Last year I added pages to a passport. I just mailed it in and got it back a few weeks later free of charge. Unfortunately, when Will added pages this month, we found out the state is now charging $82 for the service…as much as a brand new passport!! This is crazy to me!! There’s no new printing involved…all they do is tape the extra pages in. I could understand if they charged a small fee, but this seems excessive. If you are a frequent traveler, you can actually request extra pages when you get a new passport for no extra charge. I wish I had done that when I renewed my passport earlier this year, but I didn’t know they were going to start charging to add pages later. I guess the moral is, if there is any chance you might need extra pages, get the bigger passport.

One of the most common questions I get asked is “Where else can I visit when I visit city X?” In other words, where can I take a day trip? As a general rule, I don’t think you should even consider a day trip until you plan out your days in your destination city and are sure you will have sufficient time there. Once that’s established, here are some simple tips to help plan a day trip:

-Keep travel time down to an hour or less each way. Once you start going over that, you are spending most of the day travelling and it’s rarely worth it unless you can spend the night. I say rarely because of course there are exceptions!

-Figure out what you hope to see. Do you want to visit one particular sight or a whole region? Think about this, and be realistic, when you plan out your day.

-Decide if you need a guide. If the transportation situation is simple, you are probably all set but, if it’s complicated and involves many stops or a drive through an unfamiliar area, you might want to look into day trips offered by local tour companies. Sometimes it pays to go with an expert!

I was dreading having to renew my passport this year, so I was really excited to learn that the process is quite simple now and can be done by mail! You can use Form DS-82 to renew by mail if you currently have an undamaged passport that is less than 15 years old, was issued to you when you were 16 or older and you have the same name or documentation to support a name change. Just send the form in with your old passport, a passport photo (available at any CVS for $9.99) and a check for applicable fees. I did the expedited service and got my new passport in just 10 days. My old one was returned about a week later.

Remember that all new passports have an RFID chip embedded in them which holds all your personal data, so it’s wise to buy an RFID blocking case to protect your information.

The last thing a traveler wants to do is forget to renew his or her passport. Passport expediter, Its Easy will can help prevent that by sending you a reminder. Just sign-up for free on their website with your expiration date and they’ll e-mail you nine months in advance giving you plenty of time for renewal. They’ll also send you links to relevant applications and forms you might need and, as an expediter, they can help you get your passport quickly should you find yourself in an emergency.

It’s Easy

Traveling may not be the most environmentally friendly activity, but here are some ways to make your trips greener:

Fly Direct - Direct flights use less fuel and therefore produce fewer harmful emissions.

Pack Light - A lighter bag increases airplane and car fuel efficiency.

Rent a Green Car - Hertz, Avis, Budget and Enterprise all offer hybrid or flex-fuel cars in their fleets.

Help Hotels Conserve - Save energy and water by requesting that your towels and sheets not be changed daily. If you use any of the little shampoo/lotion/mouthwash bottles, take them with you so you can finish them off and recycle the containers.

Use Rechargeable Power - Using rechargeable batteries in your cameras and other electronic devices will save you money and create less toxic waste.

Source: Natural Health

This weekend I’ll leave you with some advice:

Start planning your holiday trips!

I know you are thinking that it’s really far away, but travel has gotten expensive and airlines are cutting flights. I suggest that you sit down and make a list of some possible Thanksgiving and/or Christmas trips. If you can book a hotel now that’s refundable, go ahead and do it. As far as airfares go, do some searches and start looking at routes and prices for places on your list. If your choices are limited to one flight on specific days, you should book as soon as possible. If you have a few options and the flights seem pretty empty, go to Kayak and sign up for their Buzz e-mails which will let you monitor the price of a route daily and notify you when it hits the price you are looking for. The minute you see a good price, go ahead and book!

Travel can be difficult for those in the best of shape, but for the disabled it creates special challenges. That said, where there is a will, there is a way and I have seen plenty of physically challenged individuals exploring remote locales.

Candy Harrington, an avid traveler and the leading expert on accessible travel, recently released a handy guide called “101 Accessible Vacations: Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers”. The book gives accessibility details for a variety of trips from cruises to family adventures. Candy also includes tips and favorites for each location.

$16.47 Amazon.com

Source: National Geographic Traveler

On a recent shopping trip, I stopped to buy a contact lens travel case. Even though they are small, simple plastic containers, they normally cost between $5-$6 per case. As I reached for one, I noticed that Renu, a popular brand of lens products, was selling a “travel kit” which included not only a travel case but a 2oz bottle of cleaning solution for under $3! I was able to get my case and some cleaner for half the price of a case alone!

If you wear contact lenses, and I recommend it over traveling with glasses everywhere, check out these new “travel kits” being sold as you may find a great deal.

Did you know that cell phone chargers are the items most often left behind in hotel rooms? Many hotels have a collection of several hundred and are willing to let current guests borrow them if they have lost or forgotten their own. Next time you find yourself in need of a charge at a hotel, be sure to check with the front desk as another traveler’s loss could be your salvation!

Source: Real Simple travel

We all know that eating local foods is part of traveling, even for Americans exploring our own country. Travel + Leisure Family has put together a list of the best snacks to try in 30 different states. Among the selections are black and white cookies in New York, coconut patties in Florida and moonpies in Tennessee. Yum!! You can check out the full list in this month’s issue of T+L Family or on their website below.

T+L’s United States of Snacks