Who doesn’t dream of taking a ride on a gondola in Venice?

For decades Venice Gondolas have been romanticized in the movies and ever since seeing Katherine Hepburn cruising through the canals in Summertime, people have flocked to Venetia to listen to That’s Amoré while being slowly pushed through its famous waterways.

Gondola parking at the Venice waterfront

Today’s Venice is a different picture. 

Masses of tourists stop on day trips from their cruises and the canals are plugged with Gondoliers jockeying for position and fighting for each fare. There are hundreds of Gondolas in Venice ready and waiting to charge over €100 per boat load of visitors looking to live their dream.

This picture is a rare serene moment near San Marcos Square. Venice has always been a busy hub where merchants and traders ruled the waterways for nearly a millenium during the Venetian empire and it continues to thrive with 12 million visitors per year.

The time to walk around the city is late at night or early in the morning when nobody has arrived and you have the streets to yourself to daydream about the Golden era of Venice during a grander more decadent time.

With the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee dominating the London tourists’ itinerary this summer, anyone not interested in them can make the most of the rest of the city. When the sun’s out in England’s capital city it’s the best place to be in the world and there’s loads to do away from the tourist traps. Film, food and music festivals are plentiful, and there are also many parks to picnic in and tens of beer gardens to knock some Pimm’s back in. If you’re looking for hostels London has plenty to offer too, so there’s no need to worry about how you’re going to get home after one fruity cider in the park too many.

Picnics in the park

The sun shining over London is enough of an excuse to picnic in Hyde Park or Victoria Park, on Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath, or in any of the other tens of big green spaces in the city. Take a Frisbee, a dog or just a few crisps and dip, and trust me, you can entertain yourself for hours. 

Free swimming in the lidos and ponds

The Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park and the Hampstead Heath Ponds are probably the most well-known of the free lidos and ponds in London. They open around April time. Pack your swimsuit, a flask of hot tea and a fluffy towel to aid your recovery – it’s cold! I can guarantee that the colder the weather the less of a tourist trap it will be… 

Yay! Beer gardens

Summer in London means beer gardens. The best ones are the Spaniard’s Inn in Golders Green, The Albion in Islington, The Waterway in Little Venice and the Edinboro Castle in Camden. These diamonds in the rough are a little off the main London strips, so only the clued up locals might know about them, unless the tourists read this very article, they won’t.

Village shopping, in London

Stoke Newington is a lovely area with enough shops, bars and restaurants to keep you busy for some time. If you’re looking to buy fresh fruit and veg or just want somewhere to hang out away from the crazy hustle and bustle of the city centre this village atmosphere is a great place. Victoria Park is also right in the centre so buy a deli picnic and soak up the rays – there’s even a paddling pool.

Abbey Road, Lords and Kilburn

St Johns Wood in the north east is another beautiful village-like area of London.  You can see Lords Cricket Ground and just relax in the café and deli-lined shops while you admire the grand houses. I know it’s a bit touristy, but you can check out Abbey Road Studios too and photograph yourself walking the famous crossing before you write your name on the wall. If you want some cheap shopping, bargain cafes and budget boot sales Kilburn is just down the road, or head in the opposite direction and you’ll find the beautiful West Hampstead with all its second hand shops and restaurants.

Check out more London Articles at London Landmarks in Photos, The Tower Bridge of London

This article was provided by HostelBookers.com who are based in London themselves so you know you’re getting the best insider advice!

Image Source – 1, Image Source – 2

For many-many years the Paradise Island of Cuba was at the top of my must-see places. All the colorful pictures from travel blogs and magazines just kept teasing my imagination. Needless to say, the degree of my excitement was at an all time high when my tickets were finally booked.

Now that I have had time to reflect, I can attest that this was one of the most vivid and exciting journeys of my life. Cuba lived up to my idealized version of the country. I could tell you about it’s beauty and friendly people, it’s rich culture and thriving nightlife, but instead, I’d like to bust a couple of common myths about Havana, Cuba so that you can visit it with your eyes wide open.

Myth #1:

Cuba is a wallet friendly country.

