5 Romantic Travel Resolutions

A new year always means a chance for a new start. You and yours can begin this new year by making some travel resolutions together, regardless of your time and budget restraints. Put aside those new travel habits and make some new ones! Let this be the year that your travel designs focus on fun, fantasy, and festivities!



(1) we are going to plan a real vacation. No, it doesn't have to be an around the world cruise or first class getaway (but if you can afford it, what are you waiting for?) It does have to be an honest-to-goodness vacation, though. No cell phones, no laptops. Mark the dates on the calendar and keep it  like you'd keep any business appointment. The business of romantic travel, though, is a fun four and an activity that the one of you can plan for months.



(2) we are going to involve each other in the trip planning. All  often, four partner gets the job for planning a trip...and that task quickly becomes a bore. Plan your trips together! Anticipation is half the fun. Visit a travel agent. Collect brochures. Buy a guidebook. Rent a video about your destination. Search the web for information.



(3) we are going to do something we have rarely done. Here you can be as mild -- or as wild -- as you dare. Go whitewater rafting. Rent a houseboat. Take a hot air balloon ride. Spend the night in a local bed and breakfast. Learn to scuba dive. Dance the whole night away under the stars. The choice is yours.



(4) we are going to take four mini-vacation every month. Whether it's for the night or  for the night out, plan four tiny slice of a vacation every single month. The only rule: you must pretend you are on vacation. Book a night at a local bed and breakfast. Call your local hotel and find out their non-peak nights (in business-oriented cities, it's usually Friday and Saturday) then plan a short romantic getaway.



(5) we are going to go to at least four festival. Special events take place at  about every community around the world. Whatever your interests -- from square dancing to sandcastle building -- you'll find a festival celebrating with a day or one of fun and food. If you don't have the time or budget to go far, contact area chamber of commerce or tourism offices within a day's drive of your home for their calendar of events. If you can, extend your trip into a long weekend. If you have got the time and resources, check out a quantity of the major fun festivals: Carnival, Mardi Gras, Rio's Carnivale. Don't forget your costume!

5 Reasons to Use a Full Service Online Travel Agent

When it comes to planning your vacation, it's tempting to go the do-it-yourself route. After all, it's easy enough to book an airline flight reservation. Why shouldn't you also do your own booking for a car rental, hotel, or even a cruise? Here are five reasons why you should leave your vacation planning to a professional, full service online travel agent:

1. Terrific Deals

You can do your own booking, but you won't necessarily get a low far or the best deal. Airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and cruise ships count on people to make their own reservations and charge higher rates to those who do. Yet they don't really make a profit until they're completely booked. 

Think of hotel rooms, airplane seats, and cruise ship cabins as perishable commodities. Just like an expired carton of milk has to be pulled off the grocery store shelf, on any given night, an empty hotel room is lost revenue that will never be regained. Similarly, an airplane is going to fly and a cruise ship will embark whether or not the seats and cabins are full. It's in the best interest of hotels, airlines, and cruise ships to be fully booked. That's why they offer discounted fares to an online travel agent, who can then pass along the savings to you.  

2. Full Packages

A full service online travel agent can put together package vacations to destinations and hotel properties to which you might not otherwise have access. Perhaps you're a golfer, and want a dream golf vacation. Maybe a Caribbean vacation is on the horizon. Or maybe you are looking for the perfect cruise package. Although it's sometimes possible to book travel packages with the destination, you often don't get the options that best meet your needs. An online travel agent can put together packages that work best for you and your family.

3. Great Service

When you go the do-it-yourself route, it's often difficult to coordinate all aspects of your travel. Making sure that your flights depart and arrive at optimal times, that your hotel reservation is in order, that your car rental will be available, and that you'll have everything in order to board a cruise ship is no walk in the park. An online travel agent can do all the legwork for you so you can concentrate on preparing for your trip. And, if you have a change in plans, the great service that an online travel agent provides can make the transition a smooth one.

4. Group Travel

Extended families often travel together, and businesses have group travel requirements from time to time. In either case, a full service online travel agent can easily book trips for people who have the same destination but who are traveling from different places. Having a group travel coordinator gives everyone peace of mind and ensures that the group's needs are met.

