Selecting on a destination for the whole family is surely an adventure of its own. However, if you create and plan beforehand, the vacation can be one of the most unforgettable encounters of your family.

Photo Credit: maria garcia on flickr

Here are some simple tips to create your road trip for an enjoyable and safe trip.

Create a list of items that you will need. This will involve first aid kit, foods, drinks, and lots of toys and games, portable playstation (PSP) if you have, reading materials like books and magazines, a transportable DVD so your kids can watch their preferred movies while on the road.
Make sure that the food you are taking are healthy. Too much sugar can make the kids hyper and wear you done….FAST. Remember, this is a calming vacation and you want to avoid the kids getting tired or consistently asking you when you are going to arrive.
In addition to that, if you are travelling with a baby and small kids, don’t forget to bring diapers, wet tissues and baby powders to freshen them up. They will surely be very dirty while inside the car as kids will always ask for drinks and food.
While pumping for gasoline, allow your kids to go to the bathroom to freshen up and straighten up their legs. Rest for at least 15 minutes before heading to your next destination.

Long travel can be fun but you have to be equipped with things that kids like. So the next time you travel, you know what to bring!

Travelling can either be a breeze or a huge hassle. When it all boils down to it; the success of any travel relies largely on how prepared you are. And this is often brought by good judgment from years of experience. Unfortunately, some of us do not have the luxury to allow teacher time to impart its travel lessons just because we want every trip to be a success. Not everyone finds adventure in discovering something in the form of a travel mishap. So how can one learn all that he has to without actually going through some bad travel experiences? He could continue reading.

I am not exactly the most well-travelled writer in the industry; but I have gone to enough places to know a thing or two about travelling. Although the following pieces of advice are not exactly breakthroughs, these are some ideas and tips I have come up with during my years of backpacking. So sit back, relax, and try to keep reading this host of tips to help your travels.

Photo Credit: Mia Feres on flickr

Tip # 1: Always bring a spare pair of shoes.

The thing is, shoes are too bulky and with light travels, shoes are something that should kept at a minimum. Most people (especially men) wear the pair of shoes they intend to use for the duration of their stay when they board the plane, bus, or road vehicle that will take them to their destination. Most people think it is sensible to bring a pair of shoes that goes well with everything you packed. Unfortunately, I used to be “most people”. However, a ridiculously rainy evening in a vacation trip taught me that wearing the same pair of shoes you intend to use for the duration of the trip is a big mistake. Rain gets your shoes wet and stinky. Obviously, you don’t have the time to dry them out in a sunny place to get rid of the moisture. The best thing to do then is to use another pair of shoes and let the wet pair dry. Therefore, bringing a spare pair, no matter how bulky it makes your backpack, is a must.

Tip # 2: Always keep your money safe.

You know they always say that you should keep your money in different places? I am a firm believer of this. But this does not mean that you can have a friend keep your money. No matter how long you’ve known them or how close you are. Never trust anyone with your money. The fact that it isn’t theirs would simply make them less cautious. So here is the deal. No matter how drunk you predict you’ll be; keep some money with you and keep some in your purse and luggage. I always take money that is enough for any immediate purchase and keep that amount in my pocket. That way, when I need to pay for something, people around me while I’m making the purchase wouldn’t see how much I have in my wallet. Keep a larger amount in your wallet as well. Aside from this, keep a couple of thousands in an obscure pocket inside your bag or purse. Also leave a couple of thousands inside your luggage which should be safe in your hotel room. I lost thirteen thousand in Boracay once. Trust me. This is worth all the hassle.

Tip # 3: Always bring a medicine kit.

Take some decongestant, anti-allergy, painkiller, paracetamol, and some lozenges at the very least. Feeling sickly during a vacation or trip is bad. What makes it even worse is having to shell out a huge amount on medication when you can spend your moolah on something more worthwhile�like a cocktail. Also, taking some decongestant before a flight helps keep your sinuses unclogged which makes it less likely for you to suffer from headaches caused by pent up pressure in that area.

Tip # 4: Always reserve a hotel room at least a month before your scheduled trip.

Then follow the reservation up by calling the hotel a three days before you reach your destination; looking for a hotel a couple of days before leaving for your destination leaves you with very little options. Not reserving a hotel at all is just suicidal. Trust me. The last thing you would want to happen is to check in to an inn that is below your standard just because you can not find any other place to stay in.

Tip # 5: Bring as little toiletries as possible.

This is one tip not many people apply but I think it is very important. If you use a brand of soap or shampoo that you can buy in any convenience store or sari-sari store, then don’t bring a stash with you. Instead, purchase your toiletries at your destination. Why? Toiletries don’t pack well. You can’t squeeze them in or push them around. Some toiletries even spill during the travel and get your clothes all sticky. Of course, you could also keep them inside a Ziploc bag but really, why don’t you just leave them behind and purchase shampoo, soap, and toothpaste at your destination?

