Is it wise to travel away from home while your house is empty

Did you know that potential break-in artists could be waiting to burglarize your home while you are on holidays? And who is going to mow the lawn while you're away? Who will watch for fires or leaks in the hot-water heating system? An empty house can be a recipe for disaster!

Career criminals will be on the alert for things like:

* Yards with untrimmed hedges and unwatered lawns

* More than a day's worth of newspapers inside the screen door

* Windows that reveal no change in lighting during the night

* An absent vehicle in the garage or driveway

* Full garbage bins that are not set out on collection day

* Mail carriers skipping a house because of redirected mail

* Nobody answering the door when someone rings the bell

Crafty criminals will often ring the doorbell themselves before attempting a break-in. If you are at home, they will have a reasonable story like: 'I am conducting a survey of homeowners in the area to see if they are happy with the local school system.'

No thief wants to be caught, and no burglar will want to put more effort than necessary into a robbery. Criminals are by necessity suspicious (and lazy as well). Anything you can do to make your house more challenging is likely to deter them. A good security system is a commendable first step.

But is a security system enough? Maybe you should investigate hiring a housesitter. A housesitter can help prevent break-ins, and can also monitor for fires, roof leaks, and other potential home emergencies.

The internet is full of helpful sites. An internet search for keywords and phrases similar to the following will help you to locate a good sitter:

* house sitting services

* find house sitter

* professional housesitters

* experienced home sitter

* pet sitting service

At the end of this article is a link to a page containing several search engines.

As a homeowner, you can usually post a free ad in a housesitter directory. Many sites will have an auto e-mail service that notifies you whenever a new housesitter registers in your community. Housesitting services may include:

* Mowing the lawn and trimming the hedge

* Watering houseplants

* Walking, feeding, and caring for pets

* Picking up mail and newspapers

* Paying bills

* Answering the telephone

Homesitters come from various walks of life - and ages may vary from late teens/early twenties to ?? Typical sitters might be:

* Retirees

* A world traveller who is trying to conserve on expenses

* A college student trying to make ends meet

* A person who needs a place to stay during home renovations

* Someone new in the community

In recompense for their services, a home sitter will receive free rent and (usually) an additional fee. Sitters are normally responsible for their own food and telephone calls.

It is important that all arrangements are in writing. Some of the important points you should include in your written contract include:

* How long the sitter is permitted to be away from the premises

* The maximum number of guests allowed ('zero' being an option)

* Expectations for pet, plant, and yard care

* What should happen in case of illness or emergency

* Exact duration of house-sitting contract

* What will happen if your return home is delayed

If you are working with a professional housesitting service, be sure that it does appropriate security checks on its employees. If you are hiring a private sitter, ask local law enforcement authorities what is needed for you to perform your own background investigations.

This article is just a short primer on the subject of homesitting. Be sure to spend sufficient time doing individual research long before your holidays.

. . . And Happy Travels!

Finding inexpensive lodging in europe

Many first time travelers make the incorrect assumption that a European vacation is beyond their means, but this is often not the case.

One of the biggest costs associated with any vacation, including travel to countries in Europe, is lodging, but it is possible to fund budget accommodations that are clean, safe and centrally located.

One of the secrets to finding affordable budget accommodations when traveling to Europe is to check out the many bed and breakfast hotels that are common in Europe. The average bed and breakfast in Europe is much different than its American counterpart.

Whereas many bed and breakfast’s in the United States are luxurious, and expensive destinations, Europeans generally regard bed and breakfast hotels as inexpensive places to stay, and they can be much more affordable than hotels in similar locations.

Most bed and breakfast hotels in European destinations are small, family run hotels.

In many cases, the family has their living quarters right on the premises, and the hotel generally provides free breakfast with the price of the room.

There are many places to look for European bed and breakfast hotels, including the Internet, destination travel guides, Internet news groups and travel review web sites.

While some of the larger bed and breakfast hotels have their own web sites, many do not, and word of mouth is often the best way to find them.

