Part six is specifically for families traveling with children. Traveling can be quite stressful under normal circumstances, but when you travel with children, it gets even more complicated. Hopefully these tips will help you avoid disappointment and hair pulling on your next outing.

Mistake #11: Expecting to accomplish too much

When you are planning your activities be sure to keep in mind how old your children are and how much they can feasibly do – and enjoy- in one day. Try not to become so focused on what to DO that you forget to just BE with your family. Trying to force too much activity into one day will just  leave the kids overtired and cranky you frustrated and exhausted, which is not what a holiday is all about. Bottom line, stick to a schedule, but plan realistically. Don’t try to cram in as much activity as you possibly can. Its not about how much you do, see, eat, experience, but how much you enjoy doing what you did.

Mistake #12: Having unrealistic expectations

Traveling with children is not the same as traveling without them. Although both can be equally enjoyable, your expectations need to be adjusted. If you expect your family vacation to be perfect you will be disappointed. Remember that travel can be tough on kids and parents alike. Allow for things like jet lag and adjusting to your new surroundings.

Parents often dream of complete relaxation and enjoying the easy life on vacation- perfect, non-bickering, non-whining children who will peacefully play while mom and dad relax on the beach. And while that could happen, for most of us our kids will still be our kids even if we are on a beach in some tropical paradise. If they aren’t perfect at home then they certainly won’t be perfect on vacation either. The parenting never stops. Enjoy a family vacation for what it is- a departure from the normal. But don’t expect your children to magically change personalities on the flight over.

Bottom line, don’t expect miracles. Enjoy your holiday, be flexible with your schedule and just have fun and your children will do so too.

Mistake #07: Relying totally on the guide book

The whole point of traveling is to explore the unknown and bask in the exotic foreign culture, food and people of the country that you are visiting. So put your guide book aside and explore. Talk to the locals, talk to other travelers, compare notes, and go with your gut. When I traveled to India, I made friends with a group of locals and had an absolute blast experiencing life as a local by watching a hindi movie (with subtitles), eating at restaurants only frequented by locals, shopping at niche stores only known by local fashonistas. So make friends and enjoy yourself. Limiting yourself to a guide book is probably one of the worst things you could possibly do! Bottom line, you are paying good money on your holiday, so go explore, toss that guide book aside and make some friends and enjoy!

Mistake #08: busting the budget

When traveling its so easy to spend far more than you have allocated. Recently when Iw as in Thailand, my friends told me that I would only need approximately 50USD a day on shopping and other expenses. So based on their advice, I allocated USD50 a day into the seven days that I would be in BKK. Unfortunately, I ended up blowing my entire weeks’ budget on the first day. Bottom line, stick to a realistic budget and have some emergency cash in case you need it for a purchase that you can’t live without. Know your limit and what you can afford. Going beyond what you can afford and getting into debt is not worth it.

Common travel mistakes to avoid! PART 3

Mistake #05: Not backing up your pictures

This is not something that is going to cost you money unlike the other common mistakes listed previously, but its certainly going to leave you banging your head against the wall in frustration and disappointment. Most of us take much pains to capture in minute detail, the beauty of the place that we are visiting, unfortunately most of us just don’t make a habit of backing our prized photos.  Its so easy to lose your photos. From a virus in the computer at the internet cafe to a stolen camera, in a matter of seconds you can lose all your precious photos. It’s such an unnecessary mistake to make because no matter where I’ve been there has always been a place to burn my pictures onto a DVD or CD and for a very reasonable price as well. Get into the habit of backing up photos regularly in any way possible because even if your USD 3000 camera is stolen the thing you will miss the most is those irreplaceable pictures of your travels, plus if your took out an insurance plan, you can always claim for your stolen or lost camera, provided you get furnish the insurance agent with all the necessary documents ! Bottom line, back up your photos, its better to be safe than sorry!

Mistake #06: Getting mad

Getting angry in a foreign country is not going to solve anything. Try and understand the local culture and way they do things, after all, you are a guest in that country and just because they  do not do things the way you are used to them being done, does not necessarily mean that its wrong. Enjoy your journey and learn from your experience and try to remember that the whole reason you chose to travel there was because it was exotic and different. Be patient if you are traveling in a country where English is not the first language. You may want to speak slowly and use less complicated words to get your message across. Avoid being patronizing though. Bottom line, enjoy your travels and respect and understand the local culture.

Common travel mistakes to avoid! PART 1

It common to make a careless mistake or two when we travel. Blame it on excitement or inexperience, but whatever the reason, simple mistakes can often cost you much money and disappointment. That is why, this series of posts focus on some common travel mistakes that most of us are guilty of making. I hope that these tips will prevent you from falling victim to these common mistakes and save you time and money!

Mistake #01: Waiting.

If you book your air tickets online be sure to review every reservation you make online or offline immediately. And if there’s a problem, speak up immediately and have the mistake amended to avoid being refused boarding when you reach the airport. If your name is John Smith, your e-ticket should read John Smith and not a variation of your name. So the bottom line is check, check and check again to avoid disappointment and money wasted.

Mistake #02: Not inspecting your rental car upon collection
When renting a car, check for damage, even minor ones and have an employee from the company sign off. You can even take a dated photograph of the car before and after you return it so as to avoid being charged for something you were not responsible for. Bottom line, get a sign-off from the rental company before you leave with the vehicle.

When traveling on shoe string budget….

For those of use not blessed with a copious amount of money to throw around, it helps to know that it is indeed possible to find comfortable and clean accommodation for under USD19 a night. I have compiled a number of charming budget accommodations across the world which are affordable and let you get a taste of the culture and people of that country.

If you are traveling to Beijing, China, check out the Red Lantern House where an average room costs USD10 a night. The rooms are small but clean, the staff friendly and the atmosphere laid back. Perfect if you want to bask in the local culture and get to know the natives.

For those of you making your way to Dalat in Vietnam, try Dreams Hotel where the average room price per night is USD 15. Clean, simple and comfortable, its located close to the market and the friendly staff and owner help in making it an enjoyable experience for all the guests. A piece of advice; book directly with the hotel instead of through the website.

A room at Penguin Hotel in Dahab, Egypt costs USD15 a night on average. The rooms are clean and simple. A good place if you are not a fussy traveler. The restaurant placed right on the sea front is one of its greatest attractions.

Maya Guesthouse in Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Malaysia, is a family run establishment with simple bungalows, of which four are beach facing. Experience Malaysian hospitality and enjoy the beach at this charming guest house where an average cost per night is USD18.

Traveling on a shoe string is indeed a possibility, all you need to know is, where to stay :) so tune in to arrivedok.mobi, as we share tips, tricks and hints on all things travel related. Not a fan yet? Check out our fan page at www.facebook.com/arrivedok and be a part of our community of travel lovers!