Still, the time I described above was real, and people did not always have the Internet to rely on for advice on booking the best holiday. Could you image trying to plan a vacation without expedia.com or buying hot sauce without hotsauceplanet.com?!  Check this infographic from Mashable for an illustrated history of the evolution of online travel:

Online travel takes over the world

The landscapes are beautiful, varied, and wild!  In the Canary Islands you can find beaches, mountains, green rolling hills, and a huge variety of landscapes to cause your eyes to be pleased.  La Gomera, meaning ‘The Round island’, is the ultimate escape island that is the most easy-going, unspoiled by modernity, friendly, and also isolated from the business of everyday modern living.  And this is only one of the beautiful areas you can enjoy by taking your vacation in the beautiful Canary Islands of Spain.

Once I arrived at Dreams Punta Cana, all of my needs were quickly met.  I was greeted with a fruity drink that instantly calmed me after a flight and short bus ride (I’m not big on flying or riding).  Our belongings were swiftly carried off to our gorgeous room which looked more expensive than what we paid.  A comfy king sized bed, a terrace overlooking the remarkable tropics, and warm bathrobes greeted me as I entered the room.  It was time to relax before dinner.

Dining at the resort was one of my favorite aspects.  The thing that I love most about all-inclusive resorts is that I don’t have to remember things, like a wallet and way to pay for meals.  The food is served at one of the many gourmet restaurants so you have a choice each night where you want to dine but know that all the food in delicious.

During the day we spent most of our time on the beach listening to the waves crash while being served our tasty drink concoctions.  The massive pool with the swim-up bar was also a lot of fun to visit.  The spa, which is not inclusive, is remarkable and I recommend a massage.

Relaxing in the Dominican Republic was just what I needed.  Of course, if you are not the type of person who enjoys doing a whole lot of nothing, there is a multitude of included activities and excitement that you can participate in.  I am one of those do nothing kind of gals though.

The infographic that I posted below is just a little look at 2011 vacations and statistics that I thought I would share with you all.  What I found most interesting was:

• Projections for spending while vacationing is up 22% from last year
• People aged 35-54 are more likely to be going on vacation
• The amount of money that people make determines their confidence in whether or not they will be able to vacation
• The biggest concern among those who will be traveling is high gas prices.

I can’t make you more money or make the gas prices go down, but I can tell you that even a low cost vacation is better than no vacation.  Do yourself a favor and travel.

1. Hiring a house sitter to live in your home while you are away makes it look like you’re still there. Even if someone scoping out your house can tell that its not really you there and just a house sitter, they are still significantly deterred from trying to break and enter. You may think that leaving lights and the TV on and a car in the driveway is enough, but if someone is serious enough about breaking in, they’ll stick around long enough to realize that no one is coming and going. A house sitter will also be able to take care of any chores or other details that need to be taken care of- like feeding pets, walking the dog, letting the repairman in and sticking around while he’s there, taking in the mail, and adjusting the thermostat with changing weather so you’re not wasting money on excessive heating and cooling, or letting your home get too hot or cold by turning the A/C off altogether.

2. Install video surveillance cameras with an advanced home security system to really know what’s going on inside of your home. Your house sitter will have to leave eventually, and having a good home security system and video surveillance will keep your house protected even when no one is there and you’re not in town. And not that anyone would ever hire a house sitter that they didn’t trust, but naturally people will hire younger college kids or single friends who don’t have families of their own to take care of, and sometimes young singles will want to mingle at night when they are supposed to be watching your house, and will have friends over. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that anyone suspicious or untrustworthy will be in your home, but if you have a home security camera installed at your front door, you’ll know who is coming and going, as well as who is knocking at the front door while you’re gone. In the worst case scenario, if your home is broken into while you’re away, then you’ll have a better chance at catching the criminal if its on tape! And you can even access your home security cameras from your smart phone or laptop, just to double check while you’re gone if you need to.

So when you’re planning that great get-a-way to relax and rejuvenate, keep in mind home safety concerns and really enjoy your vacation!

Travel provides an escape from the daily predictable lifestyle that most of us find ourselves in. It offers opportunities to meet new people, learn about new places and find oneself in some interesting situations.

Take Finland for example. If you are from the US or Canada you might not feel as comfortable showing your naked body to the public as the Finns do. Nudity in Finland is considered a part of everyday life. So don’t be surprised that the next time you want to take a swim in a public swimming pool, not only will you see men walking through the women’s dressing room to access the pool area, but the saunas are co-ed.

