Archive for the ‘Travel Tips’ Category
Physicians and researchers now believe that the more a child is exposed to sun early in life, the higher the chances are that skin cancer develops at an older age. The best way to minimize this risk is to provide protection from the sun for babies at all times. Here are some ideas that you can use-
1. Whenever possible avoid taking you child outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is the time that the sun’s rays are the strongest.
2. Sun rays can go through clouds and can cause damage even on cloudy days. In the shade, the sun’s rays can bounce from sand, concrete or snow, so keep that in mind as well.
3. Sunglasses with UVA/B protection are also recommended.
4. Young babies under the age of six months should be kept out of direct sunlight. When outside with young babies, dress the baby in clothing that covers all of the body. That means long sleeves, long pants and a hat. Also, tightly woven clothes offer better protection, than clothes with a wider weave.
5. Hats should be worn outdoors. Look for a hat with a bill, like a baseball cap, in order to protect the face.
6. Infants can start wearing sunscreen at six months. But they should be kept out of direct sunlight, with sunscreen used only as extra insurance in case the sun can’t be avoided.
7. Sunscreens are designed to basically block the sun’s rays. The “Sun Protection Factor” (SPF) is a measure of how much protection the sunscreen offers. For example, an SPF of 30 means that a child can stay out in the sun 30 times longer than without the sunscreen. The recommended SPF is 15 (at the very least) and the sunscreen should be “broad-spectrum” (protects against both UV-A and UV-B light rays).
8. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure because it takes some time for them to work on the skin.
Remember that even “waterproof” sunscreens need to be reapplied every two hours.
9. Make sure that all potentially exposed areas are covered with sunscreen, including the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears and the shoulders. While putting sunscreen on the face, avoid the eyes. 10. If the sunscreen burns the eyes, try a new type or one that can be applied with a stick applicator.
11. When outside it is good advice for all of us and even more so for your baby to keep your baby in the shade, such as in their stroller with a sun canopy or under a tree.
12. Never use suntan oil, as it offers no protection and causes the skin to burn quicker. In addition, sunscreens that contain PABA should be avoided.
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Travel Guide Books:
How many do you have on your shelf? I have a fantastic collection of guide books, most of which I haven’t used. Don’t get me wrong I always have at least a guide book per country with me when travelling – but the one’s that go with me often don’t make it home – the get swapped along the way or sold to make room for the souvenirs!
Back in the PI (pre-Internet) days I used to buy or borrow guide books to get ideas for trips. Now I tend to use on-line forums and on-line resources at that stage. However, most times, as I step on that plane, I have a guide book, or 2 in my luggage! Why? At the end of the day I prefer to travel independently, I do take tours but only a day tour at most a couple of days. I like to plan and research and understand a destination. I often now take a page or 20 of notes from forums and webpages but the book is at least reliably indexed – which can be very useful.
How not to use a Travel Guide
The key word here is “guide” – not “Bible” or “Must use or will be sent home immediately”. Too many travellers become completely guide book dependent – if the book says Cafe Expresso is the place for lunch – that’s where they eat. If Hotel Barato is the best deal in town then that’s where they want to stay. Unfortunately Guide Books kill the their own recommendations – typically it’s at least 18 months from research to a published or updated guide hits your favourite on-line book store. In those 18 months a particular business: hotel, restaurant, may have changed ownership, been demolished, been re-named. However in parts of the world dependent on the tourist dollar I can pretty much guarantee that a business recommended by a well-known guide book will have gone up in price and probably down in quality. In countries weak on copyright laws there will be 3 or 4 pretenders with the same name in the same general location too. It will probably also be booked out! What to do?
Top tips for using a Guidebook
Read between the lines; browse your favourite bookstore: does every guide book mention the same 10 hotels? Odds are there are about 10 hotels: booking looks like a good idea However if find a different selection of hotels in each guide -there is clearly lots of competitionis a range of hotels, go with the flow.
If a recommended business really does appeal: check with the on-line travel forums – has anyone been there recently – what’s the current price, is it still good? Check out tripadvisor.com or other review sites for a feel on the current state of yoru preference too.
Use a guidebook to choose the general area of town you want to stay in and then head there to see what you can find on the ground. Just because a hotel is not in the guide doesn’t mean that its no good.
Apply the guidebook’s recommendation’s to your lifestyle: if you hate partying and loud music don’t book for the area described as the “centre of the action”. If you feel comfortable surrounded locals, and to be honest a lot of tourists do, don’t take the recommended trek to “villages that never see tourists”.
Be particularly careful of relying on guidebooks for information on exchange rates, visa rules and transport schedules. Fortunately all of these are readily available on-line or from your travel agent.
Instead use the guidebook to give you useful information: where is the main bus station, how to book a train ticket, which is the most convenient way to see the famous Basket Weaving Villages.
What the Guide Book Means
You can reach all 4 walls of the room from the bed. The windows open – onto an interior air shaft!
You might as well be out partying – you are not going to get any sleep overlooking a busy truck route!
Run down villa middle of nowhere, outdoor plumbing
What the Guide Books Says
Compact room with natural air conditoning.
