Tech Tools For Staying In Touch When Traveling Abroad
January 26, 2012 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
It’s hard to be apart from loved ones when you’re away for any length of time, but when you’re traveling for business, it’s 
also essential to keep in touch with your colleagues and clients — being in a foreign country isn’t an excuse for not staying in touch anymore.
Even in recent years, your only options were either buying international phone cards and relying on land lines and pay phones to check in every so often. But the more technology advances, the easier it is to stay in touch.
If your cell phone has a SIM card, you can purchase an international calling plan and swap out your domestic SIM card for an international one, which will enable you to make calls normally from your cell phone. If your cell service provider offers good international plans, this can be a great option. The same goes for texting and data plans.
Better still: Many devices, including iPads and smart phones like iPhones and Androids, have certain apps that operate best over a wifi connection. If you can get yourself to an area that has a good wireless signal and connect to that, you’ll be able to use many of the services you’re used to — including e-mail — with almost no changes and at minimal cost.
That note on wifi brings up a great option for international calling and meeting: Skype.
Skype operates on smart phones, tablets and computers, so you have a lot of access options. What’s more, you can make both voice calls and do video chats through Skype, so you can even go face-to-face with family, friends and colleagues if need be, without ever incurring international calling rates.
One last option if you’re traveling light: Internet cafes. These are everywhere throughout Europe and all over the world. For a small fee, you can connect to the Internet briefly — while enjoying a cup of coffee or a snack — and check up on your e-mail, Facebook, Twitter accounts without worrying about whether your own technology is compatible with what’s available abroad. For the cost of a SIM card and your phone calls, you may even be able to cover your communications with nothing but Internet cafes.
How to Have Safe Travels Overseas
January 24, 2012 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
We asked a few people around the Travelpro office about their top tips for safety while traveling overseas. Many of our people travel frequently for business, and our own Scott Applebee used to take extended business trips to Italy when he was in another position, so we have many voices of experience to give us some tips.
When you’re traveling to any foreign country, safety is serious business — even if you’re one of those business travelers who’s at the airport twice a week and bounces around the country on a regular basis. As soon as you hop the pond, as Dorothy said, you’re not in Kansas anymore. So here are our top five tips for staying safe while you’re abroad:
Image via Wikipedia
- Be smart about your money. If you use an ATM and are dealing with unfamiliar currency, head to the bathroom when you leave the kiosk and sort out your bills privately.
- Don’t take rides with strangers. When you leave the airport, don’t just hop into any car with a guy who says he can take you downtown. (This may sound obvious, but being in a new place can be disorienting!) Take a taxi from an airport-sanctioned taxi stand, an official hotel shuttle or some other legitimate form of transportation. And arrive during the day, if possible, just for extra safety.
- Keep your wits about you. It’s easy to get lost when you’re in another country, especially in old, grid less cities like Paris (again, speaking from staff experience). But resist the temptation to pull out a huge map and gawk at street signs. Looking like a tourist is just asking for trouble.
- Inform someone back home. Make sure at least one person knows where you plan to be, for the most part. They should have all your flight information, where your hotel is, the names of anyone you’re traveling with and any side trips or big stops you’re planning. They should also have copies of all your important documents, including your passport, and access to your credit card providers’ phone numbers and your account numbers (so you can call them if your cards are ever stolen).
- Be multilingual. If you’ve traveling to a country whose population primarily speaks a different language, make an effort to learn at least a few important phrases that you can use if you need help — or just want to seem in the know. Having some understanding of the local language and culture will automatically boost your chances of safety and success on your trip.
Related articles
- Travel Tips for the First 40 Minutes In Country (travelproluggageblog.com)
- India Travel Tips: Managing your money in India (mahindrahomestays.com)
- How a Credit Card Can Save Money on International Travel (savings.com)
- The BIG tips for overseas travel! (melsmind.wordpress.com)
Travel Tips for the First 40 Minutes In Country
December 29, 2011 by Karen Amin · 1 Comment
Our friend and travel-writing hero, Mark Eveleigh, has been doling out some pretty great travel advice on a number of different blogs, and his latest one — The First 40 Minutes on RoundTheWorldFlights.com — really caught our eye.
In it, Eveleigh details some of the different traps and pitfalls that international travelers, especially backpackers, can fall into if they’re not careful.
