Travel Tips for Travellers - Part 1 of 10 - Updated April 2009

Numerous people have contributed information in a variety of topics posted on many Bulletin Boards.

My goal in composing and collating these hints & tips was to provide a information source for a tourist / traveller.

This is a listing of some travel tips that will be useful to many people most of the time. The first time or novice tourist / traveller will gain the maximum benefit. Some items are listed because some people do like to research a country before their coach tour e.g. Atlas America.

How many times have you read a post on this BB asking Where do I start or What do I take? This will give you some ideas. You pick & choose the items most relevant based on your own travel history and experiences.

Some items are listed to remind you of some pre-tour actions that a few people may be required to arrange e.g. pet care. This is something that can and will add to the cost of your trip. This is one of those hidden costs that does apply to some people.

Independent travel ideas and suggestions are meant to cover a stopover in Asia or USA on your way to and from London or Europe. It is also relevant to those free hours or days you may have before, between or after a tour(s). Many people like to spend extra days in the major city (London, Paris, Rome etc) from which the tour starts or ends. Any hints & tips mentioned can be used for planning a private long weekend in say Washington DC.

Many companies operate tours in many parts of the world. Accomodation will always be different. 3Star in Rome will always be different to a night or two at Kings Canyon in Central Australia or in one of the Century Blvd, Los Angeles Airport (LAX) hotels.


tip ### - The AA (Automobile Association)
Source of Travel & Leisure Info ..... AA = http://www.theaa.com/travel/index.jsp

UK + Travel Guides = http://www.aatravelshop.com/store/uk
UK + Walking - Anywhere & Everywhere = http://www.aatravelshop.com/st...where-and-everywhere
UK + Maps & Atlases = http://www.aatravelshop.com/store/uk-1
UK + Gift Books - Discover Britain = http://www.aatravelshop.com/store/discover-britain-1
AA Travel Shop - What's New = http://www.aatravelshop.com/store/whats-new

AA publications :- Some of the older books will be found in reference libraries and second-hand bookstores.
Book of British Towns First Edition 1980
Book of British Villages First Edition 1980
Illustrated Guide to Ireland 1992
Secret Britain 1986
The Touring Book of Britain
The Visitor's Guide to Britain edited by Esmond Wright 1987 Webb & Bower & Michael Joseph

Treasures of Britain 1968 & 1984 & ? & 2005
AA 1001 Walks in Britain: The Ultimate Collection of Britain's Best Walks (AA Illustrated Reference) (Loose Leaf)
AA - Where to go in Britain ..... The perfect guide to more than 500 places to visit in England, Scotland and Wales 1996
The Great Britain Guide 2007
These publications provide an excellent reference source for anybody wanting information about their ancestors or in-laws town or village.

tip ### - ADAPTERS CAMERA ; CELL ; GAMES ; PDA'S
Do NOT forget to take along a 4, 6 or 8 socket "surge protected" power bar / board plus a 1metre extension power cord/lead. The size of the power bar / board will depend on the number of batteries you will need to recharge every night. Australian power bar / boards will work on the British Isles and Europe 220Volt system. They WILL work on the 110Volt USA system.

Never use an American 110Volt power bar / board in any 220Volt system. It will almost certainly cause overheating and MAY cause a FIRE.

Please take along a set of 4 worldwide adaptors. It will make it easier stopping over in South East Asia or USA on your way to Europe.
Yes, you can now get a universal 4in1 adapter (for the Rubics Cube whiz).

tip ### - AIR TRAVEL for TRAVELERS (TSA)
Here is the link to the webpage about Air Travel for Travelers (TSA)

tip ### - AIRCRAFT
Airbus and Boeing are the two largest manufacturers of passenger aircraft.

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - At The AIRPORT BEFORE You FLY
Always check with your airline before you fly. At the Airport Info on Qantas website.

