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When it comes to "getting away from it all," many Americans are skipping the pricey trips abroad and opting to enjoy the many amazing, closer-to-home sights from the comfort of their own vehicles.

If you're planning a getaway, remember that road trips can be tough on cars, and few things turn a vacation into a nightmare quicker than breaking down in the middle of nowhere. So, before you load the car and take off, make sure that your vehicle is in tip-top condition.

A pre-trip inspection as part of an overall maintenance program can give you peace of mind and help prevent costly repairs.

Inspect and repair, if needed, the following:

• Radiator and cooling system, including water pump, fan and thermostat

• Brakes, brake pads and brake linings

• Battery and cables

• Belts and hoses

• Engine oil and oil filter

• Wiper blades and washer fluid

• Tire pressure and overall tire condition (including the spare).

• Most importantly, don't leave on a long trip with your car's "Check Engine" light on.

The Check Engine light appears when your vehicle's On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) computer detects a problem. According to several state Air Pollution Control Districts, the Check Engine light is designed to limit air pollution, as well as alert drivers to a condition that can waste fuel, shorten engine life and result in potentially expensive repairs.

If the light does come on, a quick check of your vehicle's service manual can often identify the problem and a course of action.

Those who take their car to a mechanic often find that technicians use a diagnostic tool to scan their vehicle and access trouble codes at a cost of $55 to $100.

A new automotive tool, with a Web site, lets consumers run their own diagnosis, enabling them to verify the mechanic's assessment.

Called CarMD, the tool provides a basic overview of probable problems with the car's electronic and emissions-related systems. It incorporates the same basic technology as tools used by mechanics, but is said to cost less and can be operated by anyone. A green light indicates that all systems are "go," a yellow light signals a possible problem and a red light means there is a current problem and service is required.

For more in-depth information, simply plug the tool into your personal computer and turn it on. It will connect to the company's Web site and provide a comprehensive report on your vehicle's health, including possible problems, estimated fixes and repair costs.

Unlike most products, travel services usually have to be paid for before they are delivered. This creates opportunities for disreputable individuals and companies. Some travel packages turn out to be very different from what was presented or what the consumer expected. Some don't materialize at all!

If you receive an offer by phone or mail for a free or extremely low-priced vacation trip to a popular destination (often Hawaii or Florida), there are a few things you should look for:

* Does the price seem too good to be true? If so, it probably is.

* Are you asked to give your credit card number over the phone?

* Are you pressured to make an immediate decision?

* Is the carrier simply identified as "a major airline," or does the representative offer a collection of airlines without being able to say which one you will be on?

* Is the representative unable or unwilling to give you a street address for the company?

* Are you told you can't leave for at least two months? (The deadline for disputing a credit card charge is 60 days, and most scam artists know this.)
If you encounter any of these symptoms, proceed cautiously. Ask for written information to be sent to you; any legitimate travel company will be happy to oblige. If they don't have a brochure, ask for a day or two to think it over; most bona fide deals that are good today will still be good two days from now. If they say no to both requests, this probably isn't the trip for you.

Some other advice:

* If you are told that you've won a free vacation, ask if you have to buy something else in order to get it. Some packages have promoted free air fare, as long as you buy expensive hotel arrangements. Others include a free hotel stay, but no air fare.

* If you are seriously considering the vacation offer and are confident you have established the full price you will pay, compare the offer to what you might obtain elsewhere. Frequently, the appeal of free air fare or free accommodations disguises the fact that the total price is still higher than that of a regular package tour.

* Get a confirmed departure date, in writing, before you pay anything. Eye skeptically any promises that an acceptable date will be arranged later. If the package involves standby or waitlist travel, or a reservation that can only be provided much later, ask if your payment is refundable if you want to cancel, and don't pay any money you can't afford to lose.

* If the destination is a beach resort, ask the seller how far the hotel is from the beach. Then ask the hotel.

* Determine the complete cost of the trip in dollars, including all service charges, taxes, processing fees, etc.

* If you decide to buy the trip after checking it out, paying by credit card gives you certain legal rights to pursue a chargeback (credit) if promised services aren't delivered.

If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.




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Booking travel online is big business these days and on the plus side puts a lot of power in the hands of the consumer to reserve their own travel arrangements.  But it’s critical you know 5 things to get the best deal and discount available. So before you begin your travel research and booking online start here.

