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Travel Light: the How and Why

guider — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:12:13 +0000

I learned how to travel light from lightweight backpacking, then found it was just as useful to keep it light on trips overseas or driving across the country. The last time my wife and I went to Ecuador, I had 10 pounds of luggage, all in one carry-on bag, and Ana had just 8 pounds in her carry-on bag. This wasn’t a short trip. We spent six weeks in Ecuador, at times on glacier-covered mountains, and at other times lounging on Pacific coast beaches.

Travel Simplicity

Why travel light? Travel simplicity. Everything is simpler when you travel light. With only carry-on luggage, we were on our way to a restaurant in Quito, while others were still waiting for their checked luggage. When we took busses our luggage was safely with us, not on the roof or in the hold below being cut open, like one time when I was in Mexico. While others struggled down the street with three heavy bags, we had our hands free and were walking comfortably because we use daypacks or small backpacks. We had less to lose, less to be stolen, less to wait for, less to pack and unpack in hotels, and less to worry about.

Light Travel Issues

There are a couple minor problems when you travel light. First, expect an extra question or two from the customs officials at the airport (Six weeks with only this?). Second, a small bag won’t work if you plan to bring back many souvenirs. In this case, you can still go light. Just plan to buy a second bag at some point during the trip, to carry your acquisitions. As for the seemingly obvious issue of not having enough clothes and other things all in one or two small bags, I’ll explain below why that isn’t as big a problem as you may think.

How To Travel Light

Silk shirts weigh 3 ounces, and travel well if rolled up. Nylon dress socks weigh less than an ounce, and they are cool and comfortable. Poly-cotton blend t-shirts weigh 5 ounces. Supplex or other lightweight travel slacks weigh 9 ounces, and are sufficient for a fine restaurant or a walk in the woods. All of these weigh less than half of the typical travel choices, and take less space, yet function the same. There is no sacrifice involved here. For this exercise in travel simplicity, you even get to go shopping for new clothes.

You don’t have to buy new clothes, however. You don’t have to buy a scale and count ounces to travel light. Just choose the lighter alternative whenever you can. Set aside your lightest jacket, socks and pants for your next trip. Travel simplicity is the goal, not more complicated planning.

More Ways To Travel Light

Money replaces weight, especially in the form of a debit or credit card. Why carry two pounds of your favorite shampoo when you can simply buy small bottles as you travel. It really won’t cost much more to buy things wherever you go, instead of carrying your bathroom and wardrobe with you. Also, you really don’t know exactly what you’ll need, particularly on an overseas trip. Buy what you need as you need it, and you won’t have a pile of useless things in your luggage. Don’t we all regularly unpack things at home that we never once used during the trip?

Take a lesson from long-trail hikers (backpackers who travel a trail for months). They send things, such as new shoes, to a post office on their route, ahead of time, so they’ll be waiting for them. They also send home things they no longer need, such as a winter coat. The latter may be a useful practice for other travelers. If you buy bulky gifts for family or friends, why carry them around for weeks? Put them in the mail.

A Light Travel Example

What I Took For Six weeks in Ecuador:

• 8 pairs of thin nylon socks (less than an ounce per pair)

• 2 silk shirts for restaurants and discos (3 ounces each)

• 4 poly/cotton blend t-shirts (5-6 ounces each)

• 5 pair of light underwear (2-3 ounces each)

• 1 extra pair of lightweight slacks (9 ounces)

• Single layer nylon shorts for hiking or swimming (2 ounces)

• Thin gloves (1 ounce)

• Thin hat (1 ounce – honestly)

• Thin wool sweater (11 ounces)

• Waterproof/breathable rainsuit (14 ounces for the set)

• Light plastic camera (3 ounces)

• Sunglasses (1 ounce)

• Small chess set (3 ounces)

• Bathroom kit (5 ounces)

• Maps, notebook and various small things (3 or 4 pounds)

My pack weighed ten pounds, and my wife’s weighed 8 pounds. We never felt deprived. I’m not suggesting that you start counting the ounces (that comes from my backpacking days), or that you buy all new lightweight things. Without spending money or thinking about it too much, you can just start setting aside your lightest shirts, socks, etc., so you can travel light on your next vacation.

Crete – A Place to Spend Your Cheap Holidays

guider — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:12:44 +0000

One of the famous cheap holidays destination is Crete. It is located in Greece and is the largest among the Greek Islands. Being the largest, it is the more developed one that offers tourist areas with resort hotels, coves, hidden beaches, and it is best known for its invigorating mountain villages, beautiful mountain ranges, and White mountains.

Wildlife is abundant in Crete as well as uniqui plants and flowers. You can smell the scents of wild herbs and get a taste of fresh fruits and healthy, delicious Cretan cheeses like Graviera and Anthotiros.Crete is famous for their olive oil which is the best in the world. It is one of their specialties in their very simple cuisine. For every resident, there are an estimated 60 olive trees.

Crete also has their own wine which is a beatiful golden brown in color and has high content of alcohol. They are mostly homemade and rarely bottled while other imported wines like the ones you find in the US are very expensive.

