How to Book a Cheap Flight
Airfare is considered to be the expensive part of
any vacation. That’s why finding affordable flights is so much important.
So let’s take a look at some possible ways of saving your money.
1. Compare prices online
There are a number of big websites helping travellers to score
cheap flights.
The most popular price comparison travel
websites are Kayak, Priceline, Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity.
2 Check Budget
Airlines
Many price comparison websites don’t
include certain budget airlines. For example, one of the budget airlines can
sell flights through only its own website.
3. Use airline miles
If you’ve never used airline miles or rewards to purchase flights, you
should know that it’s a great opportunity for you. You can earn frequent flyer
miles for each flight you take, but you can also earn airline miles and points without
flying, but by using a rewards
credit card. Sometimes travel rewards cards offer a
big signup bonus from time to time. There are many different types of rewards
cards. Many credit cards offer flexible travel points that can be converted to
airline miles or simply cashed in for any travel-related expense. So it’s worth
doing research to find a card that will work best for you and your
spending habits.
4. Stay Flexible
When your travel dates and destination are flexible it is quite
helpful in booking cheap flights. So it wise thought to be flexible with
your travel dates, flight departure times, and even your location.
5. Use Fare Trackers and Alerts
If you have plenty of time before your
next trip, setting up an airfare alert is a good way to save money. How it
works? The website will send you an alert when prices
drop significantly lower than normal, so that you could book your flight
at the best price.
6. Time Your Purchase
Different statistical analyses show that the prime booking for cheap
flights was between one and four months before a trip.
7. Shop Through Specific Airline Rewards Programs
Many airlines have online shopping portals
where you can earn miles on your purchases, and often they’ll send you e-mails on specific promotions
and deals.Sometimes you just don’t realize that you
can go through shopping portals for your everyday purchases and earn an extra
airline miles.
Saving
money takes time and research, and sometimes you need to do more than just log
in to a discount travel comparison website and book the first cheap flight
you find. Combining several of the above methods will help you find the
best deal on your next trip.
Skyscanner as a perspective and
effective search tool
Skyscanner is one of the best global travel search engines. Users can
compare prices for flights, hotels, and car rentals, find exclusive deals and
book everything online without any additional fees.
Skyscanner started in early 2000s, when a young programmer and two
of his fellow undergraduates were looking for a flight from England
to France. Tired of checking airline and travel agency websites one
at a time, one of them wrote a program that copied prices
directly from the websites and organized them in an Excel
spreadsheet. After they put the program online, they were stunned to see
thousands of people per day using their creation. The three friends
realized that they had something truly special, so they quit their day
jobs and started building a dedicated site to search and compare
travel prices to any destination in the world.
With Skyscanner, users can find out in just one
click what day of the month or even year has the lowest prices for
their destination, and what neighboring airports have to offer. It’s
important for travelers not to automatically ignore offers with connecting
flights, to be open to traveling in fall or spring,
and never book flights around holidays. A passenger, who used the Skyscanner, might
get a ticket two or three times cheaper than the actual price.
Skyscanner
is the most effective tool for travelers who want to avoid being
duped. It operates as one big anonymizer, finding only the most
advantageous deals the market has to offer.
What is a visa and visa requirements: Tips for visitors.
ReplyDeleteA visa is a record of authorization for an individual to visit and/or stay in a country that is required of travelers by many nations worldwide. Visa requirements are triggered by all sorts of issues, and the best way to determine whether you need a visa for the countries you are visiting is to check for yourself. Additionally, the length of your stay can affect visa requirements; U.S. citizens, for example, do not need a visa to visit most European countries unless they plan to stay longer than 90 days.
The location of a country doesn't automatically mean a visa is required; Kazakhstan, for example, is surrounded by countries that require visas for all US. travelers, but does not require a visa for U.S. citizens for stays under 15 days.
Note that the type of travel you are doing is important. Visa requirements sometimes change temporarily. Visas are like passports, and each member of your traveling party - including kids - needs his or her own.
Where to Start: Your Government's Website
To determine whether you need a visa, visit your home country's government website - specifically the department that oversees foreign travel. These websites generally offer a range of information about travel to every country around the world, including safety warnings, embassy information and entry requirements.
