Even in the olden times, the problem of motion sickness had been prevalent. In fact, it was even referred to as “camel sickness” in the Bible, where the camel riders experience nausea due to moderate swaying.

With the advent of technology, motion sickness has evolved into many forms such as seasickness, carsickness, space motion sickness, and airsickness; and the reason why more and more people are now traveling by air is because of its capacity to transport people faster.

Generally, airsickness refers to that feeling of nausea which was triggered by the motion usually experienced when the aircraft escalates to higher altitudes. Some of the common signs of airsickness are loss of appetite, vertigo, burping, stomach awareness, nausea, and increased swallowing and salivation.

Contrary to most popular beliefs, airsickness is not a disorder. It is just a normal response of the body to an unusual stimulus. Simply put: airsickness is due to the disparity between what people see with their eyes and the data that they get from the “vestibular organs” of the ears. So, it is a matter of the discrepancies between what people see and what they feel. Thus, the end result is a confusion of the brain’s regular processing of sensory awareness.

For pilots, airsickness is their number one concern. Surveys show that 29% of aircraft pilots experience airsickness. This, in turn, disables them to perform their functions well. That is why people have come up with ways how to avoid airsickness. Here’s how:

1. Stress and other forms of anxiety should be stripped out.

Studies show that two of the common causes of airsickness are stress and anxieties. It increases the probability of experiencing airsickness. This is because the body will have more difficulty in coping up with the sudden change of environment. Emotional factors trigger the brain to get more confused.

2. Before traveling, it would be better for a person to eat light meals only. Large meals, especially those that have high salt content are possible causes of airsickness.

3.  While on board, it is best for a person to stay put and avoid too much moving within the aircraft. Motion is the number one factor why airsickness occurs.

4. People should accept the condition and try to get accustomed on the situation. This will happen after a few hours of being in the air.

Indeed, airsickness is not a big problem. It is just a matter of adjusting the body’s condition so as to avoid conflict of senses.

Accidents do happen unexpectedly, but they can be avoided.

However, despite the fact that a lot of people are trying their best to avoid it, still, many are in danger in the road while traveling. They will never know when an accident will take place. In fact, it seems that the number of people who gets into accidents while traveling is continuously growing.

In 2003 alone, statistics show that over 6 million car accidents have been reported in the United States, and in those accidents about 2.9 million were injured and 42, 643 people were killed. That is, indeed, a very alarming figure considering the fact that the campaigns about driving safely and avoiding road accidents are in full force.

So, where does the problem lies? Is it on the driver, the car manufacturer, the government, or is it fate for most people who get into accidents? In reality, nobody can really tell who to blame. The only choice people have is to continue driving safely and avoid accidents.

However, in the event that accidents happen, the only way to solve the mishap is to deal with it. Here’s how:

1. Emergency numbers in one’s mobile phone are extremely important.

People just don’t realize this yet, but the emergency numbers stored in their mobile phones are vital to one’s life, especially when away from home or while traveling.

Surveys show that people who usually survive in accidents are those who were attended to immediately by health experts. This goes to show that immediate actions are important so as to save people who have met accidents.

2. Panic is the number one killer in an accident.

The reason why many people do not survive in an accident is because they tend to panic first. They get so panic-stricken that they can no longer clear their mind and think of ways how to deal with the dilemma. That is why it is extremely important to stay calm when accidents and happen and think of ways how to solve the problem.

3. Prevention is still the number one remedy.

Today, car accidents are currently the top most causes of death, usually within the age bracket of 1 to 37. Hence, the majority of the drivers, who are prone to accidents, are young. Usually the causes of accidents in young people are speeding, reckless driving, not wearing seatbelts, and drunk driving.

And so, it is important to observe traffic rules and regulations so as to prevent road accidents while traveling. As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

For people who are fond of traveling to different places, visiting marvelous beaches, and taking a trip to the most exotic island paradise, the job of a travel agent seems to be a far better job than anything else.

However, some people contend that the viability of a travel agent being a lucrative work has lessened due to the emergence of the Internet.

Nowadays, people can easily plan their vacation trips, acquire their tickets, and make their own plans and reservation through the Internet.

That is why some financial analysts have concluded that as the need for travel agents fall off, their wages deteriorates as well, considering the fact that it is already low. The median yearly salary of travel agents amount to $26,630, that was in 2002. The top 10% of the travel agents in the US were reported to have a salary of $41,660 or more. While the remaining half of the travel agents is currently earning between $20,800 and $33,580. All of these were bases on the U.S. Department Labor reports.

