Essential iPhone Apps For Airline Seat Selection

Please welcome back guest blogger, Flying With Fish!

“What seat do I want?”

What airline passenger has not thought that singular thought to themselves while booking a flight? Selecting your seat on a flight is important, especially on a long flight. As a passenger you want comfort, maybe you prefer an aisle for access or a window for a view, but you should also know if you have restricted leg room, selected a row with no window, are assigned a seat with limited recline and many other variables that go into selecting ‘the right seat.’

As a frequent flyer I often fly the same airlines, same routes, same aircraft so I know exactly what seats I want. In general I am a window person, my preference is the A-side window as I tend to lean left while sitting up and sleeping and frankly it is embarrassing to find myself slumped over on someone’s shoulder in the middle of a flight. Knowing my sleeping habits, while crammed into a 17-inch (43cm) wide seat helps me pick my seats. When flying unknown airlines or aircraft with seating configurations I am unfamiliar with I don’t rely on the airline’s seating chart to make my decision. Rather than trust the airline I turn to two resources within my iPhone.

When I have access to the internet my first stop for airline seat research is Seat Guru. Seat Guru is well-known and well-respected as a very accurate resource for more than 85 global airlines. Seat Guru’s aircraft charts provide users with detailed seating charts for approximately 500 aircraft configurations. Seat Guru’s seating guide is accessible on the iPhone, or any other mobile device at http://mobile.seatguru.com.

A great flight tracking iPhone App that integrates Seat Guru’s detailed seating charts is ‘Flight Update.’ When users search flight information within ‘Flight Update’ they can check seating configurations for specific aircraft, as well as other detailed flight data. Like accessing Seat Guru directly, ‘Flight Update’ can only provide seating information when there is access to the internet.

For those times when you do not have access to the internet, such as when you’re sitting on the plane, or traveling internationally and do not want to incur international roaming fees, CXI Gaming’s ‘Airline Seat Guide’ is an excellent resource. ‘Airline Seat Guide’ provides users with access to detailed seating charts for more then 50 global airlines and over 300 aircraft configurations. The advantage to using “Airline Seat Guide” over Seat Guru Mobile (or Flight Update with Seat Guru) is that its content can be accessed anywhere at any time, without the need to have internet access.

Both Seat Guru and Airline Seat Guide offer users colour coded designations to indicate good seats, bad seats, standard seats, ‘iffy’ seats, seats with mixed reviews, seats with power ports, emergency exit seat, etc etc etc. There are numerous other tid-bits of information that I find invaluable such as seat width and pitch, location of lavatories, seats with video-boxes under them, location of overhead video monitors, type of in-seat power (AC, DC, emPower).

Any traveller headed out on a trip travelling anywhere should know the seats they are selecting. Not all seats are created equal and using Seat Guru and Airline Seat Expert can mean the difference between tolerating your seat for a few hours or detesting your seat for a few hours.

For more information travelling smarter and with less stress feel free to visit Flying With Fish at www.flyingwithfish.com

Happy Flying!

Steven Frischling

Founder The Travel Strategist & Flying With Fish

Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com

Blog: www.flyingwithfish.com

Twit: www.twitter.com/flyingwithfish

Free Things to Do In Mexico City

Considering a trip to Mexico City? Here’s a few of our favorite FREE things to do when you get there-

Free Things to Do in Mexico City

San Jacinto Plaza- This is the main square in the San Angel district, best known for its popular Saturday art market.

Catedral Metropolitana – This cathedral is rumored to be the oldest building in Latin America. The structure’s original foundation dates back to the 16th century.

Temple Mayor- Located in the Zócalo next to the Catedral Metropolitana, the remains of this ancient temple were discovered in 1978. This amazing archaeological discovery was first built in 1375. The on-site museum showcases artifacts discovered at the site. Be sure to check out the temple’s sacrificial stone and the gigantic stone carving of Coyilxauhqui, an ancient Aztec goddess. (Free to seniors and students!)

Zócalo- Also known as the Plaza de la Constitución, the Zócalo is the main square in the Centro Histórico district, across from the Catedral Metropolitana. It’s full of historic sights and ancient architecture, and comes alive with parades, ceremonies and celebrations.

