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Posts Tagged ‘Traveling’

Family vacations can be one of the finest ways to craft memories which will last your kids a lifetime. Except, regardless of how long you stay at your dream destination, when traveling with children the longest part of the trip can be your journey there or back. Long car rides or airplane trips can appear infinite for young kids waiting to get to their vacation goal. By remembering these family travel tips, grownups can make the travel time go quickly for their kids and even themselves.

For kids, leaving on a family vacation might be the best bit of their summer. Small wonder that they are excited but impatient when the minute at last arrives, and they are on their way to a theme park, beach, or other target.  It is a “known known” that children get keyed up about getting to their vacation spot, all the same, parents really can make the trip seem less lengthy by having an assortment of games and activities at hand for keeping the children busy and their minds off of the journey.

For longer car road trips there are a lot of games that can make the time go by. Children characteristically get bored with playing the same games they play day after day, so try spicing things up by offering them games specially made for long car trips. One of the games involves finding the letters of the alphabet on road signs;maybe you know the one I mean.  For instance, if you pass by a sign that reads “Alvah’s Barbeque Cafe” the letters A, B, and C are found.  When you pass by the next sign, look for a D. If there are two kids in the backseat, it can become it a contest, by only letting them to use signs on their side of the road out the window. Another car game for long trips on interstate highways is the license plate game, where your children try to find cars with license plates from different states – see if they can find all fifty.  

Similar to car rides, keeping kids occupied on airplane trips is the key.  Activities on planes are a bit easier, given that the ride is generally smoother and kids have the use of the pop-down trays to use as a table top for activities such as drawing or coloring.  Read more...

If you don’t have to travel with your pets, then don’t. The stress of long distance travel is harder on animals – especially if they are not used to it – than their owners.

But if you really have to or you can’t bear the idea of leaving them behind when going on a trip, careful measures should be carried out to mitigate the stressful effects of traveling on your pets.

Make sure that your pet will have a place to stay upon reaching your destination. Don’t assume that just because you are welcome, your pet will be too. Inquire from the hotel or resort if they allow pets to stay with you.

If they do, in which part of the hotel premises are the pets allowed? And if you are bringing along a dog, you need to make sure that it is allowed at the grounds for its daily walks. If you are bringing along a cat, make sure that you will be given a secure rooms where it can’t find an escape route.

When flying, you want to make prior arrangements as to the process of transporting a pet.

Allowing pets in the cabin with their owners is still rarely offered, if at all, by airlines. So, you need to make sure that your pets will be well taken care of during the period that you are separated from each other.

If you are expecting jet lag, more likely than not, your pet will suffer from the same condition too. The tips on avoiding jet lag do not just apply to humans; do the same for your pets to prevent them from getting sick.

For long distance land travel, doing so in a bus is not recommended. You’ll be better positioned to care for your pet if you bring along a car. If you are traveling on a warm or hot weather, you need to keep your pets cool as much as possible.

They don’t adapt well to heat like we do, they don’t sweat and their fur intensifies the heat even more.

Your car’s air-conditioning may not be sufficient. If your pet is panting or wheezing, you may need to place them on a block of ice covered with a piece of cloth. Check on them every once in a while to ensure that they are cool and not cold. A steady supply of drinking water is also good to help regulate their body temperature.  Read more...

Are you going to travel abroad? Then you must know that a good travel experience revolves around safety and precaution. Do not leave home without carrying these safety tips with you. This way, you can assure of a fun and at the same time, safe journey to your destination.

Do not act like a tourist

Tourists always stand out in the crowd simply because they do not belong. Before you head to your destination, find out what the locals wear and how they act so you can blend accordingly. Avoid taking out your map and holding it in broad daylight. It is not a good idea to stare in awe at the attractions or look as if you are lost and confused. Moreover, keep your camera inside your messenger’s bag instead of hanging it around your neck. Be discreet so you do not attract criminals who are always on the lookout for unsuspecting tourists.

Study and plan your trip properly

Read up about the country or city of your destination.

Do not only learn about the popular tourist attractions but also be in the know when it comes to customs, traditions, tourist traps, warnings, off-the-beaten-path spots, and language. Learning important phrases of the native language can come in handy during emergencies. Extensive knowledge about the place contributes to your safety.

