Laundry is for suckers

Pack a heavy duty plastic sack in your suitcas along with some brown packing paper and tape, then mail your dirty washing home the day before your holiday is over. You’ll arrive home before it does, and it makes your luggage so much lighter to carry, leaving you extra room for souvenirs.

The web we weave

Try the ‘Interweaving Method’ of packing on your next trip. Drape longer garments (trousers and dresses) across the suitcase, with the ends hanging over the sides. Then, fold smaller items like jumpers and singlets around the longer garments. The clothes will cushion each other, and by placing a piece of tissue paper in between each layer of clothing, it will prevent wrinkling.

Divide and conquer

This trick works for any size of suitcase. First, put your luggage over a large piece of cardboard, trace the outline then cut it out so you have a divider that fits your suitcase. First pack shoes, toiletries, hard items – anything except clothing, then put the divider on top of these items and pack your clothes on top of it. This way you can lift the divider and clothing neatly away to pack or unpack more things, and you can present your belongings for airport inspection without hassle.

Get stuffed

Shoes are a pain to pack because of their bulk and weight. But the hollows of your shoes are an underused packing space. Try filling them with rolled socks or sandwich bags containing small and easily lost items. Combine with the above for Ikea-level space maximization

Don’t bring the whole thing
If you’re traveling with a guide book, consider either cutting out the pages you need or making a photocopy so you don’t have to lug around the entire thing when you only need one chapter.

Vegas is all about getting you to come back. The casinos make so much money from you gambling that they can afford to give a little back. Usually that ‘little’ comes in the form of comps. Comp is short for ‘complimentary’ and comps range from free food and drinks to T-shirts and other souveneirs, all the way up to free hotel suites.  Unless your last name is Sinatra, however, they won’t just offer you this stuff, you have to ask.

The first step in getting comps is to obtain a slot club card. There is usually a slot club window in the casino and all you have to do is fill out a card with your personal information. A slot club card is about the size of a credit card and is used to track your gambling habits within the casino. The card can be inserted into slot machines or given to a dealer at a table game so that your gambling can be ‘rated’. The machine or dealer will then track your average bet and how much you’ve bet. Some casinos have formalized the process somewhat and reward you with points as you gamble that can later be redeemed for a variety of free stuff.

You should also make an effort to meet the host of the casino section that you’re in. The host used to be called a pit boss and their main job is to make sure you have a good time and that you keep gambling at their casino. It’s a good idea to introduce yourself to them when you start gambling as they’re more likely to be generous with you.

Once you’ve been gambling for a while, its okay to start asking for stuff – try starting with a ‘line pass’ to the buffet. It won’t pay for your meal but it will get you to the front of the line. If you’ve spent a fair amount, go ahead and ask for a free pass to the buffet. A good rule of thumb is that you can be expected to be comp’d about 20-40% of what you’d be expected to lose.

Of course, the drinks are the main form of comps. You’ll often see waitresses wandering around, taking orders. Well spirits and tap beers are free, but you should always tip your waitress, especially if you want her to remember you.

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Blackjack has the best odds for the gambler of any game in Vegas; the house edge is only .5%. That means that over time, if you bet 100 dollars on blackjack, the casino will end up with a measley 5 cents. But wait, you ask – if the odds are so good, why do most people lose all their money? It’s because the house edge is based on how much you gamble, not how much you bring to the table. As you win, you play more, out of your own winnings. If you bring 100 dollars to a blackjack table and bet $5 per hand, you’re betting about $150 per hour – more than you actually brought. After 13 hours you’ve bet $1950 and 5% of that is $97.50, meaning that at the end, you’re left with $2.50 and another Vegas story. The other catch is that the house edge is only small if you’re playing with the right strategy. If you do it wrong, you’re playing at a much higher disadvantage. So learn to do it right.

The operating principle in blackjack is simple – there are more cards that are worth 10 than any other value. Keeping that in mind, assume that any card you can’t see – the dealer’s down card or your next hit – is a 10. It’s also important to remember that the dealer has to hit on anything less than 16 so if you’ve got a 14 and his up card is a three, you should stay, since he probably has a 10 and will have to hit and likely bust. It’s not about getting the highest total, its about beating the dealer.

