Many Americans choose London as one of their first destinations abroad. While the majority of Americans no longer claim English ancestry, there is no doubt that the history of the United States is closely tied to England. Combine that with the fact that you don’t have to deal with a foreign language, and it’s an appealing destination.
If you’re not an American or a native English speaker, this grand old city still is a great place to visit. So if you want to go to London what can you expect to see? What should you do?
One of the most iconic things to see is Big Ben…. but you won’t really SEE Big Ben. That is the nickname for the Great Bell, as it’s officially known. The smaller bells chime "Westminster Quarters" on the quarter hours… a little tune you’re probably familiar with. Big Ben chimes the hour.
Most tourists are referring to the tower and clock when they say Big Ben, and of course, that’s what you want to see. The tower is at the corner of the Palace of Westminster — the Parliament building — right next to the Westminster Bridge.
Walk the Westminster Bridge over the River Thames to get a photo back at the Parliament Building and clock tower from that angle. That could be the cheapest thing you do in all of London. It’s an expensive city.
Most "must see" places have fees to visit….
Tour the Houses of Parliament. Have you ever watched BBC news and seen the Members of Parliament banging on that podium? You can see it on the tour.
See Westminster Abby. It’s across the street and through Parliament Square from the Palace of Westminster. This historic church is the place where England’s Kings and Queens have been crowned and buried for centuries. There are tombs of some of those Kings and Queens, and also about 3000 tombs of famous people in history. Wander around and find their names along the walls and under stone slabs in the floor.
Visit the Tower of London…. Castle Fortress, Palace and prison. Find where Henry the VIII did away with a couple of his wives. See the crown jewels. The Beefeaters who give the tours make history come alive. Learn why they love the ravens in the Tower of London.
Look at the London Eye — the giant ferris wheel across from Big Ben. You can be sealed in one of its gondolas and take an hour or so to slowly rise over the city for a sky-high view, but it’s expensive. You’ll get a bigger dose of English reality if you walk the streets and find a cute little pub to have a pint and some pub grub…. and for less money at that!
Another palace that calls to most tourists is Buckingham Palace. You can watch the changing of the guard for free, but buy a ticket when the Queen isn’t in residence, and you can tour the palace. Who wouldn’t want to see where the Queen lives?
Take a cruise on the Thames down to Greenwich and see the Prime Meridian… You know GMT… Greenwich Mean Time…. Time schedules always say you’re so much before or behind GMT. Well, this is what you’re before or behind!
If you want to cut your expenses, head for the museums. Most of those are free, but we’ll save that for another article. There is just no shortage of things to see in London.
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Tags: london tourist, london vacation
Isn’t it hard navigating Paris on your own? You’ve heard that they won’t speak anything but French, that the waiters are rude, and the shopkeepers are impolite. It’s really not true. Paris is a big city, and its citizens sometimes have that "big city attitude"…. people are hurried and may seem a bit brusque, but if you remember some of the simple rules of travel, you’ll do fine.
First thing you need to remember is to bring your sense of adventure and appreciate the differences. The French are more reserved than most Americans. They may not be as quick to smile at strangers, but with a little effort on your part you’ll find friendly, helpful Parisians.
Second, whenever you open your mouth, attempt to say a few words in French. Saying hello, please and thank you in French will go a long way. They will appreciate it. Try to say it with a French accent… you probably won’t succeed, but this will win you friends too. And they’ll probably ask if you would prefer to speak English.
OK, now that we’ve gotten you past your fear of people problems when navigating Paris, let’s talk about physically getting around.
First thing, be sure to bring good walking shoes. You will be doing lots of walking… with the sights and the atmosphere of Paris, you’ll be looking around thinking, "This is Paris… I’m here!"
But you don’t want to walk aimlessly, so let’s look at the geography of Paris. Many Paris locations are described as being either left-bank‚ or right bank. What does that mean? To get real basic… the River Seine cuts Paris pretty much in half. So the Left Bank is more or less to the south of the River Seine. (Look at a map of Paris… it’s mostly the bottom half.) The Right Bank is to the north of the river. (So, the top half of the map.. right?)
Old Paris hands will tell you, "Oh, I stayed in the 6th Arrondissement." Or the 16th (a wealthy neighborhood on the Right Bank near the Bois de Boulogne) or the 1st (the center of Paris where the Louvre and Palais Royal are) or whatever.
