Antigua & Barbuda

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Area - 440 sq km / 170 sq ml Antigua 280 sq km / 108 sq ml, Barbuda 161 sq km / 62 sq ml, Redonda 1 sq km / 0.4 sq ml
Capital - St John's
Language - English
Currency - Eastern Caribbean Dollar
Population - 67,897
Life expectancy - 70
Literacy rate - 96%
Religions - Anglican
Physical features - low-lying tropical islands of limestone and coral, with volcanic outcrops - there are no rivers and the low rainfall result in frequent droughts. Redonda is an uninhabited island of volcanic rock rising to 305 m / 1,000 ft
Ethnic distribution - almost entirely of African decent
Exports - sea-island cotton, rum, lobsters, plus tourism.

Antigua and Barbuda is a dual-island nation known for its beaches, and is a favorite destination for yachtsmen. Tourist facilities are widely available. English is the primary language. Banking facilities and ATMs are available throughout the island. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Antigua and Barbuda for additional information.

Culture and Customs: http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=9
http://www.antiguamuseums.org/cultural.htm

Places to See: http://www.antiguanice.com/antigua_barbuda_barbuda_places_to_visit.htm
http://www.bahamasgateway.net/antigua_barbuda_vacation_visits.htm
http://www.govisitcaribbean.com/antigua-barbuda/places-to-see.asp

Events: Antigua Sailing Week
Carnival

Food and Drink: http://www.placesonline.com/central_america/antigua_&_barbuda/food_and_drink.asp
http://www.foodanddrink-caribbean.com/index.asp

Music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Antigua_and_Barbuda

History: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1202625.stm

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/AntiguaAndBarbuda.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1118.html

Embassy: Antigua and Barbuda are covered by the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, which is in located in the Wildey Business Park in suburban Wildey, south and east of downtown Bridgetown. The main number for the Consular Section is (246) 431-0225; after hours, the Embassy duty officer can be reached by calling (246) 436-4950. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, except local and U.S. holidays.

Anguilla

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Area - 160 sq km / 62 sq ml
Capital - The Valley
Language - English, Creole
Currency - Eastern Caribbean Dollar
Population - 12,738
Life expectancy - 73 (men), 79 (women)
Literacy rate - 95%
Religions - Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Bapist 5%, Catholic 3%
Physical features - flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone, 80% of its coral reef has been lost to pollution and tourist souvenir sales
Industries - tourism, boat building, fishing

Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, part of the British West Indies. It is a small but rapidly developing island with particularly well-developed tourist facilities.

Culture and Customs: http://anguilla-guide.info/past.and.present/culture/

Places to See: Cap Juluca
The Malliouhana Hotel
Shoal Bay
Scilly Cay

Events: http://www.itzcaribbean.com/events_calendar_anguilla.php

Food and Drink: http://www.anguilla-holidays.com/shopping_food_drink.html
http://caribtourism.net/anguilla/430.html

Music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Anguilla

History: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Anguilla

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/Anguilla.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1107.html

Embassy: The U.S. Embassy with consular responsibility over Anguilla is located in Bridgetown, Barbados in the Wildey Business Park in suburban Wildey, southeast of downtown Bridgetown. The main number for the Consular Section is (246) 431-0225; after hours, the Embassy duty officer can be reached by calling (246) 436-4950. http://barbados.usembassy.gov/

Angola

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Area - 1,246,700 sq km / 481,226 sq ml
Capital - Luanda
Language - Portuguse, Bantu dialects
Currency - Kwanza
Population - 10,766,471
Life expectancy - 45 (men), 48 (women)
Literacy rate - 56% (men), 29% (women)
Religions - 68% Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant, 12% animist
Physical features - narrow coastal plain rises to interior plateau with rainforest in the north - west and desert in the south
Ethnic distribution - 8 main ethnic groups with about 100 subgroups
Exports - oil, coffee, diamonds, palm oil, sisal, iron ore, fish, maize, mahogany


Angola is a large, developing country in south-west central Africa. The capital city is Luanda. Portuguese, the official language, is widely spoken throughout the country. Despite its extensive oil and mineral reserves and arable land suitable for large-scale production of numerous crops, Angola has some of the world's lowest social development indicators. Development was severely restricted by a 27-year long civil war that broke out upon independence in 1975, which destroyed the majority of the country's infrastructure. Since the conflict's conclusion in 2002, the government has initiated extensive infrastructure reconstruction and development projects, and there are growing signs of economic recovery. However, Angola still faces challenges with its infrastructure and with providing government services, especially in basic social services, aviation and travel safety, accommodation availability and quality and communications. Facilities for tourism, particularly outside the capital of Luanda, are often rudimentary. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Angola for additional information.