Next: Visit the Embassy or Consulate Website
If you need a visa, you'll then want to visit the website of the embassy or consulate of the country you're visiting (which you can typically find on the government websites listed above). There you will find information about the application process, appointment scheduling information, types of visas to consider and more.
Make Sure Your Other Documents Are in Order
Many countries require that your passport be valid 90 days to six months beyond the date of your stay, and the same typically applies to visas. Some visa applications may ask for flight numbers, lodging addresses and other specific itinerary info, so you'll want to make plans early for trips requiring a visa.
Start Well Ahead of Time
Official waiting periods for visas can run from two weeks to a couple of months.
Types of Visas
There are many types of visas, designed for tourists, diplomats, journalists, students, workers and more. With such a range of choices you will want to be very clear about which type of visa you need to accomplish the purpose of your trip.
Visa and Visit Durations
Visas can be valid from a few days to several years; be sure that you'll be covered for the entire length of your trip. Also, visas vary with respect to the number of entries and departures they allow; typically visas are single-entry, double-entry or multiple-entry depending on the country and type of visa.
On-Arrival Visas
A less common visa variant is the on-arrival visa, which typically is issued only in unusual circumstances such as a diverted flight. Some countries do issue visas on arrival for citizens of select foreign nations. For example, Turkey will issue an e-visa on arrival, usually at a premium.
What Do Visas Cost?
Visas are not free, and you will typically pay anywhere from $30 to $200 for a completed visa, not including postage, copying, notarization or other ancillary fees.
Sourse of full information:
http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/travelers-ed/how-to-get-a-visa
Additional information to find out if you need a visa you may find on World embassy page: https://embassy-finder.com/do-i-need-a-visa
What To Do If You Lose Your Passport Abroad
ReplyDeleteWhen you plan your trip, it would be wise to think of some force-major situations that might happen to you. And one of them is question of losing your passport (money). Sometimes it is better to think of it before you go, then experience unpleasant and stressful situations.
Before you go
1. It’s best to take at least two types of ID (for example, passport and driving license).
2. Take 3 or 4 passport photos with you. You will need it if you lose your passport.
3. Photocopy (in colour) of your ID. You can even laminate it.
4. Scan all of the above-mentioned documents, as well as your birth certificate, and email to yourself. This way you should be able to access them from anywhere with internet connection.
6. Email yourself a copy of your flight tickets. It’s an easy action when most airlines provide e-tickets.
7. When travelling, especially in developing countries, take with you different types of money. On long trips you may also take with you a Credit card (for emergencies), Debit card, US$100, as US dollars can be accepted all around the world, A small amount of local currency for the first couple of days.
8. Make a note of the number to call in order to cancel your bank cards should you lose them.
What to do if you lose your passport abroad
If you find yourself in a position where all of your money and ID has been lost or stolen then you are in a bit of a pickle, but it’s not the end of the world.
1. First you should turn to a police. For insurance purposes, it is best to do this immediately. A police report is vital when without money and identification in a foreign country.
2. Next you should head to your embassy or consulate. If you explain your situation to them and show your police report, they should be able to find your details on their system.
3. Next you should find somewhere offering free internet. By accessing your email account you should then be able to print the scanned copies of your ID that you originally emailed to yourself. You can also use Skype or Facebook to contact friends and family at home and arrange for money to be sent to you for collection at the nearest money transfer system.
4. Once you have received the wired money, you can head back to your embassy or consulate to purchase an emergency passport. You will be able to use this passport to return to your home country via a maximum of 5 countries.
Hopefully these tips might be of some help.
How to Greet People in Different Countries
ReplyDeleteKnowing how to greet people in different countries is not only useful but interesting to know. It is important to greet others when you meet them to acknowledge their presence. A warm handshake is perhaps the most common form of greeting around the world. People also smile, wave at each other, and even hug to greet others. There are also countries where people kiss on one or both cheeks to greet others. However, there are many other different ways to greet other people in different cultures.
Vietnam
People shake both hands vigorously. They bow in deference of the other person if he is elderly. If it is a woman, bow of the head is considered enough to greet.
India, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia
People join hands in a praying position and also bow if the other person is elderly. This gesture is called Namaste in India and people often say it aloud. In India, there is also the tradition of touching the feet of the elderly people. In Cambodia, the higher your hands held in praying position, the more is the respect shown by you.
Botswana
People touch each other’s hands but do not shake them like in the west. They just seem to graze palms rather than gripping them.
Benin
In this country, people try to snap fingers when holding the hands of others.
Bangladesh
People raise their right hands as if saluting the other person when greeting him.
USA
Most people shake hands with each other to greet when they meet.
UK
Though handshaking is not uncommon, most people prefer to say Hello when meeting others. A handshake usually takes place when people meet a person for the first time.
France
A handshake is often accompanied by a kiss on both cheeks. This takes place every time they meet and also when they leave.
Japan
Japanese bow in front of each other to greet.
Polynesia
Handshake is common, but many times, people take the hand of the person and stroke their face with his hand.
Tibet
You will be surprised to know that people stick their tongues out when meeting others. It is believed that by sticking tongues out, they show that they do not have any evil thoughts inside.
Russia
Handshake is common today, but many people prefer to kiss the other person three times on left, right and then left cheek .
Italy
Ciao is the word to say hello to each other. People kiss each other four times, twice on each cheek.
Maori people
These natives of New Zealand rub their noses to greet each other.
Mexico
One kiss on a cheek is enough to greet others in Mexico.
China
People say Nai-Hoa-Ma that means How are You. They may also bow down in deference to the other person.
Greece
People usually shake hands but to show warmth, and they also hug and kiss.
Argentina
A casual embrace (not the full hug) is the norm to greet each other. For people who are close, there is a tradition to kiss once on the right cheek.
Pakistan and other Muslim countries
People utter As-salamualaykum which is an Arabic word meaning peace be upon you. The other person has to respond with Waalaykumu s-salam.
New service to find affordable accommodation: AirBnB
ReplyDeleteWhen you plan your vacation, you always think of two main things: airplane tickets and place to stay. Usually accommodation is the second big expense after airfare. But we face more and more new services, created to make peoples’ life simpler. That’s what AirBnB is. If you search in Internet you will find many articles, sites and comments about it.
So AirBnB is a service, which offers places, rooms, apartments for rent. And you can always find the offers, which are perfect for you. Some experts say, that rent for the apartment is usually 50 percent cheaper than the hotel in the same area. So it seems to be not bad. As every apartment has kitchen, which is obvious, you can save much more for the food, prepared by you, rather than to have dinners in local restaurants and cafes. Wi-fi can be found in each offer, so you don’t have to worry about it. And also, if you plan to stay a week or month, hosts usually offer a discount. You can always ask if there is a discount, it’s not forbidden.
There are many questions and comments about safety. It seems to be so, as hosts and guests always need to verify their identity. All payments are made by the official AirBnB site, so you don’t have to deal with the host. Everything seems to be clear.
AirBnB has many advantages as it saves you the money, it is a safe choice to live in, and also people, who live in local area, communicating with locals, can feel much more colourful impressions, than the one, who stays at the hotel.
For more detailed information, you can find it here:
http://www.moneywehave.com/save-big-with-airbnb-what-you-need-to-know/
http://www.mccooltravel.com/2015/08/8-great-airbnb-advantages/
http://www.moneywehave.com/airbnb-or-hotel/
Tips for using your device when you travelling
ReplyDeleteIt is usual thing that we all take our phones with us, while travelling. But it is very important not to forget that using your phone in roaming can cost you a fortune. But it is a great thing that there are many alternatives to reduce costs. All you need is to solve a few questions before you depart.
All smartphones these days are multi-band so it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll have no problem using it abroad. Also a good option is to by local sim card, in some countries it is quite affordable, at least you can always send sms to home. Getting a local SIM is usually the cheapest option. For $20-25 you can get a SIM with a local number that should last you the duration of your stay. If you decide to just use your smartphone as an e-mailer, than it’s no problems at all. If you are not sure if at your place of stay will be wi-fi, you can purchase a Pocket WiFi . You won’t be able to make phone calls, but there will be unlimited internet.