The two major expenses on a vacation are usually the travel (fares or fuel) and the holiday accommodation.

These are a set item in your travel budget and while you can make some savings (e.g. cheap flights) they are the two constant costs over which you have little control other than choice of type of fare and lodging. Other expenses such as entertainment, dining, activities and tours are more in your control.

Location
Obviously, the type of vacation you choose will determine the accommodation location to a great extent.  However, if it is too far from the focus of your trip, such as a beach or a ski slope then it may just not suit – after all you don’t want to spend a lot of time going to and from your hotel or wherever you are staying.

If it is a trip to see scenery in a larger area (e.g. Lakes District in the UK), then, perhaps just being near to central is sufficient.  Location can make or break a vacation if you don’t do your research first.


Type Of Accommodation
The type of lodgings will depend on your budget, trip focus, length of stay and location. Nowadays, many hotels and resorts offer a variety of options – family oriented, no kids (!), catering for retirees, sports (e.g. golfing vacations), naturist, cooking (e.g. Tuscany), gay and lesbian, luxury.

And, styles: from 5 Star to caravans and anything in between, including B & B’s, cabins with self catering, chalets, service apartments, pensiones in Rome and motels.

You may need self catering facilities with a kitchen and washing machine, particularly if taking the family. Other types may be hostels for backpacking, or a chalet or resort style apartment to provide comfort and access to facilities. Knowing the type of Accommodation you want can save a lot of time when searching online.

In Paris try this link for good service Paris hotels

Facilities
Again, this aspect depends on budget – having all the ‘bells and whistles” will cost a lot more than a self catering apartment – which, in many ways may be preferable if traveling with children.

Even caravan parks often have pools and recreation areas for kids, so they may be an alternative for the budget conscious family.  Additionally, there is the benefit of a laundry, and, many parks also have site specific bathroom facilities, rather than communal.

It’s standard to expect a TV in resorts and hotels, but the higher the star rating, the more they have in the way of in-room spas, room service, cable, and gyms, plus on site shopping in exclusive stores.

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Some factors to consider

• Stay reasonably near public transport – this will obviously depend on the size of the place or city you are visiting.
• The point is that after a busy day of sightseeing, shopping or whatever – why subject yourself to a tiring hike from the station back to your lodgings etc?
• This is more so if you are on a trip that involves vigorous physical activity of some sort. After a hard day on the ski slopes, or a hot day on a beach, or from a cross country walk – do you then want to have lug yourself and your gear a long way back to your holiday accommodation?
• This just takes the restfulness out of a holiday.  You don’t have to stay in a central location (can be prohibitively expensive), but staying near public transport access can give you best of both worlds.
• In rural areas it can be smart to research the layout of the region, note what you want to see and then find accommodation central to that region. One, this allows you to stay at the accommodation longer and take advantage of longer stay rates.
• Two, it also allows you to be free of constant checking in and out – and additionally, you can get a better feel for the locale and the people.  Thirdly, the staff get to know you and this can mean better or more personal service.

What do you do is the public transport is poor or not available – then choose to stay as close to the focus of your vacation (e.g. the beach or golf course) as possible.

Costs / Budget
There are many websites available to research both types and costs of accommodation. It may be advisable to confirm the suitability of your choices with a travel agent – to ensure the veracity of what is said on the web pages!

Check availability, and book early to avoid disappointment during peak holiday periods as the best accommodation can be pre-booked years in advance.

Always obtain an email confirmation of your reservation with a booking number, and re-confirm within the week of your departure. Take copies with you – to ensure that when you arrive you get what you contracted for.

Many discounts and bargains can be found when traveling out of the peak tourist / holiday season. In countries such as Italy.

The start and end of the summer tourist season can provide some great bargains and the weather and climate is still generally perfect for getting out and seeing the sights.

You can also negotiate about rates, even in places like London – when the off season means they are looking for people to stay.  Use sites like Last Minute Hotels and so on – they buy blocks of accommodation to sell at discounts.

If you are going to the tropics, just be sure you aren’t traveling in hurricane season!

Whatever accommodation you decide upon, be it  hotels, resorts, backpacking hostels, bed and breakfast chalets, apartments, or a house, enjoy your holiday and relax in the thought that you have done your homework and found the best accommodation for yourself

For the sake of this article LA refers to more than just the legal definition of Los Angeles as a city – we include the larger metropolitan region such as the separate counties or municipalities like Orange County where Disneyland is, Pasadena, Burbank, Santa Monica and so forth.

For those from small cities and towns, the sheer size or spread of LA is at first daunting and amazing. This is then reinforced when you get into traffic and have to navigate your way through, over, and under the maze of freeways that intertwine and interconnect LA and the surrounding regions such as Orange County, Hollywood, Santa Monica and so on.

