Jim’s Travel Tips

What time is it, anyways? Traveling often involves different time zones. On a trip this spring my wife and I went to the Phoenix area just after the spring time change. Arizona is normally in the mountain time zone, but they do not follow daylight savings time, so when we arrived they were the same as west coast time – I was confused for a while, I had assumed they would be in Mountain Daylight Time. Traveling over the ocean can be just as confusing, especially right around our daylight and standard time changes. TIP: go to this website for all world time checks: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock

Standard packing lists always aid in assuring proper items are packed. We personally have lists in different categories like standard trip packing, condo trip, and camping trips. Here are two websites that can assist in list making. TIP: utilize sites like: www.onebag.com and www.dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com to at least get you started.

Here’s a quick, fun tip: Want a preview of travel destinations? The web site here is kind of like the Youtube of travel. www.travelistic.com

Traveling to foreign countries can bring up health concerns. Here is a web site that provides information and guidance for the individual traveler. It provides a “search by country section” and a health topic search for information. As with all health issues your personal physician should be consulted. TIP: go to: www.tripprep.com/scripts/main/default.asp

I just recently provided a web site that gives information on free wi-fi access. The site provided here gives you an airport listing that not only includes free access but what services are available and fees. It also has an added bonus of clicking on the far right to see what hotels are near the airport. TIP: go to
http://www.travelpost.com/airport-wireless-internet.aspx

Travel insurance is something that most people don’t use for “everyday” travel. However, when a cruise is involved, the topic usually comes up. The cruise companies may offer or include it as an option. I can tell you from experience that you can usually get better coverage, and less expensive coverage, by purchasing your cruise insurance from a third party. I just went through this process and saved some considerable money. I used a web site that gives you easy comparisons to choose from. TIP: go to http://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance/index.pl

This web site works very easily. I called the 800 number on the site with a question and actually got a real person without going through a series of number options – that’s what I call service!

On a recent trip to the Phoenix, Arizona area my wife and I took a Segway “tour” in the desert around our resort. In a word – fantastic! The learn curve to maneuver these devices is extremely easy. We thoroughly enjoyed every second of our 90 minute experience on these 2-wheeled “personal transporters”. TIP: Try it if you have the opportunity. It’s a blast!

The link to Segway Tours : http://www.segway.com/includes/guided-tours.htm

The link to city Segway tours is: http://www.citysegwaytours.com

Destination planning is important to any successful trip.  It can help immensely to have some inside tips for a location you will be visiting for the first time.  Or, maybe it will be your tenth time to a favorite place but you are looking for something new.  With this in mind, I am going to start writing groups of tips all related to specific destinations as a new feature on my blog.  I look forward to sharing with everyone my tips on locations I have frequented over the years.  Paris and Hong Kong will be featured in March.  See you there!

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.