Category Archives: Travel

How to Travel Stress-Free For Business Trips?

Business Travel

I was sitting in the office, preparing the documents for deals. The papers were lengthy. Each detail should be right.

I took time to go through it, several times. Some of the points were missing. My Google Calendar pops up. I forgot that I had to go to London, for meeting Mr. George for making a new deal.

I had 3 days to prepare everything. Furthermore, I just took a deep breath. I had to travel from Los Angeles Airport to Heathrow Airport London. The main thing was, I knew that it is going to be stressful. I had to manage it well.

1. Planning Is the Key

I booked online the tickets and the hotel. It was important, to see that my room was near Mr. George’s office. The good news for me was that the airport was just half a drive away. These will save me time.

Luckily my meeting was one week after the New Year, so the fares were pretty economical. I wrote everything in detail. I divided the tasks for the next three days.

2. Packing

 I didn’t want to pay for excess baggage. So I read the guidelines on my ticket. I packed one small suitcase with my clothes and shoes. Next was my laptop bag with the documents of the deal, sealed in an A4 envelope.

The advantages of traveling light are many. I can easily travel, to the airport. I will also not strain my shoulders. Likewise, I also put my business cards, mobile charger, and laptop charger.

3. Networking

Two hours before my departure time, I arrived. I knew that it’s a busy airport. My baggage was checked When I reached the waiting lounge. My eyes moved to see people around me.

I spoke to few people; some of them were going on business trips like me. So I exchanged business cards, grabbed this opportunity. Some of them even gave me an invitation to visit them.

4. Journey

My journey over the Atlantic Ocean was very pleasant. I spend my time talking to people around me. We all were laughing and cracking jokes.

My seat was comfortable; I also slept for some time. I also read books on starting a small business on my laptop, which I downloaded a few months back.

The food was awesome. I enjoyed it very much. The view from my window was beautiful, full of clouds.

Finally, I arrived at London airport, 10 am local time. I collected the baggage, my passport was stamped. I booked the taxi, reached the hotel. The receptionist welcomed me and gave me the access card.

I made the coffee and prepared for the meeting with Mr. George. On my mobile, I just booked the uber taxi.

I arrived half an hour early. We sat with his colleagues in a meeting room. I did the presentation. Everything went well. We all had a signing ceremony.

5. Time for myself

I arrived late in the evening. My body was tired; Then I just booked a massage session in the hotel. I was refreshed and relaxed, had dinner at the restaurant, near my hotel.

Within 10 minutes, I came back to my room, changed the clothes, and slept well. The next morning, I just went to the gym for some exercise. My colleagues called me on Skype, to do the meeting.

I returned to the room, took shower, and changed my dress.  My secretary was asking me to confirm some more meetings, with other clients. I met at the airport. I checked my schedule and confirmed the dates and times. It was very hectic. My whole week was full of meetings.

 In the free time, I just visited some parks in the neighborhood, to remain positive. I didn’t want my work to affect my health. I also took time to chat with my friends on zoom; we shared, our daily routine. It is a must to remain social.

  Conclusion

It was a month-long trip; I made new friends, visited new places. I was also glad, that I made new clients. It was all teamwork. It was not easy, as it looks, in between I also had headaches, and I was exhausted.

I also had last-minute deadlines. I managed online, instead of commuting and wasting time and my company’s reputation. My return flight was delayed due to rain in London. I never gave up; I had my entire office meetings in the waiting lounge, on Zoom, with headphones on.

When I was talking to my colleagues, there was an announcement about my departure. I took my bag and headed to the airplane for my way home.

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7 Tips to Make the Holidays Affordable this Summer

Finance Travel

People wait for summer vacations to visit their favorite destination with family or friends. However, the past year has not been great for the finances, and many have already used their savings. You may think of spending the vacation at home to not get into another debt.

However, it is relatively easy to make the holidays affordable with the right tricks in mind. A few hours of research and negotiation will make sure you don’t end up spending the whole vacation in the backyard. After all, you deserve a break from your busy life throughout the year.

Here, we have mentioned some tips to make the holidays affordable this summer to help you plan the vacation.

1. Compare the Flight Prices

The basic advice to save money on travel is to compare the prices before booking. Airlines have different prices for the flight for the same day and same class. Therefore, it is wise to check the prices through some online website or application.

7 Tips to Make the Holidays Affordable this Summer

Also, compare the prices on the individual days before planning the vacation. Traveling on weekdays is cheaper than at the weekends. You will save a considerable sum if you plan the travel based on cheaper travel days.

Ask friends if they have some offers on credit cards while booking the tickets. You can also search the internet for discount codes and coupon codes or use the loyalty points on the cards. Many online booking platforms provide a discount to the new users that can help save some serious money.

2. Say No to the Hotels

Traditional hotel booking is more expensive than ever. A week-long stay in the hotels can quickly burn a hole in your pocket if you have a tight budget. Instead, select alternatives such as Home Away and Airbnb.

These sites provide places to stay in a different city or country at a lower price. They are available in numerous countries across the globe. If not, you can always stay at a hostel to live with the local community or fellow travelers.

