Sharing your travel photos today is a simple click away thanks to how far photography technology has come. Though have you noticed recently that everyone seems to be sharing the same shots?
There are so many beautiful places to see in the world, whether that be a natural wonder or an architectural site, though it feels as though the world has already been photographed. As a tourist, it’s difficult to capture a unique angle which the world hasn’t already seen. Difficult to make your photography stand out when 1,000 tourists before you have stood and set up their tripod in that exact same spot.
Well, If you’re sick of coming home from overseas with the exact same shots as everyone else who owns a camera, Fripito is the app you need. Local knowledge, insider tips, and unique photo locations which other tourists simply don’t know.
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Barcelona is a city of contrasts, and a beautiful one at that. Travelers have access to history, culture, architecture, food, and those who love nature can experience both the mountains and the sea! And, with 280 days of sunshine, there is almost never a bad time to visit; the city boasts a friendly atmosphere and sunny climate all year round.
People traveling to Barcelona are starting to prioritize planning their travels independently; choosing their own tours and accommodation instead of having everything organized through package holidays. But when you go to investigate a new city or place, you’ll generally find yourself trying to digest a lot of information in a short amount of time.
To reduce your time spent searching for searching for the best place to stay, here are some tips on how to choose the best accommodation in Barcelona.
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As the new year approaches, many will be sitting down and creating their list of resolutions for 2016. Those itching to see the world are likely to have “travel” somewhere on that list, but this probably appears after the resolution to become debt free.
But you don’t actually have to be debt free to travel! Everything we need in order see the world can be ours for cheaper than it ever has been before, and there are many people out there experiencing the world while still actively paying off their debt. I traveled for 5 years before I was debt free.
Traveling while still paying off debt is not only possible, but often very affordable. With some research, a little planning, and the below tips, you can manage to pay off your debt while exploring the world too!
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For those who travel long term, cooking on the road is one of the most practical solutions to keeping your expenses low. It’s healthier than eating out, and there are substantial savings to be found in trading restaurants for grocery stores.
Though one obstacle to eating on-the-go is kitchenware. Space-saving, multi-purpose, reusable kitchenware is difficult to find. And that is exactly why the Roaming Cooking range was born; collapsible kitchen containers for travelers which you can cook in, eat out of, are easy to wash, easy to use, and when not in use, folds down to a third of it’s size. It’s brilliant!
Even more exciting, enter the sweepstakes at the end of this review; 3 readers will take home a Collapsible Silicone Container Set with accompanying Cutlery Set from the Roaming Cooking range before Christmas.
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There’s never a bad time to visit Barcelona, and between a mix of modern and classic architecture, world-class drinking and dining, and kaleidoscopic cultural scene, there are plenty of things for every traveler to do.
Though for those who only have 24 hours there’s no need to despair; you can easily cram the best of Barcelona into one day. Think breathtaking churches, museums, restaurants and parks, with a dip in the Med at the end, and the chance to eat dinner under the stars too!
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It is better to be safer than sorry. I know this is an overused cliché, though safety is something which should be taken seriously when traveling. Despite what the media may tell you, the world isn’t actually dangerous or unsafe, though when exploring a new and foreign place, you still need to take certain precautions to minimize the risk of being hurt or losing everything. Finding yourself in an unsafe situation overseas may jeopardize your entire travel experience.
After traveling solo for almost 8 months now, having made my way slowly through South East Asia towards Central Europe, through the countries which make up the former Yugoslavia, and then into Latin America, I’ve managed to pick up a safety tip or two.
Staying safe abroad largely comes down to common sense and being aware of your surroundings, though of course individual destinations will have country specific tips, so when researching for your next trip, be sure to also look into destination specific recommendations for safety precautions to ensure your personal safety while abroad.
Though in general, apply the following rules and you’ll be fine. This is a guide to help fellow solo travelers; my top safety tips for travel which is trouble free.
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As autumn ends and winter breaks, many are quick to plot their escape. And who can blame them. When you haven’t seen the sun for months your only course of action is to fly somewhere hot. Shoveling snow from your driveway and scraping ice from your car are far less appealing than hiking in the Australian rainforest, or sunning yourself on a white sand beach.
