Even with the best travel plan, various things may still go wrong. Hotel and flight reservations get misplaced from time to time. Sometimes, it could be a result of human error or system malfunction. It may also be due to late bookings or the failure of your travel agent to make the required reservations. Nevertheless, the following are guidelines on what to do if your travel reservations go wrong. 

Contact your Travel Agent 

The job of a travel agent is to make the reservations for your travel needs including flights and accommodations. As such, they should be your first call whenever something goes wrong with the reservations. Your travel agent will try to resolve the issues with the airline or hotel in the most convenient way so your trip is not badly affected. 

Travel agents have reliable contacts that they can use to resolve the problems much faster and amicably without so much disruption. In case the inconvenience is a result of the negligence of the travel agency, they are entitled to pay you. 

Get in Touch with Customer Service 

The Customer Service for your flight or hotel can also come in handy whenever something goes wrong with your bookings. The contacts for their customer service agents can always be found on their websites. The agents will follow up on the issue as per the company’s policy and offer the necessary assistance. 

Depending on the problems with your reservations, the Customer Service may refer you to the department dealing with reservations or offer other alternatives. As such, the process may take some time. 

It is normal to panic whenever something goes wrong with your travel reservations. However, that only impacts confusion that could end up ruining your trip. The best way to resolving such situations is to immediately contact your travel agency or the Customer Service for your airline or hotel. 

Travel insurance is one of the essentials that you should always have when traveling. While it might sometimes seem unnecessary to some people, travel insurance offers you a solid backup plan whenever things go wrong. It can cover your medical expenses on the road, accommodations during canceled flights, and the costs of lost luggage among other issues. However, you can only get the best coverage with the right travel insurance. The following is a checklist for choosing the right travel insurance policy. 

The Covered Destinations 

While some travel insurance policies offer cover to multiple travel destinations, others are limited to particular destinations. Depending on your travel plans, it is advisable to consider buying a travel insurance policy that covers all or most of the destinations included in the itinerary. The cover should also apply to any other places that you plan to make stop-over along the way. 

The Level of Medical Cover 

Most travel insurance policies cover emergency health issues but, you should not assume that it will apply to all cases. Find out the amount of medical coverage and the specific health emergency circumstances offered in the policy. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, make sure that it is covered by the insurance. You should also know how much more money you will be required to pay to get assistance in case of a different health emergency not included in the policy. 

The Amount of Coverage for Luggage and Valuables 

Many travel insurance packages today will also provide coverage for your luggage and belongings when traveling. However, the amount of coverage varies from one policy to another. For instance, some policies offer coverage for luggage and valuables worth $500 to $5,000. To be safe, you should choose a policy that offers adequate cover for your luggage and valuables. 

The Covered Activities 

You can easily sustain injuries when engaging in outdoor activities like diving, hiking, and swimming. Thus, it is also important to check the particular activities covered by travel insurance based on the things that you plan to do. 

Choosing the right travel insurance can be overwhelming to beginner travelers but, the secret mainly lies in understanding the goals of your trip. The above ideas will help you to easily determine the right travel insurance for every trip.

Whether you are planning a short or long haul trip, bad weather is a significant challenge that could negatively affect your adventure. But, it does not mean that you should refrain from traveling during the bad weather. The following tricks can help you to beat bad weather when traveling. 

Watch the Skies 

Bad weather can be very unpredictable, especially if you are visiting an area that you have never been to before. For your safety, it is important to first do some research about the weather forecasts in your destination beforehand. Even after arrival at the destination, you should stay up to date with the local weather forecast. 

Create a Flexible Travel Plan 

When traveling during bad weather, chances are that you will experience interruptions from time to time. Flights may delay and some attraction sites may also be closed during bad weather. To get the most of your trip, have a flexible travel plan with alternative things to do and places to visit in case the weather gets out of hand. Sometimes, you may even need to rearrange the entire plan. 

Go Local 

Despite how bad the weather gets, there are popular spots where the locals usually retreat to hang out during such times. Instead of locking yourself up in the hotel, find out some of the local entertainment and food joints where the locals meet during the rainy seasons. The local cafes, restaurants, and eateries can be great places to spend time exploring the culture and interacting with the locals during bad weather. 

Find the Silver Lining 

As bad as it may sound, bad weather does can sometimes be the best time to take adventures. In some places, poor weather conditions offer the best opportunities for travel photography. Besides, some attractions only come alive during bad weather. 

Indeed, bad weather causes a lot of panic for travelers. However, proper preparation and flexibility are the greatest weapons for beating the bad weather. So, embrace Mother Nature and dare to experience the glory that comes with it. 

In the past, traveling was only left to famous people with fat bank accounts. However, today it is an activity that attracts people from all walks of life. People travel for various reasons but, there are key inspirations behind every trip. The following are some of the main things that inspire most people to go on trips. 

Learning New Things 

Whether you are a local or international traveler, traveling exposes you to new environments and activities. Most people take trips to gain a wider perspective of things and gain new experiences or skills. Each travel destination offers something unique that travelers can learn from even by just watching how the locals do their day-to-day tasks. 

There is so much to learn from traveling including new cultures, languages, cuisines and recreational activities. Some also travel to gain new career skills, for example, visiting the vineyards in France to know how to prepare wine or taking a catering course to learn how to make certain kinds of foods. 

