Long Beach

When preparing for any sort of trip, you’ve always got to deal with packing.  Even if you’re only going out of town for the weekend, you’ll need to take a few items with you.  However, you never want to take too much or too little.  To help with those difficult packing decisions, here are a few tips.

Check the weather.  While you may have a general idea of your destination’s temperature, it’s always a good idea to check the weather the week before you leave.  You don’t want to head some place sunny, arrive at your hotel, only to discover they have suddenly been hit with a random cold front.  Know if you’ll need warm clothes or shorts and pack accordingly.

Don’t take clothes you may not wear.  If you won’t be attending anything that requires fancy clothing, don’t take any “just in case.”  Many people take these “just in case” outfits and then never wear them.  Know you probably won’t be swimming in the hotel pool?  Don’t pack your bathing suit.

Shoes are another concern.  Many women take too many shoes with them.  Take only those shoes you know you will wear, and try to make one pair of shoes go with as many outfits as you possibly can.

If you’re taking a suit jacket, instead of packing it, consider wearing it during travel.  It can save you a nice amount of space in your luggage and keep the jacket from getting wrinkled.  Once you arrive, either iron it or hang it in the bathroom while you take a hot shower to steam out any travel wrinkles.

If you don’t have a lot of stuff to put in your carry-on bag, consider packing your toiletries in it.  This gives you more room for clothing in your luggage.  You can also fold up t-shirts or other items of clothing and pack them in your carry-on if you have the room.

Finally, be sure to leave a bit of room in your luggage for souvenirs and other things you’ll be bringing back from your trip.  The last thing you want is to have to purchase a new bag just to get everything home.

While it is technically its own country, the Vatican is located completely within the city of Rome.  Properly named the State of the Vatican City and sometimes called the Holy See, this tiny little country is the home to the Roman Catholic religion.  The Pope resides here, as do many of the top leaders of the church.  However, you don’t have to be a member of the church to visit the public parts of the city and see the amazing historical sites.  Since the Vatican is contained within Rome, you may be able to walk to the country from your hotel or take public transportation. Most hotels in Rome will be able to give you detailed directions to the Vatican. The Vatican is the smallest country in the world, and it has a long history.  It was created as a state by the Lateran Treaty in 1929, but many of the buildings and sights have existed long before then. The city was built atop the tomb of Saint Peter, and it features many amazing churches and old buildings.  One of the most famous is, of course, the Sistine Chapel with its painted ceiling by Michelangelo.  St. Peter’s basilica is another amazing church.  The Vatican Gardens and the 11 different Vatican museums are also great places to visit, and one can spend days in the tiny country.  The gardens are especially interesting and feature a number of different pools, bridges, and plants.  They were originally planted and cultivated in medieval times as orchards and vineyards. While the population is quite small (there are less than a thousand permanent residents), many tourists and church visitors on official business enter and exit the country every day.  The Vatican supports many different languages, including English, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way around.  The country has adopted the Euro as its official currency, so convert your money before visiting if necessary.

No one likes to force themselves to stick to a budget, but sometimes it is necessary when travelling, especially if you’re travelling for pleasure and have to pay all the bills (sometimes, you luck out on business trips and your company picks up most of the tabs).  However, even when you’re on a budget, you can still have a lot of fun.

Transportation is often very expensive, but you can find some good deals.  If you watch airline websites, for example, you may see them run a special or find tickets to your destination for less if you buy early.  You may also want to look into early morning flights.  These red eye flights are sometimes cheaper.  It’s also often cheaper to leave on a weekday instead of the weekend.  Look at different options.  Sometimes, changing your holiday dates can mean a substantial savings.

Hotels can also be expensive.  However, if you’re willing to book a hotel that’s not quite as fancy or isn’t in a prime location, you can save some money.  If you’re a young traveller, you may also want to look into staying at a youth hostel.  While there’s usually less privacy in these hostels, the cost is much less.  If you’re driving to your destination and don’t mind roughing it, you can also look at taking your tent along and camping out.

You don’t have to spend a lot on activities, either.  Many museums around the world ask for donations instead of charging admission.  Others charge a fairly low amount.  If you want to see a lot of different things in the same city, look into a combination pass.  Many cities offer these passes for the same cost as three or four admissions, so you can save a good amount by buying one of them.

Finally, pay attention to how much you spend on food.  Eating out at an expensive restaurant may be a nice treat for one evening of your trip, but you may not want to do it every day.  Look into fast food or other cheap alternatives for breakfast and lunch.  Also avoid hotel room service and eating at attractions—they always charge much more for food than other eating places.

The Long Beach Community Band has been entertaining Southern California audiences since 1947 — that’s 60 years and counting!This outstanding volunteer organization provides everything from music in the park to exciting swing dances and childrens’ music programs.

Whether you’re looking for a band to hire or would like to join a group of talented musicians yourself, we’d love to hear from you.

Long Beach Community Band • P.O.Box 91503 • Long Beach, CA 90809
(562) 403-2923 • info@longbeachband.com