TravelsandEscapes

Baby grapes in the bright sunlight at Hendry Winery

Maps are important…even though you have a smart phone with everything you’ve ever wanted on it. When flying into a new airport, or needing to pick up a rental car, or wondering how far the international terminal is from the taxi stand, it’s good to have a map of the airport.

Download one before you leave home. You can get some direction of which way to go once you get off the plane.You won’t even have to wait for your phone to find itself and point the way.

Most airports have great signage. Some do not. Maps come in handy.

Traveling with a credit card is an easy way to go. By now, you probably already know the basics of traveling with your credit cards…notifying your card company of your upcoming travel and making sure you have their numbers handy in case something goes wrong or it gets lost.

But, here are a few things you might not know. Some offer travel benefits that others do not. You could get faster check in or a larger room. It would be a good idea to know what your card can do for you and use that one on vacation.

Some card companies offer a discounted rate on medical insurance. Again, a good idea to ask.

Many issuers or card banks will charge a fee for foreign transactions. Do some research to find out if and what that is.

Take more than one card. Not all cards are accepted all over the world. Sometimes perfectly good cards can be declined. And if the credit card company is calling you…be sure they have your cell phone. It really won’t do much good for them to call home if you’re in Germany.

You loved the prosciutto in Milan. You want to bring some home with you.

Be sure to check with US Customs to see if that is permitted to come home with you. You might just have to eat it there.

You may have to pay an extra fee, the food may be confiscated, or in some cases you may have a penalty attached. And don’t think you can hide it in your suitcase. Those dogs in customs can smell more than just drugs…they smell food as well.

Open air markets are a great place to shop. Most of the time, cash is appreciated. Know what you are buying and whether it is the real deal. Counterfeit and imitation goods can be found on the sidewalks all the time. If you want the real deal, you’ll have to pay the real price.

Check the expiration date on your passport now. Even if you aren’t planning on traveling next month, it’s a good idea to check it. Certain countries require that your passport be valid for six months past the expiration date that you’re scheduled to return home. These are China, Russia, and US.

It’s also a good idea to check entry and exit requirements for countries around the world. You can check those at www.travel.state.gov.

One good idea when staying in a hotel in a different city is to take a business card from the front desk on your way out to explore the city. Since locals usually don’t pronounce words the same way in their native language as we do…you may have a hard time telling the taxi driver the name or address of your hotel. Instead, show him the card and make life easier for everybody.

“All major cities are divided into two parts: the bits that are in the guidebook and the bits that aren’t. If you don’t take a guidebook, you’ll see a different city.” Guy Browning.

Tasting the latest from The Terraces…Rose

Buds and leaves

Overlooking the valley floor

It’s a good idea to have your airline’s phone number in your phone. If you get stuck, your flight is cancelled, or you need to call them…you will have the number handy. In addition, you can ask to receive a text message if there is a change in your flight.