Green Travel

Now Take A Few Minutes To Do The Most Important Travel Planning Of All–Learn How To Stay Healthy While You’re En To Travel

Healthy Travel
• Important Note: Traveling and Illness
As you are preparing for tarvel, please be sure to continue to focus on measures to ensure your good health: eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest, avoid smoking and be sure you are effectively managing any ongoing health issues. In the unlikely event that you become ill with a fever or respiratory illness the day prior to your scheduled departure date, please see your doctor to determine whether you are healthy enough to travel and participate in the event. Your health as well as the health of participants is important to yourself.
• Your Travel “First Aid” Kit
Be sure you bring the following to ensure a safe, health and convenient travel experience:
Your prescription medicines (enough to cover your days away from home), in their original containers with clearly identifiable labels.
If you are generally in good health, there are some typical minor ailments that travelers frequently encounter which may necessitate use of non-prescription medicines.
Consider bringing a few doses of medicine if you are prone to the following:
diarrheaupset stomachheadachesinus congestionmotion sickness
• During Travel
Bring enough of any required medicines in carry-on bag.
If seated next to a person with respiratory symptoms on the plane, contact the flight attendant for a change in seating if available. When a change is not possible: avoid direct contact (face-to-face); avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; be conscious of the surfaces you touch and wash your hands frequently.
Drink plenty of fluids (preferably water) before, during, and after your flight. Not only will you feel better, but keeping up your fluid reserves also helps your body fight illness and risk of jet lag. If need be, use moisturizer and lip balm to combat the dry air in the flight cabin.
If you wear glasses, don’t fly with contact lenses — wear your glasses instead. Contacts will only dry out and further irritate itchy or burning eyes.
Take frequent walks in the aisles, stretch and exercise your lower limbs while seated to keep blood your blood flowing and prevent conditions attributed to sedentary positions (swollen ankles, muscle cramps). If you can take aspirin safely, a low dose (81 milligrams) taken on the day of departure can be helpful in preventing clot formation.
Try to get as much fresh air and exercise as you can between flight connections.
Clear your head with a hot, steamy shower after you land. Avoid smoking areas while you wait for a connecting flight and when you reach your destination.
To minimize the discomfort of pressure building in your ears, here’s how to make them pop: pinch your nostrils closed and inhale deeply. Then exhale through your nose, blowing out in short, firm bursts until you feel your ears pop. Yawning, drinking liquids, and chewing gum also helps.
• jet lag
Anyone who’s suffered from the fatigue of crossing time zones can attest that it’s no fun being bleary-eyed and groggy for the first couple days of and after your trip. There are ways of minimizing the effects of jet lag, so take note:
Adjust your sleeping and eating patterns to the new time zone a couple days before your flight — usually one day per time zone.
Upon boarding the plane, change your watch to the destination time zone. Drink plenty of fluids, keeping yourself as hydrated as possible. While trying to knock yourself out with a couple glasses of wine or wake yourself up with coffee may seem like good ideas while flying, think again — alcohol and caffeine dehydrate the body, making your even more tired when you arrive at your destination.
If it’s daytime in your destination, take a walk after you get settled. The exercise will stimulate your body and help convince it to stop producing sleep-inducing hormones.
Use earplugs and blindfolds to help dampen noise and block out unwanted light while sleeping.
A variety of over-the-counter products are available that purport to ease jet lag or encourage sleep on lengthy flights.
Fortunately, your adjustment in New Zealand will likely go smoothly as you will be getting plenty of exercise!!
Stay heallthy
Focusing on these key areas will help you to “Stay Health”
1. Pay attention to personal hygiene and handwashing2. Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water3. Be physically active4. Get plenty of sleep5. Manage strees6. Avoid smoking7. keep immunizations current8. Manage any ongoing health issues
Eating a balanced diet is perhaps the most direct action you can take to nurture your immune system
- The immune system requires a balance of nutrients to function properly- Without this balance,you can become sick more easily and have a longer recovery time- Ensure your daily meals include:- vegetables(especially leafy green)- fruits- whole and fortified grains(any food made from wheat,rice,oats,cornmeal,barley or other ceral grain)- dairy products,with small amounts of fish and meat(or alternative protein sources)
Your body requires a minimum amount of daily fluid intake to maintain health
- Fluids help to keep mucous membranes moist enough to combat viruses on contact- Requirement 6-8 cups (1.4-1.9 liters) per day- Avoid drinks like coffee, tea, and colas with caffeine;they deplete your body of fluids
If you are exercising and sweating, drinking water is doubly important
- 1to2hours before exercising: 10 to 14 ounces of cold water (about a cup and a half, or 295 to 414 ml)- 10to15 minutes before exercising: 10 ounces of cold water (about a cup and a half, or 295 ml)- While exercising: 3to4 ounces of cold water every 15 minutes (about a cup and a half, or 89 to 118 ml)

