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The term “staycation” refers to someone who decides to take off time from work to enjoy life at home. Although the concept is an old one, it’s getting more popular due to a poor economy and travel hassles.

My recent travel plans to several countries in Europe never panned out but I decided to use the time I had already taken off and spend it at home. Over the last two weeks I’ve learned what to do - and more importantly what not to do on a staycation.

• Don’t Plan Anything - Make a rudimentary daily plan and outline what it is you want to accomplish each day. For me it was usually, go run, go to the pool, etc. and it took about 5-10 minutes to schedule out. It shouldn’t take longer than that, remember you are on vacation.
• Watch TV - Sitting in front of the television for hours might be relaxation for some, but it turns your staycation into a regular night off from work. This is where planning comes in, poor (or no) planning will just have you sitting in front of the TV for a week or two which won’t be very fulfilling when you go back to work.
• Missing Things Right Under Your Nose - A week before you plan to take a staycation, keep your eyes open for events, parks, and other attractions right around your own town. Jot them down somewhere are get a chance to visit close places and events you can go to during the day and miss the crowds.

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Use your carry-on to bring the essentials to keep you clean and smelling nice when the airlines lose you luggage. When our luggage doesn’t arrive with us what’s left is a traveler with bad breath, dirty underwear, and a runny nose.

Convert a small portion of your carry-on into a backup for hygiene essentials to relieve the big headache of a lost suitcase.

Cover The Smelly Areas First

Most of the more offensive body odors come from a few specific areas. A decent emergency hygiene kit doesn’t have to take up a lot of space if you prioritize properly. Begin by starting from the top down.

• Mouth: A quick flight nap can give you killer breath and landing without a toothbrush or paste is even worse. Bring a piece of gum and a portable size toothbrush with toothpaste. A packet of salted peanuts will also neutralize bad breath.
• Armpits: Stick deodorant to control smells and baby wipes to remove sweat and feel fresh. Use the baby wipes for runny noses, which are instigated by changing air pressures.

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Leaving home exposes you to new cultures, people, and places. While the these same things make traveling wonderful, they can also expose you to theft or worse.

Staying safe on the road is a combination of researching beforehand, blending in, and good money management.

• Research - The single more important thing you can do to stay safe in foreign lands is to take 10 minutes before you go and research online. Read about the safe and sketchy parts of town, any local faux pas, and common scams.

An image search on Flickr or Google of the people gives you an idea of what people wear and how you should dress. If you don’t see anyone wearing jeans, you should avoid them.

• Blend In - Don’t get the impression that you have to hide for safety, but blending in abroad (based on your research) reduces the likelihood you’ll be a target for theft or a con.

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The results of last week’s poll showed that 75% of you preferred travel tips with the occasional travel story in between. Travel bloggers however, often find their best inspiration from their travels. The key to reaching a wider audience is to take your trips and turn them into tips and useful information.

Take The Trip

Don’t lose sight of the reason you began writing in the first place. Write a few posts from the road about very specific elements and experiences. This lays the framework for more general posts and helps your readers connect with you. Concise travel stories and some well taken photos give life to any post.

Notes As You Go

Each of us learns something new every time we set out on a new trip. Make note of your preparations and keep in mind how you adapted to your destination once you got there. Think in terms of geography (continental, country, and local) as well as what stood out to you and what made you stand out.

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Travelers who are ridged in their planning tend to miss out on spontaneous new opportunities and experiences, while those that jump in to a trip get stuck doing only a few things. We all fall on toward one end of the spectrum or another, but the smart traveler knows how to balance their tendencies and maximize their travel efficiency.

Travel efficiency is the amount of travel experience you get vs. the total time spent traveling or overhead (like planning). No matter if you’re a planner or an aimless student you can use these rules to work in harmony with your preparation habits and increase your travel efficiency.

• Plan Ahead - The time you have before you actually begin your journey is yours to spend. Planners can take as much time as they want plotting out the sights and places they’d like to visit. The more spontaneous crowd can look for bargains or network with other travelers during this time.

