If you’re visiting Dubai on holiday, there’s one thing you won’t be able to avoid: the shopping!  Dubai is known as the Shopping Capital of the Middle East, and it well deserves that name.  While there are many other tourist attractions in the city, people come from far and wide to shop.  Part of this is because Dubai has low import duties and is an open port.  This means that you can often find luxury and brand name items for much less than you would in other parts of the world.

There are a number of different shopping malls and outlet stores in Dubai, with quite a lot of these found in the many hotels in Dubai, that sell electronics, clothing, jewellery, hand-made crafts, furniture, artwork, carpet, cars, and much more.  You will also find many souks, or traditional markets.  These markets include hundreds of booths that are run by locals.  Two of the most famous souks are the gold souk and the spice souk, which sell jewellery and spices, respectively.  Souks are good places to go if you want to find something hand-made and shop in an area that’s much less commercial.  Haggling at a souk booth is very welcome and is, in fact, almost expected.  While the more commercial stores and supermarkets have had an effect on the souks, there are still many booths and products available.

There are also a number of duty free shops in the city.  These shops allow their merchants to sell items at even lower prices since no duty fee is charged.  Note that while shopping in Dubai, no matter what type of store or souk you’re visiting, that the hours of operation are most likely not the same as in your home country.  In Dubai, stores are open in the morning, but they are all closed in the afternoon.  They generally open back up in the early evening after the hottest part of the day.  On Friday, all shops close for prayers around noon.

Going on a road trip can be a lot of fun.  You have the option of stopping at any place between home and your destination, and you’ll get to see a lot of different sights.  However, travelling by car for long distances can present some interesting challenges that other forms of travel don’t. First, you’ll have to make certain you never run out of petrol.  This means keeping an eye out for that last station before you reach unpopulated areas.  You’ll also want to watch the prices of petrol.  Stations along main roads are often more expensive than those on less-used city streets.  The last thing you want is to spend too much money or to find yourself stranded with an empty petrol tank. Second, you’ll want to schedule regular breaks in your trip.  You’ll need to stop for meals, to stretch, and to go to the bathroom.  However, you don’t want to stop too often for incidental things or you may end up behind schedule.  Also, if you plan on stopping anywhere for sightseeing, try to take care of several things at once.  For example, you should be able to do some sightseeing, eat, refill your car, and stock up on snacks all at the same time. Third, if you’re travelling somewhere you haven’t been before, it’s a good idea to either get maps off the internet or have a GPS.  While it is possible to navigate using an atlas, sometimes they aren’t as reliable as they should be, especially if you’re using older atlases.  Internet maps are often more updated.  If you have a GPS, you’ll be able to quickly and easily change your route without worrying about getting lost. Finally, take turns driving if possible.  While it may not seem like it, driving for several hours in a row can be very exhausting.  By rotating drivers, you’ll keep fresh and alert.

Travelling to a foreign city by yourself can be very exciting.  If you’re there on holiday, you can set your entire schedule.  You can get up when you want, go out when you want, and see whatever you want.  However, travelling alone can also be a bit scary since you won’t have anyone to turn to if an emergency occurs. For that reason, you want to be sure to do a couple of things.  First, you need to know your hotel’s contact information.  Program the front desk number into your mobile phone if you have one, and be certain to grab one of the hotel’s business cards (most have one) and carry it in your wallet or purse.  This way, you know the exact address and phone number in case you get lost or need to contact the hotel for any reason. Likewise, ask the hotel staff for the number of a cab company or for information regarding buses or trains.  If you get lost or find yourself sick or otherwise unable to get back to the hotel on your own, you will need to have some way of calling for assistance.  It’s also a good idea to know how to contact emergency services if you are travelling abroad since it is not always the same number. As a solo traveller, it’s also important that you be even more aware of your surroundings.  Don’t walk with your head down, and take note of anything that looks suspicious, especially if it is someone who appears to be following you. Of course, some safety tips are the same whether you’re travelling alone or with someone else.  Never carry a lot of cash in your purse or wallet, and don’t give out your room number.

A relaxing holiday in San Francisco may sound like a great idea, and it truly can be!  There is a lot to see in the city, especially if you’re adventurous and don’t mind doing a lot of walking up steep hills.  Here are just a few of the city’s highlights that you may want to put on your itinerary when you arrive in San Francisco.

The Golden Gate Bridge is, of course, one of the most well known landmarks in the city.  While it’s on the edge of the city proper, many who drive in to San Francisco from the north will have to cross the bridge to enter.  The bay area, the name for the area surrounding the San Francisco peninsula, is absolutely gorgeous.  Driving across or walking across the Golden Gate Bridge is a great way to experience these clear blue waters, but it can be a bit of a walk if you’re staying in one of the San Francisco hotels downtown. Interestingly there you can stay in the Presidio Inn at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The San Francisco Bay is also home to Alcatraz Island, one of the most famous prisons in history.  While it has served as a lighthouse, military base, and prison in the past, Alcatraz now serves as a tourist attraction and historic landmark.  Tours are available from the island, and a ferry takes tourists out to Alcatraz daily from Pier 33.

