Tips and Tidbits

A few days ago dear friends of mine asked if I would submit an article for their travel blog. I immediately agreed and then thought, oh dear, what did I just do? They wanted my thoughts on women traveling solo. Ideas, suggestions and the like. I went back into my old blog posts, sent them a few and was told to try and come up with something else. So I did. Something brand new. Hopefully they will post it, but even if they don’t, you should check out their site. It’s so cool. www.takemeshowmetellme.com

I’m not a frequent flyer. I don’t fly every week or every month. Sometimes I only fly a few times a year. However, after years of flying internationally and spending mountains of time in Europe (mostly Italy) I know how to find the best airfare and seats, how to research my destinations (before arriving), how to pack (less is more), what to do in case of an emergency (flight canceled due to hurricane), how to tip (or not), how to blend in with the locals and most of all: how to have an incredible time.

I subscribe to many travel websites and a few on youtube as well. Over the years I’ve learned so many interesting tips and ideas from people who know how to travel. Even if you travel a lot there’s always something new to learn.

Here is a tidy little list of some of my favorite travel sources:

www.kayak.com

Put yourself on a fare alert. You can get daily updates in your email. It will give you an idea of the seasonal fare trends. When the price is right, bite.

www.seatguru.com

Now that you have your booking, time to figure out which seat to choose.

www.routehappy.com

Another fun site to help you find the flight of your dreams.

www.smartertravel.com

I love this site. Tips on everything from packing to getting seat upgrades.

www.tripadvisor.com

Read reviews, find a hotel or restaurant and connect to websites via this site. Trip Advisor is not a booking agent but it will point you in the right direction.

www.airbnb.com

My favorite places to stay. I’m not big on hotels. I like small, cozy and personal.

www.travelchannel.com

Research, research, research. And the photos are stellar!

www.vayable.com

Intimate, personal tours and things off the beaten path. This is one cool website to explore.

www.flight001.com

Travel store deluxe. Everything you need for travel. Not your most inexpensive gadget store but I’ve gotten some great ideas just from perusing their site.

On youtube:

Sonia’sTravels: She’s so interesting, gives great tips and she’s cute too. Posts every Thursday.

TravelwithKate: Kate doesn’t post weekly but her videos are fun and informative.

woltersworld: This guy has been everywhere. I am in awe. He’s well spoken and gives you an in depth look into corners of the world.

Books and Magazines

Ah, travel guide books. I could buy them all. Most travel guides have expiration dates. It’s not the places that change, but certain hotels, restaurants and museums may have changed their pricing or may not even exist anymore. Always good to double check online if you’re using an older edition of a travel guide.

Some good guide sources:

Frommer’s

Fodor’s

Lonely Planet

DK Eyewitness

Rick Steve’s

Afar Magazine

Budget Travel Magazine

National Geographic Traveler

There are many more. Check out your newsstand or bookstore.

There are also language phrasebooks. You don’t need a dictionary. Seriously. You’re going for what…say a week or two? Conjugating verbs is not going to help you find the nearest bathroom or learn to read a menu. These little phrasebooks are a gem. Just enough phrases to help you ask the price of that fabulous pair of shoes. They are also small enough to stick in your back pocket. 

OK. I’ve given you some good basics. Now get out there and see the world!