tips of traveling

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vendredi 23 juin 2017

It used to be that even mid-sized companies had a department – or at least an employee – who would make all the business travel arrangements. These days, though, along with cutting back on expense accounts across the board, most us wind up booking our own tickets and figuring out where we’re going to stay on our own. But how? With the bottom-line on everyone’s mind, finding the least expensive option is usually a priority. Luckily, that doesn’t mean business travel has to be unpleasant. By following the checklists and guides we’ve included, travel might actually become something you look forward to doing.
Should I book my flight and hotel together?
It depends. You can save some money purchasing a package deal, but the only way to know for sure is to do a lot of comparison shopping, and be very flexible about flight times and hotel locations. Since most business travelers don’t have this luxury, we’re going to concentrate on booking them both separately.

Checklist for Cheap Flights

To get the cheapest possible flights you should ask yourself the following questions. Have I …

given up caring about which carrier I fly? My frequent flyer miles will not grow mold.
started this process no more than a month before my travel dates, but no less than two weeks?
compared multiple websites? (A consolidator site like Kayak can do this for you)
checked individual airlines’ websites, because sometimes there are unadvertised specials?
tried to get the lowest advertised price through the airline’s website in order to maintain frequent flier points?
purchased my ticket on a Tuesday around noon, as that’s the cheapest time to buy?
arranged it so (if possible), I’ll be flying on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday – ideally Wednesday?
avoided traveling around the holidays? If I must, I’ll fly on the actual holiday itself.
chosen flights that are early in the morning or in the evening? I’ve avoided mid-day – that’s for the lazies (and the folks with money to burn).
accepted that I might have to deal with a layover? The difference can sometimes be hundreds of dollars. (See page TK for how to make the most of your layover.)

Checklist for Getting a Great Seat

Have you ever found yourself wedged in the middle seat of the last row in front of the bathroom? That seat doesn’t recline – but the ones in front of it certainly do. Meanwhile, you’re bolt upright, squished between a five-year-old traveling alone for the first time and a chatty obese cat lady who smells of cheese.
In order to get the best seat possible, make certain you’ve …
joined that airline’s frequent flier program as soon as I decided which tickets I was going to buy.
arranged to purchase my ticket one month in advance – more notice means more seating choices.
gone onto seatguru.com to figure out the best seats on the particular type of plane I’ll be flying.
kept the seatguru.com window open as I purchased my ticket, and completed the checklist below!

Checklist for Picking Your Seat

Before I’ve picked my seat(s), I’ve made sure to avoid …
Front-row seats facing a wall. I need leg room and who wants to stare at a wall for hours!
Last-row seats, even along an exit row, because they don’t recline.
“Between” window seats. While not as unbearable as a middle seat, a window seat with no window is not fun for anyone.
Any seat too close to the bathrooms. Even setting aside the smell factor – which can be epic, especially on a long haul – people will constantly be hovering over you and bumping your book or laptop. Then there’s the smell.
Sitting too far from the wings if you get freaked out by turbulence. The closer you are to the wings, the less you will feel it.
Pretty much any seat that’s not an aisle seat. Aisle seats mean extra legroom, which counts for a lot in coach!
If, after following all these steps, you still end up with a horrible seat, try to get to the airport early enough to ask the person manning the check-in counter to swap you.

==>World's Best Places to Visit<==

lundi 7 avril 2014

Flights are one of the most expensive aspects of travel. Whether a two week or two year trip, we all have to fly somewhere. While deals are not as abundant as in the past, there are still a few ways to make flying affordable and avoid being the person on the plane who paid the most.

The world is in an economic crisis, and tourism is down all over the world. Airlines have slashed fees and costs in order to fill some of the empty seats. Yet flights — especially on the major airlines — are still expensive. Rising oil costs, increased personal costs, and material costs have all added to rising ticket fares. Bankruptcy has also meant that airlines, which are under pressure to make a profit, can’t reduce fares that much.

The era of dirt-cheap travel is over, and, when the flight can represent the biggest part of your trip expenses, finding that hidden cheap deal can be just as important as finding the right location, the right tour company, the right backpack, or the right place to stay. While deals are not as abundant as in the past, there are still many ways to avoid being the person on the flight who paid the most.

