Beware the Pickpockets!

“Do you have your wallet?” To this day, I cannot explain why I asked my husband that question in the middle of a crowded Paris subway. It must have been God nudging me because only seconds later the question was answered in the worst possible way. No, my husband didn’t have his wallet and the likely suspects were the crew of men who were sliding away on a subway train heading into the darkness of the next tunnel. And there we were, standing alone in a foreign city, not even 24 hours into a European vacation, and my husband without his wallet.

How could this have happened to us, seasoned travelers? World travelers, even! Four continents, multiple trips to both coasts of the USA, and both of us traveling alone and together across various journeys. We’re no slouches when it comes to travel, and yet in the blink of an eye, thieves managed to lift my husband’s wallet straight out of his pocket without him even realizing it. For a few moments, we panicked, as any normal people would do. Then we pulled our wits together to form a game plan on how to move forward. 

Use caution in train stations as thieves tend to
work in teams.

Even though our initial reaction was panic, then anger, we soldiered through and really did have a great time over the next two weeks as we made our way across the European continent. Thankfully, I was also carrying a full array of credit cards, so we weren’t completely lost and helpless, waiting on replacement money and cards. It just meant that I had to carefully guard my purse even more diligently because if my wallet got stolen, then we’d absolutely be in trouble. And fortunately, our credit card companies and banks were excellent in working with us to deter any damage to our accounts. The thieves did try use one of our cards even before we managed to shut it down.

Did we learn anything from this experience? Oh yes! As all tough moments in life do, this one taught us a few things about travel that we thought we already knew, but that were lessons we had to relearn.

Being tired and jet lagged was part of our problem at the time of the wallet snatching. We had flown into Brussels, Belgium on an overnight flight. Instead of staying in Brussels the first day and night, we immediately hopped on a train to Paris. We’d already mapped out our entire journey from the airport in Brussels to our Air B&B condo in Paris, so we felt confident in the journey. Upon arriving in Paris, however, the train we’d planned to take to the condo was shut down for maintenance. We had to quickly pivot on our plan and design another route. The train station was crowded and crawling with thieves, apparently. We were too tired to keep our wits about us, and that made us easy targets. We also carried our luggage, so our status as travelers became obvious. In hindsight, we should’ve grabbed a taxi after realizing our original route wouldn’t work.

Out of habit, my husband put his wallet into his back pocket instead of the zippered pocket on the side of the pants he was wearing. He’d been so diligent about using the zippered pocket up to this point, but the tiredness and change of plans caused him to forget. He popped his wallet into his back pocket like he usually would. After our trip, he talked to a friend who’d also been pick-pocketed in Paris but from the front pocket of his pants. After hearing that story, my husband felt better about getting robbed.

Thieves work in teams. We realized this after the fact. On the train, we’d been surrounded by a group of men. When the train doors opened for us to exit, one of them stepped in front of my husband to distract him while another one picked his pocket. By the time we realized the theft, they were long gone on the train. We later watched these teams of thieves stake out people while they were waiting for trains. In fact, one team was staking us out again not long after the first incident. Luckily, we realized what they were doing. We decided not to board the train at the last minute, saving ourselves from further incident.

For the rest of the trip, we kept our antennas up looking for further scams. We watched lots of gaming and scamming take place all around Paris, especially at hot tourist spots like the Eiffel Tower. I kept a tight grip on my purse, especially since I was now the sole money carrier for the rest of the trip. It may seem rude, but we didn’t hesitate to push past street vendors, survey takers, and game players for the rest of our time in Europe. Most of them were thieves waiting for a chance to take our wallet and money at the first chance.

Many travel hot spots draw thieves hoping to
dupe unsuspecting tourists.

While this incident was frustrating, it won’t deter us from traveling in Europe again. We chalk it up as a learning experience and one more interesting adventure. C’est la vie, as the French say.

The Magic and Mystery of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Anyone who wants to explore the world’s most active volcano needs to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Located on the east side of Hawaii, Kilauea is one of the five volcanoes that comprise the “Big Island,” and it’s been actively erupting since 1983.

The Halemau'mau Crater is a great place to see the "glow" and
occassionally small licks of lava jumping up over the crater edge.

Visitors to the park should first swing by the Kilauea Caldera which currently boasts the active Halemau’mau Crater. This crater spews so much noxious sulfuric gas that the nearby Crater Rim Road is partially closed along with portions of the Crater Rim Trail. Volcanic activity is easily seen from the safe distance of the Jaggar Museum overlook and other portions of the Crater Rim Trail. The best viewing time is at dusk and after dark because glow from lava can easily be seen. Observant visitors will notice occasional flicks of lava lifting up over the edge of the crater, as well.

Thanks to a magma chamber below, your feet will be hot by the end of
this hike!

