Archive for the ‘Travel Tips’ Category

Traveling on a Budget

Thursday, January 25th, 2007

Traveling can be expensive. Sometimes there is just no other choice but to travel and it may not be something that you want to spend a lot of money on. There are some ways that you can save money while traveling and still have a comfortable and enjoyable trip.

How To Save Money By Flying
If you have to travel remember that holidays are the best days to fly. Thanksgiving is a great day because hardly anyone will be flying that day. The day before and the day after a holiday are the worst days to travel. These are the busiest days of the year to be on a plane. Pack light when you are traveling. Extra baggage could cost you time and money and you can save by packing a little less and you will save a lot more.

Personally, I use Air Asia for cheap air fair. You can check out the deal here if you want to go other states in Malaysia.

Take A Train Instead Of Flying
Trains are a great way to travel because they are usually less expensive than a plane. They are also less crowded. When you decide to take a train you will save money that can be used for other things on your vacation.

Here is the link to KTM or known as Keretapi Tanah Melayu.

Bring Your Own Snacks
When you are traveling either alone or with your family, bring your own snacks. This will save you time and money when you get hungry. Sometimes with the hustle of traveling we forget to get ourselves something to eat. This may cause an all of sudden sick feeling for you. By having some snacks on hand you will save yourself the trouble of feeling sick. This will also save you money. Snacks on coach flights and sections are not free and can be expensive in some cases.

Driving In A Car
When you are driving to your destination, there are some things that you can do to save yourself money. Remember to not drive too fast. Driving fast can cause your car to use more fuel. It may also get you a speeding ticket, which will cost you a lot of extra money in the end. It is better to stay at a steady and safe speed while you are driving. Also bring your own food. Make up some sandwiches and bring along some sodas and water. This will save you money and time by not having to stop for food.

Another good piece of advice when traveling by car is to take turns driving with someone. Make sure that you have another safe driver for times when you need a break. You can sleep while someone else drives for a while and then switch back and forth when a rest is needed. This will save you the expense of paying for a room and get you to your destination sooner.

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Travel Planning - Packing and Home Arrangement

Thursday, January 18th, 2007

Besides getting some tips on how to save your money & also deciding on where to go, there are also couple of things you need to do prior starting your trip.

Deciding what to pack
When you are thinking about what you are going to pack for your travel plans, there are some things that you should keep in mind. Think about where you are going first. Are you going somewhere that is warm and sunny or is the location cold and snowy. You want to make sure that you pack clothes that are suitable for the weather conditions.

Also think about how long you are going to be there. You will want to make sure that you pack enough clothes for everyday that you are there. Chances of you washing clothes while on vacation are probably pretty slim.

Make arrangements for home
If you are planning to travel out of town for a certain amount of time, you may want to have someone check on your home and take care of a few things for you while you are away. If you have pets you want to make sure that someone comes and feeds them and checks in on them for you. You may need someone to water your flowers or even get your mail for you while you are away.

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Travel Planning - Plan Your Trip Ahead

Tuesday, January 16th, 2007

Making your own travel plans can be fun and at the same time confusing and frustrating. There is so much to do and you have to make sure that you making the right decision for you and your family to get the best value for your dollar. There are a few things that you can do when travel planning to make your chore seem a little less unpleasant.

Save your MONEY
When planning to travel sometimes we decide months in advance to start saving money to make the expense of the trip a little more affordable when the time comes to pay for everything. This is a great idea for family vacations. Everyone who wants to go can chip in a little at a time. This will get everyone involved in the planning of the trip.

Decide where you will be going and how to get there
The first thing that you need to do for your travel plans is decide where you are going. This will depend on why you are traveling. If you are planning a family vacation, then you may decide to go somewhere that the whole family will enjoy. This maybe a fun spot like Disneyland or maybe a tropical getaway for two.

The next step is to figure out how you will be traveling. This could mean that you want to fly, or take a train, or maybe you are going to drive. Considering how many people are going and where you are going should make this. Make sure that you go with a choice that allows everyone to be comfortable and that it is a route that you can afford.

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Travel Tips … Continued

Thursday, January 11th, 2007

Carry On Items
If you are traveling with some carry on luggage, and you know that you going to be on a popular flight with others, then maybe it would be a better idea to get a seat towards the back of the plane. This will make it possible for you to be the first to get on the plane. This way you do not have to check some of bags due to lack of space for your items.