Relaxation 

Due to the busy lifestyles that most people live today, quite a number opt to take trips often for some relief. Traveling to a beach or going an adventure trip for even a week or two provides the much-needed break from the normal lifestyle. That enables people to relax and re-energize for their next steps. Most people take trips to escape from demanding jobs, break-ups or divorce, loss of loved ones and other challenging situations. 

Overcoming Challenges 

Traveling is a great way for people to test their limits and, see how far they can go in different situations. Sometimes, it is something that you have always wanted to do but, never had the time or courage to follow it through. As such, most people go on the road to discover their resourcefulness. Overcoming challenges instills a sense of self confidence and discipline that enables people to aim higher and achieve more in life. 

Apart from the reasons discussed above, most people also travel to appreciate life, build strong relationships and celebrate different things or events in their lives. 

Tips for Traveling with Your Best Friend

Most people say their most memorable trips were with their best friends. However, there are also some who think traveling with your best friend is not a good idea. Nevertheless, going on an adventure with your best friend is an exclusive opportunity for you to spend time together and strengthen the bond of friendship. Below are tips to keep in mind when planning a trip with your best friend.

Plan the Trip Together

Since you will be traveling together, it is critical that both of you are fully involved in the planning. Whether it is choosing attractions to visit, things to do, places to sleep or even how to travel, make sure your friend is on the same page. When you start making the decisions together, there are higher chances things will go on smoothly throughout the trip.

Let Each Person Manage Their Own Money

Money and friendships never stay together for too long. Sharing money can easily impact conflicts that might end up ruining the entire adventure. Let every person handle their own money but, be cautious not to overspend and start burdening your friend before the trip ends.

Accept Your Mistakes, Forgive and Move On

This is where most relationships usually get ruined. It is not hard to own your mistakes. Instead of holding it for later or ranting about it throughout the trip, simply accept and let the adventure continue. If your friend owns his or her mistakes, forgive and get back on the trip. Simple words like sorry can always go a long way in keeping the peace.

While traveling with your best friend can be an amazing experience, it could also present some challenges. However, you should focus on the positives, practice the above tips and just let things flow. Instead of worrying about what might become of your relationship, consider the trip a chance for both of you to make things better just the way you want them.

The Most Common Solo Travel Fears and How to Overcome Them

Generally, there are so many people out there yearning to become solo travelers. However, so after have a conversation with my pal Justin of On The Rocks Party Halls, he shares that quite a good number are still skeptical about the adventure because of their perceived fears. Just like in other careers, there are several fears to solo travels too that you must be ready to face head on in order to fulfill your dream. The following are the most common solo travel fears and how to overcome them.

I Do Not Think I’m Outgoing

Solo travels are not only for extroverts or super active personalities. If you are the timid or shy kind of a person, taking things easy can still help you fit in well with strangers when visiting new places. However, it is advisable to start by touring places you are familiar like attractions in your country to build confidence.  

I’m Worried about Travel Costs

Traveling solo can be one of the best ways to see the world for less since you do not have to compromise on where you stay, sleep, visit or things to do. Consider cost cutting alternatives like booking accommodation in dorms, early flight bookings and others.

How Can I Be Sure of My Safety?

This is a concern for every traveler including those who travel with big groups. While there is always no guarantee of safety even during group trips, solo travels require that you take extra care of yourself. The first step is choosing destinations that you are comfortable visiting.

What If I Start To Feel Homesick?

Traveling solo requires that you start to get used to your own company because you will be relying on yourself most of the times. Whenever you start to feel homesick, try something that will make you feel comfortable at the new environment like engaging the locals. You can also use the opportunity to start something g interesting like a diary.

Traveling solo is indeed a rewarding experience that can change your life for the better. But, you must first address your fears using the above insights in order to experience the benefits of solo travel.

The Most Romantic Islands to Travel to in 2019

Whether you are craving unique adventure, culture or just a relaxed retreat by the beach with your better half, visiting an island can deliver a remarkable experience. Unlike offshore destinations, islands can sometimes be hard to find. But, that should not discourage you and your partner from getting the desired experience. Below are the most romantic islands to travel to in 2019 that should be in your bucket list.

The Maldives

Commonly described as the tropical paradise, the Maldives is a collection of archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The islands are mainly sought after by many because of their turquoise waters, pure white sandy beaches and abundance of marine life. Some of the activities that you should try out when visiting the Maldives include snorkeling, home cooked food tasting, scuba diving and submarine tour.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini, Greece is one of the most popular islands in the world that will make your romantic getaway truly amazing. The island features ancient cities, stunning beaches, sumptuous local cuisines, wine and volcanic landscapes. Apart from just the beauty of the island, there are lots of things to do too including swimming, snorkeling, wine tasting, Catamaran cruising, scuba diving, parasailing, vineyard tours among others.

Palawan, Philippines

Palawan is an exotic archipelago that has been rated the most beautiful island in the world many times. This stunning island has a refined tropical allure that will no doubt make your romantic retreat simply amazing. While it is popular for fishing, diving and hiking, there are several other things to do in Palawan including underground river tour, firefly watching, island hopping, buffet lunch cruising, dining, snorkeling and more.

Other romantic islands that you should also consider when planning a getaway in 2019 include French Polynesia, Seychelles, Cook Islands, Hawaii, Saint Lucia and Capri, Italy. Regardless of the destination that you choose, all the above islands have something unique to make your romantic retreat an experience of a lifetime.