By: Stuart Cheese

As the Director of Operation of One World Tours, I obviously have lots of travel experience and of course some are good and some are bad, so here is my top 5 list of things to watch out for when your are travelling in Egypt

1. Your Hotel is full. This one is a favourite for people arriving at the airport and “apparently” travelling alone, ie not with a tour company. Local tour company reps will ask you which hotel you are staying at and either tell you it’s full or it’s a bad hotel. They do this for one of two reasons. One is to get you to sign up for a full package of accommodation and or tours or they may just offer to transfer you to a hotel of their choice. Chances are the hotel will be fine, their actual reason for doing this is they will be on commission from the hotel for any tourists they can “attract” to the hotel.

2. If you pay in a USD, GBP I’ll give you a better rate. Whilst yes, some local traders “may” offer you a better rate, generally it is just an urban rate and in fact you will likely get scammed on the exchange rate. The truth is Egypt is not a county where locals can buy “restricted items” with foreign currencies, so keep this in mind when you part with non-local currencies.

3. Honestly, it’s just £5 for a horse and carriage ride in Luxor. This one is all about knowing 100% what you are paying for. The reason I gave this example is a local trader will offer you this deal, you will take it and then at the end he may ask for a lot more saying that the £5 you agreed was for; just one person; just for the journey there, not back or EVEN, just for the horse – I kid you not. So no matter what product or service you are looking for, make sure you completely agree on what it does and does not cover.

4. My wife is having a baby today, come in and have a drink with me. This one relates to shops. When walking past a shop, you may well just come across someone and he’ll appear to just chat with you. He may say that his wife is having a baby and would you like to celebrate with a soft drink with him ? You of course accept and find yourself in a small perfume shop having a pepsi or a cup of tea. The long and the short of this story is that (shock) he probably does not have a wife who is having a baby, but you are in a shop and you will be expected to buy some perfume – you have been warned !

5. Stand over there and I’ll take your picture. This is a great one – don’t worry, no one is going to steal your camera. But when you are offered to have your picture taken with “Bedouin” looking gentleman, what will happen is the picture will be taken, but believe it or not, you will now be expected to “pay for the privilege”. Welcome to Baksheesh. This is a tip for just about anything. You do not have to pay this, but you may well get hassled for it until you do, so again, just be a little careful

Although these may be looked as as somewhat negative points, I’ll counter this by saying that Egypt is amazing and if you do get the chance – go in a second, just keep your wits about you for some very “creative” locals !

Stuart Cheese is the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours and, having visited over 110 countries, has a wealth of travel experience. One World Tours / The Holidays in Egypt Specialists

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By: Robert Carlton

The main thing that people seem to think about when they book their cruise vacation is the actual cruise itself. Now whilst this is completely understandable; after all, a cruise is a once in a lifetime experience, you will also need to consider how you will actually get to and from the cruise ship.

Why Planning Your Travel Is Important

One thing that people do tend to forget with their cruise vacation is that they will first need to find their way to the cruise ship. This may sound obvious, but it is amazing how many people get carried away booking their trip, that they completely disregard how easy it is to actually get there.

It is generally a good idea to choose a departure point as close to where you live as possible. If you don’t you will have to consider extra travel expenses and also you need to think about what could happen if things went wrong. For example, what would happen if you were running late? If you lived close to the departure point then it wouldn’t be as much of a problem as if you lived miles away. Also if you have to rely upon public transport to get to the departure point then that could also present you with a problem.

If you do have to travel quite a distance to get to the cruise ship departure point then think carefully about your options. Would it be better to take your own car? Would going by train or bus be a better option? Generally the cost of each option should be taken into account as the more expensive the travel; the more you could go over your expected budget.

Every type of travel has its advantages and disadvantages. The train will be cheaper than travelling by aeroplane. However, travelling by aeroplane will be quicker. Travelling by car gives you more freedom to set off when you like and to go at your own speed. However, it could be quite expensive and you could become stressed if you have to drive quite a long distance.

