Planning a Trip to Europe

As well as projects, goals, blog ideas, thoughts and links, I started a list item for my planned trip to Europe. I wanted one place to collect all the stuff I needed to think about. Once I’d created the main heading, I double clicked on the bullet point to create a new page with that list item as the main heading. On that page, I created a number of sub-items for the issues I wanted to look at, such as the countries I wanted to include, the accommodation to investigate, and some possible sightseeing targets in each country. Then I could add sub-items for each item. For example, under things to see in Spain, I could add Barcelona (yes, I do mean the whole city!), the Sagrada Familia, etc.

Workflowy Features

Workflowy has drag and drop, which means I can easily reorder items if I need to. I can also add notes to each list item, which is useful for more detail or to keep track of links related to a particular task I want to carry out. Every time I complete a task, a line goes through it, and I can choose to keep completed items hidden or visible. I can delete items that are no longer relevant, and I can also export the entire list (or a portion of it) and share lists with people, which could be useful if more than one person is involved in trip planning.

I find Workflowy an excellent tool for all sorts of uses. You can do a brain dump when you are initially thinking about a trip, then refine your thoughts by adding other considerations as sub-items and changing the order of items to reflect their importance. Workflowy also has search and tagging. And there’s one more good thing about Workflowy – it’s got a restful user interface. It looks like a page with a list and it never gets overwhelming because you can keep main list items collapsed and only expand when you want to see the sub-items.

Have you ever tried Workflowy as a travel planning tool? What do you think of it?

Planning a trip? Don’t forget to use our Happy12 coupon and save on off airport parking.

There are a number of preventive measures you can take to help reduce the chances of becoming a victim of crime while on holiday. This article will cover the most common and most effective methods of protecting yourself and your possessions whilst away on holiday.

Keep Yourself Secure on Holiday

If you want to give yourself a fighting chance against kidnappers, murderers, muggers and rapists, learn some form of self-defense. This may seem a little over the top, and you probably think this type of thing won’t happen to you, but it’s still a very real risk that should not be overlooked. Don’t go wandering off alone at night, especially if you’re in a quiet location that doesn’t have a busy nightlife. If you insist on going out for a midnight wander either take someone with you, or at the very least, let someone know exactly where you are going and what time they should expect you back and make sure you carry a fully charged mobile phone with you.

Self Defence Lesson Image Credit

If you’re out drinking and getting quite tipsy, especially if you’re alone at night and your accommodation is more than a few minutes away, get a taxi. A drunken person is a much easier target for a mugger than a sober person, especially if you are female. If you insist on making your own way back then stick to the main streets, where there are other people around; don’t risk taking a short cut through back streets. Do not attempt to walk back to your accommodation if you are drunk as a skunk, struggling to stay on your feet or cannot remember the way.

Cocktail Image Credit

Keep Your Possessions Secure on Holiday

When out and about, keeping your wallet or purse secure is very important. Professional pick pockets are very good at what they do. No matter how vigilant you are, they can still grab your wallet or purse if it isn’t stashed away securely. The best place to keep your wallet or purse is in an inside pocket on your jacket. This can be made even more secure if you keep that jacket zipped up.

Pick Pocketing Image Credit

If you think your wallet will be fine in your back pocket just because it fits nice and snug and you are convinced you would be able to feel if someone takes it, you’re wrong. Don’t under-estimate a professional pick pocket; they can, and will get it, regardless of how secure it feels. If possible, carry two wallets or purses with you; put the majority of your money and cards in one and a small amount of cash and some old, expired cards in the other. In the worst case scenario where you could be approached, threatened or even attacked and asked to hand over your money, give them your extra wallet or purse with the expired cards and small amount of cash in.

If your holiday accommodation is a cottage or villa then make sure you keep it secure, just as you would your own house. Be sure to lock doors and windows when you go out, especially at night. If you are out on an all-night bender consider leaving the TV and a light on with the curtains drawn to deter a potential burglar.

Locking Door Image Credit

This guest post on Staying Secure On Holiday was written on behalf of Hotel Club; helping you find beautiful hotels in Penang.

But when it comes to travel, there are several things I aspire to, and I’m going to share some of them with you. These aren’t resolutions, but aspirations. They represent the things I want to do on every trip I make, no matter the length of the trip or the destination. Here they are:

1. Get out of the compound. In my experience, you miss a lot when you stick only to the area around your accommodation, especially if that accommodation is of the luxury or all-inclusive kind. Don’t get me wrong; I love staying in hotels or apartments, but it’s always wise to explore. One of the ways I’ve done that over the years is to hop on a bus and ride to the end of the line. You never know what you will find. Once, I was on a train along the Costa del Sol, when I spotted a beach where there were no deck chairs and no tourists. That became my favorite haunt for the rest of the trip.

