The world is full of interesting facts, interesting people, interesting places, and interesting events. You can now enjoy all the abnormal, out of the ordinary, weird, funny, fascinating and jaw dropping news on this thread. We research and write, and you read, enjoy, laugh and share!
What a year it has been! No words can fully describe all the chaos and interesting chain-of-events that took place in 2020. Many of these changes will continue to transform the world forever.
Remote work, telemedicine, political dysfunction, money printing, pandemic control, vaccine production, home schooling (just to name a few massive trends) — 2020 was one of those years where a decade has happened.
From climate change, to systemic racism, to rising wealth inequality to combating a raging pandemic which no one could effectively control in most of the world has taught us many critical lessons. Hopefully, some of these lessons will make our world a better, safer, and fairer place for all.
Okay with that said and as we are all preparing to wrap up the year, we bring you 2020 year-in-pictures.
Australia Forest Fire
Taal Volcano
Taal volcano erupts in the Philippines. From a green oasis to red death. The volcano has had several violent eruptions in the past, causing loss of life on the island and the populated areas surrounding the lake, with the death toll over 6000 as of date.
Covid Outbreak in China
Within months, the virus outbreak went loose and spread across the entire planet. Travel started to slow down and nations-states started to close their borders.
Initially, as the testing rate was low and death rate were high, panic and an impending sense of doom was all over the news. Everyone was taking extra precautions and by March, WHO declared Coronavirus a Pandemic.
Covid Testing
With time covid testing and tracing became humanity’s only chance of hope.
George Floyd
The unfortunate event that led to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked a series of protests around the country and later across the globe around systemic racism, gender inequality, government corruption, police brutality, and other social injustices.
The protests against the police brutality and issues around the police reform led to more cases getting surfaced with either police forces using excessive force or not taking actions at all. This led to month long protests, riots, death, damage, and chaos.
California & West Coast Forest Fires
2020 US Election
This was the most important election in the recent US history. On the one side, it was pro-Trump nationalists with America-First at all cost camp vs the progressive democrats who wanted America take back the global leadership role.
Covid Lockdowns
Once the covid19 cases surpassed a million and continued rising at an alarming rate, the governments around the world had no choice but to start locking down businesses, transportation, and other human activities.
The national lockdowns around the world resulted in millions of small businesses going out of business, millions of people losing their jobs, and causing both a severe economic depression and mental health epidemic. The “real economy” is far from normal no matter what the stock markets might be telling you.
5G Launched
The long awaited 5G (fifth generation) technology finally started getting rolled out and new phone models were launched which are now 5G compatible. 5G will bring Gigabit speed for its users. Furthermore, 5G networks are predicted to reach almost 2 billion subscribers worldwide by 2025.
SpaceX, NASA & ISS
NASA astronauts were launched in a historic test flight to International Space Station (ISS) in SpaceX Dragon. This was a huge deal not just in the field of reusable-Rocket Science, but also because it made America finally independent. Up until now, all commercial launches used to be done by Russia.
Bitcoin as Digital Gold
The year 2017 put Bitcoin into the mainstream news but it was not until this year’s rise in Bitcoin price which validated Bitcoin’s true potential as a digital store of value. With the new all time high price and market cap, Bitcoin continues to lead the digital financial revolution.
Locust Swarm
As if Coronavirus was not already bad enough, the 2020 locust infestation wrecked havoc and threatened the food supply across East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. The locust outbreak this year was the worst in 70 years in Kenya, and the worst in 25 years in Ethiopia, Somalia, and India.
Murder Hornets
Speaking of Biblical level plagues, infestation, and disease, 2020 gave us three new species of murder hornets in the Pacific Northwest in North America. These are Asian giant hornets, a species that recently invaded North America.
The bigger problem is that they are a threat to bees and without bees everything else goes down in the food chain beginning with the trees. This is a huge problem that we don’t know how to solve it yet. Only time will tell.
Brexit Finalized
Brexit officially happened on January 31, 2020 and the UK has been in a transition period until the end of 2020. There are plenty of both the doom warnings and good days, but no body knows for sure how this will impact the UK in 10 years. The way things are going in the world, this doesn’t look like a happy ending for the British people.
Healthcare Workers Celebrated as True Heroes
Finally, to end this year end review on a positive note, we would like to thank our healthcare workers and all essential workers who make this world run. Covid19 made us realize that the true heroes are the people who lift up other people’s burden and take care of our sick. They were indeed the angels we needed to survive this pandemic!
If you think we are missing some key events from this year, please comment below and we will make sure to add it to our photo story.
Thanks for reading and we wish you a Happy 2021! This time is different 😉
Booked your first air ticket? Congratulations, you are soon going to fly at 32,000 ft above the clouds.
Flying for the first time can be both fun and exciting. However, if you have any flying anxiety, before boarding a flight, seek professional help or enroll in an online flying course to ensure a seamless experience.
Mistakes happen and many first-time flyers make blunders that can affect their journey and overall travel experience.
Let’s find out what are the most common travel mistakes and how you can avoid them!
Forgetting to check passport Expiration
There is nothing quite like the stress that comes from booking a flight and learning your passport is expired.
Many first-time flyers often make a mistake of not checking their passport expiration date. Some countries like China and Brazil require 6 months of passport validity. This means such countries will deny you entry if your passport isn’t valid for at least 6 months after your last day of travel.
It’s better to check your passport’s expiration date and, if needed, update it to avoid any problems.
Overpacking
As a first-time flyer, it may be tempting to pack a lot of stuff to make the trip more pleasant.
However, this can make your journey difficult and can boost the chances of you getting charged with potential baggage fines.
It is advised to go through the baggage allowance policies of your airline.
Reaching late at the airport
At the airport, it is a common sight to see people arriving late and many of them end up missing their flight.
For instance, if your plane departs at 2:00 pm, that doesn’t mean you have to reach the airport 20 or 30 minutes before just to find a closed boarding gate or to watch your plane flying away from the terminal.
Procedures like getting the boarding pass, security checks, and reaching terminals can all take much longer than you believe.
So, if you’re a first-time flyer, reach the airport at least 2 to 3 hours before the scheduled departure so that you have spare time to board the flight.
Not opting for web check-in
Whether you are a rookie flyer or an experienced jet setter, web check-in should be your top priority.
By web check-in, you can:
avoid standing in a long queue
save your precious time
choose the desired seat on the plane
immediately go through the security checks and then to the boarding
Forgetting to carry in-flight entertainment
This is the most common mistake that first-time flyers make.
Whether it’s a long-haul journey or not, carrying in-flight entertainment like headphones, iPad, e-reader, or smartphone can be a lifesaver on your flight.
Some of the benefits are:
Makes the journey enjoyable and fun
Calm your flying jitters
Time passes quickly
Keep you distracted
Block unwanted noises
Let’s wrap up
In-advance planning, double-checking your luggage, arriving on time, and avoiding these potential mistakes can make your first flight comfortable.
Above all, don’t’ forget to communicate with your co-passengers and seek help from the crew if you feel uncomfortable.
Watching parents progress through age can be challenging, to say the least. The person who raised you and acted as a strong, powerful role model slowly loses their faculty as they grow old—and before you know it, you’re caring for the person who cared for you since you were a baby.
This transition could happen gradually as their condition worsens, or it could happen overnight if they unexpectedly slip, fall, and break a bone.
That’s why it’s critical for families to be proactive and plan for this chapter of life before anyone is caught off guard and thrown into a caretaking role they’re not prepared for.
Mix this with your travel plans and your lifestyle, and it gets tricky. Today, we’ll talk about 3 things you should know when caring for an aging parent.
Daily Living Requirements Must Be Met
How do you gauge whether your parent needs additional assistance as they progress through age? It’s a delicate line to walk. You don’t want to offend their dignity or autonomy, but you need to know that they can safely meet the daily living requirements essential to their emotional and physical well-being.
Keep a close eye on their condition to ensure they independently perform the following activities every day:
Self-feeding
Dressing
Bathing or showering
Personal hygiene (grooming, brushing teeth, etc.)
Toilet hygiene
Functional mobility (getting in and out of bed, sitting down and up from a chair)
Many seniors develop age-related illness or mobility issues that impede their ability to conduct their daily activities with ease. They might show signs of cognitive decline and forget to take their prescriptions, or it may prove unsafe for them to walk up and down the stairs after recent surgery.
Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to find them the appropriate help. This may be in the form of you stopping by at lunch to make sure they took their meds, hiring a qualified professional for help, or retrofitting their home and installing the proper safety equipment.
This transition is inevitably challenging. Adult children may be in denial, not ready to accept their parent’s decline in health, and elderly parents may be reluctant to ask for help due to guilt, shame, or stubbornness. However, taking an honest look at their condition and identifying where they need support is the first step to helping them live out the last years of their life most comfortably.
There are Ways to Pay for Senior Care
As health weakens and parents show increased symptoms, many adult children worry over how to pay for senior care. You want the best possible treatment for your parents, but how can you afford it without placing a financial burden on your own family? And how do you know which type of treatment program is best?
Fortunately, there are several ways to pay for senior care without mounting expensive medical bills. Take a look at the options below:
Medicare Part A – Original Medicare includes provisions for different types of inpatient care during temporary stays at a hospital or skilled nursing facility. This form of senior health insurance also provides hospice care for terminal illnesses and may cover the costs of at-home nursing care in severe cases.
Supplemental Medicare – Also known as a “Medigap policy”, supplemental insurance can be used to bridge the gap between services not covered under Original Medicare Part A and B. This offsets the out-of-pocket costs for dental care, dentures, eye exams, hearing aids, and more.
Investment Accounts and Retirement Savings – According to LongtermCare.gov, the average monthly cost of living in an assisted living or nursing facility ranges from $3,600 to $6,800, which could be very difficult to afford on Social Security alone. When your parent can no longer safely age in place, they can receive the treatment they deserve by tapping into the interest accrued on their investment portfolio or the money they’ve placed into a savings account.
Be sure to take advantage of the publicly funded programs that offer financial assistance for the elderly if you need extra help covering medical expenses.
Charities such as Meals on Wheels can provide your loved one with warm food and friendly smiles when you can’t be there, while the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development may be able to find your parent an affordable place to live.
Estate Planning Should Be Aligned
Unfortunately, it’s not a matter of “if” your loved one will die, but “when”. As they develop signs of age, it’s wise to go over their estate plan to ensure their affairs are in order. It can be uncomfortable to discuss what will happen once a parent passes, but it’s crucial to talk about it in advance.
Having a plan laid out will not only minimize stress following their passing, but it will also help minimize the amount paid in taxes, court costs, and legal fees. It’s likely that your parents began preparing their estate when their children were born, but it’s worth reviewing in case any changes need to be made.
For example, a divorce in the family or the birth of grandchildren could warrant names being added or removed. Your parent may have acquired a business since then, in which case they’ll need to formally document who it will be transferred to, or they might have opened a bank account but have yet to record the information necessary for an heir to access the funds.
Go over the documents in detail to confirm nothing’s left out, and if they haven’t already created a plan, make it a priority while they’re still in good health. Talking through various options from the comfort of home will make you and your parents feel much more comfortable as you prepare.
Conclusion
It’s important to have these conversations with your parent(s) well before their condition deteriorates and they have their full mental faculty. Otherwise, family members might feel rushed into a decision and emotions can run tense. Difficult conversations are never easy but going into them prepared helps smooth the discussion.
Come to the table with these talking points in mind and your loved one can rest assured they’ll receive the best care possible.
Author Bio
Kaelee Nelson received her Master degree with an emphasis in Digital Humanities and pursues her career as a writer in San Diego, currently writing for 365 Business Tips and GoodLife. She enjoys informing readers about topics spanning industries such as technology, business, finance, culture, wellness, hospitality, and tourism.
With growth comes prosperity. With prosperity comes an increase in travel and tourism. With an increase in travel and tourism comes pollution, ecological damages, and pandemics.
No, this post is not about Coronavirus. This blog is about the future of travel. This blog is also about how you can practice and promote sustainable travel.
Sustainable Tourism
By 2050, with all other economic sectors having greatly reduced their CO2 emissions, tourism is likely to be generating 40% of global carbon emissions.
The main cause is an increase in the average distance traveled by tourists, which for many years has been increasing at a faster rate than the number of trips taken.
In other words, more people are traveling to faraway international destinations than they did in the past.
Travel and tourism is related to traveling for leisure, business, or visiting friends and family. Tourism also involves primary transportation to the general location, local transportation, accommodations, entertainment, recreation, food and dining, and shopping.
Approximately, 72% of tourism’s CO2 emissions come from the transportation aspect of travel (moving from point A to point B), and 24% from accommodations related activities, and roughly 4% from local activities including eating.
Airline travel alone accounts for more than half of all travel-related CO2 emissions. Do whatever you can do to minimize this part.
How To Promote Sustainable Tourism
The world is massive and has endless possibilities. There is so much that we haven’t seen, and if we don’t travel, we aren’t going to either. Looking at Instagram photos and YouTube videos can only do so much for our wanderlust.
Traveling is adventurous, exciting, and stimulating, and I believe that everyone should make an effort to reach out beyond their borders. That said, it is important to be environmentally conscious while you are traveling. Hence, the promotion of sustainable tourism is essential.