Overall you really do need to think about how you will get to the cruise ships departure point. It is an essential part of your vacation and it is one of the most overlooked points that you really should think about. So if you want to have an excellent benidorm vacation then you really do need to think about everything. Look at all possible departure destinations and whenever possible book the nearest point available to you.

Ken Morris is writing especially for http://www.alicante-spain.com , an online site with topics around estate agents in benidorm . His comments on benidorm property can be found on his site .

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Don’t be a Travel Scam Victim

Travel article written by Terrell James on Mar 20, 2006 - 05:54 PM

Article provides insights on travel scams and gives tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a travel scam.

You had the idea to travel to somewhere exotic. You finally made a decision, you want an adventure. You want to explore a beautiful country. You may also want to explore the jungle. You might also bring a friend or a loved one. Then an email comes along in your account that says you won a free vacation. Before you go, it is essential for you to be aware of predators. No, I am not talking about animals. These predators are human, and they set up schemes to trick you into a scam. He will try to gain your trust, then steal and run away with your money. He usually will sound like someone who is polite and seems to be an honesty person. Unfortunately though, these types of predators come in all shapes, sizes, and are from different countries.

You should always be very cautious about traveling if someone tries to “pitch” something to you about a trip. The predator may try to sell you a “cheap discount bargain” for your trip, or claim to you excitingly you won a wonderful trip to somewhere half-way around the world. Here are some things you should know:

When you are planning a vacation you should have and receive full details of the total price, specific information of the package, and any penalties in writing before paying. You should never pay or give your credit card number unless you are confident about the company. Scam artists will almost never give full information in writing until after you paid them. A lot of times even after you do pay, you will not receive any more details. If you do receive anymore information, chances are there will be conditions and situations which will make your trip more expensive. If you think you are interested in the offer, you should ask WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED. A lot of travel scams will add on fees and service charges after you pay for it.

Travel scams are designed to trick victims and come in different forms. You should be very skeptical of phone, email, and mail offers that state you have won or been selected as the lucky winner. Deals offered by email are almost always a scam, and this is especially true more so for a contest you yourself have not even signed up or applied for. A lot of times you did not really win anything. You will be instead asked to pay a lot of fees to receive your “reward”. If you really won anything, it shouldn’t cost you anything to get your prize. It is like that old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.”

The author of this article Terrell, is the webmaster and owner of the new website Costa Rica Travel which is about his backpacking experience in Cloud Forest in Costa Rica.

Article source: http://www.articlescorner.com/article.php?article=158
More by Terrell James: http://www.articlescorner.com/user.php?user=61

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Here are some quick tips to make your travel easier and safer:

* Register so the State Department can better assist you in an emergency: Register your travel plans with the State Department. This will help them contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a crisis where you are traveling. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts will not be released to others without your express authorization.

* Sign passport, and fill in the emergency information: Make sure you have a signed, valid passport, and a visa, if required, and fill in the emergency information page of your passport.

* Leave copies of itinerary and passport data page: Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency. Keep an extra color copy of your passport and visa and stick it in your wallet. Secure your passport in the hotel safe and carry the copy wherever you go.

* Check your overseas medical insurance coverage: Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, consider supplemental insurance.

* Familiarize yourself with local conditions and laws: While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. Laws in other countries may be stricter than at your home country. Learn the laws before you go. Regardless of what country you are visiting; do not get involved in drugs.

* Take precautions to avoid being a target of crime: To avoid being a target of crime, do not wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money. Also, do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.

* Contact the embassy in an emergency: Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. The Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from the U.S. or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from overseas.

Prior planning will prevent future problems. It only takes a few minutes to register online, copy your passport, and check the local laws. It may save you minor aggravation or possibly time behind bars.

Larry Westfall is a frequent Thailand visitor and books his Krabi hotel through Resort Krabi
Submitted by: Article Publisher
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