Worldwide Travel Blog
At the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Chinese drone manufacturer EHang stole the spotlight with the unveiling of their EHang184, the first fully electric autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV), aka drone. This area of personal flight has been getting a lot of attention lately and EHang is the first to capture the attention of the world.
With EHang184 taking the lead, there are other noteworthy startups developing similar technology including Canadian startup AirVinci.
Of the many notable travel trends over the past couple years, one trend that has become quite popular is Travel Hacking. This gave birth to sites like Travel Hacking Cartel among others. So what is travel hacking and how does it work?
Travel hacking is the strategy and tactics implemented by individuals or groups that track, exploit and maximize travel savings, travel rewards programs, airline/hotel loopholes, and pricing errors to travel at superiorly discounted rates usually not readily available to the general public.
In other words, by mixing reward program points with a dedicated collection and redemption strategy, while tracking airline sales and mistake fares, it is possible to travel for free (or close to it).
*Please note that the information below is accurate as of the date of the post and includes opinions and observations based on first-hand experience as of December 2015.
Looking for things to do in Japan? See here.
If you’re in Japan or planning to visit there, there is a wonderful program for temporary visitors called Japan Tax-Free that will save you the VAT/sales tax at many popular retailers.
The biggest confusion and questions seem to arise from the exit (leaving Japan) procedure of the Japan Tax-Free program so I will start with this first. If the below doesn’t make sense, it will as you read further.
Are you a HostGator customer who is receiving emails and phone calls from SiteLock about malware or other ‘website issues’? You are not alone. Before you give in to their scare tactics, be sure to consider all your options.
Low oil prices should keep airline prices steady or slightly lower
The low oil prices and increased competition (in most countries) should keep base fares of flights from rising. Some routes are already showing signs of trending lower. The only caveat is that a lot of airlines are moving to the charge-for-use model. This includes charging for checked bags, carry-on bags, and drinks.
The Thai Islands. The magical land of iconic longboats, crystal clear waters and Leonardo DiCaprio’s first movie The Beach. With its vibrant nightlife and great selection of snorkeling, diving, and rock climbing spots, it is not only a great place to retire, but a land that should be experienced while still young. It is an area where you will discover new shades of blue and where your collection of selfies will easily triple.
So where do you begin? How can you get the best value for your money, while meeting new like-minded people and not have to bootstrap it on accommodations?
If you’re considering Cambodia for your next trip, G Adventures’ Cambodia Experience tour is a great option. There are many advantages to using G Adventures, including smooth border crossings from Vietnam to Cambodia and Cambodia to Thailand, which can be very intimidating if you were to do it on your own.
As for what you will see and experience, see below for a small taste of what to expect.
Day 1 – Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive at your starting hotel and meet your group around 6pm. This meeting is not mandatory if you are arriving late. Just be sure to look for the G Adventures leaflet at the hotel lobby for details on when you leave the next day.
If you’ve ever been part of a discussion on Vietnam, at some point the conversation will touch on the custom tailoring industry. Vietnam, among its many marvels, and Hoi An specifically is known for its Tailor Tourism where foreigners will flock in to get highly discounted tailored suits, dresses, jeans, and silk products.
The discounts are so great that the on-going joke among travel professionals is that you’re better off travelling to Vietnam once a year to stock up on clothes as the savings will offset the cost of travel. This joke isn’t too far off as it is known that some parents go to Vietnam to purchase prom dresses/suits for their children, while making a vacation out of it.
In general, the pricing is per below in USD (and includes all measuring and taxes):
Dresses – $10 – $25 (Depends on the length and material)
Suits – $60 – $200 (Both pants and jacket)
Dress shirts – $10 – $40
Jeans – $25 – $50 (Depends on the material)
Silk dresses – $200+
*Note that silk dresses are still relatively a great price, especially given the quality of the silk they use (usually from Vietnam)
Most items can be made in a few hours. Some items might take up to 24 hours.
So how do you make the most of your experience?
Walking through the centre of Barcelona, you are surrounded by the city. Concrete, cobblestones, glass, metal, cars, people, dogs, hustle and bustle. It’s very easy to get sucked into the busy pace of the city – the parties, the concerts, the shopping, the cleaning, the working, the gyming, the life. You begin to long for an escape, a moment of peace, a pause to catch your breath and calm your mind. What you forget is that you are actually in a beautiful part of Spain surrounded by natural wonders, wildlife and opportunities for outdoor adventures.
If you take the plunge, then go to Plaza Espanya and buy a ticket and jump on a train for an hour. As Barcelona fades into the distance behind you, salvation rises ahead of you in the form of the impressive and imposing Montserrat – ‘the jagged mountain’. The mountain named for its serrated edges and mounds that are haphazardly astounding.
What images are conjured when you hear the name ‘Morocco’? Camels? Goats? Burka-clad ladies and fez-clad men? Maybe something a bit more sinister? Morocco is a magical place, but unfortunately it’s been branded in many minds as a danger zone. Somewhere to avoid if you’re a solo traveler or a woman.
Well that’s all a bunch of nonsense. Morocco is incredible. The landscape is beautiful, the people are friendly (okay the men are sometimes a little too friendly but they’d never lay a hand on you) and
the culture is interesting. It’s vibrant and colourful and depending where you go, you can have a plethora of options from surfing to hiking to city/market roaming to camel-trekking into the desert and sleeping under the stars.
Not sure where to begin? Well for starters, what kind of traveller are you?