One of the joys of travel is being able to directly contribute to the economies of the communities we visit, and shopping locally has always been a great way to do this.
It’s the joy of stumbling across charming little shops selling handmade jewelry and clothing you literally couldn’t find anywhere else. And seeing the joy on the face of the artisan when they make a sale.
There’s nothing quite like buying something directly from the hands that made it, and knowing that the community from which it came will be benefiting from 100% of the profits.
We often associate online shopping with faceless corporations, which is the complete opposite to the concept of buying locally, but given the current pandemic climate, more and more local businesses have started moving online.
While we’ve been forced to cancel our travel plans, and isolate in our own homes, the shopfronts we would have been buying our souvenirs from have been forced to close.
Online shopping has become the solution to supporting the communities we would have been contributing to, and still collecting our souvenirs and taste of other cultures even when we can’t leave home.
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Europe has long been a continent to inspire romanticism and fantasy; from stealing a kiss under the Eiffel Tower, to sailing freely throughout the Greek Islands, and eating your body weight in Spanish tapas, there’s no continent on earth quite like it.
A continent that stretches from Turkey to Portugal, and then north up to Iceland, Europe is full of ancient wonders, medieval structures, mouthwatering menus, modern cities, fairy-tale landscapes, and Mediterranean beaches. It’s also a massive smorgasbord of culture.
There’s much to love about this region, and in fact, when we think about it, there’s never a day when we’re not in love with Europe!
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The Coin Collector Chick : Sharing Facts About Coins from Around the World In addition to being a full time traveler and travel blogger, I have also become known as the Coin Collector Chick. While I don’t generally collect many souvenirs during my travels around the world, I have always been interested in collecting coins from the various countries I have visited....
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Traveling doesn’t always have to be so taxing on the environment. By finding ways to travel greener, you’ll be making less of a negative impact on the planet with each trip.
Here are seven great ways to be more eco-friendly while you’re traveling. Small changes we make on an individual level do add up to have a powerful collective effect.
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2020 is the age of the socially conscious traveler – increased awareness around responsible travel has seen us become more conscious of our environmental and social footprint, and many travelers now acknowledge the importance of traveling with awareness and thought.
And that’s exactly what it means to be a socially conscious traveler – to make ethical decisions where you’re mindful of the impact you have on both the environment and the local community you are visiting abroad.
Ultimately, don’t destroy what you came to enjoy.
#Responsibletravel
The basics of responsible travel apply where-ever you travel – simple things like not littering, leaving places the way you found them, and respecting nature and wildlife. However each destination may have additional specifics to consider.
This post is for those traveling to Europe!
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Are you jealous that all your friends are travelling to exotic Insta-worthy places, while you just can’t seem to save up enough to join them?
For most people, the biggest obstacle to travel is figuring out the money. Most of us understand the concept of saving, but when push comes to shove, it’s not uncommon to find it really tough.
Yes, saving money can be a daunting task, but there are many ways to cut costs, and with a couple of tried and tested strategies you might be amazed at how quickly you can build a travel fund.
So, if you’re willing to look at your spending habits and assess what mistakes you’ve been making, you may just be surprised at how much, and how quickly you can save!
To get you started, here are 5 very realistic ways – these aren’t creative, and they aren’t ‘think outside the box’ approaches – they are the proven, straightforward, widely accepted strategies to saving money.
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Planning a wedding can be as much a fun and creative experience as it is a stressful one – there are about a million decisions to be made in terms of food, flowers, invitations, themes and, most importantly, location.
While stores can help with dress choices, picking a place for your wedding / honeymoon is a little more difficult. The options are open ended, and they don’t exactly come in a catalog; you have to do the research and creative leg work from scratch.
But don’t let the volume of planning overwhelm you, and choose an ordinary location just because it’s simple and easy; if you want to be more unique with your wedding location, use this list of places to consider.
While this is by no means an exhaustive list of original places, with any luck it will get your creative juices flowing, and inspire you to think outside the box so you can find a truly special wedding location. With your wedding being the single most unique day of your life, it’s fitting that the setting should also be unique.
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It’s true that once you’ve had a taste of travel, you just can’t get enough. Ask any traveller how they combat the post travel blues and they’ll say by booking their next trip … or two!
While you might have an extensive bucket list of places you want to visit, and cultures you want to immerse yourself in, you won’t get very far without a bit of money behind you.
And that’s where saving comes in! Most frequent travelers are pros at saving, why? Because they quickly realized that they prioritize travel experiences more than they do their morning latte!
Wondering how you can save a little extra money? It’s generally something everyone can do if there’s enough commitment, and it doesn’t have to be painful or overly complicated. Don’t believe me? The following are the simplest ways you can save money for your next trip.
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It’s a common saying that I’m sure everyone at some point has uttered:
“Calories on vacation don’t count”.
