- Day 1: After landing in Prague, head to Prague Castle and visit St Vitus Cathedral situated on the hill. Soak in the beautiful view of the city from the hill top. Walk down to Mala Strana from there and cross Charles Bridge by foot. It is highly recommended to climb up the bridge tower stairs, to enjoy panorama of old town from a vantage point. Evening is a good time to hang around the area over drinks and dinner.
- Day 2: Start with Old town square and visit Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, St. Nicholas Church and Old Town Hall. The square is unique with the presence of Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance buildings next to each other. You can spend an hour there, gazing at Astronomical Clock, this also gives time to relax and observe tourists activities around the square. From there head to old Jewish quarter which is a home to one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. It is Prague’s first gothic building. Wenceslas Square is a shopper’s paradise and should be considered only if shopping is one of the ‘Must Do’ things on the list. Enjoy the evening at one of the Czech restaurants and try variety of local beers along with local cuisine.
- Day 3: Take a 4 hour bus journey to Vienna; arrive in Vienna by noon and after refreshments head to the Old city for a walk. Many of the monuments are within walking distance, starting from Vienna State Opera House, Burggarten, St. Stephen’s Church, Kärntner Strasse, Graben, St Peter’s Church, Ancient Roman ruins and Hofburg Palace. Relax in sprawling lawns at Hero’s Square, soaking up the sun and beauty of Vienna. After a bit of rest head to Museum Quartier. Relax and end the day with Viennese dinner, over local wine.
- Day 4: Start the day with a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, spend the day exploring the palace and museums, marveling Neptune Fountain in the spawling courtyard! By noon head to Belvedere Palace, a must visit for art aficionados. The museum hosts one of the most famous paintings ‘The Kiss’ by Gustav Klimt and other renaissance artists. Head to beer garden in the evening, popularly called Rathaus Platz. It is a great place to unwind, watching outdoor movies or operas over few beers! Neo-Gothic towers of City Hall dominate the square. Check out Austrian Parliament building on the walk back.
- Day 5: Take an hour long train to Bratislava. Walk around the old town square and up on the hill to enjoy the panaromic view of the city from Bratislava Castle. Visit St Martin’s Cathedral, stroll on St. Michael’s Street leading up to St. Michael’s gate. This street is buzzing with many restaurants and pubs. Eat Slovak food at one of the restaurants and enjoy drinks at an Irish pub while gazing at tourist activities in the square.
- Day 6: Take a train to Budapest in the morning. Head straight to Gellért Hill and from there to Castle district to enjoy the view of Danube River and Pest city on the other side. Visit famous Buda Castle, Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church, on Buda side. Take a funicolare back from the hill and walk down the Chain Bridge. Visit Jewish quarter after that and spend the evening at some of the best bars in Budapest.
- Day 7: Spend the day on Pest side of the town, visiting St. Stephen’s Basilica and Parliament house. Visit Andrássy Avenue and Hero’s square, walk around Danube Promenade and soak up the sun in the gardens outside Gresham Palace. Have sumptuous Hungarian Goulash and try Hungarian wines at one of the local restaurants, overlooking brightly lit Buda Castle across Danube.
- Day 8: Spend the day at leisure in one of the many thermal baths. Széchenyi Bath is a beautiful Palatial yellow building, and is a great hang out place during summer for tourists as well as locals. Relax for a few hours and soak in good memories of the trip. A cruise on Danube River in the evening is a great option if the time permits!
Thessaloniki
Situated in the region of Central Macedonia, Thessaloniki holds the distinction of being the second largest city in Greece. One of the best features of the city is its ease of providing convenient connections whether it is via air, land or sea. Thessaloniki is also a cultural hub that loves hosting several events and festivals throughout the year. Aside from its inclination to foster fun and festivities, is also boasts a long history that takes us as far back as 3000 years. The nightlife scene is one of the highlights of a visit here. When the sun goes down, students studying at the Aristotle University, come out and provide a youthful and hip vibe to the streets.