Culture and Customs: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/angola.html

Places to See: http://tntonline.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/angola/default.aspx

Events: http://travel.mapsofworld.com/angola/festivals.html

Food and Drink: http://tntonline.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/angola/food-and-drink/food-amp-drink-in-angola.aspx

Music: http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/country/content.country/angola_549

History: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1839740.stm

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/angola.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1096.html

Embassy: The U.S. Embassy is located at Rua Houari Boumedienne #32, in the Miramar area of Luanda, P.O. Box 6468, tel. (244) 222-641-000, (244) 222-447-028, (244) 222-445-481, (244) 222-446-224; after-hours (244) 222-641-000

Andorra

See Spain and Andorra

Algeria

Travel Warning!

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Area - 2,381,741 sq km / 919,352 sq ml
Capital - Algiers
Language - Arabic, Berber, French
Currency - Algerian Dinar
Population - 32,818,500
Life expectancy - 59 (men), 62 (women)
Literacy rate - 70%
Religions - Sunni Muslim
Physical features - coastal plain backed by Atlas mountains, Sahara desert, Hoggar mountains in the south
Ethnic distribution - 99% Arab Berber origin, the remainder mainly French
Exports - oil, natural gas, iron, wine, olive oil

Algeria is the second-largest country in Africa, with over four-fifths of its territory covered by the Sahara desert. The country has a population of 35 million people mainly located near the northern coast. Algeria is a multi-party, constitutional republic. Facilities for travelers are available in populated areas, but sometimes limited in quality and quantity. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Algeria for additional information.

Culture and Customs: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/algeria.html

Places to See: Algeria Travel and Tourist Information

Events: http://www.journeymart.com/tools/country/ctryAlgeria.htm

Outdoors: http://www.algeria.com/adventure-travel/

Food and Drink: http://www.enjoyalgeria.com/category/life-culture/

Music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Algeria

History: http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/northafrica/tlalgiers.html

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/algeria.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1087.html

Embassy: The U.S. Embassy is located at 5 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, B.P. 408 (Alger-gare) 16000, in the capital city of Algiers. The telephone number is [213] 770-08-20-00 which can also be reached after hours. The fax number is [213] 21-9822-99. The U.S. Embassy work week is Saturday through Wednesday.

Albania

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Albania is a parliamentary democracy that is transforming its economy into a market-oriented system. Albania's per capita income is among the lowest in Europe, but economic conditions in the country are steadily improving. Tourist facilities are not highly developed in much of the country, and though Albania's economic integration into European Union markets is slowly underway, many of the goods and services taken for granted in other European countries are not yet available. Hotel accommodations are limited outside of major cities. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Albania for additional information.

Culture and Customs: http://www.tastesofculture.com/2009/06/08/travel-tips-to-albania/

Places to See:

• In the south of the country near to the Greek border, Butrint is the largest archaeological site in Albania. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has remains stretching from the Bronze Age through to the Ottoman period.

http://holidaysandhomesinalbania.co.uk/todo.php
http://www.balkanology.com/albania/

Events: http://www.ayha.org/events/month.php

Outdoors:

• The Tomorri Mountain Ridge in the south offers wild scenery and the Bektash monastery (an order of Islamic mysticism) at the top.

http://www.travel-tirana.com/scenic_hiking_northern_albania

Food and Drink: http://albania.shqiperia.com/kat/gj1/kid/373.html

Music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Albania

History: http://www.facts-about.org.uk/history-and-events-timeline-albanian.htm

Industry: http://www.nationmaster.com/country/al-albania/ind-industry

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/Albania.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1076.html

Embassy: http://tirana.usembassy.gov/

Afghanistan

Travel Warning!