The bottom line is that travel agents are really not earning much. The only benefits they get are the discounts and special privileges on travel. Funny thing is, with their present salaries, travel agents may not even use these benefits because they cannot even afford to travel.

However, there are still those who want to become a travel agent in spite of everything. So, for those who really insist on becoming a travel agent, here’s how to do it.

1. A second language is a must for those who want to become a travel agent. Travel agents deal with different nationalities and a second language may just be handy in the future.

2. It is a must for every would-be travel agent to undergo 6-12 week training on how to become a travel agent. This includes all the basics of the job.

3. Computer literacy is also important because all of the transaction, invoices, and reports are done through computer utilization.

4. Knowledge on up-to-date information about the trends in the business. Also, it is a must for every travel agent to know the best places to go.

5. It would be better for those who want to become a travel agent to have their certification as a Certified Travel Counselor. This is an added value to their work.

Becoming a travel agent is entirely dependent on the person’s interest. So, whether the salary is low or high, as long as the person is happy with the job, then, there wouldn’t be any qualms for it.

- Schedule your departure day two days after the wedding to give you ample time for rest after the activities and the celebrations. If you must travel immediately, remember to leave in the middle of the day and not the early morning so you’ll get a good night’s sleep.

- Ask your travel Agent for Honeymoon Packages, these usually offer the best destinations for honeymooners, not to mention discounts and freebies.

- Never, ever overbook day trips, you’re not just traveling, you’re with your new Spouse, better save up some energy for the night’s fireworks.

- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask about certain perks, events.

- In addition to the above, don’t be afraid to request extra stuff, like a big bathtub, a double bed, or a romantic view.

-  Don’t forget to bring your marriage Certificate along with you, especially if the name of the bride is already under her husband’s name.

- Pack your camera and lots of film; you won’t want to miss anything. You might also want to pack a disposable underwater camera and extra batteries, these are absurdly pricey in tourist spots, and you wouldn’t want to overspend.

- Mention to anyone, especially in the café or in the tour boat, that you’re on your honeymoon, yes this may sound a bit embarrassing, but some restaurants give extras like free drinks or gifts for honeymooners. This also works for birthday celebrants.

-  If you want an active honeymoon, research and prepare for water sports; the tropics are a great place, to learn them, always remember to consult hubby before you try one though.

- Stock up on sun protection. The higher the SPF the better, as you’ll probably be spending whole days out in the sun; you wouldn’t want to get skin cancer after just two weeks of marriage.

- Some travel agencies include island hopping trips, these are great ways to explore, and enjoy. This is especially good because you’ll get a change in scenery, and won’t easily get bored, especially if you have an extended honeymoon.

- Even if your valuables are inside your hotel room, keep them under lock, and if you decide to bring them with you, always watch out for stray pickpockets.

- Bring with you a stock of candles and massage oils that you can place inside your hotel room for that romantic evening after touring and swimming

- Holiday travel packages were never made with only one person in mind; no two people are alike, keep this in mind because the agencies that packed them have kept these in mind, use this fact to haggle your way into cheaper or sometimes better deals. Even if there are ready made packages, you can ask for extra perks especially if you’re staying for more than a week.

- Be careful of travel agents. Travel agents may give you the best deal for your package, which normally include airfare, lodgings and transportation, but a really good agent can be really flexible. One example would be if you want a rental car for the first half of your trip but you want to get rid of it by the second half, a good agent can arrange this for you, sometimes for a cheaper price.

- Be sure that the package you want is available, you don’t want to get pulled into something that ends up being sold out, some people give out too-good-to-be-true packages which end up being “sold out” in the end, so before you make a deal or transfer a morsel of cash, make sure that it is still available.

- Be sure to know exactly what airline and route your taking, you won’t want those unpleasant layovers which can be a real pain, not to mention delay your schedule.

- A good sign of a good package is one that is very flexible, as said before, no two people are alike, and a good package should reflect that, it should allow you to choose between destinations, as well as brands and lodgings without changing the price. A choice in which rental car to take is also a sign of a good package.

- Finally, it’s good to ask for discounts that you might get if you do certain stuff, like stay in the hotel for more than a week, or sign up on the internet instead of by phone. Research first before you cough up the money for down-payment; make sure you’ve exhausted all possible discount generating ways before you decide on a package.

