Traveling internationally in the new millenium is very different than it was in the past. Security is tighter at the airports and the rules don’t seem to make sense many times. Whoever would have believed that we would be removing our shoes, belts and jackets in order to be allowed to get to our gate?

The only thing that has remained the same is the people. It is still a pleasure to meet people from all over the world while I am traveling around the world. I like to find out as much as I can about them and find out how we are different and what we share in common. We all seem to be much more similar than I ever would have thought, and share many of the same beliefs and fundamental values.

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Traveling can be an expensive endeavor no matter what the reason - business or pleasure. The rising cost of everything from gas to groceries has made the family vacation a vanishing dinosaur. You don’t have to bury the outings just yet. There are easy ways to keep the costs down without limiting the experience.

The best way to save money while traveling is to go with a group. Almost every major venue, all attractions and even some travel companies offer discounts for large parties. If you can get your extended family to travel with you or put together a special group experience you could potentially save hundreds of dollars.

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Whether you’re embarking on a family vacation or your family reunion, it’s going to be a special time. When we think of trips we’ve taken, we tend to remember them best with photographs. Here’s some ideas to enhance your vacation as well as your memories of them.

Location Preparation

1) Since you know where you’re going (that’s a minimum requirement), doesn’t it make sense to check out the location before you get there? Create a list of attractions, accommodations, special points of interest, amusement areas, shopping, etc. A good source to help you do this is: the Places and Travel section of msn.com ( http://groups.msn.com/Browse?CatId=179)

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Here are just a couple of travel tips that will help stretch your travel dollar. They start with you at home. Other than making an airline reservation if you are flying, do NOT make any other reservations. There is a chance your plans may fall through, like if weather impacts your trip, so you do not want to be stuck with reservations (paid for or not) that you cannot use. The following alternatives help explain why often having NO plans is often the best plan.

This is mostly true for hotels to begin with. If you are driving somewhere, having a reservation may prevent you from enjoying a stop along the way, like to sight see or go golfing or visit with friends. In fact, visiting with friends is many times the best way to save money, as they may invite you to their home for lunch, dinner or to even put you up for the night. Right there are a couple ways to save money. If you drive and do not have a definite stop in mind, you can check out coupons for motels in different towns. For instance, if you are going to a major city, simply stopping 20 miles short may save you $50-$100 versus downtown hotel rates and yet you are only 30 minutes away. You can look for coupon guide books in fast food restaurants and convenience stores also, which may save you $10-$20 off the normal rate and that savings is usually greater than the standard 10% off for an auto club, internet or Senior discount.

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ML Museum Liaunig, Neuhaus, Austria – When Heinz Tesar’s museum for the Essl Collection was opened in Klosterneuburg, near Vienna nine years ago it was Austria’s first newly built private museum and seemed likely to long remain the only one of its kind. However a worthy successor soon came along in the form of the Liaunig Museum in which a new generation of architects interprets the phenomenon “art” in its own way.

Located in the scenic regions of Southern Austria, the project is built high up in the landscape. Museum Liaunig has a remarkable architecture that protrudes out on two sides over a steep-sided landscape. The cut through the hill marks a punctual intervention in nature.

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Curtain of Fire, Hawaii – Located in volcanic Hawaii, Extreme pressure gushing out of a volcano, a fissure vent, and tons and tons of deadly lava, maybe something even hotter than Damien Rice’s “Volcano” — that’s what the Curtain of Fire is. Imagine a geyser, but instead of one hole to burst out of, think, a whole line — it makes for some spectacular display of the awesome power hidden beneath areas with volcanic activity — and seeing it gobble up a tree just adds to the excitement even more.

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