Category: Travelling

The hardest decision that faces most gap year and career break travellers is not choosing between Africa, Asia, Europe or South America. Nor is it, packing the complete world travel guide (just in case) or a lifetime supply of insect repellent. Choosing whether to travel with friends or to go it alone is actually the most important decision youll ever make, and its one that will affect every aspect of your trip.

Whether youre 17 or going on 70, if you havent ever been away by yourself before, it can seem like the most terrifying thing in the world. Though it seems incredibly daunting, boldly going where youve never gone before can be a fantastically liberating experience. Travelling alone gives you the freedom to go wherever you want and do whatever you want; all you need to do is make sure that you make the most of every opportunity and experience along the way!

A little soul searching

Spending time away from everything and everyone youre used to will give you the perfect opportunity to not only do new and exciting things, but to learn a lot of things you never knew about yourself. Relying on your own abilities may seem a little too Bear Grylls but youll be surprised by your newfound sense of capability and independence.

Travelling is a great way to learn about new cultures and challenge yourself, and that doesnt necessarily mean eating unidentified bugs. From climbing Everest to teaching a class of 200 in northern Africa, going it alone will open up a whole world of new experiences that you never thought you could cope with, and give you a whole new set of skills to bring home with you.

A social extravaganza

Travelling with friends can be an amazing experience, but it can also be a limiting one. Setting off with your buddies or your partner might feel comforting, but its all too easy to end up relying on each other so much that you miss out on opportunities to meet new people. Without your trusty friends at your side, youll be far more likely to make an effort to seize each chance to make new friends and youll get to know a lot more people.

Whether youre travelling independently or with a company you will come across people from all walks of life; staying in hostels, interacting with the locals and even as you travel from place to place, its guaranteed that youll meet some like minded people along the way, and almost certain that youll find a few lifelong friends. Dont forget that there are hundreds of travellers out there who have decided to go it alone and they will be just as keen as you are to make new friends.

If you want, a cast-iron guarantee that youll see a few friendly faces when you get out there, the best solution is to go through a company. Travelling as part of a group or volunteer project, you can be certain that there will be other people there and quite a few of them will be solo travellers too. Companies like Real Gap send out a buddy list a few weeks before you go, which gives contact details of all of the travellers going on the same trip as you so you can get in touch before you leave, swap packing tips and maybe even arrange a group flight.

A chance to be selfish

Travelling on your own gives you the chance to be utterly and completely selfish. You can plan to do exactly what you want, where you want, and for however, long you feel like doing it. There will be no need to compromise on which famous sites you want to see and how long or how short your trip up the mountain is; your itinerary will be completely up to you. You might miss your friends for a little while but youll soon appreciate the freedom of choice you have without them.

Youll also be able to make the most of any opportunities that come your way; if you make some new friends and decide that you want to tag along with them for a few weeks or fall in love with a place and want to stay there a little longer, you can. If youre travelling with a company and decide that you want to change your trip or project, there will be no other feelings to consider than your own, so you can always do whats right for you. After all, if you cant make your trip of a lifetime all about you, when can you?

Top solo travel tips

If youre travelling alone, there are a few essential things you need to do to get the most you possibly can out of your gap year or career break trip, here are the top 3.

Be outgoing

Life as a traveller is nothing like life at home, while you wouldnt strike up a conversation with the person next to you in Tesco, thats exactly the kind of thing that will win you friends overseas. Now is the time to get yourself down to the hostel bar, take part in the optional activities and try out your phrase book on the locals! Travelling alone is the best possible cure for shyness, and you will definitely get back what you put in!

Be aware of your personal safety

Through travelling is probably the only situation where its good to talk to strangers, you still need to be aware of where you are and what youre doing. Personal safety may not be the most exciting of things but it is important when youre in an unfamiliar country with not altogether familiar people. Making new friends is great but make sure you dont get too intoxicated, and keep any eye on your valuables when youre out and about. Its a good idea to keep your loved ones updated on how youre doing by sending emails or writing an online blog, that way theyll be able to track of where you are and whats going on.

If youre keen on safety issues, companies like Real Gap offer specialised safety courses that will help you to prepare for any eventuality and give you a lot more confidence about setting off on your own.

Manage your expectations

When youre travelling to a new country youre likely to experience a little of whats known as culture shock. The best way to make sure you get the most out of your trip is to be prepared; do some research into your destinations cultures, traditions and history. Its important to respect the culture of the country youre visiting; different countries have different social rules and different standards of life, its your job to fit in and knowing what to expect will make it a lot easier.