The arrondissements are the districts that the city is divided into. There are 20 of them. You really don’t need to know them for navigating Paris. You’ll see them on addresses, and they are marked on maps, but you don’t need to know them to get around…. though you might want to find out which arrondissement you decide to stay in, so you can say to your friends, "Oh WE stayed in the 7th!" (You would then have stayed near the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d’Orsay.)
You’ll want to walk and walk, but to see more of the sights, you can’t walk everywhere. Take the Metro to the next neighborhood and start walking again. You’ll soon know where your landmarks are, and they will help you get your bearings.
You can also use the Paris bus system and taxis to get around or take a leisurely bateau on the Seine to see the sights. However you get around, you’ll soon find that navigating Paris isn’t hard.
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Tags: paris france, travel in paris
Are tour groups for you? You’re moving ahead with your trip planning. You’ve decided where you want to go. Now you need to come to grips with how you’re going to get your hotels, get around, see the sights. So I guess the next decision in your trip planning is… do you want to join a tour group or be an independent traveler.
Both options have pros and cons. If you choose to take a group tour, your hotels will be taken care of, as will your transportation during the tour. Depending on the package, most meals will probably be taken care of too, so you won’t be looking for a restaurant. Air fare to and from your destination may or may not be included.
All of this can make it easy on you for trip planning; you don’t need to worry about making reservations or finding hotels and restaurants on the road. You don’t need to worry about that foreign language, though that is truthfully not usually a problem.
You will be traveling with a group of people. If group size is important to you, be sure to check on that. Again depending on the operator and package it can range from 10 or 12 people all the way up to a bus full of about 45 to 50 people. That can make it fun, or it can slow things down as you’re waiting for everyone to get up in the morning and get on the bus. You’ll probably see all the highlights, but you won’t be able to get into small venues that can’t accommodate big groups.
You won’t be lonely… you’ll have your group to interact with. That can insulate you some from interacting with locals, but some group tours introduce you to locals or even get you into ceremonies or places that independent travelers don’t have access to. And hopefully you’ll have knowledgeable tour guides who can teach you about the area… something that independent travelers might miss.
Tours can be an economical way to travel. Tour operators get good prices on hotels and transportation. But if you want to sleep in and the tour is moving on… you’ll just have to get up and get going. You might learn things you wouldn’t have learned otherwise…. and if you’re a first time traveler, one of the things you might learn is that you don’t need a group tour.
Sometimes that first tour group experience is more than worth it… it can give you the confidence to travel independently. And if you learn that you like the company you’re traveling with, and you like group travel… you’ve come up with a great shortcut for your trip planning in the future…. just find more of their tours that you like and you’ll soon be traveling the world.
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Tags: group travel, tour group
All over the world cash machines — ATMs — have become more and more common. You should check the tourist information website for the country you’re going to visit to make sure you can use one there, but most often these cash machines will be the best way to change money.
Make sure to check with your bank before you go. Most foreign cash machines use 4 digit pins and use numbers not letters. You want to make sure your card will work abroad, and you want to alert the bank as to where you will be using it. If they suspect an unusual transaction, they may freeze your card. They do this to protect you against fraud, not to make things hard on you… so give them a call, and let them in on your travel plans.
It’s a good idea to take two cards from different banks. This gives you a backup in case a machine can’t read one of your cards or if one gets demagnetized. If you run into one cash machine that won’t recognize your card, try another down the street, and you’ll probably get your money unless there’s a real problem with your card.
ATMs around the world work pretty much like the ones you’re used to at home, but there may be some extra steps…. like choosing the language you want to deal in. You put your card and pin in… choose your language, then follow the prompts.
Money is usually only available in the local currency, so figure out the exchange rate ahead of time… and calculate how much you want to get. You can get the exchange rate before you leave by checking online at a currency converter like OANDA. In the airport Arrivals Hall, there will almost always be a bank as well as a cash machine. The bank will have conversion rates posted so you can check before you use the machine.
ATMs in some countries give you high denomination bills. You’re going to need "little money" sooner or later, so it’s a good idea to go to a bank as soon as you can and get smaller change. If the banks are closed, ask your hotel to change at least one note into smaller ones.
Your ATM card has a cash limit per day, and you can’t exceed that. Some foreign banks may may have a maximum withdrawal that is smaller than you want. You will be charged a fee, so it pays to take out $200-300 at a time instead of $20 each time you need a little. Tell the machine how much you want… if it won’t or can’t give it to you, you might want to find another ATM so you can save on those fees.
