Our desire to travel and explore remains strong, but we’ve all felt the economic crunch to some degree. Now, almost all of us have to get by with a little less, but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our adventures. In fact, this article will explore ten smart ways to travel that will maximize your budget, and even let you do more with less.

1. Target the best dollar value.
The dollar is strong, but currency markets remain in flux. Travelers can maximize their budgets by monitoring global exchange rates, and then traveling to the areas where they get the best return on the dollar.

2. Take a cruise.
Cruises are generally fantastic value, but the current savings available are at all-time highs. Not only are the major liners offering significant discounts, they’re adding a wide range of luxury enticements.

3. Not all airmiles credit cards are equal.
For frequent flyers, airmiles credit cardsare vital to long-term savings. When choosing one, take your time, and do the research. Don’t get caught up in the marketing and branding. Stick to the numbers.

4. Don’t hoard miles.
Hoarding miles is a common mistake, and it often causes the saver to miss out on some great deals. If your heart is set on a particular destination, get more out of your miles by traveling off-season and on non-peak days.

5. Be loyal.
Extend your consumer loyalty beyond the airliners. For instance, all hotels track customers. They know how often you stay there, and they have built-in unadvertised reductions and other perks for their best clients.

6. Sleep like a local.
Of course, even with benefits, extended hotel stays can be too expensive. The alternative is to rent an apartment or house, and there are many such fully furnished residences in major cities throughout North America and Europe.

7. Opt for all-inclusive packages.
Travel packages have significant built-in discounts and other benefits. Some travelers consider travel packages to be a series of compromises, but with all the options available today, that simply isn’t true.

8. Cook for yourself.
Eating out three meals or more per day for an extended period is quite costly. Instead, choose accommodations with a kitchenette, and then you can immerse yourself in the local lifestyle by shopping locally and preparing the meals.

9. Use public transportation.
Rather than rent a car or take taxis, use mass transit, and research the area before you go. In most major cities, you can purchase temp passes (three days to a week at a time) that let you use the entire system at low cost.

10. Talk to locals… online.
The best way to experience an area and save money is to know what the locals know. In the information age, doing so is simpler than ever. A wide range of travel and geo-wiki websites exists for just that purpose. Use them.

Traveling to an exotic tropical locale is extremely attractive and exciting to most of us. But, travel in tropical environments can involve more than just sun and fun.  Water and food-borne illnesses can certainly cause extremely undesirable problems that can linger long after the trip is over. Also, the combination of humidity and high temperatures can cause dehydration or heat exhaustion for those not accustomed to extreme weather conditions and sunburn is an ever-present concern. Last but certainly not least, biting bugs and other unsavory characters such as lizards, snakes, and scorpions can find their way into your room at even the most luxurious resort. Luckily, the correct travel gear coupled with a healthy dose of common sense can prevent many of these problems from spoiling your tropical vacation.

Food and Water
The best way to know for sure if the water is safe to drink is to ask local guides who are used to dealing with foreign tourists or the staff of your hotel (assuming that it caters to tourists). Generally, it is safe to eat and drink almost anything (except maybe the tap water) at tourist hotels in major travel destinations such as Veneto Panama in Panama City; however, tourists who will be going off the beaten track and venturing into local restaurants or eating street food will definitely face more risk.
The safety of food and water can vary widely from country to country, and sometimes even within a country. In most major cities the water is drinkable (although extremely sensitive travelers could still become sick). In other places, drinking just one glass of water is a sure way to ruin your trip.

As a rule, thoroughly cooked food is always safer than meats eaten rare or medium rare and travelers should always avoid foods that are room temperature or appear to have been sitting around.  Also, any vegetables and fruits without a skin or peel should be avoided (like lettuce) whereas items such as bananas, oranges, and avocados are safe to eat as long as they are not washed after the peel is removed. Bottled water is widely available and you should always opt for that as opposed to water in a glass (or even another beverage with ice).  If you do want a soda or juice, choose one that is in a sealed can or bottle.