2. Take a detour. We all make travel plans but it’s good to be prepared to throw these out if an opportunity presents itself. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of following a road you didn’t know about that seems to be attracting a lot of traffic. Using that principle helped my discover a cool art shop in central Barcelona as well as a restaurant that made the best Russian salad I have ever tasted.

3. Follow the locals. Even if you don’t speak the same language, you can communicate with people. Smiles, nods and phrase books can help you to share information about where you’ve come from, where you’ve been and what there is to see in a particular location. It’s always more interesting to go where the locals hang out and experience life as an insider than to take the sanitized tourist experience (which also has its merits, I agree). That’s the reason we spent a couple hours once driving to the north of one of the Canary Islands to a great beach and park – no tourist hotels in sight.

These are three of the principles that guide my trips – what are yours? (Image: Clark di Camelot)

Don't forget your passport!

It often seems that travel isn’t as much fun as it used to be. I know I’ve ranted about that a couple of times before. But sometimes I wonder whether a change of attitude would make trips feel more pleasant. Here are some tips on making every trip terrific – enjoying the things that work well and fixing the things that don’t.

1. Make sure you have the correct travel documents. I’ve stood in an airline check-in queue before while someone argued that they should be allowed to travel even thought they didn’t have a passport or the correct paperwork. And it’s not just about having the passport, but about having one that’s valid for the right amount of time. Check it now and fix it before you go anywhere.

2. If you have booked a vacation in a sunny place, it’s going to be hot, so presumably you expect it. Why bother to complain about the heat? It won’t change and you will just feel worse. If it happens to rain, complaining won’t help – find something else to do instead. Who knows? You might even have fun!

3.  Keep your valuable items secured and avoid deals that look too good to be true. Use hotel safes to store important papers and other items and don’t flash your stuff around. That’s a good way to avoid being mugged or taken advantage of – two things that can take the shine off your vacation.

4. Get a phrase book or translation program. When you visit other countries, not everyone will speak English. And why should they? It’s their country. Lack of English is not a good reason to complain. Instead, look up what you want to say and use their language. Most people appreciate the effort and will go out of their way to help you.

5. Act immediately if something goes wrong so that it can be fixed. There’s no point in complaining to your friends and relatives in quiet corners (or noisy ones). Speak to the people who can solve your problem, get it fixed and enjoy the rest of your vacation.

(Image: pkingDesign)

7. Thanksgiving Travel and Airport Parking Tips

Are you one of the millions of people who will travel over the Thanksgiving holiday this year? Along with a big dose of patience, you’ll need these travel tips to make sure you get to your destination without any difficulty.

6.Travel Trends by Gender

Travel trends have changed a lot over the last century and part of those changes includes how men and women travel. Once upon a time, women were quite adventurous to travel alone and rarely did so. But what about today? How have travel trends changed among the genders?

5. Unusual and Creepy Reasons for Flight Delays

Chances are you’ve been stuck on an airplane before, waiting for takeoff. More than likely the cause was a mechanical failure – but not necessarily. Here are four unusual reasons commercial airline flights have been delayed.

4. Tips for Healthy Airline Travel

If you travel out of town on business for more than a week each month, chances are your health is suffering because of it. Be proactive and plan to eat right and exercise while you’re on the road. Even the frequent flier can stay healthy!

3. How Air Travel Has Changed in Recent Decades

Technology and global events have shaped airline travel in the last several decades. Take a stroll through memory lane and read about the major changes in the airline industry from 1980 forward.

2. College Bowl Game 2011 Travel Tips

Are you making plans to attend your favorite college bowl this year? This overview of the most popular matchups will help you make your travel plans.

1.  The 6 C’s of 2011 Travel Trends

More people are expected to make business and leisure trips in 2011. What’s changed this year over last? The top trends are described as the 6 Cs: Cruising, Corporate Travel, the Caribbean, Countries, Celebrations, and Cost.

Today I’m interviewing Jenn Miller, one of the co-authors (the other is Keri Wellman) of ‘Bottles to Backpacks:  The Gypsy Mama’s Guide to

Jenn, give us a snapshot of your background in writing and travel?