Xochimilco Gardens- Enjoy the two parts of Xochimilco- the traditional area and the ecological park north of town. The canals and lagoons attract bulrushes, ducks, and egrets for fantastic bird watching. You can also visit the lively canals where you will find brightly-colored and squarish boats (trajineras), and families floating in gondolas!

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe- The Basilica is considered as the second most important sanctuary of Catholicism (this based upon the number of pilgrims it hosts per year) just after the Vatican City.

Alameda Central- This central, charming park boasts fountains, shade trees and sculptures such as ‘Malgre Tout’ and ‘Despoire’, by Jesús Contreras. Be sure to check out the Beethoven monument as well. This park was created in 1592 and few city parks guard such hidden history in its landscape, such as being the former site of the Inquisition’s burning of heretics. A typical Mexican Sunday can be enjoyed at the Alameda Central, which often has live music, along with markets and food stalls.

Check out these great cheap airfare deals to Mexico!

Travel Security: Don’t Be An Easy Target

Welcome guest blogger, Steven Frischling, from the popular travel website, “Flying With Fish.”  An experienced writer, professional photographer, and world traveler, he shares with us his tips for travel security. You can learn more about him on his website, or by following him on Twitter.

A significant area of concern that is often overlooked by tourists, and travelers in general, when in unfamiliar surroundings is protecting themselves from thieves.

When visiting an unfamiliar location many travelers have a tendency to either have a false sense of security or become hyper-paranoid. Neither of these tendencies does us any good and there are safe and easy ways to protect yourself from potential predators while on the road.

As a photographer I travel often, but I learned how to keep myself, and my gear, protected while shooting a wide variety of assignments. There has been a diverse cross-section of assignments that have taught me the most
about my personal security. Some of these assignments have included spending multiple-months walking around one of the worst crime ridden and drug infested housing projects in the United States; photographing a few dozen riots; working in a city after massive natural disaster has devastated the area; working in environments where I have clearly been in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’ intentionally; and oddly enough travel stories in high density tourist locations.

When I travel, which can be the next city over or halfway around the world, I make sure I protect my security in a few ways. For starters, when I walk, I walk confidently. I make sure my body language does not make me an easy target. Even if I am completely lost, and it happens, I exert a sense of confidence and pay close attention to everything around me.

When traveling in an unfamiliar location I never pull out a map and read it on the street. If I need to use a map I step in some place, often into the restroom, to read a map. Pulling out a map is a big red arrow to thieves who prey on  travelers. To blend in I often e-mail myself directions and read a Blackberry while walking, or use step-by-step
directions from my iPhone. It is commonplace anywhere in the world to see people reading their Blackberry or iPhone while walking down the street, so using these devices does not draw any attention from thieves. As an added bonus, my directions are clear in text without orienting myself with a map.

An extremely useful skill to learn is to memorize maps when possible. Very often when I am in an unfamiliar area I memorize a map the best I can.  Being familiar with a city you have never been to can allow you to walk
clearly through a city’s streets, head up, looking for images rather than stopping to read directions.

Bag selection for travelling may seem trivial, but it can reduce your likelihood of being a victim of theft. Choose backpacks that blend in with a backpack you’d use at home. I spot Canon & Nikon backpacks all over the world, and just recently spotted a traveler with a backpack that had the embroidered text “MacBook Inside” on it, with an Apple logo. Using bags that stand out can make someone an instant target, especially if the bag has easy access to the main compartments.

For those who travel with cameras or laptops should explore laptops with ‘rear-hatch’ access to either cameras or computers. Camera backpacks such as the Mountainsmith Parallax and ‘general purpose’ backpacks like 5.11 Tactical’s Rush 24 backpack offer excellent security for your valuable items on the road.

Backpack zippers are extremely important as well, as you need bags with two zippers you can link together and lock with a small combination lock. I suggest combination locks as overall they offer more security than a key-lock. It is easy to lose a key; it is hard to forget your 3-digit combination (almost all locks allow users to select their own
combination).

On the road keeping your documents secure is vital. You cannot afford to lose you passport and you should always have ‘emergency money’ with you for a worst-case scenario. To ensure my Passport, wallet and other items are safe I like to travel with secure clothing that blends in.

While I am a photographer, I avoid wearing a tan photo vest, while I work on my feet and in some odd situations I have avoided owning any tan/green nylon travel pants. I never wear shirts that read “I Love New York,” “Disney World,” “I left my heart in San Francisco,” “London Is For Lovers” (real shirt, no idea who came up with that awful slogan for London), etc etc etc.

