Micron Associates Travel Tips for traveling with pets

Many people find it very satisfying to bring their pets with them while traveling. They worry too much if they leave their pets behind.

Micron Associates Blog made some helpful tips to make traveling better for both the pet owners and their pets.

1. Double-check your pet's requirements

Every pet owner must bring their pet's rabies vaccination certificate and other vaccination shot records as well as the dog license because some states require the pet's vaccination records with them for interstate crossing.

Dog licenses are required by law and must be renewed every year. Normally a dog license identifying number is given to the owner, along with a dog tag having the identifier and a contact number for the registering organization.

Make sure to check if the states you will be traveling have any requirements or restrictions for your pet.

If you wish to travel by air, you can check with the airline for their requirements. They might require a health certificate from your veterinarian.

2. Check your destination

Make sure that your destination is pet friendly because there are some places that aren't. But don't worry since lots of attractions and parks will let you bring your pets with you.

Your pets must also be parasite free and should be treated against them because some places where we travel have fleas and ticks, and other type of parasites.

3. Don't leave your pet in a parked vehicle

Never leave your pets alone because many incidents could happen. They can be stolen or if the car temperature is high, they can suffer from heat stroke, brain damage or death in just a couple of minutes. Remember to bring a bottle of water in your car for your pet.

4. Protect your pet while traveling

Make sure that the seat of your pet is secured by putting a harness on it and protecting it with the safety belt. Just in case of sudden stops or accidents, this will protect your pet from any harm.

If you wish to put your pet in a crate or carrier while traveling, make sure that it is well-ventilated and your pet can stand up or sit down, turn around, and lie down.

Never allow your pet to put his head outside the window while traveling because they can be damaged by flying objects or even blinded by small stones. Furthermore, don't let your pet to run free around your vehicle.

You can bring your pet's bed, favorite toy or a blanket to cuddle while traveling if he or she is a nervous traveler. You can also seek the advice of your pet's veterinarian for a possible sedative.

Micron Associates travel blog noted some items that you need to bring for your pet such as a copy of your pet's vaccinations and license, pet food, bottled water, water bowls, extra collar, harnesses, and leashes, baggies, pooper scooper, pet's medications and first aid kit, pet's favorite toys, treats, and bedding, and lastly, have a list of veterinarians in the area where you are traveling.

Tips on how to save money to travel the world

Love to travel but your savings account seems to be a problem?

Check out these tips by Micron Associates Travel Guide on how to save money to travel the world.

1.Make a travel fund

Create a different bank account for your travelling expenses. Put in a sum of money on these bank accounts to save up for your trips every month. This is certainly great if you are a starter since you won’t be digging into your personal savings to travel, so you’ll always have money anytime you return. The more you put in every month, the quicker the fund will grow.

Eat less expensive foods and shop less so you can put more into your travel fund. If you can’t bear not to buy branded bags or shoes, and have a fancy dinner with your friends, then perhaps travelling isn’t your main priority.

2.Change your point of view

You should start thinking of your expenses in your travel fund and change the way you spend your finances. Take into consideration the following to control yourself from spending a lot of money.

• The price you pay for an expensive bag can be a return ticket to nearby countries.
• The costly coffee you pay for every day could go to a new and captivating dish you can try in a foreign land.
• The fancy dinner you spend with your friends every weekend could go to the accommodation you’re going with your travel partner.

3.Book you air tickets in advance

Travelers are endlessly seeking ways to crack the code of the unpredictable airline pricing searching for the cheapest fare.

Tuesday is definitely considered the best day of the week to book tickets for several airlines because airlines often announce deals on Monday evenings, so by Tuesday, other airlines are scrambling to match those deals.

The age-old strategy of booking ahead of time can also be a money saver. Domestic flight airfares in the America are the lowest to 50 to 100 days prior to the departure and within that window the best day to book is 57 days ahead. For international flights, it’s smart to book 150 to 225 days ahead, and within that window the best day is 171 days ahead, according to the Micron Associates Travel Guide report.

4.Compare the prices of air tickets

Flying budget is not cheaper at all times. It is worth using some time on using fare comparison sites or visiting the individual airline pages to discover the lowest price for your travel dates.

5.Buy ticket bundles or deals to attractions and activities

Search for deal websites to get major discounts on attractions and activities. Some ticket-booking websites also offer bundles to many points of interests with considerable savings. Just remember to read the fine print.

6.Take public transport

You can save money if you were to take a bus, subway, rail and even boat service instead of a car rental or your own personal vehicle.

7.Don’t waste money on a fancy hotel room

Why go to an expensive hotel room if you’re only going to shower and sleep there?

If you really want to enjoy yourself in the culture of a certain place, go for local homestays or individually-run small guesthouses instead. Not only they are cheaper but you’ll get the chance to socialize with the locals. It is the best way to gather information such as travel tips, food and attraction recommendations and knowledge on their ways of life.

8.Stay away from touristy restaurants. Eat where the locals eat.