I was born into a nomadic family and have traveled my whole life. I’ve had the great benefit of being a child on the road as well as a parent on the road which has given me the confidence to know that this path will be great for my kids in the long run, because it was great for my brother and I. Four years ago we sold our house and most of our stuff and hit the road on bicycles, cycling from London, England to Tunisia and back over a year. That was the beginning of what’s become an open ended world tour with our kids.

I have to write to breathe, that I get paid for it is just a bonus! For the past ten years I’ve been writing for the home education market and when we started traveling it was natural to branch out into some travel writing as well. I write a lot for the online travel market, and a couple of paper magazines for the home education crowd. I was privileged to contribute the “Family Travel” chapter to an Indie Guidebook on traveling Europe, and have participated in a couple of print compilations over the years. Bottles to Backpacks: The Gypsy Mama’s Guide To REAL Travel With Kids is my first attempt at an e-book and it’s been great fun to collaborate with my writing partner and gypsy friend Keri Wellman on the project.

I get a lot of joy out of encouraging people to dream big dreams and make them happen. I consider myself very lucky to have lived the life I’ve lived and showing other families that it’s possible to combine big time travel with outside the box education and create an epic adventure for a childhood is the best possible use of my writing that I can think of.

What’s your elevator pitch?

This book answers the big question that we’re daily asked as we travel the world with our kids: “HOW do you do it?!”  From new babies through a teenager’s first solo trip, we’ll give you the tools and the confidence to take the plunge and explore the great big world, with your kids!

Now, in more detail, what’s the book about and why did you write it?

We wrote this book in response to the daily questions we get from people everywhere we travel. They want to know the “how” of big time travel with kids. From packing, to schooling, potty training to renting houses on another continent, this book attempts to anticipate and answer just about every question a parent could have about life on the road with kids.

We wrote it because so many of the parents we talk to dream of epic adventure with their kids but are afraid of something: money, healthcare, educational consequences, their toddler freaking out on a plane, teenage rebellion at the idea of taking off, you name it. Fear holds us back from so many things in life and the best way to replace it with confidence is through education and new information. We hope to inspire and encourage parents to live their dreams with their children and to give them the “boots-on-the-ground” information they need to dive in fully prepared.

We cover everything from first trips with newborns to preparing your teenager to travel alone. There are a lot of “travel with kids” books on the market that assume a two week vacation, or assume a certain kind of adventure, or are targeted to a particular age group. Those books are limited in their usefulness. What we’ve attempted to create is “the Bible” of travel with kid basics. No matter what stage of life your child is at, no matter how many kids you have, no matter where you’re going or how you’re planning to travel, you’ll find the tools you need to prepare your kids for the adventure in this book.

Why ‘the Gypsy Mama’?

I’ve long described myself as a “Gypsy Mama”; it sounds better than homeless! The word ‘gypsy’ conjures up the image of a person blown by the wind, who is tough, resourceful, independent, self sufficient and at home in the world. These are all things I aspire to and I suspect many other moms do as well.

What has been your most challenging experience traveling with your kids?

Maintaining a cheerful attitude… mine, not theirs! Parenting is really hard work, no matter where or how you live. All of the problems and challenges of “home life” go with you when you travel for a living, only they’re navigated in strange places, in second and third languages and without the comforts and conveniences of home to rely on. Kids are notoriously flexible little beings. They roll with the punches under almost every circumstance. It’s ME who struggles with a happy attitude when everyone is puking on a Mediterranean ferry crossing or when we’re freezing to death high-altitude camping in Yellowstone National Park, or when Ezra is pooping to death on a chicken bus in Honduras.

What has been the most rewarding?

The most rewarding thing about a nomadic life with my kids has been watching them unfold as world citizens. That they are equally comfortable on camels in Tunisia, or riding on top of a pile of banana crates in an open boat in Belize is their best feature. I love that they are completely comfortable communicating creatively in places where they don’t speak the language and that shopping in mercados and souqs is more comfortable than Walmart. In fact, Ezra has been known to try to barter at Walmart when we first return to the USA! The reason we travel the way we do is to educate our kids, to create world citizens, not just dual American-Canadian citizens. That we see them blossoming in that regard, right before our eyes, makes all of the hard things and the things we do without worthwhile.

Can we expect more books in this series? What’s next?

Yes! You can expect more books in the series! Keri and I have several ideas up our sleeves. We envision the Gypsy Mama concept becoming an umbrella for all sorts of resources that equip families to get out there and adventure together, for two weeks, or two years, as the case may be.

Anything to add?

Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk about our project and share it with your readers; we’d be happy to hear from anyone who has questions or would like to know more about how to make their travel dreams as a family come true!

