RSSFeb|11|2009
Refreshing New Jersey
Posted by Zahir as Adventure, Backpacking & Budget, Cities, Destinations, Family, Food and Drink, Hotels, Luxurious, Romantic, Shopping, Spa, Tips, Travelogger, United States
New Jersey is known to have one of the most culturally diverse population in the whole US. People of different nationalities setting up shop creating a unique mix of food, culture, history and hospitality like a basket of fruits that all taste good. From the wonderfully relaxing beaches to the many leisure activities that can be enjoyed day and night comes the time when you need a bit of rest form all the exciting offerings the state has to offer.
from the Sea Isles to the other wonderful beaches many hotels and local inns abound to give tired souls a place to relax and recharge for another days adventure. Some of the best Jersey Shore hotels can be found near the wonderful beaches making it ideal for beach lovers and their families to have a relaxing …
Dec|28|2008
Travel Opportunities In Troubled Times
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Backpacking & Budget, Tips
It is common knowledge that when economic troubles hit, travel and entertainment become one of the least of priorities. However, this does not mean that the opportunities are not there. In fact, a lot of opportunities have opened up because of the recession – official or otherwise.
I came across a new term today – “recession marketing” – in an article at The Star:
“Recession marketing” has hit the travel industry, with everyone from hotels to cruise lines jumping on the bandwagon. First up: Holland America Line and its Vacation Stimulus Plan, offering discounted fares, reduced deposits and insurance rate breaks.
“Our message is to buy low and live high,” says HAL executive Richard D. Meadows. Cruise fare values are available on HAL sailings worldwide, with prices starting at $499 (U.S.) for seven-day Alaska sailings, $549 for seven-day Caribbean sailings …
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|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 …
Oct|14|2008
Reasons You Should Travel With Others
Posted by Noemi as Backpacking & Budget, Tips
Yeah, I know, traveling in groups may not appeal to you. I feel the same way. I actually prefer to travel with my partner – that’s it. Kids and other family members – yeah ok, sometimes. But when I want to feel free and just totally enjoy myself, I’d rather not travel in groups. Other people might have different reasons for not wanting to travel in groups and I am sure they are all valid. However, I recently read an article at The Age titled “Busting the myths of group travel.” Naturally, that got me interested. I learned a lot from that article – let me share some of what I learned with you.
Traveling in groups is actually cheaper.
The myth is that it could be expensive to travel in groups. I …
Oct|12|2008
Dance Up A Storm In Amsterdam
Posted by Noemi as Announcements, Backpacking & Budget, Festivals
Late in October is a very good time to be in Amsterdam, especially if you love dancing. From the 22nd of October to the 25th of the same month, the Amsterdam Dance Event (or ADE as enthusiasts fondly call it) is going to be held all over the city. ADE is going to be celebrated in 40 of the most popular clubs in Amsterdam, with more than 700 DJs participating. The expected number of people? Only about 72,000!
Backpackers has this write up about the event:
Heading for Amsterdam later this month? If so, and if you’re a party animal, you’re going to want to check out what is the biggest club festival in the world: the Amsterdam Dance Event.
So what makes it the biggest? Well, the four-day event features over 700 DJ’s and acts performing …
Oct|04|2008
Rocking The Daisies
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Around The World, Backpacking & Budget, Festivals
First off, I’d like to apologize for posting this a little bit late – as I write, the festival is well under way. Still, there is one more day to go and if you have the means to do so, you might want to go and experience Rocking the Daisies. I got wind of the event from Backpackers.com:
Rocking the Daisies is an eco-friendly music and lifestyle festival taking place in Darling, a small town in the be-flowered Cape West Coast area.
Spring time in the Cape is a sight to see… The spectacular displays of the Western Cape’s floral kingdom are quite something to behold.
Not only does this relatively new (but very popular) festival offer some of the very best local talent, as well as an international guest star, Eagle Eye Cherry, it’s also one of the …
Aug|02|2008
More Of Bangkok On A Shoestring Budget
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Backpacking & Budget, Food and Drink, Tips
We have talked about going around Bangkok and sleeping in the city on a shoestring budget. Now how about going to the best part of all – FOOD.
When we went to Bangkok, trying all the different food available was the best part for me. We arrived at the hotel around 4 am and we were starving. It was a good thing that we saw a long line of food stores right beside the hotel. It seemed that they were open all night and there were a lot of people eating and drinking so we decided to check in and then find something to eat. Most of the people were Thai so of course, we got weird looks but I supposed they are quite used to tourists walking the streets of Bangkok.
Anyway, I remembering ordering a bowl of glass noodle soup and a squid dish. …
Jul|28|2008
Bangkok On A Shoestring Budget
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Backpacking & Budget, Cities, Destinations, Tips
A friend of mine is taking her family to Bangkok at the end of this week. As she has never been there (and I have), we had a long discussion on what they could do there without burning too big a hole in their pockets. Here are some things that we talked about.
Accommodations
Bangkok is rife with hotels and hostels for all kinds of budgets. Since we are looking for cheap but decent accommodations, the best place to stay would be around the Khao San area. This road is arguably the best road in the world. Though some may think that it is not the perfect place for families, I think that during the day, the road is just fine for kids. There is also a proliferation of cheap accommodation around the area. Another …
Nov|09|2007
Babywearing: Baby Slings, Part 2
Posted by Camica as Backpacking & Budget, Family, People, Tips
Among all the baby slings in the market, I found the ring sling to be the best fit for me. There were several reasons, which I would like to share with you, to help you decide if a ring sling is ideal for you too.
• First, I liked the fact that the ring sling can be used from birth through toddlerhood. Most carriers in the market are not suitable for newborns, while some are not big enough or can’t handle a toddler’s weight. A ring sling can support a newborn’s head and neck, and can be adjusted to fit your baby’s size.
• Ring slings are very good for breastfeeding moms. The sling can be easily adjusted to position the baby for easy access to the breast, and the tail can be used to cover the baby and the breast. For bottle-feeding moms, the ring sling is also …