July is the hottest month in Crete. Snowfall are also present in the island but it melts away very quickly at low levels. The island is packed with traditional tourists between April and mid-October. Though some tourists also come to thr island between October to March where there is more varied weather – often sunny, sometimes cool, or it can get even cooler that will make you wrap your body with a thick sweater and jacket. When you go to Crete, expect the hospitality of the Cretans. If you want to have a wonderful nightlife, there’s the Candy Club, Corkers, and so on.

Some places that you can visit in Crete are Heraklion, which has the major archaeological museum; Chania, where you can find Venetian-Villas-turned-hotels; Rethymno, where you can find the castle and a long sandy beach, and; Sitia, a quieter place where you can also enjoy the beach, unique cafes, etc. You may also find magnificent archaeological ruins like Aptera the City of the Wingless Atemis, Samaria Gorge and the ancient city of Gortna.

You can find wonderful exhibits at the Natural history museum of Crete. Get to experience the wonderful culture of Greece by visiting the other islands as well. You can go on a boat in going to the other islands and get to explore Greece and its history through its museums.

So if you want to book a cheap holiday at Crete, you won’t have a hard time because it is one of the travel destinations during holidays. There are a huge variety of hotels in Crete and you can find some cheap ones. You may also refer to online travel tour agencies for some cheap holiday packages at Crete.

Just remember that if you do plan to travel for the holidays and want to avail of a cheap holiday package, be sure to look for them a few months before the exact date. Especially if you go on holidays like Christmas or New Year, you better plan it ahead of time. You also look for cheap air travel costs earlier also to avail of discounts or offers from travel tour operators.

Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide on Cd-rom

guider — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:13:20 +0000

According to Jeni de Bernal, editor of InsidePV, (www.insidepv.com) the next generation of travel guides has arrived and it’s in the form of a CD-Rom- the first to be released is none other than Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Aqua Odysseas (www.aquaodysseas.com) announces their latest project, a line of highly interactive CD’s covering popular destinations across the world. The first to be released include California and Mexico destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Catalina Island, with plans to release Caribbean hotspots shortly after.

The CD’s provide a number of enhanced features, including a realistic 3D satellite map with geographic detail and GPS capabilities. With one click, users are virtually transported to their locale of interest where they can select flagged venues for travel information, colorful photos, even video footage and immediate access to web links to help build the perfect travel itinerary. Photos and information on popular attractions, lodging possibilities, dining, shopping, services and activities; everything is available at the click of a mouse.

Traveling to Puerto Vallarta and looking for a beach front dining experience? A single map click along Los Muertos Beach brings up information on La Palapa Restaurant and The Lazy Lizard Restaurant and Beach Bar, including entertainment features, menu, drink specialties and even beachside sunset photos taken tableside so users know exactly what to expect during their visit.

Buy it once, and never have to buy it again! The information provided is fully internet updated, guaranteeing the latest and most specific details possible, regardless of the point of purchase. What makes 3D Travel Guides even more valuable is that all the information is provided directly by local businesses, ensuring both popular attractions and off the beaten path hot spots. Whether you’re planning a family vacation, romantic getaway, destination wedding, or even a great escape, Aqua Odysseas has developed the ultimate opportunity to plan the perfect retreat.

Aqua Odysseas 3D Interactive Travel Guides is available for purchase through retail outlets such as Barnes and Noble, Target, Costco, CompUSA, Amazon.com, and Borders Bookstores to name a few. At an affordable $19.99, these guides promise to change the way travelers plan and the way destinations are seen.

Travel Insurance – General Information & Advice

guider — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:54:54 +0000

Holidays should be times where you are able to escape from the day-to-day routine and fully relax in a far-away country, and in an ideal world this is exactly what a holiday would entail. For some though, this isn’t the case, and this is why adequate travel insurance is a vital component to ensure you are not left footing the often very steep bill if anything goes wrong.

Although the level of travel insurance cover varies widely, depending on personal circumstances and holiday requirements; almost all policies include medical and healthcare cover.

It is recommended that when travelling within the EU a policy covering up to £1m should be taken out, and when outside of the EU this figure increases to around £2m. This is because of the horrendously steep medical bills that some countries charge, or if for example you need to be airlifted from a remote location.

It’s important to note that if you wish to participate in almost any extreme sport then specialist health care should be sought, as many standard policies do not make provisions for this.

The second most important factor of travel insurance is possessions cover. Again, the level at which you will be reimbursed should you fall victim to any theft varies from policy to policy. Such cover generally has an “upper limit” to the amount that will be paid out for each type of item, similar to home contents cover – this can be clarified by your insurer.

In the event of any theft it’s vital to report it to the local police as soon as possible, almost always within 24 hours; failure to do so could invalidate the insurance.

Along with the above two factors, other travel policies generally include personal liability, personal accident and cancellation cover.

It’s important to remember that insurance companies will not pay out unless the have to, so this means that all of the rules and conditions laid out within the policy should be strictly adhered too.

Lastly, its important to note that although travel insurance will certainly help cover any financial losses, it won’t replace the photo’s lost on a stolen camera or ease the burden of a broken leg – so when travelling abroad a great deal comes down to common sense and personal diligence.

With the holiday insurance market being such a competitive one, it’s very easy to find a cheap travel insurance quote online.