Here are a few tips that can help you find cheap flights and flight deals:

Be Flexible with Your Travel Dates

Airline ticket prices vary depending on the day of the week, time of year, and upcoming holiday such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, or Fourth of July. Overseas, August is a big month for traveling around Europe as many Europeans go on vacation then so airline tickets tend to be higher.

It’s always cheaper to fly during the middle of the week than on a weekend because most people travel on the weekends and airlines hike up their prices then. If you fly after a major holiday, prices are also a bit cheaper. Early morning or late night flights are cheaper because fewer people want to travel then. Before you commit to your departure, make sure you check other dates to pick the cheapest day. If you are not flexible in the dates you want to fly, you will never be able to find a cheap flight. Even the difference of a day can mean hundreds of dollars in savings.

Be Flexible with Your Destinations

Instead of going to place with an expensive flight, go where it is the cheapest. Kayak offers the “Explore tool” which allows you to put in your airport and see what routes have the cheapest fares. If you are flexible with where you want to go (i.e. anywhere but home), this is a great way to start researching where to go. Other sites that have similar search tools: Whichbudget.com, Skyscanner.com

Fly to Secondary Airports with Budget Carriers

Most major cities have a smaller, secondary airport. This is the airport most cheap budget airlines fly into because it’s cheaper and helps keep costs down. Airports charge landing fees, and smaller airports charge smaller fees, which helps keep prices down for you. Check out which airlines fly into these smaller airports. For example, you can take JetBlue to Long Beach, an airport close to Los Angeles, instead of flying into LAX, and save some money. In Europe, the budget airline Ryanair will fly into Eindhoven, Netherlands instead of Amsterdam airport. In Kuala Lumper, Air Asia, the region’s biggest discount airline, flies into an airport far removed from the main airport.

In America, there are only a handful of budget airlines. In Europe, there are even more, and competition has kept prices there very low. In Asia, Air Asia has led to a huge drop in fares and is a great budget airline to fly. For example, you can find tickets from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur for $30 USD. Many times, these low-cost airlines offer no-fare tickets — you pay just the taxes. Flying the budget airlines is a good alternative to flying the “majors” whenever possible. You get fewer “perks” but you can save a bundle in ticket costs. But be sure to check out how far the airports are from the city center — sometimes transportation from the airport to the city can actually make a budget airline more expensive. However, in general, these low cost budget airlines are a good deal.

Learn More: Why cheap airlines aren’t always the best

Try Alternative Routes

Not only does it help to be flexible with dates, but try being flexible with the route you take, too. Sometimes it’s cheaper to fly to London and take a budget airline to Amsterdam rather than flying direct to Amsterdam. There are so many budget carriers around the world that taking advantage of a good deal to another city and then hopping on a budget flight to your destination is sometimes the best way to go. Moreover, direct flights are always more expensive than connecting ones. Just by picking a connecting flight route, you will save money. If you do the infamous Saturday night stay, you’ll also save money. (This is where you have to stay at your destination over a Saturday night.) By working various airlines and special offers, you can save a lot. This method is not for everyone, however. It is more work, as you have to figure out lots of different routes and check different airlines. But it will shave some money off your flight, giving you more to spend at your destination.

Know What You Want to Pay for a Flight

People always try to get the lowest price online, wait too long, and then pay too much. We all know airline prices always bounce up and down, yet in our quest to hold out just a little longer, most of us miss the lowest price. Therefore, it’s important to know what you want to pay, not what you hope to pay. What’s the lowest price for YOU? Is $200 from NY to Miami what you want? Don’t want to pay more than $900 to go from LA to Tokyo? Then don’t. Don’t wait for the perfect price — wait for YOUR price. Wait until prices get close to, at, or lower than your desired price, and then buy. Then you will never have buyer’s remorse. Prices always fluctuate, so you’ll never know if you could have done better or worse. No two people on a flight pay the same price, so all you can do is hope you get the price you are comfortable paying. Sites like Farecast can help you predict when to buy.

Remember Not All Search Engines are Equal

Whenever most Americans do a Web search for airline tickets, they search Expedia or Orbitz. As this article shows,you are making a big mistake if you do just that. These sites either work with or are owned by the airline companiesand don’t offer unbiased fares. You need to search as many flight search websites as you can in order to ensure you are leaving no stone unturned. Moreover, many sites don’t list budget carriers because those airlines don’t want to pay a booking commission. The best search engines are the ones that have no affiliation with any airline and make their money via advertising, not bookings.

