I received my first request last night for topics to post on this blog! The question was whether I had a list of travel resource sites akin to "travel for dummies"?
Haha, well I think that just by asking that question, you've elevated yourself from "dummy" level. Outside of a basic list of to do's I don't think there's a real method to traveling, it's one of those things you learn along the way and create a style or rhythm that works for you. The most important thing really is to do a bit of research so you know what to expect. It's about taking out the nasty surprises and being aware of your surroundings. The two silliest things a traveler can do is unknowing wander into some place unsafe and miss out on something spectacular right under their noses because they didn't know it was there.
Almost every country and city in this world has some sort of tourism page online, that's a good place to start. Get your basic info: how to get into the city, what's the weather like, what languages are spoken, what currency will you need, and where is there tourist information. Most pages will also list major sight-seeing points, from there you can google places of interest directly. If you have a particular purpose for your trip (ie. shopping, fine dining, or to visit the grave of a music legend), google that, get tips and locations.
Once you have your highlights on what you want to see, go check the locations of these places on a map. Even if you're not great with maps, it's always a good idea to be somewhat oriented with the layout of the place you're visiting. You want to know roughly how you're going to get to these places (ie. will you need to learn the transit system/get the number of the local cab company?), where they are in relation to one another (to plan itineraries), and hopefully find accommodations nearby.
Now we can start looking at some specific websites... different countries will have different sites that are best suited for them, these are just a few sites (in no particular order) that I use as my starting point:
http://www.hotwire.com -- not as great as it used to be, but still features some good hotel deals in a large number of cities. They have a big selection of North American hotels, but as you head overseas the pickings may get slim. (That being said I got a great deal for a 4-star Barcelona hotel last year) The catch with Hotwire is that they don't tell you the name of the hotel until you've booked and paid (you are required to pay the full amount up front when you book), so if you have a serious hate-on for all Hilton hotels, there's no guarantee you won't wind up at one. It's worth noting that their star-rating is not the same as AAA (which is just a North American standard anyway), I have booked hotels that are rated 3 or 3.5 stars on Hotwire and they were 4 star hotels. The lower Hotwire rating may have resulted from poor service or a location slightly further away from the city centre.
http://www.hostelworld.com -- don't let the name fool you, it's not just strictly hostels. Their database includes a number of B&B's, guesthouses, and even campsites. They have extensive locations around the world and list a good amount of info for each place. The site is pretty user friendly and info is presented in a straightforward manner. You are required to pay a 10% deposit when you book and the balance when you arrive.
http://www.expedia.ca -- most Canadians who have done even a little traveling will probably know this site well. It's my go-to for comparing airfare, there are very few airlines that are not listed here. I find they always manage to encompass any airline sales that may be going on, so I don't have to worry that I may be missing out on a deal by not searching every airline specifically. I'm not as crazy about their hotel prices, again it's a good database to get names of places but like hotwire you're required to pay at time of booking. For the hotel prices they list, I can just phone up the specific hotel I'm interested in, ask them for a price-match (and they'll usually give it to you) and make a booking where I don't have to pay until I arrive.
http://www.seat61.com/index.html -- super comprehensive site about train travel in Europe. Seriously the amount of info packed into this site is amazing, I've known about this site for 7 years now and I haven't even made a dent in reading the content. Most applicable if your travel starts in the UK, but there's lots of tips buried in there for traveling between other countries. Just go down the left side and choose the country you want to visit. Included at the bottom of the "Country Information" section is the date the page was last updated, I don't know about you, but this kind of reassures me that the info I'm reading is current.
http://www.raileurope.ca/index.html -- if The Man in Seat 61 site makes your head spin a little and you don't mind paying a little extra, the Rail Europe site can spell things out a little bit more simple for you. Don't get sucked into buying a rail pass though, in this age of discount airlines, a Eurorail pass is no longer the cheapest way to see Europe! Rail Europe offers a variety of tickets, which you can order and have physical tickets couriered to your home so that you will already have them in hand before you leave on your trip. The downside is that they don't include every single rail service available, so you might be choosing from a limited number of trains in some countries. Also Rail Europe prices are higher than if you book directly with each country's railway company.
http://www.sleepinginairports.net -- as mentioned in my last blog entry, this site amuses me to no end. It's not just for those who would actually consider sleeping in an airport, it also provides some insight to what individual airports are like.
http://www.worldtaximeter.com/ -- it's my hope that this site expands soon to include more cities. Or if someone knows a similar site with more destinations please let me know. A useful tool at home or abroad to see how much a cab ride is going to cost you, helps you to budget and even gives you the approximate amount of time it'll take.
http://www.xe.com/ -- an excellent foreign currency converter, also available in iphone app. I think the usefulness of this site is self-explanatory.
http://flights.traveleurope.com/ -- I've only perused this site a few times so I'm not ready to fully endorse it. However I've garnered some useful information in my recent flight searches. Everyone knows Ryan Air and Easy Jet, but there are actually a large number of other discount airlines in Europe that can fly you between cities for dirt cheap if only you knew the names of the airline. That's where this site comes in. I did a few searches and it pulled up a number of discount flights that I never would've discovered on my own. I have yet to do any booking through the site. Will report back when I do. They also have sections for hotels and car rentals.
The internet has made it so much easier to travel now than just 10 years ago, with google maps at the tip of your fingertips, online travel guides, and the ability to search just about anything you can imagine. There's really no excuse to arrive a place with no knowledge. Make good use of this resource. If you're savy you may never need to turn to another medium while planning your trip.
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