When you are in Havana the fact that you are a tourist in a foreign land will be constantly chasing you and I have to say that the government does everything to intensify that feeling.  First of all there are two types of currencies on the island. The national peso used by locals and the convertible peso, which is compulsory to use among tourists. Once you pay with convertibles you have a target on your head as a tourist with money and as a result you will have to give tips for every service imaginable. From a person watching for your car at night to an old woman on the street asking money to take her photo while smoking a Cuban cigar.

If you decide to rent a car, you’ll be assigned a special license plate dedicated to tourists, which will basically put a “honey for the bees” marker on you and increase the expected generosity level (measured in tips).

Myth #2:

Cuba Caters to Tourists

While we had the pleasure of meeting some really friendly and genuine people, the rough statistics show that all these people tend to stay out of Havana. The vast majority on the other hand will see you as an instant financial salvation to their needs whether or not they have something to offer. The crime rate is low though and most of these people will not attempt to rob or assault you since the government has very strict penalties. (the police patrols can be seen everywhere along the city). On the other hand be prepared to the fact that there will be plenty of people lining up to part you from your hard earned money.

Myth #3:

Cuba has the best Mojito in the world.

Although this remarkable sparkling drink was one the Hemingway’s favorites, The Cuban mojitos I had were one big disaster since the bartenders didn’t bother to pour anything besides rum and mineral water into my glass. It may be a cool and refreshing drink around the world, but the Mojitos in Cuba are not living up to their reputation.

The main question is…

Is it worth going to Cuba after everything mentioned above? The answer is hell yeah! For all of you “Back to the future” fans: the time machine does exist. In place of the famous Delorean though, it is all the classics you can think of from the golden years of American car manufacturers.

For me as a person who has been born and raised in Russia it was more than exciting to see all these oldies. These cars are rarely seen in Russia but in Cuba they are a part of the daily life.

Now these cars look magnificent in pictures, but there is one little problem. You totally cannot breathe around them. The next picture gives a good impression on the above-mentioned problem.

When it comes to pollution, Havana is the champion of the island. The beaches may be free and clear of the smog and smoke but Havana will make you sick. The only way to avoid the toxic stench is to hang out in the harbor where there’s still some fresh air.

The harbor of Havana is truly magnificent! When you see the beauty of daily life by the water, all the frustrations from the chaos, the scam artists, the bad mojitos and even the smog quickly fade away and disappear. And you remember why you were drawn to this country in the first place.

My name is Max. I am a Russian expat living in Amsterdam. Once my friends and I went to
Cuba I realized that most travel guide books are probably written by people who had actually never seen the place. This has triggered me to start writing my own travel blog.

For many years I’ve been keen on genre photography. I strongly believe that a photo of an average person on the street can give you more information about the culture than a thick ethnographic encyclopedia.

If you have any question about places I’ve been to, using materials of my blog or questions about meaning of life drop me a line at max at saynuclearvessel.com. Don’t hesitate!

We first were introduced to apartment rentals as an alternative to hotels last year during our Mongol Rally adventure. Our teammate Sherry Ott had set us up with a sweet deal downtown London, England for a week where we enjoyed cooking our own meals and watching Top Gear on the Telly while working on the old travel blog.

It was a couple of days later that we were contacted by Roomorama to work together during the Mongol Rally and they became our official sponsor for our travels through Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

We had the chance to stay in an array of apartments from shared accommodations with kitchens in Romania to luxurious hidden gems in Kiev to the ultra modern high rise apartment in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

So now whenever we are traveling the world, they are our go to people for a place to stay!

When we booked our accommodation in Rome, we had no idea about the layout of the city. We just thought, “if we’re close to the river, we must be close to everything.” Little did we know we were booked in one of the most charming areas of the City.

Trastevere

Not Quite Your Regular Tourist Area

The Trastevere area of Rome is central and free of crowds. It has the atmosphere of feeling completely local and if I were to recommend staying anywhere in Rome, this would be the place. Littered with Trattorias, Osterias and Pizzerias you will find that authentic Rome you’ve always been looking for. It is here where people still are allowed to hang their clothing across the street and it is here that you will still see groups of elderly gentlemen sipping cafés while talking loudly to one another.

