and getting what they want. Some will use distractions like spilling a cup of coffee on you and removing your wallet while cleaning you off. Others will use misdirection, like showing off thier super cute baby to you and then snag your valuables while your attention is elsewhere. Many thieves work as a team and use accomplices to distract you. I have heard about a scam in Barcelona, where a women will start to undress in a crowd of people. While everyone (especially the guys in the crowd) is distracted by a scantily clad women, her partner will work the crowd and help himself to what he wants. Let's not forget the agile vesspa driver, buzzing by and yanking a purse off of an unsuspecting women's arm.
Now how can someone avoid these types of mishaps. First, do not advertise the fact that your a tourist. when I say this, I mean avoid wearing that expensive camera around your neck in a crowd or do not wear your finest jewelry on a subway. It attracts unwarranted attention to yourself and to your valuables. Next, be cognisant of your surroundings. If you find yourself in a seedy part of town, move on quickly. If your on an over crowded metro, keep your hand on your wallet or loop your purse a couple of times around your arm. Anytime there is a commotion or something out of the ordinary, assume it's a distraction. Wear a money belt! This will make it much more difficult for thieves to get at your valuables. I usually wear a money belt with my cash, cards and important documents inside it. I will also use a wallet to carry a small amount of cash around, just enough to pay for my immediate tasks at hand. I do this in order to avoid getting into my money belt in public and to avoid drawing attention to it. Also, if I do happen to loose my wallet, than I will not be out of any significant amount of money.
If you do loose your valuables, contact your credit card companies immediately to midigate the damages and to get the ball rolling on replacing these items. Always keep a photo copy of your passport as well as contact information in a different local then your wallet. This way if you do loose your wallet, then you will still have the necessary information that you will need to call the credit card companies.
Hopefully, these simple suggestions can help you to avoid a disaster on your next trip.
Throughout Europe (especially in the Mediterranean) pickpockets are a serious problem. Unless you travel in extremely sketchy neighborhoods, you will never be mugged, but in crowded situations it is a very realistic possibility to have your valuables liberated. So why do thieves target unsuspecting travelers? Because they are clever and the fact that we happen to carry all kinds of goodies on us. Like big expensive cameras, tons of cash on us since were so far from home, and the most cutting edge smart phones to text our friends and families on. Most thieves are extraordinarily skilled at what they do and getting what they want. Some will use distractions like spilling a cup of coffee on you and removing your wallet while cleaning you off. Others will use misdirection, like showing off thier super cute baby to you and then snag your valuables while your attention is elsewhere. Many thieves work as a team and use accomplices to distract you. I have heard about a scam in Barcelona, where a women will start to undress in a crowd of people. While everyone (especially the guys in the crowd) is distracted by a scantily clad women, her partner will work the crowd and help himself to what he wants. Let's not forget the agile vesspa driver, buzzing by and yanking a purse off of an unsuspecting women's arm.
Now how can someone avoid these types of mishaps. First, do not advertise the fact that your a tourist. when I say this, I mean avoid wearing that expensive camera around your neck in a crowd or do not wear your finest jewelry on a subway. It attracts unwarranted attention to yourself and to your valuables. Next, be cognisant of your surroundings. If you find yourself in a seedy part of town, move on quickly. If your on an over crowded metro, keep your hand on your wallet or loop your purse a couple of times around your arm. Anytime there is a commotion or something out of the ordinary, assume it's a distraction. Wear a money belt! This will make it much more difficult for thieves to get at your valuables. I usually wear a money belt with my cash, cards and important documents inside it. I will also use a wallet to carry a small amount of cash around, just enough to pay for my immediate tasks at hand. I do this in order to avoid getting into my money belt in public and to avoid drawing attention to it. Also, if I do happen to loose my wallet, than I will not be out of any significant amount of money.
If you do loose your valuables, contact your credit card companies immediately to midigate the damages and to get the ball rolling on replacing these items. Always keep a photo copy of your passport as well as contact information in a different local then your wallet. This way if you do loose your wallet, then you will still have the necessary information that you will need to call the credit card companies.
Hopefully, these simple suggestions can help you to avoid a disaster on your next trip.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
"That Voodoo That You Do So Well"
"The Big Easy" is a city steeped in mysticism and intrigue, a place of both beauty and darkness. A place where voodoo priestesses are worshiped and the supernatural is a part of everyday life, and nowhere epitomizes this more than The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. Yes, there really is a voodoo museum and it might be the most unique place that you have ever visited. From bizarre shrines to cabalistic fetishes to an array of voodoo dolls, the place has everything a lay person needs to get adequated with the culture and history of voodoo. Critics may scoff at the touristic feel and the lack of description on many of the artifacts in this dark and musty emporium. However, if you have any questions, the museum has an active voodoo priest or priestess on-hand to enlighten you on the unique and sometimes perplexing exhibits. Speaking of which, for a small amount, you can have one of these staff members give you a reading or make you a personalized Gris-Gris bag. A Gris-Gris bag is a small cloth bag that is imbued with magic in order to stave off evil or bring the owner good fortune or even love. Toss in some relics of Marie Leveau (The most famous voodoo priestess New Orleans has ever known) and arguably the funnest museum gift shop out there (don't forget your authentic voodoo dolls!) and you have an experience worth checking out.
www.voodoomuseum.com
www.voodoomuseum.com
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Getting Ready For A Trip
I know the idea of getting ready for a trip seems like common sense. Pack your cloths, camera, travel documents and your all set. But how many of us know someone who is always forgets to pack something when they travel. My dad is notorious when it comes to forgetting essentials when packing for for a trip. One year he forgot his bathing suit when we were headings to the beach in San Diego. Another time he forgot his sandals when we went to Las Vegas. The guy just has a tendency of forgetting stuff. Granted most of these issues would be averted if he only packed his bags the day before instead of at the last minute. So how can you avoid this fate and avoid a vacation catastrophe?