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - BAGGAGE INFORMATION
Always check with your airline before you fly. Effective from 1st April 2008, the weight of checked in luggage bound for USA and Canada is 23Kg_50Lb (reduced from 32kg_70lb). The weight of cabin bags is generally set at 7kg_15lb worldwide. Here is the link to the Qantas webpage with information about Baggage

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - BAGGAGE TIPS
Here is a link with useful information about what to pack (or not) in your cabin bag and what to pack (or not) in your Check-In bag. It is a webpage of the:- USA - Dept of Transport (DOT) - Baggage Tips

tip ### - AIRCRAFT FLIGHT - PLAN & PREPARE
This is the Singapore airlines link to some information about planning and preparing for your flight.

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - ONBOARD
Here is some Onboard and In the Air information from the Qantas website

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - ONBOARD CLOTHING
How many times have you seen people board an aircraft wearing just a teeshirt and shorts ?
This happens often in a hot and humid Asian city about midday. These people have all their other clothes in the checked in suitcase. Many times some of these people are suffering mild hyperthermia before the aircraft doors have closed.

The air conditioning on aircraft will vary within the cabin. Please pack a light shirt or jumper and trackie pants in your carryon. A couple of scarfes or paschminos are excellent items to take on board. Some people react to the dry cleaning used on aircraft blankets. Better to be safe than sorry. Be warm and comfortable on your 12hour+ flight to Europe or America.

Yes it does happen very frequently. I have seen it on a midday flight from Singapore to Frankfurt or London.

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - SEATING
SeatGuru is an excellent site for information about the seating layout of the various aircraft operated by most of the major airlines.

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - SPECIAL TRAVEL NEEDS
Always check with your airline before you fly Here is a link to Special Travel Needs information on the Qantas website.

tip ### - AIRCRAFT - 3-1-1 for Carry-Ons.....New
This is the link for the TSA webpage:- Make Your Trip Better Using 3-1-1

This is the link for the brochure about 3-1-1 Carry-Ons (PDF)

Lots of information here about 3-1-1 Carry-Ons - Prepare for Take-Off

tip ### - AIRLINE ALLIANCE
OneWorld and SkyTeam and Star Alliance are made up of a great number of the major airlines. There are a few smaller airline alliances.

tip ### - AIRLINE CODES (QANTAS QF)
Airline Codes (Qantas QF) is an excellent website if you are trying to find the "code" for your favorite airline.

tip ### - AIRLINE FOOD - PLASTIC CUTLERY
On flights to certain destinations, airlines are obliged to use plastic cutlery onboard, in accordance with directives from the local authorities.
Bon Appetit!
The website http://www.airlinemeals.net is worth browsing.

tip ### - AIRLINE INFLIGHT MAGAZINES
This is a link to an information site with details of many if not most of the world's airlines inflight magazines

American = http://www.americanwaymag.com/
American Eagle = http://www.eaglelatitudes.com/
British Airways = http://www.bahighlife.com
Cathay Pacific = http://www.cathaypacific.com/c...ntertainment/reading
Continental = http://magazine.continental.com/200901-home
Delta = http://www.delta-sky.com/
KLM = http://www.hollandherald.nl/alg/index.asp
Qantas = http://www.qantas.com.au/info/...TheAir/australianWay
Singapore = Silver Kris Inflight Magazine
Swiss = http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/se.../swiss_magazine.aspx
United = http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com

tip ### - AIRLINE TIMETABLE INFO
The following shows the format used by airlines on their timetable schedules for:-
Day of Operation 1 = Monday, 2 = Tuesday, 3 = Wednesday, 4 = Thursday, 5 = Friday, 6 = Saturday, 7 = Sunday. Some airlines will use the word 'Daily' in place of 1234567
Departure / Arrival Time (24 hour clock) +1 = Next Day, +2 = Two days

tip ### - AIRPORT
Airports are all very different complexes. International travel would be very dull if airports were identical clones. Many are made up of numerous free standing terminal buildings linked by monorail, shuttle buses, walkways and or underground railway. Los Angeles (LAX) is one such example. Hong Kong (HKG) airport is a single vast glass sided complex with up to 80 departure gates. Frankfurt (FRA) is a huge complex spread over two terminal buildings linked by a Skyrail (Monorail). It contains over 850 checkin counters catering for very many International, most European airlines and numerous holiday/charter operators.

