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.

How to Be Comfortable on a Long Airplane Trip

A long domestic or international flight can often sour what should be a pleasant holiday or business venture. These guidelines can help your necessary travel time be as comfortable and painless as possible — for you, and for your fellow travelers.

Steps

Reserve a good seat. Even within the same class and fare, some seats are far superior to others. Consider an aisle or exit row seat for leg room, or a window if you want to sleep. Try to avoid seats near the toilets/lavatories, as other passengers will be accessing these regularly. It is common on long-haul flights for there to be queues, and people walking to or from the toilets may bump or knock your seat. Also keep in mind that the noise and light that escapes when the door is opened may be disturbing, particularly when trying to sleep.

Bring something to entertain yourself. Usually, movies don’t start for some time, and the built-in music selection can be quite poor, so bring an iPod, iPad, Nintendo DS, or CD player. You could also bring a new book or portable game.

Don’t look at the time during the flight. You can’t do anything about it and the flight will feel much longer if you keep looking at the time. Don’t check your watch regularly and avoid looking at the in-flight map showing the current position of the plane.

If possible, go with an airline that offers AVOD (Audio Video on Demand), which is a TV screen in front of your seat that lets you choose what you want to watch, play or listen to.

Bring your own headphones. The headphones available on the plane (whether for purchase or for free) are usually of poor quality. Noise-cancelling headphones and in-ear headphones are great if you have them, and can help block out a big improvement.

Minimize your carry-on luggage. One backpack is fine for the plane, and it is easier to find a place in the overhead bins or under the seat for a small backpack than for a larger roller bag.

Bring a toothbrush, and anything else that isn’t a liquid or a gel – which you need to help freshen up before meeting your loved ones at the end of your long flight. They, and your neighbours in-flight, will be glad you did!

Consider bringing your own food on board if you care about taste or health. On some airlines, plane food is quite poor.

Avoiding Ear Pain

During airplane flights the ears are subjected to changes in air pressure. The middle ear is connected with the upper part of the throat by the Eustachian Tube. Its job is to equalize air pressure in the middle ear.

People often have more problems during landing. If the Eustachian tube is blocked from cold or allergies the eardrum will be stretched inward, impairing hearing and causing pain during descent. If you can’t clear your ears on the ground, you should not fly. But if you have to fly, or find yourself with ear pain once airborne, there are some things you can do.

Tips for dealing with Ear Pain:

• Try yawning or swallowing to open the Eustachian tube.

• Try chewing gum.

• With a doctor’s approval, adults can take a decongestant and/or nasal spray.

• You might try earplug-like devices called Earplanes which help regulate air pressure naturally.

• Try the Valsalva maneuver: Hold your nose and blow out gently to equalize the pressure.

Young children’s Eustachian tubes don’t function as well as in adults. Use a pacifier or bottle for babies during takeoffs and landings. Older children won’t suffer quite as much, as long as they don’t have a cold.