Police said 46-year old priest Philip Valayam of Roman Catholic Church who also worked as professor at Tangaza College of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, was attacked by gangsters while driving home after celebrating a mid-night mass. He was shot in the early hours of Sunday, December 25, ironically near the post of a security firm, CISA noted.

” The thugs had no time to rob him as personnel from the security post raised alarm and police arrived soon, ” Priest Matua of the Don Bosco told journalists Tuesday, December 26. It was unclear if any arrests were made and police officials could not immediately be reached for clarification

Police reportedly took him to hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival. Salesian priests and other Christians and religious representatives gathered for ” a solemn Eucharist Celebration ” at the spot where the priest was shot,

Arrangements were reportedly being made to transport his body to India. Philip Valayam was born March 23, 1958, and ordained priest on December 29, 1987 in India. He came to Eastern Africa in 1998 and before working in Kenya served at the Salesian Seminary in Tanzania, as professor of philosophy.

After a break for studies in Rome in 2002, he returned to the region and was assigned to Don Bosco Youth Educational Services and appointed Academic Advisor to the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and other institutes. ” Until his death he was ministering to various religious congregations and youth groups in various secondary and tertiary levels.

Catholic officials said his death was a reminder of the insecurity in Kenya Uganda Tanzania and other regions where missionaries work. Priest Valayam joins a “long list of Church clergy who have been killed in Kenya since the murder of Father John Kaiser of the Mill Hill Missionaries, ” said the Don Bosco Eastern Africa Multimedia Services (BEAMS) Kaiser had been investigating allegations of murder, rape and corruption at the heart of the Kenyan government before he died in 2000.

Edwin is a specialist in African Safaris and a tour operator. His tour company, African Safaris & Adventures, has presence in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Egypt, Madascar, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Seychelles.

One of the world’s most fascinating and rewarding travel destinations is the Middle East. If you are planning a visit there, you have to overcome complications that may come your way. There is spellbinding landscape scenery from seas of sand dunes and palm fringed lakes and stunning mountains of the north and the underwater world of the Red Sea. This is a land full of ancient history, vibrant cultures and unfortunately sometimes conflicts.When you plan the trip, there are so many travel tips you have to know.WEATHERAutumn and spring are the best months to visit the Middle East. I.e. Visit September to November and also March to May. If you are a sun worshipper and water sports freak, the months of June to August should be definitely avoided.COSTSTravel in the Middle East is cheap and travelling is comfortable. TIPPINGThis is always there in the Middle East. The term given to tipping is “baksheesh” This is more than just a reward for having rendered a service.MONEYThe larger banks have ATM’s and they are linked up to one of the international networks like Master Card, Cirrus, Visa or Global Access Systems.NIGHT LIFENight life is safe and there is a wrong idea that it is insecure. Except in the conflict zone, everything is peaceful.FORBIDDEN PLACESMecca and Medina are only for Muslims. Tourists should not try to enter these unless they are Muslims. Mosques are out of bounds for tourists. Never try to take either illegal or offensive for Muslims like Alcohol, books and magazines of an explicit sexual nature.GIRLSGirls and women are beautiful and lovely. They are a mixed race with a long history of the area. All women are really beautiful. AFFECTIONYou should not demonstrate affection for a spouse or friend of the opposite sex, when in public. Saudi’s never do this and find such behavior unacceptable. Unmarried persons should not have sexual relations and it is against the law in Saudi Arabia. During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public. A dog should not be petted in front of a Saudi. You should dress modestly in public. Men should wear long pants and a shirt and women should wear long, loose dresses with high necklines and long sleeves. A person’s photograph should not be taken without his permissions. No theft takes place in the Kingdom. CONCLUSIONThe people of Saudi feel they are superior as all are Muslims and they look down on non Muslims. In Arabia they feel that they are more superior to non Arab Muslims and as Saudis they feel are superior to all other Arabs and this vicious circle never ends.Tourists are not treated as they would treat a national and even the law enforcing agencies are like this.