We found a few of our favorite tips, and think they’re especially important, whether you’re an adventure traveler on a backpacking trip around the Far East, or a business traveler landing in Mexico City, or even Chicago.
1) Don’t arrive late at night when security is lax, taxis are expensive, and you’re too sleepy to be fully alert. This is true whether you’re landing in London or touching down in Thailand. You need to be alert, even if it’s just to make sure you get the right airport shuttle, and don’t inadvertently leave something behind.
2) Know in advance what the exchange rate is, and if possible, try to arrive with enough local currency to get you through the first night. We’ve talked before about how credit cards are going to be your best bet to finding the best exchange rate. But also, the worst places to exchange money are right there in the airport — exchange rates are not in your favor in most places, but especially in the place where people are in a rush to change their money. Find a bank away from the airport to make exchanges the next day.
5) If there’s a domestic terminal in the same airport, head there and take a (often cheaper) taxi from the same stand where you see locals waiting. Some taxi services see international travelers as a way to make a little extra cash, especially if you show up wearing a suit, but that doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to it. Walk over to the domestic terminal, step outside there, and catch your cab on that end. The prices may be a little cheaper, and you are less likely to be taken advantage of. And, be sure to take only an official taxi, don’t get a ride with someone who says they’re “just as good.”
7) Don’t let yourself be rushed into anything — it can be a benefit in a particularly hassled airport simply to grab a seat at a cafe and ‘people-watch’ for half an hour. We know from personal experience that it’s easy to get caught up in the stampede of people all rushing to get off the plane, get out of the airport, and get to your destination. If you’re in a brand new country and a brand new culture, don’t get caught up in the rush and miss something important. Take a few minutes, sit down, relax, and soak up some of the atmosphere. Get an idea of what’s going on, plan out your next step (probably the hotel), and then move to the taxi stand or shuttle station at your own pace.
Going to a new country can be frightening for some people. But if you plan in advance, move at your own pace, and — this is especially important — look like you know what you’re doing, you can get to where you need to be without any hassle or problems.
Related articles
- 40 minutes (leggotunglei808.wordpress.com)
- Banks offer ‘worst’ exchange rates for your holiday money (telegraph.co.uk)
- Taxi Scam 101 (winadventures.wordpress.com)
Why Do Airlines Pad Their Flight Times?
December 20, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
Have you ever wondered why it takes so long to get anywhere when flying these days? And have you been curious whether airlines are just trying to make themselves look better with more “on-time” flights by padding their schedules? It can be pretty easy to take a cynical stance on padded flight times and more time-consuming travel, especially with all the other hoops to jump through when traveling by air. But maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to assume airlines are padding their flight times without legitimate cause.
The general consensus among many experts seems to be that airlines actually pad flight times for no reason other than to plan for the worst-case scenario. So many variables come into play when it comes to air travel: congested airports, air-traffic control delays, unpredictable inclement weather, unfavorable headwinds, crucial last-minute maintenance tasks, and much more.
Today’s more heavily congested airports can up the wait time for flights. With the oft-crowded airports of today, it often takes travelers a long time to make it through security and to one gate from another. Consider, too, that travelers have different levels of experience navigating their way through airports, which can also add to necessary travel time.
Also think of how the huge number of planes arriving and departing influence travel time. It makes a lot of sense — the greater the number of planes heading into the air, the more time it will take for air-traffic control to organize the incoming and outgoing flights. On the runways, it’s the same principle as rush hour vs. off-peak times on your local roads: high-volume traffic can create bottlenecks and logjams that leave people waiting and waiting.
Bad weather and headwinds also contribute to padding of flight times. As soon as thunderstorms, fog, snow, or other bad weather situations enter the equation, flights times can become very uncertain. Unfavorable headwinds, too, can slow down planes significantly.
Flight times are also padded to allow for any necessary maintenance work.
Airlines tend to pad their flight times a bit to help compensate for any of these uncertainties, which can actually be a great thing for travelers. There’s a bit of a built-in buffer to help customers arrive in time to make connecting flights or to touch down on time at their final destination.
So that’s that: With the skies heavily saturated with air travel and abounding unknowns thrown into the mix, it simply takes longer now to get from Point A to Point B. And just think — without those padded flight times, it’d be far more common to find yourself at the airport in a crowd of disgruntled travelers who expected to arrive at their destination much, much sooner. So maybe they’re not such a bad thing after all.
