Posted by Nick on December 3, 2010
They say that what you do on New Year’s Eve is what you will be doing the rest of the new year, which is why you may want to be traveling on NYE. Of course, you might not know where to go spend New Year’s Eve.
Fortunately, there are rocking New Year’s Eve celebrations all over the world, with the staple street parties and midnight fireworks. It is summertime in some cities, which gives you the option of ringing in the New Year in your flip flops and swim trunks.
Here are the best places for travelers to spend New Year’s Eve around the world:
- Tokyo, Japan
- Paris, France
- Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Sydney, Australia
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
- Koh Phangan, Thailand
- New York City, NY, USA
- Barcelona, Spain
- Edinburgh, Scotland
Sydney New Year's Eve Fireworks and Harbour Bridge Light Display by Razmataz'
Posted by Nick on December 2, 2010
Considering taking your family out for a winter ski vacation? If so, some ski resorts better cater to families than others. If you want to have a great family skiing vacation, stick to the best ski resorts for families.
Banff Ski Resort by joanna eleanor
Banff, Canada
Three separate ski areas at Banff-Lake Louise in Banff, Canada offer plenty of skiing opportunities for you and your family. An on-site ski school teaches in English and is especially good with kids. The resort is also home to some historic hot springs, where you can even rent some 1920′s-style swimsuits for the family.
Courchevel, France
Known as the ritziest ski resort in France, Courchevel is made up of four villages. Each village is numbered after its height in metres. Village 1850 is the poshest ski resort, with villages 1650, 1550 and 1300 being less ritzy. They are also less busy. The on-site ski school caters to children. Waistcoats with an electro-magnet on the back are given to the kids. The magnet attaches to chairlifts so the kids can’t fall off.
Ski Lesson - Courchevel, France by auldhippo
Posted by Nick on
If you are looking for gift ideas for a traveling on your holiday gift list, you may be unsure of what to buy. Instead of buying a Lonely Planet
guide book or a map of a foreign country, why not take our advice on gift ideas for travelers?
Here are the 5 best gift ideas for travelers in 2010
1. IPOD
The Apple iPod touch
is a perfect gift idea for travelers. It has built-in Wi-Fi, which can eliminate the need for traveling with a laptop. Travelers can also use the iPod touch to listen to music, watch movies and use travel related apps – like language learning.
2. DIGITAL CAMERA
There are many options out there when it comes to digital cameras, but for my traveling I am a big fan of the Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera
. It is small and compact and it takes GREAT pictures. I have tried several different digital camera brands (Sony, Fuji, Nikon) and have found the Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera to be the best small point-and-shoot digital camera on the market. It even does surprisingly well on the night-time shooting mode.
Of course, for the more professional travel photographer you can go with the Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP Digital SLR Camera
. It takes even better photos – but it is larger and heavier to carry around.
Shop for digital cameras now.
3. USB FLASH DRIVE
More than just a USB flash drive, the flight-safe Swiss Army Victorinox Swissflash Ruby Mini Multi-Tool 4GB USB Flash Drive
is a super tool. It offers 4GB of storage as well as a screwdriver, scissors, retractable ballpoint pen, key ring, small blade and nail file. It actually is available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB.
This is a great gift idea for the traveler that is using only a carry-on because so many tools are in this one little compact package.
4. TRAVEL ADAPTER
A must-have for the international traveler, the Kensington Travel Plug Adapter with USB Charger
is the perfect choice for a travel adapter. It is a compact all-in-one travel adapter. And it has the bonus of having a built-in USB charger, which is great for your iPod or cell phone.
5. MINI FLASHLIGHT
As a traveler, you never know when you might end up in the dark, such as on a stalled subway train stuck in the tunnel. That is where a Super Bright 9 LED Heavy-Duty Compact Aluminum Flashlight
comes in handy. I always carry a mini-flashlight with me when I am traveling – especially when I am taking trains and public transportation. You can also experience a power outage at your hotel. Have you ever had to descend 17 flights of stairs in the dark without a flashlight?
Posted by Nick on November 11, 2010
If you’re preparing for a vacation, what you pack in your carry-on is just as important as what you pack in your checked luggage. Since you can experience flight delays or even get stuck on the plane sitting on the tarmac, you want to make sure that you have everything you need.
Here are some items you may want to pack in your carry-on:
- Toothbrush & small toothpaste tube – to freshen up your mouth once you get off the plane.
- Snacks – things like granola bars, dried fruit and nuts are good anytime snacks to keep on hand.
- Wipes – wet wipes or baby wipes are good to have in case your hands get sticky or you spill something. You can also wash your face with one if you need to freshen up.
- Mini-first aid kit – the only things you may need are a couple of band-aids and some ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Headphones – your airplane will likely have some in-flight entertainment that you’ll need headphones for.
- Binder clips/rubber bands/twisty ties – you never know when you might need one of these items, which can be used for anything.
- Ziplock bags – you can use these for things like storing food, holding food trash, separating your foreign currency or anything else you can think of.
- Travel blanket – some airlines are now charging for blankets, and the ones that are provided can be too small and too thin.
- Small flashlight – flashlights can come in handy in the event of a power outage. It can also be used as a book light.
Posted by Nick on November 10, 2010
If you have a traveler on your gift buying list this holiday season, you may be looking for gift ideas.
Another great gift idea for the kayakers and backpackers on your list is the Outdoor Products Ultimate Dry Sack
. Great for keeping your stuff dry when you might get wet.
For the diver or frequent beach visitor, an Aquapac Compact Camera Waterproof Case
is a great gift idea. You can use one of these to make your regular digital camera an underwater camera! It’s guaranteed for use 15 ft. under water.
Every traveler needs a great travel backpack, like the High Sierra 26 Railpass Travel pack
. This backpack is great for wearing while walking around a foreign city or while hiking up a mountain. What I really like about this particular backpack over others is that there is a smaller removable day pack on it. You can see it detached in the picture below, but it actually attaches to backpack.
A handheld GPS unit, like the Garmin eTrex H Handheld GPS Navigator
, is a great gift for any avid hikers on your gift list.
A water purifier, such as the SteriPEN Traveler Handheld UV Water Purifier
. A water purifier is a great gift idea for hikers and campers.
