Top 6 Tips That Will Make You Guru In Trip Planning!

Are you the go-to person for making efficient plans in your group? Is your need for having everything organized in your life so much, that you end up planning every minute of your day? Well, then you have in a way aced your first skill towards becoming a Guru in trip planning. Here are some more tips to make sure that you become an expert in planning your trips with adding a little more expertise then before:

1) Have an online travel planner you are loyal to, but still refer to various online travel websites

So, as somebody who plans a lot of trips, remember that staying loyal to one site to book your accommodation or to book your flights is always going to get you discounts later. While you plan a trip, it is very important that you are not taken for a ride and you are aware of the best fares you are getting or the packages you can opt for.

2) Get over the conventions, but keep the extract of traditional trip planning

We mean that you should use the same old trick of keeping a budget and making an outline of all the attractions, cities and destinations you want to cover while drawing out your itinerary template. But there are better ways to do that, nowadays there are various free trip planner apps where you can jot down and pin all your thoughts before coming up with a completely materialized plan.

3) Talk to a lot of people; refer to a lot of plans
There are so many itinerary planner apps available and various online travel planners that are a click away.  There are also various tried and tested itineraries that will help you tailor one that suits you the best. That way you can pick the best from 2-3 itineraries and come up with a travel plan that will be perfect for you.

4) Have everything in place right from the moment you land out of the airport to the time you take off in your return flight

We do not mean for you to have a second-by-second timeline as a part of your trip planner. But it is always better to take care of the logistical details well in advance. Right from the cab you will take to your hotel to the pre payment of the famous attractions, it is better if you plan out these details to have a hassle free journey.

5) Get smart, avoid crowds!
The unfortunate truth of famous attractions is that they are almost always crowded. The smart way to go around this is to have your itinerary planned well in advance. While you plan a trip and you look at options of accommodations, it is also a wise idea to look at options of tours that help you gain access to skip the line feature, take care of your entry and basically help you save on time.

6) Ultimately read up on customs and traditions
Although various online travel websites will get you acquainted with these, it is seldom considered to be an essential element of planning a trip. It’s important that you are aware of the dos and donts in the place you plan to visit and explore. Even though, this is not of logistical importance- it helps you understand the culture and not mean disrespect to any particular tradition even unintentionally. Also read up on the safe areas and make sure you are aware of the public transport around your accommodation. 

The Next 6 Things You Should Do For Trip Planning Success

Travelling is fun. But sometimes, the planning part can get hard on you. You have to scan the internet and search for some offers or deals so that the travel expenses fit in your budget. There are certain things which are required to make your travel plans, a success.

We have compiled a list of six ways which can make your travel plan, even more effective.

By proper planning:

By doing proper research of the said destination, one can easily make his travel, a success. There are many websites which help you in comparing hotel prices, flight rates and also tell you about the attractions of that place. If your trip is not properly planned, then it might will get difficult for you and you will get some unpleasant surprises. Hence, it is very important to plan an itinerary before actually going on a trip!

By informing credit card companies about your plan:

If you are using credit card while travelling, then please inform your credit card company about the same. If you don't do it, the company can term all the activities done from the card as fraudulent and eventually can block your card as well.

Saying yes to No-Fee ATM cards:

A little saving can make your trip even more enjoyable. Hence, try using No-Fee ATM cards and avoid paying some extra amount to the banks. With this hack, you can do save some money which can later be used for the travel.

By booking in advance:
One of the ways through which you can make your travel plan, a success, is by booking well in advance. Flights and hotel rooms are easily available if booked in advance and the rates are also comparatively low. If booked at the last moment, the inflated rates of flights and hotels can make a hole in your wallet.

By opting for travel credit cards:

If you sign up yourself for a travel or a hotel credit card, it is quite possible that you'll get something in return. For example, many banks have a policy that if you opt for a hotel credit card, then you can get free hotel rooms. Same is the case with travel credit cards. So before ignoring those annoying calls from credit card companies, think at once. Because this can offer you some travel perks as well.

By looking for last minute offers:
You can get some lucrative offers and that too at the last moment. Hence it is advisable to continue your travel research till the last moment. Who knows, you might just strike a great deal!

