Air Travel

There have been many changes in our country due to terrorism. Especially since the tragedy of September eleventh two thousand and one; this is a date that will remain in the memory of every American that was alive on that Tuesday morning. Many things about day to day life have resumed since then but air travel will never be the same again.

Since that fateful September day I have struggled each time that my business leads me to air travel. For several months I refused to fly. I tried to run my business meetings through telephone calls, conference calling and emailing. I was looking into a teleconference system when my vice president came and had a meeting with me. He shared that he was concerned that the business was declining and he attributed this to the lack of personal contact with customers and potential accounts. He felt it was imperative that we resume the face to face personal level of business that the company had been founded on. He was very frank when he stated that my fear of air travel was destroying my business. He volunteered to be the one to go to the meetings. He did not have a fear of air travel and he did not want to see the terrorist win. He pointed out that this is what was happening. They had stripped me of my confidence in flying and thus were destroying my business.

His words had a great impact on me. I knew that he was right, and I also knew that if anyone was going to save the company it had to be me. I decided that if air travel was the only way to restore my business I was going to have to over come my fears. I called my executive assistant and told her to book me on a flight to the west coast. I also had her make arrangements with our business associate to meet with me in person rather than the teleconference I had been trying to set up. Later that day my executive assistant came into my office and asked if she could have a word with me. She shared that she knew about my fear of air travel and that she had heard that the airlines was running a group for people who were afraid to fly. This group was to help people discuss their fears with others that had similar ones. I had her sign me up for the group.

I went to the group regarding fear of air travel. In listening to others fears it helped me realize I was being irrational. Some how hearing others express my same thoughts helped me to realize how silly I have sounded to my colleagues. I am now back to flying around the country for my business.

Afordable Travel

We all wait patiently for those yearly travel events to come around. Well, maybe we don't wait so patiently, but the point is they don't come around often. What most of us strive for is an affordable travel plan with all the perks of an outstanding vacation. It's true; we want to have our cake and eat it too. Days and long hours spent in a cubicle remind us of how much we truly deserve these breaks. Now, the trick is to wisely plan a wonderful, yet inexpensive getaway in advance. Meaning as soon as you can. A year in advance is NOT too early. If you do plan ahead, you're much more likely to get the lodging of your choice and spend less time searching for things once you get there.

They say the early bird gets the worm. I believe this is totally true regarding vacations and travel getaways. It just makes sense to plan in advance so you can be sure you next vacation is enjoyed to the fullest. Take the hotel you're booking for example. This is quite possibly the most expensive aspect of your trip. Now, back to the affordable travel plan. To book a great lodging, you should start early and resort to the web. Online you can see all hotels and motels available in your destination area. Check out the ones that seem most appealing and suitable for your family. Sort through room rates and be sure to see if they change at different parts of the year. Some may go way up. If you're able to find that ideal lodging, go ahead and book it in advance. This way you will definitely have a place to stay once you arrive. A second aspect of affordable travel to consider is transportation. Whether you fly, go by train, or drive is completely up to you, but I do recommend that you compare rates for all three. If gas prices are up, it may save you some dough to fly or take the train in. The train can actually be a fun adventure if you've never tried it before. And finally, you might consider mapping out your activities in advance. Find out where the hot spots and fantastic restaurants are before you head out. This can save you time and gas money.

Making "affordable travel" truly affordable is about prioritizing. You're most likely going on vacation to have fun. Not to shop! You can do that any time. Focus your vacation cash on more important things like a fine lodging, gourmet meals, and local activities. This will make it a vacation to remember.