Travel agencies are among the major players in the travel industry. Generally, they offer a wide range of services to enable you to plan and execute the best adventure. A man I once spoke with on a airplane flight shared with me his travel agency tips from back in the day before he got into his current business called Southwest Appliance Repair, that travel agencies can provide you with information about various travel destinations, flights, accommodation among other aspects. But, how does a travel agency works? Here, we discuss how travel agencies operate, including their roles in the industry.

Services

As hinted above, there are many services that you can acquire from travel agencies whenever you are planning an excursion.  You can hire a travel agency to plan your itinerary. After choosing the destination of your trip, the agencies can handle the bookings for flights, car rentals, hotels and even make arrangements for you to visit different attractions. Whenever you hire a travel agency for your trip, they will also handle all the necessary paperwork for travel on your behalf.

The work of the travel agent is to scout for the best travel deals on your behalf so you do not have to go through the hassles. In other words, they seek to make the process of planning and executing your travel plans easier and convenient. After sharing with them the kind of experience that you need and your budget, they will find the best travel destinations, attractions, activities and deals that compliment those needs.

Travel agencies have a better understanding of the travel industry and, will make sure that you get the best adventure at your convenience. Even after the trip, the agent will do a follow up to find out about your experience.

Fees and Commissions

Travel agents charge no fee for inquiries. But, if you want them to handle any of the tasks discussed above on your behalf, there is a price to pay. The fees and commissions vary depending on the particular tasks that you hire them to undertake. Besides charging clients, travel agents also get paid airlines, car rental companies, hotels and resorts. In cases whereby they are given commissions by the companies, you will not have to pay them.

Overall, a travel agency is like your advocate, making sure that your trip is smooth and fun from start to finish.

Traveling for pleasure or business can be stressful. But, flying has subtle tensions. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the flight by following these guidelines. 

Prepare for Unanticipated Changes 

Your itinerary can change at any time when traveling. If you don’t prepare for the unanticipated changes, you will end up being stressed. For instance, the weather is a major factor to consider when it comes to air travel. Even a mild thunderstorm can cause flight delays and lead to missed connections. If you don’t have options for missed connections, you can end up stressed and frustrated. You can even be stuck in a terminal away from your destination. 

To mitigate this, book direct flights. These are cheap and they can reduce air travel stress. Essentially, take your time to research the flights. Also, relax during the flight even when faced with unanticipated interruptions. 

Pack Light 

Airlines have charges for the luggage they allow passengers to carry. Therefore, check with the airline that you intend to use to know the baggage instructions to adhere to. In some cases, your carry-on will also be inspected. Therefore, take minimal carry-on luggage to reduce tension. If you have items that can fit in your checked luggage, fit it there. 

When flying in a group or with inexperienced travel companions, increase the pre-flight time. Your trip will be more stressful if you arrive at the airport with five individuals and start running to catch a flight. Baggage check-in, parking, security inspections, ticket counter, and pre-flight boarding take time. Keeping your group together requires time. 

When traveling with inform passengers or small children, you might be granted special considerations to facilitate aircraft boarding. Therefore, feel free to ask for help because flight crews know how to handle such scenarios. 

Passengers should be confident after preparing for a flight. Ensuring time allowance, proper planning, and booking in advance combined with light packing will reduce your air travel stress significantly.

You probably want to start traveling but some things are preventing you from doing it. Perhaps, you desire traveling but feel like it’s something you can’t afford. Maybe your commitments are hindering you from traveling. Well, you have to stop doing certain things if you intend to start traveling. Here are some of the things to stop doing if you desire to start traveling. 

Buying Unnecessary Stuff

You need to stop purchasing things you might not use and save the money for your trips. For instance, you don’t have to buy any nice dress or trousers you come across. You might wear the clothes you buy only once a year because your wardrobe is probably full. So, if you feel that you don’t need something, don’t buy it. Instead, save that money for your travels. 

Sticking to What Society Says 

Some people consider traveling a waste of money. Most members of society want you to graduate from college, get a job, start a family, have kids, and work until retirement. They believe that you should travel after retirement. But, traveling at this time means you might not have the energy to have some fun. So, don’t wait until you don’t have expectations or commitments to travel. Instead, stop listening to the dictates of society and travel when you feel the urge to and can afford it. 

Dreaming About It 

Stop dreaming about travel and start planning your trips. You can read guidebooks, travel blogs, and dream about traveling for years. However, this won’t get you out there. So, instead of dreaming about your trips, start planning and actualize your plans. 