It’s important to check a few sites before you book as you’ll often see variations in prices and don’t want to miss a deal. All of these websites have their weaknesses and do not include every airline. You aren’t going to find Air Asia, Ryan Air, or most other budget airlines on large sites like Kayak, Expedia, or Orbitz. U.S. booking sites tend to not have the obscure foreign airlines that you see on international sites like Skyscanner or Momondo. Booking sites have blind spots since they don’t cover every region of the world and every airline equally.

Remember – there is no perfect airline search engine. Even the best have their faults.

Take Advantage of Student Discounts

If you are a student, there are many, many discounts available to you. Check out STA Travel and their search engine. You can find flexible student tickets on their website and at agency stores. I used them for a $400 ticket from Athens to Bangkok. That wasn’t even the cheapest flight, either, just the cheapest direct flight. There are many student codes out there, and many of the tourist agencies in backpacker areas can help find you a cheap ticket.

Sign Up for a Frequent Flier Program

Airline rewards programs are a great way to get free flights, free upgrades, and free companion tickets. No matter how often you fly, you should be signed up for the airline’s reward program. I stick to US based airlines since they are involved in all the major alliances and you can earn miles on their partner flights. For example, if I fly Singapore Airlines, I can earn United Airlines miles because they are partners. I similarly do the same if I fly Air France and use my Delta rewards account. This way I am always earning miles when I fly. However, if you aren’t from the states, simply use an airline from your home country that is involved in one of these alliances.

There are a lot of other ways to earn miles if you aren’t jetsetting around the world all the time:

Shop at member stores – All airlines have special offers for large consumer companies such as Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Target. Shopping at those preferred stores will earn you 2 to 4 miles per dollar spent. Sometimes even up to 10 miles per dollar spent. If you spend 1,000 dollars a month, you can earn up to 3,000 miles just by going through their websites. The products don’t cost extra and it’s the same company so you only win, you don’t lose. I do all my shopping through the airline partners simply for the extra miles.
Watch for special offers – I sign up for newsletters because they often have featured offers not found on an airline’s website. This could be triple miles on a selected route or as simple as Starwood’s recent promotion. I signed up for their newsletter and got 250 SPG points. American Airlines once gave away 1,000 points for installing a shopping tool bar into your web browser. These bonuses don’t go into the high tens of thousands but you can get a little over a long period of time by doing virtually nothing. They add up.
Be a Crazy Flyer – On forums like Flyertalk, where people hunt out the latest chances for miles, you often find people doing mileage runs. This means that an airline will offer triple miles or double elite qualifying miles (these miles, unlike normal miles, count towards your elite flyer status and can only be earned by flying) if you fly a certain route. When airlines get into price wars or offer new routes, they often launch ridiculous double or triple mile offers. Many people then fly these routes just for the miles. They will fly from California to New York and back again if they find a dirt cheap fare in order to gain miles. Mileage runs are very common and while not free, can be a useful method to gain a lot of miles on a cheap fare.
Put everything on the card – I pay nothing in cash. I put everything on my travel credit card – from Starbucks to phone bills. My total monthly spending, including my business expenses, is about $3,000 per month. That’s 36,000 miles just for doing nothing special. That’s a free one way flight to Europe right there.

In the movie “Up in the Air,” George Clooney’s character said “I don’t do anything if it doesn’t benefit my miles account.” Think like that. By following the tips above and using the websites listed in the credit card section for finding bonus offers, you’ll be able to accumulate a lot of flight miles.

Choosing whether to pay as you go or buy a round the world ticket is one of the toughest decisions long term travelers make. If you choose wrong, you could end up spending thousands more on flights than you need. This article will help you decide if a round the world ticket makes sense for you.

rtw ticket

Round the world (RTW) tickets can be a convenient way to fly. They get you where you want to go without you having to worry about booking flights along the way. You pre-book all your tickets in advance and, by purchasing them in one giant bulk package, you can save yourself money on the total price of the ticket.

However, while round the world tickets are frequently advocated by many people, they are not always the best option for travelers, even if you are going around the world. These tickets come with many rules and conditions that might not work for you.

How Do Round the World Tickets Work?