Splitting and doubling down are your two other strategic options. If you have two of the same card you can split them by putting an amount equal to your originial bet next to the cards.  You then play two hands, hitting or standing on each one independently. It’s a good idea to split when you have two aces or two 8s. The former, because of the rule of 10 above and the latter because two 8s are 16, one of the easiest hands to bust.

Doubling down means you double your bet and get dealt exactly one more card. Doubling down is a good bet when you have either a 10 or an Ace.

Two things to avoid are tables where blackjack pays 6:5 and insurance. Without going into why, just remember that these are sucker bets.

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Anyone who’s ever seen Ocean’s 11 has dreamed of going to Vegas. Sure, Australia has its pokies and casinos but a few fireballs on the Yarra River is nothing compared to the sheer spectacle of Vegas. The entire city is a temple to bad decision-making – from the drive-thru wedding chapels to the Elivs impersonators to two poncy Europeans who were actually surprised when their pet freakin’ tiger attacked them. Of course, all of this is just window dressing for the main event – gambling. So how can you avoid making bad financial decisions in the casino?

You can’t.

Keep that firmly in view. The house has the edge. Half-scale exact replicas of the Eiffel Tower don’t build themselves and casino games are designed to make the casino, not you, money. So the first rule of gambling in Vegas is this – consider the money gone. Decide how much a night out in Sin City is worth to you and bring that amount and no more. If that seems like a buzzkill, consider the fact that your drinks are likely to be free while you’re playing (and a dollar tip per drink will keep the waitress coming back) and you may even end up getting a few ‘comps’ or freebies if you sink a fair amount of cash into the casino’s coffers.

The trick to gambling in Vegas is not to try to win, but to try not to lose too fast – that way you have as much fun as possible while soaking up the free grog. For making your money last, your best bet is either blackjack or craps. Blackjack is probably the easiest to pick up and the least intimidating since its you and the table against the dealer and no one’s betting on your roll of the dice.

Check back with us over the next few days as we bring you strategies to help you make the most of your Vegas vacation, including tips for blackjack and how to get free stuff.

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Travelling to an unfamiliar place can be equally fun and dangerous and sometimes it can be difficult to trust just anyone for directions or instructions. Nevertheless, you can always rely on technology to help you find your way around a new place and there is no more hyped technology today than the  iPhone!

With no shortage of travel and translation applications that you can download from the app store, we have put together a quick list  of some of the top travel apps for your iPhone:

1. Air Sharing- Feed your curious mind with this knowledgeable software program. You can use it to access information about anything that you want to find out. It’s like an encyclopedia just that it provides information via wikepedia pages, photos and PDF. With this app installed on your iPhone, you’re an instant genius on the go!
2. TripIt- This free application is a frequent jet-setter’s best friend. It helps you organize your travel itineraries by syncing your emails straight into your iPhone. It also has a social feature that allows you to stalk on friends, giving you details about when and where they are travelling and if your trips overlap. It also gives information through text if your flight has been delayed.
3. Accuweather- This weather app usually gives an accurate report of weather updates that will surely come in handy when you plan for your trip outdoors. It provides 15-day local forecasts, 15 hours of hourly forecasts, forecast videos and stores up to 15 locations.
4. Skype- International roaming charges from your phone carrier can be BIG and can break your bank account when you need to communicate with family, friends and colleagues while travelling. Locate a WiFi hotspot and call or chat with them through Skype instead. You can make cheap international calls and stay connected to the people who matter most.
5. Waze- This social driving and navigation app gives you almost surreal traffic updates, police information and construction hazards. It also has a voice prompt that gives you thorough navigation instructions. Recent updates were done to increase user participation with the integration of Foursquare and facebook and a contribution scoreboard. Compared to your GPS, it is more energy efficient as it automatically turns off after 10 minutes of idle time.
6. GoogleMaps- Going somewhere or lost in a city? googleMaps gives you step-by-step driving directions with live traffic conditions and allows to plan multiple stops in your trip.
7. OpenTable- This app allows you to book restaurant reservations to more than more than 15,000 OpenTable-enabled restaurants in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, members of this app can earn Dining Rewards Points redeemable for Dining Cheques at any OpenTable restaurant. It can also provide you with a list of restaurants that are customised to fit your schedule and venue needs.
8. ZAGAT to go- be entertained with music, podcasts, television shows and audio books while travelling. You can avail the podcast feature anywhere in the airport, restaurant, hotel, airplane, etc.

