26 destinations you have to visit in your Lifetime

Are you confused where to go in your vacations?  Well, the top 26 destinations that you must visit in your lifetime are highlighted in this article. Pick any destination from the list, pack your bags and catch a flight.

1.   Matera, Italy

 It’s your time to experience life on the rocks. The Sassi di Matera is a hub of more than 1000 cave that are dwelled to living conditions.

The attractive hotels, boutique, clubs, and restaurants are built on limestone caves. The city of Italy’s elegant beauty and rock life is an amazing option to select for vacations.

2.   Vevey, Switzerland

The generation festivals of Vevey attract you towards mesmerizing culture, tradition and wines.

 The festivals are famous for the wines of course. The most famous wine is made from Chasselas grape and is known as dry whites. The tourists or the attendees in the festival can ride to vineyards on northern shores of Lake Geneva.

Vevey is fabulous and is beautiful to relax and calm your soul.

3.   French Polynesia

 French Polynesia is a paradise. Your life gives you an amazing chance to experience eclipse in a paradise.

Get ready your swimsuit to dive into 118 small islands to experience heavens on Earth.

4.   Cairo, Egypt

The Grand Egypt Museum seeks your attention. The top 5000 ancient objects and 5000 artefacts invite you to pay a visit to have a splendid view of history.

5.   Toronto Canada

A city of multicultural citizens and 200 different languages invite you to take a deep dive into its diversity.

6.   Galway Ireland

The art projects of the city with almost 80,000 populations generate big ideas. Galway is known for its oysters so pay a visit to Galway to explore big ideas.

7.   Oakland California

Oakland is basking into new east bay spotlight. So, visit the multicultural city today to explore more things.

8.   Salvador, Brazil

 Music genres were born in the heart of Brazil. Samba, bossa nova, tropicalia echo in the city and provide a soothing environment to tourist.

9.   Bauhaus Trail, Germany

The revolutionary Bauhaus design is fabulous to visit in Germany. The destination is a stuff of life rather than intellectual or material design. Visit to explore more.

10.   Macedonia

Macedonia has tremendous lakes, waterfalls and mountains. Macedonia is landlocked by Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania. The destination provides tremendous experience to visitors. 

11.   Perth, Australia

The world-class Perth beaches and urban chic hotels attract millions of tourists to the city.

12.   Cano Cristales River Columbia

A rainbow river of Columbia blooms the aquatic plants. Cano Cristales shades of red, green, yellow, black and blue combines to give a rainbow view.

13.   Belize

Explore the marine life in a small country and visit the great sites like Caracol. The sites attract the tourist so decide to pay a visit to such beautiful country.

14.   Kansas City, Missouri

Where ever you go on the city, you feel like home. Kansas City’s stockyards and trains are the center of tourist’s attraction.

15.   Oman

Ride your horse and explore the Hajar mountains. Gallop your horse and enjoy the splendid views of nature in Wadi an Nakhur.

16.   Greenland

Dogsledding, heli-skiing, sea-kayaking, icebergs, climbing and Artic adventures are amazing destinations to visit at least once in your lifetime.

17.   Hoang Lien Son, Vietnam

Tracking adventures and connection of cable cars provokes the tourism in the city. The city is attractive and famous for its hiking routes.

18.   Canterbury Region, New Zealand

The Godzone gives mountain biking, climbing, kayaking and splendid view of world’s great races.

19.   Dordogne, France

Felibree is an annual celebration that gives immense overview of culture. It includes music, dance, food and gathering of people belonging to different tribes.

20.   Dakar, Senegal

Sun-worshippers, professional wrestlers, lively beeches and traditional clothing styles are waiting for your attention in Dakar.

21.   Fanjingshan, China

It is best place to climb through the wonder of clouds. A sacred place with 48 temples on mountains gives great experience of climbing.

22.   Peruvian Amazon

Enjoy the drive in low and high jungles, forests, waterfalls in Peruvian. Life is amazing on the hills so decide today and enjoy tomorrow.

23.   Mexico City, Mexico

Crouse the city’s best restaurants and enjoy the corn tortilla. Taste milkshakes made with corn and chocolate and give new taste to your buds.

24.   Fairy Meadows, Pakistan

The grasslands are the base of camping for tourists. At an altitude of 3300 meters makes it more elegant for the tourists.

25.   Isla de los Estados, Argentina

This time get to the end of the world. The 206-square-mile island includes forests, mountains, beaches, and fjords. Pack your stuff to visit the adventure land of Argentina.  

26.   South Walton County, Florida            `          

The artificial reef system on the coast of 16 beach communities is tremendous. Visit the South Walton County and give new experience to life.

