Join our Facebook Group Travel LOVE • https://www.facebook.com/groups/TravelLOVEdeals/
Toni Roberts www.DesignDazzle.com @DesignDazzle @TravelLOVEdeals Facebook - Travel LOVE Booth at Pinners i02
• Where is your dream place? • Determine destinations by prices • Possibly include a layover as a place to visit • Research best times to visit - shoulder season vs peak or non-peak • Create travel boards on Pinterest of destinations on your list • Weather
Preparing • Budget. What is your priority? • Stay out of debt - interest on credit cards • Where could you do better with spending? Less eating out, less 7-11, Starbucks, drive older cars?
www.worldreviewer.com/world-weather/ www.accuweather.com
Important Documents
• Passports - Get one now. IMPORTANT! • Some countries will not let you in if your passport is not valid for at least 6 months before flying. Check when your passport expires. A good tip just get a new passport every 9 years instead of 10 years. • Do you have enough blank pages in your passport? • Take a picture or scan your passport email it to yourself. Make a color copy of your passport keep it separate from the real passport when traveling. • Tourist Visa - Do you need a visa before traveling abroad? Yes, maybe, no? It all depends on the country you are visiting and your nationality. Research and check before you go. Again if you don’t have this correct you might not be allowed on the plane or in the country. Some visa’s are free and some cost hundreds of dollars. Some require visa’s to be obtained from your home country.
Money • Certain credit cards are great for Travel. Chase Sapphire Reserve $475 annual fee • Consider ordering money through a bank for the country you will be visiting before you leave for your destination. Just order enough to get you through your first day or two. You can always go to an exchange o ffi ce or ATM machine to get more. We use our credit card as much as possible during our travels. But there are times when places will not accept a credit card. • Notify your bank of your travels before you go overseas - ATM and credit card. Check to make sure you receive no foreign transaction fees or that your ATM can be used overseas. Some international ATM’s charge outrageous fees check beforehand • In Europe we had many restaurants that did not accept credit cards. Check beforehand if you don’t have cash. • American Express/Discover is not accepted everywhere. Have a back-up cc • Be careful of pickpockets. Keep your money carefully hidden away.
Travel and Medical Insurance • Medical Insurance abroad • Takes care of delayed flights, stolen items, lost baggage • Check your credit card and see what it o ff ers for any built-in insurance
Flight Deals • Travel Hacking with Points - Travel using points. • We use credit cards for as many bills/purchases as possible. Pay o ff monthly!!! • Google Flights • ITA Matrix
To see the google flights video head to: www.facebook.com/groups/TravelLOVEdeals/
Travel Rewards and Points • I found a great deal with British Airways SLC to Paris round-trip $369 and purchased the tickets with my Amex CC. I called Amex and they reimbursed my charges using my points because BA is a travel partner. So the flights were free. • Great Facebook group to join for travel points FBZ Elite - Travel and Points • SW Companion Pass • If you are responsible with a credit card, points can be a great way to travel for free or travel for less. Pay o ff your balances every month. Do not carry debt
Travel With a Tour or DIY? • Find a tour that fits your personality and your desires. • Do you want get up and go and see everything or visit fewer sites and have more downtime? • I typically book with a local tour company for a 1/2 day or full day tour. • Consider hiring a private driver or tour guide. • DIY trips - I enjoy planning our own trips and traveling independently. Planning our own activities on our own time table
Hotel Deals
bit.ly/travelLOVEdeals
Planning Activities at Your Destination • Free walking tours • Cooking classes • Food tours • Bike rides • Segway tours • Hiking • Boating
Travel Apps • Organize and download all apps before traveling. • Airline apps • Tripit • TripAdvisor • Uber • Rome2Rio • Lounge Buddy • XE Currency Exchange App - exchange rates, track travel expenses
itranslate
Packing
Long Haul Flights • www.designdazzle.com/ tips-on-how-to-survive-a- long-flight/
Immigrations and Customs • When you first arrive in a country you will go through immigrations and customs. This is easy. Just be prepared. • Most countries ask you to fill out an arrival card. Easy to fill out and answer - DOB, name, duration of trip, etc. One question is the address of where you are staying. Have that handy to fill-out. • Some countries the immigration o ffi cial will stamp a departure card stamped with the date you need to leave the country and place it in your passport. Make sure not to throw it away. Some places you will need it to leave the country or fees become involved. Countries are doing away with the departure card.
Daily Travel Habits • Security Pouch • Bring a lightweight Travel backpack to carry our necessities • Portable Battery Pack • Travel umbrella, raincoat, sweater, sunscreen, mittens,
Tips • Airbnb, City Center - hotels? • Boarding Passes - check gate upon arrival • don’t mess around with flights - arrive early, check gate upon arrival • Take a screenshot of your boarding pass • TSA Pre-Check • Bring a lock and NOT one with keys • Layovers - yes or no? Fabulous airport terminals! • Pictures when traveling • Wander aimlessly through a new city - get o ff the beaten path • The tourism o ffi ce knows what is going on in town - activities, discounts, etc They are there to help.
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