Attractive Destinations

Passports for children?  Yes, minors who are traveling into or out of the United States with or without their parents need a passport.  This applies for children of all ages including newborns and infants.  Each child MUST have their own passport.

If you are a foreign national planning to visit the United States check with your national passport office for rules and application forms.

If you are a citizen of the United States, the best place to start is on the U.S. Department of State website.  When it comes to passports for children under the age of 16, there are special requirements.  The requirements are slightly different for minors who are 16 and 17, see the government website for the differences.

Passports for children are valid for five years instead of the adult ten year validity.  All children must apply in person whether it is a new passport or a renewal.   And both parents or guardians must be present (with certain exceptions….)

The child’s proof of citizenship must be submitted with the application.  They will keep it during the issuing process and return it to you.  This proof can be an old undamaged passport for older children.  It can be a certified birth certificate, a consular report of birth abroad, a naturalization certificate or a certificate of citizenship.

Parents must submit evidence of their relationship to the child.  For instance the birth certificate with both parent’s names or a court order establishing custody.  And the parents must submit proof of identification.  A previously issued undamaged U.S. passport can be a form of identification for the parent, but it does NOT provide evidence of relationship.  A driver’s license, government employee ID or current military ID can also provide proof of identity.

Parents must provide parental consent for the government to issue passports for children.  If you are a single parent, you must have a notarized statement of consent from the other parent, or a court order granting sole custody or a death certificate if one parent has died.  There is a list of scenarios, so as always…  these are general guidelines… check with the government.

You must pay the applicable passport fee and supply two passport photos.  Same rules as for adults… two identical photos, in color, 2×2 inches.  They should have been taken within the last 6 months.  This is especially true for children because they change so fast… the photos should show them as they look now.

It can take four to six weeks to get a passport even in slow travel times.  If you need passports for children in less than two weeks, you should make an appointment to apply in person at a regional passport agency.

This is all general advice and it all sounds very onerous….  It puts a lot of burden of proof on parents, but in today’s world, it’s important to ensure children’s safety, so passports for children take time and effort to obtain.  But look at it this way, once you have them, that trip abroad will be the best education your children can have!

You’re going abroad, and you’ll be changing money.  What is the best way to do that?  The short answer is to use the ATM.  REALLY!  Almost anywhere in the world now, you’ll find ATMs.  Almost. 

Try to check ahead before you go to know whether to take cash, traveler’s checks, ATM or credit cards.  Traveler’s checks aren’t used all that much anymore, but they’re a good backup in case something goes wrong with the credit cards and ATMs. 

If you can’t get money out of a cash machine, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem with YOUR card.  Those electronic transactions have to be submitted and approved, there may be communications problems in less developed counties; their readers might not read your card; or (and this has happened) the bank ATM has run out of money! 

You may hear that changing money — at least a little — before you travel is a good idea.  That’s not necessary.  There are almost always banks or money changers at the airport, and ATMs are everywhere…. well, almost everywhere.  There are a few countries that won’t accept ATM cards from certain other countries.  You do need to check this out.  You can find out in government advisories about each country. 

If you’re going to drive across the border to a country with a different currency, you should check to see where you can change money and if they’ll take some other currency, like that of their neighbors or Euros or Dollars. 

If you think the exchange rate is going to change dramatically, and you’ll get a better deal changing money ahead… you might want to give it a try.  It’s hard to time those money markets though.

Another reason for changing money before you leave is if you want to familiarize yourself with that funny looking currency.  Even if you wait to change money on the road, do try to familiarize yourself with the local currency so you don’t fumble too much with it.  If you change your money once you get to your destination, it’s best to familiarize yourself with it in the privacy of your hotel room and not in public.

You will fumble.  Sometimes those little coins will be worth a dollar or two or five…. or that 10,000 "Whatever" note could be worth about five dollars!  So try to get a rough idea of what those coins and bills are worth. We’ve found that most people are helpful sorting out the right change, but you should always be on guard for a scam artist that might try to charge you too much because you don’t figure out how much you’re paying fast enough.

If you’re changing cash, change money only at reputable or official locations. Black market money exchanges could get you in trouble at worst or be scams where you’ll lose money. If you do change money at money exchangers, compare the exchange rates and commissions carefully.  ATMs are much more straight forward.

