How to Keep Food Hot While Traveling

Travel can be fun but also time-consuming and expensive. If you are traveling by car and taking hot food with you, keeping the food hot is essential. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, foods must be kept hot or cold. It is easier to keep foods cold, rather than keeping them hot. If you must keep foods hot, here are some ways to do so.

1 Wrap hot food in aluminum foil. Do this when it is at its highest temperature. Cover all food with the aluminum foil.

2 Warm up the hot packs. This is a commercial product to purchase. Similar to a cold pack, the hot pack keeps food hot. Follow the instructions on the package, which generally involves heating up the pack. Put the hot packs on top of the food items.

3 Wrap towels around the food and hot packs. Place the food gently in a cooler. Use a cooler that is suitable for the amount of food you are transporting. Fill in any spaces in the cooler with towels. Less space in the cooler means that the food is more likely to stay hot.

How to Travel With Pets to Europe

Europe is a hot spot for American travelers. There are all kinds of places to visit and sites to see. You can experience a wide array of cultures all in one trip, such as going from Germany to Switzerland to France to Italy in a few days. If you have pets, you may be considering taking your pets with you on your trip to Europe. This article will show you how to travel with pets to Europe.

1 Decide where and when you will travel to in Europe. You may visit England, and then ride the Eurostar to Paris. Perhaps you're planning on taking a train from Germany through Switzerland and Italy. Figure out your plans.

2 Determine which pets you wish to take with you on the trip. Most people will take dogs, but some will consider cats, parrots and even hamsters.

3 Pick an airline and flight schedule for your trip, and look into their policies for taking pets on board. Some airlines allow certain pets but not others. Some consider animals as carry on luggage while others consider it checked luggage. Different fees may apply for taking each pet. For example, it costs about $100 to take a pet on United Airlines as carry on luggage and $125 for a small kennel to be checked baggage domestically. The fees increase as you go international.

4 Contact the airline directly to take your pet. Often there is room for only a set number of pets in the cabin, for example. For international travel, you will need to contact the embassy or foreign consulate in that country about taking your pet as well. The US Airways website gives you a link to the embassy/ foreign consulate for your trip. On international flights, generally pets will have to go in checked luggage.

5 Pick your hotel or resort for your stay in Europe. You need to find pet-friendly hotels. Most hotels in Europe do allow pets, but you should contact the hotel directly to make sure, or look at the hotel's policies on their website.

6 Determine your mode of transportation for your trip. If you will travel by train, you need to make sure your pet can be on the train you are using. If you rent a car, you should check with the rental car company to find out if pets are allowed in the cars.

7 Visit the SHERPA website, listed in the resources. To find out many policies about traveling with pets. The website also gives links for finding more information, such as traveling with pets in the Eurotunnel and links for having microchips inserted into pets before travel.

How to Buy a Travel Journal

Going on a trip? Journals are a great way to record your adventures as well as the names and addresses of people you'll meet along the way. Any kind of journal is fine for a travel journal, but you may wish to look for something tailor-made for your specific trip.

1 Make the journal part of your trip-planning experience. Some journals provide travel-planning and packing tips, to-do lists, checklists and other features to make the planning go smoothly.

2 Buy a journal that's trip-specific. Cruise journals are just one example of a journal that's designed for a specific travel experience.

3 Find a journal that's spiral-bound. It will be easier to write in if it lies flat.

4 Look for a journal with special pages that contain extras, such as maps, international dialing codes, conversion charts, tips, travel advice and so on.

5 Be sure the journal is compact and portable and will easily fit into luggage without taking up a lot of space.

6 Choose a journal with a weather-resistant cover.

7 Make sure the journal has a place for names, addresses and phone numbers. Having the names and travel journal together will forever link the special people met on the trip with the larger travel experience.

How to Make Holiday Travel Arrangements for Pets

So many people consider their pets to be an integral part of their family that the thought of traveling during the holidays without them is stressful. Deciding to take a pet along for the ride, presents many challenges if you want your trip to be pleasant and incident-free.

1 Visit the vet. Getting a clean bill of health for your pet before traveling is not only wise, it's required if you're traveling by airplane. You'll need to present a health certificate that's dated within 10 days of travel to airline and state officials before being allowed to board a plane. Remember that a lot of people travel with their pets during the holidays, so set up your vet appointment well in advance.

2 Identify your pet. Never leave home without purchasing collar ID tags that include the pet's name, your name and a phone number. In addition, type up a description of your pet on a card and attach a recent color photo in case your pet gets lost. Place the card and photo in an envelope that also carries any licenses and vaccination papers. Having everything in one place will save time during the harried holiday season.

3 Carve out space in the family vehicle for your pet. Traveling during the holidays by car usually involves loading up your vehicle with extra baggage, gifts and food. Making space for your pet's crate should be a priority. Choose a travel crate that has enough space for your pet to stand and turn around.

4 Ensure that there is room at the inn. If you'll be staying in a hotel, motel or inn, ask a travel agent for a list of accommodations that allow pets. Or call ahead to the places you're considering so that you're not turned away when you show up with a pet.

5 Exercise your pet before you leave. Despite the mode of travel, a well-exercised pet is usually so tired it will sleep better and for longer periods during your excursion.

6 Keep surroundings as familiar as possible. Bring along favorite toys and blankets to carry the scent of home, making your pet more at ease. Also, if you plan on using a new crate, allow at least a week for your pet to get accustomed to it.