Related articles
What to Pack When It’s Winter at Home, But Summer Where You’re Going
December 13, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
As if packing for a big trip isn’t enough of a challenge already, sometimes you need to use some strategic planning to figure out what to tote along when it’s cold where you are, but your final destination is balmy and sunny.
The temptation is to take a big coat, and maybe a couple of sweaters. But you’ll find once you’re down there that you’ll never need it, and you never needed to pack that stuff to begin with. So what steps do you need to take to make sure you pack smart for where you’re going, not where you’ve left? You may be able to get by with one or two pieces of Travelpro luggage depending on the duration of your trip. Travelpro Rollaboards can expand 2 ½”. This allows you to expand the luggage, instead of taking additional luggage. This saves you the cost of checking an extra bag.
Leave bulky stuff at home.
It may be sub-zero in your departure city, but that doesn’t mean you have to drag your heavy parka to sunny locales like Jamaica or Florida. Unless you’re flying out from the frozen tundra, you’ll likely be able to get by just fine in the short times you’re outdoors in the cold with a jacket or sweater. And though you may be uncomfortable for a few minutes between the house and the heated car or the heated car and the airport, it’s worth leaving a heavy coat behind to save precious luggage space and hassle when you touch down in a tropical climate.
Pack a variety of light, thin garments for layering.
You’ll want to be warm enough in your departure city, and airport and airplane temperatures can be incredibly unpredictable, so be sure you’ve got several layers to keep your parka-free self from freezing until you make it to your sunny destination. Think layered T-shirts, cardigans, and jackets paired with comfortable bottoms. You can always shed the excess layers as you get closer to your destination. Men can change into more lightweight clothing during layovers, and women can even wear thermal tights or leggings under a dress, then remove them when they touch down.
Check the weather.
Be sure to study the forecast for the area you plan to visit. Pay special attention to both projected daytime temperatures and nighttime temperatures. After all, it can be shorts-and-T-shirt weather all day, then drop to jeans-and-jacket weather once night falls. A-ha! This is where your thin layers will come in handy. Also be sure to research whether you need to be prepared for rain. Temperatures in even the warmest of cities can quickly drop when storms blow through.
Related articles
- TravelPro Sweepstakes (dickstersrandomthoughts.com)
- Some tips about Again Packing (tfollowers.com)
- Sample Packing List and Tips (maximizetravel.wordpress.com)
Holiday Sale at the Travelpro Luggage Outlet
November 28, 2011 by Karen Amin · 1 Comment
Travelpro is offering a sale on some of their popular carry-on and wheeled luggage lines at the Travelpro luggage outlet, including the Atlantic Odyssey Spinners, Maxlite expandable Rollaboards and rolling duffels, and from our most popular collection, the Crew 7 Rollaboards, rolling duffels, and garment bags.
We’re even offering free shipping on orders of $100 or more.
If you’re looking to save on some luggage or travel items for the frequent travelers in your life (or just getting ready for a family vacation), check out the Travelpro Luggage Outlet for our latest holiday sale.
Four Ways to Keep the TSA From Ruining Your Holidays
November 22, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
The TSA is not known for its Christmas spirit, which can make everyone else a real Scrooge when it comes to holiday travel plans. It’s to be expected: there are certain travel rules everyone has to follow, and safety doesn’t take a holiday.
So if you want to avoid having your holiday gift giving ruined by some overzealous agents who think your fruitcake constitutes a security issue, try remembering these holiday travel rules:
1. No Snow Globes Allowed
Image by russteaches via Flickr
In an article on Condé Nast’s Daily Traveler, writer Molly Fergusreminds us that your liquid limit is 3.5 ounces, which is less than the volume of most snow globes. Which means you’re not going to be allowed to take your snow globe gifts along with you. Your best bet is to pack it securely and safely, and ship it ahead to your final destination.
2. Ship your gifts ahead of time.
Just because a gift is nicely wrapped doesn’t mean the TSA won’t tear into it to make sure it’s safe. If you have to carry a gift with you, leave it unwrapped and wrap it when you get to your final destination. Pack some wrapping paper inside the box (pre-cut, of course, since you can’t take scissors on the flight), and wrap it. Or just buy the wrapping paper or a gift bag once you arrive.
Or, just like everything else we’ve discussed so far, ship it ahead of time. It may seem like an added expense and headache, but if you can save yourself the stress of trying to get everything through security, you may find it was worth the money. Also, compare the cost of shipping ahead to the checked bag fees that most airlines charge. You may be surprised on how small the cost differential actually is.
