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No matter if you are travelling in your own country or abroad, safety should be one of your priorities. Nothing can ruin a trip more quickly than falling victim to petty crime, but unfortunately travelers are often victims of violent crime that can have devastating effects.

To help keep you, and your travelling companions, safer try following these ten tips.

Arrive at your destination during the day

Big cities can be eerily frightening at night. Small towns can look almost deserted. No matter your destination, arriving during the day allows you to get your bearings and acclimate yourself much easier than at night.

Be confident

Walk like you know where you are going with your head and eyes up. If you are constantly checking your bearings or your map you are going to draw instant attention. Map out your routes in your hotel room or in your car when no one can see you.

Carry a throw away wallet

When held up, a robber generally just wants some cash. If you have a decoy wallet with a small, but decent amount of cash and a few older membership cards (not credit cards) you can usually give this up and avoid the situation from escalating. You lose the money, but you don’t lose the documentation or credit cards.

Use the hotel room safe

Many people hate being squeezed for a few extra bucks by their hotel, but this certainly beats having your laptop, iPod or jewelry stolen by the staff or a thief that targets hotel rooms.

Ask the concierge

In larger cities, a dangerous neighborhood can easily be just a few blocks away from one of the nicer areas. Ask the hotel concierge about areas to avoid when leaving the hotel. They may even be able to alert you to some of the more common crime trends that have been on the local news.

Ease up on the alcohol

A person who is visibly tipsy is a much easier mark for any criminal than someone who is clearly sober. Add to it the tendency to make poor decisions when you are inebriated and you have a perfect mix for becoming a victim of crime.

Photocopy documents

While this doesn’t help prevent crime, it does help you recover faster if you are a victim. Having passport information, credit card numbers, driver’s license information, etc. at your fingertips will help you get back on your feet more quickly.

Divide up valuables

Packing all of your jewelry or electronics in one bag may make sense, until your bag is stolen. Keep expensive items separate so that thieves can’t snatch everything in one easy grab.

Consider credit cards over cash

Sure it may cost a bit more, but if your cards are stolen you can cancel them and dispute fraudulent charges. Once the cash is gone, it’s gone.

Avoid packing unnecessary valuables

If you don’t bring it with you, it can’t get stolen on your trip. If you don’t need something avoid packing it along just in case.

Bonus tip – Check your credit card statements closely after travelling. While it may be safer to use plastic over paper, credit card numbers can be stolen and used fraudulently. Make sure yours wasn’t lifted by a local by checking your account.

Jeff writes for the Consumer Media Network’s travel insurance blog where you can find more information about travel insurance and travel safety.

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The  holidays are almost upon us and the travel sector is abuzz with activity. Between visiting family and friends and escaping from the cold winter, boarding a plane has never looked so good. This year, try something new! Here are 5 of the most popular travel destinations this year:

Paris
This one has always remained a favorite with holiday revelers – the place on earth where the reigning religion is Gastronomy and the holy trinity seems to be Fashion, food and wine. The style capital of the world promises a great experience for the Christmas holidays. Shop till you drop in the day time and sip cool French wine in the evenings and enjoy the fireworks in the night sky. The lighting and celebrations at the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Champs Elysees are Parisian highlights during Christmas.

New York
Christmas is no less electrifying in The Big Apple. Plenty of shopping to be done at Fifth Avenue; ice-skating at the Rockefeller Centre is always a big favorite. Attending the Mass at St. Patrick’s cathedral is another joy that holidays in New York entail. Although the weather is surely cold, New York remains one of the hottest holiday destinations.

Goa
This beautiful state in the south of India is a must-visit during Christmas. The Christmas spirit permeates everything in the place during this time. Beaches with all night parties, excellent wines and drinks, and the best sea food that you have ever tasted this side of the globe, that is what Goa is all about. Magnificent old churches add to the charm. The old Portuguese colony still retains some of its ancient culture and the best part about Goa is that it is one of the most remarkable yet cheapest destinations.

Las Vegas
The sin city cannot be far behind in any list of popular destinations for any time. But it does out beats itself during Christmas time. Every casino in the place has something new and outlandish to offer visitors. Exciting shopping malls, The Ethel M Chocolate factory and the cactus garden are all worth a visit. The Fremont street experience is quite something else.