In today’s post, I am going to discuss 10 practical ways to promote sustainable tourism.
Sustainable tourism is the concept of visiting somewhere as a tourist and trying to make a positive impact on the environment, society, and economy.
This can be done either by staying at a place longer than a few days and visiting adjacent countries, attractions, cities in a single trip instead of making multiple long-distance round-trip flights.
The future of our planet and climate change is in our hands
When Possible, Take Direct Flights
Planes are responsible for a significant amount of carbon emissions, and they are an essential part of traveling, yet we can start moving on sailboats to avoid these emissions.
So, how can we make our travel more sustainable and decrease the impact we have on the environment.
Did you know? Planes emit most of their carbon emissions during takeoff and landing. This means that connecting flights are more damaging to the environment as compared to direct flights.
Therefore, whenever you have the option, choose a direct flight, these flights maybe a little more expensive than connecting flights. Still, they are more convenient and use less fuel as well, which is also suitable for sustainability.
If you are planning to stay at a hotel or a hostel while you are traveling, make sure that the place you chose is environmentally conscious. This will allow you to decrease your carbon footprint. Moreover, you should try to be sustainability-conscious as well.
For example, try not to waste any energy, water, or food. Make sure that you don’t cause any noise pollution, either.
Finally, you should also try to find accommodation that is locally owned so that you can support the local economy.
Only Use Reusable Stuffs
Reusable coffee cups
While you are traveling, you should try to minimize the use of disposable items such as plastic cups, bottles, and straws.
We know that plastic isn’t good for the environment, therefore, when you are traveling, make sure that you keep some useful accessories with you, like a grocery bag for shopping, a glass water bottle, a travel mug, etc.
Leave the Place As You Found It
A clean beach in Greece
This is an essential rule to follow when you are traveling in nature; for instance, if you are hiking or camping. You should try your best to have no adverse effects on your surroundings.
This means that you shouldn’t damage any local plants or trees and be as eco-friendly as possible. In short, you should leave the place as you found it.
Support the Local Food Vendors
A local fruit seller
If you are a foodie like me, you can appreciate the local cuisine and street food or exotic locations. Whenever I am traveling, I take some time to check out the local street foods, and when I’m visiting a restaurant, I choose one that is locally owned.
Instead of eating at fast-food restaurants owned by global conglomerates, I prefer eating at local establishments so that my travels can benefit the local economy.
Moreover, trying out local foods allows me to experience a whole new array of flavors and cuisines. So, make sure that you give it a try as well.
Pack Light and Smart
Carry only the necessities
One of the first lessons to becoming a master traveler is to pack light. You should always aim to travel with a single backpack or small trolly case.
If you do have a large bag, then traveling in the local transport will be more difficult for you. You will have to take a taxi or use an online ridesharing app, which can result in extra carbon emissions.
Moreover, this is bad for your budget, and if you are using ridesharing apps like UBER, you are once again benefiting large companies rather than the local economy.
Therefore, pack light, but more importantly, pack smart. This is a skill that you will develop with time, so keep making an effort. For instance, once while traveling, I got a painful ear infection; luckily, I knew how to treat an ear infection at home.
Now I always keep some medications with me, because it can be challenging to find a good doctor sometimes, like when you are on a camping trip.
Volunteer to Help Local Communities
A group of UN Peace Corps Volunteers in Ukraine
One of the best ways to travel on a budget and have a significantly positive impact on the world is to volunteer with organizations like the peace corps. Not only will they fund your travels, but you will get a chance to help communities in need all over the world.
If you don’t want to make a long-term commitment with the peace corps, many other non-profit organizations will allow you to volunteer for a shorter time.
Use Sustainable Transport Wherever Possible
A bike parked in Amsterdam, Holland
When you are visiting another country, you will need to move around. Now, what form of transportation should you choose? Your objective should be to minimize your carbon emissions; therefore, for longer routes, choose public transport vehicles like busses and trains.
You can also use public transport to move around locally, but these days, most big cities have electric scooters that everyone can apply through an app. These are quite affordable and convenient as well. You can also consider renting a bicycle for the day.
Respect the Practices of Local Culture
When you are traveling to a foreign country, you will encounter different religions and cultures. To be a sustainable traveler, it is also essential that you respect the practices of the local people.
This means that you should try to be discreet when people are praying or doing cultural rituals. Also, make sure that you follow the appropriate dress code when you are visiting places of worship.
In short, don’t be insensitive and do some research.
Gondola in Venice / Climate change and its impact on Tourism
Raise Awareness About Sustainable Travel
Lastly, apart from following all the tips mentioned above yourself, you should always try to raise awareness in others.
This can be achieved by sharing your sustainable traveling experience with others through vlogs and your social media accounts. Moreover, you should talk to fellow travelers about sustainable traveling as well.
Author’s Bio
Katherine Joseph writes this article. She has been wearing hearing aids for over twenty years and still is a veteran of the audiology industry. She gives a holistic view of the hearing aid industry and the equipment available at DoctEar.
We have been on this Earth for a long time, but we have always been intrigued by tales of another world. We don’t know if we are the only ones living here or if Earth is occupied by otherworldly creatures.
Many places in the world are shrouded in mystery. These are said to be portals to another realm. They are also believed to be homes to these realms. Travelers can feel the lure of these places in their hearts.
It’s about time we dare to visit some of the most exciting destinations in the world.
Knockma Woods
A walk around this dark forest will pique your interest, You will wander around it. This piece of beauty, which is located in western Ireland is full of unsolved puzzles. Legends say that it is the home to the tomb of warrior queen Maeve. The hill on which Knockma woods rest is also thought to be the entrance to a fairy kingdom.
A traditional story says that once, the king of fairies Finnvara abducted the bride of a lord on the hill. He took her to his kingdom. The Lord followed his bride and started digging his way, but fairies would always repair the work.
This location even contains cairns which date back to 6,000 BC. Imagine fairies living there, all those centuries back! Many stories hide behind this moss covered hills. Want to unlock the gate to the fairy kingdom? This is your chance.
River Styx
Achilles in Water of River Styx
The black waters of Styx are said to bring a painful death to whosoever drinks from them. Flowing through Greece, it’s thought that this river is a way to the most popular Greek netherworld. A sea nymph guards Styx. It runs down between two massive silver pillars.
Zeus used to set this as a test. If any Gods were lying to him then drinking the water from Styx would lead to a loss of their voice. This way of atonement was hard for Gods. When a human drank it, he met death, no matter how great he was. It’s rumored that this is the way Alexander the Great died.
Wouldn’t you want to have a glimpse of lethal waters of Styx? Maybe, we can find a path to Greek otherworld.
Gates Of Guinee
In voodoo language, Guinee is the place of dead. It’s where souls travel above the waters to meet their ancestors. After a person dies, his soul is to pass through seven gates of Guinee. Passage to Guinee is possible only then. It’s believed that the seven gates are present in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
The cemeteries form a circle canal street. The crossroad at Canal Street is the final gateway to Guinee. It’s perilous to open the portals because when you make one mistake, evil spirits could enter this world to possess humans. So you need to open it in the right sequence and also pay tribute to the guardians of gates.
Mardi Gras is the perfect time for you to travel to New Orleans and visit these spooky cemeteries. Good luck if you end up finding a zombie behind you.
Swedish Stonehenge
Ales stenar, which simply means “stones”, is also known as Swedish Stonehenge. It is a megalithic monument in Scania in southern Sweden made up of gigantic stones in the shape of a ship.
You can’t quite tell the formation if you are standing at the ground but if you look at it from above, you can see the oval outline and the stones at each end markedly larger than the rest.
No one knows for certain what function the stones have had through the ages, or what the ship setting symbolized for the people who created it. Plus, the stones and materials used are roughly between 5,500 to 1,400 years old.
Now, go figure that out that how these early civilization managed to create this in the first place? Perhaps it was a sacred viking site with magical powers!
The Lost City Of Z
Movie poster
Nobody knows what haunts the dense forests of South America. Not a single soul was brave enough to venture into this thick woods. The mystery inside them tempted many, but only one person was brave to follow it.
Colonel Percy Fawcett explored the deep forests of South America when he went looking for a mythical city. Many of his speculations were misleading to other explorers. But Fawcett soon disappeared in the jungle.
What waits inside those trees is still a mystery. Satellite images have spotted an establishment around where Fawcett was last seen , dating back to AD 200. Legends tell that there is an entrance to The Lost City of Z between Xingu and Tapajos tributaries.
Are you brave enough to discover the unseen or would you want to just walk on fringes of this lost city?
Nowadays, traveling is not a luxury anymore. Even budget travelers can fly with comfort and pleasure. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is the appearance of low-cost airlines. You can get an airway ticket for just a couple of dollars if you know, where to search.
Of course, this fact also made many people doubt: isn’t it too good to be true? This has led to many rumors and myths about “low-costers” and their services. Here are the 10 most common myths about low-cost budget airlines:
Myth #1
Low-cost airlines arrive God-knows-where and getting from the airport can be even more expensive, than flying the regular airline.
Yes, and No.
Low-cost airlines truly do arrive at smaller airports. The main reason is the size of airport taxes. However, the location of a particular airport and the price of getting to the city can vary greatly.
For example, getting from Paris-Beauvais airport to the city will really cost you around 20 euro, which is even more than some low-cost ticket price.
On the other hand, we were able to get to Milano from Milano-Bergamo airport for just 5 euro. In Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, the minor airport, which caters low-cost airlines, is located within the city borders and can easily be reached by public transport, unlike the main international airport.
Also, many cities, such as Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, or Corfu Town in Greece, have only one airport, situated not far from the city, or even within the city borders. In fact, we were a little short in cash at the end of our trip to Greece, so we just walked to Corfu airport from the city center. It took us just 30 minutes by foot, which is not long at all.
And of course, no one will make you leave the plane somewhere in the field. Although, I’ve heard such a myth too 🙂
Myth #2
Cheap flights are dangerous.
No.
Low-cost airlines update their air fleets more often than the regular ones. They believe, it is cheaper to buy a new airplane than to maintain and constantly repair an old one.
Also, old aircraft break down too often, and low-costers can’t afford to cancel flights all the time, as these are additional spendings for them. So, if you really think about it, it is probably safer to fly a low-cost airline than the regular one.
Myth #3
You may not get the seat on the plane.
No.
The number of tickets issued always matches the number of seats on the plane. Of course, unpredictable situations happen sometimes. But it is, in fact, more common for regular airlines, than low-costers.
On the other hand, there may not be enough space in the luggage locker if you board late. So, try to enter the plane as soon as possible. Pay attention, where you seat is and which entrance you should use. Some airlines put this information on the boarding pass, so read it carefully.
Myth #4
The flight can be suddenly canceled or delayed.
Yes.
Of course, it can. But this is true about all airlines, and not just low-costers. The schedule can also change sometimes. Due to this fact, the best time to book your ticket is around 2-3 months before the flight, and not earlier.
If your low-cost flight was canceled at the last minute, don’t worry. You will be given an exchange or a refund, just as with regular airlines.
Myth #5
Low-cost flights are always late.
Yes, and No.
Any flight can be late, and it doesn’t apply to low-costers only. In fact, low-cost airlines try much harder to stick to their timetable, as their planes usually do 2-4 flights a day.
In my experience, low-cost flights arrived earlier almost every time. However, it doesn’t mean you should choose risky flight change options: it is always better to stay in the airport for a little bit than to miss your flight.
Myth #6
Advertised price is not final.
Yes, and No.
You need to proceed the booking process up to an end, to see the final price of the ticket. Some booking fees, taxes, etc. can sometimes be added, but it is not common. Pay attention, however, when booking a low-cost ticket.
Most definitely, you will be offered additional services, such as insurance, choosing a seat on the plane, food, drinks, booking a hotel, or arranging a car rental service.
So, if the price of your ticket changes, when you proceed to the next step, you should check, what services were included. If you really added something without a purpose, go back and cancel it.
Myth #7
Low-cost tickets are always cheaper than regular.
No.
If you search the same destination with a low-cost and a regular airline, the low-coster will most probably have cheaper fares. However, it cannot be true for 100% different situations.
For example, sometimes regular airlines make huge ticket sales, and you can buy a ticket at a simply funny price. Or you can get lucky and find “hot” ticket at the last minute. Or get a birthday discount. In all of these cases, your ticket will be even cheaper, than the low-cost flight.
Also, keep in mind that low-cost ticket price, in the most, only includes hand luggage. And if you are used to traveling with a huge suitcase, you will have to pay an additional baggage fee, which can be even higher, than the price of your ticket. And don’t forget about the taxi fee you will have to pay, to get to the airport if your low-cost flight departs at night or early in the morning.
The destination attractiveness also matters. During the high season, low-cost airlines may require higher prices, than even the regular companies. And of course, ticket fares tend to grow closer to the departure date (for low-costers, the difference can sometimes be around 4-5 times between the starting and the final prices).
Myth #8
Low-cost airlines don’t give any guarantees.
No.
Low-cost airlines play according to common rules. Yes, they never offer joint flights and don’t take responsibility, if you are late for your next plane. On the other hand, they try to avoid force majors and unpredictable situations as much as possible, not to have any additional spendings.
Myth #9
You can only fly low-coster with hand luggage.
No.
