<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>My Melange &#187; Travel Tip Tuesday</title>
	<atom:link href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/category/travel-tip-tuesday/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://mymelange.net</link>
	<description>Travel. France. Italy. Photography. Food and more...</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 23 May 2012 21:56:46 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>10 Tips for Having an Authentic Travel Experience in Italy</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2012/03/tips-authentic-travel-italy.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2012/03/tips-authentic-travel-italy.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>robin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=6099</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was having a conversation with a potential client the other day who is in the early stages of planning a first trip to Italy.  Since he is Italian-American, he wanted it to be an authentic experience.  As we were talking about possible spots to put on his itinerary, he stated he was thinking of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_6101" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2012/03/tips-authentic-travel-italy.html/p1020244" rel="attachment wp-att-6101"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6101 " title="Touristy Rome" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/P1020244-500x375.jpg" alt="Tourist Rome Italy" width="500" height="375" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Rome can be touristy, but it doesn&#39;t have to be</p></div>
<p>I was having a conversation with a potential client the other day who is in the early stages of planning a first trip to Italy.  Since he is Italian-American, he wanted it to be an authentic experience.  As we were talking about possible spots to put on his itinerary, he stated he was thinking of avoiding places like Rome and Florence because they had become too Americanized.</p>
<p>While the <strong>authentic experience</strong> part was music to my ears, because that&#8217;s what I&#8217;m all about, it also broke my heart just a bit to think someone would avoid places that have rich history, art and wonderful food, just because they get a bad wrap.</p>
<p>I think it would be a shame to travel all the way to Italy for the first time and perhaps not see the Colosseum or miss out on some wonderful art in Florence.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong, if you aren&#8217;t interested in ruins or art, and instead choose Tuscany in favor of food, wine and stunning views &#8211;  that&#8217;s perfectly fine. It&#8217;s important to pick places that appeal to you for the right reasons. But to avoid some otherwise lovely, interesting cities simply because of American influence seems a shame to me.</p>
<p><strong>I don&#8217;t think the place should determine whether you have an authentic experience &#8211; I think it&#8217;s what you do and how you choose to spend your time in that place that matters.</strong></p>
<p>It got me thinking of ways to have an authentic experience no matter what large city you may visit.  Here are 10 tips to make it happen.</p>
<p>1.  Don&#8217;t avoid the tourist attractions, but do your research and pick a less crowded time to visit.  Obviously, <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/off-season-travel-tips.html" target="_blank">an off-season trip</a> will translate to fewer crowds. When planning your days, break them up by alternating a tourist attraction with something more low-key and/or far removed.  Spread it out so you get a bit of local flavor in between visits to things that might be more Americanized or crowded.  This way you get the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>2.  Before you leave, make it a point to find out what the locals love to do in the areas you&#8217;re planning on going.  And go do it!</p>
<p>3. Spend time with a local guide, whether it be to see a historic site, museum or just for a general tour around the area.  Native guides will know stories that others won&#8217;t.  They bring a place to life and they can regale stories of the past and will also be a font of knowledge for lesser, local known spots to visit or dine.</p>
<p>4. Get out of the city.  Take a day trip to a lesser-known spot a short car or train ride away.  Perhaps not the one that&#8217;s the most popular with other visitors.</p>
<p>5.  Opt for accommodations with local charm, preferably in a neighborhood far enough removed from the city center &#8211; but within easy access of things you&#8217;d like to see.  Avoid big chain hotels and stay in something smaller, run by locals.  A B&amp;B, an apartment or maybe even a room in a home with a family are all good bets.</p>
<div id="attachment_6102" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 235px"><a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2012/03/tips-authentic-travel-italy.html/p1020558" rel="attachment wp-att-6102"><img class=" wp-image-6102 " title="For an authentic trip, go where locals go" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/P1020558-375x500.jpg" alt="Local Roman" width="225" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Local Roman man painting shutters</p></div>
<p>6.  When eating out &#8211; try to avoid the city center.  There are exceptions, but at the very least, avoid places that have a &#8216;tourist menu&#8217; or have staff heckling you to enter. Try to eat what and where the locals eat. Don&#8217;t seek out spots that proudly list spaghetti and meatballs or fettucine alfredo on their menus, which are Italian-American creations.</p>
<p>7.  Speak the local language when you can.  It will automatically make you feel like you&#8217;re far from home.</p>
<p>8.  If you&#8217;re a shopper &#8211; stay away from the big brands you can easily find at home.  Instead &#8211; seek out family owned shops, artisan workshops and smaller boutiques.  Not only will you be shopping with residents, but you&#8217;ll often get a peek into time-honored traditions and find one-of-a-kind items.</p>
<p>9.  Skip the taxis.  Walk or take public transport. Nothing makes you feel more like a local than being sandwiched in with neighborhood folk on the bus or metro during rush hour.</p>