Directly center to all the attractions, you can put on your hiking boots and check out all the major sites without having to hop on a bus or hire a taxi. 20 minutes to the Vatican and 20 Minutes to the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon. We couldn’t believe that we could stroll anywhere we like and truly take in the charm of the city by foot!

Our apartment was small yet super sweet. The owners were so completely nice and welcoming.

Our Apartment Landlord Juan Carlos Showing us where to go!

I love the little details about apartment living. Unlike some of the other apartments we’ve stayed in recently, this one actually felt like someone was living in it. There were several books and magazines for us to peruse, candles and the ever important wine opener.

The bathroom was so clean that we could forgive the fact that our shower was right over the toilet. (We’ve travelled South East Asia, we’re used to that). It is €79 to stay at our apartment in Trastevere and that includes wifi, a kitchen, coffee and tea.

The kitchen, albeit small, was pristine with a spotless stove and sink and an array of dishes and pots and pans to make even the most gourmet of meals.

If you are travelling with close friends, it is a good choice. It sleeps 3 people but it makes for a very tight squeeze. However to be able to split the cost (a 3rd person only costs an extra €20 per night) it makes for a very cheap stay in Rome.

I recommend hanging out in the area for at least a day to enjoy a cappuccino (but only before 11:00) see the magnificent Basilica di Santa Maria one of the oldest churches in Rome and the Ponte Sisto bridge dating back to the time of Marcus Aurelius. (You know, the guy from Gladiator)

A nice stroll along Rome's Tiber River

You have to walk along the waterfront towards the Vatican. It is a wonderful walk and you can pop into the Castle Sant Angelo. One of the most magnificent things about visiting Rome besides witnessing all the monumental historical sites, is to walk through the city and take in the vibe and energy of the locals. In our opinion there is no better place to do that than in Trastevere and there is no better place to stay to actually feel like a local.

For more information on Apartment Rentals Visit Roomorama to book your next trip.

For this particular apartment visit The Charming Apartment in Trastevere

The Galapagos Islands are home to some fascinating species of animals. Theory has it that wildlife drifted from the mainland thousands of years ago on ocean currents where they finally landed on this chain of volcanic islands. Over time they adapted to the harsh environment creating a unique eco-system found nowhere else on earth.

Here, off the coast of Ecuador, you will experience some of the best wildlife and bird watching in the world and we want to share some of our favourite animal photos from our time in the famous Galapagos Islands. It is in the Galapagos that you will have the chance to spot wildlife so close you can reach out and touch them. Having no fear of humans, the Galapagos animals will waddle or swim right up to your nose for a closer look.

Since we had so many intimate encounters, we had the privilege of snapping some of our favourite wildlife shots to date.

Blue Footed Boobies in the Galapagos

The giant tortoise of the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Sea Lion

The regal Marine Iguana of the Galapagos

A Pelican takes flight.

Mating season for the Frigate bird of Galapagos

Crabs dot the landscape of the Galapagos Islands

The always cute Lava Lizard

Yes there are Penguins in the Galapagos.

And Finally….

Since we didn’t capture a worthy photo of the Galapagos Shark, we thought we’d share our shark encounter in the Galapagos on our underwater video footage. It’s far more exciting.

Book your own Intrepid Travel Tour and receive a 10% discount off your trip. Simply by following ThePlanetD, you automatically save! Book Now and quote promo code 6659

Read more Galapagos at Wanna Know What It’s like on an Active Galapagos Tour?  or Marine Iguanas Feeding Underwater

My passion for travel stems back five years and each time I dipped my toe in those short and sporadic nomadic adventures, there was always something that got in the way of the bold decision to embark on something longer – stability. I left University eight years ago, instantly landing a job that gave me a step on the ladder to a successful career and I’ve always been in long-term, serious relationships. More simply, I’ve been what some may call lucky.

But to me life was too comfortable and those quick and dirty travel hits didn’t curb the addiction, so it was only natural that over a matter of time an inherent need to break out of mould would manifest itself into a deep rooted desire to travel for longer.

