We know, it's not the biggest holiday in the United States,
lacking such things as beloved Columbus Day carols, festive decorations and
traditional meals to commemorate the day, but it is definitely worth
celebrating. The story of Christopher Columbus is inspiring, as that great
man's historic voyage teaches us to explore, search, and dream big.
We often discover new horizons while aiming for something
completely different. Christopher Columbus never did accomplish his original
goal - to find a western ocean route to Asia .
Instead, he achieved something even greater - he ushered in a new era in world
history by opening up the Americas
Traveling around the world and going on vacation isn't as
expensive as you might think. Here at Workplace ESL Solutions, we love our international students
and we love to travel to their countries. Here are a few more ways to see the
world for less:
To vacation within driving distance, check out the "One Tank
Wonders" at www.tripadvisor.com/tankofgas To find the lowest price of gas
in your area, go to www.gasbuddy.com
The Internet has enabled us to become our own travel agents,
often offering better deals than if we called the hotel or rental
car company directly. Some of my favorite web sites to find travel steals
and deals are: www.farecast.com
, www.yapta.com , www.travelocity.com , www.orbitz.com , www.breezenet.com , and www.hotwire.com
It’s easy to be influenced by a glossy brochure or fancy web
site that claims a certain hotel is the absolute best, but if you want to hear
what “real” people have to say about specific travel destinations, check out
their opinions posted at www.tripadvisor.com
Before purchasing, compare prices and do a "Google" search for
"discount code" with the name of the hotel chain, car company, airline, or
tourist attraction you specifically want. Joining the "frequent flyer" clubs or
hotel member clubs will often get you better rates, and those points you rack up
with each stay will get you free vacations in the future! Your credit card
might get you even more points, so find out which travel services they partner
with. AAA membership pays for itself
once you see all of the discounts you can get on hotels , cars, restaurants and even theme
parks.
A flexible traveler can really score big. For example, airlines
routinely over-book their seats, knowing that a certain percentage of travelers
will simply not show up for the flight.
If everyone does show up then there will be more passengers than seats so
the airline will then ask for volunteers who are willing to be bumped. By doing so they may offer you travel
vouchers for future flights,
meals, and even a paid hotel room if there isn’t another flight until the next
day. It’s a little bit of a hassle, but
if the airline is desperate they’ll keep sweetening the deal until someone says
yes!
Skip the tourist traps and save money by adding some volunteer
work at your destination! The following organizations offer meaningful service
opportunities and lower your destination costs during a “Volunteer
Vacation”:
Swap a pricey hotel stay for a visit in someone else’s home
with a “Home Exchange” vacation:
You can stay in a very inexpensive hostel and meet some
fascinating people: www.hostelworld.com
When you volunteer to drive one of those big RV’s one way it
helps the company return their vehicles and you save tons of moola: www.cruiseamerica.com
Traveling around the world might also inspire you to learn a
new language . That's
where WE come in! We
can help you learn Spanish or English and get you "travel ready" to communicate with the
world!
So, in honor of Columbus Day, dream big. Think big. Imagine
the impossible. See the world. And enjoy the journey!
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