<p>10.  Take the time to just stroll around a local neighborhood and pay special attention to what&#8217;s happening around you.  This is what&#8217;s known as <strong>soaking in the atmosphere</strong>.  Catch a glimpse of the people on their cell-phones, the shop owner who is sweeping in front of his shop, the man in the photo above just painting his shutters, the locals attending mass in a beautiful church.  That is where you&#8217;ll find the real Italy.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>How do you ensure you have an authentic experience when you travel?</strong></p>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><strong> Interested in making your trip to Italy or France an authentic one?  <a href="http://mymelange.net/services" target="_blank">Click here to see how I can help!</a></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2012/03/tips-authentic-travel-italy.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : Alitalia Bus Service To Rome&#8217;s City Center</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/alitalia-bus-rome.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/alitalia-bus-rome.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rome]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5885</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Up to this point, the three most popular transportation options to Rome&#8217;s city center from the main Leonardo DaVinci Fiumicino Airport have been: the standard taxi ride, that will run you upward of €50 one way. the &#8216;Leonardo Express&#8217; train that brings you to Rome&#8217;s Termini Station for about €14 each way. a Cotral Bus, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_5888" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 510px"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5888" title="Alitalia Bus" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Alitalia_Bus-500x214.png" alt="Alitalia Bus" width="500" height="214" /><p class="wp-caption-text">© Alitalia</p></div>
<p>Up to this point, the three most popular transportation options to Rome&#8217;s city center from the main Leonardo DaVinci Fiumicino Airport have been:</p>
<ul>
<li>the standard <strong>taxi ride</strong>, that will run you upward of €50 one way.</li>
<li>the <strong>&#8216;Leonardo Express&#8217; train</strong> that brings you to Rome&#8217;s Termini Station for about €14 each way.</li>
<li>a <strong>Cotral Bus</strong>, which will also bring you to Rome&#8217;s Termini or Tiburtina Station for about €4.50 each way</li>
</ul>
<p>However, Alitalia has introduced their own new bus service for getting to the center of Rome.</p>
<p><em>The only catch is that you need to be flying into Rome on an Alitalia flight in order to use it.</em></p>
<p>If you are flying on Alitalia, you can ride their brand new fleet of buses that will take you to one of several different drop off points throughout Rome, for only €7 each way.  The buses will drop of at:</p>
<ul>
<li>Rome Ostiense Station</li>
<li>Rome Termini Station</li>
<li>Rome Via delle Fornaci/San Pietro</li>
<li>Rome San Giovanni in Laterano</li>
</ul>
<p>Really not a bad deal. And if you notice, other than the taxi, most other options will bring you to Rome&#8217;s Termini Station, which may not be convenient or close to where you are staying.  With so many drop off locations, chances are you&#8217;ll find a stop on the Alitalia Bus line that is more conveniently located to your hotel.</p>
<p>To book your ticket or find out more information, visit the <a href="http://www.alitalia.com/US_EN/your_travel/organize_your_travel/alitaliabus.aspx" target="_blank">Alitalia Bus Service</a> website.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8212;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong> Would you fly Alitalia just to be able to ride the bus to Rome? </strong><strong>And if you did fly Alitalia, would you buy a ticket on the Alitalia Bus?</strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/alitalia-bus-rome.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : Tips for an Off-Season Trip</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/off-season-travel-tips.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/off-season-travel-tips.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5850</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most people dream of traveling to France or Italy in high or even shoulder season.  And who can blame them &#8211; the weather is lovely, flowers are in bloom, the days are long and the markets are bursting with fresh produce. Everyone falls in love with the lifestyle and charming atmosphere that is expected with [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3180" style="margin: 2px;" title="Travel Tip Tuesday" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/1.jpg" alt="Travel Tip Tuesday Logo" width="180" height="191" />Most people dream of traveling to France or Italy in high or even shoulder season.  And who can blame them &#8211; the weather is lovely, flowers are in bloom, the days are long and the markets are bursting with fresh produce.</p>
<p>Everyone falls in love with the lifestyle and charming atmosphere that is expected with a spring, summer or fall trip.</p>
<p>But there are some benefits to traveling off-season &#8211; including lesser crowds and tourists, shorter lines and more time to just linger. Taking <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/01/winter-in-paris.html" target="_blank">a trip during the winter months</a> may also cost less, allowing you to spend more time in your destination.</p>
<p>If you find yourself faced with an opportunity to travel during the winter months, here are five tips for making the most of an off-season trip to Italy or France.</p>
<p><strong>1.  Head South!</strong> Southern Italy, Sicily and parts of the French Riviera will likely boast warmer climates in the off-season than say the northern-most counterparts of Paris or Piedmont.  Picking a spot with a more temperate climate will give you the opportunity to travel in the colder weather, without having to deal with freezing temps and blizzard conditions.</p>
<p><strong>2.  Stay in the city.</strong> If you can&#8217;t head South, another off-season option would be to stick to larger cities, rather than the desolate countryside.  By staying in the city you can avoid driving in unpleasant weather conditions and rely on public transport to get around &#8211; or your own two feet.   Many cities, <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2010/02/winter-in-venice.html" target="_blank">like Venice</a>, will also offer plenty of things to do &#8211; regardless of the weather.  While small villages may be charming, there may be a shortage of things to keep you occupied.  Though reading a book in front of a roaring fire in a tiny farmhouse in the middle of nowhere may be exactly what you crave.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Consider a holiday visit.</strong> Spending time away from family and friends during the Christmas holidays may not be an option for those with large families, but if you can swing it &#8211; it really is a lovely time to visit!  Fun and festive activities abound, nativity scenes will dot the landscapes and there will be <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2010/11/christmas-markets-paris.html" target="_blank">Christmas Markets in France</a> and <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2010/12/christmas-markets-italy.html" target="_blank">in Italy.</a> Ringing in the New Year abroad will create some special memories as well.</p>
