Tag: travel talk

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Ten Travel Tips For Long Flights: Survive The Haul

Long plane flights aren’t fun. But they can be a lot better if you know a few simple tricks. These travel tips for long flights will take you from an air novice to a flying pro.

A passenger that could use some travel tips for long flights.

1. Pack Snacks

Digesting on a plane is harder than on land. With that said, you still make sure you bring plenty of snacks. Being hungry will make the time pass a whole lot slower. Make sure to prioritize high-protein foods like meats or nuts to keep you full the longest!

2. Avoid Caffeine

You should avoid caffeine when you’re flying for a lot of reasons. For starter’s it’ll dehydrate you, which is a big factor in jet lag. Another reason to avoid it is it’ll mess up your sleep. Sleeping is probably the best time-killer when you’re on a plane. If you’re all hopped up you’re not sleeping on the plane or after you get off.

3. Wear Comfortable Clothes

A lot of the tips for long flights on this list contribute to letting you sleep and relax on the plane. Planes are stressful, it’s why it’s so important to try and relax. Comfy clothes will help you do that. You don’t have to wear a sweat-suit, but jeans and a comfy t-shirt will serve you well.

4. Bring Noise-Cancelling Headphones

They’re not as expensive as they used to be. Do yourself a favor and get a pair of headphones that has active noise cancellation. It’ll help to cut the background noise on a plane and help you sleep. Or it’ll help you focus on your other electronic entertainment!

5. Bring Entertainment (Especially Books)

Speaking of entertainment, make sure to bring plenty of it. You’re going to be stuck in one place for a long time, you’ve got to have a plan. Bring a tablet, a Kindle, a game system, or even just your phone. One thing to keep in mind is to bring some non-electric stuff. There’ll be around and hour on either side for take-off and landing where you can’t use your phone!

A wing of a plane.

6. Moisturize

The recirculated air on planes will dry you out fast. It’s important to rehydrate yourself. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. You should also bring chapstick and lotion to keep your lips and skin hydrated!

7. Bring A Pillow And Blanket

There’s a reason they make these in travel size. Plane seats are super uncomfortable for seemingly no reason. If you bring your own pillow and blanket you’ll always be able to get comfy wherever you are.

8. Charge Your Devices

Always make sure to charge your devices before you get on the plane. You never know if the plane will have any sort of charging port. Better yet, charge your devices and an extra power bank. Power banks give you a much longer battery life for very little weight. 

9. Podcasts And Audio-Books

These are both getting more popular as time goes on, and it’s for good reason. Podcasts and audio-books take up much less battery than games or video. They’ll keep your devices kicking much longer. Plus, there are thousands, maybe millions of hours of free podcasts available. You can get apps to download these pods to your device, so you don’t even need internet!

10. Avoid Jet Lag

When you’re on a plane, you’ve got to be aware of jetlag. Tips for long flights can only go so far in preventing it. It’s pretty much unavoidable, but you can make it less intense. Make sure you’re hydrating on the plane. Avoid alcohol if you can. Alcohol will dehydrate you even more and it can give you a hangover. If you can, try to catch some sleep on the plane. An eye mask will help block out the sun too to keep your circadian rhythm on track!

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Ten Travel Tips For Europe Adventures

Europe has quite the reputation, and for good reason. It’s got thousands of years of history, attractions, and things to do and see! But if you’re an American going to Europe for your first time, there are some things to keep in mind. These travel tips for Europe will let you skip the rookie step and hop right into being a pro traveler.

A beautiful European vista one could see when making use of Travel Tips For Europe.

1. Cabs Aren’t Worth It

Most major European cities have robust public transit. Buses, trains, trolleys, and even boats can take you anywhere you need. Cabs might seem more convenient, but they’re a huge money sink. Multiple cab rides will add up very quickly!

