Gathering Info for Your Travels

Wherever you travel in the world, it is always handy to have some information on your proposed destination before you leave home and venture on your journey.

Information like the great places to eat near where you are staying or even about places along any journey you might take within that country you are holidaying in, whether it be a day trip or for a few days. Of course most importantly is your accommodation If you have booked your trip through a travel agent then your accommodation is usually included in the final price. Those of you who choose not to use agents then finding good and reliable information about a hotel or losmen is important.

Then there are other details you will need to know about the place you visit, those enjoyable activities and necessary places. For instance, Internet Cafes so you can keep in touch with rellies so they won't freak out on Vallium wondering what the hell you are doing or where you are at that moment in time. Banks, Money Changers and hospitals or medical clinics in case you decide to rough up your body a tad during your activities are always important to know of and their location.

Of course we can't forget the important places (and especially for you ladies) such as shops and markets. You might be after a particular item or just feel like lightening your credit card balance a little or emptying your partner's wallet giving him cause to drown himself in alcoholic beverages at the nearest watering hole.

Naturally you will want to do some sightseeing whilst in the country and so knowing where the museums, shrines, temples and the like are located. It's good also to have a bit of the history. Then there are those out of the way places, the beaches where you can get your gear off and walk around au naturel undisturbed.

Nowadays most people reach for a guidebook of which there are many. Personally, I rarely use guidebooks but when I do it is always a Rough Guides because I find they are straightforward and honest in their knowledge of places and hotels. Of course the most popular is Lonely Planet. There are a host of guidebooks on the shelves of every bookshop.

The other source of information is the internet with heaps of travel websites and probably more than the average person could handle. Without a doubt the best of these is BootsnAll. They also have a great forum so you can ask questions from travellers who have been there and have the knowledge you require. On the BootsnAll website you can book your flight, a hotel, obtain insurance and find out just about all the information you will need to travel.

Then there are forums like the Bali Travel Forum or the recently created Bali Chat Forum, the latter probably being the better. The Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum is also excellent but not up to the standard of BootsnAll.

So, if you are looking for information for on your next trip, check out the sites I have recommended.