Many people do not bother looking at top-range hotels when searching for a holiday as they automatically assume these places will be well out of their price range. Little do people know, it is actually more than possible to nab yourself a luxury hotel at a dirt-cheap price. In reality, hardly anyone actually pays the full asking price for luxury hotels anymore due to the plethora of ways in which you can game the system to get a well-priced deal. By wising up and learning a few tricks that others might not know, you could find yourself relaxing in a luxury hotel before you know it. Here are just some of the ways by which you can grab yourself, your partner or your family a great deal.

Zero in on Special Offers

Online travel agencies and travel retailers are just like their brick-and-mortar counterparts in that they often have sales were they slash prices in order to move stock. If you can be flexible with your holiday dates and timing, then it is almost always worth waiting around for a sale and seeing what bargains you can find. The trick is to act quickly: many sales on travel websites are while rooms last or limited for a certain number of hours. Keep a keen eye and you will likely stumble upon a deal that could get you into a quality hotel.

Follow Your Favourites on Social Media

Perhaps one of the problems with flash sales and last-minute deals is that people can often beat you to the punch and snap up the best hotel rooms at the best prices before you can blink. If you feel like taking a luxury break soon but are waiting for a sale, then why not keep an eye on travel retailers via social media? By following travel agents and retailers on Twitter or Facebook, you can see when the best deals are happening as soon as they happen. Most travel retailers keep their pages busy and up-to-date (as you can see here), meaning you’ll never miss out on another deal again if you keep a hawk-eye on your social media feeds. If you are not a Facebook fanatic, then you can go old-school and sign-up for an email newsletter instead!

Last-minute Specials

The big secret of the holiday industry is that no hotel—including high-end luxury hotels— wants empty rooms, and because of this prices often drop massively as you approach a certain date. Many agencies and retailers capitalise on this fact to offer great deals to last-minute holiday makers, meaning that you can often get a great deal if you don’t mind going on holiday at the drop of a hat. Checking somewhere like the lastminute.com luxury hotel picks is a great way to find some of these last minute specials for high-end hotels. Just take a look and you will be amazed at the big brand hotels you can find, often at surprisingly low prices.

Prepping your strategy

Once you have a few of these tricks up your sleeve, it should be rather easy to find yourself a quality hotel within your price range. As always with hotels, flexibility is key: if you can book your travel around your hotel and not the other way around, you are likely to save a fortune in hotel fees. So stop assuming luxury hotels are out of your price range and get online and start searching: your dream luxury holiday could be right within your grasp.

Julia Nichols is a freelance travel writer and blogger on low-budget travelling and backpacking. She is travelling the world on a shoestring budget and shares her tips with fellow travellers on various outlets.

The Louvre, Paris

Paris is a city of love and romance, and if you’re looking for the perfect city break with your family, then there’s nowhere better to visit than the capital of France. There’s so much to do here that it’s hard to know where to start, however if you plan your trip well in advance, you’ll have more than enough time to pack in everything you want to see. Whether you’re travelling with your loved one or with your friends, Paris caters for all, and from historical cathedrals to luxury restaurants, you’ll certainly be worn out by the end of the day! Let’s take a look at some of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris this year.

Cathedral de Notre Dame de Paris

This cathedral offers some of the most stunning Gothic architecture in the whole of France, and many believe it represents the pinnacle of medieval design and innovation. Imposing on the Parisian skyline, visiting this spectacular monument is a must for any tourist in the city, however if you can’t handle the queues leading up to the Cathedral, then you watch the sun go down over the structure along the nearby Seine.

Le Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen

If you’d like to experience the diverse street markets that Paris has to offer, then head over to Le Marche auz Puces de St-Ouen, one of the city’s most famous alternative shopping districts. From antiques and fruits to fabrics and carved figurines, you’ll be able to let your imagination run wild here, and the prices are very fair too! The locals here like to chase customers, but remember to be respectful in your offers for their produce.

Le Champ de Mars

Le Champ de Mars is one of the most stunning places in all of Paris, and locals as well as tourists enjoy basking in the sun here while taking in the amazing view of the Eifel Tower. With vibrant flowerbeds, crisp lawns and litter-free walkways, you’ll be able to pack a picnic (don’t forget the wine) and laze the day away in this wonderful and tranquil spot.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery 

If you’re looking for a little eerie excitement in Paris, then head over to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery – the most haunted cemetery in the country! Home to some very famous names like Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison, you’ll be able to visit the tombs and see the amazing shrines that fans have built for their heroes. Visit Auto Europe if you’re thinking about renting a car in Paris this summer.

