Archive for February 23rd, 2012
Holiday traveling with your family can be the best of times and the worst of times. Spending time together and visiting relatives can be a bright spot in your year; but fighting crowds, coping with unexpected travel delays, and entertaining small children can quickly feel more like a chore than a vacation. Before making your plans for travel this Thanksgiving, consider these tips that will make your trip much smoother-you may even add them to the list of things you’re thankful for!
Plan, Plan, and Plan
The more planning you do for your Thanksgiving travel, the less stress you will encounter on your trip. If you’re flying, schedule your flight far in advance. Consider booking flights on Monday or Tuesday and returning on Friday. Most people will fly on the weekend days, so this will help you avoid crowds and pay less for your tickets. You can also consider flying on Thanksgiving Day itself, which will also save you money.
Keep in mind that with the downturn in the economy, many airlines are seating fewer people or reducing the number of flights they offer. This is another reason to book ahead to ensure that you have a flight that fits your schedule. You should plan on at least one hour between connecting flights, in case your first flight is delayed. While nonstop flights may be an attractive option for you, consider the length of time your small children can tolerate at a stretch.
Whether you’re flying or driving, build extra time into your schedule to account for unexpected delays. Plan to show up to the airport several hours early so you’re not rushed. If driving, carve out 10 hours for your 8-hour trip to allow for rest stops for the kids, stops for meals, or car trouble.
Bring the Entertainment
If you’re traveling with small children, bring entertainment to keep them occupied in the plane or in the car. This will reduce your holiday driving stress and make a more enjoyable trip for everyone. Fill a small bag for each child with games, coloring books, and small snacks. For car rides, bring music the kids will enjoy or movies to play on a portable DVD player. Plan rest stops along the way, at least every 90 minutes or so, for everyone to stretch their legs. Have your children take turns riding in front to break up some of the monotony of the drive.
Image Credit: Stig Nygaard, Flickr
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Istanbul is one of my favorite cities in the world. A mix of new and old, history and shopping, Europe and Asia, Istanbul provides something for everyone, especially the frugal traveler.
The Blue Mosque
When I think of Istanbul artwork, I think of the beautiful blue and white tiles and no where will a traveler find more beautiful examples of 17th century Blue Iznik tiles than in the Blue Mosque. The entrance fee is free but as it is a religious site, women should bring a head scarf (I always walk with one) and dress modestly.
The Grand Bazaar
This, one of the largest covered markets in the world, is where the frugal traveler finds souvenirs. Favorites include tiles, carpets, and apple tea sets. Haggling is a must and shopkeepers are quite persistent (though cheerful). The concept of personal space is different than in North America so expect to get up close and personal. That is part of the fun.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia was first a basilica, then a mosque, and today a museum. Often when travelers see photos of Istanbul, this building is featured. There is an entrance fee (about $10 U.S.) but the view of the 9th to 10th century mosaics are worth it. This site is rather crowded so time accordingly.
Carpet Shopping
Carpet shopping in Turkey is an experience. Shoppers are served the delicious apple tea in beautiful tea sets while carpets are unrolled before them. In the good carpet shops, travelers may see one of a kind silk carpets from places such as Hereke, each signed by the artist.
Fish Sandwiches
Along the Bosphorus, under the Galata Bridge, are tiny little restaurants specializing in the must eat local food in Istanbul, the fish sandwich. It is exactly as it sounds, fish in bread, and eaten by both locals and travelers. And they are very inexpensive.
Istanbul, one of my favorite cities in the world, has something to interest everyone. There are great cultural sights, unique shopping experiences and inexpensive eating options.
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No more information overload on travel!
The importance of avoiding information overload when searching for the cheapest airline tickets online cannot be stressed enough theses days. This article will explain how you should take your time and do your research to be able to cherry pick your way through.
What we Internet surfers don’t seem to understand is that there are millions of travel sites out there claiming they have access to the lowest airfares. When its time to book your travel plans the first thing we think about is our budget (for those of us who have a budget). Most travelers don’t want to pay more than they have to because they still need money when they get to where ever the destination is and the more the better..right!
We all want the cheap flights that are enjoyable, not too many stops, with food and entertainment, frequent flyer miles, plenty of leg and elbow room…all for the lowest and cheapest price you can afford….now that would be perfect dude! Well dream on, unless youre rich.
To avoid information overload and your bottom sticking to the chair, you start with online sites that not only give their prices but also let you compare with others. Narrow these sites down to sites that don’t waste your time by having access to just a few special airfares only when the airlines say they have deals. Everybody has a search engine for available published airfares, but the best sites consistently offer specially worked out deals available only to their customers….now thats what I am talking about maan…..
You have to find a small group of sites that can be searched on a regular basis…be persistent and start checking for deals at least a month in advance to be able to take advantage of 7-21 day advanced purchase requirements. How about sites that have done the research for you and also provide all the information you need for traveling….I call these sites “travel portals” and boy do they save you time, not to mention stress.
Some travel portals list too many sites and its like your starting all over again. They list any site that would pay commissions instead of researching and listing those that actually have low airfares consistently, so try and avoid these kinds of cluttered travel portals at all costs…they are still wasting your time.
Searching for cheap airfares does not have to be an adventure. Finding and using travel portals should get you what you need without the sales pitch. Most of us have a budget and don’t want to feel like we could have paid much less…if an airfare is out there, travel portals will help you find it……Happy Traveling!
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