You should avoid buying more foreign currency than you actually need.  You will lose money if you need to convert back, and some countries restrict the amount of their currency they permit you to take out when leaving the country.

If you are traveling on a prepaid tour, you won’t be changing money as much.  Also, you may be able to pay bar bills at lodges and hotels in dollars or with your credit card.  So check ahead, take credit cards, ATMs and travelers checks and don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of places to change them.

Travelers should stay informed about disease outbreaks just as they do about political unrest or major weather problems at their destination.

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.

A delayed flight can be a problem.  The airlines get bad publicity because so many flights do not depart and arrive on time.  In the U.S., the Department of Transportation keeps statistics and publishes them regularly.  In Europe, there are strict new rules for compensation.  This is making the problem better.  

The vast majority of the time you won’t experience flight problems.  For all of the publicity that airlines get, most of their flights get you where you want to go with very little delay.  But problems can occur.  You should be prepared and have a good idea what to expect when something does happen. 

It won’t win you any sympathy with a frazzled airline agent if you yell and scream for compensation that is not due to you.  On the other hand, you can and should be persistent in getting what you do deserve.  Remember that those airlines agents really are trying to do their best to help you and everyone else who is in line with you.  Let’s go over a few scenarios.

What will the airlines do for you if you have a delayed flight?  It really depends on why it is delayed.  If the flight problem is because of air-traffic delays due to congestion, most airlines won’t do much for you because they aren’t responsible for air traffic control delays (ATC delays). 

If the delayed flight is because of weather… well, you’re all pretty much at the mercy of the weather including the airline.  These situations are out of their control.  They will try to get you on your way as best they can, but you won’t be compensated for these types of delays. 

If your delayed flight is due to a problem that is in their control, the airline may be more accommodating.  For instance, is there is a mechanical problem, or crew rest problems, or computer problems with check-in? 

Mechanical problems are a safety issue, so you are in a grey area there.  It pays to find out what your airline says it will do.  Read its "contract of carriage" before you travel.  This lists your rights for when you encounter a delayed flight.

The airline may get you on your way with only an hour or so delay, but what if you have a connecting flight… and you can not make your connection?  If you might miss your connections because of a delay at your initial airport, alert the gate agent.  If there are a lot of passengers missing a connection, the airline may briefly hold a connecting flight for you…. but don’t count on this. 

With airlines getting dinged for flight delays, they’d often rather leave a few passengers behind than report a late flight.  If they can’t hold the connecting flight, ask the agent to rebook you for a new connecting flight.  You can call the reservations number for your airline, and you may get rebooked faster than you can at the airport with all those other passengers waiting for help.

If your flight problem was a delay of the initial flight, and if the weather isn’t the issue, ask whether you can go on another flight or through a different hub.  Should none of that work, and you miss the plane, alert an agent. 

If a delayed flight made you miss your connection, the airline must put you on another flight, but it could be a while. 

Choosing your destination…. that’s the very first step in trip planning.  It’s obvious, and it may seem simple, but let’s take a look at the things you need to think about as you do your trip planning and make your decision. 

Some of these things will be running in the background of your head when you’re choosing your destination, but just so you don’t make any mistakes, let’s list some of the major concerns.

You have some vacation time.  Is that a set time of year that you can’t change?  The time of year will play a role in choosing your destination.  Do you want to go some place where it’s hot so you can sit on the beach?  ….Or cold so you can ski?  Are you planning it around a festival or trying to avoid crowds?  Do you want to take a cruise?

Do you want to be active… skiing or hiking?  …Or do you just want to sit and relax? Go sightseeing, explore museums or shop?  Or do you want to have the options to go either way.  Do you have kids or other family members to consider?  It’s always good to make this a family decision. 

And speaking of others… do you want to travel on your own or join a tour group where everything is planned for you?

How long is the vacation time?  If you only have a week, that will limit what you can do.  If you have two or three weeks or even more, you have far more options when choosing your destination.  You can go further, plan for more activities… or more relaxing time.  Some people say it takes a week to unwind… so even if you just want to relax for a few days, you may need more than a week to get into that relaxed zone. 