Marche d’Ailgre

Paris is a city of spectacular food, and where better to try out some of these amazing flavours than at Marche d’Aligre. From mountains of cheese, stacks of sausages, flower stalls as high as lamp posts and spices by the bucket load, this is a great place to visit if you’re renting an apartment instead of staying in a hotel. Furthermore, the Marche d’Ailgre is surrounded by wonderful cafés and restaurants, so why not grab a glass of wine after you’ve finished shopping!

Madden Lake, Okanagan Valley (Creative Commons)

Located in the heart of southern British Columbia, the Okanagan Valley is the perfect spot for a romantic getaway, a high-flying adventure, or a memorable family vacation.  In the summer, the valley is perfect for outdoor explorations along its sandy beaches while the winter offers an abundance of skiing and other wintertime fun.

After just a single visit to this amazingly diverse area, the Okanagan Valley will beckon one back time and time again.  Beloved by thousands of visitors each year, this part of Canada is known for its variety in climate, landscape and culture, offering something for everyone.  From orchards and vineyards to mountains and valleys, this is one of the most desirable locations in all of British Columbia.

The rolling hills of the valley make for a spectacular backdrop for golfing, skiing, relaxing, and touring the many wineries in the region.  Beginning in the south, one will find the Okanagan Valley’s stunning backcountry, complete with the remains of old mining settlements along the edges of the highways.  From the Oliver and Osoyoos regions, head north toward the valley, which is filled with lush orchards and vineyards.

Because of its location, the Okanagan Valley is home to dozens of parks and recreational areas, many of which surround the gorgeous Okanagan Lake.  No matter what time of year one chooses to visit, the open terrain of the region makes it the ideal destination for backpacking, hiking, and mountain biking.  The breathtaking landscapes do make for a challenging outdoor adventure, but there is something for every experience level.  For those looking for a true outdoor adventure, visit the valley in the winter for some prime skiing at Big White, Silver Star, and Apex.

Sun-drenched and snow-covered in the winter, the Okanagan Valley boasts some of the best downhill slopes in British Columbia. Home to several top-of-the-line resorts, the facilities for ski lovers and outdoor enthusiasts is simply second to none.  For those that don’t enjoy skiing, there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy the snowcapped mountains by throwing on a pair of snowshoes or hopping on a snowmobile.

Okanagan Valley wines

Though the original appeal of the Okanagan Valley was its natural beauty, the area is also beginning to emerge as a serious wine-producing region.  Canada’s wine industry traditionally hails from Ontario, but this region has truly blossomed in the past few years.  In fact, some of the most successful wines come from the Okanagan Valley.  Knowing this, a tour of the many wineries and vineyards is a must-do for anyone interested in wine; however, be sure to make a plan, as there are more than 9,000 acres of vineyards and almost 200 wineries!

The major centers of this region include Penticton, Osoyoos, Vernon, and of course, Kelowna.  Kelowna is a sanctuary nestled within the glorious mountain range, with abundant gardens, vineyards, and orchards.  This lakeside paradise is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley.  There are a variety of accommodations available, with Kelowna hotels along the lake, resorts on the mountain, and plenty of camping sites throughout the area.  Be sure not to miss the golfing, visit some of the 28 wineries, and take a stroll along the main street that actually ends at a beach!

“The world is a book”, the philosopher Saint Augustine once famously said, “and those who do not travel only read a page”. Whether embarking on a fortnight, month or year of travel, the experience will undoubtedly change your life, almost certainly for the better. And if you are spending time volunteering, the experience will be all the richer if you do it abroad.

Atop Sharp Top Mountain by L. Richard Martin, Jr. (creative commons)

Experience new cultures

You could spend an entire lifetime hunched in front of Wikipedia learning about the cultures of the world, but until you’ve experienced it first-hand, you have only reached the tip of the iceberg. Diving into the deep end of a new and unusual culture is a thrilling adventure: challenging but wildly gratifying.

You could spend some time soaking yourself in a country’s history and heritage. Gorge yourself on the local cuisine and become a food connoisseur of unique delicacies and trends. Or simply get to know the people and see how differently others live. Their outlook on life might offer you a whole new perspective of your own.

Helping others

There is a profound sense of achievement that comes with volunteering. Instead of simply indulging yourself in a luxurious beach holiday, volunteering gives the sense that you have contributed some essential good to human society, and does wonders for your self-esteem.

