Remember those viral TikToks over the summer capturing never-ending lines at the airport, flight delays and cancellations, and rooms full of unsorted luggage? While those nightmare scenarios might not be the norm for would-be travelers at the moment, the busy holiday season is looming. And with that comes a new set of headaches, especially when you couple it with high ticket prices and everyone swarming the airports at the same time. As stressful as it may be, the bright side is, we get to travel again, and better yet, the list of places we can finally go to has grown. With all of that in mind, there are, in fact, several ways to keep your stresses and costs to a minimum, according to the expert traveler behind The Points Guy, founder Brian Kelly. From the top spots on everyone’s list to how to score that coveted business class upgrade, Kelly has five tips to keep in mind before you book that next big trip.

Flight Prices Are High, So Embrace Technology

Back in pre-Covid times, you could capitalize on a good sale, or perhaps even a site error that gave you an extremely cheap fare. Sadly, those days are long gone. With the rise in gas prices and the pent-up demand for travel, it’s pretty difficult to find good deals, especially if you’re looking during peak times. Kelly recommends using Google Flights to track fares for specific dates and destinations. But if you’re more adventurous? “Consider using their Explore Map feature to search for cheap flights from your home airport, if you’re flexible on where to go,” he says.

Keep Track of Your Luggage

We’ve all seen the horror stories play out, with baggage backed up at airports or straight up lost. Kelly says things are better, but don’t rule out the same scenario repeating itself again this fall and winter. “There are still issues due to staffing shortages, especially at the main Europe airports like the ones in Amsterdam and London Heathrow,” he cautions. While the best advice is to pack light and jam everything into your carry-on luggage, that might not be possible. In that case, he suggests getting an AirTag so you know exactly where your bag is, even if it never makes it onto the plane.

Know Where to Go (Or Avoid)

Depending if you’re the type to jump on travel trends or looking to avoid the crowds, Kelly has noticed several destinations emerging as the top spots in the next few months. Domestically, cities like New York, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Seattle are popular, while internationally, it’s everywhere from Mexico (namely Cancun) to Dublin to Qatar and other Asian locales. “Doha’s extra popular this November as it’s hosting the World Cup. And we suspect an increase in bookings to Asia, particularly Japan, which recently opened up, as well as Thailand,” he says.

Maybe Wait on That Big Asia Trip

Speaking of heading across the Pacific, Kelly says while you might be eager to finally revisit countries that have only just opened up to tourism, it’s probably better to give it a few more months. “Know the rules! There are still restrictions in place such as vaccine booster requirements. I’d recommend waiting a bit after a country reopens, hear how travel is going, and then plan your trip,” he advises.

Business Class Upgrades Are Getting Rarer, But Not Impossible

Have you been hoarding all of your credit card points in hopes of snagging a coveted front of the plane, lay-flat class seat at no extra cost? Well sadly, those chances are getting slimmer—unless you’re willing to spend big. “It’s been a tough summer for loyalty program redemptions as travel has rebounded and business class award space has either been unavailable or incredibly expensive,” Kelly says. That’s not to say it’s impossible though, and you can leverage your frequent flier miles. The easiest way is to bid for an upgrade, as a lot of the airlines let you do that when you check in. Another way to score a seat? Sometimes it pays to be nice and ask for what’s called an operational upgrade. “This is when planes oversell economy tickets so they’ll bump passengers to business or first class,” Kelly explains.

If you’re set on gaming the system and getting the most out of your points, flexibility and waiting until mid-2023 for that big vacation will be your best bet. “Most airlines open their booking calendars 330 days out. Searching now for next summer’s redemptions will likely get you some of the cheapest pricing,” Kelly says. To really make every precious credit card point count, you can also check TPG, which alerts readers to when the likes of Amex or Chase offer transfer bonuses to airline loyalty programs. This can bring down the cost of redemption significantly.

If San Diego is known for one thing, it is the weather. The area gets more sunshine than the vast majority of America, making a prime candidate for outdoor activities. With an active culture, it’s no surprise that there are amazing gyms, exercise classes, and specialized facilities across San Diego. Whether you want to move to the area or are wondering how to make exercise better, below are some great tips for working out in San Diego.

