Indie Places

No matter where you travel to, chances are you’re going to buy some sort of souvenir or gift.  Much of the time, you’ll be able to fit these purchases into your luggage, but sometimes, you may find that you’ve either purchased too much or have been given too many items (such as from a business meeting) to fit in your baggage.  In this case, you may have to ship some items home.

Now you have to decide what you want shipped.  If you’ve attended a business meeting and have items that will be needed right away when you return, you may actually have to ship some of your personal items home.  This could actually include some of the clothing you took on the trip.  In that case, select the items you won’t need right away.  This might include formal clothing, or it might include things like shoes.  You may also want to ship any souvenirs you purchased.

On the other hand, if you were on holiday and bought some rather large items or bought a lot of stuff, you might need to ship these things home.  Make certain none of them are items you’ll need within a couple of weeks—shipping can take a long time unless you pay extra.  Generally, your hotel can tell you where to go to ship things.  Some hotels on luxury holidays can even ship packages for you.

If you’ve travelled overseas, be ready to pay.  Shipping across an ocean is not cheap, and it takes longer.  If you’re shipping breakables, you may need to pay extra for insurance, plus you’ll want to make certain they are packaged well.

Occasionally, you may need to ship items to your destination, especially at business events.  In this case, contact your hotel first and make certain you know where to send it and how to properly address the package.  Make certain you mail the package in plenty of time so that it will arrive before you do.  You don’t want to get there only to find that the important items you needed are stuck in the mail.

Going on holiday with young children can be stressful, especially if your children start to misbehave.  However, there are several things you can keep in mind when planning your trip and during your trip that can make this stress disappear. Before you book your transportation or your lodging, check on the prices for young children.  Some allow those under five to travel or stay for free.  Others have a reduced rate.  You’ll want to take this into account when figuring your budget and when making your reservations.  Be certain to always mention your children and their age when asking about rates. When you pack for your children, you may think giving them their own little pieces of luggage will make them feel more grown up.  However, it may cost you a bit more.  You may have to pay for each of these checked bags, no matter what their size.  If you’re on a budget, consider packing your children’s clothing with your own if possible.  Sometimes, you can use one larger bag instead of two smaller ones and actually pay less. Once you arrive at your destination, you should make certain that you’ve got some activities planned that your children will enjoy.  This doesn’t mean you have to go to theme parks, but it does mean you should sit aside some things that your kids want to do.  This might include going to a children’s museum, visiting a zoo, or going to a shopping centre.  To decide on these activities, talk to your kids when planning your trip.  You never know—they may really enjoy going to a concert or play with you, but they might not.  They may really not want to spend the day at the zoo, however, so you should get their opinion before deciding on what to do.

Going on a road trip can be a lot of fun, but it can also be stressful if you’re not prepared.  When going on a road trip, here are some tips to keep in mind to make the entire adventure less stressful.

First, know where you’re going.  Getting lost is one of the worst things that can happen on a road trip.  If you don’t have a GPS navigation system, be certain to print out maps from the internet and have a road atlas along.  Be sure your atlas is current, too - older atlases may not show new roads.  If you do get lost, don’t be afraid to stop and ask for directions.

Second, have an idea of how far you’ll stop driving each day.  This way, you’ll know about where you’ll stop so you can plan which city you’ll stay in.  You can also plan out petrol and food breaks.  You might also look at sites and attractions along the way to your destination.  You may want to take the time to stop at these attractions if you have time.

Third, driving instead of flying or taking another form of transportation, driving means you can pack your own snacks and drinks.  You can also take food along with you so you don’t have to eat out as often.  If you have a small cooler, you might even take lunch meat, cheese, and other perishable items with you.

Finally, even if you have your trip all planned out take advantage of the ability to change your plans.  If you see a sight or attraction you’d like to visit, you can always stop and see it.  True, you may have to make up time later, but that’s one of the best things about a road trip - the flexibility.

No one wants to cancel their holiday, but sometimes it must be done.  If you have to cancel, there are some important things you need to consider.  Before you decide anything, you need to look at how much money you’ve invested in your trip and if you can get it back.  Sometimes, you won’t be able to get refunds.  In this case, you may actually want to try to go ahead and take your holiday if it’s at all possible.  If it’s not, you may want to try to find others who can go in your place.  True, you’ll still be out the money, but at least someone will get to enjoy the trip.

