Traveling | Trip Time

Three Common Travel Scams

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Travel scams are becoming increasingly popular and criminals are seeking excited vacationers to take advantage of and take their hard earned precious money. Three types of travel scams to look out for:

Free Holiday Awards: a common scam that often results in the “You’ve won a free vacation” scratch-off trick. There are a variety of angles, but typically the scam results in either having to pay a processing fee or attending a tedious presentation about timeshares or high priced vacation add-ons with persuasive sales strategies. Solution: nearly every scratch-off is a winner so trash them like an email stating you won the lottery.
Paying for Paper Tickets: when you book a vacation online, you usually have the option of selecting an “e-ticket” or having a paper ticket mailed for a small fee, but some dishonest travel agents are charging up to four times the amount. Solution: Do not take paper and if you need to make sure you know the fee upfront and if the fee is high take your business somewhere else.
Phony Travel Guides: at famous venues, a local resident may pose as agents for official guides and take your money and tell you to wait in particular area where the guide never shows. Solution: research guidebooks and online sites that tell you the official, paid tours.

When traveling it is essential to be on the lookout for potential scams and make sure to always be wary of anything deemed as free offers, because nine times out of ten there is a catch and may be a scam.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Confidence trick, Tourism, Travel agency

Visit Northern Michigan

When the summer heat starts to warm up across most of the midwest, temperatures reach a most desirable high of 75 in Northern Michigan. Whether you visit Mackinaw Island, Charlevoix or Torch Lake, you have found a perfect place to chill. This is where some of the most famous and wealthiest people in the world go to relax.

Mackinaw is probably the best known of the destinations in Northern Michigan. The Grand Hotel on the island is known for its five star accommodations. The island itself is a throwback to another time because automobiles are not allowed. People get around by horse and carriage or bicycle. You have to reach the island by ferry and that is an enjoyable experience all its own, more about how to reach Mackinaw at taktsang.org.

Torch Lake is an area of Northern Michigan that does not get the attention it deserves. The crystal clear lake has been named by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful in the world and yet most people have never heard of it. Among the celebrities who own property along this 18,000 acre lake are Kid Rock, Eminem and Christine Lahti. In March, Torch Lake surrendured the largest Atlantic Salmon ever caught in the world to an Indiana surgeon who was fly fishing.

Another popular attraction in Northern Michigan is the sand dunes along Lake Michigan near the city of Empire. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park features a 3.5 mile trail that takes you up and down the large dunes and poses quite a challenge even for the most experienced hiker.

Filed Under: Destinations, Traveling Tagged With: Michigan, Northern Michigan, Torch Lake

Don’t Underestimate the Travel Agent

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In this day of internet bargains and book your own flight travels sites, the travel agent is often forgotten. Many travellers think they can find the best deals on their own but in many cases, they are mistaken. Travel agents still know a few secrets that the average traveller does not know.

Where the skills of a good travel agent really show is in planning trips that involve visits to multiple locations or group tours. There are agencies that specialize in travel to specific locations like Europe because of the contacts that they have made in the region. According to taktsang.org the agents can negotiate a better price for transportation and lodging because they provide the hotels and airlines a great deal of repeat business.

The other thing that skilled travel agents can bring to the table are ways to enhance your trips that you cannot get on your own. The agent might be able to provide line passes that mean you won’t have to wait for a ride at the amusement park. They also may be able to get you a table at a trendy restaurant in a resort area that is typically sold out every night.

When considering the use of a travel agency, do not judge them on price alone. There are a multitude of amenities they may be able to provide which will make your vacation much more enjoyable and one that you will remember for a lifetime. It is wise to rely on their experience, especially if you are travelling to some place that you have never been before.

Filed Under: Preparations, Traveling Tagged With: Business, Travel, Travel agency

3 Traveling Gadgets You Need

The notion of travel is one laced with adventure, with romantic sensibilities. The world is meant to be conquered and distance is no longer deemed a challenge.

It can, however, be deemed an inconvenience if the right gadgets aren’t utilized:

Travel Preparations

A perfect vacation demands more than summer days. It instead requires money. Trying to spare yourself the horror of an empty bank account is paramount. Using the Balanzza BZ200 Ergo Digital Luggage Scale allows that goal to be achieved. This ingenious gadget (which can easily be purchased with the aid of a Vision prepaid card) allows individuals to estimate the costs of traveling. It gauges the weight of luggage, offering predictions for potential fees. This enables users to avoid the shock of high airline prices.

Phone Protection

There’s only one gadget needed to brave the complexities of travel: a smartphone. It will offer the necessary support, allowing you to navigate even the remote locations. Those locations can become daunting, however, if you accidentally drop a device. A Ringer Wrap is therefore essential. This useful tool allows individuals to clip their phones to their waists (with a locking mechanism to ensure stability). The clear case protects from all elements, as well as enabling touch screen functions.

Multiple Purposes

Luggage is defined by limitations (with precious inches so quickly consumed by technological toys). Saving room is therefore imperative; and the Eton Raptor offers the needed functionality. This multi-purpose gadget offers many applications, such as: a wideband radio, a flashlight, an alarm system and an altimeter. It provides vital information without stealing suitcase space.