Travel Registration

Afghanistan has made significant progress since the Taliban were deposed in 2001, but still faces daunting challenges, including defeating terrorists and insurgents, dealing with years of severe drought, recovering from over two decades of civil strife, and rebuilding a shattered physical, economic and political infrastructure. Coalition and NATO forces under ISAF work in partnership with Afghan security forces to combat Taliban and al-Qaida elements who continue to seek to terrorize the population and challenge the government. The ISAF Coalition-Afghan partnership contained the spring offensive planned by insurgent forces, who have turned instead to isolated terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings and kidnappings.

President Hamid Karzai was sworn in as President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on December 7, 2004. He and his ministers work with the parliament, which first convened in late 2005, to establish policies and procedures to deal with the array of issues any government must address, as well as Afghanistan’s unique challenges. The government is in the process of developing a more effective police force, a more robust legal system, and sub-national institutions that work in partnership with traditional and local leaders to meet the needs of the population. The U.S. works closely with the international community to provide coordinated support for these efforts. The recent Afghanistan-hosted Peace Jirga with Pakistan resulted in a commitment to cooperate in combating terrorism, facilitate the return of Afghan refugees, and support regional economic activity. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Afghanistan for additional information.

Places to See: http://www.placesonline.com/asia/afghanistan/places.asp

Events: http://www.southtravels.com/asia/afghanistan/events.htm

Food and Drink: http://www.iexplore.com/dmap/Afghanistan/Dining

Music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Afghanistan

History: http://www.rawa.org/afg-info.htm

Industry: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Afghanistan-INDUSTRY.html

Health: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/Afghanistan.aspx

Personal Safety, Entry/Exit Requirements, Traffic Safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1056.html

Embassy: http://kabul.usembassy.gov/

Coffee, Cryptids, and Haunted Houses

Some travelers enjoy creating a list of places to see based on one of their hobbies or interests. Here are some links to a couple unique traveling lists:

The World's Best Coffee

Cryptids (unverified creatures)

Haunted Houses

A Couple Less Known Sites In the U.S.A.

5 Entirely Free Things to Do in the United States

1. The National Mall, Washington, D.C. Stroll the nearly two miles from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Even the most stoic tend to be touched by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which rises from the ground in a way that is both unnerving and uplifting. Visit during the Cherry Blossom Festival and enjoy the famous cherry trees in bloom.

2. Staten Island Ferry, New York City. Primarily used by commuters traveling between Staten Island and Manhattan, this ferry is a budget traveler’s dream. Take in the dramatic sights of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Ellis Island. And, oh, yes, that little thing called the Manhattan skyline.

3. Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles. Measure your hands and feet against those of cinema greats from Katharine Hepburn to Kermit the Frog.

4. J. Paul Getty Museum (getty.edu), Los Angeles. Although Los Angeles is known almost as much for its smog as its celebrities, the view from the Getty Museum is spectacular and reaches from the ocean to the valley, even on the haziest days. (Note: Museum parking costs $10.)

5. Multnomah Falls, Multnomah County, Oregon. Just 30 minutes east of Portland, Multnomah Falls is the second-highest year-round waterfall in the United States. It’s worth the effort to make the quarter-mile trek almost halfway up the waterfall to the bridge. Once there, you can pose for an unforgettable photo with the falls as your backdrop.

(Taken from Real Simple.)

9 U.S. Roadside Attractions Worth Braking For

1. World’s Largest Twine Ball, Darwin, Minnesota.
2. World’s Largest Chair, Anniston, Alabama.
3. World’s Largest Pecan, Brunswick, Missouri.
4. World’s Third-Largest Cherry Pie, Charlevoix, Michigan.
5. World’s Largest Baseball Bat, Louisville, Kentucky.
6. America’s Smallest Church, South Newport, Georgia.
7. World’s Largest Basket (which is also a seven-story corporate building), Newark, Ohio.
8. Smallest U.S. Post Office, Ochopee, Florida.
9. Georgia Guidestones (also known as “America’s Stonehenge”), Nuberg, Georgia.

(Taken from Roadside America.)

