New Mile Stone!

Today my blog has officially reached the 600 views miles stone! Originally, I was going to post for the 500th view but, that past my by too quick!

Also as of today, my blog has been viewed by people in 14 countries: USA, UK, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Romania, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and Japan! Almost as many nations as I have been to! LOL :D

10 Absolutely Annoying Things About Traveling - By: Ade Olumofin

Note from Sam "1, 2, 9 & 10 are the ones that REALLY resonate with me!"

1. Airport Security

This has to be the most annoying aspect of travel. It is obvious security officials at airports have a tough job to do. They are supposed to be the first line of defense against a possible attack on an airplane. However, with the way one gets treated when going through airport security, some paranoia starts to set in because one is left to wonder if these security officials secretly despise you for having enough discretionary income to go on a vacation. With burly airport officials barking orders at you like; "Take off your shoes!!", "Put your bags through the screener again!!", "Sorry you have to dispose of your water bottle!!!" thus making it an unpleasant experience for anyone traveling. It only adds insult to injury to find out later that during random audits of the efficiency of the airport security process, 95% of banned items make it past the screeners. You begin to feel justified in your paranoia and wish you are able to afford a private jet sooner rather than later.

2. Meeting Someone Awesome On The Last Day Of Your Vacation

You are sitting down in the common area of your hostel or the lobby of your hotel, a stranger comes over and you guys strike up a conversation, you find out this person is actually kinda cool. They find out you are at the end of your vacation and invite you out to explore the city one more time. You guys have a blast and they just went from kinda cool to "brother from another mother or sister from another mister". The problem is that the person is from Canada and you are from... say Thailand. If this person lived in the same city as you maybe this would have been your new best friend. Unfortunately, they live 6,000 miles away and apart from adding them on Facebook and creeping on their photos afterwards you will most likely never have much contact with them again.

3. Not Understanding The Local Language

It is usually a gesture of goodwill and some cultural sensitivity to learn a few phrases of the local language of your destination of choice, but if you are on a multi-country tour you start mixing up phrases from different languages and then you sound even more silly than you would have if you did not bother trying at all.

4. Justifying Your Visit To Curious Locals

This happens to me a lot when I visit the more traditionally isolated parts of the planet. During my last trip to one of the Baltic states, the locals seemed genuinely surprised that anyone would travel so far to visit their country. I was queried relentlessly by the locals trying to see if there were any ulterior motives for me wanting to visit their country. Give a brother a break! I am just curious.

5. Getting Scammed

There is nothing that ruins travel plans like getting scammed while you are on vacation. The Eastern European states are notorious for attractive girls waiting outside bars for young testosterone riddled men, and then getting them to buy drinks for these women. This usually leads to the men getting charged a ton of money and then getting threatened for payment. The scenario usually takes a dark turn where the men find themselves at the mercy of overbearing bouncers staring them down angrily while they withdraw hefty sums from their ATM accounts to pay for the drinks they supposedly purchased at the club. Another scam that is tiring comes from taxi drivers in foreign countries charging hapless tourists exorbitant rates for rides to and from anywhere in your destination country.

6. Overcrowded Hostel Dorms

Anyone who is an avid budget traveler has probably experienced this. You walk into your hostel dorm and it is like the United Nations of "sweat, smelly feet and bad odors". To top it all off, the cute British girl that seemed interested in you when you first arrived has found a more interesting guy from France and now they are having sex on your top bunk. Ouch!! After two weeks of this, you decide maybe it is a good idea to cut the trip short and [A]irbnb it from this point on.

7. Getting Lost

Even with the advent of mobile apps like Here or Google Maps it is still possible to get ridiculously lost while overseas. The street signs could be in a language you don't understand or the city could just be constructed in a way that leaves anyone new to it confused. Getting lost is never any fun and could reduce even the most worldly traveler in a pool of tears every now and then.

8. DELAYED FLIGHTS, TRAINS, OR BUSES

We need not say more, but still, this has to be the most frustrating part of travel, well apart from not having infinite cash to travel permanently. There is nothing fun at all about having to wait around in the airport for a flight that is delayed or canceled.

9. Not Being Able To Travel On A Permanent Basis

There are tons of people still trying to figure this one out. You go overseas and you just don't want your trip to end so you start trying to figure out a way to make it permanent. You start a travel blog and hope you get enough traffic to sustain your lifestyle on the road only to see a balance of $7.48 in your AdWords account after a year of writing top quality blog posts. How about just working for a travel magazine on a freelance basis. You find that is maybe a good idea until they tell you they want to pay you in tweets. You finally realize gallivanting around the globe on a permanent basis is a privilege only a few will ever get to enjoy and then you return home and settle for 14 days a year just like everyone else.

