Did you know that there are accessories out there that can make luggage handling even easier when you stroll through the airport?  Most people have the assumption that a bag of luggage is just built as it is.  There are a lot of accessories out there that you probably don’t know about.  I’m going to show you a few of my favorites that you can potentially use.

Luggage Handle Wrap - A luggage handle wrap is designed to wrap around your luggage handle so that you can get a better grip when you’re towing your luggage.  Some older bags you’ll find that the handle isn’t as comfortable as a new one.  These wraps are great if you’re looking for a better grip.  The wraps are very reasonable and cost no more than $10.

Luggage Cart - A luggage cart is awesome for those that have families or travel with a lot of luggage.  A luggage cart usually unfolds and allows you to stack a ton of luggage on it so that you can carry all of it via a cart throughout the airport.  You can also rent these at the airport but for $20 or so, you can buy your own.  Remember, these carts fold up so they can fit into a smaller area such as your bags.

TSA Padlock – Most bags come with a lock but these locks are generally pretty cheap and can be cut off easily.  The newest type of lock on the market are the locks that are approved by the TSA.  If you like to lock your luggage and I advise you do, a lock is a must.  Locks are usually pretty cheap and range around $10 for a good one.

Luggage Strap – A luggage strap is nice if you’re looking to connect more than one bag together.  This is nice if you travel with your family.  It’s a lot easier to keep track of your luggage when you connect all of them together.  Some straps you may find that they also extend so that you can carry your luggage over your shoulder.  They all vary, so it’s important you do some research.  You shouldn’t pay no more than $20 for a strap.

Luggage accessories are optional but some of them mentioned above can help you out a lot when it comes to travelling via the great blue skies.  All of these accessories are made by different manufactures.  The ones I linked to are the ones I found to be the better deal on the market.

Flying can be tough on you if you have the fear of flying.  If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.  Thousands of people fly the great blue skies everyday and there are hundreds that are freaked out by the though of a huge object flying to another destination.  While the fear of flying can be cured, it won’t happen overnight but if you’re flying soon, there are things you can do in order to ease the fear.

Entertainment is key – When you’re about to fly, make sure you load up with as much entertainment as possible.  If you don’t bring anything, you’re going to find yourself just sitting there and thinking about the fear.  Make sure you bring anything that can keep your mind occupied.  Here’s a list of things you can potentially bring on the flight –

• Magazine
• DVD Player
• Video Games (PSP, Nintendo DS)
• Book
• Newspaper

The list will go on.  Try and think of things you can do on the go. What do you do when you’re travelling in the car with someone else?  If you’re going to be flying for an extended period of time, know that your entertainment will keep you occupied for a long time.  Also make sure you have enough battery power if the device takes a battery.

Get comfortable – Everyone knows that the airlines seats aren’t the best, even first class isn’t that comfortable.  Try and find an outfit that will keep you comfortable.  If you feel comfortable wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, do it!  You shouldn’t worry about what others think about you, instead, you should care about your comfort.  You’ll be sitting for long periods of times, so it’s important you’re not wearing uncomfortable clothing.

Use stress relief techniques – Before you fly, you should look into particular stress relief techniques that will work for you.  Items such as a stress ball or even a hot cup of tea may help.  Airlines will provide you with hot water, so make sure you bring a little pouch of tea, if that’s what helps you ease your stress levels.

Travelling can be stressful for everyone and remember, thousands of flights leave the country everyday and they rarely have problems.  If everyone in the cabin seem to be enjoying themselves, you’ll have nothing to worry about.  Rarely is there a problem that occurs in the cabin.  If something like this does occur, you’ll have a highly trained staff there to assist you.  For now, sit back and enjoy flying because it can be a very pleasant experience!

Staying at a hotel can be frustrating at time if you don’t get the proper service.  Getting grade A service isn’t that hard as long as you know what to do and how to ask for it.  We asked a hotel night clerk how you can get the best possible service and here’s what he said.

Always ask for things – No matter what you want, make sure you ask for it.  If you want a first floor room, ask for it.  If you want a king bed, ask for it!  If you don’t ask, you probably won’t get it.  Don’t get upset if you don’t get the room you want.  I think you get the clue by now, if you want it, ask for it.

Be patient – Depending on what hotel you stay at, some will be busy and some will be slower.  If you find yourself at a busy hotel, don’t get upset when the clerk won’t cater your every need at every second.  Clerks hate people who won’t wait.  If you wait, the nicer the clerk is probably going to act.

Don’t arrive late – If you’re on a road trip or you come strolling in at midnight demanding a room, chances are there won’t be one.  If you find yourself without a room, don’t get upset.   Do you think  it’s the clerks fault that there’s no rooms?  No!  People make reservations for reason and yes, you’re not the only person that walks on this earth.  It’s time to get up and find another hotel.