6 Museums Where You’ll Never Find the Mona Lisa

1. Baked Bean Museum of Excellence (bakedbeanmuseumofexcellence.org.uk), Port Talbot, South Wales. In 2003 a wacky Brit (whose real name is Barry Kirk, but he had it legally changed to Captain Beany) converted his two-bedroom flat into a museum where he displays more than 200 baked-bean artifacts.

2. The Museum of Bad Art (museumofbadart.org), Dedham, Massachusetts. Forget MoMA―check out MoBA, dedicated to the collection and the exhibition of questionable artwork. Most of the collection has been moved to the Dedham Community Theater’s basement, just outside the men’s room.

3. Mütter Museum, at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia (collphyphil.org). Housing Dr. Thomas Mütter’s astonishing personal collection of off-the-charts anatomical and pathological oddities, the Mütter Museum has the liver (preserved in a jar) belonging to the famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker.

4. London’s Fan Museum (fan-museum.org), Greenwich, England. Set in two 1721 buildings, this jewel box of a museum is, in a word, fan-tastic. The only museum in the world devoted entirely to the art of fan making, it houses more than 3,500 mostly antique artifacts, some dating from the 11th century.

5. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets (sulabhtoiletmuseum.org), New Delhi. Bindeshwar Pathak, who considers himself a “sanitation crusader,” has traveled the world gathering key information on the history and the evolution of the toilet.

6. New Orleans Pharmacy Museum (pharmacymuseum.org). Enter this French Quarter museum and discover the world of antiquated medical devices and the art of voodoo. Keep an eye out for jars of leeches. The tonsil guillotine will leave you, well, speechless.

(Taken from Real Simple.)

Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

In 2003 the BBC made a seven-part series on the book Seven Wonders of the Industrial World by Deborah Cadbury.

• SS Great Eastern
• Bell Rock Lighthouse
• Brooklyn Bridge
• London sewerage system
• First Transcontinental Railroad
• Panama Canal
• Hoover Dam

Seven Wonders of the Underwater World

The Seven Underwater Wonders of the World was a list drawn up by CEDAM International, an American-based non-profit group for divers, dedicated to ocean preservation and research. This list was based primarily on underwater areas that deserve protection according to a panel of experts.

• Palau
• Belize Barrier Reef
• Great Barrier Reef
• Deep-Sea Vents
• Galápagos Islands
• Lake Baikal
• Northern Red Sea

Seven Natural Wonders of the World

Similar to the other lists of wonders there is not a final consensus on which sites should be one of the seven, nor is there consensus on how many sites there should be on the list. Following are generally accepted as the seven natural wonders:

• Grand Canyon
• Great Barrier Reef
• Harbour of Rio de Janeiro
• Mount Everest
• Aurora
• Parícutin volcano
• Victoria Falls

There is a new seven natural wonders campaign hosted by he same entity that did the new seven wonders of the world. The final votes will be revealed in 2011. Follow here.

USA Today did a story on the campaign for new natural wonders, here.

New Seven Wonders

Wonders of the Modern World – New 7 Wonders Foundation

New Seven Wonders of the World is a project that attempts to revive the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a list of modern wonders. A popularity poll was organized by the private New7Wonders Foundation, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Winners:

• Great Wall of China
• Petra
• Machu Picchu
• Christ the Redeemer
  
• Chichen Itza
• Colosseum
• Taj Mahal

Other Finalists:

• Acropolis of Athens
• Alhambra
• Angkor Wat
• Eiffel Tower
• Hagia Sophia
• Kiyomizu-dera
• Moai
• Red Square
• Neuschwanstein
• Statue of Liberty
• Stonehenge
• Sydney Opera House
• Timbuktu

National Geographic did an article and photo gallery on the ancient versus new wonders.


USA Today’s New Seven Wonders

• Potala Palace
• Old City of Jerusalem
  
• Polar ice caps
• Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
• Internet
• Maya ruins
• Great Migration of Serengeti and Masai Mara
• Grand Canyon (viewer-chosen eighth wonder)

Modern Wonders of the World -- Engineering

Many lists of modern wonders of the world have been compiled. This one focuses on engineering feats and was completed by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

• Channel Tunnel
• CN Tower
• Empire State Building
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Itaipu Dam
• Delta Works/ Zuiderzee Works
• Panama Canal

Wonders of the Medieval Ages

Many of the places on these lists were built during or before the middle ages, but they would have been well known. Many travel lists were produced during the medieval times, but it is unlikely that the final lists were made during those times since the term "medieval" was not used until the enlightenment.