Definitely take the must-see hike at the Kilauea Iki Crater. In 1959, this crater erupted with a lava fountain 1800 feet high. Thousands of tons of lava were sprayed on the north side of the crater with a lava lake forming that eventually measured 400 feet in depth. Today hikers can trek across the mile-wide crater and imagine the scene that took place. Beware, there’s still a magma chamber under that crater. Even sturdy hiking-booted feet will be hot by the time you reach the other side! In all, it’s a 4.5 mile hike that provides wonderful views of the park. A small strip of land separates this crater from the main Kilauea Crater.

The 400-foot-long Thurston Lava Tube is another highlight of the park. This large tube was once an underground pathway for a river of lava. Today it’s a refreshingly cool walk through the rain forest and along the cave-like tube.

The 24-mile drive from Kilauea Crater down the Chain of Craters Road deposits visitors at the coast, a drop of almost 4,000 feet in elevation. Here the Holei Sea Arch, created from lava and the mighty Pacific Ocean, is on spectacular display. This is also the starting point for a 5 to 6 mile hike out to the current lava flow viewing area. The ranger station at this site is portable so it can be moved in case lava flows too close.

The Pu'u O'o vent is the site of most of the current activity.

Currently, the bulk of the lava is flowing from the Pu’u O’o vent on the east side of Kilauea. The only way to see this vent is by helicopter. Not only do choppers fly directly over flowing lava, a trip around the mouth of the vent is included in most rides. Even at 500 feet from the ground, riders will feel the intense heat coming up from the lava field. Many of the lava fields are solid on top, but have rivers of lava running directly underneath. Small openings called skylights allow a peek into these rivers of bright red lava. For a truly adventurous ride, choose a helicopter with the doors off.

Hike or take a helicopter to see flowing lava.

To get up-close and personal with liquid lava, be prepared for a strenuous hike. As mentioned, it’s a 5 to 6 mile one-way walk over rough lava fields from the end of Chain of Craters Road. From outside the national park, it’s a 3 to 4 mile one-way hike. Hikers who attempt this journey should stop at the Kilauea Visitor Center and discuss the trip with a park ranger who will provide advice on safety and water requirements. Make no mistake, these hikes are challenging and can be dangerous.

Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park can fly into either of the Big Island’s airports, Kona or Hilo, with Hilo being the most convenient. Accommodations can be found at the Volcano House inside the park or at nearby Volcano Village – a loose collection of cottages, bed & breakfasts, and restaurants. Visitors to the park should be ready for any type of weather, including rain. Bug spray, sunscreen, water bottles, hats, and sturdy shoes are all necessary for a successful visit. Vog, volcanic smog, is often present, and those with breathing concerns should take precautions. However, it’s worth all of the time and trouble for the chance to hike, eat, and sleep on the flank of the world’s most active volcano, the mighty Kilauea.

Links:

Paradise Helicopters: https://paradisecopters.com/ 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

Paradise Helicopters is one company that will fly you over flowing lava.

Many skylights allow you to see rivers of flowing lava underneath the surface.

It's a wonderful walk through the Thurston Lava Tube!

The Holei Sea Arch is found at the end of the Chain of Craters Rd.
This is also where you can start a 10-mile round trip hike to
see flowing lava.

Tips for Beating Jet Lag

Jet lag, defined as disruption to the body’s normal rhythms, is caused by high speed travel across time zones. Symptoms of jet lag may include extreme sleepiness, fatigue, headaches, difficulty concentrating, or stomach problems. West to east trips worsen jet lag because the body “loses time.” The next time you travel far from home, try these tips and tricks to manage jet lag.

In any language, it's water! Drink plenty to stay hydrated and
to help with the jet lag.

Simulate your new schedule. In the days before you depart, move your body into its new schedule. This can be done with bedtime and mealtime adjustments. It will throw you out of sync with the rest of your current life patterns, but it will ease your transition into a new vacation time schedule.

Drink plenty of water.  Water keeps the body hydrated and is vital to combat the dry air on airplanes. Drink plenty during your flight and also once you arrive.

Sleep on the plane. If your trip includes a night flight, sleep on the plane. When the flight arrives in the morning, you’ll have had sleep and will be ready for the day’s activities. This also prepares your body for bedtime in your new location. An eye mask and noise cancelling headphones can be helpful for sleeping on airplanes.

Set your watch to the destination time. As soon as you depart, set your watch to the current time at your destination. This adjusts your mind to the new local time.   

Avoid caffeine while in flight. Don’t consume caffeinated beverages while flying. They disrupt the body’s cycles and can make it difficult for you to sleep.

Use alcohol with caution. Some travelers like to use alcohol as a way to aid in sleep or to relax the body. Use these drinks with caution, especially ones that you don’t often consume. Avoid intoxication, and be aware of alcohol’s effects on your body.

Don't do too much on the first day, such as hiking
in the mountains!

Embrace the new time zone. Upon arrival, eat meals and sleep according to the local time, not what time it is at home. On the first day of a trip, try to set your bedtime after 9:00 p.m. These patterns help get your body cycles adjusted to the new time.

