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Welcome!
This site will be fully functional by September 1st, 2006. Until then, please enjoy what we have to offer on the
world of travel!
Travel Tips Guru will offer the
following:
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Articles and tips on making travel more
effective and fun
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Spotlights on some of the world's most
exciting travel destinations
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Ideas on travel for specific groups such as
business people, families, singles, couples, and others
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Great travel writing - true travel stories
from around the world
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News about travel rules and regulations for
traveling in Canada, the USA, and around the world
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Current
Spotlights:
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New York City - Enjoy travel tips and tricks
for getting the most out of Manhattan
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Singapore - South East Asia's cleanest city,
with diversity, energy, fantastic food and tons of shopping
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Spotlights Coming Soon:
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Orlando - The theme park mecca that offers
more than just Disney
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London - So much to do, so much to see in
this amazing city
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Vancouver - One of Canada's most beautiful
cities, with all of the amenities of a modern metropolis
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Tokyo - Sensory overload, and a city that
everyone should see in their lifetime
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This Month's Feature Article:
Lighten Up! 7 Tips For Traveling Light
By Paul de Burger
I know I always used to pack way too much. On
a trip to Asia last year I was stopped at Japanese customs where the officer
asked if the two gigantic bags I was heaving through the airport were just
for me.
"Of course," I replied.
"And you're not bringing any commercial items
with you? Nothing to sell?" he asked. I answered no.
"I have to see this," he said, and of course
I had to unpack all of my belongings from a three week trip that spanned
Singapore, Thailand and now Japan. I had heaps of laundry piled three feet
high on the shiny metal table that customs officials love so much, and as I
looked at it I realized that I had worn maybe 40% of what I had actually
packed - I was carrying around twice as much luggage as I needed to! From
that point onward I decided to lighten up and think more critically about
how I could travel with less while still having everything I needed.
Here are 7 tips that will help you to lighten up as well:
1/ Play the match game. If traveling for business, pack items that will
match, and keep base items like dress pants or skirts in solid colours that
are easy to pair up with other items. I always pack one black pair of dress
pants and one charcoal pair - these two colours look good with almost every
dress shirt I own.
2/ Take as few shoes as possible. Pick a pair or two that go with everything
- shoes take up a lot of space and are tough to move around in a suitcase.
When you do have shoes packed roll up socks or other clothes that can get
wrinkled and stuff them in the shoes. The space is there - you might as well
use it.
3/ Use your laptop wisely. I know if I suggest leaving your laptop at home
you'll stop reading right now and will set up a dartboard with my picture on
it, so I won't suggest that. What I will suggest is that if you are going to
travel with your laptop, use it to your advantage. Leave the heavy
guidebooks at home and use the internet to keep you informed on current
trends, accommodations, and restaurant information in whatever city you are
spending time in. I frequently use my laptop to generate maps, to find
reviews on restaurants and attractions, and to give me ideas for things to
do. Try tripadvisor.com for great info and candid feedback on all things
related to travel.
4/ Map out each day and actually plan what you will wear. I used to suffer
from the "I might wear that" syndrome as I went through my closet when
packing. I would say "I might wear that" and then toss it in the suitcase,
with no real thought to the fact that I had already said that to the nine
other identical items I had already tossed in to the case. I would travel
with enough clothes to keep a small Arctic village warm for a month, despite
the fact that I would be away for less than a week. Plan each day, see what
you can wear more than once, and if you are moving from city to city you
definitely don't need a new outfit every day.
5/ If you can manage it, keep your suitcase to carry-on size. Not having to
check your luggage will save you time and hassle and it will also allow you
to change your travel plans on the fly. You'll also be forced to pack
everything you need into a smaller bag, meaning less excess. Challenge
yourself! Unless you're going on a long trip or tend to carry large objects
with you, you can pull this one off and you'll thank yourself you did.
6/ Use the laundry. Many hotels are adding guest laundries to their list of
amenities. This is not just on budget-minded properties, either - I have
stayed in Marriotts and Sheratons that both offered guest laundry services.
For $3.00 I could do my own laundry, thus minimizing the amount of clothes
that I needed to take. Check to see if your hotel has a guest laundry
service. Most hotels still only offer dry cleaning, but the list of
properties with a guest laundry option is growing.
7/ Think small. Take travel-size toiletries with you. Instead of the big
tube of toothpaste, the full bottle of shampoo, or the huge bottle full of
ibuprofen (for when the non-stop chatterbox beside you on the plane won't
stop talking), try out small travel-size versions of each. It doesn't seem
like much at first, but you can save yourself a significant amount of space
and weight when you start downsizing. You can find mini versions of your
favourite toiletries at most grocery stores and pharmacies.
Lightening up will allow you to enjoy your travel experience more without
having to lug around extra things you don't really need. Try it out, you
might surprise yourself and you won't have to stand over three feet of
unworn clothing the next time you're pulled aside at customs.
Happy traveling!
Paul de Burger is a professional speaker and writer. He has
traveled the globe speaking to groups on motivation and business related
topics. For more information on Paul or what he can do for you, please go to
www.pauldeburger.com
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