Sometimes, airlines offer flight tickets at a less price because most of the seats of the flight remain vacant . Deals like these are very rare but very important if you are looking for a budgeted travel.

Next time, if you are planning to travel, make sure you have kept these hacks in mind. So, hurry up! Grab the opportunity and make your travel, an affair to remember.

Why Keeping a Travel Journal is Good for you

Travel is nothing but a journey to find yourself. It helps you know yourself better with every experience. You experience joy, sorrow, anger, euphoria and much more through travel. May it be a trip plan or designing your travel itinerary through travel planner or visiting an unknown country, travel teaches you a lot of things. You learn things and collect experiences which you never forget. But what’s the best way to collect these experiences? Yes. A travel journal. Keeping a journal and a pen when you are travelling and jotting down your small day to day experiences is one of the best things you will ever do.

Here is why keeping a travel journal is good for you

While pictures might say more than what words could, but they can’t tell the exact story sometimes. It is always amazing to sit down with a cup of coffee and pen down your thoughts and experiences about the trip. The experience of jotting down the small things that happen throughout your travel plan is an amazing experience all together. Always make a habit of setting aside some time to write down your experiences when travelling.

Apart from that, it also plays an important role to overcome boredom. Yes, some days of your vacation plan are not much exciting as the other. For such times, travel journal comes in handy. You can sit back, relax and write down what comes to your mind in your journal. You won’t understand how precious the writings are unless you go home and see them after months. Try it.

Also, having a travel journal can help you plan a trip easily. Writing down all the things that are required throughout your trip and the places you are going to visit and ticking them off once you do them is an amazing experience all together. In today’s technological world, all this can be done on a mobile phone or a tablet but doing it in your travel journal is more enriching and memorable experience.

If you are planning with your best friend or your partner, you can have a shared journal. It helps you grow your bond stronger. Also, having a shared journal keeps you committed to the things you have planned to do. A travel journal actually helps you right from planning a perfect trip to gathering the experiences till the end of your trip.

Another important advantage of keeping a travel journey is managing your expenses. With a travel journal, you can jot down everything right from your smallest expenses to the biggest things you spent your bucks on. This helps you manage your expenses by keeping a record of them. Similarly you can keep a record of things you bought throughout your trip. And you can even make a list of things you are planning to buy when travelling beforehand.

You don’t know how much useful our travel journal can be until some relative of yours or your friends are planning to go to the same places. As you have all the information jotted down in your journal about the place, you can help them know about the place beforehand. This is where your journal comes in handy. You never realize how important your writings are unless the situation comes where you have to help someone know about the place you had visited.

And remember, a travel journal is your best friend. It is always there with you in your good and bad times. Not all the days are best when you are on travelling. Your travel journal and the written down experiences help you bring a smile to your face in bad days and make you feel optimistic about the good things in life.

As they truly say, ‘Traveling- it leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller’.

Top 10 Hiking Tips For Beginners

Hiking is one of the most exciting parts of Travel. If you are planning to do some hiking in your trip plan do include it in your travel itinerary in such a way that you have a day to rest after you are finished with your hiking. Hiking can really enhance your adventure experience part of your whole vacation plan. It can be exciting and fun if prepared well. And if it is your first hike, then you should take proper care.

Here are 15 hiking tips for beginners

1) Research – Doing proper research is the very first step that should be taken if you are planning a hiking trip. Also, check the weather report of the place before planning. And don’t forget to see if there is some problem going on at the place beforehand so that you can postpone your trip or change the destination.

2) Company –

Having at least two people with you on your first hike is always a good idea. You get a good company if something happens enroute plus you never get bored if you have people with you.

3) Contact – If it is your very first hike, try to tell a person where you are going and what is the expected time of your return. In case of emergencies, the person can be contacted.

4) Accessories –

 Keeping a route map of the trail and a compass is always helpful.

5) Proper Clothing –

It is advisable to wear clothes that you are most comfortable in. You should be comfortable in completing the whole trail in those cloths. Therefore, it is advisable to wear loose and comfortable cotton clothes.

6) Minimalistic Backpack –
Alfie Two Minimal Backpack - Large from Alfie Douglas on Vimeo.

