z
Tripindicator.com
  • google plus
  • Twitter

Before Travel Tips

Make use of sticky notes or reminders

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end. This is a famous quote said by Ernest Hemingway, but, what will your journey be like if for example you are late for the airport and in a hustle you forget to take your passport or ticket with you? Or what if you forget your hand carry, your wallet, your debit/credit cards or simply your camera? You will be cursing yourself for making such a big blunder because pictures are memories that are there with you throughout your life. Although you can buy a new camera from the airport or from the place you are traveling to it will obviously cost a lot of money....

In all of these situations your journey will be a complete disaster and you will be left with nothing but regrets. So, for a nice and peaceful trip, sticky notes or reminders are a best solution to remind you of things that are must to carry. All you need to do is take some sticky notes, write whatever you think is necessary for your journey that you should not forget in any condition, and then stick those notes on your entrance or fridge door so that you never lose sight of them. These petty reminders can help one to plan their journey accordingly and have a peaceful trip ahead.

TripAdvisor app to get review of the place you are visiting

TripAdvisor is a name immensely popular within frequent travellers around the globe. The developers of the website and application aimed at creating a single solution to meet all accommodation selection, flight booking, transportation rentals, cuisines and tourist destinations needs for travellers planning a holiday – a feat that turned into a massive success all over the world...

With the TripAdvisor application downloaded on your smart phone, you don’t have to visit travel agencies or pour over travel brochures to make sure your holiday is a success. The application allows you to sit back, relax and book everything from your desired hotels, airlines, tourist packages and tables at restaurants from the comfort of your home with a couple of taps! It sounds too good to be true, but it’s the way to travel today.

TripAdvisor is the ideal travel application for first time family holiday as well as business related trips. In both cases, the trip has to be planned within a limited span of time but it must cater to every single aspect ensuring a flawless, comfortable experience.

With countless reviews and pictures posted by people who have used the application to guide them miles and miles away from home in an entirely new city, you can get a better idea of where you are headed as well as extra information on things that you may not have known before.

If you are planning to make a trip soon, make sure you download TripAdvisor on your phone!

Cheat Sheet for the Local Language

A trip to a foreign country can be really frustrating if you speak a different language. While English is almost always a reliable source of communication, not knowing the common language of an area can be an obstacle when dealing with shopkeepers, hotel staff and even passers-by in case you want to request them to photograph you or ask for directions. The best way to overcome this obstacle is to do a little preparation beforehand: work on your personal local language Cheat Sheet. Keywords of many languages are available in tourist guides and online. In Turkey, for example, the train conductor is likely to ask for a ‘bilet’. If you have done your homework and prepared a cheat sheet for yourself, instead of having a blank look to give away, you can pull out a ticket instead....

Make sure to look up translations of words of things that you might need: water, milk, tea, chicken, first aid, right and left for directions, taxi, train, streets, etc. You can also make a pocket list that can come in handy when you try to communicate with people. You can also include common greetings in your cheat sheet to personalize your experience and interact with strangers more effectively to learn about the region you are exploring.

Resource for understanding Local Language

Before going to a foreign country do a bit of research about their culture and etiquettes, in order to avoid any unpleasant incidents, in many cultures phrases that are common in English speaking countries might sound offensive or out of context to the locals of that country. Downloading one of many translation apps will surely help in learning a few basic phrases such as hello, thank you, please, where is the train station, help!....

Note down all the important information in the local language on a card in your wallet, important information such as your name, telephone number of your accommodation and a number to be contacted in case of emergency. Using hand gestures to demonstrate your point would be a nice idea, but do not speak loudly and keep in mind the local etiquettes and customs. And if your budget allows it, hire an interpreter who can help you interact with the local people easily. The best advice is to be patient and observe, build language lessons into your travels. Immersion into a culture is the best way to learn.

Choosing an Airline Prior to Booking

Choosing an airline to travel can be confusing if you do not know how and what to look for before you book away. The airline industry is growing rapidly, so there’s no need to worry if you do not know the airline’s name beforehand. Take a long view by keeping some things in mind. Check if it is safe. The EU keeps a list of airlines that are unsafe to travel and they are marked according to safety standards. If the airlines do not meet the safety standards, they are not allowed to operate, you can check this online.....

Once you have ensured safety, look out for awards. A UK-based consultant to airlines Skytrax, has the widest range of airlines listed, rating them from one to five stars based on almost everything from their on-air service quality and food to attitude with passengers. According to Skytrax, the finest airlines in the world are Asiana, Cathay Pacific, Kingfisher, Malaysia, Qatar and Singapore. If you want to travel cheap, compare the quality and awards among the airlines. This way you will not have to compromise on the quality nor the price. Of the few airlines that are low cost, some 3 star airlines are Air Arabia, AirAsia and Flybe.

If you're choosing between airlines that are just as cheap and fine, you can make it easy for yourself by checking which one has more comfortable seats, and in-flight entertainment. Bon Voyage!