There are also booking services that will book the bed and breakfast hotel for you for a small fee (usually around 10%). These booking services can be very valuable, especially if you do not speak the local language.

Even if you did not plan ahead, chances are you will still be able to find an affordable bed and breakfast hotel when you arrive.

The arrivals area of most European airports has at least one booking desk to help travelers without reservations find affordable accommodations. Just be sure you have a local map handy so you don’t get stuck with a hotel in the middle of nowhere.

There are some important things to keep in mind when booking a bed and breakfast or similar budget accommodations in European destinations.

There are important differences in lodgings between Europe and the United States, and first time travelers to Europe are often caught unawares.

Below is a list of items to consider when booking lodging for your European vacation:

1. Your budget accommodations will likely be clean, but basic. In most cases the surroundings will not be fancy or luxurious, but they will be functional and clean.

2. The rooms at a budget hotel or bed and breakfast will probably be small, and closet space may be limited or even non-existent.

3. The least expensive rooms will have bathroom and shower facilities located down the hall, while more expensive rooms may have an in room bathroom and tub.

4. A room that has only a shower will usually be less costly than one that includes a bathtub as well. If this is an important consideration, be sure to ask about the bathroom facilities when making your reservation.

5. Rooms equipped with a double bed are generally less costly than those with twin beds.

6. If you are driving, there is almost always an extra charge for parking. Be sure to ask about the parking charge when making your reservation.

7. Be sure to buy a good map of the city you will be visiting, and make sure the hotel or bed and breakfast you choose is centrally located. It is often better to choose lodging that it within walking distance of several attractions you will be visiting, even if the room is slightly more expensive. Choosing a centrally located hotel or bed and breakfast will save you both time and money for transportation.

8. When booking your lodging, be sure the price you are quoted includes all local taxes and applicable fees.

How to find cheap disney tickets

Did you know that there are plenty of opportunities out there for cheap Disney tickets? Many people do not realize that they do have the ability to get a great price on these theme parks. If you take a bit of time, though, you really can find a good deal. There are several things you need to consider here. Tickets for the park’s admission, discounts on hotels and lodging, and discounts on food are three areas that you can save a great deal if you invest a bit of time in finding them.

To find any discounts on any or all of these products, consider these options.

• Sign up for websites that sponsor notifications, discount travel and other opportunities. You will be surprised to learn that Disney almost always has something great happening in the way of discounts. Being aware of what is happening is essential.

• Family packs. You can often save a great deal of money on Disney tickets by working with family packs. There are also season tickets that are quite beneficial if you plan to make it down to the parks more than one time per year. Consider these if they fit your specific needs.

• Deals galore! Disney has plenty of great deals in line for those that want them. For example, if you go during the off season times, even just a few weeks after school is back in session, you can save thousands of dollars with things like dining packages that are free (yes, you eat free the time that you are there!) and discounts on lodging.

• Work with a highly skilled and honest travel agent. The good news is that Disney employs many of these Disney specific agents. That means that they are not going to be telling you about all the expensive stuff, but they will work with you to get you the best deals and the cheap Disney tickets you are after. They can often tell you when you should go, how to go, and help you to find discounts to match all that you are doing while you are there.

Learning how to save on your Disney vacation happens when you spend the time researching what you want to do and how you will do it. You can save money on admission tickets simply by knowing when is the right time to travel. You can save money on your airline tickets, your lodging, and your meals. For example, if you plan to stay at the Disney resort, you may qualify for a package deal that drastically lowers the cost. If you plan to stay off of the resort itself, you may be able to save on things such as transportation and lodging.

Take the time to learn what is offered to you. You will quickly see that there are plenty of options available to those that are considering a great vacation without spending a whole lot of their cash just to walk in the door. Being flexible and doing your online research will save you in the long run.

10 tips when traveling by car with children

With the rising costs of airfares and the increasing time it takes to get through security at the airports; more and more families are deciding to travel by car for their vacation. Most of us with young children are returning to the days we grew up in where we traveled most places by car with our parents.