It’s better to use your ATM card or Debit Card rather than a credit card. If you do use a credit card, it is considered a cash advance, and you will be charged even higher fees.
If at all possible, try to find ATMs that are in an enclosed area instead of just open on the street. If you must use one on the street, make sure it appears safe. Be alert and aware of your surroundings just as you would using ATMs at home. Once you get that money… protect it. Put it away as soon as you can… preferably in a money belt. Once you have money in your pocket and more in a safe place…. enjoy your trip!
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Eco-tourism or green travel is becoming a new catchword in travel. But this doesn’t mean you need to rough it. You could stay in a tent or go backpacking or canoeing, but just little everyday things can make any trip more eco-friendly. You can stay in cities or in the countryside; sleep in a big hotel or a B&B…. but you do need to think about what you can do to protect the environment. I’m talking conserving plants and wildlife but also other resources like electricity and water.
There are more and more of us traveling every year. With so many of us out there, it’s more important than ever to think about how travelers impact the environment.
Making your travel "green travel" is a great way to protect the environment for people who visit after you do and for our children. You don’t necessarily have to pay more to travel this way. You might even find that your travel will be more rewarding, more authentic… let you get closer to the people and places you travel to…. and cheaper!
So let’s list some green travel tips….
Try to choose a green hotel. See if you can find out what kind of recycling program they have. Do they use energy efficient lighting? Low flow toilets? Water saving shower heads?
Check to see if guests have the option to reuse hotel towels and sheets instead of having them laundered everyday… then reuse them! Keep your showers short.
Turn off air-conditioning, lights, heat, television, etc. when you leave the room.
Bring your own toiletries rather than using the prepackaged ones at the hotel. Leave theirs behind. All those little bottles use lots of plastic, and who needs a whole drawer full of these once you get home?
Pack a water bottle that you can reuse. (Don’t keep buying them. Most plastic water bottles don’t get recycled.)
When renting a car, get the smallest most fuel-efficient car that you can be comfortable with. (Even consider a hybrid… it’s more and more possible to rent hybrids these days.) And try driving slower. If you go 60 mph (100 Kilometers per hour-KPH) or less, you’ll use less fuel… and just maybe you’ll see more. Get maps and directions for the most direct route. No reason do drive around lost and waste gas.
Walk to use public transportation when you can. Stay at a centrally located hotel. Walk around to see the sights; in the countryside, hike or bike if possible.
If you’re walking a beach, consider picking up trash along the way. If all visitors did this, all of our beaches would be so much cleaner.
You don’t even need to follow all of these suggestions for green travel. If you just choose one or two during your trip, the earth will thank you.
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Tags: eco tourism, eco travel, green travel
You’ve saved the money, you’ve applied for the passport… wow, you’re practically ready to pack. But wait… just having made the decision to get a passport and go to Europe is only the first step. There are more decisions to make. Let’s think through some of this.
How much time do you have? One week will have you concentrating on an area or a city… two or more weeks lets you tour around a bit more.
What part of Europe do you want to go to? It’s not like you can just go to Europe. That’s like saying you want to see the United States. There are big areas to be covered, and you need to choose an area to see even if you have several weeks.
Do you just want to see it…? Visit the highlights like maybe London, Paris, Rome, and see the big sights? Or… do you have an agenda? Do you want to find family roots and do a little genealogy research? Is there a festival you’ve always wanted to see like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona or The Gathering and Highland Games in Edinburgh?
Do you concentrate on one or two countries or try to do a grand circle of Europe?
Do you take a tour? Set up a Custom tour? Or do you want to take your first trip to Europe all on your own and find your own way?
So how will you answer these questions?
If you only have one or two or three weeks, try for those shoulder seasons to maximize your experiences and minimize the lines. Try to limit yourself to a country a week. Even at that you’ll just be getting an overview of the area you choose to visit.
A tour can be a good idea and can take some of the anxiety out of your first trip to Europe. There are so many tours offered that you can easily choose one that goes to the area you want to visit for the length of time you want to spend, and you can even get tours that specifically go to those festivals or visit gardens or let you explore just castles. Your hotels will be taken care of and many of your meals too. It’s good way to build your confidence abroad.
If groups just aren’t your thing, being an independent traveler on your first trip to Europe is not difficult either. There is so much information on the internet that it’s easy to plan it for yourself and leave yourself more flexibility.
