Smart Travel

Modern air travel has certainly made the world a lot smaller and allows you to fit visits to many more countries into your busy schedule, whether you are traveling purely for pleasure or on business. However it is going to take the human body a little while yet to catch up and, in the meantim e, you will have to continue to battle with the problem of jet lag and to find ways of coping with it. In its simplest form jet lag occurs when you are traveling and the time recorded by your body's internal clock is out of balance with local time at your destination. For example, if you leave London at 9 pm and fly to Bangkok you will arrive approximately 13 hours later at 10 am London time the following morning. However, because you have flown across several time zones, local time at Bangkok airport is now 4 pm that same afternoon. Having traveled to your hotel, checked in and taken a shower your body will now tell you that it is time to eat. Now, your body clock thinks that it is time for l...

Flying in an air plane, with seat belt around your belly and air hostesses taking your order is no more just a dream for most now. With the kind of competition emerging in the civil aviation industry, the air fares have dropped down to the lowest levels ever. Sometimes passengers even wonder whether the airline is earning something from them or not with such low priced cheap air tickets. Crashing down of air ticket prices started when the private sector was let in to the civil aviation and the formalities related to the process were eased off. With this decision of the government many small sizes airlines have dwelled into the industry and have been making sound profits as low cost carriers. Since that very time there has been a radical change in the way people used to fly. Everybody knows how seriously these private firms take their business and how lethal is the sense of competition among them. Once a small scale private players reduces its air fare prices, the leaders in the busines...

Whether you are going on a family vacation, a spring break vacation with college friends, or even your honeymoon, Hawaii is a great place to visit at any time of year. While Hawaii is a great travel destination, you may want to know a bit about this place before you land. The following are some important tips that can help you have a great time while you are in Hawaii. Tip #1 - No Touching a Nene - A Nene is the Hawaii state bird, and while they may look cute, they can be very defensive, especially if they have babies. These birds are also endangered species, so even if they look cute, touching or even approaching these birds are against the law. Be sure to keep this in mind when traveling to Hawaii or you may end up with a hefty fine. Tip #2 - Get the Flower Lei Greeting - One of the most exciting experiences to enjoy in Hawaii is the flower lei greeting, but some vacation packages may not have this greeting included. Before you make your final arrangements for your trip, make sure th...

In 1965 Paul C. Fisher, president of Fisher Space Pen Co., sent his pen to Houston Space Center and NASA began testing it. Astronauts had been using pencils for note taking, but the graphite used in pencils could break off and float around the cabin. This lead could become lodged in electrical switches and jeopardize their personal safety as well as the mission. The pen was put through 18 months of rigorous testing subsequently approving it for use on a trial mission in outer space. By 1968 the Fisher Space Pen was issued to astronauts for all manned space flights. It is still in use today on all American and Russian flights. Many of us were first introduced to this pen on a Seinfeld episode, "The Pen." It has also been on The Tonight Show, when Carl Reiner presented the pen on-air to Johnny Carson. It's been featured on a segment of the Travel Channel's popular series "John Ratzenberger's Made in America." The Bullet pen has been part of the permanent c...

Most travelers spend more time in airline ticket reservations and bargains but less time in choosing the right accommodations. Thus they may end up on the wrong side of the bed during their stay. To get the most out of your hotel accommodations, remember to book as early as possible and make your dates more flexible. Hotels that specialize business people will consider weekends as off season. Family vacationers could tap into these special packages during weekends. Primarily, you should choose your hotel based on name, amenities, features, price, packages and location. Here are some considerations in choosing your best travel accommodations: 1. Accommodations should be family-friendly. Always ask if your hotel offers children activity areas with educational and fun activities supervised by duly-trained care-givers. 2. Your hotel should provide a swimming pool for children, daycare service, crib rental and child-proof electrical outlets. 3. Stay in a hotel that has electronic room-key c...

Author: Matthew Reider Plan in advance: If you have a plan to visit out of your country, start your plan at least three to six month prior to your visit. Know the country and destination where you are planning to visit. Know more about the climatic condition of that country and find out the travel advices for the country. Select best time of travel for that particular country or city. Book air tickets in advance: If you have finalized your tour program, book air tickets in advance as many airlines offer a discount for tickets booked in advance. Now get your passport, visa and other travel documents ready. Learn the local expenses: You might not know whether you are paying the right amount for taxi, hotel and other commodities in the particular city, therefore it is better to search for the basic information about the city and you will get plenty of information on Internet. You should also have the fair knowledge of exchange rate, as this will help you in converting your currency. Visi...