Travel Tips - Are you ready to Travel for the Holidays?

Going to another country for the holidays is a great way to learn about a new culture. In some instances the travel is to visit family that is located there instead of just for a vacation. Regardless of the reason why you are traveling to another country during the holidays, you need to make sure you are prepared for the trip.

For most countries you are going to need a passport with a photo ID. This will allow you to remain in the country for a specified amount of time. Generally, this time frame is from 30 days to 90 days. You can take your passport photo at any post office, but it is going to take several weeks to get it back. There is an expedited option and it is very expensive. If you wait until the holiday time to obtain your passport it is going to take much longer, even for the expedited option.

Make sure you keep your passport and other pertinent travel documents in a safe place. You don’t want them to get lost or stolen as this can delay your travel plans. Make sure you arrive early for your flight so that you can get through all of the necessary inspections and verifications in plenty of time.

There may be vaccinations that you are required to get and others that you are encouraged to get before you can travel to certain countries for the holidays. Plan ahead and find out what these vaccinations are and then schedule appointments with your doctor. Some of the required vaccinations have to be given in a series with a specific amount of time between each shot in the series to be administered. Therefore you don’t want to wait until close to your time of travel to take care of this matter.

Depending on where you are traveling, you may have to deal with a different type of currency. You can get your money exchanged at your local bank before you leave. This will save you time trying to take care of it when you arrive in the other country for the holidays. There may be language differences as well that you need to take into consideration.

Be careful what you pack when you travel for the holidays. Most modes of transportation have strict guidelines on the size of your luggage, how many bags each person can have, and the weight guidelines. They will be enforcing these restrictions during the holidays because of the volume of people traveling. You don’t want to have to get rid of some of your items or purchase more bags at the gift shop.

Make sure you are aware of how much luggage you have for your return trip as well. While it can be fun to purchase items while you are there, think about how you will get them back. It may be a good idea to pack an extra bag in your luggage when you go so you can fill it up for the trip back. Another idea is to have items shipped but that can be quite expensive.

While traveling to another country for the holidays can be exciting, you need to remember that their customs may be significantly different than your own. Be respectful of such differences to avoid any conflicts while you are in that country. It is a good idea to read about the various customs that will be in place so you won’t reach them by accident.

Keep up to Date with the Weather During Holiday Travel

It is very important that you keep yourself aware of the weather for holiday travel. During the colder times of the year many parts of the world experience heavy snowstorms and even blizzards. You need to be aware of what is unfolding on the path you will be taking to your holiday destination. This will allow you to be very prepared for it and have a safe journey.

To ensure you pack the right clothing, pay attention to the weather in the days before you pack. Your local news channel may not be of assistance if you are travel a long way for the holidays. The internet is the best source of information for finding up to date weather that will span the course of your holiday travel. You can also contact someone where you are traveling to and have them keep an eye on their local weather reports for you.

If you are taking a flight, train, or bus to get to your destination you will want to find out what their policies are for delays due to the weather. If the weather is questionable before you leave to the terminal you will want to call first. There is no point of you sitting there instead of in the comfort of you home if the transportation has been delayed by several hours or canceled due to the weather.

Pay close attention to when the flight will be rescheduled so you can adjust your plans. Too many people show up at the airport hoping for the best and then end up spending countless hours will nothing to do. One reason why people do this is the fear of not being able to drive to the airport due to the bad weather. You will have to decide if that is something you are willing to risk or if you are going to hang out at the airport and see what happens.

If it is warm when you leave home but it will be significantly chilly where you arrive, make sure you carry on a jacket with you. Pay attention to your shoes as well because you don’t want to be slipping or risk falling down out there. Your body won’t be able to handle the quick change in temperature so make sure you are prepared for what you will find. Likewise, if you are traveling from a cold climate to a warm one for the holidays make sure you dress in layers so you can stay comfortable upon arrival.

For those driving to their holiday destination, paying attention to the weather reports is also important. You will be amazed at how many people drive from a location where there is no snow and then panic when they are having to drive in it with bumper to bumper cars all along the interstate.

Tune in to local weather channels on the radio to find out about any road closures, detours, or accidents. It is a good idea to have an alternate route printed out just in case these things occur. If you find the weather has become too severe for safe travel you need to be responsible and get a hotel room until conditions improve.

Make sure your vehicle is equipped with all the features it needs to handle the changes in the weather. You should have a good heater with defrost options and an air conditioner that will help you to stay cool. Your windshield wipers and hazard lights also need to be working. If you have any issues with these various features you need to fix them before you engage in holiday travel or rent another vehicle for the trip.

