Home Articles Posted by Izy Berry (Page 105)
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Best Beaches in Australia
Australia is one of the hottest destinations at the moment, with people flocking from all over the world to visit this giant country. As someone who is from New Zealand, I often take Australia for granted as a holiday destination, placing it firmly in the “I’ll visit it properly one-day” category. Although the majority of Australia is a desert, the coast and surrounding islands boasts some of the best beaches in the world. Because of Australia is relatively close to the equator, much of it is toasty warm all year only fostering the beach mentality. One of the best things about living up in the Southern Hemisphere is that Christmas and New Years can easily be spent on the beach, enjoying some serious sunshine.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Australia and here are my top five best beaches in Australia.
Bondi Beach:
This was my first introduction to Australian beaches and I remember being thoroughly impressed by how “white” the sand was. If you’ve ever visited Bondi, or seen it on TV, you’ll know that the sand is nowhere near white. In fact, it’s more of a yellow colour. But for someone who had spent most of her beach time on the brown sound beaches surrounding Christchurch, New Zealand, Bondi’s sand seemed sparkling white. Every time I visit Sydney, I love to visit Bondi beach. Pro tip: using Accor when booking a hotel in Sydney can help save you both time and money – so you can head down to Bondi and make the most of this gorgeous beach.
Kurrawa Beach:
This is an all round great beach, if you want surfing, fishing, somewhere nice to sunbathe or some great seaside restaurants, than Kurrawa might be just what you’re looking for. Kurrawa beach is located in the heart of the Gold Coast’s beaches. Part of the popularity of this beach is due to its large and lively Surf Lifesaving Club. One of the greatest features of Kurrawa beach is its long boardwalk which allows you to stroll along the beachside, admiring the beautiful views. This is a beach that is thriving all year round, so you should definitely add it to your list of places to visit, no matter the season.
Byron Bay:
There are quite a few great beaches clustered together in Byron Bay, meaning that there’s a little beach for almost everyone here. Whether you’re a hardcore surfer, a keen sunbather or just someone wanting to enjoy a great family holiday. Main Beach is great for families as it is properly patrolled during the Summer months, ensuring that it is safe for families. The Pass and The Clarkes Beaches are both very popular with surfers, attracting a younger crowd. Byron Bay town is a very family friendly town that is filled with gorgeous picnic spots.
Hyams Beach:
Hyams Beach claims a very special title: the whitest sand in the world, making it a truly striking beach. Located on the southern shores of Jervis Bay, Hyams Beach is an extremely popular holiday spot with local Australians and International tourists alike. The beach is surrounded with a number of gorgeous natural attractions including walking trails overlooking clifftops and lush native bush forests. If you’re dreaming of paradise, but want the convenience of great walks, quality cafes and a strong holiday vibe, then Hyams beach is the perfect place for you.
Whitehaven Beach:
No mention of Australian beaches would be complete without admiring the Whitsundays. Whitehaven Beach is a prized beach, it is actually uninhabited which has only further solidified its reputation for being paradise. Here you’ll find pure white silky silica sand sloping into deep blue water. Thankfully this breathtaking beach is only a day trip away from Airlie Beach on the mainland, ensuring that it is still relatively accessible. If you’re hunting for paradise, then you don’t have to look any further than Whitehaven Beach.
These are my top picks for the best beaches in Australia. Have you visited any of these beaches? What’s your favourite beach in Australia?
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Missing Spain
I lived in Spain for two months last summer, working as an Au pair. Afterwards, I took the liberty of making my way around this fun, diverse and gorgeous country. I’m happy to say that I managed to see almost every place I wanted to go in Spain, although I didn’t quite make it to Valencia but there’s always next time. Despite all the weird things that the Spanish do, there’s so much to do in and see in Spain that it remains one of my favourite countries in the world. Despite all odds, Spain is still relatively cheap – with the general rule being the further south you go, the kinder it will be on your wallet. If you’re looking to visit Spain and want to hit the hot spots, check out my list of favourite places and why I fell in love with them.