Outsourcing of work has become a regular part of the corporate world. People understand that many times when they are calling customer service they are speaking with someone in a distant country who is being hired for a fraction of what the same position would cost in the United States. Consumers who are looking for more affordable health services are now demonstrating the practice of medical “outsourcing.” In fact it is estimated that 750,000 Americans participated in medical travel in 2007 with those numbers growing. Medical tourism is expected to continue growing dramatically as health care costs rise.Yet, many people are unaware of the rapidly growing medical travel industry. It is not a new phenomenon however. Many people have utilized medical travel for elective dental care and cosmetic surgery. As the medical tourism industry matures, the number of people participating in medical travel continues to increase. Instead of just seeking cosmetic surgery or dental work, people are now traveling oversees for all kinds of procedures from eye surgery, and organ transplantations to open-heart surgery, cancer therapy, hip and knee replacements, bone marrow transplants, and more.You may be wondering what the benefits of medical travel are. People seeking elective surgery, dental or cosmetic surgery that is not covered by their health insurance, have high-deductible health plans, or lack insurance utilize medical travel to save money. Oversees healthcare costs are a fraction of what they are in the United States. In fact, even with all the travel expenses such as airfare, hotel accommodations, food, as well as the costs of the actual medical procedure added together, the entire price is still lower than the cost alone of the procedure preformed in the United States. Those with universal healthcare such as people from England and Canada who do not have a financial incentive to travel abroad, may still choose to participate in medical travel because of the long wait times they experience for certain procedures. Oversees they can be immediately admitted and have their procedure done.A major concern for many people when hearing about the cost benefits of medical tourism is whether there are sacrifices in quality of care in these medical tourism destination foreign hospitals. The fact is that most of the facilities and the practicing doctors are comparable in quality to the facilities and doctors found in the United States. Surgeons from the top medical tourism hospitals have graduated from some of the best medical schools in the western world while many of the hospitals are state of the art facilities with the newest technological medical equipment.If the idea of having to plan an entire trip to have a medical procedure preformed in a foreign country is overwhelming there are medical travel agencies that will help. In addition, many of the major medical tourism hospitals have their own international patients department who will assist you in all aspects of your trip to their facility.It is necessary before committing to a trip to do research and to educate your self. You want to go to an accredited facility. At OnlineMedicalTourism.com you will find a medical travel resource portal that will provide you with information about international medical options, world-wide medical travel facilities with details about costs and procedures performed at each of these facilities, as well as medical travel insurance information, travel related services and providers. Armed with the information provided to you at OnlineMedicalTourism.com you will be able to save a lot of money on your healthcare costs while getting excellent care at an overseas facility.

Luxury Travel Vietnam Group Launch a Concierge Service and Guarantees Bespoke Travel Experiences Within 24 Hours