Fantastic central location: walk to everything. Live it up in the centre of the action.
Rustic cottage, back to nature ambience
A Quick Guide to some of the famous Guidebook Series I not going to attempt a comprehensive list of guidebooks: this is just a personal selection, most of which I have used at some stage in my adventuers.
Frommer’s Guide Books.
Frommer’s Flagship Guide used to be “Europe on $5 a Day”, a ground-breaker in 1957, showing Americans how to travel Europe on budget and now re-printed to mark its 50 year anniversary. Frommer’s no longer puts the actual $ value on its Europe guide but its Ireland Guide is up to $95 a day. Oh and those figures only include food and lodgings.
Dispite their heritage of budget travel today’s Frommer’s guides are firmly aimed at the middle level American tourist. Hotels tend to include English speaking staff and familiar bathroom faciliies. If find their price point is mid-range to high because of this. The Frommer’s range now includes Cruise Guides, Road Trips and Rail Guides. Frommer’s is only irregularly updated, most up to date are the American, Caribbean and European destinations. There is a particularly strong selection of guides to American states and major cities.
Rick Steves’ Europe
Rick Steves is a more recent Guide Book empire, but thanks to Rick’s well-known TV shows very high profile with American readers. Unique among the guidebook series reviewed Rick Steves only concentrates on one region – Europe. He’s been published and running tours to Europe for 25 years so he does know his topic. His book now include not only general “Thru the Backdoor” series but also specialist guides to specific towns, countries and regions.
Uniquely though he still publishes is excellent Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler. Designed for those of us who slept through Art History, this excellent book covers 5000 years of Western history, art, architecture and pretty much everything else. Academic? No. Complete? No. Readable and an excellent introduction – definitly. Most of Steve’s books are based around finding small hotels and planning itinearies around a 21 day vacation. Many of us have different length vacations and the small hotels will invariably be booked solid, but his the background information can be useful.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet’s publishing empire was started by 2 Brits on the classic 60′s hippy route from the UK to Australia the cheapest way possible. I have a soft spot for them – I owned a copy of the original 1975 guide; “Across Asia on the Cheap”. The Lonely Planet empire is still based in Australia and covers practically every country on the planet. I still believe that their Asian guides are the best. They still do the off-beat and non-commercial. They publish the only travel guide to East Timor, They publish phrase books for the common languages such as Spanish and German but also include Hebrew and Lao. They also publish a number of travel fiction and traveller’s tales under the Lonely Planet imprint.
DK Eyewitness Guides
The DK Eyewitness guides are little different. They are gorgeously produced, full of wonderful photos and far too heavy to carry with you. However they are a high quality souvenir which you can buy before you leave home and have excellent information on history, culture and other background information.
I hope this quick guide has been a bit of help through the the Travel section. Drop me a comment below and let me know your funniest/best/worst guidebook moment!
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If you were born between the end of World War II and the beginning of the Vietnam War, you are a Baby Boomer. Some Boomers have taken early retirement already, and others are on the verge of this new chapter in their lives. ‘Travel’ is at the top of the list for many.
* Planning Your Trip *
Your travel itinerary should be part of a careful process. Plan a holiday with plenty of ‘you’ time. You should finish every vacation feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
Baby Boomers are generally quite fit when compared to our ancestors. However, increasing numbers of obese or overweight adults are plagued with bad backs, high cholesterol levels, and fragile knee joints.
Don’t just pick a cruise and pack your bags. Keep your interests and physical limitations in mind. If you are a swimming fanatic, you might want to try scuba diving. However, asthma would preclude a scuba vacation. You might have to settle for snorkeling instead. If you have a bad back, don’t plan to go hiking in the Andes.
The older you are, the less likely you are to have a comfortable night’s sleep. Try to find a hotel or bed and breakfast with memory foam mattresses and soundproof walls.
When booking your room, ask the reservations desk if they offer discounts for seniors. Some lodging establishments will provide a substantial discount as early as age 55. Don’t consider yourself ‘old’ just because you are 55. Think of some fabulous Baby Boomers like Suzanne Somers, Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone, and Dolly Parton. They all celebrated 60th birthdays in 2006.
* Preparations *
Apply for a passport at least 6 months in advance if you don’t already have one. Some countries will not allow you to cross their borders with a passport that is near its expiry date. Contact embassies or do some research online so that you are aware of current regulations.
Check with your physician to see if there are any activities you should avoid. Your doctor can also advise you regarding immunizations, give you prescription refills, and provide photocopies of crucial medical information. Many countries will only allow clearly labeled prescription medications where the name on the bottle matches the passport. If you require supplies like alcohol swabs and other support products, purchase them ahead of time. You may not be able to locate what you need in a foreign country.
Be aware of the coverage provided by your current medical insurance policies. It may be prudent to purchase extra insurance for unexpected (and uncovered) contingencies such as air evacuation.
* Packing *
Travel activities can cause swollen feet. Sensible, comfortable footwear that is one width wider and 1/2 size larger than usual is advisable. Never pack brand new shoes or boots.