Choosing a destination that offers a relaxing venue will help… a beach, a spa, a cabin on a nice quiet lake.  For some people, shopping is relaxing… it wouldn’t be for me. 

Another factor we all have to take into account is money.  If you’re rolling in it, the sky is the limit when choosing your destination… you can go to Europe and stay in castles; go to Africa and fly from safari camp to safari camp; go to Asia or Australia or Antarctica!  You can go to all of those places on a budget too, but it takes more planning and legwork on your part. 

You can economize and go camping… or even (if they’ll invite you) stay with friends or relatives.  Do you want to go by car, train or plane?  I have a friend that will not fly and will not float… that definitely limits your options.

So where will it be?  I know I haven’t given you any destinations to choose from.  That would take some of the fun out of it.  Where would you like to go?  What would you like to do? 

Part of the fun of any vacation adventure is dreaming about your options, so give all these factors some thought, and get closer to choosing your destination.  This is the dreaming part of trip planning… next we’ll get to how you find information to flesh out these dreams.

Who needs a passport?  The short answer is if you’re going to travel internationally, you do.  But of course, nothing is ever quite that simple.

We’ve covered that it’s a travel document issued by your home country that allows you to leave and return.  Citizens of all countries need one to travel out of their country and into another, but there are exceptions. 

For instance, citizens in the European Union do not need theirs to pass from one country in the EU into another.  U.S. Citizens and others often do not need to show theirs to travel between countries in the EU either, but you need one to GET INTO one of the European Union counties in the first place.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need this travel document now more than ever.  You’ve always needed one to fly to Europe or Asia or beyond…. now you need one to fly to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. 

It used to be that to get into Canada or Mexico or to most of the Islands of the Caribbean all you needed was your birth certificate and proof of identity like your driver’s license. September 11, 2001 changed all that. 

To cross  the borders into Canada and Mexico by land or by sea (that is driving or cruising) you currently need a passport, a passport card or a WHTI-compliant document.  Or you need a government-issued Photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate.

Don’t you love "government speak"?  WHTI stands for Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.  There is a whole list of rules about what a WHTI-compliant document is.  If you think you qualify for one of these, you’d better check the rules at the U.S. Department of State and be sure.

Starting in July of 2008, the U.S. government began issuing U.S. Passport Cards.  These wallet-size cards are convenient and less expensive, but they can NOT be used for international AIR travel.  Watch for a future article for full explanation of what this card is.

Children traveling with you need passports too.  Even infants.

And no… they can not be expired.  Each traveler’s documents must be current and valid.  Depending on the rules of the country you’re traveling to, they might have to be valid for 3 to 6 months after you return from your trip. That means they can’t expire for several months after your return. 

It is up to you to make sure you have the proper documentation.  You should not take the word of the airline you’re traveling with or the TSA or a travel agent.  They can all give you advice, but if any of them is misinformed, it’s your trip that will be delayed or ruined. 

While I’m trying to give you the best advice I can, it’s confusing, and the best advice is to check with the U.S. Department of State or your local government agency.  The very best advice I can give you is this… If you’re going to travel anywhere outside of the borders of the United States or your home country, just get a passport. 

Cancelled flights are a headache for everyone.  Believe me, the airlines don’t like to cancel.  It starts a whole domino effect.  Not just for your flight, but for flights at down line airports all through the day.  Planes end up in the wrong places with crews that can’t fly them because of time regulations. 

Probably the most common reason a flight is cancelled is weather.  Sometimes this is pretty obvious, like if you’re sitting in the middle of a snow storm, and no one is moving anywhere.

Sometimes you look outside, and it’s sunny and calm.  How can the flight be cancelled for weather like that?  Think about it.  The weather might be occurring somewhere else.  Maybe there are severe thunderstorms on the East Coast, and that’s where the flight is coming from.  Maybe the flight is coming from sunny Florida, but it’s coming THOUGH a hub in the middle of one of those storms.  Maybe there is a sandstorm in the Sahara or a typhoon in Japan.  Weather anywhere in the world can affect your flight if it is a long haul flight.

Another reason flights may be cancelled is mechanical problems.  If this is the case, you want them to cancel, but it’s hard not to feel frustrated anyway. 

