Travel Tips

When a person decides to travel, usually the first thing they plan is which hotel to stay at. This person could either choose to bypass this planning and simply arrive at their destination and hope to find a hotel with availability and near the location where he or she hopes to be, or this person could find and make reservations at a hotel prior to arriving at the chosen travel destination. Of course, the second option is the best. No one wants to take a chance that they will not have a place to stay, especially if they are tired from traveling.

So, what is the best way to find hotels? Asking people for recommendations will work if the person traveling knows other people who have been to the same location. However, this is not always the best way, since different people want to be close to different things while on their trip. Another way to find out is by going to a travel agency and asking for their help, but even then, they are going to want to know where you want to be close to.

Deciding on which hotel to stay at usually requires the use of maps, unless the person has been to the destination several times and knows exactly where he or she wants to stay. Maps are going to provide all of the necessary information a person will need in order to decide which hotel to stay at. There are many maps available that are detailed to specific cities showing exactly where most of the hotels are located and their distance to other places of interest around their location. These maps can be found on the internet by typing in the desired destination and pulling up a city map with different businesses highlighted. Another resource is travel agencies, which can provide clients with maps along with suggestions based on the needs and desires of the traveler. Through the cities travel and tourism office, a person can get many brochures and maps regarding the area which will also give the traveler a good idea on which hotel to stay at based on features and location. Certain hotels websites will also have a map provided that will show where that particular hotel is located and what is around it, along with the distance from the hotel to popular attractions, sites and other businesses such as restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets.

Once a person has decided on a hotel, it is always a good idea to request a map from the hotel. Some hotels will have maps that have information about the area around the hotel itself, making travel plans even easier for the guest. These maps may be different then what is available online or what a person can find through other resources.

No matter where the map comes from, it is important for the person planning their travel to become familiar with the destination prior to arrival, including knowing where their hotel is and how far it is from where the person either needs or wants to be.

Tags: chosen travel destination, gas stations, particular hotel, travel agencies, travel agency, travel plans

There is no better way to ruin your Disneyland vacation than trying to walk around with blisters on your feet! It is vitally important that you wear comfortable shoes that are already broken in. You will be doing more walking than you normally would when you visit Disneyland.

It is also important that you bring a change of clothing. You can rent a locker at Disneyland to store your extra clothes. You can rub your thighs raw if you ride water rides in denim shorts, then try to walk around while you dry out! Enjoy the water rides but then go change into dry clothing! Bring extra shoes as well. Walking around in wet shoes is not only uncomfortable; it can also contribute to blisters.

More than blisters can cause discomfort. Some people simply are not used to being on their feet all day. If your feet are tired and sore at the end of the day, soak them in cool water with Epsom salt. This will offer more relief than soaking them in hot or warm water. After a good twenty minute soak, your feet will feel refreshed and ready for more walking!

It is safe to say that if anyone visiting Hawaii ever wants to learn how to surf this is the place. There are many different places to take surf lessons while on the island of Maui. My favorite is located in the town of Lahaina. Lahaina is just a short drive from the Kanapali resort area that is the temporary home of many tourists like me. I took a four hour lesson at this cute little place called goofy foot. They came highly recommended by the concierge at the hotel, and I was not disappointed. The surf school required that all students wear a rash guard, which is just a long sleeve neoprene shirt.

The rash guard is to protect your chest from the sand and wax on the board, not to mention the fact that it will also protect you if you happened to be pummeled by a wave into coral. Coral is prevalent in these waters; in fact, the coral actually contributes to the making of those long beautiful waves.

The surf school provided the rash guard, as well as these goofy aqua socks that everyone had to wear… Maybe that’s why they call the school goofy foot. But seriously, it is important to wear the aqua socks because they protect your feet from the coal. The instructor also explained that it is important to fall shallow rather than deep in order to avoid hitting the dreaded coral.

The next required piece of paraphernalia is the board itself. They gave me this twelve foot foam surf board that I actually had to balance on my head to carry. That was really the hardest part of the lesson. Once equipped with my surf gear, I was ready to hit the waves. But my instructor stopped me in my tracks. Did I mention that the instructor was extremely hot? Anyway, he said that we had to practice on the beach a few times, so we did. We lay on top of the board in the sand and pretended to paddle. This seemed pretty stupid to me, but who was I to argue.

By the time that we finally got in the water, I was ready. My really hot instructor stood behind me and actually pushed me into the wave. First I climbed up onto one knee, and then the next thing I knew I was standing. This took a couple of minutes, but that’s the good thing about these great Hawaiian waves. You have plenty of time. The waves are long and even, giving beginners ample time to actually stand up. Once standing, I was a force to be reckoned with. Seriously, there was no way I could control that big board, I just held on and enjoyed the ride.

Now, I have to mention that this was not my first attempt at surfing. I have actually tried many times on the east coast. The waves are much shorter and less predictable. The waves in Lahaina seemed to break at the same exact spot every time. Throughout the remainder of my four hour lesson, I was surfing. I felt like my very own modern day version of Gidget.

Another great thing about the goofy foot surfing school is that they have a photographer on staff taking pictures of the lessons. Alas, I have documented proof of my surfing skills! It was a great experience, one that I believe to only be available on one of those long waves readily available and waiting for you in Maui.

Tags: east coast, guard, Hawaii, instructor, Lahaina, Maui, photographer, really hot instructor, surfing