1) Madrid
I’m not really a fan of big cities, only a few seem to really catch my attention but Madrid is one of them. This city oozes “cool” and has so much going on, all the time, that you can’t help but get caught up in the beauty of it. Madrid is the only place I’ve stumbled out of a club at 6 am, to see clusters of couples who were in their 70’s walking out of their favourite cafe. You know a city is good when even the elderly are out making the most of it at any hour. Check out Templo de Debod at sunset for one of the best views over the city. Even though alcohol’s banned, most people bring some beers or sangria to this great look-out spot.
2) Tenerife
Do you love gorgeous beaches? Sangria in the sun? Making the most of island life? Well, Spain’s got all this for you and more. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary islands and simply a must-visit if you’re craving some beach action. Once you’ve figured out where to stay in Tenerife you’ll want to start planning how to spend your time. Tenerife boasts some of the most striking landscapes, called The Finger of God. You can spend an afternoon in a park that has the world’s largest collection of parrots, Loro Parque, or head to the oldest cathedral Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. There’s so much to do in Tenerife, providing you can pull yourself away from the gorgeous beaches for long enough to explore.
3) Granada
There’s so many wonderful things about Granada, but for whatever reason far too many people miss this town off their list. Here you’ll find the Alhambra, undoubtedly one of the most breath-taking buildings in all of Europe. In many cafes, restaurants and bars, when you order a drink it will come with gratis tapas, that is – free tapas. It is possible to spend an evening moving from establishment to the next, ordering a drink and filling yourself up on delicious fare. The old town is lined with beautiful buildings, with little markets popping outside of the streets. It’s cheap while the locals are laid-back and friendly. What more could you want from a city?
4) San Sebastian
I’ve spoken time and time again about my affection for San Sebastian. It’s a great city, with incredible food, gorgeous buildings and an irresistible beach that is literally on the city’s front door. San Sebastian manages to be the perfect fusion between France and Spain – all the beauty, charm and chic of France, while being fun and unpretentious in an purely Spanish way. Although there’s not a lot to see here, except the beaches, a few cathedrals and the wonderful bars it’s definitely worth a visit for at least a few days.
These are my top four places to visit in Spain. I miss living in Spain almost every day and can’t wait for the opportunity to revisit. Have you ever been to Spain? Where was your favourite place?
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Unmissable Things in Rome
Rome is Rome – there’s simply no where else like it in the world. The grand buildings, the rich heritage, the beautiful coffee (and people) – there’s a lot to absorb and it’s safe to say that any trip to Rome would not be long enough. While there’s ample galleries and museums to explore, Rome’s streets are really the best museum, every nook and cranny offering its own little insight into this grand city. Because there’s so much to see you have to be clever with your time, to ensure you can really make the most of it. Browse through our top five unmissable things in Rome and tailor your perfect Roman escape.
1) A Visit to the Colosseum
It’s little surprise that the Colosseum tops the list of the most unmissable thing to do in Rome, but it’s sheer size and historical significance makes it an essential part to any trip. Marvel at the beautiful detail of the Colosseum and contemplate all the violent history that took place here. The contrast between the delicacy and detail employed in creating the Colosseum and the harsh reality of the many fights that went on here is very intriguing. The Colosseum is one of Rome’s largest tourist attraction and consistently pulls upwards of 16,000 visitors a day. So arrive early to try to beat the crowds and the relentless summer sun.
2) Throw a Coin Trevi Fountain
As one of the most famous fountains in the world, if not the most, the Trevi Fountain is a beautiful fountain that oozes romance. Visitors come to throw a coin into the fountain to wish for their dreams to come true. It’s a very large fountain, that almost takes up the entire plaza that it’s housed in. This fountain, much like the Colosseum, is consistently drenched in visitors so the best time to visit is actually in the evening, when the crowds subside and you can enjoy the fountain with a little more privacy.
3) Enjoy Some Luxury
Rome is known for being a comfortable, romantic and very luxurious city. It’s the perfect splash to splash out on accommodation and to choose a wonderful hotel to relax and enjoy your holiday. If you’re looking to stay somewhere special, visit Splendia to find the best luxury accommodation in Rome. Rome is also known for it’s high quality shopping, as Romans like to dress very well. Visit the Trident, located in the city centre, for some of the best luxury shopping in the world.