Additionally, you should stop being afraid of traveling. Some people don’t travel because they fear the unknown. They are worried about things going wrong away from home. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t be a reason for you to avoid traveling. Instead, get a good travel insurance policy and plan your trip properly. 

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced traveler who has been around the world, there are always endless attractions to indulge in. Every new place that you visit has something unique to offer. But, there are many facts about travel that you may still not discover despite the number of trips taken. Nevertheless, the following are some of the most unusual facts about travel that you should know. 

More Than 30 Million Chinese People Live in Caves 

As the world continues to edge the civilization scale, you may not expect to find many people still living in caves today. However, that is quite different in China, which is also one of the world’s oldest civilizations. In Northwest China, over 30 million people live in caves without any indoor plumbing. The caves are available for rent at about 30 USD a month and offered in three options including underground, independent and cliff caves. 

Canada is Home to 60% of the World’s Lakes 

Considered to be the second largest country in the world, Canada boasts over 3 million lakes. It has fresh water lakes as well as lakes with minerals estimated to be about three times saltier than oceans. The lakes vary in sizes and, also include seasonal water bodies that come and go with the seasons. 

It is Offensive to Add Salt to Food in Egypt 

Egyptians believe that seasoning your food after it has been served is an insult to the people that prepared the food. According to them, adding salt implies that you did not like the food as served. 

Science Has Proven Traveling Makes You a Happier Person 

Scientific research has shown that 89% of travelers report significant decrease in their stress levels after the first few days of travel. Couples also report increased feelings of intimacy within the first couple of days on the road. That is one of the reasons why traveling is highly recommended for people suffering from depression and other related conditions. 

The above crazy facts about travel not only help with learning but, could also serve as inspirations when choosing travel destinations. Overall, traveling is an opportunity for you to discover new things, boost your creativity and experience fun in unique ways that interest you. 

The travel bag that you choose and buy will play a significant role in influencing your travel experience. From TSA checkpoints to traffic jams, your travel bag will play a crucial role in determining how you travel. Here are 3 tips to guide you when choosing your travel bag.

1. Consider Size and Type

There are different sizes and types of travel bags to choose from. Your choice of the size and type of the travel bag to buy should depend on the kind of items that you intend to pack in it. The items you will pack in the bag will also depend on the kind of a trip you intend to take. For instance, when going on a weekend getaway you need a smaller travel bag than when going on a month’s long vacation. That’s because a month’s long vacation requires you to pack more items than a weekend getaway.

2. Consider Tech Specs of the Travel Bag

An ideal travel bag should have the right tech specs. Some of the specs to consider include duffel-backpack adjustability, laptop and phone chargers, water-resistant coatings, and GPS app tracking among others. However, every traveler is different and their needs are unique. Therefore, look for a travel bag with tech specs that suit your needs.

3. Choose a Travel Bag with a Strong Warranty or a Heritage Brand

You will get great leads when you look to the attics and shoulders of your grandparents and parents. You will find heirloom-quality bags and luggage. This is the best way to find travel bags that have a reputation of strength and durability. A little research is enough to help you find classic travel bags that last for years while still looking amazing.

However, there are newer travel bags that look great and last longer. In addition to their high qualities, some of them have strong warranties too. Therefore, check out different travel bags in the market to make a more informed choice.

Follow these tips to choose the right travel bag. Most importantly, choose a bag that is comfortable and easy to move around with.

Gone are the days when travelers used to move around with heavy and bulky luggage. Today, most people prefer traveling lightly. With a few packing tricks, you can now enjoy remarkable long trips with just one suitcase. In case you are wondering if it is even possible, below are tips on how a traveler can live out of a suitcase for half a year.

Think About the Weather

When packing, it is important t to consider the prevailing weather conditions at the travel destination. Instead of packing different clothes for unique weather conditions, go for dual purpose garments that are comfortable in most conditions. For hot weather, handful cotton and linen garments are just enough. When visiting cold landscapes, a few woolen layers are great. Nevertheless, get outfits that can work in different weather conditions.

Focus on Comfort, Not Looks

When you want to live out of a suitcase for six months, pack just a few items that you will feel comfortable in. By focusing on the looks, you will only end up carrying many clothes and items exceeding the required limits. Avoid packing many unnecessary beauty products like mascara that you may not even use during the trip. Instead, just pack a few clothes that can be mixed and matched and, basic products like sunscreen lotions and foundation.