The clothing I choose to wear blends into everyday street wear all around the world, while offering me hidden internal pockets, interior pockets and pockets generally inaccessible to pickpockets. Companies such as Columbia Sportswear make fantastic travel pants and I have been wearing shirts by 5.11 Tactical for years, recently beginning to wear 5.11 Tactical pants . Wearing clothing that is comfortable is acceptable for business and pleasure travel and offers personal security is vital in many in high-density tourist spots in some less than ideal cities around the world.

For more information on travelling around the corner or around the world visit Flying With Fish at  www.flyingwithfish.com

For travel tips and information 140 characters at a time, follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/flyingwithfish

Happy Flying!

Steven Frischling
Founder
The Travel Strategist & Flying With Fish
Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com
Blog: www.flyingwithfish.com
Twit: twitter.com/flyingwithfish

Green Travel Tips

With travel figures rising on daily basis we ought to understand the importance of human contribution towards earth’s natural and cultural treasures.

Taking a green and responsible approach to travel is an easy and essential way to protect the places you love to visit, not just for yourself but for the travelers who come after you and for the people who will continue to live there long after you’ve flown home.

Fly Green

Airplanes are the major culprits and biggest contributors to the carbon emission equation, so in a perfect world we should try to reduce the usage. But we can’t always avoid flying, can we?

So when you do fly, consider the following-

• Bring your own stuff rather than using the disposable stuff offered by airlines.

• Always offset you travel. Buy a carbon offset. This is the easiest and most convenient way to reduce the impact of carbon emission on nature.

Choose a Green Hotel

Now that you have off-set your air travel and reached your destination the next step is to find a “Green Hotel”.

Search for an Eco Hotel or green hotels in the region. Make sure that you have done the ground work and checked about the hotel and its amenities before booking. Some questions that you can ask is:

• Who runs the hotel? Is it locally owned or not? Go for hotel that is locally owned and operated, thereby contributing more to the local economy and development.

• Do they have any kind of recycling procedure in place? Many hotels will mention this on their website if it is a priority for them, e.g. the Marriott Spirit to Preserve.

• How do they contribute towards the energy consumption? Or even easier just ask how they contribute towards “Green Travel.”

Most of the hotels are aware of this terminology and more often than not will welcome your questions.

Rio de Janeiro

Samba, Sun, Sand, Soccer (football) = Sensational South American Destination. What are we talking about Rio de Janeiro of course!

Pop quiz: What is the capital city of Brazil?

Brasilia, not Rio de Janeiro. But don’t feel bad if you got this wrong because Rio de Janeiro was the capital until 1960!

Must see attractions

• Ipanema Beach – Gorgeous beach located between Leblon and Arpoador

• Cristo Redentor – an icon of Rio de Janeiro, it is 120 feet tall from the pedestal.

• Lapa – it is famous for its Arcos da Lapa an aqueduct built in the middle of the 18th century to bring fresh water from Carioca river.

• Pão de Açúcar – also known as Sugar Loaf Mountain it is 1299 feet above sea level.

• Maracanã  - this football stadium was built for when Brazil hosted the 1950 FIFA World Cup.

 

Soccer/Football

Over in Brazil, soccer is a religion and a visit to Maracanã is a must see. Catch the latest matches played by rival teams Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense, Botafogo

 

Essential Football Phrases

Uma cerveja – A beer

Desculpe, onde fica o estádio? – Excuse me, where is the stadium

Este é o meu lugar – That’s my seat

Que golo! – What a goal!

Que jogo – What a game!

Local Tips!

Looking for an excellent market full of alternative trinkets be sure to visit Praça General Osório in Ipanema every Sunday.

I have been advised by a local that it important to haggle whenever possible. Especially if you are buying a drink on the beach. Make sure that you ask how much before you buy. As a rough guideline I have been told that you should not pay more than R$3.00 for a beer, no more than R$6.00 for a Caipirinha, though apparently if you play your cards right you can get one for R$3.00! Or so I am told.

Basic Portuguese

Sim – Yes

Não – No

Muito prazer em conhecer – Pleased to meet you

Olá – Hello

Adeus – Good bye

Orbrigado (male) Obrigada (female) – Thank you.

O meu nome é – My name is

Fala inglês? – Do you speak english?