Sleep disturbances become more frequent as we age. Pack some foam earplugs so you won’t have to worry about your partner’s snoring, creaking floorboards, or disturbances in the hallway outside your room.
Many of us find that foods we used to enjoy now cause symptoms like gas, cramps, or constipation. At home, we can compensate by watching what we eat. However, when dining in restaurants, we are often faced with unfamiliar and exotic fare that can wreak havoc with the gastrointestinal system. Pack a bottle of digestive enzymes. They are available in big department stores like Wal-Mart, as well as pharmacies and health food stores.
A small memory foam travel pillow can cradle your head while you nap onboard the plane – or it can provide relief from a sore back if you put it between your knees while you sleep at night.
Keep your hands free when you go on tours. A good backpack is the key. Shop around until you find a comfortable pack that is easy to put on and remove.
* Partay! *
Each day before you leave the room, check the weather forecast and dress accordingly – in layers. If you get too warm later in the day, you can peel something off and put it in your backpack.
Your backpack can also be used for meds, your travel pillow, a bottle of water, and other essentials. Valuables and important papers should never go in the pack, however. Keep them in a next-to-skin money belt (zipper side in) with only small amounts of cash in another easily accessed wallet or pocket.
Fresh water is crucial. Proper hydration will keep your energy level at optimum and prevent that old travel bane – constipation.
Wherever you go, whatever you do, wear a smile and be polite. A cheerful attitude will be infectious and will transform your time away from home into a truly happy, memorable experience.
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Few Connecticut areas better retain the look of yesteryear than the lower Connecticut River valley, particularly the neighboring Victorian villages of East Haddam and Chester which is about 30 miles of Hartford and has a population of about 8,000 people. It is known as the Victorian Charm of Two Classic River Towns.
Developed during the 19th century steamboat era, and it still contains countless imposing Victorian structures, including the restored Goodspeed Opera House, a magnificient four-story Second Empire building on the banks of the Connecticut River. The opera house boomed for it first few decades but fell on hard times by the middle of the 20th century and nearly faced the wrecking ball. They realized the historical nature of the Goodspeed Opera House, Preservationists stepped in, and now the 360 seat Goodspeed shows three top quality musical programs annually.
Just down river the Gillette Castle anchors the 184 acre state park of the same name. William Gillette, famous for his Sherlock Holmes portrayals, labored 25 men and five years to build the elaborate 24 room fieldstone castle in 1919 for a then astounding $1 million. When the actor died in 1937, he left his riverside property to be developed as a state park. You can tour the restored bluff-top structure or stroll along Gillette’s 3 mile long railroad. You can hike along the rail bed and admire the handsome stone rail station. This is definately a wonderful place for a picnic and an afternoon spent exploring the area’s nature trails.
Nearby Chester is a delightful spot for its shopping and dining. A smattering of art galleries fill the quaint, walkable downtown of this village perched along a section of the Connecticut River. Foodies laud the excellent Restaurant Du Village, which occupies an dining room that could easily pass for a country farmhouse in the South of France. The Mediterranean allusion continues when you choose from such signature pleasers as calamari sauteed with broccoli rabe and lemon vinaigrette, or hearty lamb shank braised with a red wine sauce and root vegetables. It’s wonderfully satisfying food, and the service is always faultless.
In summary, the most memorable moments and best times to visit Chester and East Haddam is early February for the Chester Winter Carnivale, with an outdoor ice-carving competition and gallery receptions. Also, late August for the Chester Fair and early September for the Chester Lobster Festival. So take the time to experience the Victorian Charm of Chester and East Haddam.
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These cruise travel tips explore why cruises are so popular but according to the Cruise Market Watch it is estimated that 18.4 million people took a cruise vacation in 2010.
Why Cruise?
One of the big appeals for cruise goers is the chance to visit number of different places in relatively short period of time. Most of us would not have the opportunity to visit all those places otherwise. Despite visiting new places almost every day you only have to unpack once and you are settled comfortably in your cabin for the duration of the cruise. Having to unpack once is a big benefit for many dedicated cruisers.
The land excursions are thoroughly planned so you will see the highlights of each place. Most cruises allow some free time as well for you to explore on your own. Cruise travel tips recommend that you make the most of your free time by researching your destinations thoroughly in advance. At the end of each day you will retreat to your floating vacation resort to enjoy great cuisine and first class entertainment. Almost all cruises offer varied activities and good entertainment on board. Many cruise lines also offer guest speakers and even some interesting classes and seminars for their guests.
The amenities on board do vary but large cruise ships have all the amenities you need on board, e.g. swimming pools, health club, cinema, theatre, casino and nightclubs. It is relatively easy to stick to your travel budget as accommodation, meals, entertainment and most activities are usually included in the price. The only extra is the tipping to the crew at the end of the journey and what you might spend on shopping during onshore excursions. Drinks are usually extra as well.
Cruise ships offer very intimate environment for the duration of the cruise. The atmosphere on board tends to be relaxed and sociable, making cruise vacation great way to meet new people – you could even make new friends for life. Last but not least cruising is a lifestyle and a pretty amazing lifestyle when you think about it.
Ready to pack your bags… do you need some cruise packing tips?
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