Keep the first day’s activities light. Don’t plan a heavy schedule of sightseeing on the first day. Plan the day so activities are flexible and a nap can be had, if needed. Keep the nap short, just one to two hours. Exposure to large amounts of sunshine on the first day can also help the body clock adjust to its new time. 

Try new medications before your trip. Some travelers use melatonin or sleeping pills to help regulate sleep. If you’re planning to use a medication to help you manage jet lag, try the medication at home. It’s better to experience side effects before you’re on vacation. An upset stomach, headaches, extreme sleepiness, or extreme stimulation may be worse than the jet lag.

Plan an extra day to recover. Your body will need time to readjust once you’re home. Plan an extra day off work, or return adjacent to a weekend, so that you have time to manage the jet lag at the end of the trip.

Jet lag affects each person’s body differently, and you will have to find a strategy that works for you. The farther you stray from home, the more intense jet lag will be. Be prepared and manage it to minimize the impact on your vacation. Whether it’s a trip across the country or across the ocean, don’t let jet lag put a crimp in your plans.

Bringing Along Baby

Last week I saw some pictures from a former student of mine who took her baby on vacation to Washington D.C. I love it when parents take their young children on the road because it starts to expand baby’s horizons, even though they’re small. Successful travel with young kids takes planning and attention to detail, but the benefits for everyone are worth all the time and trouble. Here’s how we always planned for vacation with our young children.

1.  Research. The most important strategy for any vacation is research and preplanning, especially for a location to which you’ve never traveled before. Read, read, read! Whether you use the Internet or actual paper guidebooks, find out everything you can about the destination, lodgings, and mode of travel (especially if you’re flying). This helps you know what to expect and limits the number of surprises you’ll encounter along the way.

Do your research so that you'll know what to
expect on a vacation with baby.

2.  Simplify baby’s routine.  Take inventory of all the daily things you do with baby in terms of feeding, sleeping, and moving around town. For traveling, you’ll want to be able to move quickly and with minimal amounts of baggage, so think about how you can simplify that routine and make it more portable by cutting down on gear and supplies. Take a test run at home to make sure your new simplified strategies will work and that baby can adapt to them.

3.  Take it to the road. Whether you’re flying or driving, be sure that baby is used to extended amounts of time in the car. Go on some longer day trips around the local area to condition baby to extra car time.

4.  Sightsee around the local area. Be sure that baby is well conditioned to sightseeing at home. Think about the upcoming vacation activities and then try to mimic some of those experiences in the local area. It could be zoos, swimming pools, amusement parks, museums...we have plenty of those types of places here in Ohio, so use them as your “test run” experiences before heading out on your real vacation.

5.  Switch off. Depending on the type of vacation you’re planning, parents may need to switch off. For example, when our girls were babies, we went to the beach. When it was naptime, one of us took baby back to the condo, while the other one stayed at the beach. Then the next day, we switched responsibilities so that the other parent got to enjoy the beach. We had this planned before we even left on vacation, and it worked out well. This is also a great strategy for amusement parks. One parent hangs with the little one while the other parent rides bigger rides, and then switch.

Figure out how to travel light with  baby in tow.

6.  Travel light. Minimize the amount of gear that is needed overall. Think of what you can buy on the road as you go. Unless you’re traveling to remote corners of the world, you’ll be able to buy diapers, formula, baby food, sunscreen, and more. Start out with a basic supply and then restock as needed. In the past, we also rented equipment. When we stayed at the beach for an entire week, we rented a high chair and a pack & play that were delivered to our condo before we even arrived. It was very convenient and saved us the hassle of dragging everything with us.

A familiar destination can make traveling with baby
much easier.

7.  Keep it familiar. Plan the type of trip that you’re comfortable with. I have some friends who took their baby camping and hiking. This worked well for them because they were already experienced with wilderness vacations. We easily took our girls to the beach because we’d been plenty of times before and we knew what to expect. You’ll have an easier time if you take baby on the type of vacation that’s already in your comfort zone.

Babies learn so much in their first year of life; it’s worth it to take them on vacation. They start to build a “visual dictionary” of sights and sounds. As they grow, all of these experiences give them a background that helps them to understand the world. If you’ve been hesitating to travel with your little one, don’t be afraid. Pack your bags and hit the road. In the years to come, baby will thank you for it!

**Many thanks to Amanda S. (the aforementioned former student) for contributing pictures for this post!

Start Summer Travel Planning Now!

It may be winter right now, but summer is around the corner and with it comes the summer travel season. Here are 6 tips to get you started with your summer travel plans.

1.  Pick a destination. Start with a map and begin to brainstorm. Compile input from family members. Conduct research on the sights and activities that various places have to offer. Consider additional requirements of international travel, such as passports. Make a wish list and then start to whittle it down. A major component of the whittling-down process will likely be...