ALL TRAVEL WEB SITES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

When booking travel online they’re two types you can use: the traditional travel web sites such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, and what are being called these days Travel Search Engines, which include SideStep and Kayak.

The main difference is in the search capability. A travel web site like Orbitz only searches its own database of available flights, hotel rooms, and car rentals. So the search is restrictive. But you’ll get more search features and booking travel services offered at these sites.

At travel search engines such as SideStep, the results will include selections from airline sites, travel web sites, and other databases containing flight, room and car rental availability. The drawback is a more "spartan" search capability, and you won’t get many of cool features you’ll find at a travel web site.

IT REALLY DOES PAY TO COMPARE AS MANY AND AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN

If you want the cheapest fare or room, always check out multiple sites before booking travel online. Many travel web sites negotiate and purchase large blocks of fares and rooms directly from airlines and hotels, and then pass the savings onto consumers. But because the reduction varies between sites, the quoted rate for the same seat on a flight, or room in a hotel, can vary dramatically... and many times from day-to-day. So it not only pays to check and compare other sites, but if you’ve the time, to do it often.

TRAVEL WEB SITES DON’T ALWAYS GET THE BEST DEAL

Because of the competitiveness of the travel industry these days here’s another worthwhile step to take before you press that "submit" button at your chosen online booking site... hop over for a final check at the airline, hotel, or car rental company web site for any special offers or lower rates you may get if you book directly. Sometimes the best deals are reserved for their own online customers or preferred clients, and you’ll even avoid fees.

BEWARE OF TRAVEL WEB SITE SERVICE AND TRANSFER FEES

Booking travel online at travel web sites usually involves a service fee. In most instances it’s not outrageous and is usually around $5 per ticket or booking.  Recently, I’ve seen some fees nudging up around $20 and there’s no need to pay that much. But the fees to be aware of are transfer fees when you change itinerary or cancel. It can cost you $100 or more to change after you’ve booked a flight. And if you want a refund, then it can be very frustrating, as you’ll likely spend hours on the phone to get to somebody who can authorize it.

The travel search engines make money from paid advertising and a referral fee from the airlines or hotels, so usually you don’t pay a fee when using them to book. But this is changing so always check for fee disclosure before booking.

Generally, the fees should never be hidden from you, but in a rush to book you may easily overlook a charge that wasn’t obvious before. The profit margins for online travel sites are low, and they can be very creative in their fee structure if you don’t pay close attention.

THE HIDDEN LINK THAT CAN SAVE YOU MONEY

Many of the travel web sites have a link on their page that allows you to become part of their affiliate program for no cost. It’s usually at the bottom and not obvious. By becoming an affiliate you can earn a small commission for everybody you refer to them that purchases a ticket, reserves a room, or rents a car.

But before you rush out and quit your day job and set yourself up as a home-based travel agent, be aware you’ll have to send thousands of people to make any decent money. But there’s an even better reason to become an affiliate. As an affiliate most sites will allow you to purchase your own tickets and still get paid the commission. It’s effectively a discount. Be sure to check the fine print on the agreement just so you’re familiar with the restrictions if any, and how they’ll pay you. But if you do a lot of booking travel online then check it out to see if it’ll work for you.

The travel industry continues to adjust to the advantages of the Internet.  Billions of dollars have been invested in online travel booking systems, and new players continue to enter the market every year. Armed with these tips you’ll be better prepared to navigate through the maze to the very best deal for you. And there’s still that travel agent in the mall if you just can’t be bothered with the whole game of booking travel online.




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Every one of us dreams of traveling by airplane and view the beauty of the world from the aerial view. There are many variants when it comes to air traveling, some of them were developed by freight or for commercial and company use.

Why choose travel by air?

Obviously one of the problems by land is lack of space. Meaning thousands of motorists traveling everyday and it seems that this will cause a time delay if you are heading to an important appointment. For busy people the time factor is very important.

It is also a know n fact that traveling by air is much faster than its alternatives. We can assume that people traveling by air are those who have important things to do, like businessperson, authors, diplomats, travelers, government officials and some other important persons.

If you are planning to travel by plane with a large number of friends and relatives to go to a far place and you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of transferring from one bus to another, air travel is the solution.

Evidently, the most interesting spatial characteristics of an airport are its setting and relativisation of the social life implied by air travel.

