When it comes to casino tourism, the UK might not share the same popularity as the likes of Vegas or Macau, but it does have a very rich gambling history (pun intended), and its gambling industry today is worth £14.5 billion.
Many tourists looking for an exciting evening take in the theater, as well as local bars and nightclubs (London is particular famous for its gin dens), though for gambling fans, there are also many fantastic casinos.
Casino culture in the UK has had a rocky history; it’s come in and out of favor (most notably having been banned by King Henry XII because he believed that it distracted soldiers from their duties), though the industry remains strong today.
And it’s likely to stay that way – besides the sheer amount of tax revenue that gambling generates for the Government, we all know how Queen Elizabeth II loves a good horse race!
If you’re keen on gambling, and consider yourself more James I than Henry VIII, here are a few things to know about casino tourism, and gambling in cities throughout the UK.
Read More
The popularity of Joshua Tree National Park dates back 10,000 years, back when the Pinto Culture were hunter-gatherers within the region. Cattle rustlers and miners would later move into the area before Joshua Tree would eventually go on to become the outdoor recreation mecca it is today.
Joshua Tree’s otherworldly landscape is filled with billion-year-old boulders and crazy looking Joshua trees for which the park is named. It’s now been 25 years since California’s Joshua Tree became a national park, conserving nearly a half million acres of rugged yet beautiful desert wilderness.
The park has been popularized through its appearance in music videos, iconic album covers, and through big name music concerts, though it’s major draw is its offering of outdoor adventure.
Whether you’re into rock climbing, hiking, camping, or spotting wildlife, Joshua Tree definitely delivers! Read about all the things you can do!
Read More
With roads becoming more crowded, traffic rage, unexpected braking, swerving, and switching lanes without indicating are becoming more widespread – in almost every country.
Provocative gestures, yelling, cursing, tailgating, and loud car horns – all of this is quite common, and something you’ll likely encounter on any road trip you take.
But road rage can trigger dangerous behavior, and this is not something you want ruining a trip. So learning how to stay calm in your car is an essential skill to have with you on any road trip.
Read More
Backcountry skiing is a fun and exhilarating pastime for experienced skiers who want to experience something new. It combines some of the most exciting, but also dangerous aspects of rock climbing, skiing, and hiking into one adrenaline-packed sport.
In this guide, we’ll go over what you need to start backcountry skiing, how you can stay safe, and where you can go around the world to do it!
Read More
For anyone who loves to travel, the ideal situation is to find a job where you can get paid while traveling the world. Few opportunities let you do this, though even fewer offer a steady wage that allows you to contribute positively to society.
When you think of the best travel jobs, the first job that springs to mind may not be nursing, but this is actually a highly in demand job, all around the world.
The sad fact is that two billion people around the world lack access to basic medicines needed for day-to-day health care, and many more suffer for want of simple surgical procedures. As such, qualified nurses are in high demand in many countries.
If you have a basic level of medical training, you can join one of the charities or international organizations dedicated to providing worldwide health, or you can set aside the prospect of a comfortable US salary and take a job in a developing country where your skills are desperately needed.
Most travel nurse jobs require at least 1 to 1 ½ year of clinical experience. If you’ve got the experience and think it sounds interesting, here are 6 reasons why you should do it!
Read More
Many countries are warning that the current social distancing measures are likely to be in place for anywhere between 6 – 18 months; planes are grounded, borders are closed, and the loneliness of being isolated at home is utterly depressing.
One of the best things about travel is the people you meet, and the friendships you make along the way; the characters you bump into in a bar, and the lifelong friendships you make with people who share your addiction. But you can’t go out and meet people right now.
I don’t agree with social distancing. I agree with the concept, but I don’t agree with the terminology. Physical distancing, sure. This is absolutely necessary right now, and I will gladly do my part to stay at home and remain physically separate from other humans. I don’t want the virus anymore than I wish to pass it on.
But I’ll never stop being social. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stay social within the travel community, and connect with other travelers, while adhering to social distancing.
Read More
There’s nothing worse than finding yourself without power when traveling. Whether you’re camping, trekking, or in a country where the power goes out every afternoon (3pm on the dot in the Solomon Islands!), these days we need battery life for most things we do.
And that’s where a portable power station comes in, and why it’s so essential to have one for travel; a power source, and way of charging your electronics regardless of whether you’re outdoors, far away from a wall outlet, or caught in a power outage.
The brand we’re reviewing today is the US based MAXOAK Bluetti AC20 Portable Power Station – it’s a lightweight but durable portable generator that is excellent for travel, as well as use as a backup power source at home.
Read More
One of the hardest parts of booking a trip is trying to decide on the destination. With so many unbelievable places in the world, how can you possibly narrow things down to just one city or country?!
It’s tough, but there are a few things you can do to make this decision easier – and slightly more interesting!
Here are four fun ways to pick your next destination – we’ve aimed for more eccentric, out of the ordinary ideas, because travel should be about the adventure!