2.  Transportation. Drive or fly? It’s the age old question every family asks when planning their summer travel. Perhaps you immediately know that flying is cost-prohibitive and therefore out of the question. This may immediately cut several destinations off the list of possibilities. If you’re on the fence about flying, look to the Internet and start to research. It may be too early to book tickets, but you can get an idea of prices and routes. This will help you determine whether or not flying is an option. If you must drive, then factor in the price of gas and hotel stays between here and your destination.

3.  Pick your dates. Look at the family calendar and mark adults’ vacation time and kids’ summer responsibilities. Depending on the age of your children and their level of summertime commitments, you may not have a large window of travel time available to you. Focus on several different chunks of the summer calendar in which you could book a vacation. The amount of time available will help you further pare down that list of destinations.

4.  Research hotel or lodging options. City accommodations will be quite different than beach accommodations. If you’re looking to rent a beach house or condo, then its availability may finalize travel details such as dates and transportation. Rental properties typically need to be secured earlier on the calendar than hotels do. Use a website like Trip Advisor (www.tripadvisor.com) to fully understand what each lodging spot has to offer. A website like Travel Zoo (www.travelzoo.com) is a great place to search hotel and airfare deals for major cities.

It's never too early to start making summertime travel plans.

5.  Set a budget. After viewing preliminary prices on airfare and hotels, start to lay down a reasonable budget. Don’t forget to research the cost of attractions you want to visit, as well as food. This will likely be the final deciding factor on your choice of destination. It all comes down to money in the end.

6.  Pull the trigger when the time is right. After you conduct your research and make your decisions, be ready to act when it’s time to buy plane tickets or book hotels. Don’t be afraid to make those purchases or reservations when you see prices that fit into your budget. Airfare can be notoriously tricky. If you can’t begin to make heads or tails of it, then enlist the assistance of a travel agent. Also use a travel agent to book a cruise or to plan a complicated trip with many location changes.

7.  Apply for a passport. It takes awhile to secure a passport, on average 4-6 weeks. If your destination is international, get moving on this. It can be expedited for an additional fee, but the sooner you can start the process, the better. Visit the state department website at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/new.html to find out more.

Even though summer still feels far away, you can get the jump on planning an enjoyable vacation by starting the process now. Sunny skies are right around the corner, and you’ll definitely want to make the most of your summer travel time.

Clever Parent's Guide to Discipline

Are you frustrated when it’s time to discipline your less-than-well-behaved children...again? If you feel like pulling out your hair, just implement the mindset of a clever parent.

1.  Stay as cool as a cucumber. Children expect yelling when they’ve broken the rules, so make it your policy to stay calm. Use a measured tone of voice to let them know which rule they’ve broken and what their consequence will be. Don’t argue with them. You’re the parent in charge, and the parent in charge doesn’t argue. Use respectful language, speak clearly and plainly, and close your ears to any ranting and raving that might occur.

2.  Make the punishment fit the crime. You might want to ground your children for the rest of their lives and send them off to military school, but that’s extreme for offenses like talking back or not picking up toys. If you jump to the ultimate consequence right away, then you don’t have anywhere to go in the future. So, pick a lesser consequence and build from there. For example, start your child on two days without a cell phone and then you can add extra days to the duration, if needed.

3.  Consequences should inconvenience the child, not the parent. A consequence should only make one person unhappy, the child who receives it. Pick penalties that get the child’s attention and help them realize that you mean business. Administer them calmly (remember, cool as a cucumber) and without interrupting your life. Does it matter if your child watches TV? Nope. It’s not your problem, is it?

4.  Think outside the box. You might feel the need to freshen up your rotation of consequences, so occasionally add a few new ones to the mix. Often this brings protests from the children, but while they’re not watching television, they can scrub toilets, rake leaves, and fold laundry. I once felt the need to get my daughter’s attention, so I removed everything from her bedroom except for furniture. Her basic needs were still being met, so it wasn’t a problem that the room was mostly bare. That was a consequence she never forgot, and the mere mention of it usually snaps her right back into line.

5. Remind your children who’s in charge. Children who are bit too big for their britches need a gentle reminder of who’s the boss. That person is the parent who provides for all their needs and guides them through childhood on the road to successful adulthood. Yes, there are bumps along the way, but clever parents use these to teach lessons and reign in the children who’ve gotten out of hand.

The clever parent never loses her cool, even
when the going gets tough!

6. Consistency is key. Parents must follow through with the consequences they administer. To cut short a consequence tells children that you don’t mean what you say. Choose wisely so the consequence will be effective.

The clever parent is calm, cool, and collected. The clever parent doesn’t argue. The clever parent knows that consequences are important and administers them with love. The clever parent never forgets the goal – to raise productive members of society. Hang in there, parents. It’s all worth it in the end.

Teach Money Sense with Coupons

Photo courtesy of OOingle.com, Creative Commons License

I recently turned my 12-year-old daughter into the chief coupon clipper at our house. I wanted to increase her money sense and shopping savvy. Instead of telling her which coupons to cut, I devised an entire program. Here’s how it works.

