How to Travel Safely in the Face of Terrorism. We Should NOT Let Terrorism Win
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.
read moreTips For Booking Accommodation in the Holidays
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.
read moreAn Action Camera to Rival the Current Market: TomTom Bandit Review
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.
read moreA Taste of Tasmania: 3 Day Itinerary For the Ultimate Tasmanian Escape
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.
read moreGet Paid to Shop For People Overseas! Bring Home Goods For a Sweet Delivery Fee
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.
read moreBecome a True Viking on Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail Hike
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.
read moreWhat it Takes to Produce a Travel Documentary. Interview With @CaminoDoc Director Lydia B. Smith
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.
read moreThe Best Food Cities in the World
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.
read moreThe Best Warm Jackets For Cold Weather Destinations: Sprayway Jacket Review
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.
read moreIreland on a Budget: How to Save Up To $1,000 in Dublin
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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