I did short backpacking stints to Vietnam, India and the USA for a couple of weeks at a time to really make the use of annual leave. With boyfriends I always made it clear that at least one of my two trips taken in a year would be solo –  it was just something I needed to do and which I thought was an acceptable compromise of dating non-travellers (fail). I never realised it was a subconscious need to escape.

In Cambodia, Going Solo

But my solo trip in November 2010 for five weeks to Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand changed everything. I was already six months into my first mortgage agreement with a guy I had been with for two and a half years. It hadn’t felt right for some time but I was locked in, grounded to a point that people call ‘their lot in life’ and who lack the courage to challenge it. So I used travel as a life test and the final decision maker. Two weeks never felt enough, would five?

It wasn’t enough and I didn’t miss my boyfriend. I wasn’t excited by a text and I wasn’t fazed if I couldn’t get near a PC to send an e-mail. I was revelling in traveller glory as I temple hopped and boarder crossed, experienced local life in homestays, navigated stunning landscape and slept under the stars on a boat floating down the river Kwai. Add to the mix the exposure to post-war devastation, the confusion of having feelings for someone from a completely different culture to my own and end that with a tough three day jungle trek on the Thai-Burma boarder and you could say I was physically and emotionally tested to the extreme. And I loved (and learnt from) every minute.

But there was a distinct moment where the epiphany manifested, albeit aided with beer. It was in a bar in Laos aptly named Utopia. I remember meeting three couples travelling together (heart-breaking when my other half’s desire was to stay at home) and people who had bravely ditched everything in the pursuit of adventure and happiness. All I felt was insanely jealous and all I did was make excuses because of it. I was having a life crisis, shockingly in my mid 20’s. Then an older and wiser friend said to me: “Becki, you can’t have everything at once. You can’t have the nice house/a boyfriend/great career AND travel like them. It’s one or the other and you need to choose.”

In the driving seat

And he was right. I could see he regretted waiting to do it now that he was in his 50’s. Out of those five weeks, it only took one to realise I was deeply unhappy with my situation and I went home with one goal: to quit everything that was remotely stable.

Because stability hindered the independence I craved. Stability was stopping me travelling and regret isn’t in my vocabulary. So if you want to make a giant leap of travel faith that requires immense life changes, then my message to you is this:

Make the break. Hard, upsetting decisions simply clear a path for happier ones to come along and fill the gap. The decisions you may have to make such as ending up a relationship, quitting a career you’ve worked hard to build or upsetting people are some of the toughest. I guarantee you will feel absolutely terrible, confused and guilt ridden for some time but it does comes good in the end.

I made a decision that started a chaotic series of events when I returned home from Thailand on December 20^th 2010, the final nail on the head being me bursting into tears after watching Eat, Pray, Love on the plane home and thinking ‘that’s me.’ I finished my relationship a week later and told everyone I was planning to leave – not for a Gap Year but indefinitely.

Life was shitty for a while with the tears, explanations, packing, questions and legal documents. I spent two months homeless living on a mate’s couch (this doesn’t count as couchsurfing) and was jobless for six weeks. Every ounce of security and dignity had vanished. I cried myself to sleep every night because of the absolute mess I was in – all because I wanted to go travelling.

But that was the elixir that keep me going until I got work, found a houseshare and started the real therapy – saving. The dream is now becoming reality and security is being traded in for adventure. I leave this July full of pride that I finally made this happen and despite the upset, pain and upheaval, I have absolutely no regrets… except maybe not doing it sooner.

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love.

Becki is the author of www.backpackerbecki.com which aims to inspire others to fulfil their travel dreams as she prepares for hers and will host her travel tales when she leaves in July for a two year solo stint across more than 20 countries. It could be more or she may never return – that’s all part of the fun – but her honest reflections, infamous rants and doses of wit will always remain constant during her thirst for off the beaten track adventures. Follow her on twitter @backpackerbecki or join her nomadic followers on Facebook.

Originally I was going to write about mountain biking in the Galapagos or swimming with Sea Lions during our latest adventure in Ecuador. I have so many stories going on in my mind, I don’t know where to begin. Dave is frantically editing photos while we both try to practice our presentations for Travel Bloggers Unite, edit videos and stay on top of everything.  At the same time we are in Mexico on a press junket attending the conference Tianguis Turistica and seeing the sights.