Except, they do. And one of the challenges for people who are concerned with their fitness when they travel, is how to maintain their fitness routine and health, while having fun at the same time, and letting loose.
I mean, the whole point of traveling to Italy is to gorge out on pizza, pasta, wine and gelato! But the question is, how do you balance that out, so you don’t find yourself struggling to get back into a healthy routine once you’re home?
Active adventures have become a big trend in 2019, and many people are finding the same level of joy and excitement in fitness orientated itineraries.
Choosing Fitstays helps you to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on vacation, so without further ado, let’s jump straight into why fitness orientated travel is so important today.
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Everything you need for planning a trip to the Arctic; click through for information on where to find cheap flights, hotels, booking, travel insurance, and booking cruises, along with a wide range of blog posts that dive into travel tips, personal stories, and photographs from the region.
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If you’re the type of person who loves to travel, and comes down with a serious case of wanderlust during the time that you’re stuck at home, why not design your bedroom to manifest this passion!
It might seem overwhelming at the outset, but designing a world travel theme for your bedroom can be quite simple and easy to do. No interior design skills required!
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For the traveler who spends time in the outdoors, trying to avoid snakes completely is nearly impossible, unless you’re visiting New Zealand, Iceland or Ireland that is – countries which don’t have a single snake!
But if you’re thinking you’ll limit your travel to just those three countries, you’ll end up missing out on some truly remarkable places. Just because snakes are present, doesn’t mean you need to avoid traveling; you just need to take smart precautions.
While bugs and insects do attack unprovoked, the good news is that snakes don’t. Most snakes would rather to slither away than have a confrontation, and don’t aggressively bite things out of malice.
So it’s actually pretty easy to not get bitten!
But, if you’re setting up camp, and don’t even want to see one, you can use the following tips for keeping them away from your campsite.
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I genuinely believe that accommodation should be an experience. A culturally immersive and authentic affair, that transcends the idea of being just a place to rest your head.
In Mongolia, that means staying in yurts (portable, round tents covered in skins and felt, still used by Mongolian nomads); in Tunisia, an ancient cave house. From reed houses in South America, to igloos in Scandinavia, and turf houses in Iceland, traditional living has never been cookie cutter.
So why should our hotels?
Hotels in Siem Reap are ridiculously cheap. But I wasn’t looking for something forgettable this time around. I had traveled more than 5,000 miles to immerse myself in ancient temples of the Khmer Empire, and I didn’t want to shatter the experience by returning each night to a bland, generic hotel.
But where do you search for authentic accommodation? Through Glamping Hub we found an eco lodge with Unique Bungalows near Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia, luxuriously refurbished inside, with perfectly preserved architectural heritage on the out.
We would stay in a traditional Khmer stilt house.
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The United Kingdom is nothing short of beautiful; a destination with ancient landscapes that transports you into a real life fairytale, complete with castles, gardens, kings, and princesses.
A land that overflows with natural attractions, many adventurous travelers opt for road tripping around the cluster of countries that are England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
But the even more adventurous choose to go one step further (literally).
The UK has an amazing selection of long walks; the options are abundant and the places are nothing short of mesmerizing. So, if you’re keen on immersing yourself fully in Britain’s most spectacular landscapes, why not consider walking!
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These days, couples looking to celebrate their marriage in an alternative way often choose symbolic rituals like the handfasting ceremony.
This ancient Celtic ritual adds depth to the wedding proceedings, and involves the couple’s hands being bound by a cord, ribbon, or even a scarf. It is a beautiful representation of a couple’s sealed union.
For couples interested in having their destination wedding in Europe, we have put together a list of destinations that will be perfect for your wedding and handfasting ceremony. Some of these venues even assist in organising the ceremony, as they are well versed in this unique and alternate wedding style.
So, to have your European wedding in a grand fashion, consider some of these locations.
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Come 2020, travelling to Japan will suddenly become a lot easier for those who require a tourist visa.
Unless you’re a citizen of one of the 68 visa-exempt countries, you’ll need a visa to travel to Japan. Until now this has meant applying at a Japanese embassy or consulate. However the government has decided to introduce a new Japan e-visa to simplify the process.
Available to the general public from next year, a tourist visa for Japan will grant you access to the hidden treasures of an intriguing destination; this is a country where traditional culture blends seamlessly alongside and modern dynamic cities; a bucketlist destination it would be a shame to miss.
In the lead up to its much anticipated launch, read on for more information about Japan’s new travel e-visa application process.
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Whale watching became a trend in the 1980’s, as a way to try and influence the debate over whaling. Back then the concept of whale watching was written off as a ‘stupid idea’, but nowadays it’s anything but.
In trying to change the social acceptance of whale hunts, a group of fairly savvy conservationists realized that there is nothing more remarkable than seeing a whale in the wild, and saw a world where whales would be more valuable to an economy alive, than hunted.
