Home Away From Home, Family Included!

We are very excited for a site we discovered recently, Homestay.com.  This great site is a lot like Airbnb, but is a bit more focused on the family experience, something many have found useful during study abroad trips.  We are especially interested in finding other families who have children that ours could play with.  That, and the prospect of authentic cooking!

7 Great Packing Tips

Smart travelers know that one of the ways to lessen the stress of a trip is to pack efficiently.  Not only that, but you may save some money from not having to check bags on your flight.

Here are some tips to make your next trip go more smoothly.

1. Check the weather of your destination.  Don't try to pack for every possibility.
2. Plan to pack in advance.  Try to start your packing a week in advance.  That way, you have plenty of time to remember things you may have forgotten.
3. Make a list. 
4. Check the hotel amenities.  Don't pack a hair dryer if you don't need one.
5. Choose one or two colors to coordinate the rest of your clothes.
6. Wear your bulkiest items on the plane.
7. For longer trips, plan on doing laundry.  Pack for four days at a time and plan to reuse a few items.

Rent a Large House For Your Next Reunion

Tahoe, HomeAway Rental 269735

One of the challenges of planning a group event is finding adequate lodging.  For impersonal affairs, where attendees don't necessarily know one another or want to bunk together, a hotel is most logical.  However, for family reunions, a hotel often doesn't fit the bill.  Privacy is great (and needed), but hotels usually lack a good place for the family to just hang out

An alternative is to rent a large private home.  You may find that it's cheaper in addition to being more private and conducive to socializing in an informal way.  Pick one with a pool if there are children.  It will provide endless entertainment.  Some properties have enough outdoor space that tents can be set up for the kids, increasing sleeping space and creating a memorable night for visiting cousins.

The two best sites we've found for all over rentals are HomeAwayand Vacation Rentals By Owner.  The first is easier to search by size and amenities, but the latter also has extensive, quality listings. Both sites offer tips on protecting yourself (also for homeowners) and how to choose a rental.  You can also read and post reviews.

Travel Like a Local in the Safety of a Group

Some people feel uncomfortable traveling solo and group tours can be your own personal nightmare of 'everybody on the bus' and corny headsets.  How are you supposed to really connect with your surroundings?  Way too late did we discover that a hybrid exists. There are firms that offer small, group trips to exotic locations (and without a single supplement if you travel solo).

Gap Adventures
Intrepid Travel
Djoser Tours
Adventure Center

For a very reasonable price, you can travel with no more than twelve other people on local transportation, staying in small guesthouses, private homes, or locally-owned hotels.  Of course, there is a trip leader to ensure things go smoothly.  All of these things preserve the special feeling one gets from traveling like a local, not just a tourist. 

Travel Club: Your City to Italy

We would love some feedback on our latest idea.  It's a travel club where dues go towards an international trip.  We would start it a year or two in advance of the trip.  Monthly meetings would be used for enrichment: dinners of destination cuisine, language lessons, films, arts, book discussions, etc.  Ideally, we would recruit other couples (perhaps ages 30-40-ish) and travel in a group of 10-20, staying in large villas, and the sightseeing would be more independent than typical group trips.  We would provide daily itinerary suggestions, and the idea would be to create personal memories along with shared ones.

Click here for a sample itinerary.