Luxury Travel Vietnam Group Launch a Concierge Service and Guarantees Bespoke Travel Experiences Within 24 HoursLuxury Travel is Vietnam’s First Luxury Tour and Travel Operator. The company (http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com ) believes that travel experiences are not “one size fits all,” but are instead very personal, with each aspect tailor made to specific tastes and preferences within 24 hours.Luxury Travel knows that upscale clients seek a very high quality travel experience, crafted from meticulous planning and flawless implementation.Award winning luxury travel advisors are knowledgeable and experienced travel professionals build the trust with guests before selling them their products and services, and develop an extensive knowledge of guest’s desires and expectations.Luxury Travel (http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com ) takes pride on being on the cutting edge of luxury travel trends and destinations, and believes their attention to detail is what sets them apart from other tour companies. Luxury Travel provides speed, convenience and easy access to information – exactly what contemporary tourists need in this current climate, even if it is last-minute. Their team is able to customize any travel experience in Indochina, Thailand and Myanmar you want; name it, they do it in style within 24 hours.Luxury Travel Team thoroughly researches all aspects of each location, and presents a detailed itinerary to guests in person. Where necessary, luxury travel advisors ensure a seamless vacation with direct “on the ground” knowledge, contacts, and the resources required to effect the ultimate vacation.Luxury Travel provides amazing choices, beautiful experiences, full support, and valuable time spent in places you may have only dreamt about.You send a bespoke holiday request today by through email bespoke@luxurytravelvietnam.com, you get a completed bespoke holiday tomorrow for free. Get inspirational luxury holiday by checking the Luxury Travel Company’s website at http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com Luxury Travel Vietnam Group Launch a Concierge Service and Guarantees Bespoke Travel Experiences Within 24 HoursLuxury Travel is Vietnam’s First Luxury Tour and Travel Operator. The company (http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com ) believes that travel experiences are not “one size fits all,” but are instead very personal, with each aspect tailor made to specific tastes and preferences within 24 hours.Luxury Travel knows that upscale clients seek a very high quality travel experience, crafted from meticulous planning and flawless implementation.Award winning luxury travel advisors are knowledgeable and experienced travel professionals build the trust with guests before selling them their products and services, and develop an extensive knowledge of guest’s desires and expectations.Luxury Travel (http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com ) takes pride on being on the cutting edge of luxury travel trends and destinations, and believes their attention to detail is what sets them apart from other tour companies. Luxury Travel provides speed, convenience and easy access to information – exactly what contemporary tourists need in this current climate, even if it is last-minute. Their team is able to customize any travel experience in Indochina, Thailand and Myanmar you want; name it, they do it in style within 24 hours.Luxury Travel Team thoroughly researches all aspects of each location, and presents a detailed itinerary to guests in person. Where necessary, luxury travel advisors ensure a seamless vacation with direct “on the ground” knowledge, contacts, and the resources required to effect the ultimate vacation.Luxury Travel provides amazing choices, beautiful experiences, full support, and valuable time spent in places you may have only dreamt about.You send a bespoke holiday request today by through email bespoke@luxurytravelvietnam.com, you get a completed bespoke holiday tomorrow for free. Get inspirational luxury holiday by checking the Luxury Travel Company’s website at http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com

While travel magazines are always well worth looking at, it also would be a wise plan to check out a few travel websites. Some of the best travel sites 2011 are known for their tips, advice, insights, and opinions. You can access them 24/7 and not have to pay anything to do so. For those curious as which sites are among the proverbial best of the best, here is a brief look at some of the top travel websites well worth bookmarking:

LonelyPlanet: Who has not heard of the Lonely Planet book series? Without a doubt, they are among the absolute best of the best in terms of travel guides. As such, it should come as no surprise that Lonely Planets accompanying website is a truly outstanding creation, too.

TravelAndLeisure: Really, you could categorize this website under the category of “the name tells all”. This is a very comprehensive travel information site that covers all manner of subjects related to travel. Excellent for both research and entertainment, this is a site all travel aficionados should explore.

Expedia: While not a site for information on travel, this is an excellent site that offers deals, discounts, and offers on hotels, airlines, and rental cars. And yes, you can book accommodations all over the world through Expedia. Really, this would be the perfect site to check out first when looking to book a trip.

VirtualTourist: Probably the most basic description of this site would be that of a blog. So, what makes this particular blog any more special than the scores of other ones proliferating on the internet? Basically, the main difference is this remains a communal blog. That is, it is a blog in which other members can post onand there are 400,000 members! The subjects are diverse to the point of infinity and cover any and every subject under the sun. As such, this could be easily considered the premiere blog to visit on the subject of travel.

ResponsibleTravel: Green consciousness and awareness has increased tremendously over the past decade. This had led to an interest in eco-friendly travel. This site is a fantastic website for those with an interest in all things eco-travel related. For those that are not familiar with what such travel entails, this might be a great website in which to first explore.

WebFlyer: Consider this one of the most unique of all travel websites. The purpose of this site is to help you manage your travel promotional miles and find great deals. Certainly, that might prove appealing to all travelers.

