Now this blog is about traveling. But why dream about the places you want to go to without having the money to get there. So I assembled a list of tips on how to find the best deals to travel based on my own experiences on finding the cheapest deals. Try them and I'm sure you will find the best deals possible.

1. DIY - Do It Yourself
I found that the way to lose money when planning a getaway trip is going to travel agencies. Travel agencies are great if you do not have time and have the money to spend. But if you are on a tight budget the best way to do it is to plan your own vacation. This includes booking your flight yourself, finding a good hotel, car rental, finding attractions & things to do and finding the best deals on food around the area.
The best way to find these things of course is the internet. Sites like expedia, cheaptickets and orbitz are great for getting the best deals. You can search for flights, hotel and car rental at the same time. A great time saver!
I'm assuming that if you are reading this you do have internet access. So why not start browsing around to find a good deal on tickets as a starter?

2. Plan ahead
The best way to find a good deal on flights is to book them early. Airlines tend to raise the prices on flights 7 to 10 days before a flight. Due to business travelers who usually buy the last minute seats. So even though it is true that you could get good last minute deals, it is usually not the case.
Especially if you are planning a vacation in the high season this rule usually apply to finding a good deal. Most people do not have the money or do not know if they will get the days off to book a flight in advance for high season. So this makes the same flight a lot cheaper early on.
Also if you are booking a vacation package the best way to finding a good deal is booking at least 60 days in advance according to Expedia.
This does not mean you have to book right when you find the first cheap fare. Patience is a key to finding the best fare. Checking back to see the price might return cheaper results. So be wise in buying right away.

3. Travel on Wednesday!
Overall Wednesday is the cheapest day to travel for almost all airlines. Especially if you are traveling inside the United States borders. After Wednesdays the cheapest days to travel is on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
The main reason these days are cheaper is because most people do not travel on these days. Especially people traveling for pleasure.

4. Sign up to receive e-mails
This is one of the easiest ways to always know about travel deals. You can sign up with the various airlines. Or you can sign up with other internet travel search sites.
Signing up for all these e-mails might make your inbox a little bit too crowded. If this is the case for you, you can make a folder in your e-mail account where all your travel info will go to or you can make another e-mail account especially for your travel research. This will leave your inbox open for e-mails from the people you love.

5. Go kayak
On kayak.com you can find the cheapest fare by comparing the prices different websites offer. This is a lot better than just searching on one site. And it is also a lot easier that searching every site individually. This way you can safe time but still find the best deal around the web.
Other sites that also offer this service is sidestep.com and away.com even though I find their interface a little bit less attractive.

6. The power of non-refundables
If you are sure of your date of travel, get a non-refundable ticket. They are almost always the cheapest tickets out there. The only problem is if you do not fly on that day, you loose your money. But for the price differences it is definitely worth the risk.
There is even a chance you can cancel your flight in advance and still be able to use the value of your ticket towards a future ticket. This is not true for all airlines. But you should read through the fine prints to find out if this is possible for your ticket. Southwest for example is one of the airlines you can apply the full value of your ticket toward a future trip.
Most airlines also charge a fee to change your travel date if you cancel in advance. Make sure you also find out what this fee is. Because it might be cheaper to buy a new ticket than to change your date.

7. Bid on your vacation
With a site like skyauction.com you don't need to fly, sail or sleep for the full price. On this site you can actually bid on airfare, cruise fare or hotel prices. You could have the vacation of your dream for as low as $1.
Be sure to read through all the fine prints. Some hidden fees may apply.

If you put theses tips into practice, you will be sure to find the best deals out there for your time away.

A traveler

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You can!
Win a trip for 2 to Curacao from any major airport. From now till May 23rd 2009! Just sign your name everyday for more chance to win!! The website is:

http://www.curacaotreasure.com/

Hope you win!
A traveler

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Since the beginning of time people have traveled. There are many reasons to travel. To visit family and friends, business, medical emergency etc. But the reason I would like to focus on is traveling for recreation or as most people would say, FUN.
The number one reason for traveling for fun is of course just to enjoy yourself. But while you are enjoying yourself you are also relaxing, learning new things, meeting new people, feeling differently etc etc. The most imporant thing though is expanding the way you see things. While you travel and enjoy yourself you will also expand and stretch the way you view life. Which can help in all areas of life.
Maybe during your travel you will learn a new way to serve people like you saw in a restaurant you visited. Or learning a new way to save money from a tourist you met. You might just learn a new idea for throwing a party.
All this can contribute to your own growth and well being.

That is all for now. But do not forget to leave your comment on what you think of the site and what new things you would like to learn about traveling.

So long,
A traveler

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Curacao? It might be the first time you've ever heard this name before. Or you might have a drink in mind. But Curacao is really a place. It is a small Dutch island on the south of the Caribbean sea. It has about 130,000 inhabitants and not the most popular among the Caribbean islands but yet it is worth visiting. Why? There are many reasons.

First of all it is one of only 6 dutch islands in the Caribbean. So this already distinguish it from all the other Caribbean islands with English, French or Spanish influence. The Dutch heritance on this island can be seen everywhere. From the beautiful architecture, to the language that can still be heard on the streets, the food, art, music and much more.
There is a distinct blend of the Dutch culture and the Caribbean culture on this island. You can see this just by looking at the colorful houses with dutch architecture all around the island. But you can also hear it in the Papiamentu language. Which is the native language for most Curacaoans. But do not be afraid, because Curacaoans speak 4 different languages: Papiamentu, Dutch, English and Spanish. So you do not have to learn a complete different language to visit.
Secondly Curacao has the most beautiful beaches you could ever find around the world. Most of them are small beaches with sparkling white sand and torquise blue water. Which makes it feel as if you're at a private beach of your own. The island claims to have around 40 of these beaches of its own. This leaves you with plenty of room to choose which one you want to relax at.
Thirdly there are many things to do around the island. Like shopping at the most prestigeous shops in Punda and Otrabanda. Hiking in the nature reserved Christoffel park. Horsebackriding through the jungle. Fishing throughout the year. Enjoying all the nightclubs around the island, especially the beach clubs. Taking windsurfing classes and much more.

So whether you are looking for an relaxing vacation, an adventerous one or you "just wanna have fun" Curacao is the place to be.

Enjoy your time in Curacao,
A traveler

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