• Stonehenge
• Colosseum
• Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
• Great Wall of China
• Porcelain Tower of Nanjing
• Hagia Sophia
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Taj Mahal
• Cairo Citadel
• Ely Cathedral
• Cluny Abbey

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the first known list of remarkable man-made places to see. The Greeks made these lists and used the number seven because it was believed to be the representation of perfection and plenty. The lists were made by historians an scholars and then later compiled in the Middle Ages. Initially Ishtar Gate was the seventh wonder instead of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

• Great Pyramid of Giza
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
• Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
• Colossus of Rhodes
• Lighthouse of Alexandria

9 Roller Coasters That Will Scare You Absolutely Silly

Ted Cromwell, creator of Coasterfanatics.com, has personally hit more than 300 of these undulating heart-stoppers. Here are some of his favorites.

1. The Voyage, at Holiday World (holidayworld.com), in Santa Claus, Indiana. The be-all and end-all of wooden coasters, this 6,442-foot-long course serves up nearly every single element that makes a coaster great: tunnels, unrelenting speed, lateral forces, air time, and giant drops.

2. Goliath, at Six Flags Over Georgia (sixflags.com), in Atlanta. With a high point of 200 feet, this steel coaster has mammoth hills that seem to go on forever.

3. Nemesis, at the Alton Towers Theme Park (alton-towers.co.uk), in Alton, England. Local building-code limitations on height forced the park to build the coaster in a trench. The tight surrounds amplify the speed.

4. Phantom’s Revenge, at Kennywood (kennywood.com), in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. In 1991 Kennywood broke the speed and highest-drop records with the Steel Phantom. After 10 years, the ride was modified to extend the drop and replace the coaster’s inversions with bunny hops. The result? An intense collection of speed and negative-G moments that will thrill even the most jaded theme-park veteran.

5. Thunderhead, at Dollywood (dollywood.com), in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A wooden twister harking back to the golden age of coasters on California’s beaches, this ride features more track crossovers than you can count, and it flies through the station halfway along the course.

6. Kumba, at Busch Gardens Africa (buschgardens.com), in Tampa Bay, Florida. Smooth-as-glass transitions, seven inversions, and an aggressive layout make this steel thrill machine the top of its class.

7. Millennium Force, at Cedar Point (cedarpoint.com), in Sandusky, Ohio. When Millennium Force was introduced in 2000, Cedar Point was the first park to build a ride higher than 300 feet. After the massive drop, this steel coaster stays close to the ground and covers 6,500 feet of track faster than you can blink.

8. SheiKra, at Busch Gardens Africa. Opening in 2005, SheiKra became the first vertical-dive coaster in the United States, with two giant hills that drop you 90 degrees to the tracks below.

9. Raven, at Holiday World. It may not be a giant wooden coaster, but this bird packs huge thrills. With the view completely hidden by surrounding trees, you won’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into until it’s too late!

(Taken from Real Simple.)

Passports

You should plan to always travel with your passport if you are exiting the United States. Since January 23rd, 2007 all persons traveling by air into the United States have been required to present a passport.

On March 27th, 2008 the departments of Homeland Security and State announced in a final rule that “full implementation” of the land and sea provisions of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative would begin June 1st, 2009.

In essence:

• To travel into the United States by air you must have a passport.

• To travel into the United States by land or sea you may have: a passport, a passport card, a state enhanced driver’s license, a trusted traveler program card (NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI), or military or merchant marine documents.

How to Get Your Passport in a Jiffy

What should you do when you plan an international trip and realize, mere weeks before departure, that your passport has expired?

Your Best (and Cheapest) Plan of Attack

Contact the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov) to set up an appointment for an expedited passport at one of the 13 regional passport agencies. This will run you $60 in addition to application fees and overnight fees for a three-week turnaround, as opposed to the regular four- to six-week wait for a passport, says Cy Ferenchak, deputy spokesperson for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Passport seekers can also visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs website (travel.state.gov) to get more information.