Walk around the central part of the city, and you will soon appreciate its small size, its slew of attractions and its heritage. This is the oldest part of Thessaloniki, which is further divided into two sections: the historic city center and commercial district; and Ano Poli (Upper Town). Once in the city center, the sea is within easy reach. The city is perfectly situated on the southern part and most roads in this area are parallel and give access to Upper Town. In Ano Poli, you can admire colorful old houses surrounded by Byzantine walls and charming winding alleyways. This World Heritage Site district north of the city center, is also home to grandiose Byzantine churches.
Civilizations like the Ottoman, Roman and Byzantine that were once settled on these lands, still show visible remnants all around the city. Thessaloniki is indeed packed with a number of monuments built during the Byzantine period so much so that it is often perceived to be an open-air museum showcasing Byzantine architecture. One prominent Byzantine church around is the 5th century Acheiropoietos, which is known for its timber-roofed basilica.
After visiting Acheiropoietos, there are still a lot more churches to explore like the 17th century Holy Wisdom of God (Hagia Sophia), the Panaghia (Virgin) Chalkeon built in 1028 and The late 13th century Panteleemon, which is regarded as the first church with a cross-in square and four columns. Other structures to explore include Heptapyrgion castle, the cemetery basilica archaeological site and the 13th century byzantine bathhouse.
After strolling at the city’s large 12-kilometer seafront promenade, seek out the landmarks left by the Romans like the 3rd century palace ruins of the Roman Emperor Galerius and the Roman Forum. If you are looking to discover evidence of the Ottoman influence, you do not need to look hard. The 15th century White Tower, which has become an iconic symbol of the Thessaloniki, is the perfect testament. Other notable Ottoman structures include the Bezesteni building, the 15th century Hamza Bey Cami mosque and the Hamams or Turkish bathhouses.
About Volcanoes of Iceland
Hekla
Hekla is the appointed Queen of Icelandic volcanoes. It’s so consistently active that volcanologists the world over basically expect it to blow at any time, and especially when it shows signs of subterranean tremors like it did in 2013. It’s erupted at least 20 times since the first Norsefolk came over 1200 years ago, and was literally considered either the gateway to Hell, or Hell itself. Interestingly enough, it hasn’t caused that much damage in recorded history, though geologists can tell that from its birth around 7000 years ago until around 1000BC it caused massive damage and change to the Icelandic landscape. Since then, though, it’s lost its explosive force, and is more a pouring-lava style volcano with much less ash and smoke.
Still, the last eruption in 2000 gave only fifteen minutes’ warning, and locals know that climbing it is actually never really a very good idea. There is an 8-hour long round-trip trail to the top, but it’s for experts only, and authorization must be given for the climb.
Katla
This is another one of Iceland’s famously explosive volcanos, most specifically because of the eruption in 1918 that lasted for almost a month, but also for the nearly 20 other eruptions since the 9th century. It’s capped with glacial ice, so there’s nothing at all interesting about it visually, but it’s as well-known as its sister volcano Hekla for being highly active and basically unpredictable. Because it’s under the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, the main threat it’s posed to Icelanders has been massive glacial bursts, or runs, that flood the plains below with flash-melted ice. A small eruption or heat-up of the volcano that goes otherwise unnoticed under the glacier can cause massive torrents to rush from it, causing damage and mayhem.
Like Hekla, this is not a volcano to get close to, and basically an eruption is expected any day now. Earthquake swarms have been detected near it in the past few years, and systems have been put in place to warn the aviation industry immediately if, or more appropriately, when, it blows.
