Thanksgiving Travel Could Reach Record Highs—Here's How to Prepare

Source:travelandleisure

Thanksgiving can be a stressful event for Americans across the country as they plan meals, negotiate family feuds, and decide which political topics to avoid at dinner. (Answer: All of them.)

And one aspect of the holiday is set to get a little more difficult, according to figures released Wednesday: Air travel is set to reach a record-high in the 12-day period surrounding Thanksgiving, according to trade group Airlines for America.

An estimated 27.3 million people will fly domestically in this period, accounting for an uptick of 2.5 percent from last year.

While travelers can’t control whether flights are delayed or how crowded airports are, here are a few tips to make even the most stressful trips as comfortable as possible.

Invest in a pair of quality headphones

As babies cry and couples begin their first fight of the holiday season, you can enjoy your music, movie or just silence in peace with some of the best noise-canceling headphones. Here's a few selections for different types of travels, recommended by Travel + Leisureeditors.

Get to the airport early (very early)

It may seem like an obvious tip, but so much of the stress of flying can be alleviated by showing up to the airport two hours before your scheduled flight, even on domestic carriers. It gives travelers a chance to go through security and find a seat in the boarding area with time to relax long before the first boarding group is called.

Enroll in TSA PreCheck

One airport expert told T+L that one of the best ways to alleviate travel stress is to enroll in this program that allows you to cut security lines and keep your shoes on, among other benefits.. “TSA PreCheck is the #1 packing tip,” said Rick Seaney, CEO of Fare Compare.

Bring snacks

Airport and airplane food is notoriously sub-par. Make sure to have some high protein snacks on hand, like nuts or granola to munch on during your trip.

How to Plan Holiday Travel With Your Pet

Source:http://www.travelandleisure.com/

Anyone who has ever taken their furry friend on a trip knows that it requires lots of planning, foresight and unavoidable stress about safety in transit.

Nearly 40 percent of owners now take their dog on vacation with them, according to a national survey of pet owners. That figure has increased nearly 20 percent from just 10 years ago.

So, of course, a cottage industry has popped up to make pet travel easier for owners: Hotels, airports and trains now offer new services to help pets adjust to life on the road. But with so many new options, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or unsure where to start.

BringFido.com is a website that launched in 2005 and has since grown to include an app with 50,000 pet-friendly recommendations across 150 countries. The iOS app is like Yelp for traveling pet owners: It will recommend hotels, attractions and restaurants that welcome pets across the world. Pet owners can also find dog walkers, groomers, sitters and veterinarians while they are traveling with the app.

Well before any adventure even begins, pet owners should start planning for transit. Animals should be properly crate trained and get a check-up at a veterinarian before traveling.

Pet owners who are traveling by plane should research their specific airline. While some will still allow owners to ship their dogs in cargo, many airlines stopped since the Humane Society deemed the practice dangerous.

Animal safety experts recommend getting in contact with airline employees as far in advance as possible to confirm policies.

If you want to learn some tips of travelling with pets then visit www.petslane.com

Debunking the myths about travelling to Cuba

Source:news.com.au

AS I was researching a trip to Cuba, everything I read led me to believe that I would have to constantly be on guard in Havana, would surely come back with Zika, and would struggle to keep my vegetarian diet.

Travel books and the internet were full of dire warnings about health, safety, comfort and language barriers. It took me about a day in Cuba to realise this: None of it is true.

If you’re considering a trip to Cuba, allow me to help by debunking the following myths for you.

THE FOOD IS TERRIBLE

Cubans can’t get many of the ingredients and spices we’re used to, so the food will be bland, I read on many a travel blog.

Yes, Cuba does have issues importing many products, but that just means the whole country is serving up organic, farm-to-table food that uses amazingly fresh ingredients and whatever’s in season.

I had some of the best meals of my life in Cuba — from creamy vegetable risotto that rivals Italy’s best, to squash flan: an innovative dessert that used ingredients from a farm that was mere feet from where I ate.

One caveat: I travelled to Cuba on a culinary-themed tour with Access Trips. Because the focus of the tour was on cuisine, we ate at some of the country’s best restaurants (the kinds of spots where it’s tough to get reservations), and in places that usually aren’t open to the public (like an organic farm).

On the nights that we had free time, we tested out restaurants recommended by guidebooks, and either we couldn’t get in (due to a lack of a reservation) or they weren’t nearly as good.

If food is the focus of your trip, definitely check out a food-themed tour.

IT’S UNTOUCHED BY AMERICAN CULTURE

Cuba has gained the reputation of being an island that’s untouched by time and outside cultures, but that simply isn’t true these days.