Avoid shady hotels

Go for reputable hotels that are located closely to tourist attractions. This is important not only for your convenience but also to ensure that the hotel is located in a safe neighborhood or vicinity. See to it that before booking with a hotel, you read plenty of online reviews about it so you know what you are getting yourself into.

Buy travel insurance

Travel insurance can protect you from a wide array of unfortunate scenarios including medical emergencies, accidents, lost baggage, and delayed trips or cancelled flights.

There are many types of travel insurance coverage such as general travel insurance, visitors health insurance, travel insurance for senior citizens, and family holiday travel insurance, among many others. See to it that you purchase a policy that is appropriate for the kind of trip that you will be having. For example, if you are not planning on staying long in your destination, a short-term health insurance makes sense.

Get vaccinated  Read more...

When you are traveling, either locally or overseas, there may be a few changes from your ordinary daily activities. Obviously if you are on holiday, the physical activities may change completely – you may either be doing a lot less than usual, i.e. resting and lazing on the beach reading a book, or you may be doing more physical activities than usual – jungle trekking, mountain-climbing and so on. The meal times and type of meals may change too. If you travel overseas, there may even be a change in the time zone, affecting the timing of medication intake. The following tips can be used to help manage your diabetes better during your traveling:

1. Have a letter from your doctor to certify that you have diabetes and list down the medication you are taking. This is especially important when you are traveling to a foreign country. You should always carry a small identity card stating your name, the medication you are taking and contact number for emergency or the address of your hotel – this should be kept in your pocket or wallet, in case you develop hypoglycaemic symptoms.

2. Ensure that you carry at least one week’s extra medication. This is to allow for unforeseen flight delays, tablets lost, etc.

3. Always carry your medication in your hand luggage. If someone else is traveling with you, a portion of the medication can be kept with your travel companion, in case your bag gets lost or stolen.

4. Do not put your insulin or medication in the big luggage if you are traveling on the plane. This is because the temperature in the baggage area of the plane may not be the same as the rest of the airplane. If you are traveling by car, keep the medication with you in the car, not in the car boot. Do not leave the medication, insulin included, in the glove compartment or in the car when the car is parked, especially under the hot sun!

5. Inform the hotel or the flight carrier that you have diabetes, so that proper meal arrangements can be made in advance.

6. Always carry with you your glucometer and monitor your glucose regularly.

7. Always keep with you the local area’s emergency number or hospital/clinic contact number, in case of any emergencies.  Read more...

Here is a comprehensive list of things to keep in mind while you are planning a trip to India.

Pre-travel to India (what to carry, tickets, hotel)

1.Ideally, carry backpacks because they are easy to carry and have enough space.

2.  Make sure your suitcases and bags are properly labeled and have wheels              underneath. Remember the idea is the journey to be comfortable.

3.  Always have your essential documents – passports, travelers’ cheques                       and money handy.

4.  If you are in India from abroad you should understand the importance of mosquito repellents. The hot and humid weather Indian weather is ideal for mosquitos to breed. Hence carry mosquito repellents while traveling to India. Odomos is a well known brand available at any convenient store in India.

5.The Rough Guide to India 6, Lonely Planet India, India Travel Guides Paperback, 2006 Country Profile and Guide to India and National Travel Guidebook and Handbook DVD-ROM CD-ROM

Health tips (vaccinations, immunizations)

6. Get yourself vaccinated for Hepatitis A/B, Polio, Typhoid, Rabies, Measles, Mumps  and Tetanus. Bring medicines that your doctor has prescribed. Carry a first aid kit and mosquito repellent.

In India

7. Once in India you will have to take extra care of your health. That would mean to carry mineral water along with you. It will take time to adapt to the climate and food here, the hygiene standards also differ from place to place.

8. Roadside vendors selling rubber bands to jewellery are found in plenty in India. Be careful about the products that they sell. Bargain smartly with all and try and get the best possible rates. Do not stick on to one shop, look around and compare prices. Be careful when dealing with guides. Sometimes even they try and cheat. So beware and do proper research before hiring people.

On the move

9. If you’re a visitor from abroad make sure you carry Indian Rupees. The denominations of Indian rupees are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.  There are many money exchange centers in urban cities so cash exchange will not be a problem.

10. Do not litter. If you are out shopping or moving about in the city streets you will buy crisps and other eatery to save you from the hunger pangs. Don’t throw away food wrappers on the road. Carry a polybag where you can collect the waste you make throughout the day and dispose it off in a dustbin.  Read more...