The good news is that for those looking to trade winter this year for somewhere you can feel the sun on your skin, there are many destinations which offer warm weather all year round. Island destinations like Thailand, the WhitSundays, and the Florida Keys. Or more adventurous destinations like Sri Lanka or Spain’s Canary Islands.
So forget about freezing to death on skis and bundling up each morning into 10 different layers of clothes; pack your swimsuit, suntan lotion and a hat; the following destinations are ideal escapes during winter for those searching for the sun.
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It’s been a fair few years since my family has seen me home for the holidays, for no other reason than I’m head over heels in love with traveling the world. Christmas 2010 was spent in the Qantas Club Lounge in Melbourne before catching an international flight to Edinburgh; Christmas 2011 was spent in New York City while dating Mike; Christmas 2012 was spent in Tasmania with selected extended family, and Christmas 2013 in Florida, 9,433 miles away from home.
It’s not that I don’t love my family. I’m part of a very tight knit group. Though when you’re addicted to travel you often miss the birthdays. You’re overseas for the anniversary’s. You have to settle for video replays of weddings you should have been at. And you settle for Skyping in on Christmas day.
So how do you deal with Christmas when you’re never home for the holidays? This is how I do.
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To those looking in, Craig and I are living the dream. Partying a SXSW music festival in Austin, trekking to Machu Picchu (Peru), discovering Colombia’s street art scene, diving in Cuba; at almost 30, we packed up our past lives as teacher and tradesman to backpack the Americas and Europe for 18 months, and our first five months on the road have produced incredible memories.
Though we’re often asked why we get to do it while many others have to settle for sitting at home dreaming about it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to settle for living vicariously.
We hope the following helps explain how to take a career break to travel. We imagine young ‘ins are as excited about spring break as we are about our career break!
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What comes to mind when you think of the perfect wedding proposal? For many couples a romantic wedding proposal includes dinner with a view, a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne and a classic engagement ring from Vashi. But that’s not for everyone!
Some couples prefer to live on the edge, so if you and your significant other are adrenaline seekers, here are 5 alternative adventurous proposal destinations.
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I’ve been quite lucky that in over 10 years of extensive travel I have never once been mugged, held up, arrested in a foreign country, or found myself in any kind of trouble which requires an embassy to assist. Knock on wood.
I have, however, made my fair share of stupid decisions and mistakes while traveling abroad, and hopefully you can make note so that you don’t have to learn the hard way too.
The following are my biggest mistakes while traveling abroad. Leave me a comment at the end of the post if you’ve had any epic fails too!
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Gold Coast Australia, or Surfers Paradise, is bigger, brighter, and more epic than you could possibly imagine. An iconic Australian coastal destination famous for sun, sand and surf, this is where travelers head for a truly good time.
With so much to see and do, this guide is your ultimate resource to the Gold Coast’s best beaches. These are some of the best in Australia.
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There’s nothing I hate more than having to hand-wash while traveling. The skin on my knuckles gets rubbed raw, my nails get bent out of shape, and it’s usually done in the dirty sink of a shared hostel bathroom. Or a questionable looking lake. Though hand-washing is a necessarily evil when on a long trip/trek where you have to pack light and can only travel with a couple of pairs of clothes. And hundreds of travelers put up with it. Not any more.
In 2010, one Aussie traveler came up with a brilliant idea. A concept which would allow travelers to do their laundry on the road for free, and be able to wash clothes while traveling without having to use a dirty sink.
Weighing less than an apple, the Scrubba Wash Bag is a pocket-size device that allows you to wash your clothes and travel clean, light and free. Designed for travelers, trekkers and campers, the secret to its ingenuity is the hundreds of resilient nobules that act like a flexible washboard, a fusion of old and new technology, that allows you to wash your clothes in minutes. Though unlike a traditional washboard, you can easily slip it into your backpack.
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France is a popular destination in the summer, and floods of tourists travel here to enjoy the beaches of Cannes, sip wine in Bordeaux, and picnic on the banks of the Seine while admiring the Eiffel Tower. Tourists usually then clear out before the first sign of snow- having missed the opportunity to experience a truly magical time of the year.
