All Posts in "Adventure"

Travel Further: Use These Apps To Plan Your Next Vacation

With the new year on the horizon, you might well be thinking about how you’re next going to jet off and see the world anew. While the thought of hopping on a plane and going wherever the wind might carry you can seem appealing, the reality can be a whole lot different, taking a big chunk out of your energy reserves. If you find the process of getting a flight, arranging a hotel and making all the last minute details stressful, you need to turn to technology in order to help you out. There are a whole load of travel apps on the market designed to make your vacation a lot easier, reducing the worry factor remarkably. These apps are the cream of the crop, making picking a flight and jetting off a much closer reality.

Hopper

Juggling multiple websites to ensure that you’re getting the best deal for your flight? There’s an app for that. If you’re finding searching on competitor websites time consuming and exhausting, you can try using Hopper to streamline your travel search. A mobile app, Hopper compares all of the deals on flights for the dates that you have chosen, locating the best deal out there for you. All you need to do is select your route, punch in the dates and the app will tell you what to do and when to do it. Better yet, you can also set alerts to tell you when flight prices drop, helping you get your hands on a ticket sooner than ever. With savings of up to 40% to be had, the app will seriously change the way that you travel.

Hitlist

If you’re the type of person who has an ever growing travel wishlist, you can turn to apps in order to make your adventuring dreams a reality. Hitlist is a mobile app that allows you to enter all of your dream travel destinations into its servers, in turn sending you alerts when flights to these places are at their lowest. If you’re not sure what city it is that you’re looking to go to, you can define your search according to region or country, helping you to see parts of the world that you might otherwise have overlooked. The app lets you stockpile all sorts of trips and travel variants, giving you the chance to jet off whenever your fancy takes it!

TripAdvisor Hotel Flights

Keeping tabs on different hotels can be a tricky business, particularly when you’re using different vacation websites to get the job done. If your computer screen is a sea of open tabs, you need to turn your attention towards an app that’s going to streamline everything into one easy place. Enter TripAdvisor Hotel Flights. An offshoot from the comparison website, the mobile app makes it easier for you to scour pages of hotel reviews wherever you might be, and keep tabs on the ones that are really taking your fancy. As well as giving you an insight into the best of the best, the app will help you find the best deal for you on hotels and travel, making it easier for you to enjoy your vacation in style.

Tripit

In this day and age, who uses paper anymore? Rather than getting all of your affairs in order in a paper document, you can make the task a whole lot easier by turning things digital and putting them on your phone. If you prefer to have everything in the palm of your hand, Tripit is the travel app for you. Putting your tickets, reservations and itineraries into one easy-to-access place, the app cuts down on document loss for good, making getting on top of things a walk in the park. You can also share your vacation details with family and friends, giving them a chance to get on top of your itinerary and store their information along with yours. Travel has never been so easy.

Gate Guru

Do you find that you’re forever running through the airport in a desperate bid to find your gate? Gate Guru will make things a whole lot more easy for you. Rather than running from one area of the airport to another in order to find what you want, the app can help you to make the most of what’s located near your gate, meaning you never have to wander too far off. The vacation app also comes equipped with airport alerts, telling you before the crowds if there have been any changes to your gate number or departure time.

Hannah Lamarque by — December 29, 2016 in Travel 0
Staycation: How To See More When You’re Staying At Home

Vacations are a great way to see the world, get out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons. What happens, then, when you’re staying at home? With everyone jetting off at all times of the year, it can begin to feel like you’re getting left behind. It turns out, however, that adventure could be waiting for you. Your hometown is bursting with opportunity and even if you’re staying at home for your holidays this year, you can still have a great time. It’s all about adjusting your perspective. Once you take off your resident hat, you can see your town through the eyes of a tourist. There is a whole world out there to be discovered and it starts with where you live!

Throw Your Routine Away

Your vacation time is your chance to kick back, relax and forget about who you are for a little bit. If you’re going to make the most of traveling where you live, you need to throw your normal routine to the wind and explore your local area in a different way. Forget about the places that you normally go to and look to a different part of town. To make your task a little easier, you can try renting an Airbnb or hotel room in a different part of town. Treat yourself to the things you normally would if you were on holiday. Get up late, take a long bath and make yourself a special breakfast. Give yourself a cultural task to do for the day and try that bakery on the other side of town. The aim is to explore further, so don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.

