VIP Upgrades is dedicated to bringing you an upgraded travel experience. not only through various discounts and rewards, but also through knowledge and everyday tips to make your travel experience seamless. Here are 35 tips from our team to help you on your way:
Tip 1: Take your time
Nobody likes to be rushed. making sure that you have enough time in your travel schedule helps you be relaxed and in control of your journey. An added benefit if you’re travelling by air is that you’ll have some more time to unwind in the airport lounges that VIP Upgrades can offer you a discount on.
Tip 2: Pack light
Sometimes it cannot be avoided (think special events, or going to multiple climate areas) but it’s best to not take your entire wardrobe with you on a trip. We have it down to an art to taking a single carry-on suitcase for 2-3 week trips. It all comes down to making choices and being smart with what you take, which brings us to our next tip:
Tip 3: Pack Smart
Layers, layers, layers. Bring clothing with you that can be matched together to avoid having to take multiple outfits. Just changing an accessory or one piece of clothing can give you a fresh look. Bring clothing that you can wear in layers. No need for bulky sweaters if you can wear a T-shirt and an additional layer.
The world is in crisis and humans are to blame, so how can you be a responsible traveller? For decades we have been filling our air, soil, and water with toxins and it’s anyone’s guess whether or not we will be able to claw back the planet from the brink of destruction. This might sound melodramatic, but there is a reason why millions of school children went on strike recently to protest against climate change. It is real and it is happening, despite what certain world leaders might say.
Here’s the good news. You can travel and be and eco-warrior at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive. You just need to think a bit harder about the way in which you travel to ensure you travel practices are sustainable and responsible. If you want to adjust your habits to help save the planet, here are some suggestions.
Use Transport Wisely
So how to you travel responsibly?The fact is long-haul flights are really bad for the environment, but short-haul flights and passenger ferries are not quite as bad. Trains are generally quite eco-friendly, as are electric vehicles. Gasoline powered vehicles are highly polluting, especially over long distances. With this information, you should try and work out the most environmentally friendly ways to get from point A to B. Of course, walking and cycling are the cleanest way to travel so if you can use your own legs to get around, do it wherever possible.
Eat and Shop Locally
What else can you do to travel responsibly? Eating in a small family-run restaurant or street shack not only gives you a more authentic experience of your destination, but it contributes to the local community. The same goes for souvenir shopping. Buying local, handmade goods is an excellent way to put your money into the right hands, rather than fuelling big, polluting industries. You should also bear in mind the importance of paying a fair price, rather than always going for the best deal.
Take Nothing but Memories and Leave No Trace
It might be tempting to pick flowers from the forest or pick up shells from the beach, but if everyone did this it would be an ecological disaster. If you want to take souvenirs home, buy them responsibly. Similarly, leave the animals alone as this can wreak havoc within the delicate eco-system.
What’s more, do not leave a trace of your visit by carving your name into a tree or dropping your litter on the ground (even if the locals do so). Recycle what you use whenever you can and avoid buying and using things with lots of unnecessary plastic packaging.
Look for Accommodation with Green Practices
There are plenty of eco-lodges out there that have sustainable practices. These are usually small, independent businesses that deserve your support a lot more than the Hilton and Holiday Inn. Look for hotels with solar panels, rainwater collection buckets, locally sourced ingredients in the restaurants, and sustainable tours, among other things. You can add to the sustainability of your accommodation by not leaving taps running and switching off your lights.
Be Generous
You don’t need to be a billionaire philanthropist to be generous whilst on vacation. Don’t haggle merchants in to the ground and be prepared to buy an extra coffee for someone less fortunate than you. However, you should not give money to beggars, especially child beggars. This is tough, but if you do you are perpetuating the abominable practice of child slavery. Buy them food, sweets, toys – whatever you want. Just don’t hand over cash. If you don’t have money to spare, consider volunteering an hour or two of your time to a local project.
There really are 5 Reasons why you should hire a car in Iceland as it has become such a popular travel destination over the past decade or so. Nicknamed ‘The Land of Ice and Fire’, Iceland is one of the few places left on the planet where nature still dominates the land, unhindered by human behaviour. Many who visit this island nation are utterly awestruck by the natural beauty that flourishes around every corner.
From Reykjavik, the most common routes are the Golden Circle and the Ring Road. The Golden Circle can be done in under a week, while the whole Ring Road takes a lot longer as it runs along the perimeter of the entire country. It is possible to take public transport along these routes, but having your own vehicle is incomparable. In this article we will look at why hiring a car in Iceland will be the best idea you’ve ever had.
It Will Save You Valuable Time
Unless you are a digital nomad or endless traveller, you probably have some kind of time constraint for your vacation. With this in mind, the last thing you want to do is waste your precious time working out public transport maps and trying to schedule your timetable to allow for lengthy bus journeys and potentially long waits for transport. With your own car you are free to set off and come back as and when you want. There really are 5 reasons why you should hire a car in Iceland.
It Will Save You Money
Public transport will not take you everywhere you want to go. For some sites you either need your own vehicle or you need to book yourself onto a tour. Needless to say, tours can be really expensive and while they offer the opportunities to see the country with a professional guide and meet new people, your budget might not allow for it. With your own car, you have access to the whole country and you don’t need to waste money on tour groups.
You Can Take Detours
The beauty of Iceland is… well… its beauty! Away from the tourist hotspots that everyone visits are dozens of smaller spots that most people have never heard of. The only way to find some of these places is to accidentally stumble across them as you’re driving between destinations. When you have your own car you have complete freedom to follow a curious road or change course to get a better look at a waterfall you spotted in the distance. The freedom is utterly liberating.
You Can Enjoy a Holiday Playlist at Full Volume
Songs have the powerful ability of allowing us to conjure up vivid memories. Just a few opening chords are sometimes all it takes to transport you to a very specific time and place and help you relive a cherished moment. Yes, if you’re on a tour you can put your headphones in a listen to your Spotify playlist, but it is not the same as blasting your tunes in your own car and sharing the experience with your fellow passengers.
It is the Ultimate Adventure
Things will go wrong while you are driving. You might run out of gas or take a wrong turn, but these mishaps are sometimes just as exciting as the bits that go according to plan. They certainly make good anecdotes at any rate. Striking off on your own is an exhilarating adventure where you get to call the shots. Explore Iceland in your very own car and create a unique experience that you will never forget.