Practically, it takes a lot of time and effort planning for an out of town trip compared to a day at the park or beach. It is essential that you put as much attention as possible on even the minute details of your trip. Children are not mature enough to stay put and behave properly during the trip and so making a decision on where to travel is something that needs to be a major consideration on the part of the parents. Choose a destination that will accommodate both the parents and the child’s interest and ensure that the place that you’re going to is generally safe as well. Anticipate the family’s needs and research where and how you can access these needs when you arrive at your travel destination.

Packing your child’s things is the next thing you need to consider. List down the things they will need for the trip. Balance it with your child’s wants like toys, books and food and pack so that you can easily access these things while you are travelling. If your child is capable of carrying a light backpack you can pack toys or books and some treats in and allow them to carry it.  This not only eases your burden but most times it is something that children actually enjoy as it makes them feel more involved in the travelling process as well as a sense of independence. Don’t forget to bring something (e.g. favorite blanket or toy) that will make your child feel secure and comforted in an unfamiliar place. Additionally, bring a first-aid kit and some basic medicines that will treat motion sickness, fever, cough and colds or allergies.

First-time parents will usually find it difficult to travel with their child as there is so much to consider and to keep an eye on that it makes the trip exhausting and unbearable at times. On a brighter note, parents with children often times receive special treatment and discounts in airplanes, trains, restaurants, amusement parks, hotels, etc. Apart from the perks, the enthusiasm and adventurous spirit of children is infectious and may even help you to remember the excitement of travel when you were young!

Holidays are expensive. If they weren’t, nobody’d work. One of the main reasons for their priciness is the cost of accommodation. You can easily spend as much for one week in a hotel or resort as you would for one month in your own house. Adding to the strain on your wallet is the fact that resorts are designed like pitcher plants – attractive to look at and apparently filled with nectary goodness, but once you get in you’ll have a hell of a time getting out. That means you pay resort prices for resort foods and, after paying resort prices for resort cocktails you’re all the more likely to indulge in a bit of room service.

Of course, you could always go the time-honoured route of hostels. Of course, in many major cities a private room in a hostel is barely cheaper than a hotel. Dorms are an option but a single room smelling of the socks of the multitudes isn’t conducive to relaxation. Fortunately, you can take a third option and rent your own cottage or apartment.

With a cottage or apartment rental you get the privacy and comfort of a hotel room without the enticing added extras that can send the bill spiraling to Virgin Galactic heights. Cook your own food, bring your own grog, supply your own entertainment, all in surroundings that have a personal touch often lacking in mass market resorts.

A quick google search to the effect of holiday rentals (destination) can often yield some pleasant surprises.  Two Mile Bay Cottage in Port Campbell on the Great Ocean Road is one of them. Built by a local artist out of the pylons of the old pier, this quaint, two-bedroom home sleeps up to six and provides a fantastic ocean view. At 200 dollars per night, it’s a very economical option if you’ve got a group.

One thing about America that tends to impress visitors is the level of service you get. It’s got nothing to do with native hospitality or the protestant work ethic; it’s all about the Benjamins. Aporcyphally, tips stands for ‘To Insure Prompt Service’ setting aside whether or not that’s true (and the misuse of the word ‘insure’) tipping is the reason for the great service in America. For Aussies visiting the states, tipping is like buying underwear for a new girlfriend – you know it’s something you’re supposed to do; get it right and you’ll reap the benefits, get it wrong and it’ll be awkward for everyone involved. So here’s a quick guide to gratuities.

Most of the time when you’re tipping it will be at restaurants and bars. The first thing to remember is that it’s not really optional. Servers in the US make a pittance hourly (in some states, less than the minimum wage) because it’s expected that they’ll make most of their money in tips. They even pay taxes based on the assumption that they will be tipped on every bill so by not tipping, you’re actually costing them money. 15% of the total bill is the standard for good service. If they’ve done a great job, then 20% is welcome and if they were barely adequate, 10% is sufficient. On the other hand, if you get someone who is genuinely rude (a rarity but it does happen) then leave a nickel (a 5 cent piece) rather than nothing at all – it’s considered an insult.

