| This is by no means an exhaustive list but | | | | embarrassment once you get there. |
| certainly is useful in helping you achieve your | | | | This one is obvious and yet many of us over |
| objective. Here are 8 tips which apply to pretty | | | | spend while on holiday. I always work out what I |
| much all travel destinations: | | | | need and then add plenty of extra to the total |
| 1. How is the place rated by other writers? | | | | estimate. It works very well. I come back with |
| Never take one person's work for anything that is | | | | plenty of spare cash rather than end up in |
| subjective. Scan through a few reviews and you'll | | | | distress in an unfamiliar place. |
| get an accurate picture of your holiday destination. | | | | 6. Are there plenty of restaurants nearby or will |
| 2. Does the electricity voltage match yours at | | | | you have to dine at your hotel for the duration of |
| home? | | | | your stay? |
| Today, you have more electronic gadgets than | | | | Big, big point: Think of the effect on variety, cost, |
| ever before. Make sue it will work where you are | | | | etc, if you only have a limited choice within one |
| going or else you'll carry extra weight with you. | | | | hotel or one complex. Bear in mind that the laws |
| Worse still, you may damage your devices. | | | | of supply and demand apply here too. If your |
| Also pretty much every country I have visited, | | | | stay is not all inclusive, then expect to pay a huge |
| has a different electrical plug and socket standard. | | | | price or suffer low quality or even both. The local |
| Buy one a universal electrical adapter kit and read | | | | outlets of course know if you are a "captive" |
| the fine print to make sure it covers your travel | | | | customer and their prices will be adjusted "up" |
| destination. Alternatively, buy only the one | | | | accordingly. |
| adapter suitable for your destination which will be | | | | Back in 2001 I enjoyed a Latin dance holiday to |
| cheaper. | | | | Cuba. I absolutely loved it. The people, the music, |
| 3. How far is your hotel from the airport? | | | | the dancing, all wonderful. But if you know |
| Be careful here. There are many exotic places | | | | anything about Cuba then you know that food |
| that are really far from the airport. It sounds silly | | | | variety and quality is an issue. |
| but you can suffer a lot of discomfort if you are | | | | I won't go into the politics or economics of it all. |
| not prepared. | | | | The point is that I spent a portion of my time in |
| Imagine after a long journey of several hours in | | | | an all inclusive resort outside Havana. I |
| the air, you then spend another 2 or 3 hours on a | | | | experienced first hand the quality issues and lack |
| coach to your hotel. Now imagine it is hot and | | | | variety that can happen as a captive customer. |
| humid and your coach is not air conditioned! | | | | Such situations aren't suitable for children at all and |
| Children will particularly suffer. | | | | barely acceptable for adults. This can happen any |
| You will then need a day to recover from your | | | | place you are a captive customer. |
| journey. This scenario happens so often you | | | | 7. Is your hotel or resort able to provide a doctor |
| wouldn't believe it. Why do you think some of | | | | in case of an emergency? |
| those hotels are so cheap! | | | | Don't wait to find out the answer when you really |
| When checking distance, also check the traffic too | | | | need a doctor. It is a fact of life that we or a |
| and find out the journey "time" and not just the | | | | traveling companion will need medical attention at |
| travel distance. Back in the year 2000 I traveled | | | | one time or other in our travels. The difference |
| to Dubai. A great place in itself and I stayed in a 5 | | | | between being prepared and not is huge. |
| start hotel that was only 20 - 25 minutes from | | | | My best friend and business partner traveled to a |
| the airport in spite of heavy traffic. Now, seven | | | | newly built Greek resort. While taking a |
| years later, that same journey can take anything | | | | mid-evening stroll around the poorly lit pool area, |
| up to one or even one and half hours. Be | | | | his wife stepped into "hole". It was one of these |
| prepared. | | | | holes around most swimming pools where |
| 4. Is public transport efficient or will you need to | | | | workmen access pumps, pipes and wiring etc that |
| hire a car? | | | | service the pool. They had left the cover loose |
| How are you going to get around? Far too many | | | | and it just flipped when it was stepped on. |
| travel locations have poor public transport and at | | | | Long story short, the local hospital would "not" |
| the same time very expensive and difficult | | | | send out an ambulance! Something to do with not |
| private transport, be it taxis or hired cars. | | | | having an arrangement with the hotel because the |
| I was in Istanbul back in 1997 ... I enjoyed the | | | | hotel was outside their region. The hotel knew this |
| city, the weather and so much more but getting | | | | but my friend and other hotel guests didn't until |
| around in taxis was not easy nor cheap. And note | | | | the accident. |
| that Istanbul wasn't a particularly expensive place | | | | 8. Do you know anyone else who has been there |
| but the demand for taxis was high | | | | and how did they find it? |
| Also the language barrier meant that inevitably | | | | Personal experiences are so valuable and worth |
| there were times that I paid more for a short | | | | knowing. Make it a part of your conversation with |
| journey that I expected. But that was OK | | | | friends before you travel to your destination. Find |
| because I had done my research including about | | | | out if they or anyone they know has been to |
| transport and knew what to expect. I needed a | | | | that region. |
| day to recover from my very long journey. | | | | Knowing the answers to the above can make all |
| After that I haggled (bargained) with the taxi | | | | the difference. A little homework will save you so |
| drivers as well as others "before" accepting their | | | | much precious time once you get there. When |
| service and everything worked out just fine. | | | | you get there, you'll be able to do as much or as |
| 5. Try to work out an estimation of the budget | | | | little as you desire. Happy traveling, where ever |
| that you'll need, so that you avoid any shocks and | | | | your travel destination. |