Bring up problems ASAP – When you have a problem with your room, make sure you contact the front desk immediately.  If you want the problem to be taken care of right away, make sure you call right away.  So, if your toilet won’t flush, don’t wait until check out and then complain.  Instead, call up right when you figure out the problem.

Don’t bargain room prices – If you think you’re going to walk up to the desk and throw $50 on the counter and expect a room, you’re wrong.  Hotels are no different than a grocery store, where you’re not going to get the deal you want.  Since most hotels are corporate owned, the prices are set in stone and the clerk can’t do anything about it.

In the long run, getting the best hotel service possible is easy.  Make sure that you don’t get in with an attitude and you treat the clerk like family.  As long as you’re nice and you follow the rules, you’ll get great service.  Would you want to help a jerk out?  Probably not, so let’s no be one and everything will be okay.

Flying on an airplane should always be a great experience and in order to make it that type of experience, it’s important that you follow a few tips in order to keep not only yourself safe but the passengers that are all sitting around you.  The safer everyone is on an airline, the better the experience will be and the safer it will be as well.

Pay attention to the briefing - As boring as the flight attendants may seem, make sure you pay attention to the briefing at the beginning of the flight.  They will be able to show you where the emergency exit is, how to safely buckle your seat belt, and other safety procedures.  All air crafts are different, so it’s important that you know where the emergency exit is near you just in case of an emergency.

Secure your luggage – If you’re bringing carry-on luggage onto the flight, make sure you securely fasten it into the overhead bin above you.  If you think it’s too heavy for the bin, ask the flight attendendant if you can simply check it in.  If you’re going to keep the bag outside of the bin, make sure that you keep this bag securely between your feet so that it doesn’t go flying around the cabin.

Always keep seat belt on – Whenever the seat belt light it on or the airline crew asks you to wear your seat belt, make sure you put your seat belt on.  If you find that the light comes in during mid-flight, it probably means you’re going to go through some turbulence.  In the long run, make sure that whenever the seat belt light is on, you put on your seat belt.

Listen to the crew – When you’re in flight, make sure that you treat the crew as if it were your parents.  Whenever they ask you to do something, make sure you do that.  Most of the time, they won’t bother you but if this does occur, make sure you follow directions so that you can avoid future troubles if you’re incorporable.

Be courteous – If you find someone making you mad or upset, don’t get upset about it, you will only cause yourself more harm in the long run.  It’s always best to either politely tell a flight attendant or wait until you land to let our your frustration.  If you cause a scene up in the air, you may find some visitors waiting for you at the gate when you get off.

If you’ve never flown before or you have a trip coming up in the future, you have to remember that you’re going to be on an airplane filled with other travellers and the last thing you want to do is annoy the people in your area.  This is why you should take a few points into consideration when flying via the great blue skies.

Stay clean – No one likes to sit around someone who doesn’t smell good, so make sure that you hit the showers before you hop on your flight.  Whether you’re flying at five in the morning or six at night, there’s no reason you shouldn’t take a shower and freshen.  Just think if you had to sit next to someone that didn’t smell all that great.

Talking with others – Just because you love to chit chat 24/7 doesn’t mean the person next to you wants to chat the whole flight.  Now, don’t get me wrong that there will people that will love to chat with you the whole time but any person should get the clue that someone doesn’t want to chat with you.  If you want to start up a friendly conversation, go for it.  If you’re getting one word answers or they just have their face piled in a magazine, you’re better off just minding your own business.

Your carry-on baggage – If you’re bringing carry on luggage onto to the flight, be courteous to others around.  Try your best with your baggage and throw it above in the overhead.  If you have entertainment, try to keep it to a minimum and keep most of it under your seat and out of the ways of others.

Limit your visits – If you find yourself with a window seat, make sure you don’t get up every other minute because you’re just going to be a nuisance to others.  When you’re flying, my general rule of thumb is to get up and go to the bathroom or stretch your legs every two to three hours.

Your chair- Just because your chair can recline back, doesn’t mean you should take advantage of this.  While I’m not against using it, you should only use it once per flight.  If you constantly bring your seat up and down constantly, it’s going to be very annoying for the people behind.  Most people tend to use the try for food, laptops, books, etc. and every time you recline, you’re affecting their area.  Another thing you have to look out for when you’re using your chair is that you use your arm rest properly.  Don’t overuse the arm rest and go into the other person’s chair.

Boarding policy – When a plane generally lands, you’ll obviously want to wait until the pilot says its okay to get out of your seats.  Make sure you let everyone ahead of you leave first and wait your turn.  Don’t get up and jump right to the front, people will hate you for this.