Keep Traveling during the Global Financial Crisis
August 31, 2009
Should you keep traveling when things get tough financially around the world? Everyone is affected and everyone needs to trim costs. But even when economic downturns occur, a majority of travelers intend to travel anyway – they just become more cost conscious.
The travel industry is “self-correcting” when it comes to economic downturns. It may be THE best time to travel and get travel bargains. Airlines, hotels and tour operators are slashing prices and offering extras like they haven’t in a long time.
We think it’s important to keep traveling unless it will completely ruin your home budget. Clearly during global financial slowdowns, we are all going to have to work a little harder for less. We will have to plan our spending a little more carefully, but we shouldn’t give up traveling.
You might want to dine out less often at home, take your lunch to work, start mowing your own lawn then put the money you save toward your travel budget.
Travel plays a vital role in our lives. It is rejuvenating. It’s one thing to take your vacation time and just stay home, it’s a whole lot better for you to go somewhere and try something new. There is pleasure in the discovery that travel gives you. You might even cherish your travel experiences more during tough times. If you have to focus on value, do that, but still travel.
We just need to find ways to pad our travel budget. You know you still want to go.You just want to trim around the edges and travel for less. Stop and make a list of things you can cut down on at home and not miss too much. We’re sure you can add to our list.Don’t part with your holiday. Even in the U.S. where workers normally only get two weeks of vacation a year, the majority of people say that vacations are important.
Travelers may simply travel closer to home in rough times. At The Australian Frequent Flyer, we’ll try to help by giving you ideas on how to save, how to travel more frugally. Don’t give up on your wildest travel dreams. Travel frugally now, but hang onto those travel dreams for future trips when the economy recovers a bit.
Travelers may look to prepackaged tours to save money but still be able to travel. Volunteer vacations may be a way to save on a trip and contribute to helping some segment of society at the same time.
Some people may talk about cutting back, but we’re a world full of wanderers. Collectively, we love to travel and since we do think of that old saying – Where there is a will, there is a way.
Go out and enjoy the world, but instead of eating at 5 star Michelin restaurants, enjoy a little local place, or picnic. Spend leisurely days in free museums. Hike in the mountains. Take the travel pace a little slower, walk, take public transportation – just sit in a sidewalk cafe and enjoy the ambience.
Travel not only helps you, it helps keep economies flowing. During economic downturns, and when terrorism strikes, it’s easy to start feeling depressed. Taking a break from the daily grind, some place exciting and new lifts your spirits. It just makes you feel good.
And isn’t there a saying that goes something like. If it feels good, do it? So we hope everyone will keep traveling, you’ll just learn to travel smarter.
“Direct Flight” might not mean what you think!
August 29, 2009
You do know that a direct flight is not a non-stop flight, don’t you?
A direct flight only means that you are on a flight that will take you to your destination without having to change planes. There will be a stop on the way, maybe two, but you will almost always stay on the same aircraft.
In rare instances, you may have the same flight number, but you will have to change planes. This can happen if the airline has to change aircraft for operational reasons.
If you booked a flight from Australia to Europe as a direct flight from, say Sydney through an Asian City to London, you may have to get off the aircraft and re-board at another gate. Your direct flight may have the same flight number for both segments, but maybe there is a larger aircraft for that longer segment, or the airline agents may have to check your documents.
A non-stop flight is the way to go if you’re in a hurry or you want to make sure you don’t have the hassles of getting your carry-on luggage from one plane to another. It will also get you to your destination in the shortest amount of time.
If you book your trip on connecting flights, you have to know that you might be making your journey longer, because this requires changing planes at one or more airports along the way. In these days of passengers trying to find the cheapest airfare possible on the internet, it’s amazing how complicated itineraries with connecting flights can be.
If you’re booking online you should pay attention to how many legs this trip will actually entail. Is it really worth making three stops, with three changes of planes, three chances of weather problems or some other delay to ruin your trip, all to save 10 or 20 dollars?
It could take you 12 hours to get from Melbourne to Bali instead of 7 hours on a non-stop flight. Was losing a day of your holiday with all those connections worth the money you saved?
While we’re defining the basics, let’s make sure you understand your ticket. We’re talking electronic tickets vs paper tickets. Do you know what you have? Take some kind of paper with you in either case. With the paper ticket, it’s obvious – it should be the ticket – no ticket, no flight.
If you have an e-ticket, take your confirmation number and your itinerary with you.
It’s amazing how many people don’t know what kind of ticket they have or how many stops they’re making. People complain about airline agents all the time, but much of the time, the passengers create their own problems. Those agents are not psychic, they can’t read your mind and figure out where you thought you wanted to go!