2. Get Your VAT Refund

This isn’t something that we have to think about in the states, but European countries have a “Value-Added Tax”. Since we aren’t members of the EU, we aren’t required to pay it. But they’ve still got to take it when you buy things. So if you keep your receipts, you can be issued a refund for all of the VAT that you paid during your trip.

3. Get Good Shoes

If you’re going to Europe, you’re probably going to be walking a lot. So it pays to get a good pair of shoes. If you’re trying to hike around in flats, dress shoes, or heels, your feet are going to be screaming at you! And if that happens early in the trip, it’ll affect the rest of your time abroad.

4. Buy Tickets Early

This is true for all kinds of travel, but it’s one of the especially good travel tips for Europe. Book your plane, your hotels, your activities, everything in advance! You’ll probably get discounted rates on everything if you do. But even more than that, things might sell out if you wait too long!

5. Travel By Train

Europe isn’t actually that big of a place. If you want to see multiple countries, you don’t have to fly! Save money and hassle by taking the train. Europe has an excellent system of trains between countries, make use of it!

One of the most iconic landmarks a person might see while making use of Travel Tips For Europe.

6. Know Your Currency

Euros are an international currency, but they’re not a blanket solution. Every country you go to will probably have some currency that you should be aware of. When my wife and I went to Ireland we actually ended up in Northern Ireland without realizing it. We were lucky that our lunch spot would trade us Pounds for some Euros or we might have been out of luck!

7. Spend Your Coins

Still on the topic of currency, spend your coins! European countries have $1 and $2 coins that you’ll get a lot of in change. If you don’t use them as you get them, you’ll jingle like a leprechaun by the end of your trip!

8. Carry Your Passport

Always keep your passport with you and somewhere safe. If you’re from out of the country, it’s your most important possession. Getting caught without it could put you in a crazy international limbo. And nobody wants that!

9. Register With The State Department

For the same reason, register your trip’s dates and destinations with the state department. They’re your friend! It’s simple and easy to do and it ensures that if things go south on a global scale, they’ll have your back. This is especially important if you’re traveling alone. If you go missing, they’ll come looking for you!

10. Learn Some Local Language

So many people go to foreign countries these days without bothering to learn any of their language. It’s important for a few reasons. For starters, it’s a great intro to the culture. If you get good, it’ll actually help you communicate with people while you’re there. But even if you aren’t any good, people will appreciate that you’re trying, and they’ll be a lot nicer to you!

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Ten Travel Tips To Save Money: Travel On A Budget

Traveling doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. These travel tips to save money will keep you living your best life, and doing it on the cheap! There are things you can do while you’re planning and while you’re on the trip that can save you money and stress!

A Map surrounded by all the cash you could save with these travel tips to save money.

1. Go Off-Season

Everyone likes to take their trips in the spring and summer, but is it the best time? The weather might be nice, but businesses know about the surge. They upcharge everything! You can travel for much less if you simply time your trips for the off season. Go north in the summer, go south in the winter. I think you’ll find that the change of weather is even better that way!

2. AirBnB’s

The travel overnight game is changing. While hotels used to the obvious answer to the question “Where will we stay?”, that’s quickly fading. AirBnB (and other rent-a-room services) are making huge headway, and it’s for good reason! AirBnB rooms are always cheaper and often much nicer than getting a hotel! Plus you might even have easy kitchen and laundry access.

3. Book Ahead Of Time

Make your plans far in advance! Lots of activities and tours will increase rates the closer you get to the date. Planes and hotels shoot their rates right up if you’re trying to plan during prime time. By planning early, you’ll directly save money on everything!

4. Use Public Transit

Rental cars are nice to have, but they get expensive fast. If you can avoid needing one by using public transit, you can save a ton! Most major cities have pretty robust bus and train systems. They take a little bit to learn, but it’s well worth it!

5. Pocket Wifi

Using your cell phone abroad isn’t easy. You might need to get a special sim card from your provider, at an exorbitant rate. You could try to get a prepaid phone while you’re there, but that’s not easy either. Your best bet is to get  a pocket wifi. These can be rented at the airport and for a low steady fee, you’ll get a mobile hotspot you can take with you! This means you can use any device you’ve got, with no special considerations!