12 Backpacking Tips Everyone Should Know

As packing for any trip can be stressful, below are 12 tips to make preparing for your next backpacking trip a little easier.

(1)     Pack Only The Essentials

Carrying everything on your back can quickly get very tiring. The answer to this is to use minimal space in the most efficient way possible. One of the ways is to avoid packing anything you may not find necessary or think you can find at your next destination. It may seem hard at first to decide what to pack for your backpacking trip, but with more experience you will know what is worth packing and what isn’t. Make sure to create a list of must have items to give you some direction on what to pack and what not to pack. Overall, packing light will help in you having a much more enjoyable trip.

(2) Use Other Forms of Transport

It may seem more comfortable, but don’t let the fancy airlines fool you. Travelling by train will get you to your destination much faster as you will avoid long flight time and waiting hours. Travelling by train also means you get to stop at other destinations on your way if it’s a long distance journey. I personally enjoy train rides much due to the more relaxed pace. In addition, travelling by train gives you the opportunity to have a unique perspective and to explore your destination through the eyes of the locals.

(3) Check The Weather

Although weather in many destinations is unpredictable. Remember to check the average temperature at the destinations you are travelling to. This will enable you to prepare the necessary clothing for the weather. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

(4) Always Carry Water

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things to remember when travelling long distances. Don’t worry about buying water in advance. Purchasing a water bottle or reusing your plastic bottle will enable you to avoid the extra weight while staying hydrated. Remember that not all tap water is drinkable, do your research on the water restrictions before refilling from any tap.

(5) Plan Ahead

Although you don’t have to plan every destination, accommodation and form of transport. It is advised to plan your next destination in order to avoid stress and any disappointment upon arrival. Planning may seem boring and time consuming at first, but when it comes to travelling to the next destination, it will definitely be worth it. It will allow your trip to run more smoothly.

(6) Basic Navigation Skills

Yes, everyone has some form of maps on their phone, but what if your phone battery dies and you have no way of getting around? Carrying around a physical map and knowing how to use it will come in very handy at ties like that. This is especially helpful if you happen to lose phone signal while on your trail. Carrying a compass with you is also a practical way of finding your bearings when figuring out which way to head.

(7) Lock Your Belongings

Many people will be in the same boat as you when backpacking and it’s easy to trust those around you. But just in case anyone decides to be sneaky, lock your belongings in order to avoid anything being stolen. You are already low on necessities, you don’t need to have even less or have to spend money on replacing them!

(8) Communicate

When travelling with company, it is easy to get into arguments about things such as what to eat, where to go etc. The best thing to do in these situations is to continually communicate each others ideas and needs, you can avoid any arguments which could potentially ruin the trip.

(9) Portable Chargers

As we now use our phone for everything from photos to maps, it is essential to pack a portable charger just in case you cannot find a place to charge your phone. I can guarantee, it is a major life saver.

(10) Pick Your Destination Wisely

Research. Research. Research. Make sure you are 100% confident with the destinations you are going to choose in order to avoid disappointment upon arrival. It is a mistake many have made in the past. You may have seen one pretty picture of a place within that one destination but the rest is the total opposite, so make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

(11) Take a Book with You

Backpacking is the perfect chance to catch up on some reading especially during long distance travels. In order to avoid weight add ons, travelling with a Kindle will allow for a variety of books within one simple piece of equipment (and no this is not sponsored but Kindle if you’re reading this, you know what to do). Also if you’re wondering what to read when travelling, be sure to check out the Top 5 Must Have Reads when on Holiday!

12. Take Cash Out Before

Last but not least, remember that wherever you are travelling, make a note of their currencies. In order to avoid any extra bank charges, take out all the money you think you may need in advance and change it before setting off. This way you can plan your daily money usage as well as save on any extra unwanted charges.

Safe travels everyone!

Written by Nicole Fernandez Medina

15 Tips on How to Beat Jet Lag

Jet lag affects nearly all travellers that cross time zones. Long flights are the same for most of us: they start off with enthusiasm and energy but end with aches, pains and intense tiredness. We're stuck in a sitting position for an extended period of time, we're dehydrated, and our feet are swollen from water retention in the legs. For many of us, it takes a day to fully recover from this. Feeling this way is the last thing you want when you arrive at your destination, whether it's for a vacation or you're at the start of an important business trip. Wouldn't you rather arrive fresh-faced and full of energy?

Here are twenty tips that will help you conquer jet lag once and for all.