Next Best Option

Enlist the help of an expediter service (there are more than 200). Although these services are pricier than the government route, most guarantee your passport to you in as little as 24 hours. One expediter service, rushmypassport.com, for instance, offers 24-hour service for $299, plus a $135 government fee. Expediter services usually have passport forms online, and the process includes mailing the forms along with original documents, such as proof of identification. Once your passport has been processed, your documents, along with the passport, are sent back to you. But before you send in documents to an expediter service, call ahead, says Robert Smith Jr., executive director of the National Association of Passport and Visa Services. These services have application quotas, so customers may need to contact several companies before they find one that can help them.

(Taken from Real Simple.)

Tipping and Bartering

Tipping

Professions that typically work for tips count on the gratuity for income and will provide better future service for those who tip appropriately. Housekeeping especially will go the extra mile in cleaning and may possibly leave more or better guest items such as the shampoos and lotions.

Tipping is discretionary, if you received particularly commendable service you might consider tipping more than average, if the service was poor then tip less than average.

It can be uncomfortable to be in a new situation and not be certain about customary tipping amounts. Do your homework before traveling to a foreign country.

The following is general tipping amounts for typical tipping situations within the United States:

Doorman: $2 for help with bags, $1 for a hailed cab.

Taxi driver: Ten to 15 percent. Add an extra dollar or two if he helps with the bags.

Airport porter: Most porters charge $2 for the first bag. If they don’t, you should pay at least that. Add a dollar or two for good service.

Other airport staff (ticket agents, flight attendants): Don’t tip them. It can be tempting to slip an agent a $20 bill in the hopes that you’ll get better treatment, but that comes off as smarmy.

Bellhop: $2 for the first bag, $1 a bag after that.

Housekeeping: $2 to $5 a day. Leave this tip daily, as you often have a different person cleaning your room each day. (Include a note so the housekeeper knows the money is for her.)

Concierge: $5 to $10 every time she helps you with something above and beyond the job description, like scoring hard-to-get tickets to a show.
(Taken from Real Simple.)

To learn more about tipping in the United States go here.

To learn more about tipping in foreign countries go here.


Bartering

When traveling find out if the country you are visiting usually uses bartering to negotiate exchanges. If bartering is expected, then know how to be prepared. To start, make sure to bring $1, $5, and $10 dollar bills, plus the equivalent in the appropriate currency. Do not carry very much on you at a time to minimalize the impact of petty theft, and to keep a low profile. Also, consider separating the amount that you do carry into two separate wallets so that when a negotiation is finalized you won't flash extra money while paying for the item.

When you find an item you are interested in, decide what amount you are willing to pay for the item. If you are in a busy area, listen to other negotiations to see what the process is and which tactics were more successful. Ask how much the item is and then make your counter offer.

The counter offer is usually one half of the original selling price. After another few exchanges the settling price is typically about 70% of the original price in a successful barter. In order to barter effectively, you must be willing to leave the item if they won't come down to a price that reasonable. If you really are willing to pay the high price, then send perhaps send a pal back after a few minutes to try again, but with different tactics and willing to pay the higher price. This will help to save face after you've put your foot down and it wasn't effective.

If you have seen the item elsewhere, mention that you saw it somewhere else and that their price was cheaper. Another tactic you could try is saying that a friend got the same item there at the price that you are hoping to pay. When you do purchase the item, you should try to use exact change, especially if part o your tactic was to say "that is all I have."

Go here to read about bartering in Mexico.

Go here to read about how bartering works.

Planning

THINGS TO ARRANGE BEFORE YOU GO

Your Itinerary

Know how you will travel while abroad. There are many options to find deals on flight, hotel, and rental car. Make sure that you know the terms when booking any of these and avoid pitfalls or scams. Know how will you get from the airport to your hotel, and how will you get to each of the sites on your itinerary.

As much as possible, plan to stay in larger hotels that have more elaborate security. Safety experts recommend booking a room from the second to seventh floors above ground level – high enough to deter easy entry from outside, but low enough for fire equipment to reach.