The midwest, a low cost but beautiful travel destination.

6. Walk As Much As You Can

I mentioned using transit over rentals and taxis, but there’s an even better method. Just walk! You might save money by picking a hotel or BnB that’s close to the things you want to see. Plus you’ll get to see parts of your destination from angles you might not otherwise!

7. Shop And Cook Locally

This can be a fun experience in itself. Instead of going out for every meal, cook one in! Go to the local market and buy raw ingredients, they’re always cheaper. If you have any interest in cooking, this is a great way to sample the culture first hand!

8. Get Big Lunch And Small Dinner

Restaurants and bars often charge less for lunch than they do for dinner. So if you time your big meals, you can get decadent lunches for cheap! There’s no set rule for which meal has to be the most important. 

9. Talk To Locals

Make it a point to ask locals where to shop, eat, or what to see. Whether it’s your AirBnB owner, your bartender, or friends, locals always know how to avoid tourist traps! 

10. Pick Cheap Places

Finally, pick cheap places! Your own country has dozens if not hundreds of hidden gems scattered all about. Overseas is going to cost you big, there’s no way around it. If you can find a cozy BnB in your local “wine-country” you can save a mint and still have a great time! This is my favorite of the travel tips to save money. My wife and I have gone on tons of “small” trips that are just as fun as big ones, but a fraction of the price! Your vacation is what you make it.

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Ten Tips For Traveling With Babies

Traveling with a baby isn’t easy, but it can be easier if you prepare. With the right tips and tools you can make the job a lot easier on yourself. Below is a list of some very important tips for traveling with babies that’ll help you keep your sanity!

Woman making use of Tips For Traveling With Babies.

1. Pack Light

The first tip might seem counterintuitive coming from a travel accessory blog, but pack light. This might be the most important of the tips for traveling with babies. With the right accessories you can actually pack lighter than you would without them. Slim down and only bring what you need. Prioritize light and efficient items. It’ll make you more agile and it’ll reduce the stress of dealing with all that stuff.

2. Wear Your Baby

This tip fold right in, wear your baby instead of using a stroller. This is another way to stay agile and light. Dealing with a big stroller or car-seat is never fun, if you can avoid it you’ll be a lot better off. Plus babies love it! They like being close to you and you can easily bounce them to sleep.

3. Buy Diapers There

Yet another way to pack lighter, buy diapers at the location. You don’t need to bring enough diapers to last the whole trip. You just need enough to last the travel and some wiggle room for locating diapers. This will really help you slim down as diapers can get bulky fast. Chances are, your baby won’t know the difference!

4. Travel Insurance

When you’re traveling with a baby, you want to minimize risks. One big risk any time you fly is that they lose your luggage. If that ever happens, travel insurance will be worth its weight in gold! One of the worst situations you could be in is finding yourself somewhere far away without any of your supplies!

5. Know Where To Find A Doctor

The worst situation you could find yourself in is if something is wrong with your baby while you’re away. That’s why you should always have a plan! Look ahead to the places you’ll be and plan out where you’ll go if something happens. That way, just in case, you know exactly where you need to go if the worst comes to pass!

6. Minimize Moving 

Sometimes when you take a trip, especially abroad, you may plan on staying in a few places. You might want to hop hotels or B&Bs every couple days to hit as much as possible. Don’t do this with a baby! Most of the stress comes from the traveling itself. So if you can pick and stick with one place, you’ll have a lot less overhead to stress about!

7. Prepare For Baby Jet Lag 

Baby jet lag is a real thing. Their internal clocks are still forming so they’re very delicate. This means that if you fly a few times zones over, your baby is going to think it’s the morning in the middle of the night. You can’t really avoid it so you just have to prepare.