4) The Vatican Museums
When choosing to visit the Vatican Museums, ensure you have enough energy and motivation to deal with the hoards and hoards of crowds that will be here and the long lines that await you. Don’t let this grim warning put you off; there’s certainly a reason everyone flocks to these museums, but it can be quite tiresome. There are numerous security checks throughout the museums which can be frustrating, but it’s all part of the experience and a necessary hurdle to indulging in some of the finest museums in the world.
5) Admire the Pantheon
This 2000 year temple is nothing short of striking. It has been converted into a church and remains one of the best preserved buildings in all of Rome. While the outside of the Pantheon definitely shows its age, walking inside it’s immaculately maintained interior is a different experience. The thing that makes the Pantheon really special is its outrageously large dimension and the beautiful domed roof. As it stands, the Pantheon remains one of the most influential buildings in the Western World and is definitely an unmissable destination in any visit to Rome.
These are our top five things to do in Rome – have you been to Rome before? We’d love to hear what you enjoyed most.
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Best Summer Holiday Destinations
The Northern Hemisphere’s summer is in full swing, which is the perfect time to plan your summer holiday or winter escape, if you’re from the south. There are so many great places to visit in the world that it can be somewhat overwhelming choosing where you want to go and what you will do while you’re away. I’ve compiled some of the best summer holiday destinations to get you feeling inspired and ready to plan your summer, or winter, holiday escape.
Hit Up Florida
Florida is known for its beautiful weather all round, but the best time to visit is definitely in summer when everything really comes to life. Whether you want to head to Key West, Miami, or even Orlando, there’s enough beach, party and shopping scenes to keep you thoroughly entertained. If you’re looking to save money while you’re in Florida, why not check out the great deals on Universal Orlando tickets at FloridaTix? A great way to save time, hassle and money so you can focus on making the most of your holiday. While America is a relatively cheap destination, when compared to parts of Europe and Asia, because there’s so much you’ll want to do cutting costs will make a big difference to your trip.
Check out San Sebastian
I’ve written before about visiting San Sebastian and how it has to be one of the best beaches in Europe, solely because it’s literally on the doorstep of San Sebastian’s town. Unlike the rest of Spain, which is very Spanish, San Sebastian is a perfect fusion of French and Spanish, unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been. The streets are gorgeous, the food is incredible and.. the beach. There’s also a great walk you can take which leads you through lush forests up to a great look out point, over looking San Sebastian.
Have a California Road Trip
California is great; it has that laid back, cool vibe and because of it’s location you’re never too far from a beach. San Diego is renowned for being one of the friendliest, down-to-earth cities in the world. It’s also home to one of the best zoos, which is a great way to spend a summer day. Head north towards LA and you can hit all the token theme parks, proving fun for any age. As you head north, you can make your way across state to Vegas, or go further north towards San Francisco – or if you find them both irresistible, you can hit both. America is often overlooked as a holiday destination when compared to Europe, but there’s so much to do and see in this mammoth country.
Sail Around Croatia
Croatia is beautiful, and just on the brink of joining the EU where the prices will be hiked up and this budget destination will become a little less budget. There are so many little islands in Croatia that are perfect for exploring, especially the Dalmatian islands. You can find budget Sail Around Croatia tours that will take you from Split down to Dubrovnik, stopping off at all the hot spot islands along the way. Alternatively, you can take public ferries to get across the islands and organise your own transport, if you’re looking for a more independent approach to exploring this beautiful region.
These are my top four suggestions of Summer trips you could plan this year. Do you have any summer trips already? I’d love to know your plans in the comments below:
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Visiting Sydney
Next month (wow, now that it’s basically August I can say that) I’ll be heading to Asia with my little sister. I am so excited about this trip, because I’ll get to show her the part of the world that has really caught my attention – and my heart. I was born in Sydney, but when I was a baby my parents moved to New Zealand. Living here, Australia doesn’t really seem exotic and most kiwis aren’t really that interested in exploring it, so we often neglect it as a holiday destination – but there’s so much to see. I found cheap flights to Sydney from Kuala Lumpur with cheapflights.com.au and decided we’d spend a few days there on the way home, so my sister could see where our mum was born and to meet some of our extended family.
