[imcarthur]

While Motion travels fast, I travel much slower so while our booking methods overlap, they also differ.

Hotels: I book balconies & bathrooms – not hotel rooms. Since I & my spouse are fussy, I research hotels – location/price/style via TripAdvisor for reviews, Google maps for precise location, etc. For booking, I check hotels.com, TripAdvisor & the property directly via an inquiry on their own booking site. The lowest price for my room style wins.

Flights: Long hauls are usually via Aeroplan miles – although the concept of ‘free’ has evaporated as the programs all get diluted. One ticket free is the new reality with all of the surcharges that are levied. Local hops are cheap & I typically book with the airline – after checking Kayak etc.

Restaurants: I research ahead of my trip & always carry a ‘best of’ list that I print & take with me. Filtering TripAdvisor reviews has led to most of my successes. In some cases, I even book before I leave home.

Car rental: I will scan Kayak, AutoEurope & Avis for the best rate. I typically rent midsize everywhere. AutoEurope will match any quote from a legitimate competitor. I have used this once for a car in Sicily.

Cash: If possible take a very small amount of local currency. ATMs are the best local source but the airport locations often have big line ups when you arrive. Always call your bank & get a larger daily & weekly limit on cards & tell them what countries you will visit.

Cell Phone: While some people mess with local SIMs, most providers have roaming deals that you can pre-buy so you can keep your own number & get enough cell + data to suffice as long as you don’t overdo the data. Wifi in your hotel is your savior. 2 years ago, it cost me $25 for 10 minutes of Google maps in Paris . . .

Drugs: If you are traveling to a place where the food might be a bit sketchy, a visit to your doc for Dukoral (prescription in the US, behind the counter in Canada) might be a good idea.

Ian