Earlier this week I wrote about how we are hiring people to help us with the workload, but that isn’t starting until next week. At the moment, we are on our own and my mind is racing each day. Especially when I look at the months ahead.

Travel Schedule

We are completely excited about our travels over the next three months and when I look at our calendar of events, I am thanking the Lord that we had the foresight to start the hiring process early.

Since writing always helps to take away any anxiety that I am feeling, I thought that I would share our travel schedule today. Writing it down helps to organize my thoughts and get me excited for the next chapter of 2012.

Screen shot of our calendar, it can be overwhelming

April

April 13 - We fly to Italy to attend Travel Bloggers Unite. We are leaving a week early because we are taking advantage of staying in a beautiful apartment by Roomorama for the weekend.

April 17 - We then head off to HouseTrip to take part in its pre-TBU Fam trip to Rome.  We’ll be driving through the streets of Rome on Vespas, taking a culinary course, learning to be Gladiators and staying in an apartment with some of our fellow bloggers to get a feel for the daily life of this vibrant city.

April 19 - It’s TBU time in Ubria. We’ll be leading three sessions on the business of travel blogging. Two will be to our fellow travel bloggers to talk to them about how they can find sponsorship and one will be to the European Travel Industry to discuss how they can work with Travel Bloggers.

April 23 - There are post TBU events happening and we’ll be taking part in one of the more adventurous overnight excursions that they have offered somewhere in the Umbrian Countryside.

April 25 - We’re off to Florence with Roomorama to live like a local

May

1st Week - From Italy we’ll be flying either to Spain or Croatia to take part in our adventure that our readers chose for us. We won’t know until tomorrow where we are going and if you want to vote, check our post about the choice of adventures that you can vote on now!

May 12 - We are joining our fellow European bloggers for our first European Press Trip. We are so excited to be able to take part in travelling around Catelonia in Spain.

June

June 4 - We’ll be back in Toronto speaking at a convention for the Heritage Society about how the online media market is changing the way we travel.

June 14 - We’re heading to Colorado to speak about travel blogging to the North American Market

June 19 - It’s Hawaiian time! We’ll be spending one week in Maui and another in Lanai. We had the pleasure of meeting representatives from the Maui, tourism board just before we left for Antarctica at the end of January. Right after that meeting, we were invited to take part in the Visit Lanai New Media artists in Residence. We thought we’d combine both trips and take an extended trip to the Hawaiian Islands. We can’t wait for our first trip to America’s tropical paradise.

July

July 5 - Running of the Bulls. We are back to Europe for Spain’s largest festival in Pamplona where we beging the first of a series of events we will be covering for Expedia.com (for our Canadian counterparts, that’s Expedia.ca  We are so excited to watch and possibly take part in this spectacle.)

Latter Half of July…

We are then home for a week or so to gear up for the third quarter of our travels.  We’ve got events planned to November and we can’t wait to tell you all about it. But for now, I think it’s time to concentrate on the travels immediately ahead. We haven’t even made it out of Mexico yet!

The Galapagos Blue Footed Booby is the star attraction of the Ecuadorian islands and you will see them everywhere! Unique to the area, these birds strut their stuff showing off their beautiful blue feet to attract their mate. This one was stomping from side to side as we drove by on our boat tour of the harbour of Isabella Island.

It is the highlight of the trip to spot your first blue footed booby up close and personal. We saw many from afar or flying through the air, but it wasn’t until a good 5 days into our tour that we came upon this guy standing on a nearby rock.

The Spanish saw the birds as clumsy and awkward giving them the name bobo which means stupid. They may look awkward on solid ground but they soar beautifully through the air and can dive from heights of 100 feet to pick their prey out of the water. It’s spectacular to watch.

Book your own Intrepid Travel Tour and receive a 10% discount off your trip. Simply by following ThePlanetD, you automatically save! Quote Promo Code 6659

Visiting the Sierra Negra in the Galapagos is an excellent day hike on San Isabella Island. We had an early morning start and were worried that the day was going to be too hot to walk on this volcanic wasteland, but we were awarded a spectacular cloudy day. We couldn’t believe our luck. Our time in the Galapagos was spent in the water escaping from the hot rays of the sun. Anytime on land was spent looking for shade and relief from the equatorial heat.

