Just remember, speaking a new language is very difficult, but trying will make the people around you more inclined to help you when you need it. Well, I suppose we should get all of the "bad" stuff out of the way first, and this next tip is extremely important! Are you traveling to Jamaica or the Czech Republic or any other exotic place? Do you know how their health system works? This is something no one wants to think about before leaving for a wonderful holiday, but accidents and illness do happen. While on a trip to Jamaica I was told of a young boy who'd broken his leg while cliff diving. The poor young man wasn't prepared for the need to be treated in a local hospital, so he spent a great deal of time in pain not knowing that he had to pay for each and every treatment up-front. That means every aspirin, every x-ray, every Kleenex. So, before you step foot in the airline terminal, it's imperative that you have at least a rough idea what the emergency protocols are for the area. If you can, even find out before hand where the nearest hospital is to your hotel. Yahoo maps usually has a pretty reliable search engine for services near to the area you input. Or, simply look up the immigration website for the country you're …show more content…
We are all cost conscious when traveling, but if the hotel you find in your price range doesn't have reviews, it may be a crap shoot that leaves you demanding your deposit back and starting at square one in a strange city. When I travel alone I don't worry so much about the neighborhood of my hotel. But, when traveling with my family, I want to make sure that my hotel isn't in a neighborhood that's known to the locals are a high crime area. This is not something you can tell from the hotel's website, obviously. So, the reviewer who says "The room was nice, but I got mugged outside the building" will save you a lot of headache! Just remember - the closer you are to tourist attractions, the higher the crime rate will be. Piccadilly Square may be on your sight seeing list, but also may not be the best place to stay with 5 to 12 year old's. I actually had this exact experience while moving from the west coast to the east cost. It was late when I spotted a cheap hotel from the highway and pulled us over for the night. After my kids and I checked in I immediately discovered the bathroom ceiling was in the bathtub in a crumbly, wet pile. We were given a new room, but by morning check out I rushed my small children through several clouds of marijuana before fleeing the area. Now, on to the