Weather
It may sound strange to pile on clothing in a hot climate, but long-sleeved shirts and long pants will protect your skin from both sunburn and bugs. Clothing should be light weight for comfort but also lightly colored to reflect the sun. Some specialty companies such as Columbia and ExOfficio offer ventilated clothing and some clothing designed for travel even comes treated with bug repellent (which can last up to 20 washings). Most importantly when in the tropics, wear a hat; hats protect you from overheating as well as from sunburn.

Major health conditions related to weather are dehydration, heat exhaustion (or the more severe heat stroke) and hyponatremia, which occurs when the body sweats so much that its electrolyte balance is compromised and it can no longer process water properly. Periodic snacking of foods containing some salt and sugar can replace some of the electrolytes lost to sweating and electrolyte replacement drinks or athletic drinks can also help prevent or treat dehydration.

Bugs
Insect repellents are must for travel to the tropics. The Anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria is most often active at night, but mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever are active during the day so it’s extremely important to protect yourself at all times. Repellents containing DEET are most effective against biting insects but be careful when applying DEET, as it can eat through some types of synthetic clothing, and even could damage plastic items like watch bands, camera parts, straps and buckles. Unfortunately, even with insect repellent, you are bound to get a bite or two so make sure you bring something for the itch as well.

Some travelers who follow all the rules can still get sick.  However, by using common sense and following these basic guidelines, visitors to tropical countries can be pretty sure that they will stay happy and healthy on their tropical holiday.

Okay….so January has been and gone…and February was just a blink. Now it’s March and there are at least eight full months of the year left. So let’s take a look at some of the top festivals and events which are still to take place this year. If you see something that interests you, you can organise your airline tickets now to get them cheap.

1. La Tomatina, Buñol, Spain

La Tomatina is an annual festival which takes place in the Valencian city of Buñol. It dates back to 1945 and is held on the last Wednesday in August. All you need are old shorts and an old shirt and you can take part in the world’s biggest tomato fight too.

1. International Pillow Fight Day, cities around the world

This year the International Pillow Fight Day will be held on the 2 April. Imagine taking part in a huge pillow flight in the middle of a big city. Find out which cities host this festival by clicking on this link.

1. San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain

Okay…so the Spanish are famous for their crazy festivals and the running of the bulls through the streets of Pamplona is just another to add to the list. This event usually takes place on the 7 July every year and lasts a week. All you need is a white top and trousers and a red scarf to take part.

1. El Colacho – Baby Jumping, Castrillo de Murcia, Spain

Again….a dangerous tradition which takes place in Spain. What happens at this festival is that men jump over newborn babies to cleanse them of evil. Believe it or not, this is an event and it takes place in June every year.

1. Up Helly-Aa, Shetland, Scotland

Otherwise known as Europe’s largest fire festival and it is held in January to mark the end of the winter. This is something to look forward to in 2012.

1. Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany

Oktoberfest is the most famous beer festival in the world which is held in October every year.

1. Aloha Festival, Hawaii, USA

Perhaps not as crazy as the other festivals…..Aloha Festival celebrates all things Hawaiian and it is a good excuse to visit this exotic island. By booking flights to Hawaii in September you can enjoy this event.

1. Flour Throwing Festival, Galaxidi, Greece

A coloured flour throwing battle which is ironically held on Clean Monday every year.

1. Just for Laughs, Montreal, Canada

An event which you see on television but which is more fun if you take part – Just for Laughs – held in July every year.

1. Queen’s Day, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Celebrate the Dutch queen’s birthday on the 30 April every year. Huge parties are held in the streets and the theme is orange…so make sure you wear something that colour.

aI have visited Argentina on a number of occasions. Before my first trip to the capital, Buenos Aires, I was advised to have vaccinations and most of the people I talked to warned me about safety in the city etc. I think that if you are aware of what is going on around you and are not showing off your belongings you will be fine. My advice is not to take valuables with you. That would be asking for trouble.