No matter what kind of ticket you have, check in at least an hour prior to departure for domestic flights, earlier still for international flights. “Scheduled Time of Departure” does not mean that’s when you should show up at the airport.
Is a little more time in the plane and the savings that might come with it worth it to you? Then a direct or a connecting flight will be fine. If you want to get there fast, book a non-stop flight. And however you decide to go, have your ticket and documents with you. Knowing what to expect, you’ll have a great time.
Dreaming of Staying in a Castle?
August 28, 2009
Have you ever dreamed of staying in castles? Can You do that? Don’t you have to be a King or a Queen or something? Or at least a Lord to stay in a manor house?
There are castles and manor houses all over Europe that have rooms available for tourists wanting to indulge in a little fantasy. I mean haven’t you ever dreamed that you were royalty, and the world just hasn’t figured it out?
As far as accommodations go, this is probably one of the more expensive ways to spend a night in Europe, but it can be worth the splurge. After all, you’re indulging in that fantasy remember. And while it may strain your budget a little, a castle stay may not be as expensive as you think.
To be sure, some are very luxurious and expensive, but there are plenty of smaller places that will give you crenelated towers and suits of armor and antique furnishings – perhaps even a ghost or two – and still fit within a budget splurge!
Most castles or palaces that are in cities are open only for daytime tourism. The ones that have been opened as hotels are more often out in the countryside. Historically, they weren’t so much romantic palaces for Princesses as they were fortresses for security.
Most were tall and thick walled, built to guard villages and keep robbers away or to keep the Prince in the next little country over from invading. Slightly more modern palaces were built to impress the neighbors. Either style can be fun to stay in.
These old fortresses with crenelated towers don’t usually come with elevators. You probably will have to climb stairs to your room, sometimes winding stairs if you’re lucky enough to get a tower room. We have on occassion had to stoop over to get through the door to our room.
Those short doors were there historically, all the better for the local Prince to run a sword through the bad guys as they were bent over trying to get in.
But don’t worry about the facilities. In all castles we’ve stayed in, the rooms have been remodeled so that you don’t have to dump the chamber pot out the window! Charm with all the conveniences.
Most, whether fortress or palace, are somewhat isolated. This is part of their allure. You can pretend to be Lord of everything you survey. It’s quiet and peaceful and usually pretty scenic.
On the other hand, you can’t really pop down to a little local restaurant for dinner. Some have rates that include dinner as well as breakfast; others offer fine dining at a price. In either case, it’s usually worth stretching your budget. Where else can you dine in a Lord’s Great Room with the ancestors looking over you?
And what about those ghosts we mentioned? For an extra dose of fun, the staff might take you on a nighttime tour to look for their resident ghosts like they sometimes do at Borthwick Castle in Scotland.
Manor houses can be closer to villages. Some are small and operate as high-end B&Bs, others are really small hotels or guest houses, but you get the “Lord of the Manor” ambience instead of a sterile hotel lobby feel.
There are guide books that deal exclusively with these types of accommodations. You’ll find plenty of websites too. So if you want to add a little fairy-tale romance to your European vacation, and if your budget will allow it, consider a stay in a castle or manor house.
Identity Theft. Frequent Flyers Beware!
August 27, 2009
Our members this week uncover the potential danger of being too laissez faire with used boarding passes.
Hotels in European Languages
August 27, 2009
The actual word translates as hotel in many languages, but that doesn’t mean that every establishment that has rooms for rent to tourists will be signposted as such.
In English speaking countries….
If you’re looking for a place to sleep in the United States, you might want to look for a “lodge” or an “inn” or a “motel” or a “motor inn”.
In the United Kingdom, you can look for any of those and add “pubs” to the mix. In both of these English speaking countries and others, the caveat is that inns, lodges, and pubs may only serve food and not have rooms at all.
In France and other French speaking countries….
Hotel is common terminology in France, but to complicate things, “Hotel de Ville” is the city hall in Paris and many other French cities. You’re not going to spend the night there!
There are a variety of terms you might come across in France. Look for “l’hostellerie”, “auberge”, or “residence”. You might also look for big chains like Novotel.
If you want to splurge and stay in high end digs, look for a castle or manor house that may be listed as “Relais & Chateaux” which is the name of a high end chain of castles, and manor houses. You may see individual establishments called just a “Chateau.”
“Logis” are smaller lodging places. And if you see something advertised as a “Mas”, you might be looking at a farmhouse style of accommodations. Just so you are aware, a Mas can be self-catering or have full luxurious amenities.