8. Extra Plane Seats

If you can afford it, having an extra seat for your baby will provide a lot of comfort. Especially as they get older, they’ll get squirmier. You can even change your baby in the seat next to you if you have to! If you can’t afford an extra seat, it might be worth it to ask if there are any extras. Just ask if you could be seated next to them and they might help you out!

9. Fly During Sleep Time

If you can, time your flight for during your baby’s nap or bedtime. This will hopefully let them snooze right through and be none the wiser on the other side!

10. Pacifiers For Take-Off And Landing

Finally, you’ll want pacifiers for take-off and landing. The pressure difference for us isn’t comfortable. For baby’s it can bring on a meltdown. If your baby is sucking on a pacifier, it’ll naturally help them equalize.

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Ten Travel Accessories For Tweens (That They’ll Use)

If you’re looking to get your teens or tweens some travel accessories they’ll actually use, it may not be easy. Even if you get it right, you’ll probably be met with eye rolls and shrugs. But if you go with the excellent choices on this list, they’re sure to make use of your thoughtful pick!

Bags And Packs

Bag full of Travel Accessories For Tweens.

These are always important for travelling, but for teens and tweens, style is king! If your bag doesn’t look good why even carry it? These bags and cases will keep them stylish awhile keeping all their stuff secure.

1. A Stylish Carry On

For starters, they’ll need a good bag. Patterns are super in right now (and basically always have been). Getting a pattern that’s fun but still says “I’m an adult, mom!” is the middle ground that you’ve got to hit! This pick and many like it hit that mark on the head while still providing plenty of space.

Schoolbag/Backpack – Acmebon Waterproof School Backpack https://amzn.to/2HOAJZb

2. Makeup Bags

If your teen/tween has hit makeup age, they just might be obsessed with it. If they are, they’re certainly not going to part with it for travel. Getting them a makeup bag will help them keep all of those expensive little items safe and sound in their bag.

Makeup Carrying Bag – F-color Holographic Travel Makeup Bag

3. Passport Holder

Your passport is your single most important possession in other countries. Keeping it safe and secure is a number one priority. Keeping it in a nice bag that hangs from your neck is the best and easiest way to keep it at hand, safe, and sound!

Neck Hang Passport Holder – WALNEW Passport Holder Neck Pouch

4. Fanny Pack

Fanny packs are back! Why did they ever leave? Not only are they stylish now, they’re a great way to keep things at the ready! Plus, they don’t even count as another bag if they’re small enough.

Fanny Pack – JECIMER Fanny Packs

Comfort Travel Accessories For Tweens

Evening on a plane ride.

5. Noise Cancelling Headphones

Noise cancelling headphones used to be a major investment, but not any more! You can get a quality pair for as little as $60! That’ll help your teen/tween tune out of the airplane noise and into their favorite music or stream. (As if they need the help!)

Noise Cancelling Headphones – COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

6. Travel Blanket

One thing people seem to forget when travelling is a blanket. Planes are cold, and so are a lot of other places! Having your own travel blanket is like having a warm slice of home with you at all times. This is especially comforting when you’re going to unfamiliar places!

Travel Blanket – EverSnug Travel Blanket and Pillow

7. Neck Pillow 

A lot of neck pillows are cheap and ineffective. But if you get the right one, it’ll be the difference between a long sleepless flight and waking up well rested on the other side! The last thing you want to be is cranky when you arrive at your fun vacation destination.

Padded Neck Pillow – Soft Digits Memory Foam Travel Pillow

Entertainment Travel Accessories For Tweens

Entertainment including Travel Accessories For Tweens.

8. Adult Coloring Book + Colored Pencils

Coloring books may seem like kid stuff, but far from it. Coloring books come in all shapes and sizes. And they’re made for all ages! Getting your teen/tween an adult coloring book will give them something fun and creative to do. Plus it will get their heads out of a screen for a while!

