1. Don’t always believe the airline’s website when it comes to using miles
After I was unable to find any mile-saver awards seats online for a wide selection of days and routes, I called the airline. An agent told me that the airline’s website can’t book seats for their partner airlines, but agents can. Within minutes, I had enough options that it was difficult to choose between them.
May Cronin, Dallas, Tex.
2. A hotel pool is hours of free fun
No matter where we traveled with our kids, the hotel pool was always a big plus. I used to pack a bag of items that made the pool even better, including a small flexible pool Frisbee, an inflatable beach ball, a few colourful plastic items, and last but not least, goggles to protect the kids’ eyes from the chlorine. I also brought along a few suction-cup hooks for hanging the wet suites inside the hotel tub for drip-drying.
Mary Crow, Glenville, Pa.
3. Tally spending at the end of a trip
Last year I traveled to Greece with three friends. We knew we didn’t want to spend time calculating proportionate shares of the dinner bills, so we kept a running tab of all expenses in a little note-book. Whoever was up for it would pay a bill, so only one person at a time fussed with money, and this way we all kept pretty close to even. At the end of the trip, the totalexpense amount was divided evenly, and those who’d paid less reimbursed those who had
paid more.
Mary Davis, Round Rock, Tex.
4. Prevent accidents in showers abroad
Grab rails and nonskid surfaces aren’t common in European bathtubs and showers. I pack a few decorative rubber pads that have nonadhesive suction cups, so I can use them when I needed to prevent a slip or fall, and then I take them with me to the next hotel.
Martin Day, Raleigh, N.C.
5. Check out overseas pensions if you’re planning to retire overseas
OIf you’re planning to retire overseas it’s worth checking out QROPS overseas pension schemes as a way to save taxes on your pension in your retirement.
Phillipa Elliotts, Rhinebeck, N.Y.
Got a travel tip to share? Leave it as a comment below…
Would like to know how to carry suit without getting it wrinkled
Remember to always leave a name tag INSIDE your checked luggage. This will help when luggage is lost due to a missing label or customs search.
Women traveling alone should plan their arrival times, when possible, to arrive at the hotel close to check-in time. that way they are not sitting around a hotel lobby, obviously by themselves and a target for some enterprising con artist.
re- slippery shower in US and abroad. we just use one of the hotel hand towels on the bottom of the shower.