Desculpe, não falo português – I’m sorry, I don’t speak Portugese

Preciso de ajuda – I need help.

Onde é o lavabo, faz favor? – Where is the toilet please?

How to get there

Lowest travel deals to Rio on Tam Linhas Aereas starting at $230 each way!

Save even more by using coupon code ‘TAM20′ to save $20 off your flight to Brazil

London on a budget in the summer!

*BREAKING NEWS* A study has revealed that airfares to London have dropped by 20% in comparison last year for travel during Memorial Day!

London is the capital city of England located along the River Thames in south eastern England. It a fascinating modern city filled with old-fashioned charm.

London is considered to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. So just imagine the high prices in the summer? Not to worry here are some tips to travel to London on a budget in the summer!

Your biggest expense is going to be your accommodation in London. It is notorious for small rooms at big prices!

General tips that apply to getting cheap hotel rates in London.

Book Early! Now is the time to book your hotel room. We are 2-3 months away from the peak travel season. Many hotels are now offering great early bird hotel deals.

Do your homework! Rates are always going to be cheaper mid week in comparison to the weekends even in the summer!

London Attractions

Many of the major London attractions offer discounts when you purchase tickets online. If you book tickets to the Tower of London online you get a £1 off. The ever so popular London Eye also offers a discount of 10% if you book your tickets online. These discounts may not seem like a lot but when you convert that into USD at various attractions it adds up to a lot

Tip: Aim to go on the London Eye just before sunset for a spectacular view of London.

Free Attractions!

London, fortunately offers an abundance of free attractions.

Art Galleries are such as the Tate Modern, National Gallery,

Museums are also free British Museum, V&A, and Natural History Museum

Royal Parks are beautiful and free. St James Park has a superb view of Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, has the Diana Memorial Fountain and the Peter Pan statue.

Westminster Abbey. Worshippers are able to enter for free. The service that I would recommend would be the Evensong. It is where the Abbey Choir sings. It is on Monday, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 5pm. There is also a 3pm service on the weekend.

South Bank – My favourite place in London. The walk down the River Thames offers you some of the best views of great London landmarks such as Big Ben and the London Eye. Keep a look out for the Dali’s surreal statues.

Trafalgar Square – Provides you with a great photo opportunity of the Big Ben and is right near the National Gallery.

Changing of the Guard – No visit to London is complete without seeing this traditional ceremony. This happens at 11.30 each day in the summer. Just make sure that you get in early so that you get a good spot!

Wimbledon on a budget.

There are ground passes available on the day of play. Be prepared to line up for tickets, but it is definitely worth it. Just remember that they only accept CASH. 6000 are available daily.

Price ranges from £20 (Week 1 of play before 5pm) it does go down as the tournament continues as the number of matches played on the outside court decreases.

Centre court tickets to Wimbledon for only £5!

Yes, you read that correctly and it is possible!

There is a little known fact that there are Ticket Resale Kiosks. So once you are inside the grounds you are able to get tickets to centre court through this scheme.

People that no longer want their tickets or have to leave unexpectedly put their unwanted tickets back for sale. The money raised from the sale of these tickets goes to local charities. I was able to score centre court tickets to the Mixed Doubles Final and Men’s Double Final for £5!

Shopping in London

There are plenty of shopping opportunities in London. Department stores line Oxford Street and Regent Street. Into labels then head to Bond Street and along the Burlington Arcade. Harrods and the boutiques of Knightsbridge are surely a must see, even if it just for a browse. For antiques and curiosities, visit Camden and Portobello Market, or Chelsea’s Kings Road.

Tip: Brick Lane Markets offers everything you heart could desire for a budget! It is particularly well known for strange but charming items! It is located at the northern end of Brick Lane and along Cheshire Street in East London. It operates every Sunday from around 4am to 2pm.

Local Lingo

Bollocks – expression of disbelief, or regret
Fancy – to desire someone or something
Loo – Toilet
Bevvy – Alcoholic drink
Biscuit – cookie, quite different to the American version.
Chips – French Fries
Crisps – Potato Chips
Cuppa – A cup of tea
Nosh – food
Scone – pron. “sk-awn,” not “sk-own” biscuit.
High-street – Main road or main street through somewhere
Alight – disembark
Bob’s your uncle – there you have it
Concessions – discounts
Knackered – very tired
Porkies – lies
Queue – pronounced “cue” a line of people

Getting to London

For the latest airfares to London check out CheapOair Europe Deals.

