Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet! 10.2.10

Oh, I love no holiday more than Halloween. It’s better than Christmas in my opinion. I like to do up my whole house all spooky, enjoy it for the entirety of October and into November, throw a party with creepy food and music and dress up. Sometimes, I’ll have several costumes for the season. One for a party, maybe one for another event and one for handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. (My costume closet is vast.) This year, as well as last, I have an extra one to throw in for vacation, as I’ll be attending the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in Walt Disney World. Many park days at the Magic Kingdom in Sept-Nov are cut short for this party that requires a special ticket to get in. From 7pm to midnight, many of the park guests come dressed in costume to enjoy 5 hours of trick-or-treating, dancing, nighttime thrill rides (only specific rides will be open during that time, not the whole park), Hall-o-wishes fireworks display, an all-villain musical show in front of the castle, villain meet and greets, amazing park decorations and, best of all, a special parade opened with the Headless Horseman on horseback. It’s all totally Disney and so out of their normal festivities that it’s worth putting off your vacation until that time of year. WDW isn’t the only theme park that throws a big bash for Halloween though. And if you’re into SCARY for Halloween, you’re in luck!

Please join me on Facebook to get more updated deals and tips every day.

• We are doing a giveaway for the first 500 fans who sign up on our page and the people they were referred by (if applicable-both must be fans of the page), so join us and suggest all your friends to join. 2 lucky people will win items from Travelon and 2 others (potentially) will win referral gifts.

Subscribe to my blog on the right or on Kindle, so you can take me wherever you go!

Follow me on Twitter for more great tips and deals.

Many things have been lost, including whole aircrafts and their passengers, never to be found. It’s probable that your flight to Bermuda will be uneventful and your hotel stay and beach visits totally serene.

• 
  
  CheapTickets is offering 3-7 night packages to Bermuda, including round-trip airfare and hotel, starting at only $578 per person. Some include 3nd night free, 30% off your stay or free dining!
• 
  
  Walk the streets of Jack the Ripper, visit the Vampire Museum and try not to get drugged Hostel-style on this amazing trip. Included:  International round-trip airfare, 6 nights (2 each in London, Paris and Amsterdam), Eurostar travel between cities, HOTEL accommodations, taxes and daily breakfast. Make your own itinerary in these awesome cities and immerse yourself in culture and history.
  

  

  
  

Are you afraid of the dark? Maybe do what I did and stay at an Eco Lodge. With no electricity, you'll be frightened until the sun comes up. 

Hotwire loves to give you deals. Stay in 4-Star hotels for considerably less than regular price. Take yourself to the site of your favorite horror movies with these amazing deals.

• Spend $69 per creepy night in New Orleans and walk amongst the streets of the infamous vampires and voodoo priests and priestesses.
• Pray you don’t get trapped in a seemingly abandoned house only to be terrorized by a chainsaw wielding murderer in Dallas, Texas from only $59 per night.
• Stay far enough away from the streets of Jack the Ripper and the Black Plague with a visit to Manchester, England from $49 per night.
• That creepy “doctor” from Hostel was from Germany. It’s a sure bet he won’t show up on your vacation, especially if you are staying somewhere nice, like one of these hotels in Frankfurt from $45 per night.

Read any Sephen King novel to find out why New England is so scary. Not to mention that Lizzie Borden and the Salem Witch Trials happened in the area, too.

• Expedia is still offering Free Nights with the purchase of 3+ nights at one of their participating hotels. Stay in a New England hotels from $44 per night and trek through some of Stephen King’s famous landscapes from his books. Book by October 12 for travel through December 15^th for these cheap rates.