There are volunteer programmes in virtually every corner of the globe, and countries everywhere are grateful and welcoming for friendly, energetic volunteers to assist in practically every field of work. Whether you want to do conservation, construction or voluntary teaching abroad with children there are a number of programmes for everyone.

Volunteering abroad by The Dilly Lama (creative commons)

Learn a new language

There are countless advantages to studying a second language, including improved cognitive and literacy skills, greater understanding of a culture and increased employment opportunities. There is no better way to learn a new language than in the country where it is natively spoken. By immersing yourself in a foreign language and its culture you can pick up a vocabulary faster and more accurately than any classroom could teach you. And you will have earned a skill for life, providing a handy reason for return visits in future years.

Remind yourself how lucky you are

Many people who have done voluntary work with organisations like Projects Abroad in more vulnerable parts of the world have spoken of how the experience dramatically affected their perspective on life and the world. Living in the West, where healthcare and running water are taken for granted, it is easy to forget how fortunate our lives are; being confronted with extreme poverty teaches an important lesson in humility and provides a singular vantage point on the world. It can also make you appreciate your own native land, making your return home that extra bit sp

As Colorado becomes the latest state to concede a half-assed acceptance of the inevitability of time and tide and begins the slow process toward the legalization of cannabis possession, two Denver entrepreneurs have jumped the gun with America’s first marijuana tours.

There appears to be no effort to hide the obvious gimmick — the company is called Four-Twenty Tours after the achingly uncool seventies urban slang for “somehow related to marijuana” and, although the term finds its origins in the after-school hour ripe for smoking up, the first tour will be on April 20th (4.20). April 20th 2013, that is, fully eight months before anyone without a medical marijuana prescription will be able to buy product any more legally in Colorado than they could in any of its less progressive neighboring states.

Which means that those experienced with similar tours to, say, Amsterdam, may need to modify their expectations or break the law or, perhaps more safely and efficiently, go back to Amsterdam, because this tour includes a stay at a “pot-friendly” hotel (so, a lot of perfectly sober people hanging around the lobby asking each other if they have glaucoma), a hash-making demonstration, visits to dispensaries and legal grow-houses, and tickets to cannabis-themed events, and no dope. In short, a school field trip just with marijuana instead of maple syrup.

Four-Twenty Tours is proceeding without, unsurprisingly, the endorsement of the Colorado tourist office, which prefers to keep the focus on the traditional family-friendly activities for which Colorado is already a destination for visitors who spend nearly $10 billion a year in The Centennial State. Colorado’s reputation for quality conventions, tours and camping could be undermined, they feel, by an influx of a new breed of tourist who find their hands hilarious.

Having spewed all that, it should be pointed out that Four-Twenty Tours is probably only slightly before its time and there’s a good chance that the currently unclear implementation of the state’s new consensus on legalization could be dedicated marijuana specialty shops with a legal mandate to sell to tourists, and this could happen as early as 4.20.14.

Just how do the discount airlines do what they do? How do they manage to provide short-range international flights like London to Mallorca for £18 and Dublin to Paris for €9? Of course, anyone who’s attempted to take advantage of these miraculous offers knows the secret already — they don’t.

The discount airlines use tricks and bait and hidden fees and small print and a deliberately dizzying array of other spring-loaded traps to get the real cost of your seat out of you and they will, no matter what, get it. They’re not charities. Having said that if you can tolerate a few drawbacks and clawbacks and you carefully and minutely observe the following rules the discount airlines can still be appreciably cheaper than than the alternatives.

Don’t be naive — these people are not your friends

Do you remember the golden age of jet travel? The age of the Pan-Am travel bag and pretty stewardesses in brassy, Pierre Cardin miniskirts offering you an in-flight martini and lighting your Lucky Strike? An age when a kind word and a wink and sharp suit could get you bumped to first class? Of course you don’t, because that was the 1950s when a flight cost the equivalent of a year’s income for the average family of six.

Fly the friendless sky

That golden age was followed by a democratisation of flight largely facilitated by the deregulation of international routes and a massive increase in competition (and the consequential demise of industry colossuses like Pan-Am) but travel then was still very much a gentleman’s agreement and airlines competed on qualities like comfort and breadth of destinations.

The third age of flight is the one we’re in now — it’s the age of the deep discount airline and it’s characterised mainly by an adversarial relationship between passenger and carrier. It’s your job to pay as close to the advertised price as you can and it’s their job to get as much out of you as they can. As a matter of policy they will maximise the profit of this one trip and they absolutely do not care if you never fly with them again.

