Helpful Backpacking Tips For A Memorable Adventure

Going on a backpacking trip? It is always fun to go on an adventure and experience nature. But before you become too excited, make sure that you are packed with everything that you need. Here is a simple guide on how to make your backpacking trip a worthwhile experience.

First things first, you need to study the map of the location you are going. Calculate your estimated time of arrival. Do not discount the possibility of delays so insert extra time for such eventualities.

Make sure that you have secured the necessary permits and made advanced reservation of the campsite. You should make yourself aware of local regulations to avoid being fined. Study the weather conditions in the area you are visiting and always prepare yourself for the worst weather.

Be prepared for changing conditions, temperature changes in higher altitude as well as in the evenings. Veer away from wearing jeans or cotton clothes instead go for polypropylene, wool, or breathable materials that can dry quickly. Always bring your rain gear. Bring extra clothes. This will depend on the location as well as the season you are backpacking.  As much as you are bringing rain gear with you, do carry items that will also protect you from the sun such as sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.

Navigation devices will come in handy as this will prevent you from being lost. A map and a compass is always a necessity. But make sure you know how to read them otherwise they will be futile. It would be good to have a GPS system but they are not 100% reliable because they may run out of batteries or may malfunction depending on your location.

Flashlights and other sources of light are also important tools that you need to prepare for your backpacking trip. We’l l never know when the light will go out so you should be ready for these things. Make sure you have extra batteries and a backup flashlight. Walking in darkness is not only uncomfortable but also dangerous.

A first aid kit is a must when traveling. This should include medicines, a band-aid, gauze, alcohol, among others. There are ready made kits that can be purchased in local health stores and even in establishments like Walmart.

Bring with you sports bottles to keep your body hydrated. Dehydration can set in quickly when backpacking so drink lots of water. Having emergency shelter will also be helpful in case you need them.

Follow these tips and you’re ready to go backpacking. Enjoy and have a safe trip.

Mags Malvar is a content writer for a promotional items company selling best promotional products. Check out his blog at http://melvinmags.com.

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World's Friendliest Countries

If you are looking for a feel-good country to spend your vacation in this year, take your pick from the top countries that have been deemed as the friendliest by Forbes. According to a survey by HSBC, these countries have proved to be the easiest to befriend locals, learn the local language, integrate into the community, and fit into the culture.

New Zealand

75 percent of the expats that lived among the Kiwis said that they have found it very easy to fit into their new culture and 55 percent said that they will stay or return to the country.

Australia
A whooping 77 percent of people that lived in Australia reported that they were able to easily integrate themselves into the community. 87 percent said that they feel welcome at work.

South Africa
79 percent of the respondents have said that they were able to integrate themselves well with the local community. 47 percent reported that they have had more access to luxuries in this country.

Canada

Majority of the respondents have said that they now have better working conditions and work-life balance in this country. 39 percent said that they would want to become long-term expats.

United States
The expats in this country are impressed with their earnings as they now have better cars and housing situations ever since they have relocated.

Turkey
The Turkish people are a new addition to the survey this year as they have one of the friendliest peoples. There are, however, worries about natural disasters.

United Kingdom
Community integration was pretty easy for the expats in the United Kingdom. There are, however, those that are concerned with the high cost of living in the country.

Philippines
The Philippines has been proven to be very friendly on the wallets. Expats report a 47 percent increase in their luxuries, along with domestic staff and other owning properties.

Spain

Expats have said that they were able to integrate themselves well into the community, learned the local culture, made friends, and learned the local language.

Malaysia
There are quite a number of expats that have learned the local language and have made friends with the locals. One respondent said that it is a peaceful country with cheap food and clean environment.

Brazil
This is another new addition to the list. Despite its complex finances, expats are hopeful that the economy of this country will improve in the coming years.

Italy

Italy is also another new entry. 88 percent of the expats said that the economy is weak and is deteriorating but 22 percent still considers relocating.

Mexico
62 percent of expats have said that they were drawn to the better money and career prospects of the country. There were those, however, that were concerned of natural disasters and safety.

