By: Marcia Abramson
I also make it a point to not leave home without a comfortable pair of walking shoes, an expired passport or a good photocopy of the first page of the passport and photocopies of my American Express, Visa or Master Card. These should be kept separate from the originals. The Society of American Travel Writers also advises travelers to carry copies of prescriptions for their required medications and eyeglasses.
An extra pair or eyeglasses is another must for me. I still remember the look on the face of a travel writer as her photographer husband dived off the back of the yacht as we were cruising the 100-feet deep Caribbean waters of Barbados. Needless to say, Harold, the photographer, did not remove his prescription glasses and was either under the influence of the tropical sun or the Caribbean Rum when he jumped. His wife screamed: "There goes Harold's $400 glasses. I will have to lead him around for the rest of this trip. He's as blind as a bat."
Packing extra adapter plugs can be very important in European countries for your curling iron, or other electrical appliances. I was on the Italian Riviera when I discovered that I left my adapter plugs at home. Unfortunately, I had a rough time trying to get the concierge to understand what I needed. Finally, in desperation I took a $17 taxi ride into town to buy a plug for $1.75.
In case of electrical shortages, which are quite common in the Caribbean and Central American countries, it is wise to have a pocket flashlight for your room or the darkened streets and hotel grounds. I also recommend carrying extra camera batteries, especially lithium which are hard to come by in many Asian countries. To combat diarrhea or Montezuma's Revenge in Mexico, lmmodium should be part of your traveling necessities. SATW also suggests bringing a nighttime reading lamp and your address book if you intend to send some postcards to relatives and friends back home.
Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel has details on some strategies which I have found useful. To avoid busy signals when I have to call the airlines, I call after 1 a.m. The attendants are not overwhelmed with calls and have the time to discuss any problem you may have with your reservations and are more amenable to change. Frommer also says that more discounted fares are more available at that hour because the airlines reload their computers starting at midnight with the low-cost seats they sold but for which they have not received payments.
He also advises that when booking a motel or hotel room find out the rate before mentioning your discount privileges from membership in AAA, AARP, military, government, etc. I also learned that Hilton Hotels have a Senior Honors program for people who are over age 60.
For $55 a couple per year, you can get a 50 percent discount at their hotels all over the world. You can phone for membership at 800-432-3600.
Cruising is a favorite mode of travel for me. I've sailed at least a dozen times and enjoyed every sailing from the mega ships like the QE2 to the 100-passenger Stella Maris ship. Your travel agent can guide you to the right sailing for you. I have found these professionals to be very knowledgeable about what each Cruise Line has to offer in terms of rate specials, cabin assignments, shipboard activities, eating arrangements, etc.
Some tips I can offer from my experience in sharing a stateroom is to decide on a schedule as to who is going to be first in the shower and who will dress first for dinner to avert disagreements. Also make sure to read the ship's daily newspapers and bulletins. They will give the evening dress code, the time for meals, special activities and shows. It is important to pay attention to these notices to avoid being late and missing some of the events. Above all, you are sure to have fun if you prepare beforehand for this wonderful travel adventure.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail: mascribe@aol.com