Planners: Make sure that you leave at least 20% of your trip open for new ideas or events. Fill in this time only after you arrive at your destination. If you can’t fill it in, relax using your favorite method (i.e. beach, nap, bar).

Spontaneous: Do a tiny bit of research with some Google hacking and pick 3 things (per week) that you really want to do. Getting somewhere without any clue will waste a day or two in a hotel or wandering, especially if you can’t get information or Internet easily.

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Segway tours are becoming a popular way to travel cities all over the world but certainly a luxury over just walking. Tours via Segway can be a nice change for the experianced traveler but can also make you a tourist attraction yourself.

My recent Segway tour of DC was undoubtedly fun but I wanted to put it to the test against the traditional walking tour.

Attention On You

Traveling around on a Segway, no less in a group of them, makes your stand out. People will stare at you, homeless will yell meaningless rants in your direction, and high schoolers may tease you. Touring a town by Segway is not ideal for those who like to wander around a city and blend in.

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Increasing travel costs, busy lives, and fewer vacation hours are not stopping trips altogether, but making them shorter. It’s not only people here in the US taking “American vacations” but the practice is becoming more common in Europe as well.

More than half of the 5,000 Brits who answered a Holiday Inn poll said the 2-week vacation is out.

No matter where you’re going don’t dismiss the idea of taking a 4-day international holiday. You’ll be able to see more places in the long run if you take the opportunity and go, even if it’s for weekend.

Save Money

Add some adventure travel to your short trips by saving on hotel costs by sleeping at airports on road trips or try your luck with home exchange.

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Reading is the pastime of the frequent flier as a good way to stay entertained on long flights, unexpected delays, or the usual layovers. It’s been a while since Amazon released its wireless reading device, the Kindle and I decided to test whether its the ultimate way to read at 30,000 feet.

The contender is an iPod Touch that has been jailbroken, (something you’ll need to do if you want to read eBooks).

Up against both are classical books, made of nothing but paper and ink. Here’s how each fared.

Aspect: Size

• Winner: iPod Touch - The iPod Touch comes in at 4.2 ounces about 4.3 inches high, 2.4 inches wide and .31 inches thick. The Kindle doesn’t fit into most pockets at 7.5 inches tall and 5.3 inches wide at 10.3 ounces. Books vary, but are almost all heavier and bigger.
• Best For: Travelers who are short on space, trying to avoid luggage fees, or sticking to a single carry-on.

Aspect: Security Lines

• Winner: Books (except controversial ones) - Books won’t make X-ray machines beep, get TSA officials riled up, or have wires associated with them. Carrying books can help you get through security faster. The more electronics you travel with the greater the likelihood you’ll be held up, stopped, or searched.
• Best For: Business travelers who tend to take day trips, people who end up late at the airport, and the impatient. Never travel with books that may be offensive in the countries you are visiting (especially in conservative societies); in these cases, it’s better to have a Kindle or iPod Touch to obscure what you are reading.

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I’ve got some ideas of my own, but would really like to hear from you experianced travelers. What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to someone about to set off on a trip?

Let us know your travel mantras in the comments and I’ll chime in with my own nuggets of wisdom too.

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Airports can be wonderful places to spend unexpected recreational time. With airlines canceling flights left and right, chances are you’ll be stuck in Minneapolis, Atlanta, or Minneapolis again.

If your flight is canceled, take a deep breath and enjoy all of the relaxing things you probably don’t get to do in regular life when you want to.

• Get Drunk - Airports aren’t littered with bars for nothing. Have a few drinks somewhere near your gate. You don’t have to drive anywhere and if you’re lucky there will be enough alcohol left in your system when the plane takes off for a solid block of sleep.
• Read Tabloids For Free - Many people spend a few minutes each time they are in grocery store lines reading celebrity gossip, dirt, and sex. Read as many as you want for free or buy a couple. When you’re done reading place them next to you with a piece of paper that reads: “For Sale: $1″. People will buy them, trust me.

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