News and Tips #33 - April 29, 2015

In this issue:

-5 countries to visit this Spring - A Luxury Travel Blog
-The 10 Most Beautiful Towns in Canada

-Wow! A State-by-State Guide of America's Natural Wonders
-Eating Abroad: The Cultural Resonance of Food | IndependentTraveler.com
-Three Must Visit Israeli Destinations | ROOSTERGNN

-My Top 5 Best Travel Destinations In Central America - Nerd Travels

5 countries to visit this Spring - A Luxury Travel Blog

Daffodils are out and blossom(s) (are) slowly appearing on the trees. It's finally Spring. Many will flock to the Netherlands to see the tulip fields in full bloom but we have some other suggestions for where is best to visit this season. From the blossoms in Japan to wildflowers in Jordan and whales in Argentina, there's something for everyone...
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The 10 Most Beautiful Towns in Canada

The landscapes of Canada's town range from arctic tundras and snow-capped mountains, to beautifully desolate prairies and rugged coastlines.  Combine those dramatic settings with interesting architecture that incorporates a wide variety of cultural differences, and the result is towns too beautiful to imagine...
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Wow! A State-by-State Guide of America's Natural Wonders

Photo: Thinkstock

The USA is one of the most diverse and beautiful places on Earth. From the sweeping vistas of Big Sur, California to the breathtaking drama of Niagara Falls, New York, the country contains some of the world's most incredible natural wonders. Here are the most spectacular from all 50 states...
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Eating Abroad: The Cultural Resonance of Food | IndependentTraveler.com

Wherever you go, there you are, as the saying goes.

You and a McDonald's, that is.

We've all seen it - a group of Americans traveling abroad, new foodstuffs everywhere you look, and they turn tail into every McDonald's they see...
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Three Must Visit Israeli Destinations | ROOTERGNN 

This past winter break I made it my personal goal to escape the "Christams spirit" and "holiday cheer" by traveling somewhere that is not too obsessed with Christmas related festivities. So I packed one backpack, got on a plane, and then spend almost three weeks exploring one of the most historically rich and politically complex places in the world - Israel....
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My Top 5 Best Travel Destinations In Central America - Nerd Travels

So as people who have been following this blog for a while will know at the end of last year I started my Latin American Adventure where I solo backpacked through over 11 countries. While each place I visited had something about it that made it great, there always some places that just stand out from the rest and when looking back on the trip were my favourite. So with that I present....
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News and Tips #24 - Wednesday, April 1, 2015

In this issue:

-5 Reasons Traveling Will Make You More Successful | Higher Perspective
-Top Chef at Sea cruise will sail in November -- and into 2016 - LA Times
-Expedia Reports Rapidly Increasing Demand for Travel to Haiti | TravelPulse
-Live Like Royalty in India : Architectural Digest
-Planning a short break in Bordeaux? 6 not-to-be-missed experiences - A Luxury Travel Blog
-5 Ways Millennials Can Travel for Free - Tripit Blog
-The world's 20 oldest cities - Telegraph
-5 Things to Pack for Your First Cruise - Cruise Critic
-Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Turkey - Top Travel

5 Reasons Travelling Will Make You More Successful

1. People who travel are able to thrive outside of their comfort zone.

This is a basic them for people who travel a lot. When you leave your home, you leave your entire comfort zone. Once you've left that comfort zone, you learn to thrive in situations that you'd otherwise never be exposed to.

In your career, and really in your entire life, being open to big changes can transform your life and help lead you to much bigger things, but you have to know how to accept big changes and ...
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Top Chef at Sea cruise will sail in November -- and into 2016 - LA Times

If you like watching chefs square off on Bravo's TV show "Top Chef", why not watch them duel at sea as well?

Celebrity Cruises announced Thursday that Top Chef at Sea cruises would continue into 2016 under an agreement with Bravo, which produces the show. The partnership began two years ago.
Read more...


Expedia Reports Rapidly Increasing Demand for Travel to Haiti | Travel Pulse

American travel conglomerate Expedia has announced significant expansion in Haiti this past year as the Caribbean country continues to gain popularity as a travel destination.