Try to keep your backpack as light as possible. As you will be walking for hours through sunlight which absorbs your energy, it is more tiring if you have a heavy load on your back. Hence, make a habit of having only the most required things on your backpack. This should include sunglasses, caps and a minimal hiking kit.

7) Shoes –

 Having the right pair of shoes is equally important while. You just can’t go out wearing your casuals or sneakers for hiking. Buy a pair of shoes that can stand rocks and water as well.

8) First-aid Kit - You never know what emergencies may occur during your hike. Therefore, it is must to have a basic first aid kit which includes bandages, gauze, alcohol wipes, Benadryl, ointments and some pain killers.

9) Pack some Snacks –

You may be hungry and down on energy while hiking and the worst that could happen is you don’t find anything to eat. For such cases, keep some light snacks with you to always keep your energy levels high.

10) Prepare for the worst- You never know what will happen. Therefore, it is always advisable to keep a knife, lighter, power bank, etc.

Lastly, Always be prepared, take good care hit the road.

Why Traveling Should Be Your Top Priority This 2016

No matter how many years pass by, the resolution list we make every year always has ‘travel’ as one of the ‘must to do’ thing. Though we relentlessly plan our holidays and try to manage the finances, somehow the plans remain only on the papers. For people seeking a break from their daily routine, traveling is the best stress buster but for a passionate traveler, it is a driving force, a sole reason to breathe. So how about catching hold of your trip planner and making your vacation bucket list like a pro traveler?

Well, we give you all possible reasons as on why you must travel this 2016!
                       
1. To Explore Festivals Worldwide -

It’s certain that you might have decided to visit a particular place, a trillion times in your mind in the last gone year. Some of your mates must have traveled or you might have read some really fascinating things about that country/ city.  Like for instance the super exciting seasonal festivals that take place every year, attract most of the tourists. Events like La Tomatina festival in Spain , Dubai Shopping Festival and various international film festivals make up for a good reason to travel rigorously.

2. To Tick off places from your Travel bucket List –
There are goals and then, there are travel goals. Some people dream to travel all over the world at a very tender age and by the time they hit their 30s there’s hardly anything that they’ve explored. Don’t let this happen to you. Go for it and make a move, things will fall in place automatically. If you ever dreamt of spending a week at a peaceful beach or really had the urge to try paragliding or scuba diving, go, try some travel hacks, get adventurous and just do it! The best way to give a good start to your year is by indulging in the activities you love the most.

3. To Meet New People/Culture –

Learning never stops and you can never get enough of traveling. The world is huge and endless. On every trip, you unknowingly learn a lot of things. For example, food culture, the lifestyle of people from various places, languages, fashion trends, economical status of a particular city and most importantly, the geography of that place. What’s more? You can then even share your expert travel tips with your buddies and colleagues. There’s nothing like exploring the unseen and marveling at the beauty of it. Did you read about the mysterious Bermuda triangles the other day? go, try to discover what it is. Have you been day dreaming about the beautiful Maldives? Go plan a quick trip there. ‘Now’ is the only right time to do it!

4. For Upcoming Summer Vacations –

Summer Trip from Michal Sadowski on Vimeo.

Now that the chilling winters have gone by its that time of the year when we’re all excited to hit the beaches and have a good sun bath. There’s going to be a tremendous tourist crowd as summers is the best holiday season. So gear up and start planning your summer vacations right away and make sure to choose the best possible locations.

Most of the people are under impression that traveling incurs a lot of expenses but it is not always. For instance, if you book your hotel and flight tickets well in advance, you can save huge. Also while you book your tickets, make sure you check the couponing sites for best deals and discounts. Most of the e-travel portals have attractive discounts throughout the year.

So, take out that map and plan your journey, now!

Top 10 Things you Must do for a Stress Free Holiday

Travelling is often considered as a way to be free from all the hustle and bustle of your daily life. The idea of holiday excites us but the actual part of trip planning is where it gets stressful sometimes. Therefore it is always a good idea to plan a trip or sit and make travel plans with your friends or your family step by step. There is much you can do to ensure that your holiday goes off without stress and boredom.