Another great highlight is Lombard Street, a street renowned for its twisted, windy path.  In fact, you can find postcards in San Francisco bearing the slogan, “I survived a cab ride up Lombard Street!”  It’s incredibly steep and going up (or, even more exciting, going down) the street has been compared to taking a roller coaster ride.  It may not be for the weak of heart, though.  Also, unless you’re used to driving on steep roads, visitors may want to avoid driving on Lombard Street.

There are many other locations to see in San Francisco besides these, of course, but these three are three of the most famous.  No trip to San Francisco is complete without seeing at least one of them!

When you go on a trip, even if it’s for business, you often feel compelled to purchase souvenirs both for yourself and for others.  This is especially true if you’re on holiday or if you’re going to a really nice location or travelling abroad for the first time.  However, you can get too caught up in souvenir shopping and blow both your budget and your luggage space.  Here are some tips for souvenir shopping to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. First, make a list of people for whom you should buy souvenirs.  Check this list over and make certain everyone on it really does need a memento of your trip of a gift.  If not, consider marking them off the list.  Even though it’s tempting to do birthday or holiday shopping while on your trip, it may simply not be practical. Look for small gifts that are meaningful.  If you know someone who has their whole refrigerator covered in magnets, think about getting them a magnet or two.  These types of gifts are inexpensive and don’t take up too much room in your baggage.  Pencils, pens, and key chains are other small gifts that don’t take up much space. T-shirts are also good gifts that are both practical and can be rolled up fairly small.  However, size becomes an issue here.  If you aren’t certain of which size to buy someone, you may think of getting them something else so they won’t be disappointed and you won’t spend money on something that won’t be worn. If you do see something large that you absolutely must have, ask the store if they can ship it for you or if they can hold it while you inquire about shipping options.  If you’re shipping something, especially if you’re shipping it from abroad, you may find that the shipping fees are exorbitant.   Don’t buy it before you know if you can afford to send it home. Also try to avoid buying fragile items.  If you do, attempt to keep your fragile purchases small enough that you can fit them in your carry-on bag.  Putting fragile items in a checked bag is always a gamble.  No matter what, try to wrap up the item as much as you can.  Use t-shirts or other garments if you don’t have any other type of wrapping. Finally, think about replacing souvenirs with something else.  Postcards can be a great little way of saying “I’m thinking of you” without taking up much space or money.  You don’t have to send them, either—when you get back, purchase a picture frame for them and present the framed postcard as a picture.  This works really well for postcards that have full colour, vibrant images on the front.

When heading out of town for a long trip, you may need to rent a car once you reach your destination.  While this might sound like an easy task, it actually isn’t as simple as it may seem.  There are several things you need to keep in mind when booking your rental car. First, you need to book your rental car early.  In fact, you should book it as soon as you can, ideally while you’re making your lodging and travel arrangements.  Many of the smaller, cheaper cars are booked months in advance, and if you wait until you arrive to make your rental car arrangements, you may find that all the company has left are the more expensive luxury cars. When you’re looking at various rental cars, watch for those that do not have unlimited mileage.  If you select a car that has a limit on it, you may have to pay extra fees once you turn the car in.  On the other hand, cars with unlimited mileage are usually a little more expensive.  If you’re not going to be driving very far, you may want to select a car without unlimited mileage to save a little money. Often, you can get a better deal on a rental car if you rent it for a full week instead of five or six days.  This is actually good for you as well since it gives you a little more freedom in picking up and dropping off your rental car.  If you’re on a business trip, you may also be able to get the business rate, which is often cheaper. Finally, make certain the car you’re renting has enough room for everything and has all the extra features you need.  Check the space in the boot, the number of passengers you can carry, and what amenities the car comes with such as a GPS system or keyless entry.

Madrid is a very popular destination for travellers, and there are a lot of great sights to see while you’re in the city.  If you’ve never been to Madrid before, you’re going to have to prioritise—it’s simply not possible to see everything the city has to offer unless you’re going to be there for at least two weeks, if not more.

One of the city’s biggest draws is its museums and art galleries.  The best known art section of Madrid is called the Golden Triangle of Art.  It’s made up of three museums: the Prado Museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, and the Reina Sofia Museum.  Among the amazing pieces of artwork found in these three include works by Diego Velazquez, Francisco de Goya, and Pablo Picasso.  In addition to these museums, you can also visit the El Prado Museum, the National Archaeological Museum of Spain, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, and the Museum of the Americas.

After spending a day at a museum, you may want to catch a show.  Madrid is home to several different opera houses and other music houses.  The Spanish National Orchestra performs classical music at the Auditorio Nacional de Musica every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  You can also hear the RTVE Symphony Orchestra on Thursdays and Fridays.  If you want to see an opera, the Teatro Real is the most famous opera house in Madrid and puts on operas on a regular basis.

There are many other things to see and do in Madrid.  You can see the royal palace, spend a day at the el parquet del Buen Retiro (a park), or see the famous clock tower at Puerta del Sol, the building that lies at the centre of Spain.  Madrid also has a very active night lift, and you can often hear live music or go dancing at a club.

Of course, there may be one reason you’re visiting Madrid: bullfighting.  Madrid is home to the largest bullfighting ring in the world, and the city is the world capital for the sport.  The bullfighting season runs from May until early November, and many local festivals include bullfighting as part of the celebration.