If you’re visiting a big city, hotels tend to be expensive the closer in you stay to the city center. Even the budget hotels might strain your budget. Consider staying in a suburb or the next small town over. Take a 15-20 minute bus or train ride into the city. Hotels and restaurants will be cheaper, and it may even be a cuter area to stay in.

Home swaps are becoming more popular as a way to save while on holiday. They’re good for families or small groups traveling together to share the expense.

As an even more frugal alternative to a hotel, if you’re young and adventurous, you might even want to give “couch surfing” a try. It’s a system where you register, then are referred to strangers who are willing to let you sleep on their couch. Sign up to host or be a couch surfer with an organization like Couch Surfing. They will connect you with others who are interested in letting you flop on their sofa. You can also sign up to host travelers yourself.

There are house swaps and couches to flop on all over the world. You have to be willing to give up a little of your privacy, but you can save a lot of money…. and make new friends while you’re saving.

Consider booking a fly/drive bundle or hotels bundled with flights. You might be an independent traveler who likes to find your own accommodations, but you might find you can save a bundle with that bundle.

If you want to go to a play or the opera look for half-off, same day sales booths. Many cities have these. In London and New York where everyone wants to see a play, these booths can save you a bunch. The only downside is you might not be able to see the latest plays. You may have to stand in a long line, and you might have to pay cash.

Are there any budget travel tips when you’re renting a car? Get the smallest car that you and your group can fit in. Car companies love to say they can “upgrade” you for only a little more…. but why do you want to pay more if you don’t need the space. Bigger cars take more gas… gas is expensive. (And, the driver in our team reminds me, they’re harder to park.)

Don’t get the “gas package” where you can return the rental car empty… you’ll never get it to empty…. You’ll be too afraid of running out of gas on your way back to the airport, so you’ll lose money on that half tank that’s left. Just fill it up near the airport and save money.

Think about your budget… and the environment when you leave for your holiday. Your house can save you money if you unplug all those appliances that say in “ready mode” and suck electricity while you’re gone. Unplugging them saves the environment too. Lower the hot water heater temperature to “vacation”. Make sure the heater or the air-conditioner are at money saving settings. The house doesn’t need to be heated or cooled as much while you’re gone.

All these little budget travel tips could add up to more travel time… so watch all those little things carefully.

If you’re going to visit several cities consider flying with an open jaw ticket. It may cost a little more for the ticket itself, but you might save in time and ground transportation costs. If you’re renting a car, drop off charges might cancel any savings, so it could be better to get back to the same airport. Do your research to see which way you will save.

Once you’re at your destination, stretch your travel budget by using public transportation to and from the airport… taxis can be expensive. You can compare prices… if there are four of you sharing the taxi, it might be a push or only a little more and worth it.

Share rental car expenses. Rental cars can be a great way to get out to the countryside, but they add a daily expense to your budget. Cut that down by traveling with others. If four of you are traveling together, a car may be less than the price of four train tickets.

Try to avoid the collision damage waver charges on rental cars. Generally if you have a “gold” credit card, the credit card company will cover this insurance. Check with your card company though, because certain counties are not included in this coverage. In those counties, the CDW will be mandatory and should be included in the priced you are quoted.

You don’t want to have your rental car in big cities. Those big cities are a headache to drive in. To keep your rental car safe, you need to park in a garage, and parking fees are expensive. Do your city touring first. To save the headaches and stretch your travel budget, take trains or buses between cities, then pick up your rental car for your drive in the countryside.

If you’re going to stay only in cities, use the train and local transportation. When you’re taking the train, go second-class. The seats aren’t quite as cushy, but they are comfortable enough for your trip, and you’ll save a bunch.

When you’re using the local subways and buses, consider how many trips you’ll be taking on that transportation… It might be worth while buying a transit card… or at least a booket of tickets for a discount. If you’re only going to take one trip, just buy one ticket. No need to pay for transportation you won’t use.

