http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/visit-pismo-beach-california.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/visit-pismo-beach-california.html Sun, 23 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500 Are you looking for a vacation spot where you can relax, unwind and get rid of every day stress without dying of boredom? Why not visit Pismo Beach, California? Pismo Beach is situated on the central coast of California just about midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. You can get there by car, camper, boat, rail, bus or you can fly into San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.

There are no large amusement or theme parks or crowds of people, just twenty three (23) miles of beautiful sandy uncrowded beaches and sand dunes surrounded by golf courses, wooded areas and small towns.

Accomodations are plentiful, with everything from campgrounds and RV parks, to inexpensive motels to hotels in various price ranges to luxury beachfront resorts and spas. There is no dearth of restaurants, you can find coffee shops, family restaurants, excellent seafood restaurants and fine steakhouses.

Lie on a white sand beach soaking up the sun during the day and go for long moonlit walks along the oceans edge at night. Go whale watching for gray, humpback and killer whales. View dolphins, sea otters, sea lions, pelicans and seagulls. See hugh colonies of giant elephant seals up close and personal, dig your own clams for lunch or dinner, visit one of the most spectacular Monarch Butterfly Groves in the country, spend a leisurely day fishing off the 1200 foot pier.

Want a little more activity? Play golf at one of the nearby golf courses, visit some of the nearby wineries, go for a short (under one hour) drive up the coast and take a tour of Hearst Castle, or a short (under one half hour) drive down the coast and visit Solvang, the "Danish Capital of America".

Still not enough? Take a one half or full day sport fishing trip and fish for albacore, rockcod , salmon and more. Go horse back riding through the Oceano Dunes and Beach. Take paragliding or kiteboarding lessions. Go ATV four wheeling, body boarding or surfing or take a 30 minute "flying boat" flight along the shoreline in a two seater ultra-light "flying boat".

For more information about the city of Pismo Beach, California see http://pismobeach.usacitydirectories.com, a directory of links to city of Pismo Beach, California guides and directories listing information, resources, services, attorneys, realtors, things to do and places to go.







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David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and is currently the publisher of several internet directories, including http://www.usacitydirectories.coma directory of national, state, county and city guides and directories listing local guides, directories, web sites and web pages providing resources, services and information about things to do and places to go.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/top-travel-tips.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/top-travel-tips.html Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0600 My Vacations Group of Travel Companies (www.myvacations.co.uk) and your money and peace of mind are secure. Reliable travel agents such as My Vacations have paid out vast amounts of insurance to their regulatory body, the Civil Aviation Authority, in order to be permitted to sell package and other holidays. In short, if it doesn’t have an ATOL, don’t book it at all!

Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t always get the cheapest flights by waiting until the last minute for possible cancellations. In fact, more often than not, the air fare increases as seat availability decreases. Book well in advance as many airlines offer a limited number of significantly reduced fares. At present, My Vacations are taking bookings up to 31st March 2007. Also, always try and be flexible with your departure point as regional airports usually offer much cheaper flights as well as less queues and shorter check-in times.

Frequent travellers know that booking their flights and accommodation at the same time through a travel agent saves them a lot of money as booking a flight independently and then sourcing a hotel room separately means you often end up paying ‘rack’ rates (published full-priced flight/room rates) instead of the heavily discounted rates offered by travel agents. My Vacations have negotiated very low rates at many top branded hotel chains and airlines around the world due to their bulk buying power and these benefits are, in turn, offered to the customer. Remember, these discounted rates are only available when booking your holiday through a travel agent.

Book your flights, city or beach breaks through My Vacations and receive an online booking discount of £5.00 per person! Also, watch out for regularly discounted holiday offers, free night offers at top hotels around the world and special ‘2 for 1’ Companion fares in Business & First Class with reputable airlines such as Qatar Airways & Etihad Airways (www.myvacations.co.uk/etihadair).


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Ken writes about “Top Travel Tips”. Collect More Information at http://www.myvacations.co.uk

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/the-history-of-carnival.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/the-history-of-carnival.html Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0600
Music of the steel bands - in addition to other LIVE music played by LIVE musicians on conventional instruments - used to be the backbone, the catalytic driving force in our Carnival. It was a creative, artistic pursuit; and pan was synonymous with our Carnival.