Adult Coloring Book – An Inspirational Colouring Book For Everyone

Colored Pencils – Crayola Colored Pencils, Long, 36-Pack

9. Kindle Paperwhite

Speaking of screens, this may be the only one that’s good for them! This is a more significant investment than the other items on this list, but boy does it pay off! The Kindle Paperwhite is the perfect travel companion. It’s not hard on the eyes, the battery lasts a long time, and it’s good for you! If you’re trying to encourage your tween to read more, this is the absolute best way to do it!

Amazon Kindle Waterproof Paperwhite

10. Instant-Print Camera

Know what else is back? Instant print cameras! Taking pictures is all that tweens/teens seem to do nowadays. Instant-print cameras turn this into an even more fun activity. The printed pictures quickly become some of the best souvenirs you can get! They’ll let you create your own memories and take them with you anywhere.

Instant-Print Camera – Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Camera

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Travel Accessories For Dogs: Essentials For Pet Travel

Everything’s better with a dog. They love life and they make yours better all the time! Why wouldn’t you want to take your furry best friend along with you when you’re travelling? Travel accessories for dogs are the difference between a furry disaster and a dream vacation!

That may not be the easiest thing. But with a few simple accessories your trip can get a lot easier! There are tons of useful things that you may not think about when planning to bring your dog with. Below, I’ve put together a list of essential travel accessories for dogs. Items perfect for taking your canine companion on the road!

Travel Accessories For Dogs: Car Care

Beautiful dog in the back of a car.

Car Harness

Seat Belts aren’t made for dogs. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have options for keeping your dog safe in the car! Depending on the size of your pet, you’ve got different options. Giant dogs may not fit well into a harness, but medium and small ones can!

Getting your dog a harness that straps into the seat will give them all the benefits of a seat belt, but without the constriction. Plus, if you’ve already got a harness for walking, all you need to pick up is the seat leash!

Car Harness and Leash – SlowTon Dog Car Harness

Just The Car Leash – https://amzn.to/2SmtoSB

Seat Cover

If your dog is bigger, you’ll need another solution for keeping them in the back. This is even more important for dogs that shed (of all sizes). A good seat cover will protect your seats and your dog. Seat covers that go from seat-head to seat-head will cover the back footwell and keep your dog from falling or getting stuck!

Car Seat Cover – URPOWER 100% Waterproof Pet Seat Cover

Travel Accessories For Dogs: Food And Water

Travel accessories for dogs coming in handy.

Spill-Proof Bowl

Spill proof dog bowls can be a lifesaver if your dog needs water on the road. These bowls will let your dog get a drink without spilling it everywhere. You can keep your canine hydrated without all the worry!

Spill Proof Water Bowl – UPSKY Dog Bowl Dog Water Bowl

(The design on this thing is incredible! You’ve got to check it out!)

No-spill bowls are good for food too! If your dog has a special diet or if you’re on a long trip, this will let you keep up on feedings without slowing down.

Simple Spill Proof Bowls – Petmate No Spill Bowl

This can also help with calming your dog on long trips. There are calming foods and treats that you can find that will give your pup some calming herbs.

Calming Treats – PREMIUM CARE Calming Treats for Dogs

Travel Accessories For Cleaning Dogs: Wash Your Paws!

A dirty pup in need for travel accessories for dogs.

Paw Washer

Paw washers are a fantastic advance in keeping not only your dog but your car clean as well. You wouldn’t walk around outside barefoot. The ground is a dirty and gross place. Dogs don’t have shoes. Their little paws are getting filthy every day. 

This is especially true if  you’re taking your dog with you on a trip! paw plungers are a fast easy way to clean your dog’s paws in a flash. Your pet probably doesn’t like getting it’s paws cleaned. This system makes it fast and easy so they don’t mind!

Paw Washer – Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Washer

Portable Bath

Speaking of dirty dogs, what do you do with the rest of your pet? If you’re going to the beach or nature or even to the park, your dog might find a way to get dirty. But you might not have a tub or time to give your dog a full bath all the time.