Simplify your trip using some great Mobile apps

Using your mobile as a pocket travel aid isn’t just for the mobile addicted individuals. Mobile apps are for all those who aim to have a peaceful and relaxing trip. You can find a never ending list of such apps, but what’s more important is to set your own priorities and equip your mobile according to your needs....

Get your phone set up and loaded with these apps before you leave home, this will save valuable time on your holiday and let you hit the ground ready and informed!

Starting from a lot of fun apps made to combat with those flight delays to a complete travel guide, just name it and you’ll find a diverse range of mobile applications with ease. I’ve made a list here after picking some specific ones that I personally find as a must have for everybody who’s planning a trip.

  • City Guides: This kind of application can assist you to choose your hotels, restaurants and activities after instantly going through thousands of reviews. An example is Trip Advisor’s city guide which can works without any roaming charges and is an offline city guide..
  • Keep track of flights: An app like iFly Pro aids you to stay updated about any delayed flights and provide easy navigation for airports.
  • Hotels are just a single touch away from you: Applications like Hotel tonight serves you with all the details of near hotels and discounts and all about late night deals in your area.
  • Google Translate: Deal with any language barrier with ease and travel around communicating in a much better way..
  • Your own financial buddy: Currency calculators are the ultimate companions for travellers around the world. A quick way to know what you’ll be paying..
Baby-proofing your room: a step to make your trip fun yet safe

Thinking that everything is all set for your most awaited adventure or a long planned trip will definitely prove wrong unless you’ve prepared a checklist to verify your baby’s safety at your destination. It’s easy to find a room in a hotel beholding your favourite view, but at the same time it may not be that simple to secure your child and your pocket from any damage. Hence it’s imperative to baby proof your room using certain measures....

  • To prevent your baby from all the possible risks you need to think of every move that your child makes back at home. Literally search like your baby would do and start changing locations of every sharp, glass and metal items. It’s wiser to place them to higher or unreachable spots or request them to be removed prior to your arrival.
  • Don’t forget to lock those low level drawers as you never know when those tiny fingers could get caught.
  • Kids love to grab those coloured wires or to roam around electric sockets. Make sure you’re creative enough to divert their attention and if possible it’s best to cover all such areas.
  • Sharp edges are always a source of threat for you little one. Always move out any piece of furniture with sharp corners or get some covers or duct tape to cushion those parts.
  • Keep the doors of your bathroom and balcony closed at all times as you never know when they can sneak in and put themselves in trouble.
  • It’s better to keep any expensive hotel property, even if it’s a book, far away from your child’s reach as you’ll never like that to be added up in you bill just for any lame reason.
Step ahead for your child’s protection: Get a child Locator

The era that we’re currently living in, keeping hold of your child’s arm at all times is an agreeable way neither for you nor your kid. Being a parent you may think that this is the most efficient way to keep an eye on your kid but this might just not be the case. It’s better to go for a modern technology such as a child locator which is now available in various appealing designs for your kid. To decide what’s appropriate for your situation it’s better to be well aware of the different options you’ll have when getting this device. Two main technologies used are:....

  • Radio Frequency Technology: less expensive, easier to use and well suited for short distance tracking.
  • Assisted GPA technology: this requires a monthly fee including set-up and service charges as well but more useful for a wider coverage due to cellular technology.

On the other hand one should realize that no matter what, these technologies can never replace your own proactive approach towards your child’s supervision and thus it’s not a wise approach to completely rely on a child locator device. Sometimes you just tend to neglect other possibilities like bad weather, restricted range, and low battery that can render the device useless.

Supervising your kids through every possible way

Planning an adventure with your kids adds a lot of excitement to your trip but requires a whole new dimension of preventive measures to be considered to assure their safety at all times. Having kids that actually listen to your instructions might be a blessing but still this doesn’t put your mind at ease when you’re in an unfamiliar environment. There is always a risk of them wandering off or getting separated in a crowd. Hence it’s essential to discuss these possibilities with your kids and have an action plan ready in case this happens....

Prepare a set of handy contact information for every child to easily place in their pockets and always add your hotel details, like a visiting card. Moreover nowadays we can easily provide our kids with their own cell phones that only have one or two important contacts saved for fixed dialling.

Supervision can get a bit trickier when moving around using public transportation. Here you can guide your child to remember the place of visit or a common final spot. In this way you’ll know where to look for and reconvene at that location.

A child doesn’t only require out-door supervision but in-door safety is also a part of your responsibility. Take note of any easy access doors or windows which may put your child under any risk of getting astray. Unattended shower is just not an option no matter what. Sometimes even the slightest thing that you overlook may end up creating havoc.

Check about seats for children

Having a bit more room can make all the difference when travelling with younger children. It is advisable to contact the airline (or just check the details if they are on the airline website) before travel to see what can be offered if you are travelling with young ones.

Airline policies vary but many will assign front row / bulkhead seats with a bit more space, or at least allow you to pre-book seats together for a reduced charge, or even for free.