When I was a teen I used to stay in Youth Hostels with ten people in the same room. Before we left for the day, members had to present themselves to the manager to do a chore before checking out! Youth hostels have changed (as have I!). My post last week prompted on youth hostels prompted me to reflect that hostels still remain an amazing way to travel – and not necessarily just for teenager backpackers. For example, in Sydney, Australia during a really busy peak time in that city, the chepaest decent hotel room…
Travel Tips (Monday)
Category Archives for Travel Tips (Monday).
Travel Tip #13 Save through Youth Hostels!
I have been a member of the Youth Hostels Association on and off since 1977. Over the last few years I have faithfully renewed my membership without hesitation. Yet, my days of staying in backpacker rooms with 12 or more backpackers are very rare. My major motivation frankly for staying connected as as member are the discounts that many establishments offer youth hostel members. These discounts far outweigh the cost of my mmbership. The YHA discounts, I think, are the best of any discount scheme I have encountered travelling. Travelex gives commission free cash at…
Travel Tip: Charge Constantly
In today’s high tech gadget world, finding places to recharge equipment, can be very difficult. I have learnt to charge my stuff at any time. Anytime I see a spare electrical outlet, I now take advantage of it!
Nervous Flyers Relax (Travel Tip #11)
When Ansett Australia was flying, their in flight magazine had a section for nervous and new flyers explaining the bangs and noises of a flight. Last week British British Airways is installing an instructional video on its in-flight entertainment system based on its one-day Flying with Confidence course. The video guides passengers through the operations of an aircraft, including explaining the technical side of flying including turbulence. The course is run by Captain Allright (that is his real name apparently!) Also included in the video are relaxation techniques from clinical psychologists to help reduce any feelings of panic. A clip…
Terrific Tripit
If you travel regularly or are planning an extended trip, get TripIt. Tripit works like this:Whenever I get an itinerary from an airline, rail company, hotel (pictured below) I forward the confirmation to Tripit. Users can currently forward confirmation emails from over 1,000 different booking sites. Thirty seconds after Tripit has got my email, they send one back: Its like magic! Every now and then one doesn’t work (Interislander ferries in NZ didnt work yesterday!). Tripit creates an itinerary from the confirmation. You can see my upcoming trips below on my Tripit homepage: Each of these Trips will include…
What the H*ll is this Code Sharing? (Travel Tip #9)
I was at a party recently and a guy I was talking to, was reflecting on his recent holiday. He had been shocked to find despite being booked on what he thought was a Qantas flight, it was in fact operated by British Airways. “What the hell is this Code Sharing?” was his comment. This experience can be a bonus. For example, being booked on an American Airlines flight but the carrier is Qantas. The service will be better and the food better! I have also found it can save you money. When I booked…
Amtrak goes Electronic
Amtrak, the US Rail system has some of the most archaic ticketing systems of any rail system in the world. One element of their system is that you have needed a paper ticket to ride. Not anymore. As of last Monday, Amtrak passengers may print out their own tickets at home or download them to their smartphone or tablet. Yes, E tickets have arrived on trains, only years after airlines abolished paper tickets. The system was trialled in California and had a massive uptake. I have been generally using the electronic ticketing machines at stations which…
Free Kindle London Airport Transfer Guide
One of my Boarding Area colleagues The Wandering Aramean notes that there is a free Kindle guide available for those travelling to the Olympics. Useful for the rest of us at any time.
Instant Upgrade Please
I like sharing some of the wackier things I see when travelling. A passenger on my Air France flight last week, moved himself from Economy to Business Class just on pushback from the gate. The flight attendant very swiftly chased the passenger back to the economy section. A few seconds later, while the plane was stil taxiing to the runway, the same passenger moved himself into an exit row seat (middle seat actually). I had a few questions: 1. Was this a regular trick he tries? If so, does it ever work? 2. Was he not aware…
Travel Tip: Walk
When planning a trip for a day, list the attractions you want to see in a city or area. Then group them by locality. Plan your itinerary for a day so you can walk between attractions. You will save money and time and see a lot more than from a taxi, bus or subway. Just make sure you pack good shoes! Related Posts: Travel Tip #6: Take Travel Insurance Travel Tip #7: Be Date Flexible .
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