Have you heard the saying “If you can’t afford travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel?” So, do you need travel insurance?

When travelling either overseas or domestically, most people are skeptical of getting travel insurance because of the additional amount they have to spend on top of the usual expenses when traveling like accommodations, airfare, transportation fees, food, etc. But is travel insurance really worth it?

We always think of happy thoughts before and while we’re on a journey but have we thought of the possibility of a trouble or a misfortune before or during our much needed vacation? This is why travel insurance should be included among our priorities when traveling. Whenever unforeseen circumstances happened, travel insurance got us covered.

Below are important reasons why we need travel insurance:

We can get help overseas with the travel insurance.

When we are caught in trouble while on an overseas vacation, we can always get the best care. If we fall ill or encountered an accident, travel insurance will cover medical treatment, including transportation to the medical facility. Also if needed, travel insurance provider can send us back home at no extra cost.

Travel insurance covers medical costs

Not everyone who travels is in the pink of health. If that is your case, then you need a travel insurance as you might require medical attention while travelling. The treatment cost will be provided by your travel insurance.

Travel insurance can cover trip disruptions

When traveling, so much are out of control. Flights can be delayed or you might need to return home due to an emergency or you have to cut your trip short. Without travel insurance, you might lose the money you’ve already paid and you have to pay for new bookings too. Most travel insurance packages covers you for incidents that are out of your control, so that you don’t have to spend your own money for unforeseen reasons.

Losses and expenses reimbursements

What if your luggage is stolen, lost or damaged overseas? Without a travel insurance, you will be responsible for replacing your items. However, with the right insurance, you can reimburse the losses incurred and your expenses due to an airline or hotel blunder, or a thief’s wrongdoings.

Let’s always remember, while travel insurance is important, not all of them is the same. So it is imperative and necessary to read the description of coverage carefully so we can be sure to enjoy all of its benefits.

Reading is the most efficient way to pass time while travelling. No matter how long it takes to reach your destination, you will never get bored with a book as a travel companion. Long distance journeys provide ample time for reading, much more than one finds in other usual days of life and reading for long gives one an immense joy that is incomparable. Here are 5 of the best books to read while traveling. Some are life-changing books, others are simply inspiring to make your journey lighter and stress-free.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is an epic high-fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. This is a sequel to Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit and is one of the top 10 best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold as of 2007. The Lord of the Rings was published in three volumes over the course of a year from 29 July 1954 to 20 October 1955.

This classic wanderlust book is so pleasant to read while travelling. Reading the story of an epic journey will make you more excited to travel every day and brace all adventures in life. It is a really long book so you can be sure you won’t run out of things to read right away and this is definitely perfect for a more relaxing travel.

The Little Prince

The Little Prince first published in 1943, is the most famous work of French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The novella is one of the most-translated books in the world – translated into 300 languages and dialects (as well as Braille), selling nearly two million copies annually with sales totaling over 140 million copies worldwide, it has become one of the best-selling books ever published.

Some things just become famous because they are simply really, really good like The Little Prince. This book is not really a children’s book but a children’s adventure book for adults. An adult should read this to children because a child alone may not truly understand the essence of the story. If you’re on travel with a kid or kids, this will surely kill their boredom. The Little Prince will remind you of the different people that you may meet along the way. The little boy will inspire anybody to travel, that if a little boy can have the strength to travel the universe, you will have the strength to travel the world. This book is good for every traveler, but is especially fitting for those traveling far away and for a long time.

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a Canadian adventure novel by Yann Martel, a Spanish-born Canadian author. It is a Man Booker Prize-winning novel published in September 11, 2001. The protagonist is Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry who survives 227 days while adrift on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

The Life of Pi is one of the best books around which will keep you happy on the beach, on a road trip, in the city, just about anywhere. The book teaches us to get out of the comfort zone – assume the negative side and go find other places. Travelers who love the marine life and adventurers who love the wildlife will surely enjoy the book.

Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia is a 2006 memoir by American author Elizabeth Gilbert. It chronicles the author’s trip around the world and what she discovered during her travels. The book remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 187 weeks. It also had a movie adaptation released on theaters on August 13, 2010, which stars Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem.

The book delivers notes of enlightenment and smiles. The book will inspire us to buy a one-way ticket for months of adventures and it reminds that traveling helps us grow as a person.

The Alchemist

The Alchemist originally written in Portuguese, is a novel by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. It was first published in 1988 and it became an international bestseller translated into some 70 languages as of 2016. This is a novel about a young Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago in his journey to Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding treasure there.

 This is an inspiring tale of self-discovery. It will make us realize that our quests will take us to different – and far more satisfying – directions. We just have to brave the path and learn how to listen to our heart and follow our dreams.

Tipping is a sign of gratitude for a good service or a job well done. Tips and their amount are a matter of social custom and etiquette which varies in between countries. While tipping is customary to most countries, there are still some places in the world where it’s not allowed and they consider tipping rude or offensive.

The next time you travel to another continent, make sure to take note of correct tipping etiquette.

Africa

Tip restaurants from 5% – 10% when no service charge has been added to your bill. When in hotels, $1 is the minimum tip for porters. You may also tip the concierge in advance for additional services like helping you to get tickets to special events or attractions. Taxi drivers are tipped about 10% of the total bill. Not all countries in Africa will accept American Dollars, prepare local currency.

Asia

 In Japan, China, South Korea and in Singapore, tipping is not part of the culture and is considered insulting.

In Hong Kong, tipping is not expected at hotels and restaurants establishments. A 10% charge is added to the bill instead.

