An alternate use for a hotel iron – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Hotel irons have more uses than just getting the wrinkles out. Pack a few feet of aluminum foil in your luggage, and you’ve got all the tools you need for cooking and reheating food.

Grilled cheese is simple to make! Just wrap it in foil and lay the iron on top of it.

Irons also work great for reheating food that you may have brought back from a restaurant. Anything that you can spread between aluminum foil can be reheated. I’ve reheated everything from pancakes to shrimp scampi for a late night snack. I’ve used this trick for years.

Tip: It works best when you turn off the steam option on the iron.

Put culture before curios – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

From refrigerator magnets to postcards to snowglobes, I’ve collected many things during my travels. Of them all, what I value most will surprise you: the programs from cultural events.

Don’t toss them so quickly! The miniature Big Ben I bought will never mean as much as the program for La Boheme at Covent Garden. The Sacher torte I enjoyed at Hotel Sacher was divine; my program, on the other hand, will forever remind me of the spectacular Vienna Boys Choir.

My programs are my most prized collection. They continue to mean more than any items purchased in souvenir shops.

Selecting the perfect shore excursions – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

I took the vacation of a lifetime last summer on an Alaskan cruise. Before I selected my shore excursions, I attended an informative session put on by the shore excursion staff. It was totally free to attend.

During the presentation, they showed me slides regarding the excursions and offered an excellent overview the hundred-plus shore excursions available throughout the cruise.

I was so inspired by the informative session that I went immediately to the shore excursion office to register for my excursions. I was not disappointed in a single shore excursion that I signed up for during the cruise!

Related: Purchase your excursions onboard – Cruise tip
Counterpoint: Research, and get off the beaten (excursion) path – Cruise tip

Stop to read the historical markers – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

Every state has them — those roadside markers provided by the state historical society that highlights some piece of history that took place here, or some otherwise trivial piece of information about the journey through this area made by others.

Sometimes the markers explain a point of geology. Sometimes they provide insight to the name of a highway or region or valley or mountain. We’ve found the sites of shoot-outs with Bonnie & Clyde, of stage coach routes and of unbelievable natural disasters, and through each one have felt a little more in touch with the journey.

Restuarants may be closed during holidays – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When traveling in Europe over major holidays, you may find the restaurants closed for dinner. Most hotels, even smaller pension-style places, will take pity on you, however, and let you use their kitchen or help you heat up food.

On a recent trip in Annecy, France, we bought delicious pre-made dishes from a gourmet traiteur (deli) and the hotel manager happily heated them for us. We set out a nice table in the hotel bar, shared a glass of champagne with another traveling couple, and the hotel staff brought us slices of Christmas cake for dessert: a wonderful Christmas dinner!