A cruise may not sound menacing, but what if you’re cruising to creepy locations? That’s got to be a plus, right? I scoured the internet for some fun sounding vacations that were spooky in nature. Visit the home of Dracula, with a cruise stopping in Romania, and hope you don’t get sucked into the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. You could see nothing out of the ordinary, but you will be guaranteed to see something breathtaking on either of these trips:

• In 2011, take the Passage to Eastern Europe cruise from Viking for 11 days from $2256 per person. 8 guided tours in 5 countries, including Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. Many meals are included Add a 3-night extension to the end of your cruise to visit Transylvania and the Black Sea for an extra $699 per person.  The Viking Primadonna Cruise Ship is a smaller ship that has enough room for 148 passengers. Every state room is an outside stateroom and the ship boasts 2 bars/lounges, a restaurant, boutique, hair salon, atrium, free wireless internet, laundry service, whirlpool and sauna and more. This package does not include international airfare, but it does include transfers if you purchase air with package. You may choose to purchase air separately or through Viking Cruises.

• Norwegian Cruise Lines would like to take you on a 7-night cruise to Bermuda. Cruises sail out of New York or Boston and stop for you to enjoy King’s Wharf in Bermuda. Aside from all your meals and entertainment on board, you’ll receive free traveler’s insurance for you and your companions and an onboard credit.

Win a New Year’s Eve trip to London!!

This is truly a fantastic package to win. See below for everything included:

ENTER NOW for a chance to win a spectacular New Year’s Eve trip to London for two. The winner will receive complimentary round-trip travel, airport transfers, and six fabulous nights in a private (and luxurious) one-bedroom apartment at Cheval Residences in central London. And that’s just the beginning. Imagine the two of you enjoying . . .

• Dinner at the world-famous Absolut Ice Bar London located in the heart of Mayfair – its bar, walls, table, chairs, cocktail glasses are all made from ice.
• An evening at the historic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho, the heart of the London jazz scene.
• A guided tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and a visit to the Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition, followed by afternoon tea in the Brasserie, overlooking the Thames.
• A special tour of the Tate Modern, followed by a restaurant meal on the 7th floor, overlooking St. Paul’s and the City of London.
• A behind-the-scenes tour of the new Wembley Stadium, home to both great soccer and rock concerts.
• A daytrip to Paris with Eurostar – visit Paris in just two hours and 15 minutes, and when you return to St. Pancras International Station celebrate with complimentary bubbly at Europe’s longest champagne bar.

London Passes that will give you free admission to over 60 top London attractions. Meet the Beefeaters and ravens and see the crown jewels at the Tower of London, visit St. Paul’s Cathedral (where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married), or float past thousands of years of history aboard a Thames River Cruise.

There are so many things to do around Halloween time that it took a bit for me to whittle down the list. I want to do everything and give you a million options, but I restrained myself. This section will be longer than normal though. Aside from Disney's Mickey's Party, other theme parks have fun and scary Halloween festivities.

• Knott's presents Knott's Scary Farm. Save $6-23 on your tickets by buying them online instead of at the gate, where they will be $56 each.
• Universal puts on Halloween Horror Nights. While ticket prices don't waver, you're sure to get your money's worth while riding select rides and being scared out of your wits with roaming creeps, themed haunted houses and scare zones. It's like being in your very own horror movie. 
• Busch Gardens in Tampa offers up Howl-o-Scream. Much like Universal, they have scare zones, haunted houses and themed entertainment. You can't get cheaper tickets for this event either, but it'll scare your pants off, which you maybe can't put a price on.
• Sea World has a great event for the little ones and admission is included with your regular park ticket. It's called Spooktacular and it offers trick-or-treating, silly and spooky shows and kids are encouraged to come in costumes.

Now, that's just the major theme parks that have fun activities. There are plenty of other activities the world over that you can get in on. Here are some inexpensive things you can do during the fall season or any other time of the year.

• The Dungeons are on my list of kitchy and kinda scary (if you're afraid of the dark and mirror mazes where you might be followed) and must-do attractions. The site offers best price guarantee and you can get discounted deals if you purchase a combination ticket with Madame Tussaud's and/or the London Eye. If you plan to visit off-peak hours, you can save up to 50%! You must purchase your tickets online though. Each dungeon (located in London, York, Hamburg, Edinburgh and Amsterdam) walks you through the "streets" of history and winds you through creepy stories and rides that take you from one area of the dungeon to another

• Paris Catacombs. There are miles of underground tunnels underneath Paris full of human bones that were put there when the cemeteries became overcrowded. Even now they are still crowded, but with tourists. Get there right at opening and beat the crowds. Lines can stretch up to 2 hours long and with prices at only 5 Euros per person, it's one of the cheaper things you can do in France. If you want to skip the lines and go on a 2 hour guided tour with a small group. Viator can help you with this if you're willing to pay more than 5 Euros. For a little more than $54 per person, you are guaranteed access into the Catacombs, which is extremely limited.