PetsWelcome: How could you go on vacation and leave your four-legged friend home? Now, you dont have to. This site provides comprehensive listings of the top pet-friendly airlines, resorts, hotels, and spas.

Of course, it would be impossible to completely list the best travel sites 2011 (BestTravelWebsites) as there are so many of them. However, the ones listed here are definitely among the top websites worth exploring. So, why not explore them?

I have lived and vacationed in a number of countries with the Lonely Planet guides, and always found them extremely helpful. With this new guide, “Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel 2009: 850 Trends, Destinations, Journeys & Experiences For The Year Ahead” I found it to be very enjoyable for different reasons.I always liked how the Lonely Planet guides had a ton of information about the places I was living or visiting. However, I sometimes wished they had more color photos such as some of the other travel guides available. With this “Best In Travel 2009″ guide, there isn’t the depth for each country like the country specific guides, but rather interesting places around the entire world. And this book is full of colorful pictures.It is a beautifully laid out book with scores of magnificent photographs. Combine the photos with the brief descriptions of places around the entire globe and you have a great coffee table book and a text that will inspire you to plan your next travel adventure. What I enjoy most about this book is it helps generate ideas of places to go and things I want to do.The book is chalk full of lists. Top 10 Countries, Top 10 Regions, Top 10 Cities and so on. I don’t know if I agree with the top 10 in each of these categories, and you might not either, but that does not matter. Use the book to inspire you to travel to new places and to generate ideas and possibilities. Even if you don’t travel to the places listed, you will be more aware of what’s out there and places that are available to explore. If you enjoy traveling, you’ll enjoy looking through this book for ideas.

Living Aboard A Boat Interview With Travel Writer and Author Janet Groene

Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel.com is excited to have as our guest, travel writer and author Janet Groene.

Janet and her husband Gordon have authored several books including:

Living Aboard and Creating Comfort Afloat.

Good day Janet and thanks for agreeing to participate in our interview.

Norm:

Could you tell our readers something about yourself, the books you have authored and what motivates you to write travel books?

Janet:

Since I was very young, words just bubbled out of me and begged to be written down. When I discovered that these words can be turned into money, I was hooked. For the first 10 years of our marriage, my husband flew airplanes for a living and his hours were different every week.

I loved writing ad copy for a department store and later worked for a newspaper, but I turned to freelancing as a way of being home when he was. “Try it as a business for six months,” Gordon suggested, and I did. It was galling at first to get so many rejections. As a salaried writer, I sent my work to the composing room and soon it was in print. Now I was sending out loads of manuscripts and seeing them bounce back within a month or two. I stuck to it as a business, however, and just before the six months were up I sold a poem for $15 followed by a short article for $250. Things became easier after that. In time I realized how much I had learned by subnmitting and being rejected. No writing course can teach what one learns by being in the marketplace.

Norm:

I understand that you and your husband lived on board a 30-foot sailboat for 10, happily homeless years. Please tell our readers why you embarked on such a venture and did you ever tire of living on the boat:

Janet:

On a business trip to the Bahamas we discovered a wrecked sailboat washed up on a lonely beach, and we began to dream the impossible dream. If we went to sea we could be together all day, every day, and, with all our belongings on board a sailboat, we could travel and still be at “home”.

If youve been bitten by wanderlust and traveling is right up your alley , then you are probably one of those people who are always on the go and loves having fun with friends and family. If this is the case, then the lightweight travel trailer is just your thing! With a roomy cargo area and interiors, this trailer provides for a safe and secure temporary nest when you are traveling to a new destination and you dont really need to leave the comfort and convenience of living at home behind!

The first versions to come out were the towable travel trailers, and the latest versions the lightweight travel trailers have retained all the modern amenities and conveniences that the traditional vehicles provided, and they also come fully equipped with the more space, trailer accessories and facilities for cooking, showering, sleeping, dining and basically relaxing.

The practicality and versatility of these lightweight trailers make it one of the hottest camping items available in the market today. Under normal circumstances, these trailers weight around 400 pounds and are roughly 25 feet in height. So, whether you have a smaller vehicle like a SUV, pickup or even a minivan, these lightweights have been designed for convenience and safe towing. Whats more, you also get a fuel mileage thats better!

