Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Aug 1

Whether it’s home or abroad - you need to consider the needs of your laptop!

We take them a bit for granted now, but they are still valuable things.  For example, I save all my pictures on my laptop and all my contacts for email, etc - as well as spreadsheets about all sorts of things - so what happens to it all if your laptop is stolen or gets broken?

It’s enough to worry about at home - but what about when traveling with it for days or months at a time?

Well, I have put together a few great tips - things to think about before you head off that could save you a lot of time and money in the future!  Simple planning tools for a plain-sailing vacation!

Ultimate Power:
All laptops have their battery within them and a power lead to charge them up - so have you got both for starters?

But lets start with the battery first. You can calibrate your battery to make sure that it is charging itself up fully every time.  If they are not fully charged as per the manufacturers instructions the first time - they may never charge properly ever again! 

But - thank goodness - you can follow a set of simple steps at home before you go to make sure that you ‘reset’ the battery to take a full charge (following the manufacturers instructions of course!) - and at least it if won’t calibrate properly - or it is running out of juice due to age anyway - then at least you know this in advance of travelling anyway and can buy a replacement on home ground!

You also need to be sure that your laptop will charge fully on alternative power supplies in the countries that you are visiting - as they are not all the same.

Check that you have the correct shape and size adapter as well - and that it can power up your laptop properly - otherwise you have carried it all the way there for nothing!

Also - will you need to reserve a seat on the train, boat or plane that has a power supply next to it?  Not all companies cater for powering laptops or other electrical goods on the move - so make sure that you check for yourself, or upgrade to a seat that does!

Your Important Files:
Make sure that you back up all your important files before you go - either onto an external hard drive or online storage.

And, make sure that you keep them separate at all times - otherwise they will both get damaged at the same time!

Needless to say you should hide all your sensitive data as well - as you might need to be checked by security - and you don’t want them trawling though your company spreadsheets or personal files!  You can easily partition all you files so that the private ones needs a separate access code.

Also by using different passwords to get into your system in the first place; you are preventing data theft and rendering the laptop useless to anyone that steal it.  They can still take it from your of course - but they probably won’t be able to get into any of your files or even the software itself. 

Never assume that you are the only one who will use your laptop - so log out of everything while travelling - as some laptops save your log-ins or open automatically on typing in the web address - a total disaster if someone else gets their hands on your computer!

Airport Security:
Make sure that you can get your laptop through customs as quickly and as safely as possible, by thinking and planning ahead.

Use the right laptop bag to transport it around the airport in the first place, to allow instant access but also to prevent it getting damaged as you move other luggage around or bustle through crowds.

You will also need to send your laptop through the security device separately to your other hand luggage, so make sure that it is out of the laptop bag before you get to the front so as to limit your need to rush and fuss about the thing - and to prevent slowing down the queue!

Maybe even have the laptop powered up - but on sleep mode.  This way, if the staff ask you to turn it on for checking, you can just ‘wake it up’ rather than boot it up!  Not only does this save you time - but you will be less stressed through it and there is likely to be less damage to the laptop through all these checks.

If you have allowed your laptop to run out of battery on the journey to the airport - then you could have a problem if they want to see it working - so make sure that the power cable is packed in the same bag - otherwise you are going to get very stressed at the customs desk!

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 26

Want to improve your wildlife photography - without standing in the cold!

There are hundreds of wildlife photography centres around the world that offer the chance to get up close to ‘wild’ animals in their natural habitat.

Some specialise in local or native wildlife and others hold a vast number of more exotic species for you to get up close to - like Lynx, Jaguar and Tigers - and you are virtually guaranteed a sighting!

So what are these places and how come you can get so close to the animals - and have the perfect backdrop for your images as well?

The Setting:
Basically, wildlife enthusiasts have built up a collection or animals over the years and house them in captivity.

Whether they were originally rescued animals or have been bred in zoo-like circumstances - they look great - just like their free-roaming counterparts.  I mean a fox looks like a fox whether its in the local woods or in a wooded enclosure doesn’t it.

So why stand around for hours all day waiting for a sighting - when you can virtually guarantee a perfect view from a local photography centre?

Many animals are kept in outdoor enclosures that mimic their natural habitat, whereas others are kept in an easy to maintain enclosure and transferred into a more photogenic and natural looking location when you arrive on site.

The Benefits:
Well clearly you can see that a days shooting is going to be a lot more productive if you visit a centre like this for your photography - and you pictures will be better to boot!

By getting so close to quite human-accepting animals, you don’t need to use your longest zoom ever!  You can use a normal shot thus making your shot that much clearer and easier to enlarge at home.

And as the animals are so used to people being around, you can get some great shots of their natural behaviour with their surrounding and other animals in the enclosure.  For example, they will curl up to sleep close to you - and if it is snowing you could get some fantastic shots!

But it’s not just about the final shots - its about the techniques you can use in the field.  For example, you can get to see how these animals move, what settings work best for still or moving animals and of course what lighting and angles get you the best images.

All this is virtually impossible in the field as you may just see an animal for 1 minute as it passes behind trees - you will have no time to plan for these - so you need to already know the best techniques.

The Extras:
Not only could you come away with your best photo ever of an owl - but you could have your only ever picture of a shrew or an otter or an exotic species.

Animals that are nocturnal or live underground - or in a different country - are things that you may never get to photograph in the wild.  Or you may have a collection of shots where you have to tell people what it is as it’s too small or blurry to see!

And, many of these sites have both wildlife experts to hand and if requested a wildlife photographer on site to help you work through your shots and to understand your camera that little bit better.