• Plenty of creepy things have come out of London. One of the most famous? Jack the Ripper. He was never caught and you can walk the same streets on a London night with a small group for around $15 per person. Feel some of the fear those women must have felt while standing in a dark alley and hearing about the gruesome and brutal murders that happened on the very spot.
• New Orleans has always claimed to have a rich history in the occult and creepy myths. For an hour and a half walk among the darkened streets on the New Orleans Vampire Tour for only $20 per person. Many other walks are available, but who wouldn't want to believe in the undead and the horrible things that happen in the shadows of the city?
• New England always seems to be the backdrop for creepy and bizarre happenings. Stephen King loves to write about New England in his scary novels, too. One such story, which happens to be true, is the tale of Lizzie Borden in Massachusetts. Not only can you stay in the very house both her parents were murdered in (whether she did it or not, as she was never convicted, but moved to live outside of town where she was shunned for the rest of her life), you can also take a tour of the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. As cheerful as a B&B sounds, this one claims to be haunted. People have claimed to have had many encounters with ghosts while staying there, but if you can't get in to sleep there or are too scared, take the tour. They are only $12.50 per person and occur only during daylight hours, so there's (mostly) nothing to be afraid of.
• Portland's Shanghai Tunnels are quite a tourist attraction. There is a whole city of tunnels under the Oregon town's downtown area. For $19 per person you take a flashlight tour of the tunnels and learn about how people would be pulled into the tunnels (often drunk), have their shoes stolen and forced into slave labor. 

• Winchester Mystery House. Tour 110 of the 160 rooms of the house that took 38 years to build and has stairs that lead to nowhere and doors that open into walls. There are several tours to choose from, including a flashlight tour special for specific October dates. Tours range from $25 to $33 per person and should be purchased online.
• Almost anywhere you go that has open land will have a corn maze. You can go during the day or the evening and enjoy getting lost in a labyrinth of corn! The daytime maze will be fairly tame and the maze at night is dark and may have several spooky surprises. Though you may not be able to take advantage of pumpkin picking, you CAN stop at the general store they have set up and get some local foods to take home, like pumpkin butter and huckleberry candy (okay, that's what we have here in Oregon). 

Check out some fun musicals for Halloween season. Search for discounts on great theater in London on BroadwayBox. Two musicals that might be of particular interest to you are Thriller Live and Wicked.

Do you need a costume for any of your holiday outings? Purchase costumes and accessories through ebates to get cashback and discount codes at costume retailers.  

Singing & Dancing Makes Life More Fun 9.29.10

I always wonder what life would be like if it were a musical. What if you had background music to your everyday goings on or your inner monologue came out in song form and time stopped while you belted out your secret thoughts and did a nicely choreographed dance to them? Well, for one, we’d all be in awesome shape from all the exercise. Unfortunately, life isn’t like High School Musical and when you’re down, your best friends aren’t going to bust a move and sing you a motivational ditty to get you out of your slump.  So, life may be mundane as we walk through it talking to people, but vacation can always make it more exciting. With today being Broadway Musicals Day, I found it appropriate to take a look at some of the most popular musicals and their settings and what kind of deals can be had there. Enjoy!

• Please join me on Facebook to get more updated deals and tips every day.
• We are doing a giveaway for the first 500 fans who sign up on our page and the people they were referred by (if applicable-both must be fans of the page), so join us and suggest all your friends to join. 2 lucky people will win items from Travelon and 2 others (potentially) will win referral gifts.
• Follow me on Twitter for more great tips and deals.
• Subscribe to my blog on the right or on Kindle, so you can take me wherever you go!