Read More
Road trips are one of our favorite pastimes. They give you the opportunity to see the world in a unique way without spending a lot of money. Plus, you can bring along as many friends and family members that will fit in your car.
Packing correctly for a road trip is an essential part of having a great time. And the benefit of taking a car is that you have more flexibility in what you can pack without TSA or airline guidelines changing your packing list.
The bad news is, you might forget a few things if you’re not organized. Of course, you’ll probably do a good job packing your toys, toiletries, and other daily essentials, but there are a few things people often don’t think about.
So, here are 10 things you might want to bring on your next road trip!
Read More
Cabin fever has set in and you want to get away for a little while. With a destination in mind, you throw some clothes in a bag and settle into the driver’s seat. But before you pull out of the driveway, there’s a few things you need to check.
As easy as it is to just jump in the car and drive, road trips do require a little bit of prior planning, and there are some important checks you should run to ensure your safety.
While you know the Jeep Wrangler is tuned, the brakes are fine, and the oil was changed recently, take a look at these other four essentials. Doing so will minimize the risk of being left stranded in the middle of nowhere tonight!
Read More
Family vacations can be fantastic bonding experiences. Traveling to exciting locales, seeing interesting sights, and trying new things with your tribe can bring everyone closer together and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Unfortunately though, as is often the case when families spend a substantial amount of time together, vacations can quickly become hindered by passive-aggressiveness, crankiness and hurt feelings. The stresses of travel get taken out on each other!
Luckily, nipping these issues in the bud doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Families who want their next big trip to be free of conflict would be wise to heed the following pointers.
Read More
Pets form an intimate part of our lives, and for cat lovers who love to travel, it’s often just unthinkable that you would holiday and leave them at home.
Travelling with pets is never easy though, and especially when it comes to cats, they can be quite temperamental on the road. You have to prepare for your trip as you would prepare for a traveling with a child, maybe even more.
There’s no reason these days to have to choose between your wanderlust and your cat, but you do need to make sure you’re prepared. Use the following tips for a safer and smoother experience.
Read More
When you picture Namibia, what are the first images that come to mind? Beautiful landscapes? Red dunes? Diverse wildlife? Beautiful indigenous tribes?
Surprise! Namibia has all of this and much more. If you haven’t yet visited Namibia, it’s time to feel inspired by these 10 photos that will make you want to jump on a plane!
The energy of this place, combined with the unparalleled abundant wildlife, the beautiful and friendly people and the silence of the desert will give you so many reasons to fall in love with Namibia!
Read More
Safety is always a big priority when traveling abroad, and everyone knows the importance of being vigilant and aware of your surroundings; of protecting yourself against tourist scams and threats.
But while most people worry about their vacation being ruined by thieves, or hospital visits, most people don’t think twice about cyber threats.
While it’s obviously important to care about your physical safety, these days you’re actually much more vulnerable to online threats than you are being mugged on the street. Because personal data has become far more valuable than your wallet.
When you consider that the personal data held on just one of your devices includes usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, flight details, logins, etc having this information stolen is quite the nightmare situation.
So without getting too complicated, we’re covering today some of the basics – straightforward, easy steps you should be taking to protect your personal data, every time you travel.
Read More
Part of French Canada, just north of the US border with Vermont, Montreal is a unique city which mixes Old World European charm with a distinctly modern North American buzz.
An incredible city where centuries-old architecture is still very much alive, you can stroll down cobblestones streets, past heritage churches and 18th century facades, and the next minute be in a bustling metropolis.
Montreal is an energetic, modern city, that is also fiercely proud of its European heritage; it has many faces, and offers a conflicting yet captivating fusion of North American modernism and Old World Europe.
The city goes crazy over a festival, is passionate about its food, and has a proudly European flair despite being a Canadian metropolis. The great news is that you can experience all of this on a budget!
Read More
Nothing compares to the peace and quiet felt on the ocean; a sailing holiday offers all the pleasure of experiencing life out on the open water, while the wind gently guides you towards all sorts of exotic locations.
With so many sailing options available, both aspiring and experienced sailors have a wealth of different water-based adventures to choose from, and there are a huge range of incredible destinations that are easy to visit on a sailing holiday.
Wondering which country to visit? Here is a list of our favorite sailing destinations, naturally, with a heavy focus on the Mediterranean! After-all, the Mediterranean does offer some of the most stunning water routes on the planet!
Read More
Packing is the one thing that is universal to all travelers, though it isn’t always a skill that comes easily. And, especially if you’re packing for rainy season travel, putting together a bag requires a few more logistics.
You’ll need specific gear, which is often bulkier and heavier to pack, and you’ll also need to ensure you pack in a way which keeps your luggage both safe and dry.
To this end, we’ve put together the following hacks for packing during the rainy season.
Read More
Travel can be exciting, but it can also wreak havoc on your body. And one of the biggest problems related to travel is the loss of sleep.
Long flights, changing time zones, eating on the run and not sleeping in your own comfortable bed can all disrupt your sleeping patterns. But in addition to the sleep you get at night, naps can also help you stay well-rested while traveling.