To play mass used to mean, literally, to portray a character. To tell a story. It was our own expressionistic, local theatricality. Theatre of the street. Or as the late Trinidadian auteur, Dr. Errol Gaston Hill, termed it: a "Mandate For A National Theatre". Playing mass used to involve research. Who or whatever you played, you made a point of learning, studying and practicing for the portrayal of that entity. But most of all, it required some amount of talent and imagination and a certain desire to "entertain" the spectators.

But in the early 1970s a "cultural sell-out" of "The World's Most Spectacular Festival" (as our Carnival used to officially be called) began to prevail - for monetary gain - and the integrity of our Carnival has since then been progressively and shamefully compromised.

No longer do we face the challenge of fending off the threats of "Midnight Robbers", or witnessing the hypnotic realism of a family of "Bats", or enjoying - which has always been my personal choice to play - the fanciful movements and dancing of a "Fancy Sailor" band (Michael Jackson's source of his "Moonwalk") depicting the various sections of a ship; or having to avoid "Lucifer" and his Entourage From Hell, to name just a few . . . All of whom were to be found not just in a few isolated places on Carnival day, but in almost every district in the island.

These traditional portrayals are now shunted, for the most part, and replaced by nondescript fluff and semi-nudity. Our Carnival has fallen so low, in my humble, traditionalistic opinion, that it no longer surpasses Brazil's but more resembles it, having fallen almost to the level of Las Vegas "Schmaltz". Traditional has become almost a dirty word. A word to be ridiculed by a new generation of players showing no interest in embracing the history of their culture. Instead, they have been satisfied to emulate and imitate "outsiders", either ignoring or not realizing the fact that it is their own "culture", the very same, which has been taken, exploited, dumped down, recycled and sold back to them. And they have bought it.

As for the music - and I use the term advisedly - first of all, FASTER and LOUDER is not necessarily better. Especially with that sort of (synthesized) music that doesn't "breathe"!! . . I never thought I would see the day when pan would lose its place in our Carnival and we would be subjected to the American Square Dance fashion of "crowd control"- - When some guy, some person of no consequence whatsoever, and most likely from another island, would be telling me when to "Lay down on the ground' and wine". Or, to "Hold on to the big truck." or to wave my hand in the air! Such utter nonsense. This is by no means the Carnival atmosphere that I have known and loved. Or as a journalist from "The Trinidadian Guardian" succinctly summed it up a couple of years ago, "Rhythmic rhetoric for dictation dancing."


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Roger King is a successful author and publisher of http://www.losangeles-carnival.com. losangeles-carnival

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/time-for-christmas-plans.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/time-for-christmas-plans.html Wed, 07 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600 The fist thing you should remember is that usually by the beginning of December all the best places are already booked. So, prepare to spend more money, time and nerves, than, for example, in October.
The fist thing to decide is the type of vacation you would like to have. At first – would you prefer winter of summer? Some can’t imagine their Christmas without snow; others deserve to escape from the frost.
If you decide to warm up in the end of December, you are most likely to choose one of the sea resorts somewhere near equator. The most popular are Thailand, Maldives, Indonesia, India or Dominican Republic. All these countries have their own advantages, but if you like just to lay on the sun than choose Maldives. In other places there is so much to see, that your tan could be rather pale. You can also choose on the small islands in Polynesia – sun, ocean and palms – if that’s all you need from your holidays than it would be a perfect choice.
Those, who prefer the active way of life, can go in for diving or windsurfing. All these resorts offer the outstanding opportunities for these sports.
If you have chosen not to be deprived of snow and winter then you still have a lot of possibilities and variants. You may go to a country with a lot of historical attractions and devote your time to excursions, shopping (Christmas sales are very attractive) and meet New Year on the main square surrounded by crowds of celebrating people from all over the world. Christmas tree as a symbol is as must. Cities ideal for this kind of holiday are Paris, New York, Prague. Frankly speaking, any big city in the Northern hemisphere can be suitable. You will return full of souvenirs and new impressions.
If you like sport, particularly alpine skiing than the best choice is, without any doubt, Alps. There you can find comfort and nature, interesting entertainment programs and remoteness from the cities’ noise. French, Swiss or Austrian Alps - all perfectly match. If you live in the United States and don’t like to fly across the ocean, you can spend you vacations on one of the Colorado mountain resorts.
We have examined a lot of variants, but all of them need at least a week. What to do if you have just few days but still want to change your surroundings? In that case you can choose not so distant country or even travel within your country’s borders. Just choose the place where you have never been and your trip will full your with new emotions.
Some people always spend their holidays in the same place. May be this year it’s time to change situation? If you don’t feel like it, just go where you are used to and feel comfortable and relaxed.
No matter where you will be on vacations, the most important is the mood, the atmosphere and the people who are with you. If all these components are fine, your holiday will be a success!


