RSSDec|05|2007
A Warm Christmas for Everyone: Island Destinations
Posted by Hannah Grace as Africa, Around The World, Asia, Carribbean, Destinations, Islands
Australia, Egypt, Florida and Dubai. They are all great places to spend your Christmas vacation on but if you want a real tropical Christmas then to the islands you should head. With all the tropical islands all over the world you shouldn’t be at a loss for one to visit during Christmas. Some really cool (or more aptly, warm) islands to spend your Christmas vacation on are:
Maritius - Maritius is a perfect place to relax during winter. There are lots of Christmas holiday packages available from tour operators so that vactioning there is not only fun but also budget friendly. The island is a hodge podge of religions and though there are lots of non-Christian religions there Christmas is still celebrated with great festivity.
Maldives - This cluster of islands is known for its beautiful corals, warm waters, and white sand. Those seeking a quiet private Christmas will …
Nov|30|2007
A Warm Christmas for Everyone: Florida and Dubai
Posted by Hannah Grace as Americas, Asia, Destinations
In my last post I mentioned two great places to spend Christmas, Australia and Egypt. If you do not feel like going to either for whatever reason (like if you live there!) then two equally good alternative places to make sure you stay warm during the holiday season would be Florida and Dubai.
Florida - Florida = Fun. We all know how great the sun and sand at Miami beach. Aside from soaking up the sun though and getting wet in the water Florida also has a lot of other fun stuff for the entire family from the famous Orlando Theme Parks to the Seaquarium and the Planetarium. Florida is fun year round but wait till Christmas to visit it because then it turns really festive. Still unconvinced? Let me repeat and detail the magic that the theme parks in Orlando brings. Walt Disney World is of course famous for its …
Nov|30|2007
A Warm Christmas for Everyone: Australia and Egypt
Posted by Hannah Grace as Africa, Around The World, Australia NZ, Destinations
Christmas does give you a warm feeling but keeping literally warm is another thing during winter. If you are ready for a change of weather this Christmas there are lots of great places where the holiday season can be spent basking under the warm sun. Christmas cheer can still be had minus the frozen fingers.
This Christmas some of the hottest hot spots you can visit include:
Australia - Australia is a great place to visit year round but the great thing about visiting it during the Christmas season is that it is summer there. In Australia you can have a summer and Christmas vacation in one! Being such a huge place you have a whole slew of towns and cities you can choose to visit. If you are really into heat remember that the further north you go the nearer to the equator you go. So go somewhere in norther Australia …
Nov|28|2007
Want to See Santa?
Posted by Hannah Grace as Around The World, Trivia, Website
If you want to see this Christmas you don’t really have to visit the North Pole. All you need is to track Santa’s actual location with the help of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command). I’m serious!
Every year NORAD tracks down Santa’s flight plan from the moment he leaves the North Pole and starts delivering presents all over the world. In fact NORAD claims to have been doing this for 50 years now! So if you want to catch Santa red-handed you definitely should visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website and download Google Earth.
Anyway, looking at Santa’s stops during the previous years it seems that he has a penchant for stopping by really cool places to travel like the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, the Reindeer Lake at Manitoba, Central Park and Lady Liberty, and the …
Nov|27|2007
Christmas Trip
Posted by Hannah Grace as Family
Christmas for me is a time for family reunions. The entire clan gathers the night before Christmas to exchange gifts and catch up with each other and the kids wake up early the next day to make their rounds to various relatives houses to pay respects and get their Christmas gifts. It’s pretty much like trick or treating. This year the clan has agreed to spend Christmas at my mom’s house. This means that I’ll be home for Christmas! Hooray! My childhood home is just a couple of hours away from our place so we wouldn’t be travelling too far.