<p><strong>4.  Plan your days accordingly. </strong> Shorter days and less sunlight will accompany your off-season visit, so keep this in mind when planning your itinerary.  You&#8217;ll likely spend less time outdoors if the weather is chilly or rainy &#8211; but that&#8217;s the perfect time for museum visits, lingering inside over hearty meals or hunkering down in a cafe for a cup of hot chocolate.  And less daylight means more time spent on taking lovely night photos.</p>
<p><strong>5.  Take full foodie advantage. </strong> If you&#8217;re a food-lover, make sure you do your research before you go so that you&#8217;ll know what produce will be gracing the markets and restaurant menus during your off-season visit.  Indulge in local delicacies which will likely be very different from what you may have eaten on previous visits in the warmer months.</p>
<p>So whether you prefer to plan in advance or you find a great deal for <a href="http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/last-minute-deals/" target="_blank">last minute holidays</a> that you just can&#8217;t refuse, traveling to Italy or France off-season can definitely be a viable alternative to visiting in peak season, with everyone else.</p>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><strong>Thinking about traveling to Italy or France in the off-season?  <a href="http://mymelange.net/services" target="_blank">Click here to see how I can help!</a></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/11/off-season-travel-tips.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Survive Summer Travel &#8211; 7 Tips for Beating the Heat</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/08/tips-survive-summer-travel.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/08/tips-survive-summer-travel.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Aug 2011 09:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5706</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago, I explained why I don&#8217;t travel to Europe in the summer months.  I also don&#8217;t recommend it to my clients.  But, I also understand that there are some people who have no choice but to travel in July and August, especially those with kids. One of the biggest obstacles to summer [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A few weeks ago, I explained <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/07/travel-tip-tuesday-five-reasons-not-to-travel-in-the-summer.html" target="_blank">why I don&#8217;t travel to Europe in the summer months</a>.  I also don&#8217;t recommend it to my clients.  But, I also understand that there are some people who have no choice but to travel in July and August, especially those with kids.</p>
<p>One of the biggest obstacles to summer travel is the weather.  Strong sun and high temperatures in all of Italy and most of the South of France can make travel downright uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Here are a few tips for how to beat that summer heat.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5707 aligncenter" title="Cool of at a Fountain in Rome" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020351-500x418.jpg" alt="Roman Fountain" width="500" height="418" /></p>
<p><strong>1.  Stay hydrated</strong>.  It seems like the most obvious thing to hydrate, but still people forget or just ignore the good advice.  Never be without a bottle of water.  Some cities have fountains with potable spring water, so you can fill up along the way.</p>
<p><strong>2.  Don&#8217;t forget the sunscreen, hat and sunglasses</strong>.  The summer sun is very strong and nothing makes a trip more miserable than looking like a lobster by day two.  Get in the habit of applying your sunscreen all over, right when you hop out of the shower or when you start your day. Don&#8217;t forget tips of ears, in between toes and the backs of ankles. Reapply often.  It&#8217;s best to get a waterproof or sweatproof formula as you&#8217;ll likely work up a sweat sightseeing.  The hat and glasses serve as extra protection for scalp and eyes.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Be mentally prepared.</strong> Start with the understanding that you<strong> won&#8217;t</strong> accomplish as much in the heat as you would if the climate was temperate. Scale back on your activities, don&#8217;t overload your itinerary and come up with a good balance between indoor and outdoor activities and relaxation time.</p>
<p><strong>4.  Give yourself a break</strong>. Sometimes you need permission to strike things off the planned itinerary if you&#8217;re hot, tired or  just not feeling it.  I&#8217;m giving you permission!  Rest and relax when needed and don&#8217;t push yourself.  It&#8217;s better to enjoy your time on vacation, rather than have heat stroke because you just<strong> had</strong> to persevere and check every activity off the list!  Resting in a hospital bed surely won&#8217;t be as much fun as relaxing at a cafe.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5708" title="Find shade at a cafe" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020372-500x375.jpg" alt="Shady Terrace in Italy" width="500" height="375" /></p>
<p><strong>5.  Head for the shade. </strong>This can be easily accomplished in parks, gardens or rural areas, but a bit harder in the city.  One thing I&#8217;ve noticed in the city is that you can use tall buildings and the sun&#8217;s position to your advantage.  Sometimes just walking on the opposite side of the street or taking a different route can provide some much-needed relief.</p>
<p><strong>6.  Do like the locals do. </strong> Get an early start on any outdoor sightseeing so that you hit those activities during the coolest part of the day.  When the hottest part of the day arrives, head indoors.  Hit a museum, eat a leisurely sit-down meal inside or outside under the shade of umbrellas.  Head back to your <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2010/05/design-hotels-paris-south-of-france.html" target="_blank">France design hotel </a>or <a href="http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/vacation-rentals/Italy.html" target="_blank">Italy vacation rental</a>, close the blinds, take a nap and perhaps a quick shower to cool off.  Then once the sun starts going down, head back out to continue exploring.</p>