Tip: Do not forget to use the Coupon Code: ‘FLIGHTS10′ to receive $10 off your flight.

Cheap Guide to Sydney, Australia

Sydney offers you a range of experiences such as sun, surf and beaches, Aboriginal culture, nature, great nightlife, delectable food and wine and more! Sydney, is a cosmopolitan city with approximately 4.3 million residents. It is ranked as the 15th most expensive city in the world- higher than New York City which comes in at number 22! Incredible.

So below are some tips on how to save some money while visiting the land down under but without missing out on the amazing things that Sydney has to offer!

Top FREE things to do in Sydney.

• Walk over the Sydney Harbour Bridge – you can take a walk from Circular Quay over to Milsons Point. There is plenty to do on the other side of the bridge with especially at the local historical theme park Luna Park Sydney. Entry is free so it is definitely worth a visit.

• Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens – take a walk through the 30 hectare parklands for a beautiful view of the harbour. Don’t forget to visit Mrs. Macquarie’s point for a beautiful photo opportunity of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.  Local tip: Located at Mrs. Macquarie’s Point is Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. It is said that if you sit in the chair (not really a chair but exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench) and you a make a wish it will come true!

• Explore the NSW Art Gallery – Free entry to one of the most extensive Australian, Aboriginal, Asian and European fine art. Don’t forget the free tour at 11am, 1pm and 2pm each day except Mondays.

• Do the Bondi to Bronte Walk – The walk begins at the southern end of the world famous Bondi Beach, near the Bondi Icebergs swimming pool and ends at Bronte Beach. The walk is 1.6 miles. It is a beautiful walk, with the Pacific Ocean providing a stunning background. Local tip: One of the best times to do this walk is in November during Sculpture by the Sea exhibition! Just don’t forget the sunscreen.

Local Lingo

• Amber fluid: beer
• Beaut, beauty: great, fantastic
• Brekkie: breakfast
• Cozzie: swimming costume
• Fair dinkum: true, genuine
• Footy: Football – including Australian Rules, Rugby League, Rugby Union and Soccer
• G’Day: hello!
• Maccas: McDonald’s
• Roo: kangaroo
• Thongs: flip flops
• Walkabout: wander off

Cheap Tips!

Save up to 20% on top Sydney Attractions by having a look at What’s On in Sydney Guide!

CheapOair is currently offering cheap flights to Sydney with fares from LAX starting at $385 plus taxes.

Signs to Recognize a Bad Travel Agent

As many of us believe that most travel agents are well-trained, competent professionals who work hard for you. But there are exceptions to every rule. Take Kathleen Rossano of East Brunswick, New Jersey, who was recently sentenced to a 10-year prison term for stealing more than $75,000 from her travel agency. Prosecutors had charged her with offering luxury vacations to her friends, taking cash payments, billing the expenses to her agency’s credit card and then pocketing the money. It was the fourth time she’d been convicted of taking money from former employers.

While the odds of running across another Rossano are remote, they still exist. The Federal Trade Commission recorded 14,903 complaints in the travel and timeshare category in 2007 — nearly twice as many as a year before.

How can you tell if your agent is trouble? Here are a nine signs:

1. Demands you pay in cash: Reputable agencies accept credit cards, and you would be well advised to use plastic when you make a travel purchase. Why? Because the card protects you if something goes wrong — say, your airline goes bankrupt or your hotel burns to the ground. Or even if your agent runs off with the money without paying for your trip.

“I’ve never heard of legitimate travel agent only accepting cash,” says Stacy Small, president of Brentwood, Calif.-based Elite Travel International. “This would immediately set off a red flag.” That is not to say you should never consider a wire transfer, she adds. Some overseas travel companies offer a 3 percent to 4 percent discount for cash purchases, but even then, Small recommends using a credit card.

2. Acts funny when you bring up commissions: Travel agents make money in two ways: by charging a booking fee or by taking a commission from a travel company. If you ask about an agent’s compensation, a travel adviser who is on the up-and-up should be willing to openly discuss bonuses, so-called “overrides” and other forms of commission.

Responses such as “What I am making is none of your business” are a sign of trouble. In fact, it may mean the agent is trying to sell you a vacation that is not in your best interests.