When I was sixteen I decided to spend my summer holidays in Sydney. I saved up, what seemed at the time to be, a ton of money and headed there to shop and enjoy the sunshine.Years later, when I first decided to leave New Zealand on my “overseas experience”, I chose Sydney as my first port, planning to live and work there for a while to fund my upcoming travels. I lasted a week, destroyed my bank balance and promptly booked a one way flight to Thailand. I visited Sydney again last year, on my way back to Europe.
I feel like as a traveler, I’m torn. Part of me loves budget destinations, where my money stretches much further, where you can really connect to a place and its people. The other part of me loves cities that are sleek and shiny, have great shopping and offer all the Western comforts I do love.
Sydney definitely leans on the more superficial side of my traveling needs. Despite this, I’m still fond of it as a city. It was the first big city I ever visited and I’ve developed a little ritual when I visit.
I always spend one day taking the ferry out to Manly beach – it is one of my favourite beaches in the world. Sydney Zoo also tops my list of favourite zoos in the world, in part because of the zoo itself, but also because of the ferry and gondola to get there. So I always make my way to the zoo to spend a day. The third thing I’ve done each time I’ve visited, is a little trip down to circular quay. It doesn’t matter if you visit during the day or not – it’s always stunning with the harbour, the bridge and the impressive skyline. There are a ton of things to do when exploring Australia. Next time you plan to visit here consider booking your Sydney hotel with Expedia. You can search different hotels online specially by location. This way you can ensure you are conveniently located to the activities that interest you. Without a doubt, Sydney is one of the best travel destinations out there. You will not be disappointed when visiting this city.
When I visit Sydney with my sister in October, I’ll take her to all of these places. Our time in Sydney is short, so we have to cram as much as possible in.
Have you ever been to Sydney? Are you visiting Sydney anytime soon? Do you have any suggestions of things we must do?
Share in the comments below whether you are a budget traveler, or someone who enjoys the glitz and glamour of flash cities like Sydney.
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Top 3 Things to do in Vegas
Vegas is the Disneyland of the world for adults. If you’re looking to enjoy yourself, splash out or shop, Vegas is the perfect place for you. Vegas also boasts great, warm weather almost year round, striking landscapes and everything seems to be open 24 hours a day, every day – ensuring the fun never stops. While Vegas is known for it’s epic scene, it’s not the only reason to plan a trip to Vegas. Here are my top 4 things to do in Vegas:
1) The Fountains of Bellagio
Vegas seems to do everything bigger and better, and these fountains are no exception. The 40 million dollar water show goes off at a variety of times, but tends to be around every 15 minutes in the evenings. There are over a thousand water emitting spouts, stretching out over an 8.5 acre lake. The water show is matched with over 30 songs and each show varies, so that you can watch the water shows a few times and still see something different. The best part? It’s free!
2) Red Rock Canyon
Okay, so this is not really in Vegas, but it’s so close it’s worth a visit whenever you’re in Vegas next. The canyon is only 15 miles west of Las Vegas and is comprised of over 200,000 acres in the Mojave Desert. Red Rock Canyon provides an interesting contrast to all the glitz and glamour of Vegas, while allowing you to drive or hike around this wonderful nature reserve. Visiting at dusk allows a really special experience; the native wildlife comes out to play and the low light casts really interesting shadows.
3) Cirque du Soleil
Adored worldwide, Cirque du Soleil puts on a performance that is sure to delight visitors of all ages. This is the perfect activity for a family spread out across a few generations, as it is impossible to walk away without feeling absolutely mesmerized by the wonderful choreography and enchanting performances. While Cirque du Soleil does tour the world, offering performances across the globe, their special Vegas location has a number of shows that can only be enjoyed here. Definitely worth a visit while you’re in town as it will be a night to remember.
Those are my top four things to do in Vegas. Have you been to Vegas? What was your favourite thing?