Cheap Flights to Argentina
I have travelled with TAM Airlines, Lan Airlines and Continental Airlines. To be honest the best experience was with TAM Airlines. Out of all three, it was TAM which provided an amenities kit with earplugs, eye mask, toothpaste and toothbrush. You can check the price of airline tickets with all three. If there is very little difference in the price, choose the flight which takes less time. Pick TAM Airlines for comfort, a good in-flight meal, entertainment and nice staff.

Driving in Argentina
I decided to hire a car during my stay in Buenos Aires so that I could venture out of the city and into the real Argentina. Remember that you will need an international driving licence or permit to drive in Argentina. I would advise you to take a GPS as it is easy to get lost when you are not sure of the streets. Be aware that streets in South America are sometimes badly signposted and in my experience the roads are full of potholes. Keep your windows closed and doors locked as crime is common when cars stop at traffic lights.

Money
The currency used in Argentina is the peso and most Westerners should find it relatively cheap to eat out, sightsee, get around and stay in Argentina.

Visas
Tourist cards are granted free of charge to most non-visa visitors (all travellers should check the official website of their embassy in Argentina to find out if they need a visa). They are valid for 90 days and can be renewed for an additional 90 days.

Travelling with a partner can be a wonderful experience, but no road is completely smooth and there’s sure to be some bumps along the way. However, with plenty of planning, a lot of compromise and careful thinking can help make your trip one you’ll both remember.

Budget
Setting a budget early on can help you get the most out of your trip. Identify where you both want to go, work out the costs involved and have a rough idea about how much you want to spend on things like meals, drinks and travel costs during your trip.

By planning as far ahead as you can you can avoid any monetary issues along the way, but don’t let that put you off the odd indulgence, perhaps make one of these a romantic gesture to make it special for your partner and help add to the experience of the journey.

Communicate
Having a discussion about what each of you wants to do during your trip is essential to ensure that you reduce the chances of falling out with one another when you discover one of you is not keen on a suggested idea.

Ensure that you also sort out any issues that occur during your trip quickly in order to avoid putting a dampener on your trip, for little problems can become larger as your trip goes on and you don’t want that ruining the experience, so it’s best to solve those problems as soon as possible in order to avoid any tension and ill feeling for the rest of your trip.

Compromise
Plan as far ahead as you can. Identify sights you want to see and events you want to attend around the time of your visit.

Compromise by splitting the trip between what each of you wants to see and individual plans, even if it means parting ways for a bit and seeing sights individually before meeting back again to discuss what you’ve seen during a quiet drink or a nice meal together.

Don’t go alone
If you and your partner share anxieties about your first time travelling as a couple why not take a friend or travel as a small group? This can help ease any worries you may have and make you both feel a little bit safer about travelling.

Trust is the most important factor in this scenario, so ensure that whoever you ask to come along will adhere to the ground rules you’ve set out and will respect when you want to break off from the group and spend time as a couple.

Be daring!
Exploring and enjoying new things during your travels is the most important aspect, and can prove to be an exciting one depending on where you end up. You may even find yourself liking something that your partner has suggested you try, or vice-versa, but don’t bully or constantly insist as this can lead to tension and anxiety for the remainder of the journey.

Travelling with an open mind and a desire to try new things can help you make the most out of your time away together, and can lead to some memorable experiences you’ll look back fondly on.

Bio:
This content was written by the team at travelsupermarket.com who specialise in finding low cost holidays, flights, hotels, airport
parking and everything else relating to travel.

Nestled in the foot hills of the majestic Mont Blanc and home to the first ever Winter Olympics in 1924, the French town of Chamonix is a big white magnet for snow and extreme sports enthusiasts the world over.  For a comprehensive guide on all things Chamonix, I’ve found this site to be good for information http://chamonix.mydestinationinfo.com/

The town, with its old buildings, colourful markets and quirky street art, makes a visit worthwhile all by itself, but there’s no question that the vast majority of tourists come to play in the snow. The only question is: how hard do you play?