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If you like to know about how to book hotel in any country of the world, please visit www.allrez.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/india-%96-an-experience-of-your-lifetime.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/india-%96-an-experience-of-your-lifetime.html Fri, 09 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600 India varies a lot from north to south and from east to west. One life is not enough to know all the secrets of the country. What to do if you have only few weeks? Of course you would like to see all the best, the quintessential of India. Usual tourist routs can be divided into 3 kinds – resort (Goa, Kerala), excursion (so called Golden Triangle) and mountain trip to Himalayas. It’s hard to combine all these routes in one single trip, but it’s possible if you have time, money and health! It surely promises to be the experience you never forget.
The main cities of the Golden Triangle are Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, but if you choose this route you also visit other cities, lying on the way.
Delhi, the capital of India firstly strikes the western traveler with its noise, dirt and smell. However, when throw away it, you see that this city hides a lot of treasures really worth visiting. With a population of about 14 millions, Delhi is a huge metropolis with all its advantages and disadvantages. Being an ancient city Delhi has a lot of traces of its past. A mix of cultures and religions is reflected in its architectural heritage. The Jama Mazjid of the walled city is an example of Indo-Persian art the Birla Temple and the Chattarpur Temple complex are considered as a blend of the North and South Indian architectural styles. Gurdwara Raquab Ganj, Sheesh Ganj and Bangla Sahib belong to Sikhism, whereas St. Thomas and St. Columbus were bilt for Christians.
Agra with its world-famous Taj Mahal become one the most recognized symbols of India. This mausoleum was created by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan state and is wide known as the 'pink city' because of the ochre-pink hue of its old buildings and crenellated city walls.
Goa and Kerala – the best Indian resorts, attract a lot of visitors from allover the world. Goa on the Arabian Sea shore has become a legendary place known for its sun, sand and psychedelia. It’s divided into 2 parts – Northern and Southern. The South is a place for the respectable western tourists with its prestigious hotels and clear beaches. The North is the place for youth from all the countries, mostly known for its discos and beach parties.
Kerala is a green strip of land, in the South West corner of Indian peninsula. Natural paradise with its palms, sand and ocean it is a perfect place for beach vacations.
Himalayas, Tibet is a mysterious land attracting a lot of people seeking harmony, self- comprehension and the solutions to some of their problems. The way o this place is very hard. It can become the most challenging trekking expedition in your life, but when you reach your aim you will know that this torture hasn’t been useless. Some people nevertheless find their harmony and stay in Tibet. But even if you decide to return home Tibet will always stay with you!



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For booking a hotel in any part of the world, please, go to www.hotelsrates.net

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/hitchhiker%92s-guide-to-the-earth.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/hitchhiker%92s-guide-to-the-earth.html Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600 Some hitchhikers know the exact point where they want to turn out to be, but some never know where and when their trip will finish.
Some piece of advice before you begin your trip.

1) If you know your destination point, you’d better to think over your route not to find yourself far away from the desired city.
2) Be extra careful, because the hitchhiking is always a risk. Take you mobile and try to be in touch with your friends or relatives (if connection allows, of course).
3) Be careful with your money – don’t store all them in one place.
4) Don’t take too much luggage – you’ll be tired very soon.
5) Take all you may need – if your route passes far from the cities you may have no chance to by all the necessary things.
6) When you travel alone the risk increases twice – so, may be it’s better to have a fellow traveler. There are a lot clubs and communities of hitchhikers (for example, in Internet) where you not only can find a fellow traveler but also receive a useful advise.