On the Access Trips tour, we were invited into the homes of Cubans, where American shows were on television. Many of the people we met talked about watching the Presidential debates, which air on Cuban TV (sorry guys).

American songs will follow Cuban ones in bars and restaurants, and Cubans will eagerly tell you about where Beyonce and Jay-Z ate when they came to visit. (Refreshingly, although my guide had heard of Beyonce, she had no idea who the Kardashians were).

HAVANA IS DANGEROUS

I read plenty of warnings against wearing flashy jewellery or walking around by myself, especially in downtown Havana.

However, I found the city surprisingly safe — there is a large presence of tourist police around, as they want to protect the influx of income that the industry has begun to bring with the arrival of more Americans.

I went jogging by myself in the morning and walking around solo at night, and I never felt that my safety was at risk.

Yes, as a solo woman traveller, I did experience the cat calls and street harassment that is unfortunately common, but it was more of an annoyance than something that made me fear for my well-being.

YOU’LL NEED A TON OF MONEY

I was on a tour, so the majority of my meals and transportation were paid for, but I still ended up spending significantly less than I bargained for.

Food, drinks, and taxis are all fairly cheap. A dinner at a nice restaurant cost me around $13, including appetisers and drinks. At upscale spots, a mojito might cost you 4 CUC ($AU5.20). When I hit a local spot to sample the country’s famed guava liquor, two glasses cost a whopping 65 cents in total. A 15 minute taxi ride averages 12 CUC ($AU16).

However, it is best to bring more money than you’ll think you’ll need. Cuba is a very cash-only country; I didn’t see credit cards used the entire time I was there.

IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO EAT VEGETARIAN

Google “eating vegetarian in Cuba” and one of the first results that pops up is a Forbes article titled “Cuba is a Tough Place for Vegetarians — And That Won’t Change Any Time Soon”.

The majority of the other search results are along a similar theme — bemoaning the fact that Cuban cuisine is too loaded with fish and meat to appeal to vegetarians.

I’ve definitely struggled with not eating meat in some countries — like in Ecuador, where they served me eggs and ham, because ham isn’t “real meat.”

I had zero problems avoiding meat in Cuba. Access Trips did a wonderful job, alerting restaurants ahead of time and making sure that there would be plenty of food for me to eat (and confirming with staff that there was no hidden meat or fish lurking in the dishes I ordered).

Even in the restaurants that I ventured out to solo, I had no problem communicating that I was vegetarian — the staff always knew what I meant, and would alert me if there was unexpected meat or fish within a dish that I had ordered.

Vegetarians will find plenty to eat in Cuba, and it will be delicious, varied, and fresh — and not just endless beans and rice.

YOU’LL COME BACK WITH ZIKA… OR WORSE

Mosquito-borne viruses such as Zika, chikungunya, and dengue are included in warnings for travellers to Cuba. And while you should definitely pack your mosquito repellent, these aren’t warnings that should scare you away (unless you’re in a high-risk group).

I spent time by the water and in the countryside and never saw or felt any mosquitoes. I was actually very surprised by the lack of bugs.

To be clear, I did load up on heavy bug spray after every shower and before going out at night — I’m not recommending going without.

The stunning white sand beach at Cayo Largo, Cuba. Picture: iStockSource:istock

My local Access Trips guide explained that the government sprays weekly for mosquitoes, which could explain why I never saw any. (For a more scientific explanation of how Cuba avoided Zika for much longer than many Caribbean countries, this article has a good overview.)

ACCOMMODATION WILL BE RUDIMENTARY

In Cuba, you’ll have two legal options for accommodations — you can stay in a government-owned hotel, or in a casa particular, a private house that rent out rooms (although, these rooms can be designed to be self-contained apartments, with private entryways and kitchens).

However, due to the lack of access to internet in Cuba, these can be harder to book on your own. I stayed at a highly recommended casa particular called FFF Apartment. It was in a centrally located but not-touristy neighbourhood (Street H between 17 and 19), and was very clean and private.

CUBANS AREN’T CONNECTED TO WI-FI

Drive down the streets of Havana at night and you might think the crowds of people on the corner are waiting to get into a hot new nightclub.

Look closer, though, and you’ll see that the glow is coming from the screens of smartphones and laptops, which means that you’ve found a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Although Cubans aren’t connected to the internet at every minute like we are, they definitely find ways to get online.

An old American car on a street in Old Havana. Picture: iStockSource:Supplied

In order to get online in Cuba, you’ll need to buy a card (I paid $2.60 to $10.50 for an hour of access) with a login. The easiest spots to find Wi-Fi are at higher end hotels.