3. Has no certifications: Although there is no accrediting agency for American agents that’s comparable to, say, a bar association, there are groups that suggest your travel professional means business. Having an International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN) card is a sign your agent is for real. Other organizations that may signal a seriousness of purpose include membership in the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) or a certificate from The Travel Institute, which accredits agents based on their expertise.

4. Adds a booking fee to your bill after you have decided to buy a vacation: An agent on the up-and-up will disclose all fees, surcharges and extras before you make a booking decision — not afterward. Agents who tell you, “Oh, by the way — there’s a $50 booking fee” are being less than upfront with you. And who knows what else they’re not telling you?

“It’s important to have everything in writing, so there is a paper trail to follow, and being upfront always,” says Cindy Harris, an agent with Travel ‘N Dive Adventures, which specializes in diving, snorkeling and fishing destinations. Harris says a good agent treats clients like friends — “with courtesy, honesty and respect.”

5. Does not know a thing about where you are going: If your travel adviser has never heard of the destination you’d like to visit, that may not be a good sign. If it is a well-known place (”Orlando? Where’s that?), you might want to slowly back away toward the exit. “The most important quality in a good agent is destination knowledge, and the ability to match the perfect vacation with each and every client,” says Chet McDoniel, owner of off to Neverland Travel.

6. Has a Better Business Bureau rap sheet: Check out the Better Business Bureau site to see if your travel agency is listed. If it is, the BBB will give it a letter grade. “When we evaluate a company we look at their complaint record — including the number of complaints, severity of complaints and whether or not the company tried to respond to the complaint — as well as licensing and government action,” says Alison Preszler-Southwick, a spokeswoman for Council of Better Business Bureaus. What if it isn’t on the site? It might be listed under another name (try a search by address) or you might be looking in the wrong region. The BBB has 4 million reliability reports on North American businesses in its database, so if your agency has been in business for a while, there’s probably a record.

7. Is impossible to reach: If your travel agent disappears after making a sale, that is not a good sign. “A travel agent should be able to be contacted,” says Marcy Lannon, a manager for Meridian Travel in Dania Beach, Florida. “That does not mean that they have to be on call 24/7, but I think that it does mean you should be able to contact them during their business hours and you should expect replies in a timely manner.”

8. Does not listen: A competent agent takes the time to listen to what you want, and then makes recommendations based on your needs. In fact, good travel agents do not consider themselves agents at all, but “specialists in a destination or travel type,” says John Peters, the chief executive of Tripology.com, a network of 9,000 travel agents. “They can get you information that can’t be found on the Web. They listen more than they speak and then wow you with the perfect trip.”

9. Other warning signs: Here are a few other things you do not want to hear your travel agent say: “I became a part-time travel agent because I love taking free trips.” (”Many people wake up in the morning and say ‘I love to travel … think I’ll be a travel agent’,” says veteran cruise agent and blogger Sharon Emerson.)

Another potential sign of trouble: “I bought my agency certification online for only a few hundred bucks — and you can too!” Those so-called “card mills” are problematic. But that is a topic for another column.

And finally, “No need to read the insurance policy, it will cover you.” The commissions on travel insurance policies are exceptionally generous, and a bad agent will try to push a policy that may not fully cover your trip.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. But if you are curious about your agent, it is a good start.

Tips for Memorable Family Vacation

Family Vacation

Family Vacation is the time when you get time to enjoy and hang around with your partner and kids. But making most out of it needs a careful planning. So, check out some of the useful tips which will help you plan your family vacation better.

Plan ahead: Plan in advance to grab the best deals on airline seats, hotels and available room categories.

Determine what your family needs: Booking best accommodation plays a vital role while you are out on vacation. Which resort is best for your family depends on the age of your kids and the interests of every member of the family. Start your planning by jotting down your family’s needs and desires.

Strike a balance: Once you know what your family needs, search for a vacation spot that has a little of something for everyone. “A lot of time parents think they have to sacrifice their two weeks vacation a year and give totally to the kids,” says Black. Not so. Plenty of resorts offer amenities for big kids as well as little ones.

Choose destinations with many options: As fabulous as the giant slide might be, your kids might get bored going to the same pool every day. And Mom and Dad might get sick of eating the same fare every night. Consider destinations that offer a variety of options for everyone in the group, says Linda Perry, founder of Peacheadfamilies.com, an L.A.-based parenting site.

