Don't Fly Go! | Category Archives: Features

In my opinion, traveling is one of the single greatest things in the world and it is an experience that can offer you more than anything else in life. Whereto you are backpacking through the Andes, working with wildlife in Asia or you choose to study abroad in London, these are experiences that you will not find in any other walk of life.

I recently began reading into the actual science behind why travel is so good for you and I wanted to share with you today just a few reasons why traveling is far more than just a great experience, it is also great for mind, body and soul.

Health Reasons

Believe it or not, traveling is actually amazing for your health and recent studies have indicated that those who travel actually live longer. The reasons behind this are primarily because those who travel are generally more active when they are on the road, visiting new places, going on adventures and such like. The second reason why travel can actually be good for your health is because you are being exposed to a wider variety of bacterias which of course cause problems initially, but then the body becomes stronger and resistant to the bacterias giving you a stronger immune system.

Meeting New People

They say that people who are more sociable are more likely to be happy and when you are on the road you will find that you are far more sociable, and the people that you meet will be too. When you are at home or at your job, it can be easy to stay in your bubble, seeing the same faces and the same people, this is something that doesn’t happen with travel and you will find that you make far more friends on the road than you would do if you just stayed at home.

Character Building

When you travel, you get a sense for who you really are and you will open up your mind to many different ways of life and different opinions that people have about the world. I experienced this myself when I saw a poor family in Morocco some years ago, despite having no money and little food, this was easily the happiest family I have ever seen. This experience completely changed my outlook on what happiness meant and I have never forgotten it. There is something very special about stepping outside of your daily life and opening up your mind to new ideas. If you want your character to be stronger, your ideas to be clearer and your personality to grow, travel is the best solution for you.

There is no age limit on traveling and there is no set criteria for who can go out and see the world. You only have one life so why not get out on the road and go and see what the world is all about, we have the best chance of doing this than we ever have and you should take it with both hands.

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August 25, 2017 by Chase Vandros

Natural Wonders to Knock Your Socks Off!

The world is a beautiful place, but the average person doesn’t get to see much of it. Chances are you spend most of your days stuck in a workplace, before going home to sleep and repeating again. This is why travel is so important, it allows you to break up the monotony of daily life and get out there and see the beautiful planet we live on. If you’re looking for a trip that’s really going to take your breath away and allow you to create memories that will last a lifetime, here are some of the most awe inspiring wonders of the world.

Northern Lights

Just about everyone has ‘see the northern lights’ scribbled on their travel bucket list. And as one of the most phenomenal natural wonders on the planet, it’s easy to see why. The Northern Lights or ‘Aurora Borealis‘ are collisions between the sun-charged gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere. This creates the most spectacular show of lights in colors of blue, green, yellow, purple and pink. You can see the Northern Lights in lots of countries around the world Alaska, Denmark, Scotland, Greenland, Canada, Finland, and Iceland are just a few of them. The key to getting it right is to go at the right time of year and at a time when the weather conditions are right. So if seeing the lights is high on your list, don’t leave it until the last night of your trip in case it’s overcast.

Serengeti Wildebeest Migration

The great Serengeti wildebeest migration is a predictable annual pattern in which over a million wildebeest (accompanied by gazelle, zebra, and impala) move to find fresh grazing and better water. They are on the move starting in April right through to September where they begin to spread out across the heart of the Serengeti National park. Book today if you want to see this amazing natural phenomenon, you can go on safari in the park and witness this as well as tonnes of other majestic animals.

Sea Turtle Hatchling Release

Another incredible natural sight when it comes to animals is to see baby sea turtles making their way into the ocean. Be sure to check the dates and any updates to give yourself the best chances of seeing this, but you have the opportunity in places like Malaysia, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, Turkey amongst others.

Niagara Falls

Niagara falls is of course one of the wonders of the natural world, and is breathtaking sight that will really make you appreciate nature. The falls are actually a collection of three waterfalls, these sit between Ontario in Canada and New York in America. Perfect photo opportunities or to just sit and take in to marvel at. There’s nothing like feeling so small on the planet to make you realize your personal problems really aren’t that important!

Which of the world’s natural wonders would you most like to see? Which of these would interest you most?

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July 10, 2017 by Chase Vandros

Dubai is surprisingly green

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Dubai probably isn’t the first or even the fiftieth place you think of when you think about green vacation destinations, but the city which is known for its huge skyscrapers and mind-boggling wealth is surprisingly eco-friendly. Not convinced that the land of oil and designer shopping opportunities is a green place to visit? Read on…

Eco-Friendly in Dubai

Dubai is known for its abundance of entertainment complex’s and leisure facilities, but did you know that many of the top things to do in Dubai are decidedly green? In fact, there are 35 Green Globe Certified buildings located in Dubai, and no less than ten hotel brands are included in this. That means that there are more green hotel complexes and buildings in Dubai than anywhere else on the planet.

If you didn’t already know, membership of the Green Globe is limited only to hotels, leisure facilities, attractions and tour operators who carry out their work in a sustainable manner, and with 44 separate criteria for membership, including things like the use of solar energy and bio-fuel, it really isn’t easy to be accepted, and it is fair to say that Dubai is leading the way in tourist sustainability.

Green Tourist Destinations

Thinking of checking out Dubai’s Green offerings, here are some of the places you simply must visit:

JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort

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Out of all the green resorts in Dubai, the JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort is one of the best thanks to its unique bio-garden, which is used to grow fresh produce for the hotel via the use of a sustainable aquaponics system.