Bring Some Goodies With You
When you are traveling, make sure that you bring some snacks with you. It does not matter if you a traveling by bus, plane, or train, make sure that you have some type of food and drink for when you get hungry or thirsty. This will lessen the chance of you getting sick or feeling weak during the ride. If you do not bring your own items, you may have to purchase them. Some transportation companies do not serve complimentary snacks or drinks.

Bring Some Form Of Entertainment
If you are traveling long distances, bring some type of entertainment for you and other members of your family like children. Bring a book, coloring book, magazine, or crossword puzzle. This will make the time go faster and occupy your mind when traveling.

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Travel Tips

Wednesday, January 10th, 2007

Even though traveling can be an exciting time for anyone, it can also bring along a lot of headaches and hassles. There are long lines, inconsiderate people, and crying kids. This could cause anyone to have a stressful flight. There are however, some things that you can do to make your travels a little bit easier.

Give yourself plenty of time
The lines at the airport and bus or train station can cause anyone to have a nervous breakdown. The best advice for the long line situation when you are traveling is to arrive early. No matter what type of travel you are taking, make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to arrive, check your bags, and get yourself checked in. It is best to arrive at least two hours in advance before you are scheduled to leave. This may seem like a hassle now, but it will save you time and aggravation later.

Do not carry any foreign object
Make sure that you do not have anything packed that could cause a delay when you are checking your bags. This means do not carry things like of course guns, knifes, any kind of weapon, dangerous materials, or anything that may cause a stir at the check in. This will not only slow up your check in, but it will also bring attention to you and stir up an unnecessary reaction by the staff.

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I came, I saw, I summoned - Travellers Alert

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

Faulty Parking Meter

If you see faulty meters like the one above around Penang, DO NOT PARK !!! BUT, you can also park there .. at your own risk :-) Note that if you park on a lot with a faulty meter, you can be summoned if a City Council officer is around. They are usually dressed like “Men in Yellow” and with Black Sunshades. They usually do their rounds around the city on their ‘Men in Yellow Kapcai’ a.k.a small motorcycles like Honda Cub, Yamaha Cub and etc.

You wanna ask why? Why? Because the “Doc” said hor, you have to pay the parking fee when you park on a parking lot. If the meter is faulty, you should not be parking there. Go park somewhere else. Hallo Doc, you think there are a lot of parking lots or spaces around Penang? Do you know how limited the state’s parking spaces are? If you want to promote Penang to be a tourism spot, I think you need to do something about it.

And further information on parking, there are a number of places around Penang that are haunted by parking attendants. They’ll haunt you like green ghost. The moment you reached a parking lot, parked there and got out of your car, you’ll see one in front of you asking “Berapa jam ?” (How Many Hours?).

Parking fees wise, not all the parking fees for all the places around Penang are the same. Some charge RM0.30 and some charge RM0.40 for every 1/2 hour of parking time. And for most of the places, parking fee is on a EVERYDAY basis from 9am - 9pm. So, don’t be suprised, ok ? Also, certain places charge parking fee on a ‘per entry basis’.

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Air Travel Tips

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

Lets face it, taking an airplane is the fastest way to get to any destination that is too far to drive. There are some people who love to fly and then there are some that absolutely hate to fly and would do anything to get out of it. There are some strategies that you can do to make your air traveling a more pleasant and smarter way to travel.

What to pack
The worst part of traveling by plane is the deciding what to pack. You should always try to pack lightly and only take what you are going to need. You have to remember that you are going to have to lug around your luggage and you do not want to hurt yourself every time that you do just that.

Make sure that you take enough underwear for the entire time that you will be there. You also want to take along at least one outfit for everyday. Take the clothes that you will be most comfortable in and that are suitable for the climate where you are going. If you are going on a business trip, then make sure that you bring clothes that are suitable for your business needs.

Motion sickness
If you get sick easily while riding on an airplane, then you may want to think about bringing along something to ease your pain. The most important thing to remember is to take any medicine for this before you start to fly. Most of the drugs used to help motion sickness are designed to stop it before it starts. If you forgot to take the medication, there are always bags handy if you feel like you are going to be sick.

Arrive at the airport early
When you are taking a plane, the best advice to you is to get there early. There is so much security at the airports that you are sure to get held up and there is a chance that you may miss your flight if you do not give yourself enough time. Allow lots of time for any possible delays that can come up at any unexpected time during your air travel time.

Pack some fun
Flights can be boring if you are traveling alone or with children. One way to avoid boredom or nervousness is to pack some fun things to do. Crossword puzzles, books, hand help games and even headphones are a great idea. This will keep your mind occupied and if you have little ones that need to be kept quiet or calm, coloring books are a big help for them.

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