If it’s just for school, for your kids or for the neighborhood kids, it’s nice to have a purposeful educational trip that will surely be enjoyed by the children as well as teach them. Of course there is the usual trip to the museum or the so-so factory, but educational travel doesn’t necessarily end with the destination, one should also consider the preparations as well as the child before you uproot them from their playgrounds.

Who should plan the Trip?

If the trip is an out of school activity, whether organized by you or the neighborhood parents, there should always be somebody or a group of people willing to dedicate a snippet of their time to organizing, everything, destination, transportation, food, lodgings (if any) as well as the children involved.

What to Bring

A pack list is also essential before a trip. Here are a few things that should be in your or your child’s bag when you go on an educational trip.

- Snacks –there should be lots of drinks and walk foods that you can eat even while walking.

- First aid kit – an accident can easily happen, a small trip or a scratch should be mended easily. A medicine pack can also be handy for parents who develop headaches, or for children with stomach upset.

- Extra clothes – children are very active, and sometimes even parents can be over-active, so it is necessary that both bring a set of clothes for those unexpected spills.

- Walkie talkie – If your child can handle it, a walkie-talkie or a cellular phone can be very useful if he gets lost.

- Name tag – Attach a name tag to his shirt or to his bag containing your contact number (without a name) so that whoever finds him can contact you.

- One of his favorite toys – A good thing to distract a child when he gets uneasy during travel would be one of his favorite toys.

- Wipes and tissue- For that easy cleanup whenever you need it.

When you get there

Fall in line, and make travel buddy’s of two or three; the one buddy should be responsible for the other so as to prevent anyone getting left behind. This is best done with kids who don’t normally play together so they can bond and get to know each other more.

On the trip home

Encourage sleeping; after a long walk children can get cranky when tired, so bring some milk with you so they can sleep through the trip home.

Hotel and rental car owners don’t just offer you discounts at random, you have to ask for it work for it, and sometimes, these discounts aren’t even worth it, well unless you’re looking to traveling during off peak season where there is at most a 50% discount. But let’s face it, we travel during peak season because this is the season when we actually have time to travel. So aside from waiting for your favorite hotel’s tirade of discounts during off peak season, when you can’t really travel and then end up not traveling at all, why not take the initiative and find your own ways to cheap travel, make your own discount.

- Check detour flights other than the straight one you’re bound to get when you inquire. You can get cheaper overall prices if you choose to book two flights instead of one. Some people have been able to save as much as $2000 by doing this.

- It is always better to buy food at the grocery and cook it yourself rather than eating everyday at a restaurant. You won’t want to spend all of your pocket money on food. Restaurants tend to have cheap and sometimes unhealthy food, ensure your own health as well as your pockets health by cooking your own, that is, after all, the reason why there’s a stove in your hotel room.

- Travel to places which boast of natural beauty but have lower costs of living, prices here tend to be lower. Take the Philippines or Malaysia for example, both have great views and tourist spots but come without the hassle of overpricing, English speaking natives are also a plus for these countries.

- If you’re planning to stay for more than a week, call the hotel that you’d want to stay in and ask for week long stay discounts, these can range for percentages off your room price or even a “free day.”

- Package deals usually save a lot, airfare and lodgings combined into one are usually cheaper compared to paying for them separately. Some travel agencies even provide trio packages which include airfare, hotel and car rental, you can save a lot if you have the industriousness to canvass.

- Find web-only discounts or coupons which some hotels and airline owners provide especially for those willing to reserve online. You can save as much as 50% on your travel costs by going this way.

With planning, foresight and a little bit of hard work, you can go ahead and have that dream vacation the economical way.  Here’s how:

* Search the internet, call airline agencies and watch the news to keep yourself up to date on discounts.  There are a lot of promotional fares offered by airline companies that are new in the industry.

* When you do travel a lot, sign up for frequent flier miles.

* Ask about student fares or senior citizen discounts.

* Keep a flexible travel schedule.  Go with the flow.  If the promo states that they only give discounts every Tuesdays, then set your departure on Tuesday.  Generally, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the days that have fewer reservations, so it in on these days that tickets are sold cheap.  Monday is usually the busiest day of the week.

* Do not go ahead and make reservations to the first airline company you see with promotions.  Take the time to source out a variety of options.  Take the time to find out if the promotion is indeed the cheapest in your area.  Ask the clerk about other offers available.  When checking through the internet, make sure you check at least five sites before you decide where to buy your tickets.

* You can have the option of purchasing tickets through consolidators.  These are people who buy a whole block of tickets and resell them at certain discounts.  This helps the airline fill up still available seats.  The travel section of the newspaper is the place to check for ticket consolidators.

