RSSJun|23|2011
Little Passports: Impart The Love For Travel To Your Kids
Posted by Noemi as Family, Website
I don’t have kids – yet. One day, I really hope to have my own (two should be enough) and I want to share with them the world. The easiest and most creative way of doing this, in my mind, is to cultivate their imagination through reading. Indeed, one can travel the world just by reading.
Of course, reading alone will not be enough if I want my kids to experience the real deal. Still, reading is a good place to start, especially if the destinations I have in mind are of a totally different nature from what the kids are (going to be) used to.
That’s where this cool web site comes into the picture. I just discovered Little Passports, a web site founded by two moms who wanted to share the world (and its diverse …
Jun|16|2011
Top Five Places I Want To See Before I Die
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Destinations
I don’t think I am going to die soon. Well, I certainly hope not. I have places to go, things to do. I did run across an article at the Huffington Post about dream destinations. It is not a new idea – people write all sorts of lists about things they want to do and places they want to go to before they die. I thought I’d have mine in black and white as well. So here goes.
1. Paris – I have always wanted to go to France. My fascination with this country began in grade school when I won a book titled “Let’s Travel to France” in a raffle draw. The rest, as they say, is history.
2. Israel – This is another place that was very much part of my childhood. Bible …
Jun|09|2011
How to Afford Trips in Tough Economic Times (Part 2)
Posted by Noemi as Backpacking & Budget, Tips
In the previous post, we took a look at 2 tips that can help you afford to go on a vacation despite the fact that money might be a little tight. To recap, the two tips are to reconsider your priorities and to consider going on a trip closer to home. Here are some more tips for you.
Always be on the lookout for special promos
Travel agencies, hotels, and airlines always have some sort of promo going on. Despite the economic problems – or maybe because of them – businesses in the travel industry seem to be giving a lot of incentives to travelers. Just last month, we were able to get free tickets to a domestic flight (round trip!). A local carrier, Cebu Pacific, gave away some 50,000 seats absolutely free – no taxes, no …
Jun|02|2011
How to Afford Trips in Tough Economic Times
Posted by Noemi as Backpacking & Budget, Tips
We are used to traveling at least twice a year. I guess it has become sort of a tradition for us. Traveling is the way that we are able to get away from the stresses of our daily lives and it also provides us something to look forward to. This year, however, it has been tough trying to get things together. We have not been exempt from the economic crisis that has been going on for quite some time. We were able to go to a nearby beach in May and August but have not been able to arrange anything else. I do know, however, that it is still possible to at least have one or two trips despite the tough financial times. If you are thinking about how to manage your own …
May|25|2011
Car Rental Tips
Posted by Noemi as Tips, Transport
Not too many people have great stories to tell when it comes to car rentals. With the way gas prices are today, it might not really be a good idea to drive around on your vacation. Still, if you must have a car then you might as well rent one. Here are some tips to help you save when renting a car.
Book as early as you can.
Just like with plane fares and hotel accommodations, the earlier you book, the better chances of getting a good deal. This is especially true if you are planning on traveling during peak season. The nearer your date of travel is, the higher the demand will be, and the prices will probably shoot up.
Try booking for more than a day.
Car rental companies normally give better rates for extended rental …
May|18|2011
Gift Ideas: Best Travel Books
Posted by Noemi as Books
Still thinking of what to give your friends this Christmas? You can never go wrong with books, especially if your friends love to travel. The Guardian has a feature article today about the best travel books according to some of the leading travel authors today. You can’t get any better than that, can you? Here are some of the books in the list.
Empires of the Indus by Alice Albini
Chosen by William Dalrymple, this book is described as “a fabulously thoughtful, learned, perceptive and stereotype-breaking book which follows the Indus from its delta on the coast of Sindh up to its source in Chinese-occupied Tibet.” He got me at “stereotype-breaking.”
The Man in Seat 61 by Mark Smith
This was chosen by the author of the first book on the list, Alice Albini. Why did she choose …
May|11|2011
More Places To Visit Before It’s Too Late
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Destinations, Eco-Friendly
This is the continuation of the list that I started in the last post – places that might not be here tomorrow so we should visit them while we can.
Little Green Street isn’t in the center of London, but maybe that’s why it survived so long — it’s one of only a few intact Georgian streets left in the whole metropolis. These two-story brick houses may have survived the Blitz in World War II, but the inexorable march of gentrification is another thing altogether.
London is a premiere tourist destination as a whole but so is this little area within the city. Indeed, with development going the way it is, we might not get to see Little Green Street in its original form pretty soon.
Michoacán Monarch Biosphere Reserve, Mexico: Monarch butterflies face a variety …
May|08|2011
Places To See Before It’s Too Late
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Asia, Destinations
The only thing permanent in life is change. Many years down the road, things will be different and in terms of travel, there might be destinations that are accessible today and might be gone tomorrow. I guess that’s why MSN Travel featured 11 places that world travelers should go see NOW before they disappear. I picked some of the destinations that really interested me. Here they are.
Babylon
Babylon, a city of both history and legend, has been seriously damaged by war and development, and those remain the two major threats to the ancient city. The U.S. war in Iraq continues to endanger Babylon and other ancient sites in Iraq, and Iraqi officials’ own plans for post-war Babylon could be just as destructive.
It’s sad that the place which is known to be the cradle …
Apr|27|2011
Go Local
Posted by Noemi as Getaways, Tips
Lots of people profess to love traveling but if you are like most people I know there are many nearby places that you sometimes wish you’ve visited but somehow seem to never get around to actually go to. This fact is quite sad since I believe that the first places we should see and get to appreciate are the ones nearest us, the places where and near where we live. I believe this because I think that…
1. If we are more aware of our immediate surroundings then we can be better citizens. Though very idealistic and vague it rings true (at least for me ^_^) since better awareness of the immediate surroundings, tourist spots or not, will make us appreciate the beauty of our neighbourhood/town/country as well as want to change the “not so beautiful” parts. This can affect our attitude towards the environment, traveling …
Apr|20|2011
North Cyprus: Your Mediterranean Paradise
Posted by Noemi as Destinations, Europe, Features, Getaways, Islands
Through the years, I have come to the realization that I am very much partial to beaches. When planning a vacation, I would seek out a beautiful isolated beach. The wonderful thing about this is that there are so many of these in the world, and one destination that I have recently discovered is North Cyprus.
I am sure that the name is not unfamiliar to many of you. It is an island located at the northern part of Cyprus, shares the same name, but is an independent republic. It has so many things to offer the traveler, best of all its long stretches of sandy beaches.
Since the sun shines in this part of the world almost all year long, you can visit any time you want to. The beaches in North Cyprus are numerous, offering …