• Transfer your Alaska Air miles to friends or family and they get 30% more miles for FREE! This offer is good until October 31st. Great deal if you know someone who has miles they won't use. You can buy them off of them and get extra points.
• You won't be crying for Argentina, except maybe when you leave. Walk in the steps of Evita and take a 9-night tour complete with RT airfare and lodgings from $1630 per person. Price includes 4 nights in Buenos Aires, 3 nights in Cordoba, 2 nights in Iguazu Falls, daily breakfast, flights within Argentina, hotel and air taxes. You can add activities for an additional cost.

• This South Pacific package will have you singing and dancing Bali Ha'i. Stay 7 nights and pay only for 5. Fiji Plantation Island is a beautiful beachside resort with a lagoon, several pools, a kid's club, 9-hole golf course, mini supermarket, 4 bars and 3 restaurants. Your package will include RT airfare from LAX, lei greeting upon arrival, all transfers to Plantation Island, 7 night accommodations and all your activities. For only $1459pp, this is a super deal. Kids 16 and under stay for free in same room (up to 2). Travel by March 31, 2011.

All stage actors aspire to make it into a Broadway or West End production. Many of them end up waiting tables and living in shoebox-size apartments in order to pay the Rent. Rent and A Chorus Line are full of actors trying to make it. You don’t have to follow in their footsteps, except by making your way to New York City.  Tour the Big Apple and see the sights like the Empire State’s Building, the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden and Times Square and then stay in a nice hotel that is significantly bigger than a shoebox.

• Book by October 13 for free nights from Expedia. If you plan to travel to NYC before December 15th of this year, then this is a deal you should jump on. Stay for as low as $87 per night and get your last night free when you stay the specified number of nights listed for each hotel.
• Expedia is also offering 1 free night to the end of your stay in select Chicago hotels from $47/night. Stay the specified number of nights and get one free! 
• Join SniqueAway from TripAdvisor. The newest luxury-for-less member's only deals available by invitation only. Flash sales only last for a short time, but the savings are significant.
• You may not find your Miss Saigon, but you will probably take home some wonderful memories of Vietnam with more deals from Expedia. Book by October 13th to get low-priced luxury 4 and 5-star rooms from $105/night. If you stay the posted number of nights, the offer includes a free night at the end of your stay. Good for travel now through December 15. Add airfare to save even more!
• Experience Texas unlike Buddy (The Buddy Holly Story) probably ever did. Stay at the MD Resort in Dallas, TX for 3 days and 2 nights from $297 for a family of four. It's a beautiful ranch set on 37 acres. Your price includes meals. Other things to do at MD Resort? Visit with miniature donkeys, horses and buffalo, swimming, horseback riding, hayrides, horseshoes, volleyball and indoor game room. Come with your own horses as well, or enjoy strolling the pecan orchard and many other outdoorsy activities with your family.

• Walk in the steps of Sophie and Donna with your father or find your true love while walking the landscape of Greece, the backdrop of Mamma Mia! A 7-day cruise through Greece, Turkey and the Black Sea from $599 per person. Sail on the Norwegian Gem that boasts 13 eating venues, a casino, nightclub, kid's club, cigar club, 2 pools, video arcade and more. 

                                                  

• The Fiddler on the Roof probably didn't have money to go on a luxurious cruise like this, but if you want to experience some wonderful countries, including Russia, Crystal Cruises has wonderful selections, including the 11-day Jewels of the Baltic cruise that includes 2-for-1 pricing (from $14,010 per couple), free airfare and $1,000 cruise credit on the Crystal Serenity. The cruise docks out of Stockholm Sweden and travels to Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Berlin and ending in Copenhagen. Aside from the usual cruise entertainment and distractions, the Jewels of the Baltic cruise can include up to 5 Broadway-worthy productions and Berlitz Language classes.

