3 Tips For Road-Trippers

Students, adventurers, and people on a tight budget might forgo the trappings of luxury vacations and go on a rugged road trip. Since the bulk, if not the entirety, of the vacation is the journey itself, it is critical that the time in the car, truck, or RV is enjoyable. Here are a few tips on how to make the voyage as fun as the destination!

Research, research, research!

Granted, it's best to be flexible, but don't hit the open road without knowing which towns and rest stops have certain features you might want. Finding hidden and unexpected gems is one of the many fun things about road trips, but being caught unawares when you stop in a small town can be a major bummer. Don't make the mistake of pulling into a town after an 8 hour drive needing a cold beer and then discovering (surprise!) you're in a dry county!

Pack light, but pack smart.

Try not to take more than one bag per person, so you'll have plenty of room for souvenirs and other road trip goodies. Pack practical and easy-to-launder clothes, so if you need fresh underwear, all you'll have to do is stop at a laundry mat.
Make sure you have an extra set of car keys – better safe than sorry.
Unfortunately, if you're going through parts of the Midwest, there will be huge stretches where you'll be looking at absolutely nothing except dirt.It's a good idea to have a wide variety of music, and even comedy recordings, if that's the kind of thing you all enjoy. Monty Python has a bunch of albums that will make even the dreariest road trip a blast!

Eat local.

Have you tried the pasties in Michigan? How about the Illinois Horseshoe sandwich? One of the best and most delicious ways of learning about a region's history is by eating the local fare. There's almost no point in going on an extended road trip if you only eat at nationally franchised fast food restaurants. Make the effort to find out from locals where the best little food nooks are, because those are what make vacations truly memorable.
If you're hitting the road this summer, make room for plenty of fun! Road trips aren't necessarily glamorous, but they can be fantastic!

New Mexico as a Travel Destination-Part III

Image Source: onthesnow.com

Part I of this series focused on the benefits of visiting the city of Santa Fe and part II discussed how you can enjoy Albuquerque. This final article describes other parts of the state that are enticing to travelers.

If you visit in the winter, you will want to take advantage of the world class skiing that is available in the state. In particular, the Taos area offers great winter sports and excellent ski runs for beginners and experts. Snowboarding and cross-country are available, too. The town of Taos is very attractive because of its artist and alternative culture. The food in the area ranges from basic to five star.

Heading south past Albuquerque, are a number of interesting attractions. The city of Socorro is home to New Mexico Tech, an excellent technology and mining college, but is also only 50 miles from the Very Large Array. This “farm” of 27 radio telescopes has appeared in a number of films, most prominently “Contact.”  The array provides an eerie feeling of connection to the cosmos. Also in that general region is the Bosque del Apache reserve, a wildlife area devoted to migrating birds. In the late fall, the Bosque hosts thousands of birds, including ducks, geese and Sandhill Cranes.

Image Source: rockymtnrefl.com

If you visit the area during the first week in April, keep alert for the first Saturday, when you can tour the Trinity site. It is only open one day a year because it is part of the White Sands Missile Base. Trinity is the location of the detonation of the first test atom bomb. Just as a visit to the Very Large Array connects you to the cosmos, a visit to Trinity connects you to the power of humanity and its fragility.
 

Image Source: en.wikipedia.org

There is so much more to New Mexico than what you find in this three-article series, but it gives you a good start.

Louis Habash writes about travel as a freelancer. He lives in Los Angeles. A lover of photography, hiking, water sports and nature, Louis Habash is able to combine these interests while travelling.

Dive into a New Culture

If you are an experienced traveler and have decided to return to a spot that held good and special memories for you, do not hesitate to expand your horizons on your next trip. Of course, returning to special areas and rekindling the awe and inspiration of your first impressions is always good, but also call the adventurer within yourself to forge a different and new path that will also create new moments that will forever remain within your memories.

Image Source: foralltravelers.com

Sometimes, that unknown place will be right around a famous corner. Other times, a long rambling walk through a new neighborhood or nearby city will reveal an establishment that beckons with soft lights and quiet laughter. Perhaps best of all is when you hear a voice singing or guitar playing, and you are lured around corners and down alleys only to discover true local genius that will offer you a night of entertainment and a memory that will last forever.

Image Source: mlleparker.com

Now take this very same idea and apply it locally. Yes, you have your favorite haunts and love to congregate with like-minded appreciators of music and cuisine, but every once in a while, you might want to scratch that adventurous itch and try something that is not your normal locale. Hit a neighboring city or simply go into a section of your town that you usually skip. Taste the magic and uniqueness of your own city and state and commune with your fellow citizens.