In bars when you’re paying as you go, it’s a little different. One dollar per drink is pretty standard, regardless of how much the drink cost. However, on your first drink it’s usually a good idea to tip extra – 5 bucks should do it – to ensure that the bartender remembers your face. You’ll see the dividends when they skip three-deep queue to serve you first. Also, if you order anything particularly complicated its nice to kick in an extra buck.

Other people you should tip include bellmen/porters ($1-2 per bag), hairdressers (10-15% of the bill), Taxi drivers (10-15%), valet parkers ($2-3 per car), hotel maids ($2-3 dollars per night, left on the pillow each day) and casino dealers (place a bet for the dealer every five games or so, ask them what they want to bet on).

Voluntourism – bite-sized vacations volunteering for a charitable cause – is now a booming business. Worth up to $2.6 billion dollars world wide, volunteering is more commericalised than ever and has lead many to questions the ethics – do the people on the receiving end of the “volunteering” get as much out of it as those trying so hard to do something good?

Australian’s who have headed overseas to dedicate their holiday leave to back breaking work, often at their own expense, will say all the effort is worth it. It can be extremely rewarding to help others in disadvantaged situations but the drawback is it can take jobs away from local workers. Other Voluntourism experiences involve bonding with local children, only to leave them at a loss when the volunteers head home again.

If you are thinking of taking a Voluntourism trip, make sure all your efforts will be as rewarding for those you are trying to help as it will be for you. Do you homework using the following steps:

1. Find an organization whose ethics you are comfortable with

Look for an organisation that represents the developing world in a positive, respectful way. Avoid companies that make it sound like you will be saving locals who are not able to save themselves.

2. Ask pointed questions to make sure your trip is well organised to gain best benefit for you and the project.

• Do they match the work needed to be done to your skills?
• What information can they provide prior to your departure on the work involved and the culture you will be living in?
• What will your weekly schedule be and what breaks will you have?
• What are the local support people’s roles and responsibilies?
• Can you contact some Australian returned volunteers?

3. Make sure your money is going where it should be

How willing the organisation is to answer the following financial questions will give you a good indication of their ethics:

• Where will you be staying and in what conditions?
• Do the local staff receive a fair wage?
• Are host families remunerated for only their costs for a small profit?
• Are local leaders employed to direct efforts on projects?
• What efforts are make towards professional development in the local community?
• Are materials purchased locally to support the economy?

By doing your homework your Voluntourism experience will be all the more rewarding, knowing all your efforts have been poured in the right direction.

1. Low cost holidays

The first reason people get into house swapping is to save on travel costs. No money is exchanged; you stay in their house and they stay in yours either at the same time or non-simultaneously if you can arrange it. The cost savings can be huge in popular tourist destinations such as Paris, New York and Rome. Not only do you save on accommodation costs you can comfortably self-cater in a fully equipped kitchen.

2. The richer benefit of living like a local

Jeanette Wehl and her husband Greg have lived like locals all over the world with house swapping. “We have swapped in the UK, France, USA and The Bahamas to name just a few. Our most memorable experience where we really felt at home was in Florida. Some locals, friends of our swappers, took us out to a Blue Grass bar and later to a Blues bar. Women’s underwear was hanging from the ceiling and the music was amazing. Our hosts told us stories, like being proud of having made it to Woodstock, but only just: she was nine months pregnant at the time. We have made many friends through house swapping, there is a real community feeling to it.”

3. It is great for holidays within Australia too

Kimberly Uldridge has found swapping a great experience for holidays within Australia, offering unique stays that her and her husband would not normally have looked for. “We have house swapped in places like Mildura and Sydney. The most memorable was in rural Lilydale in Tasmania. Staying in an eco-house, high on a hill looking out over fields full of sheep, was a complete an escape from our usual lives in inner city Melbourne.”

4. It is a mature service these days

Inviting strangers into your house can be a disconcerting experience so make sure you join up a house swapping network that is well established. HomeLink (www.homelink.com) is the oldest network which began in the 50s and has local Coordinators in 27 major countries. This means there are people keeping an eye on things, offering support and knowledge for the global community. They breed an environment of respect and trust for each other’s homes.

So, give it a go. You could gain a lot more than just cheap accommodation.