Eyjafjallajökull
Our bad-boy celebrity volcano! Eyjafjallajökull had its fifteen minutes of fame five years ago when decided to blow. Locals desperate to get off the island to warmer vacation lands couldn’t, and all air traffic in western Europe halted due to the massive plume of thick ash it poured forth. Technically the name means “Island-Mountain-Glacier” (jökull means glacier) but the glacier in reference sits on top of a live caldera and gives it its name. The air traffic havok this volcano caused in April 2010 meant that its nearly impossible-to-pronounce name became synonymous with trouble, and to this day tourist shops sell vials of ash, ash ceramics, and t-shirts dedicated to our most notorious modern-day eruption
Located pretty close to Highway 1 in the south, Eyjafjallajökull is easy to see from the road, though it’s not a volcano you’d want to walk on: the ice cap is steep and full of crevices. For more experienced hikers, though, the Fimmvörðurháls trail passes close by, offering a chance to greet this world-infamous caldera from a friendly but safe distance away.
Herðubreið
If you like looking at mountains that happen to be volcanoes that look like cake, you’ll love Herðubreið (‘Broad Shoulders’). Located in the northern highlands of Iceland, it’s flat-topped, high-sided, and until the winter snow covering melts away in high summer, covered in white which looks just like frosting. When Herðubreið was born many millennia ago out of the Ódáðahraun lava field (or ‘Desert of Misdeeds’, as some translate that name) it was pressed and flatted under the massive ice sheet of the last global glacial period.
It’s virtually unclimbable, and is showing signs of waking up, so this is a mountain that’s best seen from a distance, at one of the lovely look-out points along the main highway in the north. Artists have painted it, photographers have captured it, and some say it’s a contender for the most beautiful volcano in the world.
Askja
Askja is not actually a single volcano, but a series of remote craters in the highlands interior of Iceland, just north of the huge Vatnajökull glacier. Nobody even really knew this system existed as live eruptors until 1875, when it erupted massively enough to spread poisoned ash over the whole east coast of the island, ash which was also carried by the winds over to Norway and Sweden and Northern Ireland. Livestock suffered horribly, and for many Icelanders this was seen as the last straw – thousands packed up and emigrated. One of the main calderas has filled up with water, forming a round, milky turquoise lake that though lovely to look at is nonetheless called Víti, or ‘Hell’.
It’s a popular place to visit, all stark and eerie. The roads there are usually only open for a few summer months, though, and since temblors have been measured in recent years, and because of the recent Bárðabunga eruption close by, the area is currently closed to all access.
Bárðarbunga
Iceland just gave birth to a new lava field, one of the largest spreads of magma since the Laki flow of 1783. Unofficially named Nornahraun, or Witches Lava, it poured forth over the span of six months from a newly-formed fissure in the Bárðabunga volcanic system. This system sits just under the edge of Vatnajökull glacier, and so is another example of a live Icelandic volcano that’s just not that interesting to look at. Until, that is, it starts spewing bright red magma that shoots into the air in thin, high walls and pours across the landscape in molten rivers. At that point, it’s one of the most beautiful sights on Earth.
Historic Crowsnest Pass Canada
The “Big Sky Country” is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, but it also caters to history buffs and those who generally just want a relaxing vacation. One of the attractions that makes Alberta truly special is the Crowsnest Pass. Located along Canada’s Continental Divide and sitting in the province’s southwest corner, Crowsnest Pass is ideal for anyone who wants to experience a mountain retreat, away from the big tourist crowds.
All around this pass, you will see mountains, some of which are snowcapped, serving as amazing backdrops to incredible outdoor adventures. Once here, there is a wide array of activities you can engage in! Bike or hike the hills and mountains of Crowsnest! Fish or kayak in the river, or maybe do both. For each season, there’s always something to do or somewhere to explore.