<p><strong>7.  Dress for success. </strong>Wear light, comfortable clothing.  Lose the denim and opt for fabrics like linen and cotton. Maybe even moisture wicking clothing or undergarments will go along way to help keeping you cool as well. And if you want to blend in, remember to leave the shorts and logo t-shirts home.  Italy and France are a bit more fashion concious, so consider that as you&#8217;re packing.</p>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><strong>Did you find these tips helpful?  <a href="http://mymelange.net/services/travel-consultations" target="_blank">Click here to find out how spending an hour with me can be helpful for your next trip!</a></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/08/tips-survive-summer-travel.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : The Travel Mistake I Made &amp; How You Can Avoid It</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/08/travel-tip-tuesday-travel-mistake-avoid-missed-flight.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/08/travel-tip-tuesday-travel-mistake-avoid-missed-flight.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:44:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5663</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, I made a horrible travel mistake. Well, actually, the jury&#8217;s still out on who made the mistake, but let&#8217;s just say that regardless of who was at fault, I was certainly involved and effected by the horrific, stressful outcome.  And this one was even worse [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3180" style="margin: 2px;" title="Travel Tip Tuesday" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/1.jpg" alt="Travel Tip Tuesday Logo" width="180" height="191" />Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, I made a horrible travel mistake.  Well, actually, the jury&#8217;s still out on <strong>who</strong> made the mistake, but let&#8217;s just say that regardless of who was at fault, I was certainly involved and effected by the horrific, stressful outcome.  And this one was even worse than our <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2008/11/all-roads-lead-to-rome.html" target="_blank">Rome driving debacle.</a></p>
<p>I like to refer to it as the homecoming from hell.</p>
<p>After spending a lovely time in Paris, we enjoyed our last rainy day exploring the city and eating a leisurely lunch. We returned to the hotel, packed our bags and were waiting calmly for our taxi to the airport.</p>
<p>As we were sitting in the hotel lobby, I reached into the bag to locate our airline tickets.  I pulled them out, glanced at them and took a double-take at the flight time.  My temperature went up, I began sweating and a feeling of panic set in.</p>
<p>Wide-eyed, I stared at the tickets in horror and disbelief as I began calculating the drive time and the two-hour requirement for international check-in. Somehow, we got the flight times mixed up and what we thought was plenty of time for a 9pm flight now became a dangerously small amount of time for our 7pm flight.</p>
<p><strong>This is the series of events that followed:</strong></p>
<p>1.  We frantically asked the front desk to call the taxi to ask them to come quicker, even though the taxi was already on the way.  The hotel clerk looked at us like we were nuts, which we of course were.  You could hear the phrase <em>&#8220;Stupid Americans&#8221; </em>rolling around in his brain.</p>
<p>2.  We jumped in the taxi when it arrived, tried to explain to the driver that we were late, so late, and to please do everything he could to get us to the airport.  Pronto.</p>
<p>3.  We prayed.</p>
<p>The taxi sped to the airport.  Of course, we hit traffic along the way.  Upon arrival, we flew out of the car in a frenzy and ran to the nearest gate attendant.  We frantically explained our situation.  I was hopeful because we were there about an hour before the flight took off and we had no bags to check (we only had carry-on luggage).  Surely that would be enough time.  But my hopes quickly turned to despair, as we were denied boarding. Essentially, we had missed our flight.</p>
<p>Since it was the last flight to our destination for the day, we now had to reschedule a flight for the next day and because I don&#8217;t sleep in airports, we had to find a room at an airport hotel, which was no easy feat.</p>
<p>We finally got settled into a hotel at some ungodly hour of the morning and intended to get a few hours of sleep, but then something else happened. As if I hadn&#8217;t suffered enough that evening, in some cruel twist of fate, the universe flipped a switch that brought on what I&#8217;ll refer to as<em> intestinal distress</em>.</p>
<p>Exactly what you want when you&#8217;ll be trapped  in a window seat on a plane for a nine-hour flight.</p>
<p>Nice.  <em>Real Nice.</em></p>
<p>Needless to say, it was, and still is, the most stressful, uncomfortable travel experience of my life.  I don&#8217;t wish it on anyone.</p>
<p>So why am I telling you this?  Because I&#8217;d like you to learn from my mistakes and give you a few tips on how avoid it and/or deal with it should something similar happen to you.</p>
<p><strong>How can you avoid the same mistake?</strong></p>
<p>1.  Make <strong>one person</strong> responsible for the arrangements, tickets and itinerary.  This way there is no back and forth and <em>&#8220;Oh, I thought </em><em><strong>you</strong></em><em> knew what time the flight</em> <em>was</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>2.  Double and triple-check your tickets for the date and time of your flight.  Then check again the day before you leave. And check again the day of.  You get the idea.  Never enough checking.</p>
<p><strong>What would I have done differently?</strong></p>
<p>1.  Have both the domestic and international phone numbers for the airline programmed into your cell phone.  Just in case.</p>
<p>2. Stay put.  Don&#8217;t even try it.  Looking back, the one thing I wouldn&#8217;t have done is attempt to make the flight.  Once I knew it might be next to impossible to make the flight, I should have just called the airline and changed my tickets for the next available flight.  Stay another night at the hotel or find another close by.  You may end up spending a few bucks you hadn&#8217;t budgeted for, but you&#8217;ll also end up spending more time enjoying your vacation, which sure beats putting yourself through a <strong>very</strong> stressful situation!</p>
