In How to Travel Practically Anywhere, author Susan Stellin urges readers to do more than "wish" or "hope" for a good travel experience. She advocates doing your homework and knowing your rights, whether you travel on an expense account or for pleasure. She carefully outlines dozens of possible travel situations and gives practical advice aimed at the best choices.
- Packed with conventional, practical money-saving tips.
- Small enough to fit in a purse or suitcase
- Comprehensive enough to tackle a host of possible travel situations
- Some of the information is perishable, so a few chapters might have short shelf-lives.
- Probably too elementary for the most experienced travelers
- Houghton Mifflin, New York, NY
- Copyright 2006
- 296 pages, plus index
Have you heard the saying "planning the trip is half the fun?" I tend to agree with that statement, but probably at least half of all travelers would strongly disagree.
Susan Stellin says "if you know where to look, the planning process can be part of the fun, and doing it right can make or break the trip itself."
Stellin's book operates on the premise that many people hate travel homework because they become frustrated and lost while panning for information. She has created a roadmap of sorts that guides readers to the most effective planning strategies.
This handy book is an easy read. Planning lovers will enjoy reading it cover-to-cover. Planning haters might not enjoy it, but they should treat it as a reference book.
Stellin outlines dozens of everyday travel situations: How do you manage a flight delay? There are nine suggestions on pages 267-68. How do you replace a lost passport? See page 282.
You get the idea. This book is packed with tips that could save you money and precious time.
Credit Stellin for including information on Web sites, guidebooks, airline alliances, and even adventure travel outfitters. It's a bold move, because it dates her book and possibly lowers its value over time. As always, be wary of these recommendations a year or so after publication.
Planning lovers and planning haters will both benefit from this book. It provides much needed travel advice in a time when consumers can be confused or even overwhelmed by available options.