Because France takes on a different dimension during winter; imagine iconic landmarks like the Champs Elysees and Grand Palais transformed by a sea of dazzling fairy lights, and public ice-skating rinks which stay open well into the night. Or outdoor Christmas markets which take over main city squares. You can snack on roasted chestnuts, sip local mulled wine, or shop for traditional gifts. Winter in France is a celebration. And it is something you should absolutely not miss.
Not only is this the best time of the year for grabbing cheap deals on flights and accommodation, but being off season means you can head to famous attractions like the Louvre and skip what in summer months is a long hour and a half queue. Once the summer tourists depart, France feels like it’s your own. Here are some of the things you can do:
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Staying safe when on the road is really important, whether that’s looking after your health, your personal possessions or your travel buddies. The last thing you want is something to cut your trip short, so follow these tips for staying safe when travelling across Europe.
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This year has been a frightening year for those who travel – terrorism appears to be on the rise, governments have been issuing overblown safety advice, and travelers are becoming more and more paranoid about whether or not it is safe to travel (it is).
Realistically, cities like London, Prague and New York have some of the highest crime rates in the world, though no government agency advises against travel here. And you have just as much chance of being caught up in an attack on your own country as you do while traveling abroad, yet no-one lives permanently in a bunker underneath their home for fear of coming out.
So many New Yorkers are cancelling their plans to go to Paris, but look what occurred right in their own backyard on 9/11. You can’t let it stop you from traveling and you can’t live in fear.
Because the truth of the matter is that it’s not travel which is dangerous – it’s LIFE. And we should never let the fear of extremists activities stop us from doing what we do. If you stop traveling, the terrorists win.
So don’t stop traveling, just travel smart. Here’s how to travel safely in the face of terrorism.
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As the holidays approach, destinations around the world are gearing up for the busiest time of the year, and prices on everything from flights to accommodation and food are getting ready to soar. It’s all well and good to advise that traveling during off season is the best way to score a cheaper vacation, though many travelers don’t actually have a choice, and especially for families with children, it’s impossible to avoid planning your travel over school holidays or during the Christmas and New Years break.
Though there are still a number of ways you can ensure a fabulous and affordable vacation even when traveling during peak season, and there are always ways to make your holiday dollars go further by thinking outside the box.
When it comes to travel, accommodation can easily make up the majority of your holiday costs, and your accommodation can make or break an entire holiday. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on staying in a bungalow, a villa, a B&B or even a yurt; it’s important to make good decisions when it comes to planning your stay. To this end, use the following tips when booking holiday accommodation to guarantee a successful break.
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Action camera’s are fantastic, though let’s be honest, they’re not made for easy sharing. If you’re an adventure seeker you wait until the end of the day to see your footage and you spend hours editing it before being able to create a sharable clip. I would love to post videos more frequently from our adventures, but they often take days to complete. That is, until now.
The TomTom Bandit isn’t the first action camera to hit the market, though I’ve found it’s certainly one of the most unique. Breaking into the market of action camera’s and releasing a product consumers will remember is a fairly difficult task – the market is already cornered by established name brands, and many companies who have attempted to break into action camera’s simply haven’t managed to last against brands like GoPro.
Though after reviewing the Bandit I do believe TomTom are up to the task – and not because the specs on the Bandit match some of the best cameras out there, but because it has very obviously been created with us in mind – they’ve really put thought into what users today want from an action camera, identified the pain points of current cameras, and created the TomTom Bandit action camera to be the easiest way to edit and share movies.
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This itinerary will see you fly into Hobart and rent a car, ready to indulge in the ultimate Tasmanian escape. Your first day will see you experience Hobart, discovering the oldest and most historic parts of the city. Having strategically chosen to fly in for the Saturday markets, you will browse local arts, crafts and handiworks, and will treat yourself to fresh, gourmet produce for lunch.
You are in the vicinity of one of Australia’s leading whiskey distilleries, which offers affordable tastings and 45 minute tours. The afternoon will see you drive to the top of what locals call “the mountain” for spectacular views over the city of Hobart and the wilderness forest to the west of the city. Have dinner on the waterfront and take a leisurely stroll before heading in for the night.
On your second day you will discover Tasmania’s rich natural beauty, driving a stunning coastal route to spend your final two days in a pristine National Park. You will stay in a spectacular waterfront location, in a secluded bushland setting – the ultimate romantic retreat.