Walk around the city on your own with a good map, rather than taking a bus tour. Organized walking tours can be a fun and inexpensive way to go. If you want to arrange a tour, you might do better arranging it through the tourist office rather than your hotel.

You can stretch your travel budget if you are smart about how and when you travel to your destination. Take the less expensive options to get around once you’re there. You’ll be traveling frugally, but having just as much fun.

The travel industry is “self-correcting” when it comes to economic downturns. It may be THE best time to travel and get travel bargains. Airlines, hotels and tour operators are slashing prices and offering extras like they haven’t in a long time.

We think it’s important to keep traveling unless it will completely ruin your home budget. Clearly during global financial slowdowns, we are all going to have to work a little harder for less. We will have to plan our spending a little more carefully, but we shouldn’t give up traveling.

You might want to dine out less often at home, take your lunch to work, start mowing your own lawn… then put the money you save toward your travel budget.

Travel plays a vital role in our lives. It is rejuvenating. It’s one thing to take your vacation time and just stay home… it’s a whole lot better for you to go somewhere and try something new. There is pleasure in the discovery that travel gives you. You might even cherish your travel experiences more during tough times. If you have to focus on value, do that, but still travel.

We just need to find ways to pad our travel budget. You know you still want to go…. You just want to trim around the edges and travel for less. Stop and make a list of things you can cut down on at home and not miss too much. We’re sure you can add to our list…. Don’t part with your vacation. Even in the U.S. where workers normally only get two weeks of vacation a year, the majority of people say that vacations are important.

Travelers may simply travel closer to home in rough times. With our web pages and blogs, we’ll try to help by giving you ideas on how to save… how to travel more frugally. Don’t give up on your wildest travel dreams. Travel frugally now, but hang onto those travel dreams for future trips when the economy recovers a bit.

Travelers may look to prepackaged tours to save money but still be able to travel. Volunteer vacations may be a way to save on a trip and contribute to helping some segment of society at the same time.

Some people may talk about cutting back, but we’re a world full of wanderers… collectively, we love to travel…. and since we do think of that old saying… Where there is a will, there is a way.

Go out and enjoy the world, but instead of eating at 5 star Michelin restaurants, enjoy a little local place, or picnic. Spend leisurely days in free museums. Hike in the mountains. Take the travel pace a little slower… walk, take public transportation… just sit in a sidewalk cafe and enjoy the ambience.

Travel not only helps you, it helps keep economies flowing. During economic downturns, and when terrorism strikes, it’s easy to start feeling depressed. Taking a break from the daily grind… some place exciting and new lifts your spirits. It just makes you feel good.

And isn’t there a saying that goes something like… if it feels good… do it? So we hope everyone will keep traveling… you’ll just learn to travel smarter.

The best source for up to the minute information on healthy travel is a travel medicine doctor. These specialists keep up with all of the latest recommendations for anywhere in the world.

Also be up to date on all your routine vaccinations, including a seasonal influenza vaccine. It won’t protect against a new flu strain, but it protects against any seasonal flu that may also be occurring…, and not getting a “common” seasonal flu will help keep you stronger, so your body can resist that new strain.

Drink bottled water in places where the water is considered unsafe. It never hurts to err on the side of caution… if you are unsure, grab that bottle rather than tap water.

Eat nutritiously. A bag of chips and a sandwich might be good for your budget, but eaten often, they aren’t good for your travel health. Try to eat at least one good balanced meal a day with your proteins and veges. If you have a serious dietary restriction, get it written out by someone who speaks the local language so you can use the note to order in local restaurants. We once traveled to Africa with a friend who was gluten intolerant… and she did fine. Chefs everywhere are willing to work with you.

Avoid unhealthy looking restaurants. If the food looks suspicious, you you should move on to a healthier looking place. If the diners inside are coughing and sneezing, you might want to give the restaurant a pass.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer to remove germs from your skin. (Purell is one brand we’ve used.) Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth… germs are spread more quickly with that kind of contact.