And becoming a regular at any animal sanctuary or photography centre could mean that you are in line for ‘first pickings’ at any new animals, scenes or special events that they offer.

And if there is a fresh layer of snow on the ground - you could get those perfect moments on film!

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 10

Welcome back for the summer holidays - and if you are running out of ways to entertain the kids - then we have some help for you here!

There are always plenty of ideas of kids entertainment.  Some parents prefer to pay for a theme park or other activities like rides and zoos, whereas other tend to take them in a more creative direction with making things, playing close to home, wildlife skills and family time.  So we really get a wide range or articles here - and hopefully you will enjoy those given below in this summer carnival.

Lets start with the best thing a mother or father could have when it comes to traveling with kids: A planner. Here, Bill Tyler helps you decide which type would be best for you with: How to Pick the Right Mom Organizer - obviously they work just as well for dads!

And filling the Summer Holidays with just such a plan is Alejandra Halvorssen with Summer Plans, Again for this school break!

Next a lovely little photojournal of the next step in a regular: where Theodora and her 9 year old bring us: Round Halong Bay by Junk with yet more great photos.

And why not take a leaf out of Phillip Lopez book, and plan to take your kids on one of these 10 Amazing Religious Pilgrimages. Not only will they be away from all the regular holiday-makers, rides and cotton candy - they will be experiencing a different culture and learning the respect of the old ways - they don’t need to be religious to follow a pilgrimage, but it is certainly a great experience for anyone.

Now, we come to the creative things for the kids to pass the time. Lets start with these 2 quickies from Joleen Parker; first up is Festive Flip-Flops « Jobie’s Crafts, then have some fun decorating your Summer Fun Tote « Jobie’s Crafts - just try not to get confused by all the ad’s in the posts……

Then finally - feast your eyes upon Olivia Davis seemingly endless list of things for the kids to do: Kids Summer Activity List: 100 Creative and Cheap Summer Activities For Your Kids. Maybe even getting the kids to spend time talking abut the list in the first place could kill another 3 hours!

Enjoy yourselves as much as the kids!

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 10

Summer is here again - and the sun is shining!

And just about the time of year when you are planning your summer vacations and short weekend trips - and also the time when the kids want to be out in the sunshine but you still have regular chores to do and need to keep them occupied!

So first off we have a short one for the journey to start the trip on the right foot, so Host Bee helps us with her Tip Tuesday - Easy Travel with Kids on Board!. Phew, step 1 complete!

And to add to this - for journeys, airports, bus stations or just while you just need some rest yourself try Wendy’s inspirational ideas for Summer Worksheets. Add to this with this short article - with ideas that could keep the kids quiet for hours - Rachel gives us her idea for a Fun Activity Box.

Mike Vogt steps in next with his twist on 10 Great Mission Trip Ideas, for an adventure that is totally different to anything else you might have planned.

Next up we have 2 stories about holiday adventures already in the making: First up is this little one from Michele Hays: Sundays with Sparky - Sparky’s excellent Strawberry Adventure, followed by Roger Elmore’s ideas for the 10 Best Amusement Park Resorts from his experiences.

And finally, a very helpful article from Sandrine Berges about her journeys with a special little person and how to overcome any difficulties with some forward planning with her experiences of How to get an autistic child onto a plane and out again..

So, I hope you can all use these stories and tips to make you vacation even better - and to make sure that you enjoy your trip as much as the kids!

Send me the photos!

posted by Travel Cat on Apr 24

Why do we wait until we are at the airport or even at or destination before we get to grips with the basics?

I have decided, that if you want to really enjoy your vacation (unless you are just going to be sunbathing the whole time), then you should read up way in advance - and more than just the travel guide.

We all have so much spare time everyday that we waste, which in fact could be used for any number of things - and I think that you could be using it to become an expert on the places that you love to visit.  And even add to your other skills…..

The Destination:
Most people only have 1 or 2 big holidays a year, so that gives you 6 months to read up on a place - and at only an hour a week devoted to your next vacation, that’s 26 hours you could be using to your advantage.

By reading about destinations, tourist sites and wildlife locations way before you book could make your trip the best ever!  I mean if you know which resorts are closest to the places you are going to visit you could save a lot of transfers, time and money by being closer in the first place.

Or, if you want peace and quiet, less rain, or more sand on the beach - reading brochures and travel guides in advance could really take the hassle out of booking.  By waiting until it is time to book your trip before you start reading the relevant information puts more pressure on you and could lead to you making a quick decision rather than the best choice.

The Language:
Imagine being able to order food in the local language when you arrive!  You may well get the better deals in markets and restaurants on your trip if you speak the language. 

And all because you took a few hours out of your life in the months before you departed taking a short course or listening to cd’s from the library!

And depending on the language you learn, it could benefit you on more than one vacation - take Spanish, English or French as some examples - and your short course could set you up for several trips in the future.

The Skills:
Planning in advance could also mean that you are able to scuba dive as soon as you arrive rather than having to take a learner course out there - imagine being out in the Maldives or the Caribbean on coral reefs the day after you arrive, rather than taking a lesson with 10 other people in the hotel pool!

Or, what about learning to horse-back ride, take great pictures or tango before you go - and showing off your new skills in style.  The things you can do when you look at it from a new angle might amaze you - for example riding a horse through a rainforest means you can stay clear of all the ants and snakes on the ground, film scenery as you walk (as you don’t need to watch where you are treading - the horse does that for you!) as well as cover greater distances faster and even walk across streams without getting wet!

So don’t wait until you have no time - space out your time in advance and you will be amazed at what benefits it will bring to you and your trips!