Go in the Ocean

San Diego has incredible beaches. You shouldn’t miss out on the coastline in San Diego. Go swimming. Learn how to surf or paddle board. You can scuba dive or snorkel. Whatever you choose to do in the ocean, it will always heal you. There is no way to swim at the beach without getting a good work out. You could run along the beach or play a game of volleyball before cooling off in the water by swimming. When in San Diego, you should utilize all that the ocean has to offer.

Schedule a Sports Game

In San Diego, there are so many people who love playing sports. If you want to play a particular sport, you should schedule a weekly game with friends or even some people you don’t know that well. Playing a sport you enjoy will help you work out without dreading it. You’ll gather the motivation necessary to get off the couch and become more active. When you are having fun, you don’t realize you are exercising. Whether you want to strike up a weekly basketball game, softball match, or running troupe, there are so many opportunities to schedule a weekly game that you enjoy doing. You will always have something to look forward to.

Take a Fitness Class

Since San Diego has such a great exercise culture, there is no shortage of fitness classes. When you aren’t feeling motivated enough to work out on your own, you have the option of taking a class with a qualified instructor and peers you exercise with. There are many options for taking a fitness class. For example, you could take a regular or hot yoga class that will help you breathe and become mindful. This is good for the body, mind, and spirit. You can take a Pilates class. What about weight training? Spinning, where you ride an in-place bicycle, has become quite popular. Or you could think about taking a jiu jitsu or another self defense course. You have it all in San Diego.

Join a Gym

If you don’t want to sign up for a class, there are so many gyms in San Diego you can join. Depending on what you want to get out of a gym, you can take advantage of the equipment, amenities, and pool. On a hot San Diego day, you will want to duck into the gym, work out in comfort, hit the pool, and take a shower before you leave. A lot of people hate working out until they join a gym they really like. Whether you’re into lifting weights, running, or resistance training, the right gym will have everything you need.

Take a Hike

Finally, a great way to get outside and work out at the same time is to take a hike. There are all kinds of great trails in the San Diego area. With amazing weather and beautiful views, hiking in Southern California is great. The light alone is amazing. You will have many more clear days on the trail than just about anywhere. When you are hiking, you won’t realize how great of a workout you are getting because you will be entranced by the scenery and the task ahead.

Working out is a bit easier in San Diego. There are great places to exercise, awesome people to work out with, and no shortage of opportunities to take advantage of. San Diego is beautiful with great weather, making it a prime spot for working out in any season. Getting outside to hike, swim, or play a sport will boost you with motivation. You won’t dread your workouts. Instead, you will forward to them. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also be filled with positivity from the scenery and atmosphere. What are you waiting for? Working out in San Diego is amazing!

St. Augustine of Hippo, the great philosopher, once mentioned that “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Europe is an important chapter of this book. Yes! Europe is a chapter because it is a continent with 44 countries. Thus, there is a lot to see and experience in this magnificent continent sharing its border with the largest continent – Asia. Europe cannot be called one page of the World book because each country in Europe is special in its own way and must be seen at least once in a lifetime.

Vacation in Europe is therefore a gala affair and needs time, money, research and passion to pursue. As a travel lover, this incredible continent is any day a dream destination for most of us. However, proper and timely planning about everything needs to be done well ahead of time to save money and hassles in the foreign land.

There are many countries in Europe. Therefore, there are various types of places to visit in Europe. The list is almost never-ending and for sure, however, long a vacation one plans, when in Europe, any vacation will seem short.

However, visiting so many beautiful and popular places would not be an easy affair. One has to plan for inter-city transfers, hotel bookings, meals, and lot more things. Over and above that, there are a number of things to do in Europe, for example, skiing in the Alps, enjoying theatre performances, visiting the best historical monuments, taking a gondola ride, and tasting the incredible food across the cities to experience the best flavours, textures, and mouth-melting tastes. This calls for an additional cost of tickets and entrance fees for such events and activities. Planning such events and activities in advance would help in managing the travel budget to some extent.

Before planning a vacation, most people face a dilemma about whether Europe is an expensive place to visit or not? The answer to this question though is not very easy and crisp. Why? Because planning a budget Europe trip is absolutely possible but this might require adjusting on many quarters and compromising on many fronts. Since a budget Europe trip also needs to be planned according to the taste and preferences of all the people travelling, this might be a daunting task.