What attracts people in hitchhiking is the feeling of freedom and the opportunity to have the real adventure. It’s a challenge in some way and some people like to accept it. Some hitchhikers like to have a chance to meet new people and to make friends.
Of course, sometimes such meetings are not exiting at all – the boring drivers desiring to describe you their whole lives is the least of the problems. Everybody knows the proverb – don’t talk to the strangers. It has sense because some of them are really dangerous. If you are locked up in a car with such a person, the best thing is to use your gas spray can and to clear out of the car. So, don’t forget to include your aerosol in list of the necessary things.
Although the hitchhiking is supposed to be free of charge, be ready to pay sometimes. May be the only driver going in your direction will not intend to pick up you for free.
Speaking about the best routs for hitchhiking – it’s Europe and the United States. The reason? The highways are better, the traffic is intensive and you surely get to the point in a short time. And, again, no borders, no extra visa, no problems with the customs. It’s all true, but if you want the real challenge you can go to some wild part of Asia or Africa. It will be difficult to catch a car (just because they are not widespread there) and if don’t know the language it will be hard to explain what you want. However when you reach your destination you will feel yourself a hero, or at least, a brave traveler seeking for the unknown places.
As for where to stay for the night – the real hitchhiker tries not to stay in the hotels of even in campings. He or she would prefer to stay on the nature or the house of the local inhabitant.
Now the hitchhiking has become some kind of sport – and there are some competitions in this field. The aim is to achieve some point in the shortest time and not to pay for it. On TV there are even some shows, devoting to hitchhiking. Its popularity increases. Why? The suggestion is that people are fed up with their comfortable lives and like to feel the adrenaline and to participate in an adventure. As far as the West concerned, it’s true, but as it was said in the beginning, some choose this way of traveling just because they have no money.



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For booking a hotel in any part of the world, please, go to www.bb72.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/around-the-world.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/around-the-world.html Mon, 26 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600 Round the world, of course, doesn’t mean that you see all the countries, but the most interesting of them. So, there still a choice of the voyages, which can be called round the world.
Those are some of the variants
At first, you have to choose your mean of transport – plane or cruise liner. Plane trip are shorter in time and you can miss something on the way, making stops only in the major cities of your trip. There are several variant of such trips
1) Amsterdam – Singapore – Sydney – Brisbane – Auckland – Tahiti – Santiago – Buenos-Aires – Iguazu – Amsterdam. It’s a good choice if you are interested in Latin America and Australia, but you totally miss Africa and see little in Europe and Asia.
2) London – Hong-Kong – Sydney – Brisbane – Auckland – Easter island – Iguazu – London. Again, lack of Africa.
The choice of sea cruises is wider, but be prepare to spend several months on the liner.
This list of opportunities usually covers all the continents, but the duration of stay may vary. So, let’s name some variants
1) Starting in New York, cruising the Atlantic Ocean, the Great Bahama Bank, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal Transit, then cruising Pacific Ocean , Acapulco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Kailua Kona, Papeete, Moorea, Cross International Dateline - Lost Day, Auckland, Lyttelton, cruising the Tasman Sea, Sydney, Phillip Island, Melbourne, Adelaide, cruising the Indian Ocean, Exmouth, Padang Bay, Cruising the Makassar Strait, Cruising the South China Sea, Subic Bay, Cruising the Luzon Strait, Nagasaki, Osaka, Cruising the East China Sea, Keelung (Taipei), Cruising the Taiwan Strait, Hong Kong.
This will take about 2 months.
2) If you want to receive the most complete cover of world attractions you may need about 3 or 4 months.
You'll depart from Los Angeles and will see Oahu, Maui, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Tahiti, Auckland, Tasmania, Melbourne, Sydney, Coral Sea, Thursday Island, Cruising the Arafura Sea, Darwin, Bandar Seri Begawan, the South China Sea, Hong Kong, a Long Bay, Hanoi, the South China Sea, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Ko Samui, Singapore, Malacca Strait, Phuket, Indian Ocean, Male, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Luxor and Karnak, the Suez Canal, Cairo, the Mediterranean Sea , Santorini, Athens, Istanbul, Kusadasi, Venice, Split, Sicily, Naples, Sardinia, Porto Venere, Lisbon, Cruising the Atlantic Ocean, Bilbao, London.
The European part of cruise also often includes Spain with Barcelona.
As you can see all the routes have little of Africa, but except the above-mentioned Egypt they sometimes come along the South Africa.
These are the usual tours prepared by the travel agencies, but if you have different preferences, you may create your own trip plan. You can either organize it by yourself of order an individual tour in travel agency – anyway you are free to embody all your desires.