Each week we get the coupons out of our Sunday paper. I give them to my daughter with the barest of instructions, “Cut these.” It’s her job to decide which coupons get cut according to the products she knows we use at our house. She’s allowed to ask me questions, and she also can search through the cupboards to see what products we normally purchase. After she cuts the coupons, she puts her initial somewhere on the coupon. She then must go through our coupon organizer and remove any expired coupons while also adding the new coupons. Now it’s time to shop!

When I go the grocery store, I make a list of any coupons I use with her initial on them. At the end of the trip, I total how much she “earned” with her initialed coupons, and she receives that amount of money as payment for her work. Granted, it reduces the amount of savings on my grocery bill, but I believe the lessons she’s learning are more valuable. Since we’ve started this program at our house, I’ve noticed that my daughter has grown in several areas.

Her money sense has improved. The value of a dollar has to be taught. She’s starting to understand what food and household items cost by looking at coupons and thinking about the products we need to buy for our household.

She understands why it’s good to save money. My daughter now realizes that a coupon helps the family spend less at the grocery. Several dollars shaved off the grocery bill means there’s more money to be spent elsewhere. Cutting coupons is worth the time and effort. Hopefully, this early exposure to the concept of saving money will stick with her as she grows to adulthood.

She’s learning about brand name products versus generic ones. As she makes choices on which coupons to cut, we have conversations about brands. In our house we have certain items, like laundry detergent, where we are brand specific. For other products we have no brand loyalty. She’s learning lessons about choosing the right products for our family.

Photo courtesy of OOingle.com, Creative Commons License

Her organizational skills get a workout. She cuts, sorts, and categorizes as she works with the coupons. This process helps her learn more about organization.

Her work ethic is strengthened. I’m not going to lie, cutting coupons and organizing them is not always high on the list of my daughter’s favorite tasks. However, she enjoys receiving her earned money after I come back from the grocery. This gives me a chance to remind her that the money is a direct result of the work she did earlier in the week. She’s beginning to make a connection between working and earning money. There’s a bonus lesson, too...the work has to be done, even if it’s not much fun.

Try the coupon method in your household and see how it begins to introduce your child to the world of money management and savvy shopping.

Airport Etiquette Tips from Frequent Fliers

My husband has been a business traveler for over 17 years, and his least favorite time to travel is the summer. The airport is packed with vacationers who don’t travel often and don’t understand the etiquette of air travel. So, in the spirit of business travelers everywhere, and with input from a group of business travelers I know, here are the top things business travelers wish vacationing folks knew about air travel.

Be prepared for security. The business travelers had a lot to say about people who do not understand the procedures at security. All passengers should check the TSA website regularly to better comprehend what cannot be carried through the security checkpoint. Vacationers also need to realize that certain items, such as belts and shoes, will have to be removed before passing through the metal detectors or body scanners. When in doubt, watch the business travelers in the security line, and follow their lead. That business traveler in front of you may be going through security for the fifth time that week, so don’t argue about removing your watch, just go with the flow. Also, the TSA agents don’t care if you miss your flight, so be sure to allow plenty of time.

Plan ahead for your children and keep them entertained
while flying.

Mind your children. Another oft-mentioned topic from the business travelers regarded children. Most business travelers like children. However, nothing upsets the flying experience like an unhappy child. Make sure you have plenty of supplies for your children. This includes snacks, entertainment, extra clothes, and all the baby gear that is required for the trip.

One business traveler told the tale of a baby with a diaper blow-out in the early portion of the flight. The mother didn’t have the required wipes and diapers to manage the situation which made the flight unpleasant for all the passengers. Plan ahead for your kids! Keep them happy, clean, and quiet for everyone’s sake.

Be aware of others. Air travel isn’t glamorous. It’s more like riding the city bus these days. Unless you’re flying first class, expect to be crowded and uncomfortable. Making it even worse is the lack of courtesy sometimes shown by other passengers. This includes pushing through the plane aisle to get off first, stowing many small bags in the overhead bins instead of under the seat, placing carry-on bags in the front instead of closer to the passenger’s actual seat, and crowding the jet way while waiting to pick up planeside-checked bags.

Other annoyances include travelers who throw their seats back as soon as they sit down and those who block the plane aisle to remove items from their carry-on bags while people are still boarding the plane. The use of headphones, or the lack thereof, garnered another honorable mention from the business traveler panel. Either headphones aren’t used at all, which means surrounding passengers are subjected to video game noise for the entire flight, or folks crank up the volume to disturbing levels.

One amusing anecdote from the business travelers involved PDA, personal displays of affection. Even though it might be your honeymoon, your fellow travelers don’t want to see this played out in an airplane seat or in the terminal waiting area. Keep your hands to yourself, please.