Crowsnest Pass was originally a coal-mining hotspot. Its five 20th century communities make up the present municipality of the same name. These days, the communities, which are Bellevue, Hillcrest, Frank, Blairmore and Coleman are highly regarded for their rich history and mining heritage. Luckily, they are only a couple of minutes’ drive from each other. This allows you to possibly visit all of them in one day. As an extra bonus for your effort, you will be treated to gorgeous mountainous countryside as you go from one town to the next. If you like hiking, then you can venture into some of the historic hiking trails located in and around these five towns
Another outstanding trait of Crowsnest Pass is its long history. One of its memorable, albeit tragic, moments was the 1903 Frank Slide, which buried a section of the mining town, under millions of tons of limestone. Today, the Frank Slide Interpretative Center stands to tell the story of the notorious rockslide. It has also become one of the biggest attractions in the area. The center is open all year round and offers an awe-inspiring view of the Canadian Rockies. While here, you can also participate in various interpretive programs and presentations. As if one tragedy is not enough to plague the area, another major mining incident took place in the Hillcrest Mine in 1914. With 189 men losing their lives that faithful day; this unfortunate disaster has been recorded as one of the worst in the Canadian mining history.
When you reach Blairmore, take the time to do the self-guided Historical Walking Tour, which leads you to a fascinating collection of heritage houses and old buildings. The last town of the municipality is Coleman. After this stop, the next major step is to cross the great Continental Divide to enter British Columbia. Whether you plan to cross over or return to the starting point (Fort Macleod), consider stopping by the remarkable Crowsnest Museum in Blairmore.
Story Mystic Barrel
After we received word of the wonderful news following very difficult and tense times, we went to celebrate in Malaga, Spain. And, this is a little story about my now favorite bar in Malaga.
At the end of last year, during the holidays and on a rainy day, we were randomly approached by a man who invited us to join him at the bar he was going to in order to have a drink. It happened just like that out of the blue and as a New Yorker, I was very quick to dismiss and ignore him. I wanted to go into the bookstore where my new English language order awaited me and we smiled and brushed him off.
However, sometimes, things are just supposed to happen. When we exited the bookstore and walked a few steps in the rain, we both turned to find the same man, who was now in the doorway of the bar once again beckoning us. Admittedly, he seemed as if he was already a few sheets to the wind, but he seemed harmless enough.
He invited us into the bar as if he was its designated ambassador. And that is how we wound up visiting the oldest bar in Malaga, Spain and discovering its sweet wines.
The rustic Antigua Casa de Guardia was established in 1840 by Don José Guardia and is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. The local name for the bar is “El Barril Místico”, or “the Mystic Barrel” because there was a time when the wine was only for a select few because of its rarity.
As Jose, our self-appointed ambassador proudly told us while we stood (there are no chairs) at the oak bar slabs, history reverberates through the walls of this storied establishment and Queen Isabel II designated the tavern as the wine supplier to her court. This sweet nectar has been produced in the same manner almost since the time it was founded.
Jose said we absolutely had to try the Pajarete 1908, which was poured into small shot glasses due to the sweetness of the wine. He was right. I noticed the bartender noting the price for each with chalk on the bar slabs in front of us. They have probably been doing it this way since the beginning of time. What’s the use for paper or a proper bar tab?
Jose went on with his tales of Malaga, the wine and how we would never find anything like it anywhere else in the world. He is probably right because it took me an entire lifetime to taste a wine so sweetly delicious.
He then asked me for a pen, and this is my favorite part of this little story because it charmingly illustrates the difference in cultures. I am an American in Europe and I think like an American, and evidently speak very much like an American.
At one point, Jose asked me for a pen to write down the name of a place for us to visit in Malaga.
As he tried to get the pen to write, I asked in Spanish, “Does it work?”
He paused, looked up from the pen and paper and turned to me. He said he would teach me a more elegant way to ask the same question.
Arches National Park Utah
Encompassing a land area of 73,000 acres, Arches National Park’s terrain is mostly arid desert, which is adorned by thousands of pinnacles, spires, balanced rocks and of course arches, made of sandstone. This makes this American national park quite a picturesque and special place to visit.