RTW tickets are actually airline alliance passes. You buy a ticket from one airline that can be used with them and all their partners. An airline alliance is a partnership in which airlines share seats on planes, passengers, and elite status benefits. For example, if you book with United Airlines (Star Alliance), your ticket is only good for airlines United partners with in that alliance. If you book with American Airlines (Oneworld), you can only use their partners. SinceAmerican Airlines can’t fly everywhere in the world and you may need to get from New York City to Nairobi, Kenya, a destination American doesn’t serve. So while you may book with American Airlines for that route, you will actually fly one of its airline partners on the portions American doesn’t fly.

The two largest airline alliances are Star Alliance and Oneworld. The Star Alliance is a bigger alliance.

There is a third alliance called Skyteam. While Skyteam offers these tickets, their tickets aren’t as many destinations as Oneworld or Star Alliance. Many of the alliance members are small airlines that don’t fly many long distance routes. Skyteam is simply not the best option when choosing a RTW ticket. I would not recommend booking one with them because of their limited options.

It’s important to remember that none of these alliances include the world’s budget airlines. A budget airline is an airline that usually offers fewer amenities (think cattle car) and cheaper fares than the “major” airlines of the world (i.e. large, international carriers that are part of an alliance). Some budget airlines include:

Ryanair (Europe)
Easyjet (Europe)
Southwest (US)
Spirit (US)
Air Asia (Asia)
Tiger (Asia/Australia)
Jetstar (Australia)
Transvaia (Europe)

Ticket Rules

RTW tickets come with a number of terms and condition. Generally speaking, a ticket is valid for 1 year from the start date and requires you to end in the same country you start in. You don’t need to end in the same city but you need to end in the same country.

Each airline alliance has its own rules for how their round the world tickets work.

Star Alliance
star alliance rtw booking

Star Alliance is based on how many miles you travel and they offer passes in 29,000, 34,000 or 39,000 miles increments. To put that in some context, 29,0000 miles will get you roughly 3 continents (outside of the United States), 34,000 miles will get you 4 continents, and 39,000 will get you 5 or 6 continents. The more miles you get, the more destinations you can see and vice versa. (There are also passes that are limited to geographic regions in the world.)

Each pass is allowed up to 15 stopovers (a stopover is considered 24 hours in one destination) and you can get the ticket in first, business, or economy class. There is also a special “Starlite” economy only fare for 26,000 miles, but this is limited to a maximum of 5 stops. The more miles you want on your ticket, the more places you can visit – but it also means the more money you will pay.

Star Alliance also requires passengers start and end in the same country, though not necessarily in the same city. You can also backtrack over continents but not over oceans. This means you could fly from Australia to New York and then New York to Los Angeles but couldn’t go from Los Angeles back to Australia. When you cross oceans, you would have to keep moving in your original direction. It should also be noted that backtracking, surface sectors (what they call the parts of your trip you take overland and not with an airplane), and transits/connections all count against the mileage total.

For example, if you fly from LA to London and then from Athens to Bangkok, the mileage from London to Athens is counted against your trip even though you might be doing it overland on a train or flying with a cheap budget airline like Ryanair.

Oneworld
oneworld rtw booking

Oneworld offers two different kinds of passes: one that is segment based and another that is mileage based. Global Explorer is Oneworld’s more conventional, mileage-based ticket. There are three levels – 26,000, 29,000 or 39,000 miles in economy class as well as a 34,000 in business and first class. Just like with the Star Alliance mileage-based RTWs, all miles are counted, including overland segments. This pass follows the same rules as above.

Oneworld’s other pass is much better. The OneWorld Explorer is based on the number of continents visited (from three to six) and has no maximum mileage limit and up to 16 segments can be included in your ticket. A flight segment counts as one flight so a ticket with 16 segments would have 16 flights. That includes any connections. If you want to go from London to Hong Kong but the ticket includes a stop in Dubai that counts as two segments. With the Oneworld Explorer, there are no overland penalties or mileage limits. You simply get 16 flights.

I like this pass the best for many reasons. Unlike other tickets, overland segments don’t count against you and there are no mileage requirements. One of the benefits of the segment system is that every segment is counted the same so out of the way destinations like Easter Island or the island of Tahiti, which are far from any main airport, counts the same as a short 2 hour flight. All flights are equal.

How much do they cost?

RTW tickets prices range between $2,700–$10,000 USD, depending on your mileage, route, and number of stops. A simple two- or three-stop RTW ticket might cost as little as $1,500 USD.

On all tickets, you can change the dates and times on their ticket at no extra charge so long as you don’t change the destinations. If you have a Tokyo to Los Angeles flight you want to change, you can change the date and time without a fee. However, if you decide to fly from Tokyo to San Francisco instead then you have to pay a fee of $125 USD.