So the first tip for an LA trip – take cabs! Let others have the stress of having to ‘muscle’ their way through the traffic and complexity of the road system.  Well, also check out the public transport as well.

Depending on the season or time of year – a simple “Google For It” will help you find many packages and tours that will no doubt match your needs.

This article isn’t about promoting specific packages – but more to just offer some ideas to whet your appetite and encourage you to really consider visiting this amazing, maddening, fabulous city.

Do It DifferentlyIn Los Angeles

Of course, you probably have to see Disneyland, Universal Studios and Hollywood – that’s part of its magic which we have grown up with. If nothing else, it brings the kid in you back alive!

However, LA is much more than that.  It is all those things we are familiar with from the cinema – and it is also a living breathing city not quite like any other.


It is an urban sprawl – that seems at once desperately degraded and worn out – yet having some spectacular architecture – in both the private and public domains.

The homes in Beverly Hills are out of this world (as are some of the occupants) and then there is the extraordinary Frank Gehry building for the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

LA is a city of extremes and contradictions – self-indulgence, celebrity obsession, fantastic cultural offerings, ghettoes of crime and deprivation, fashion, movies, world class universities, sophistication, smog and sun, sex, business, beaches and so much more.

Some attractions

• The Walt Disney Concert Hall (do see this!)
• Hollywood Museum
• LEGOLAND California
• Guinness World Records Museum
• The Queen Mary
• Petersen Automotive Museum
• Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
• Getty Museum (You have to see this to believe it!)
• Venice Beach
• Kodak Theater
• Hollywood Bowl
• The home of the Dodgers and the Lakers!

Always travel safely in LA – know where you are going – before you go.  Although LA has been experiencing significant decline in crime since the mid 1990s, it only a foolish person who goes off the beaten track into suburbs that are the territory of gangs and other illicit activities.

Pix courtesy Wikipedia

The article title To Live and Die In LA comes from the 1985 movie of the same name which starred CSI’s William Peterson

Thailand offers many interesting choices for a vacation. From sightseeing in and around Bangkok, to lazing in the sun at Phuket or Kho Samui.

You can go on an elephant ride, see where the bridge over the river Kwai was or hunt for bargains at the many markets and street stalls (caveat emptor!)

Bangkok
Highly recommended is the tour of the royal palace – quite wondrous.  Try and travel there by
one of the boats on the river and you will also see another aspect of Bangkok.  Yes, the city is different than western cities, but leave your notions at home and enjoy it. It is vibrant and alive, especially at night.  Be practical, travel around it safely – use the cabs – they are a lot cheaper than at home.  Wear cool, comfortable clothes.

Relaxing
Just want to laze in the sun and have a restful time? Then consider Phuket, Pattaya or Kho Samui.

Indochine
Take a side trip up to Vientiane, the capital of neighboring Laos – where the echos of past French colonialism still reverberate all over.

Another neighbor is Cambodia – with the fabulous Angor Wat. Both countries are short flights away.

One, perhaps, unusual feature for many, is the deep respect the Thais have for the King and Queen. It is an offence to publicly deride or make offensive remarks about the monarchy (lese majeste) – even if it is meant as  a joke. Rather than being oppressive, this attitude is quite endearing, and many westerners could learn from the Thais.

The list of possibilities is almost endless. So how do you decide which destination is for you?  A few factors that can help you are:

• Budget – flights, accommodation, food, tours. Do you want to travel cheaply or all the way up to first class and 5 star.
• The purpose – vacation or business
• Are you adventurous, or do you prefer to stay in your own comfort zone as much as possible.
• Activities – for skiing (& other sports), tours, white water rafting, sightseeing, just plain good old relaxing and so on.
• Your interests – if ancient history and monuments – then don’t go to Australia; if its snorkeling and diving then perhaps Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the place to go.

If It’s Tuesday It Must Be Belgium
Many people, especially first time travelers, try to cram as much as possible into that “once in a lifetime” holiday.  This is natural, as they want to see all those things they have seen on TV or read about over the years. But, it can turn a holiday into a hell-a-day!

So it is good sense to research well before deciding and then planning the trip.  Get an idea of things like

• distances to be traveled and the time used up on planes, trains etc PLUS sitting around in airports or stations
• modes of transport (hire cars, trains, buses etc)
• Time differences ( From the States, you lose a day going to the Southern Hemisphere, but gain it on the return – but not so if you travel “around the world”)
• Tours – see what is actually offered, whether you have ‘free time” to do some sightseeing or shopping at your own pace.

You may be surprised at how much “lost time” there is – and this affects your schedule of hoped for sightseeing and other activities.

Be Practical

Time - how long will the trip be – don’t try and see all of Europe if you only have two weeks – prioritize your preferences – and make sure you plan to see things well and not rush so much you don’t really take anything in and then need a vacation to recover when you get home.  The same applies to the other continents.

