Browsing: Planning

I recently visited a popular online India travel forum and came across multiple pages dedicated to why females should not travel to India. Comments included:

“India is a labyrinth of predators for women.”

“The misogyny is evident in every corner of the country.”

“Do not, under any circumstance, travel to India alone. Your entire trip will be spent escaping harassing comments and avoiding stares from locals.”

Wow, talk about shock value. Yet, as an India …

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Location is the most important factor when you’re looking to buy real estate. But when you’re looking to visit Yellowstone National Park, one of the most popular chunks of real estate on earth, timing is critical.

As the world’s oldest and most-loved national park, Yellowstone attracts millions of visitors every year. Yellowstone is a grand opportunity to see buffalo and grizzly bears living in the wild. The park is at the heart of the Old …

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My subject line is a little adamant, I know. Perhaps a little militant, which is ironic since it’s mostly the Egyptian military causing so much of the unrest in Egypt that has been widely reported here in the U.S. The problem is that the microcosm we call Tahrir Square has been focused on so extensively, people think Egypt is about to crumble into the desert sand that makes up much of its modern landscape. I’ve …

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One of the nicest things about the world’s greatest art galleries is that they tend to be in the world’s greatest cities – which is incredibly convenient. Once you’ve walked through kilometres of galleries and squinted at countless treasures until your arty-farty quotient is exhausted, you can soak up the vibe of the city around you. Theatres, restaurants, pubs, clubs, parks and shops galore will inject new life into tired eyes and feet, so you’re …

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The thought of a home stay in India can ignite romantic images of cultural exchange. A comfortable room in a private residence, adorned with traditional fabrics and décor, can offer a warm contrast to a stark hotel room. Instead of room service, you can enjoy a homemade chai and paratha at the breakfast table while engaged in dynamic conversation with the owner.

A home stay (or “homestay”) is typically defined as an accommodation where a …

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As you board the plane, you get that feeling of being special upon hearing those words from the hostess, “Welcome onboard,” as they guide you to your seat. It’s at this point that all economy passengers no longer feel special as they begin the painstaking walk through the first-class section. Some gawk at the ergonomically designed lie-flat seats, others glare at the array of top-quality glossy magazines and others eyeball all the fingertip technology.

In …

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Everyone loves shopping while traveling, and visiting a local market is often the best way to find treasures or souvenirs to bring home.

Many traditional local markets don’t operate the same way as shopping mall stores and boutiques, where the price tag has the final say. At these native markets, bargaining for the best deal is the norm.  It can be awkward getting started, so here are some tips to help you get familiar with …

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“I believe in the transformative power of travel,” Andrew Zimmern began when he got up on stage. He had just finished showing a clip from a recent episode of Bizarre Foods, the hit Travel Channel show that made Zimmern the travel celebrity he now is.

People were eager to hear what Andrew Zimmern had to say, and even in the sensory-overload setting of the Los Angeles Travel and Adventure Expo, all eyes seemed to …

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Until I went on a Caribbean cruise recently with a bunch of girlfriends I always thought “duty-free” was just another excuse to get all those vacationers into the shops to stuff their shopping bags full of items that could be had back home for roughly the same price. I learned on this trip that I was completely wrong.

This time, because some of my girlfriends were actually going to the pre-port shopping talks I have …

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When I took off on a 106-day trip around the world this February, my mind was like a New York City subway platform at rush hour — there were hundreds of thoughts all wanting to come along on the trip, all rushing forward at the same time. The poor little thought that got pushed right out of the fray and missed the train was the one of how much energy it would take to accomplish …

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Excuse me.  Sir!  You there.  I have a request.  No, not you nice man.  You go on about your day and enjoy your vacation.

I’m speaking to the other gentleman, the one who is so incapable of controlling his impulses that he just chucked that small boy overboard.  Oh!  That was your son, and you were just playing?  I see.

Well, I’m also talking to that lady over there who thinks it’s funny to draw …

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The term “Going Green” is one we’ve all heard. Reduce, reuse, and recycle, right? Well ,what about when you have a 20kg weight allowance and a very shallow pocket? I don’t know about you, but sorting plastic bottles and hauling old newspapers around isn’t part of my ideal backpacking trip. And then there’s the expense of being eco-friendly. Backpacking is practically a synonym for financial strain and as much as we may want to join …

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People often ask me how I manage to travel so much, or look astonishingly at me when I recount the last two years of my life. Well, first I was in China, then Ireland, then China again, then the U.S., now Prague and soon, London. For some people, that’s a lot of moving. Too much maybe. For others, it’s living the dream.

Traveling is a big commitment and if you’ve got the wanderlust but aren’t …

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