Exercise to get in shape before you leave on your trip, and keep exercising on the road. You’ll probably be doing enough walking so you won’t have to do any gym time. Just remember, exercise keeps you healthy.

Try to get enough sleep. If you’ve crossed many time zones, you will arrive with jet lag. It will take you a day or two or more to get acclimated to your new time zone. We know you want to spend all the time you can seeing the sights and experiencing that new culture, but if you get over tired, you’re much more susceptible to catching a cold or the flu.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people… try to stay at least 6 feet away. Influenza is thought to spread mainly through contact with sick people or through the coughing or sneezing of infected people.

Monitor the local health situations…. Listen to announcements from the local government and follow their guidelines and restrictions if there is some sort of a disease outbreak like the Swine Flu.

If you do get sick, get medical care. Pharmacies in Europe can help with common ailments. In most areas you can check with local clinics for more severe problems. Your hotel may be able to call a doctor to make a house call. Consider joining the non-profit IAMAT, The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers. They can get you a list of English speaking doctors in member countries.

With proper precautions and preparation, almost all of your travel will be healthy travel. So go ahead, take that trip… it’s good for your health.

Big hotels will probably be the most expensive option for accommodations. They’re great for business people on an expense account, but harder on the average travel budget. One thing to consider here is that when the global economy takes a downturn, these big places suffer along with everyone else. They start offering discounted rates or upgrades.

So if you’d love to stay in a big hotel, but you think your budget just wouldn’t allow it…, you might want to check for special offers before you settle for something less. Another way to save is to head for these places on weekends or holiday periods when the business people who generally occupy them are home or on holiday themselves.

Most of the time you will find those big hotels in cities. They offer a uniformity…. You know exactly what you’re going to get. They will have phones and TVs and internet connections. (Though interestingly enough, those internet connections often come at a surprisingly high price!)

You will get lots of lotions and shampoos and big fluffy towels. There will be a restaurant in the hotel… sometimes two or three. You’ll get front desks that are staffed 24/7 with multilingual desk clerks, and you’ll get a concierge and doormen.

Maybe you opt for that big place because you want that central location. Even if you’re the type of traveler who prefers small local places with lots of cultural immersion… once in a while, a bigger place can make for a nice refuge from the chaotic streets of a foreign city… and a little break from diving right into the local culture.

The uniformity and sheltered feeling are also among the downsides of staying in a big hotel. Aside from costing you more than staying in a small local hotel would… big hotels DO cushion you from the culture that you traveled to see… maybe too much. That really nice room could be anywhere in the world…. That uniformity can be a little TOO much the same.

Our advice is if you find it expedient to stay in a hotel like this… at least get out on the street for lunch and dinner. They might have a great restaurant, but you’ll get something much more authentic, and probably more reasonably priced, in a restaurant down the street among the locals.

Most of these hotels do not include breakfast in the price of the room, but they do have coffee and tea in your room…. So grab a cup as you get dressed in the morning, then skip the expensive breakfast buffet and wander out onto the street to find breakfast. Stand up at a pasticceria (a pastry shop) in Italy for cappuccino and biscotti….

Find a little local restaurant in Budapest, grab a table outside and order Kifli (a traditional Hungarian pastry) with cheeses, cold cuts or jam and honey… Have a Danish pastry and coffee in Denmark. Anything local will cost you less and be more fun.

Big hotels serve a great purpose for all kinds of travelers at different times during their travels…. look at your itinerary and travel goals, and decide when one works for you.

Let’s start in the Puerto del Sol. This is one of Madrid’s most important squares. It’s a great central location to start from. In fact it’s the point in Spain from which all distances are measured. There are many hotels in the vicinity. You can catch the subway here or just walk to the main sights. It’s centrally located between the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace in one direction and the museums in the other direction.