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Traveling With or Without a Laptop
As a travel blogger, I tend to cart my laptop around with me everywhere. While it’s great to have with me so I can check emails, edit photos and watch videos on long plane and train rides, it can be a right pain. I have to worry a little more about my luggage, because my laptop is very valuable to me, especially because of all the data it contains. There have been numerous nights in dorms where I’ve slept with my laptop under the pillow because there simply were no safe lockers to secure it in. When jumping off long tail boats in Koh Phi Phi I found myself feeling a little more nervous that I might just fall off the edge of the boat and drown my laptop. Deciding whether to travel with or without a laptop can be a tricky question to answer, because there are so many reasons to leave your laptop behind when traveling, but a few pros to taking it with you:
Pros of Taking a Laptop Overseas
Easily Staying In Touch With Friends and Family
Most places I’ve been to are built up well enough for tourists to stay in touch with those back home. There are generally lots of Internet cafes and many hostels even have their own computers you can use, some of which let you use them for free. In certain places, Internet cafes and hostel computers can be very pricey to use, which can really add up quickly especially if you’re a fan of long Skype catchups. Having your own computer means you wont have to wait for others to finish, you can connect to free WIFI in places like Starbucks around the world and you can have easy access to friends and family back home.
Entertainment When Traveling
I wouldn’t have survived my long term travels without my laptop – it provided so much entertainment on long journeys and helped keep me sane. When traveling next to a friend on a bus, you can easily share headphones and watch a movie without disrupting those around you. If you’re playing drinking games in a hostel dorm room, wiping out a laptop is a great way to provide music to accompany your drinking mishaps. After your iPod’s gone flat, you can turn your laptop on and turn the screen off and get a few good hours of music out of it. My laptop has been a real gem at entertaining me while overseas.
Safety and Security
I am super paranoid about bank fraud, especially overseas. I have a fear of someone accessing my bank account details and magically withdrawing all my money, leaving me broke and alone somewhere foreign. Thankfully, this hasn’t happened and I don’t think it will. Regardless, I like the extra security of knowing that I am only logging onto my banking and Paypal accounts from my own computer.
Cons to Traveling With a Laptop:
You Never Really Disconnect
Because my work is on my computer, when I have my laptop on, I can never fully relax. A work email will pop up and I’ll check it and then get side tracked with some work. This is great when it’s a normal Monday to Friday at work, but when you’re overseas, on holiday, it can be really tiresome. Leaving the laptop at home means you can fully disconnect from the working world and focus on your holiday.
Laptops Can Weigh You Down
Have you ever been trekking carrying a laptop? Let me tell you it’s not the most fun. I was too paranoid to leave my laptop at the hostel without a locker, so I took it trekking. I did not enjoy walking up steep hills with the weight of the laptop pulling me the other way down the hill. Carrying my luggage anywhere became much more tiresome because of the extra weight of the laptop. There were numerous times where I got so frustrated with it I thought I might just abandon it. There’s something super care-free about traveling with next to nothing, and a laptop makes that impossible!
It Can Get Stolen/Break
Taking a laptop away with you increases the risk or something going wrong with it. Maybe you’ll be half asleep and walk off the plane without it. Maybe someone will steal it from your hostel dorm. Maybe you’ll fall off your boat and drop it into the ocean. So many little things can go wrong, and even the best travel insurance rarely covers full replacement costs of a laptop. Then when you factor in the loss of all the photos, data and other special things that are on your laptop, it can be a really scary thought.
Taking your laptop can be really convenient, but is it worth the risk?
Do you travel with or without your laptop? Let us know why in the comments below:
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Tips for Cycling Holidays
If you love cycling, then chances are you’d probably enjoy a cycling holiday. There are a number of ways to incorporate cycling into your holiday; from touring and traveling entirely around by bicycle, to simply renting a mountain bike for a day and enjoying some challenging terrain. One of my favourite reasons that I love to include cycling in my travels, is that it helps keep you fit on the road – which is really important to me as I am always tempted by excess food when I’m overseas! Cycling also allows you to get much closer to both nature and the environment around you, rather than being shut off in a car. Here are some good tips for cycling holidays so you can plan your perfect cycling holiday:
1) Invest in a Good Helmet
Not all helmets are created equal, and although no one wants to think about it, accidents do happen when you’re on a bike. Don’t let that put you off enjoying cycling overseas, just use it as motivation to invest in a high quality bike helmet to keep your most valuable part of your body safe, no matter what. There are so many different styles of helmets these days so you can find one you really love. In New Zealand, it’s illegal to cycle without a helmet so I’m used to wearing one no matter what. If you’re planning a holiday to a country that is more relaxed about wearing helmets, consider wearing one just in case. It’s worth it for the peace of mind.
