Table Of Contents

Thrifty Traveling:  Your Step-By-Step Guide To Bargain Travel In The U.S., Canada, & Worldwide 

 
CHAPTER ONE: How To Plan A Successful Trip
Trip Planning: The Adventure Begins - Why You Need This Book Even If You Only Use A Travel Agent Or Go On Escorted Tours

CHAPTER TWO: How To Take Control Of Your Own Vacation Planning
Step One: Photocopy All Forms
Step Two: Choose A Destination
Step Three: Do Your Research
Step Four: Create Your Own Personal Guidebook
Step Five: Map-Dot Planning
Step Six: Fill In Destination Forms
Step Seven: Determine Transportation, Accommodations
Step Eight: Finalize Your Itinerary
Step Nine: Your Travel Budget
Step Ten: Your Trip-Planning Time Line
Step Eleven: Packing Checklists
Step Twelve: Other Useful Checklists

CHAPTER THREE: Step One - Photocopy All Forms
How To Customize The Checklists, Etc., For Each Trip
This Is YOUR Trip-Planning Guidebook

CHAPTER FOUR: Step Two - Choose A Destination
Where Exactly Do You Want To Go; And Why?
“Choosing A Destination” Worksheets
Finalizing Your Destination Goals
“Your Purpose” Worksheet

CHAPTER FIVE: Step Three - Do Your Research

CHAPTER SIX: Step Four - Create Your Own Personal Guidebook
Step One; Tape Forms To Individual Sheets
Step Two; Buy A Binder
Step Three; Organize And Number The Pages
Step Four; Make A Throw-Away Copy Of Your Guidebook

CHAPTER SEVEN: Step Five - Map-Dot Planning

CHAPTER EIGHT: Step Six - Destination Forms
Form #1; Things To Know About Each Destination
Form #2; Sightseeing And Shopping
Form #3; Cultural, Sporting, And Other, Events
Form #4; My Customized Phrase Book

CHAPTER NINE: Step Seven - Transportation And Accommodations
Air Travel - Car Travel - Cruise Travel - Train Travel - Accommodations

CHAPTER TEN: Step Eight -Finalize Your Itinerary
Form #1; Transportation And Accommodations Summary
Form #2; Sightseeing, Events, And Activities Summary

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Step Nine - Your Travel Budget
What If These Budget Forms Don’t Apply To MY Trip?
What If My “Estimated” Travel Budget Is A Lot Higher Than My “Real” Travel Budget? Worksheet #1: Your General Budget Per Destination
Worksheet #2: Transportation Costs
Worksheet #3: Total Budget

CHAPTER TWELVE: Step Ten - Your Trip-Planning Time Line
Six Months Before Departure Date
Three Months Before Departure Date
One Month Before Departure Date
Two Weeks Before Departure Date
The Final Week Before Departure Date
The Final Day Of Departure
The Final HOUR Prior To Departure

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Step Eleven - Packing Checklists
Luggage Labeling; How To Pack; If You’re Traveling With Children; First-Aid Kit; Carry-On Luggage; Items To Pack In Your Money Belt; Extra Items; Clothes

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Step Twelve - Other Useful Checklists
Checklist Of Things To Leave With A Trusted Friend Or Relative In Case Of Emergency
Questions To Ask Your Insurance Agent

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Important Things To Know About Your Destination(s)
Weather; Holidays, Festivals, Events; Time Zones; Understanding Foreign Electricity; Weights And Measures

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: What Type Of Traveler Are You?
Traveling Solo; Traveling With A Partner; Traveling With Children; Student Or Under-26; Over-50 Traveler; Woman Traveler; Disabled Traveler; Eco-Traveler And Amateur Archaeologist Volunteer

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: What Do The Travel Ads And Brochures Really Mean?
What They Say Isn’t Always What You Get; What’s In A Word?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Travel Documents And Insurance
Passport And Visa; Insurance

CHAPTER NINETEEN: Money, Credit Cards, And Other Financial Mysteries
Money-Saving Hints; Register Valuables Before You Travel; Credit Cards Traveler’s Checks; ATM Hints; Currency Exchange Rates; VAT (Value-Added Tax); Money-Stretching Publications; If Your Money And Credit Cards Are Lost Or Stolen; Sending Emergency Money; Tipping

CHAPTER TWENTY: Luggage And Packing Luggage
Lost Luggage; Packing

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Health And Medical Tips For Healthy Traveling
Travel Clinics; Immunizations; Medical Assistance Programs; Where Are The English-Speaking Doctors?; Don’t Drink The Water?; Some Non-Drug Solutions To Motion Sickness Air Travel Health Hints; Jet Lag; Allergies; Diabetes Resources