Turn Off Your Emails

Just because you’re still at home, it doesn’t mean that you should make yourself available to work emails at every moment. While staying at home might make you feel like you have to keep checking in with work, you should try and take a break from your usual schedule in order to kick back. Turn off your email alerts and put your out of office on your phone. Give any pressing information to your colleagues and tell them to phone you only in the case of an emergency. This is your time to relax, so you should make the most out of it.

Eat Out, Often

It is so often the food that makes our holidays memorable. If you’re used to eating in when you’re at home, try treating yourself to a few great meals out when you’re on your staycation. Make a list of all the places you’ve been meaning to try and make a few reservations. Try choosing somewhere a little more expensive than normal, or stopping in for a coffee and a pastry on your way home. Making each meal an event of sorts is a great way to really kick back and feel like you’re having the vacation of your dreams.

Make A Local Bucket List

We all have a number of places in our local towns that we’ve been meaning to try but simply have never got around to. Your staycation is the perfect opportunity in order to get more done. Before your holiday comes into effect, try making a list of all the places that you’ve been meaning to try. Experiencing your hometown through the eyes of a tourist can help to up your appreciation of where you live. Add as much as you like to the list and get exploring!

Keep Your Camera With You

A staycation isn’t really a staycation unless you capture a few of your memories along the way. Reaching for your camera when you’re on holiday might be second nature but when you’re in your hometown, you might struggle to find an opportunity to take a snap or two. To create a memorable experience, try taking a camera with you wherever you go. The chances are that if you do, you will begin to look at places in greater detail and spot areas that you had never seen before. Taking the time to document small details will help to boost each experience and help you to capture the essence of your staycation!

Treat Yourself

One of the joys about going on holiday is the opportunity to splurge a little now and then. While you don’t need to drop huge amounts in order to have fun, you can allow yourself a little extra spending here and there in order to make the most out of your time off. Try going for a nice meal, treating yourself to a new clothing item or seeing every museum in the local area. You’ve already saved a huge deal on flights and hotels, so don’t be afraid to go the extra mile for yourself.

Hannah Lamarque by — September 27, 2016 in Travel 0
Adventurous Aspirations: How To Travel On A Budget

Broadening your horizons, introducing you to new cultures and inspiring you to see the world anew, travel is one of the best ways in which you can spend your time and money. With increased air fares and rising rental prices, however, actually getting your hands on that trip can feel all but impossible and unless you’ve managed to squirrel away a rainy day find, then you might believe that the adventure of your dreams is forever out of reach.

Think again. One of the most enriching and rewarding experiences out there, travel can be easily within reach, even if you’re on a shoestring budget. By simply planning ahead of time, changing up your schedule and committing to some easy tricks, you can go on the trip of a lifetime, all while staying within budget. Ready to see the world? Now, you can.

Set A Budget

While it might seem like the most obvious of steps, setting a budget is something that relatively few people do before jetting off into the sunset. Although you might have a vague idea of how much you want to spend, by spending a little more time working out a specific budget for each step of the journey, you can save yourself a great deal of time and worry down the line. When putting a list together, budget how much you want to spend on food, accommodation, supplementary travel and activities, always leaving a little extra over for emergencies. If you’re going away for a longer period of time, you can consider putting away extra funds in an online savings account, which you can dip into later down the line. At the end of the day, you can also list down how much you have spent on activities and food. By staying on top of your budget, you do away with any financial worries that might hit along the way

Travel To Nearby Countries

If you want to plan a bigger trip, traveling within the same region can save you a great deal of money down the line. Although your initial flight out might be costly, further travel from that point onwards can be a great deal more affordable, giving you the chance to see diverse areas of the same region. If you’re traveling within Europe, for example, you can find a number of affordable connecting flights or trains for much cheaper than visiting the place on a one-off trip. Similarly, if you’ve bought an expensive flight to another part of the world, you can make the most of it by traveling more within the country or region when you arrive. Local transport tends to be a great deal cheaper and more accessible and can help to open up your eyes to the rest of the world.

Stay At A Rental Apartment

When it comes to travel, we all want to do so in style but as costs mount up, choosing expensive accommodation can be an unnecessary luxury. While you travel, consider following options like AirBnb or VRBO for your stay. Not only will they save you a great deal of money but also, can give you the chance to live like a local during your trip.

