When trying to find a nice hotel in an area you’re not familiar with, go back to the basics and find the address on an online mapping service, like Google Maps.
Their satellite view will tell you a lot about where your hotel is located, what’s around it, and — potentially — what to watch out for.
You may find a hotel that looks great on their website is actually in an area surrounded by warehouses or in an abandoned area of town.
If you think all airline seats in the coach cabin are the same, you’re wrong. Bulkhead seats (the first row of the cabin) offer more space than others, and you can get them without spending extra money.
These seats offer extra room and are frequently left open by airlines for disabled passengers and their families. If you fall into one of those categories, head up to the counter as soon as you get to the gate and ask for those seats.
If no one in your party is disabled, still go to the counter and ask if the bulkhead seats have been claimed on your flight and if you can have one.
Editor’s Note: these seats won’t have space under them for stowage, so all bags must go in the overhead bins. If you’re a constant “belongings-checker,” these seats may not be for you. Also, the tray tables may be less useful than the normally un-useful tray tables, due to their design.
Skip (or severely limit) casino time.
Ahh, the open seas. The relaxing, stress-free moments of your annual cruise to a tropical paradise. Sun, drinks, food and all the entertainment you can handle. That is — until you drop more cash in the casino than you spent on the cruise itself!
The siren’s call of the cruise ship casino is sometimes too much for passengers to resist. However, to make sure you don’t end up bankrupt post-vacation, be sure to limit your time playing games of chance to ensure your trip remains fun-filled and memorable for you and your entire family.
If you chose to use a cybercafe in India, be prepared to hand over your passport and give your home address — some cybercafes will even fingerprint you!
Criminals in India have abused cybercafe computers, prompting strict regulations for India’s cybercafes. The extra layer of red tape is just not worth the trouble — besides, many cybercafe computers are infected with viruses, and that’s NOT the kind of souvenir you want to send home to friends and family.
Instead, consider bringing your own computer and using your hotel’s Internet access. Alternatively, just unplug!
Make use of the “dead space” within shoes by packing underwear, socks, or anything small inside them.
Shoes are bulky and take up precious suitcase space. However, this space shouldn’t be lost! To conserve even more space, chose underwear and socks made with lightweight fabric. Remember to roll underwear and socks tightly before placing them inside the shoe.
Also consider stuffing other smallish items — like batteries, phone charging cables, spare camera lenses, etc. — inside the shoe until it’s full.