Holiday Travel Insurance Center

Many people purchase RVs because they will have a kitchen on the road. This saves money on food since you are preparing and cooking in the comfort of your RV, not having to go out to eat or even grill over a campfire. Most RVs have a sink, refrigerator, stove/cook top, and other miscellaneous kitchen tools you would find in your home kitchen. If you are new to RVs, you may not be aware of what you need to do to ensure your kitchen runs efficiently when living on the road. The following are helpful suggestions to guide the new RV owner in and around the kitchen.

Pots, pans, cups, etc: When choosing such items for most types of RVs, make sure they are able to stack easily. Storage space in RVs is typically slim to nell, so the least amount of room your cookware takes up, the better for you. Also, check to see what the cooking items are made of. Don’t pick stoneware, but choose lightweight metal or plastic plates. RVs continuously shift and what is in storage, such as your dinnerware, will inevitable adjust some. A lightweight material will not be as damaged during the drive.

Prioritize your meals: Most RVs do not come with large kitchen storage spaces. This means you should prioritize foods for the road. Steer away from canned foods because of their weight. Think of spices and herbs you can pack, also think of potatoes, onions, or other durable foods. You can always buy fresh produce on the road.

Take care of the refrigerator: Different RVs come with different size, shape, style of refrigerators, but the important factor is that you will need to give it extra care. Turn on the fridge about one hour before you are ready to load it. Make sure you keep the refrigerator as level as possible when you have the motor home parked, and make sure there is approximately one inch of air circulation surrounding it.

Heating water: You can heat water easily in your RV by using the engine heat or the RV water heater. When you have the recreational vehicle parked, you should use the engine heat, and while driving, use the water heater. Be cautious, especially if you have young children traveling with you. Watch the thermostat.

Miscellaneous kitchen tools: There are other kitchen items you may want to consider when traveling in your motor home, such as a deep sink, a crock pot with space to let it sit, a coffee pot, microwave, etc. Make your RV a home away from home.

Author Julie Jacobs. Find RV resources for recreational vehicles at pedatarvcenter.com.

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Before you take to the highways for your next vacation or business trip, look for a good map or two to take along. Although you may know the way there quite well, an up-to-date map may be able to show you shortcuts or help you avoid road construction and other delays. Don’t take chances on a stressed-out memory or a change of location for a business or address that you haven’t visited in some time. And you certainly don’t want to end up in a strange city without a hint of where to stay or what to do while you’re there. Take advantage of some of these low-cost maps and services.

The easiest and fastest type of road map most people can get is over the Internet by visiting one of the popular map sites for road trips. In a matter of seconds, you can type in your starting address as well as your intended destination, and receive a downloadable map charting your course as well as a list of driving instructions. Just print and go! You might want to visit a couple of these sites and compare them for the simplest or fastest way to get where you want to go, although chances are that both routes will be similar. The more you do this, the better feel you will get for which site has the best updates on construction areas and highway modifications.

Another way to get a useful map is to pick up one up a convenience store, department store, or gas station. Check for brand names of map suppliers, keeping in mind the higher quality sources like Rand McNally, etc. Also look for more recent maps, preferably for the current year, although some stores may not stock the latest edition. Then try to get map coverage for the most specific part of your trip rather than for a three-state area that will just make your travel route harder to find. Use a highlighter or marker to trace your route, taking care not to obliterate the exits or town names you need to look for when driving.

One of the best ways to get a quality roadmap is by joining your local automobile association. In addition to providing free maps that plot your trip from one location to another, the staff will highlight the driving areas for you so that you just pick up the maps and you’re ready to go. The association typically offers lodging and attraction guides for major cities, rating hotels and motels with a five-star system and detailed information on which accommodations are available through various lodging chains. You can find out where to get Internet service, a swimming pool, and other amenities, including parking options, with these helpful guides.

Don’t start your trip empty-handed. Fill up with the latest travel information that will make your journey more pleasant and productive and get you where you want to go with the greatest possible ease.

Look for more information on finding and using reliable, up-to-date maps at Search-maps.com at http://www.1st-maps.com

http://www.Search-maps.com

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The Parador of Alarcon is located about 200 km. southeast of Madrid directly below Cuenca. Twelve hundred years ago, a prince of the Visigoths was out hunting and came upon a rugged and rocky hill almost completely encircled by a river. He thought it a perfect place to build a fortress. His father, King Alaric, came back to inspect the site and did build a castle there. The town and the Parador still bear his name.

The Alarcon Parador has thick stone walls set with turrets surrounding it and the small town. One of these towers (called a coracha) is right down on the river Jucar. It was from under this one that the ancient townspeople could obtain water during a siege.

The castle was controlled by the Moors for hundreds of years. In 1184, after a long unsuccessful siege, a brave knight climbed the walls one night by using two daggers to wedge into the slits in the great stones that form the walls. He got over and opened the doors from within allowing King Alfonso VIII and his forces in to recapture the castle for the Christian re-conquest. Many years later, Queen Isabel had to put down a rebellion of sorts here by some of her powerful yet disloyal barons.

The Parador of Alarcon is the kind of place castle lovers dream of. It looks and feels like a castle, and one can literally sense the history of the place as a palpable presence. It’s setting is spectacular, and the approach is unforgettable - transporting the traveler not only to the castle, but seemingly back in time as well!

Interesting nearby excursions from Parador Alarcon:

- The medieval old town of Alarcon.

- The wonderful Iglesia de Santa Maria.

- The old town hall on the main plaza.

Interesting day trips include:

- Cuenca - The city of the famous “casas colgadas” (hanging houses). Cuenca is a Unesco-declared World Heritage site, and should be considered a “must see.”

- Belmonte - Be sure and drive over to Belmonte to see the wonderful old, abandoned, yet well-preserved 15th century castle ruins there. You can climb up into the towers and walk around inside the grounds. The Belmonte castle has a rare and beautiful triangular patio. If you go on a weekday - you’ll likely have it all to yourself.

For travelers who like to visit relatively un-touristed locations that, nevertheless, exude an air of historical significance - and especially for aficionados of wonderful old castles - the Alarcon Parador is a near-perfect destination.

SpainParador.com makes it easy for you to plan and arrange your next trip to Spain. This time stay in palaces, castles, and other places of great historical interest and rare beauty - the wonderful Paradors of Spain. http://www.SpainParador.com

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