If youre travelling with a company youll get a pre-departure pack full of country and trip information, it might seem tedious but its a good idea to read every single page. Youll definitely be wishing youd read up a bit more if youre the only one who turns up in shorts and a t-shirt in monsoon season!

For those who adhere to a kosher diet, taking a vacation or planning a business trip can be a very stressful time. Sure, when at home you have your refrigerator stocked with kosher meat, snacks and other foods. But as soon as you make plans to leave home, you have to make arrangements that ensure you can eat kosher while on the go. But more often than not, finding kosher meat and other food while traveling is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to help eat kosher, no matter where your travels take you.

1) First, be sure to bring a stash of kosher snacks with you for the commute. Whether you’re traveling by air, train, bus, or automobile, chances are that your options for kosher food are going to be limited and there’s no better way to make yourself sick than by traveling on an empty stomach. So like most things in life, it’s best to plan ahead and come prepared. Pre-packaged snack foods are great travel options, and there are a surprising number of kosher snacks available at many convenience stores. Just pay attention to the packaging and you’ll be fine.

2) If you’re going to be traveling to your destination by plane and there will be a meal served on board, you should request a kosher meal. To better ensure that there are kosher options, you should book your travel arrangements through an agency that specializes in bookings with Jewish travelers. These agencies will usually arrange kosher meals for your flight.

3) If you’re going to be staying in a hotel, make sure that you have a fridge in your room. That way it is much easier for you to keep your stash of kosher food you brought along with you, fresh. If you are going to be in an unfamiliar place for an extended period of time, and are concerned about finding kosher meat, you can always order kosher food online. Many online retailers cater specifically to travelers in locations with minimal kosher options. With the kosher food online option, you can have kosher food delivered to your doorstep in little to no time. And if you have a refrigerator and cooking ranges in your lodging facility, you’re good to go.

4) If you’re eating at a restaurant and are concerned about your kosher diet, you should ask the server to have your food cooked in aluminum foil. Also request that your meal be served in the same foil in which it has been cooked.

5) The internet has really made traveling a lot easier for travelers, especially those who eat kosher. There are tons of resources online for Jewish travelers that list kosher restaurants in your location, and offer information on what type of food is served, and even offer directions. When in doubt, just turn to the trusty internet, and you’re sure to find some kosher food options nearby.

All in all, sticking to your kosher diet should not be a headache while traveling. With a little planning, preparation and foresight, you can have your trip go off without a hitch and have a belly full of kosher food!

Are you planning on travelling with family? There are certain tips that you should heed when you travel with your family, especially when if you are travelling with a baby or children of very young ages. There are many places where you can travel in the UK as well as throughout the world that make travelling with family affordable and fun.

Here are a few useful tips for travelling with family:

1. Make sure that the resort or accommodations that you choose are family friendly. This is one of the most important aspects when it comes to travelling with family members as there is a world of a difference between the facilities offered by business hotels and hotels catering to families. You want to be sure that the hotel or resort in which you stay is a place where you want to take small children. Check out the accommodations first before you make your plans to be sure that you are taking your family to a place that is appropriate for them. This is especially important when travelling outside of the UK.

2. Make sure there are plenty of family activities. The resort or hotel in which you stay should have amenities that appeal to families. Indoor pools and game rooms, for example, will help keep your children entertained if you are travelling with them. Also check out the activities in the area as well and be certain that there are places nearby where you can take your children. Children often get bored easily and do not enjoy the same things as adults. In order to truly enjoy your holiday, make certain that you can find activities that will make everyone happy.

3. Make sure that the resort or hotel has cots and other items you may need for babies and smaller children. This is very important if you are travelling with infants or babies. You will need to get a cot and also a place that will enable you to properly feed your baby. You should look for accommodations that offer amenities such as a small refrigerator in the room where you can keep bottles of milk and foods for babies so that they will not spoil.

4. Look for voucher codes that will give you the most for your money when travelling with family. You can find the best deals when you get voucher codes that you can easily obtain online. In many cases, children can stay for free in some resorts. You can obtain voucher codes for travel in the UK as well as abroad when you use an online site that provides you with these codes that can save you money. Travelling with family can be costly, but you can cut your costs dramatically if you use voucher codes that give you an impressive discount.