As luck would have it, today’s hike over lava fields and hot rocks was spent under ominous clouds keeping us safe from the sun.  It also made for excellent photo opportunities bringing out the colours in the rocks of the crater that last erupted in 2005.

Walking the rim of the Active Volcano, Sierra Negre, In the Galapagos

Now that’s inspiring. 

Our friends Christy and Scott of Ordinary Traveler have developed their own bikini line and with your help, they will do what no other travel blogger (at least that we know) has done. Develop and market a product that is innovative and adds value to people’s vacations and travels abroad.

OT Surf is the brain child of Christy and Scott, Avid Surfers and entrepreneurs. Frustrated with the options, functionality and quality of the clothing and sports swimwear on the market, they developed a bikinis that stays put in any outdoor activity.

They only have until April 2 to reach their campaign goal. Without your support, their dream of designing their own clothing line may not happen. So head over to kickstart right now to order your own bikini or make your pledge to help them start their company.

Let’s hear all about OT Surf in Christy and Scotts own words, it’s really awesome. Congratulations guys!

What made you decide to design a bikini and start OT Surf?

Well, we both have been avid surfers since we moved to San Diego six years ago and we spend a lot of time in the water without a wetsuit. I, Christy, found myself constantly buying bikinis that claimed to stay on in the water. I was spending thousands of dollars searching for the perfect bikini.

I came up with a design that I knew would work well and was disappointed that most swimwear companies were focused on perfecting men’s products and ignoring what active women really needed in a bikini. So last May, we set out to make a sports bikini that would stay put.

Who would want to buy this bikini?

We think our bikinis are a great fit for any female, but we have specifically designed it for surfers, wake boarders, water skiers, swimmers, beach volleyball players, travelers and any type of active woman that wants to feel sexy and secure.

We also think this bikini is great for active moms since young children have the tendency to pull at your bikini when learning to swim or playing in the water.

It’s also a great gift for men to buy for their girlfriends, wives or lady friends.

Can you tell us about what “made locally” means and why it is important?

One of our main goals is to reduce our impact on the environment as much as possible. By sourcing materials in the USA and using local vendors, we are able to reduce our carbon footprint by limiting the energy consumed for shipping.

Another reason we chose to manufacture in the United States is because there are stricter standards for pollution controls and labor practices. Local production also allows us to closely monitor the consistency and quality of our products.

What colors will the bikini be available in once you start filling orders?

We have a few ideas on colors, such as turquoise with black strings, red with black strings, royal blue with black strings and yellow with black strings. We would love to get our community’s input on colors before we start production, so our plan is to collect a survey on our blog, Ordinary Traveler, and get everyone’s opinion who has pre-ordered a bikini.

Why did you decide to use Kickstarter for this project?

We are big fans of the Kickstarter site and love seeing regular people making their unique ideas a reality. We like supporting people as opposed to huge companies who may only care about the bottom line and their profit numbers rather than the bigger picture.

We wanted to gauge the interest in our idea and give people the opportunity to become a fundamental part of the evolution of swimwear. Our Kickstarter program gives us 32 days to let our supporters decide if we should move forward with this project. If we don’t make our goal of $15,000, then unfortunately, active women may continue to be frustrated with the swimwear options on the market.

What are some of the questions that people have been asking about your bikinis?

“Can I wait to buy this bikini in summer?”
Our Answer: We suggest you pre-order your bikini now for summer. If we don’t reach our pre-sale goal of $15,000 by April 2nd, there may not be an opportunity for you to purchase one of our bikinis during the summer months. Kickstarter runs on the all-or-nothing approach, so we have to reach our goal in order to receive any of the funds from the pre-sales we make. Also, keep in mind that if you pre-order a bikini now and we don’t reach our goal, you will be refunded 100% of your money.

“Why not just wear men’s trunks?”
Christy’s answer: In my experience, men’s trunks and board shorts have always felt uncomfortable to wear and creates chaffing and unflattering tan lines.