Booking directly with the alliances costs a lot more money than booking through a third party agent. Simply put: UseAirtreks or another agent like STA Travel, Flight Centre instead of booking directly with an airline.

Other Ways to Book

While you can book these tickets directly with the airlines by calling the reservations line listed on their websites, sometimes you can find a better deal by booking through a third party such as Airtreks or Boots N’All Indie Flight Search Engine. Airtreks operates differently than the airline alliances. Instead of creating a round the world ticket, Airtreks pieces together individual airline tickets based on the lowest available fares they find. They don’t just deal with one alliance – they mix and match from all available airlines (excluding budget airlines) to find the lowest price. Because of this, the rules pertaining to alliance ticket don’t apply here. You can fly anywhere and in any direction you want and the overland mileage doesn’t count against your flight because there is no mileage limit. In that sense, booking with a third party site like Airtreks is a much better option.

You can use your frequent flier airline miles to pay for your round the world ticket, though you still need to pay for the taxes and fees associated with the ticket, which usually average $400-500 USD. Generally, a RTW ticket will cost between 120,000 and 160,000 frequent flier miles depending on your route and class of travel. If you have accumulated that many frequent flier miles, then you should definitely buy one of these tickets because you’ll never be able to fly around the world on point to point tickets for so few miles. (Don’t have that many miles? Get some without ever needing to fly!)

Are RTW tickets worth buying?

The short answer – it depends. RTW tickets are great for people with a set schedule. If you know your travel dates and destinations and don’t plan on changing your trip very much, a RTW ticket will save you a lot of time and a bit of money. RTW tickets cost a lot, but if you pick one of the popular travel routes, you will find that you will save money in the end. A typical RTW route is from NYC-London-Bangkok-Singapore-Sydney-LA-NYC. Buying a ticket on a route like this will most likely cost less than if you were to book all your flights separately.

If you treat the ticket as an airpass in which you are happy to fly on a rigid schedule, follow the airline rules, and not change your dates, a round the world ticket will probably save you up to 30% off the price of point to point tickets.

But it is also important to note that these tickets come with a lot of rules and stipulations. These tickets aren’t really meant to be changed, and if you decide you want to stay in places longer or change your dates, you are going to pay a lot of money in fees. Moreover, RTW ticket seats are only allocated in a limited number, so if you do change your seats, you may find yourself traveling sooner or later than you had hoped due to availability.

They can save money and time for travelers, and they are especially good if you know exactly where you are going and don’t plan on changing your plans. Moreover, if you are already a frequent flier and are looking to gain perks, then a RTW ticket is a great way to pad your rewards program and upgrade you to elite status, as all those flight miles add up. A RTW ticket will give you enough miles to get at least one free flight.

But one thing to remember is that when you travel, nothing ever happens as you plan it. Something always changes. The longer you travel, the more your plans change. You may stay longer in some places and spend less time in others. Maybe you really liked France and decide to stay in Europe longer. Or maybe you hate Asia and want to move on to your next destination sooner. Round-the-world trips are all about going with the flow. If you are tied to a RTW ticket, it can be expensive to change your flights. You lose flexibility. And that is the downside to RTW tickets. You can change dates, but at a cost.

In the end, though, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not you should buy one of these tickets. It really depends a lot on how you plan to travel and your goals. A lot of people swear by round the world tickets and I do believe that for the right trip, they can be perfect. Just make sure your trip is the right trip.

If you want to explore this option, use the company Airtreks. They do a great job in helping plan your itinerary, find cheap flights, walk you through the process, and are cheaper than booking directly from the airlines. Their tickets also come with less rules and restrictions. By booking via the banner below, at no extra cost to you, you’ll help keep this website going by supporting the companies that support this website. I recommend Airtreks because I trust them with my trips and think you should trust them with yours too!

So what foods are safe to eat? Any foods that have been boiled are generally safe, as well as fruits and vegetables that have to be peeled before eating. Avoid eating uncooked or undercooked meat or meat that is not cooked just prior to serving.

Stay away from foods that require a lot of handling before serving. Here's an example: Nine friends ate at a restaurant when on a school trip overseas; eight had diarrhea the next day. The one who didn't get sick was the only one who had ordered a dish that didn't need to be touched by human hands right before serving.