In Italy and nearby counties….
“Albergo” means hotel in Italian. Also look for “Locanda”. “Pensione” may sound like they would be “B and Bs”; they are actually small albergos that are usually family run. For the high end, you can look for “Palazzos”. For interesting rural experiences, look for “agriturismos.”
In German speaking countries….
Look for a “gasthof” or “gasthaus”. They may or may not have an accompanying sign that sign “zimmers”.
If you’re looking for a spa resort, you might look for something with “Bad” (bath) in the name. A small local place might be called a “pension”.
In Spain…
You really should find one of their “Paradors” and stay in one. These are historic buildings, monasteries and castles that have been restored and now function as great places for tourists to stay. Other terms you should look for are “residencia” and “pension”.
In Portugal…
As in Spain, look for stays in historic buildings. They are called “Pousadas” in Portugal. There are also small inexpensive local places to stay called “pensoes”.
In some European countries you may see “hotel garni” or just “garni”. These have limited restaurant facilities (usually breakfast only) and other services, but are otherwise like other hotels and are rated by star systems in each country where you encounter them.
Bottom line is if it looks like a hotel, why not stop and ask for a room. If you’re wrong, most people are willing to help lost tourists, and they might just find you a place with a name you’ve never heard of. Who cares if it’s called by some other name!
Exploring The Normandy Beaches
August 26, 2009
The Normandy beaches that are most famous are the ones between Cherbourg and Le Havre. They are also known as the D-Day Invasion Beaches.
While Normandy beaches are great for family holidays, with miles of peaceful, sandy beaches to enjoy, the area is a special draw for those interested in the history of World War II. Americans, Canadian, English, and some French troops stormed these beaches on June 6th, 1944. On D-Day, the beaches were anything but peaceful.
The Allies gave the beaches code names: Sword, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Juno. The British were assigned to Sword and Gold. The Americans landed at Omaha and Utah. The Canadian sector beach was Juno. The beaches are still known by these code names. The area is dotted with museums and reminders of that historic time.
Start your drive in the east. Take Route 514 which winds its way up the coast past Juno and Gold beaches, the sites of the British and Canadian landings. These beaches slope gently up to the town. Visit the little town of Arromances. This is where the British created a “prefab harbor” by sinking old ships and cement blocks called “Mulberries”.
You can still see the remains of some of this “temporary harbor” from the D-Day Landing Museum (Musee du Debarquement). A similar barrier was built at Omaha Beach, but it was swept away within two weeks.
Continue on to Omaha Beach. Both Omaha and Utah beaches end in steep cliffs, which contributed to the great number of American casualties. Ruins of the German bunkers above Omaha Beach are still in place. We’ve read that the French government says you can’t picnic at the bunkers because they’re considered grave sites.
There is an Omaha Beach Museum (Musee Omaha) which is interesting, but walking that wide expanse of beach, now so peaceful, is an experience that will leave you reflecting on how freedom comes with a price.
Continuing west, you will come the the US Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. It overlooks Omaha beach, with a beautiful view of the English channel. If this expanse of peaceful green, with the rows and rows of white grave markers doesn’t leave you misty eyed, nothing will.
The last site you will come to is the Pointe du Hoc. It is a rocky cliff jutting into the sea between Omaha and Utah Beach where the US Army Rangers struggled to take the cliffs.
The best way to reach the Normandy Beaches is to get a rental car and drive from Paris. There are signposts all along the roads directing you to the different beaches and museums.
There are small inns and B&Bs to stay at the towns along the beaches, and even some grander “manor houses” that have been turned into hotels. You could choose to stay at an inland base for a couple of days at Caen or Bayeux.
There is a Memorial for Peace in Caen. It is sometimes called the Peace Museum. If you really want to get an overview of the entire invasion, you might want to start here instead of rushing right to the beaches. They organize day trips to the beaches with a guide.
If you just want to wander the beaches and reflect, you can do that too. All of the Normandy beaches look so peaceful that it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like on D-Day.
The Different Accommodation Options For Travellers
August 25, 2009
Make up your mind that it’s not going to be just like home. If you want that, you might as well stay home! What do you want or need in the way of a room? Your choices can go from from having a reservation in a “big brand” hotel to just finding a room in a local village as you travel.
What makes you comfortable when you travel? Do you want lots of luxury, a big room and a concierge to get you tickets to the latest play? Or, are you an adventurous traveler who carries a backpack and wants to find an inexpensive local place? Let’s look at your options:
You can stay in big name brand hotels, or big hotels that are famous in the city you are visiting.