However, as they say, there is a solution to every problem. Similarly, this problem of creating a budget trip to visit Europe too has solutions. There are a number of travel hacks for Europe trips that would surely take care of the budget, that too without compromising the satisfaction level of anyone.

8 Tips to Save Money on Your Vacation in Europe

Vacation in Europe is almost a dream for everyone. However, the dream is not converted into reality for most people just on grounds of the huge expenditure involved in such a trip. However, there are small tips and travel hacks which might make the tour somewhat economical. Some of these tips and travel hacks include:

1. Choosing The Cities And Places Well

Europe is a big continent with more than 40 countries. Some of these countries are quite popular tourist destinations. Choosing the right cities and the places one wants to visit wisely can keep the expenditure under control. For example, visiting places like Berlin, Paris and London are quite expensive whereas a trip to Bulgaria or Greece might not cost that much. Therefore, choosing the places wisely becomes the key to planning a budget Europe trip.

2. Booking The Flights Early

Flight tickets are quite costly. In case of any travel what pinches the most is the cost of flight tickets. However, planning much ahead of time can help the tourists get the best deals and offer on flight tickets. Last-minute bookings of tickets would only increase the cost of the trip. Furthermore, there are many places to visit in Europe. Exploring one place after another will add up to the travel cost. Therefore, planning the itinerary well is the crux of the entire trip. It is advisable to plan in a way such that no round trips have to be made within Europe. Round trips to a particular location would only add to costs. Also, it is advisable to spend some time researching the travel plans and comparing the flight fares before proceeding with the actual bookings.

3. Saving On Travelling Within Europe As Much As Possible

While flight tickets are soaring high, travellers need to search for alternative options for travelling. Interrail is one of such economical yet adventurous options for travelling and exploring Europe. Interrail is nothing but the concept of travelling across the countries in Europe by train. Some of these train travel routes are epic in themselves, thus enhancing the charm of trips to Europe. The tourists can also try to get an interrail pass from the competent authority. This will save costs further. The travel using the trains is not only safe but also enjoyable as it gives a chance to explore the places even more.

4. Taking Public Transport

European cities have a wonderful network of public transport systems. Using the public transport system would help the tourists in saving huge costs of intercity travel. The use of public transport would also help the tourists to explore the city and its life and people in a far better way. Taking the metro, bus, ferry, or tram is a much better way to explore and roam around the city. The tourists just need to have a map of the city so that they do not get lost and they are ready to go. Tourists can also book a public transport pass that allows them to travel using various modes of public transport throughout the city for the entire day. This is way cheaper than hiring a taxi each time, isn’t it?

5. Getting The Best Hotel Deals

Travelling to any location involves planning a lot of things. This includes planning where to stay and for how many days to stay. Choosing the right stay is a very important component of the entire travel plan. The hotels should be selected wisely. Choosing a hotel near a specific location might give a beautiful view but it is surely going to raise the cost of travel within the city. Therefore affordable accommodation in the central area of the city might be a wise decision. Further, though there are a lot of sites and travel companies providing the best hotel deals in Europe, one needs to be sure and wise about choosing the time of travel. In the case of off-season travel, tourists can get better deals on hotels.

6. Buying City Passes

Almost all the cities in Europe have a lot to offer. From scenic beauty to museums, monuments to zoos, tourists have a lot of things to do in each city. Therefore, many of these cities offer passes for all these major attractions. These passes are cheaper ways of visiting the major attractions. For example, a museum ticket might cost around 500-1000 INR whereas a pass like the Paris Museum Pass helps the tourists to visit 60 such museums in two days. The pass might cost somewhere between 3000-3500 INR. Such a pass would not only save costs for the tourists but would also help them save time (time of standing in a queue to get a museum ticket). Further, there are certain museums that offer free entry or discounted entry on certain days such as the Louvre offers free entry on the first Saturday of every month between 6-9:45 P.M. local time. Researching them and planning accordingly too might be a trick to save some money.

7. Choosing The Right Roaming Plans

International calls have always been costly. International roaming charges are quite high. Therefore, travellers need to choose the right roaming packages while travelling. Such roaming packs should also include data since travelling using GPS navigation or researching the places would require call data. It is advisable to use the free Wi-Fi networks available at hotels, airports and other public places. This would save them some costs since even the mobile data is costly on roaming. It is also advisable to use the calling and messaging facility wisely and use it only when needed since the calls and messages are also costly. However, the use of platforms like WhatsApp calling and messaging over a Wi-Fi network can be a useful travel hack for Europe trips. You can also choose to get an international plan for Europe for the travel duration. This might save you some costs.