5. Find the best accommodations that afford you privacy as well as accommodate your family. When you are travelling with family, it is important to have as much space and privacy so that everyone can enjoy their holiday. Look for accommodations that are spacious enough for everyone so that everyone in your family has a good time on their holiday.

Fine Gael has called for emergency travel certificates to be produced under the provisions of the Passport Act 2008, for travellers whose passports have expired and are awaiting new ones to be sent to them, due to a current backlog.

However, the Department of Foreign Affairs has dismissed calls for emergency travel certificates to be issued, saying there are no plans to introduce emergency passport extensions.

The department said the proposals held little scope and could not be extended. A spokesperson said, An Emergency Travel Certificate only allows for a single, one-way trip. Furthermore, they are not accepted in the USA. Under international agreements, the maximum validity of any passports is 10 years, and therefore cannot be extended.

Irish citizens can travel to the UK using a valid form of photo ID instead of a passport; but different travel companies operate using different requirements.

Aer Lingus will allow passengers to travel to the UK with some form of official photo ID, such as a drivers licence; a government issued ID card, a health insurance or social security card as long as they display a photo. People aged 16 years old or under do not require a photo ID if they are travelling to the UK with their parent/guardian under Aer Lingus rules.

Yet Ryanair insist that all passengers travelling to the UK must have a valid passport and have said there is no question of them changing their position on the matter.

A Ryanair spokesperson said, As an airline flying to more than 26 countries and carrying over 70 nationalities daily, there is no question of our agreed passport requirement to be altered or waived. Its the Governments job to issue passports, and not Ryanairs job to cover for Government incompetence.

Ireland decided to opt out of the Schengen Agreement and maintaining border controls with other EU countries, meaning Irish citizens travelling to countries in Europe except the UK, will be required to hold a valid passport.

Travellers will be left further disappointed by the news that they will be unlikely to claim back travel insurance through travel insurance claims, which usually only cover compensation due to injury, illness or death.

A spokesperson for the Irish Insurance Federation said, The cancellation of your holiday due to failure to obtain a passport is generally not covered under travel insurance policies.

Anytime you want to move somewhere else and you have a pet dog, think of transport dog crates. Your dog needs to be comfortable as they can in the entire travel. Otherwise, you will find them pitiful and worst look like drunk if you just stuff them in a box. Putting them in a box and leave them on the cargo bay area on an airplane looks ridiculous. Transport dog crates are an ideal solution to this problem for dog travel.

There is no problem for your dogs if you travel by land or car. But if you have to travel by air, then you need a transport dog crates. Owning a dog is sometime expensive. But if you love and care about your companion dog you should invest in a USDA approved transport dog crates. It has to be custom fit to the size of your pet dog. You also need to ensure that the transport dog crates provide enough room and space for your pet to stand and turn around.

Especially on long flights they need some comfort.
Always ensure that your pet animal or puppy could stand as well as have the ability to turn around whenever he needs to. Buy the crate well before the date of the travel and get the dog to familiarize with it. Do not wait until you are about travel. Getting accustomed with the dog crate is a must. Get your dog or puppy sleep in the transport dog crates for a week prior to your departure. This way he will get accustomed to it and thereby would not have any problem during the travel.

Sometimes the airlines might loss or misdirected some baggages. To avoid this type of hassles you have to clearly mark the transport dog crates with your name and address including your telephone numbers. Always ensure that there is written address of destination to prevent an incorrect destination. This way they can contact you in case something untoward happens.

If your flight will take 8 to 12 hours, make sure to provide food for your dog or puppy for the duration of the flight. What you can do is tape the food outside the transport crate and leaves a feeding instruction for whoever is taking care of your pet dog during the flight.

To avoid your pet dog from making a big mess during the flight, do not feed them 6 to 8 hours before the flight. This will prevent or reduce the chances of them vomiting or having accidents as they may become disoriented or distressed especially at the start of the flight.

To keep your favourite pet dog hydrated, it would be wise to put a bowl of ice inside the kennel. The bowl of ice will eventually melt away bit by bit. This will give or provide him enough fluids hours later. It is also advisable to put absorbent paper and bedding in case the dog makes some mess.

For smaller dogs like Chihuahua, its best if you can ask the airline if it is possible to take it with you inside the plane and put it under the seat. For most airlines they do accommodate these arrangements. But you have to arrange it before your scheduled flight.

In conclusion, transport dog crates are very important when you are travelling with your pet dog by air. This type of investment could be worth if you love and care about your pet dog.