Plan ahead! By planning ahead you can usually avoid forgetting to bring something critical for your vacation. The best way to put this in action is to formulate a list. I know what your thinking, making a list sounds so childish or too methodical for you, but it really works! You can simply create a mental list of things to take and do, or for the OCD types like myself, you can write down the list. To be successful, create an itemized list of everything that you want to take on the your trip and everything you need to do before leaving. Start doing this about two weeks out. This way you can start to prepare for anything that will inevitably come up. There is nothing more stressful than an unexpected last minute surprise.
So what kind of things should you try to remember before you embark on your latest get away? Do not forget to call your credit card companies! The last thing you need, is to be in a strange city with no money and several credit cards that are being declined because the bank had no idea that you were going away. Make sure that you have your ATM pins memorized and make sure that they work before you leave town. Also, bring some extra cash in case of an emergency. Of course, let's not forget those furry friends as well as one's mail and plants. Make sure someone reliable is taking care of them. Don't forget to get new memory cards and batteries for those cameras, or at least make sure that they are fully charged before you go. Imagine how horrible it would be to see the Eiffel Tower and not be able to take a photo! Lastly, make sure you have all of those cosmetics that you cannot live without.
Make sure to pack early! By packing early, you can cut down on unnecessary stress and avoid forgetting things. Thus, you can get a restful night sleep, which will enable you to have a great start to your trip. Let's not forget about your travel documents and ID. TSA will not let you get on a plane without an ID, and most hotels will not let you stay without a valid Id. So just do not forget those drivers licences and passports.
Now everybody is different and have unique needs, but here is a potential list of things that you do not want to forget on your next vacation.
-Wallet
-ID/ Passport
-Money (travelers checks)
-Travel Documents/ Airline Tickets
-Cosmetics (toothpaste, makeup, deodorant, etc...)
-Money Belt
-Hard Cash
-Travel Alarm Clock
-Clothing (variable, based on length of stay and activities planned)
-Umbrella (when applicable)
-Swim Suit (when applicable)
-Jacket
-Daypack
-Camera/ related gear
-Extra pair of Glasses/or contacts
-Prescriptions
-Sun Screen
-Pen
-Travel Guild Books
-Contact info (credit/ debit card numbers and thier corresponding telephone numbers)
(Emergency numbers)
-Journal
-Sandals/ Dress Shoes
Plan ahead! By planning ahead you can usually avoid forgetting to bring something critical for your vacation. The best way to put this in action is to formulate a list. I know what your thinking, making a list sounds so childish or too methodical for you, but it really works! You can simply create a mental list of things to take and do, or for the OCD types like myself, you can write down the list. To be successful, create an itemized list of everything that you want to take on the your trip and everything you need to do before leaving. Start doing this about two weeks out. This way you can start to prepare for anything that will inevitably come up. There is nothing more stressful than an unexpected last minute surprise.
So what kind of things should you try to remember before you embark on your latest get away? Do not forget to call your credit card companies! The last thing you need, is to be in a strange city with no money and several credit cards that are being declined because the bank had no idea that you were going away. Make sure that you have your ATM pins memorized and make sure that they work before you leave town. Also, bring some extra cash in case of an emergency. Of course, let's not forget those furry friends as well as one's mail and plants. Make sure someone reliable is taking care of them. Don't forget to get new memory cards and batteries for those cameras, or at least make sure that they are fully charged before you go. Imagine how horrible it would be to see the Eiffel Tower and not be able to take a photo! Lastly, make sure you have all of those cosmetics that you cannot live without.
Make sure to pack early! By packing early, you can cut down on unnecessary stress and avoid forgetting things. Thus, you can get a restful night sleep, which will enable you to have a great start to your trip. Let's not forget about your travel documents and ID. TSA will not let you get on a plane without an ID, and most hotels will not let you stay without a valid Id. So just do not forget those drivers licences and passports.
Now everybody is different and have unique needs, but here is a potential list of things that you do not want to forget on your next vacation.
-Wallet
-ID/ Passport
-Money (travelers checks)
-Travel Documents/ Airline Tickets
-Cosmetics (toothpaste, makeup, deodorant, etc...)
-Money Belt
-Hard Cash
-Travel Alarm Clock
-Clothing (variable, based on length of stay and activities planned)
-Umbrella (when applicable)
-Swim Suit (when applicable)
-Jacket
-Daypack
-Camera/ related gear
-Extra pair of Glasses/or contacts
-Prescriptions
-Sun Screen
-Pen
-Travel Guild Books
-Contact info (credit/ debit card numbers and thier corresponding telephone numbers)
(Emergency numbers)
-Journal
-Sandals/ Dress Shoes
Friday, August 3, 2012
Introduction
Welcome to The Thrifty Adventurer! The site is here to provide tips and tricks to help make your next trip cheaper, easier and more enjoyable. I will give you practical advice from my over 25 years of travel experience as well as share some of my adventures and mishaps. Hopefully, this will help you avoid some of the mistakes that I have made over the years and allow you the opportunity to embrace my unquenchable passion for travel!
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