As a holiday traveler, it is your responsibility to keep up to date with the weather. While it can significantly affect the plans you had for the holidays there is nothing you can do about it. Fighting with Mother Nature is a losing battle that you don’t want to be on the other side of. Being prepared for the weather can mean the difference between a safe holiday trip and one that is full of regrets later on.

Navigation Systems you can use for Holiday Travel

Nothing is more frustrating that trying to travel for the holidays and not be able to figure out how to get there. Even if you have a plan when you leave home, things can get turned around quickly if you don’t have a good sense of direction. Stopping for directions isn’t always effective because people don’t always have the information you need to get to your destination.

There are plenty of amazing navigation systems you can use to help take the frustration out of holiday travel though. Advances in technology offer us a great way to have these tools at our fingertips. Many people travel with their laptop computers and you can access travel routes either online or with various types of computer software programs.

Even a simple compass in your vehicle can assist you when you least expect it. I was recently driving along when there was a detour due to road construction. I followed everyone else and then came to some signs. It said 5 miles East and then 11 Miles North to get to my destination. The problem was there were no arrows and I didn’t know which way I was headed on that road. Luckily my car has a built in compass so I was able to figure it out. If you vehicle doesn’t have one then you need to purchase one. It will come in handy as you travel for the holidays.

This information will allow you to find the fastest route as well as the shortest route to get to your holiday destination. You can also find the route that has access to hotels, restaurants, and rest areas. This is great information if you are traveling with children because you will find you have to stop more often in order to keep everyone happy.

Having a laptop/Mobile can also keep you up to date with the weather conditions during your holiday travel. This is important because if roads are closed or there are delays due to an accident you can easily find yourself an alternate route. Many people have similar types of navigation systems on their cell phones. The most high tech gadget is the very popular iPhone. If offers access to the internet and has a 3 ½ inch monitor for you to view the information on.

Many vehicles feature a Global Positioning System known as GPS. There are some models you can purchase separately and then add them to any model of vehicle that you have. This is a very good tool that you will always have when you are operating your vehicle. Even if you don’t know exactly where you are, a satellite system does and it send that information to the GPS system. You can then enter the information for your travel destination and it will give you the directions you need to get there.

Don’t spend your time traveling for the holidays caught up in traffic or bad weather. You also don’t want to drive for hours and then realize you have been going the wrong direction. The landscaping of the area can change over the years leaving you unfamiliar with the way to get there on your own. These types of navigational tools will definitely help you to get your barrings and to arrive for the holidays on time.

Travel Tips - Packing for Holiday Travel

We have all seen those people with tons of luggage arriving at the airport or traveling on the highway with their car crammed so full of items that they passengers have very little room to breath. There are ways to pack light for the holidays but to also ensure you have everything you need. This will definitely make your holiday travel plans much more enjoyable.

To help ensure you don’t forget anything important, make yourself a list of items you can’t leave behind. Keep the list handy so you can add to it as you think of something else. Make sure you check the weather forecast in the days right before you pack. This way you can be sure to have outfits and shoes that are going to work well for both the occasions and the weather. You don’t want to be stuck in the snow with nothing but high heels to wear for the evening.

Avoid packing clothing for holiday travel that can get ruined or stained if something gets spilled. You don’t want to be self conscious about the drink you spilled on it. If you are attending parties then it is very possible someone else can bump into you. Be prepared for such accidents to take place and try not to let them ruin your fun when you travel for the holidays.

If you will be staying in a hotel, chances are they will have plenty of items you need that you can eliminate from your luggage. Contact the hotel directly or check out their website to be sure. Common items found that you can leave behind include soap, shampoo, conditioner, location, a blow dryer, and an iron.

If you do have to pack liquid items, try to use trail sizes or to buy small containers to fill from larger bottles. Make sure these items are placed in a make up bag or a freezer bag. This way if they happen to leak they won’t get on your clothing.

Take a close look at the makeup and perfume you use. It is very possible that you can get by with packing only one kind of perfume and make up colors that offer you plenty of selection. This is more effective than packing your entire make up collection and then deciding what you will use once you arrive. You also want to leave expensive jewelry behind because you don’t want it to get lost or stolen. If you aren’t able to wear it when you travel then it is best not to take it at all.

You will be amazed at how much room is lost in a suitcase due to not taking the time to fold up items properly. You have to get creative if you want to maximize the amount of space you have. It is easy to place socks and underwear into your shoes so they won’t take up any space at all.

Take the time to fold pants and shirts neatly into the suitcase so you can fit more of them in. You don’t want to have your bags so full you have to sit on them to close them. This damages the zippers and it will result in you having to replace your luggage sooner than you should. If your luggage is chosen for inspection during your holiday travel it won’t be such a chore for the inspectors if you have taken your time to pack wisely.