Moms Travel TipsTravel Tips and Vacation Ideas for the Whole Family

Here we have The following is
“the travel packing checklist” that I have gathered through years of experience and research. They don’t neccessarily apply to
packing for international travel. You Pick and choose your priorities according to your travelling goals and the length of your stay. I have factored in safety issues,self reliance,and total flexibility issues. Do you want to save money on your vacation planning?Click here for more

Gear Essentials
·Day Pack (you are going to be stuck with for some time)
· Flashlight
· Compact Binoculars
· First Aid Kit
· Sunglasses
· Multi-tool
· Watch
· Sunscreen
· Water bottle (with built-in filter)
· Hat
· Whistle
· Map or Travel Guide
· Compass or GPS receiver

Pre-Departure
· travel documents
· Visa if needed
· health papers
·Verified Transportation Tickets
· Frequent Flyer Cards
· Emergency Information
· Insurance
·Hotel Reservations
· relevant foreign currency
· Currency (both local and American)
· prepaid international credit card
·travel guide book
· Trip Cancellation/ Medical

Information
·Updated Copies of Passport, ID and Documents
· Special Event Reservations

Rechecked Travel Gear
· Main Travel Bag (Duffle/Luggage, etc.)
· Packing Accessories (clothes, small stuff and toiletries)
· Security (Passport carrier, luggage locks/ tags)
·Easy to use Document Organizer
·Everyday Bag

Everyday Basics
· Travel Clothing
·New Raincoat/ functional Umbrella
·travelling shoes
· Visor or Brimmed Hat
· Camera.Most weather Lenses and Film
·Radiation Shield for Film
· Video Camera, Tapes
· CD/ Cassette Player
·Quality Electric/ Phone Converters
· Travel Alarms
·language translation books
·Reading Materials(or should I rather say readable)
·Address Notebook
·Travel Event Log
·Pen/ Pencil
· Scarf/ Bandana
·Games/ Playing Cards that you enjoy
· Snacks
·Hand Sanitizer/ Towlettes
·Travel Neck Pillow
·Clean Eye Shade/ Ear Plugs
·Working Door Lock
·Tissues/ Toilet Paper
· Keys

Handy “Swiss Knife” type Maintenance Tools
· Flashlight Batteries/ Bulbs
· Matches or Lighter
· Extra Batteries
· Sewing/ Repair Kit
· Duct Tape
· Travel Iron or Steamer
· bathroom sink stopper
· Zip-Close Plastic Bags

Travel Health
· Uddated Travel Health Guide Booklet
· Pain Reliever/ Aspirin
· Cold Medicine
· Contact Lens Items
·Diarrhea Medicine
· Motion Sickness Remedies
· Laxative
· Insect Repellent
· Sun Protection
· Antibiotic Cream
· chloroquine
· Personal Hygiene Items
· Personal Prescriptions

To conclude,travelling may not only be for vacation. As I speak, my wife had to spend the whole day to travel out of state to go get her sister and take her to the passport office to renew her travel documents because her husband lost his mother and they need to travel to Ghana next week to bury her.

Things would have been smoother if she had, done this renewal long ago because the Embassies can not guarantee a quick nor instant renewal.

Waiting is not fun when you are a Prince back home in your village ,and these files are served on a first come first serve basis.

Most people who engage in a lot of pleasure or business travel do not do not concern themselves with whether they will be welcomed at traditional travel destinations. Generally, places tourists frequent usually want to attract anyone who is willing to pay for the available products or services. However, for sexual minorities, including gay men, some locations range from an absence of an “open arms greeting” to outright hostility. Consequently, some gay travel destinations are more welcoming than others.

For example, both Berlin and Prague have a long history of welcoming gay visitors. Germany and the Czech Republic may be more socially conservative than, say, Sweden, the capital cities of both nations have large gay populations and many neighborhoods in which gay men can openly hold hands without experiencing so much as a surprised look. Prague has been friendly to gay men since even before the fall of the iron curtain, while Berlin has been open to gay travelers since the early decades of the 20th century, although there was obviously hostility toward sexual minorities during the Nazi era.

Most of Latin America is quite different, although it never suffered the horrors of Nazi oppression of homosexuals. The tradition of machismo is prevalent. Generally gay men should abide by the customs of the community in order to assure their personal safety. In other words, just because you see straight people behaving a certain way, don’t assume that a gay couple could follow course. Of course sexual minorities are at least as prevalent in Latin America as in any other part of the world, but it is assumed that the minorities will demonstrate considerable discretion. However, in locations that rely economically upon tourists, like in Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, the conventions of western Europe are more likely to appear. Mexico City is gay friendly to tourists only in certain areas of the city, despite being much more cosmopolitan in other ways.

The United States is a bit of a mish-mash. There are still a large number of extreme bigots throughout the U.S. However, there are an increasing number of places in the country where gay civil rights are proudly protected. It’s a good idea for gay travelers to obtain information about the local social climate, however.

Among the most popular gay vacation spots include Key West, Palm Springs and South Beach (Miami). While they are all warm weather destinations, they have their significant differences.

The world is diverse, and there are still places where gay men are persecuted. To maximize your enjoyment of your destination, understand the local customs and culture.

San Francisco is an ideal destination for any traveler. It is one of the favorite spots for a gay vacation, or for enthusiasts of the “local food” movement and for anyone who appreciates diversity in life.

