![]() Often times, young adults and those new to traveling have many questions regarding travel. This includes where to go, what to see, and overall how to get to these places in an affordable way. Where do I go? The biggest questions that most young adults have who have a strong desire to travel is “what places can I go to while on a tight budget?” And in short, the answer is that there are so many places! With just a little bit of research, there are so many places in the world that are extremely beautiful and don’t cost a whole lot to get to. Transportation: One of the most important parts of travel is transportation; and this can add up quickly. Be sure to take time in finding what flights are the cheapest and be willing to take a couple stops along the way. Once you are in the new country, be sure to learn the public transportation systems! Uber/Lyft costs add up extremely quickly and are an expense that can be avoided. How do I Exchange Money? When traveling to a foreign country, the money is different. One tip when first arriving at your destination country is that it's always wise to cash a small amount of money at the airport so you will have cash for a taxi or bus into the city. But don’t cash a lot. If you walk up to an exchange window at the airport, you will get less for your dollar because the moneychanger has little competition at the airport. It’s helpful to bring a calculator when you travel abroad. After you change money for the first time, figure out exactly how much of the foreign currency it takes to equal $1, $5, $10, etc. Jot these down so you will quickly be able to estimate how much something costs before you buy it. This will help you avoid paying too much for something while you’re still getting used to the currency in your destination country. Thailand: Instead of going to the great city of Bangkok, there are beautiful islands with white sands and crystal clear water that you can go to for a fraction of the cost. Costa Rica: Known for its low cost of living, Costa Rica is perfect for a cheap vacation. There are so many opportunities to see wildlife, take a walk along the coast, or learn to surf in the clean waves.
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![]() Travel the World – We can design a customized vacation getaway on your budget. Crystal and Clear Travel is a full service travel agency. When you work with a travel agent to customize your vacation, there is no cost to you. We also offer mobile appointments to make it more convenient to meet with you at a more convenient time and location within our service area. We have dedicated ourselves to finding and fulfilling all of your travel needs at a cost that fits your budget and offer one of a kind personal service for any of your travel needs. Our friendly staff are certified Cruise & Vacation specialists to any destinations you desire. There are several reasons to use Crystal and Clear Travel to plan your vacation instead of the internet.Let us show a few: • Most websites make you pay upfront to get that “great deal” • You are already planning a vacation; so might as well relax and have someone else do it for you • We offer interest free monthly payment options • We can provide one stop shopping, so you’ll get airfare, hotel and excursions all in one package Creating Memories For All Through Monthly Payments So many of us start off saying “I’m going to take that vacation” and the next thing you know 10 years have gone by not ever taking that “Vacation” trip. Don’t let this happen to you! We offer an easy way to plan that dream vacation with convenient, interest free monthly payment options, regardless of credit history. Crystal & Clear Travel has ways to make any vacation a reality. Are you wanting to save towards family vacation? Take your sweet heart on a surprise of a life time? School or Family reunion? Or just yourself? Than you have come to the right place. We offer endless ways to save for vacations. Get started with a simple phone call. We help you decide where it is you want to travel and give you an estimate of what that vacation will cost. This way of saving is perfect for those who want to travel in one or more years from now! You really do not need to have your destination planned to start saving. Accounts are set up on a credit or debit card. When ready our travel payment plan clients will pick a date of travel and amount that fits their budget. While saving for you’re dream vacation there is no penalties for being late, not being able to make a full payment or deciding that you have to opt out all together. Whether you are wanting to travel to a local destination. Or you wanting to travel the far east. You can make this happen with your own personalized savings plan. The easiest way to save, without any hidden fees, making that dream vacation a reality. Once you have an amount that equals your deposit for that vacation your monies are then transferred to your reservation. We offer many Vacation packages that suit all budgets and can personalize your dream vacation whether it’s to Disneyland or Disney World, a short getaway, that long awaited romantic weekend with your sweetheart or all the way to that exotic island week long stay in an all inclusive resort. We take pride in creating the most comprehensive and affordable Tour packages to Europe, Asia, Middle East, Central and South America and the South Pacific Islands. Whether you are planning your Destination Wedding, Romantic Honeymoon, Family Vacation or that spectacular Dream Cruise, our staff is available to get the planning started. No vacation is too small! Remember – Travel agent services come at NO COST TO YOU. NO FEES! ![]() It is certainly true many want to travel, but individuals cannot always afford the luxury to do so. Here are a few simple ways to save money and places to visit that will keep you focused on your trip and not how much you are spending. Start off with traveling in the off-seasons, this means to choose times of the year that airlines and hotels charge less for bookings. The most popular months for off-peak travel is September and October. Think about it, September is right after the summer season, kids are getting back into school, and not many people are looking to travel. Hotel prices lower if you book a hotel stay on weekdays, it is much less expensive than booking on weekends. Depending on the days of the week airline tickets will run cheaper on per say Tuesdays or Thursdays. If you are booking a vacation give yourself enough time to play around with your options to get the best prices. When you arrive at your destination if possible steer away from rental cars. Busses and trains, even walking will be much less costly in the long run. Depending on certain cities busses will be more affordable than trains. If cars are a must travel in a group to save money, buying four bus tickets will probably be more expensive in the long run. Be aware of where you park, if in an area with parking garages, it may be worth the extra mile walk to save some cash. Plus, walking is great exercise. Worried about food? This, in my opinion, is the time to indulge, however there are ways to do it right to save you an extra buck. Avoid hotel breakfast; try to find a local café or restaurant that serves better food for a better price. Not too hungry? Split an entrée or just go for an appetizer. Stick to water, in most cases it is free and you will need to keep hydrated with all the walking you are going to be doing. Most important look for a travel agency such as Crystal and Clear Travel who offers monthly payment plans to make your dream vacation affordable. Happy traveling! 