Flight time – East coast US to Europe is at least 6-7 hours, but to Australia it is at least 20 hours – plus airport changeover times.  Note jet lag is worst when traveling in an Easterly direction – and the Southern Hemisphere may be on a different day!

Language – perhaps an English speaking country, if it is your first overseas trip, will help you learn the pitfalls and joys of international travel more easily.

People choose their travel destinations for all sorts of reasons

• To meet people of different cultures and experience their lifestyle and differences
• To practice a newly learnt language
• To meet relatives from the “old country”
• To see famous art, museums, places
• For shopping (yes!)
• Pilgrimages (Mecca, Lourdes)
• To play golf at St Andrew’s or watch a major sports event (Olympics, Tour de France, Socer World Cup)
• There are other nefarious reasons which we won’t mention.

Avoid cultural Fatigue
In the long run, for both value for dollar spent and enjoyment gained, it is usually better to narrow down the number of countries to visit.

And, within those places, again narrow down what you want to see.  What is the point of running around every museum in, for example, Rome over a 4-5 day period – - just to say you have been in them? St Peter’s alone takes a whole day to see properly – let alone the Vatican museum!

This is true of most of Rome’s museums and art galleries – and pretty well true for Paris and other major cities,

It is better to see some things well, than all badly!  You will retain more memories and certainly enjoy what you do see better. Your memories shouldn’t be locked into a camera! And, you will also have a holiday – which should be restful!

Whatever travel destinations you consider, prepare for your trip well and you will enjoy it.

Away from kids and families
OR
A Themed holiday – where you can indulge a hobby or passion like golf?
OR
Want to book into the Olympics in London 2012?
OR
Freedom To enjoy a clothes optional vacation
OR
Somewhere even more sensual?

TAKE ADVANTAGE AND JOIN FOR ALL THE GREAT DEALS

Explore these pages and see if there is somewhere for you.

Snorkeling and scuba holidays

Golfing holidays

Travel and Wine tours

Gay and Lesbian vacation options

Naturist vacations

London Olympics

EXPEDIA CAN GET YOU THERE AT GREAT PRICES!

OR  why not try an adults only vacation?

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OR

TEMPTATION CANCUN

First Time Traveler?
However, if it is your first trip overseas, then it may pay to book with a respected travel agency so that you can feel secure that everything is correct. Just remember in peak times and seasons, many airlines overbook! So get to the airport early.

What the internet does provide is a way for you to research all the best times, prices, airlines and routes you may like to take to your holiday destination – then take that with you to a travel agent.

Likewise, with reservations for your holiday accommodation. There are sites that specialize in discount airlines and tickets, discount or cheap hotels and other accommodation – just be sure that they are reliable. This is true for domestic and international airline flying.

Just be sure you understand the restrictions – such as cost of changes in flying times, baggage, meals etc. Many discounted tickets have very few options regarding change of plans. Lat minute plane tickets are good if you are sure of your dates and times.

With domestic flights in Europe or the States, there is no need for a travel agent usually. The online booking systems are flexible and efficient. Also, it is the only way to get the cheapest prices for both planes and accommodation.

When booking online, you can also choose your preferred seating, if you book well ahead in time! Added to this, you can indicate your preferred dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian) and find out about baggage limits.

Basic tips for Flying
Weigh your baggage / luggage to ensure it will not exceed the maximum allowable limits set by the airline, otherwise you may have to pay a substantial extra fee per lb / Kg, and there is no guarantee then that it will be on the same flight as you.

Always confirm your flight prior to departure, get to the airport with plenty of time for security checks and ticket check in.

Customs and Duty Free
Make sure you know what the customs regulations are for all ports of entry – they vary – e.g. for amounts of tobacco and alcohol. Some countries prohibit bringing in alcohol as well. There are also varied restrictions regarding plants, animals and fruit.

Be Secure
Always securely lock your baggage to prevent anyone sneaking something into it (e.g. drugs) – it does happen!

If you intend to become a regular air traveler – consider joining a frequent flyer program – there can be real benefits such as upgrades, access to lounges, priority boarding and seating, extra luggage allowance.


Health tips for long flights
Especially for long flights, it is recommended that you periodically get up and move around to reduce the likelihood of DVTs, and cramps. Wear comfortable clothing.

If you can restrict your alcohol and caffeine intake as these speed up dehydration.

Entertainment on flights
All long distance flights have entertainment options – audio and video. In mant cases you can also use your own laptop or iPad to watch movies and play games.

What Class to fly?
Everyone would of course prefer First Class – but the prohibitive cost usually precludes the vast majority of travelers. It rarely is value for money.