You should check the cancellation policies for your transportation, your lodging, and any events you’ve pre-booked.  Generally, transportation and lodging have a 24-hour cancellation policy, although some are 48 hours.  For some, you may be able to get a credit on your account, but you may not get all of your money back.  Be certain you know when you have to notify them of any cancellations.

For events, it may be more difficult.  Some tickets may specifically state that they are non-refundable.  Others may need to be cancelled a week or more in advance.  It can be very difficult to return tickets at the last minute.  If you know in advance that you may need to cancel your holiday, you may want to put off purchasing tickets to events or at the very least have someone in mind to give the tickets to if you can’t attend.

When it comes to travelling, perhaps the most important thing to take into consideration is not how you’ll get there but where you’ll stay.  Annoyances that occur during transportation may only last a few hours, but if you get stuck with a bad hotel room, you’ll be annoyed for the entire duration of your trip.  To that end, here are some tips for selecting the perfect hotel room.

Is the hotel near places you need to go?  If you’re going to a conference, can you easily walk from your hotel to the conference location?  If not, is it near a bus or subway station?  If you have to get up a half hour or more just to get across town, you may want to look for a different hotel.  If you’re in town on holiday, location may not be as important.  Check to see if your hotel offers free shuttle services to the airport as well.

When arriving at your lodging, if you see signs of construction, you may have a cause to be concerned.  You should ask if the construction will be near your room and, if it is, what time it will start each day.  You don’t want to be woken up to the noise of sawing and drilling.  Ask the hotel staff to give you a different room if the noise is going to be a problem.

Take a look at what amenities are offered by the hotel and take them in mind when you’re reserving a room.  Some hotels may offer microwaves, mini-refrigerators, and more, while some offer only a bed and television.  Decide what you need in a hotel room before making your reservations.

If you fly regularly, you know just how annoying it can be to lug several heavy bags through airports and hotels.  How many times have you found yourself pulling several heavy rolling bags or having two or more bags over your shoulders?  To avoid the potential aches and pains that come with heavy luggage, here are some ways you can cut down on your packing. Don’t over-pack.  If you’re not going to need a really nice outfit for anything, don’t take one.  Avoid any clothing that you’re only taking “just in case.”  If it’s not necessary, it should stay at home.  Likewise, women should only take a small amount of makeup and jewellery. Purchase small travel-sized toiletries.  You don’t need to take a large bottle of shampoo for only several days or a week.  If you can’t find your brand in travel size, you can buy small bottles and fill them from your larger bottles. Think of the various ways you can mix and match your outfits.  You can often wear several different shirts with one pair of trousers.  One nice jacket can also go with different outfits, as can an over shirt.  You can also wear your jacket on the plane so it doesn’t take up room in your luggage. If you don’t mind spending a bit of money, you can always purchase toiletries at your destination and then throw them away when you leave.  Your hotel may supply soap, shampoo, and conditioner for you to use so you can leave that behind if you like. While these tips may not save you much space individually, if you combine them all, you’ll notice that your bags weigh significantly less.

After a long flight, the only thing most people want to do is get to their hotel (or wherever they’re staying) and rest.  However, before they can do that, they have to pick up their luggage.  This means standing around with many other people while the various bags move around on the conveyor belts.  Finding your luggage can be like finding a needle in a haystack, though.  To make this task easier, here are a few tips. Buy baggage that isn’t a standard, solid colour like blue, brown, or black.  While these are the most common colours for suitcases and other bags, buying bags with a print design or brightly coloured bags can make them easier to spot.  Of course, there’s always the chance that another traveller will own a leopard print suitcase, but at least you’ll be able to narrow down the bags to only a few. Another way of recognising your luggage is to tie a brightly coloured shoelace or other piece of material to the handle.  While this generally works, however, there’s always the chance that your identifying marker will come lose in transit and fall off.  Some airlines, too, do not like long, dangling strings or streamers hanging off of bags.  You may have to remove the item before you can even check your bag. A simpler way of doing this is to add stickers or use fabric paint on your luggage to add an identifying mark.  You can take some coloured electrical tape and wrap it around the handle to add a unique mark to your bag, or you can use fabric paint and make a design or other decoration.  Just don’t paint your name on your bag—it’s never a good idea to advertise your name for safety reasons.

Travelling can be a lot of fun, but it can also be irritating at times.  No matter how you travel or where you stay, you’ll find things that annoy you.  Instead of letting them totally ruin your holiday, however, here are some things you can do to deal with them.

