Travel Tools

Now that you’ve picked one or two possible destinations and the approximate date, let’s start the research.

How to get there . . .

Whether you are travelling to Great Wall of China or Lake Superior Provincial Park you have to figure out how to get there.  For driving or to get a sense of how far you are traveling, Google Maps is great!  https://www.google.com/maps . It describes distance, travelling time, and alternate routes. The trip can be divided into sections determined by how much you want to drive and what you would like to see along the way.

For more exotic and distant locations, flying is the best option.  A great place to start is Google Flights for general information about flights, airlines, and costs. https://www.google.com/flights . Enter your city of origin and your destination, along with the dates and press the search button.

After some calculating the site will show you the results and list the airlines, departure times and costs. The chart also reveals if there are any stopovers. Stopovers can be fun, as long as they are not too long or too short. If you are not comfortable with flying, I recommend the direct flights so you can arrive faster and without the hassle of deplaning mid trip.

But don’t let Google be your only reference. Check out each of the airlines websites and see the different times and options. Do you want to check a bag or can you travel with only a carry-on bag? Do you prefer to select your seats? Would you like an upgrade that includes a meal? I usually select one grade up from the basic which MAY allow me to pick my seat, check one bag, and possible reschedule my flight within a certain time frame (usually for a fee). Every airline is different and you need to read the fine print carefully. I always like to call and ask questions . . .just to see how their customer service is? For instance, I wanted to fly on a Mexican budget airline. After checking the reviews on-line (more about that later) I discovered the main complaint was that they couldn’t find a service person to respond in English. This concerned me because if there is a problem during the trip, being able to communicate with the airline is essential. So, I called the airline early on a Sunday morning. I spoke to a pleasant person with a slight accent who efficiently answered all of my questions. I felt reassured and booked the flight.