3. Save room in your luggage for the return trip.
If you didn’t have a full suitcase heading out, you will when you’re coming back. Be sure to leave some empty space in your suitcase to pack the gifts you’ll be bringing back with you. This is especially true if you’re worried about having an overweight suitcase. Only pack the bare necessities, because you don’t want to get hit with overweight baggage fees coming back. And ship back any gifts that you can’t take through security.
Holiday travel is stressful enough. There’s no need to add to the hassle, especially as you’re trying to get through security. Leave stuff at home or ship it ahead, but avoid packing the things that are going to make the TSA confiscate them. You’ll have a merrier time if you don’t have to worry about it.
Related articles
- As Thanksgiving travel looms, complaints against TSA drop, study finds (nj.com)
- The TSA Announced They Might Unwrap Your Christmas Presents (thenewx1023.radio.com)
- Hassle Free Holiday Travel (allinclusiveguide.wordpress.com)
- TSA Tips for Safe Holiday Travel (abcnews.go.com)
- That’s a Wrap: Some Alternatives to Traditional Gift-Wrapping (getrichslowly.org)
How To Ease Travel Sickness
November 15, 2011 by Karen Amin · 1 Comment
It’s easy to deplete your body’s natural defenses when traveling. Who among us hasn’t foregone sleep, skipped exercise or strayed from a balanced diet when on the road.
And the all-too-common result from these lapses? Our old friend, travel sickness.
But, fear not. The road doesn’t have to lead to the sick bay. With a few common sense precautions, you can avoid the inconvenience and unpleasantness of out-of-town illness.
Keep Your Hands Clean: Wash your hands often. And not only before eating, but after you’ve touched common items which are breeding grounds for germs and viruses.
Stay Hydrated: You not only expend more energy (which is dehydrating) when traveling, the airline’s pressurized cabins dry you out. Therefore, it’s critical that you drink enough water (bottled) to replace the fluids your body is losing. Also, go easy on both alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
Get Enough Rest: Don’t ignore you body’s need to replenish itself with sleep. This can be difficult early in your trip due to jet lag. Adapt to the local schedule immediately by eating meals and going to bed at the appropriate times.
Eat Properly: With the number of calories you burn while traveling, it’s important to get enough nutrients. But, be selective about what you consume, especially when traveling overseas. Though the food you eat abroad isn’t necessarily unsafe, your body isn’t accustomed to it. This gastric unfamiliarity combined with the use of natural fertilizers abroad can lead to digestive difficulties.
To minimize your risk of contracting any food-borne illnesses, be sure to:
- Drink only bottled water, and avoid ice, unpasteurized milk, cheese and yogurt.
- Don’t eat raw or unpeeled foods. The foreign traveler’s rule of thumb is “Cook it, wash it, peel it, or forget it.”
- Only eat condiments that come in sealed packages.
- Order entrees “well done”, and send them back if they’re not served hot.
- Use caution when ordering seafood, and steer clear of clams, mussels and oysters.
If you do become sick while traveling, there are ways to recover quickly:
- Don’t fast. Even if you don’t feel like eating, your body needs nutrients to fight off your illness.
- Eat bland food (such as unseasoned, boiled chicken), and avoid all fried or greasy food and sweet desserts. Soup is also a great way to get nutrition in your body.
- The “BRAT Diet” (banana, rice, apple sauce and toast) is a combination most people can keep down. These foods help absorb stomach acids which eases nausea and vomiting.
- Drink ginger ale, various teas, lemonade or flat Coca Cola (sipping them slowly).
- Rinse your mouth before and after eating.
- Eat in a relaxed, private environment.
- Stay away from your favorite foods to avoid associating them with feeling sick (causing you to not enjoy them again later).
Obviously, if your illness persists, be sure to see a doctor.
If you follow these basic steps, you can ease any travel sickness you pick up while you’re on the road, or even avoid it in the first place.
Related articles
- Coping with travel sickness (telegraph.co.uk)
- BRAT-TY Diet (treslala.wordpress.com)
- Relief from the worries of travel sickness (telegraph.co.uk)
Travel tips for Ireland
November 3, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
This guest post was written by our favorite French expatriate, Julie Duran-Gelleri. Julie has lived in several different countries around Western Europe, so we asked her for some travel tips in some of her previous homes. She currently resides in Ireland, although her travels and life may take her elsewhere in the coming years.