When in Cuba, don’t assume your phone will work well — data didn’t work on my phone the entire time I was there. Moral of the story: Check with your provider before travelling and scale your expectations about staying connected.

EXPECT TO BE QUESTIONED THOROUGHLY AT IMMIGRATION

Beyond “look at the camera please” instruction, the immigration officers I encountered while I was entering and leaving Cuba didn’t say a single word to me — they just stamped my visa and passport and sent me on my way. Arriving back in to the United States, the customs officer asked me where I had been. “Cuba!” I replied. “Nice,” he said, waving me through with a bored gesture. How times have changed.

AVOID THE WATER AT ALL COSTS

I stuck to bottled water for drinking, but I also ate plenty of fresh salads (presumably washed in tap water), and drank cocktails that contained lots of ice, and I didn’t get sick.

Diseases from contaminated water are a real concern in Cuba, so obviously, this depends on your tolerance for sickness and risk; but in my opinion, the icy daiquiris are worth the risk.

This article originally appeared on Smarter Travel.

Where to spend Christmas and New year breaks

www.bookingmate.biz is the only travel booking website that not only give you the cheapest air fares but also offer you the best guaranteed hotel prices. Visit it before its late

As the clock ticks down to midnight, a crowd gathers in Times Square, waiting for a glittering ball to descend and launch the New Year. But this isn’t New York, it’s Hong Kong, where a ball drop has also become an annual tradition.

Around the world, locals celebrate the passing of one year to the next in similar ways: fireworks, street parties, dancing, and generous helpings of food and drinks. Still, each destination has its own cultural twists and distinctive setting. In St. Petersburg, Russia, for instance, folks bundle up to admire fireworks above the partially frozen Neva River—and send hundreds of paper lanterns up into the night sky.

Party people can stay out late in Reykjavik, Iceland, then go for a dip in the hot springs. Or they can join the massive beach bash in Valparaíso, Chile. For good luck in 2014, do as the Chileans do and wear yellow underwear, eat a dozen grapes at midnight, and put a $1,000 peso bill in your shoe.

Beachfront fireworks shows ring in the New Year in Maui, HI, which caters to couples and to families. The Bahamas offers similar warm-weather appeal along with traditional Junkanoo costumed street parades.

Whether you’d rather cozy up by the fire with a fine wine in Sonoma, CA, sing “Auld Lang Syne” on a torchlight procession through Edinburgh’s cobblestoned streets, or party until the sun comes up, there’s a destination that will start your New Year right.

So if you have not booked your travel yet then click here before its late.

South Gippsland, Australia: Pure nature, Ocean, beach green landscapes

If you still have not booked your flight and hotel for next travel then do it as soon as you can.
                           Get the best prices and daily deals at www.bookingmate.biz


Gippsland region of Victoria state in Australia is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Brilliant landscapes, pure green hills covered with grass where you have ocean in their back ground, cattle feeding by grasses or laying under the sun, are just a piece of its beauty.

The Gippsland region stretches from Melbourne's eastern outskirts all the way to the state border with New South Wales in Victoria's far east.

This extensive and diverse geographical area is renowned for its natural beauty. Visitors will enjoy hundreds of kilometres of spectacular coastline, picturesque rivers and lakes, forests and snowfields.

One of the region's major attractions is the Wilsons Promontory National Park, which consists of striking granite peaks and an array of local flora and fauna, forming the southern most tip of mainland Australia.

West Gippsland is characterised by lush, rolling hills and major dairy and farming industries. There is a varied collection of farms, vineyards, dairies and food outlets selling local produce and smallgoods where visitors can discover the many culinary delights of the region.

The Latrobe Valley, covering the area from Moe to Traralgon, is home to the state's massive coal mining and power generation industry. North of the Latrobe Valley are several large lakes and the spectacular mountains of the Great Dividing Range including the snow resort of Mount Baw Baw.

In East Gippsland, visitors will find rugged forest terrain, unspoilt beaches, and abundant wildlife. The Gippsland Lakes, which extend from Sale to Lakes Entrance, is the largest inland waterway system in Australia, and with over a million hectares of public owned parks in the area, it is the ideal location for bushwalking and water activities. Sandy beaches, fresh seafood and waterway cruises are just a sample of the attractions on offer.

If you planned to visit this region then the best advice is to get a holiday house around the beach e.g. in Inverloch or Cape paterson and while you send your night near the ocean you can have an easy drive to the heart of gippsland farms and visit them during the day.

This is the best country to be a girl. And it’s not Australia

Source:thenewdaily.com.au

A new study based on analysis of issues affecting girls has ranked the best countries for young women to live in – and Australia is far from first place.