The booking and registration process are exactly as complex as they’re intended to be. You’ll need to be particularly vigilant when deciding if you do not want to reject the offer to not accept the automatic addition of flight insurance, for instance. You’ll need to take notes as you pass through pages and pages of offers and rules and options and you cannot go back without crashing your browser but it’s guaranteed that you’ll need a detail from page two to avoid a surcharge on page five.

If you make a mistake then you’ve spent money. From the perspective of the airline it wasn’t a mistake, it was a positive entry in a cold-blooded statistical success rate and no amount of self-deprecating apology is going to move them. You can’t call them, even if that would do any good, and explaining to the pretty girl at the checkin desk at the airport that you meant to not select the “Reject to refuse to accept early check-in” option will be a similar experience to asking for mercy from a brick wall, if that brick wall could smirk a little, betraying a twisted pleasure in your pain.

Don’t be too fussy about where you’re going, because you’re not going there

You’ll be happy to know that the discount airlines aren’t just strong-arming you — many of their costs are defrayed by the suspension of airport fees and taxes and other incentives offered by remote and under-used freight airports and municipal governments hungry for even the parsimonious tourist brought in by the discount airlines.

These airports do not have modern luxuries like restaurants and heating and they very often don’t have an obvious way of getting to where you were told you were going. Charleroi airport in Belgium, mischievously renamed Brussels-South to satisfy its discount masters, is 60 km from the European capital. Ryanair’s Paris flights land at Beauvais airport, fully 84 km to the north, but you can take a coach for only €16 (tickets are available, handily, on the plane) and an hour and twenty minutes to Porte Maillot, which is very nearly in Paris!

So you’re not getting there when you think you are, either. Discount airlines are, in fact, notoriously punctual and will not abide a single litre of fuel wasted idling on runways, but as noted above the flight itself is the minor leg of your journey; Lau-Tzu’s profoundly observed “single step”. Furthermore the advertised schedule is a classic bait-and-switch — sure, you can spend the weekend in Rome for £48 return if your weekend starts at 22h30 on a Saturday night and ends at 06h05 Sunday morning. For a schedule that accommodates seeing, say, Rome, you’re going to need to pay something close to what a real airline would charge. Real airlines use that money to pay for real landing slots, so their passengers arrive at night or in the morning with some latitude in their planning. The discount airlines get the discount slots, so you’ll either be getting up at 4am to catch your flight or arriving at your destination as the sun’s going down.

So the trick is flexibility. And rigidity. A rigid flexibility. In any case you need to be very fastidious about the process and small print but very relaxed and easygoing about destinations and travel times.

Next week — the discount is in the details

With what appears to be a school holiday every other week, it can be really difficult to keep up with the holiday planning, and you may find yourself running out of ideas before long. Kids definitely need stimulating, but get bored very easily so choosing something new and refreshing for the family can be hell unless you opt to travel further away each time.

Another thing to consider is that many activities don’t necessarily suite the whole family, so it can be quite a challenge in itself getting the right balance of fun, education, entertainment and of course relaxation for mum and dad. The difficulty in many cases is that travelling anywhere with the kids can be so hectic and stressful that it takes the fun out of the trip.

What you need is a solution to give you the break you need but allow the kids to have a fun-filled, action-packed holiday doing all the activities they love, without the hassle of you organising it all!

Holiday camps may just be the perfect solution for the little ones. With a huge variety of activities to choose from, there is a package to suite even the fussiest of mites. Whether they prefer a week of dancing and singing or perhaps a multi-activity of archery, football, horse-riding and more, the kids camps are great for entertainment, education and of course socialising, having fun and meeting new friends! The chances are they won’t want to come home.

Activities for the kids are really important in developing many much needed skills. Children can benefit enormously from taking part in fun activities, and in many cases they just see it as having fun when in fact they are constantly learning as well as exercising. Obviously there are great things for the kids to do wherever you go, but it can be time consuming finding all the information you need and planning the itinerary for your trip.

Places such as Camp Beaumont are a great place to start looking at package camp holidays for the kids. Day trips are also available, which may be a good idea to ease them into being away from home, before a residential week away. And everything is included in the trips, including dedicated and trusted staff, pastoral care, and even pick up points so you don’t even have to put up with the excitement in the car all the way to camp!