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Keep in mind that nor every adventure will end up becoming eternal in your mind. But at the same time, without leaving your own home town, you can travel to a new and as yet undiscovered world, where people thrive on getting together and having a fantastic time. Yes, even at home, you can dive into as yet undiscovered and special cultures!

New Mexico as a Travel Destination-Part II

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New Mexico is unique among the states of this country in that it is a majority minority state. In other words, Hispanics are in the majority and Caucasians the minority. There is also a healthy number of Native Americans in the state. The benefits for the traveler are that you can enjoy the cultural mélange deriving from this situation. You will not feel racism or schisms between races like you do in other states. You will enjoy seeing art everywhere (all public works require a set aside for accompanying art). And the food… well, it is incomparable.

Part I of this series focused on the city of Santa Fe, also known as “the city different” to its inhabitants. This article will take you through Albuquerque, the other major city in New Mexico.

Celebrating its tri-centennial in 2006, Albuquerque was founded by the Spanish and remained a sleepy, little town until the railroad came through. Over the past 125 years, the city gained a major university, an air force base, a national research facility, and a population of more than half a million.
Everywhere you go in the city, you see representations of the mix of cultures and the sense of history.

Image Source: en.wikipedia.org

The National Hispanic Cultural Center officially represents the city’s Spanish heritage, but the bilingualism, the focus on red and green chile, and the adobe structures bring that feeling into everyday life. The Zia symbol that is everywhere brings the Native American culture into the mix.

Walk along Nob Hill, which is the neighborhood surrounding the university and you will sense the creative spirit of the area. Funky, one-of-a-kind shops displaying art, food, and paraphernalia will capture your attention. Walk on the campus and you will see a wide range of architecture, some of which is clearly from the early 1900s and Hispanic in origin. At sunset, look at Sandia mountains, which are crystal clear and a palette of changing colors.

Image Source: blaineharrington.photoshelter.com

Visit New Mexico and make sure that Albuquerque is part of your vacation. Part III of this series will take you through a few of the other notable sights of New Mexico.

Louis Habash writes as a freelancer about travel. A resident of Los Angeles, Louis Habash is a lover of photography, hiking, water sports and nature, and is able to combine these interests with travel.

Off the Beaten Path

Sometimes, by taking a path less traveled while on vacation, treasures can be discovered. Whether traveling locally or internationally, finding an out of the way spot that highlights a magical yet local venue is normally one of the most memorable experiences a traveler can have while traveling.
 

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Even in your own backyard there are special and astonishing venues that can offer a local flavor that is overseen by most residents. A neighborhood pub or jazz club will often highlight or promote a local group that really makes its mark as truly homegrown and vibrant. Sometimes, finding a small little eatery with almost family styled meals can open one’s eyes to the hidden treasures that our own cities tuck away in unexpected corners.

Image Source: uptovenice.net

The same holds true while traveling. Sometimes by stepping off the path of popularity and obvious tourist attractions you can end up in a special spot that glitters with its own magic and inspiration. And you become part of that moment, etched forever in your memory as well as the memories of every other attending person.

Of course, when traveling, there is great value in touring well-known and popular establishments. Walking across famous bridges or entering an ancient and well-known building can also etch permanent memories. But whenever a traveler stumbles across an unknown but honestly authentic diner or club, those are typically the experiences that hold a place front and center in our memories of our trip.

Image Source: cnn.com

In essence, whether at home or abroad, trust the adventurer in yourself. Discover places you cannot pronounce or remember how you came across it. Travel is always magical, but when you find a true paradise that even the locals often overlook, you can and will hold such an experience forever.

Never forget that a place that is off the beaten path is not less special than the spots where everyone who wants to be seen gathers. Sometimes, it is even more special!

REPOST: 5 Ways to Travel More Comfortably on a Budget

 Those who travel a lot are faced with the dilemma of stick to a budget.  Here are five helpful tips from this Entrepreneur article below:

Entrepreneur have to travel a lot, to business meetings, conventions, marketing seminars and, of course, in search of startup capital and continuing finance. While mobile devices and, just recently, wearable tech, have improved the travel experience, there are still plenty of pitfalls and booby traps that can sap your focus and your bank account balance while you’re on the road.

Consider these real (but often hidden) costs of business travel before you take the next red eye to LaGuardia or LAX.

