Prepare a Travel File
Well
before you plan to set off on your travels, you should prepare a travel file where you can assemble all the information that
is relevant to the places you intend to visit.
Often when you start collecting information it will lead you to
make alternative arrangements and quite possibly you might even decide to change your travel plans completely.
Travel
is all about adventure and if you find you can get more adventure for your money by making some changes to your plans then
you should consider doing that before you head off on holiday.
This is why it is a good idea to start collecting
information well in advance of your holiday. It will give you the opportunity to talk to more people who have been to those
regions and they can give you advice and recommendations from having been to where you are going.
Don't make plans
on the advice of just one person as everyone has different expectations and because of that their opinion of a destination
might be completely different from your own in similar circumstances.
If you find that several people are giving
you the same information then it might be wise to take that advice into account and rather than waste valuable time and money
holidaying at that particular place they might have other suggestions of where you should be traveling to.
Once
you are sure of where you want to go you can start collecting more specific information about that area and this will help
you to take in all the attractions without wasting time trying to locate them when you get to where you are going.
Search the internet for websites and forums where people are discussing similar travel plans and see what other people are
saying. You might even be able to find people who are living in the area who can give you first hand local advice.
Good planning creates the best holiday and if there are any problems along the way you will be better prepared to cope with
them.
Safe Money Handling While Traveling
It
is unwise to carry too much cash on you when traveling. Travelers' checks are a lot safer and you should only cash them when
you need more cash.
You should have a safe place to carry your cash and your credit cards, and certainly not in
the back pocket of your jeans.
This is just asking for trouble as there are professional pick pockets that will
be able to relieve you of your money and you will be none the wiser until you try to buy something and find there isn't any
money there.
You might need to buy yourself a secure money belt that you can wear around your waist and under your
clothing to deter people from trying to steal from you.
Always lock your valuables in your hotel room safe or if
there isn't one there ask at reception if they have a place where you can lock up your valuables.
If you plan your
spending correctly you will use up your last available local cash before departing and that will save you from having to get
it converted back into your own currency and possibly risk losing money on the exchange adjustment.
Credit cards
are very handy to have with you on holiday but be aware that you will be paying a fee each time you use them and when you
draw cash out of your account.
Always be safe when using your credit card by not letting anyone see your pin number
or by using key logging to find out what your number was and the passwords to your accounts when you use public computers
in internet cafes.
There are many people who make their income from this sort of illegal behavior.
Use
up all your coins first when you are trying to spend your cash before leaving as many places won't exchange coins back into
your own currency like they will with notes.
Unless you intend going back to the same holiday destination again
you will be stuck with money that you can't use and that is effectively a holiday cost for you.