First head for the Plaza Mayor, the original town square, and a great place to start exploring old town Madrid. It is completely enclosed with 5 story burgundy buildings. The restaurants and tapas bars that line the lower story charge tourist prices, but it might be worth the price to order tapas in the Plaza Mayor…. that will give you a chance to sit and soak in the ambiance.

Continue on down the Calle Mayor, and take a tour of the Royal Palace. Many guides gloss over the Royal Palace, but it’s a great palace to see. An hour or so will have you winding through extravagantly decorated rooms. It is the official residence of the King of Spain, though the family usually stays at a smaller palace on the outskirts of town. Be forewarned… if there is a “state occasion”, as in if the King gives a dinner the night before, the palace may open late or even be closed!

The Almudena Cathedral is across from the Royal Palace. Near the Royal Palace, on the east side, is the Plaza de Oriente with the restaurants where you can stop for lunch. A nearby subway stop lets you get to the museum area.

There are three museums to see. The Prado is the most famous. It’s one of the greatest painting museums in the world. In the Reina Sofia Museum you will find impressionist and modern art… most notably Picasso’s Guernica. Finally you must see the Thyssen-Bornemisza with a full range of art from 13th century to today. Consider a museum card which will get you into all three for less than you would pay if you paid admission to each one separately.

In the afternoon, relax in Retiro Park. It is close behind the museums. Just inside the park, there is a large artificial lake with outdoor snack shops. You can buy a tapas size plate of Seranno Ham, have a beer or a glass of wine and watch the locals pass by in “el paseo”, a leisurely stroll around the lake.

Tapas bars are a part of Madrid’s nightlife…. Order a glass of wine and a few tapas and enjoy. “Raciones” are larger portions, tapas are smaller snacks. Sometimes in the tourist areas, you can order a menu of tapas and get a sample of maybe 5 to share. You won’t REALLY be participating in the tapas bar scene, but it’s one way to get your feet wet. Tapas might become your dinner unless you are into eating late at night like Madrienos are.

After the first night, you’ll get comfortable with tapas, and after your first day, you’ll be glad you visited Madrid.

It’s in Western France, in Brittany (Bretagne). If you liked seeing Stonehenge, Avebury and other ancient monuments, you should plan a trip to Brittany. Rent a car in Paris and drive…. it’s about a 6 hour drive southwest of Paris.

This whole area is an important site in France for ancient megaliths.
The stone circle at Stonehenge is more photographed and easily recognizable, but for the sheer number of stones and amazing geometry you can’t beat the grand alignments at Menec and Kermario.

What do we mean alignments? You’re thinking… “Don’t you find these standing stones as circles or single stones or dolmens or something like that?”

The answer is…. Not always… these are different.

The stones of Le Menec in Carnac are arranged in “alignments” that date back about 4,000 years. There are over 1,000 megaliths of granite. The largest are over 12 feet tall (about 4 meters). They are arranged in 11 parallel rows, which run for over a mile (about 2 km).

Some guides say they ran for 2 1/2 miles (4 km). When you see them, all you really know is that it’s amazing to see the rows marching through the countryside the way they do.

Scientists have determined that there were originally twelve rows. Many of the stones were taken away to use for buildings through the centuries. Of the stones that remain, many had toppled over and have been raised back into place.

The stones decrease in size and height along the length of the alignment and also across it. Experts puzzle over the reason for that.

Local tradition says that the reason the stones stand in such straight lines is that they are a Roman Legion turned to stone by Merlin. That magician gets around doesn’t he? He was supposed to be involved with moving the megaliths to Stonehenge too. Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian legends.

As with other ancient stone monuments, these alignments are thought to be associated with astronomical and religious rituals of some sort. These may have been used for calculating the phases of the moon.

The area is rich in other groups of standing stones… tombs and other megalithic monuments, such as the “alles couverts”, are 3rd and 4th century BC grave sites. To find them, the best thing to do is get a map from the tourist bureau and poke around the area.