I have never really spent Christmas away from the family except for last year where we went to my husband’s parents to spend the holidays. Of course, they’re family now so that doesn’t count. Besides the weather last year was horrible and we didn’t get to do any sightseeing since it …
Nov|23|2007
Super Saver Trip Tips: Fly High with a Low Budget continued
Posted by Hannah Grace as Air Travel, Tips, Transport
Fly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - As Noemi pointed out in her comment there are days when airlines as a general rule offer cheaper fares. Tuesdays and Wednesdays happen to be those days except when holidays happen to fall on those days or right before/after those days. Mondays and Fridays are usually the most expensive days to fly since airlines are taking advantage of the fact that people of course want to make the most of the weekend and thus leave late Friday and need to go back to work by Monday morning and thus arrive by early Monday.
Book a flight to a different airport - If you are going some place during a holiday that is really popular among tourists do not be surprised to find it virtually impossible to find cheap tickets. What you can do is look for flight to airports located in adjacent towns/cities. …
Nov|19|2007
Super Saver Trip Tips: Eat Smart
Posted by Hannah Grace as Food and Drink, Tips
For me experiencing great food is one of the things I love about traveling. When you’re traveling thugh you can enjoy good food yet make sure that you don’t bust your budget by eating only at the “finest” places. Here’s some tips on how you can get your belly full without emptying your pockets.
If your hotel includes breakfast and lunch in the package then make sure you eat the “free” meal. Eat as much as you can to avoid having to buy snacks.
If you do feel hungry between meals it is wise to buy food at a local grocery store instead of the hotel snack bar where everything is priced steeply. Make sure you buy at stores where the price is already listed though so you won’t get ripped off bargaining if you have no idea what the price of stuff should be. Stock up on snacks so that you’ll …
Nov|13|2007
Super Saver Trip Tips: Road Trip Gas Tip continued
Posted by Hannah Grace as Tips, Transport
5. Avoid rough roads - Going off the beaten path may be an adventure but whenever possible at least choose a well maintained concrete road to travel on. Rough roads (dirt and gravel) can lessen your gas mileage significantly (up to 30%).
6. Open your windows - Enjoy the breeze. Instead of turning on the air conditioner on a hot day open the car windows or put down the top to cool down. It makes for a fun ride and will help save fuel. Turning on the air conditioner can reduce fuel economy by 10-20%. However, if you are traveling at highway speeds open windows are not a good idea since they cause air drag and can reduce gas mileage up to 10%. Top down is still the best option.
7. Slow down - Since we want the windows open to be able to turn …
Nov|09|2007
Super Saver Trip Tips: Reservations
Posted by Hannah Grace as Hotels, Tips
The last time I posted I wrote about how you can get great deals by taking advantage of “shoulder-season” bargains. However, even if you do decide to go on a vacation during peak season you can definitely save a lot of money by looking for great accommodation deals. What most people neglect to do when reserving their accommodations is to ask for bargains or promos. Remember that there’s nothing to lose by bargaining so you might as well sharpen your bargaining skills. Afterall when it comes to making reservations bargaining doesn’t really mean haggling but simply asking if there are any better deals available.
To get the lowest possible deals for your hotel room (or whatever type of accommodation you might choose) simply ask the reservationist for the best prices they offer. Reservationists are usually trained to quote the highest listed price and not mention the existing better deals unless …
Oct|15|2007
Super Saver Trip Tips: Off-Season Bargains
Posted by Hannah Grace as Tips
Everyone knows that travelling during off-peak season is a lot cheaper. From airline fares to accommodations and even to entrance fees there are a lot of bargains to be had. The real trick though to not only save a lot but to get real value for your money is knowing when to book your vacation.
There is a reason why there are few tourists during low season including the weather and programs available for tourists. It is usually the rainy season during the low season so that many do not enjoy taking a vacation in such inclement weather. Family programs and many fun tourist packages are also not available during low season so that you might miss out on some stuff you’d rather enjoy.
Because of this the best time to actually book a vacation is RIGHT AFTER PEAK SEASON. This period, also called “shoulder season”, is already considered to be part …