There were no cars in Paris when Beauty and the Beast met, but visiting Paris now, you can get around town for 20% less in Europe. Avis is offering this discount for bookings by November 5th on rentals between now and December 15th. European destinations this discount is good for include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

If you find yourself in Chicago, you probably won't encounter gangsters or flappers or a murder (let's hope not anyway), but you will encounter food and probably want to know where to eat. Check The ChicaGO Guide to Special Values, brought to you by the Chicago Office of Tourism. It offers discount coupons for dining, events and attractions and even links to information on “always free” attractions and free days at museums!

• Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Les Miserables at the O2 in London on October 3rd. The celebration will showcase top performers from around the world including Nick Jonas, Lea Salonga, Matt Lucas and Alfie Boe playing character parts. This is truly a most unique performance. Tickets to the show and 3-star hotel night from £174.00 per person. Extra nights can be included.  
• You may not be keen to see The Producers while in NYC, but what about a Night at the Museum? Not the movie, but in the American Museum of Natural History. For $129 per person, you can skip a hotel and spend the night in one of the museum halls. This offer is available for kids 7-13 with a legal guardian and includes roaming access, a nighttime snack, breakfast and admission the next day to the museum during hours with sunlight.

• Save money on checked baggage fees by learning to travel with only a carry-on. 
• Walk all over in style. Dansko footwear in new, comfortable styles for men and women are in stock. Known to promote good foot, leg and back health. Get free overnight shipping on new styles and free two-day shipping on all others from Endless.com.

• As much as you see me running around telling everyone they should buy a Kindle because it is super awesome, I recognize it isn't the only eReader out there. In fact, Borders has several different readers. right now, the Libre eBook Reader is on sale for $100 until October 4th. That's $20 off regular price!

One Hit Wonder Vacations? 9.25.10

It’s a celebration of One-Hit Wonders today, which means you can break out your Tommy Tutone cassette and sing the praises of Jenny (867-5309) while you search for a once in a lifetime vacation, which I am calling One Hit Wonders, because if you make it there once, it is exciting. If you are lucky, you’ll make a comeback and do it again. Sure, these vacations take a bit of planning and saving, but they’re worth it in the end, so Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin) and read on to find out how you can still save money while taking one of these amazing trips. 

• Please join me on Facebook to get more updated deals and tips every day.
• We are doing a giveaway for the first 500 fans who sign up on our page and the people they were referred by (if applicable-both must be fans of the page), so join us and suggest all your friends to join. 2 lucky people will win items from Travelon and 2 others (potentially) will win referral gifts.
• Follow me on Twitter for more great tips and deals.
• Subscribe to my blog on the right or on Kindle, so you can take me wherever you go!

Vote for the Frequent Traveler Awards. Voting is open until October 15th.

Obviously, you aren’t going to find some Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter) $200 airfare to fly to the other side of the world, unless you have tons of frequent flyer miles, and if you do, I say now is the time to use them. There are so many ways to earn FF miles now, it’s almost impossible to NOT accrue any through everyday purchases and You Gotta Be (Des’ree) crazy to not have at least one membership with an airline. It’s FREE to join, so if you never use it, it doesn’t hurt anyone.

• If you know where you want to travel, look to The Spirit in the Sky (Norman Greenbaum), also known as the Internet, and sign up for specialty airlines and any major airlines that fly there. For example, if you know you are dying to go to Iceland, sign up for emails and the frequent flyer program for Iceland Air. If they don’t fly out of your home airport, look for any other airline that makes frequent trips there and sign up there.
• If you are really serious about earning those miles, sign up for a credit card that gets you miles on an airline that flies to convenient locations, like American. Many banks let you accrue miles for using your debit card. There is usually a yearly fee, but even at $25, that’s a bargain, unless you forget and never use it for a non-PIN transaction. How Bazaar(OMC) that would be, since you can do it automatically just by getting gas.
• Use FareCompare Deal Finder to get the best airfare on flights to destinations from Chicago to Greece to Prague. I found an amazing deal to fly from Portland to Moscow at just over $1,000 pp.
• Spend 5 awesome nights in Tahiti from $1599 per person, with included round-trip airfare on Air France, accommodations in Papeete and all transfers, taxes and fuel surcharges. Must book at least 30 days in advance for select dates in November and December. Add day trips, dining or tours for an additional cost.

