Travel tips and advice
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On holiday breaks Heather travels the world with husband Siggy. It’s a great opportunity to experience different cultures and apply technologies to remotely service customers while away from the office.
Subscribe to our travel blog and we will share our research, our suggestions and our experiences with you.
Siggy and Heather trip to Europe 2015 | Siggy and Heather trip to Central Europe 2009 | Siggy and Heather trip to Western Australia 2010 | Siggy Chad and Deakin trip to NZ 2010 | Siggy and Heather trip to UK Ireland Scotland 2011 | Siggy and Heather trip to Northern Australia 2012 | Siggy and Heather trip to Mediteranean 2013
When is the best time to book your airline tickets?
Booking a flight is like playing a game of chicken. Airlines want to get the most money possible for their tickets and have sophisticated computer algorithms that adjust their prices automatically. Book too early, and you might miss out on some major deals. Book too late, and you might be shocked to see prices skyrocket. The general consensus is to book your flight ....
31 May 2014
Hidden costs of low cost carriers
Ryanair, the most notorious cheap and cheerful carrier who really slugs passengers once they have booked a ticket, slipped down to 5th place as the airline tricking passengers into booking tickets, with just 25% of revenue coming from additional fees.
Did Jetstar make it into the top 10?
23 July 2014
Things we don't know about hotel rooms
Even the most luxurious hotel accommodations are rarely as hygienic, private or safe as your own home.
Hoteliers and hospitality industry experts were recently asked in a research project "What are the things that we don't know about hotel rooms?" Here are some of their disturbing observations.
26 July 2014
The Perplexing Schengen Agreement
Our motorhome was booked and we were ready to book our air tickets. We intended to leave on 25th March and arrive back in Oz at the end of July 2015. But then it dawned on us .... we has stupidly forgotten about the Schengen Agreement. Once we checked our dates, everything changed.
We knew about Schengen and travelled comfortably within the rules in 2009 and 2012. So why not in 2015?
22 Sept 2014
Hotel scams advice
You might think that you can see a scam coming from a mile away but tricksters have gotten increasingly clever. Watch out!!
Fake pizza deliver menu
WiFi skimming
Late night call from front desk
Paid for beachfront but can't see beach
Spend a fortune on hotel's bottled water
24 Jan 2015
Spain Portugal - here we come!
After lots of research and investigation we have finally settled on a general itinerary for Spain and Portugal.
30 days touring - tell us if that will that be adequate?
April May - will the weather start to warm up?
What do the touring guides suggest we see?
Do we cover the top 10 things not to miss in both countries?
We have flexibility, time and the means to .............
10 Feb 2015
Tips and hints from a professional traveller
Very clever advice to ensure you get the most out of traveling by air. Its not just about cost but also about get the best service available plus more ...
How to score discounted fares
Why you should always choose a Boeing 767
What should be in a go bag of essentials
How to pack and what to wear
Put heavy things in the bottom of your bag
20 June 2015
How to snag the best airline seats
According to a 2012 Skyscanner survey, seat 6A was a winner, taking into account that 46 per cent of people prefer to be seated in the front of the plane, nearly 60 per cent prefer window seats, and 62 per cent want an even-numbered aisle.
With sites like SeatGuru.com and SeatExpert.com you can find out the important details about your seat choice — everything from how much leg room you’ll have to .........
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8 July 2015
Avoid paying too much for travel insurance
"Avoiding simple mistakes may not only let you hold onto some holiday spending money but also get you a policy more suited to your trip(s) cover requirements."
Finder.com
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17 July 2015
22 airport convenience tips
Make your airport time more awesome - apps and general advice to ensure that you get the most out of the place you are forced to stay and wait ...... sometime for an eternity.
Businessinsider.com.au
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23 July 2015
Free trips on frequent flier programs
Find out how a guy travels the world for free. He has worked out how to use frequent flier programs to his advantage.
Courtesy of Total Travel
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24 July 2015
5 Hot tips to save on travel insurance
Travel insurance is very important but you do need to be careful and get the most bang for your travel insurance buck.
Courtest of finder.com.au
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5 Aug 2015
Loyalty programs - frequest flier points
Summary of the major frequest flier loyalty clubs and their airline and other partners.
Courtesy of news.com.au
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16 Aug 2015
Tips to help you survive a long haul flight
26 ideas to ensure that you have a most enjoyable flight. Make cattle class feel more like first class.
Courtesy of businessinsider.com.au
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18 Aug 2015
10 Tips to help you fall asleep on a plane
Your body tells you that sleeping sitting upright is not natural. Here are some tips to help you trick your body into taking that necessary sleep on a long haul plane flight.