Avoid Delicate Items that Can Be Easily Ruined

Traveling is only for a limited period of time and should not leave you with huge costs for fixing broken items thereafter. So, only pack items that are easy to handle and fix in case of damage. Leave behind those fancy dresses, suits, jewelry and devices that can be easily ruined, especially when crammed in a suitcase.

While living out of a suitcase for half a year might seem like a punishment to many travelers, it can save you significant amount of money and time too. Besides, it can also reduce chances of losing stuff when traveling.

When traveling with liquids, there are certain restrictions that must be adhered to. For convenience and safety reasons, it is always important that you know about all these guidelines. The following are the main guidelines for traveling with liquids that you should keep in mind when planning a trip.

Liquids Rules

When boarding a flight, you are allowed to carry liquids, aerosols, pastes, gels and creams. However, all must be in quart sized bag. The liquids must be in travel sized containers that are 100 millimeters or 3.4 ounces.

While the liquids should be in a carry-on bag, it is advisable to take them out during screening.

If the liquids are more than the recommended limits stated above, they should be placed in checked luggage. In case you have liquids that raise an alarm during the screening process, you will be required to undergo additional screening.

Exempted Liquids

Although all liquids must go through the screening process, there are exemptions for medications and infant or child nourishments.

Rules for Traveling with Liquids in Inbound International Flights

Passengers may travel with duty free liquids in safe, tamper-evident bags, exceeding 100 millimeters in a carry-on bag if;

• The duty free liquids were bought overseas and, you are traveling with a connecting flight to the United States.
• The liquids are in transparent, secure, tamper evident bags by retailers and, the bags are not tampered with at the time of screening by the TSA.
• You have the original receipt for the purchase of the liquids and, the purchase was made in the past 48 hours.

All the items that you pack in secure and tamper evident bags must undergo screening and be cleared for travel. In case there is any item that cannot be screened, it will not be permitted to go in the carry-on bag. It is recommended to pack all your liquids, aerosols and gels that weight more than 100 millimeters in checked luggage.

To get the latest updates, check out this TSA official site for details.

If you’ve never set foot in Oslo, now more than ever is the perfect time to plan a trip. It’s no longer the shadow of Copenhagen and Stockholm. Now the city has a new lease of life making it attractive to stay even just for a single day. Let’s look at how to spend a full day in the Norwegian capital.

Enjoy a stroll

Begin your leisure walk at Aker Brygge, a walkway lined up with shops, bars and restaurants. Proceed to Tjuvholmen which is a town that was previously an execution spot for robbers in the 18th century. It is characterized by swanky apartments, office buildings, upscale restaurants, a supermarket as well as a pebble beach. Across the harbour, lies Akershus Fortress, a reinvigorated castle that has served several uses over the years.  If you have a keen interest in ancient history find your way into the museums, otherwise just survey the grounds and enjoy the stunning views across the sea.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

While it’s some way out of the central business district, Vigeland Sculpture Park is definitely worth the short ride on the convenient metro system. The park is full of the life’s work of Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. There are over 200 bronze and granite sculptures depicting everything from irate children to pensive pensioners. At the center of the park is a 14-meter tall monolith, believed to depict the human desire to reach out to a higher deity.

Oslo Opera House

The Oslo Opera House, just like the Norwegian nature is free for everybody to walk in. It is located in the Bjørvika neighbourhood right in the middle of the city. Typically, you are likely to be apprehended if you walk on rooftops. However, the marble-embellished roofing of this building is truly a gorgeous surface designed to be walked on. Furthermore, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of Oslo, all year round. Below your feet, there are 3 unique designed stages, countless public rooms and halls to walk around, and a lively workplace for over 600 opera and ballet performers.

Where to eat, drink and shop

Eating in the city center can prove very costly. The best option is to take a short walk to the east of the river to the suburb of Grunerløkka. Similar to New York’s Williamsburg or London’s Shoreditch, this suburb offers an affordable alternative to the expensive city center. This area is the college part of the city. It features an excellent blend of hipster and young family vibes. It is home to trendy restaurants and cool bars and clubs. Previously an industrial area, it is now one of the fast growing districts of Oslo.

For your shopping needs, you can shop from any of the independent clothing stores clustered in this neighborhood around Markveien and Thorvald Meyers gate. If you came with your kids, you can treat them to some wonderful Scandinavian designs at Lillemonster and Liten & Tøff.

Before you head off to cruise the fjords, considers spending at least a day in Oslo and sample what the city has to offer.