<p>I&#8217;d have paid almost anything to avert the crisis I lived through. Next time, I&#8217;ll choose to stay Paris.</p>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><strong>Traveling to Paris?  <a href="http://mymelange.net/services" target="_blank">Click here to see how I can help!</a></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/08/travel-tip-tuesday-travel-mistake-avoid-missed-flight.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : Five Reasons NOT to travel in the summer</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/07/travel-tip-tuesday-five-reasons-not-to-travel-in-the-summer.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/07/travel-tip-tuesday-five-reasons-not-to-travel-in-the-summer.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:00:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5644</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Seeing my headline today, you may in fact think you&#8217;ve come to the wrong place.  Perhaps you think I have a screw loose. Or lost my mind. After all, I&#8217;m usually the one encouraging, advocating and inspiring you to travel to France and Italy. Every. Chance. I. Get. I have admitted in the past that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3180" style="margin: 2px;" title="Travel Tip Tuesday" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/1.jpg" alt="Travel Tip Tuesday Logo" width="180" height="191" />Seeing my headline today, you may in fact think you&#8217;ve come to the wrong place.  Perhaps you think I have a screw loose. Or lost my mind. After all, I&#8217;m usually the one encouraging, advocating and inspiring you to travel to France and Italy. Every. Chance. I. Get.</p>
<p>I have admitted in the past that <a href="http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2010/04/travel-tip-tuesday-italy-may-not-be-for-you.html" target="_blank">traveling to Italy may not be for everyone</a>.  And though I hope that my posts, photos, advice and musings here over the course of the last 4-plus-years, has either inspired or helped you plan a trip to Italy or France &#8211; today, I&#8217;m actually here to shock you once again by explaining why a summer trip to either of these locales, is not something I recommend to my clients.</p>
<p>Let me give you the reasons why:</p>
<p><strong>1.  Because it&#8217;s crowded.</strong> Everyone and their mother, especially those with children, makes plans to travel in the summer.  Since the dawn of time, people have been planning, saving all year-long and looking forward to that summer vacation. What that means is long lines at museums, packed planes, buses, trains and cars on the road.  I&#8217;d rather not fight the crowds and be able to get more done in less time, with less traffic.</p>
<p><strong>2.  Because it&#8217;s more expensive</strong>.  How do you think airline industries, travel and tour companies and hotels react when they know that a deluge of visitors hit their cities?  They will raise the prices to take advantage of the situation of course. Why?  Because they can, that&#8217;s why.  It&#8217;s considered high travel season, so you&#8217;ll pay premium prices for the two largest expenses you&#8217;ll incur &#8211; airfare and lodging.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Because you won&#8217;t have the best availability. </strong>It stands to reason that with more folks traveling to a given area, you may not get first choice on things like hotels, tours, excursions or even that special restaurant that you have been dying to try. This may force you to plan way ahead and even book museum visits and other excursions well in advance.  Worse yet, for those who don&#8217;t have the luxury of planning in advance, it may lead to disappointment.</p>
<p><strong>4.  Because it&#8217;s hot. </strong>With the exception of some parts of northern locations in both Italy and France, most other areas will be downright sweltering in the heat of the summer.  Not only can temperatures reach 100 degrees, but that sun beating down on you all day can be very, very strong and takes a lot out of you.  Not only will it make sightseeing uncomfortable, you&#8217;ll likely be exhausted pretty quickly and won&#8217;t be able to accomplish as much as in more temperate weather.</p>
<p><strong>5.  Because locals in France and Italy are on vacation. </strong>With more and more people advocating mingling with the locals when traveling, summer will be a difficult time to do just that.  Just when you&#8217;re arriving, they may be packing and heading out-of-town.  So, that mom-and-pop restaurant, gourmet epicerie or artisan boutique that you&#8217;ve flown half way around the world to see, may be shuttered due to a vacation, which can often last all or part of July and August.  It can also pose issues if you had your heart set on hiring *the* local-in-the-know tour guide.  If they follow the rules of their culture, they&#8217;ll be taking some time off too.</p>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><strong>Like the advice that I&#8217;ve shared here today? </strong><a href="/services/travel-consultations" target="_blank"><strong>Click here to see how an hourly consult can be helpful for your next trip!</strong></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/07/travel-tip-tuesday-five-reasons-not-to-travel-in-the-summer.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : Tips for Taking the Kids to Europe</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/06/travel-tip-tuesday-tips-kids-europe.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/06/travel-tip-tuesday-tips-kids-europe.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:00:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5511</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[All too often kids get left behind, while Mom and Dad go on their European dream vacation. And while I am sure the adults deserve some alone time, I don&#8217;t think the children should be deprived. Not only can travel can be a great education for kids, but introducing them to new cultures can broaden [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3180" style="margin: 2px;" title="Travel Tip Tuesday" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/1.jpg" alt="Travel Tip Tuesday Logo" width="180" height="191" />All too often kids get left behind, while Mom and Dad go on their European dream vacation. And while I am sure the adults deserve some alone time, I don&#8217;t think the children should be deprived. Not only can travel can be a great education for kids, but introducing them to new cultures can broaden their sponge-like minds and help them become more well-rounded little people.</p>