Out of all the arches you will encounter, Delicate Arch is definitely something you must see before leaving the park. This natural formation has indeed become an iconic representation of the state of Utah. This structure is on the cover of postcards, magazines and travel guidebooks, but to see it with your own eyes is quite the experience. Get up close by standing under the arch. From here, you will truly appreciate the artistic talent of nature; and you can look out at the arid landscape and see the contrasting snow-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance. And the bonus is that the view will not fail to take your breath away.
Most visitors to Delicate Arch make their way to this marvelous landmark by hiking. In fact, Arches National Park is a popular hiking hub! Aside from traveling on foot to the arch itself, you can also make your way to the two official viewpoints, which are identified as the Upper and Lower. These viewpoints share the same trailhead and offer you a fantastic view of the Arch,which is about a mile away.
Second only to Delicate Arch’s popularity, The Devils Garden is very much an attraction worth visiting. The site actually refers to a well-maintained primitive hiking loop that cover 7.2 miles. The loop highlights an area populated by a number of arches and huge sandstone fins. This route is absolutely scenic and has been the longest maintained trail in the national park.
Aside from Delicate Arch and Devil’s Garden, Arches National Park offers hiking enthusiasts a wide range of trails that can suit all ability levels. Most of these trails are intertwined to conveniently showcase the park’s 2,000 sandstone arches. Your biggest challenge as a visitor is to choose which trails to follow. Although, coming back for more hiking adventures is never a bad idea! Some of the most popular hiking routes here include the Balance Rock Trail, the Double Arch, Eye of the Whale Arch, Lower Courthouse Wash and Fiery Furnace, which is often described as a sandstone maze. If you want to see the largest arch on earth, check out Landscape Arch. The Dark Angel is an interesting alternative to the usual arches as it is an impressive sandstone tower that boasts a height of 150 feet.
Vacation Travel Club
Travel Clubs
Travel clubs offer a unique traveling experience much like a timeshare; however you pay a fee to receive a specific number of points to use for travel within their network of resorts and destinations all over the world. This membership allows you and your family to use the points in a given time or accumulate those points over time to cash them in at a later date for travel with a larger group.
Other travel clubs offer discounted travel options where you pay a monthly membership fee and in turn you receive discounted rates for trips that are already planned out. All you do as a member is book the trip and pay. In some cases travel to the destination is on your own, but the information is outlined in each trip description.
With some travel clubs there are options for customers who are already members to make money and receive commissions for every person who signs up under them in the travel club program. This is a type of network marketing program where many people have made money or received free travel while others have made nothing and feel they have lost money. Network marketing is a legitimate form of business, but it is not for everyone. It is not a get rich quick program.
The perception of network marketing is that it is a “scam.” Many people have lost money in network marketing and many people have made a lot of money with network marketing. Those who have made a lot of money with network marketing have worked very hard to get where they are within the network marketing business. Yes, they talk about it like they enjoy it because they do enjoy their job, but they treat it as a job and work hard to recruit, sell and build their business.
Timeshare ownership
This is another perceived “scam” or way for people to take your money according. Timeshare ownership is another legitimate way to travel to one destination every year or every other year depending on your purchased week. Timeshare owners receive a deed to their property that they own for a set amount of days or weeks throughout the year.
Where many people feel this is a scam is when maintenance and taxes come in. Everyone pays for maintenance and taxes on the property that they own, so why would a timeshare, be any different? It is a deeded piece of property much like a house. These fees help with upgrades to the property as well as fixing things that go wrong throughout the year. Refrigerators quit working and walls need to be painted periodically and every owner is required to help pay those costs.
Timeshare ownership works great for those who actually use them. It is when people don’t use their weeks that they feel they are losing money. There are also options to exchange your timeshare into other cities and resorts using exchange companies like RCI and Interval International. These resources can help you get more value out of timeshare ownership.
Want to learn more about these two options check out my free report which outlines several different options when it comes to travel, foreign and domestic. There are so many options and ways to save money as well as programs to help you make money traveling.