We started asking other friends for how they make the trip go easier and how they beat the "Are we there yets?", here's ten tips to help your car vacation go a lot easier:

1. Decide do your kids do better in the early morning or evening hours for traveling? Which ever it is plan your travel to match, for this us our kids don't travel well in the morning they do much better if we leave after 2:00pm and travel into the evening.

2. Stock your car with favorite pre-bagged snacks for everyone, even parents, a cooler with lots of water and favorite drinks, colored pencils, crayons, a few coloring books, sticker books, travel games, and a travel journal for older kids.

3. Take along Gameboys & games, personal CD/cassette players (even for little kids), and you can get books on tape from the library.

4. Do consider a portable DVD player, this makes 5 or 6 hour a day seem like 2 hours. It also cuts a lot of the unnecessary stops as the kids are involved in the movie playing.

5. To avoid the difficulty of hauling in a suitcase for every person into a hotel for the 1 night stops. Pack a 3 day bag into which each person contributes 3 days worth of clothes. This way you take one suitcase of clothes in every three days.

6. Do pack a lightweight table cloth for outdoor lunch stops along the way.

7. Be sure to take the digital camera you'll create lifetime memories.

8. Do get postcards from every major destination along the way.

9. All kids are different but in general don't drive as far as the adults can go in one day, try to keep car travel to a 6 to 8 hour range of time.

10. Don't fill the inside of the car to the brim causing less space for the kids, instead consider a car topper for safe keeping of your belongings.

Have a great family vacation.

Passport safety tips

Protect Your Passport

Your passport is the most valuable document that you will carry abroad. It confirms your U. S. citizenship. Please guard it carefully. Do not use it as collateral for a loan or lend it to anyone. It is your best form of identification. You will need it when you pick up mail or check into hotels, embassies or consulates.

When entering some countries or registering at hotels, you may be asked to fill out a police card listing your name, passport number, destination, local address, and reason for travel. You may be required to leave your passport at the hotel reception desk overnight so that it may be checked by local police officials. These are normal procedures required by local laws. If your passport is not returned the following morning, immediately report the impoundment to local police authorities and to the nearest U. S. embassy or consulate.

Passport Fraud

Law enforcement records show that U. S. passports are sometimes used for illegal entry into the United States, or by criminals abroad seeking to establish another identity. This can cause embarrassment to innocent U. S. citizens whose names become associated with illegal activities. To protect the integrity of the U. S. passport and the security of the person bearing it, consular officers overseas have found it necessary to take precautions in processing lost passport cases. These precautions may involve some delay before a new passport is issued.

Safeguard Your Passport

Carelessness is the main cause for losing a passport or having it stolen. You may find that you have to carry your passport with you because you need to show it when you cash traveler's checks or the country that you are visiting requires you to carry it as an identity document. When you must carry your passport, hide it securely on your person. Do not leave it in a handbag or in an exposed pocket. Whenever possible, leave your passport in the hotel safe, not in an empty hotel room, and not packed in your luggage. One family member should not carry all the passports for the entire family.

Guard Against Thieves

Coat pockets, handbags, and hip pockets are particularly susceptible to theft. Thieves will use all kinds of ploys to divert your attention just long enough to pick your pocket and grab your purse or wallet. These ploys include creating a disturbance, spilling something on your clothing, or even handing you a baby to hold!

You can try to prevent theft by carrying your belongings in a secure manner. For example, consider not carrying a purse or wallet when going along crowded streets.

Women who carry a shoulder bag should keep it tucked under the arm and held securely by the strap. Men should put their wallets in their front trouser pockets or use money belts instead of hip pockets. A wallet wrapped in rubber bands is more difficult to remove without notice. Be especially cautious in a large crowd - in the subway, on buses, at the marketplace, at a festival, or if surrounded by groups of vagrant children. Do not make it easy for thieves!

