2 years ago, we took our first vacation out of the country(u.s.). we went to cancun, and last year, we went to aruba, both are wonderful places in their own right, so, for the "first time traveller" here are some hints/tips that we started using and will continue to use every time we travel.

1. apply for your passport at least 6 months before you actually want to go on your trip, so there wont be any "last minute delays" and undue stress.

2. research, research, research. before you decide on where you want to go, do your research to make sure that is exactly where you want to go, and offers the activities/sight seeeing that you want to do. research everything from the "normal" weather, to the heavy tourist season(off season will save you a lot of money), to the local currency, as well as if immunizations are needed before you depart, as some are "series" and can take several months.

3. if budget is a problem, we have found it best to go "all inclusive". many hotels offer "AI" or "all inclusive" which can, in the long run, save up to hundreds of dollars. the "AI" packages that we get, include round trip airfare, round trip ground transfers, all taxes, all of the food and beverage that you can ingest, as well as all tips, with the exception of "transfer drivers". with the "AI" plans, you know exactly how much money you will need, but we always take extra money for extra tippage as well, it doesnt neccessarily mean better service, but the employees at those hotels do work hard and really do appreciate the extra tips.

3. always leave room in your carry-on for swimming attire, reason being, most hotels dont allow check-in until approximately 3 p.m. local time, as most arrivals are mid morning-mid afternoon, your swimming attire is packed away in your luggage, but the beach/pool looks so inviting and you really want to relax after you reach your destination. your luggage will be put in a locked room, while you venture off for a quick bite/grounds tour, etc...BUT!!! with your swimming attire in a carry-on, you can dismiss yourself to a lobby restroom or a courtesy room and change, and make your way to the water(in some instances, you may wear your swimming attire under your travel clothes).

4. check the hotels website for dress codes for dinner/special events, and pack accordingly. the easiest way to pack lightly, yet have many different outfits would be 2 take possibly (ladies, 2 skirts and 3 different tops and a various accessories, and maybe 1 really nice outfit*semi-formal*) (men, 2 pairs of nice slacks and possibly 3 dress shirts*with collars* and maybe 1 tie) the hotels do offer laundry service, dont be afraid to use it if you have to. pack shampoos, conditioners, shave gels/creams, mouthwashes etc, in seperate zip-lock bag in case of leakage, and pack in your luggage to be checked, take along those "mulit-packs"(10 packs) of gum and leave the toothpaste in your luggage, it is easy access, will keep your breath fresh, and offering a pack to a customs agent in a foreign airport doesnt hurt either.

5. make at least 2 photo-copies of each and every travel document that you have, drivers license, itinerary, passport, etc...give one set to a family member at home, and keep one set in your purse, carry-on, or luggage in case your originals are lost or stolen.

6. when taking local transportation, ie: taxi cabs, consult with the driver and find out the exact fare to go a certain distance, or to a certain place, and agree on that price, in many places, taxi fares are controlled by the government, but as well, not so, in other placves. you may find it is less expensive to take the city bus, and sometimes safer too(i have ridden in cabs, where the driver, drives like my grandmother...scarey).

6. take along a small to medium size collapsible cooler, if your hotel room has a stocked mini-bar, you can put hotel ice and soft drinks/bottles of water in it to take on excursions. and for the return trip home, you can use it to store extra trinkets/souvenirs in, as most airlines allow 1 carry-on, as well as 1 other "personal" carryon item.

7. some places, it is a waste of time/money to send postcards, we sent post cards 2 years ago from caucun, havent received them yet, so it's best to just buy the postcards ans some stamps while there, stamp the postcards, and bring them home as inexpensive souvenirs that take up practically no room at all in the luggage.

8. local currency, is just about the least expensive souvenir that money can "buy" lol, any cashier/sales clerk/currency exchange is always more than happy to exchange your money for theirs.

9. visit that country's/cities website about making phone calls back home, in some placves, you can buy a calling card, rent a local cell phone, or even buy international calling cards, but never, never, NEVER call home directly from your hotel room, some hotels charge up to $10.00 USD just for a connect fee and 3 minutes of talk time, in some places, for that same $10.00, you can get up to 30 minutes of talk time using an international calling card from a pay phone.

Check These Guys Out!

They offer many big names on a wide variety
of Travel Supplies and Accessories!

Travel Supplies and Accessories

One of the biggest expense on any vacation is Hotel booking. Priceline offers very good prices on hotels.

However, one big limitation that Priceline has imposed is that you can bid for a hotel just once a day for the same location, date, and star rating. So, if your initial bid is not accepted, you have to wait for 24 hours before you can bid again on the same itinerary. This sometimes becomes a big problem. There are a few ways to get around this limitation, so that you can bid again on Priceline on the same day, without waiting for 24 hours. Here are some tips to beat Priceline, and submit Priceline bids multiple times on the same day. Check out this article see these tips:


How to Bid Again in Priceline on same day