Use Technology to Lower Your Vacation Stress

Burton Kelso

Integral Computer Consultants
Contributing Writer

One of the worst parts of a vacation is getting there. when flying, you have to arrive two hours early, stand in line to get your ticket, stand in another line for security, and then wait at the gate. once at your destination, there's still the line at the rental car agency. you can bypass many lines at the airport and speed things up at the car agency with a few strokes on your keyboard.

It's best to buy electronic plane tickets. it saves you money because most airlines charge as much as $20 for a paper ticket. you'll also have more options for checking in.

An e-ticket holder can go to the ticket counter to check in. it's faster to use a kiosk--some airlines provide these next to the ticket counters. simply insert your credit card and it will print your boarding pass. depending on the airline, you can immediately drop off your bags as well. you can't do this with a paper ticket.

If you are taking a short trip and only have carry-on luggage, you'll save even more time by printing your boarding pass at home. many airlines allow this. you'll be able go straight to the departing gate.

You'll also want to book your car online. most national agencies allow you to fill out your contract online. when you show up for your car, present your credit card and sign the contract.

If you're delayed at the airport or stuck with a really bad in-flight movie, you'll need a little entertainment. it's the same for long drives. portable DVD players and MP3 players are the perfect solution.

You can find a decent portable DVD player for about $200. you'll get a small screen--five inches. this is fine for single viewing. for $350 or more, you can get an eight- or nine-inch screen. this is enough for two people to watch without knocking heads. make sure the player has more than one headphone jack.

Listening to music is a great way to pass the time. if you need a lot of storage space for your mp3s, the iPod mini (http://www.apple.com) works well. It retails for $249 and stores about 1,000 songs. if you need versatility, the iRiver iFP-790 (http://www.iriveramerica.com) retails for $179.99. it will play about eight hours of music and doubles as a voice recorder.

Even though you are going on vacation to get away from it all, going without e-mail is virtually impossible. it's also counterproductive; five days of not checking e-mail will leave you with tons of spam.

The best way to access the Internet with your laptop is through Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity). many hotel chains allow their guests to access this fast connection for free. the Wi-Fi Freespot Directory (http://www.wififreespot.com/hotels.html) has a list. if you don't have Wi-Fi built-in to your laptop, you can purchase a wireless card for about $50.

It's also a good idea to sign up for a free trial of a nationwide dial-up service, such as AOL or MSN, before you leave home. this is handy if your hotel doesn't have Wi-Fi. just be sure to cancel when you get back.

Summer vacations are supposed to be relaxing. often they’re hectic and stressful. but technology can help reduce stress and keep the kids happy.