Singapore

This country offers both quality in life and career. The only challenge was overall integration as expats mostly hang out with other expats and their children are mostly sent to international schools.

France

France has low childcare costs and healthier children lifestyles. Majority has also tried to learn and use French, eaten their local food, and felt welcome at work.

Resource Box:
Amy C. is a freelance writer who finds interest in writing about the various extremes – from the richest to the poorest, most populous to the densely populated. During her free time, she helps in the blogging and administration activities of DMac Industries, a b deck and steel deck fabrication company.

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3 Interesting Facts About Pakistan You’d Never Learn From Media

Pakistan is that unfortunate country which, despite being such a gifted land, is known for all the wrong reasons. If truth be told, there are hardly many countries on the face of this earth which are as rich and diverse in culture as Pakistan. The following post is written with an intention to show the other side of Pakistan which the worlds seems oblivious to.

1. There has been lot of discussion about the long life expectancy of people in Japan and India. What most of the people do not know is that the locals in Hunza Valley, Pakistan have the highest life expectancy in the world. There are dozens of men and women who have seen more than a hundred birthdays and are living an active and healthy life in Hunza. Several British Historians have mentioned in their books that 80 year olds in Hunza look no older than 50.
   Historians believe that local Hunza people are descendants of the Shangri La people. Shangri La is believed to be a land where time slows down and leaves very little effect on aging men and women. I am sure you would like to know more about the lifestyle and eating habits of the Burusho aka the local people of Hunza but if you could get a chance to check the natural beauty of the Hunza Valley, higher rate of life expectancy would become a very small reason for you to want to spend the rest of your life there. 
2. Snow Leopards found in the Gilgit district of Pakistan are notorious for attacking people during winters. The growing population of Abbottabad and villages around it is resulting in deforestation. This deforestation is destroying the natural habitat of snow leopards and other wildlife they prey upon. Initially these leopards attacked the cattle and sheep but later on, they were forced to attack human. More than 20 of these leopards have been captured and released in the wilderness far, far away from human population.The snow leopards of the Hindu Kush region move deeper in the mountains during summer. The rare sight of these leopards has been the topic of many documentaries. The deep trenches, and unexplored mountains of Koh-e-Hindu Kush, with extremely cold climate, for the most part, have remained uncharted. Since spotting and filming these snow leopards is very hard because of which only a handful of their video footages and pictures could be taken, experts believe that it is an endangered species and needs to be protected accordingly. The quest is to first locate them!
3. The Northern Part of Pakistan is frequently visited by tourists from all around the world, so it is common knowledge that K2 and Nanga Parbat are located in Pakistan. What most of you do not know is that 25% of the highest, most dangerous and yet to be fully explore summits of the world are also in Pakistan.
   Out of the 14 eight thousander mountains of the world, 5 are in Pakistan. For the good part of the year, the northern and north western region of Pakistan remains covered under thick blankets of snow. These snow covered, sharp edged and inaccessible areas make perfect habitat for animals such as markhor, snow leopard, Marco Polo sheep, Siberian ibex, Himalayan goral, Eurasian lynx, bharal and peregrine falcon.
   May and June is the time of the year when there are chances of you coming across these shy yet territorial and savage animals in remote valleys and mountains of Himalaya and Hindu Kush region of Pakistan.

• Some of the mountains which more famous among hikers include: Nanga Parbat, Shispare, K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, II, III, IV, Batura, Distaghil Sar, Rakaposhi, Malubiting, Saltoro Kangri, Trivor, Masherbrum, and Saraghrar.
  
  

Author Bio: Susan is a Pakistan Properties and real estate marketing expert. She writes frequently on the topics related to DHA Lahore, realtors issues and property management.

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Where in Australia is the Strange Town of 1770?

Perhaps a contender for the world’s strangest town name, the town of 1770 is a name you’ll want to remember if you’re looking for an idyllic getaway on the shores of the Great Barrier Reef. The town didn’t even have a name until 1939, when they decided to call it 1770 in honor of the day Captain James Cook anchored the Endeavour about 2 miles off shore on May 24, 1770. In many ways, 1770 is much the same in 2012 as it was back then, almost 250 years ago.