If you’re stuck next to someone who annoys you on the plane, train, or bus, don’t get snappy with them.  If you do, it may only make things worse.  Instead, try to remain as polite as possible.  If they’re chattering away at you, there are several excuses you can make to stop talking to them.  You can say that you’re very tired and want to nap.  If you’re on a business trip, tell them you need to review your notes for a lecture or for a discussion.  While you might not really want to look over your paperwork, it never hurts to review information.  Of course, you can always fake it, too.

If you have issues at your hotel, you have a couple of options.  If it’s something caused by another traveller, you can always confront them yourself.  Simply knock on their door and ask them to keep the noise down if they’re being loud.  If you don’t want to be so direct or if it’s an issue with the hotel itself, you may want to contact the hotel staff.  Some people only do this if it’s a major annoyance—they try to overlook small things.  That is an option, especially if you’re not spending much time in your hotel room.  If you’re spending a lot of money for the room or are spending a lot of time in it, though, it may be worth speaking to the staff to correct any issue.  If you’re willing to change rooms, that may be a solution to noise problems.

Finally, it’s important to remember that some things aren’t going to be fixable.  You may be stuck next to someone on a long flight who simply won’t let you be, or you might have loud neighbors who won’t be quiet no matter how many times you report them for noise.  If that’s the case, be prepared to simply endure it.

Travelling can be a very exciting experience, especially if you’re travelling alone or if you’re visiting a  city that you’ve never been to before.  However, there are some risks involved with travelling as well, especially if you’re by yourself.  Here are some tips and things to keep in mind to stay safe while travelling.

First, watch your wallet or handbag.  If you’re in a crowd, keep a good hold on your handbag or any other bag you’re carrying.  Likewise, if you carry your wallet in your trouser pocket, you may want to put it in one of the front pockets instead of the back pocket.  This makes it more difficult for someone to steal it.  A wallet chain can also help secure your wallet.

It’s also a good idea to take your passport with you wherever you go.  Leaving it in your hotel room or in your baggage can be a bit risky, not only because it could be stolen but because you can also accidentally misplace it.

If you’re travelling alone, be wary of going out after dark, especially if you don’t know the area well.  If you do go out by yourself, ask the hotel staff about places to go to that are near your lodging.  You don’t want to get lost after dark in a strange city.

Take traveller’s checks or use your debit or credit card instead of carrying large amounts of cash.  If someone steals your credit card, it’s very easy to have it cancelled and stop any transactions.  On the other hand, if someone steals your cash, chances are you will not get it back.

Finally, always be aware of your surroundings.  Keep an eye out for anything that seems odd, and always listen to your instincts.  If you find a section of town creepy, for example, you may want to head back to your hotel instead of exploring what could be a dangerous section of the city.

A big part of any holiday is, of course, the actual travel. If you are cooped up in a car, train or aeroplane, there are many things you can do to while away the hours.

1. Bring a book. Chances are there are a lot of books, magazines or articles you have been meaning to read. Here’s your chance. Visit your library or bookstore to find titles you don’t have.

2. Work a puzzle. Sudoku, crossword puzzles and word-find puzzles were just made for long trips.

3. Use a handheld videogame. Find out what your kids have discovered long ago: The virtual world of electronic games is a great way to pass the time. (Be sure to keep the sound down to avoid annoying your companions.)

4. Get caught up on paperwork. Chances are there are some forms or other work you have been meaning to get to. Here is the perfect opportunity.

5. Watch the scenery. Whether travelling by car, bus, train or aeroplane, you have a unique opportunity to see a new part of the world. Consider how the terrain is different or the same as your home town.

6. People watch. People are endlessly fascinating. Discreetly watch the human parade. Imagine what makes them tick.

7. Strike up a conversation. Your travel companions or that stranger who is your seat mate may have some fascinating insights or stories to share. (Be ready to take no for an answer if they do not seem to feel like talking.)

8. Sleep. If you can sleep in a moving vehicle, take this chance to get some shut-eye.

9. Write a letter. Few people write an old-fashioned pen-to-paper letter anymore. Renew ties with an old friend. He or she will likely be touched that you thought of him or her.

10. Write a diary or a story. Use your people watching and sightseeing to imagine a whole new world. Your trip can spark a whole world of creativity.

Enjoy your trip. Half the fun is getting there.