Travel Off The Beaten Path

While we all have a list of travel spots that we want to visit, popular tourist destinations can sometimes be costly and often, it’s better for your budget and experience to travel off the beaten path. While capital cities like Rome and Paris are definitely worth a visit, there are a great deal of less renowned but equally beautiful cities nearby that will help you to keep your budget in check. If you want to get a glimpse of Europe, try heading east where the prices are dramatically lower. Cities like Tallinn, Budapest and Kraków have some of the richest cultures in the world and might just open up your eyes to a completely different way of life.

Pack Light

Keeping your suitcase small and packing light for a shorter trip can help you to save on baggage costs while you travel and make moving onwards much more simple. Many forms of transport limit the amount of luggage that passengers can take and if you go over weight requirements, you might find yourself forking up the extra money to cover your baggage. Knowing exactly the amount of clothes you need during your trip can help you to keep suitcase costs low and make moving around the different places much less of a hassle. The less you take with you, the freer you will be to follow your next adventure!

By taking the time to really think about your trip, you can cut costs dramatically and be free to enjoy more places along the way. Your next adventure is out there for the taking; it’s up to you to grab it with both hands.

Hannah Lamarque by — March 22, 2016 in Travel 0
Where To Travel In 2016

In today’s world, travel is the ultimate commodity. With scores of young workers forgoing buying their own property or car in favor of exploring the world, the hunger for international exploration has never been higher in recent years. The travel industry, thankfully, is hot on the trend and now, it is easier than ever to venture to any corner of the world and experience something truly incredible. When it comes to picking a travel destination, however, it can be easier said than done and with dozens of destinations vying for your attention, actually making a selection can be a long and difficult process.

Luckily for you, you don’t have to worry any more and whether you’re searching for a great city break, a tropical adventure or a beach holiday, these vacation spots will have you well covered.

Havana, Cuba

With international relations between the US and Cuba at their best in years, traveling to Cuba looks like it might actually be a whole lot easier this year. If you’re one of the lucky few that get to venture to the country in the coming months, then you should make a beeline for its capital, Havana. Since tourism in the city has been so low for so long, there are still dozens of untouched areas in Havana’s streets that are just waiting to be explored. While planning a trip to the city might take a little more legwork than other places, discovering something off the beaten track is truly worth it and if you want a little extra guidance, there are plenty of tour operators that can guide you in the right direction. 

Quebec City, Canada

While venturing north might not be something you’re willing to do during the winter months, there’s a lot on offer in Canada’s cities that make even the most freezing of temperatures bearable. Topping the country’s list this year is Quebec City, a town steeped in old European culture. Architectural styles in the city’s old town are a great way of stepping back in time and experiencing the place as it might have been a few hundred years ago. Complete with winding lanes, cobbled streets and brightly colored buildings, you might just think you’re in rural France.

Kotor, Montenegro

A city in a country that you might never have heard of, Kotor is making serious waves in the travel industry this year. Nestled in the heart of Montenegro – one of Europe’s smallest and most stunning countries – the city enjoys a backdrop of impressive mountain vistas and clear winding rivers. Blessed with the warm waters of the mediterranean, Kotor is one of the best places in which to pass the summer months and, thanks to its incognito status, there are relatively few tourists about either. Strike while the iron’s hot and everyone else realizes what a gem of a city it is.

George Town, Malaysia

Not to be confused with the other George Town with which you might be familiar, the Malaysian city balances high and low art on every street corner. Named as a Unesco World Heritage site, the city is blessed with one of the most impressive and ancient streetscapes in the world. On the other side of the city, however, is something much younger as local artists push the contemporary culture scene. Steeped in tradition and searching for something new, George Town is a real mix of worlds.

Nashville, Tennessee

One of the most exciting cities in the US right now, Nashville is doing a lot of things worth paying attention to. While the country scene is still very much alive and well, there is a a great deal of change underway in the city as new creatives workforces take over the place. While the gentrification is changing the look and feel of old Nashville, what’s taking over is equally worth seeing. Contemporary arts and cutting edge culture bubbles are popping up in pockets over the city and if you’re a fan of everything new, then you will want to take a look.

If you make 2016 about anything at all, then it should be exploration. Offering new perspectives on world culture, these cities are the places to be this year and if you want to beat the crowds, you’ll check them out while they’re still relatively under the radar.

Hannah Lamarque by — January 12, 2016 in Travel 0

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