Many opt to climb Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, and known affectionately to locals by the slightly sinister name: La Dame Blanche – ‘The White Lady’. People who take her on do not do so lightly: she rivals Mr Everest in the ‘deadly stakes’, claiming dozens of lives each year.

Those hoping for a more certain outcome to their holiday – e.g. one that doesn’t involve stretchers dangling from helicopters – tend to avoid the jagged peaks of Mont Blanc, taking to the decidedly less dangerous ski slopes instead.

There are many different areas to ski and snowboard in the Chamonix Valley, so all abilities are catered for. Domaine de Balme, at the top of the valley, is an excellent place for mixed abilities, with a great beginner’s area on the Le Tour side (La Vormaine) and a variety of blue and red runs* in the main ski area.

The Aiguille du Midi run is worth doing if only for the ride up, which takes the form of one of the highest cable cars in Europe. After being plucked from the centre of Chamonix and dropped off at a staggering altitude of 3,800 metres, you can begin the world famous Vallée Blanche course – 24 kilometres of ‘off-piste’ skiing through mind-boggling scenery. Take care here, as the route is essentially a giant glacier, meaning there’s a very real risk of crevasses and avalanches. Many complete the run in a group with a guide – a sensible option for anyone who’s not an expert and who doesn’t know the area intimately.

Whatever your skiing or snowboard experience, you’ll need a bed for the night. Accommodation in Chamonix ranges extensively, so whatever your budget – big or small – you won’t have any trouble finding a suitable place.

*Ski runs are classified in colour – Green, Blue, Red and Black – according to difficulty, with Green being the easiest, Black the hardest.
Read more information about the weather in Chamonix here

There are some things that experienced cruisers will have learnt over their years sailing the seas, but if you are new to cruising then you may be unsure about various aspects of these types of holidays. There is an abundance of advice on the internet for Cruise Holidays but we have tried to condense it down to a Top 5 list of tips for cruising.

5. Cruises don’t tend to be the things that you plan at the last minute, so you will probably need to be thinking about your cruise holiday well in advance. Like most types of travel, booking early will get you the best rates. This might make your budget stretch further allowing you to have a cabin that would usually be out of your price range. Upgrading your cabin can make your holiday, especially for cruises of around 100 days and over.

4. You will no doubt be seeing a lot of the staff on your cruise ship on a daily basis, so looking after them with tips and being polite will mean that they in turn will look after you.

3. There are no hard and set rules, but generally the longer the duration of the cruise, the older the age of the passengers. If you are a young couple or a young family, you might be better suited to one of the shorter voyages. But to be fair, how many families can find the time to go cruising for 150 days of the year?

2. Don’t worry about being bored; there will be plenty of daily excursions at the locations you will be stopping at and also onboard activities. If you plan on being adventurous and going off to explore a destination, make sure you do some research and only visit safe areas and make sure you are back at the ship at the required time. There is a slim chance you will be left behind but you will probably return to a frosty reception from both staff and passengers waiting to set sail.

1. World Cruises will take you to multiple destinations around the globe so make sure you take a good camera. No doubt you will take hundreds of photos along the way so it is worth making sure you have multiple memory cards, spare batteries and maybe even a laptop if you have one to backup your photos as you go. The last thing you would want is to lose you camera in the last couple of days and lose all of those precious memories.

Malta is one of those places that seems to have it all: sunshine, beaches, culture, history and top accommodation. So with all this on offer what should you do to make the most of this beautiful country?

Hit the beaches
The beaches in Malta are all about small and perfectly formed. With a rugged coastline you won’t find massive expanses of uniform sand boasting rows on sun loungers and people in deckchairs. Instead, you’ll be met with pretty coves and idyllic bays where the rugged coastline adds to the islands raw and natural appeal. All this is great news if you don’t want to find yourself packed in with hundreds of other sun worshipers and with so many hidden inlets to uncover you just might enjoy a slice of Malta all to yourself.

