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February 14, 2019 by Chase Vandros

Preserving Your Travelling Memories

One of the hardest things about coming back from a holiday is that all those great experiences become memories which face all too soon. You can only tell your travel adventure stories so many times before it will start annoying people, so how can you keep all those precious moments fresh in your mind?

To that end we’ve put together a little list of a few possible solutions for exactly that problem, easy ways to insert those memories in your day to day life without being intrusive, but invaluable for beating those post holiday blues. Some suitable for work, some for home, but all of them will be perfect for giving you a little pick me up when it seems like you’ve spent too long on home ground and your feet are starting to get itchy again.

Create a Custom Screensaver

With everyone using digital cameras these days, everything is on your computer. All your images and videos from your trips, waiting to remind you of all the good times. One huge benefit of this is how easily you can then create yourself a custom slideshow screensaver on your computer, at home or at work, of all your favourite holiday shots. Whenever you pop away from the desk for a quick coffee break or lunch, you’ll be greeted by your favourite snaps, which will be a great little reminder of things to come. It can also be a good conversation starter if you’re new in the office or haven’t made any connections yet, as people might see they’ve been to the same place as you and there is nothing quite as good for a conversation as a shared experience.

Go Old School with a Photo Album

The one very small downside to digital, is there is no physical copy of your photos as there used to be with film. You can get past that very easily though with any number of photo printing services. A lot of places do it in store, or you could pick out the shots you like and email them off to a service that will then post the end result to you. Then just find yourself a nice photo album, fill it up with your favourites and you’ve got a great coffee table conversation starter, which also keeps your travel memories fresh.

Create a Canvas Print Collage

Another way to use printed digital photos is to find a few of your best and order a canvas photo collage. You’ll get a super high quality canvas print over a wooden frame, all ready to be hung up on a wall in a visible spot. Hang it somewhere you’ll see it often, and never worry about your holiday memories fading.

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February 6, 2019 by Chase Vandros

Winter Driving Tips to Keep You Safe

Driving an automobile is an activity that takes focus and a seriousness to be a good driver. When you drive you, your passengers, others on the road and pedestrians depend on you observing the rules of the road to ensure that you are doing all you can to be safe.

The road is for everyone but only licensed drivers can drive an automobile. When they do, they need to always be aware of how quickly situations on the road can change. It could be an impaired driver, one who is distracted, a faulty automobile or even a natural disaster that occurs and all of a sudden what was true a second ago is no longer the case and there is an emergency.

There are also the road and weather conditions to contend with as well. During the warmer months, road and weather conditions are at their best and unless there is something on the road causing it to be unusually slick or rough or that there is a freak rainstorm, generally the conditions of the road and weather do not impair your ability to drive well.

However the colder months and particularly winter are a different story. In these months weather and road conditions will often drastically modify how you should drive.

Increase Your Stopping Distances

At 30 mph on a normal road, your normal car’s stopping distance is approximately 23 meters. At 50 mph the stopping distance is 53 meters, and at 70 mph the distance is 96 meters. However when the weather turns bad these stopping distances dramatically increase. For instance, in wet weather stopping distances get longer the faster you go. On a wet road the stopping distance at 50 mph is 106 meters and at 70 mph it is 146 meters. Perhaps the most surprising fact is how long it takes to stop on icy roads. In these conditions it can take a car up to ten time the stopping distance for ti to come to a rest. A car going only 20 mph will take only 12 meters to stop on a dry and normal road while one on ice will take 126 meters and astoundingly, a car going 70 mph that takes 96 meters to stop will take approximately 771 meters to stop on an icy and wet road. With these n mind it is very important to slow down and to give yourself vastly increased stopping distances in order to keep yourself and others safe.

Make Sure Your Car is Serviced Properly

Another very important thing for you to do in the winter months is to make sure that your car is serviced properly. During the winter, your car will be called on to perform at its most challenged. You need to make sure that every system and part is in its best condition. You should look to have the battery, electrical system, fluid levels, hoses and brakes checked. And don’t forget to check the types because they are most important on winter roads. Also if your car is 3 years or older it will need to undergo MOT testing. Use one of the top car service center KwikFit for your car MOT. This will insure that your car is prepared for driving on the winter roads.

Be Cautious

One of the most important things you can do when driving in the winter is to remain vigilant and cautious. You should always be safe when there is a question about a particular road situation. Drive slower and do not take any unnecessary chances. This will get you and your passengers to your destination safely.

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February 4, 2019 by Chase Vandros

Best Ways to Discover Rome

The Eternal City is one of the dreamiest destinations on the planet. There is just so much to see and do it’s almost impossible to fully explore everything the city has to offer. There are countless possibilities in Rome, and everything you see is more unique and memorable than the last. It’s a city that’s ripe with history, culture, fashion, architecture, and so much more. If you want to fully discover everything Rome has to offer, then you better be prepared to spend some time in this wonderful city. Not that you’ll complain though, because it’ll be a fantastic time spent.