Though, you enjoy swimming, it is also important to know safety rules when you are swimming. You can get the safety tips from American Red Cross and you can also browse the internet for more details. So, lean about the safety tips before you go to swimming pool or beach.

Photo Credit: Adam Cochrane on flickr

Here you can find some important safety tips for safe swimming.

Lean about Safety measures while swimming:

1. It is better to swimming with a group of friends or family member, don’t swim alone. Even an expert swimmer can get a sudden cramp and can easily drown. Therefore, it is safe to swim when there are more people in the swimming pool or at beach.
2. Don’t leave your kids alone near swimming pool, particularly very young kids must go to pool only with adults.
3. This is very important point, do not eat when you are swimming, don’t chew bubble gum either. When you eat food while swimming can cause choking. Come out of the pool and take bite if you feel hungry.
4. Never swim if you consumed alcohol or any sort of intoxication. Do not drink any kind of alcoholic drinks before you go for swimming.
5. Swimming experts and coaches advises that you should not jump into the swimming pool or pond or any other water bodies to save someone who is drowning if you are not a lifeguard or trained person. Even though you know swimming it is not enough to save a drowning person. Why? Because drowning person will be in panic and he try to pull the rescuer down with him. Instead of you jumping into the pool you can call for help and in meanwhile throw a floating device or something for him to hang on before the help reaches.

Pool safety:

1. Before you go for swimming in your community swimming pool, first thing you should do is, find how deep the pool is. Some people try to swim in shallow water, check if your foot is touching the ground and know your limits before swimming.
2. Remember, it is not at all advisable to jump in a pool without knowing the depth of it, you may get hurt if the level is not enough for jumping, and also never dive in shallow waters, it can be very dangerous and it may cause serious injuries and sometime it can be fatal.
3. Do not play rough in swimming pool, do not push, it may cause serious and fatal accidents. Play courteously and have fun.
4. Do not run or walk fast near swimming pool as there are more chances of slipping, the water outside the pool will be slippery, and when you run fast you can slip and get injured severely, sometime it can be fatal.
5. Make sure that the pool has enough floating devices before you take younger kids into the pool.
6. In case anybody are in dangerous, throw the floating device towards them immediately and call for help immediately. You can also use long pole stick to rescue the drowning person.
7. Do not swim in a pool if it does not have drain covers, you can get trapped underwater.
8. Even in inflatable pools children must not swim alone unless there is any adult supervising the kids. In case you are not using the inflatable pool, then make sure to drain the water to avoid accidents.

Boating safety:

• When you are boating with kids, make sure to put life jackets on kids as well as on you.
• Both adults and kids must wear life-jackets throughout the boat ride.
• You should avoid going for boating if you are intoxicated or drank few pegs of alcohol.

Beach/Ocean safety:

• Do not swim alone in ocean, go with a friend always.
• It is safe to swim in ocean only if there is a lifeguard on duty.
• The best advice is swimming parallel to the shore avoid swimming away from the shore.
• Do not swim too far.
• Do not get fright if you caught in a rip-current. The best thing to do when you caught in rip current is just allow the rip-current to take you out generally they disperse outside the breaking surf zone.

Swimming is definitely the best recreational sport for all ages. Take all kinds of precautionary measure to avoid dangerous when you are at swimming pool. There is nothing wrong in learning good stuff. Ask question if you have any doubts. Have a safe and happy swimming.

Lets face it, traveling can be rough, and when you settle into a hotel for an extended period of tome, you probably would like to be comfortable. So how can you do that when where you are staying, isn’t exactly home? Well, here are a few tricks to help make your hotel room feel a bit more “homey”.

Photo Credit: Adrian Ciudin on flickr

Move In

Don’t be afraid to unpack your bags, use the dressers and closet space. They are there for a reason. There is nothing that will make you feel less at home than a cluttered pile of clothes in a suitcase in the corner of the room. So settle in.

Location

This is a big one. A lot of people will just pick any random hotel that is within close proximity to where they plan on spending their time. Which makes sense, but make sure that the location has easy access and resembles your homes surroundings.

Bed Time Essentials

Do not be afraid to request softer pillows and blankets. You’re not just paying for a room, you’re paying for service as well. Being comfortable as you sleep is very imprtant when trying to feel more at home is a hotel.

Homey

Find a hotel that resembles what you like inside of your home. Most people are starting drift furhter and further away from the traditional cookie cutter “one size fits all” type of hotels. Looking for spaces that are more homelike. So do some research and find a hotel that fits you.