How to Make Your Family Getaway Memorable

Written by Cloe Matheson

Photo Credit: Pexels

Whether young or old, we all dream about going on one of those picture-perfect family getaways that promises a million kodak moments. Although, as a parent, you may have had a few less-than-golden experiences of holidaying with the kids - don't let that ruin your belief in a fun family vacation. Here are six brief tips to make your getaways more memorable and enjoyable for the entire family. 

1. Go Slow

Firstly, try not to rush. This goes not only for individual activities, but also for your general mindset regarding the holiday. We, as parents, tend to make life more difficult for ourselves by either trying to pack too many activities and pit-stops into each day or by rushing through the holiday because we're eager to get back to pressing work matters or other pressures of daily life.

6 Must-Do Tips to Avoid Loss of Your Baggage

Lost luggages keep piling up most especially during the holiday season

I am lucky to be spared with these stressful situation on most of my travels. No, I was not totally spared as there was one incident on my trip from Toronto to Hamburg where we had to stop and change flight with a domestic aircraft in Frankfurt bound for Hamburg.

And guess what happened when we arrived at the Hamburg Airport. Yes, your guess is as good as mine. One of our checked in baggages was lost.

Photo Credit : Twenty20

Our host did not waste time and called the airline, Lufthansa if I remember it right. The lost and found section of the airline was not much of a problem. The night after, our luggages were delivered right to our door. A bad experience that turned to a good impression of the airline.

10 Action Packed Road Trips in India

Written by Rohit Agarwal

Travelling is getaway from our dull boring routine life. Thus, we seek unconventional unique experience when we travel. Road trips are one avenue which provides a life changing treat to us.  It is one of those sojourns of life where we reinvent and discover ourselves. India, with its large networks of roads spanning the length and breadth of this country offer a range of possibilities.

Today, we are seeking to redeem some of the most thrilling road trips available in India.

1. The Exotic North-East, Gangtok-Tsomgo Road Trip

The north-east beckons with its wide arm. The charm of the hills of the country is out, totally out of this world. People vouch for road trips in this area and it is the only way to travel here. This will be a thrilling experience in Gangtok, along the ancient silk route in Nathula pass region. This 55-km long road trip along the Indo-China border has a rare scenic beauty.

Tsomgo Lake, Photo Credit: Varun Pratap CC BY-SA4.0

2. The Mesmerizing Srinagar to Leh Road Trip

This is a 417-km trail starting from Srinagar in Kashmir and ending at Leh which is ideal for campers and bike tours. The road moves along the Zojila pass covering the picturesque hilly terrains of Kargil and Grass Valley. It is considered as one of the most taken road trips in India that offers a unique challenge to travellers.

Why I Chose to Travel and Live my Life in Toronto

Toronto is not perfect as with other cities in the world.

While I agree that my city is one of the best places to visit and live, there are of course pros and cons that should be considered.

I have been rubbing elbows with Torontonians for more than two decades and find it appealing in many ways. I have travelled, lived, worked and play in this city for over twenty years and I can tell you that it deserve the honour. It is, yes, Toronto still is at its best.

Pros:

• Suburbs is one of the best ways to travel and get away from the big city
• The transport system is so convenient and spans a large area
• Many prestigious schools in and near the city
• A great opportunity for the educated
• The country's financial and manufacturing hub
• Longer, hot summer though too humid for some people
• Parks, lakes and recreation are some of the best leisure options

How to Travel with a Pet All Over the World

Written by: Rebecca Crawford

How to Travel with a Pet all Over the World

It's summer and time for vacation! The world is your oyster on where you want to go, whether you want to fly to a distant land, or take a road trip to see everything your country has to offer. But there's just one problem: what to do with Fido?

Many people choose to have their dogs left at kennels or hire pet sitters to watch their pooches for them while they're on vacation, but that can cost a lot of money. Instead, you should consider taking your dog with you on your trip! After all, he's only going to be depressed while you're gone, so why not keep his doldrums away and share in your exciting trip?

Keep in mind, you're going to need some special accommodations and some extra gear to make your trip work. However, once everything is set, you're going to wonder why you never considered taking your dog on vacation with you in the first place. So what are some important things to keep in mind.

5 Places in India that are Ruins of Royal Palaces

Written by Himanshu Agarwal

It is no secret that India is a land of dense history with bottomless roots. From the very beginning, India has been a witness to the rules of kings and the show of their riches, their lavishness, their enviable lifestyle and their unbelievable creations.