About Waterfalls in Iceland
Gullfoss
Gullfoss is, in many ways, like Iceland’s Eiffel Tower, or Golden Gate Bridge. Though a natural feature of the landscape it’s somehow captured the hearts and imaginations of hundreds of thousands of people, and has become a must-see for both visitors and locals alike. Its beautiful tiered drop has a gentle, soothing power and regardless of the weather is always mesmerizing, even if frozen sculpture-still in winter.
After a scenic drive northward from the main highway, Route 1, through meandering hills and easy landscapes, Gullfoss is hidden from view until the very last moment, tucked as it is down into a river gorge. For the first time visitor especially, arriving at the edge of the gorge gives a sense of discovery – even though there may be people all around you, there’s a feeling that yours are the very first eyes to witness the fall’s beauty. Close-up and enveloped in its mists, or at a distance on a viewing platform, Gullfoss is a delight to behold!
Dettifoss
Imagine standing only feet away from the most thunderous waterfall in Europe, and one of the most overall impressive falls in the world. Peering down from the lip of the falls, the river below is impossible to see through a massive billow of ice-cold mist, and a sense of justified vertigo may even take hold. Across the wide glacial river Jökulsá á fjöllum, you can see tiny people on the opposite columnar basalt bank and you wonder at the reckless courage they show by reaching down to touch the water just before it descends 150 feet below. You realize that you might also look just as daredevil to them!
Welcome to Dettifoss, a natural phenomenon so overwhelming that it takes your breathe away. In the north of Iceland, it’s some kilometers off the main highway through a barren landscape and a short hike from the parking lot, but seeing its majesty is worth every minute it takes to get there. Choose the eastern side or western (which is an easier drive on a paved road) – you won’t be disappointed!
Seljalandsfoss
It’s possible that every person has imagined, at some point in their lives, walking behind a powerful waterfall. There’s a sense of deep mystery behind the endless curtain of water and mist that comprises a falls, and the knowledge that it’s virtually impossible to stop the flow makes wanting to see behind it all the more compelling. The magic of Seljalandsfoss is that you can do just that! Seen from the southern main highway, the falls look like any other classic ribbon of shining water, dropping over 200 feet down from a volcanic cliff. Just that alone makes it appealing.
But up close something more amazing comes to light: there is a clear and easy, albeit muddy, path that curves up and around the falling water onto a wide inset ledge many yards behind it, overhung with raw rock from which small plants and mosses grow. The photo opportunities are amazing, especially as the summer sun sits low on the horizon, shining in past the ribbon of water, but in any season or time of day there’s that special sense of fantasy at listening to the thundering falls from safely behind them. It’s an experience not to be missed!
Skógafoss
While some few waterfalls are possible to go behind, others keep their secrets and treasures more tightly. Skógafoss is one of them. In the old days of yore, a chest of gold was hidden in a cave behind the falls by one of the original settlers, a man named Thrasi (Þrasi). His treasure glitters bright when the sun hits it right, but no one yet has been able to recover any of it but a curcular handle that sits today in the historical musem close by. Knowing that generations of locals have wondered about the treasure adds to the falls appeal.
For many, Skógafoss is the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland. Unlike the gorge-style falls that can’t be seen from the road, Skógafoss gleams and falls wide and gorgeous from a high cliff and onto a flat and easy riverbed below. There’s a good set of stairs just to the side that take you to a viewing platform at the top and the start of a well-used hiking trail, and down below again you’re welcome to get as close to the thundering water as you’d like – though beware the constant spray of icy glacial water!
Goðafoss
It’s not hard to imagine the Old Gods at Goðafoss, itself named in honor of the two that stand sentinal, frozen in rock, on either bank of the falls. This is one of those waterfalls that you just don’t expect after miles of drive over high rolling heaths. The river that feeds it, Skjálfandafljót, is fed by glacial melt, rainwater streams and springs, and cuts flat through the highlands east of Akureyri until reaching the gorge at Goðafoss. That means it’s not visible until you’re right up near it, when it demands to be witnessed and experienced.