Ticket price in low-cost airlines only includes hand luggage, it is true. But you can take as much luggage as you want, as soon as you are ready to pay for it. On some destinations, the price of the ticket, plus the luggage fee, will still be lower, than the same route at regular airlines.
Keep in mind, though, it is always cheaper to pay for your luggage online (even after buying your ticket), than doing it in the airport, right before departure. You can add any amount of luggage on your personal page on the airline’s website, up to 3 hours before the flight leaves.
If you don’t want to pay additional fees, however, learn to travel with hand luggage. Not only is it cheaper, it is more convenient too:
You don’t have to get in line for baggage registration
You don’t have to wait for your luggage after arrival
Your luggage will not get lost, as it will be with you on the plane
But keep in mind the general rules for things you can and can’t have in your hand luggage if you decide to travel light.
Myth #10
When you arrive at the airport for you low-cost flight, you suddenly find out about additional fees you have to pay.
No.
This can only happen for two reasons:
You didn’t do the online check-in for the flight, as most low-cost airlines demand. If you do it at the airport, the service will be paid, and usually, it costs a lot! So, don’t forget about the online check-in. Plus, it is much more convenient to do from home, than to wait in a huge line at the airport.
Your hand luggage or baggage doesn’t meet the strict size and weight demands of low-cost companies. Find out, which are the luggage size and weight limits of a particular low-coster, in advance, and stick to them. Otherwise, you will have to pay an additional fee at the airport.
Keep in mind: if you are not sure about your luggage, you should arrive at the airport, at least 4 hours before the departure. In this case, if you need to pay an additional fee, you will still have time to do it online, using your phone or tablet, and it would save you a fortune!
However, both situations are, in fact, the result of people’s inattentiveness. So, if it happens to you, you have no one to blame, but yourself.
If you travel on a low budget and want to use a low-cost airline, all you need is be attentive, avoid common mistakes and travel with pleasure!
Are you a US Permanent Residentand someone who loves to travel? If you have been wondering whether to take US Citizenship or not and whether it makes any difference in terms of how many countries you can travel “Visa Free”, then this blog post is for you.
Visa free travel is a big plus when it comes to traveling efficiently. Not having to deal with travel visa saves you money, planning-time, and paperwork. In short, fewer headaches and you can travel on short notice.
Let’s say you are getting a great airline deal or there is a wedding or it’s just that all of your friends are planning a trip, having a US Green Card vs. a US Passport are two totally different things.
Below is the list of countries that lets you enter visa free or provides you a visa on arrival (on the airport) based on your citizen or US permanent residence status.
US Citizens
US Green Card
Canada
Canada
Mexico
Mexico
Guatemala
Guatemala
Honduras
Honduras
Belize
Belize
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Panama
Panama
Bermuda
Bermuda
Bahamas
Bahamas
Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
American Samoa
American Samoa
Guam
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
British Virgin Island
British Virgin Island
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Haiti
Haiti
Jamaica
Jamaica
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Turks and Caicos
Turks and Caicos
Dominica
Dominica
Aruba
Aruba
Curacao
Curacao
Bonaire
Bonaire
St. Maarten
St. Maarten
St. Eustatius
St. Eustatius
Saba
Saba
Albania
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Georgia
Georgia
Serbia
Serbia
Montenegro
Montenegro
Kosovo
Kosovo
Taiwan
Taiwan
Antartica
Antartica
With a US Passport, you can also travel Visa Free to:
Andorra
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Bolivia
Botswana
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Chile
Comoros Islands
Cook Islands
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Faroe Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niue
Norway
Oman
Palau
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Reunion Island
Romania
Rwanda
Samoa
San Marino
Senegal
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Lastly, I must mention that besides your Green Card status, your home country passport will also avail you some visa free travel benefits.
For example, if you are an Indian Citizen and a US Permanent Resident, besides the above-listed countries, you also get to visit over 50 countries based on your passport power.
Common Question
Question: Can I travel to [XYZ destination] with a Green Card only?
Answer: If you are wondering if you can travel to Canada or Mexico with a Green Card only, unfortunately the answer is you will still need your passport if you are traveling by air. If you are driving through, legally you only need your Green Card but it’s a good practice to carry your passport as well.
Quirky museums are present all around the World. From displaying profane things to perfect artifacts, museums give us immense knowledge.
If you bored of knowing about the age-old history of the British empire? Then London has some quirky museums that are worth a visit. You might think these museums strange, but they are impressive.
So go offbeat, away from crowded parts of London, and discover something – that’s fun!
Geffrye Museum
Walk down 136 Kingsland Road and be surprised. Geffrye Museum is set apart from the traditional museums, because of its ideas. What is the purpose of a museum? Geffrye Museum serves that need. It takes you back in time. But not through decayed artifacts and coins.
There are eleven different rooms. Each room displays how a room used to be in a particular era. You can walk in from the Victorian period to the medieval and back to modern in no time! Talk about time travel.
Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising
Want to have a look at a KitKat dating back to 1930? Or would you like to have a swig at the oldest coca-cola bottle? We are just kidding. Apparently, you can’t. But you can have a glance at it in the Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising.
Items from the Victorian age have been displayed. You will be taken through the time tunnel. You will have a look at the product lines of companies from the 1800s to the present age.
The Magic Circle Museum
Magicians from around the world visit this quirky museum. It is like a Mecca to them. The Magic Circle has a library, museum, headquarters. Entry is only available to members. But you can view the museum which is on the lower floor. Magic Circle has established 111 years ago.
But in 1998 the museum was opened, which hosts a variety of posters, ephemera, and artifacts related to magic. A look across the tokens of magicians from the past is a treat to watch.
The father of Psychology – Sigmund Freud was a genius. He studied psychoanalysis and wrote the first ever book in that genre –The Interpretation of Dreams. If you want to have a peek into the mind of the father of psychology, what better way than to see his home?
Freud Museum has been untouched, the family heirlooms and Freud’s belongings still sit at the exact place. It would be fun to see where Freud sat and meditated- yeah, his couch.
Hunterian Museum
Every fancy and classy is displayed in traditional museums. The crown of kings, swords used to slay enemies, the boot of the great. But did you ever think of a museum which would preserve and display a tooth?
Of course, the tooth is not a regular human tooth, but the teeth of an extinct giant sloth. That is when we decided to include it in our quirky museums.
The giant at Hunterian Museum / Photo by StoneColdCrazy CCBYSA 3.0
Hunterian Museum in Holburn takes you on a tour through the pathological and anatomical history of mankind. A massive skeleton is also on the show (but it is not of a beast). Don’t let your imagination run with you. It belongs to an Irish giant who was 7ft 7in tall.
Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum /CC0
Everyone wants to visit the Natural History Museum and for good reasons. It is worth visiting and hence this is an honorary mention.
The Natural History Museum in London is a natural history museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history.
As a bonus, once you get here, note that it is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
If time allows you should definitely check out the Science Museum (especially if you are traveling with kids).
Going to America! The United States exhibits characteristics that make it a unique country. Travelers from around the globe come to discover every nook and corner of this Great Nation.
We encourage every traveler to visit the United States. However, you must know a few important things before you hop on your flight to M’erica.
THE UNITED STATES IS MASSIVE
“ Size is not a grandeur, and territory does not make a nation.” – Thomas Huxley
Territory may not make a nation, and size may not matter. However, the United States is large in every regard, not just land mass.
If you do not already know, the United States has 50 individual states. Traveling through each and every state, which collectively cover 3.8 Million square miles, is a mammoth task. You need to plan carefully, that you do not miss anything during your trip.
However, it will be hard regardless to visit every state during your first voyage. It is advisable to narrow down your journey to a particular region or destination so that you are not overwhelmed.
Fun Fact: Different states have radically different cultures. Thus, if you ask for a sandwich, you might get a Hoagie handed to you in Philadelphia or a Po’boy in the South.
“I have been struck time and time again by how important measurement is to improve the human condition.” – Bill Gates
America is one of the few countries in the entire world which does not use the metric system. They still live in the age before the invention of the metric system, and thus they use the Imperial System.
You will find it unusual when you ask how high the Grand Canyon is, and you will get the answer 8,000 feet rather than 2,438 meters. The units of measurement for distance are miles and yards rather than kilometers and meters.
No matter how strange it is for you if you are coming from another country you have to be familiar with the units of measurement in order to navigate.
THE TIPPING CULTURE
“I wish we had a system where you are given a bill including service and that people were paid properly so that they didn’t have to rely on tips.” – Murray Walker
You are expected to tip when you are going to dine at any restaurant, or even if you are at a café. There is no official rule that you have to tip. However, it is an unspoken rule of the culture out here.
Because the wages are low, workers depend on tips. From your waiter to the doorman, it is customary to leave tips for those in the ‘service industry.’ You are expected to tip 15%- 20% of your bill. So, stuff your pocket with dollars bills.
A note on Sales Tax: When you are shopping, you need to pay sales tax in most US State. The sales tax varies from state to state and even from county to county.
TIGHT AIRPORT SECURITY
“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.” – Jodi Rell
Terror bombings in planes have become an increasing threat to America. Consequently, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), introduced the use of full body scanners.
You will need to wait in the queue and get scanned before you are allowed to board the plane. The scanned image is private and it is almost like a cartoon.
However, if you think it is an invasion of privacy or you suffer from health problems, you can ask for a pat-down scan. Every passenger boarding a domestic or international flight has to go through this process.
Whether you are going on a trip for the weekend or decide to move to the other country taking a pet with you – these are the tips for traveling with pets that will help make any trip more comfortable.
When planning your vacation, do not forget to take care of your pets. And if you could not leave the animal at home with someone, or want to take it with you, you should investigate all the details of transporting animals in advance.
Traveling with your best friend / The Art of Travel Partners
How to Travel with Pet
To avoid some unpleasant minutes while traveling with your pet, you need to prepare for this journey and here are some useful tips for traveling with pets.
1. Consider whether your Pet is able to Travel
The first and most important thing you need to think about before you go is whether your pet’s condition allows you to travel: if the pet is very young or, on the contrary, elderly, or it has serious health problems, it is better to leave it at home.
For some breeds with flat faces (such as Persian cats, bulldogs or pugs), air travel can be even deadly: they suffer oxygen deficiency and high temperatures more heavily.
If you are in doubt whether you can take the animal with you on a trip, consult your veterinarian – especially if you are traveling for the first time and proceed reading our tips for traveling with pets.
You should also take into account that such trips are never spontaneous: you have to collect documents and prepare your pet in advance.
The transportation of exotic animals is still more difficult: to take a turtle, snake, monkey or some other unusual animal out of the country, you need to obtain a special permit in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
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2. Learn the Rules of Transporting Animals
If you are traveling abroad, find out the rules for bringing animals into the country to avoid unpleasant surprises.
It is forbidden to take animals to some of them – for example, you cannot bring chickens, pigeons, and parrots to Saudi Arabia, and you cannot bring animals under three months old to France.
In some places going on a short trip with pets is completely pointless – animals imported into the country are placed in quarantine.
For examples:
In the UK, if the conditions are not met, the pet may spend up to 4 months in quarantine.
To bring the animal in Hungary, it must also be vaccinated against the plague. And you cannot bring dogs and cats to Malta in general.
In France, Israel and Egypt there are restrictions on the import of three-month puppies and kittens. Some breeds of fighting dogs are not allowed to be taken to Australia and Malaysia.
It is strictly forbidden to come to Uruguay with birds. Rodents and monkeys cannot be brought to Japan.
If you are traveling with pets on airlines, learn the rules of a particular airline; rules for the transport of animals most often can be found on the website, e.g. apply to the pet travel agency to find out everything about American airline pet travel rules.
Transportation of the animal is paid separately at the airport. The amount depends on the weight of the pet along with the carrier – only guide dogs go free.
Animals weighing up to 5–8 kilograms (depending on the rules of a particular airline) can be carried with you in the cabin in the carrier; animals weighing from 8 to 50 kilograms (some airlines do not take pets weighing more than 32 kilograms) are transported in a heated luggage compartment.
It is better to make a request for an animal to be transported right away when buying a ticket or shortly thereafter: airlines have restrictions and, for example, if a plane already approved a place for a small dog, another passenger will not be allowed to take a cat to the salon.
Although most animals stay quietly in the baggage compartment; accidents and injuries of animals are not uncommon in this case, so before buying a ticket it is worthwhile to find out how animals are transported on specific airlines.
In addition, there are several measures that will help facilitate the animal trip in the luggage compartment. It is not necessary to travel with a pet during the holidays and the high tourist season.
This time, due to the influx of tourists, animals in carriers are likely to be treated less carefully. When traveling in summer, it is worth choosing morning or evening flights, and in winter – day flights.
It will be easier to avoid extreme temperatures in that way. In addition, you should not choose flights with a transfer, as the risk of losing an animal, in this case, is higher.
Live together, travel together
Traveling by train is simpler
The animal can move in the same compartment with the owner if other passengers do not mind. Otherwise, the owner will need to buy the entire compartment and purchase a special ticket for the animal.
Small pets can be transported in pet travel crate as carry-on luggage. If you are traveling with a dog on an electric train, put a muzzle and a leash on a furry friend.
In addition, before the trip you should also familiarize with the rules of the railway carrier – some of them may enter their own.