Plan in off-peak seasons: If you have preschool-aged children, traveling while older kids are in school can yield lower prices and less crowded vacation destinations. “You can save upward of 50 percent or more,” says Black. Avoid peak family travel times such as Memorial Day to Labor Day, Christmas and spring break.

Consider your child-care needs: “Most places have child-care during the day, but then you have to hire in the evening,” says Perry. Some offer child care and even kids camp activities in the evening, which makes it easier for parents to enjoy some alone time, too.

Tips for Taking Memorable Travel Pictures

Whether you are on a road trip or an around-the-world cruise vacations, one of the joys of travel is to see new places and experience other cultures. While today’s digital cameras’ advanced features make vacation photography easier, here are few tips to transform your memorable moments from mere snapshots to full-fledged photographs.

Themes along the way

Like every good movie; make your shots more interesting by showing some themes in them. Mix ordinary shots – breakfast table scenes, for example – in with the more adventuresome moments. Try to keep people in your photographs. They bring interest and perspective. The beach and palm trees on Petit St. Vincent in the Grenadines are majestic, but if you add the honeymooning couple walking on the sand … now that’s a photograph!

Look for color

To spice up your shots, look for opportunities to shoot in color. Try to take pictures of local festivals, banners, logos, and of course local fruits, flowers, and market days to make your pictures look livelier.
Another way to put some life into your photographs is to have a sense of play and fun. If your travel companions are willing to get in on the fun and pose for amusing scenes, so much the better, try poses that imitate statues or themes around you in silly ways.

Pragmatic tips

Of course photography involves a lot of technical aspects. Practice before you go, particularly with the camera you intend to take. Remember that you will be taking shots in different kinds of light, so experiment with your camera’s lenses, settings, and flash to become familiar with all your options.
Don’t forget to notice the direction and quality of light. Front lighting makes it easier for most basic cameras, but pictures often appear flat. Side lighting highlights three-dimensionality which makes it a good choice for landscapes or objects where you want to show their texture. And backlighting is very dramatic, but if you don’t know how to adjust your exposure, you may find that details are lost to shadow.

Keep track of your photography:

Jot down the shots you’ve taken and their subject to jog your memory when you get home. If using a digital camera, invest in extra memory – it’s worth it to be able to feel free to shoot whatever captures your interest.

And don’t forget to look beyond the lens from time to time and enjoy the trip as well. Travel photographs are wonderful mementos – but they need the experience to go along with them!

CheapOair.com Launching Travel Tips to Help Visitors Find and Save on Travel Deals

CheapOair.com is about to unveil “CheapOair Tip” icons throughout their travel website. The icons are designed to highlight special deals and ways web visitors can save even more on their travel needs. CheapOair receives and publishes thousands of deals a month on everything from airfare to theater tickets. The icons will point visitors to deals that are more exceptional than the usual 65% off air, 40% of hotels and 35% off both car rentals and destination excursions. Due to partnerships with hundreds of air carriers and thousands of hotels, CheapOair often receives exclusive deals that can’t be found on any other travel site. It is important to highlight these deals so that visitors to the site can easily take advantage of them.

Additionally, CheapOair uses technology to guide users to better ways to search for deals. As an example, all flight searches automatically prompt the user to select “alternate nearby airports and dates” and will highlight discounts based on a traveler’s flexibility. Hotel searches can be sorted by price or star rating and will display in a grid format making it easy for visitors to shop and compare. All of these will result in even deeper travel discounts than the already exceptional CheapOair.com deals.

Students can Save with Discount Airfare Deals

Student Travel

Traveling as a student is one of the most wonderful opportunities to discover the world around us. While searching online, you will find various travel sites that provide discount student fares, but with so many confusing choices, it’s more difficult to choose the right deal. But with little planning and foresight students can easily snag the best bargain airfares.

Flexibility is key for getting great discounts. The most important thing that you should remember is that you should be really careful in choosing your travel dates. There are some popular sites like Orbitz, Hotwire, Cheapoair and Priceline that offer great discounts for a specific duration. If you come across such deals you should book them right away. In fact, these sites also offer special deals and student travel offers from time to time.

However, what’s more important part of student travel is being aware of restrictions and terms of offers that comply with the discount student offers. You are qualified to travel as a student, if you are 12 to 26 years of age and you should have an valid identity proof in form of a student ID card that you must carry with you at all times.

