Browsing: travel advice

Now you and your pet can take a European vacation together as several North American and European carriers are offering a Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) whereby pets and their owners can journey together.

Your pet checks in with you at the passenger terminal and rejoins you on arrival at the baggage hall at the destination airport. Pets are loaded aboard into the cargo hold, directly below the passenger cabin. This hold is temperature controlled and …

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Nothing says love more than chocolate – well, at least for most people. Why not plan a getaway to a destination known for chocolate? Go to a far flung part of the world where the heavenly creation of sweetened food made from cocoa beans excites your taste buds. What could be better than combining your love for travel with your love for chocolate?

Belgium

In the European Kingdom of Belgium, surrounded by the Netherlands, Germany …

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First time at a Waldorf. Expectations: High. I admit it. My girlfriend—a 5-star hotel connoisseur, same as me—has stayed there two other times, and she’s been raving about it. It’s nearly a 5-hour drive from Miami, so when we pull up, we are expecting to be in front of the beachside pool in about ten minutes. Instead, we wait in a valet line for fifteen. OK, I get it. It’s Friday evening, around 6pm, and …

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There’s no excuse for a woman traveler not to hit the road solo. Solo travel can be extremely rewarding, as well as liberating. This is a great time for introspection and reconnecting with yourself. When you’re traveling on your own, there’s no need to make compromises on travel schedules and itineraries or even restaurant choices, as you get to make all the decisions. It’s also easier to make new friends, as a solo traveler is …

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Have you ever noticed that despite being a spiritual person—or a good person—it all goes out the window when you hit that airport security line? Perhaps that’s what airports were designed for; to test your spiritual mettle.

I travel. A lot. So on my overseas trip of nearly 30 hours in the air, I created these quick tips to keep your sanity, and maybe a little bit of your spiritual practice, intact:

Act As If

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The golden years are a good time for people to travel. Families are grown, so seniors don’t have to plan their vacations around school holidays. Retired from the nine-to-five work grind, seniors don’t have to limit their vacations to just two weeks a year. They can go whenever they want for as long as they want.

One of the best parts about traveling at this age is the number of discounts available for senior citizens: …

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I wrote a piece a while ago about the risks of travel.  My point, mainly, was this:  Travel means taking risks, and travelers, in turn, should be prepared for things to go wrong.  Why?  Because, on the other hand, it is just so awesome when things go really, really right.

There is nothing you can do to guarantee your safety.  Should you get blackout drunk by yourself, and stumble alone down a dark street?  Best

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London is one of the capital cities of the world that attract visitors by the millions. In 2011, according to ‘Visit Britain’ 30.6 million people visited the capital and stayed an average of one week a grand annual total of £17.9billion. You always hear people saying London is expensive but it really doesn’t have to be, there are many things that are free, accessible, and of interest to visitors and all it will cost you …

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Only a few months ago, I found myself in Costa Rica. I was staying with a friend at an all-inclusive resort. Lounging next to the pool with an umbrella in my tropical drink, I found myself thinking about how these all-inclusive resorts are known in French as “colonie de vacances.” Literally translated, this means “vacation colony,” like a little settlement established on some distant planet, or a late 19th century bastion of the …

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If you’re tired of being clobbered by hotel bills, find traveling alone has lost its allure, or you long to see a city through the eyes of a local, it’s time to go CouchSurfing.

That’s the amazing international initiative where people open up their homes to travelers and show them around the local sights. Although a free bed is certainly a huge attraction, it’s not just a scheme for cheapskates. It’s also the best way …

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Whether you’re heading to the Caribbean for your honeymoon, planning a European tour to celebrate your 25th anniversary or simply pitching a tent for the weekend with your new partner, you need to remember that travel can bring out the best—and the worst— in people.  In addition to the usual hazards (flight delays, unexpected thunderstorms, lost luggage and so on) there’s the added pressure of simply being together.

This is, of course, the …

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Nobody leaves on a trip expecting to lose their travel documents or have them stolen, but it does happen. Sometimes the thieves are so slick, it will be hours before you notice your passport is gone. You’ll obviously notice it much sooner if your purse, along with your money, credit cards and other items, is stolen.

Such thefts are devastating and can ruin your holiday abroad. Even if you’re careful and take precautions, it can …

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Recently, I had a client contact me regarding her upcoming trip to India. “Allison, I am embarking on a new adventure,” she said.  “I am traveling to India for dental work. A fifth of the cost and the facilities and technology are just as good, if not better,” she told me.  The previous week, another client called regarding his knee-replacement surgery in Hyderabad. “Visiting India has always been on my list. Instead of bringing home …

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There is nothing like traveling internationally. For me, I love the thrill of seeing new people, learning new cultures, butchering a new language and living the history of the world!  Of course the best part of an international trip for me is coming back home—for me returning home always puts things in perspective. However, traveling abroad is not without some perils.  A good travel agent can guide you through them, but there are some passport …

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