In the good old days, travellers would pack a journal, a few clothes, their passport and not a lot else. But these days things have changed. Now it is almost impossible to go travelling without a full selection of electronic gadgets and gizmos to make your trip easier and more enjoyable.

So what things should you remember to pack in your suitcase next time you go travelling?

Smartphone

A smartphone is becoming an essential piece of kit and if you cannot bear the thought of being without yours then just take it with you – you’ll have plenty of opportunities to use it wherever you are.

Check-in to your flight from home without having to queue up, contact friends and family using the video phone, stay in touch wherever you are via social networks, take photos and videos… there is plenty to use a smartphone for when you go travelling.

The only thing to really watch out for are the excessive data charges which you may be charged, so if you want to go on the internet then it might be a good idea to try to find a WiFi hotspot first, which you can find in many hostels, cafes and restaurants pretty much anywhere you go.

Alternatively, get a local SIM card if you will be in the country for a while and this can save you a lot of money on data charges.

Netbook or Tablet

Tablets are taking off in a big way, and now there is no reason why you should not take yours with you on your travels.

With a tablet or netbook you have easy access to all your films for when you don’t feel like going out, and you can also use it as an electronic journal, a camera, a video recorder and more.

A tablet or netbook can also be especially useful if you want to work whilst you are away but don’t want to lug your hefty laptop around with you.

Apps

Part of the joy of having a tablet or smartphone is that you can take a whole collection of apps with you as well. There are now many excellent travel apps, and the great thing about these is that no matter how many you download they won’t weigh you down. A few of the best ones include:

Trip It: This is a great little app for those who can’t seem to stay organised with all of their booking slips and confirmation numbers. It groups together any emails that contain a confirmation number so that you can keep all of your reservations in one place, making it much easier to keep track of all of your bookings.

FlightAware: If you want to keep track of your flight then this is the app you need. It’s free and very simple to use, and you can even get updates if your flight is delayed or cancelled.

Urbanspoon: This popular app allows you to simply shake your iPhone or iPad and it produces a recommendation for any good restaurants nearby. It only works in some countries, but is a great option if you are stuck for a place to eat.

E-Reader

There is a certain charm to swapping books on the road with new friends that you make along the way. But let’s be honest: sometimes this practice can leave you stranded with a book that is hardly at the top of your reading list.

Not so with an e-reader.

With the latest e-readers you can download books from anywhere where you can get WiFi access, and some even come with worldwide 3G to download books from anywhere.

As well as books you can download your favourite newspaper for that day in a few seconds, as well as magazines and other publications.

The batteries tend to last for ages with these so you don’t need to worry about charging them up much, and then you can have access to all your books and more in one small, light package.

Pack Properly for Your Travels

We’ve moved beyond journals and paper books these days, so if you really want to get the most out of your travels then make sure you pack properly with all of the gadgets that will help you out on your journey. Travelling will never be the same again, but with the above items packed in your rucksack you can now get even more out of your adventures.

About The Author

Phil Byrne is an online marketeer with such a love of travel, he became a full time expat! Phil runs  a number of travel related websites, the most successful of which is Cheap Hotel Chains – a comprehensive hotel comparison website that allows the browser to instantly compare all latest hotel deals and prices within any destination worldwide.

When traveling, there is always a possibility that bed bugs may be encountered. If you follow a few simple steps, you can protect yourself, as well as your traveling companions, from bed bug infestations.

Before you leave

• There is one thing you can do before you leave on your trip, even before you make your hotel reservations. By checking bed bug hotel registries online, you can learn of places to avoid due to bed bug infestations. It is a free resource that will guide you in making a decision as to the best hotels in which to stay.

What to do upon arrival

• When you reach your hotel, you need to do a thorough check of your room, and that includes everything, not just the bed and bedding. You should have a flashlight available in order to accomplish a close inspection. A magnifying glass is also a valuable item to have on hand. Investigate all of the bedding, especially folds and seams. You will want to check the mattress, the bedsprings and bed frame. Inspect the room itself as well, including around lamps, behind the headboard of the bed and wall hangings, in the corners of drawers, and in every seam, fold and pleat of upholstered furniture.

What to look for

• When you perform your inspection, you will be looking for black specks that resemble pepper. These specks are actually fecal matter left behind by bed bugs. Ugh. You will also be looking for red stains, shed skin and tiny eggs or egg shells. You may even find bed bugs themselves if there is an infestation. They can grow up to ¼ inch, are usually reddish-brown in color and have six legs. They are flat but will plump up when they have had a meal of blood, which is their food source.

Keep your suitcases off the bed

• Never put any suitcases on the bed. You will also want to keep them off the floor. Instead, put luggage on a table or a desk. If a luggage rack is available, this is also a good location for suitcases. You may also want to keep your clothing in plastic bags within your suitcases, and the bags should remain tightly closed throughout your stay. Cloth suitcases will enable bed bugs to hide in folds and seams. If you have hard-shell luggage, there will be less places for pests to invade. Also, hard-shell suitcases hold up better in airports.

Use bed bug sprays

• A bug spray is a good item to have with you. When you reach your hotel room, spray bedding and any other places where pests can hide. Even after a thorough inspection that has not revealed any bugs, it still pays to be safe.

When you arrive home, you will want to unpack your suitcases outside or on a hard surface. You can even unpack in your dry bathtub. Put all of your clothing items in the washing machine and wash them in hot water. If you follow the above tips, you can have safe travels without bed bugs.

Karen Barnes uses these tips to avoid bed bugs whenever she travels away from home.

India’s Biggest travel portal Yatra.com signed a strategic deal with Yahoo India.

According to this Strategic Deal, Yahoo India would promote Yatra.com as recommended travel website on its homepage. In addition to the dedicated link to Yatra.com from Yahoo India Homepage , Yahoo will also advertise Yatra.com on its , Finance and News sections and feature it as the Knowledge Partner on Yahoo! Answers for Travel category.

This is the biggest deal signed by Yatra.com after June, 2009 when Yatra.com signed an deal in IRCTC to offer train bookings on is travel portal.

According to the CEO of Yatra.com Dhruv Shringi “Partnering with a leading site like Yahoo! India is a logical choice for Yatra.com. Through this association,Yatra.com will benefit from the strong reach of Yahoo! in India”.

Yahoo! India, Managing Director, Arun Tadanki, said, “Our advertising partnership with Yatra.Com leverages various properties of Yahoo! India to provide strong visibility to this travel portal.”

Center Government Has approved Luxury train plan in Punjab. According To Hira Singh gabria , Culture and Tourism Minister Punjab sanctioned a luxury Train In Punjab called “Incredible India – Punjab Luxury Train” to promote the tourism in the State.
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Total Estimate of this project is around 29 crores. Out of which Ministry of Tourism, Government of India would contribute Rs. 7.25 crore, while Indian Railways Catering Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Government of Punjab would equally contribute Rs. 1087.50 Lac each.