Take a food tour

A food tour is definitely one of the best ways to discover any place, and Rome is no exception. Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines for a reason, and Rome is its center. There are a lot of food tours you can opt in for to discover the best food places in Rome. You can even fully customize your tour and select exactly what you want to see in the tour. It’s fully private, so it’ll only be you and people you chose to go on the tour with. The tours are always organized by locals, and only they can truly make you appreciate just how wonderful true Italian food really is.

See a 2000 year old pyramid

On first glance it might appear like this pyramid is a fake, and that it’s something much more recent and made to evoke the old ages of Rome. However, the truth is exactly the opposite. Around 2000 years ago Emperor Aurelian built a boundary wall, and it’s on this wall that the pyramid is attached to. It was meant to be a fashionable statement of sorts, and to be used as a resting grounds for Gaius Cestius who was a Roman magistrate at the time. The Egyptian style was entirely deliberate, however, and it was meant to introduce Ancient Romans to Egyptian relics of the time.

Explore the street art

One thing that’s rarely mentioned about Rome is its thriving street art scene. There are so many street artists who have created masterpieces in plain sight that the city is entirely colorful. There is no one single place to view street art in Rome, however, because there are several neighborhoods that are awash with street art. Pigneto and Quadraro are two districts that are slightly away from the general tourist routes that are fully worth the time it takes to explore their street art. Arguably, the most famous spot for street art in Rome is Ostiense. It really looks wonderful, because there’s a lot of wonderful street art on practically every corner. There is even a building entirely covered by street art.

Walk Along the Appian Way

The days of Ancient Rome are definitely the most known thing about the city of today. There are a lot of attractions that are practically entirely intact, but few can match the spirit of Via Appia. It used to be a highway of Ancient Rome that connected it to many of its outer settlements. Although it was used the most by the military, it was still a popular road at the time. Walking along it feels like you’ve been transported back in time, as the highway is surprisingly well preserved. Make sure to experience this road on fine weather, because that’s when it shines the most.

Visit the National Museum of Contemporary Art

Sometimes it’s difficult to separate Ancient Rome from modern Rome. However, Rome of today is just as impressive and wonderful as it was back then. Contemporary art plays a huge role in this, because Rome never stopped creating and producing art in its entire history. Maxxi is the first national museum in Italy dedicated strictly to contemporary art. The building itself is worth just as much as the breathtaking collection of art pieces that are no older than the 1900s. It’s entirely worth a visit, and it’s a spot that just teems with the Roman spirit.

Experience the steps of the Roman Gladiators

Gladiators and their matches are one of the most popular things about Ancient Roman history. They faced perils practically on a daily basis, and all of them hope that once they emerged in the Coliseum they would leave victorious. You can fully explore the passages that led from the Coliseum’s underworks to the main arena, which are some of the most well preserved parts of the entire building. That’s because they were filled in the 5^th century AD, and were unearthed centuries later. It’s one of the most mystical and ominous parts of the Coliseum, and entirely worth a visit.

Rome is a beautiful city, from top to bottom. It’s one of the most visited cities on the planet for a reason. Everyone deserves to be there at least once in their lives, as it’s a very recommended destination for a visit.

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January 1, 2019 by Chase Vandros

Touring New York City’s Strangest & Most Bizarre Sites

New York City is great for shopping and finding wonderful restaurants and it also has many strange and interesting attractions for groups to tour. You can come to the city and find one-of-a-kind, Bizarre attractions that demonstrate that there have been some pretty strange people, with even stranger ideas living in New York City over the years. If you like the strange and bizarre, you can tour of the strangest places in New York City with your group.

Take a tour bus

When traveling in New York City with your group the best option is always not to drive yourself. Hiring a private NYC charter bus rental to take your group around, can avoid stress and traffic tickets, eliminate your need to try and find parking, and it allows your group to relax during the long drive around the city. A tour bus can comfortably take you to each of your stops, will your group can be amazed and terrified.

A sample of the strange attractions are:

Herr Triangle

In the West Village you can find a small triangular plaque that claims it is the property of the Hess estate. This plaque marks where the Hess Family Estate was before it was taken by public domain by the city of New York to allow the expansion of 7th Avenue. The Hess family claims that this particular piece of land where the triangle a plaque resides is technically their piece of land because it was not covered in the deed when the City of New York took their land.

Ruins of Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital

Renwick Hospital on Roosevelt Island has been the location for many scary movies and stories about the Beyond. It 1866 this location house the quarantined smallpox victims in the city. It was never a great location and many of the patients died they’re not from the disease but simply from the accommodations. It was closed in 1954 and is slowly turned into decaying ruins. Many visitors walk through the hospital ruins and some say that they can hear the screams and torturing of the former patients.

These two locations represent only the tip of the iceberg of the strange and interesting places you can tour in New York City. However when you plan your strange and bizarre site store, you and your group need to get it done properly and efficiently. He is how best to have a great tour.