For any student, airfare is one of the biggest expenses on a trip. Choosing to visit a location when the tourist season is waning can be a great way to score a reasonable airfare. Another aspect of student travel is that while traveling abroad, you must make yourself familiar with the place you are going to. Keeping these simple tips and suggestions in mind will always help you in getting the right deal!

Enjoy $10 Student Discount on all Flights with CheapOair

Coupon Code: STD10DEC31208
Valid through: Dec 31, 2008

Book Now!

Be More Productive on Your Next Business Trip– Hotel Tips for Business Travelers

Hotel Booking for Business Travel

Ever get to a hotel only to learn that they don’t have an internet connection? (When was the last time you used dial-up?). Or need to run off a few last minute copies of your presentation only to find there is not a copy machine in sight? This is a know-before-you-guide to making sure you have everything you need for a successful business trip.

First mistake, don’t assume that higher priced hotels have better business services. The truth is it is actually the budget brands that cater to the business traveler. From self-service business centers to complimentary wireless internet, they are more often better equipped to accommodate the road warrior. Many, including Hampton Inn, Garden Inn, La Quinta and Holiday Inn Express offer complimentary wireless internet.  Be sure to inquire about this service before making a reservation. For hotels that charge for internet, ask them to waive it. In many cases, they will waive this charge in order to confirm your booking. As for business center services, try to locate a Kinko’s or copy center near your hotel. They often have better equipment and will charge you far less.

If you are staying in a hotel that has concierge services, use them! When you plan on entertaining clients or need to purchase a special gift, the concierge is trained to have the inside track on the best places to go – even difficult to come by event tickets. They are also an excellent resource for everything from directions to secretarial services or even that very well earned massage after a long day.

Finding a Clean Hotel Room

A Clean Hotel Room

While traveling a hotel room is considered to be your second home with some exceptions – strangers might have slept there, and the hotel staff may not be as peculiar about keeping the room clean as you are. You might prefer to stay at a hotel as you get all the comforts and time to relax when someone else is there to do all your work. But, in terms of sanitization, a neatly made bed does not equal a germ-free room.

A recent study conducted by the University of Virginia found that people infected with a cold who spent a night in a hotel room left contagious germs on nearly 35 percent of objects they touched. Are you prepared for a dirty bedspread, a scummy toilet or even a bed bug infestation? It’s highly unlikely that a slightly soiled bathroom floor will put your life in danger, yet an unclean hotel room could affect your health. Here are a few tips that will help you to make sure that you get a clean hotel room on your next trip.

Planning a European trip – Preparation is Essential

European Escapes

Unlike earlier, it’s really essential to plan and prepare your next trip to Europe. The old days of hopping on trains at will, arriving in town, searching for a spot in the hostel and visiting museums on a whim are past.  Europe today, may have places where that is possible, but the hot cities and popular towns are packed, hostels are booked in advance through the Web, trains need reservations, buses are limited and some of the best museums require advanced booking. Here are a few basics that you need to keep in mind while planning your next trip to Europe:

Learn to tell time
Learn to tell time and have a clear concept of what time is actually 20:15. People who don’t know this difference can actually miss a train, bus or their watching their favorite show.

Have a plan
Instead of planning your daily schedule in the morning, it’s better to plan your trip way in advance.

Taking the train? You might need a reservation

Even with a Eurailpass, every train is not available for jumping on and off at will. The superfast trains in Germany, France, Spain and Italy need reservations. Many night trains also need reservations.

Plan ahead if you’re taking the bus

In Europe, buses are luxurious with video entertainment systems and TVs and refreshments. And they are crowded. Make sure to make reservations at least a day in advance to get on the bus you want.

Warning: ferries fill up fast

Where the land ends and the water starts transport shifts to ferries. These must be booked at least a week ahead of time to insure space.

And so do the top museums

Most of the top museums including Michelangelo’s David, the Uffizi, Villa Borghese, the Alhambra that now require advance reservations.

Hostels: reservations required

Today the hostel reservation system has met the Internet. Now it is the traveler that plans ahead and makes an early reservation that gets the best hostel spaces. The popular cities like Venice, Nice, Barcelona, Stockholm and Copenhagen get booked up weeks in advance.

Read on for more details…