Welcome to Hotels and Getaways

Holidays are those small windowpanes of sunlight in our lives- lifetimes that for most people consist of a pretty uncheerful nine to five toiling and slaving and putting the pennies out, submitted to extraordinary deadlines and the notions and fancies of moody chiefs. They are the three weeks of the year when office bodies the world over morph into the individual, free brave person they always opined themselves to be- a time to kicking back, a time to let loose and a time to come up above the mediocrity of average.

Its the little hiccups that can destroy a vacation. We’ve all had them before- they happen very well, yet have hurtful results. You forgot to check the time zones and neglected the flight by an hour. The reference number for your tour has enigmatically disappeared. You didn’t confirm your booking, the flight is overbooked and because you got there so late you’ve been broken and settled on standby. You forgot which hotel you engaged into. The hotel has no memorialize of you… did you even book at all? Its a planning thing really- a well thought out and well planned holiday will run smoothly nine times out of ten so long as you remember the small details.

Of course there are some things that go false which we have no control over. Lost baggage is the scourge of air travellers all over, and is tied to happen to you at least once in your lifetime. In fact there is a 1 in 150 chance that when you travel internationally your luggage is going to be lost. So try to pack anything precious or sentimental in your hand luggage and keep it on you. Medicine is a no brainer, no one wants to be seperated from that. If your luggage does get lost, let the airline make out direct away, but don’t be too expectant about getting any recompense.

When visiting lighter third world countries the issue of theft rears its terrible head. It encounters everywhere of course, but is more common in these places. We are all on a budget when we travelling, and to have that disrupted by the loss of a wad of cash or a pocketbook can be pathetic to the trip, as can the theft of travel documents like passports. The best way to avoid pickpockets is to try not to look like a tourist, because holidaymakers always take cash. Head Off those foolish ‘bum handbags,’ choose or else for an inconspicuous money belt or large pockets on your trousers with zips on. Carrying cash altogether is a bad idea- this is the new millennium and ATM’s are everywhere.

The quickest ticket to a wrecked holiday is you or someone in your family getting fearful.Try to keep off desperately risky looking restaurants, and especially in third world countries stay away from water not served in a bottle. Ask for your soft drinks to be served without ice, as ice can still harbour the germs that was in the water. Do your homework on wherever you are visiting and find out what the general illnesses there are, and what preventative medicine to take. Prevention is better than heal, especially if you are in far-off regions.

Just a bit of concern and carefulness and a lot of planning can go a long way to finding your holiday doesn’t drop into a perfect nightmare. Lets face it, you merit to enjoy a successful break and so should do everything in your ability to make sure you get one. A gadget like the Travel Planner can help give you peace of mind when you travel, and peace of mind can go a long way to easing travel tensities. If factors out of your control ruining your vacation, dont be too despondent… chances are they wont take place twice in a row, so gear up and get ready for your next.