A Bus Driver May be Better than a Concierge! - Make friends with any regular bus drivers around your hotel. They're better equipped to make suggestions than most concierges, and are very familiar with local customs/secrets. A good public bus driver can make an entire vacation!

Ask for a Discount - If you shop at touristy places, bear in mind that tour guides/operators who take their visitors to these types of shops all get a commission on purchases for the clients they bring to the venue. This generally represents 10% of the purchase price. Effectively, this means that all these venues cost the extra 10% into their selling price. There is no harm in you, as a tourist to a foreign land, asking for this as a discount for yourself if you travel on your own - or even asking your tour guide to arrange his commission to be turned into a discount for you. Remember YOU are paying for this anyway and it is your money being slurped up so be big and bold enough to ask for it. This has never failed me in the past.

Be an Ambassador - Attend at least one cultural event, whether it is a soccer game, bullfight, concert, opera or dance performance. Eat and drink as the locals do - get recommendations from your hotel staff of their favorite ethnic dishes. Get off the beaten tourist path, if only for an afternoon. Take a bus or train out of the city and visit the countryside or small village. Learn a few phrases of the language - at least 'Please' and 'Thank you'. Carry photos of your life at home - family, pets, home, hobbies, friends and postcards of your city. People you meet will be just as curious about you as you are about them. When you travel this way, you are much more than a tourist - you are an ambassador. Happy travels.

Be Wary of 'Free' Travel Connecting Services - Something to think about when you are seeking a travel companion: Look carefully at free services offering to connect people. Everyone loves a bargain, but free services may not include address checks (costly and time-consuming).
Convicts and scam artists can join and they will. 'Free' also attracts the worst type of travel partners — freeloaders.

Carry a Photo of Your Child - Keep a colour picture of your child's face in your purse or wallet in case he or she gets lost in a crowde airport or shopping area.

Carry Change With You - When travelling to places with different currencies, always carry spare change that can be depended on for vending machines, quick phone calls or laundry machines. This way you don't have to go searching for someone to give you change. It saves a lot of time and a lot of hassle.

Declare Your Credit Cards - Remember that in most countries, credit cards are considered as 'Live Currency', so do remember to mention you are bringing these into the country of travel if asked by the customs officials. This will help you avoid trouble with countries that are strict with the rules of money importation.

Dine and Dash - Dining alone I typically like a nice sit down meal but don't like hanging around when I'm done. When I'm almost finished with my meal, I place my credit card on the table. Most servers are attentive to what I mean, and after the obligatory offering of dessert they run my check. When they return I'm finishing up and can sign and leave.

Do it Backwards - All the locals know the secret for visiting tematic park like Xcaret. Do you know the secret? After passing the entrance gate, instead of walking to the RIGHT with the rest of the crowds, turn and walk to the LEFT and circle the tematic park backwards! You'll beat the masses to all the rides! You'll be happy you did!

Don't Bother with Laundry! - Pack a heavy duty plastic sack and some brown packing paper and tape, then mail your soiled laundry home the day before you leave your travel destination. You'll arrive home before it does, and it makes your luggage so much lighter to carry!

Don't Carry All Your Cash in One Place - In a hotel room, split your cash in 4 and hide it in different suitcases and places, so that if you get robbed, you always have something left.
Extra Hotel Sheets? - Usually hotel beds are equipped with an extra sheet, in case of children having bladder problems during the night, or for other reasons. This sheet is located near the bottom, and if removed can make a night's sleep in a hot hotel much more pleasant, stopping you waking up hot and sticky.

Have a Medical Before Scuba Lessons - If you are planning to try your hand at scuba diving, know that you must have your lungs checked by a physician first. Save time by having the exam before you leave, and take the lessons when you arrive!

Immerse Yourself in Local Culture - For a richer, more memorable travel experience, try to immerse yourself in the local culture. Break away from the tour group and talk one-on-one with the locals. Take local transportation (ask your hotel staff about after-dark safety), shop grocery stores (a great source for inexpensive souvenirs), pharmacies (look for scented soaps, lotions) and especially the outdoor markets. Befriend your hotel staff, learn their names, and seek from them information on what the locals do for entertainment.

Insist on Two Sets of Keys - When renting a car, always insist on two sets of keys. We had guests who fell into the river when fishing and they lost the only set. It took about 6 hours to retrieve the guests, contact the rental car agency, drive 45 miles to the dealership to get another set, and drive them back to the car. If the rental agency won't give you an extra set, get one made at the nearest hardware store.

Keep Notes - Keep notes in a journal on what you do on a trip. When you get back home, place them in a 'Trip Notes File'. Label each file with the place and date, including brochures, etc. The notes are helpful if you want to go back to a B&B you liked or a restaurant; it's all there. Plus, they are great reading on a cold winter day, and you get your money's worth over and over again.
Keep Photos Organized - If you plan to take lots of photographs on your trip, mark the plastic film containers with a number. In your journal, put the number of that film container on the page. When you develop the film, if you note that same number on the developing-package, it will be loads easier to figure out where each of those rolls of pictures was taken.

Leave Papers in Your Room - Don't walk around with your passport, airline ticket, and marriage certificate. If you lose them or they get stolen, it's a headache to get new ones. Leave them in your B&B reception or room.

Mosquito Repellent - Put on mosquito repellent whenever you arrive in a new location where mosquitoes may be a problem. We don't have mosquitoes in St. John's, Newfoundland, but I have been eaten in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Barbados, Hawaii, and Cuba. While this didn't spoil my vacations, it certainly made them less enjoyable than they would otherwise have been.

Several Tips for Travellers
Remember, all medications and vitamins must be in original containers when traveling overseas. You can get your pharmacist to label small bottles, to put just enough medication in for your trip. Always carry these in your carry-on. Also, carry a couple of days extra supply of medication in case you are delayed coming back.

You should always pack 2 sets of clothes in your carry-on also. One in 200 suitcases are lost. Make sure you know the type and color of your luggage, in case it is necessary to fill out a report. A better idea is to take a picture of your luggage with you. It makes for easier identification. They lost my luggage in Europe for 4 days, and I was without important items. My luggage was also damaged when returned to me. Also, you will need a copy of your passport, kept in a separate place.

Anything with batteries will set off the alarm in security. Make sure they get packed in your carry-on. For instance, camera batteries, etc.

Taxi Sense - When travelling in a taxi, make sure you leave the door open while you are getting your bags out of the boot; that way the taxi can't drive off before you have had a chance to make sure you haven't left anything behind.

Use a Hand Towel - Instead of bringing flip-flops or sandals for the shower, I place a hand towel at the bottom of the tub. It's great for a shower or bath.

Use a Phone Card - When traveling, use a phone card. Only cents per minute compared to phone booth calls. Also, jot down everything you pack. If lost or stolen you have a record, and it's a great way to check the list before you leave to make sure you havn't forgotten anything.

Waterproof Wallet - I travel with a waterproof wallet that can be purchased at a scuba dive shop. I wear this under my clothes, and carry money, ID, etc. This keeps my valuables close to me, it is very difficult to pickpocket, and it is great for the beach/pool.