1. In crowded terminals or flights, try to find a buddy in line or in the seat next to you if traveling alone, so that you are watching his or her bags at the counter or on board and he or she is watching yours.2. When putting your carry on baggage through the x-ray belt, put your laptop last so that it comes out behind your other luggage, and with luck, about the same time you are cleared to pick it up-or, better yet, have a buddy that has cleared security keep an eye on your laptop until you have cleared security. 3. Put your luggage in the overhead bin across the aisle from you so that you can see that no one is opening your luggage during the flight. Overhead storage bins may not be able to hold very heavy objects during turbulence, so if you or another passenger is having trouble lifting an article into the bin, have it stored elsewhere. 4. Dress for comfort and safety-best protection from heat and fire is natural fiber (cotton, denim, leather, wool) so avoid synthetics and bear in mind that the safety slide is pretty rough material and the end has strips of Velcro, so a skirt and panties will not survive the trip down-women should use natural fiber slacks. 5. The safest seating is on the exit aisle in the back of the airplane-usually farthest from impact and farthest from explosive fuel. 6. The time for greatest concern is during take-off and landing so nonstop flights reduce exposure to these most accident-prone phases of flight. You should have an evacuation plan in mind-memorize how many rows to each exit point. Choose larger aircraft whenever possible, as they provide a better opportunity for passenger survival. Planes with more than 30 passenger seats are designed and certified under the strictest regulations. 7. Always carry a penlight flashlight for use in an emergency when no other source of light may be available. Follow directions from the flight crew and exit the aircraft as quickly as possible. 8. If you are traveling over water, make sure you know how to locate and don your life jacket or floatation device. The primary reason flight attendants are on an aircraft is for safety, so if one of them asks you to do something like fasten your seat belts, do it-ask questions later. 9. Carry your passport even on domestic flights. During a crisis, U.S. flights may be diverted to Mexican or Canadian airports and having a passport will facilitate the border crossing. 10. Don’t drink too much alcohol! The atmosphere in an airliner cabin is pressurized to about the same altitude as Denver, so any alcohol you consume will affect you more than at sea level. Moderation is a good policy at any altitude. Drinking non-caffeinated products is a good practice as well. Planning an anniversary getaway (particularly for one of the big anniversaries like a 10th or 25th) can be stressful. Taking time off work, making extravagant plans and then spending money on something often billed as a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to rekindle the flame of romance can certainly be nerve-racking. But for seasoned travelers, perhaps the most difficult part is choosing where to go! Here are some tips for making an anniversary celebration unforgettable, memorable, but most of all, enjoyable.
Don’t try to be something you’re not An elaborate anniversary trip seems like the perfect time to do something out of the ordinary or even a little bit crazy – but don’t let yourself get carried away. If you know you’re really the kind of person who wants to lie on a beach for two weeks with your significant other, reading books, drinking cocktails, and talking for hours while watching the sunset, don’t guilt yourself into a trek to Machu Picchu just because you feel like you should. The true purpose of an anniversary trip is to celebrate that special union – something you can’t really do if you’re regretting your surroundings. Likewise, if you and your partner are true adventurers, then planning two weeks lying around on a beach doing nothing is going to be a challenge, too. Make sure you plan a vacation around something you can both enjoy doing together. That alone will make it something you’ll remember fondly. Choose a destination that allows you to stand out or blend in Are you the kind of people who want to be recognized and given a little bit of special attention for your anniversary? Granted, you can’t expect to be doused with free champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries wherever you go, but there are some perks to letting hospitality staff know you’re celebrating a special occasion. Popular anniversary locales like Hawaii and California are teeming with hotels that go out of their way to welcome anniversary travelers since they make up such a big part of their business. On the other hand, taking a vacation to a more remote or less popular location could give you the benefit of being a bit of a novelty and could mean a little extra attention from staff. It could also mean you could just disappear from the radar altogether, which is another romantic notion. Don’t forget to plan for extras Most of your budget will likely go towards accommodations and airfare, but don’t forget to leave a little bit of wiggle room for extras! Budget about 10 percent over what you think you’ll spend; it will give you the extra room to splurge on a nicer bottle of wine at dinner, or leave an extra generous tip for the hotel staff who gave you an upgraded room or a free bottle of champagne. If you don’t use that extra cash? Great! Save it for the next vacation. And if you do? You’ll know you were ready to, and you won’t stress about the credit card bill when you get home. |
Becky H.
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February 2022
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