8. Saving On Water And Meals

Bottled water is quite expensive in most places in Europe. However, the regular tap water supplied in Europe is safe for drinking too. Therefore, it is advisable to carry a bottle and fill it up with tap water whenever possible. Using this water would help the travellers save a huge cost of buying bottled water to drink. Furthermore, though European nations are known for their incredible food, stopping to buy a meal every time would be a waste of time and money. Therefore, carrying enough snacks to munch during the trip would be a wise decision.

Europe is a dream destination. You can make it the most memorable trip by researching well and following these tips and tricks to the extent possible. Visit Adotrip.com, your travel buddy and enjoy amazing tour packages, flight deals, hotel bookings, and other travel-related services under one roof, that too, at cost-effective rates. It is surely going to help save a lot of money when you embark on your dream destination. Bon Voyage!!!07

Bodybuilding guru Hany Rambod shares his secrets to staying in shape while away.

Whether you’re a pro bodybuilding and fitness competitor with a rigorous promotional and guest appearance schedule, a working professional regularly traveling for business, or just someone taking a weekend getaway, maintaining your workout routine can be challenging when you’re away from home base. Taking a break from the gym every now and again usually won’t steer you off the path to your goals, but consistently straying from your plan certainly can.

Here, world-renowned trainer and 19-time Olympia champion coach Hany Rambod takes us through his five tips for getting the most from your workouts while you’re on the go.

Plan ahead

No matter your profession, Rambod maintains that planning ahead is a key component to staying on track for anyone. While certain cities may be short on gym options, most will have at least a few hotels with respectable gyms or at least one that will get the job done.

“Unless one of my athletes is required to stay at a specific hotel for logistics purposes, I always tell them to do their research ahead of time and find either a hotel with an adequate gym or find a hotel within walking distance of a gym.” Google makes it very simple to find gyms or fitness centers nearby, and unless you’re traveling to the middle of nowhere, there’s no reason you can’t find a spot where you can get a decent workout in.

Check out a Band

You may not expect someone who’s known for training champion bodybuilders to be recommending resistance bands, but Rambod emphasizes that a few easy-to-pack bands can make all the difference when you’re short on equipment.

“Bringing along a few bands with varying levels of resistance can allow someone with a basic knowledge of strength training to get a great workout in almost everywhere. They’re light, don’t take up much space in luggage or even a small carry on, and you can take them nearly anywhere.”

Get creative

Before starting your workout, it’s important to take inventory of what’s available, then come up with a plan.

“There have been times when I’ve had athletes message me in frustration to tell me all they have is an adjustable bench and some dumbbells. So let’s say all you had was an adjustable bench and some dumbbells and needed to train arms. You could do alternating dumbbell curls, then put the bench on an incline and do one-arm dumbbell preacher curls, then sit down and do concentration curls. For triceps, you could do overhead extensions, followed by kickbacks, and finish off with bench dips. That’s a legit arm workout with the most basic of equipment.”

Reps and Rest

If you’re limited to lighter free weights or machines with lighter stacks, going heavy sometimes isn’t an option. Rambod recommends getting comfortable with doing a higher-rep routine with less rest time between sets to maximize the effectiveness of your workout.

“The base of my FST-7 training program focuses on finishing your routine off with seven sets, all done with very short rest periods in between. Using this type of program that incorporates more reps, less rest, and a focus on pumps over just moving weight can be a great option when training with less resistance than what you’re used to.”

Train heavy before traveling

If his clients know they’ll be traveling, Rambod always recommends training the body parts for which more equipment and heavier weights are needed while they’re at home.

“It’s always easier to train arms or shoulders at a small gym or a hotel fitness center than it is legs or back. Get the heavy workouts in while you’re at home and save the smaller body parts for the road with some light dumbbells and bands.”

Enjoy the scenery

Use your cardio time to get out and see things! Rambod always tells his clients that if they’re in a beautiful city with a picturesque skyline or someplace that has a trail with scenic views, don’t sit on a treadmill and stare at a wall for an hour.

“Get out. See the world,” he says. “If you can get a workout in and still make the most of your time away in a unique place, that’s winning!”