It's time to sound off on snoringThe first thing my father said about me after I was born was that my ears looked "interesting". Gee, thanks! Fortunately, my otolaryngologist disagrees and tells me my ears are both perfectly healthy and utterly unremarkable in appearance. But sometimes I wonder if my 'interesting' ears aren't hearing just a little too acutely, as it seems impossible to drown out the sounds around me and get some decent sleep when I travel. I've slept in some mighty interesting locations and situations, all in the name of value travel, from 5 star resorts to the filth covered floor of the Nairobi airport. But some recent trips have been less than restful and I'm noticing that where I'm sleeping is less important than what I'm hearing.
In London, my favourite hostel became a nightmare when a dorm-mate snored so loudly she actually drowned out the police sirens coming from nearby Kings' Cross. On an overnight trip from Singapore to Sydney, the most luxurious flight of my life was almost ruined by a man who snored so loudly that his buzz saw cacophony boomed through my foam ear plugs, which I had covered with noise cancelling headphones, which were in turn playing loud music. I'm not exactly proud of this, but I may have, um, oh so gently kicked the man in the head. And still he snored on. So how's a girl to find a good night's sleep in a noisy world? Travel Foot Care 101Climbing nearly 400 steps to reach a hostel in Northern Italy, running around the Paris zoo during my first marathon, doing back to back to back walking tours in London - without a doubt, I explore the world with my feet! And I bet a lot of you do too! Walking (or running, or climbing) is a great way to see a city's hidden nooks and crannies and explore the natural wonders of the countryside. But all that roaming can really rough up your feet and few things can ruin a trip like sore, peeling, swollen, blistered feet. Here's how to keep your most valuable travel asset happy and healthy before, during, and after a trip.
Beat the Mosquitoes - And The Bank!
Malaria is the most probable serious illness a traveller will face. It's hard to imagine a worse travel experience than being seriously ill with malaria when you are far away from home. I'm talking the how-can-I-find-a-doctor-at-3am-in-Cape-Maclear kind of horror that ruins a trip and can even make you fear for your life. This mosquito driven infectious disease, which the World Health Organization estimates affects nearly 220 million people each year, does not discriminate and thousands of travellers are stricken with malaria each year.
Fortunately a traveller can limit their exposure and lessen their risk - but it all comes at a cost. Like many specialty health care items, malaria prevention products, devices, and prescriptions can be very expensive. The information below is NO substitution for a physician's advice, but I've done my best to provide you with the information needed to beat both the mosquitoes AND the bank! A Maritime Menu Spells Danger For Us: These are the shellfish free options we found in Hampton, Virginia.Hampton, Virginia is known as "Crabtown" thanks to James McMenamin developing a revolutionary method for sealing steamed crabmeat in airtight containers during the 1870s. Exporting shellfish became the backbone of Hampton's economy, while consuming shellfish became the foundation for the city's finest restaurants - a tradition that lasts to this day.
Locals may heartily debate which restaurant serves the best crab cakes in town but that's one discussion we won't be weighing in on - Ryan is allergic to shellfish! So in a town so famous for shellfish it revolutionized the crab industry, what are the best options for the shellfish-adverse? Ladies - these travel tips are just for you!
Every week, I am proud to co-host the #girlstravel twitter chat - the only twitter travel just for female travelers.
For the week of March 11, the theme surrounds "women's issues" - you know, the kind of things only women have to deal with when they travel! (Caution, male readers: hormones are involved!). It made me think about how most people bring a bit of an emergency kit with them when they travel (first aid, sewing kit, matches). Maybe the prudent female traveler needs some decidedly feminine backup as well when she travels! Updated for 2021!
If you're about to hit the road, whether it's for your first trip or your four hundredth, you should have a DIY travel first aid kit in your pack. Thankfully, putting together a tiny medical kit is inexpensive, easy, and won't take much time at all.
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