Soak up the culture
Valletta is Malta’s proud capital and no visit to the island would be complete without a wander through the old streets or along the pretty harbour. Arriving into the town by boat is a magical experience as you get the full effect of the shoreline as you near land. With its position as a UNESCO World Heritage Site firmly established and a total of 320 monuments within an area of 55 hectares there is literally culture and history awaiting your every turn. There’s loads of interesting Malta info out there – all you need to do is get out there and find it…

Scour the shops
It’s always good to come away from your holiday with a little something to remember your destination by and in Malta you shouldn’t have any difficulty finding somewhere to locate that special something. For small and unique looking shops you should check out the streets of Valletta where you’ll find a number of quaint boutiques. Of course, there are always the large shopping centres if you just want to be surrounded by choice – The Embassy Complex in Valletta is one such option. Of course, not only does a few hours spent browsing the shops give you a keepsake or two but it also gives you some much needed shade – since the weather in Malta can get pretty hot come summer.

So after feeling the tickle of the sand between your toes, the capitals history seep into your soul and with a bag a little heavier than it was when you arrived, Malta will be well and truly under your skin.

If you’re making the effort to learn a language, traveling to Europe will be a welcome treat and reward. Working to learn a language, even something as difficult as trying to learn German, can be fun when you use an audio CD program, but you still deserve a treat at the end. If you’re a seasoned traveler, or if you’ve never gone abroad before, it’s still important to keep some things in mind before you plan your trip and before you go.

• Double check to make sure that you’ve got your passport and any other documents you need. For most European countries, all you need to travel is a passport if you’re an American citizen. Other travelers from countries outside Europe or the United States, however, may need a visa or additional documentation. Make sure that you have this before you leave for the airport—you don’t want to miss your flight or not be allowed to board because you’re missing an important document. Also make sure that you keep your passport with you when you’re traveling and you don’t lose it. Getting a passport replaced while you’re traveling can be expensive and time consuming.
• Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to check in on your home while you’re gone. Even though this happens at home, and not with you while you’re traveling, having someone check your place is an important step. You don’t want to come home from a lovely vacation to discover that your home has been burglarized. If you don’t have someone to check in for you, consider getting timers for your lights and having your mail put on hold to make it seem as if someone is at home.
• Remember to check museum hours and open days before you go. Many travelers have made the mistake of planning to see a special museum in a city that they will visit just once, and then they discover that on that certain day, the museum is closed. This common problem can be eliminated by checking the museum’s website before you leave, and planning your vacation either around the museum, or deciding not to visit it.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for directions if you’re lost or concerned about where you are. Even though you may be proficient in German, or the language that you learned before traveling, it’s still possible that you’ll get lost, or be worried about the train you’re trying to catch. Rather than get into a sticky situation, ask questions and directions of people in your hotel, police officers, and others who work in service positions.

There are many ways to find cheap flights in general. There are generally three approaches. Either you can use the Internet to search for your cheap flight, you can visit a travel agency or you can go to your local airport and buy one directly from the sales counter of the airline. All three methods have their advantages and disadvantages and the following information will help you decide which one you’d like to use to find the cheapest flights possible.

Using the Internet is often the most convenient and practical for people, but you do need to have a general idea of what you want and where you need to look. You should start by using a search engine such as Google or Bing – you need to enter some search terms that will help you narrow down the many options available. A good starting point is to use the name of your town, country or local airport with the terms ‘cheap flights’. This will generally bring you up a list of websites, which list the cheapest flights by parsing information directly from each individual airlines’ website.

This is a good way to get a general idea of where the cheapest flights are, but you’ll still need to visit the airline’s website to book your ticket.

The next option is to use a booking agent, otherwise known as a travel agent, to find your cheap flights. Some airlines will only let you book directly through them or through a travel agent, especially if you want their special cheap flights. These type of flights will be non-refundable, but they are often several hundred dollars cheaper than the publicly available one, so perhaps using a travel agent is your best bet.

Of course, your last option is to simply go to the airport where you want to depart from and buy a ticket directly from them. This is convenient, but probably won’t land you the cheapest flight.