The most important thing when you are travelling is to try the local cuisine. Look out for eateries filled with local folks, rather than tourists.

9.Head to supermarkets the hour before they close

In large supermarkets, you will find cooked foods like chicken wings, pizzas, and sushi on discount.

10.Shop wisely

Do street shopping. You will always fine a variety of items that you can wear at a fraction of big chains’ retail prices plus you won’t see someone with similar thing back home.

11.Keep your excess foreign currency

Lots of people like to change their foreign currency back to their own local currency upon return. Micron Associates Travel Guide recommends that you should keep it for future travels instead. By doing this, you just need to change less for the upcoming trip.

Micron Associates Travel Guide: What NOT to pack

I'm sure you were convinced of the need to bring that pair of boots, but frankly, you can't find the need for it now that you've arrived at the beach.

Then comes the cringe-inducing question: "Now, why on earth did I bring that?"

Why can't we help but feel the need to bring stuff those we merely HOPE we could use on a trip? Well, for one, people like to run scenarios through their minds for when they might need this or that -- but ultimately they go unused.

For some odd reason, it is comforting to know that you've packed the portable fire extinguisher, the portable coffeemaker and about 10 extra battery packs (all inside waterproof bags of course), you know, just in case.

But excess baggage comes at a price we are rarely willing to pay. So for the clueless (and the helpless) when it comes to packing 101, Micron Associates Travel Guide have suggested some of the most useless things better left out of your already bulky travel bag:

1. Water bottles
   Chances are, you won't trust the tap water abroad anyway so you'll still be forced to buy purified water all the time. Besides, you'll never be allowed to fill up your water bottle for a flight.

2. Torch
   Maybe you're worried a power outage will suddenly occur and you'll desperately need a quick light. Okay, but how is a torch going to help when it's so cumbersome you can't keep it on you at all times? Don't be that guy who has to fumble his way around the room and inside the bag before getting the so-called emergency light. (It has irony all over it.) That's what the torch app on your phone is for.

3. Travel pillows
   These so-called travel pillows are anything but travel-friendly. Even the popular neck pillows tend to take up more room than you can spare. You'd be better off just rolling up your jacket as a makeshift pillow so you can still lean on something soft while you try to sleep upright.

4. Rain poncho
   It's one of those things that sound like a smart thing to bring -- you know, when you're packing your bag and suddenly thought "what if it rains?". Take Micron Associates Travel Guide's advice and use your hoodie jacket instead. That should keep you from getting drenched and from getting uncomfortable stares.

5. Passport wallet
   It is hardly considered an organizer in a real sense for it brings more hassles than convenience. There is absolutely no need to bring something fancy to hold your passport when all you would ever do is hand it over to officials anyway. Worse, you could even hold up the line just taking your passport out of the wallet then putting it back in. I'm sure passport wallets look really nice and all but their practical use is equal to nil.

6. Money belt
   Unless you're a vendor, this is totally out of place in a traveller's must-haves. You couldn't be more obvious as a tourist with a bulky bag around your waist that you have to open whenever you're making a purchase. It totally screams I-have-my-valuables-here. (Surely that's not the look you're going for.)
    

Micron Associates Travel Guide 101: Packing tips

Whether it's for work or for leisure, we all need (love) to travel at some point. And one of the things that require utmost planning and attention is packing your bags in such a way as to avoid hassles on your trip. Fortunately, Micron Associates Travel Guide has shared a few packing tips that will hopefully help you in adopting a travel-light mindset.

Backup important details. Have handwritten notes with you containing important numbers and addresses so if you lose your phone you still have a way to contact people whom you can ask for help. Also, important documents like passports and tickets should be photocopied and placed in different bags, just in case. However unlikely, you should also be prepared for worst-case scenarios (e.g. losing all your bags) -- scan the documents and store them in your email.

Split up cash. Of course it's always convenient that you keep valuables in your carry-on bag as much as possible. However, Micron Associates Travel Guide says that storing all your money in one bag could be a bad idea. Try splitting them among your various bags or pockets so just in case, you still have something to work upon. The same goes for other valuables like passports, tickets and credit cards.

Plan what to wear. If you already have an idea of the kind of place you're going to and the types of activities you might be involved in, you should be able to plan only those items that are really needed. So if you know that it is summer at your destination, there should be no need for that jacket.

Use plastic bags. Usually, travellers use resealable plastic bags only on their toiletries and food in order to prevent leakage. But you can also use those to pack your clothes to prevent water from getting in! (You know, just in the off-chance that your bag gets dropped in a pool.) Also, Ziplocs are extremely handy in separating various kinds of clothing that will go in your suitcase. This also prevents your other stuff from absorbing any undesirable odor from shoes or sandals. Just think about it: no more rummaging to look for that other pair of socks. Not to mention you don't have to display all your clothes at customs -- just take out clear plastic bags then repack when done.