Just sit down with a pencil and paper and make the decisions one at a time, and that long awaited first trip to Europe will be a reality.
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Tags: europe trip, european vacation
For sustainable tourism, we need to protect the cultural environment as well as the natural environment. We need to respect local cultures and ways of life, and contribute positively to local communities.
The potential negative effects of tourism are both local and global… but if we practice sustainable tourism, we can keep the negative effects to a minimum.
If we’re not careful, we’ll degrade the environment and the cultures we travel to see. Where ever we travel, we need to keep in mind that the local people have to profit from our visit. If you go someplace because there are wonderful native handicrafts, you need to buy some of those handicrafts from locals, so they get the money.
If you’re visiting a national park, you need to employ locals as guides so they will continue to value and protect the park. Those are the kinds of things that make for sustainable tourism.
Here are some more things to think about when choosing a hotel, a tour group or activity…..
Is the hotel locally owned and operated so that the profits stay in the community? If not, is it at least staffed by local employees?
How does the hotel contribute to the local community? Do they buy local produce for their restaurant? Do they sell local handicrafts in their gift shop?
If you’re taking a tour, travel with a tour operator who is environmentally responsible. Smaller group sizes make less of an impact… and make for a more enjoyable tour for you!
Is the group lead by a local guide? Does the tour company contribute to the local community in some way? To have sustainable tourism, the local community needs to benefit; not just some global tour company.
When hiking, stay on marked trails. Maintain safe distances from any wildlife you encounter… for your safety AND for theirs. "Leave only footprints"… carry your trash out or use trash bins.
If you’re snorkeling or diving, don’t touch the coral. Be careful with your fins, it’s easy to kick the coral if you’re not paying attention or to stir up sediment. Either way you can damage the reef’s fragile ecosystem… and most reefs are in trouble now, so they need all of our help.
Try to buy local products… You’ll support the local economy… and we all need that now no matter what country you’re visiting. Foods will be fresher, give you a taste of local cuisine and save fuel because they haven’t traveled half way around the world… only YOU have! Fewer imported products will be needed.
Don’t buy souvenirs or other products made from endangered animals or plants. You probably can’t get it through customs, and if you believe in sustainable tourism, you don’t want to contribute to the extinction of another species!
Treat locals with respect. You went there to learn about their culture! Learn a few words… at least hello, good-bye and thank you. Be open to our cultural differences. Read up on the area you’ll be visiting so you’ll know how to dress so you don’t offend anyone. Check to see if there are any behaviors or gestures that will offend your hosts.
Rejoice in our positive differences. Support them, and you’ll be contributing to sustainable tourism.
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Independent travel or group tours? You’ve looked at tour groups during your trip planning and decided that you really want to be independent. You don’t want to be herded around. You want to sleep in when you want… find little local bistros to eat in… linger in a shop.
Independent travel is a great way to go. There are several ways to approach it. You can rent a villa for a week or a month… or make hotel reservations for every day. You can just arrive and find accommodations as you go… or you can make reservations for the first night or two then start finding your accommodations for the rest of the trip.
It takes less advance trip planning if you decide to find accommodations as you go, but some people don’t like the stress of finding a hotel every night. Part of the process is deciding what works best for you.
As an independent traveler, you can stay in small economical places that groups won’t fit into. It may cost more to stay in larger hotels… group tour operators tend to get good breaks on those rooms. But you’ll probably rub elbows with more locals in that small local place than you would in that big hotel. (Though sometimes that big hotel isolation can give you a little respite if you’re traveling in a rugged or third world area.)
You can use the internet to make reservations at museums and popular spots before you leave on your trip. This means you’ll be sure to get into those museums or other venues, but it also locks you in to a timetable. If you’re feeling a bit more independent, consider making phone calls or using the internet to make those reservations on the road.
You’ll get English speakers on the phone; you’ll probably still get the reservations you want and still have the flexibility of changing your timetable as you travel. (Getting those reservations can help you avoid lines just like the tour groups do.)
Independent travel allows for more adventure and spontaneity. If you end up in a village that looked charming in the pictures… but there really isn’t anything there for you… you can just move on. On the other hand, if you stumble on a great local festival, you can linger and enjoy it. You’ll miss what a tour guide might teach you, but if you feel you need it, you can always hire a local guide… or talk to a friendly local…. You never know what you might find out, and you could end up with a new friend!
If you decide you’d like to rent a car, it will be expensive if you’re traveling all by yourself…. It’s easier for a couple and better still if you travel with friends to share the expense. But traveling with friends and family takes some planning of it’s own!