Or a flight could be cancelled because there have been delays, and now the crew has been waiting for too long.  There are rules about when they can fly and when they can’t.

If your flight is cancelled, the second you hear that your plane is not going anywhere, call the airline’s toll-free number.  (It’s a smart idea to have it programed in your cell phone.)  Get into the line at the counter, especially if it’s fairly short, but make that call while you’re standing in line.  There’s a good possibility you’ll get rebooked more quickly on the phone than at the counter where a couple of overwhelmed airline employees are being swarmed by a plane full of disgruntled fliers.

Ask what your options are.  Actually, it pays to have an idea of alternatives before you get to the airport.  True, most times you won’t need to use the alternatives, but with cancelled flights, the sooner you can act on those alternatives, the more apt you are to get on your way while everyone else is still looking them up.

Most airlines will rebook you, with no fees or penalties, on the next flight on which space is available.  Not necessarily on the next flight… the next flight on which space is available.  During holiday periods or really bad weather situations, this could be more than just hours.  If you seen the news the last few years, you know it can even be days! 

If the wait seems too long, ask the agent if there might be a seat on another airline.  Remember they are in competition, but airlines will often endorse your ticket to another carrier to try and get you on your way in a timely fashion.  You’ll have the most luck if the flight is on a partner airline. 

If these things don’t work, suggest solving your flight problem by connecting through another city or going to another airport.  Remember, all of these suggestions only work if your cancelled flight is pretty much an isolated situation.  If all the airlines are canceling flights, as they must in bad weather, ….patience is the only thing that will work.

Start shopping early if you’re booking a flight for any holidays…. or a wedding or a cruise.  There have been capacity cuts on all the airlines these last couple of years, so there will be fewer seats for those holiday flights. 

If you’re going on an impromptu trip, you can look and book at the last minute, but if you HAVE to be there for Christmas or Mother’s Day or a wedding or that cruise, booking a flight at least six weeks ahead is probably a good idea.

Internet booking gurus suggest the best time to shop for your flight online is a Monday or Tuesday.  Airlines typically lower fares early in the week and raise them again toward the weekend.  Start your quest for booking a flight with a search engine that does a comprehensive fare search…. on a site like Kayak.  This should return a list of flights with the best schedule and price.

If you want to save money, consider driving to a smaller airport.  Airfares can be cheaper from those outlying airports and parking may be cheaper too.  If your time off allows it, try to fly on non-peak days.  (For instance — in the U.S., avoid the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after… those are definitely PEAK travel days and will be the most expensive.)

Don’t think only the broad search engines are the place to look.  Check airline sites in your search for booking a flight.  Airlines pay commissions to other booking engines, so more and more they are posting the best air fares on their own sites.  There may be specials that other search engines can’t find.  These specials often pop up for a short time, and they’re usually not advertised.

It’s best to avoid itineraries that involve several connections or several airlines.  Every stop and connection is a possible problem for missed connections.  You might save a couple of dollars if every thing goes right, but you’ll have a real headache if things go wrong…. and if you’ve got to be there, a couple of extra bucks for a non-stop or direct flight is well worth the peace of mind!  Get up early and catch the first flight… it’s the one that is least likely to be delayed.

If you MUST be there for that holiday or wedding or cruise, we suggest booking your flight at least 24 hours before you need to be there.  If you have a connection, make sure there is enough time to get to the next plane… even if the first one is delayed.  Look for a minimum connection time of two hours. 

Weather delays happen summer or winter and the airlines are not responsible for these.  They will not compensate you.  They will try to get you on the next available flight, but that might not be until the next day, and if you haven’t allowed enough time, you may miss the boat or the wedding.

Be smart when you’re booking a flight online, and your holiday will get off to a good start…. and you’ll get home on time.

What is a passport? Bear with me as I start at the beginning of planning for an international trip.  If you’re a citizen of the world where they are commonplace, you’ll be wondering "Who doesn’t know THAT?"  Well, many Americans for one thing.

The United States is a large, diverse country.  People can and do live their entire lives without leaving its borders.  There’s plenty to see and do here.  There is, in fact, a large percentage of Americans that don’t travel internationally.  I’m not sure there is an official count on this.  I’ve read all kinds of statistics but a conservative estimate seems to be that 75% of Americans don’t own a passport.