10. AND LASTLY... DREADING A VACATION COMING TO AN END

You had a blast while you were traveling, you got to find out that despite what the news and maybe your parents have to say, the world is actually full of awesome people, great cultures, food, and an almost infinite amount of things to see. Then you realize you have to go back to your mundane life back home and then you start counting the hours, minutes, and seconds hoping somehow the good times won't end. Sadly they do and you have to board the flight or train back home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ade_Olumofin/2189351

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9181862

Jet Lag 101 - By: Sabrina Toth

One of the worst things about air travel is having to deal with jet lag and the consequences it has on our business trips and vacations. There are a myriad of articles on the Internet that deal specifically with how to cope with jet lag. Not all the tips, even those in this article, will help everyone since we're all so different from each other. However, it pays to try them out at least once to see what works or does not work for you. I think you'd be surprised to discover a new way of dealing with this pesky consequence of travel.

It's pretty obvious when I write that being well-rested before you travel will help you deal with the jet lag. Personally, sleeping on the plane ride to my destination helps me. There are those that swear by eye masks and earplugs. While I am not one of them, give it a try and see if it works for you. For others, it works to simulate whatever time it is at their destination. If you decide to do that, try to stay awake by either working, watching a movie, reading a book, or whatever else keeps you awake. Just remember to be courteous to your fellow travelers while you do this since no one wants to be that annoying person on the plane that keeps everyone else from sleeping.

If you're traveling for work and can arrive a few days earlier, do so. This will certainly help you get some rest and adapt to the time difference before you have to get down to business. If you can't, see if you can schedule the meeting for later in the day or the next morning after your arrival. Even if it's a vacation, try to see if you can plan for an extra day at the beginning to rest up before diving into all the sightseeing and activities you want to do during the trip.

If you are a frequent traveler, jet lag has somehow become part of your life. Don't let that stop you from traveling comfortably. If it is a real concern for you, speak with your doctor or get a specialist. They can give you better advice and help alleviate jet lag and the consequences that come from this pesky side effect of traveling the world.

Jet lag doesn't have to be a pesky nuisance when you travel. Learn what works for you in order to alleviate even some of the effects so that you can give your business trip or your holiday all the attention it deserves.

Sabrina Toth is a certified travel associate and owner of Toth International. For help with your travel needs, contact us at Sabrina@tothinternational.com. You can also check out our website at http://www.tothinternational.com or like us on Facebook.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9096259

Helpful Australian Tourist Visa Information

For those of you who have been following my blog, you know that I am going to New Zealand in January to take part in a YWAM Medical Compassion DTS (https://www.givesendgo.com/ywamnz). So yesterday, as I was looking at available flight options, I found that some of the flights from the USA to New Zealand will have stopovers (layover, plane change, etc) in Either Brisbane or Sydney, Australia.

 

Now I have always wanted to visit Australia, not long enough to get eaten but, just to visit. However, I knew that Australia, unlike New Zealand, required US citizens to obtain visas prior to entry.

Not really finding the info I was looking for online, I called the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C (202-797-3000). After following the prompts, I got a guy on the phone who told me to call a particular visa service at 613-238-1040. Now this number is apparently an area code for Ottawa, Canada, not sure if I will get charged for that call.

Anyway, the lady was most helpful for both my questions. I had two scenarios which I asked about.

#1: If I only change planes in Australia and never leave the airport, do I still need a visa?
Answer: No, as long as you do not leave the airport or have to re-check your bags.

#2: Do I still need a visa to leave the airport even for less than 24hrs?
Answer: Yes, you need one to leave the airport and/or if a bag re-check is required.

So, not knowing at this time what a plane change in Australia would mean, different airports handle long layovers and international bags differently I asked about getting a visa. She told me that Australia has an E-visa which is linked to your passport number. It costs only $20AUD (approx. $15USD as of posting) and is good for stay up to three months. You apply for it online and will be notified of an approval decision automatically. To qualify you must be free of any past criminal convictions and not have Tuberculosis. You can apply as well as get more information about this type of Australian visa here: www.eta.immi.gov.au

Long story short, I decided against changing planes in Australia as I was not prepared to pay the extra taxes upfront on my award flight, about $80USD per ticket. This is on top of US and NZ taxes too, However, I am glad that I got this information, it could be useful in the future. :D

PLEASE NOTE: "Answers" are paraphrased (not word for word quotes) and visa requirements may change at anytime. While I have made an effort to make sure the information I am providing is accurate I am NOT authorized to give immigration advice for ANY country. Please check with the nearest embassy of a country you plan to travel to for the most up to date information.

Ever Wondered Why Is There A Hole In Airplane Windows? This Is How They Save Your Life

I have always wondered!

"For all those who have traveled in an airplane, you might have pondered upon the question of why is there a hole at the bottom of an airplane window..." http://bloggersarena.com