I know you’ve been saving up and you don’t necessarily want to spend half your hard-earned money that you purposely didn’t spend on shoes and video games to pay for a room. Look on sites like VRBO.com to rent an apartment, condo or house. The price is sometimes much cheaper than traditional hotel rooms Makin' It (David Naughton) easier to spend more time In a Big Country (Big Country) or a small one, because you don't pay for maid service and you have your own kitchen and can prepare your own meals.

• You probably won't see any Kung Fu Fighting (Carl Douglas) in Thailand, but you'll see a whole lot more on this Taste of Thailand 9-day tour. If you book by October 6th, you save $300 off per person. For $999 per person your tour includes round trip airfare from LAX, transportation, tours, accommodations, many meals and more. You even have the option of extending your tour to 12 days with trips to Angkor Wat and Phuket Island.

• Pray for No Rain (Blind Melon) and spend 8 glorious days in Mykonos and Athens from $809 per person. Enjoy 5 days and nights in Mykonos and enjoy soaking in some rays on the beach or shopping or sightseeing. In Athens, take a day cruise around the islands or a tour of the Acropolis and other sites, such as the Panathinaiko Stadium or The Temple of Poseidon in Sounio. Your trip includes airfare and ferry between Mykonos and Athens, transfers, 4 or 5 star accommodations, daily breakfast, welcome dinner in San Marco, hotel taxes and baggage handling. You even have the option of adding interntational airfare to this package.

Most of us go on vacation to Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) or see something Unbelievable (EMF) and that’s exactly what you want out of a one-hit wonder vacation, because you want to remember it as being an Epic (Faith No More) trip. Sign up for travel emails that include cruises. Often you will find great prices for cruises if you book far in advance. So, even if you are looking to take an unusually expensive cruise, you may get hundreds of dollars off per person. One of the best travel e-newsletters to sign up with is Sherman's Travel. Their emails are packed with great trips, tips and deals. 

• Take your significant other or Just a Friend (Biz Markie) with you on the Road to Mandalay cruise for the 7-night Ayeyarwady Adventure starting at $2900. Use the code provided in the link to get one free night at the 5 star Governor's Residence Hotel in Yangon before or after your cruise. Begin in Mandalay and then cruise on to visit a Burmese Village, Bagan, Mount Popa, Sagaing and Maymyo. Price includes all meals, economy-class flight, transfers and sightseeing.

• Sail through the Amazon in style. Take a 10-day Amazon Voyage on a 28-guest riverboat from $3298 per person. Begin in Lima, Peru where you will have flown and spent the night in the Swissotel to refresh yourself and get ready for adventure. Aside from round trip airfare and first night hotel, you receive guided tours and lectures, 8 nights accommodation, 23 meals, wildlife excursions on land and by skiff, village visits, piranha fishing and more.

Many of us aren't into taking tours when it comes to vacation, because it's like you aren't experiencing the destination as it was meant to be. Crammed in an air-conditioned bus with a bunch of other tourists, but many times tours are more interesting and get you out of the bus to spend time on your own exploring. You Got To Be Real (Cheryl Lynn) when it comes to your dream vacation, so if you can save money by planning your own tours, by all means, do it. If you want to experience as much as possible and have an expert show you around, a tour might be where it's at. Don't automatically assume it's going to be you and a bunch of 80 year old ladies.

• Spend 21 Happy Days (Pratt & McClain) on a South African overland tour. In 3 weeks, you'll see all the different landscapes Africa has to offer, starting in Cape Town and ending at Victoria Falls. You'll visit South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Included in your trip for $1810 per person is a fully escorted tour, all activities and sightseeing, transportation, entrance fees, most meals, national parks fees, tolls and taxes. Read about the wonders of Africa in Venture Magazine here.

