Beitel travel advice

No one wants to be stranded.  In fact, it’s something of a nightmare for anyone who finds themselves trapped somewhere else, especially on your so called luxury holidays in a foreign country!  If you find that you’re stranded somewhere, here are some things to keep in mind. If you become stranded due to someone breaking into your hotel room, contact the management right away.  They may be able to help you find your missing belongings.  At the very least, they should offer you accommodations until you can get everything straightened out. You also need to contact the authorities and give them a very detailed list of exactly what was taken.  It’s important that you tell them as much information as you can, especially regarding your passport and credit cards.  You also need to alert your credit card companies and bank that the cards have been stolen.  This way, they can let you and the authorities know the instant someone tries to use the cards.  If your plane or bus tickets were stolen, notify the proper agency here, too, so that they can cancel the tickets. If you’re in a foreign country, you should also visit your government’s local embassy.  This may require travelling to a larger city; in that case, call the embassy and see if they can arrange travel or if someone can come meet you.  Your embassy will be able to assist you in wiring money or accessing your bank account so that you can get home. While being stranded does not happen too often, it never hurts to be prepared for it.  Leave a copy of your passport, identification, and all other important documents with a trusted relative or friend.  Also make sure this person has your itinerary, mobile phone number, and any other contact information you can give them (hotel phone number, room number, flight information, etc.).  You may also want to take a copy of this information yourself and secure it in a safe place, such as in the bottom of your toiletry bag or some other bag that no one would think to steal.

If you’re visiting San Francisco, you should take the time to check out Alcatraz Island.  This historic site has been a prison, a lighthouse, a military base, and finally a tourist attraction.  Taking the tour of the island is very interesting, and it’s certainly worth an afternoon.  You can take the ferry ride from Pier 33 straight to the island.  The pier is located near Fisherman’s Wharf, which is located on many bus and subway lines, so getting there from most San Francisco hotels is very easy.

There are two tours available: the day tour and the night tour.  Most people go during the day.  Both tours include the ferry ride to and from the island.  You can also purchase an Island Hop ticket that takes you out to both Alcatraz Island and Angel Island.  No matter which ticket you buy, it is recommended that you call ahead and reserve tickets.

The ferry ride will take about 15 minutes, and once you’re on the island, you can stay as long as you’d like to—just be sure to catch the last ferry back to the pier.  It’s important to note that there are no restaurants or concession stands on Alcatraz, so you won’t want to be on the island around lunchtime.

When you first arrive on the island, a tour guide will give you a short introduction and then turn you loose with a guide book.  You can also rent headphones for an audio tour if you’d like to hear all about the history of the prison and military base.  There are several educational films and exhibits you can visit as well.

Going on holiday alone, with friends, or with your significant other is very different from going on holiday with your children.  The experience of travelling with your entire family can be very rewarding, but it also presents some new challenges.

First, you have to keep an eye on your children.  In some locations, especially very crowded, busy locations, it can be easy to lose track of one another.  If your children get lost in a foreign city, they will probably panic, and you’ll be just as panicked as you look for them.  Always make certain your children know the name of the hotel you are staying at in case you do get separated.  Another good idea is to designate a meeting area in case you do get separated.  This might be the fountain in the middle of a public square, a specific store in a mall, or the gift store of a museum.

Obviously, having your children along on a trip is also going to impact your budget, but it may not be as expensive as you think.  Some hotels offer discounted rates for younger children, as do some airlines and train lines.  Inquire before you make your reservations.  Also look into children’s prices on tickets for events and admissions.

Travelling with children also may mean more luggage and that may mean extra costs.  To defer this, consider sharing a larger suitcase with your kids.  If you have two kids, they can share a suitcase.  If you only have one young child, you may be able to fit all of their clothes in your suitcase or split their clothes between you and your spouse.

Finally, remember that you will need to schedule some events just for your children.  Don’t expect them to sit through concerts and plays if you’re not prepared to go to children’s museums and theme parks.  Plan a trip that gives both adults and children things to do, and you’ll find the entire family will have a great time.