That’s where portable dog washers come in. These handheld dog washers work a lot like carpet cleaners and they’ll make a tough job much easier!

Dog Cleaner – Bissell Barkbath Dual Use Portable Dog Bath

Pet First Aid Kit

The last of the travel accessories for dogs that you don’t want to be caught without is a first aid kit. If all goes well, you won’t need one. But if something happens to your furry best friends, you don’t want to be caught without one. Pet first aid kits are a little different from normal ones. They’re designed with your canine in mind. Of course, they’re no substitute for a vet if you think there’s really a problem. But they may very well bridge the gap and keep your beloved pup safe while you’re rushing them to help in an unfamiliar place.

Pet First Aid Kit – Rayco Pet First Aid Kit

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Hot New Travel Accessories: Where To Buy?

If you want to know where to buy travel accessories, you’re in luck. I’ll tell you precisely where to look to find the best deals and the best items! You can quality accessories in a lot of places, but some are better than others. There are some places you should always avoid.

Some various travel accessories.

Where To Buy Travel Accessories: Not At The Airport

For starters, don’t buy accessories at the airport. If you’ve made it to the airport without the thing you need, you’re already at a disadvantage. Everything at the airport is over-priced. Especially once you get past security. Terminals are a very controlled place. You don’t have much freedom on where to shop or what’s available. In fact, security makes you get rid of a lot of things. You can’t take large food or drink through, so they know they can gouge you on the other side!

The morale of this story here is to get to the airport prepared. The things they’ll have for sale aren’t often high quality, and you know you’re going to pay upwards of 5 times what the items worth. Get anything you need well before you arrive.

Online Shopping Is Your Best Bet

I don’t want to say that retail shopping is dead, but these days it’s absolutely not necessary. You can get everything you need online. Even groceries are moving online! 

No one is a stranger to online shopping any more. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and when you do it through trusted platforms like Amazon, it’s super safe!

Where To Buy Travel Accessories: Amazon

Amazon is a platform, not a supplier. So when you buy things from Amazon, you’re actually just buying things from a seller. Amazon provides a few very important services in this space.

The first is that they handle the money. You don’t want to just be throwing your credit card info all over the internet. By going through a trusted American company like Amazon, you only have to keep your info in one place. This reduces your risk of identity theft or other risks to almost zero.

Amazon Curated Reviews

The next thing that Amazon provides is the review platform. With all the different sellers (new ones sign up every day) it’s hard to tell who to trust. There are a lot of big companies like Nike or Sony on Amazon, but there are tens of thousands of small ones. This is where the reviews come in. By hosting these reviews and tallying them up into scores, it builds a trust rating for sellers and their products.

Since Amazon is a neutral party, you know they aren’t messing with reviews either. If you’re on some random site, they could be just making their reviews up. Amazon doesn’t allow that kind of thing and will take sellers down for faking them. If you do the research on a product, you can know for sure that it’ll turn out well. Which is a lot more than you can do in a physical store!

The last thing that Amazon provides that truly makes it shine is the shipping. For most products, Amazon stocks them in warehouses and they send them out themselves. Amazon is a well-oiled machine. They’re the best in the game at what they do. You’ll get packages faster than anybody else out there, plus you might even get them free! Everybody has Amazon Prime these days. If you don’t you can get a free trial from this site and once you start you won’t go back. Almost anything you want can be shipped right to you in as little as two days!

Physical Stores

I’ll come out and say it. Any physical store that specializes in travel accessories is probably overcharging. Stores cost money to run and so you’re paying for the store as much as you’re paying for the product! If you order from an online store (especially a giant like Amazon) they pass the savings onto you!

The only physical stores I would recommend for places to buy travel accessories are resale stores. Places like Ross get unsold merchandise from other stores at slashed prices. Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Burlington are other examples of this. You can get deals at stores like that, but the inventory is always changing. If you’re in the market for travel accessories, you’ve got to go online! (And to Amazon specifically!!)

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