Sir Bani Yas Desert Islands

This collection of eight islands, which is located just off the west coast of Abu Dhabi is an impressive conservation zone where you can see all manner of protected plants, animals, birds and marine life. Although visitors are allowed to enter the islands, they are strictly monitored and must adhere to strict rules to minimize their impact on the island’s’ natural environment.

Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project

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Love turtles? Then when you’re in Dubai, you simply must take the time to visit the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project which is located at the Jumeirah beachside hotel in Mina A’Salam. The project, which is free to enter, looks after, protects and nurses back to health sick turtles. The project also does what it can to raise awareness about the beautiful creatures’ and the importance of caring for them and their home. While you’re there, you’ll be able to find out more about turtles and watch them happily play in the turtle pools.

The Change Initiative

The Change Initiative is Dubai’s first retail premises to sell exclusively sustainable products and services. So, if you’re not impressed by the designer labels and fast fashion that makes up most of Dubai’s shopping districts, head there, and you’ll be in heaven.

The Change Initiative sells everything from soap to electric cars, and even the building itself is extremely earth-friendly, being one of the greenest on the planet!

As you can see, there is much more to Dubai than meets the eye, especially for the green traveller!

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July 4, 2017 by Chase Vandros

3 Survival Skills To Learn Before You Embark On Your Next RV Trip

One of the most overlooked preparations when getting ready for an RV trip is learning new survival skills. You must be prepared for the possibility of your RV breaking down in a remote area where civilization is far away, and this means learning basic yet effective survival skills to pull you through until help arrives.

Here are the top three survival skills to learn before you embark on your next RV trip:

How To Build A Fire

Knowing how to build a fire is one of the most essential survival skills to know. This is because fire is the only thing that can provide you with light, warmth, and a means to cook food or boil water simultaneously. The very act of building a fire will be a huge morale booster in a life-or-death survival situation.

According to Outdoorsy.com, there are many different ways to start a fire in a survival situation as well: you can simply get one going using traditional fire starting devices such as a lighter, matches, or magnesium flint striker; you can rub a battery against steel wool; you can use chap stick or hand sanitizer as kindling as both are flammable; or you can build a fire bow drill.

How To Signal For Help

Another critically important survival skill to know is not how to walk back to help, but how to bring help to you. This is where learning basic signaling techniques can save your life.

There are a variety of techniques you can use for signaling for help: polish the bottom of a soda or beer can and then aim it towards the sun to reflect the sunlight, burn green boroughs to create a strong smoke signal, aim a mirror towards the sun to also reflect the light, or actually spell out ‘SOS’ or ‘HELP’ using sticks and rocks in a clearing.

How To Purify Water

You can only survive for three days without water, and you’ll feel the negative effects of dehydration after going just one day without it. Therefore, knowing how to purify water you collect to make it safe to drink is critical.

Easily the safest way to purify water is to boil it. Boil the water in a clean metal container for a minimum of fifteen minutes and then allow it to cool before drinking. If there are any visible substances such as dirt in the water as well, you will need to remove those substances by filtering your water.

You can make your own DIY water filter by taking a bottle, puncturing holes in the bottom, and then making layers of sand, pebbles, leaves, and charcoal, with each layer being a minimum of an inch deep.

Learning New Survival Skills

While there are many more survival skills out there for you to learn, these three will be the most critically important for you know for your next camping trip should anything go wrong.

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June 28, 2017 by Chase Vandros

Make Your Next Vacation a Splash

Has the time come for you to get away from it all? If the response is yes, where are you thinking of heading off to?

For millions in need of a vacation, there are generally countless options to consider.

Do they state in the country and see some different states? Do they head off to neighboring Canada or Mexico for some R&R? What about a trip to Europe?

With so many choices in front of them, many travelers have a tough time making a decision.

That said your number one goal with travel is to make sure you have everything as planned out as can be.

So, are you ready to pack your bags and head out?

Getting the Most of Your Travel Opportunities

For people looking to hit the road for summer travel or getaways the rest of the year, making the most of it is key.

To do that, being a good planner comes into play.

Part of making the most of that planning is receiving the best deal possible. Whether this means airlines, hotels, rental cars, the list is endless.

As an example, when searching for Niagara Falls hotel deals, you want to give a hotel a chance to find the right deal. In doing so, you’re almost guaranteed to get the best rate going.

The same holds true when in need of a flight.

Although there are a myriad of travel sites out there, you may end up with money left by booking with the airline.

Your best bet is always to shop and compare what is out there. That way, you have a variety of choices to select from.

See Where You Can Save Some More Money

Not only how you book your trips is important, but also what you do once on those vacations.

While you want to have a great time no matter where you go, don’t come home with only pennies left in your pockets. You can save some money during the trip and still have a great time.

Among the ways to go about this:

· Book early – As mentioned earlier, by booking your trip as far ahead of time as possible, you are more apt to save money. Always check the Internet for deals. Also view television and newspaper stories that highlight saving money when traveling.

· Take your own food – Have you seen some of the prices for food at airports? In some cases, you almost need a second job to afford a meal, Okay, while that is an exaggeration, you get the idea. By packing snacks and sandwiches, you oftentimes avoid spending money on expensive food. This is especially true if you are taking little ones along on the trip.

· Avoid expensive transportation – No matter where you go, you’re likely to find mass transit. Okay, that is unless you’re going camping far from civilization. That said you may want to skip the rental car and take the bus or subway etc. where you go. Not only can you save money not getting a rental, but you do not have to worry about finding somewhere to park it.

Whether you make summertime your go-to travel time or hit the road over the winter holidays, make it a splash.

When you shop for deals and use some commonsense, your next vacation should be one to remember