However, there are often ‘sales’ where you can get Business Class at very affordable rates – that is, much better than usual. The benefit of course is better seating, priority, food and so on.

It is almost as good a First Class, and much better value for the buck. This is especially true for airlines that have newer planes on their long distance hauls.

Premium – an option
Another option is the recent addition of premium economy seats – business class seats and legroom, but none of the other business class frills. Also, the seats won’t fold as flat for sleeping – but for a bit extra in cost it is worth considering if you are on a long distance route

Economy class – well, in most planes ‘cattle’ class is an apt description. However, the new Airbus 380 and some airlines are slowly improving the leg room.

For more practical ideas and safe travel

When it comes to cheap flights or free airline tickets, you have to be wary – caveat emptor indeed! You will find that there are many ads that like to lure customers in because they promise good, free airline tickets. You will find that some will even include your hotel room in the deal.

Keep in mind that if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You’ll want to consider that when it comes to a good deal, there are always strings. Keep in mind that many time-share companies will give you the deal, but you have to go to associated seminars.

Many people think that they will get the tickets and then just not go to the seminar. However, if you don’t show up you will get your hotel canceled and you won’t get your free ticket home. Keep in mind that this is totally legal, because it’s written in your contract.

Sneaky? Yes, but there is nothing illegal about it. You get free tickets while they get your undivided attention. If you really want to have the dream vacation, you’ll have to pay for it.

A lot of places will go on discount because of the time of year. You may find a good Caribbean trip for little money, but check the season and weather – it may be hurricane season. Of course, no one wants to go there. If you get something for free, it’s just not worth paying for.

You’ll need to be very careful when looking for cheap airline tickets and you’ll also want to save your money so that you can take the trip of your dreams in comfort.


Always check the conditions when purchasing last minute airfare deals, cheap flights or discount tickets. There are usually major restrictions re times, baggage, re-scheduling.

Keep in mind that airline tickets tend to be very expensive. There are some options that you may be able to take and have a good flight and deal.

Keep in mind that you are going to have to do your research and figure out what exactly a good deal is and what a bad deal is. You’ll find that there are over a hundred websites that will give you a good airline deal, but you’ll find that each and every one of the offers are unique.

When it comes to finding the deals, check with a travel agent, because they will be able to hook you up with the best deals that you may not find online.

There are some things that will affect your price and your flight. The time that your departure is one of the requirements that will come with some of your discounts.

Basically, you will find that if you take a flight early in the morning it will be cheaper than if you were on a flight that is sold out. Keep in mind that there are some sites that will search for you flights according to time. You may not be able to get the desired price for the desired time that you wish to leave.

When it comes to the travel agents, you will find that they have many advantages that websites may not have regarding cheap flights. Most travel agents have been in the business for awhile now.

They also have a relationship with many airlines that can offer you discount rates that you wouldn’t get from a website.

What To Wear
Dress comfortably for flights. Don’t take excess cabin luggage – many airlines are stamping down on this – and it’s a pain in the ….. for fellow travelers.
Cool clothing for the tropics
Appropriate dress code for Moslem countries and when visiting sacred places and shrines.

Baggage and Luggage
When you pack at home: look at what you have and, as a rule of thumb, you can probably take out about half! You don’t need seven days of different outfits.

Travel light. Don’t have a suitcase that you can’t lift up steps and stairs. Also, you will probably want to leave room for purchases. Excess baggage costs can be astronomical – and may not even get on the same flight as you.

Make a check list of essentials and extras that you want to pack – but, be ruthless about excess. You have to lug it all around!

Climate
If traveling to a country that is near to or straddles the equator remember that the climate is likely to be very humid – even if it is the ‘dry’ season – as you will be unaccustomed to it.

Flying
Don’t fly high – too much alcohol intake can increase the effects of jet lag.

Get up from your seat periodically and walk around – do the sitting exercises to avoid thrombosis.

Get to the airport with plenty of time for security and ticket check in. Having to rush just makes it unpleasant for you.

Planning and Touring
Take your time – to relax – don’t attempt to see everything – see what you do see well Being selective can make your holiday more enjoyable and memorable.

When to travel: check for climate and seasons; special festivals and events.

Medications
Ensure you have appropriate medical documentation that justifies you having medications on your person or in your luggage.

Duty Free Shopping
In many cases, you will find that products are cheaper in department stores at home or in the country you are visiting – with the exception of alcohol and tobacco products. Even souvenirs are cheaper than in airports.

General Shopping
Shopping in markets – caveat emptor – and then have fun – you can get genuine bargains in many countries – but know what you want and how much you are prepared to pay. Usually, the staff at your hotel can give you some guidance.

Invest in a copy of Fodors or The Lonely Planet – for more country specific tips and practices. Take it with you as it will have plenty of practical travel tips that you will need as you journey.