The story goes that in the year 1000 AD, when Iceland officially accepted the Christian religion, the locals tossed their pagan idols into the falls as a symbolic gesture. Given the almost-mythical lava formations that seem to stand sentinel over the wide and beautiful falls, and that the Old Ways were never really forgone by the populace, it seems appropriate that this waterfall was chosen for the task. Admirers can approach the falls from either side, with well-signed walking paths as guides. It’s the perfect place for a picnic along the northern main highway, and historically important as well!
Dynjandi
Like a fine silver veil, the Dynjandi waterfall flows softly down a rough mountainside in the West Fjords in tiers. Seemingly the only bright spot along a long barren cliff, even from a distance it beckons the traveler nearer, and when reached is more beautiful than you’d ever expect. It starts out as a classic glacial river toppling off the edge of a remote heath, but widens into a spectactular event as it spills forth over the layers of horizontal ridges below, forming again into a river before spilling again off lower ledges in more compact forms and finally out to sea.
Getting to this spectacle of nature isn’t easy – the West Fjords themselves are remote, originally only accessible via boat, and still most easily traveled to with the ferry that runs to the norther edge of the wide Breiðafjörður bay. From there, it’s a mind-bending drive in and out of fjords, along some of the oldest and most scenic landscapes in Iceland. Imagine, after hours of cliffs and sea, witnessing the wonder of a 330 foot high bridal veil of water widening out over a rugged mountainside, and hiking along its banks, feeling its cool mists and hearing its secret whispers. This is the Iceland you came to discover: remote and full of wonder!
Personalized Luggage for Travel
Trunk
This is a wooden box that is generally much larger than the other types of luggage. Trunks can come in various sizes ranging from small too big and this is the same case in footlockers. The larger ones are called as steamers. These days, the trunks are commonly used for the storage rather than transportation.
Suitcase
This is a general term that can be used to refer to a non- wheeled or a wheeled luggage. It can also be used to refer to a hard side luggage or a soft size luggage.
Garment bag
This is a style of luggage that folds over on itself and it allows the long garments such as dresses and suits to be packed in a flat manner in order to avoid any type of creasing.
Tote
This is a small bag that is mostly worn on the person’s shoulder.
Duffel bag
This is a barrel- shaped bag and it is suited for the purpose of casual travel. It has very little space for organization on its inside.
Carpet bag
This is traditional luggage for carpets.
Personalize your luggage
These days it is also possible to personalize your luggage. There are many organizations or companies that do these. You can print your favorite movie dialogues on this luggage. You can also choose the colors of the accessories and also reach an extent by uploading your own photo and choosing your very own unique design.
Tips for Solo Female Travel
- Trust your instinct. You can never go wrong with your gut feeling! If something or someone seems fishy, don’t do it. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
- Wear a wedding ring. It might scare off potential predators. If you’re worried you might not be able to make any male friends, I can assure you there will be no problem!
- Know your culture. In Europe, particularly in places like Italy and Spain, some men are accustomed to thinking that something as simple as a smile and a look mean you want more than friendship. If you don’t want that attention, try to blend in with the crowd as much as possible. Trust me, I’m the first person to root for female empowerment and the right to bare skin, but this is not a time to be whipping out the feminist card. This of course doesn’t apply to all men there, but TRUST YOUR INSTINCT!
- Plan ahead and be prepared. Take your guidebook, map, and more than enough money so you can handle any situation. If you’re getting into a country late at night, make friends with a girl or other travel buddy so you aren’t wandering around alone in the dark.
- Use your accommodations as a resource. Grab one of their cards and keep it handy. Ask around whether it is a safe area. If you feel the need, tell them where you are going and when you might return.
- Take a self-defense class. Of course, this is if you want to be extra cautious. I only used half of these methods and have only encountered one hairy situation. And to be honest, I ran into more sticky situations just living in LA!