The report, from international children’s rights group Save the Children, ranks Sweden as the best out of 144 focus countries, with the African nation of Niger at the bottom of the list based on 2015 figures.

The study measures countries according to levels of teen pregnancy, rates of child marriage, maternal mortality, secondary school completion and the number of women in government.

And despite Australia’s position as number two in the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index, it sits considerably lower at number 21 in the Every Last Girl report.

Australia ranks behind Israel, Serbia and Slovenia in the overall index score.

This is largely due to Australia’s low proportion of women MPs and relatively high adolescent fertility rate.

The report stated the number of women represented in parliament provides an insight into the prevalence – or absence – of female voices in public life.

In Australia, only 26 per cent of the House of Representatives is female, with 39 women represented.

The tiny, and troubled, African nation of Rwanda has 64 per cent female representation in its government.

Australia’s poor ranking was also affected by a teen pregnancy rate of 14.4 per 1000 births, a factor that pulled a number of countries down the list.

“Becoming mothers while still children themselves profoundly affects the course that girls’ lives take – often resulting in exclusion from education, entrenched poverty and social stigmatisation,” the report said.

Other high-income countries that also performed considerably worse than expected included the UK at number 15, Canada at 19 and New Zealand at 16.

More surprisingly, the world’s largest economy, the US, was ranked 32 out of the 144 countries, behind Algeria and Kazakhstan.

“Fourteen women died per 100,000 live births in the USA in 2015; a similar number to Uruguay and Lebanon, and far higher than the three deaths per 100,000 in Poland, Greece and Finland,” according to the report.

High levels of teen pregnancy at 24.1 per 1000 births and less than 20 per cent of female-elected government representatives added to America’s shortcomings.

The US ranked at number eight in the HDI index.

Where in the world is it hardest to be a girl?

According to the girls opportunity index, the worst places to be a young woman are the poorest countries in the world.

The 20 countries at the bottom of the index are all low-income nations in sub-Saharan Africa, with extremely high rates of deprivation across all indicators.

Chad, Central African Republic, Mali and Somalia round out the five lowest-rated nations, alongside Niger.

In Niger, 76 per cent of young women were said to be married before they turn 18, and one in five teenage girls give birth every year on average.

Only 10 per cent of girls in Niger are still at school by age 16.

Keep out! These are officially the world’s worst countries to visit

Source:thenewdaily.com.au

If you’re planning a holiday to an exotic destination, the world is literally your oyster – as long as you know where to avoid.

The World Economic Forum has analysed the tourism and travel competitiveness of various countries, ranking the very worst places in the world to visit.

And the winner is …

Chad was named the worst country to travel to out of 141 nations based on 2015 figures.

The countries were measured on five key pillars – the business environment; safety and security; health and hygiene; human resources and labour market; and ICT readiness.

Chad was deemed the least competitive in the index with extremely high levels of deprivation across every indicator.

Its environment, health and hygiene, human resources, ICT readiness and infrastructure were all rated in the top five worst – if not the worst.

Danger zones: Places to avoid
Click on skulls to see details

Sub–Saharan countries averaged the lowest rankings, with Guinea and Angola rounding out the bottom three.

“People feel that these are unsafe destinations and safety is now the No.1 factor which makes people choose where to travel,” University of Sydney senior lecturer for tourism Dr David Beirman told The New Daily.

“I think any place where you have a breakdown in law and order or a breakdown of political stability are places that are well worth avoiding,” Dr Beirman said.

“What goes on is when you have a breakdown in law and order, you have an increase in crime and decline in tourism,” he explained. “Chad has been a country that has had a tremendous amount of civil unrest over the years.”

There were some surprises at the bottom end of the 2015 index.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, sits considerably lower than Dr Beirman’s prediction at 134th in the world.

“I’m very surprised Myanmar ranked that low because I would’ve thought quite a few other countries probably would have had many more serious problems,” he said.

“That’s really surprising, because Myanmar has become a popular tourist destination.

“In recent years, we’ve seen some high-end companies running some beautiful river cruises and Myanmar is going through a major tourism boom.”

What countries should you visit

According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, Europe is by far the most prosperous continent in relation to tourism – with six of the top 10 countries to visit.

Spain leads the 2015 index for the first time, with France and Germany second and third respectively.

Spain’s ranking is thanks largely to its surge in visitors with approximately 60.6 million arrivals in 2015, along with a top 10 placement in all factors barring environment (100th).

France continues to attract the most tourists with its combination of rich history and attractions, bringing over 84 million arrivals.

The United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Italy, Japan and Canada filled out the top of the list.

Canada was rated the safest country to visit in front of Finland, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.