You can find luxury spas where they will pamper you or help you lose weight or get you exercising.
You can find resorts of all kinds – like beach resorts, ski resorts, or golf resorts.
You can stay at a dude ranch and ride horses and play cowboy.
Many countries in Europe have castles that have been turned into hotels. A similar option are grand old manor houses that have rooms to rent.
There are small but luxurious boutique hotels.
There are small local hotels that have all the basic amenities and lots of local charm.
There are B&B’s and other Bed-and-Breakfast options almost everywhere.
There are also cheap hotels almost everywhere. These can be very basic. If you’re on a tight budget and you’ll almost never be in your room, these can work. Only you can decide if these will do for your holiday.
Hostels are probably the cheapest accommodation you will find, especially in cities. These are generally for younger travelers, but they have changed through the years, and travelers of all ages stay in them now.
If you’re traveling to wildlife areas there are safari lodges or jungle lodges. These may be just like city hotels, or you may find bungalows or tented camps.
When you’re trying to decide on the type of accommodation that will serve you best, you can take a look at some of them on the internet. Just remember, they will post pictures to make themselves look good. A wide angle shot may make that room look bigger than it really is.
If you are going on a tour, look at the types of accommodations they use as well as the itinerary. If that tour looks like it’s a bargain price, maybe it’s because you’ll be staying in cheap hotels that you’d rather not put up with.
If you are an independent traveler, decide if you want to book your hotels in advance or find them while you are on the road.
You may be able to book on the internet, but if all the websites you check say there are no rooms available, and there is a hotel you really want to stay in, consider calling the hotel direct. We have done that and come up with just the hotel we wanted.
Some cute little places are not on the internet, or you won’t easily find them. If you can deal with finding a place to sleep as you go along, these can be real little jewels.
Some trips will call for a certain type of accommodation, like a city hotel or a jungle lodge. Sometimes it’s up to you to decide what kind of accommodations you want. If you think about what you want and need while you are planning your trip, then finding that room will be easier.
Tips To Stay Healthy While Traveling
August 24, 2009
The best source for up to the minute information on healthy travel is a “travel doctor”. These specialists keep up with all of the latest recommendations for anywhere in the world.
Also be up to date on all your routine vaccinations, including a seasonal influenza vaccine. It won’t protect against a new flu strain, but it protects against any seasonal flu that may also be occurring, and not getting a “common” seasonal flu will help keep you stronger, so your body can resist that new strain.
Drink bottled water in places where the water is considered unsafe. It never hurts to err on the side of caution. If you are unsure, grab that bottle rather than tap water.
Eat nutritiously. A bag of chips and a sandwich might be good for your budget, but eaten often, they aren’t good for your travel health. Try to eat at least one good balanced meal a day with your proteins and veges. If you have a serious dietary restriction, get it written out by someone who speaks the local language so you can use the note to order in local restaurants. We once traveled to Africa with a friend who was gluten intolerant and she did fine. Chefs everywhere are willing to work with you.
Avoid unhealthy looking restaurants. If the food looks suspicious, you you should move on to a healthier looking place. If the diners inside are coughing and sneezing, you might want to give the restaurant a pass.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer to remove germs from your skin. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs are spread more quickly with that kind of contact.
Exercise to get in shape before you leave on your trip, and keep exercising on the road. You’ll probably be doing enough walking so you won’t have to do any gym time. Just remember, exercise keeps you healthy.
Try to get enough sleep. If you’ve crossed many time zones, you will arrive with jet lag. It will take you a day or two or more to get acclimated to your new time zone. We know you want to spend all the time you can seeing the sights and experiencing that new culture, but if you get over tired, you’re much more susceptible to catching a cold or the flu.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Try to stay at least 2 meters away. Influenza is thought to spread mainly through contact with sick people or through the coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Monitor the local health situations. Listen to announcements from the local government and follow their guidelines and restrictions if there is some sort of a disease outbreak like the Swine Flu.
If you do get sick, get medical care. Pharmacies in Europe can help with common ailments. In most areas you can check with local clinics for more severe problems. Your hotel may be able to call a doctor to make a house call. Consider joining the non-profit IAMAT, The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers. They can get you a list of English speaking doctors in member countries.
With proper precautions and preparation, almost all of your travel will be healthy travel. So go ahead, take that trip, it’s good for your health!