I always make a color copy of my passport and visa and carry that with me and secure my passport in the hotel safe. Some countries require you to always carry your passport on your person. But, most will not have a problem if you carry a color copy.

Tips to glide through customs

When you enter a foreign country, you will have to go through Passport/Immigration and Customs. Here you will have your passport stamped to gain entry to the country. You will also have to go through customs and possibly have your luggage inspected.

This will depend on what you declare on your arrival form. This is the one that you fill out in the airplane. It will also depend on how you look.

You may think that I am talking about profiling whether it be racial profiling or otherwise, but what I am talking about is how you appear to the security inspectors.

I always dress half-way decent when I travel. I do not wear a suit and tie but at the same time I don’t wear cut-off shorts, sandals and a ripped shirt. I dress in-between.

I usually wear a pair of jeans, collar shirt, and loafers. Loafers make it a little easier to get through security at the departing airport and the jeans and polo type shirt are comfortable. I recommend you wear comfortable and presentable clothes.

If you look like a shabby bum the chances are higher that you will be inspected.

It is also recommended that you don’t wear anything that will bring attention to yourself. Don’t wear a shirt that promotes drugs, is vulgar, or is extremely patriotic. Dress down a bit and be comfortable.

There are a couple of other things that you can do to be a bit more presentable to the security personnel.

About one-half hour before your plane is scheduled to land, stop off in the bathroom and freshen up. Use either your own toiletries or the free ones in the bathroom. Brush your teeth, comb your hair, and splash some water in your face. Long flights can leave you looking a bit haggard.

You may want to check your appearance in the mirror and see if your need to tuck in your shirt, straighten up and try to flatten a few wrinkles, or just clean the sleeping gunk out of your eyes.

I know it can be a pain to carry toiletries on the plane with all the new security requirements, but you are allowed to bring small items of liquids as long as they are displayed properly in a large zip-lock bag. Check with the TSA web site for the latest rules.

If you are dressed neatly, and look refreshed, you should be able to waltz right through Customs and Immigration.

Walking street is absolutely insane

Walking Street, in Pattaya, Thailand, is sometimes referred to as the Golden Mile. It is a street of bars, restaurants, hookers, transvestites, and drunken tourists.

Busloads of Asian tourists take pictures but rarely frequent the bars. That is, unless, they go in groups for some kind of show. They will sit with jaws agape at the parade of girls in front of them.

Single, male tourists from every corner of the earth will walk, crawl, or stagger down the street, either alone, with friends, or with a companion for the night.

With neon lights, loud music, and cute "Hello girls" vying for your attention, it is difficult to decide where to go.

You will have to decide on whether to eat or drink – or both. Your decision will lead you to either a 4-star seafood restaurant or a noodle stand on a side alley.

You could wind up in a beer bar, go-go bar, a disco, or a hostess bar. Your senses will be on maximum overdrive with the sounds, sights, and smells of Walking Streets.

Tourists of every nationality will pass by. You will hear languages from the four corners of the earth.

You won't know what to do. Eat, drink, or get a massage?

Your eardrums will be split with the sounds of rap, rock, Thai, hip-hop, or just plain noise.

You will trip over your tongue looking at all the ladies walking around in various states of undress.

You will fight off the flower sellers, cigarette peddlers, and touts trying to get you to see a "light show".

You will look up as you walk to see a bikini-clad Russian girl in a glass box writhing to unheard music.

You will wend your way down side streets, weaving in and out of carts of insects, chicken on a stick, and fried rice and noodles.

Balloons may decorate the outside of a bar indicating that a party is going on inside or it may be the grand opening or re-naming of a go-go.

Walking Street is one of a kind. Once experienced, you will never be able to describe it. I have tried, but it is like trying to explain Las Vegas to someone who has never been.

All I can say is that you will have a great time, eat some unique and delicious food, see some delightful "eye candy", and most likely get a bit inebriated. You will have to experience it for yourself to fully understand.

And then you will see why most guys get addicted to Pattaya.