If you’re leaving your hotel room a little bleary-eyed from too much partying the night before, you may not be seeing straight.  Or maybe you’ve lost a contact, or forgotten your glasses.  Or maybe you’re in a country where you don’t understand the floor numbering.
Don’t worry!  You can always get back to ground level, usually the location of the hotel lobby and front desk, by looking for the star sign. 
The star sign is universal elevator-speak for ground floor.  And that piece of information can help keep you grounded.
 
Photo credit:  flickr
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When we travel we often forget that things are not always as they are back “home.”  Here’s one difference that international visitors may find when they visit the United States:
Unlike many countries, the United States has no national sales tax that is comparable to the GST (goods and services tax) or the VAT (value added tax) that is found in many other countries.  Instead, each state, county and/or municipality sets their own tax rate.
This means that what you pay in tax in one location may be different from what you’d pay in another location.
Additionally, in some locations certain goods …read more

The morning of checking out of your hotel can be a hectic time, getting dressed and ready to leave and making sure all of your things are packed.  If you’re traveling with kids the list of things that you are responsible for is even longer!
Some of the stuff cannot be done till the last minute, but one thing that can take a weight off if to review your hotel bill the night before your departure. 
Many hotels have a video check out option, allowing you to review your charges on the television.  In the privacy of your room you …read more

If you enjoy listening to music of watching movies while you travel, chances are that you have a couple splitters laying around the house.  I have a couple in my carry on; they’re small and they always come in handy.
Use them to share the movies you are watching, or music you are listening to, with your traveling companion. 
Some airlines carry these to offer to passengers, but most don’t.  A little advance planning, and a small purchase, may allow you to save on inflight entertainment rentals.
You can find splitters available at most electronic stores, and online at Amazon.  They …read more

You have to wait in line at the airport, to get through security, and to get on and off the plane.  You can shorten the wait time, but you are still stuck with the line. 
But don’t stand in line any more than you have to during the rest of your travels!  Buy tickets in advance, and skip the purchase line and go right to the front for entry.
Many attractions, from theme parks to museums, offer advanced purchase tickets.  Tickets can be for a specified admission time or for general admission, but nearly all allow you to skip the …read more

Traveling, whether by air, car, train, bus, or on foot, can be an exhausting experience.  Many times, you cannot control or shape the events happening around you.  But you can take care of yourself with a little thoughtful planning.
One of the easiest things you can do, and inexpensive too, is to carry along some bottles of water with you.  Whether it’s your own refillable bottle, or you buy it as you travel along, having some water handy can make for a more pleasant traveling experience.
Taking water on a flight is the most complicated.  By air:  You are not going …read more

As if getting to the airport isn’t tough enough, most of us have to figure out how to get from our destination airport to our hotel.  And this is another time when some planning, and asking a few questions, can be a real savings.
Public transportation:  I’m a big believe in public transportation.  When at all possible and practicable, I use a subway, train, or other form of public transportation to get from the airport to my hotel.  A call to the hotel usually will confirm what line I need to take, the stop or station where I need to …read more

If you are one of those people who always save the best for last — the best piece of candy, dessert, or your favorite section of the paper — you may want to re-think that.
I was having this discussion with a fellow blogger, and we both agreed.  If there is something that you are just dying to see in your travels, do it right off.  Waiting can mean that unforeseen things can intervene.  A holiday that you weren’t aware of, bad weather, illness, a general strike, electric failure, or something more catastrophic. can ruin the best laid plans.
While I’m …read more

Using your laptop while flying requires a little common sense, practical considerations, and some basic etiquette.  The competing interests are protecting your privacy, keeping your “stuff” contained within your personal space and not spilling out into other’s space, and making sure that you keep your laptop protected from damage.
Here are a few tips, most of which I’ve mentioned before, to keep in mind when whipping out your laptop onboard:

As you are boarding the plane, keep your laptop in its bag.  Don’t try to be working on something as your are locating your seat and getting settled it.  I have …read more