Planning your first big trip? Advice and humor to get you through the process.
How To
Best Web Tools for Travelers
Whether you're planning your trip or already on the road, these eight sites and services can save you time, hassle, and money.
1) Etiquette for the Boorish This site discusses some basic do's and don'ts for about fifty countries ranging from Argentina to Estonia and Iran to South Korea. So, the next time you're in Ghana, you'll know not to eat with your left hand or tip at a restaurant.
2) Currency Calculator How much is your trip really going to cost? Is that local hotel really a good deal? Convert back and forth among the top 85 currencies in the world. The site is easy to use and claims to offer up-to-the-minute currency rates.
3) Photo Gallery of World Currencies Getting a good rate on a currency is one thing. Getting the right currency, as opposed to phony notes, is another. This site provides images of currencies for more than 100 countries.
4) Travel Clinics in the U.S. and Canada Select a state or province from a drop-down pick list and the site provides the closest clinics specializing in vaccines and other pre-trip needs.
5) Trip Expense Spreadsheet Estimate the cost of your trip with our Excel spreadsheet specifically designed for people planning a multi-stop trip. The spreadsheet includes line items for room and board, airfare, travel insurance, travel gear, and contingencies.
6) International Wi-Fi Finder If you have to bring a notebook or handheld wireless device, might as well make sure you can find a hotspot. Jiwire lists spots in 135 countries, including some of the more out of the way places like Lao and Liechtenstein.
7) Metric Converter If a bungee jump is 216 meters high and the jump operator says your body will hit a top speed of 150 kilometers per hour, how many disposable diapers should you wear? Find the answers to these and other important conversion questions with this free Windows download.
8) Database of Tourist Scams Pickpocket, taxi driver, good Samaritan, credit cards, money changing. These are all ways you can lose money and more. This site explains how these different scams work in different countries and how to protect yourself. No need to get paranoid, but it's good to be prepared.
--Randy Ross
Free Newsletter
Direct to Your Inbox
Subscribe to our twice-monthly e-mail missive that features advice, tips, news, travel essays, and items from our in-house columnists.
On a recent solo trip around the world, the author visited at least one country on every continent. The plane tickets alone cost $5600. Was it worth it? more
More Articles
How To: The world's shortest guide to buying the most essential piece of gear for your trip: the back pack. more
Humor: A tropical disease expert offers his thoughts on one readers mysterious itching attack. more
Short Story: One writer faces every hypochondriac's nightmare when he visits a vaccine clinic. more
World Music: Our recent picks from Africa and Scotland. more
Video: Recent footage from a bungy jump in New Zealand. more