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When I flew home to spend Christmas in Australia last year I ended up having to travel with two bags. Knowing that we would be moving to Australia permanently 6 months down the track, we had originally thought this Christmas visit would be the perfect opportunity to ferry as much of our stuff home as possible, to lighten the cost of shipping associated with our future move.
Though as with all best laid plans, we ended up not having the room. Upon announcing a Christmas visit to Australia from the States, the shopping orders started flying in. My phone went crazy with notifications from what seemed like everyone I knew.
Lingerie from Victoria’s Secret. Perfume that they won’t ship internationally. Pandora charms exclusive to the States. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked to pick something up while traveling, it probably could have paid for our entire move!
My second suitcase ended up being a dedicated “goods” bag for items we had picked up at other people’s request. We joked at the time that we should start charging a commission to shop for people overseas.
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Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice, where turbulent volcanic forces meet the icy touch of the Arctic to shape an island that is as desolate as it is beautiful. Blasted tundra, glistening glaciers and pounding waterfalls are among the many wonders vying for space in the Icelandic wilderness, and the best way to explore the extremes of this spellbinding country is to take a long walk into its heart, on the famous Laugavegur trail.
Stretching 55km from Landmannalaugar to Thórsmörk, the Laugavegur trail is the country’s most well-known hiking route. The four-day trek takes you past colourful mountains, warming hot-springs and steep ravines as you wind your way through the landscape of South-East Iceland.
If you are looking to test yourself physically, as well as rewarding yourself with moments of wonder, then Iceland’s Laugavegur is the trek for you.
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Earlier in the year we reviewed “Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago”; a 90 minute documentary which provides up-close look at the ancient spiritual pilgrimage known as the Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James.
The documentary itself was fantastic, and you can read our full review, though while watching the journey of each pilgrim unfold, I found myself equally as fascinated with the process of making the film.
How did they cast the travelers who took center stage? What was the budget for this kind of a film? How did the camera crew cope with completing this same trek but with all of their heavy equipment?
Determined to find out what goes into the making of a travel documentary, I decided to consult an authority on the matter. This week’s interview is with Lydia B. Smith, the director and producer of Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago, on what it takes to make a travel film. She takes us behind the scenes.
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Travelers love to eat, and one of the most unique aspects of travel is the luxury to sample great restaurants and exotic cuisine from all around the globe. The excitement is in experiencing new tastes that broaden your culinary horizon, and new flavors that calibrate your taste buds.
There are many, many, reasons to travel the world, though for a growing number of travelers, food is one of the biggest ones. And whether you’re interested in hitting up the best markets, dessert spots, cafes, fine dining or even street stands, the joy for many people is returning home with new recipes in place of souvenirs!
The following are the world’s premiere food destinations. If you’re a foodie and you love to travel, you should consider the following destinations for your next trip.
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It was 110 degrees when we left Los Angeles earlier in June this year (43 degrees Celsius). We were Australia bound after having finished a 3 month road trip from the bottom of the States to the very top. The Californian sun was spectacular, so I boarded my flight in my tank top, shorts and thongs (flip flops…always feel the need to translate there).
In my carry on was a spare change of clothes, clean underwear and a light overthrow. 20 hours of flying later and I realized I had made the first rookie error of flight. I wasn’t wearing suitable clothing for the weather of my final destination, and I didn’t have an appropriate change of clothes.
I disembarked in Sydney to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, or as we in Australia call that…0 degrees. I had forgotten the implications of traveling to Australia in June.
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Most people avoid traveling — not because they don’t want to see the world, but because they seem to think all travel must be expensive, and they fear they simply can’t afford it. So they take their trips close to home to cut down costs, and they miss out on some truly great cities around the world that are just waiting to be explored.
Of course there are some obvious areas where you can focus in order to save money while traveling, like hunting for cheap plane tickets and traveling in the off season, though some of the best money-saving tips may not be the ones you immediately think of when planning a trip.
Dublin is one of the most beautiful and culturally-rich cities in the world, and while it can be an expensive place to visit if you let it, there are a few ways you can cut some corners and save some cash.
Following these simple tips will have you exploring the best this Irish city has to offer with enough cash left over for a round of pints at the pub.
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