Planning<\/h6>\n
The first thing to consider is how much work you want to do yourself, versus having someone else do it for you. If you\u2019re fortunate and have a travelling partner, you can always foist the detailed stuff on them. Travel agents still exist, but they have mostly been replaced by websites. Filling the gap between travel agents and surfing the internet are tour operators. Request a glossy brochure, take a stiff belt of tequila before you check the prices, then choose a trip that works with your dates. They do the rest.<\/p>\n Assuming you take the DIY approach, one of the biggest changes to independent travel planning has been the introduction of variable pricing. Ever wonder why an item or a trip goes up in price from one moment to the next? That\u2019s variable pricing and it’s almost always based on your internet browsing history. Companies set cookies based on your searches and their algorithms judge your interests. Prices get set according to how often you’ve searched similar items. Here are a few ways to control how much information travel sites (and others) gather about your online interests:<\/p>\n Choosing Dates<\/strong><\/p>\n Paperwork and Passports<\/strong><\/p>\n The US Department of State<\/u><\/a> is fairly efficient at issuing passports these days. The post-Covid rush appears to be over. Nonetheless, start early and order your passport well ahead of your trip. Many countries won\u2019t let you in if you have less than 6 months validity remaining on your passport. Therefore, if it expires within a year, get a new one. The Feds will credit the time remaining on your old one. Other countries have other rules, and document processing times may vary widely.<\/p>\n Insurance<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are visiting America from another country, you must<\/u><\/em> buy health insurance. Americans visiting other countries should check with their healthcare insurance provider. Most will reimburse you for overseas medical expenses. Remember, too, that the rest of the world has regulated healthcare systems and the pills you left on your bedside table can be found at a local chemist for less than your co-pay back home.<\/p>\n Some form of travel insurance may help put your mind at ease, but check on what\u2019s covered. The last-page, impulse purchases that the airlines push generally don\u2019t cover healthcare, only cancellations and lost baggage.<\/p>\n Vaccinations<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep your vaccinations up to date! Make sure you know what is required by the country you\u2019re visiting well before you go. Boosters often give you flu-like symptoms, so don\u2019t leave things to the last minute! Bring proof of vaccination with you in case you get asked for it. Your physical Covid vaccination card and a photo of the same, for example. If you have a yellow WHO vaccination card, bring it. The CDC<\/u><\/a> provides useful information on travel health.<\/p>\n Where to Stay? And How long?<\/strong><\/p>\n Broadly speaking, the more people in your party and the less time you have for your trip, the longer you want to stay in one place. That might mean a week in Disneyland Paris with your family. For a fit young couple it might mean three days in Paris, two days in Nice, and three days in Ibiza (one for a raging party, one to recover, and another to re-book the return flight).<\/p>\n Honestly, we aren\u2019t great at forward planning (see here<\/a>). Our modus operandi is to turn up, grab a local SIM card with lots of data, try and rent a cheap car, and figure it out from there. That said your local library has plenty of travel guides available. Read some and make a note of the one you like best. Then buy an updated copy to take with you.<\/p>\n Luggage<\/strong><\/p>\n Never pack a bag larger or heavier than you can lift above your head! Get a carry-on bag with two wheels. The ones with four wheels (like the one in this photo) waste interior space and manoeuvre unpredictably. If you pack light on your out-bound leg, feel free to buy gifts and souvenirs for your return. If your bag is bursting at the seams, consider donating anything you haven’t worn to a local charity before buying anything else. From the age of seven our kids packed and pulled their own suitcases. Later in life they sized up their partners by how small they packed for a trip. Carry a decent backpack, too. Especially if you have kids.<\/p>\n Wear sensible shoes and bring a bathing suit. If you’re not a walker, book a cruise, or bus tour. You\u2019ll still want sensible shoes for negotiating the uneven cobblestones at the Coliseum.<\/p>\n Communications<\/strong><\/p>\n For the full experience, keep a (paper) journal, write postcards, take photos with a camera, and leave your smartphone at home. That sounds romantic. It is a pity those little smartphones are so damned useful. But they need data! The least expensive option is buying a local prepaid SIM card. In the EU roaming is free, so buy one with enough data and take it with you. The next alternative is buying a global service like Google Fi<\/u><\/a>. Lastly, the most expensive option (typically) is buying an international data add-on from your cellular provider.