It is important to try to make the animal feel as comfortable as possible in the car. For dogs, you need to have a leash and a muzzle, because at stops you will need to escort the pet to the toilet. For cats, a special basket or carrier is required.
For birds, a small cage is enough. To make the animal comfortable on the road, you need to prepare a soft litter in advance.
It is best to feed the animal several hours before the trip. On the road, it is recommended to take only dry food and water. It is necessary to understand that in a long way the animal can rock, it may feel nauseous or there is a frequent urge to go to the toilet.
For this, be sure to have absorbent napkins or towels in advance. For the feathered friend, hygienic sand should be poured at the bottom of the cage, and you need to cover the cage with a dark cloth.
The advantage of traveling with an animal in a car is that you can gradually accustom your pet to such trips long before the travel.
The easiest way to travel by car is with a dog, as they usually like it. Have you seen a bunch of photos on the network with happy dog muzzles sticking out of the car?
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4. Traveling with a Dog
Often you want to take the most loyal and faithful friend with you, plus, since it is more difficult to care for a dog than a cat.
Sometimes there is simply no choice because the animal has no one to stay with. What things are required?
Do not forget the leash, muzzle and pet travel bowls for food and water + food and water. It is also worth considering where and how you will walk with your dog in advance, especially if you, for example, take a long train ride.
5. Traveling with a Cat
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Traveling with a cat is easier than a dog because it’s not necessary to walk with a cat on the street and they are small.
It is usually enough to take a carrier in which your cat will sit quietly. It is more difficult to solve the problem with the toilet because even if you take the cat tray with you, it’s not a fact that the pet will deal with it in an unfamiliar place and in a stressful environment, which any road is for them.
Also, do not forget food, water, and other pet travel accessories. Plus, if the animal leads itself restlessly, howls or refuses to sit in the carrier, you can take it in your hands for a while and calm it down.
6. Traveling with Birds, Rats & Other Small Animals
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Birds, rats and other small animals can be easily and simply transported in a cage, where they can be fed, so there are usually no problems with traveling with them.
Another question is why should you take your rat, bird or guinea pig on a trip with you if you can leave it at home with friends or relatives unless you decide to buy somewhere, for example, a parrot, and bring it home – in this case, we do not forget to buy a sufficiently spacious cage in which it will be convenient for the animal.
7. Necessary Set of Pet Travel Documents
Did you take your medicine?
Currently, all adult animals should have an international veterinary certificate. It must be filled in the language of the country where your pet arrives. English is allowed.
The international passport must indicate the vaccines against rabies and the administration of the anthelmintic drug.
It is important to know that after a rabies drug is administered, a pet must be quarantined. And after taking the anthelmintic drug, you should wait for 1-5 days before transporting the animal anywhere. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of vaccinations in advance.
Also, the animal needs to implant a microchip, which can be done in a veterinary clinic.
8. Take the Animal First Aid Kit
On the trip, the animal must have the first aid kit. At the same time, one should be guided by the age and state of health of the pet: if it has chronic diseases, then in addition to a standard pet travel medication set, it is worth taking the medicines recommended by the veterinarian.
As in the case of people, you should not try to cure a pet by yourself – when planning a trip, you should know in advance the addresses of the veterinary clinics where the animal can be helped.
It is also worth taking care of food: if the food you used to give to an animal is not for sale in the other country, you should take it with you with a small margin.
9. Think of Animal Comfort
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When planning a trip, think about the comfort of an animal: taking it with you only makes sense if you can give it enough attention.
It should be borne in mind that not every place is allowed to be visited with pets – think about where your faithful friend will be waiting for you while you are busy with your business, and whether you can leave it alone in an unfamiliar room.
In some countries, you are not allowed to go to the beach – except for specialized places. Consider the breed; for example, fluffy pets will be too hot in warm countries.
When booking a hotel room, find out if you can stay with animals in it. It is better to clarify the requirements and pet travel services: often in hotels where it is allowed to take pets with you, they still will not allow animals larger than five kilograms.
Find out what special conditions the hotel has – for example, whether a paddock is provided. If you are going to the other country with a dog, specify the rules of pet walking – “Is it necessary to put a muzzle on the animal?”“Is it possible to let it off the leash”, and so on.
Before you begin your journey anywhere, you must always work out in advance all the nuances that may arise during the trip. Then travel with your darling will bring you pleasant, unforgettable impressions.
Author Bio:
Rachel Hudson is a pet owner and writer of allpetsexpert.com. She always travels with her dog. She wants that everyone knows the best way for a trip with their pet.
Sometimes when you arrived back home from a long journey, you feel like death. You become extremely exhausted, feel unmotivated, and pick up weird eating habits and sleep patterns.
Well, it is what people call as “jet lag”.
Almost all of us have experienced jet lag. Its symptoms include drowsiness, muscle ache, insomnia, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
Your circadian rhythm has a tendency to run slightly longer than 24 hours. Studies suggest that we can push back our body’s clock about two hours per day.
Fun Fact: It is always worse going east than going west.
Photo: Wake up coffee / The Art of Travel Partners
Flying west over two time zones extends your day by two hours which we can adjust. Within the same day journey east has us waking up two hours earlier and going to bed two hours earlier which does not necessarily mean sleeping.
We can advance our sleep/wake cycle somewhere between 60 to 90 minutes per day. So it takes as much as two days to adjust to get your body to log back on track. So here’s the natural way to cure jetlag.
What is Jet Lag?
Jet lag is actually a disruption with our internal clock that helps us to anticipate dusk and dawn. These biological clocks help control blood pressure, stress, appetite and more. So if you mess with the clock, you mess with your life.
17 Proven Tips to Combat Jet Lag Naturally
Here are some tips that can help you come out of your jetlag faster so you can enjoy your trip as soon as possible.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
1. Exposure To New Light
You can ease yourself into a new time zone by consciously manipulating exposure to light that is green.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Your body can feel extra exhausted when it is forced to completely adapt to a new light schedule so if you are traveling East; your body will feel like it is getting darker earlier and a way you can prepare for this is by leaving the light outside earlier in your day.
Indoors, get away from light so your body is trying to synchronize up with a light schedule of where you will end up if you are doing the opposite and traveling to the West then you want to stay up later and expose yourself to outdoor light as long as possible.
2. Spend The Day Outside In Sun
Sunlight helps us regulate circadian rhythm for eastbound flights. Try to get an early sleep. It will help you wake up for westward travel. Get Sun in the late afternoon and evening.
3. Re-Timer Glasses
Use light therapy to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Use 450 minutes in the morning for eastbound travel or night for westbound travel. If someone asks tell them you are a cyborg.
4. Earplugs & Sleep Mask
Block out distractions with earplugs and a sleep mask. Complete darkness is ideal for melatonin (hormone that enables your body to know, when it is time to sleep and when it is time to wake up) production. Melatonin helps regulate our circadian rhythm.
5. Cold Shower at Night
Cold shower in the evening before bed can also help increase melatonin production throughout the night.
6. The 20 Minutes Nap
If sleep does not come easy at night, try 20 minutes nap throughout the day to make up for lost sleep but try to get at least four hours when it is dark out.
7. Stay Active
Exercise in the early morning or late afternoon but just not too close to bedtime. It can keep you up.
8. Drink Tea
Go for a tea; a natural brew of Yebra mate, a Ginkgo Biloba or Ginseng can recharge your body and mind in the morning and even in the evening.
Try Chamomile lavender and Valerian to help you not off. You can shop them online. Keep looking for their discount coupons and vouchers, promotional deals and promo codes and enjoy the rest.
9. Avoid Alcohol & Coffee
Avoid alcohol and coffee at least three hours before bed. Both act as stimulants and can keep you from falling asleep.
10. Choose Overnight Flights
The thing with overnight flights is you will get your sleep after dinner as you would at home. And when you sleep it off you reach your destination at morning or afternoon (in another timezone), Which is as close as you can get to your regular schedule.
In this way, you can cheat your body to think that it is replicating its daily schedule, so it gets easier for your body to adjust its biological clock.
11. Upside Down Your Internal Clock
It is a very hard thing to do, but it is effective. Just 4-5 days before your flight, change your schedule.
Make a schedule that coincides with your destination. Shift your sleeping and eating times with that of your destination, and when your body reaches the destination, you will feel like you are still at home.
12. Double Down on Hydration
In the flight, your body gets dehydrated faster, and to keep it healthy you need to compensate for the water loss.
Dehydration leads to weakness, so we advise that- to avoid weakness you do all necessary things. Drink enough water every hour ( at least 8 ounces ).
Use hydrating spray, moisturizing lotion, and lip balm to add water content to your skin as well. If you wear contact lenses, then use Eye drops. But remove them before you take a nap.
13. Sleep A Lot
To fight the exhaustion of Jet Lag, you need one silent weapon – Sleep. If you are on a long flight and traveling from Asia to the United States, then your body needs as much as sleep to adjust to the time zone change.
A business or a first class ticket is must for long flights because you want that reclining seat to sleep well. And if that is beyond your budget then do bring neck pillows and noise-canceling headphones with you- for a good sleep.
For some of us, sleep comes naturally. But for the rest, it takes hours of changing positions and a sacrifice to Gods to let the sleep coming. So, if going to sleep takes you a lot of time then take sleeping pills on the flight.
Check out the time duration of the effect of sleeping pills at home before you use them on the flight. Short Duration pills are better as they won’t make you feel groggy when you reach your destination.
We are not talking about Melanin here but melatonin. It decides when our body goes to sleep and when it wakes up, or in other words, it controls our sleep schedule.
Doctors have tested that 3 milligrams of Melatonin every day after reaching your destination help your body to reset its sleep clock better. Try this non-prescription drug, and check if it works on you.
16. When Not To Sleep
If you reach your destination in Morning, then avoid sleeping. It is not a time for your body to take rest, so sleeping makes you more tired.
But, if you reach your destination at around bedtime then it is okay to go to sleep. A short nap of 20 minutes is okay if you are used to taking naps. But a longer sleep will result in you staying awake whole night.
Now, you wouldn’t want that, would you?
17. Do Nothing
If you are there for only a day or two, try doing nothing. I mean you are just going to have to go back to your home time zone; you might as well stay on that schedule. Do not even set your watch.
I hope these natural ways will help you to combat jet lag as much as possible.
Jet Lag Is Common
They say Jet Lag is for amateurs. But it takes a lot of skill and practice to beat the Jetlag.
Your body needs time to adjust to the change in timezone and also the exhaustion of the long International Flight. It is better if you catalyze your body’s recovery to the JetLag.
Author Bio
Abigail Kent is an enthusiastic blogger, who loves to write on Trending topics related to lifestyle, traveling, and money saving tips. She’s currently associated with Discount Codez, an online coupon code directory offering latest and updated deals, promos, and vouchers. Follow her at Twitter.
A frequent flier might be of the opinion that she is aware of everything that is to know about flying. After all, a regular traveler would know how the routine works.
Clearing the security checks, turning off the mobile phone when in flight, the instructions from cabin crew and possibly in-flight food and beverages. But these are customary within a flight.
There are many hidden features as well which many travelers are not aware of. Most of these features are hidden in plain sight, but they are positioned with a purpose in mind. The sole purpose being “to improve the in-flight experience of fliers”.
Still, don’t believe it? Check out some of these hidden features the next time you board a flight!
Hidden Aircraft Features
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Not long ago traveling by airplanes was restricted to the wealthy and privileged. Most common fliers in airplanes used to be top brass of companies traveling on a business trip.
However, in the last decade, the airlines’ companies have diversified into economy travel. This has not only led to a decrease in the price of airline tickets but also a higher competition in the air travel industry.
Photo: Inside an aircraft / The Art of Travel Partners
1. The Secret Room
The secret room is generally a hidden feature in an aircraft because most of the passengers have no clue. It might sound exciting, but don’t get any funny ideas.
This is the room which is separate from the passenger area and the cockpit. Typically, the secret bedroom is the place where flight attendants can take a breather during long hours of flight time.
It is sort of a break area for attendants and air hostess where there can relax, read books or even escape the maddening passengers.
Every aircraft has a marking over four of its windows. A little black triangle marks about four windows. This marking offers the best view of the airline wings and flaps. However, this marking is not intended for passengers.
This is useful if the flight attendant has to check the airline flaps or other moving parts while the craft is in mid-air.
In addition to offering the best view of the wings, this seat is also the center of gravity of the airplane. So a passenger suffering a nauseatic attack can find some relief in these seats.
3. Hidden Handrail
Quite often, other passengers might grab on to your seat when walking towards the bathroom at the end of the passenger cabin.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
This might seem annoying but you might end up doing the same when you are walking to the end of the plane. But airplanes are designed with a handrail at the bottom portion of the overhead compartment.
You can witness airline staff placing their hands near the ceiling. This is to grab hold of the handrail while walking during a flight.
4. Hidden Latch on the Bathroom
This might seem weird, but it is designed to cater to emergencies during the trip. The bathroom within the airplane has a hidden latch on the outside.
Photo: The Art of Travel
This will allow in-flight attendants to open the bathroom from outside. This is especially useful if a patient suffered some emergencies inside the bathroom and is stuck.
Sometimes, it is also useful to rope out pesky passengers who tend to hide inside the washroom for hours at a stretch.