Brochures on the area say the peninsula and the Golfe du Morbihan enjoy a warm micro climate, but Brittany weather is dominated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The weather can be cold and wet at any time of the year… so take a sweater and umbrella even in the summer.

If you don’t want to make the drive from Paris, you can take the TGV train to Auray. The train ride is only 3 hours. Carnac is about 12 km From Auray so from there you could take a bus or taxi. There is still the problem of getting around to all of the different alignments. You could rent a bike or a scooter, but a rental car still might be the way you want to go in the area.

Stay at a little local hotel near the beach. Try a little cider (cidre), but be careful… it’s made with fermented apples so it has a little alcoholic kick. Have crepes which are also a local specialty. And take a few days to explore the ancient French alignments at Carnac.

While the Rhine is hundreds of miles long, it is the short stretch between Koblenz and Bingen that you really want to see. This stretch is only 36 miles long (58 km).

There are Rhine River Cruises. You can take a two hour cruise from Bacharach to St. Goar and see the most scenic part of the river. It’s fun to see the Rhineland Castles from the river, but to really explore, we prefer driving the narrow roads on both sides of the river. There are, surprisingly, lots of castles to see in this short stretch of river.

The castles of the Rhine started out as fortresses to protect the land owners or to collect tolls from river traffic. In the 19th century, when Germany started coming together as a nation, many of the old castles were spruced up in a romantic way. What you see today is a combination of restored castles and crumbling castle ruins. You can tour some and stay in others.

The scenery here is beautiful and peaceful. There are hills climbing up from the river topped with vineyards as well as castles. Spend time in the little towns the castles protected and watch barges and river cruises pass up and down the Rhine River.

Ferries will let you get from one side of the river to the other. Roads on both sides of the river have excellent views as well as charming towns and restaurants with terraces that overlook the Rhine and the boat traffic.

The most popular towns are Bacharach and St. Goar. Bacharach is a great place to find accommodations. It also has some of the best wine in the region.

The Loreley is a very narrow spot in the river that proved so treacherous to boats that soon, sailers were blaming of mermaids, and a legend was born. The town of St. Goar is near this. It sprang up as a place that sailors could stop and give thanks for getting past the Loreley. There are the ruins of Rheinfels Castle above town. It was once the mightiest castle on the Rhine River.

See Katz and Maus castles. Katz Castle (Burg Katz, Katz means cat) was owned by a family named Katzenelnbogen. Maus Castle (Burg Maus… mouse… get it?) got named because it was near Katz Castle.

Pfalz Castle, shaped something like a ship, is in the middle of the river. It was built to collect tolls from boats passing on the river. Gutenfels Castle sits on the bank above it.

A Castle that you really should tour is the Marksburg Castle. The tours are mostly in German, but it is the only surviving medieval castle on the Rhine.

You can stay in Schoenberg Castle high on a hill overlooking the river. It’s one of those romantic reconstructions, but who said romantic was bad? Or….. how about a night in the Hotel Bur Reichenstein or Castle Liebenstein.

Take a day or two in this beautiful part of the Rhine River Valley…. Stay in a castle, or just tour one. Have a little wine and enjoy your trip.

If you have pets, you will have to make arrangements for a pet sitter or find a place to board your furry friends.

Did you arrange for someone to water the house plants? Will someone mow the lawn and take care of outdoor plants? If you’re lawn grows long and shaggy, it could be a give away that you’re not home.

Did you stop the mail and the newspaper or arrange for a neighbor to pick them up? How about any flyers or packages left at the door. Again, a pile of newspapers weathering in the driveway signals the house is empty.

What else should go on your home pre-departure checklist? You might need to leave a set of keys with someone to take care of some of the things we’ve mentioned. It’s a good idea to leave a copy of your itinerary with someone and contact numbers if you have them.