Rio de Janeiro
A land of spectacular beauty, fascinating religious places and music concerts, this place is a sight during Christmas. The famous floating of the colossal Christmas tree on the lake Lagoa, washing church steps with beautifully scented water, the numerous Christmas fairs and craft shows are just some of the few things that Rio de Janeiro offers.

So, get busy, make your bookings, and catch all the fun at one of these places during Christmas.

Olivia Meloon is a travel blogger and contributing writer for manchesterairporthotels.net, a site which helps travels get the best Manchester airport hotel rates.

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Whether you have a big dog or a small dog, your fluffy, cold-nosed friend can get sick, stressed, uncomfortable, or even lost while traveling on long road trips. How do you plan, prepare, and execute a long road trip with a dog? Well there is no visitors guide to tell you exactly what hotels to choose or give you tips on how to keep your dog happy, but these tips can serve as a guide for how you can keep your dog safe and happy while you are on the road:

Get them comfortable by practicing. Your pets have probably already encountered road trips before. However, those road trips probably trigger some bad memories that include images of the scary vet with cold hands and shots, or rides in which they were so scared they became sick. Because of these memories you dog will, like many dogs, not like your vehicle and you may have a really hard time just getting them to the car door. You need to make them comfortable by doing practice road trips. First, start by getting them to the car. This could take a while so be sure to use plenty of praise and treats when they make a step in the right direction. Once they are comfortable being inside the car, drive around a little maybe go the park and then let them explore. Make your dog associate the car with good things instead of bad things.

Plan ahead. If you are planning a really long road trip with your dog it is a good idea to plan ahead because there are many hotels that do not allow pets.

Bring collars, leashes, and chips. Many people suggest microchipping your pets before a trip and keeping your contact information up to date just in case your fluffy friend goes missing. Also be sure to bring leashes for bathroom and walk breaks.

Have some “just in case” cleaning supplies. No matter how comfortable your dog is with the car there is always the possibility of an accident. Be sure to have some “just in case” cleaning supplies so that your dog does not have to sit in his mess and so that you do not have to smell it.

Keep them safe. Some people may think it is cruel to crate their dog while on a really long trip, but this is probably the safest way for them to travel. Keeping the crated will keep them from distracting drivers and it will keep them safe in case of an accident.

Limit amount of food: Feed your dog a little breakfast before the trip then I would be very careful about giving them food while on the road. Many dogs may throw up or have stress induced diarrhea so it is a good idea to be sparing with food.

Provide plenty of breaks. Be sure to make plenty of stops so your dog can go to the bathroom, walk around and even explore a little. Make the trip fun for them too.

Madison Hewerdine is an author who likes to write a visitors guide for road trips and has a passion for warm weather.

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I spent the this week at the Florida Realtors convention in Orlando and had a great time meeting new people and running into people I already knew. When I went to book my hotel I was surprised on how difficult it was to find hotels in the Disney area.

So I created a map with one of my affiliates Hotels.com who offers many great discounts for hotels on their website and even shows the best available price. If you are visiting Orlando and the Disney area anytime soon here is the map below with the hotel price ranges and location to Disney. Click on view larger map to see the price range and list of hotels.

View Orlando Hotels in a larger map

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There is no doubt air travel can be quite expensive especially when traveling as a family. Being as frugal as I am and someone who loves to save  money I do research as many travel websites as possible. Although I don’t travel very often when I do I like to save as much money as I possible can on air travel and hotels.  When you have the time and flexibility to book your travel plans you have the best shot at getting an affordable price on your travel airfare. I hope to be booking a trip to Las Vegas again pretty soon so I will begin my travel search at these sites below.

Some sites I use which are all affiliates of mine are

• Expedia where you can get Last minute flight deals at Expedia.com Expedia is the travel website to go to when booking those last minute travel plans.
• Travelocity Saves You on Flights, Hotels, Car Rentals, Cruises and More.
• Flight Network   is able to offer some of the best travel benefits to its customers & affiliates. They also offer a price drop guarantee which is nice.

