Whether you’re a seasoned jetsetter or a first time traveler to a local or international destination, make yourself aware of these common travel scams that plagued many countries.
Here’s what you need to know in order to secure your personal safety when traveling to an exotic country.
Overpriced cab rides
When you’re a tourist, the most familiar thing to you is a cab ride. First timers in Hong Kong and Malaysia are often intimidated about taking the trains and buses. So the best thing is to take a cab.
While there is nothing wrong with taking a cab, be wary of taxi drivers who will try to raise your fare so high or drive you around in circles. Before jumping into a cab, research ahead on how much it usually costs and consult your map.
With today’s modern technology, the world has become a smaller place. Anyone with a computer or smart phone and Internet connection can book hotels halfway around the world and plan their travel itinerary in a heartbeat. And with more and more budget airlines taking on the skies, it’s really about time every one flies. When we say ‘budget airlines’, that doesn’t mean you have to suffer from bad service or cramped, smelly seats. You might be surprised at how much you can save on your airline ticket, money that you can allocate for a more worthy obsession—shopping! Here are the world’s top budget airlines in no particular order.
Southwest Airlines
Many people say a picture is worth more than a thousand words. The easiest way to travel while capturing every moment is thru taking the road slowly, enjoying one’s culture, living life to the fullest, and feeling beyond sheer seeing the most wonderful sights even at the shortest time possible.
Several months ago, travelers became acquainted with the infamous “Slow Travel” concept so that they could veer away from the usual sight-seeing peek-a-boo itinerary in the hustle and bustle of the place they’re visiting.
Slow travel advocates were not adamant in the success of their spiteful proposition: one only needs to travel at a slow pace much like what Armstrong did when he stepped his feet on the Moon way back in 1969. Instead of spending his or her holiday spree around France’s entirety, a faithful follower of the Slow Travel would spend a number of weeks perhaps months, inhabiting random areas, roaming around through cab or train and not thru plane, building a routine, and residing temporarily in selected areas. One could only wish to never let this dream end once getting back into the reality of life.
This post is not about stopping you to buy things that you will add to your collection or bring home to loved ones. But it is just a reality check of what you cannot bring through the airport customs.
Ancient artifacts
For the longest time, stealing precious ancient artifacts from churches and museums is one common crime. Many artifacts from Native American, pre-Columbian, and Byzantine have been stolen. In addition to the list are the culturally important properties of Iraq. Because of such phenomena, bringing home ancient articles requires an authentic export permit because there are a lot of fake ones around any country abroad. If the item was stolen and bought by a tourist however, the National Stolen Property Act in the United States stops one from owning it legally regardless of how many people already “owned” it.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! The holiday lights are everywhere, the Christmas trees are all spruced up, and everyone greets you with a smile (well, okay not all). A lot of people are heading home to spend time with the family and enjoy some good holiday meal with their loved ones. We have to face the reality that the holidays might be the toughest time to travel, and experiencing some problems might spell disaster for the people expecting the gifts you are bringing them. Here are some tips and some things you might want to avoid when you travel this Yuletide season:
Pick the right connecting flights
Human brains are wired to search for answers. Hence, complications definitely tickle the quirky and enthusiastic mind of a traveler – few of Earth’s most attractive and appealing areas to explore are the most complex areas to visit. In this article, we present places where even the most sharp-witted and streetwise explorer would even ask for guidance.
When the term “group travel” comes up to one’s mind, one might definitely think of tourist-filled buses stopping over in travel sites for several minutes just to follow a strict schedule. However, not all these activities are made equivalent. Significantly, there are several areas where not having a guide would leave you not just dumbfounded but would put your life in risk.
Trave
ling in an economy class is never sensational. But why not – the amount I am ought to pay for a fancy business class seats practically equals my budget for my entire three month trip in Indonesia. Harassed by handful vicious flights and getting stuck in airport has made me learned important things.
The early bird promo
Avoiding middle seats is a must! Being early in the airport early gives you a greater chance of appealing and possibly receiving relatively spacious seats in windows, aisles, and exit rows. Therefore, even if you’re going to sit inside the plane for more than half a day, an extra hour early won’t even cause more pain in the butt.
Bring your home along
Even with all the technology available to make travel as smoothly as possiible, we are still helpless when tech glitches occur. At the mercy of machines, travelers feel desperate because of flight delays and flight cancellations. So what do you do in case you are one of the hoards trying to get to your destination but cannot do anything because of a computer glitch. Here are some tips:
Rely on your smartphone or tablet
These gadgets are quite portable. Bring them anywhere you go and you can easily get in touch with everyone you need to contact via phone or email. You will also be able to access the internet and maybe find an alternative so you can get to where you need to go.
Go for non-stop flights