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For booking a hotel in any part of the world, please, go to www.bb72.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/fun-and-adventure-with-napa-valley-wine-tours.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/fun-and-adventure-with-napa-valley-wine-tours.html Tue, 28 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0600 Original wine tours content from www.wine-cellar-racks.com

Whether you are planning on enjoying the sights, smells, tastes, and experience that Napa valley wine tours have to offer, you should consider arranging your travel with a professional operator.  Many local companies specialize in planning every aspect of your trip, whether you want to simply see as many vineyards as possible, or would like to take to the sky in a hot air balloon, golf, or shop for antiques.  Napa Valley wine tours are great vacation ideas for individuals, couples, or large groups such as corporate outings or weddings.  Explore the countryside, meet new friends, and discover your next favorite vintage!

A wealth of attractions and activities are available for everyone, young or old.  Parks and beaches, comfortable hotels, spas, shopping, dining, and arts are just a few to mention.  Napa Valley wine tours are more than just driving around - although there is no shortage of that if you are so inclined.  Some operators have large fleets of vehicles including air conditioned buses and limousines.  Knowledgeable and charismatic drivers share local stories and are a wealth of information to compliment your journey.  Most companies will even shuttle guests to and from the airport, and arrange other sightseeing tours, charters, and other activities.

Take advantage of special arrangements between tour operators and local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and other attractions.  You will save time searching for accommodation before or during your trip, and can get great deals on other popular activities.
 
One common theme among the testimonials of people thrilled about their experience on Napa wine tours is the fact that the professionals have thought of almost everything, and their familiarity and skill maximizes the group's enjoyment.  As there are operators that cater to budgets of all sizes, take the risk out of your next trip and book your next one-of-a-kind getaway today!


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Michael Boyce is a regular contributor to wine-cellar-racks.com, a consumer's resource to wine-related gifts, services, and adventures.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/a-hot-spot-destination-for-travelling-pensioners.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/a-hot-spot-destination-for-travelling-pensioners.html Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600
It is important to remember that you travel to relax and enjoy yourself. With that in mind, it is easy to understand why travel insurance for pensioners is so necessary. With travel insurance in place you can concentrate on enjoying your holiday and get on with visiting all of the fabulous sights in Spain.

Mark Santilli, a frequent traveller, warns about the dangers of not having travel insurance: “I never thought that travel insurance was important. I quickly found out how wrong I was when my wife and I went on a trip to Australia and my wife became seriously ill. Our regular insurance didn’t cover the emergency treatment she needed.”

It is in no way safe to conclude that the new European health insurance card offers enough cover to you and your family. In fact, travel insurance for over 70's will cover many things that the new European health insurance card will not. In reality, travel insurance may cover unexpected cancellations, missed departures, lost travel documents, accidents, the loss or theft of baggage, travel delays and certain medical expenses that regular insurance just will not cover. For all intents and purposes then, if you are looking to completely relax and unwind while visiting Spain, or any part of the world, it is truly wise to make a small investment in travel insurance.

Spain is truly a fantastic place to visit and you’ll love travelling from one major city to the next, checking out all of the historical sites that Spain has to offer: cities like Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Ibiza, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Oviedo, Palma, Salamanca, San Sebastian, Santander, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza. What draws tourists to Spain year after year is the incredible history embedded in each city. Such a history can be thoroughly explored by viewing the unique architecture in each city and by visiting the many cultural sites that hold historical significance: sites that are scattered throughout the country of Spain.