Visiting Madrid can be somewhat expensive, especially if you live in the United States or other far off locations.  You have to pay for airfare, for your hotel, and then for incidentals like food and any souvenirs you purchase.  However, if you’re in Madrid to see some of its famous museums and other top attractions, there is a way you can save some money: purchase a Madrid Card.

The Madrid Card gives you free entrance to a number of tourist attractions and discounts at others.  You can also get discounts at some restaurants.  There are 40 different museums that offer free admission to Madrid Card holders.  They include many of the most famous museums in Madrid, including the Reina Sofia, Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Prado.  Some of these museums and attractions can cost three or four Euros each.

Another service that takes the Madrid Card is the Madrid Vision tourist bus.  This bus circles the city and stops at all major tourist attractions, some shopping centres, and some Madrid hotels.  There are three different routes that run throughout the city, and if you don’t want to spend most of your day walking, you’ll want to take the bus. If you have your Madrid Card, it’s completely free.  Otherwise, you will pay 16 Euros per person for a day pass.  You also get access to the Discover Madrid walking tours.

In addition to these discounts, the Madrid Card comes with two guide books that highlight some of the best sights of the city and list all of the attractions that honour the card.  They also list the restaurants and clubs that provide discounts (generally 10 percent) to Madrid Card holders.

The Madrid Card can be purchased for one day (45 Euros), two days (58 Euros), or three days (72 Euros).  One of the nice features of the Madrid Card is that your “day” countdown doesn’t begin until you use the card, not from the moment you purchase it.  If you plan to see a lot of museums, take the bus, and eat out a lot, you will easily save money using the card.

Lodging is one of the most important aspects of a holiday or business trip.  While your company may select your hotel for you if you’re on business, if you’re going on holiday, you may have many different choices.  However, you want to be sure you select a hotel that best fits your needs.

What amenities do you need in your lodging?  Some hotels offer luxuries like fridges, microwaves, and even small kitchenettes, but you’ll find these rooms are sometimes more expensive.  You also have a choice in beds—do you need one large bed or two smaller ones?  Will you need a roll-in bed?  If you’re getting two rooms, can you get them with an adjoining door?  Take all of these considerations into account when you’re booking your lodging.

You also need to consider location.  Finding a hotel near places you want to visit is a good idea since it will cut down on transportation time.  You may even be able to walk from your hotel, saving you money on taxi rides.  Also check to see if your hotel offers shuttles to the airport or not.  Some hotels do have free transportation back and forth to the airport, but some do not.

If you’re travelling with children, inquire about discounted rates.  Some hotels charge less for children under 12, and some allow babies to stay for free.  Likewise, be sure to check how many adults are allowed in each room.  Some charge one price for two adults and a different price for three or four adults.

One of the biggest expenses of any trip is eating, since you’re almost always forced to eat in a restaurant unless you’re visiting friends or relatives.  This means you’ll be eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner out, plus you’ll probably buy snacks and drinks in between meals.  That adds up very quickly.  Even if you eat at fast food places, you’ll probably still spend £10 to £15 on food.

However, there are a few ways to get around that.  First, if your hotel room has a mini-fridge and microwave in it, you’re all set—all you have to do is visit a local grocery store and stock up on a few items.  You can purchase soup that comes in its own microwavable bowl, frozen dinners, and even a small container of milk to go along with your cereal.

However, many cheap hotel rooms don’t have these accommodations.  Despite this, a trip to a nearby grocery store can still be fruitful.  Even though you won’t be able to store milk in your room, you can still get dry cereal, donuts, or bagels for breakfast.  For lunch, you can get a loaf of bread and make a cheese sandwich.  Some apples or other fruits also stay good for several days.  Likewise, you can often find pre-cut carrot sticks and broccoli to snack on.  Trail mix, pretzels, and crackers can round out your snack selection.

Instead of buying drinks for your hotel vending machine or from the gift shop, go ahead and purchase some soft drinks or bottled water from the grocery store as well.  Many hotels have an ice machine somewhere in them, so you can easily cool these drinks down.

These tips will help you save a little bit of money on food, but if you’re on holiday, don’t forget to have a little fun and eat out.  Sampling the local cuisine is one of the most exciting parts about travelling, so if you have the money, don’t limit yourself to sandwiches and fruit.