5. Chemical Panel
Photo: We all need air / The Art of Travel Partners
The cabin crew demonstration before the flight takes off is very amusing. The crew displays how the oxygen masks will be deployed and relay instructions on how to use it.
But where does the oxygen in the mask come from? Oxygen tanks are too heavy and it is impractical to carry them on a flight. So, airplanes are designed with a panel filled with chemicals.
Chemicals like barium peroxide, sodium chlorate, and potassium chlorate are stored in the panel. When these chemicals are mixed, it releases oxygen through the cabin masks. This is a much more effective way to store oxygen than to carry containers in the airplane.
6. Handcuffs and Defibrillators
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Almost all the airlines and flight crew are trained and well equipped to handle emergency situations in an aircraft. Sometimes, airline staff may encounter violent and aggressive passengers whose behavior might be too unruly and disturbing to other passengers.
In such cases, the airlines’ staff are provided with handcuffs to restrain the passenger. These handcuffs are made of plastic and can be highly effective. An aircraft also has an in-flight defibrillator.
This can be a lifesaver if a passenger encounters a heart attack when on the flight. The flight staff is trained to use this defibrillator and provide temporary medical assistance till the time flight is safely landed.
7. In-flight ashtrays
It is a known fact that smoking is not allowed within the airplanes. But still, every flight has an ashtray as a safety precaution. This is a mandatory requirement on all newly designed aircraft.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Although you still can’t smoke, there are ashtrays within the flight. The idea is to have ashtrays because while smoking is not permitted on flights if someone were to light a cigarette on board there must be somewhere to safely extinguish it.
Author Bio
Harsh Arora is a Content Consultant at Enuke Software, a pioneering Blockchain, and Mobile App Development Company and Blockchain Development Company in the USA. He is passionate about the start-up ecosystem, Cryptoworld, entrepreneurship, latest tech innovations, and all that makes this digital world.
When not writing, Harsh loves to play basketball, cook, and go on drives. Prior to this, he was working for a technology marketing company based in Norwalk as a content contributor and crypto advisor.
When men invented ways to move from one place to another, may it be through wheels or sails, many brave souls ventured into the unknown to defy logic? Such explorers made a name in history, and surely lived a life of adventure.
Let’s hear their tales of discovery and exploration.
Famous Explorers
The Age of Discovery or the Age of Exploration primarily began from the beginning of the 15th century until the end of the 18th century.
It is an informal and loosely defined term for the period in European history in which extensive overseas exploration emerged as a powerful factor in European culture and was the beginning of globalization.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
It also marks the rise of the period of widespread adoption in Europe of colonialism and mercantilism as national policies. Many lands previously unknown to Europeans were discovered by them during this period, though most were already inhabited.
From the perspective of many native population or non-Europeans, the Age of Discovery marked the arrival of invaders from previously unknown continents.
Global Exploration
Photo: The Age of Discovery / The Art of Travel Partners
Global exploration started with the Portuguese discoveries of the Atlantic archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores, the coast of Africa, and the discovery of the sea route to India in 1498.
This was followed by the trans-Atlantic Voyages of Christopher Columbus to the Americas between 1492 and 1502 and the first circumnavigation of the globe in the early 16th century.
These discoveries led to numerous naval expeditions across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, and land expeditions in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia that continued into the late 19th century, and ended with the exploration of the polar regions in the 20th century.
Let us relive the stories of 16 of the most famous explorers in the history of humankind.
Marco Polo
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners / Public Domain Archive
What sets Marco Polo apart from the rest of the explorers is his written account of his travels. Though when he published it, many believed it to be fiction, but now historians confirm many of his accounts as facts that Marco Polo mentioned in his book.
Polo was an Italian, his father and uncle were successful Jewel Merchants in Asia. When they came back to Italy, Marco Polo went with them to China. He describes his first look of hardships in Afghanistan and Gobi Desert.
Later when he made it to China, Kublai Khan sent him on voyages to Tibet, Burma, and India. After working for King Kublai Khan for 17 years coming back home after 23 years was a difficult transition. He was also imprisoned in Genoa for declaring war against the city.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners / Public Domain Archive
Inside the prison, he recorded his tales in “The Travels of Marco Polo.” This made him a celebrity later after he got out of prison. After being released from the prison, he lived 25 more years with his daughters and died in 1324.
Vasco Da Gama
A Portuguese by nationality and an explorer at heart, Vasco Da Gam learned to navigate the ships at an early age from his father, Estevao. When King Manuel discovered that Indian and Atlantic Oceans merged, he wanted to know the route that led to India.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners / Public Domain Archive
The King sent Vasco Da Gama on his way, the changes in weather forced half of his crew to fall to scurvy. That is the reason Da Gama made a rest at Mozambique, the first step of Portuguese colonialism planted here.
On his way, he stopped at Mombasa and Malindi and took a guide Ahmed Ibn Magid with him. In the May of 1498, Da Gama landed in Kochi.
After establishing spice trade in India, he went on his way back to Portugal. And Scurvy claimed the lives of his fellow crew member, as well as his brother Paulo. After struggling to keep his brother for a year in the Azores, he got back home as a hero.
His next voyage to India portrays his ruthlessness. He ordered the death of 380 Muslims aboard a ship back from Mecca. And his determination made him the dominant spice trader in Kochi. After twenty years of his second voyage to India, in 1524 he ventured to India once again.
But this time age took over mental strength and as soon as he reached Kochi, he became ill. A Catholic Church acted as his burial ground, but later his remains got back to Portugal.
Sir Walter Raleigh
He was not only a favorite of Queen Elizabeth but also a sworn enemy of the Spanish. The reason behind his hatred for Roman-Catholicism was the persecution of his family under Queen Mary I who was a Catholic.
He went to France to fight Wars of Religions, and he also studied law at Oxford. His Voyage includes his quest to find the North West Passage, but along the way, the Spanish army became the vessels of his wrath.
He became the Queen’s favorite after his return; it is even said that when he married some another woman, the Queen imprisoned him in a jealous fit.
That aside, apart from North West Passage Sir Walter Raleigh established a colony in Roanoke. His Last Voyage was to South America after which he died in Westminster (sentenced to death because of treason).
Roald Amundsen
Born to a family of shipowners and captains in Norway, Roald Amundsen was the first ever explorer to navigate the South Pole as well as the first to travel the North West Passage.
Photo: Public Domain Archive / The Art of Travel Partners
He was the leader of the Antarctic exploration. His first expedition led to his being locked up in sea ice west of Antarctic Peninsula. After surviving a harsh winter, he led his crew through the North West Passage.
Roald first wanted to explore the North Pole, but hearing he won’t be the first one to do so discouraged him. It took two attempts for him and his team to reach Polheim or the South Pole.
Abel Janszoon Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company. He was the first known European explorer to reach the islands of Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania after his name), New Zealand, and the Islands of Fiji.
Photo: Tasman’s voyage route to Tasmania and New Zeland / Public Domain Archive
Ironically, from the point of view of the Dutch East India Company, Tasman’s explorations were a disappointment: he had neither found a promising area for trade nor a useful new shipping route. Although received modestly, the company was upset to a degree that Tasman did not fully explore the lands he found and decided that a more “persistent explorer” should be chosen for any future expeditions.
For over a century, until the era of James Cook, Tasmania and New Zealand were not visited by Europeans – mainland Australia was visited, but usually only by accident.
James Cook
James Cook was the brave captain who led his ship to dangerous territories. Son of a farmhand in Yorkshire he gradually grew up and worked as an apprentice for a shipowner in Whitby.
Photo: Gisborne, New Zealand / The Art of Travel Partners
Due to his experience with ships and ports, he joined the British Nany, then ended up as the Ship’s Master. After the Seven Years War, he took on a scientific expedition to the uncharted areas of New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef.
He also took a tour of Antarctica in which he discovered Ester Island, Tonga, and he smashed the belief of fabled southern continent’s existence.
He did more than any sailor ever did to fill in the vast blank spaces in the world map. He died in a battle with the locals of Kealakekua Bay.
Sir Francis Drake
The relationship between Spain and England was not a warm one during the 16th century. When n Francis Drake became a successful slave trader as he sailed to Africa, but after that, he became a victim of Spanish forces in 1568.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
He and Hawkins deluded the Spanish Navy. Then, Queen Elizabeth, I issued a privateer’s commission to Drake saying he has right to plunder the properties belonging to King Phillip II.
For his next voyage, he went to Panama and raided the coast, then came the best point in British Naval history when Sir Drake became the first British to circumnavigate the earth.
Ferdinand Magellan
Magellan is often revered as the first man to circumnavigate the earth. That is so not true, his crew was. In his conquest to find a route to the Spice Islands from Spain without Portugal coming in the way, he lost his life.
But before that, he sailed to East Africa, Malacca (Malaysia), Indonesia. After his employment in Morocco had finished, he moved to Seville, Spain.
Under the orders of King Charles I, he sailed to Brazil, Patagonia, South America, Strait of Magellan, Philippines. He died while fighting in a mutiny in the Homonhom Island.
David Livingstone
In earlier days sailors were rowdy and cruel, they needed a rough exterior while traveling on the unknown waters. But David Livingstone was a saint among the devils.
He was a Scottish pastor who fell in love with Africa. He went to Africa in 1836 to work as a missionary. Even though he traveled to his country, he loathed slavery and adhered to his morals.
His madness for exploration led him to a hand to hand combat with a lion even. After retiring from his missionary job, he continued in Africa- but his source of motivation was to glean knowledge about the origin of the Nile River.
He was unsuccessful in his studies, but he made a dramatic exit from life when he died while on his knee- praying.
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an Italian-born to a weaver father, but that did not stop him from going on voyages to Mediterranean and Aegean seas. He was a disillusioned hero who thought he had arrived in South Asia when he had actually discovered America by error.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Columbus made four remarkable voyages. The first one nearly took his life, when French privateers attacked his ship in Portugal’s Coast. But Columbus did not give up and swam to the shore.
Both the Portugues and the Italian Kings rejected his idea of exploring a safer route to Asia, after the war when the Spanish sponsored his expedition Columbus reached the Bahamas.
In his subsequent voyages he set foot in Venezuela and Cuba, but in his death, he still thought that it was some part of Asia.
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator, and cartographer. Born in the Republic of Florence, he became a naturalized citizen of the Crown of Castile in 1505.
Photo: Vespucci arrives in New World /Public Domain Archive
Vespucci first demonstrated in about 1502 that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia’s eastern outskirts as initially conjectured from Columbus’ voyages, but instead constituted an entirely separate landmass hitherto unknown to people of the Old World.
Colloquially referred to as the New World, it came to be termed “the Americas”, a name derived from Americus, the Latin version of Vespucci’s first name.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula and played an important role in Pizarro’s conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru.
But Soto is best known for leading the first Spanish and European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States (through Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and most likely Arkansas).
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
De Soto’s North American expedition was a vast undertaking. He is also the first European documented as having crossed the Mississippi River.
It ranged throughout the southeastern United States, both searching for gold, which had been reported by various Indian tribes and earlier coastal explorers, and for a passage to China or the Pacific coast.
Brave leadership, unwavering loyalty, and ruthless schemes for the extortion of native villages for their captured chiefs became de Soto’s hallmarks during the conquest of Central America.
De Soto died in 1542 on the banks of the Mississippi River; different sources disagree on the exact location, whether what is now Lake Village, Arkansas, or Ferriday, Louisiana.
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World.
He traveled to the New World in 1500 and, after some exploration, settled on the island of Hispaniola.
He founded the settlement of Santa María la Antigua del Darién in present-day Panama in 1510, which was the first permanent European settlement on the mainland of the Americas (a settlement by Alonso de Ojeda the previous year at San Sebastián de Urabá had already been abandoned).
John Cabot
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer, born in the Kingdom of Naples. His 1497 discovery of the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England was the first European exploration of coastal North America since the Norse visits to Vinland in the eleventh century.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
Like other explorers at those times, including Christopher Columbus, Cabot led an expedition on commission, in his case, England. Cabot planned to depart to the west from a northerly latitude where the longitudes are much closer together, and where, as a result, the voyage would be much shorter.
He still had an expectation of finding an alternative route to China.
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States.
In 1607 and 1608, Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a rumored Northeast Passage to Cathay (China) via a route above the Arctic Circle.
In 1609 he landed in North America and explored the region around the modern New York metropolitan area, looking for a Northwest Passage to Asia on behalf of the Dutch East India Company.
He sailed up the Hudson River, which was later named after him, and thereby laid the foundation for Dutch colonization of the region.
Hudson discovered the Hudson Strait and the immense Hudson Bay on his final expedition, while still searching for the Northwest Passage.[6] In 1611, after wintering on the shore of James Bay, Hudson wanted to press on to the west, but most of his crew mutinied. The mutineers cast Hudson, his son, and seven others adrift; the Hudsons and their companions were never seen again.
Lewis and Clark
The Lewis and Clark Expedition began near St. Louis, made its way westward, and passed through the Continental Divide of the Americas to reach the Pacific coast.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
From May 1804 to September 1806, it was the first American expedition to cross the western portion of the United States.
President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition shortly after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to explore and to map the newly acquired territory, to find a practical route across the western half of the continent, and to establish an American presence in this territory before Britain and other European powers tried to claim it.