Courtesy of businessinsider.com.au
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18 Aug 2015
10 Gorgeous but not well known places to visit
Apart from Goreme Turkey all these under the radar places to visit are in Europe. But I can assure you, you will not be disappointed in any way. Each one is a special gem.
Courtesy of foodandwine.com
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18 Sept 2015
Which gadgets belong in your long haul travel bag?
Having power on hand in long haul aircraft these days is a real boon but what tech gadgets should you be investing in for those long flights?
Courtesy of Geeks2U.com.au
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23 Sept 2015
10 foreign language phrases that will make your trip abroad a lot easier.
Part of the joy of travelling is the opportunity to interact with the locals, but if you can’t speak a word of the local language that will be almost impossible. While no-one expects you to be fluent in the language of every country you visit, it can be helpful to learn a few key phrases. Here are 10 of the most helpful phrases to learn in any language:
1 Please/thank you 2 Yes/no
3 Hello, how are you? 4 My name is …
5 Where is … ? 6 Help me please!
7 How much does it cost? 8 I’m sorry/excuse me
9 I don’t understand 10 Do you speak English?
A handy way to increase your vocabulary is to name the objects throughout your home with stickers in the language you are trying to learn. That way, each time you use the object, you can say the name to yourself to memorise it. The Duolingo app is also useful for learning a language on the go.
21 Oct 2015
App in the Air
Your flight assistant in the sky.
This iPhone app gives you real time status updates on flights, airport navigation maps and tips, weather forecasts and a breakdown of your itinerary. Never miss your flight and get notifications abroad even if you don't have internet connection. The information is split into four stages:
Check in
Boarding
Take-off
Landing
27 Oct 2015
Most beautiful villages around the world.
Villages that are hard to beat when it comes to beauty - houses, location and colour.
1 Nov 2015
Foldable idea when traveling with a little one.
Taking a traditional folding stroller with you on your travels can be both very difficult and somewhat cumbersome. Here is a great solution.
8 Nov 2015
On the Cheap - clever travel ideas.
Need a firelighter, candle, water purifier etc? Here are some brilliant ideas that you can create all by yourself with stuff you already have.
3 Dec 2015
Katherine Cole's clever ideas to save money and get better service staying in hotels.
What is the best time to book and what are the hidden costs to look out for?
4 Dec 2015
10 things to bring on every international flight.
Includes 3 things you should NOT bring .....
Forbes.
28 Dec 2015
Why you always get sick when you fly - and how to fight it.
Get you your destination free of germs.
Womens Health.
4 Jan 2016
10 top tips when you fly - how to be a good plane passenger.
Travel etiquette.
Skyscanner.
7 Jan 2016
Planning tour of Canada.
Interested to know which is better - sailing the inner passage and spending a week in Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii or spending time in Bella Coola instead?
12 Feb 2016
10 tips for trouble-free travel photography.
No matter where you go there are some universal recommendations that will help you get the most out of your photography so that you come home with the best possible results.
28 May 2016
What to pack for a long 4 months trip?
Imagine going to a wide mix of climates on a long 4 months trip - Mediterranean to Scandinavia and as far as Iceland. T-shirts and thongs for those hot days but the need to rug up on days where the weather gets to below freezing. What do you take with you to cover most contingencies?
26 June 2016
15 July 2016
18 Jan 2017
17 Feb 2017
How to cram lots of items into your carryon.
Lots of great ideas on how to squeeze as many clothes into a small bag.
Save a heap of space and roll your clothes plus stuff your socks and jocks into your shoes.
12 Flight booking hacks travellers should know.
Frequent travellers have their own tricks for booking the best and cheapest flights possible. So what is the best flight booking hacks?
26 of the best travel tips after 4yrs travelling.
Its been a wild ride and I've learned a lot since I left. Decided to share a collection of my best and most useful travel tips to help inspire YOU to make travel a priority in your life
9 May 2017
Trick you body into thinking plane travel is normal
Here are 5 simple things that you can apply to deal with the pain of long distance travel.
11 May 2017
Boarding pass security issues
There is a lot of information about you on a boarding pass. Here is what you should do with it.
06 June 2017
What to do when airlines lose your luggage
Its an aweful experience when an airline loses your luggage, and the frightening thing is that it happens to hundred of passengers every single day!!
15 July 2017
Finding cheapest airfares with Google Flights
How to squeeze out even more of your travel budget from the people who monitor flight information enquiries all around the world every minute of every day.
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19 Jan 2018
6 Ways to find cheaper flights in Australia
If you are smart about it you can find some great deals, not just on budget airlines but on premium airlines as well. Here are some great tips.
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10 Feb 2018
Safety advice from pilots as passengers
Some of these details have serious safety implications. Pilots and experts notice these things and so therefore it pays you to take notice as a precaution. It could save your life or help you understand what is going on if there is an emergency.
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