Beitel travel advice

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.

Many people like to purchase souvenirs when they’re on holiday or even on a business trip.  However, there are many different things to keep in mind when you’re purchasing souvenirs.  If you aren’t careful, you may end up spending either too much money or not having enough bag space for all of the souvenirs you purchased. One way to keep your souvenir buying under control is to make a list of everyone you wish to purchase souvenirs for.  By doing this, you won’t make any impulse buys.  You should also decide how much money you want to spend on each person on your list.  For some, like co-workers or acquaintances, you may not want to spend much money.  For your close friends, though, you might want to spend a little more.  Don’t forget to put yourself on that list—you’ll want a souvenir or two from your trip. Bag space is another consideration.  You don’t want to buy too many souvenirs or purchase too many large items.  If you do, you may find yourself without enough space in your luggage.  Think of small gifts for those people whom you don’t wish to spend a lot of money on.  Fridge magnets, small snow globes, pens, and pencils are good small gifts.  T-shirts can also be folded up fairly small.  Try to avoid purchasing fragile souvenirs unless you have room to put them in your carry-on bag.  Be sure you have something to use as padding for these breakables (such as t-shirts or heavy sweaters). If you don’t have much space in your luggage or that much extra money in your budget, think about sending postcards in place of a souvenir.  Often, you can find very interesting postcards or cards with great images on them.  If you don’t have addresses, you can even wait until you get home to distribute your postcards.

With the many different baggage restrictions on flights, buses, trains, and ships, many people who travel, especially abroad, have had to learn to pack lightly.  While some may find this impossible, there are some ways to pack lightly that are quite simple.

First, examine the outfits you plan on wearing.  If you won’t be doing anything that requires formal dress, excellent.  That means you can pack much lighter.  If you are, you have a few obstacles.  For women, travelling with a formal dress may be difficult, and you should simply resign yourself to ironing it when you arrive or, if necessary, even dry cleaning it.  For men and women wearing dressy jackets, you may consider wearing them while travelling.  While it does mean you run the risk of getting them dirty, keeping them out of your bags both saves you space and keeps the garment somewhat wrinkle-free.  You can also wear your heavy coat instead of packing it.

Jeans are a great way of saving space simply because you can often wear the same pair for several days.  Likewise, you may be able to wear an over-shirt twice before washing it if you don’t get it dirty.  T-shirts and underwear, however, should be changed daily, especially if you’re in a warm environment and may be sweating.  However, if you don’t mind spending a little extra money, you can always go to a shop and buy new socks and underwear when you arrive and throw them away when you leave.  This can be expensive, but it does save space in your luggage.

If you’re travelling with someone, think about combining your luggage.  By going with a slightly larger bag, you may be able to eliminate a piece of luggage.  This can save you money since you won’t have to pay for shipping it plus make it easier to haul your luggage around.

Carry-on bags are another good way of saving space.  If you’re only going to take a book or a few snacks in your carry-on, think about adding your toiletries and other small items to the bag.  You may even be able to fit an extra pair of shoes in your carry-on.  Just be sure it still meets the size requirements for a carry-on bag.

Finally, don’t over-pack.  Think about what you’ll be doing, and don’t take too many changes of clothing.  If you know you’ll be buying a souvenir t-shirt, you may even take that into consideration and wear it after buying it.