                                                          

• If you have time to spare at the end of your Australia trip and are faced with going back to the real world you can say We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister) and add on this 3 day Cape Leveque Experience. This coastal getaway takes you from Broome to Cape Leveque and back again. You will learn to rustle up bush tucker (wilderness food), have a beachside BBQ, enjoy a snorkeling trip and more. 
• Presenting Cairo is a 5 night tour of Egypt that includes round-trip airfare, accommodations, daily brakfast, transfers and taxes from only $1799 per person. Make your own schedule exploring this fabulous land of the pharoahs.

• If you have plans to try to find yourself an African Safari, I am jealous, but aside from that, here's a great resource for you from Sherman's Travel.

• Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm (Crash Test Dummies) do I love food on vacation. I love food anyway, but it's really exciting on vacation to me. While it's not always part of your budget to eat at some fancy restaurant every night, it doesn't mean you can't eat at any ever. If you heard of a great restaurant, but its got a famous chef and an even more famous menu, as in sky-high prices, go for lunch instead of dinner, the portions are normally smaller, the prices can be half as much and the food is still Michelin-star quality.
• Another way to save money on vacation is to eat at street vendors and delis. My new favorite newsletter is called Found It. Ate It. by Divine Caroline. Reviews of inexpensive food around the world are featured, with a new newsletter showing up in your email every 2 to 5 days. While you're there, enter to win a $200 Dean & Deluca gift card.

• Don't Want to Fall in Love (Jane Child) with airline fees? Travel with only a carry-on and save money on checked baggage fees. Many international airlines have stricter policies for weights and dimensions for travel bags going in the cabin. Invest in a great bag and a luggage scale. Plus, you can see how I pack for a trip to get the most out of my carry-on space by rolling clothes in my Facebook photo album.
• Safaris are amazing, but they can also be amazingly hot. Don't be a Hot Child in the City (Nick Gilder) and be prepared with ExOfficio's safari-ready clothing for both men and women. They are lightweight, rugged, moisture-wicking, quick-drying, stylish and contain UVA & UVB protection. Check out their selection, including the Women's Insect Shield® Ambush Pant below.

• Purchase Dansko footwear in new, comfortable styles. You won't be Stumblin' In (Suzi Quatro) them, because they are known to promote good foot, leg and back health. Get free overnight shipping on new styles and free two-day shipping on all others from Endless.com

Are you Too Shy (Kajagoogoo) to ask people to take your picture or find you are often somewhere where there are few people or everyone speaks a foreign language? Here are 2 great gadgets that will eliminate the problem of needing another person to take your picture or never getting shots with your travel companion. Don’t be a Maniac (Michael Sembello) like me and prop your camera on random objects to hope you get a shot. I finally got these for travel and now I never need anyone else to help get a great picture…and my camera isn’t liable to fall into my soda glass. 

• Gorilla Pod: If there’s a fence or a door knob or ground near you, you can adjust this thing any way you need to to take the perfect picture. Use the timer on your camera, set up the gorilla pod, hit the picture button and go pose for the flash.

• Monopod: If you have an arm, you can use this cool thing. It’s True (Spandau Ballet)! How many times have you tried to take a picture of you and someone else and tried to hold the camera at the right angle, smile and try not to take a picture of your thumb, the ground or just your right eye? Right? Attach your camera to the end of this telescopic stick, unsheathe it and use your self-timer to take a great picture. You’ll probably even get some background in, so people don’t think you were just sitting in your backyard instead of in front of the Great Pyramids.

• What is Love? (Haddaway) Amazing pictures of your amazing adventures! Chances are, you’re going to want evidence of your once in a lifetime vacation and all that you experienced. While you can go on a shopping spree, you can also take lots of pictures. I put this Fujifilm FinePix waterproof digital camera on my birthday list last year and I love it! It takes 12MP pictures and all the instructions for each setting is right on the screen, so you never have to carry around your instruction manual to figure out which setting is best for each particular occasion.  I specifically wanted it because it is waterproof. I’ll be taking it to both the beach and on water rides in Orlando in a few weeks, so I hope to get great pictures of us swimming with the sting rays and on JurassicPark: The Ride!