According to BreakingTravelNews.com, recent trends point to Haiti as as emerging tourist hot spot.
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Live Like Royalty in India : Architectural Digest

Taj Falaknuma Palace - once home to the monarch of Hyderabad - has seen its share of visiting royalty from Edward VIII to Czar Nicholas II. Set on 32 acres, the property has been expertly renovated to include modern comforts while preserving its storied public areas.
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Planning a short break in Bordeaux? 6 not-to-be-missed experiences - A Luxury Travel Blog

Recently nominated as the Best European Destination 2015, this vibrant and elegant city is often neglected by tourists who, if they haven't been to France before, will opt for the larger and more easily accessible city of Paris. However, since becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, Bordeaux is becoming one of the main destinations to visit in France, especially for those interested in French culture, architecture and history...and, of course, food and wine. Bordeaux is the acknowledged capital...
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5 Ways Millennials Can Travel for Free - Tripit Blog

Sometimes it seems like the deck is stacked against our generation when it comes to travel. Millennials are typically strapped for cash, low on vacation days and generally unable to take long luxurious vacations like older travelers.

One thing Millennials are rich in though, is opportunity. There are tons of ways that young people can travel for very little, or even free, if they just know where to look...
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The world's 20 oldest cities - Telegraph

These cities, which are the 20 oldest continually-inhabited places on earth, are about as close to time travel as you can be on a city break (if you are able to go, that is).
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5 Things to Pack for Your First Cruise - Cruise Critic

You've booked your first cruise and now it's time to start getting ready. What should you put on your packing list? You've checked the weather for your ports of call and know, generally, what temperature to pack for; don't forget to bring layers, just in case. And you know to never count on sunshine 100 percent of the time, so you've already got an umbrella and raincoat on the list.

But where most first time cruisers get caught up is omitting items they don't think they'll need. Even repeat cruisers are guilty of that!
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Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Turkey - Top Travel Lists

Throughout the history, Turkey has not only been a great tourist attraction but also a precious land for traders, conquers and travelers of all kind. The ancient land of Turkey has seen quite a lot and still carries the remnants of many ancient civilizations. Archeology of Turkey is just one of its great charms. The landscapes here...
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Cuban sunrise

News and Tips #9 - February 21, 2015

Saturday, February 21, 2015

In this issue:

-Have you seen inside the world's first northern lights plane? - YouTube
-15 Quick Ways to Beat Jet Lag - Smart Women Travelers
-First time Greece: top 10 experiences - Lonely Planet
-9 Ideas for Your Next Volunteer Travel Experience - Fodors
-Ithaca, NY tourism office" Go to Florida instead - Fox News

Have you seen inside the world's first northern lights plane? - YouTube




15 Quick Ways to Beat Jet Lag - Smart Women Travelers

Fifteen quick ways to beat jet lag like you've never seen it before.  There are several of tips out there on jet lag, but this is especially comprehensive and I thought I'd share it with Smart Women Travelers.
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First time Greece: top 10 experiences - Lonely Planet

With its sparkling white beaches, crystalline water and venerable ancient sites, Greece lives up to all the hype. But how to approach this vast country with enough islands to suit everyone's taste and antiquities dotting the landscape like a historical map of Western civilisation?
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9 Ideas for Your Next Volunteer Travel Experience - Fodors

A few years back, my wife and I took a six-month trip with our two teenage children where we volunteered our way around the world. Not only was this a much cheaper way to travel, it was far more meaningful and transformative than any hotel-restaurant-museum trip I've ever been on.  Working with local projects as part of local communities not only impacts the lives of the people you are helping, but it can also dramatically...
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Ithaca, NY tourism office: Go to Florida instead - Fox News

"Really, it's for the birds here now."

Tourist officials in Ithaca New York, fed up with the repeated snowstorms and below-freezing temperatures, have stopped trying to lure visitors to their city and are instead steering them to Florida's Key West.

"That's it. We surrender," read a message that began popping up...
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Let the Good Times Roll - Carnival 2015

With Lent about to begin this Wednesday (February 18), it's the height of Carnival season around the world....

Rio di Janeiro, Brazil

Nice, France

New Orleans, USA

Venice, Italy

Port of Spain, Trinidad

Quebec, Canada

Laisse le bon temps rouler!

Europe's Best Destinations 2015 - The Top 10

As a follow up to the post earlier today announcing the winner of Europe's Best Destination 2015, here are the top 10.