To find out more about Bottles to Backpacks:  The Gypsy Mama’s Guide to Real Travel with Kids, check out these product information pages.

1. Accept that you need less than you think you do. Unless it’s summer, if you’re a guy,  it won’t kill you to wear the same suit for three days and just take a couple of spare shirts. That won’t work for the ladies, but try two mix and match outfits to give you four combos. Pair that with no more than 2 pairs of shoes and, for the guys, two ties, and you’re all set.

2. Make clothes do double duty. If you’re a PJs kind of person, and you also like to hit the hotel gym in the morning, then let your workout wear double as sleepwear. Shorts and a T-shirt are very versatile. If you get the light ones with wicking, you can rinse them in the shower and they’ll be dry by nightfall, so one set will be enough.

3. Leave lotions at home. For the ladies especially, lotions and potions can take up a lot of room, but how many of those do you really need? This is the time to pack your most versatile makeup and body lotion. Even better, leave the lotion at home and pick up a travel size when you arrive if there’s none at the hotel. Unless you have sensitive skin, you can survive for a couple of days.

4. Change your laptop. There’s no point in downsizing your luggage needs if you still have to lug a behemoth of a laptop around with you. Switch to a netbook or, even better, a tablet, which is light, ultra-portable and has apps, games and an e-reader as well as all your business stuff. After years of traveling with a huge Dell laptop, I found the netbook a nice change and I currently have my eye on an Android-based tablet (Samsung Galaxy, perhaps?) when next I upgrade.

These four changes will make a big difference to the weight you have to carry around when you travel. What tips would you add?

More on this: Achieving Minimalism in Business Travel.

(Image: herbrm)

1) Plan for a longer trip

If the roads are wet and visibility is bad then you should allow for a longer drive. Not only should you avoid speeding but you should probably drive slower than the speed limit if it is wet. Obviously you will have to be the judge of road conditions but you should still plan on adding some extra time onto your trip in case the roads are hazardous or visibility is bad.

2) Avoid cruise control

If you start hydroplaning, and your cruise control is set, the car might actually accelerate out of the puddle. You need to be on top of your driving game when it’s raining so save the cruise control for a sunny day when you’re heading out on the highway, not when you’re driving on rainy streets with poor visibility and slippery roads.

3) Be particularly careful if rain follows a long dry stretch

When the roads are dry, engine oil, grease, and other fluids will build up on the surface of the road. In the first few hours after a rainfall this will cause the road to become very slick. If you don’t need to head anywhere right away then postpone your trip. You if you need to be somewhere right away then be cautious and take your time.

4) Don’t tailgate

You shouldn’t be tailgating even if the weather is sunny and dry. It’s dangerous and causes thousands of accidents each year. But driving too close behind a vehicle is that much more dangerous when it is wet. It takes a lot longer to stop when the road surface is wet so give the person in front of you extra space. If you rear end someone in your car then you will likely be blamed for the accident so avoid tailgating and save yourself and other people on the road a lot of grief and suffering.

5) Get rid of those old wipers before it rains

The best time to replace your wipers is before it starts raining – that way you’re not out on the road late at night in the rain with very limited visibility. Wipers are one of the cheapest safety devices on your car so replace them often. If you’re prone to forgetting such things you should consider buying 2 or 3 sets of wipers next time you’re at a hardware or automotive store. You’re going to use them eventually so you might as well have them on hand. Make sure you properly defog you car before you leave your driveway because this will also affect your visibility on the road. Your wipers might be brand new but the car may still have a layer of moisture on the windshield, which limits your visibility of pedestrians and other vehicles.

To learn more about safe driving visit http://www.completeinsurance.ca (a website about cars and car insurance). (Image: jon_a_ross)

Traveling has become significantly more difficult over the past decade—regardless of the continent or the season, there are just more people traveling and it is always crowded. Everything from the excessive screening at airports to getting bumped off due to overbooking, all threaten to taken the fun out flying. It’s even more difficult for a business traveler who has to do it frequently. However, it is possible to make travel enjoyable, by following some simple rules that will help to minimize potential problems and make your trip stress-free, if not enjoyable.

Book Smartly

Whether it is rental cars, hotels or airlines, be smart about the bookings. Travel is not about getting the lowest prices—for a business traveler it is about avoiding cancelled flights and uncomfortable, inconveniently located hotels. Consider an airport hotel if your stay is short; a taxi to the airport is usually one of your biggest expenses, and also you won’t have to worry about rushing to make your flight.