Always take a direct flight or same airline from your home airport to your foreign destination if possible. Sometimes direct flights are possible but travel agents etc will not tell you unless you ask. The travel agent may book you through another major airport in your home country so they can earn airline commission etc. Ask questions of your travel agent and find out what are your airline choices.

Please be wary of any domestic to international connection (of less than 2 hours) at a major airport that you are not familiar with. Same airline connections will simplify the situation with luggage transfer and getting boarding pass etc. Security checks and just finding your way around can be a daunting experience for many infrequent and novice travellers.

tip ### - AIRPORT CODES (Heathrow LHR)
Airport Codes (Heathrow LHR) is an excellent site for anybody trying to find the unique 3Letter code for a particular airport.

tip ### - AIRPORT HOTEL - PARK & FLY
Please research the various "Park & Fly" packages that may be on offer at your departing airport hotels. The package will include accomodation and breakfast the night before you fly out and the night that you return. The hotel will provide a free shuttle ride to & from the airport. You will be charged a special daily or weekly rate for parking your car. You may be offered a car wash & wax at a special price.
Please compare the "Park & Fly" package with the cost of parking in one of the airport long term car park(s). The hotel package can be the cheaper option in some cities and at certain times of the year.

tip ### - AIRPORT PARKING
Using the long term carpark for the duration of your trip. Please take the carpark ticket with you. Do not leave the ticket in the car. Please make sure your credit card is acceptable at paytime or keep enough local currency to exit the carpark speedily on your return.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Owen,

Huh!!!!! Do we take the encylopedia and not the heavy coat? Reading this will make us warm so we will not need a coat. I'll need a whole aircraft to take all this.

I'm slightly curious about why I would want an "Atlas of America"? Also, do I really need to take the complete "Encyclopaedia Brittanica" away with me on my holiday?

To complete your list, Euro coins are:

�2, �1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, 1c.

Regards,

Chris

Owen,
There are 12 countries with the Euro as their official currency:
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
I find it quicker to put an umbrella up than it is to put on a rain coat or poncho, so I will continue to take the brolly with me.
And if the weather is freezing cold I will take a heavy coat.
I liked the info on O'hare. That sort of tip or advise is handy to know.
Some of what you have listed is confusing me.
This is a coach tour company site. Listing travel tips for independent travel doesn't quite fit in.
Your accessory list is not stricly accessories. You have a mixture of personal, electrical, essential and stationery.
Definitely, as you say, as work in progress.
ciao

I'd need a trunk to carry all that stuff.

Chris, how to you get the euro sign up on your computer? I've also been wanting to find a sign for Sterling Pounds. Can you help?

BJ

Hi BJ,

'�' and '�' are standard keys on a British keyboard, so I can just type them as I would any other symbol.

If you don't have them on your keyboard (which you don't on a US keyboard, I know), there are a couple of different ways to get them:

1. Run the standard Windows "Character Map" accessory, and copy/paste from there into the web browser. If you can't find it, go to the "Start" menu, select the "Run" item, and type "charmap".

2. Hold down the "Alt" key on your keyboard and, whilst keeping it held down, type "0128" for the Euro symbol, or "0163" for a Pound sign. You have to type these numbers on the numeric keypad, not the main keyboard.

Hope that's of some help to you.

Regards,

Chris

Hi Chris - thanks for that quick reply. Wow. Now you know what a techie-flunkee I am, but I'll happily accept this challenge ASAP. Gosh, this board is a wonderful educational opportunity, isn't it?

BJ

Chris - you're a terrific teacher and I am elated because this time it was a quick study. (It wasn't that easy when typing my Highlights journal and Leo saved me. I stumbled for days - and would still love to clean it up, were I not so relieved that it's done!)

There should be an appropriate place on this board to post the topic "Computer Help" for people like me. Now I can say the Big Bus Experience in London was such a value at 15� or 14� online! (I had to "show you." )

Thanks again.
BJ

Excellent - well done . One small tip, by the way. � and � are use the same as $ - they go before the number, rather than after. You should therefore say "my ticket cost �14", rather than "14�". A trivial issue, I know, but it's always as well to get these things right, don't you think?

Best wishes,

Chris