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Safe Travel
Common Sense Self-Defense; Anti-Theft Strategies; Air Travel Safety Tips; Hotel Safety Hints; Hotel Safety Resources; Terrorist Advisories

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Maps
Maps 101: An IntroductionTo Map Resources And Special Map Features
Map Dots: A User-Friendly Strategy To Plan Your Trip High-Tech Resources

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Communications 101 — Language, Telephones, Faxes, And Mail
The Art Of ASKING; Foreign Languages; Telephones; Faxes; Mail

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: Air Travel — Ways To Locate The Cheapest Air Fare
Discount Air Fare Strategies
How To Be An Air Courier
What Is A Coupon, Broker?
Ins And Outs Of Being Bumped
Questions To Ask The Airlines

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Air Travel — Discount Air Fare Resources
Airline Consolidators
Other Discount Options
Air Travel Hotlines
The International Airline Passengers Association
Consumer Publications

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Air Travel — Helpful Hints
Miscellaneous Air Travel Hints; Air Travel Terms You Should Know; Locating The Best Seat; Financial Hints; Airport Savvy; Air Quality; Air Travel Health Tips; Air Travel Safety Tips

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Air Travel — Airlines
Spotlight On Some Of The Low-Cost Airlines; Airline Directory; Safest Airlines; Hazardous Airlines; Other Airline Information

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: Train Travel
U.S. Train Travel; European Train Travel; Other Train Travel Information; Rail Renaissance

CHAPTER THIRTY: Car Travel
Renting A Car; Car Smarts; Miscellaneous Hints; Resources; Automobile Clubs; Car Rental Agency Directory

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: Cruise (And Freighter) Travel Hints
Choosing Your Cruise; Miscellaneous Hints; Before You Leave; Health And Medical; Intelligent Cruising Basics; Freighter Travel; AThrifty Way To Cruise; Windjammer Cruises; Free Cruises And Free Yacht Trips; Tipping Guidelines; Cruise Travel Resources

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: Other Local And International Transportation Options
Miscellaneous Ideas; Bicycle Traveling; Bus Travel; Llama Trekking; Wagon Train

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: The ABCs Of Accommodations
Apartment; Auberge; Bed And Breakfast (B&B); Camping; Castle Hotel; Cave; Chateau; City Tourist Information Office; College Dorm; Condominium Rental; Convent; Dude Ranch; Farm; Free Lodging; Gite; Historic Real Estate; Home Exchange Club; Homestay; Hostel; Hotel And “Residence” Hotel; House; Kro; Lighthouse; Lodge; Mission Hotel; Monastery; Motel; Paradore And Pousada; Pension And Pensioni; Pub; Retirement And Adult Communities; Retreat; Romantik Hotel; Room; Rorbu; Ryokan; Teacher Swap; Timesharing; Villa; Xenia; Yacht; Youth Hostel; YMCA and YWCA

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: Hotel Hints
Miscellaneous Hotel Hints
Don’t Follow The Crowd
Bargaining For Hotel Rates
Hotel Safety Hints And Resources
Hotel Phones
Tipping Guidelines
Hotel Terms You Should Know
How Much Did A Hotel Room Cost In 1933?

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: Hotel Discount Resources
Hotel Consolidators
Hotel Consolidator Directory
Specialized Resources
Discount And Coupon Books
Other Hotel Discount Resources

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: Hotel And Motel Directory

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: Camping
General Camping Hints
Miscellaneous International Camping Information
Camping In The U.S. And Canada
Camping ln Europe
U.S. And Canada Camping Resources

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: Free Travel
How To Travel Almost Anywhere In The U.S. or Canada, By Car, For FREE!
Travel The World For Free
One Way To Camp For Free
Free Lodging
FreeTheater/Event/Seminar Tickets (U.S.)
Free Yacht Trips
How To Go On The Cruise Of Your Choice For Free
Free Laundry Service
Freebies

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: Shopping, Dining, Entertainment, And Sightseeing

CHAPTER FORTY: Sports, Gambling, And Outdoor Activities
Bicycling; Tennis; Golf; Skiing; Dog Sledding; Water Sports And Activities; Outdoor Activities; Gambling; Where To Get Sporting Event Tickets

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: T our Operators And Travel Agents
Tour Operators; Travel Agents; How To Be A Freelance Travel Agent

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: Traveling On The Information Superhighway
Traveling With A Computer; Travel Information Online; What Is E-Mail?; How Do I Get An E-Mail Address?; America Online Travel Information

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: Returning Home
Customs; U.S. Customs Offices Directory

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: Miscellaneous Travel Tips
Miscellaneous Hints; How To Successfully Bargain; Traveling With Your Pet; Drugs; Travel Photography; Take A Trip Down Memory Lane; The Ultimate Travel Bargain!

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: Miscellaneous Publications And Resources