5. Honeymoon Registry

If you're planning your honeymoon, an online travel agent can provide you with the latest trend in wedding gifts: the honeymoon registry. When you register with a full service online travel agent, your guests can contribute funds to your honeymoon, or they can buy specific services (such as a spa treatment or a romantic breakfast in bed) that you have on your wish list. 

While it's possible to book travel yourself, why would you want to? After all, the advantages in using a full service online travel agent are limitless.

6 Suggested Historical Destinations For Student Travel

Student travel promises to be an enjoyable trip. Not only do students can visit several places, they could also learn so much on every trip. And since air travel agencies as well as airlines provide student travel discount and special student travel rate, student travel is becoming more and more available for greater number of students who want to explore and learn more about the world. 

For first time travelers, here are some historical destinations you can consider for you student travel:

Athens
As the center of knowledge, government, and system in the ancient world, every student would be amazed how this ancient city grew and evolved. Students can visit Acropolis, Agora, Library of Hadrian, Kerameikos, Olympieion & Southeast Athens, Pnyx, Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds, Arch of Hadrian, City Eleusinion and other ancient sites in this ancient city of Athens.

Egypt
Visit one of the earliest civilizations founded in this part of the world. Egypt features 3000 years old city in the banks of River Nile. Egypt is also one of the oldest tourist spots in the world with visitors coming from the ancient Rome and Greece. 

Moving your way south from Cairo, the nation’s capital, you can stop at Giza where the infamous Great Pyramid stands. It was built by Pharaoh Khafu in the year 2550 BC. Standing at 147 meters, it was the largest and the most ambitious structure built in the ancient Egypt requiring 2.3 million stone block to erect. Also at Giza, see the Pyramid of Khafre home if the Sphinx. It was built 30 after the Great Pyramid. As the second largest, the Pyramid of Khafre stands at 144 meters of 471 feet. The third pyramid located at Giza was the Pyramid of Menkaure which stands at 65 meters or 213 feet.

Further south, Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser built in 2630 BC. Pyramid of Pepi II, also located at Saqqara was the last pyramid built by ancient Egyptians. In Dahshur, the Bent and the Red Pyramids are located. And down south at Maidum, the Maidum Pyramid can be found. 

See the temples, mummies, tombs, hieroglyphics, and Valley of the Kings and the Queens if you visit Egypt. 

Rome
See ancient Rome still intact with evidences of Roman structure and architectures built more than 2000 years ago. Rome presents the living timeline from the Roman Empire to the shift of the Middle Ages, to baroque and renaissance, to the dawn of the romantic period and enlightenment. Rome preserves its temples, churches, arts, and priceless paintings and murals. 

Turkey
A former territory of the Roman Empire which stood strong for more than a thousand years against several barbarian attack. Turkey is in the easternmost part of Europe that features a diverse culture, religion, philosophy, and architectures. 

China
Travel Far East and learn the history of the ancient eastern civilization that was once unknown until the last centuries. See the Great Wall, a remnant of the Zhou Dynasty along with other unique oriental culture and tradition. See the Chinese painting, calligraphy, paper cutting, and Chinese art.

Peru
As the center of the Inca civilization, Peru is a great destination for student travel for discovery of South American history. The 500-year old Inca traces could be relived in the Inca Trail that is both exciting and educational. Walk to the Ollantaytambo, Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, and Pisac.

5 Ways to Utilize Auto Navigation Systems and GPS Technology While Traveling

If you have managed to do any research on auto navigation systems I'm sure you've come across countless nifty features that these devices have in common. While not all devices utilize the very same technology, it is great to know that cell phones today in addition to handheld auto navigation systems are utilizing technology that make travel and locating lost children, pets, and other loved ones a little bit easier to manage in today's hectic world. 

There are many ways that the technology that drives GPS can improve our lives both at home and while we travel. Below you will find some great ways that this technology helps improve your overall travel experience.