1. Bordeaux, France

2. Lisbon, Portugal

3. Athens, Greece

4. Valetta, Malta

5. Riga, Latvia

6. Zagreb, Croatia

7. Ljubljana, Slovenia

8. Innsbruck, Austria

9. Milan, Italy

10. Brussels, Belgium

News and Tips #5 - February 12, 2015

February 12, 2015

In this issue:
1. 10 Reasons To Love Buenos Aires Right Now - ForbesLife
2. An introduction to Catalan cuisine - Lonely Planet
3. Four Stops Across Morocco - NYTimes.com
4. Kids' Guide to New York City Amps Up the Wow Factor - ABC News
5. How to prep your phone for travel abroad - Road Warrior Voices
6. A light-hearted look at the top 5 luxury travel trends for 2015 - A Luxury Travel Blog
7. Europe's Best Places to Eat Like a Local - Travel + Leisure


10 Reasons to Love Buenos Aires Right Now - ForbesLife

People like to call Buenos Aires the Paris of Latin America; the most European city on the western shores of the Atlantic. I wouldn't argue: The Argentinian capital is characterized by its wide boulevards and Haussmann architecture, its proud population of Italian and Spanish heritage, and its serious attention to food and wine.
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An introduction to Catalan cuisine - Lonely Planet

Sure, Barcelona has become a cauldron of culinary kookiness, with the foams and froths of master chef Ferran Adrià and his disciples.  But you can still get a taste of yesteryear and traditional Catalan cooking.

With a reputation for producing some of Spain's finest cuisine, it's not just a matter of a few regional dishes but a gastronomy distinct from that found elsewhere in the country or in neighbouring France.
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Four Stops Across Morocco - NYTimes.com

Planning a seven-day journey across Morocco, from Atlantic Shores to Sharan dunes, can be an odyssey.  Here's how to do it.
Getting around
CTM bus lines runs from Agadir to Taroudant (about 2 hours; 35 dirhams, or $3.86 at 9.05 dirhams to the dollar) and from Taroudant to Ouarzazate (around 5 hours; 105 dirhams) with comfortable modern buses. From Ouarzazate to Merzouga (eight hours; about 180 dirhams), a reliable option is Supratours bus lines, operated by Morocco's national service.
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Kids' Guide to New York City Amps Up the Wow Factor - ABC News

Kids in high school barely remember 9/11; freshmen were just babies.

Yet it’s important that they appreciate what happened because it has shaped the world they live in. Just ask David Rothblatt and Fia Hargil, lifelong New Yorkers who are among the six teens who made up the inaugural class of junior ambassadors trained to work with children who visit the new 9/11 Memorial Museum that opened at the World Trade Center this past May. 
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How to prep your phone for travel abroad - Road Warrior Voices

Among the nightmare tales of travel told round the world, monster phone bills await to crush your digital memories into dust in a single "roaming data charge." Stolen phones can quickly become a catastrophe, as one man in Australia learned in 2014 after receiving a $500, 000-bill, amazingly racked up in a single day.  You could just ditch your phone altogether  and add it to the list of things you're on vacation from, but for the digitally savvy, it can still be your greatest ally on the road.
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A light-hearted look at the top 5 luxury travel trends 2015 - A Luxury Travel Blog

The start of the new year is always a time for the travel industry to review data (or consult crystal balls) and present predictions for the top trends influencing travel in the coming year. Some of these trends grow year on year and 2015 is no exception; for example, immersive experiences summed up by the phrase, “live like a local” continue to top the pundits lists. Similarly, private rentals that allow for this kind of experience with an increasingly personalised service orientation continue the ascendance over hotels, especially when linked to another growing trend, that of multi-generational travel. This year sees a boom in river cruises as well, both across Europe and especially Asia. 
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Europe's Best Places to Eat Like a Local - Travel + Leisure

T+L's insider's guide to authentic eats in Europe, from a classic Parisian teahouse to great new British haunts in London.

People didn't used to plan a trip to London just for its food, but ask any well-heeled foodie traveler - or, for that matter, a well-fed local - and you'll discover a world of dry-aged Galloway beef, farmhouse cheeses, and charred leeks with duck eggs.

Over in Amsterdam, locals know that the best Dutch pannenkoeken (larger and thinner than American flapjacks) are served at Pancake Bakery. And in Barcelona...

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Best in the US 2015 - Lonely Planet

Trying to decide where to go for a vacation this year?

Lonely Planet has identified the top 10 U.S. cities to visit in 2015.  The quiz that follows helps determine which of these 10 cities is best for you.

Click here to read the article and take the quiz by Lonely Planet.  Have fun!  Enjoy!  You never know, you may just find your vacation destination for this year.