<p>That said, traveling with children to Europe can definitely be challenging, so here are some quick tips to help everyone have a bit better experience on their European vacation.</p>
<p><strong>Things to do before you go:</strong></p>
<p><strong>1.  Get them involved in the planning</strong>.  Explain where they will go, have them pick some things they would like to do.  This way they know a bit about where you are going and are more likely to have &#8216;buy in&#8217; if they get to choose some of the destinations and activities.</p>
<p><strong>2.  Practice some of the language.</strong> Kids will enjoy learning and be excited to use some basics from a new language.  It will be a hoot for them to speak a few words to locals in another language, especially in Italy &#8211; a very kid friendly place.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Get them excited. </strong> Watch movies and read books about your destinations well in advance.  Scour the Internet for fun videos for them to watch or scroll through photo slide shows.  It certainly gets adults psyched, so I am sure it will have the same effect on children.</p>
<p><strong>During your trip:</strong></p>
<p><strong>1.  Plan for bathroom breaks.</strong> Know that you will need to make many more than when you travel without the kids. When in doubt, seek out the closest McDonald&#8217;s for a clean, free bathroom.</p>
<p><strong>2.  Give them their own digital camera.</strong> Letting them spend hours snapping their own photos, will keep them occupied.  It&#8217;s a sure bet you&#8217;ll get some great shots at their eye level &#8211; which is a much different perspective than yours.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Remember you&#8217;re on their time. </strong> Don&#8217;t spend a whole day in a museum.  It&#8217;s not fair to them.  They&#8217;ll be board.  Break up the day with a little of what they want and a bit of what you want. And no matter what activities you are participating in, take lots of breaks</p>
<p><strong>4.  Make visiting museums fun.</strong> Kids will only be engaged at paintings, photos and artwork for so long.  Try to make it fun for them by giving them things to try to pick out in the artwork.  Get creative and play a &#8220;Where&#8217;s Waldo&#8221; type of game when you can.</p>
<p><strong>5.  Keep them hydrated and fed.</strong> Pack plenty of healthy snacks and water, skip the soda and sugar.  Meal times or restaurants can vary compared Visit a local food market, get some fresh fruit and perhaps adventurous kids might want to explore a new type of food.  Visiting a local supermarket can also be a fun and educational experience. Hydrate with water, rather than surgery juice or soda, which is also more expensive.  This will hold them over until meal times.  Some fountains even have fresh, potable water &#8211; which I can imagine being cool for a kid to fill up a water bottle in a La Dolce Vita moment.</p>
<p><strong>6.  Seek out kid-friendly activities.</strong> Plan on visiting a local park, to run around and play with some other children.  Perhaps there is a zoo in town.  Many cities also have children&#8217;s museums that you should make part of your plans.</p>
<p><strong>7.  Try to avoid standing on long lines</strong>.  Kids are only so patient.  Waiting on-line for an hour to get into a museum that may not hold their attention very long isn&#8217;t going to help your cause.  Try researching when a particular attraction may be less crowded.  Or, if your budget and travel style allows, try booking ahead to avoid waiting in line.  Sometimes arranging a private tour guide also allows you to avoid lines and having another person to interact with can keep children engaged and entertained.</p>
<p><strong>8. Be patient and flexible</strong>. Nothing involving children will ever go 100% as planned. You need to roll with the punches.  Kids get board.  Kids get tired.  Their feet can hurt from all the walking and they can get hungry.  Stay in tune to what your child needs at the time and make adjustments as needed.  Is keeping them unhappy and possibly causing a major meltdown to see the tiny photo of Mona Lisa really worth it?  Mona Lisa will always be there.</p>
<p><strong>9.  Reward with sweets.</strong> When all else fails, a little bribery or a treat for being well-behaved can really go a long way. You can&#8217;t go wrong with gelato, chocolate, ice cream or one of their favorite treats.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">What are your best tips for traveling with kids?  Share them in the comments.</p>
<p><strong>Is your family planning a trip to France or Italy?  <a href="http://mymelange.net/services" target="_blank">Click here to see how I can help!</a></strong></p>
<p style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Don&#8217;t forget to check out <a href="http://my-bellavita.com" target="_blank">Cherrye&#8217;s</a> travel tips!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/06/travel-tip-tuesday-tips-kids-europe.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : Overstock is Selling Vacations</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/05/travel-tip-tuesday-overstock-selling-vacations.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/05/travel-tip-tuesday-overstock-selling-vacations.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 May 2011 15:11:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[budget travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5406</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are a bargain shopper, I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ve spent quite a bit of time on or even purchased something from the website Overstock.com.  They are well-known for their great deals on clothing, home furnishings, decor and more.  Oh yeah, and who can forget their special $1.00 shipping. Well, now Overstock is getting into the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you are a bargain shopper, I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ve spent quite a bit of time on or even purchased something from the website <a href="http://www.overstock.com/" target="_blank">Overstock.com</a>.  They are well-known for their great deals on clothing, home furnishings, decor and more.  Oh yeah, and who can forget their special $1.00 shipping.</p>
<p>Well, now Overstock is getting into the travel business. Yep, that&#8217;s right &#8211; Overstock is now selling vacations!</p>