Also spelled out as Seventeen Seventy, any way you spell it, 1770 is as unusual as its name. What will you find there? Aside from not much at all except spectacularly beautiful and relatively empty subtropical beaches, these are a few of its claims to fame:

• 1770 is the northernmost surf spot on Australia’s east coast.
• It is the nearest access point to the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.
• Seventeen Seventy is one of only 3 eastern Australian towns where the sun sets over the water.

1770’s nearest neighbor, Agnes Waters, is a little bit better known, but not much. In fact, this part of Queensland is in many ways an inside secret, which makes it an ideal place to visit. The expression “laid back” describes the atmosphere perfectly, yet there is plenty of opportunity for adventure, too. For example, the only way you can get to the uninhabited Lady Musgrave Island is from 1770. This tiny island is less than 4 miles in circumference and is entirely surrounded by spectacular coral reefs. It is also home to sea turtles, who will accompany you while you snorkel on the reefs. Lady Musgrave is closed to humans between the months of February and March, when it is “booked out” by the turtles, who use its beaches for their hatchlings.

Agnes Waters/1770 is often called the Discovery Coast not only because of its discovery by Captain Cook, but because there is so much there for visitors to discover. Between the pristine empty beaches, the estuaries and the lush subtropical hinterland, it’s the kind of place that is perfect for the Robinson Crusoe in all of us. To make things easier, though, you can take the LARC tour out to Bustard Head lightstation, rent a bike or 3 wheel cruiser for two. 

Seventeen Seventy and Agnes Water, while not exactly metropolises, have some of the most beautiful beachfront accommodations you’ll find anywhere in the world. With shimmering silver sands and tranquil turquoise waters at your doorstep, you’ll be forgiven for wondering why Captain Cook and his crew didn’t simply come ashore and stay.

Rob enjoys exploring interesting towns and place like The Town of 1770. To explore some of these towns yourself check out our Town of 1770 Accommodation as well as other interesting accommodation options in other towns and cities across Australia. 

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Essential Tips for Travel and Vacation

Many fun activities and your hobby help you to reduce your mental stress. A hobby like travelling gives you a great break from your routine life. Travelling at different places gives you an opportunity to meet different cultured people, their language and lifestyle, history and amazing experience of nature. Travelling is the best educational hobby that helps you to discover a lot of new things in life and a stress buster. Every summer and different occasion, people are planning to move at different places for enjoyment. It decides as per individual’s budget. Every one looking for affordable trips that save money and make enjoyable vacation. Here you find the tips for frugal travelling which help to save your money.

Research Sightseeing Places:

Internet is the best medium to find out the sightseeing places and destination. Before you move for travel, research and list out all sightseeing place. You can spend money on guided tours if it’s in your budget, but frugal traveler can find several alternatives to save their money.

Decide Travel Budget:

If you are planning to travel overseas, it’s better to make the brief details for how long you’ll be gone, staying places and its cost. It helps you to decide travel budget. If your budget is low, you should choose places which are affordable to you.

Advance planning of your travelling budget help you to find out estimated future expenses. 

Travelling Guide Book:

Purchasing a travelling guide book is more affordable than to spend money on guided tours. Traveling guide book is supportive to get the details about different places including facts, maps, history, culture, transport, whether and more. It is the best option which makes your traveling experience best at affordable rates.

Light and Smart Travel Packing:

Don’t over pack your luggage. If you bring unnecessary things, you have to pay extra luggage expense. Bring only necessary things which are easy to carry and low weight. There are many things which you can buy easily at your destination like shampoo. Bring few enjoyable things like iPod along with charger which help you to spend your lime while you travel.

Get Affordable Travelling Deals:

Now, you can easily book your holiday package over the internet. Many online travel agents offer different travelling packages including cheap flights and affordable hotels. Travelers also offer different discount packages to attract their customers. Take a look of such offers and compare it with other travelers, this way you can get the best travelling deals. Well known travel site like Expedia - offers the best travel deals, cheap flights, hotels, holidays, city breaks and more. Get such deal by using Expedia Voucher Codes , Promotion Codes and Discount codes that reduce the actual cost of travelling package and help to save your money.