One of your favorite foods at home is on the safe list on the road — pizza! Pizza dough, sauce, and cheese are foods that are less likely to spoil than others, and the high heat of a pizza oven tends to kill any harmful bacteria in the food.

You've probably heard that you shouldn't drink the water in some countries overseas, but did you know why? Water supplies in many developing countries are not treated in the same way as water supplies in developed countries; various bacteria, viruses, and parasites are commonly found in the water. Many experts suggest you drink only bottled water when traveling. If you need to use tap water, you should boil it first or purify it with an iodine tablet. Even if you're brushing your teeth, rinsing contact lenses, drinking a small glass of water to wash down pills, or adding ice to your drink, first take precautions to ensure the water is safe.

You Can Take It With You

When you're packing, you'll want to include any medications and other medical supplies you use on a daily basis because they may be hard to find in another country if you run out. Even if you can find them, there's a good chance the formulations will be stronger or weaker than the ones you're used to. These may include any prescriptions you already take, such as inhalers, allergy medication, and insulin, as well as contact lens cleaners and vitamins.

Packing an over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen and diarrhea medication is also a good idea. And pack some OTC allergy medication even if you don't take it at home. People sometimes unexpectedly develop allergic reactions to the pollens and other allergens found in a new environment. Those with asthma or other allergies can unexpectedly react to these new substances.

It's always important to take care of your health, but there are additional concerns to keep in mind when you're traveling.

Whether you're taking a quick trip with your family or studying abroad for several months, it's easier to get sick when you're in a new place because your body hasn't had a chance to adjust to the food, water, and air in a new environment. Traveling can bring you in contact with things that your body isn't used to.

Here are some tips on keeping your travel experience as healthy as possible.

Don't Take a Vacation From Health
The stress and excitement of travel can make you more likely to get sick, but if you follow a few simple tips, you're more likely to stay healthy throughout your trip — and your trip will definitely be more enjoyable. The good news is that as a teen, your immune system is as strong as an adult's, but lack of sleep and a poor diet can make it easier for you to become sick.

The first thing you should do if you're heading overseas is to find out what kinds of vaccinations you'll need in advance because different countries have different requirements. In the United States, contact your doctor or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a list of necessary vaccinations. You'll want to allow plenty of time for this step in case you need to get vaccines that require more than one dose.

Common Travel Troubles
Three of the most common health problems that you may experience when traveling are jet lag, altitude sickness, and diarrhea. When you fly across time zones, the differing amounts of light can change your internal body clock, resulting in a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag may cause some symptoms that are bummers on a fun trip, including upset stomach, insomnia, and tiredness.

There are some things you can do to combat jet lag; for example, if you're traveling from west to east, you should stay out of the sun until the day after your arrival. If you're flying from east to west, go for a brisk walk as soon as possible after you arrive.

Altitude sickness is caused by dry air, a decrease in oxygen, and low barometric pressure when you travel to a higher altitude than you're used to. As a result, you may have problems, such as headaches, dehydration, and shortness of breath. Some people are affected at 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), but others aren't affected until they reach altitudes of 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) or more. Find out what altitude you're traveling to before you go to see if altitude sickness could be a problem.

The best prevention for altitude sickness is to gradually increase your altitude every day to get used to it. If that isn't possible, a drug known as acetazolamide can help relieve and even prevent symptoms of altitude sickness. If you think that you might get altitude sickness, talk with your doctor before you leave home.

The topic of diarrhea may seem gross, but it can be a serious problem. Traveler's diarrhea, known as turista, often occurs when a foreign type of bacteria enters your digestive tract, usually when you eat contaminated food or water. The best way to prevent turista is to be very careful of the food you eat and the water you drink on the road.

It's easy to let your guard down when you travel. After all, you're more relaxed and there are so many new sights to focus on. In addition to paying attention to your personal safety (avoiding secluded places and not walking alone after dark), you'll need to reset your thinking when it comes to traffic safety, too. The rules of the road aren't the same overseas as they are at home. In some countries, people drive on the opposite side of the road and you'll need to be aware of this before you cross the street — look in the opposite direction from the one you're used to. Pedestrians don't always have the right of way overseas, either. Be sure there are no cars coming when you step into the street: If there are, they may not stop for you!

Practice these healthy hints and you can focus on the scenery — not medical emergencies — and return home with nothing more troubling than some tacky souvenirs!