Photo: The Art of Travel Partners
The campaign’s secondary objectives were scientific and economic: to study the area’s plants, animal life, and geography, and to establish trade with local American Indian tribes. The expedition returned to St. Louis to report its findings to Jefferson, with maps, sketches, and journals in hand.
When it comes to travel, leisure, or business opportunities, few places rival that of the Caribbean. Caribbean countries typically top the leader board as a preferred vacation destination.
But, did you know beyond being a robust tourism market, the Caribbean also boasts strong business opportunities? And that you can apply and have a dual citizenship here?
Photo: Caribbean life / The Art of Travel Partners
In today’s world, a second passport is beneficial. Not only does it open doors, but it also gives you options for how you travel and conduct business. Having second citizenship in the Caribbean is an insurance policy, providing security for your assets and your future.
A second citizenship has become an increasingly popular way to enjoy the ease of travel and operating a profitable lifestyle or online business.
Today, we’ll discuss the whys and hows of getting a Caribbean second passport as a wise lifestyle and financial move. But first of all, let’s begin with the basics.
What is dual citizenship?
For most, the concept of dual citizenship may seem foreign. By definition, dual citizenship, sometimes called dual nationality, means being a legal citizen of two countries.
In some situations, this can happen automatically, for example, when children are born in a specific country to foreign parents.
In this instance, dual citizenship is achieved through a specialized legal process. This includes obtaining a second passport in the Commonwealth countries of the Caribbean through a Citizenship by Investment Program.
For affluent travelers, Citizen by Investment programs can also provide access to a secure line of protection to safeguard your family’s private wealth.
Benefits of a Caribbean second passport
Obtaining a second citizenship provides numerous benefits. Besides receiving a passport from both countries, being a dual citizen includes benefits and privileges such as:
Visa-free travel
Lifestyle in a tropical paradise
Investment opportunities
Business opportunities
Wealth preservation
Access to the finest offshore schools
Access to either country’s social services
How to Get a Caribbean Second Passport
Dual citizens are also afforded the ability to work in both countries without a permit or visa and vote in either one.
A second passport can give you and your family certain economic and educational advantages in addition to mobility benefits that make the Caribbean one of the most advantageous second citizenship destinations.
Obtaining a second passport
The traditional journey to acquiring a second passport can be long and arduous.
Not only can it take many years, but it can also be very expensive, with years of physical residency required. The costs of obtaining a second passport will vary, but often include legal and professional fees and government fees.
Dual citizenship through naturalization
The conventional route to obtaining a second passport is done through naturalization. Most countries will provide a means to acquire dual citizenship by applying for residency.
Applicants must then spend a certain amount of time, usually many years, in the country they apply to.
While this is the ideal option for many, eligibility through naturalization will vary significantly by each country. Residency options may change frequently as they are subject to the laws of supply and demand.
Countries facing an economic recession or that have increased demand may have a much greater barrier to entry. This application process is often intensive, expensive, and time-consuming.
Citizenship by Investment
In the Caribbean, legislation exists to make it easier to obtain dual citizenship.
Citizenship by Investment programs are the fastest option for obtaining a second passport. For qualified applicants, dual citizenship can be granted in as little as 90 days, with little or no residency required.
Affluent individuals applying for a second passport through an economic citizenship program can do so via specific investments. An individual would be required to meet a particular set of criteria, as well as different degrees of residency and investment.
There are different available channels for applying for Citizenship by Investment; this can be done by investing in a luxury property, making a donation to the government, and in some jurisdictions, investing in a business.
In return, applicants are provided immediate and tangible rewards and financial and personal security.
The value/benefit ratio of the Caribbean passports is one of the best in the world: relatively low cost and low processing time, little or no residency, and excellent travel and tax structuring benefits, versus years of residency and high cost for the U.S., Canada, and European programs.
As a dream vacation destination for many, the Caribbean has always been a paradise and region for international culture. With uncertainty in the current geopolitical climate, obtaining a second passport might just be the best investment you and your family could make.
Author Bio
Kaline Kennard is the co-founder of Citizens International, a white-glove specialist firm offering private client services necessary for citizenship investment into the Caribbean. Based in the Caribbean for the past 15 years, she is an experienced consultant who works directly with many professional partners and advises clients worldwide.
Going on a road trip solo or with friends and family is always exciting. The thought of reaching your destination, spending time during a road trip with your favorite people, driving fast on not-so-busy highways while listening and singing along to your favorite songs are some of the things that make road trip unforgettable.
The journey is always fun if you are well prepared for it. But, oftentimes, in the excitement of the trip, there are some basic things we tend to forget.
In this blog, we want to cover a few basics which will double your joy and hopefully might even save your or someone’s life someday!
Road Trip Safety Tips
Well, we’re not talking about your iPhone charger (can you really forget that?) or earphones but something much more important. While cars and roads are safer now than before, you can’t afford to take chances on yourself and your loved one’s lives.
Too often, simple precautions get forgotten in the midst of all the excitement and delight of hitting the road. Below are the six tips on how to make your road trip safer and more fun having the extra peace of mind that comes with being totally prepared for anything.
Carry a Fully Stocked Emergency Kit
It’s always good to hope for the best, but it’s even better to prepare for the worse just in case. The first thing that should go in your car should be an emergency kit that stocked with items that can be helpful in case of an emergency. It should include:
Emergency contact names & numbers – this is critical
You should also include car-specific items in case your car develops issues on the trip like triangle reflectors, some coolant, jumper cables, and an adjustable wrench.
We advise keeping all the emergency items in one place, preferably a tote bag or box, so that you can quickly get everything you need during an emergency.
If you are heading to a place you’ve never visited before, it is best if you can be fully self-sufficient with everything, from road navigation to vehicle maintenance.
You don’t want to start looking for a mechanic in the middle of the woods when your car busts a tire. As such, a week before leaving familiarize yourself with DIY car maintenance procedures like removing and changing tires, checking and adding pressure and changing antifreeze and coolant.
Learning to do these things with boost your confidence, eliminate worries and let you enjoy your trip.
You may find putting your favorite Drake song on full blast as you drive home from a long day at work quite therapeutic. There would be little to no impact on your driving. But that’s probably because your mind and body are used to taking the same road home every day.
On a new road, however, you need to be as keen and focused as possible on what’s happening in the front, sideways and at your back.
You might not be able to swerve fast enough to avoid an oncoming truck if you’re too busy having your own version of Carpool Karaoke.
Map & Load Your Route Beforehand
Get acquainted with the routes to your destination a few days before the trip, even if you’re not the driver. Additionally, check the weather and traffic forecasts on all roads you plan on using and plan accordingly.
Share your route information with a close family member who will be left behind and keep them updated on your progress. In case you suddenly go off-grid, they’ll know where to look.
Service Your Car Before You Go
The last thing you want to do is go on a trip hundreds of miles away from home with a faulty vehicle. Apart from subsequent repairs being expensive as hell, a defective car on a long journey is an accident waiting to happen.
Do a full checkup and service before you get on with your journey, replacing everything likely to break down within a month’s time. It is also good to carry spare parts like wheels and windscreens.
A Good Night’s Sleep Goes a Long Way
As mentioned several times above, going on a trip on unfamiliar roads requires loads of concentration and alertness to avoid accidents and nasty road experiences altogether.
Thus, the driver (and the co-driver) need to sleep for at least 8 hours before departure to ensure that they are on high alert and fresh during the trip.
Apart from sleep, resting also does wonders to one’s concentration and instinctual reactions. You might want to skip leg day if it falls a day before you’re set to be the designated driver.
Also, do we really need to stress the importance of being entirely sober before and during a trip?
Conclusion
Traveling is fun, exhilarating and eye-opening, more so when it’s with a bunch of friends or family. Nonetheless, a little caution goes a long way to making sure you all come back in one piece.
We hope that you’ve learned something about Road Trip Safety from this article and that you have a safe and fun road trip to wherever you’re planning to visit.
Feel free to also share your personal tips with our readers, congratulate us on a good job or just drop some words of wisdom in the comments below. Cheers!
Author Bio
Scott Pine is a team-building coach in the social marketing sphere, expert in a life insurance company, traveler and car lover. Scott also works on several own projects, including AutoExpertGuides. Follow him on Twitter.
Traveling alone is an exhilarating experience. It teaches you so much and you discover and develop yourself while you’re at it as well.
When I started solo traveling for the very first time, I had all sorts of experiences but one thing I had trouble in particular with was taking pictures of myself! There were so many shots of amazing and scenic views and all sorts of interesting things on my camera but I was in hardly any of those pictures.
I bet all of you solo-travelers out there must have encountered this issue at some point during your travels. If you have, you are not alone.
How to Take Great Photos of Yourself While Traveling Solo
I used to ask strangers to take pictures once in a while but those rarely ever turned out nice as well! So I decided to work through this issue, and below are the seven simple yet effective solutions I have discovered.
1. Invest in a Portable Tripod
You can carry a portable tripod anywhere with you and it takes very stead pictures with the perfect focus. Just set it up near a spot you want to capture, adjust the focus, go in front of the camera with the view behind you and there you have it, the perfect picture!
2. Purchase a Camera Remote Control
It is commonplace to run behind a camera after setting up a timer and quickly deciding on a pose, but if it doesn’t turn out well the first time it becomes a massive pain to take pictures over and over again.
If you have a wireless remote control, you can simply click a button and take a snap wherever you are. The distance the camera works on pretty high and you don’t need to run and hold a pose every few seconds.
3. Learn About the Best Photo Angles
Learn about using angles to make your photos look better. Know what your “good side” is and really flaunt it when you are having pictures taken of yourself!
The rule of thirds will help you in deciding the perfect spot for you to be in the picture. You just need to switch on the grid function on your camera and make sure you are somewhere between the central focus.
5. Blend in With the View Whenever You Can
A lovely view behind you in a picture is definitely a great idea. But at times it fails in comparison to how amazing a photo looks when you are trying to be a part of it while you’re at it as well.
Don’t just include your face in a selfie. If you find that the place has a nice view, try to capture a large chunk of it within your selfie instead.
7. Your Face doesn’t have to Show Up
You don’t have to make sure you show up in every photo. In some pictures, you can take pictures of some parts of you so you can get some validation and a way to kill time as well. Take a picture of your hand holding the notice board as fool as well.
Author Bio
Robert is a student of business administration. He has a great passion for cars and devices that improve the driving experience. He loves photography as well and has his own little studio in California. He ritually posts at Dash cam safety
Many tourists who visit the United Kingdom or Nordic countries ask where they can see real Vikings. However, no country or tribe has ever been called a Viking nation. ‘The Vikings’ is simply the word for “sailors” or “pirates” in Old Norse, a language spoken in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden during the Viking age.
The Nordic (literally “the North”) countries have an interesting history going as far back as to the end of the last Ice Age. Scandinavia was covered by an ice sheet around 10,000 BC.
As the ice melted, the north Germanic peoples populated southern coastal areas and Finns and Sami migrated from the Ural Mountains. Thus, the Nordic countries were among the last parts of Eurasia to be settled by humans.
The Vikings
The Vikings mainly came from three countries of Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. These were primarily Norse seafarers who spoke the Old Norse language, and sailed, raided, and traded across wide areas of northern, central, eastern, and western Europe.
The Viking Age was during the 9th and 10th centuries, when the Norsemen sailed the seas and rivers of Europe, reaching as far as Canada, North Africa, and Central Asia.
While overseas adventures were nothing new to the Norse peoples, their range, intensity, and frequency of travels became significantly high between the 8th to 11th centuries.
The Norse were the first people known to have crossed the Atlantic ocean. Iceland was settled during the 9th century, with Reykjavík as its first settlement. Shortly after, Greenland and parts of today’s United Kindom was also attacked and settled by the Vikings.
Below is the list of over 50 top Viking sites you can visit in the Scandinavian or Nordic countries, Latvia, Germany, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Odin on an eight-legged horse (Norse mythology)
Note: It’s important to note that most of these Viking sites are only open from late Spring to start of Fall season. When planning your trip, just make sure that the place is open by simply Googling.
Sweden
Ale Vikingagård
A Viking farm, north of Göteborg which is open every Sunday. Events throughout the year including feasts and markets in the spring (early May), autumn after harvest time in late October to early November and around Jul, a Norse pagan celebration at Christmas time.
Birka
Viking Age grave field at Birka archaeological site on Björkö Island, Sweden
Birka is a UNESCO World Heritage site near Ekerö, Stockholm. Birka was established in the 8th century and was an important trading center in the Viking Age. There is a museum on the island of Björkö, including a reconstructed Viking village. Roleplays, guided tours, craftsmen, and events are planned throughout the year.
Foteviken Museum
An open-air Viking museum, south of Malmö, Foteviken Museum is centered around a large Viking settlement reconstruction. The area is an important archaeological site of the Viking Age and the naval Battle of Fotevik was fought around here in 1134. Experimental archaeology, roleplays and season program and engaging activities for the whole family.
Gamla Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala (aka the “Old Uppsala”) is a former settlement outside the modern day city of Uppsala, and was the political and religious center of Viking-era Sweden. It was once the site of a legendary Norse pagan temple, which brought visitors from all around Scandinavia.
