b'$THE CO T OF TRAVELLINGFirst of all, you have to determine where you want to go, what you want JONATHAN VAN BILSEN to see and in which activities you plan to partake. Cruising is, of course, a ter-ri c way to relax and live in pampered Lately, travelling is becoming more and more frustrating, for a varietyluxury. I have never set foot on a cruise of reasons.ship, so I am not quali ed to comment beyond the enjoyable concept of not Hotels are becoming more expensive, airplanes are aging (or having having to pack and unpack more than software issues), weather patterns are rapidly changing, and safety is aonce.Shouldyouwishtoexperience concern to many people, as it should be. I have travelled extensively allplaces where cruise ships do not visit, my life, and will continue to do so, in spite of these impacting nuisances.safety and cost may be more of an is-sue, especially if you plan it on your Let me share a few tips on how to get the most out of your trip, see theown.Similartocruising,organized world and dont go broke doing it. land travel is good for some, but not for others. There are two ways to organize a trip. A good travel agent is very usefulAirports are very crowded, so lots of time is needed.and is able to get things accomplished, that you may not be able to. They are lost. Sure, its great to go to the Museeew return from London to Paris for 45 worth their weight in gold and can or- Euros. DOrsay on Sunday, when there is no ganize all of your trip, or a segment,Ifyouseehighairfaresdontbeadmission,butliningupfor2hours allowingyoutohandlemanydetailsdiscouraged.Siteslike,airfarewatch- may not be worth the entrance fee. A yourself. dog.comorthepopularapp,Traveltaxi may cost a few dollars more than The adventure of travelling can bePirates, not onlynd you cheap fares,bus fare, but if you save 20 minutes, it gratifyingandenjoyable,providingbut they also send you notices whenmay be worth it.you bear a few facts in mind. Cost isthosefaresdropinprice(youcantMost popular sights have unavoid-alwaysanissue,buttheexperiencebook through them, but they give youable lineups, but it annoys me when I well outweighs the price. I have alwaysthe airline information). Sign up for thesee people standing in a second line preferredtochoosemyownhotels,airlines newsletters and follow alongtopurchasetickets.Mostattractions set my own itinerary, and travel withon Twitter. Remember, the morehave websites where you can pre buyex-aguide,tomaximizemyfreedom.Iible you are with times, the better youryour entrance fee. While hundreds of remember talking to some folks whochances of getting lower fares. Googletourists are waiting in long lines, those visited Istanbul and did not get to the even allows you to search forwhove booked ahead can show up atights Dolmabahce Palace, one of the mostthe cheapestfrom your hometheir reserved time and breeze right in. ights elaboratepalacesIhaveeverseen.airport to anywhere in Europe, so youBe cautious and alert, and always The reason was simple: the tour buscan easily string a trip together. beonthelookoutforthieves,who didnt go there, in fact they were un- Airport food is notoriously pricey, sowork the lines at crowded sights and aware of the place until they returnedpack snacks when you are heading to aon the bus lines. Store your passport, home. How sad. destination. A change of clothes in yourcredit cards, and cash securely, in a Travellingisbecomingexpensive,carry-on, as well as your meds is goodmoney belt, hidden from view. If you but there are some ways to save mon- in case of an emergency. The savingshaveacamera,likemyNikon,with ey. If you head to lesser-known cities,mayseemsmall,buttheycanreallywhite lettering, black out the text with a especially in Europe where everythingadd up, especially for frequentiers. Sharpie, to make it less visible.is a train ride away, you can save someAnothercostsaverisinknowingBe aware of cons. I was about to substantial dollars. For example, if youthe rules. For example, you can cancelpurchase a bottle of water from a street plan to sit on a Sicily beach sipping aanyight (even a non-refundable one)vendor in Paris, when I was cautioned glass of Amarone, you may be able towithin 24 hours of booking, as long asby a policeman that people arelling save a great amount of money byy- its at least a week from the departurewater bottles with un ltered street wa-ing into a different hub and booking adate.CheckoutTransportCanadaster and using Crazy Glue to seal the second, less expensiveight on Easy- website and rules for travellers. cap. When you open it, you believe it Jet or GermanWings. Iew from Sic- Another cost, especially when youto be factory sealed.ily to Malta for 35 Euros, and similarlyare on vacation, is measured in timePlease turn to page 6462 FOCUS - MAY 2019'