Ireland might be the European country that is closest to the US in terms of culture. Not only do they speak English, but customs and habits won’t feel as foreign as elsewhere in Europe.
Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr
If renting a car, be aware that you have to drive on the left side of the road, as in England. Main roads and motorways are in a very good state, but smaller roads in the countryside will be narrow and bumpy, so drive carefully.
Bring a heavy-duty rain jacket. Ireland’s national color is green for a reason: the landscape is so verdant because it rains a lot, often, sometimes heavily. An umbrella might not be very useful, as the wind, especially on the Atlantic coast, can be very strong.
In restaurants, try Irish salmon or roast lamb, or the traditional Irish stew. Irish breakfast consists of eggs and bacon, baked beans, potato patties and blood sausage. Most B&Bs will also offer continental breakfast: yogurt, cereals, ham and cheese.
You will, of course, visit several pubs during your stay. The Irish are famous for drinking a lot, so if you don’t drink at all that might take a little bit of explaining… If going to the pub with Irish friends, you will be asked “What are you drinking?” and each participant is expected to pay for a round of drinks.
The pub is often the hub of social life. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with a stranger, people are very open and friendly, and love a good story or joke. But if there is live Irish music, absolute silence is in order as a mark of respect to the musicians, especially the singers!
If you run into any kind of trouble, just ask for help. Irish people are deservedly famous for their hospitality. Customer service might be less spectacular than in the States, but share your problem with a member of staff and you will be told “I’ll see what I can do.” Usually your problem will be solved in a matter of minutes.
Ireland is very welcoming to visitors, so don’t worry – “Ah, you’ll be grand!”
Ireland boasts quite a few famous writers: James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats, Bram Stoker, George Bernard Shaw were all native to the Emerald Isle.
You could try Memoir, by John McGahern, and The Field, by J.B. Keane, for a grim naturalistic account of life in rural Ireland in the forties and fifties.
To cheer you up and show you the brighter side of Ireland, read Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes for some brilliant Irish humour.
Related articles
- IRELAND – Part 1 (vacationbyimagination.wordpress.com)
Ways To Reduce Stress When You Travel
October 25, 2011 by Karen Amin · Leave a Comment
After months of stress, strain and endless work days, your vacation has finally arrived! It’s time to say good bye to worry and responsibility, and hello to self indulgence and unaccountability.
Or is it? If you don’t look after those pesky travel details, you could be asking for trouble.
It’s a classic dilemma faced by everyone who plans a trip. You’re taking a vacation to escape scheduling and structure. But “winging it” in an unfamiliar area can be costly, dangerous and – dare we say it – stressful.
Image by Gary Hayes via Flickr
It’s best to combine the two approaches. Determine in advance what you want to see and do, but don’t schedule yourself so fully that you’re exhausted by the end of the trip, or so rigidly that you’re unable to take advantage of the spontaneous opportunities every vacation brings.
When planning your itinerary, focus on the “pace” of your vacation. Create a list of the things you want to do, but don’t assign a specific time and date to each activity. Flexibility is the key to an enjoyable vacation, as is ample time devoted to pure relaxation. In short, plan your trip, but don’t over-plan it.
Another mistake many vacationers make is abandoning any semblance of a healthy lifestyle, which inevitably leads to illness, exhaustion and, yes, stress. When traveling – especially to distant destinations – be sure to:
- Get plenty of exercise and rest prior to your flight, while maintaining a nutritious diet. Plus, make sure you’re well hydrated.
- During travel:
- Drink plenty of water, while avoiding large meals, alcohol and caffeine
- Move around the cabin regularly to promote circulation in both the body and brain
- Wear comfortable clothing
- Sleep, if possible (especially on long international flights where jet lag is a concern)
- Upon arrival:
- Avoid critical decision-making in the first day
- Adapt to the local schedule immediately, eating meals and going to bed at the appropriate times
- Get as much sunlight as you can
- During your stay:
- Eat nutritiously, avoiding unsafe local foods and impure water
- Exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest
- Drink alcohol in moderation
With a little planning and a lot of common sense, a stress-free vacation is yours to enjoy.
Related articles
- 10 Ways to Avoid Vacation Stress (tripbase.com)
- How To Keep Your Vacation Stress-Free (blisstree.com)