Get Discount on Travel Package:

Search the best travelling deals over the internet. Many online travelers offer various customized discount packages, voucher codes , discount codes, deals and offers. Find the latest voucher codes and promotional codes shared at coupon site and avail the benefits of heavy discount.

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The Internet Is The Ultimate London Theatre Guide

It can be exhausting trying to book tickets for West End shows without some kind of London theatre guide.   Unless you have been heartily recommended to go by a friend whose taste levels you trust implicitly or you simply have to see the star no matter what, we always like a little reassurance when making our theatre purchase.   Most shows are advertised in newspapers, on billboards outside the theatre or on ticket agent websites with the official poster for the show and a couple of choice review quotes: "astonishing", "thrilling", "a must-see"…  what show would advertise itself with its bad reviews after all?    There might be a few lines summarizing the piece and its cast to whet your appetite but aside from the carefully selected glowing reviews how else do we know if we've backed a gulden?

We can always trawl through the reviews in various newspapers to get a more balanced reaction.   This takes quite a bit of advance preparation to make sure we check all the papers on the day after a show's press night - and is certainly no good if the show opened a decade ago.    If only we had somewhere where past reviews were collated, as well as those of regular Joe Public.   Luckily, we do - the internet.   These days it is so easy to search the net and within seconds we can be scouring through reams of opinions on a show.    Simply type in the name of the show and the word 'reviews', or hone your search with other keywords such as 'newspapers you trust', or even the word 'bad' to get a balanced view.   There are even websites that are dedicated to showing a balanced mix of reviews, posting the good, the bad and the ugly.

Even handier these days are the increasing number of bloggers out there.   Theatre-addicts will often have their own blogs writing all their thoughts on the shows they see - just type in the words 'theatre blogs' or something similar.   Once you have found a few whose opinions you share on other shows you know they are likely to have similar tastes to you and you can click to follow them.    They are more likely to be unbiased towards a show - they are unlikely to have anything to gain by pushing one show or ripping another apart just for the sake of it.    In fact once they have developed a loyal following their integrity is paramount meaning you will usually get their honest opinion.

Of course at the end of the day everyone has different tastes, but it's always good to compare a few bloggers thoughts with those from other sources to help guide your choices.    You may also find that they bring shows to your attention that you didn't know about.

It's not just the quality of the plays that you can gauge by surfing the net.  All manner of details are out there, with sites that explain the benefit of sitting in certain seats in a theatre over others vis-à-vis view or pricing; information of where a theatre is and how to get there and addresses and telephone numbers you may need by using this you can get the London theatre tickets online.    Booking agencies will often have pages on their website directing you straight to their special offers knowing full well that everyone likes a bargain.    This could save hours trawling through each show's individual pages.    Price comparison sites will also help you save time when making a booking.   You can also find guidance about the perils you could come across - simply type a question such as 'why should I pay a booking fee?', 'what are ticket touts?' or 'which ticket agents can I trust?' and you will get a myriad of responses you can then filter through.

If you want to go to the next level, you can always set up a blog of your own, giving people your own views about the good and bad in Theatre land. After all, why shouldn't you be a London theatre guide too?

Author name / Pen Name: Claire Jones 

Author Box: If you buy Tickets from a ticket agency or ticket booth then you will most likely have to pay a booking but you buy tickets of London shows from the theatre directly then you will get them at face value.

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Are You Game For Some Fishing Adventure?

No, we are not saying that you are not brave enough to handle a fishing adventure somewhere out there. We are just saying that fishing in the deep blue sea for the great big fish is not every ones cup of tea. And there is nothing better than combining your love for fishing with a holiday abroad- an unknown and exotic destination. If the open ocean and the battle of strength between you and the mighty game fish excite you, then this is the perfect holiday of you.