2) Read Online Reviews
You can choose to do a cycling holiday independently or with a tour. Whichever way you go, make sure that you read some online reviews about the company and/or tracks. Bare in mind that people are much more likely to leave reviews when they are really disappointed than when they really like it. By checking out the online reviews, you can get a better idea of what to expect and whether it’s what you want from your cycling holiday.
3) Check the Weather
When you’re planning your trip, read up on the weather reports for that time of year for the place you are planning on going. When I was in Asia during rainy season, I heard some fellow tourists complaining about the rain. I didn’t understand what their problem was; it’s rainy season. It rains at least once a day during rainy season, usually for about an hour. It’s annoying, but a little research would have warned them and then maybe they wouldn’t have found the rain so disappointing or bothersome. I like cycling when it’s cool to warm, not too hot and not raining. So for me the shoulder side of summer in most places would be the best time of year to go. Be realistic about what kind of conditions you need to be comfortable cycling and work backwards from there.
These are my top three tips for planning your cycling holiday. Is there anything I’ve missed off the list? If you’ve had a great cycling holiday or done some great cycling while away, let me know in the comments below.
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Keeping Yourself Sane – in Transit
I’m traveling to Asia with my sister in September. I’m really, really excited as she’s never left New Zealand before and the largest city she’s been to is Auckland. A part of me is also pretty nervous though, because she’s never been on a plane for more than 1.5 hours. We have a bunch of crappy cheap flights, including a decent stopover in Sydney before an awkwardly timed flight to Kuala Lumpur. During my three years of traveling, I’ve learned lots of tips for keeping myself sane in transit. I’m meeting up with my sister tomorrow to go over some finer details of our trip, and I was thinking of what I could suggest to her to make the flight more bearable and the waiting times in airports less uncomfortable, when I figured I’d share them on my blog.
1) Find Something to Listen to
Listening to something while you’re in transit is much, much easier than watching a movie or TV show at times, because you can simply plug into your iPod, MP3 player or phone. It’s also a better option if you’re hoping to dose off to sleep, as you can sit there with your eyes closed. While music is great and I always travel with music, in recent time I’ve come to really appreciate listening to audio books when I’m in transit. There are an overwhelming number of books available, they’re easily downloaded and take up no extra space in your bag, unlike a traditional book. Another bonus? Audio books are super cheap – often much cheaper than buying a kindle or paper version, which is perfect for the budget friendly traveler. After some research online I know exactly what I want to download next to keep me busy on the plane. I will go for the Hobbit audiobook which can be found here. I have read the book years ago and I am really looking forward listening to the story again to refresh my memories of the journey of Bilbo Baggins.
2) Take a Journal With You
My memory is pretty average and I find myself failing to remember people’s names I met once or certain things I did along my travels. I’m also very sentimental, as in I like collecting things during my travels and looking at them takes me back to that place in time. I never had a travel journal on my first trip; I had a notebook that I wrote my feelings in, but I wish I had a purposeful travel journal that I used to document my trip. I regret not having a book that my travel buddies could write in and I could look back on laugh about now. As it’s my sister’s first trip, I’m going to buy her a travel diary and encourage her to use it regularly so it can be kept as a keepsake of her first international adventure. Having a journal that you can write in, doodle on and read when you’re bored in transit is a great way to stay sane. I found some super cute ones on Etsy. This is my favourite travel journal which I think she would like best.
3) Learn to Laugh
Shit goes wrong when you’re overseas. I wish I could tell you everything will be magical and you’ll float from one airport to the other, without delay or issue. That your bags will never be lost, you’ll never miss a connection, break anything, lose anything or have anything stolen. Stuff goes wrong all the time, sales people lie in order to get business. You will be, at times, disappointed on your trip. The language barriers will frustrate you. You’ll be tired, miss home and wish that things were just as they were back home – but it’s all part of the journey and the adventure. Learn to laugh at the things that go wrong, because there’s actually nothing better to do about it (unless something serious has gone wrong). There’s a quote “Travel is only glamorous in retrospect” – it’s true. Sometimes it bites, but learn to laugh and know that everything works out in the end.
