Traveling by subway can be a great cost effective method to get around a city. Many cities offer discounts to travelers for multi day passes. New York City and Paris are just two examples of systems which offer great multi day passes. TIP: Use this link to research subway systems in many cities around the world: www.reed.edu/~reyn/transport.html
Traveling internationally requires thinking in terms of different monetary values or currency exchange rates. The tip that I am providing here can provide you with the easiest exchange reference that I have come across. It makes it a lot easier to determine if you are getting a good deal or not abroad. TIP: Go to www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet. This site lets you pick the country to country exchange you desire, which you can print. With the click of a button you can print the reverse exchange. These can be cut out and taped back to back creating a credit card sized exchange reference. Just be sure to run the rates relatively close to your trip date as exchange rates will vary somewhat from day to day.
International Travel Planning with the State Department
The State Department has a good site for international travel planning. This is an excellent site to check before you travel to any international destination. The Consular Information Sheets provide you with information on the countries you may be traveling to including entry requirements, medical services, crime, etc… The sheet also includes the US Embassy information in that country. They also list any travel warnings that may exist for a country, which are especially important to note, as some life insurance policies are nullified by traveling to a country with a warning. TIP: Check out this web site out before you travel internationally: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html
The major US airlines have marketing and ticketing agreements with many global airlines. TIP: This allows for “one-stop” shopping for a multinational trip. United is in the Star Alliance, www.staralliance.com ; American Airlines is in One World, www.oneworld.com ; and Northwest, Delta, and Continental are all in the Sky Team Alliance, www.skyteam.com . Happy trip planning!
Foreign Travel Assistance at the Hotel
If you don’t know the local language, traveling around a foreign city can be more carefree with assistance from your local hotel. Hotel personnel almost always have a command of the English language. TIP: Before you leave the hotel get a hotel business card or stationary that has the hotel name and address in both the local language and English. This helps if lost on walking excursions and getting local taxis.
Lost, confused, or need some travel assistance in a foreign country where you don’t speak the local language? Don’t try asking someone if they speak English; 9 times out of 10 they will say no or shake their head no. TIP: Politely ask someone with your finger on a map or in a travel book the question you want answered. I have found that most people know a little English to help.