Preparing for your trip by Rosario Albar
Inside the glass dome of the Reichstag
1.  Decide where and when you want to go.
Your travel preparations begin when you have decided where and when you want to go.  Where you go is definitely affected by when you go.  Europe in the summer is full of tourists and lines are longer at museums, monuments and restaurants.  In August when the French go on their vacation, many businesses in Paris and in big cities in France may be closed and traffic to the French Riviera can be quite taxing.  On the other hand, it's winter in Australia when it's summer in the U.S. but temperatures are usually mild and there are no crowds to speak of.  Traveling in Asia during monsoon season can dampen your plans for sightseeing but the months of December through early February while comfortable is also peak season and higher airfares are in effect.
2.  Package tour or independent travel?
My very first trip to Europe was on a package tour and this gave me the confidence and proper background to find my way around on subsequent trips.  The tour included airfare, transfers, some meals, half-day city sightseeing tour and hotel accommodations.
There are many kinds of tours to choose from.  There are all inclusive tours like the one I mentioned above, educational tours such as those offered by UC Berkeley, pilgrimages to Lourdes, Fatima and Rome, bicycling tours, cooking tours, tours for singles, and specialized tours to suit a host of interests.
You may also wish to travel with a theme in mind such as visiting the great gothic cathedrals in Europe or following in the footsteps of Van Gogh or walking the Inca trail.  Whatever tour you decide to take, remember you're on vacation, not on an exhausting journey.
3.  Check travel advisories.
To alleviate your concerns with regard to safety while traveling in certain parts of the world, it's best to check the latest travel warnings and announcements by the State Department.  Their web address is www.state.gov/travel.  The San Francisco Sunday Chronicle Travel also lists travel advisories.
4.  Get your passport early and apply for a visa if necessary.
Make sure you have a valid passport.  Some countries require that your passport is good for at least six months prior to the expiration date.  Apply in advance as it may take 30 days or more to get a U.S. passport.  You can pay extra to have your passport expedited and sent to you by courier.  Application forms are available in designated U.S. Post Offices or download the form from www.state.gov/travel for U.S. Passport holders.  If you are in a rush, you can go to the nearest Passport office and make sure you have all the requirements for application.
Some countries like China or Brazil require visitors to obtain a visa.  To find out if the country you are visiting requires a visa, log on to www.visanetwork.com.  Your travel agent can also get this information for you.  I used Zierer Visa Service recently to get the visa I needed for a trip to Egypt.  Zierer got my visa in less than a week.  There is a fee but it's better than taking off work and waiting at the consulate to get your passport stamped.  Their website is www.zvs.com.
5.   Shop for the best fares.
Nowadays it is easier to find the best fares by checking recognized travel sites like www.orbitz.com,
www.expedia.com or www.travelocity.com.  Airlines offer special weekend fares which are usually updated on Wednesdays.  If you subscribe online to United, Delta or Southwest Airlines for example, they will send you their promotional fares every week.  Travel consolidators also offer lower rates because they buy seats in bulk at discounted prices.
6.  Check for discounts when making hotel reservations.
How much would you like to pay for your hotel room?  Would you like to stay in a luxury hotel with all the amenities or at a clean budget hotel?   Reserving through online sites may get you the lowest rates but hotels will not usually make changes or cancelations for you if you did not book through them directly.
Some hotels offer discounts to AAA cardholders and seniors and may offer lower weekend rates or discounts for longer stays.  Always ask if they offer any of these discounts.
7.  Buy a good guidebook or travel video.
Over the years, I've relied on Arthur Frommer's guidebooks (www.frommers.com) for European travel.  I also like Fodor's light and compact City Pack which lists among other things, the Top 25 sights to visit in each city and includes a fold-out city map.  Rick Steves has good travel videos and books on European cities.  His online site is www.ricksteves.com.  Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) has the best guidebooks for travel to Asia, Africa and South America.  You can also check travel sites online like Yahoo Travel or the official website of the country you wish to visit for more information.
8.  Become familiar with the local currency.
It used to be complicated traveling in Europe before the euro was introduced.  Today, 12 countries use the euro, that is 11 currencies you no longer have to deal with.  Check www.xe.com to get currency conversion rates.
If you plan to get cash through ATM machines at your destination, ask your bank for an ATM locator list.  For Plus and Visa cardholders, you can check online at www.visa.com/pd/atm/main.html.
9.  Learn the language.
Buy a language tape and listen to the lessons on your way to work or while gardening or cleaning house.  I find the Pimsleur Language program easy to follow. A few words will go a long way in in navigating your way with self confidence in a foreign country and maybe make new friends.
10  Get immunized.
Check www.cdc.gov/travel for suggested immunizations and get the shots at least 2 weeks prior to departure.  Stay healthy and bon voyage!
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