Imagine visiting a hotel made entirely of Ice! The ICEHOTEL is truly a magnificent example of a fusion between art and nature, creating an unusual yet breath-taking form of architecture. Each room is carefully sculpted using snow and ice, and each one unique to the next. The only thing protecting you from the ice when you sleep is a Reindeer skin, draped over the bed of ice.

Just like any other hotel, you will be greeted by receptionists in the foyer, and can sit at the Ice Bar and have a drink if you like. Many people flock to the ICEHOTEL to examine the beautiful sculptures or even get married in the Ice Chapel, giving meaning to a truly white wedding!

Whilst staying at the ICEHOTEL, some of the most popular activities to do nearby include husky sledging, which you can also organise for your airport transfer. You could have fun on a snowmobile, go reindeer sledging, or how about a moose safari on horseback for something with a difference?

And if you have had enough skiing in the beautiful landscapes surrounding the ICEHOTEL, then why not settle down and enjoy the unique craft of ice sculpting at the hotel. Guided by an expert, you will be shown how to create your own masterpiece out of ice. And the best sculptures will be showcased in the restaurant that evening! Be warned though, it can be very addictive and fun!

But what better way to end your evening than with witnessing the Great Northern Lights. The ICEHOTEL offer trips to the Abisko Sky Station where it is thought you can get a much better view of the aurora borealis. And you can also choose to visit the Northern Lights via a husky safari, snowmobile or even perhaps on horseback!

And if you would really like to experience the sami culture of this Swedish Lapland, the ICEHOTEL offer wonderful excursions to the sami camp in Jukkasjavi, where you can learn the skills of reindeer sledging as well as enjoying a traditional meal in a lavvu, before returning to your room at the ICEHOTEL.

The entire experience of the ICEHOTEL and what it has to offer it truly breathtaking, and with so much to choose from, you are sure to find something suited to you. From exhilarating husky or reindeer sledging to creating your very own ice masterpiece or perhaps relaxing with an evening meal while witnessing the incredible Northern Lights, the ICEHOTEL offers an experience of a lifetime.

Taking a trip with your teenage children can be difficult especially if you have no idea how to keep the kids preoccupied throughout your family holiday. Older teens do not find their parents ideal companions during travels and holidays either. They may become restless during the holiday if they have nothing entertaining to do. Teenagers are full of energy that can be released in a number of ways. However, there are various activity holidays for teenagers out there and this post aims to give you some ideas on what you can do to ensure your family has a fantastic holiday.

Sports and Adventure Holidays

Various holiday destinations offer an array of sporting adventures. Active teenagers can indulge in canoeing, quad biking and wild camping. The teenagers can be spoilt for choice with a range of activities such as handball, basketball, tennis, golf, trekking and pony-riding. Some holiday destinations may offer facilities such as games room with pool table, pinball and table football as well as air hockey for indoor entertainment.

You can look up any holiday destination that is an ideal spot for your teenagers to have a great mixture of sport and adventure. The destination can be a great location for outdoor activities such as fishing, whitewater rafting, cycling, kayaking, hiking, swimming, bungee jumping, safaris, paintballing, skiing and mountain biking. Moreover, amusement and theme parks are some attractions for teenagers to enjoy active outdoor activities.

Urban and Cultural Holidays

An urban setting may be appealing to teenagers who are into street culture. Holiday destinations that offer the prospect of cheaper clothes, shoes, sunglasses and entertainment devices may be ideal for such teenagers. There are many things to do during an urban holiday. Teenagers can hangout with their peers and have a great time. A city break can include social activities such as pizza evenings and karaoke nights.

The kids may have a natural curiosity for a city especially if the location is famous for movies, TV shows and video games they like to play. Famous landmarks, bus tours, movie tours may be attractive to them. Other activities that can keep the teenagers busy and out of trouble include shopping, dining, sightseeing and live music nights. They can engage in recreational activities such as painting, photography and learning sessions. A plethora of teen-themed theater entertainment, dance, art exhibitions and film screenings can be ideal.

Teens can also learn the history and culture of the people in a city and surrounding areas by visiting the museums and historical sites. The highlights for cultural holidays can include learning about food, festivals, beliefs and traditions. Teenagers can learn fascinating facts about other people’s way of life that is much different to theirs, which can provide a lifetime of memories.

Beach Holidays

Soaking up the sun while enjoying the cool breeze from the waters can be a relaxing way to spend a holiday. Teenagers who enjoy going to the beach can engage in more water sports such as snorkeling, sailing and diving. Walking along the beaches while enjoying the sand on their feet and collect can also be fun. Wild beaches, beach parties, kite surfing, bonfires, forts, authentic villages and deserts can be fascinating to teenagers who enjoy adventurous beach holidays.