Make sure you know where you’re going

New York City has five boroughs that span hundreds of miles. Although driving in Manhattan is easy in one sense because you can follow the street numbers to know where you are, the rest of the boroughs aren’t like that. You can easily get lost driving through Staten Island or Brooklyn. This is why you need to map out your route to make sure you are moving through the city efficiently. Use an online program to help you and you’ll never get lost.

Take bathroom breaks

Any large group will need to plan into their tour brakes with people can use the restroom, grab some food, or simply stretch their legs. Bill these stops into your tour and tell your group so that they are aware that you will stop. This will make everyone more comfortable and give you fewer questions to answer.

Book your hotel early

If your tour will take you into New York City for several days, remember, the city is filled with Taurus which means that hotel bookings are at a premium. Get your hotel bookings in early, particularly if you have a large group, this way you will be able to stay at a hotel that you choose.

Driving around New York City can be very frustrating because of the traffic. If you are a passenger on a tour bus he can also get pretty boring. To avoid your group getting bored between stops, bring activities that they can participate in on the bus. Consider bringing some cards, board games and other games that they can play with each other to pass the time.

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December 4, 2018 by Chase Vandros

Travel to Learn: What Solo Travel Can Teach Us

Traveling can be pretty daunting as you will be filled with questions and worries being away from the comfort of your home. From you will return alone late at night from a club, or how uneasy will it be to eat alone in a restaurant to how you will pull your car out of the ditch or what if you get lost because two minds indeed work better than one, solo traveling can quite stingingly plague the minds before the first trip.

Is skipping solo travel worth all the worries?

The important question is; are all these questions worrying enough to skip traveling solo because of the lack of a traveling partner. A series of rewarding and life-changing experiences and memories will be bared behind if you do that. Sure, you will have to be extra alert while going out alone at night in a foreign country, or to be safe in an area known for pick-pocketing, but isn’t it good that you be careful even if you are traveling with a friend or a whole group?

Is loneliness even an issue?

Another central stigma around traveling independently is loneliness. Even introverts worry about being homesick, however, traveling alone doesn’t necessarily means you have to be alone or feel lonely. If you are traveling for volunteer work, you can choose to go with a group of participants and make some of the best friends you have ever had, or if you are just traveling to feed your lust for wandering around, you will find so many fellow tourists in your dorm, or even choose to live with locals so you don’t have to be alone and learn the culture, traditions, and religions of your localhost. You can learn to enjoy your own company if you are all by yourself, meditate, let go, be completely and irrevocably free.

Trails and tales of independent travelers

Millions of solo travelers have taken Thailand flights, leaving behind the comforts of their houses to find comfort in the soul by running through running through Thailand’s rainforests or spending early morning meditating in temples. Banana pancake trail is quite a famous backpacker route for all of you who want to loop around the islands, forests, waterfalls, and beaches that have the memories of thousands of independent travelers that have taken steps on the grounds.

You learn to be independent

Even if you are a grown up, how many times can you remember to have taking care of every traveling essential all by yourself? How many times have your mother not asked you if you have your passport and airline ticket with you or your assistant or co-worker have made sure you do have your passport? And you know if they hadn’t asked you or made sure, you might have lost it? Going solo will teach you how to manage the details all by yourself and to be aware of my things you wouldn’t be if you travel with your friends or family because you have them to depend on. The freedom and being independent is a thrill that allows you to do what to do whenever you want to.

You learn the sense of direction

You might be scared to hike through Thailand’s rainforests alone because you are bad at navigating your way. Especially when you are traveling alone, you are put to test is the only navigator. You learn to be a little more alert and aware of your surroundings.

You hear your inner voice in the silence

Imagine all the fans are off in a cold house and you can hear the clock tick-tocking hitting the four wooden walls in the eerie silence. That is exactly how the inner voice work. Being alone in a secluded forest will not only allow you to hear your thoughts but heighten them to the point where you can shut and twist them however you want to. You will understand and learn about the world from a whole another perspective and let you dig deeper into your soul. This can also improve your mental health.

Traveling to countries which focus on meditation and religious rituals such as Thailand, India, and China where Yoga retreats, spiritual healers, massage, hiking, and meditations will all help you relax and open the gateway to the third eye. When your thoughts are racing and you zone out of your physical surroundings, you can’t really command yourself to stop fretting over regrets of past and worries of what is to happen next, but you can tell it to focus on what is in front of you. Positive thoughts are a game-changer and so is breathing out your worries. Especially when you have an amazing mountain view in front of you.

Learn to go with the flow

Your main goal of traveling solo is to establish this connection with nature, God, and inner realm and to search for as many secrets of the world as possible. When you are traveling solo, you are your own decision maker and you don’t have to worry about your friend who doesn’t want to share a hotel bed with you. Alone, you can stay and go anywhere you want to. You can literally sleep a night on a hammock. Meeting people from all phases of life and discovering places and foods tends to relax you in a way no antidepressant can. You will learn to be tolerant and to compromise and accept life throws your way.