Even if your flight is a few hours long, taking a nap can help. So the next time you have to take a long flight, use these tips for taking naps on a plane.
Read More
We’ve written a lot about the ins and outs of using a VPN for travel, and why it’s an absolutely essential piece of tech – and that’s because it legit is essential; something every traveler should have, and treat with the same importance as your passport and insurance.
Because that’s exactly what a VPN is – in most cases it’s both a passport, and an insurance; a passport to information and free access to uncensored internet, and insurance against a cyber attack.
If this is the first time you’ve heard of a VPN, or if you’ve heard the acronym but don’t really know what it stands for, this is a Virtual Private Network – a program you run on your devices which allows you to securely and privately connect to the internet.
The perks of using one as a traveler include accessing region-restricted websites, minimizing your risk of being hacked while using public WiFi, and preventing your bank accounts and email from being frozen.
And while they’ve previously been thought of as ‘a nice thing to have’, now it’s more important than ever to have a VPN.
Read More
When it comes to planning a holiday, it’s easy to adopt a narrow focus and only worry about all of the tickets, bookings, and packing that are naturally involved.
But beyond the scope of your actual travel plans, one important aspect not to forget about is securing your home.
When you’re away for prolonged periods of time, it’s natural to forget about things like an overflowing mailbox, which might attract the wrong kind of attention and compromise the safety of your home.
So, if you don’t want the headache of things going wrong when you’re not there to deal with them, here are some simple ways to keep your property safe and secure.
Read More
If you’re into your snowsports, it’s more than likely you’ve considered working a ski season before. After-all, the experience offered during an entire season is very different to your average 1-2 week ski trip.
The seasonal option will allow you to greatly improve your technical skiing or snowboarding over several months while also allowing you to immerse yourself in the local culture of the country you’ve chosen.
And because of these advantages, taking a winter season on a ski instructor internship has become the biggest new winter travel trend, especially among adventure travelers looking to make the most of winter.
Ski instructor internships are available in many resorts across the world, and as the name suggests, this is a paid initiative for skiers.
If this is something you’re interested in, continue reading as we explain what a ski internship is, and give you five reasons why it might be a good fit for you this winter!
Read More
Helicopter rides are an incredible way to explore a new city, and whether you’re flying above New York or the Grand Canyon, they offer a pretty adventurous birds eye perspective.
From landscapes to seascapes, and cityscapes, taking a helicopter tour is something that’s now available in most of the world’s major destinations, but it’s not something everyone has done before!
Riding in a helicopter is a bucket-list list experience in and of its own, but it makes a trip to somewhere like New York or London, even more memorable.
So, thinking of booking a helicopter ride? Here are 6 things you need to know!
Read More
New Orleans is one of the best places to visit in the United States if you’re looking to eat your way around the country. It’s a hotpot of different cultures with its own unique fusion of cuisines.
If you’re already reading, it’s unlikely you need much convincing to give New Orleans’ foodie hot spots a try, and so we’re just going to dive straight into the best places for eating!
Read More
Famous throughout the world, Japan’s cherry blossoms put on a spectacular show every spring with visitors coming from far and wide to view the incredible sight.
In Japan this season is called “Hanami” which literally translates to “viewing of cherry blossoms” (the flowers themselves are referred to as Sakura). Cherry blossoms play such a significant role in Japanese culture; they are fleeting, short-lived, and cherished for their ephemeral beauty.
The Hanami season begins in March and lasts until May, and whether you’re visiting busy cities like Tokyo or Osaka, or sourcing out hidden parks and temples, pink and white cherry trees will blanket the country from north to south!
But the cherry blossoms are fleeting, and most cities only offer a short window of 2-3 weeks. Tokyo’s cherry tress are predicted to start blooming from March 22 in 2020, with the best viewing from March 29 – April 6.
So, want to learn more about Hanami? We’ve updated our popular guide with dates for 2020, so you have all the info you need for planning a cherry blossoms trip to Japan, and extra fun facts about its significance to Japanese culture.
Read More
There’s no doubt that traveling as a student is one of the most exciting ways to add to your studies, and one of the most enriching ways to gain life experience, and broaden your perspectives and global knowledge.
Though it’s often tough traveling as a student – not just because you’re often juggling your travels with essays, deadlines and assignments, and not just because you’re limited to only being able to travel during semester breaks.
The toughest thing about traveling as a student is often the money! Actually being able to afford to travel, because when you’re studying full time, you’re not always capable of earning!
And that’s exactly why most countries offer student discounts.
If you want to get student discounts abroad, the key thing you’ll need is an internationally recognized student ID. Your ID from home might work, but don’t count on it.
While there are several student cards offering discounts around the world, the best known card is the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This is the only internationally recognised proof of full-time student status issued in close to 130 countries.
Flashing these cards means access to some great discounts abroad, and you can easily save hundreds of dollars when you total it up! Wondering what discounts you can get with the ISIC? Read on!
Read More