If a very cheap hotel is located in an out-of-the-way location from which transport will be difficult or a greater expense, then it is not cheap. Precious time which can be better utilized in meetings or used for rest is wasted in transit, while the transport bill skyrockets. Likewise, an airline is not “cheap” if its flights have long layovers or delays, because time is wasted and you won’t arrive at your destination fresh and ready to participate in business meetings.

There is a wealth of information available online, and business travelers should use it to their advantage. Always check an airline’s on-time and lost luggage performance before booking. Also, look up the fare history on the intended route so that it can be determined if you are really getting a good price. Book flights that allow you to reserve seats, and ensure that seat early by getting a printout of the boarding pass; this is the best way to avoid getting bumped off or arriving without your checked-in baggage.

The Airport Experience

Check-in lines are always long and airport security is meticulous. So arrive early, a minimum of three hours before boarding time for international flights and two for local. Airport security officers will not be rushed just because the last call for one’s flight has been made, in fact if you’re in too big of a hurry they are going to pay you closer attention. Anticipate delays and schedule meetings with sufficient cushion time so you don’t become stressed out unnecessarily. Plan to have your before-flight meal at the airport instead of several cocktails, which will add to your jet lag and use up some of your extra time.

Once you’ve found an airline that you feel comfortable with, stay loyal. There is nothing better in travel than the perks that come with an elite status gained through frequent flyer programs. The same is true for hotel and car rental loyalty programs. Be sure to use these incentives to your advantage when traveling frequently. One weekend worth of flying to Asia can earn one a year of upgrades, speedy security lines and priority standby status.

On average, one passenger on each flight arrives at their destination without their luggage. So hold on to everything of value or those items that you can’t manage without. This includes medicine, jewelry, documents or that suit that will be needed for your early morning meeting. Make sure the luggage is clearly identified and drop a business card inside as well.

If you must travel for work, then why not enjoy it as much as possible? After your business is done, explore your destination—be open to different cultures and cuisine, and visit the local markets. Save a day to see a museum and learn about the local history. Create a diary or even a travel blog to share with others; remember travel is an option not everyone is blessed with.

Author Samantha Hathaway is a financial consultant and always traveling between the U.S. and Europe. She is also a blogger and content contributor to payday loans, a site with information about and access to pay advances.

1 Zebra crossing – so named because of its black and white stripes, but better known as a crosswalk here in the US.

2. Whinge – to whine or complain, usually about things seen as trivial by someone else. If someone calls you a whinger it is not a good thing.

3. Welly – as in give it some welly. A good old Brit expression that’s the equivalent of elbow grease here in the US.

4. Trainers – you might think that this is a word for people who coach other people, but no, it’s Brit-speak for sneakers. And if you’re talking about tennis shoes, then the Brits say plimsolls.

5. Subway – this is a walkway that runs under a road, not to be confused either with the sandwich chain or a mode of transport (in London, what Americans call the subway is known as the Tube (or the Underground).

6. Sarky – Brit-speak for sarcastic where Americans would say snarky.

7. Rubber – this isn’t what you think, but what Americans call an eraser. Misuse of the term can lead to confusion, obviously.

8. Recce – in this case the same word reconnoitre/reconnaissance (both of French origin) have produced two diferent abbreviations on each side of the pond. In America, we’d say recon.

9. The off-licence is where you’d go to buy an alcoholic drink. Known affectionately as the offie, we’d call it a liquor store.

10. Their motorway is our freeway.

11. Want that ice-cream with a few sprinkles? You’ll have to ask for hundreds and thousands in the UK.

12. Our billboard is their hoarding.

13. Fortnight – this means two weeks, whereas we just take it one week at a time.

14. Even on the phone there are major differences. That tone you hear when you can’t get through is called the engaged tone in the UK, where we would say busy signal.

15. Got a personal bank account in the UK? you will probably call it a current account, the equivalent of the US checking (or check) account.

16. Our cop is their bobby, and the cops in general are sometimes called the Old Bill.

17. A ballpoint pen is a biro in the UK, after the last name of the inventor.

18. If you’re watching TV (or telly), then chances are you’ll take a look at the BBC, also known as the Beeb or Auntie.

19. The presenters there will use an autocue and not a teleprompter.

20. Is your boss a great guy? You’d call him a top bloke in the UK.

Check out an even longer list of uncommon British expressions here.

Other resources:

• British Language and Customs
• BBC America’s British American dictionary
• and, for the true word nerds out there, differences in American and British grammar. Image: Taikun2007)

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