RSSNov|29|2008
Layaway Travel Soon To Be Available
Posted by Noemi as News, Trends, Website
Not too many people are aware of layaway plans these days. It used to be that layaway was the main means by which many Americans made huge purchases. When credit cards became so prevalent, however, layaway plans suddenly didn’t seem that attractive. With the current downturn in global economics, however, layaway plans are suddenly making a comeback. You can see this in the move being made by big companies such as Sears, wherein customers can pay a mere $15 and then pay off the rest in installments.
As for the travel sector, it seems that they are seeing the immense possibilities that will be opened up if they offer layaway packages as well. Based on a report published by Mercury News, big names in the travel industry are joining the layaway bandwagon. Hyatt …
Nov|29|2008
Care To Spend A Night At The “Zero Star” Hotel?
Posted by Noemi as Adventure, Around The World, Backpacking & Budget, Destinations, Hotels
While the rest of the world tries to out-compete one another in creating a hotel with the highest possible star rating, two brothers from Switzerland have set up a hotel with a ZERO STAR rating. I can just imagine how austere this kind of hotel would be.
According Frank and Patrik Riklin, who are by the way twin artists, the hotel was originally an art project. They wanted to make use of a nuclear bunker, of which there are many in the country. This particular nuclear bunker is located in the small town of Sevelen, which is about one hour away from Zurich.
First a little background on the existence of nuclear bunkers – it used to be that every town had to have one. In the days of the Cold War, this was a …
Nov|24|2008
Family Thanksgiving Travel Tips
Posted by Noemi as Family, Tips, United States
Thanksgiving is one of the times when extended families get together – that’s the American tradition. While there are families who stay at home, there are many who have to travel in order to get together with the rest of the clan. If you are one of those who have to go a long way to meet up with families, you are probably worrying a bit about the trip, especially if you have kids. With these tips, hopefully you can avoid the headache that can go with traveling with kids.
Pack light
This is the most common travel tip that experts share. When it comes to children, though, you might be tempted to overlook this tip. However, if you think about it, you can actually still bring along a few changes of clothes. This is …
Nov|23|2008
Thanksgiving Travel: The Pilgrim Monument
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Destinations, Family, Historical, United States
Are you planning on traveling this Thanksgiving? If you read my last post, you would know that it just might be a good idea to hit the road this week and one place that would be perfect for Thanksgiving travel is The Pilgrim Monument in New England, where it all started.
Contrary to the expected idea that this monument should be located in Plymouth, where all the other Pilgrim attractions can be found, The Pilgrim Monument is located in Cape Cod, Provincetown. The monument has the distinction of being the tallest structure totally made of granite in all of the United States. Standing at 252 feet tall, the monument commemorates the fact that the Pilgrims first spent 5 weeks in the area before moving on to Plymouth to eventually settle there. So if you want to personally …
Nov|21|2008
Thanksgiving Travel: Yes or No?
Posted by Noemi as Tips, Transport, Trends, United States
Less than a week and it’s time to carve the turkey again! People have their own favorite holidays and I know several who prefer Thanksgiving over the other holidays of the year. Maybe it’s the turkey or maybe it’s the company – whatever the reason, Thanksgiving is indeed a reason to celebrate.
This year, it seems that more than staying within the vicinity of one’s home, it would be a good idea to travel. According to The Houston Business Journal, gas prices are looking good this Thanksgiving:
Retail gasoline prices continued to fall this week, and that may encourage last-minute holiday travel, according to AAA Texas.
The price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline fell 12 cents across the state to $1.88, while the nationwide average dropped 15 cents to $2.02 a gallon. In …
Nov|11|2008
Honoring Veterans In Overseas Cemeteries
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Destinations, United States
In many parts of the world, November 11 is celebrated to commemorate the end of World War I. In the United States, November 11 is called Veterans Day, in honor of the people who fought valiantly so many decades ago. In parts of Europe, it is called Armistice Day. Whatever you may call it, the day holds much significance. Perhaps this generation does not fully comprehend the meaning of the day but those who pay attention to history would recognize that we owe those veterans the freedom that we enjoy today.
I believe that we should not forget what they did and, taking things one step further, actually engage in activities that will keep their memory alive. One thing that you can do is to visit the American cemeteries that are found in various parts of …
Nov|09|2008
Iceland: Best Bang For Your Buck
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Backpacking & Budget, Europe
Every one has been going on about the devaluation of the US dollar (among many other currencies) in the past months. One currency that has suffered a major blow recently is the Icelandic krona. I don’t know if you have been following economic news from other parts of the world but Iceland recently filed for bankruptcy! I know – I was thinking the same thing when I heard of it: how can a country file for bankruptcy? But apparently, it happened to Iceland and now they are doing everything they can to get back on their feet.
What this means for people from other countries is that it is a very good time to go Iceland. And if you feel bad because it may seem that you are being opportunistic, don’t. Even the government …
Nov|08|2008
The Sony World Photography Awards
Posted by Noemi as Adventure, Around The World, Awards, Events, Festivals, Nature
Do you have extraordinary photography skills? Do you have a passion for the environment – rain forests in general? If so, then you would want to know about The Sony World Photography Awards, which is going to be held from the 15th of April to the 19th of the same month in 2009. The main awards ceremony will be held on the 16th of April in Cannes, France.
What do you need to know in order to join the contest? Well, the organizers are looking for the best photos that will fit the two themes:
1. What the rainforest means to you – its splendour, animals and plants,
destruction and loss.
2. The enjoyment you get out of the forests where you live and the direct and indirect effects of deforestation on your life.
Though you may not be the …
Nov|05|2008
Where To? (During A Recession)
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Tips
Recession – this word has been used over and over again this past year. Though it may have been the most used word recently, it does not really mean much until you actually feel the effects yourself and I have to say that in the past few months, I have been experiencing my own financial recession. I don’t know about you, but this means cutting back for me. Still, as I wrote in my previous posts, this does not mean that you have to totally forego traveling.
Bryan Walsh over at Time has a very useful write up about some places that you can go to despite the recession. I was actually surprised as I was reading his article as I thought that the dollar was quite useless in many foreign destinations. Apparently, I was wrong. …
