Life’s Potpourri of People, Animals, Events and Travel

Every year, millions of hight flying travelers climb eagerly aboard their flights for far-off destinations only to arrive tired and sore. Moreover, mounting scientific evidence indicates that frequent long-distance air travel can compromise your health, as well as your mental and physical performance.

Health problems attributed to air travel range from mild sleep disturbances to asthma and serious disturbances in the rhythm few the heart. Jet lag, which is only part of the air-travel problem can blunt your negotiating skills and put you at a distinct disadvantage to well-rested locals.

Teach your child early that the friendliest dog yours or someone else’s can be feisty when provoked. Studies show that most kids bitten by dogs were attacked when the dog was eating or had something in its mouth.

You doggy rules should included:

• never playing with an animal while it’s eating, sleeping or nursing its young.
• Letting the dog take the lead when playing. when playing fetch for example, let the dog drop the ball instead of grabbing it out of its mouth.
• Not petting an unfamiliar pooch unless the owner says it’s okay. The child should let the dog smell the back of her hand before gently scratching under its chin.

Dressing up for immigration and customs checks may seem a ridiculous idea but experienced travelers will tell you that here is logic and wisdom behind this advice.

Of course, you’re not expected to put on a three piece suit and don shiny patent leather shoes. Just make sure you have a decent outfit, which is clean and proper footwear. Men would be wise to follow the same advice and hava on a least a clean T-shirt 9with no obscene messages or pictures), slacks and sandals. A clean-shaven look (or a neat moustache or beard) would be an added bonus.

Many a time, we’ve encountered the typical backpacker-types with torn or dirty jeans and drawstring cotton pants who look like they’ve not taken a bath in a month. Unkempt appearance just invites suspicion. These poor chaps, though innocent of any wrongdoing, have had to suffer the indignity of turning out their bags and pockets in front of long lines of onlookers. Yes, dirty underwear, socks and all!

So on matter how she string you plan to travel, make sure you pack a set of decent gear to get you to your destinations and back again with minimum hassle.

Getting sick while on holiday can turn that much deserved break into a nightmare. To avoid this, consider getting a vaccination against the hepatitis A virus, highly contagious liver virus that’s easily contracted through contaminated food or water or even close person-to-person contact and can result in jaundice, pain, nausea and vomiting.

Check with your doctor about the different types of vaccinations available depending on the country you’re visiting.

If you’re planning to bring your camcorder along on your next trip, here are a few handy tips to consider:

• Never check in the camcorder with your luggage where it might get damaged. Instead, carry your camcorder along with you in a padded case.
• Recharge the battery prior to your tip and bring along an extra one. Always store the battery in a warm place, since the cold drains it faster.
• If you drop your camcorder in a freshwater pool, use a soft cloth to wipe it dry, then remove the tape and batteries. After it dries, check to see if it still works. But, don’t do the same if you drop it in saltwater. salt conducts electricity, which can be dangerous.
• Finally, don’t ruin your home movie by taping the whole experience (i.e. waking up, eating, breakfast, sleeping). Record only the highlights of your trip and include as many interesting people ad places as possible.

Kissing is a form of greeting or a way of showing affection in many countries around the world. Here’s a global take….

Scotland - Don’t give anyone a “Glasgow kiss.” This refers to a head butt!

Russia - They normally accompany a kiss with a “buss” (an archaic word for kiss) on both cheeks.

Italy -Avoid the Mafia’s Kiss Of Death, a kiss on the forehead or mouth of the doomed person.

Arctic -Eskimos kiss by rubbing their noses together.

Japan -Avoid public displays of affection, although a dry peck on the cheek is acceptable.

Gambia & West Africa - A man shows his affection for a woman by pressing her hand against his nose.

Polynesia - Kiss by sniffing each other’s cheeks and inhaling deeply.

Some tribes in Nigeria & Mozambique - Consider kissing primitive and totally disgusting!

3. Tipping is not a must. - This differs from place to place, so if you’re unsure, just give within the 10-15 percent range. If the person doesn’t normally get tips, this will show in her face and you’ll know not to tip the next time. If your tip is way below the norm, you’ll be able to see that in the person’s face as well.

4. A kitchenette can mean different things - This really depends on the type of hotel or destination. Some have stoves, some have only microwaves, some have utensils, some do not, some have shared facilities, while some are private. Check what is available to you when you book. You can save loads by making your won meals. but first find out what type of facilities you have before packing of a fun travel experience.

1. Your guaranteed reservation isn’t - If you book a hotel stay during a peak season, beware. Some places may leave you unexpectedly out in the cold. Rarely will a hotel admit they’ve overbooked, so always get a room confirmation in writing. That way you’re in a good position to force them to either find you a comparable hotel room or give you an upgrade.
2. The first price is the worst price - never, ever accept the first price a hotel quotes you. That’s probably the rack rate and there’s no reason why you should pa it unless you arrive when the Olympics are in town. Most hotels can give you better deals, you just have to push for it. Mention your various association ties, credit cards and if you’re traveling business this usually gets you 10-30 percent off. Also ask about special weekend deals.

Traveling inexpensively is not something only those with limited funds do. Often, even those who can travel in more comfort, rough it out on many trips because they know that the less they spend on one trip, the more trips they can afford to take.

For those really interested in making the most of their travel funds, the first thing they have to do is to get rid of the idea that travelings automatically means a stint of lazy, carefree and luxurious living. A person who is really sincere about seeing other places and meeting people of diverse cultures, knows that travelings is hard work.

To a certain extend, holiday-makers who go abroad leave behind certain cares, worries, work schedules and life-styles. However, a real traveler is on holiday only form his normal routine. Making his wanderings worthwhile requires really painstaking labor on his part before and during the trip itself.

The cost of packaged tours can be obtained from travel agencies but if yo are not interested in these, careful budgeting is essential. You must know how much you can afford to spend for the whole trip and from this you can work our how much you can spend a day. If this figure seems ridiculously low, you may want to consider shortening the journey or missing out a few places you are not really pining to see.

In deciding whether your calculations are realistic, you must have some idea of the cost of staying one day in each of the places you have in mind. Approximations can always be worked out by looking up good guide books and talking to more experienced travellers but allowances must be made for inflation.

Prices that seem too good to be true may be just that. Some travel agents may neglect to mention that the prices advertised are based on trip,e or quad sharing. The price could be based on group fares for a minimum number of travellers.

If there are insufficient people, the customer is asked to pay a few hundred dollars more or cancel their holiday. Prices advertised may be based on off-season rates, which can be anything from 10-50 percent less. These low rates are usually not applicable during peak times and weekends.