1. Airport food.

Comedian Barry Sobel jokes about airport food, “Any place that has hundreds of captive, tired and hungry people wandering around is bound to have quality food at reasonable prices, right? I mean, who doesn’t want cardboard pizza or an asbestos sandwich that costs as much as a cruise in the Bahamas before boarding your flight? And compared to the stuff you’ll be fed on your flight -- maybe it DOES taste good!”

Try to plan having a good meal prior to arriving at the airport. Or make yourself a healthy, portable snack to munch on while waiting in line. While delicious, Cinnabon is NOT your home away from home.

2. Taken for a ride.

Taking a taxi to and from the airport, and to places in between, has long been an invitation to being ripped off. A recent newspaper report found that in New York City, a ride to the airport often costs $10 more than it needs to, because drivers took longer routes that didn’t save any time.

Getting cheated not only steals your money, but also invites you to invest a lot of negative energy fuming over your predicament and guarding against further encroachments. That can leave you stressed and unfocused for your work. Jens Wohltorf, CEO and co-founder of Blacklane, a worldwide professional driver service, says, “Scheduling a one-way ride or an hourly car reservation when you’re traveling on business saves money, time and effort. You see the full cost when you book, and don’t have to worry about gratuities, meters or surge prices.” I use services like these on a daily basis.

3. Get help tracking your reward programs.

You need a central clearing house to keep track of things like frequent flier miles, hotel and credit card points, and other customer loyalty rewards for places like franchise restaurants. Trying to keep track of it all by yourself, or trusting it to a secretary, means you’ll probably miss out on some deals and discounts when they expire. Use a free online service to monitor and inform you of what you have.

4. Ask for better.

You don’t necessarily have to book an expensive hotel suite on every trip, but there’s no reason you can’t ask for a free upgrade. Be polite, say it’s your birthday (or anniversary or Saint Swithin’s Day), and, above all, wait for the desk to be cleared of other guests. If there are other people around, the concierge desk is not going to want to set off an avalanche of similar requests. Here’s the line to use: “I know the hotel is not full today. Do you think you could upgrade me to a suite?” If they say yes, you’ve just gotten better accommodations for zero dinero. If they say no, you haven’t lost anything.

5. Watch those luggage fees.

You may have found a super cheap flight to your next startup meeting, but you’re likely to lose whatever you’ve gained with checked baggage fees. Each airline has a different policy when it comes to checking in luggage. You can check here for the Ultimate Guide to Airline Fees. My personal rule is: learn to travel with just a carry-on bag -- you’ll also avoid any potential lost luggage hassle.

Follo Louis Habash on Facebook for more travel budget tips for the frugal traveler.

New Mexico as a Travel Destination-Part I

Image Source: santafe.org

When somebody mentions travelling to the southwest in the US, most think of Texas, Arizona and southern California. For some reason, many do not include New Mexico in that category. This is a shame because they are missing a state with a long history, interesting culture, great topography, and amazing food. In this first of a three part series, you will learn about the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico and why natives call it “The City Different.”

As you explore Santa Fe, you will note the many contrasts of the city. Sitting on the central plaza of the city are Native Americans selling jewelry displayed on blankets. The sellers are sitting on the ground, one right next to the other. Often, they sit in the shadows of very high end stores where you can buy custom-made, leather jackets at $5,000 each. Just down the street are galleries selling beautiful sculptures and paintings for thousands.

Image Source: theepochtimes.com

Wandering these shops and the square, you will encounter panhandlers, as well as tourists. Interspersed, you will see people who look like they have no money, but could easily be millionaires in their own right. If you move past the square and onto Canyon Road, you will find dozens of high end art galleries spaced almost on top of one another. It is an area that draws tourists from around the country. During your walk, you can eat at nationally-ranked restaurants or at tiny holes-in-the-wall.

Within a few blocks of the square, you can tour the Georgia O’Keefe museum and several other art and historical museums.

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_O'Keeffe_Museum

Santa Fe is the City Different because of its history and mix of cultures. Native Americans have inhabited the area for 10,000 years. About 400 years ago, the Spanish visited to look for gold and many stayed. About 150 years later, Anglos settled in the area. This mix of cultures bred a tolerance for differences and a love of the cuisines that resulted.

Part II of this series will explore Albuquerque.

Louis Habash writes about travel as a freelancer. He lives in Los Angeles. A lover of photography, hiking, water sports and nature, Louis Habash is able to combine these interests while travelling.