These are some of the travel websites I use when traveling how bout you ? Have you utilized any of the these discount travel websites when booking your vacations? What are some other air travel websites you have used?

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When it comes to vacation travel most peoples first thought is to find a local hotel or motel in their vacation destination. There is a fast growing market when it comes to vacation rentals and that would be the vacation rental by owner market. Many families are turning to vacation home rentals which can range from single family homes, townhomes, or condos.Florida happens to be the most visited vacation destination for tourist.

Florida a popular vacation destination known for it’s great weather and fantastic beaches. The Disney Orlando area being one of the most popular destination for families looking to travel and can get some great all inclusive packages here Universal Orlando® Resort: Stay a week, save at least 30% plus get exclusive theme park benefits! -

Your vacation planning usually begins with accommodations and if you are looking for Florida places to stay from affordable to luxurious Florida vacation rentals by owner is where you can begin. Also a great resource to find things to do and places to see. Best Florida spring break destinations and best Florida beaches.

Although hotels and motels are still popular you may want to research and look into booking a Florida vacation rental by owner. The advantages being that you have a full size kitchen, vrbo’s are usually larger than a hotel, you can also cut costs if vacationing with another group or family.

When traveling on vacation do you prefer booking a hotel or a vacation rental by owner?

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I have been living in Florida for eight years now and this has been by far the coldest winter since I have been here. Typically we will have a few weeks of cold weather but this year has been ridiculous. I will tell you what I am not going to complain once this summer of how hot it is because I don’t enjoy the cold weather and I am looking forward to Florida heating up again. It is funny how we all complain about the weather like we have any control of it. So much for global warming huh?

I just hope it warms up for all those students getting ready for spring break in Florida. The thing about living in Florida it always feels like you are on vacation, well that is how I feel anyways even though I am always working.

There are so many places in Florida I still want to visit like the Florida Keys, St Augustine, and many more cities. Florida is such a big state it will be tough to see them all. I have some places covered so far including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Sarasota and just recently Daytona Beach including of course where I live and work as a Tampa Bay Realtor.

So tell me do you live or plan on vacationing in Florida? Tell me your experiences of the sunshine state.

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If you are a vacation rental owner in the states of Florida and Massachusetts I wanted to let you know of two sites you can add your vacation rental for free.

Living in Florida I know there are many options you have when it comes to what part of Florida you want to vacation in and finding affordable destinations can be a dubious task. Florida Vacation Rentals has all the information in all the areas of Florida with information on places to stay, things to do, and general vacation information.

I grew up in Massachusetts and always looked forward to vacationing on Cape Cod during the summer. The Cape and Provincetown are the hot vacation spots during the hot summer months and fall seasons in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vacation Rentals offers affordable vacation accommodations and general information on things to do in Cape Cod and the state of Massachusetts.

So whether you are looking for a vacation rental or an owner of a vacation rental please check out these two sites for more information.

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Best way to save money on gas

With the price of oil going through the roof, everyone is now looking for ways to save on gas. There are some small things like paying cash at  the pump which can save you 3-5 cents per gallon a lot of gas stations will advertise a price but it is actually higher if you pay with a debit or credit card. There are many effecient ways to increase your gas mileage simply by doing little things like the following

• replace dirty air filters
• keeping the right air pressure in tires
• driving the speed limit
• braking properly, avoid unnecesary braking (overbraking)
• use cruise control
• if engine going to be idle longer than thirty seconds turn car off

Of course the best way is to limit driving when you can or car pooling, buying a hybrid vehicle or riding a bike. These are not always possible of course so make sure you follow the gas saving tips above.

Ever wonder how much gas you have left when you car says empty? , well a report on 20/20 says that most cars have more than several miles left when the gage reads E . There is even a website called www.tankonempty.com that will tell you what the average miles your cars has left when it does read empty.

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I bet you didn’t know today was national train day? Why would you know that but it is. Amtrak is celebrating today May 10th as national train day and is hosting events with live entertainment and entertainment personalities such as Al Roker, singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles,  and the Harlem Globetrotters. Amtrak will be showing off their new high speed train which runs between New York and Boston.

Amtrak choose May 10 as national train day because this was the day of the first transcontinental railroad.

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