Volunteer Vacations For A Rewarding Holiday
August 23, 2009
These are programs where you travel for one to three weeks to “do good”. You go to help the environment, to help educate, to build or repair homes, to help with research. There are long term volunteer programs of course, like Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) which was started by the French, but even a week or two of volunteering can make a difference.
But before you rush out and sign up, there are some things to think about.
Do you really want to spend your holiday time working? It’s a noble idea and many people really do enjoy it and feel rewarded and rejuvenated by the experience. But keep in mind that you will be working. Some groups will have you working all day with very little time for seeing the country. Other organizations provide more time for recreation. Be honest with yourself about what you want.
If you have any doubts, go with a program that has small amounts of volunteering at first. Travelocity has a “Travel for Good” program where you can just spend an afternoon of your holiday volunteering, and there are other programs to find out there. Just check on the internet.
You can volunteer to build houses or help study animals or go on archeological digs. Think about what your interests are and how much sun and dirt you want to put up with.
Some programs have nice accommodations, others must house their volunteers in very basic rooms or tents. Know before you sign up so you’ll be happy with your experience.
Some of the programs that sound very exotic and exciting will fill up quickly. We’ve talked with friends who have tried to sign up with Earthwatch to dive with dolphins, for instance, and the program was completely full.
Sometimes you don’t need any special skills, but you need to check on this too. There is no way you could scuba dive with those dolphins if you haven’t been certified in scuba!
Don’t think that a volunteer vacation will necessarily be a lot cheaper than other forms of travel. It may be cheaper, but you will be paying at least for your own airfare to get there. You may possibly have to pay for your lodging, and there may be small fees in addition to that. Many of the groups sponsoring these volunteer vacations are non-profits, so they have to get the money from somewhere.
And if you think that you can make it pay for itself by writing it off on your taxes, you may be right. But you’d better check with your accountant just to be sure. Check carefully on the group you are considering volunteering with. Depending on the group you go with and where you go and what country you are from, it may not be tax deductible or only part of it may be.
Volunteer vacations can be rewarding – much more satisfying than just sitting on a beach. So if you have done some soul searching and you think it might be for you, start looking around. You may soon find yourself helping people a world away.
Dealing With Disease Outbreaks
August 22, 2009
Consult with a travel medicine doctor, read government alerts, and then, just as with any travel plans, decide on your own comfort level and evaluate the risks for yourself.
Whenever word of an outbreak of influenza or some other disease hits the airwaves, there will be plenty of news going around about worst-case-scenarios. TV newscasts will show you over and over again the few people that are suffering. They will show hospitals stockpiling medications and schools and restaurants closing.
With all that suffering, and with the disease spreading, should you still travel? Should you even leave you house?
Stop and think. Did the newscasts mention that those schools and restaurants are closed as a precaution, not because everyone there was sick?
We don’t want to make light of any disease outbreak. The first thing travelers need to do is to remain calm and stay informed. Each outbreak is serious, and each one has caused deaths for a few. But each outbreak needs to be evaluated for where you are going and what you will be doing. We don’t think you should necessarily panic and cancel a trip.
The headlines scream the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the health alert status to Level 5. That sounds terrible, doesn’t it?
But wait. What that means is that human-to-human contact has occurred in more than one country. That happens every year with the ordinary flu.
Even if the WHO raised the alert to Level 6 what happens? The headlines will trumpet something like, Highest Threat Level – The Pandemic Phase! But again, it pays to stop and consider what that really means. What it tells you is that human-to-human contact has occurred in more than one global region or more than one continent. This does not mean everyone is getting it.
Even when a “state of emergency” is declared somewhere, it does not mean the whole country is sick. Nations declare a state of emergency when they need to get access to money and other resources to respond to what is happening, so they can move more quickly to stop the disease outbreak.
In the past, some of the diseases that were making headlines were Bird Flu, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and HIV-AIDS. Most travelers were not affected.
We went to Southeast Asia during the Bird Flu outbreak. We did consult with our travel medicine doctor. He made sure our yearly influenza vaccinations were up to date, and gave us a prescription for Tamiflu.
He told us to wash our hands often… and use a hand sanitizer when we couldn’t, and to exercise caution and good hygiene as always. We did go to visit a farm in Cambodia, but since we didn’t go snuffling bird feathers, we felt we were OK.
I know that might sound a little facetious, but what we want to emphasize is that there is no need to panic. We believe that travel is good for you and for a healthy global economy.
We’ll say it one more time, we’re not medical experts, but we think you can still travel if you stay informed and exercise proper caution. In the most extreme case, you might have to change your itinerary, but we believe you can still have a great trip. Just choose wisely.