The temple was however lost; no-one knows what it looked like, or where it stood exactly. The site also hosts some impressive burial mounds and a large museum.
Gamla Uppsala Museum
The Old Uppsala Museum is in Disavägen and houses many of the Viking era archeological findings from Old Uppsala.
Gotlands Museum
Gotlands Museum is located in Visby, Gotland. Though Gotland’s Golden Age was during the Hanseatic League years from the 13th century, the island was a commercial center long before, possibly the home of the legendary Goths.
Gunnes gård, Ryttargatan
A reconstructed Viking Age farm, mostly open during summer.
Gustavianum, Akademigatan
Is the university museum of Uppsala University, and among other things they exhibit findings from Vendel- and Viking-era boat burial field in nearby “Valsgärde”. FREE entry for people under 19.
Järnåldershuset i Körunda
A reconstructed Viking Age longhouse, north of Nynäshamn.
In Visby, Gotland. While conversion to Christianity in the 11th century marked a divide between the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, Gotland remained an autonomous region of peaceful mariners and merchants until Sweden annexed the island in the 17th century.
While the people of Gotland were not true Vikings, this festival week creates a Viking-like (sailers, pirates, or mercenaries) atmosphere.
Rök Runestone
The world’s largest runestone, near Ödeshög, and also the oldest known written record in Sweden. The name of the village Rök has the same roots as rock or stone, which means that Rök Stone is a tautology.
Stallarholmen Viking Festival
Annually the first weekend of July, in a village near Strängnäs with plenty of runestones and other Viking-age artifacts.
Storholmen
A reconstructed Viking village situated on the shore of Lake Erken, north of Norrtälje. A small nature reserve of Norr Malma to the south, including a large graveyard from the Iron Age. The whole region – known as Roslagen – is steeped in history.
In the Viking Age, there trade with the East was important. There is a nice 18th-century inn and restaurant nearby and a child-friendly lakeside beach.
A reconstructed Viking village
Swedish History Museum
If you’re interested in older Scandinavian history, from the Stone Age to the Vikings, you will want to visit the Swedish History Museum. In the Gold Room, you’ll find gold treasures from the Bronze Age to the 16th century.
Trelleborgen
In the modern port town of Trelleborg in Scania, close to Foteviken Museum or a 20-minute drive from Malmö. One of only seven known Viking Ring Castles from the 980s.
“Trelleborg” is the name of the town, the castle and a general term for Viking Ring Castles. It is 143 meters in diameter and was largely reconstructed with palisades and houses in 1995.
Watch role plays and reenactments or engage in the Viking market, and Viking board games. Stories from Norse mythology are occasionally dramatized here, but only in Swedish. FREE for people under the age of 20.
Uppåkra Arkeologiska Center
Uppåkra Archaeological Centre is located south of Lund. A historical museum by and about the Viking-era archaeological site Uppåkra. This area was supposedly a cultural and religious center in Scania with a pagan temple but was abandoned in favor of modern-day Lund around year 990.
Vikingatider, Ådalsvägen
At the village of Löddeköpinge near Lund. An archaeological Viking-themed open-air museum and landscape with Viking houses and farms. Engage in everyday activities of the Vikings at the farm or in the workshops.
Guided tours (in English) of the settlement and surrounding landscape and special events throughout the year, including re-enactments, craft shops, and markets.
Årsjögård
At the lakeside village of Årsunda, south of Sandviken. An open-air museum centered around a reconstructed Viking farm in the midst of a historic region known as Järnriket (The Iron Realm). Experimental archaeology and occasional role plays, re-enactments, feasts, music, and crafts.
Learn more about the cultural history of this area, in particular, the Viking Age. The Sörby grave-fields with 90 burial mounds and stone settings are nearby, as are the popular lakeside bathing site of Strandbaden at the lake of Storsjön, locally known as “Gästriklands riviera”. At Strandbaden you will find a camping site and restaurant.
A Viking museum opened in 2017. Does not exhibit any archaeological findings, but rather showcases information about the era and a Viking themed-train ride, as well as replicas of Viking craft.
Norway
Lofotr Viking Museum
Located on the island of Vestvågøya in the Lofoten archipelago, is a huge reconstructed Viking Chieftains hall situated in a dramatic landscape. The hall holds exhibitions and there are walking paths in the surrounding landscape.
In the summer it is possible to sail with a Viking ship replica nearby. There are seasonal events and programs with roleplays, Viking feasts, Viking Festival and more.
The Viking Ship Museum
Located in the University of Oslo, the main attractions here are the all original Viking ships such as Gokstad, Oseberg, and Tune. The Viking Ship Museum is part of Museum of Cultural History, a department of Oslo University.
Museum of Cultural History also houses Historical Museum with a permanent exhibition themed around the Norse and Vikings in particular. Tickets include admission to both museums within 48 hours. The Bygdøy island can be reached by road or ferry (in the summer).
Gokstad Mound (Gokstadhaugen)
Gokstad is in Sandefjord. The burial mound at Gokstad where the Gokstad ship was discovered in 1880. The ship is the largest found in Norway and is now on display in the Viking ship museum, Oslo. The Norwegian government has asked UNESCO to include the mound on the world heritage list.
Stiklestad (Trøndelag)
The site of the battle in the year 1030 where King Olav died.
Trondenes historical center, Trondenesveien
Displaying more than 2,000 years of history in the region, which was a Viking power center (Tore Hund from Bjarkøy just north of Harstad killed St Olav at the Battle of Stiklestad, according to the saga).
Three Swords
Sverd i fjell, (literally “Sword in Mountain”), is a monument outside the center of Stavanger, beside the Hafrsfjord. The swords themselves are massive and in the background is the fjord. The monument commemorates the battle of Hafrsfjord in the late 800’s where Harald Hårfagre beat his eastern opposition and became the first King of Norway.
Midgardsenteret, Borrehaugen
New museum in Birkelyveien about history, religion, and wars of the Vikings, next to Borrehaugen, the Viking cemetery.
Kaupang
Around 800 AD, a Viking trade post was established here, and today it is both an archaeological site and a venue for Viking events in the summer.
Bronseplassen
Open May to September. Reconstructed houses from the Bronze Age and Viking times and is located in Høvåg, approx. 15 km west of Lillesand. There are also bark boats, labyrinth, offering space and cemetery.
Avaldsnes
A former Viking settlement, nowadays featuring a Viking farm, a history center, burial mounds and archaeological excavations.
Gulen Assembly, Eivindvik
Gulating was the Viking era legislative assembly and high court (þing) for West Norway. The site had a central location along the shipping lane (the highway of the time). The assembly may have been established by Harald Hairfair around year 900 (perhaps older) and existed until 1300.
Originally Gulating was a “common assembly” where all “free men” joined for the annual meeting, later only delegates from each district.
Two ancient stone crosses mark the original site, and new monument marks a later site nearby. Similar assemblies and laws existed for Trøndelag and for Eastern Norway. When Norway’s modern constitution was crafted in 1814 the name Storting (grand assembly) was adopted.
Frosta assembly, Trøndelag
Frostating was the Viking era court and general assembly for the Trøndelag area, similar to Gulating for Western Norway. The “Thing hill” is marked and can be visited.
Denmark
Bork Vikingehavn
In the village of Bork near Skjern and Ringkøbing, at the bottom of a large lagoon. A Viking village and harbor area with Viking ship replicas and a town market. Re-enactments and roleplays that varies throughout the year. Great for kids.
Fyrkat
Viking Ring Castle and re-constructed Viking houses. Sometimes roleplays and craftsmen. FREE to the public.
Jelling Monuments
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Jelling, a Viking Royal residence. Enormous stone ship monument, burial mounds, runestones and 10th-century church. Newly built exploratorium bringing the site’s rich history to life. Good for all ages. Free.
Lindholm Høje
Pagan Iron Age and Viking Age burial grounds with hundreds of stone-set grave sites. There is a museum building.
Ribe Vikingecenter
A large Viking Center and open-air town museum reconstructed at the former site of a large Viking town. Re-enactments, craftsmen, roleplays and experimental archeology of varying themes throughout the year. Ride Icelandic horses, help the farmers, watch the falconry displays, shoot with bows or learn to fight like the Vikings; there are many activities here suited for all ages and interests.
Sagnlandet Lejre
March – December. Large open-air Viking and pre-historic center with themes reaching back to the Stone Age as it unfolded in Scandinavia. Located in Lejre, a former royal homeland in the Nordic Iron Age and early Viking Age. Engaging activities for all ages.
Trelleborg Castle
A Viking Ring Castle, one of the only seven known of its kind. A small museum and some reconstructed Viking buildings.
Viking Ship Museum
A museum with several original Viking ships, a Viking research center, a harbor with copies of Viking ships, and a shipyard making new ships. Study the originals, watch how archaeologists preserve them and engage on a small sea-voyage with replica ships in the summer months. FREE for children under the age of 5.
Greenland
Norse settlements in Greenland
Vikings settled parts of Southern Greenland, starting with Erik the Red, who gave the landmass its name to make it sound appealing to travelers. Remains and reconstructions of the Norse settlements can still be visited, some of them forming a world heritage site.
Iceland
The Settlement Exhibition
Run by the Reykjavík City Museum, this exhibition in central Reykjavík was built around the oldest archaeological ruins in Iceland. As the name indicates, these ruins date to around the year 870. This interactive exhibition brings you the early history of the area that today forms central Reykjavík. FREE for children under 18.
A Viking Ship in Reykjavík, Iceland
National Museum of Iceland
This museum, located right by the University of Iceland campus, takes the visitor through the history of a nation from settlement to today. Includes a café and a museum shop. FREE for children under 18.
Reykjavík City Museum
In the suburb of Árbær, and frequently called Árbæjarsafn (Árbær museum), this open-air museum contains both the old farm of Árbær and many buildings from central Reykjavík that were moved there to make way for construction.
The result is a village of old buildings where the staff takes you through the story of a city. The staffs are dressed in old Icelandic clothing styles and trained in various traditional techniques, for example in making dairy products or preparing wool. FREE for children under 18.
Also spelled as Thingvellir in English, it’s the place where the Icelandic parliament (Alþing) met for a few days every year from 930 until 1798. This yearly event also served as a supreme court and a huge market and meeting place for people from all over Iceland.
Vikings landing in Iceland
The Settlement Centre, Brákarbraut
A media center showcasing the Viking sagas, stories or descriptions of their everyday life.
Eiríksstaðir
Around 150 km north of Reykjavik, Eiríksstaðir is an open-air museum centered around the recreation of the homestead of Erik the Red and his son Leif Eriksson (considered to be the first European to set foot in America).
Saga Centre
In Hvolsvöllur, 15 km to the southeast of Hella. A museum showcasing Njals Saga, the main saga of the Icelanders.
Snorrastofa
A museum and research center showcasing Snorri’s Saga, written by the 12th and 13th-century writer Snorri Strulasson.
Viking World, Keflavík
A museum with five Viking exhibitions, including a replica of a ship.
Germany
Haithabu
Located at the southern end of the Jutland peninsula, Haithabu was once the site of the largest Viking town in Scandinavia. Now an open-air town museum with reconstructed Viking houses. Experimental archeology, craftsmen and engaging roleplay and reenactments of the former life in the Viking Age town.
Latvia
Grobiņa Viking Settlement
The west coast of Latvia has Viking heritage, where there was once a settlement named Seeburg (now in Grobiņa city).
United Kingdom
Jorvik Viking Centre, England
The world famous Jorvik Viking Centre is a must-see for visitors to the city of York and is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the UK outside London. Welcoming over 16 million visitors since 1984, Jorvik Viking Centre invites visitors to journey through the reconstruction of Viking-Age streets as they would have looked 1000 years ago.
Lindisfarne, England
An early Christian monastery at the Northsea rocky shore. The Norse raid at Lindisfarne in AD 793 usually marks the beginning of the Viking Age.
Up Helly Aa (Shetland Islands)
Europe’s largest and most famous fire festival. It takes place on the last Tuesday in January. Over the year the ‘Guizer Jarl’ or Viking Chief and his squad prepare costumes, weapons, and a replica heraldic style Viking Galley and torches.
There is a torchlight procession of over 800 participants and then the Galley is ceremoniously burned. Tickets to the halls are by invitation only, but public tickets are available for the Town Hall from the committee. Although the Lerwick festival is the largest and most famous, eleven other fire festivals are held across the islands.
Battle Abbey and Battlefield
The Abbey was established after 1070 on the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the Pope has decreed that the Norman conquerors should do practical penance for the deaths inflicted in their conquest of England. William the Conqueror initiated the building, but it was only completed and consecrated in 1094 in the reign of his son William II (Rufus).
The Abbey is in an incomplete, partly ruinous state, having been dissolved during the Reformation, then re-used as a private home. Visitors can stand on the reputed site where Harold was slain on 14 October 1066.
Bayeux
A cathedral town which features the Bayeux tapestry, which chronicles the Norman invasion of England, culminating in William’s victory over Harold in 1066.
Canada
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
A UNESCO heritage and archaeological site in Great Northern Peninsula, Newfoundland. It features the remains of the North American Viking settlements described in the Vinland Sagas: depressions in the ground that were once the foundations of houses, a sod longhouse reconstructed according to Viking-era building methods, plus some unearthed artifacts displayed in the museum contained in the visitors’ center.
