A Few of My Quirky Travel Habits

All of us have strange habits, quirks that make us unique and I’d like to think interesting. This naturally translates to the travel experience and so, in another effort to share more of who I am, I thought I’d share some of what I think are quirky travel habits. I’m not saying that I’m alone in these eccentricities, but they are how I travel …

Your Next Plane Ticket Could Be Free

The best things in life are free—the best things in travel are priceless. Having a local connection, for example, allows you to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience you’ll never forget. Traveling around the world the past several years, I’ve been lucky enough to make many such connections. Sam in Indonesia walked me inside a volcano that spews blue fire in the middle of the night. Helene in …

From Security Lines to Delays: Your Ultimate Holiday Travel Survival Guide

Flickr/lunchtimemama Ready for Thanksgiving? The holiday is a time to give thanks and spend quality time with family and friends — but it happens to be one of the most hectic and busy travel periods, too. But fear not. From delays to packing, here’s how to survive Thanksgiving. Getting Through Security There are tons of ways to get to your gate more quickly, including: downloading a mobile boarding pass, searching for less central (and therefore often less crowded) security checkpoints, or even upgrading your ticket to access …

Three Reasons to Travel to Latvia

Close Your Eyes and Think of Latvia If I asked you, without pause for a heartbeat, what first comes to mind when you think of travel to Latvia, I wonder what I’d hear. Would you feel the salt lick of spray from the ocean, feet squeezing soft sand beneath them? Would you see willows at sunset and aristocratic stone houses, rich plum satin curtains gathered up in gold threads? Or would you be walking through vineyards, chatting with bright blue eyes and splashing liquid through glass …

London Musicals You Didn’t Know You Wanted To See

Categories: Best OfTravelingImage: Although musicals are performed across the United States, London provides a unique opportunity to see a vast number of musicals in one city. During my time studying abroad in London, I saw four musicals and one play. I never thought I would like musicals, but the performances were remarkable. I’ve put together some information about the musicals I saw and information on finding current musicals. You have the opportunity to enjoy …

Four Surprising Things You Should Know About British Gin

Last week I traveled around London and Scotland as part of a larger project, a type of effort that I haven’t done before. Working with UK Trade & Investment, I was asked to help them research and share the history and culture of iconic British gin. I’ve always said that food and drinks are a huge part of the travel experience, as is learning about how they’ve impacted the culture of their respective countries. Great Britain has many culinary traditions that have made the global rounds and gin is right there at the top. Before my…

The Best UK Bothies For Eager Wild Hikers

Bothies often aren’t well-known throughout the UK, even though they are kept in good order by the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA), and they are fairly common. If you’re wondering what a mountain bothy is, it’s a stone house, which is almost completely empty – there is usually no electricity, resources, or facilities, but it provides shelter from the elements; think of it as a stone tent, for all intents and purposes. Some come with some useful extras, but don’t go …

Gridlock Alert! Waze Reveals U.S. Cities With the Worst Traffic

The quickest way to ruin a road trip is to get stuck in traffic. (Photo: Thinkstock) By Brittany Jones-Cooper for Yahoo! Travel You finally did it. You used vacation days, packed up the car, and set off on that cross-country road trip you always dreamed of taking. You’ve programmed your GPS, but what you couldn’t predict was the painful gridlock waiting for you in the next city. Maybe next time you’ll…

10 ways to get the most out of your Guatemalan vacation

Categories: Best OfTop 10Body: Guatemala is becoming an ever more popular destination for travelers of all ages. With volcanoes to climb, markets to explore, delicious culinary experiences, incredible scenery, and a culture steeped in tradition, it’s absolutely an ideal getaway. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already started planning a trip to Guatemala of your own. You’ve researched where to go, what to see, and what to pack. You’re starting to feel excited, and a little overwhelmed. There’s so much information out there…

Fun Things to Do in Crete

A Greek island vacation usually means enjoying small island life, hanging out on the beach, taking a walk through a village, and perhaps renting a scooter for a day. But Crete is a bit different from the small islands of the Cyclades. Crete is big! Crete is Greece’s largest island and is almost the size of Hawaii’s Big Island, taking about five hours to drive across east to west and an hour and a…

4 things to do in Cape Town

Planning to travel to the mother city? Cape Town is one of the most beautiful and spectacular cities in South Africa, and here is a list of the best places and activities you can possibly do in this amazing city. Hop in Table Mountain This drop of the edge 112 meters high table mountain will give you the best views from the entire city. You can choose to…

4 Thanksgiving Weekend Hotel Deals Under $200 Across the U.S.

Orlando World Center Marriott According to this Orbitz report, the next couple of days will be some of the best for nabbing the lowest Thanksgiving airfare, whether you’re heading home to see family or venturing out on a vacation. Here are four great Thanksgiving hotel deals that dip as low as $118 per night, and top out at $189. From $129: InterContinental Mark Hopkins (California) Many of the rooms at this glamorous outpost on Nob Hill in San Francisco afford views…

Favourite Phrases From My Medical Days

UPDATE: I’m currently in Latvia having a wonderful time. This was written some time ago but I thought it may still make you chuckle so I’m publishing it now anyway. Enjoy! When the going gets tough, the tough hide under the table. Wait, no. That was Blackadder, not a medical catchphrase after all. I’m hacked off at the moment. Nothing serious (at least I hope not,) just some work and what have you …

Foodie Finds: Mercer Hall, Stratford, Ontario

Categories: Best OfTravelingFoodRestaurant reviewsBody: Nestled along Ontario Street, in Downtown Stratford, Ontario, is an unassuming slate-colored building called Mercer Hall. If you’re interested in eating well (and who isn’t?), I highly recommend you head inside for a meal. You’ll be surprised at the quality of the food here – I didn’t expect Stratford (a theatre town) to be a foodie town, but it is. Oh, how it is.? And look at the handicap ramp for me…

Photo of the Week: Inside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey This week’s photo was captured inside the magnificent Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque. It’s one of several historical attractions in Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul’s Old City, including Hagia Sophia, Topkap? Palace and the Hippodrome.  Built from 1609 to 1616, the mosque is often referred as the Blue Mosque because its interior has over 20,000 blue tiles that line its ceiling. An interesting feature that makes the Blue Mosque unique is that it…

Booking Your UK Rail Journey Cheaply

People who reside in the UK have felt the impact of the increases in train tickets. Travelling costs have become so high that a majority of the people have opted for other options of transport. There are a lot of people who do not have the understanding of how the railway system works. They have been hit hard by the train fees increase. The first step in booking a ticket is to go and look…