What are the first things you think of any time anybody says the name San Francisco? Maybe the hills. Or the Golden Gate Bridge. Or the world’s crookedest street. But the city by the bay has so much more to offer the visitor. You’ll find plenty to do and see during your visit to this magnificent city.

San Francisco is an ideal city for walking. The climate is never really too cold or too warm for wandering outside and the city is so pretty; a stroll is a great way to check out all that “The City” (as it is known to the natives) has to offer. And, should your limbs begin to feel a little sore from walking, you merely have to hitch a ride on one of San Francisco’s famous cable cars until you arrive at your next point of interest. The cable car is unique to San Francisco, the city where the trolley originated, and is a perfect way to put yourself right into the city’s special culture.

While in San Fran, Fisherman’s Wharf is a must see for your itinerary. Stop by Pier 39 for a good time. Pier 39 is famous for its great shopping center, which is filled with shops, arcades, and street performers. And if you’re feeling adventurous, salute the other local inhabitants of the docks—sea lions!—easily glimpsed just off the pier. Fisherman’s Wharf is also the place for great seafood. While there are dozens of great restaurants to be found, be sure to grab a meal at Boudin’s restaurant and try their famous sourdough bread (you can even see the chef in action!) and clam chowder. Fisherman’s Wharf is simply swimming with excitement; don’t miss this must-see!

The local neighborhoods of San Francisco are another must-see if you want to experience the diversity of San Francisco culture. From North Beach to Chinatown, each neighborhood offers a life of its own that you won’t find anywhere else. The neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury is an extremely exciting neighborhood of San Francisco. Considered the Bohemian center of the city, this neighborhood is the birthplace of such legendaries as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Janis Joplin. The spirit of these artists and their music still lives on in this district. Haight-Ashbury also boasts of some small but great local restaurants, bars and shops, including Amoeba Music, a bowling alley that was converted into a record store. Here you will find almost any type of music you can think of, with a huge variety of vinyl. And just a short distance from this district you will find the Golden Gate Park—a large, gorgeous park that rivals New York City’s Central Park.

Also near Haight-Ashbury and the downtown area, you will find Castro, the gay mecca of San Francisco. This district is the place for great restaurants, clubs, bars, and shops as well as the the best of San Francisco nightlife. Don’t forget to catch a flick at the historic Castro theatre and take it easy at one of the great bed and breakfasts the district has to offer. And if you plan your visit carefully, you can catch one of the great San Fran festivals such as the Castro Street Fair in October, or Pink Saturday in June.

Lesbian and gay tourists in San Francisco may be drawn to the Castro area to visit the sites and enjoy the camaraderie, but you will find the whole of the city is accepting of all kinds of people. Enjoy all of it!

So when you plan your San Francisco vacation, don’t get stuck playing tourist. The city offers adventures everywhere you turn. Immerse yourself in the culture of the city to get the most out of your trip!

As a premier supplier of gay tours and gay safaries, I’m asked often about my favorite tips to make gay travel easier and more seamless. While I typically have a lot of tips that are not necessarily unique to the gay traveler, I do have a few key ideas that are probably worth sharing:

1.    Know what you want when it comes to vacation planning. While some gay travelers want a unique gay vacation experience, others are more interested in interacting with straight couples. One of the best things about our Savvy Navigator gay tours is that we’re able to offer a comfortable gay-friendly travel experience, without our gay travelers feeling like they’ve been relegated to a gay ghetto.

2.    How can I optimize my time and the vacation experience?  If you only have a weekend to get away, don’t go to Hawaii, seriously. Your distance traveled should be commensurate with the amount of time you’re taking off. A formula I like to use when planning a gay vacation is that my air travel time in hours should not exceed the number of days I’m away. As an example, if I’m taking 2 days of leave, I should not select a destination that is more than 2 hours air travel away. Or if I’m going away for a week, then Europe is in range, as it will take roughly 7 hours to fly there from my home on the east coast.

3.How gay friendly is my destination? It is amazing how many gay travelers select destinations that are unfriendly towards GLBT travelers. Do your homework and select those destinations that truly welcome the GLBT visitor. And as you drill down in your planning, how gay friendly are the hotels? Restaurants? Tourist sites? This is important information to know before you go, and will also ensure a better experience.

4.If you and your partner are traveling together, remember to book your airline flight under the same reservation. Why is this important? If your flight cancels, or somehow goes off schedule, the airline will know you and hubby are traveling together. If you and your partner happen to be traveling on seperate records, be sure to call the airline and have the two records linked.” A good friend of mine was recently involuntarily downgraded and spilt up from his husband because the airline gate agent had no idea they were traveling together.

5.Remember to let your credit card companies know you’ll be traveling, especially with foreign destinations. In this day of constant credit card reissuance due to internal security issues, you’ll save yourself a lot of heartache while away if Visa, MasterCard or AmEx know you’re traveling were you are, and that your charges are authorized.

6.Great tools are now at your fingertips. Be sure to use Trip Advisor, Flyer Talk and other travel websites rich with user-generated content. These are great tools to get the inside scoop of hotels, restaurants, and all the important sites. And if you have any questions about GLBT-friendliness (see point #3), then these sites are a great place to get more information.

For more great gay-friendly trips, ideas and information, please visit www.savvynavigator.com

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