Norstead, Newfoundland
Located just down the road from the L’Anse aux Meadows UNESCO site, Norstead takes a more interactive, living-history approach to the subject of the Norse incursion into North America, with a “village” of reconstructed longhouses populated by costumed interpreters reenacting daily life in a 12th-century “Viking port of trade” with a respectable degree of historical accuracy.
The modern world is full of all sorts of novelties: science, technology, medicine, faster transportation, etc. People have never had such strong knowledge in various fields. Amazing things and phenomena surround us.
Nowadays you can get news from your pocket, connect to a network that exists only in the cloud (aka remote data centers), to convey a message to a person who is thousands of miles away from you.
Thanks to information technology and the digitization of the world, we can now meet people who live far from us, in other cities and even countries.
No electricity, no wi-fi, but my laptop has enough apps to keep me busy.
The Impact of Technology on Travel
Recently, tourism has become the industry whose role in the global economy has grown significantly due to rapid technological development, cheaper flights, long-lasting geopolitical peace, and an increase in both the domestic and international tourism sector.
Along with the development of tourism services, a significant rise is also observed in the creation of the infrastructure around tourism and travel technologies, transportation, roads, hotels, and restaurant economy.
And this, in turn, has influenced the fundamental structural changes in many of the world economies. There are several countries where travel and tourism have become the largest piece of their economy.
Technology Has Changed the Way We Travel
Modern tourism has become a highly developed industry, because every person, who is curious, inquisitive, or loves leisure, likes to visit other places. That is why both domestic and international tourism is flourishing.
The way we travel is changing in different ways. You can travel by cruise or ships, by airplane, by car, by bicycle, or even on foot. It all depends on your choice and budget.
Of course, there is an element of practicality involved, for example, you would not bike from New Delhi to New York but you can certainly bike across Europe if you wish. Same is true for road-trips or cruising.
If money is in the way, then you need to plan ahead and work smartly around it. There are travel hacks you should certainly look into and we recommend you read:
If you live in Europe or Canada or USA, then you can certainly travel by cars to far away places. You can certainly travel train or plane if you have a long journey.
Some young people prefer to travel on foot or hitchhike, and stay in hostels and/or camp whenever possible. These are all ways to reduce spending. Plus, you meet new friends, have fun, and have no idea where you will be tomorrow.
This is a great advantage for travelers those who want to get everything that is possible so they can maximize their travel time exploring the world, and without burdening people around.
Devices and Apps that Improve Our Travel
Newer technologies have made travel easier to plan and overall more fun. Technology puts you in charge. You control your travel plans on your own terms.
You can now book your own flights, rent cars in foreign cities, book accommodations, carry digital maps, and even a language translating app. You don’t need to print or purchase paper travel maps anymore; you can simply download a mobile application, such as Google maps.
1. Uber or Lyft
This service is for ordering a taxi at your convenience has won the world market of transportation due to low prices and faster availability. With these taxi-on-demand apps, the customer has all the power and freedom on how and when she/he wants to travel from point A to point B.
2. Google maps
Google maps is a well-known application built by Google’s free cartographic service and technology. The service is a map, as well as satellite images of our planet. The service has an integrated business directory and a map of roads with route search.
Where you want to go?
3. Navigator
This program will show you how to get to the goal of bypassing the crust. By calculating how to get from the start to the destination, the app takes into account traffic congestion and road accidents. Navigator also knows about speed limits on different roads.
The current speed limit is displayed on the screen throughout the entire journey, and if you go too fast, the app notifies you by an audible signal. Isn’t that cool?
4. Hola Better Internet
Hola Better Internetis a program that improves the work of the Internet in any country; it gives you access to videos without interruption. The minus of the application is that the device discharges very quickly, but it is free and without any advertising.
5. Foursquare
Foursquare is a social guide in the city with the ability to recommend places to visit, based on your activity, activity of your friends and other users of the service.
6. Yelp
Yelp is a review site for restaurants and bars. When you travel to a new town or city, you can simply check what food options you have available near you and also read user reviews, ratings, and photos of food and drinks. Yelp makes your restaurant choice easier.
People travel not only for pleasure but also for business. They have to travel to other countries to participate in various conferences and negotiation meetings, or to review and sign important documents, or to participate in various exhibitions to show the goods of their company.
How can we benefit from the major changes in the travel industry?
Traveling is Easier and Cheaper
Fifty years ago, not many people went on vacation abroad. Most people spent their holidays in their country. Today that situation has changed, and the world seems to be much accessible. It is far easier today to travel anywhere you want on a fraction of a cost compared to just 50 or 100 years ago.
The travel industry is faced with many positive changes due to technology. Today it is possible to reserve a place at a seaside resort on the other side of the world. You can book tickets online or over the phone without leaving home.
The train or airplane will take you right where you want to be, and within a few hours after leaving your country, you will be able to find yourself on the tropical coast, enjoying the purest air, swimming in the crystal clear, warm water of the tropical sea.
It has become possible to order or to be accompanied by travel guide/advisor, who will provide you with the main tips for travel.
At present, tourism has become a highly developed business. Trains, cars, jetliners, buses, ships provide us with a comfortable and safe journey. And all of this has been made possible due to new technologies.
So, where are you traveling next?
About the Author
Carol James is a writer and senior editor at the USA writing service EssayLab. She has MA degree in social sciences and writes articles and reviews on different subjects. If you have any questions regarding the writing, please feel free to ask her.
Namibia is one of the least populated and most peaceful countries in the world. Its beautiful landscape and laid-back culture lure tourists from all over Europe. As a white American woman officially in her mid-twenties, and never having been outside the United States, I took the international travel leap across the Atlantic to Heathrow, then another flight down Africa overland, and finally a 2-hour jump to Windhoek.
As a young woman traveling alone, without any international traveling wits and useless guidebook knowledge in my head, here are just some of my mishaps and learning experiences from Traveling Alone in Africa.
Left Side Driving in Namibia
The first thing I learned after touching ground on Namibian soil was how to drive. Sure, I had a driver’s license. But I had to relearn how to drive a stick-shift in a diesel Ford Ranger while driving on the left side of the road, sitting in the right side of the cab, in a strange African city after having been in and out of airports for a day and a half. My foot was so shaky on the clutch I killed the engine several times merging onto busy roads.
Do Not mess with Baboons
I learned that baboons are nothing to mess around with. Baboons loiter along the side of the road and swarm Waterberg. Smart as they are ugly, they have figured out how to knock on your door, and will try to break into your bungalow to look for food. One afternoon while hiking along the plateau, I found myself surrounded by these things. I thought they were going to attack, and I still don’t know why they didn’t at least try to take my small bag. In the end, I made it through them unharmed.
Kids are smart in Africa
Kids that grow up in mud huts are smarter and more tech savvy than I am. I’m not a true millennial; I still walk into the bank to deposit a check. But these kids out in the middle of nowhere know how to work phones and cameras, and a seventeen year old boy fixed the radio in my truck in five seconds. I felt pretty stupid.
Communicate Clearly
If you don’t speak clearly, the gas station attendant might put unleaded gasoline in your diesel engine. That’s what happened in Tsumeb, and I was stuck at the Shell for three hours while the local mechanic tinkered with the gas tank. Everything ended up okay, and I had plenty of friendly people to talk to. But I was sweaty, dehydrated, and more than nervous about making it home.
People did not believe me when I said I don’t have a boyfriend. In their culture, a woman traveling by herself is entirely unheard-of. And some people couldn’t comprehend the choice to remain single as a lifestyle. Most people asked me where my husband and babies were, and some were quite shocked by my solitude. The only other lone travelers I met were old German men.
I learned that the roads are good by African standards, but they are still African roads. They are rough and bumpy as all hell, and I sometimes drove for an hour or two without passing another vehicle. Most tourists I met had at least two tire blowouts.
Keep some buffer time if you are traveling from USA
Its a I didn’t meet many Americans, I think mostly because it takes so long to get to Namibia from the States. It’s a long journey of domestic and international layovers. I took seven planes total round trip, which makes me wish I had gone for longer than just two weeks. At least I could be tired and grumpy and not get on anyone’s nerves. And vice versa.
People are kind
I got plenty of free souvenirs by making friends. Of course I wanted to buy everything that looked pretty and exotic, but my cash was disappearing. I ended up making friends with a part-time art dealer named Luigi. He tried to sell me some bracelets by telling me he’d been to Minnesota, not knowing that’s where I’m from. Turned out he visited my own hometown! The only Namibian I’d met who’d been outside of Africa, it was the master of all coincidences. And when I heard his story, I knew he wasn’t lying. He also gave me tons of free jewelry, baskets, and animal figurines.
Collect memories more than photographs
I wanted to stop at almost every turn to take pictures, but if I did that I’d never get anywhere. Sometimes you just have to drink in the view while you’re driving without stopping to document it. I drove hours through breathtaking landscape without taking any pictures because I wanted to get to my hotel before dark. The view will always be in my memory.
It’s okay to feel lonely sometimes
I was traveling alone, and it’s a remote desert so it would just be natural to feel lonely at times. Most nights the bar was a great place to chat up hotel staff and other travelers, and I met plenty of locals in Swakopmund. But once or twice I had to take a night off.
I was scared at first, but I was never in any real danger. Namibia is one of the most peaceful countries you can find on the globe. I was safer over there than I ever would be at home in Minneapolis. And fellow travelers, guides and staff are more than willing to look out for young ladies gallivanting around the desert on their own
Kelsey Jennen is a street-art photographer, lone traveler, and blogger on Badhazards. She works as a freelance writer and takes odd jobs with landscape companies. Lover of coffee and reading, she collects books, enjoys working outdoors, plays the drums, and has a cat named Pajamas.
The ancient wisdom and old tales always hold a mysterious lure for common folk. One such myth is the Ley lines which supposedly covers the entire Earth. It’s invisible to the human eye but a special magnetic field or earth’s energy can be sensed if one walks over it.
What is a Ley Line? What is its significance? And above all, what is the reason for the existence of it?
Ley Lines
Scientifically speaking, Ley lines are like an energy grid system. They are often straight and move along in all directions. They connect various places of ancient religious and spiritual significance, often including human-made megastructures.
Spiritually speaking, these paths were known to almost all ancient civilizations. For example, to the Germans, these were known as “Heilige Linien”, to the Irish, “Fairy paths”, to the Chinese, “Dragon Lines”, to the Peruvians, “Spirit Lines”, and to the Australian Aborigines, “Song Paths”. These routes and landscapes are believed to have spiritual significance.
In 1929 the term Ley lines first held its importance. If you take a closer look at the world map then you can see that many important structures are at a straight line path from each other. Not only that the distance between them is also geometrically meaningful. For example the Stonehenge, Great Pyramids of Egypt, and Great Wall of China.
Many people believe that Ley Lines are grid lines of Earth which hold the energies of Earth. There are many theories behind the puzzle of Ley Lines or The Old Straight Track. Below are a few to sate your curiosity.
According to the Chinese Art of Feng Shui, every building, every stone, every tree, every object should be in a position of harmony with the Earth’s magnetic and spiritual energy field. They believed that the dragon currents or the Earth’s magnetic field flowed in the grid of Ley Lines.
Earth has its own magnetism, and maybe the Ley Lines are the imaginary lines along which the magnetism of the Earth flowed. It is also a belief that the dragon currents determine the routes of sun, moon, and planets.
Astronomical alignments of the Ley Lines is not a common hypothesis. The first significant Ley line to be traced was determined from crossing through Stonehenge.
To our ancient ancestors, the earth’s landscape was a canvas upon which humans connected points on the ground with points in the sky. The Sun, Moon, Stars, and the change of seasons was critical to our species survival. Most megalithic constructions are connected in a straight line or triangular pattern.
This St. Michael’s Ley Line runs from Great Yarmouth to Penzance. The interesting fact about it is – it follows the path of midsummer sunrise, and connects Stonehenge, Glastonbury, and Avebury which are all ancient Megalith sites.
Spirit ways or Death Roads is the most mysterious theory of all. In most of the cultures, there are beliefs that the soul takes it path after death. We had seen evidence in history when the dead bodies got buried with valuable goods that were required in after-life.
There are many Funerary English traditions in which the paths of the dead get marked. Mourners carry pebbles which they threw at certain spots on their way to the grave. And it was a way for souls to know the route (as believed).
British also followed –no going over a bridge twice holding a corpse. All these traditions point towards the existence of an unseen spiritual path, something like the Ley Lines.
Dream Time
The Aborigines of Australia believe that there was a time in history called the – Dream time. It is at this time that the Creative Gods came to this land and traversed the country.
And they laid certain paths called “Turingas” which hold energies. At certain times of the year, the energy in this paths gets revitalized and fertilizes the countryside.
Spirit Lines of Inca
The Incans believed the presence of supernatural energy on Earth, that is why they created “Ceques” or “Spirit Lines”. These lines were sacred pathways and often marked by stones, springs, and temples. Most of them ended at the foot of Holy Mountains.
You will not find the explanation of Ley Lines in any geography book because officially they do not exist. But the idea of a hidden network of energy lines across the earth is intriguing enough to fire the imagination, and hence it became a New Age interest.
What do you think about these ancient energy tracks? Will you walk one of these to seek what you may be seeking?
