1. If you're the type who likes to walk and explore cities all day, but your brother-in-law has arthritis, you're going to be having some rocky times unless you've planned time apart for individual activities or you've planned for some bus or car tours.  
2. You want to grab a snack and keep on exploring, but your sister likes long leisurely lunches… one of you is going to be unhappy unless you plan for this.  Maybe you can tell her this is your new diet plan.  Just kidding, but you see what I mean.

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Here is a scenario which no traveler wants to encounter.  You're finally on your way; you get to the airport, and OH NO…. you're getting bumped.  How did that happen?  You have a reservation.  How could they not have enough room for you?  Well, now we're into a whole new category of flight problem.  Not getting on the flight you wanted.  Has this ever happened to you?

The problem comes from the way airlines book their flights.  They routinely overbook their flights.  They do this because there is an amazingly large "no-show factor" even in this day and age of "non-refundable tickets". Read more

It’s that time of the year again…Time for some trip planning.  If you  know exactly where you want to go on your vacation… then congratulations!  Good for you!  Start planning.  But what if you have no idea where you want to go? I've got some tips if you are searching for good places to go.  Some of these may be helpful even if you know what you want… you still need to get information unless it's someplace you know well or return to often.

So where do you start?  Well, you need to take into account how many days you have and what your budget is…. then start talking to the people you will be traveling with.  The kids will probably say Disneyland or Disney World.  You could do that… again… or you could break out and do something you've always dreamed about. Read more

Finding a public toilet can be harder abroad than it is in the U.S., and it's something we never think about until "nature calls".  Here are some tips to bear in mind that can help you find public toilets quickly when traveling.

If you're out wandering the street, look for train stations or department stores.  If there is a U.S. style fast-food restaurant, you can find a toilet inside.  Big hotels will have one tucked away in the lobby somewhere, and they are reliable for having toilet paper (TP). 

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I have traveled with family and friends before and it turned out great. But traveling with family and friends  can also be a tricky thing.  You may have talked about your dream vacation with your friends…  Think about what you'll do if they say, "Great idea, I've always wanted to do that!  We should go together."  Read more

Toilet stories…. We all have some entertaining ( and perhaps embarrassing ) toilet stories we can share even though that’s a part of travel you might not like to think about.  If you're traveling in rich, "first world" countries, you probably don't need to worry too much about it.  But if you're traveling to lesser developed parts of the world, you're probably going to run into a surprise or two.  Talk to people who have been traveling internationally for a while, and they're bound to have one or two amusing toilet stories.

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1. Take off your shoes and jacket.  
2. Empty your pockets of loose change.  Cell phones and sometimes watches should go in the bin.  
3. Your "one quart/one liter clear plastic bag" of liquids (each 3 oz/100 ml or less!) must come out of your carry-on bag. (Remember, one bag per person,)

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ATMs around the world work pretty much like the ones you're used to at home, but there may be some extra steps…. like choosing the language you want to deal in.  You put your card and pin in… choose your language, then follow the prompts.  Read more