If you’re planning on taking a wonderful luxury summer vacation this year, you will need to plan well in advance. Last-minute vacations can be fun, but it is unlikely that you’ll be able to have your pick of the best hotels and flight times, and that can have an impact on the overall vacation. Here are some excellent dos and don’ts to ensure you have the most wonderful vacation and enjoy every second of it.
Dress For The Trip
If you’re traveling somewhere exotic and hot, it can be tempting to dress ready for your final destination in sandals and shorts. You might even leave your jacket or coat behind. The problem is that your trip might not be quite so warm and you could end up sitting on a plane for six, seven, eight hours (or even longer) in the freezing cold. This is especially true if you are traveling at night. Therefore, dress for the journey, not the destination. Make sure you have room in your carry-on luggage so that you can put your warmer clothes into your bag when you land, and if you wear your summer clothing underneath, you can easily get changed and be comfortable as soon as you land.
Drive Safe
If you’re not flying but driving to your ultimate destination, then it’s essential that you are well prepared for the trip. Make sure that the car you are hiring, or your own car, is roadworthy. Your car should have the right levels of oil and water in the engine, and enough gas to get you where you want to go. If you do need to fill up the tank, then it’s best to determine how far you can get with what you’ve got and work out which gas station is going to be best to use in advance. If you plan well, you won’t run out of gas and be stranded in the middle of nowhere. You will also need to be wary of other road users. If you’re going on a summer vacation, then the chances are that many other people on the road are doing the same thing and this means that there are going to be more vehicles using the roads than usual. Pay attention to the directions and speed limits and ensure that you are always aware of what is going on around you at all times.
Enjoy the New Cultures
Part of what makes a great vacation is learning about new cultures and countries. Don’t go expecting everything to be the same as it is at home; you’ll be disappointed if you try to find your favorite breakfast cereal or soft drink, for example, because those items may not be available in all countries. However, if you travel with an open mind and plan to experience as many new things as possible you’ll never be disappointed because there will always be something exciting to taste, see or experience.
It’s a good idea to learn at least a few useful phrases of the language that is spoken in your destination as this can help you out a lot more than trying to speak English to locals who don’t know English at all. Although it’s likely that in the more tourist-centered areas there will be many people who can speak English, this should never be expected or required. If you go out further to explore, then there will be even less chance of hearing English spoken.
Don’t Get Carried Away
When you’re on vacation, you should be able to forget about all those usual worries and tribulations that you have to contend with on a daily basis. Therefore, why put yourself in a position that involves finances and business? That’s what a timeshare is, and although you might feel that you love wherever you are that you may want a property, this is a thought to really consider. Think through all the pros and cons, to determine if a timeshare will suit your current lifestyle. It’s far better to stay away from any big decisions like this until you’ve given it a lot of consideration and thought. If you’ve already bought a timeshare and may want to sell it on, then you can learn more here.
Join In
There may be times when you want to lie on the beach and relax, but your vacation companion may want to check out a museum or go on a tour. If you can agree to be separated for a while and spend time alone doing what you like, that’s no problem. However, at times, it’s good to be together. Try to partake in an activity or event that gets you out of your comfort zone. If you walk around without listening to the guide or taking anything in, you may miss out on an experience that you might really enjoy. If you do get involved with a local tour group, or visit a historical, cultural site, of course, it is important to remain respectful at all times, even if it may not interest you. Even if you don’t think you’re going to enjoy whatever it is you’re signed up to do, it’s important to give it a chance. You may find that it’s actually a lot of fun or that you learn a lot from it. Compromise is usually part of any vacation, especially if you are traveling with several different people with different interests.
Dress Respectfully
Make sure that you do some research before you arrive at your destination about the culture and what is expected there. It’s important that you don’t get this wrong as it can offend many people and cause embarrassment. Take churches or other religious sites, for example. There will often be strict dress codes that you will need to follow. Make sure you pay attention to what you should do because you may not be allowed in otherwise and that may disrupt your plan for that day, for example. Just as you would expect visitors to your own country to obey the rules and culture, so you should do the same when you travel anywhere. It leads to a much more relaxed and enjoyable vacation for visitors and locals alike.
To Tip or Not to Tip?
Tipping is another cultural aspect that you should look into before you travel somewhere. Some places don’t allow tipping and find it rude or insulting, such as China, Japan, and South Korea are such places. Other destinations include it as part of the final bill, such as in Switzerland, which has a law that says all gratuities must be included in the final price. Knowing what is expected when it comes to tipping before you arrive at your chosen vacation destination will mean you won’t feel uncertain or confused and you won’t offend anyone.
Travel Light
You may automatically think that going on vacation means you have to take as many beautiful items of clothing and accessories as possible, but this is not the case. What you should really do is to travel as light as possible. This is especially the case if you’re going somewhere warm where you intend to stay on the beach most days; what more do you really need to take other than a few swimsuits and sandals?
The other benefit to traveling light is that you’ll have more room in your suitcase to bring things back home with you. This is what a luxury holiday can be about for some people; finding exquisite items and bargains that cannot be bought at home and returning to them.
Make Sure You Relax
Your luxury summer vacation is a time to relax and unwind. If you’re going to be working or worrying, then this defeats the point of your vacation. Without the relaxation aspect of a vacation, it can just become a more expensive way to do what you would normally do anyway; no one wants that.
Think of the people you are traveling with and make sure you are going to be entirely there and present for them. If this means working extra hard during the week or two leading up to your vacation, then this might have to be the case. By the time you get back home you will have bonded more, you will be feeling happier, and you will be ready to tackle whatever life or work has for you.
Overall, a vacation is a time to relax, unwind and spend time with friends, family and loved ones. Although it may seem unnecessary to prepare every aspect of your vacation, it can be beneficial to have a solid understanding of the culture and climate of your destination. Any other helpful pointers that you look into before your trip will ensure your vacation is as memorable as possible. Most of all a vacation is about having fun, and taking the time to prepare will make it all the more satisfying once you are on your trip, and have very few worries.
Carol
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