Be realistic. Delays happen. Weather happens. Luggage gets lost. You’re not the only one who’s being inconvenienced by these annoyances.  If you’re mad about a delayed or cancelled flight, think of the business traveler whose paycheck and livelihood may depend on making an appointment five states away. Realize that some people need to fly because it’s how they make their business work. While your vacation may be important to you, a delay in your plans only affects you and your family. A delay for the business traveler potentially means lost money.

Delayed Plane? It's bound to happen. Know the airline
policies and be realistic about compensation.

The business traveler panel discussed those passengers who become irate because the airline isn’t compensating them. The airlines aren’t required to pass out free flights every time a plane is delayed. The business travelers recommend studying airline policies regarding delays, cancellations, and lost luggage so that you won’t be surprised when you’re faced with an interruption in your plans. Understand that delays will happen. It’s inevitable.

In short, remember your fellow travelers when you’re flying. Common courtesies go a long way to making the trip more pleasant for everyone involved. Be prepared, be informed, and be flexible.

Savvy Travelers’ 10 Hotel Tricks

Looking to maximize your hotel experience as you travel? Here are a few tricks to enhance your stay.

1. Constantly search for the best hotel rate. Even if you think you’ve found a rate you can live with, continue to search and cross check until you leave for your trip. Don’t settle for the rate you locked in at the time of your booking. Assume the rates fluctuate daily. It never hurts to search the web again or to make a direct phone call to ascertain the current rate status.

2.  When using discount search sites, cross check against other websites. Travelocity and Expedia don’t always have the lowest rates. Visit the hotel’s own website or call the hotel directly.

3.  Factor in discounts such as AAA, military, and AARP. If a hotel’s website doesn’t indicate these discount statuses, make a phone call to double check.

4.  Use caution when booking a reservation that can’t be cancelled or is non-refundable. This may provide security for your plans, but it also locks you into a reservation. If a cheaper hotel or one in a better location becomes available later, you won’t be able to take advantage of the benefits.

5.  Booking on an Internet discount site may get you a discount experience. Hotels earn a lower profit on rooms from discount sites, so they give better rooms and service to the guests who chose the hotel for more than just price.

6.  Be an intelligent complainer. When issuing a complaint or asking for a particular service, be clear, concise, and polite. Acquire the name of the hotel employee who helps you and use it when speaking to management about your experience. These strategies will be more effective than screaming or rudeness.

7.  Confirm reservations in advance. Hotels purposely overbook by ten percent which helps them keep a full house considering there will be no-shows and cancellations. If you stay just one night or you booked on a discount Internet site, you’re more likely to get bumped than those who’re paying a higher rate and stay for multiple days. Worried? Call ahead to confirm your reservation.

8.  Join a rewards club. Frequent travelers can join a rewards program and earn status with hotel chains. Not only will you be a preferred customer, you’ll earn free or discount nights that you can use for more travel.



Not all hotel rooms are the same. Tipping your desk agent may score you a
bigger room or a better bathroom.

9.  Tips can make a difference. Want a bigger room, one with a great view, or one with a better bathroom? Tip the desk agent. Desk agents are authorized to make upgrades, and some extra cash in their pocket can mean a better room for you. Tipping can also make a difference with maids, bellmen, and the concierge. Don’t be afraid to share a bit of your wealth in hopes for a better experience.

10. Location matters. Do your research and choose a hotel that’s close to your activities. A cheap hotel that’s miles away from the action might save you money, but you’re losing time and convenience. Factor in the cost of traveling for the day, and you might as well have booked a slightly more expensive hotel that’s closer to the fun. Time is money, so chose your hotel location carefully.

Be a savvy hotel customer on your next vacation and see how much better your experience can be.

Safe Travel Tips Everyone Should Know

Summertime is vacation time, and a focus on safety can help maximize the experience. Follow these suggestions for a safe trip.

Safeguard your valuables. Leave fancy jewelry or family heirlooms at home. Traveling with these items puts you at greater risk of loss or theft.

Make copies. Leave copies of your credit cards and passports with a family member. Pack another set with you, away from the originals. Having copies of these items expedites the replacement process if the originals are lost or stolen.

Manage your money. Don’t flash a lot of money, and leave extra credit cards at home. Spread out the money and credit cards amongst all the adults on the trip to prevent disaster if one person is pickpocketed. Contact credit card companies before departing on an international trip so that your card won’t be flagged as stolen when you use it overseas.

There's safety in numbers! Also, keep kids and teens with adults.

There’s safety in numbers. Avoid being alone and stick together as a group. When traveling with a large group, institute the buddy system. Always keep kids and teens with adults.

No news is good news. While some locals are friendly and like to chat up tourists, use caution in these conversations. Be careful about sharing specific travel plans and details. Don’t disclose lodging information or particulars about your route.

Use common sense. When traveling, use the same common sense that you’d use at home. If you wouldn’t walk down a dark alley at home, then don’t’ do it on vacation. If you wouldn’t leave a bar with a person you just met at home, then don’t do it in a foreign country. It’s still possible to do fun exciting things on vacation without making poor decisions that endanger your safety.

