Tag Archives: international travel

Saving on International Communication

Traveling abroad can really put a dent in your wallet.  In addition to paying for airfare, accommodations, ground transportation, and meals, you may also be strapped with extra fees to communicate with loved ones back home. To avoid going broke reaching out and touching your friends and family while you are traveling on foreign soil, consider the following: Cellphone:  This is the most obvious option for owners of mobile phones. However, your cellphone has to employ the Global System for Mobile Communications or you are looking at paying expensive alternatives while abroad.  AT&T and T-Mobile phones will work overseas thanks … Continue reading →

Traveling Abroad with a Weak Dollar

As I write this one Euro is worth roughly 1.5 American dollars. Which means your trip to Paris or Barcelona will likely take a real toll on your bank account. While it’s no secret the dollar is worth significantly less in Europe the bigger issue now is how to make every cent count when traveling internationally. One suggestion: Go elsewhere. In places such as Thailand, and Morocco (which are just as rich in history as popular European destinations) the local currency is worth a lot less than the dollar, allowing American tourists the opportunity to experience new cultures without going … Continue reading →

Oh Canada! Another Small Town With Massive Appeal

My brother just returned from a trip to Canada. He was there on business and stayed in busy Toronto. I thought about him as I was researching this next small town. (I’ve been writing a series of blogs about small towns that are largely appealing to visitors.) Last year a popular travel guide voted Telegraph Cove as one of the 10 best towns in Canada. The tiny sawmill and cannery community has a population of 20. That’s right; I didn’t miss a zero. There are fewer than two-dozen residents that call Telegraph Cove home. The town is located on the … Continue reading →

Cultural Travel Experiences

The title of this blog reflects the growing trend in vacations that offer more to travelers than just a bus tour of a popular city. Travel agents say they have been noticing more requests for “cultural travel experiences” where travelers look to immerse themselves in foreign countries and walk away with something to show for it (besides Dengue fever). Whether you want to learn how to cook authentic Japanese meals or participate in language-immersion programs in Mexico, there are now more ways than ever to get in touch with new cultures or reconnect with your own heritage. Some of the … Continue reading →

New Passport Requirements Force Deadbeat Parents To Pay Up

After numerous blogs detailing the problems generated by the latest passport requirements, I am thrilled to report on how some those same amendments are helping nail parents who skip out on paying child support. Three cheers for the Passport Denial Program, which has forced untold numbers of child support scofflaws to pay millions in missed payments. This program works very simply: The State Department denies passports to non-custodial parents who owe more than $2,500 in child support. Once the parents make good on their debts, they can reapply for passports. According to the federal officials, now that passports are needed … Continue reading →

Holiday Travel: Important Passport Information For Parents and Children

In a previous blog I shared with you the lesson my friend learned the hard way about applying for a passport for a child: There is absolutely no chance (despite any begging, pleading, or “rationalizing”) that you will obtain a passport for your child unless he or she is present. Simply put: f you are applying for a passport for your child you MUST have the child with you. All first-time passport applicants must apply in person, regardless of age. You’ll find that the information will be especially vital come January 2007. That’s when nearly all air travelers entering the … Continue reading →

Disney’s Newest Adventure: Adventures By Disney

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When you think of Disney vacations, the first locations that come to mind are probably Orlando, Florida and Anaheim, California. You probably wouldn’t think of, say, London, Wyoming, Canada, Italy, and Hawaii. Of course, Disney’s newest venture, Adventures by Disney, hopes to change all that. Offering would-be travelers itineraries that would take them to London & Paris, Italy, Wyoming, Costa Rica, the Canadian Rockies, Oahu & Kauai, and Oahu & Hawaii, Adventures by Disney aims to take travelers by the hand and show them the sights and sounds of these destinations without the worry of planning out a vacation in … Continue reading →