Make a copy of your passport too, and leave it with a friend or relative… they can e-mail you a copy of the information in case your passport is lost or stolen and you lose the copy you have with you too.

Take any unnecessary cards out of your wallet. You’ll only need a couple of ATM cards and credit cards. No need to carry your library card or a handful of credit cards.

Make sure all your bills are paid or make arrangements to pay bills online… especially if it’s a long trip.

Update your voice mail and set an e-mail auto reply message if you want to. If you have a website, have that up to date. Do you want to blog on your trip? Arrange for that ahead of time if you’re not a regular blogger.

It’s finally here…. time to leave on vacation, so here are the last few things on your home pre-departure checklist…. Set timers in your house to turn lights off and on. Make them random timers if you can to look more natural. Lock all windows and doors, and turn down the thermostat.

We turn off ceiling fans that tend to come on with power surges and turn off the water to the washing machine… just in case. Power down your computer and unplug small appliances. Turn the hot water heater to vacation mode.

Empty the trash and clean perishables out of your refrigerator. Who wants to come home to sour milk or green mold?

Disable the garage door opener or set it in vacation mode. If your car is alarmed, leave a spare set of keys with a neighbor.

OK… you’re nearly ready to go out the door. Go through your home pre-departure checklist and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Check in for your flight on the Web. Lock all your luggage and make sure all pieces have proper ID tags.

Set the house alarm and have a great trip!

Consult with a travel medicine doctor, read government alerts, and then, just as with any travel plans, decide on your own comfort level and evaluate the risks for yourself.

Whenever word of an outbreak of influenza or some other disease hits the airwaves, there will be plenty of news going around about worst-case-scenarios. TV newscasts will show you over and over again the few people that are suffering. They will show hospitals stockpiling medications and schools and restaurants closing.

With all that suffering, and with the disease spreading, should you still travel? Should you even leave you house!?!

Stop and think… did the newscasts mention that those schools and restaurants are closed as a precaution, not because everyone there was sick?

We don’t want to make light of any disease outbreak. The first thing travelers need to do is to remain calm and stay informed. Each outbreak is serious, and each one has caused deaths for a few. But each outbreak needs to be evaluated for where you are going and what you will be doing. We don’t think you should necessarily panic and cancel a trip.

The headlines scream the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the health alert status to Level 5. That sounds terrible, doesn’t it?

But wait… what that means is that human-to-human contact has occurred in more than one country. That happens every year with the ordinary flu.

Even if the WHO raised the alert to Level 6 what happens? The headlines will trumpet something like … Highest Threat Level – The Pandemic Phase… But again, it pays to stop and consider what that really means. What it tells you is that human-to-human contact has occurred in more than one global region…. more than one continent. This does not mean everyone is getting it.

Even when a “state of emergency” is declared somewhere, it does not mean the whole country is sick. Nations declare a state of emergency when they need to get access to money and other resources to respond to what is happening, so they can move more quickly to stop the disease outbreak.

In the past, some of the diseases that were making headlines were Bird Flu, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and HIV-AIDS. Most travelers were not affected.

We went to Southeast Asia during the Bird Flu outbreak. We did consult with our travel medicine doctor. He made sure our yearly influenza vaccinations were up to date, and gave us a prescription for Tamiflu.

He told us to wash our hands often… and use a hand sanitizer when we couldn’t, and to exercise caution and good hygiene as always. We did go to visit a farm in Cambodia, but since we didn’t go snuffling bird feathers, we felt we were OK.

I know that might sound a little facetious, but what we want to emphasize is that there is no need to panic. We believe that travel is good for you and for a healthy global economy.

We’ll say it one more time, we’re not medical experts, but we think you can still travel if you stay informed and exercise proper caution. In the most extreme case, you might have to change your itinerary, but we believe you can still have a great trip… somewhere… just choose wisely and use common sense.

The media likes to over-hype the news as that is what sells.