You can look up any holiday destination that is an ideal spot for your teenagers to have a great mixture of sport and adventure. The destination can be a great location for outdoor activities such as fishing, whitewater rafting, cycling, kayaking, hiking, swimming, bungee jumping, safaris, paintballing, skiing and mountain biking. White water rafting around Idaho Springs might just make your teenagers week. To experience the thrill of white water rafting is an adventure with friends. Moreover, amusement and theme parks are some attractions for teenagers to enjoy active outdoor activities.

I’m old enough to remember when travelling was mostly a massive exercise is personal security. I blame American Express, mainly, and their chillingly effective commercials depicting young honeymooners tearfully calling their parents after her purse had been artfully lifted from the back of a chair in an outdoor café, or befuddled senior citizens asking “what WILL we do?”

So naturally packing meant a solidly uncomfortable and, really, totally impractical money-belt with your traveler’s checks and tickets and passports and reservations and traveling meant stripping down and exposing your valuables whenever you went through security or boarded a train or had to pay for something.

ATM cards and just general experience have eliminated the stranglehold the evil geniuses at American Express held on the imagination and the traveler’s check is, thankfully, a thing of the past. Indeed, unless you’re making off with the proceeds of a jewel heist, there’s no reason to have a money-belt anymore at all. Whatever you might have been tempted to put in one has been replaced by the cloud:

ATMs and the Euro are the new currency traders

I still see those dead-eyed money changers at airports and train stations and I wonder who’s left to prey on. Who can still make it to an international airport with nothing but a wad of cash and no way to access their bank account in local currency? In fact no one, as far as I can tell, and by and large their tellers appear to be reduced to the role of ad-hoc information booth.
So don’t ever change your money. The trick is this; whenever you leave somewhere for a destination that uses a different currency than where you are are, be completely out of money. Take cash out of the ATM in small, safe amounts that you can afford to lose and you’re certain to spend or can donate to the World Wildlife Fund at your departure gate.
Incidentally the currency traders still have a revenue stream in their own ATMs. If it need be said, do not use them. Any ATM is going to charge you to access your own damn money but for the currency traders this is all they’ve got left and they can’t let go of the glory days when they had you at their mercy.

The cloud is the new tearful call home

Before you go, scan or photograph your passports, credit cards (just the front, if you’re concerned about hacking) and all your tickets and reservations and either email them to yourself or, even better, upload them to Google Drive or Microsoft Skydrive where you can access them from any computer with an internet connection (ie, any computer). By all means have printouts of whatever tickets or reservations are more convenient as hard-copies but above all know that nothing bad is going to happen. You can lose pretty much everything and so long as you can get online and to your bank or embassy you can get it all back again in 24 hours. The real objective here is not to travel physically lighter but psychically lighter.

E-Tickets are the new tickets-tickets

Just about all western travel can be done these days without issued reservations. There remain some archaic peculiarities, such as the very German train ticketing system in which a ticket entitles you, in practice, to buy a seat. But even these amusing cultural curiosities can be accommodated online and you can almost always select some variation of print-at-home.
I remember when I first encountered print-at-home tickets and being utterly perplexed: what was to prevent me from printing all the tickets I wanted and inviting my friends for unlimited free travel? Of course, apart from the fact that each ticket has a unique and irreproducible code and a scannable motif — usually a QR code — I just wouldn’t do that and neither would most people. This is the evolution in thinking that facilitated e-tickets — the realization that the comfort and convenience of the vast majority of passengers was a more important objective than catching the few cheats.
Refer above to the cloud. By all means print your tickets but don’t have a regularly-scheduled freak-out when you forget where you put them because it doesn’t matter any more — you can print them again or, as often as not, just show the conductor the confirmation on your phone.
Airline e-ticketing tends be even more convenient these days and self check in should be nominated for some sort of Nobel prize. Typically you arrive at the airport (as usual, way, way earlier than you should need to — security theatre has only gotten worse) and scan your passport through a machine which offers you seat selection and prints out your boarding pass. Self check in is such a sea change from the rote torture that, really, wasn’t that long ago that it can seem a little suspicious at first but it’s actually as simple and convenient as it seems.

Carrying a little less paper isn’t going to make your luggage much lighter but that’s always a secondary objective to enjoying where you are and the time spent getting there. So take a little weight off your mind, put it in the cloud, and it’ll follow you wherever you go.