<p>Generally I am not a vacation package type of gal.  But I will admit that sometimes it makes sense.  You just need to do the math, read the fine print and make sure you know exactly what you are getting yourself into!</p>
<p>A visit to the <a href="http://vacations.overstock.com/overstockvacations" target="_blank">Overstock vacation deals</a> portion of the website reveals a very attractive looking interface with larger-than-life photos that would make anyone want to click on the <strong>BUY ME NOW</strong> button.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5408" title="Overstock Vacations" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Picture-5-500x300.png" alt="" width="500" height="300" /></p>
<p>Deals are supposedly anywhere from 30-40% off regular prices, don&#8217;t include airfare, but do include taxes and fees.  Domestic vacation spots like Hawaii, Miami, New York and Newport California are listed alongside International destinations like London, Buenos Aires, Mexico, Prague and Paris!</p>
<p>Of course,  I immediately zeroed in on the current Paris listing and decided to do a little comparison of my own.</p>
<p>Overstock has a three-night stay in September at the <strong><a href="http://www.residhome.com/uk/" target="_blank">Redishome Prestige Opera</a></strong>, part apartment/part hotel, which is in a good location, at $351.99 per person (based on double occupancy).  That&#8217;s $703.98 total for three nights.</p>
<p>A direct search of the hotel website, produces a studio for two people, for three nights, at € 648, which as of this writing is about $960.</p>
<p>So, the Overstock deal seems to offer a savings of about $250 bones.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.</p>
<p>You can also sign up for deals delivered right to your email inbox, which I strongly encourage you to do!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>So, what do you think?  Would you buy a hotel or vacay from Overstock?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Don&#8217;t forget to check out <a href="http://my-bellavita.com" target="_blank">Cherrye&#8217;s</a> travel tips today!</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/05/travel-tip-tuesday-overstock-selling-vacations.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : Hotel vs. Apartment Rental</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/04/travel-tip-tuesday-hotel-vs-apartment-rental.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/04/travel-tip-tuesday-hotel-vs-apartment-rental.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5383</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There has always been a big debate about whether it is best to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment when traveling. There are passionate and staunch supporters on both sides of the debate and I actually like and will use both options, depending on the circumstance. Being a travel consultant, or at least [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3180" style="margin: 2px;" title="Travel Tip Tuesday" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/1.jpg" alt="Travel Tip Tuesday Logo" width="180" height="191" />There has always been a big debate about whether it is best to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment when traveling. There are passionate and staunch supporters on both sides of the debate and I actually like and will use both options, depending on the circumstance.</p>
<p>Being a travel consultant, or at least a good one, involves trying to advise clients which option makes the most sense for their particular situation.</p>
<p>This <strong>Travel Tip Tuesday</strong>, I&#8217;ll try to explain who I feel might benefit more from a hotel vs. an apartment rental  and throw in a few things to consider when deciding which may be right for you.</p>
<p><strong>Hotels may be a better fit for:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Travelers who are only staying a short time.  Many apartment rentals have a minimum rental of a week or only make financial sense for long-term.</li>
<li>Solo Travelers.  Footing the bill alone for an apartment can be prohibitive.</li>
<li>Those who need the security of 24-hour service, a concierge to answer questions, or a point person right on the premises.</li>
<li>Busy travelers who prefer to be touring all day and night and only use the room primarily for showering and sleeping.</li>
<li>Those who don&#8217;t want to worry about little details like cleaning fees, if sheets are provided or sending a key through the mail, etc.</li>
<li>Budget Travelers.  Generally you&#8217;ll find more selection of budget hotels than budget apartments.</li>
<li>Those that don&#8217;t want to cook on vacation and enjoying eating out every night.</li>
<li>Those who may get a bit weirded-out from staying in what may be someone elses home.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Apartments may be a better fit for:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Families or those traveling in a group.  It&#8217;s a great way to get the space you need and can be very cost-effective.</li>
<li>Long-term travelers planning to spend a week or more in the location.</li>
<li>Those who plan to spend lots of time in the space and wish to have all the comforts of home.</li>
<li>Travelers who prefer to immerse themselves in the culture by living like locals and among neighbors.</li>
<li>Foodies who like to cook and want to prepare meals in. This can also save money on eating out.</li>
<li>Folks that know people in the area they are traveling to and want to entertain or have a party.</li>
<li>Independent travelers that don&#8217;t need assistance and are comfortable going it alone with no help .</li>
<li>Those who want the convenience of doing laundry easily on their trip.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>And a few things to consider if choosing to rent an apartment:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Chose an apartment carefully, especially if the owners are not on site.  I feel it&#8217;s important to have contact information and someone nearby should something go wrong. Dealing with a clogged toilet for your entire week&#8217;s stay isn&#8217;t my idea of fun.</li>
<li>Use a reputable site that has reviews like VRBO or HomeAway.  Be wary of sites like Craig&#8217;s List.</li>
<li>Make sure you do the math.  You may in fact be able to get a great deal on an apartment, even as a single or couple. Alternatively, you can spend a fortune and 3-4 times more than what a hotel would cost.</li>
<li>Check out the location.  Ask a local about the area.  Or a travel consultant.</li>