Ever since then, whale watching has grown into a 2.1 billion dollar industry, and almost every country with a coastline has jumped in on the action.
While it was conservationists who pioneered the whale watching tourism trend, researcher Roger Payne credits only one group for the development of whale watching: the whales themselves.
Described as nature’s best self‐publicists, whale watching is now taken seriously as an economic activity globally. So, do take a look at this list before booking your whale watching holidays.
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You’ve made the decision to head off on a trek … awesome! The world is full of incredible hiking trails, and strapping on your boots is a great way to immerse yourself in nature.
But as fun as trekking is, it’s incredibly important that you head out with the right equipment. This doesn’t always mean you need to spend a tonne of money on hiking poles, or camelbacks, but it’s often the simplest things that are the most important on a trek.
Whether you’re heading on a day walk, or a multi day trek, the following are essentials you should always have with you.
This list covers the basics for beginner trekkers, though even if you’re a seasoned pro, it’s important never to become so overconfident that we forget the essentials.
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Gone are the good old days where you could get away with cramming anything and everything into your luggage. Airlines worldwide are really cracking down on excess baggage lately, decreasing both the size and weight of baggage allowances.
Many airlines have begun charging for even a single checked bag and recently even carryon bags come with a fee. They say these changes are to ensure passenger safety, but whether this is true or simply revenue raising, there’s not much we can do!
We’ve all seen some of the crazy and ingenious hacks designed by fellow travellers to beat the system. From stuffing a suitcase worth of belongings into a large bulky jacket to wearing a half a dozen layers of clothing, there are many ways to sneak a bit more onboard than you’re allowed to.
In a perfect world we would be allowed to take whatever we want with us travelling, which begs the question; what would you take if there were no luggage restrictions and you had infinite space?!
This is my list …
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For the last couple of years, tourism tendencies in Europe became even more patterned.
According to the World Tourism Barometer publication, most tourism to Europe is heavily focused on Western countries like Spain or France, while Eastern Europe continues to fly under the radar.
But there are many beautiful places all over Europe that deserve just as much recognition as the likes of Paris or Rome, so in this list we will present the most underrated destinations.
Consider traveling to these fabulous locations in 2019!
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When it comes to travel, money (or lack there of) is often quoted as the biggest obstacle. But it shouldn’t be.
Figuring out how to save the money for travel can be quite overwhelming, but there are many ways to cut back on everyday expenses if you’re willing to reassess your priorities.
You don’t need to be rich to travel the world; with a couple of creative strategies you might be amazed at how quickly you can accumulate a savings.
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With Canada’s phenomenal wildlife and bubbling tourism industry, it’s no wonder that countless travelers and residents have chosen this country as their vacation or residential destination.
One of the largest industries, as well as one of the most popular, is the adventure travel and extreme sport industry. People from around the world flock to this country for the wild waters and beautiful scenery, and to enjoy the many exciting adventures it has to offer.
The jagged cliffs and roaring waters give this vast and diverse country its much-deserved reputation for being great for adventure seekers. For those who love being on the water, we’ve assembled a couple of ideas you won’t want to miss out on.
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When it comes to stunning islands, we are fortunate to live on a planet where we’re spoiled for choice. From the Greek Islands to some 7,000 that form the Philippines, paradise islands inhabit all corners of the globe.
And whether you’re satisfying a craving for adventure, or searching for a potent Caribbean rum, there are plenty of options that will make you feel worlds away from the urban craziness you’ve traveled to escape.
The following are 10 of the world’s most stunning tourist islands. Leave us a comment at the end and weigh in on your favorite island experiences around the globe.
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Are you the kind of individual who prefers to drive to wherever you are going? With well over a million miles behind the wheel, you can put me in this category.
And I am not an over-the-road trucker. Driving puts you in control of your itinerary while providing the benefits of flexibility and getting to see some amazing countryside.
As you might expect, mechanical issues have come up in these many miles I’ve driven. And let me assure you, traveling is easier when you are prepared for an emergency.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five tools you should seriously consider having in the car for your next roadtrip.
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The UK is one of the top rated destinations by travellers, and for good reason. It is a destination that transports you into a real life fairytale complete with castles, gardens, kings, and princesses.
While most visitors focus their time and attention around the big cities as they take in all the pubs, nightlife, and Royal sights, the UK’s off the beaten path areas are equally enticing. The UK is filled with abundant natural attractions that can easily be explored by renting a car and taking an unforgettable road trip.
A road trip through the UK is by far the best way to experience all the region has to offer especially as it isn’t all that large. You will find wonderful hotels throughout the country in both iconic cities and charming small towns, all of which make great overnight stopping points or bases from which to explore the UK’s greatest natural landscapes.
So get off the London tube and take full control of your next UK holiday by taking a self drive tour of some of the UK’s lesser known treasures. They’re even more impressive than Buckingham or Big Ben!
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