If you want your next holiday to be totally stressed free and smooth, here are 10 things that you must do.

1) Plan –

The number one things that should be on your priorities is to make a proper trip plan and also design your travel itineraries. This helps you enjoy your holiday without any stress of missing out on any place or things you have planned. When you go out there without any plan, chances are you might end up doing and seeing the wrong things which eventually leads to stress.

2) Money –

It is very important to sort out how you are going to spend money while you are away. Choosing a safe and convenient way is important as money problems in foreign country can lead to a lot of stress. Travel debit cards are one of the easiest way to manage your manage safely while you are in other country.

3) Language- Sometimes the country you are travelling to may not get you people speaking the language you are comfortable with. And there is a high chance of you getting stressed if the person is speaking to you in some foreign language and you don’t understand a word. Therefore it is always advisable to learn few basic words of the language, of the country you are visiting. It helps you communicate with people easily ensuring stress-free holiday.

4) Applications –

Before leaving for your big planned holiday, it is never a bad idea to check out on some useful applications and download them before leaving. You never know when you have to order a cab, or find a restaurant for having particular food in other country. Hence it is always advisable to have basic applications like Whatsapp, Uber, Zomato on your pone while travelling. Also, having Google Translate package is always useful especially when you have a problem with the language of the country. It can save you at times.

5) Expected and Unexpected – Always keep a habit of packing for expected as well as unexpected because you never know what you are going to experience when travelling.

6) Minimalistic Packing – You don’t need to necessarily pack everything that you need for your trip. Sometimes skipping some things which are not required actually can help you stay light on weight and stress as well.

7) Be Healthy – It is always advisable to plan your trip in such a way that it relaxes you and not gets you tired up. You should be healthy and stress free while travelling. Hence, it is important to plan in a way that you are happy and stress free at the end of every day.

8) Luggage –

Adding some tags on your luggage helps you to identify them easily or even help people to return it back to you if lost or stolen.

9) Documents – It is always a good idea to keep a copy of all your important documents with you in your carry-on luggage. If something is lost or stolen, it helps you provide with the duplicate copy thus reducing the trouble.

10) Insurance –
With a good travel insurance on, you can travel care freely. You can get covered for missed flights, damaged luggage, etc.

Travel as they say brings the power and love back to your life. So embrace the journey.

Items you Must Carry in your Travel Medical Kit

Travelling is the only thing which helps you experience everything in your life. Throughout the journey you learn to be happy, you experience what loss is, you find yourself and many more things. It is always a good idea therefore to plan a trip properly and make your own travel itineraries. It helps you tick off the places you actually want to go and also not forget anything before leaving for your journey. Having a good trip planner app is always advisable. Also, there may occur times when you require certain medicines and first aid. For that reason, having a good first aid kit is very necessary while you are travelling.

Here are 10 items you MUST carry in your travel medical kit

1) Band-Aids –

While you are travelling, there are always chances you getting minor cuts on your body. Having these band aids over can help you protect the wound from infection and also heal it over time. 

2) Anti-allergic tablets –

You definitely should carry some of these, if you are a person who suffers from allergies. These tablets help you control the allergic reactions in foreign environments.

3) Bandages –

Bandages helps you support the strained limbs, reduce swelling as well as it helps you hold the dressing in one place. Hence, it is always a good idea to keep a set of bandages along in your medical kit while making your travel plan.

4) Needle and Thread –

 In case time comes where you have to stich up something or you rip off your bad or lose a button, needle and thread comes in handy. They can also play a great role if a very small thing has penetrated your body part and is troubling you, you can always use the needle to get it off and apply some Dettol over it.

5) Antibacterial gel or sanitizer –

It always comes in handy where you need to get your hands clean and you don’t have water. Applying some gel helps kill the bacteria leaving you with clean hands which can help you get your work done. It also helps before eating your food when you can’t get water to wash your hands off.

6) Thermometer –

It helps you read the body temperature in the emergencies. Having a small compact and a digital thermometer can help you a lot.

7) Rehydration salts – You never know what may get you de hydrated. May it be the flight journey, the dry climate, the alcohol hangover, or anything; you should always be prepared for it. Dehydration can make you seriously uncomfortable causing problems. Hence, it is always a good idea to keep some rehydration salts to cure you from this dehydration saving you from ruining your whole vacation plan.