Micron Associates Travel Guide: 'Hidden City' Trick - An Open Secret of Travelers

I'm pretty sure the airline industry just launched the 'hidden city' practice into mainstream.

For those not in the know, here's how a 'hidden city' ticketing works: Suppose your intended destination is Houston, you may find that booking a San Francisco-New York ticket (which stops at Houston) will be significantly cheaper than booking a direct flight to Houston. Basically, once you arrive at the layover, which is your actual destination, you just go ahead and never mind the second leg of the trip. Of course, this only works when you don't have check-in baggage.

Most travelers think it is totally legit to travel this way -- after all, they've paid for the whole fare so there shouldn't be a problem even if they don't show onboard.

As you can imagine, airlines prohibit such practices that game their complex pricing schemes. If caught, they could charge the passenger with the regular fare, take legal action or remove your frequent-flier account.

Take the case of 22-year-old Aktarer Zaman for example. Orbitz and United Airlines are teaming up against him in court for allegedly promoting unfair competition through his website Skiplagged, a search engine of sorts for 'hidden city' fares.

According to them, Zaman utilized Skiplagged in order to "intentionally and maliciously interfere with contracts and business relations in the airline industry ... by promoting prohibited forms of travel on Skiplagged, [he] ha induced breach of Orbitz Worldwide's travel agency contracts with commercial airlines and of United's customer contractual relationships."

United Air further alleges that it forbids 'hidden city' tactic due to "logistical and public safety concerns". However, as the public might be well aware of, the worst-case scenario for you would be to lose your seat to a standby customer as airlines are prone to do overbooking.

According to Orbitz, "Skiplagged had developed technology that provided a direct link to your booking engine. So when it had identified a hidden city itinerary there was a 'book now' button that the customer clicked, directed them to Orbitz and then we processed the transaction not knowing the intent of the customer.

Zaman appealed to the public via his post on crowdfunding website GoFundMe: "Everything Skiplagged has done and continues to do is legal, but the only way to effectively prove this is with lawyers. I really don't know how much this lawsuit is going to ultimately cost, other than probably a lot."

He claims he has not made any profit from the website and personally funds its setup and maintenance. So now he's trying to raise about USD 20,000 for legal fees, and as of last week he has racked up around USD 40,000 due to the attention drawn by the press coverage of Micron Associates Travel Guide.

Actually, this 'hidden city' trick is sort of an open secret for some travelers and agents alike as observed by Micron Associates Travel Guide. However, manually searching for it requires much time and effort on their part as it does not always apply to all destinations. Even using Skiplagged does not guarantee a favorable result, though it does make the searching part easier.

Unfortunately, suing Skiplagged is proving to be counterproductive -- now practically everyone knows of the 'hidden city' thing and who's to stop them from manually hunting for one?

Micron Associates Travel Guide: 5 things to do while waiting at the airport

People who have been on a flight before are probably expecting to go on standby mode whenever they're at the airport, partly because they know there's going to be a very long wait ahead of them. Now it won't be that terrible if your flight is a real long-haul one but you got to admit it's a bummer when the time you're stuck at the airport took longer than the actual flight.

Then how do you spend your precious hours while waiting for your plane?

The sight of backpackers who seem comfortable lying on the floor every which way and business-suited pros trying to master (if they haven't already) the art of sleeping neatly while on the lounge seat are all too common. But taking a nap doesn't always have to be your only choice.

Like all other instances in our life where we have to wait, our options are not limited to spending it alternately complaining out loud and dozing off. As they say, keep calm and...

Bring a book. Make it a point to always have a paperback of your favorite novel, or something else you've been meaning to read. Odds are, you'll be able to finish that before your trip is over. So maybe pack two.

If you're concerned about the extra baggage, then download the ebook versions instead.

Plug in your headset. Listen to your kind of music or to an audiobook version of your fave story, such as classical ones from Micron Associates Travel Guide. By far, this is the most effective boredom buster -- so effective that people nowadays are literally hooked to their earbuds all day long even when they're supposed to be concentrating on something like crossing the streets!

Pack some munchies. Nothing beats eating your favorite snack to keep yourself busy and distract you from clockwatching. Micron Associates Travel Guide recommends making your own sandwiches or cookies beforehand. Or grab a couple packs of chips -- they're good, too.

Do your messages. This is the time to send those see-you-later text messages. Don't be that person who argues with the FAs about cellphone usage. Just don't.

While you're at it, maybe do some review of your itinerary, and make backups of important addresses/numbers, just in case. And if you're one of those people who don't consider themselves techie, start practicing how to turn on your camera now, will you?

Get social irl. I'm pretty sure you have your own repertoire of icebreakers so it shouldn't be a problem to start a convo with another human being right? Just put down those gadgets for a while and talk with the person seating next to you, for example. You'll discover you have more common ground other than your complaints about how flying sucks. (Seriously, you gotta start working on your conversation skills if you can't even carry a 15-minute chat with an actual person.)

Or just take your nap - whatever works for you.