| The Savvy Traveller |
High
FliersTo beat jetlag, book an overnight flight or one
that arrives in the evening when travelling east so you can either catch your sleep on the
flight or as soon as you get in to your destination.
- To prevent the swelling of feet as is wont to happen on long
flights, walk in the aisle at intervals and try not to take off your shoes.
- Refrain from OD-ing on the free booze when on a flight, as
too much alcohol causes dehydration. Tank up instead on aqua-pura.
- When making flight reservation, remember to request for
special meals if you have any food restrictions.
- After September 11, airlines follow very strict security
procedures. So make sure you reach the airport for check in well before departure time.
Its best to check with the airline regarding how much in advance you should be at the
airport.
- If your baggage does not arrive on the same flight as you,
fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), with a description of the baggage, a list
of contents and address to which it should be forwarded. If your baggage does not arrive
at all, place a claim with the airline within 21 days.
- Overbooking is a fact of life in the airline industry. If
you are not in a particular hurry to get to your destination then volunteer to give your
seat up and take the next flight. The airline will provide you a hotel room and other
frills, so you can end up having an extended vacation at the airlines expense!
- Do not accept any package from a stranger.
- For a smooth ride on a plane, choose the seats located near
the wings as if the plane hits an air pocket, this is where you will get the least amount
of bumps.
- If you are planning to watch the in flight movie, choose the
fourth or fifth row from the screen to avoid getting a neck cramp.
- If you are prone to motion sickness, take an anti sickness
pill before the flight. The pill won't help much, if you have it after you have started
feeling sick!
- Abide by the list of items prohibited on board and carry
most items like skis/cues/walking canes/sticks/Swiss knives in checked in baggage - this
smoothens the check-in process plus avoids the risk of confiscation and unnecessary
delays.
- Last and this is equally important - report any unattended
items in the airport or aircraft to the nearest airport or airline personnel.
Weather Vane Keep track of the weather at your destination and
be prepared, especially if you are going to a hurricane prone area.
Heartbreak Hotel
Make your hotel reservations in advance, especially if you
are visiting a place in peak season. You don’t want to be caught without a roof over
your head!
- Negotiating room tariffs over the phone? Call the hotel
twice to confirm the rates. Note down the name of the person you have talked to and
request a written/faxed confirmation. This way you can be sure that you will not be
wrongly billed by the hotel.
- Don't depend solely on the hotel's alarm service. Carry your
own little alarm clock to catch an early morning flight or that pre-dawn sightseeing trip.
- When you check into your hotel, ask the reception to give
you a card with the hotel's name address and telephone number. This will come in handy if
you get lost or forget the name of your hotel.
- Check whether your hotel has a hair-dryer, iron, coffee
percolator, etc, to avoid carrying these gadgets and also making it easy to skip the
110/220 conversion problem when travelling to foreign countries.
- Most hotels frown on guests doing their own laundry in the
bathrooms, but if you do need to wash some smalls, carry a length of nylon twine to
improvise a clothesline.
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