Above & Beyond
Don't be a tourist, be a traveler. Get insider tips on traveling on a shoestring, staying healthy away from home and connecting with locals wherever your journey takes you.
Healthy Travels
An Apple a Day Is Just the Beginning
Jetting off to new places — whether for business or fun — can take a lot out of you. And you want to be at your best when seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. Follow a few easy tips to stay well as you take your travels around the world.
Drink Up
Make sure to stay hydrated while you are traveling. Dehydration makes you more prone to viruses, and can make jet lag symptoms worse.
Keep Your Meds Close
The chances of your bags getting lost are slim, but to be on the safe side, keep a supply of enough medication to last you the duration of your trip with you. That way, you won’t miss key dosages of antibiotics or your daily prescription, if something were to happen to your luggage.
Stay Moving
When you are on long flights, it's important to get up and move, stretch and walk the aisle to avoid blood clotting and joint pain.
Take Those Vitamins
To keep your body in tip-top shape, take vitamins as you prepare for any adventure.
Commit to Your Daily Routine
If you’re used to exercising, eating breakfast or going to bed early, make sure to continue to do these things while on your trip. Sticking to your routine will help your body have one less thing to work against.
Scrub Up
Keep antibacterial hand sanitizer with you at all times. As long as it is less than three ounces, you’ll be able to take it on board your flight to ward off germs that can be found on your seat or other places along your trip. And take advantage of every instance you have to wash your hands so that you aren’t bringing germs back as souvenirs.
Jet Lag
Jet lag is disorienting, and it can falsely mirror the feeling of being sick. To stay well and rested while you travel across time zones, follow these quick steps:
- Get as much rest as you can before you leave
- Stay away from alcohol
- Drink lots of water
- Rise and set with the sun
Travel Etiquette 101
Do I shake hands? A kiss on the cheek? Two kisses? A bow? Don't sweat it. Etiquette can change from country to country, but the guiding principles are universal. When it comes to having good travel manners, it's important to not get too bogged down with the do's and don'ts of a culture. Instead just remember the fundamentals of good etiquette: respect, consideration and honesty. Those fundamentals and a smile can go a long way when it comes to traveling abroad.
In addition to a smile, it's always good to have a few words and phrases in your back pocket to use along the way. Remember: You don't have to be fluent to speak the language. Most locals will appreciate your effort and be more willing to help you in a bind.
Here's a list of some key words/phrases for your travels:
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English: Hello Excuse me (to get attention) |
French: Bonjour Pardon |
Spanish: Buenos días Perdón |
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German: Hallo Entschuldigen Sie bitte (formal) Wo ist…? |
Arabic: Salam a aikum Ismahli |
Chinese (Mandarin): Nǐ hǎo Bù hǎo yì si |
Tip Top Trips
In need of a quick vacay? Have a week to kill? Really ready to get away from it all? Great! Make the most out of any trip-length, by putting some brainpower into your trip before you go. Then, when the plane’s wheels touch down, you can hit the ground running and start off your vacation right.
3-Day Trip: Press Pause
Three days is all it takes to get away from it all. Take these tips:
- When planning a quick trip, choose a destination that is a two or three hour plane ride. You’ll spend less time in the air and more time at your destination.
- The fewer days you’re away, the more you should prioritize. If there is a museum you are dying to see or a hike you want to take, push it to the top of your list so that if by trip’s end you just want to kick back and relax, you can do so without feeling like you’ve missed out.
1-Week Trip: Make Time Stop
A weeklong vacation is perfect amount of time to balance the yin-and-yang of two contrasting vacation mantras: relax or see it all.
- As you plan your weeklong outing, keep in mind that you should take activity and downtime in equal parts to sustain seven days worth of adventures.
- If you’re traveling with your family or friends, let everyone pick a daily activity. That means you could hit up a ballpark, see the ocean blue, or catch a live performance during the span of a single trip. And in doing this, you’re likely to get a well-rounded view of a destination.
- Get to know the city. Staying in one place for a week allows for you to do some exploring. Venture out of your hotel to discover new neighborhoods or areas where cultural diversities distinguish them and help you to gain a nice view of a place.
2-Week Trip: Time to Play
Hear that? It’s time moving at a slower pace. On a two-week vacation, it seems the whole world is before you. And in fact, it is.
- When planning an extended vacation, you need only remember one word: Relax. Kick up your heels or sink your toes into the sand, because you’re here to stay.
- Locals and natives can add insight into your trip, so become friendly with your neighbors for the best tips on where to go and what to see.
- Travel on daytrips to close-by islands or neighboring towns to explore the terrain from past the view right outside your window.
- Think about stocking up on groceries so you can eat cheap for smaller meals and splurge when it really counts.
Traveling on a Shoestring
It’s time to clear the air about traveling on the cheap. Contrary to what you might think, you don’t have to water down your vacation if you realistically plan what you can afford ahead of time. Here are a few quick tips to get you started.
Perk Up
Check the amenities at your hotel. Many offer services like shuttles to and from the airport, free breakfast, pool and gym access and more, so you can fill your basic needs without spending big.
Don’t Fork It Over
Depending on how many people are on your trip, consider going to a grocery store for breakfast and lunch fixings. That way, you’ll be able to try nice restaurants without dishing out a lot of dough.
Walk or Use Public Transport
Check out the walkability of the city you're visiting. If you don’t think you’ll be able to foot it to all of your must-see sights, many metro sites can help you to map out an easy route.
Timing Is Everything
Consider off-season travel. You'll often find that both air and hotel fares are cheaper than what you would pay at peak tourist times.
Stick to Your Budget
If you have a budget in mind, stick to it, so the happy memories of your travels won’t turn into budgetary regrets.
Get Going!