1. Be active before your flight

As we all know, the time between getting through security and actually boarding the plane can be quite a long process. During this period of time, you should take the opportunity to ensure you maintain a level of physical activity right before your body remains in the same position for a long period of time. Rather than sitting around waiting to board, enjoy the open space that the airport terminal provides you. Take a long walk, stretch your legs and if you're up for it, find some stairs and walk or run up them a few times in order to get your blood flowing.

2. Consider staying awake during the flight

Staying awake and wearing your body out, can help you fight off the jet lag and keep you in your circadian rhythm. Although many people encourage travelling caffeine free in order to avoid jet lag. Frequent travellers advise having some coffee during the flight in order to remain productive; this can include getting some work done on your laptop or reading a book.

3. Fly east early, fly west late

If you're flying east, getting an early start will give you the entire day and plenty of daylight when you arrive. On the other hand, leave later in the day when you're heading west. There's no need to lose a night's sleep by leaving early in the morning and you'll be gaining time as you go west.

4. Get a good night’s sleep before you fly

A big mistake travellers often make is sleeping for just a few hours before a long flight – whether it’s due to pre-holiday excitement or a deliberate attempt to tire yourself in order to sleep throughout the duration of the flight. This will only make it worse. In addition, last minute changes to your routine will only make it harder to adjust to new time zones, while getting a good night’s sleep before your flight will leave your body better equipped to cope with jet lag.

5. Walk up and down the airplane aisle

Once you're on board, your options for moving about become much more restricted but there's no reason to think that you can't stretch out and stay loose in-flight. Get up and walk the aisle. This is especially practical on longer flights, which tend to be serviced by larger aircraft. This will make it less awkward to get up several times during the flight.

6. Avoid alcohol and sleep aids

They both will only increase the disruption to your circadian rhythm and can have additional negative effects. You also don't need sleeping pills. In addition, a glass of wine isn't going to help either. These artificial stimulants will affect your ability to sleep and increase jet lag recovery time. Your body functions best when it’s hydrated, so drinking lots of water is a great way to offset the effects of jet lag.

7. Workout immediately after your flight

Once you arrive at your destination, one of the most important things for you to do is loosen up your tight muscles and joints with some stretching. It doesn't need to take long, just something easy to get your blood flowing.

8. Stay hydrated

Dehydration will negatively affect your body by making you feel tired. You're more likely to be dehydrated while traveling, so be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your flight.

9. Adjust your watch time

When you arrive at your new destination quickly adopt the new local time on all your devices. By doing this, it psychologically forces you to adapt to the new timezone. This also works wonders for adjusting your body clock. This only makes sense for longer trips across multiple time zones but has been found to be effective for trips lasting a week or more.

10. Give yourself time to adjust

Don't dive right into planned activities upon arriving at your destination - whether that's business meetings or sightseeing. Give yourself an adjustment period. Get a workout in at the hotel gym. Prioritise sleep and rest. If you can, schedule your least demanding plans early in the trip and the most demanding ones towards the end.

11. Take a nap

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a study by NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40- minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness by 100%. If you arrive at your destination wiped out and have a big meeting or event planned, take a nap lasting no longer than 45 minutes (anything longer could leave you feeling groggy and even more tired).

12. Adjust your food-related clock

What you eat - and when you eat - can have a big impact on jet lag. Eating meals that are lighter and consist of mainly protein can be beneficial for keeping your energy levels up after you arrive at your destination.Eating patterns affect our body's functionality, just as much or even more than light. Try to avoid heavy meals on the plane, and then eat as soon as you land. This should help your body to adjust to the new timezone.

13. Book a flight that arrives during the day

Catching sunlight after you arrive after a long flight can be very effective in helping to reset your body's clock. The best thing you can do after arriving, besides getting exercise, is to go outdoors and get some natural sunlight. Best case scenario: an outdoor workout complete with sunlight and exercise is even better and more effective in fighting off jet lag.

14. Change your sleep pattern before you leave

NASA prepares astronauts for missions by shifting their sleep patterns in the days before launching. According to some scientists who participated in research on the effectiveness, "you can actually shift somebody to anywhere in the world in about two or three days" simply by altering normal sleep patterns. Starting a few days before your trip, gradually adjust your sleeping habits to the time zone of your destination.

15. Pack the right things in your carry-on

Having things in your bag that will keep you feeling fresh can go a long way in fighting off jet lag. These include deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouth wash, ibuprofen, tissues, band aids, and an extra set of clothes. These will help you arrive fresh at your destination and could be helpful if an emergency comes up.

Use these tips to ease the discomfort of crossing multiple time zones and get the most out of every travel adventure you take.

Nicole Fernandez Medina