While out snorkeling on two different occasions I have swam into stingers. Once we were snorkeling from a boat and I saw these beautiful white floaty things in the water around me. I was so enchanted by their movement. Little did I know that these Beautiful creatures carried such an outcome of pain. I soon learned what a horrible experience it is to be stung. I had red welts on my arms and my legs. I would say it felt like bee stings. As soon as I got on the boat the tour guide put vinegar on them and shaved the area with a credit card. He said that the vinegar stops the sting from spreading toxin. The credit card would remove the stingers. He told me not to touch them as it would activate the stings to release the toxins. I was lucky that I didn’t have a bad reaction to them although they hurt like crazy and itched for days. They had me put hydrocortizone ointment on and take Benadryl. For me Ibuprofen and vinegar worked the best for me. It is not an experience I wish to repeat. But last spring while I was snorkeling I started to feel this stinging sensation down the front of my swimming suit and on my stomach where the little sea nettles had gotten caught in my swim suit. It wasn’t as bad as the Jelly Fish but it still stung and bothered me for a couple days. I went directly to the kitchen at the resort and asked them for some vinegar which they were kind enough to give me to put on the welts. I felt an immediate difference. It still took a while to go away but the vinegar and Ibuprofen really helped.

I later talked with a snorkeling tour guide that said I should wear a t-shirt, wetsuit or nylons on my legs and arms to avoid jelly fish. The jelly fish sting when they come in contact with bare skin. So anything that keeps that from happening will help. Some jelly fish have small enough stingers that even the nylon will prevent the stings. When I go snorkeling again especially if I know there are jelly fish in the area or it is the season when they would be in the area I would definitely do what ever I can to avoid these stings. Remember some stings are serious and should be seen by medical professionals.

To start our House Hunting Trip to Mexico we rented a car online from www.economycarrental.com. I can’t say we were disappointed as the price was half of everywhere else. They had arranged a rental from a small local car rental company, Universal Car Rental. The little car we got from them was well used but hey it runs, every things works and it only cost $500 for 15 days. The next closest was $700 for the same time period and ours included the insurance another $400 dollar savings. It was kind of like when we used to rent from “Rent a Wreck” car rental but this one was in good shape with minor scratches.

We wanted a cheap little car and that is what we got. A small car for tight parking spaces and easy turning, less liability and a car no theft would bother with. No it’s an ok car at a great price and the rental agencies were both extremely helpful and great to work with. It was exactly what we were wanting. Being in Mexico on vacation or driving here you are better off not showing off a nice new car especially if you are going away from the city although crime is not bad on this side of Mexico. We were really It glad of the little car when we went down roads. It allowed easier passing on narrow roads and we could do a u-turn with ease.

I believe in seat belts. It is a rule in my car that anyone that gets in has to wear their seat belt before the car moves. I know that seat belts can be annoying especially when you are on a long road trip. But it is worth it if you are ever in an accident and it’s the law.

Most frustrations in travel occur when the traveler is delayed, late or put in an embarrassing position. There are many ways to avoid this. As you can see from this info graphic most of the frustrations shown here are either from going through customs or security checkpoints. I think most people are nervous that they will be stopped or get in trouble for something that they did not know they were doing wrong.

Just the mere fact that the passport officials look at you like you are a criminal and the images from movies of them detaining people and putting people in prison is frightening. I remember when we were going with our teenagers through the Paris airport that they detained our son and made us get on the plane. We were terrified. It was good that we had explained to our kids to always cooperate with the officials and stay calm. They checked his backpack and then let him go. But those few minutes were a lifetime for us. Now, we arrange ourselves so that we are the last to go through the checkpoint so that we can be where the children are if they are stopped.

Checking your passport to be sure that there is six months or more left on your passport will end most of your worries about clearing the passport stations. If you have any trouble there are people in the airport that will help you.

Check out all the new apps available to help you in your travel. They will suggest restaurants with ratings and visitor comments, attractions near you, even tell you who will be visiting in the same city and airport and hook you up.

I love cloud computing because I do have access to all my data and everything that I would have on my home computer at any computing location that I am at. I carry a computer notebook so that I can hook up securely where ever I have internet access.

Most frustrations can be eliminated with proper prior planning. You can enjoy your vacation with little frustration or fear if you get the right information before you begin your trip.

 

People all over the globe love to travel. We travel for different reasons like business, relaxation, education or recreational purposes. It is mainly imperative that you stay safe and that you enjoy your journey whether you are wandering for business or for pleasure. Remember to plan your trip well in advance. Choose your destination and then plan your itinerary. Book your flights and hotel reservation much in advance, especially during the seasonal period, to avoid distresss. Traveling can be a very delightful experience if you do appropriate preparation in advance.