* Try flying on off peak hours schedule.  Usually if you take the before seven in the morning flight or the after seven in the evening flight, tickets are at their cheapest.  This too, will be a wise decision since it is at these times that airlines are not overcrowded, thus getting more space for yourself and your luggage.

* Be sure to inquire if the airline offers travel packages.  Some airlines do offer packages such as car rental discount or a hotel room discount that comes with the travel ticket.

* When you are flying off season, be very sure to ask about certain standby fares.

* Have an early booking.  Promotions are usually offered when one reserves a ticket three weeks beforehand.  Remember that due to over crowding during the holidays, you may not use your frequent flier miles.  So book in advance if you plan to travel during the holidays.

* Staying with only one airline on your entire trip may too, give you discounts.  Airlines offer special rates to round trip tickets or connecting flights.

Have a safe trip and enjoy!

- Plan your vacations on off seasons, Hotel rates, even airline and car rental rates are lower during this time due to lower demand. You can get as much as a 50% discount if you book a room during off season, so try and call the hotel if they have off season discounts and ask them when the discounts will be effective.

- Some hotels give discounts to certain people like students, military contingents, Senior citizens, honeymooners etc. Ask for these discounts and what their details, you can save a lot with these.

- Ask if your kids can stay for free, if you’re with your family, sometimes hotels can allow up to two kids for a two bed room provided that the kids are within the age limit.

- If you’re not very particular with hotel locations, you can access name-your-price websites for car rentals and hotel reservations. They’ll do the haggling for you and you’re sure not to over-budget.

- Some hotels and even car rental companies, give “free days” if you use their services for more than a week. Ask about these certain perks if you’re planning a long stay.

- Make sure that the room fees are the only ones you’re paying for. Some hotels have surcharges and extra fees that aren’t mentioned in room rates and then suddenly pop-up on check-out. Before you reserve, ask about these, and if upon check-out you suddenly find yourself with fees that you didn’t know about, refuse to pay it.

- You can also exchange frequent Flier miles for hotel lodgings so if you have an expiring miles card, or a miles card that you’d just want to get rid of, ask the hotel if they honor these exchanges.

- Sometimes, hotels provide free airport pick-up you can use this as bargaining tool. Ask for a free pickup when haggling so you’ll get something extra even if you pay the full price.

- If you’re planning to travel during peak season, always call in advance, rates tend to get higher as the season approaches.

- Sometimes, weekend rates are lower than regular fees, or vice versa, ask your agent, or ask the hotel yourself if they have these, then you can schedule your trip during these times and be able to avail of the discount.

- Always ask for a confirmation number when you reserve a room, so that they can’t say that they didn’t receive your reservation.

You need to ASK if you want a discount.  Here are ways to do it:

*Search the internet, look for great deals.  There are various types of hotels that offer great discounts on the web for online customers.  Be sure to check these out.

*Plan your trip during the off season months.  These are the times when big discounts are given.

*Call the hotel of your choice.  Ask them about offers and discounts that they can give.  List all promotions.

*Certain hotels can give discounts to credit card holders of certain card establishments.  Ask for the manager and ask him about it.  The manager is the best person to ask, since if you can make negotiations, he has the authority to make negotiations with you.

*Ask if they give discounts to students or senior citizens.

*Simply ask through the phone how can you qualify for a discount.  If at certain day of the week or at certain times of the year they give discounts, ask them about it and ask how much or how less can they give, then ask if you could get still a higher discount.  Usually at off peak seasons, hotels will be willing to give in, just to fill the empty rooms.

*Ask for certain packages.  Hotels usually offer rooms with free breakfast.

*Do name drop.  If you know of someone who frequently stays them, mention his name.  It can help.  Tell them your friend referred you to them and ask for a discount.  Don’t ever give up if they say no.  A statement like “is that the best you can do?” can encourage a big discount.

*Often, people in the military get good hotel rates.  Usually, discounts are offered to government employees.

*At off peak seasons, you could definitely ask for special rates.  Then if they don’t budge after you have offered a discount, ask some extras, like breakfast.

*When negotiating, it is very important to write down all agreed discussions.  Write too, the names of the persons that you have been talking to, the time as well as the day and date. Ask for a number that you can call before checking in to the hotel for confirmation.

*Upon arrival to the hotel, look around and ask for negotiations once more.  For instance if you feel that the hotel is not fully booked, ask for a room with a better view than the one you are in, if you don’t agree with what you see.

Enjoy your stay!