 

Deep sea fishing is unlike any other adventure. It is also the most relaxing, exhilarating invigorating ways to spend your holiday. There are various regions all across the globe where you would be spoilt for choice selecting the perfect location. It helps you to see the world around from a different and beautiful perspective. The water is serene, the breeze is cooler, the sun is stronger than you realize, and then there is the mighty fish, glistening in the sun as it fights you to get that hook loose.

 

From blue sharks to bonefish, marlins to sailfish, tarpons to mackerels, tunas to swordfish, billfish and more, you are not going to get tired of it. If you happen to be in Australia, Gold Coast, Sydney, Cairns, Brisbane are some most fabulous fishing spots.

 

If you search on the internet you would come across various charters that cater to clients interested in deep sea fishing adventures. It is better to do a little research and background study than to jump and make a decision. And there is not just fishing. You could go snorkeling, diving and swimming in the most scenic spots! Enjoy the sumptuous meals after hours of spectacular fishing from the charter boats.

    

But one has to be careful when on such a trip. You would spend a few hours under the sun and since the water id cold, you would not feel the sun burn on your skin, better to stay sun safe! Use a hat and ample sun block on the trip A good quality sunglass is a must- the glare on the water is beautiful no doubt but it is a lot on the eyes. Carry a long sleeved shirt or a light jacket; it gets chilly on the water at times.  Getting sea sick is nothing uncommon- thus it is better to take the required meds before boarding the ship.

 

If this is your first time going on an adventure fishing trip, so a little research on the internet about what to do and what not to do while aboard a fishing charter. The safety measures you should follow and the tackles that you must carry. Most charters however offer tackles on rent. There are also certain etiquettes that you must abide by.

 

Start making reservations with your favorite charter and get ready to experience thrill like never before.  It is truly going to be one of those things in life that you would be glad not to have missed and lived long enough to share the story with the little ones.

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5 Places Not To Miss On The Amalfi Coast - Italy

 5 places not to miss on the Amalfi Coast, a blend between luxury and magic.

A panoramic road, unique in its kind.  A series of sea and mountains with breathtaking views. This is the Amalfi Coast.

One of the most beautiful and panoramic Italian roads, to travel along in a splendid sports car, or by sea onboard a yacht.

The beauty of the streets, that characterize the Amalfi Coast, is famous all around the world: Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Posillipo. Tourists are fascinated by the beauty of these locations.

Here are 5 places that cannot be missed for whoever wants a glamorous experience on Italy’s most beautiful coastline:

First stop, Amalfi. Have breakfast in a renowned cafe and taste the famous lemon delights, “delizie al limone”. 

The legendary pastry shop “Sal De Riso” will amaze you with the quality and the quantity of its deserts. Walking around the little streets of the city on your way to the Cathedral, which is a true gothic Amalfian masterpiece.

By taxi or in a rent-a-car (for sports car lovers, we recommend Luxury car hire Italy) you will reach Ravello, based on a rocky cliff 315m above sea level. Do not miss the exclusive sea-view from the magnificient natural balcony of Villa Cimbrone which will take your breath away. Returning back on the road and crossing the bridge that overlooks the scenic Faraglioni Fiord you will arrive at Praiano.

Have a lunch in one of the many characteristical restuarants overlooking the sea. If its a clear day, you will be able to see as far as the Faraglioni of Capri.

Along the road, near Conca dei Marini, you can go down with an elevator and then by boat to the Emerald Cave. Never before has the name given so much away, the water becomes a truly distictive bright green like that of the precious stone. It is an experience that you cannot miss. Returning onto the road you arrive at Positano.

On the streets of the city you will find a series of workshops, art and ceramic studios and boutiques with famous Italian brands. Finally, dine at the marina, the Buca di Bacco, to relive the atmosphere of the 60s.

You just can’t miss:

Sail the turquoise waters with a typical Sorrento boat is a must for anyone who is planning a stay in Positano and its surroundings. The way to go is north, toward the legendary Punta Campanella known to the Greeks under the name of the promontory Ateneo and to the Romans as Promontorium Minervae. Opposite the Island of Capri, before reaching the natural marine reserve, the route passes by another fiord, at Crapolla. Close your eyes and feel the smell of the sea. You will never forget this moment.

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