Some people cannot compromise with the living condition as the room is the only place to relax. After exploring the neighborhood, a tiring day needs a comfy bed and a clean bathroom with a hot shower to recharge the body. Take out loans for very bad credit from direct lenders to cover the cost of a good hotel and other luxuries during the vacation.

3. Take Snacks from Home

Many people decide to use their car instead of expensive flights to travel. It has some benefits that include snacks or some meals in restaurants near the road. It is indeed slow but you cannot miss the element of adventure if the road is difficult.

7 Tips to Make the Holidays Affordable this Summer

The snacks near the highways are overpriced to take advantage of the travelers. Also, you may not find the favorite items in a different neighborhood. Therefore, it is recommended to buy stock up on the food items from the store nearest to your house.

You can also cook food at home to avoid eating at the restaurants in the way. It will be a cheaper and healthier alternative than the restaurant food if the packing is good. This also includes your drinks that can be carried in a small cooler easily available in the stores.

4. Don’t Pack Everything

Most vacations are short and don’t require people to change clothes every day. You can use the same nightclothes throughout the trip. Moreover, some of the accessories and essentials are easily available at the same price in the stores near the hotel.

This makes heavy packing a needless expense because of the limits set by the airlines. Add the drag of carrying the bag everywhere after landing on the foreign soil. Therefore, carry only the bare essentials that include clothing, medicines, and some accessories.

5. Limit the Orders

A new country or locality may have dozens of different food items and dishes you may have never tried. People end up ordering many dishes at once to give them a try. And a huge portion of their meal is wasted because of excessive ordering.

It is okay to try different stuff on vacations as it could be the only opportunity to have an authentic taste of them. However, you should order food within a limit to ensure no food and money is wasted. You can ask the restaurant or chef for a sample, and they may provide it for almost every dish to the tourists.

6. Carry Water Everywhere

Water is expensive in different parts of the world, with some countries experiencing a shortage of clean water. You will find tap at certain places that provide water to the visitors free of cost. The savings are significant at the end of a long trip.

Do not take the risk with water if the area is not known for good quality tap water. You can use the filters in the faucet to clean the water from pollutants. Since the full water bottles are not allowed past the airport security, you need to use the empty bottle packed at home.

7. Use Credit Cards Carefully

Credit cards can cause some trouble with finances because of the high-interest rates. However, some are extremely helpful while traveling in a different country if the international fees are zero. Also, some cards will provide access to the airport lounge for a first-class experience while waiting for the flight.

Therefore, find the card with the best offer to use during abroad travel. Do not use it to withdraw cash as the charges and interest are unreasonable. It is easier and cheaper to take an online loan from a direct lender instead.

Do not use the credit card for expenses other than essential. The available line of credit will make you buy unnecessary items during the travel. You may regret those spending during the repayment period.

Conclusion

To sum up, you can use the internet to find some more creative ways to make the trips affordable. Ask family or friends to share their experience of traveling on a limited budget. Nonetheless, you should prepare yourself for a bill over the decided budget even after hours of planning.

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How Travelling Together as a Family Strengthens Bonds

Travel

How often does your family travel together?

Research (along with our own gut instincts) indicates that travel may actually strengthen family bonds, so why not travel more often?

How Travelling Together as a Family Strengthens Bonds
A Disney poll conducted by Kelton research firm surveyed 1,000 parents and found that 97 percent of the parents said the kids learned new things about them while taking family trips.
The same survey found that families think of themselves as more excited and more affectionate while on vacation. But you probably already knew that from experience.
Here are a few ways traveling together as a family strengthens bonds.

Closer quarters brings everyone together

When you’re on vacation, you’re all basically stuck in the same place.
This sounds like it could be a recipe for disaster, but it’s often a good thing. Yes, the close quarters may agitate some sibling rivalries or cause petty arguments, but they can also bring some intense bonding. These are the kinds of moments where you might be arguing one minute but everyone is doubled over in laughter the next.

Shared experiences create shared memories

As you get older, you realize you have the most in common with people you’ve shared experiences with. You may have completely different personalities, but those memories cement a bond that cannot be broken.
Your kids will always remember the road trip you took to Disney – and that time dad snorted milk out of his nose at the rest stop. You’ll come home with stories your family will retell for the rest of your lives, and that’s meaningful.
All vacations create these types of memories, but road trips seem to be special. Maybe it’s all the travel time, but these family trips seem to create the most memorable moments. So go ahead and load up the new 2019 Atlas and start your next adventure.

Get out of your comfort zone together

Speaking of memories, let’s talk about what makes a memorable moment.
Have you ever driven to work on autopilot? You somehow got from point A to point B, but you’re not 100 percent sure about the details in-between. It’s all a little fuzzy.
This happens because our brains know the routine so well that we can get a little lazy. But think about it this way, you didn’t even remember that moment in the seconds after it happened. Because it was routine, your brain barely registered it.

That’s a bit of an extreme example, but it shows how we’re much less likely to remember things that fall within our comfort zone. When we’re outside the zone, that’s when we’re most alert – and that’s when lasting memories are made.

This may be why family vacations are so memorable. When your kids get older, they’re less likely to remember specific moments spent on the couch at home, but they’re very likely to remember events that took place on a train ride, even if those events were mundane.
Do you need any more excuses to plan your next family vacation? It’s time to invest in the family bond.

 

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