Madrid, the capital of Spain and one of the most popular tourist attractions, possesses fine accommodation and cuisine. The Adler Hotel, the Petit Palace Italia and the Aptos Eurobuilding 2 offer comfortable and affordable accommodation to the tourist. The Adler Hotel, erected in 1884, is located at Calle Velazquez 33, Goya 31 and is the site of a former palace which has been completely remodelled to meet the comfort and needs of today’s traveller. The Adler hotel has 6 floors and 45 rooms to choose from. You will find that the Adler Hotel offers every possible amenity including air conditioning, broadband internet access, satellite television, telephone access and an in-room mini-bar. Additionally, the Petit Palace Italia, erected in 1902, is located at Gran Via 32 and offers similar amenities as does the Aptos Eurobuilding 2, situated at Orense 69.

You find that there are restaurants of all styles everywhere—restaurants that provide the finest cuisine that Spain has to offer. For instance, when visiting Madrid you will discover that many of the restaurants are but a short distance from your chosen accommodation. If you are looking to get a taste of Spanish cuisine there is the Combarro Restaurant but if you are seeking contemporary cuisine, visit the Zalca?n. Likewise, breakfast and brunch are regularly served at the Chocolater?a San Gines and if you desire Indian Cuisine the Annapurna you will have no trouble satisfying your appetite.

Of course, you don’t merely visit Spain for its fine cuisine and comfortable accommodation. In fact, pensioners visit Spain so that they can partake in Spain’s magnificent history while they rest and relax on their holiday. There are well over 50 museums and galleries in Madrid alone. Be sure that you can spend all of your time in Spain enjoying the sights—get travel insurance for pensioners—feel safe about your trip and most of all enjoy the sun and the culture.

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Diane Newsom writes for the UK search portal Usewho. Vist them for more information on pensioner travel insurance.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/plan-well-travel-well.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/plan-well-travel-well.html Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600
When it comes to travel, a well-planned trip is a fun trip. Now, some might say you're taking the fun and spontaneity out of a trip by over planning. I’m not saying plan every second of every minute of your vacation. You can be as spontaneous as you like once you're there, but plan for the unexpected on your trip. Don't let your travels around the world or your annual family road trip get ruined by not being prepared, whether it's not having the right clothing for the destination, or realizing a GPS unit would sure come in handy while you're traipsing through the rainforest.

How many times have you gotten to your destination only to find you forgot to pack your favorite shirt? Or, worse, your underwear? (I see the hands raised out there). Now, if it’s just a shirt or underwear, you can always buy more when you roll into town. But, what if it’s your allergy medication and your destination is going through its worst allergy season ever? Then it’s a few hours out of your fun trip to visit the local urgent care center to get a new prescription (if the town you’re visiting has an urgent care center).

A well-thought-out travel plan can help eliminate the unexpected ruining your vacation. Research your destination thoroughly. What’s the 14-day weather outlook? It might be nice and sunny in Hawaii most of the time, but maybe there’s a tropical storm heading their way in about a week. With that information it would be wise to include some rainy weather gear, wouldn’t it?

Think about the unexpected. It seems every summer in the Southwest there’s someone who gets lost in the desert with dire consequences. You might want to invest in an inexpensive GPS unit to ensure that doesn’t happen to you. Spontaneously taking the road less traveled might seem spontaneous and fun, but getting lost on a desert road in the searing heat (or a mountain road in 4ft. snow) can be a real fun killer.

What are some other travel planning tips you might not think of?

Make sure your travel bags and luggage can stand up to the journey. The worst time to find out your carry-on is breaking apart at the seams is when you're stuffing it into the overhead bin. Find that out ahead of time. Arriving at that expensive resort with a suitcase held together with rope is not a good look.

Make sure your health is protected while traveling to distant parts of the world, or, for that matter, your annual family trek to Disney World. Pack some travel vitamins. Yes, there are special vitamins made for travel. And, check out some good travel insurance while you’re at it. You never know when you’ll need it.

Again, whether it's a trip around the world, or your family outing to the Great Smoky Mountains, make sure your travel guides are up to date. You might be building your trip around an attraction that is now closed certain parts of the year, or, worse, has been closed the past several years.

Plan a trip well, and you can have all the spontaneous fun you want.


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Shari Hearn is a writer and frequent contributor to the Travel Planning website, www.thetravelerscompanion.com, where you can find all you need to travel well.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>