Best Travel Deals and News – May 4, 2010 – Travel Ripoffs, Travel to Burma, List of Airlines Fees, Erase Your Lost Smartphone, Google Maps Tips

by brian on May 4, 2010

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com:

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

The 10 Worst Travel Rip-Offs … and How to Avoid Them
From loyal reader Karen

The biggest one that I think many of us forget: the insurance the car rental companies suggest you buy while you’re standing at the counter. I’m all for being insured, especially when you drive in a foreign country, but your credit card may already have the protection provided by the additional fee for car insurance.

Avoid Ripoff Tourist Restaurants

I would say just avoid those restaurants to begin with, but sometimes you just can’t help it. You’re hot/cold/tired after a hard day of pounding the pavement and seeing the sights and you just want something to eat. You’re probably going to get fleeced staying within in the tourist zone, but at least you can lessen the blow.

Crash Course Burma: Before You Go

Fellow blogger Jodi from Legal Nomads, who has been keeping up us up to date on the latest in Thailand, continues to explore Asia and wrote a guide for those of you considering Burma.

Travel Video of the Week
New Zealand Air Safety Video
The airline industry is not only creative with their fees, but they are extremely creative when it comes to air safety videos.
Look very carefully and you’ll see something different about these airline employees. If you can see it, tell us in the comments below.

Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know Google Maps Could Do

Google has alot of apps that many of us use, and you’ve probably used Maps for the simple point A to point B directions. But with a little creativity, you can use Google Maps in new and interesting ways. How about directions to a location via SMS if you don’t have that expensive data plan? I think the ability to be lost somewhere and have a “You Are Here” marker on your phone is pretty nice.

The Nano Diaries

A new blog for you to check out: A British woman who is traveling solo around India in a bright yellow compact car. You can bet she has some great stories…

9 things to bring when traveling Japan

Pretty simple list of things that you should be carrying anyway, but I just like any excuse to mention Japan.

Crazy Airline Fees

Great chart of all the US based carrier fees that you may miss when you’re booking that super low fare. The site owner contacted me and said they will be adding international carriers soon.

Lost a Smartphone? Track It and Erase Data

The horror of any type of travel is losing your phone and then realizing that your information as well as that of friends, family and business associates is all out there. If you lose it, you may not get your device back, but at least you can protect your privacy by wiping out all info before someone can use it.

Anyone have an Android phone? Chime in here about options for erasing data on Google Android. I’m considering an iPhone or an Android for my next piece of high tech candy this summer.