<li>Check the fine print and what is included.  You don&#8217;t want to get hit with a surprise cleaning fee or utility bill.</li>
<li>Be honest with yourself about whether you will actually shop and cook for yourself or if you&#8217;ll be too tired from touring and would rather just enjoy meals out and relax rather than working on your vacation.  Many start out being very ambitious, but end up eating out every night and never using the kitchen, which may blow your budget and defeat the purpose of the apartment in the first place.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Do you prefer a hotel or an apartment and why?  Share any tips, pros or cons that I missed in the comments.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Don&#8217;t forget to visit <a href="http://my-bellavita.com" target="_blank">Cherrye</a> for more travel tips.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Need help finding a hotel or apartment for your trip to France or Italy?  <a href="http://mymelange.net/services/travel-consultations" target="_blank">Click here to see how I can help!</a></strong></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/04/travel-tip-tuesday-hotel-vs-apartment-rental.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Travel Tip Tuesday : How to Avoid Surprise Bags Fees</title>
		<link>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/03/travel-tip-tuesday-how-to-avoid-surprise-bags-fees.html</link>
		<comments>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/03/travel-tip-tuesday-how-to-avoid-surprise-bags-fees.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Carry On Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel Tip Tuesday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[budget travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[packing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mymelange.net/?p=5299</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago I was reading an article in the LA Times about a couple who were flying a budget airline from Ireland to Paris with only carry-on luggage and were socked with surprise bag fees.  A hefty $800 worth of fees! This angers me to no end, especially when I am sure part [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3180" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px;" title="Travel Tip Tuesday" src="http://mymelange.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/1.jpg" alt="Travel Tip Tuesday Logo" width="180" height="191" />A few weeks ago I was reading an <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/topofthetimes/features/la-tr-spot-20110306,0,6311179.story" target="_blank">article in the LA Times</a> about a couple who were flying a budget airline from Ireland to Paris with only carry-on luggage and were socked with surprise bag fees.  A hefty $800 worth of fees!</p>
<p>This angers me to no end, especially when I am sure part of the reason they were traveling on a budget airline, was to save money on airfare.  And hello &#8211; I don&#8217;t know about you, but $800 could have bought me a whole new wardrobe to replace whatever was in the bag.  Except perhaps my digital camera.</p>
<p>It got me thinking about how I would avoid such a catastrophe, and today I&#8217;d like to share three tips I&#8217;ve come up with :</p>
<p><strong>1.  Do your research.</strong> Check with <strong>each individual airline</strong> that you will be flying during your travels to find out the exact requirement and fee structure for both checked and carry-on luggage.  Many airlines, especially budget airlines, may not even allow one free carry-on &#8211; so know what you are getting into. You can also check with <a href="http://www.seatguru.com" target="_blank">SeatGuru.com</a>, which lists airline bag fee policies on their site.</p>
<p>But, I&#8217;d even go so far as to place a call to customer service for those airlines to confirm what they have listed on their website. And since these rules and regulations are subject to change at any time, it would be prudent to double-check again right before your trip.  Armed with this info, you&#8217;ll know what to expect &#8211; and the fees associated with not adhering to their policies.</p>
<p><strong>2. Weigh and measure</strong>.  Armed with the information, you need to weigh and measure the dimensions of your bag after it&#8217;s packed to see if it will meet both the weight and dimension requirements.  And these budget airlines are no joke.  This is how they make their money.  If it&#8217;s 6 ounces over, it&#8217;s over.  But getting to your destination is just half the battle.  What happens on the way back when you have purchased souvenirs?  You&#8217;ll have no idea what your bag weighs then.  If you are that concerned, either don&#8217;t come back with anything you didn&#8217;t take with you or invest in a portable luggage scale.  The $20 investment might be worth avoiding an $800 overage fee.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Have a back-up plan.</strong> Always pack a small foldable tote in your carry-on which can be used as another piece of luggage in a pinch. If you are facing huge overage fees, believe it or not, it may be a much cheaper solution to unpack a few things from your main suitcase and place them in the tote. This way you can check, or carry-on two bags that are underweight, rather than one that is grossly overweight.</p>
<p>Honestly though, one of the easiest ways to avoid this hassle is to consider NOT using airlines that have such confusing policies when it comes to bag fees and opt for those that have a more generous and cut-and-dried policy.  That $20 roundtrip ticket may not be worth the stress of trying to figure this all out and may end up costing you not only your sanity but an amount of cash equivalent to taking ten roundtrip flights.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Would you avoid these airlines like the plague or just do your homework and hope for the best to score a good deal on airfare?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Head over to <a href="http://www.my-bellavita.com" target="_blank">Cherrye&#8217;s </a>for your double-dose of travel tips today!</p>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><strong>Interested in ditching big bags and becoming a carry-on traveler, but don&#8217;t know where to begin? <a href="http://mymelange.net/services/carry-on-consultations" target="_blank">Click here to see how I can help you convert!</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mymelange.net/mymelange/2011/03/travel-tip-tuesday-how-to-avoid-surprise-bags-fees.html/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