The last thing you want to be wearing in a hot steamy sauna is a sticky non-breathable lycra swimsuit. Everyone goes into the sauna naked. Most people bring a towel to put on the hot bench and avoid sizzling their rear ends. Women sit on one side of the room and men on the other.
The Finns have a very pragmatic attitude towards nudity. Our birthday suits are a natural fact of life so why hide this fact? Enjoy the sauna and get over it.
The sauna was for centuries the only place where the country folk in Finland could wash. The end of the week sauna was a ritual that all family members participated in. With no running water, this was also the place where laundry was washed and babies were born. So the sauna is still considered a sacred place where one can sweat out all the toxins and emerge squeaky clean.

Another interesting custom to note is drinking vodka in Russia. Russians love their vodka and no matter what the occasion, even a visitor to their home will prompt them to bring out the vodka bottle. Vodka is poured into small shot size glasses and gulped down immediately. No sipping here. The host would be insulted if you chose to drink his vodka in this way. With the table groaning with food, the vodka bottle goes around with story after story in hot pursuit.

Often the vodka is accompanied with a homemade pickle and a piece of black bread with herring. Vodka is basically tasteless but very potent, especially the Russian version that is not exported. It won’t be long before you will find yourself speaking Russian, laughing along with the jokes, and dancing to Russian music.
Travel provides the traveler with a lifetime of memories. Don’t forget to take pictures and videos. No one will believe your experiences until they see a few for themselves. Get off the beaten path and enjoy meeting the locals. Your trip will be unique and your memories priceless.

The car is packed, the kids are seat belted in and everyone is excited. You pull out of the driveway and you are off on a great adventure. Before the first five miles one of the kids announces they need to go to the bathroom. Fine, you pull into the nearest rest stop and make everyone go so there are no more stop for a while. Then they are hungry, but you planned for that and hand out snacks all around. This was good planning on your part and they love it.

Gas prices are high so the cost is more than you expected because of the heavy traffic, road work and detours. It is ok, because you will save somewhere else and you planned for a little emergency spending. When you arrive at your destination everyone is tired and ready to stop for a while. You have rented a little house near the shore and life cannot get any better. But as you open the door there is a funny smell and there are no other available accommodations. So You stay and just deal with it the best you can.

The car is unloaded and everyone grabs there swimsuit and hit’s the beach. The fun in the sun has begun. It is very relaxing and eventually everyone is hungry, but since you rented a small beach cabin you are expected to cook the meals. This is not the relaxation you had in mind, but it is for only one night. A simple dinner and everyone is happy. But the kids are complaining and when you check closer you realize you forgot the sun block that is still in the suitcase.

You have to find a store with the right medication to put on everyone who is burned and that is everyone in the family. It is hard to sleep because of the pain and the kids are complaining because they are not used to the sound of the waves. The next morning everyone is sleepy and no one wants to go to the beach. They want to play video games and watch TV. Ok, for one day. This continues for the next two days while you cook and clean.

By the end of the vacation you realize you have done everything you do at home and the only day you got to relax on the beach was on arrival. For two hours you have a great relaxing beach experience. If you are going to plan a relaxing vacation of fun and experience make sure you are not going to be doing everything you already do. If you have to have time to relax send the other half away with the kids and relax at home. Or take a few days to yourself and hit a local spa.

When you decide that you want to travel somewhere, the first thing you need to decide is where to go. While it can be a fun idea to just hop in your car and go where the road takes you, you could end up in trouble if you get lost or run out of money. This is why it is a good idea to have at least a general idea of where you are going to.

A budget is a must even if you just want to have a loose travel itinerary. You don’t have to have a firm budget, but knowing at least how much you want to spend along with how much you can spend can allow you to make plans more easily. If you have a budget, it will also help you enjoy yourself more as you won’t have to worry about running out of money.

Start a blog around the topic of Q & A’s of traveling. You’ll be surprised how many people share the same passion for travel as you do. Discuss ideas, tips, and tricks to saving and planning for travel. Use online forms to gather data on your visitors opinions or votes!

Once you have an idea where you want to travel and a rough budget, you can start searching for travel arrangements. You will first need to decide how you are going to get to your location. Car or plane is the most common ways to travel, but you can also travel by boat or train. It will depend on your location and budget on what will be the best way for you to travel.

Next you will need to decide on where you want to stay. In years past, you could walk into a hotel and they would have a room ready for you. But now most people make reservations ahead of time. You can try and not make a reservation, but you may have a difficult time finding a room. Plus, if you make a reservation, you will be able to know how much the room will cost for each night ahead of time.

When you travel, you can do as little or as much as you want. If you are going to a location where there are a lot of extra activities, you will need to budget for that as well. If there are things you want to do that require tickets, this is also good to purchase ahead of time. This can ensure you can get into the show you want and often times will save you money by buying ahead.

Planning before you travel can ensure that you will have the best time possible. By arranging for your travel, hotel and any extra activities ahead of time will keep you in your budget and allow you to relax without worrying about money.