Let these suggestions aid your vacation and offer relief.

Filed Under: Preparations, Traveling Tagged With: Gadget, Luggage, Travel

Making Your Vacation Dollars go Further

With money tight, you want to get the most bang for your vacation buck. If you follow some of these money saving tips, you will still be able to afford a family vacation this year. The savings start with figuring out how you are going to reach your destination.

The biggest concern for many families right now are rising gas prices. The cost of a gallon of gas can blow any vacation budget, so pick a destination that is relatively close. If you live in New England, this is not the year to be driving to Disneyworld but a Niagra Falls trip could be manageable. Get a map and draw a circle within three hundred miles of your home. All the locations inside the circle can be reached on a single tank of gas.

Image via Wikipedia

Once you have determined where to go, it is time to figure out where to stay. For a family on a tight budget, a condo makes the most sense. You will have separate bedrooms for the kids so an extra hotel room won’t be necessary and you will have your own kitchen where you can prepare meals and avoid the high price of dining out. When choosing a condo in a beach town, look for one a block or two from the ocean because they are much more affordable, taktsang.org has more travel tips.

Another important part of planning a trip is to limit the extra activities associated with your vacation. Instead of taking the family to the mall or local miniature golf course in the evening, plan a stay in the condo movie night with popcorn.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Condominium, Family, New England

Prepaid Cards Perfect for Travelers

An example of street markets accepting credit ...

Image via Wikipedia

Handling funds while on vacation can cause much stress and anxiety. Wondering which places accept cash, check, credit card, or only a certain currency can be confusing. Travelers looking for alternative money solutions will love easy to use prepaid cards. Many explorers have had their trip cut short because of financial hiccups such as losing money or running out of cash when they need it most.

Prepaid cards such as the Reach prepaid card can protect vacationers against lost or theft. The card acts much like a credit card in that it can be reported if lost or stolen, so travelers do not have to pay for charges they did not make and can enjoy their trip even if something as unfortunate as this does occur. A thin prepaid card fits neatly in a wallet without the bulk of cash and may even act as a deterrent to thieves looking for bills of a specific currency.

No one wants to be slowed down when they are supposed to be having a good time. Prepaid cards can keep the good times rolling because they are accepted anywhere that takes credit cards. They also work in the same way without having a bank or checking account. Funds can be checked and money can be added online or by calling the toll free number on the back of the card. Travelers can now be worry free as they hike, bike, fly fish, tour, or trek knowing that their prepaid card has got them covered.

Filed Under: International Travel, Traveling Tagged With: Credit card, Stored-value card, Transactional account

Top Travel Bargains

The lengthy recession has taken a toll on the travel industry but the good news is that you can find excellent deals on travel to some of the top destination spots in the world because of it. The old rule of supply and demand applies, when bookings are down resorts offer better deals to fill up the rooms.

Las Vegas is always one of the top travel destinations and now is a great time to visit. Casino gambling has declined because of the tough economic times, so that means that the resort operators are cutting hotel rates to get gamblers in. You can even find better deals if your decide to take a gambling get-a-way to Atlantic City where the recession has hit even harder.

The slow economy even has top name resorts like Disneyworld and the Atlantis offering discounts. Disney has been offering one night free when you book three other days. Atlantis in the Bahamas is offering a $250 airfare credit when you stay at their resort on Paradise Island for 4 nights or more. There are a few blackout dates on the offer but it is good through the end of the year. The website takstang.org can help you figure out how to get the best deal.

If you would like to hit several spots on your vacation then a cruise might be the way to go. There are still excellent deals to be found on cruises which will take you through the Caribbean or the Mediterranean. However, finding a cheap airfare to get to the city where the cruise departs from might be difficult.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Bahamas, Caribbean, Casino

Home Away From Home

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A motor home needs different insurance than that of a home and its contents because it is mobile, making it a bigger risk — much the same as that carried on your car. However, it also needs different coverage than that of your car because it’s where you live, whether for only a small period of time or permanently. This means that motor home insurance quotes are different altogether than that given for fixed homes and other types of motor vehicles.

Travel Trailer Insurance

A regular trailer might well be regarded as an accessory to your car and be covered under your normal auto insurance but a travel trailer, being a trailer that is also a home in the sense that you can cook, eat and sleep in it, makes it a different proposition. As with a motor home, a travel trailer needs specialized motor home insurance quotes that will give you cover against the following incidents:

Loss replacement
Towing cover
Emergency costs being paid
Campsite liability
Theft of personal belongings, etc

You will also need the ability to suspend the cover when your travel trailer is not in use.

A Fifth-Wheeler

It is a falsehood to believe that your home owner’s insurance will be enough to cover your fifth wheeler; your auto policy is equally insufficient. Once again you will require motor home insurance quotes that you can inspect for coverage well beyond the reach or the other two completely different types of policies.

Any type of motor home is an investment, as is your house or car, and you need to protect it with adequate specialized insurance.

Filed Under: Traveling