A few men have asked, “Why are you trying to ruin my good time at the beach?”
Our answer: We are not trying to ruin your good time. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of women wearing conventional string bikinis. We are simply trying to improve the experience for women with active lifestyles who want to look good without constantly having to worry about fixing their bikini.

Where can we buy an OT Surf bikini?

Currently, the only way to buy this bikini is to pre-order it on Kickstarter by April 2, 2012. Click here to order now.

Christy Woodrow and Scott Calafiore are two surfing entrepreneurs in our early thirties currently residing in Southern California. They are “ordinary” people, who choose to live an unconventional life. Their travel and photography blog, Ordinary Traveler was started to inspire people to pursue and enjoy a life full of adventure. They have been working extremely hard these past 8 month on OT Surf and thank all of you for your help and support.

Follow their updates and progress on
Twitter at @OrdinaryTravelr
Facebook at Ordinary Traveler and OT Surf

Travelling with baggage has become increasingly complicated as airlines address continuously evolving security concerns, and work every angle to eke out revenue. While it might not be a big deal for a business traveller making a quick trip to New York to comply with the stringent requirements, those of us with more complex travel plans- like all inclusive vacations, often have a lot to contend with. Here are some tips to help you navigate the rules and restrictions.

1. Pick the right airline for your needs

Can you Bring Your Guitar on Board?

If you will be travelling with lots of luggage, or even just a few unusual items, it’s worthwhile to investigate the policies of the airlines you’re considering booking before you book your flights. Baggage allowances and policies vary widely from one carrier to another. Not only can the fees add up quickly for excess and oversize baggage, each airline has its own rules about what is  and is not allowed on the plane. Knowing ahead of time which carrier has the lowest fee for transporting your golf clubs, or will let you bring your surfboard, guitar, sled dogs, wedding cake, oxygen canisters, or rifle, will make it easier to choose the best deal on airline tickets that fit your needs.

2. Read the rules carefully, at least the ones that apply to you

Travel is supposed to be fun and spontaneous, right? Throw the guidebook out the window and explore! These are marvellous tenets to live by, but it can also rapidly ruin your carefree vibe if you have your expensive ice axes or other belongings confiscated at the airport, or have to publicly repack your luggage on the floor of the departures hall to make it comply with the rules. No one relishes spending time poring over the minutiae of airline baggage policies, but a little effort at the outset can make the trip go smoothly. In particular, take note of size and weight limits, prohibited items, as well as notification/documentation requirements and instructions for packing any unusual items. Oh yeah, and don’t make the assumption that the same rules apply as last time you travelled on a given airline. Policies are often changed quietly and with very little notice.

3. Pack for the most restrictive airline on your itinerary

It’s a simple thing that’s easy to overlook. When you have an itinerary involving flights on different airlines, you need to pack your luggage to comply with the most restrictive baggage allowance of all the airlines you’re flying on. It’s a detail that can get lost among the myriad of others and lead to surprises en route. If you don’t take this into account you may find that your luggage is accepted without incident on the first flight of your journey, but then encounter hassles on subsequent flights.

4. Some airports also have their own limits and restrictions

While airlines decide what they allow in their planes, governments and airports control security screening and sometimes they have their own policies apart from those of the airlines. The earlier example of publicly repacking bags in the departures hall was me at Heathrow in 2007 when I learned at the check-in counter for my flight home that only one carry-on item could be inspected and allowed on the flight. A quick check of the airport’s website in advance can avoid such headaches and humiliation.

5. Book excess baggage in advance

Excess Baggage

Now that paying to check bags has become the norm, many airlines not only allow you to book your checked bags in advance but actively encourage you to do so. The most common form of encouragement is discounts on the fees for checked baggage and you can often save a few bucks by taking care of this detail ahead of time. Even if you don’t know how many bags you’ll be checking when you book your tickets, many airlines still give discounts for bags reserved online up to a day or two ahead of departure.