Keep luggage practical. Pack light and carry as little as possible. Don’t weigh yourself down with numerous pieces of luggage. It impairs your ability to travel swift and light, and it also means you’ve got to keep track of more personal belongings. Plan ahead and purchase luggage that will best meet the needs of your trip. A bag that works well on a resort vacation isn’t suited to a hiking trip. Women should also make the same considerations for purses.



It was fun being photographed with these alpacas until the owners decided
we should pay more money. Be sure to investigate the parameters BEFORE
partaking in the services.

Watch out for street scams. In touristy areas, street scams abound. Don’t be fooled into parting with money because you posed for a picture with a cute character or took pictures with adorable local children. Participation in shoe shining, getting directions, or enjoying street musicians can turn sour when the performers expect to be paid. Be sure to find out the parameters of the situation before you partake of the goods and services being offered.

Can you hear me now? Investigate your communication capabilities before leaving home, especially for international travel. Don’t assume your smartphone will work in another country. Research this before you depart. Also investigate your ability to check e-mail or have access to the internet before you leave home.

Provide contact information. Leave your travel itinerary and all contact numbers with family before you leave town. If you’re traveling internationally, register with the state department prior to departure.

Lock down your house. Take precautions for your home while you’re away. Light timers, locked windows and doors, and a house sitter can keep your home safe and sound. Enlist the help of trustworthy neighbors to watch your house and leave contact numbers with them.

Avoid social media. It can be tempting to post fun pictures to social media while you’re on the road, but this just advertises to the world that you’re out of town. Wait until you get home to post fun pictures of your trip.

Be vigilant and be practical when you travel. Staying safe on your vacation will help everyone to have a great time.

 

Riding the Rails in Ohio!

The Diamondback at King's Island ends with a
spectacular splashdown.

Roller coaster and theme park enthusiasts are lucky to live in Ohio which ranks third in the country for theme park visits. Ohio boasts two of the top 15 amusement parks in the country, Cedar Point and King’s Island. Each park drew over 3.2 million visitors in 2012, and major roller coasters are part of their appeal. If you’ve been considering a trip to these two roller coaster hotspots, here are a few highlights to entice you.

Cedar Point. Cedar Point holds the title of, “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” and with 16 coasters, it’s an appropriate designation. Cedar Point bills its newest coaster, the Gatekeeper, as the world’s longest, fastest, and tallest winged coaster. Reaching speeds of 67 mph, this monster greets visitors at the front gate with a 164-foot drop and two keyhole passes.

After riding the Gatekeeper, consider the Millennium Force. An elevator cable system pulls riders up 310 feet and then drops them at speeds of up to 92 mph. Not to be outdone is the Top Thrill Dragster. It launches riders from zero to 120 mph in a mere three seconds and then shoots them up a 420-foot vertical tower. Rounding out this trifecta of bad boys is one of the earliest mega coasters, the Magnum XL-200, which still thrills with a first hill of over 200 feet and reaching speeds of 72 mph.

Fans of wooden roller coasters will find plenty to keep them occupied at Cedar Point. The Gemini, a wooden racing coaster, reaches speeds of 60 mph. Also watch out for the Mean Streak. With 1.7 million feet of pine to provide the structure, the Mean Streak takes riders on a rip-roarin’ trip at 65 mph. Don’t forget an old favorite, the Blue Streak. This classic from 1964 still offers riders plenty of air time, bumps and jostles.

Are you brave enough to ride these coaster giants in Ohio?

A trip to Cedar Point wouldn’t be complete without a ride on the Raptor, a suspended coaster that’s situated on the midway. Its riders’ feet hang free as they endure six inversions at 57 mph. From there move to the Mantis, one of the world’s great standing coasters. Riders stand for a 145-foot climb that dives into a 119-foot loop while traveling at 60 mph.

If roller coasters don’t appeal to you, there’s still plenty to enjoy at Cedar Point. 72 rides dot the property, from wild to mild. The park also boasts live entertainment, midway games, a kids’ area, a water park, a campground, several resort hotels, and a beach. Find out everything you need to know for your trip at www.cedarpoint.com .

King’s Island. King’s Island is the midwest’s largest amusement and water park, boasting 14 roller coasters and over 80 rides. Two headlining coasters, the Diamondback and the Beast, dominate the park’s major attractions. New in 2008, the Diamondback towers as the tallest and fastest coaster in the park, and it treats riders to a 215-foot drop and speeds of up to 80mph. It features six drops and concludes with a spectacular splashdown ending. The open stadium-style seats provide riders with superb views of the park as they ride.

Not to be overshadowed is the Beast. This classic wooden coaster still holds the world record as the longest wooden coaster with 7,400 feet of track and more than four minutes of ride time. With two lift hills and a 540-degree helix tunnel for the grand finale, the Beast is consistently voted as one of the world’s greatest coasters by coaster enthusiasts worldwide.