A part of such creations, a big part, were palaces. Huge, magnificent, beautiful, grand and extremely royal. The grandeur of these palaces got their names inked in golden letters in the scriptures of Indian architectural history, with the names of their creators. They were a matter of pride amongst the royalty then. These forts stood through the highs and lows of the empires and have seen many wars and rules. And with the passage of time, they have withered and nothing but their ruins are left to be marvelled upon.

Here are some places in India which are ruins of those once splendid examples of architecture and design, definitely worth a visit!

1. Daulatabad Fort, Aurangabad

Photo by cool_spark, CC BY 2.0

Believed to have been built in 1857, by Yadav king Bhilan, Daulatabad Fort once stood tall in Daulatabad, the capital of Tughluq Dynasty since 1327. Muhammad Bin Tughluq, who shifted his capital here from Delhi because he was smitten by the beauty and the architecture, but later he shifted back to Delhi due to the scarcity of water. Tughluq was a far-sighted ruler, owner of the moniker "Mad King". He is known for shifting his capital from Daulatabad to Delhi and from Delhi to Daulatabad, quite a few times.

One Thing I Did Not Like on my First Trip to Malmö?

I have high regard about Sweden. I always thought of it as a very nice, beautiful environment and more importantly good people.

Oresund Bridge between Malmo SWEDEN and Copenhagen DENMARK
Photo Credit: hpgruesen

Just like Switzerland, It's been my dream to have a glimpse of Sweden. So, when I went on a trip to several cities in Switzerland, which I enjoyed every part of this peaceful country, I have decided to visit Sweden when I get the chance.

Now comes my trip to some European countries. The opportunity to be close to Sweden when in Denmark, I booked for a day tour of Malmo originating from Copenhagen.

5 Tips for a Successful Business Trip to India

Written by Himanshu Agarwal

Photo Credit : Keep Your Documents Handy, CC0 1.0

The New York Stock Exchange becomes the talking point for the whole world when it opens at 9:30 A.M. everyday, when the strength of world's most powerful economies is measured. But today, another name which can be heard amongst those is that of India.

With the massive work force and growing economy, India is emerging as one of the new advanced business hubs. So, sometime or the other, you might find yourself off to the country to attend a business meet. In that case, here are a few quick tips that would be useful.

1. Always Keep Your Documents Handy

You really don't want to imagine the terrible fix you would be in if you were to be lost in a foreign country, without any proof of your identity, or existence. So always keep your important documents, like your passport and visa in a separate folder, apart from your usual documents. By doing this, you can avoid misplacing them among other things. Also, make a separate folder for your business documents.

13 Airlines that Stand Out Through the Years

These days, it is not easy to find an airline that suits our taste, satisfaction ... and safety. 

Scandals in flight happens - - incidents that should not be happening! The United Airlines' brutal dragging is for real - - really unacceptable. And so with Delta, an airline who kicked off a passenger from the aircraft that is getting ready to take off. A situation that a male passenger can no longer control the call of nature - - and it just happened at the wrong time and at the wrong place.

The above happened in domestic flights in the United States, a journey that will take only few hours. If these scandals took place in short-haul flights, how can we expect that it won't happen in a long-haul?

Photo Credit: Thai Airways

Let's not focus on the bad experiences encountered on airlines though. Let's now go to its positive side. In most airlines, scandals never happen, on the ground and in-flight. I have used different airlines in my more than two decades of travelling. I will start with those that I did fly at least once or twice.

The 13 airlines that stand out - - with the best customer service are:  Drum rollllllllll . . .

An Overlooked Island Called Vieques

Written by JP Chartier

Join me for a short visit to an often overlooked island just off the coast of Puerto Rico called Vieques

Hidden seven miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, a tiny speck of an island silently exists today much like it has for millennia. Basking in the Caribbean sun and surrounded by the azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean to its north, and the cerulean blue of the Caribbean Sea to its south, Vieques (Bee-ay-kus) is the perfect place to step back in time and get away from your hectic and chaotic life for a while.

It's a short 20-minute flight from San Juan International Airport on the mainland of Puerto Rico to the single runway airport on Vieques. If riding in one of the tiny, 6-seater, puddle jumping airplanes doesn't suit you, you can take a boat over. A passport isn't required to visit the island.

Shoreline of Vieques

The Visques of today is a much different place than it was only 15 years ago. Two-thirds of the small island was used as a bombing range by the United States Navy since WWII. They pulled out in 2003 and are in the process of making the whole island a safe place by removing all unexploded ordinances.