1) Trip Planning. Not only are auto navigation systems great to have while on your trip, they are also quite useful when planning your trip. You will not have to listen to endless whining about whether we are there yet or how much fathers. Your children can listen along with you as you plan your trip and find out fascinating places to stop, view scenery, and get some great chow along the way. You should also be able to quite easily find out about neat shopping, shows, and other points of interest en route as well. Finding something for everyone keeps the entire family happy on your trip.

2) Finding restaurants, theatres, and nearby malls. This is very important not only when traveling to your destination but also once you've arrived. Many of the nicer auto navigation systems on the market today are able to sort restaurants that are nearby. These systems are much more than simple software that is designed for the sole purpose of giving directions. They are fully functional navigational tools. Some of them even have entertainment features, which will allow them to be used as ebook readers and/or MP3 players.

3) Keeping tabs of family in crowded situations. Even in the mall, you can have family members going off in different locations and keep track of them all. This is also true at graduation ceremonies and other events, which may call for family members spreading out over a large amount of space leaving some out of sight at times.

4) Security when away from home. The idea of being away from home, particularly with teens can be very frightening. We want them to be independent and at the same time we want to never let them out of our sight. Having a cell phone that allows GPS tracking of your teen is a great way to have the best of both worlds. You can keep a watchful eye on where they are without having them in your direct line of sight. This allows them the freedom to pursue their own interests and you the security of watching that happen.

5) Tracking important items while traveling. This may not seem like such a big deal until you've dealt with lost luggage a time or two. The truth is that this is a huge load off the minds of many, particularly when it comes to laptops and electronic devices that have important information.

If you haven't considered these reasons for purchasing an auto navigation system or making use of the many options for safety and security that GPS Technology allows in your life, it is time to give these things some serious thoughts. Our children are the most important thing in the world we can protect and it is well worth the minimal investment in the software required to assist in keeping them safe.

5 Amazing Tips On Discount Travel

If you are among the people who are really passionate about traveling, have you been really thinking about enjoying it cost-effectively? Or you just prepare the money to get all the luxurious pleasure no matter how much it will be?

Well, you probably do have a lot of money, but it’s not really a bad thing if you could save more yet still have the enjoyment you’ve been dreaming of. It is true. You have the same excitement yet with spending less money that you’ve calculated before. How do you do it?

Here are 5 top tips you should take into account

1. Find out alternate routes to your destination.

Sometimes, a combination of two flights is cheaper than one flight. Or, you can also say that the direct route is not always the cheapest. For example, if you’re planning to go overseas, it will be much cheaper if you’re willing to make a domestic flight first prior to switching to an international one.

2. Reduce the food costs during your trip by shopping in local supermarkets rather than dining out.

You can buy some healthy snacks and fresh food from a market to eat during your outings. It is a far better idea instead of stopping for lunch at a touristy restaurant. However, if you still want to dine out, it’s best to do it on truly local cuisine. Besides you’ll save a lot of money, you’ll experience a more interesting cultural atmosphere and get much cheaper local food.

3. Look into renting an apartment.

That’s what you should do if you’re planning to stay long in the place you go to. Why? Because it is usually much cheaper than even the cheapest of hotels. Another advantage is that you will be able to cook in the apartment.

4. Make your trip much more affordable by being flexible.

This is probably the most important concept overall in terms of discount travel. If you can be flexible and open to new things in regards to your destinations, you have the opportunity of taking whichever is cheap. Thus, you will often save lots of money.

Here is one example: You’re going to South America, where rum will be incredibly cheap and other types of alcohol will be fairly pricey. You don’t really like rum, but in this situation, you do when you’re in the country.

5. Consider the value of staying put for a while.

Traveling doesn’t always mean the flight to your destination. You will not only have huge savings on transportation and accommodation, but also take pleasure in far more exciting and valuable occasions and experiences.

Of course it is very tempting to try and see as much as possible in a foreign country by constantly moving. But, it’s dubious that you will also get a good sense of what the country is like. If you’re willing to stay for a while, for instance by renting an apartment for a few weeks in a particular city, you can experience the culture a bit more, meet and indulge with some locals, dine in local restaurants, and of course, save more money.

So, have you decided where you want to go now? Have you checked out the flights and the prices? Hope you enjoy your traveling!