When there is a choice of airport or airline, ask your travel agent about comparative safety records.

Legal Documents
Have your affairs in order at home. If you leave a current will, insurance documents, and power of attorney with your family or a friend, you can feel secure about traveling and will be prepared for any emergency that may arise while you are away. If you have minor children, consider making guardianship arrangements for them.

Register your travel
It is a good idea to register your travel with the State Department so that you may be contacted if need be, whether because of a family emergency in the U.S. , or because of a crisis in the area in which you are traveling. Travel registration is a free service provided by the State Department, and is easily accomplished online at https://travelregistration.state.gov. (In accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information on your welfare or whereabouts to inquirers without your express written authorization.)

Credit
Make a note of the credit limit on each credit card that you bring, and avoid charging over that limit while traveling. Americans have been arrested for innocently exceeding their credit limit. Ask your credit card company how to report the loss of your card from abroad. 1-800 numbers do not work from abroad, but your company should have a number that you can call while you are overseas.

Insurance
Find out if your personal property insurance covers you for loss or theft abroad. Also, check on whether your health insurance covers you abroad. Medicare and Medicaid do not provide payment for medical care outside the United States . Even if your health insurance will reimburse you for medical care that you pay for abroad, health insurance usually does not pay for medical evacuation from a remote area or from a country where medical facilities are inadequate. Consider purchasing a policy designed for travelers, and covering short-term health and emergency assistance, as well as medical evacuation in the event of an accident or serious illness.

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WHEN TO USE A TRAVEL AGENT

When you are strapped for time. Earmarking guidebooks and comparing hotel prices can take weeks. A travel agent can quickly steer you to the right locations and hotels and book everything for you (but you still have to do the packing). And while agents do charge a fee, it may not be more than an extra night at a hotel.

When you have a complicated itinerary. Visiting several cities? “We know the fastest trains, where there’s a lot of traffic getting in and out of a city, and when it’s too much trouble to have a car,” says Judith Wolf, a Spain specialist at Frosch Travel, in Deerfield, Illinois. Agents also specialize in certain countries, so they know which sites sell a limited number of tickets and what days a landmark is closed. And since some agents work in large offices, “there are 70 other people I can go to if I don’t know something,” says Wolf. To find a local agent, consult the American Society of Travel Agents (asta.org) and search by ZIP code.

RESEARCH

• Know about the Safety of your destination.
• Know about the health risks at your destination.
• Know when and how to barter, and when and how much to tip.
• Know where the nearest embassy is located.

Make it a point to dress in a way that will not identify you as a tourist! Your destinations will likely be tourist destinations -- most of those locations will have "eyes on the street" that will allow for safety, but while traveling to quaint locations be careful not to become a target.

Introduction - Experience

Experiences have been shown to make people happier than possessions. Traveling experiences create memories, revitalize, and teach. Think back to your childhood -- do you remember what gifts/possessions you got for your fifth birthday? Do you remember the first time you went to Disneyland? Which of those impressions is stronger? Most likely the experience that created emotion, excitement, and closeness to others. Those experiences remain strong memories, but the desire for certain possessions fade, as does the newness of those items.

Traveling can also teach us -- it can teach us about others and about ourselves. Traveling subjects us to new people and places, new experiences and activities, new surroundings and environments, new cultures and ideals. Experiencing other foods, customs, architecture, or celebrations can reaffirm the importance of our own traditions and values, or it can build them.

What do you want to experience when traveling? Here is a small list of potential traveling interests or goals:

• Architecture
• Art
• Customs and Celebrations
• Engineering Wonders
• Food and Drink
• Geography - see indigenous animal species, rare geologic formations, etc...
• History
• Industry
• Music
• Natural Wonders
• Outdoors - hiking, sports, boating, surfing, skiing, etc...

Do you want to go everywhere and see everything, or do you want to get away from it all and relax? After establishing your vision for traveling, you could make a lifelong plan including feasibility of when and how.

When it comes to planning your trip you may want to research each of your areas of interest, determine the locations you would like to go to, look at almanac information, understand the accepted etiquette and customs, be prepared to barter, know how to travel safely, look into health concerns, and know what to do in case of an emergency.
The next entry will begin to address some of these areas.