6. Only take as much as you can carry

If you need a cart, you have too much

Its funny how something can be deemed essential when you’re at home enthusiastically packing for a trip, only to be viewed as a burdensome trifle once on the road. No matter how generous the baggage allowance is for your flight, remember that you have to lug the stuff around during your trip. This is particularly important for solo travellers. Having found myself in awkward situations on a few occasions with overpacked luggage, I am now a fervent advocate of packing as lightly as possible. And don’t forget to distribute the weight evenly among your pieces of luggage. It might seem very compact and efficient to have one suitcase for clothes and another for books when you’re packing, but try lifting that. Also consider the logistics of carrying your belongings. It might feel silly, but practice managing all of it at once and make adjustments as necessary before you leave. Trust me, you’ll feel much less silly doing this than if you find yourself thwarted by an unavoidable escalator or flight of stairs, or exhausted and grouchy from being your own pack-mule.

Leave Room

Unless you live a truly spartan, monastic existence while travelling, or are going to the remotest corners of the earth, you’re probably going to acquire some stuff along the way. Aside from shipping things home, or buying another bag in transit and paying for excess baggage, it helps to take this into account when packing your bags and leave some room for expansion. For myself, I’ve learned to pack fewer tops because I nearly always buy at least one or two along the way and can incorporate them into my travel wardrobe.

Baggage may not be the sexiest aspect of travel planning, but a little legwork preparing for your journey can lay the groundwork for an outstanding trip that is memorable for all the right reasons.

This article is a guest post by Stephanie Spencer, Lead Copywriter @ Flight Network. Search no further to book cheap flights with Flight Network for your next vacation!

It took one hour to capture this shot free of people. Winterlude in Ottawa is a very busy time of year and it is almost impossible to take a photograph of anything with out  a crowd gathering in front.

Maman is a famous sculpture designed by  Louise Bourgeois. It was first unveiled at the Tate Modern Art Museum in London England. It’s funny to me, I noticed the sculpture in a photograph on the Internet after returning from Winterlude and said to myself, “Hey, what’s that spider doing there?” It was then that I found out  that Ottawa isn’t the only city to be graced with this unique work of art. Other cities displaying this intriguing piece are Missouri, St. Petersburg, Bilboa, Tokyo, Seoul, Doha and Des Moines.

The sun sets over the Art Gallery of Ottawa

It really is a fascinating piece of art. Standing in the snow and cold at sunset proved it. People were drawn to it over and over again and couldn’t stop themselves from running up to take a closer look. Every detail is taken care of right down to eggs in the spider’s sack. It really is a captivating piece.

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There’s no doubt about it. The star attraction of Winterlude in Ottawa, Canada is the Crystal Garden. Especially when the Rideau Canal is closed due to warm weather.

Once the sun goes down, the lights go up and the artists have the chance for their hard work to shine. The Crystal Garden is located in Confederation Park right in the heart of downtown and there are all sorts of displays for people to look at. The most popular exhibit however is the long hall featuring the winners of the ice sculpture competition.

My favourite exhibit however was the painted wolves hanging out in a field. Beautiful.

For more information on Ottawa and Winterlude, check out Ottawa Tourism for all your needs when visiting Canada’s Capital City.

The entrance to the Winterlude Ice Sculpture display

The runner up for Ice Sculture of Winterlude!

And the winner is......

A sculpture display of Canadian Wolves

A memorial to Canadian soldiers inan Ice Sculpture at Winterlude

As we pulled into Gerlache Strait the snow started falling but the ice was so blue. Now we all know that shooting in the snow from a moving vehicle is difficult. It also didn’t help that it was a blustery day as well. But when we were going through the brash ice, listening to the ice move and creak, it made it all worth it. That made you feel like you were one with the ice.

When I was going through the photos back on the ship I actually found that I loved the look the weather had given me. It really shows how the landscape can be so contrasting. The ice takes on a whole new look in an overcast, snowy day than it does when the sun shine. I consider us lucky to be able to experience both extremes of such a beautiful landscape.

The blue Ice of Gerlache Strait Antarctica

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After a great morning of Kayaking around Neko Island we finally stepped foot on the Antarctic continent and were treated to this special penguin family moment. With the mountainous backdrop and the ever pungent smell of penguin poo it was a contrasting scene. If I could only relay to you the smell through this photo it would make it a more genuine experience. Oh well you will just have to enjoy the scene with the smells that are currently around you.

A Penguin family moment in Antarctica

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