<\/p>\n Make sure your phone is compatible with local networks. Recent iPhone models work most everywhere, less expensive Android phones may struggle in some areas.<\/p>\n Communicating<\/strong><\/p>\n If you’re staying in one place, try and learn 300 words of the local language. Tools like Duolingo<\/a> (download it) and Pimsleur<\/a> (find it at your library) are good places to start. Bone up on charades and hand gestures. After a couple of drinks, things get easier. Remember to smile. Nowadays, Google Translate is used everywhere. It’s free. Download the app and the local language pack to your smartphone before you go. Don\u2019t forget the four most important words in the world: ‘Can You Help Me?’ And remember to smile!<\/p>\n What to see<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve read all your travel books and made a list, great. You have a plan. Prefer winging it like we do? Open Google Maps and search for \u2018sites\u2019 and choose something. Hop in a cab, grab a bus, or pick up your feet and walk there. Your hotel, your waiter, and other travellers will all have recommendations. Say, ‘Can you help me? I need a recommendation for…’ If you like museums, look for discount multi-day passes valid in lots of places. In Turkey, for example, you can buy a 15-day tourist pass<\/a> that gets you into every major museum and archaeological site in the country for 1000TL (about $60). Theatre-goers can find last minute bargains in most big cities. Your handy travel guide or a quick web search can direct you.<\/p>\n Directions<\/strong><\/p>\n We use Google Maps in cities. The quality of the information is variable, but no worse than a travel guide. Tourist offices still have folding maps that will get you around. For hiking we like two apps: AllTrails.com<\/a> (better for North America) and Mapy.cz<\/a> (for Europe). For the truly directionally challenged, get a compass. There\u2019s nothing worse than walking four miles in the wrong direction at the end of a long day. Better yet, hail a cab and show the driver your hotel’s business card that you thoughtfully picked up before you left.<\/p>\n Currency<\/strong><\/p>\n Folding money, including traveller\u2019s checks, ain\u2019t as popular as it used to be. That makes carrying a credit or debit card essential. Be sure to call your bank and credit card company and tell them where you\u2019re going and when you\u2019ll be gone. Double check what international fees your bank charges. They can rack up quickly if you\u2019re not paying attention. Newfangled things like mobile wallets are available only to Millennials. We missed the age cut-off for that high-tech stuff years ago.<\/p>\n Watch for pickpockets. When I\u2019m heading someplace popular and crowded, I\u2019ll put one credit card and my driver\u2019s licence in a zippered pocket and I\u2019m set for the day. My wallet and passport stay in the hotel\u2019s safe.<\/p>\n Eating<\/strong><\/p>\n The quality of a restaurant is inversely proportional to its distance from a major tourist attraction. Get off the main tourist trails and explore. Google Maps reviews can help.<\/p>\n We eat at odd hours, late lunches, early dinners. Find out when everyone else eats and schedule accordingly. That way you can eat at better restaurants when no one’s there. Of course, many kitchens close for the afternoon, so take that into consideration. Gastro pro tip: Michelin starred restaurants often have bargain-priced lunches.<\/p>\n When you find an eating spot settle in and relax. Do as the locals do. Take your time. Try new things! Ask the waiter what their favourite foods are? What\u2019s the local specialty? Vegetarians are better catered for than they used to be. Although the dreaded plate of steamed frozen vegetables still pops up occasionally as the only option. Should you have food allergies most restaurants provide detailed information on the menu. Still, it never hurts to ask just in case. Want street food? Go for the cooked stuff. Anything raw from a street vendor, like ceviche, is asking for trouble. Drink bottled water or champagne. You\u2019re on holiday!<\/p>\n Security<\/strong><\/p>\n Lock your hotel door and use the deadbolt. People walk into the wrong room all the time, so you\u2019ll sleep better feeling secure. Gizmos like door alarms work about as well as an aging Labrador retriever (very unreliably). That said, the rest of the world is, generally, much safer than America. Petty street crime (theft usually) is more prevalent, but guns and gun crime far, far lower. Use the same common sense you would at home.<\/p>\n US Citizens should get the Mobile Passport Control<\/u><\/a><\/span> app. On arrival, look for the MPC or Mobile Passport designated lane. You\u2019ll beat the queue and make the country more secure. You might even teach the immigration officer on duty about the app.<\/p>\n![\"pexels-ivan-samkov-4240587\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aleta.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/pexels-ivan-samkov-4240587.jpg?ssl=1\")
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<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nGOING<\/h6>\n
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nReturning<\/h6>\n