What to look for in your Lightweight Travel Trailer?
These travel trailers can be lowered for storage in carports and garages, making them very, very convenient. Here are some of the uses of a travel trailer:
Makes for a safe towing experience These trailers will give you just the right towing experience along with the features that you would only expect from those upright travel trailers. It is low profile and lightweight and gives a better mileage, making it safe and convenient for all sorts of campers.
Easy to set up These trailers can be opened and closed even when its raining and you can be rest assured that nothing inside will get wet. It is as easy as opening a car door no cranks or cables required. You can even set up the whole trailer in as little as 5 minutes.
Spacious and Comfortable Camp in luxury and comfort. Some trailers have insulated walls to keep you warn in winter and cool in summer. Some have luxurious interiors and spacious bathtubs for a lavish camping experience.
Fits easily in garages Did you ever think it was possible to store a trailer in you garage? I dont think so! But with some of the lightweight models you can even get to choose your own swing-around tongue that helps reduce storage space considerably.
These lightweight travel trailers come with a wide variety of features like a push button that enables the kitchen to slide out and expand, as well as the living, sleeping and dining spaces. For a durable and well-protected floor, linoleums are set up. Apart from the basic lighting and water systems, most recreational travel trailers have a bonus entertainment center and a lighting package that is upgraded and promises a comfortable and luxurious trip.

Lightweight travel trailers are ideal for those people who want to step away from the regular tent trailers, but also dont want to deal with the pain and difficulty of towing a conventional travel trailer. So, go ahead and learn more about these trailers and how they can make for the greatest camping experience youll ever have!

There is always a way to travel on a limited supply of clothes and other basic necessities and people would not disregard this possibility. Both business and leisure trips will be more enjoyable for a traveler who only brings with him or her a single piece of luggage for the trip. People should learn the basics of packing light so that they can experience the benefits of doing so and this article will serve as a guide for that purpose. Most of the time it cannot be avoided that travel plans may call for some things to be brought along the trip that ends up not being utilized in any way during the trip. Here are some tips which can help all sorts of travelers in terms of teaching them to bring only what they will actually need. No matter where a person intends to travel to and regardless of how long his or her trip will be traveling on a single piece of luggage is rather easy. How important can traveling on limited luggage be to the everyday traveler and will he or she be encountering less hassle in doing so? People are less likely to worry and therefore enjoy their travel plans more if they bring along a few pieces of luggage during the trip. Here are reasons why packing light can be an advantage to any kind of traveler. When a traveler brings one bag then he or she can easily secure his or her belongings not needing to worry if someone steals it or not. Travel plans involving a few pieces of luggage can lead to minimal fuss when it comes to bags getting misrouted, misplaced, or even stolen. Travel packing can be easier if people start bringing only the items which they will make use of during the journey. Another aspect of the beauty of traveling light is the fact that it can reduce travel expenses that can be incurred from exceeding the baggage limit travel providers allow. A traveler will reduce the need for hiring porters or reduce the chances of being charged with airline fees when the luggage brought along exceeds the baggage allowance. Travelers can easily go to different places when they do not have as much luggage to carry around thus maximizing the trip. There is a better chance of freedom of movement when the bags a traveler carries are personally manageable. More traveling options can be made available for travelers who are not hassled by much luggage. It is possible for a traveler to spend quality travel time by wasting it as he or she gets his or her luggage from the baggage claim areas. When it comes to serenity then traveling on minimal luggage can prove to be the better and hassle free way to move about. Other benefits that can be gained include easy packing and easy management of luggage with one bag to tow. Any travel arrangement can best be enjoyed when there are no worries that a traveler is bothered with like luggage problems for example. Travelers may ask what relevance traveling light may have with regard to long term effects. As time passes the environment can benefit from proper travel packing wherein less fuel will be needed since their will be a reduced need for fuel run transportation. Reduced fuel consumption can easily reduce the level of greenhouse gases discharged into the earth. It is a good idea to travel with a specific list of items written down as to be more organized. Quality luggage or bags should be considered when packing as well as what is needed on a trip and how a person should pack the items. Any kind of travel plan can be easily achieved by listening to some basic advice.