So for those Americans and any others who are unclear on this, let’s get really basic… what exactly is this document?  To quote the United States Department of State, "It is a document issued by a country to a citizen of that country, allowing that person to travel abroad and re-enter the home country."  There’s a government definition for you!

Every country in the world issues their own.  Citizens of all countries need passports to travel out of their country and into another.  There are exceptions, but that needs to be addressed in another article.

The format is generally a small booklet about 3 inches by 5 inches.  At the front there are the official identification pages that contain your name and your officially affixed photo.  (You supply a 2 inch by 2 inch photo when you apply).  This page also contains the information on your birth date, where you were born, when and where the document was issued, when it expires, and that all important passport number.  You must sign it when you receive it for it to be valid.  In the United States, they are valid for ten years for adults, and they’re valid for five years for children 15 years of age and younger.

The pages that follow are empty waiting to be used for exit and entry stamps.  Those empty pages are also used for formal visas if they are required.  (Again, that will take another article.)

When you’re leaving the United States, there is no government document control station.  Your passport (and visas) will be checked for validity by the airline you are traveling with.  When entering a new country, the Immigration Officer will check your documents.  They may stamp it with the date of your entry.  In most countries you are allowed to visit for a limited amount of time (generally thirty days) without officially applying for an extended visit, so this stamp marks the start of your visit. 

The Immigration Officer will check that date at your departure and stamp you out.  For most travelers, these stamps are great memories of their travels.

O.K. maybe you knew most of this.  It’s just good to understand everything when you’re planning your first big international trip.  So now that you know what a passport is, you can move on to getting one and planning your itinerary!

You have to deal with that foreign language if you’ve decided to travel abroad.  This is true no matter what your native language is.  It’s handy to know English.  English is widely spoken around the world.  When someone from Greece or Poland meets someone from Italy or Germany, they speak English. 

Since English seems to be the lingua franca around the world, we’ll look at it from that perspective.  If you’re a native English speaker, that’s good for you, but to be a real traveler, you should learn a few words of that foreign language… hello, good-bye, please and thank you at the very least.  It’s just polite to do that. 

Also learn how to ask (in their language) if they speak English… or try to ask your question in the local language.  They will appreciate the effort.  Often they will volunteer, "Would you like to speak English?"  And if they don’t speak English, they will probably try to find someone who does.

Carry a phrase book.  It will help to be able to point out a phrase if the local person you’re asking doesn’t seem to understand you.  Don’t just speak louder… that isn’t going to help.  Remember English is a foreign language to them!  Even if you’re trying, your pronunciation might leave them scratching their heads or blushing as you’ve said something you didn’t want to.  To be a traveler, you need a sense of humor… especially about yourself.  Don’t be embarrassed.  Point to the word in the phrase book.  Have a good laugh at yourself and move on. 

Take a chance.  People are forgiving of tourists…. even the French who have an undeserved reputation for not being helpful.  The key is to be GRATEFUL that they speak a little English to help you… not to expect it. 

When you’re speaking English to your new friends, speak slowly and avoid slang.  Idiomatic expressions and slang in any language often translate into something you really didn’t want to say!

If a French waiter comes up to you and says, "Bon jour, cafe?"  Don’t look blank and say you don’t speak French.  How tough is this one?  He’s greeting you with good morning and asking if you want coffee.  Smile and say, "Bon jour, oui, merci."  See that wasn’t so hard.  Just a couple of words you probably really did know already, and now your waiter LIKES you… even if you never utter another word of French!

Don’t be intimidated by signs in a foreign language… take a good look at them… think in an intuitive way.  Does it look similar to a word you’re familiar with?  If it says "farmacia" instead of "pharmacy", take a guess… you’re probably looking at that pharmacy or drug store you were looking for!  Is there a pictorial sign to help?  A green cross or a pharmacist’s scale would be a good clue.  That may not be what you’re used to at home, but look in the window and think about it, and you can figure it out.

Remember, you went on this trip to experience something different… so revel in that foreign language, learn a few words and enjoy yourself!