So weigh you options, tour group or independent travel. Make all your reservations ahead or wing it? A large part of the joy of travel is the trip planning and anticipation.
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When is the best time to go on that trip you’re dreaming about? If you’re lucky, you can plan the time of year you travel and schedule your holiday ahead of time. Some people can’t get away when the company has deadlines.
You may have to plan your time around when the kids are out of school. If you’re an American, you might only have two weeks of vacation. No matter what limiting factors you might have to work with, it’s good to think about the best time to go to enjoy the activities or sites for your destination. If your vacation time is short, this is especially important!
Sometimes it’s pretty obvious when you should go. If you want a ski vacation, you want to schedule it in the winter… Of course you COULD schedule it in the northern hemisphere summer and head south to Argentina or Chile.
Beaches? Beach vacations can be almost anytime. Summer would be best on both east and west U.S. coasts, but you can be a beach bum in the winter by heading for Hawaii, Mexico or any of the Caribbean Islands. Shoulder seasons in the Caribbean can be nice, a little cheaper and sometimes less crowded, but you do take a chance with hurricanes.
Shoulder season in other areas can be a great time to go. Shoulder season in Europe gives you a pretty good chance for nice weather, and you can avoid the crowds that stream there in the summer.
If you’re planning a little more exotic vacation, you have to start taking into account different weather patterns around the world. In India, you might want to avoid the monsoon. In Africa, it’s best to plan your trip during the dry season… and Africa is a big continent, so dry season can vary from one coast to the other.
Rainy season can do more than make you uncomfortable. In many countries roads become impassible in the wet season. Hiking trails are slippery and treacherous. And leeches LOVE the wet season!
There’s a great website called, go figure, "Best Time To Go" that will tell you the best time of year to go, rainfall and temperature, approximately how much it will cost you per day, when the holidays are, and it even gives you some hotels.
So decide where you want to go, then before you start making your reservations, check the best time to go so you won’t be disappointed.
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If you’re a frequent flyer, you don’t need us to tell you about security and the TSA Self Selecting Lanes. You’ve probably already used one of those "Black Diamond Lanes" designed to get you through the TSA check point faster. According to the TSA, those lanes are working.
If you’re wondering what we’re talking about, you’re not a black diamond traveler…. and if you see color coded signs at the airport TSA checkpoints in the U.S., you should choose the blue square or the green circle. WHAT???
In the last year or so, the U.S. Transportation Security Agency, the TSA, has implemented a plan that they hope will speed up the screening lines at U.S. airports.
Instead of having just one security line for everyone, there are three lanes. They are color coded, and the TSA has chosen to model them after signs on ski runs that tell skiers where the hill is difficult and for experts, or where it’s moderate, or easy.
The Black Diamond Lane is for "Expert Travelers". This is where frequent flyers go. People who know the routine and can get through the checkpoint quickly. They are familiar with the rules and procedures, have their plastic bag of liquids packed correctly and out of their carry-on, and they are prepared and ready to go through.
The Blue Square Lane is for "Casual Travelers". This would apply to travelers who are familiar with the rules and regulations, but they may take a bit longer to sort out the plastic bag, the computer, the shoes… and they just don’t want to feel rushed at the checkpoint.
The Green Circle Lane is for "Families and Passengers with Medical Liquids". If you’re really not sure what you need to do as you go through security, this lane is for you. It’s for families with small children, strollers, and liquids for children. Passengers with special needs should use this lane if they need assistance or extra time.
You are allowed to take more than 3 ounces/100ml of "medically necessary liquids" outside of the one quart plastic bag, but these must be declared to a TSA Officer. If this applies to you, you should use the Green Circle Lane where possible.
Though it’s up to individuals to choose the appropriate lane, the TSA says the honor system seems to be working. According to them, the black-diamond lanes are 21 percent faster on average. So far 50 airports have the new lanes in place.
The self-selecting lanes seems to be lowering the stress and anxiety levels of all passengers. Expert travelers don’t feel that they are being slowed down, and families are able to take their time with all the things they have to carry for the kids. The TSA officers are happier when you aren’t so stressed so everyone wins.
So no matter what level of traveler you are, if you see those Black, Blue and Green signs at the start of the security line, choose the level that suits you best, and everyone will be on their way with fewer problems.
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Tags: airport security, tsa airport security lanes, tsa security