Whether you call it a souk, mercato, bazaar or market, visiting a city’s local shopping destination is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture and get a feel for everyday life. There are countless types of markets: Livestock, produce, “wet” (meaning usually freshly killed or still living poultry, meat or fish), gold, spice, night, craft and more. No matter what you are shopping for, it is more than likely that there’s a …
Browsing: Planning
If you’ve been following travel news at all–or, perhaps, just news in general–I’m sure you heard about Sarai Sierra, a young American mother traveling alone in Istanbul who went missing and was later found on the side of the road, half naked, bludgeoned to death. My heart broke when I heard the news. I’m sure I wasn’t alone. Sarai’s story hits close to home for a lot of women who travel, solo or otherwise. …
Only a few months ago, I found myself in Costa Rica. I was staying with a friend at an all-inclusive resort. Lounging next to the pool with an umbrella in my tropical drink, I found myself thinking about how these all-inclusive resorts are known in French as “colonie de vacances.” Literally translated, this means “vacation colony,” like a little settlement established on some distant planet, or a late 19th century bastion of the …
If you’re tired of being clobbered by hotel bills, find traveling alone has lost its allure, or you long to see a city through the eyes of a local, it’s time to go CouchSurfing.
That’s the amazing international initiative where people open up their homes to travelers and show them around the local sights. Although a free bed is certainly a huge attraction, it’s not just a scheme for cheapskates. It’s also the best way …
Whether you’re heading to the Caribbean for your honeymoon, planning a European tour to celebrate your 25th anniversary or simply pitching a tent for the weekend with your new partner, you need to remember that travel can bring out the best—and the worst— in people. In addition to the usual hazards (flight delays, unexpected thunderstorms, lost luggage and so on) there’s the added pressure of simply being together.
This is, of course, the …
Nobody leaves on a trip expecting to lose their travel documents or have them stolen, but it does happen. Sometimes the thieves are so slick, it will be hours before you notice your passport is gone. You’ll obviously notice it much sooner if your purse, along with your money, credit cards and other items, is stolen.
Such thefts are devastating and can ruin your holiday abroad. Even if you’re careful and take precautions, it can …
As if getting old wasn’t enough! The seventy seven million people born between 1946 and 1964 – already hobbled by such lifestyle inhibiting afflictions as restless leg syndrome, over-active bladders and waning libido – now have another debilitating condition to cope with – Boomer Nostalgia, or ‘Boomer-stalia’. (Cue the violin music here.)
The symptoms as this reporter observes them are manifest as a deep longing to reconnect with free spirits of the past…those with whom …
Recently, I had a client contact me regarding her upcoming trip to India. “Allison, I am embarking on a new adventure,” she said. “I am traveling to India for dental work. A fifth of the cost and the facilities and technology are just as good, if not better,” she told me. The previous week, another client called regarding his knee-replacement surgery in Hyderabad. “Visiting India has always been on my list. Instead of bringing home …
There is nothing like traveling internationally. For me, I love the thrill of seeing new people, learning new cultures, butchering a new language and living the history of the world! Of course the best part of an international trip for me is coming back home—for me returning home always puts things in perspective. However, traveling abroad is not without some perils. A good travel agent can guide you through them, but there are some passport …
Though we seldom stop to think about it, traveling and reading are intimately linked activities. Those of us with wanderlust in our souls delight in learning about new places through travel blogs, articles, magazines, guidebooks—the list is endless. Oftentimes, reading substitutes for traveling, and helps us scratch the travel itch when jobs or families make wandering off difficult.
St. Augustine wrote that “The world is a great book…they who never stir from home read only …
Whether hitting the road, taking to the skies or even hoofing it over a trail, traveling takes a toll on your body. Long hours in a single position or thousands of steps can cause muscle fatigue and cramping.
About six years ago, I found out my persistent hip pain was due to Hip Dysplasia (yes, like a Labrador) and it seemed to flare up the worst during travel. The large muscles up and down the …
Many tourists in Italy make the fatal faux pas of ordering a cappuccino at the end of a meal, like after a pizza at lunchtime (a bit of a no-no in itself). A good waiter will swallow his pride and allow the tourist to swallow all that frothy milk on a full stomach, but as you have likely read elsewhere, it is considered a “rule” in Italy not to have a cappuccino after a certain …
With thousands of cars available from a multitude of car rental companies how do you really decipher which one is best for you? Firstly, sit down prior to your intended vacation and go online, then summon the car rental companies to your finger-tips and make your demands.
Online
Like everything else, you need to go online and surf the internet to find a car rental deal. There are major websites that cater to car rental …
Taking your pet along when you travel is only fun if you’re well prepared. Poor planning can turn a fun family vacation into a nightmarish trip for both humans and pets. Before you set off on your next outing, get your four-legged companion ready by packing some essentials.
5 Must-Have Items
1. Enough food for the trip. If you’re moving, bring enough food to last you for at least a few days after arriving at …