Searching for airport city codes is a popular internet search. I am providing another site to research. One feature I like on this site is the link to the 2 letter airline codes. It is helpful to know these for some of the flight tracking sites and flight planning sites. The site has some other interesting links including a 3 letter airport quiz. TIP: Go to www.airportcitycodes.com
Exchanging US currency into foreign currency can be problematic and at a cost. Charging does avoid converting a lot of cash, but depending on your card – it may still involve exchange fees, but usually less than exchange booth rates. The best deal I’ve found is an ATM card. I have a Credit Union ATM card that is affiliated with a global network. My CU allows 5 free withdrawals a month. TIP: Use an ATM card and avoid fees and get the exact exchange rate. But make sure you check with your credit union or bank as my experience shows not all fine print is the same!
Your Wallet and Foreign Travel
I do carry a wallet when on foreign travel. But if your wallet is like mine, it has all kinds of cards, coupons, and memberships stored in it. Most of these are not needed or valid when you travel out of the US. If you will not be driving you may not want to carry your drivers license as you will have your passport for needed ID. I have a small folding wallet that can carry a few necessary cards and has a nice money clip for cash. This way you can keep the unnecessary cards, etc. at home in case something gets lost. Just take what you need. TIP: Bring a photo copy of all the cards you did bring in case of theft. This should include a copy of your passport. Include the back sides of credit cards as they provide phone numbers to call just in case. It might be a good idea to give a copy to someone at home too. Keep a “spare” credit card in your hotel safe along with your passport, as insurance against theft.
Finding Restaurant Options in Cities
I ran across this web site researching dining out options in my home area. It looks to be a good resource for restaurant options in most of the larger metropolitan areas of the United States. TIP: Go to www.chowbaby.com
I was traveling in mainland China, in the city of Qingdao on the Shandong Peninsula. I was at the steps of the hotel making arrangements to meet a colleague the next day. I said to him “Let’s meet tomorrow morning at the Starbucks across the street.” He knew what I was referring to and started laughing. Look again at the sign:
