ENJOY VACATION WITH USEFUL TIPS
There is nothing more relaxing than having a week or two to spend at the beach. Vacation homes are a wonderful change from staying at a large or impersonal motel or hotel, plus they have the added convenience of being close to or even right on the water, having all the amenities of a house, as well as being much larger than a hotel room or even a suite would be.
Many of the beach vacation homes available offer all the features of a hotel vacation. If you are considering a rental and are going through an agency or property management company, it is usually possible to have a rental car provided for you upon arrival. In addition, many companies and agencies can also offer bonded and professional cleaning staff, chefs and even tour guides that will personalize your beach vacation and really make it a holiday for everyone in the family.
If you would prefer to just be able to relax and enjoy the warm weather, beach vacation homes can offer a quiet, stress-free holiday environment. To ensure that you get the best possible rental property, be sure to check the following:
* Ensure that you know the full amount of the rental and any additional expenses that may be included. Most beach vacation homes, especially those that are right on the beach or at the water will book up at least one season in advance.
* Before sending a deposit or providing a credit card number for a deposit or reservation, fully understand the cancellation policy or any insurance that you may need to have on the property.
* Whether you are renting beach vacation homes from an individual or a company, be sure to get everything in writing before supplying a deposit or credit card information, especially if you have not rented through the company or from the individual before. A verbal agreement is not binding or legally valid in a court but a written, signed contract is a legal document.
* Finally, check the area in which the beach vacation home is located. While property right on the beach is great in quiet or secluded places, on busy beaches it can be a bit more stressful and noisy, especially if you are wanting a quiet vacation spot.
Doing some advanced research on beach vacation homes is simple through the internet or making a few phone calls. Planning your vacation is half the fun and knowing what you want and finding just the right beach vacation homes makes the holiday perfect for the whole family.
The family vacation is a tradition intended to bring families closer together and one that many of us would just not think of giving up. Quality time for the family reinforces the importance of family values. It's sort of a "time out" from the day to day routine of living and growing. A chance to focus on getting to know better those that are most important to us, our family. Of course, how much importance you place on this event depends on your past experiences.
In today's fast paced society a vacation just isn't a vacation unless its costing you a small fortune to get to, and stay at, some exotic venue that usually offers no excitement without dishing out more money. I suggest we put on the brakes and get back to basics. You surely won't have a better opportunity to do so than on the family vacation.
Let's not forget that the "family" extends beyond our home life. Most of us have family that we rarely get to spend time with either because of distance or time issues. But, one should always make time for family. Right? I knew you would agree! Not trying to make you feel guilty here but, we do have a way of letting life rush us through the years. I call it "non-intentional neglect" and most of us are guilty of it at some point in our lives. So, let's re-invent the family vacation to include some real quality time that reinforces the value of our families.
Would you consider a visit to grandparents, distant uncles, or a friend's home a vacation? When I was growing up, the family vacation usually meant visiting family members who lived some distance away. Coming from a family of limited finances, this tradition was budget friendly yet, was sufficient to satisfy our need to escape the norms of home life.
Of course, as the teen age years approached, it became harder and harder for my mom to convince us that "we would have a good time" visiting the relatives. Some of which we had already spent several vacations visiting and had, I guess, lost their uniqueness to us as teenagers. That said, if any of you can figure out what makes a teenager happy, except socializing with their own peers, then congrats! Let me know your secret. All kidding aside, I believe that they still enjoy the family outings but have a strong resistance to acknowledging that they are actually having fun. In other words, they are having fun and just refuse to admit it!
So, by all means plan to visit a family member's, or friend's, home for a week. Young children especially enjoy these trips. They make new friends and the family ties are strengthened. This is an excellent way to reinforce family values and the importance of keeping in touch with family members that may live some distance from your home.
Do a little research before you go. Find out if there are any museums, historical sites, low cost attractions, or state parks within driving distance from where you'll be staying and plan to visit. Remember to ask the family member or friend you are visiting if they have any suggestions. Since they live in the area, they will most likely be aware of popular spots. Ask about bowling, roller skating, or special movie nights in the area and plan accordingly. You can even plan some game or craft activities to keep everyone busy and having fun.
For those of you who have worn out your welcome or simply don't have family within a reasonable distance, finding vacation spots that will provide a memorable experience for everyone in the family can be a challenge. Especially on a tight budget. Don't be discouraged, it is not impossible. Plan for your vacation and include it in your budget. This is the easiest way to prepare for a vacation expense and take the stress out of planning.
Since the goal here is to get the most fun for your money, let's talk about some low cost vacation ideas that could be right for your family.
·Camping is a great low cost option for families that enjoy the outdoors. Don't worry, you don't have to sleep in a tent. There are lots of state parks that rent cabins for a very reasonable fee. As an added bonus, when you are registered at a state park, you gain free entrance into all state parks.
If you want to beach it, be sure to check out all your options for lodging. Sometimes a large family can do better by renting a condo or home for the week rather than staying at a hotel. Remember, you can save a tremendous amount of money if you can prepare your own meals while on vacation. A good portion of a families vacation budget can be literally "eaten up"! Even a little kitchenette in a suite can save you big bucks. If you're campers, you can almost always find a campground near popular beach areas and get maximum savings on lodging.
Don't forget your best resources, friends and family. Ask around to see if anyone has visited an area you plan to go. You may get lucky and have a "friend that has a friend" who maybe has a vacation spot they wouldn't mind renting to you for a lesser fee. Sometimes people won't rent out their vacation spots for various reasons, but don't mind doing so if the tenant is a trusted acquaintance of a friend or family member.
·When travel and lodging are cost prohibitive, you can still have a vacation right at home. Yes, in your own backyard. Many of us live within reasonable distance to museums, campgrounds, historic sites, and beautiful state parks. You might be surprised at what you find in your own local area.
Do some research in your area to find free or low cost activities and sites to visit. Schedule something for each day of the week, even if it's just a park visit for a picnic. Some areas have local public beaches. Plan an outing at a local public beach. Visit historical sites. Many of these are free, educational, and fun for parents and kids.
You can even plan activities at home just as if you were at an exotic vacation spot. Have a different theme for each day. For example:
- A beach day (sun tanning, volley ball, make some fancy icy drinks to sip on in the sun, have a picnic)
- A camp day (stay in a tent or sleeping bags under the stars, build a little fire if allowed in your area, roast marshmallows, make smores, sing campfire songs)
- Have a backyard fair (create booths with games like ring toss or balloon popping to win little prizes)
- A colonial day (dress, and live in another era!). This is great fun. I thought of this one purely by accident when the electricity went out one day. The kids expressed how "neat' it was to live like they did in the "old days." No lighting except candles and lanterns, no T.V. or radio, no video games or computer. Sounds boring, but believe it or not, they had fun coming up with ideas to keep occupied. A good teaching tool too! Shhhhhhhh….. don't tell the kids.
These "theme days" at home will take some imagination and a little work, but will be loads of fun for everyone. Half the fun will be in the creation, so let everyone pitch in. You may even have more fun than actually being there!
Whatever you decide to do, if you're traveling a great distance be sure to check all your travel options. With today's soaring gas prices it's not unlikely that you may be able to get there faster, and cheaper, in the air. Hey, maybe there's a conspiracy here?
If all this just doesn't fall into your category of "fun", and you just have to have that exotic resort vacation, then at least be sensible about it. There are many great deals on vacation packages and off season rentals. And oodles of travel agencies just waiting to tell you about them. This is one area where do-it-yourself isn't the most practical advice. Travel agencies are privy to a lot of travel information, especially seasonal discounts, that you and I don't have knowledge of. Do Your Research at least for goodness sake. You won't be kicking yourself later when you come across that great deal you missed out on!
Check out your local travel agencies, as well as some of the many online agencies. Don't forget, if you're an AAA member you’re eligible for travel discounts. Before finalizing any plans, be sure to know your rights. What happens if you have to cancel? What is the deadline to cancel? Will you loose your deposit or is it refundable? Know your options.
Being lost is one thing that really gets nerve-racking, especially if there is no one near to ask directions. But just as all problems have a solution, there are things you can do to make your ordeal easier and find your right way.
Technology
With mobile phones, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) devices and portable Internet devices you can always determine where you are and find the way you are supposed to go. The mobile phone is the easiest way, just call your friends or someone who has access to a map or the Internet and ask them for directions. GPS on the other hand is free across the country and can easily locate road maps and famous landmarks and destinations. If you have devices that could access the Internet thru Wi-Fi then it's time to log on and search for directions with online map resources.
The Old Way
If in case you are not a "technophile" and prefer the old way of doing things, there are still ways to get out of your situation. Like for instance a compass would be handy. Just look at where you are and start heading the direction you are supposed to go. If a compass is not available, just remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Road signs are also important; every highway or town has signs with arrows or directions on them. Just follow one sign until you find someone you can ask for directions.
Buying a map also does the trick before going to an unfamiliar place and familiarize yourself with the main highways and avenues. Also look for famous landmarks, stores, and malls and search for them when you get lost. The Internet is also a good way to do your research.
Foreign Land
If you are lost in a place where people doesn’t speak English, then make sure have an English-Native Language translation dictionary or book. Learn the words that are associated with directions like right, left, straight ahead, I’m lost, etc. If the book is not available make sure you research and learn the place you are going before you go.
The best way really to find your way in any place is to ask people for directions; if there is no one around and you are really lost, then you will have to try to find anyone you can to ask so that you can reach your destination more easily
The untold instinct of man to survive his everyday life pervades the ultimate reality of existence. When threatened with an unpredicted event, it is almost second nature for man to find ways to prolong his life.
Even with the onslaught of modern technology, it is imperative that man learns survival basics and alleviate himself from the bondage of innovation and technological advancement.
The key is to survive life’s challenges without the tools.
Beating cold weather, for instance, is one of the most basic survival skills that man has to learn. You never know when extreme cold will hit you unless you are magically powerful.
If you want to know how to survive cold weather without resorting to innovative devices such as heaters, here are some pointers:
1. Choose windows wisely
The key to cold weather survival is to find products that will stimulate heat within the area. Getting a double-glazed window, for example, will trap the heat inside your home.
Consequently, you do not have to depend on your heater most of the time just to survive the cold weather. With double-glazed windows in your home, there will be very little heat that will escape your home.
2. Be wary when choosing clothes
It is not practical that you just wear layers of clothes to trap heat from your body. The key is to wear clothes especially designed to trap body heat. These clothes have special fabrics that can lock in heat so that it helps keep you warm.
Do not rely totally on materials that may seem to protect you from extreme cold weather. Many clothing manufacturers are now trying to cut back the cost of producing cold weather materials by replacing them with fake ones.
Take “fur coats” as an example. Most fake fur coats cannot effectively function in the same way as true fur coats.
3. Trap the heat from the top
What most people do not know is that body heat is usually emitted from the top—the head. So it makes sense to stop the heat from escaping from your body by covering your head with a good winter hat.
Keep in mind that it will be totally useless to wear winter clothes if your head is not protected from cold weather.
These are just the basic ways to trap body heat and survive cold weather. By following this advice, you need not depend on heaters or other technological devices that require additional energy consumption.
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