In Macau, which is previously a colony of Portugal, tipping is widely accepted.

In most Southeast Asian countries, restaurant tipping isn’t a requirement but it is recommended to leave 5% – 10% tip as long as no service fees have already been added. For taxis, just round up the fare and leave the change.

In Indonesia, tipping is common especially in large tourist areas such as Bali and Lombok – 10% – 15% tip at restaurants, 10% – 20% at massage parlors, 5% on taxis and around $1 per bag for bellboys at high end hotels.

Australia

Tipping in Australia is not required or expected. The federal government of Australia protects the rights

of workers by providing them with a minimum wage. In New Zealand, tipping is not a traditional practice, but is accepted as a gesture of kindness.

Europe

When dining out in Europe, tips should always be in cash and not of credit cards.

When there are no service charges already added then it’s ideal to leave a 5% to 10% tip at restaurants.

For Hotels, porters are tipped €1 – €2 per bag and housekeeping staff around €1- €2 per day. However, in Italy, Finland and Iceland, tipping is not customary.

North America

Tipping is a social custom in both Canada and the United States. In restaurants, tips range from 15% to 20% as long as there are no service charges already added. Hotel porters are tipped $1 – $2 per bag and housekeepers about $2 – $5 per day depending on the rating of the hotel. Taxi drivers expect tips of about 10% – 15% of the total bill. In fact, there were laws created to make sure that the pooled gratuities are redistributed among all employees of the establishments.

South America

Tipping is uncommon in Paraguay since service charges are included in the bill. Restaurants in most parts of the continent expect a 10% tip when there are no service charges already added; about $1 per bag for hotel porters and around $2 per day for housekeeping staff. Exceptions apply when staying at luxury hotels. Taxis do not require tips though you could always round up the bill.

Safari is a Swahili word, originally from the Arabic “safar;” which means journey. The word is used for any type of journey, e.g. by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa or by ferry from Dar es Salaam to Unguja. Richard Francis Burton, a famous English explorer; made it possible for the word to enter the English language in 1850’s. In this modern day era, Safari refers to a journey or expedition, for hunting, exploration, or investigation, especially in Africa.

A certain theme or style is associated with the word, which includes khaki clothing, belted bush jackets, pith helmets or slouch hats, and animal skin patterns. If you’re going on an African adventure, take note of the theme because it will help you decide on the proper attire for a safari.

If you are going on a summer safari, here are some helpful tips on what to wear:

1. If you want to get close to the wildlife, the best way is to go neutral so you blend with the surroundings. Wear greens, browns and khakis so as to not attract unnecessary attention.
2. It is also important to minimize noise when walking so wear light-weight, breathable fabrics.
3. Light trail shoes or hybrid shoe/sandals are adequate on a summer Safari.
4. Pack light by layering. Temperatures during a safari differs in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening. Layers would be so much convenient as it allows you to remove clothing or wear it back, as temperatures fluctuate.
5. Protect your arms and neck from the heat of the sun by wearing airy, long-sleeved shirts with a collar.
6. Combat trousers are the perfect outfit. It has plenty of pockets to store your camera, sunscreen, binoculars and other important stuff during your journey.
7.  For an extra layer of warmth, you may bring a light jacket or fleece. Fleece is great because it dries quickly too.
8. To protect your head and face from the sun in an open-top safari vehicle, wear hats. They also reduce glare for better game viewing.
9.  To block out harmful rays; sunglasses, polarized glasses if possible should be worn. It will cut through the glare so you won’t miss a thing.

It’s everyone’s dream to travel. We would want to see the world around us. We would want to discover different foods and cuisines from other country. We would want to experience other culture and traditions. The only problem is we don’t have enough money to spend. But there are a lot of ways to save on your journey. Here are some thrifty travel tips to help you complete your travel bucket list with a limited budget, without sacrificing the fun.

1.  Research before you travel. Look for the best places to go, affordable places to shop and dine and cheapest way of transportation in your dream destination. Almost everything can now be found over the web so do some research before heading out to the airport.
2. Book with travel agencies that offer bundles – flight, food, attractions and accommodations in one – at no extra cost. You don’t only save money but you also save time and effort of looking for where to eat, to go and to rest.
3. Travel off season. Airfare and accommodation expenses soar higher during peak seasons such as spring break, Christmas, New Year and Holy Week. Try to avoid those dates to save up to 50% or more on your spending.
4. Roam without costly charges. We all need to go online while traveling. Before traveling to another country, have your phone unlocked. Buy local pay-as-you-go sim card as soon as you arrive in your destination.
5. Avoid touristy restaurants. When eating out, look for local restaurants in the area. Most of them offer good food for less.
6. Avoid hotel breakfast. While this is convenient, this is rarely of good value unless it is bundled in your room accommodation. Try to join local crowd at the corner café, you lower the price plus you get to meet new friends.
7. Make the most of the local transport. It is not always a good idea to rent a car while traveling. The best way is to travel by bus or train. They are way cheaper than any other kinds of transportation plus you get to experience a scenic and more authentic journey around the place you are visiting.
8. If you’re visiting museums and attractions, look for passes with multiple locations at a discount. You don’t only save money but it also lets you skip long lines. There are also museums and attractions that are free of charge. Check them out first.
9. Try to haggle. When shopping for foods, daily needs, souvenirs, etc.; try bargaining. You may do so at markets and stalls.
10. Plan ahead. Of course the success of any travel experience depends on how well it is planned. Plan early, maybe a year or 6 months before your chosen date so you can make adjustments easily if you need to.