Travelogger

Spring Break Travel Advisory


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strong>Spring Break is almost here and I am sure that a lot of college kids are getting all geared up for some traveling. We might not be of that age group but the chances are that we all have someone in the family who are. If you have children, other family members, or friends who are thinking of hitting the road during Spring Break, here is a piece of advice for them, courtesy of the United States government.

Travel to Mexico is not advised. The Department of State issued this warning late in February:

This Travel Alert updates security information for U.S. citizens traveling and living in Mexico. It supersedes the Travel Alert for Mexico dated October 15, 2008, and expires on August 20, 2009.

While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including …



No New Year’s Party At Goa


Last year, my husband and I decided to break away from the tradition of spending New Year’s at home with the rest of the family. I do not know about you, but in my family, Christmas and New Year’s are supposed to be spent together. Last year, however, my sister decided to spend Christmas with her husband’s family. It got us thinking that perhaps, we could embark on our own adventure and start our own tradition – hence the destination New Year. This year, we are going to spend it with some friends in the city.

For those of you who like spending New Year’s some place else as well, you might want to decide not to go to Goa in India. If you have already made plans to go there, you might want to know …



Travelers Urged To Stay Away From Indonesia For Now


I have always wanted to visit Indonesia, especially since it is known for some of the best beaches in the world. More so, their food and culture are sure to provide a different experience for the whole family. The fact that it is located just beside The Philippines is another perk. However, I have heard a lot of advice from friends that it might not be a good idea to go there anytime soon. Don’t get me wrong – I have met many people from Indonesia (westerners lots of them) who encourage visits to the archipelago. According to them, it is quite safe as long as you know what you are doing and as long as you stay away from hot spots.

Recently, though, the Indonesian government announced that the three people who were convicted for …



How to Avoid A Nightmarish Vacation


family breakdown
I have this fear – planning the most wonderful vacation for the whole family only to experience something hellish in the end. Even singles and childless couples are justified in having this fear as there are simply too many factors to consider when going on a trip, especially an extended one. Simply add the fact of having to handle several children to the equation and you just might have a complex situation.

However, this fear does not need to turn into reality. With the right degree of planning and preparing, you can avoid nightmarish vacations. Here are some helpful tips to help you avoid getting into sticky situations.

If it sounds too good to be true…
…then it probably is. I don’t want to sound jaded but it’s a fact of life – you just don’t find too many things …



Stay Out! Most Dangerous Places to Travel continued


LebanonLebanon – The August hostilities with Israel is over (for now), however extremists groups make Tripoli, Sidon and Palestinian refugee camps dangerous. In the southern part of Lebanon land mines are still a big problem.

Liberia – Despite the fact that the civil war in Lebanon ended 4 years ago and that there are still 15,000 UN peacekeepers scattered all over Lebanon, it is still considered to be too dangerous for tourists since crimes like theft, sexual assault and murder is still commonplace.

Sudan – If you really want to go to Sudan at least stay away from Darfur. Darfur is not safe for locals much less tourists where violence is an everyday thing thanks to the government-backed militias. As for the rest of Sudan there are terrorist attacks every now and then. Caucasians are also considered a prime target for kidnappings.

Côte d’Ivoire – The north and northwest …



Stay Out! Most Dangerous Places to Travel


SomaliaA little danger may be exciting but too much danger can be deadly. If you want to get your adrenaline pumping I suggest that you visit places that offer extreme activities like bungee jumping or whitewater rafting but please please stay away from these countries.

According to Forbes the most dangerous places to visit this year include:

Somalia – Abductions and attacks on foreigners are very common in troubled Somalia. Although the federal governments has recently taken control of the country the new exchange in power does not automatically mean more stability but in fact signals even more problems ahead as the power struggle continues.

Iraq – Everyone knows why Iraq is a dangerous place to visit this days. Enough said.

Afghanistan – Kabul is relatively safe (emphasis on relatively) but the rest of Afghanistan is a no no for …



Emergency Numbers


Emergencies are always unforeseen, which is the very reason why they happen. So however much you might plan and however much you might prepare one of these days you might get in an emergency. When this happens the only thing you can do is to make sure that you are as prepared as you can be to handle them. The problem with trying to be prepared though is that emergencies can come in so many forms. It may be a health emergency, an accident, vehicular trouble, crime, and even a natural disaster. You can never really prepare for everything.

The best thing then to do is make sure that you have a list of emergency numbers to call. Before going to your vacation destination go on the internet and find the local emergency numbers. Usually there will be national emergency numbers that are easy to dial like 911 for the US. …



Watch Out For Ebay Travel Scams


dd

Much as I am a self-confessed Ebay junkie, I’ve always been suspicious of “untangiable” goods offered on the site like travel deals. Some years ago I bought a cheap ticket to Australia (the person had won it in a raffle) through the auction, and although I was able to indeed use the ticket, the whole process wasnt the easiest to arrange. At the end I would have paid the extra cash to just get it from my travel agent, hassle free.

But anyway, coincidently also in Australia, a travel scam took place, which should serve as a warning for us all:

A TASMANIAN woman faces jail after pulling off a travel scam on popular internet auction site eBay.

Nadia Lee O’Loughlin, 24, of Sutton Place in Burnie, appeared in the Burnie Magistrates Court yesterday.

She pleaded guilty to one count of using a computer with intent to defraud.

Prosecutor Colin …



Learn To Adjust in Foreign Lands


People who have the benefit of visiting other places and regions should already know beforehand that they will experience a totally new culture and environment. Countries have different types of cultures and beliefs hence it would be best to make preliminary studies beforehand so that they can be able to identify the things they can and cannot do once they land on the foreign native soil.

Chopsticks Taiwan

The difference in cultures is indeed amazing. The simple things may end up being a big thing for people. Like in Taiwan, it is a sign of disrespect to fork your chopsticks against your food since it is a sign of death. When passing by a mourning family, it is customary not to look since it is a sign of bad luck.

For sure, various regions as well such as Europe and the American continents follow a …



Going on a Skiing Vacation Holiday


For people who are not used to knowing what to do in fields of white snow, skiing is perhaps the best activity that they can do, something that they can only make for certain periods such as vacation holidays and tourist vacations.

Skiing

There are a lot of places such as the Hartkaiser Chalet, in Austria and La Rosire 1850 in France to check out if people are decided on taking a skiing vacation. A good place to be for beginners and experts, emabarking on the fields of snow and riding them just like the pros will certainly be something that will be a memorable part of the lives of people on a valued break.

Ski resorts offer various quality slopes for people to take on. But the important thing is being able to address the level of skiing expertise of all people, beginning from …