Click here if you missed the first carnival, or read more about the carnival and how to submit your travel articles. All linkbacks appreciated.

There are enough entries to merit making this a two-week affair from now on, so the next one will be mid-August.

** = my personal favorites

Travel Planning/Philosophy

• Amanda prepares for a big trip and posts her thoughts on Planning at She Has Moxie.
• Yehuda Berlinger ponders The Reasons Why We Travel – Read Before You Go posted at Yehuda. **
• Mike explains Why I Travel: Television Made Me Do It! posted at Vagabondish. **
• Jason Antic announces Our Big, Big Roadtrip Across America is Coming Soon! and provides an introduction to couch surfing posted at We Go to Cool Places.
• Roger Carr writes about volunteer tourism in Make Your Vacation Memorable This Year posted at Everyday Giving Blog.
• Host Bee shares her pre-departure checklist in Preparing for Vacation posted at Busy Bee Lifestyle. **
• Edith Yeung asks What is your Dream? and recounts a trip to Machu Picchu posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act.
• Eric Daams presents Why Getting Ripped Off is Alright when traveling posted at From the swivellin’ chair….

Flying

• Steve Madsen reviews British Airways – World Traveller Plus (yep, long-haul flights are a bummer) posted at Exit Row Seat.
• Mary Jo Manzanares asks So You Want to be a Flight Attendant? posted at Fly Away Cafe. **
• Stingy Student presents Costliest mistake about the cost of missing a flight posted at Stingy Students.

Travel Savings

• Millionaire Mommy Next Door offers 10 Ways to Save on Travel Expenses posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door.
• Jimson Lee presents Traveling Overseas and Saving Money on International Calls posted at Speedendurance.com. **

Asia/Pacific Articles

• Lubna Kably writes about Little Tibet in South India posted at The Writer’s Cyberslate.
• John Hill presents Koh Samui on a Shoestring posted at Universe Of Success.
• Fellow Kiwi Kara-Leah Masina reveals Why I love New Zealand/Aotearoa, Land of the long white cloud posted at Be Conscious Now.
• John Hill has an Adventure in Cambodia posted at Universe Of Success.

Europe/UK Articles

• Paul Dwerryhouse offers advice for anyone traveling to Amsterdam on a budget posted at Last Carriage. **
• Michelle Brown helps with a London Layover: What to do with 8 Hours in London posted at Inspired Diversions.
• Kate Baggott reviews a Frankfurt eatery at A Child-Friendly Restaurant for Grown Ups posted at Babylune.
• Travelrat visits Exbury Garden Railway posted at Travelrat’s Travels.

US Articles

• Jon takes a segway tour in Tour DC in Style…Segway Style! posted at The DC Traveler.
• Sheila explains 3 Ways to Have a Luxurious Hawaii Vacation on the Cheap and See An Unforgettable Sunrise at the Peak of a Volcano posted at GoVisitHawaii.com. **
• Mike takes The Niagara Wine Trail posted at Days That End in Y.
• Veteran Military Wife reviews Kennedy Space Center and the NEW Shuttle Launch Experience posted at Life Lessons of a Military Wife. **
• Seafarer presents Big Country: The Kansas Flint Hills posted at Family Travel.
• Cade Krueger presents A Trip To Leavenworth posted at Small Business Opportunity.

Other

• Daniel checks out apps in the handy Facebook for Travelers posted at TheLostGlobe. **
• And… Michael presents A Letter In Your Back Pocket: Your Key To The Developing World posted at Traveling Stories Magazine.

If you’ve been on a plane more than once, chances are your luggage has been ‘misplaced’ at some point.

In the grand scheme of things, lost luggage is not a tragedy. But after a butt-numbing 20 hours in a plane (New Zealand to the UK, for example), you’re desperate for a shower and change of clothes. Not to mention exiting Heathrow as quickly as possible, and not filling out Lost Luggage forms while weeping into your itinerary.

Luggage goes missing for a variety of reasons: the airline misplaces it, someone mistakes it for their bag, or it falls off a trolley or luggage belt. Generally you won’t have to wait too long to get it back.

Preventing Lost Luggage Stress

• Buy a distinctive suitcase. I have pink. No one touches it. My black one used to go walkabout all the time…
• Don’t over-pack or check in luggage that is broken or worn. Check for loose straps etc that could get snagged on things.
• Label your luggage. Clear contact details. Put stickers all over it.
• Avoid checking in luggage if possible. If it’s a short trip, consider a carry-on bag only. Skip the queues.
• Hold onto your checked luggage ID tag. It’s usually a sticker on your ticket/boarding pass.
• Have travel insurance.
• Don’t pack precious items. Carry them!
• When picking up your luggage, hover near the beginning of the carousel. Sometimes bags fall off. Sometimes people let them.

When Your Luggage is Lost…

• Don’t panic. Most luggage turns up within 24 hours. Report the loss to the airline at the baggage terminal immediately, before you leave the airport. Fill in the forms with clear contact details and a clear description of the lost bag and its contents.
• If your luggage is damaged, most airlines will compensate you. Follow the process above.

Related Reading

• Lost luggage airline stats. It’s really not too bad. But to prevent any kind of delay or damage, I still recommend my tips above.

I can only speak from the position of a Kiwi, but many Kiwis head to the UK on the two-year visa. Many don’t even know that similar visas are now available for Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and more. The visas are generally 1-2 years’ duration and include the right to work at least part-time while there.

These visas are awesome because they mean you can travel and earn money at the same time! Well, hallelujah!

Even if you’re over 30 it’s not all bad news. There are still visas available, and several are points-based depending on your college degree and work experience.

I’ve had two Working Holiday visas, one for the UK (two years, although I only stayed for one) and Germany (one year). I worked mainly as an English Language teacher, having taken a one-month course in NZ first called the CELTA, which is internationally recognized.

I’ll blog more about work experience overseas and how to get a job in another post. This post is mainly to share the good news that there are lots of overseas visas and you should start researching now!

Where do you want to go? Visit the website of that country’s consulate and check out the visa section. Find people who have lived there (Alabama, Arctic, someone will have done it) and ask them how they managed it. People love being asked how they did something.

Note: You will generally need to apply for visas before you leave your home country.

Depending on the country, there may be some red tape to wallow through first, so allow plenty of time. My visa for England took ages, because there were so many applicants. My German visa took a few days. My visa for the US wasn’t hard but I had to wait ages in queues to be approved. Be patient.

Note 2: There are organizations that can help you arrange your visa. Do a Google search for ‘organize visa for [country]‘. I have never used one so can’t comment too much, however I’m a fan of doing it myself because a) it’s cheaper and b) that way I know exactly what’s going on with my application.

Note 3: If you find that you’re from a country that sadly doesn’t have many overseas visa options, consider finding a job at a multi-national company and get an overseas transfer. Friends of mine have done this with great success.