8) Ginger pills – They are always a good idea to tackle cold and flu as well as keep you from nausea. Ginger pills are great at tackling bacteria as ginger is an anti-bacterial in nature. Also popping some ginger candies in mouth can instantly take your nausea or sea sickness away.

9) Pair of Tweezers –

You never know you got something in your body that needs to be removed, tweezers come in handy. Applying a little bit of Dettol before taking it out is advisable.

10) Pain Killers –

While you get them in any medical shop around the globe while travelling, keeping some is always a good idea as they can help you relive the pain in emergencies.

Also remember to keep a good knife, some cotton and a bottle of Dettol while making your trip plan. Always helps.

And yes, Travelling comes with fear, but that fear shouldn’t stop you from doing it. It always should motivate you to keep going.

How To Avoid Sickness From Food

Holidays are meant to rejuvenate and refresh you and not exhaust. Safe travel is of utmost importance as there are numerous problems and situations that might arise in the middle of the journey. Healthcare on road is a big agony for most of them and outside food, water tend to make you feel sick.

Holidays are meant to rejuvenate and refresh you and not exhaust. Safe travel is of utmost importance as there are numerous problems and situations that might arise in the middle of the journey. Healthcare on road is a big agony for most of them and outside food, water tend to make you feel sick.

So here are a few smart travel tips and hacks you may try out to stay fit and avoid travel sickness

1. Build Strong Immune System –
Work towards building a strong immune system and maintain a healthy routine before heading for your trip. The antibodies will help you fight the climate changes and also stabilize your metabolism. A healthy body can map a successful journey!

2. Prepare a First-Aid Kit –
Avoid the risk factors before the disease occurs, is highly important. After all precaution is better than cure. Considering your health, keep all the medicinal essentials ready in the first-aid box so that you can avoid hazardous long term repercussions.

3. Eat Organic –

Try and manage to eat only farm fresh veggies and fruits. They’re anytime good for a perfect health. Avoid fast foods, ready-to cook packets and other unknown dishes. They might cause acidity and make you feel lazy and dizzy.

4. Avoid Oily Foods –

Oily food stuff generally contains ample of cholesterol, fatty acids, calories and much more substances that weaken the immune system of your body. If you’re traveling, a high dose of protein, carbohydrate and vitamins is what you need.

5. Exercise –

 Taking a day off from your exercise routine is not a good idea. Not even when you’re traveling. On the contrary, your body has to go through that much needed wear and tear in order to match up the energy levels. Also, exercising is good for digesting the food you consume.

6. Fruits – Best Friends –

There are huge chances that you might start feeling terribly hungry during odd hours of the day. The best thing would be to grab an apple or an orange. Fruits will satisfy your hunger and nourish your body amazingly.

7. Maintain Hygiene –

Physical hygiene is equally important. Be very careful when you touch unknown things at the restaurants, buildings, public transports and at other places. Use your own napkins and soaps to avoid getting any sort of infections.

8. Use Sanitizers –
This quick on-the-go bottle of antiseptic has to be in your handbag wherever you go. Toilet doors, wash basins, bathrooms, cushions, curtains etc carry germs. So before you eat anything, it’s always a good idea to sanitize your hands and get clean.

9. Avoid Tap Water –
If you remember, science taught us that there’s hard water and then there’s soft water. Hard water is generally used for cleaning and washing purposes. Soft water is used for cooking and drinking. Tap water is usually hard and non-filtered, might carry harmful germs bacteria and viruses. Most of the diseases quickly catch due to dirty water. It’s best to carry your own distilled water or buy a good sealed water bottle from the stores.

10. Eat, Sleep, Meditate –

Now you must be wondering how does this help avoid falling sick? Well, having timely meals, sleeping on time and meditating early morning helps in a healthy routine. It circulates blood flow and repairs your external and internal fitness, digestion and metabolism process.

So now that you know the dos and don’ts while traveling, we hope you’d have a wonderful and a healthy trip going forward. If you have more of these travel health tips, we’d love to share with the readers! Keep them coming in