These two giants aren’t the only ones lurking at King’s Island. In addition to three kiddie coasters, wooden coaster fans will enjoy the Racer, a racing-style coaster that’s been at King’s Island since the beginning. After a turn on the Racer, head over to Invertigo, a steel coaster where riders face each other as they move through three inversions forward and again backward. Thrill seekers also won’t want to miss Firehawk where riders flip through five inversions all while facing the ground as if flying. The Flight of Fear coaster features a catapult launch taking riders from zero to 54 mph in just four seconds. Keeping riders in the dark is part of the fun since the entire ride is enclosed. The Vortex, another steel coaster favorite, flips riders upside down six times and was the first coaster in the world to do so.

Plenty of rides are available in both parks for
non-coaster riders.

Just as with Cedar Point, non-coaster riders will still have plenty to do at King’s Island. Live entertainment, midway games, a water park, and a wide variety of other rides will keep the entire family busy. The kids’ area at King’s Island has been voted as the world’s best by Amusement Today magazine 12 years in a row. Go to www.visitkingsisland.com for more information.

With all this excitement packed into two amusement parks, no wonder Ohio ranks third in the U.S.A for theme park visits. Take time this summer to ride a few of the rails in the Buckeye State and see for yourself why Ohio is a hot spot for amusement park fun.

Day Trippin' in West Central Ohio

Kids love to explore the subterranean world at Ohio Caverns.

5 Trips in the "Heart of it All!"

Take a fun day trip or a short stopover in west central Ohio and see some of what the Buckeye State has to offer.

Ohio Caverns. It’s an easy country drive to West Liberty, Ohio, where you can tour magnificent caverns, billed as the world’s most beautiful and Ohio’s largest caverns. Open year-round, the caverns maintain a comfortable 54-degree temperature no matter what the season. You’ll see some of the most colorful crystals in the world, including the Crystal King, a pure white formation that’s nearly 5 feet long. Visitors can take the Natural Wonder tour, a 50-minute walking tour that winds through a mile’s worth of subterranean splendor. The path is paved, although stairs and narrow passages are part of the tour, so it is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Other tours are also available, including one that does accommodate wheelchairs. All tours require an admission fee. Ohio Caverns also features 35 acres of grounds that include picnic pavilions, restrooms, a gift shop, and gem and fossil mining. Visit www.ohiocaverns.com for more information and to plan your visit.

Piatt Castles.  After you go to Ohio Caverns, make a short jaunt over to the Piatt Castles, also in West Liberty, Ohio. Built by the Piatt Family, the two castles, Mac-a-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee, showcase the history of the family and the splendor of the western Ohio countryside in which they reside. The castles are open daily during the summer, and summertime camps are available for kids.  Visitors may choose from a combo ticket for both castles or a single-castle ticket. Discounts are offered for kids, seniors, and AAA members. The first floors of each castle are wheelchair accessible. Visit the website at www.piattcastles.org for more information and to plan your visit.

Airstream Factory Tours. Ever wondered about those sleek silver bullet trailers seen in campgrounds and cruising along the interstate? Well, they’re made in Ohio! Each trailer is made by hand in accordance with the company’s belief of quality, innovation, and design. To watch this process in action, take a trip to Jackson Center for the Airstream Factory Tour. This free tour is given every Monday through Friday at 2:00 p.m. You’ll tour the production facility in an easy ¾ mile walk. Group tours for 10 or more people can be arranged in advance. Visit http://www.airstream.com/company/tours/ for more information.

Bicycle Museum of America. Do you have a bicycle buff in your family? If so, consider a trip to New Bremen, Ohio, and the Bicycle Museum of America. This museum features over 300 bikes on permanent display and another 1,000 bikes displayed on a rotating basis. The collection includes bikes from the 1800s through current times. An on-site theatre provides the history of bicycles, and a gift shop is also available. The museum’s interactive website is worth a visit for bicycle fans and students conducting research. The museum is open Monday through Saturday in the summer. A small admission fee is charged for entry with discounts for kids and seniors.  See more at www.bicyclemuseum.com .

At Ohio Caverns, see the Crystal King, a
5-foot formation. Amazing!

 

Armstrong Air and Space Museum. It’s an easy interstate drive to Wapakoneta, Ohio, where you can visit the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. Visitors will view exhibits related to Neil Armstrong and space travel, including an Apollo 11 moon rock, Neil Armstrong’s Gemini and Apollo spacesuits, and the Gemini VIII spacecraft. In addition to the memorabilia on display, visitors can try their hand at three different simulators where they can try to land the lunar module and space shuttle or dock the Gemini capsule. A 25-minute film showcases the Apollo 11’s lunar landing. Open daily during the summer, admission is charged for entry. Discounts are available for children, seniors, and active military personnel. Group visits may be arranged for 10 or more people. Find more information at www.armstrongmuseum.org .

A trip through Ohio can be a fun vacation with some easy research and a day’s worth of travel. After all, Ohio is the heart of it all!