If you are like many pet owners, you hate leaving your four-legged friend behind when you travel. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to, as many airlines, hotels, etc., are pet friendly. This article will give you tips for making the most of your travels with your four-legged friend.
When traveling internationally on a budget, consider taking flights rather than trains to your destinations. While trains are perhaps the more traditional mode of transportation for backpackers, many airlines offer discount flights that are much cheaper than train tickets. This way, you can travel to more places without adding to your budget.
If you are traveling to a less developed country and you have security concerns in a hotel, take along a doorstop. They don’t take up a lot of room in your suitcase.
To travel efficiently, research the place you are going to as much as possible. You should know about the culture of the country you are traveling to, so that you do not do anything offensive or forbidden. For instance, be careful about the way you dress, and avoid certain hand gestures.
Book your reservations and flights with the exact name shown on your government identification card. Although you may typically go by a nickname or middle name, for the purpose of ticketing, use your given name. Small name differences can be a huge headache when trying to get through security, especially abroad where it isn’t obvious that Bill is short for William.
If you are traveling to a developing country and are afraid of flying into the middle of nowhere, there are alternatives. You can land at a Western-style airport and use ground transport, such as the train or bus, to arrive at your final destination. This may be safer than flying through the bush but will still allow you to enjoy your exotic vacation.
Anyone who’s ever been on a cruise knows how much all the hallways and doors look the same. To make finding your door easier, bring a photo of your family pet or something (nothing personal!) and attach it to your door with a Christmas bow. This will help you easily identify which room is yours.
Any time you are in a foreign country, drink bottled water. Countries around the world treat their water differently than others. While the water may very well be safe to drink, it may also have additives that your body is not used to, which could cause painful issues down the road. Play it safe.
Carefully choosing your hotel can result in a much better traffic experience. Dont just consider the price – think of what amenities you would like, and what the area around the hotel is like. Don’t just view your hotel as a stopping off point or as a place where you will just sleep.
Take out appropriate travel insurance before you leave for your vacation. Travel insurance is important as it can cover any medical help, hospital treatment or alternative transport you may need while you are away. Without travel insurance, if you take ill or have an accident, you could end up with a very large bill for medical treatment.
When traveling overseas, do not be afraid to use your cell phone if you need to make a brief call home. You may be charged a high fee, but you can avoid the stress of trying to figure out how to use phone cards. If you need to make several calls, consider using a phone service that operates over the internet.
Protect yourself from potentially catastrophic loss of personal documentation by making photocopies of all of your passports and identification. Anything can happen in the course of an excursion far from home. Place a copy of these things in your carry-on bags as well as your checked luggage. This way you have a few options should something go awry.
If you want to bring your pet with you on your trip, make sure to call and ask the hotel where you are staying beforehand if pets are allowed. Although there are many more pet friendly hotels now than there were in the past, there are still some hotels that do not allow any animals.
Keep your bags on unupholstered furniture to prevent any kind of bed bug infestation. Check the room thoroughly to see if there are any but if you are feeling at all unsure, keep the baggage up. That is the way that the bed bugs are going to hitch a ride back to your home and begin their infestation there.
When attempting to travel overseas, a passport is an absolute necessity for anyone. Aside from being required by law to have in possession, passports are useful, as they provide identification about you and where you are from, which can be really useful if you ever become lost in a foreign country.
Before you travel, put together an entertainment pack for any children traveling with you. Taking a bag full of things to entertain each child, such as reading books, comics, puzzles, portable DVD players, coloring books and handheld game consoles, will stop children getting bored and causing trouble during the journey.
Make scans of all your important travel documents, such as your passports, and save them to a portable electronic device like a USB. Not only does this protect you from losing your documents, but also from the growing market for stolen travel documents. You don’t want to find yourself as a victim of identity theft.
When traveling outside the country you should leave a copy of all itinerary and passports with someone you trust back home. You should not put yourself in a position where you are alone far away from home with no one knowing where you are. Make photocopies of tickets and reservations so you can be found.
As stated at the beginning of this article, it is hard for pet owners to leave their animals behind while they travel. Many hotels and airlines are very accommodating when it comes to traveling with your pet. Hopefully, this article has given you some great tips for making the most of your pet-friendly travel plans.