Cheap flight on the way

Always put up with in mind that cheapest does not always mean the best. For instance, a courier flights may be cheaper than the student fare but restrictions and limitations can affect you personally.

Some times traveling thru a weekdays is unlike from the weekends. At times also staying one day or less or more could affect the fare price. Some airlines cut off their flights. Some of them scheduled it in every month and then two months.

It would be cheaper to flight from one airplane then transfer to another rather than having a flying directly towards the destination.

Fares depend on who the traveler is or his/her status. As much as traveler's status is concern nowadays, the following people are the one entitled to discounts with some airlines, like students, young children, disabled persons, and senior citizens.

Consulting an airline agent will be a great help to the passengers; it will surely be able to cover up all the issue and thoughts running in your mind about the flight. You can also bargain with the agent to have a good deal with them.

Getting a flight and paying little is a tough job. It maybe concluded that that there are so many considerations and options in choosing cheap air flight whether local or overseas. Finding for cheaper ways to travel by air is not that easy. It will need to take a lot of time and patience.

Just remember this that there is no charge to consult a travel agent. It would be better to find someone who can suggest you of those travel journals in order for you to know what would fits your needs.

Travel agents will provide the best costumer service, full practical advice, and will assist you finding the information on cheap airfares when you need to travel. You also need to know information about last minute flight, hostel memberships, rail passes and hotel reservation.




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What makes for a stellar hotel stay? Do you think it is an inviting room, comfy bed, a spacious shower, functional alarm clock or perhaps a delicious breakfast, which can take your entire travel experience to a whole new level? Is it a combination of these things or all of the above? Well, some hotels are getting your message loud and clear and are gearing up with surprises for travelers as they take on these needs, one by one.

Take the breakfast, for instance. Hotels push the envelope by focusing on new amenities such as satellite radio or Internet check-in. However, the 2005 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index, a study by J.D. Power and Associates, finds that improvements on tried-and-true comforts such as a hearty, complimentary breakfast receive considerable boosts in customer satisfaction scores.

The company that introduced the concept of "complimentary continental" more than 20 years ago recently updated it to make the breakfast experience unlike that of other hotels. Its breakfast team tested 60 varieties of eggs, 15 sausage patties and 12 different orange juices and orchestrated more than 175,000 changes in breakfast alone to see that the experience stays consistent, from hotel to hotel, across the country. Here's what the researchers developed:

Some like it hot-A well-balanced breakfast offering is a necessity for starting your day off right. The On the House™ Hot Breakfast offers hot items, with eight different menus including eggs and breakfast meats, biscuits and gravy, wraps with salsa and more. Seasonal items are also being offered to guests. Menus are selected by individual hotels based on the preferences of their business and leisure travelers. (Low-carb dieters, that includes you!)

Some like it fast-With On the Run Breakfast Bags™, there's no excuse to miss breakfast. Available Monday through Friday mornings, each bag contains an apple, a Kellogg's® breakfast bar, an Otis Spunkmeyer® Muffin and a bottle of water. In 2005, Hampton Hotels distributed more than three million On the Run Breakfast Bags, making it the largest to-go complimentary breakfast from a hotel.

Some like it high-octane-Three blends of coffee have been specifically created to add a new flavor with a smile to breakfast. The blend is known for its robust taste and is the signature coffee for all 1,330 hotels. A typical Hampton hotel will serve at least 13 gallons of coffee daily-that's three gas tanker trucks full every day.

Some like it simple-The hotel chain has created consistency in the breakfast experience so guests will know what to expect each time they visit a Hampton Inn anywhere in the nation by arranging breakfast by food type into six zones-hot, cold, baked, fresh, coffee and juice-to meet each guest's needs. Welcoming displays are set up to describe the food and guide guests through an enjoyable experience.

Some like it served with a smile-Hampton is not just offering delicious food, but also service and a personal connection to make their breakfast an unforgettable experience. Through a "Hampton Moment," staff greet and connect with guests and offer an unexpected delight they won't find at any other hotel.

Even with all the upgrades, the breakfast continues to be complimentary, saving travelers $5 to $20 per person and an extra stop in the morning. So whether you are a lounger who enjoys a leisurely breakfast or your schedule only allows for a coffee and a bagel for the road, Mom was right -breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.



A guest selects from the options available every day from one hotel chain's breakfast specifically designed to meet travelers' needs.




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