4) Buy a Pack of Cards
When I was young I fancied cards, but then I became distracted by the Internet and TV. Cards took a backseat in my life and only were brought out during drinking games – until I went traveling. A pack of cards is relatively small, doesn’t take up too much space in your backpack and is a great way to pass a few hours cruising down a slow boat in low, or waiting at an airport for your next connection. The great thing about traveling with a pack of cards is that you don’t need power or WIFI for it to work. Anywhere in the world, with a few willing players and a deck of cards, you can create an engaging game to pass the time. My all-time favourite game is shithead which is super easy to explain to friends/travel buddies or the random stranger in the airport lobby. Make sure you know the rules for at least one game before you head off on your holiday. Online you can find the rules for shithead and pretty much any card game.
Travel certainly isn’t seamless and there have been countless times when I’ve struggled to stay sane, especially during a 36 hour bus ride from Laos to Vietnam. Planning ahead, such as loading some good audio books onto your phone and buying a cheap deck of cards can go a long way in ensuring your happiness during those boring parts of travel.
Do you have any tips for staying sane on the road? I’d love to hear them!
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Preparing for Travel
There’s a lot to organize before you go away for a holiday, especially if the holiday is lasting a few weeks, months or even years. It’s easy to forget to take care of the little things and then realise when you’re on the plane that you forgot to do something fairly crucial. As I’ve traveled so often, I kind of have a quick go-to-list of things to organize before I head away. Preparing for travel is important as it will allow you to properly enjoy your trip without worrying, while knowing everything will be OK at home.
1) Organizing Home and Contents Insurance
Anything can happen while you’re away: when I was in India, there was a massive earthquake in my home town that killed a number of people, destroyed houses and cost billions in damages. Thankfully I didn’t have a home base in Christchurch at that stage, so I had nothing to worry about personally but I know a lot of my friends lost a lot of things because they didn’t purchase home and contents insurance. Just because you’re on holiday or traveling the world doesn’t mean you’re invincible from natural disasters, burglaries, or even damage to your property from fire or extreme weather. Give yourself the peace of mind that everything will be properly insured before you step out the door. If you already have home and contents insurance check your payments are all up to date.
2) Make Sure Your Pets are Looked After
There are lots of different options for making sure your pets are properly cared for while you’re lounging on a beautiful beach or exploring an exciting new country. You can ask a neighbor, family member or friend to swing by to tend to your animals. You can ask someone to say in your house and tend to them while you’re away. You can even look at getting a house sitter who will stay in your house and maintain it while you enjoy your holiday, stress free. There are a number of options, but it’s important you get this organized well in advance. For short term trips you can always put your pets into a cattery or kennels, but this can often become quite expensive.
3) Ask Someone to Check Your Mail
I’ve managed to get most of my statements and bills sent to me electronically; it saves paper and means no matter where I am in the world, I can be up-to-date with any bills. That way I rarely come home to a nasty surprise in the form of an overdue bill. Of course, you’ll have to choose someone you trust to check your mail, or alternatively you can get it sent it a mail scanning service that will open, scan and forward your mail to your email.
4) Organize Travel Insurance
Unless you’re traveling within your own country or region, getting travel insurance is absolutely essential. I’ve read way too many horror stories about travelers who have decided to save a few pennies by avoiding travel insurance, only to end up in some foreign hospital with a hospital bill so large it’s disabling. A fellow New Zealander was involved in a motorcycle crash that was not his fault and wound up with a $100,000 medical bill and was being refused treatment because he had no way to pay. When you’re sick, injured or inconvenienced while traveling the last thing you want to have to worry about is how to pay for it. Travel insurance is a safety net that can literally save your life.
These are the top three little things you should always try to mentally make sure are checked off before you go away on a trip. Is there anything else you do before you leave for your trip to make sure everything’s taken care of? Share in the comments below:
