… to travel the world?
Posts Tagged With: RTW
What would you give…
Categories: Travel
Tags: Adventure, Backpacking, Blogging, Camping, Inspiration, RTW, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, World, Writing
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Travel Tip Tuesday!
Our tip for today: TRAVEL LIKE INDIANA JONES!
Need some inspiration for your next adventure? Try following this Hollywood hunk’s footsteps from South America to the Middle East and visit some of the sites from the films! Check out what Gadling writes about these adventure-packed destinations: Peru, Nepal, Egypt, China, India, and Jordan. Don’t forget your passport!
Categories: Adventure, Africa, Around the World, Asia, Backpacking, Celebrities, Europe, Hiking, Nature, Nepal, Outdoors, RTW, South America, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, Travel Tips, World Travel
Tags: Adventure, Backpacking, Blog, Explore, Hollywood, Indiana Jones, RTW, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, Travel Tips
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Vegetarian McDonald’s in India!
As much as I love exploring local cuisine when traveling, I was excited to hear that McDonald’s is opening an all-vegetarian outlet in India soon! While the conglomerate certainly has more than a few strikes against it (like tons of trans fats, very UNfair trade with farmers, obesity-causing-artery-clogging fries for a mere $1…just to name a few), I was surprised to see it could and would bend its menu to accommodate a vegetarian diet. In India, where the majority of the population is Hindu and does not eat beef for religious reasons (there are also a large number of Muslims in the country who do not eat pork), McDonald’s needed to invent a menu that was 100% veggie-friendly. And they did! According to CNNGo, Micky D’s gave up their McRib and Big Mac burgers for the McAloo Tiki burger and the McVeggie – an delicious vegetable patty made with carrots, potatoes and peas. The sandwich I’m most excited about (who says you can’t be excited for people halfway across the earth?) is the McSpicy Paneer – a spicy burger filled with paneer (Indian) cheese!
The McSpicy Panner sandwich! YUM!
The foodie fun has its downsides, though. McDonald’s wants to build stores that would be practically on top of Temples and holy site property in order to maximize visitor foot traffic. Many locals and officials are upset that the golden arches are invading their space and building too close to sacred sites.
Many Indians are upset that McDonald’s plans to open a location close to the Golden Temple of Amritsar. They say it’s an “attempt to humiliate Hindus”.
As enthusiastic as I am about the spicy panner sandwich (and the jobs that McDonald’s could bring to India), I hope the company has enough compassion to set aside their business plans and respect the Indian culture. Read the whole article on CNNGo.com!
Categories: Asia, Backpacking, Food, India, Indian Food, Religion, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, World Travel
Tags: Blog, Food, India, News, RTW, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, Writing
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How to Live Better (by playing the ukulele)
A little over a month ago, I decided it was time for a new “challenge.” I was bored – bored with work, bored with what was on tv… bored with my life. I thought about training for a marathon but it was mid summer in Florida (way too hot.) I thought about buying a plane ticket to Bangkok to visit my old roommate (way too expensive). I needed something stimulating, something rich that wouldn’t break my [very small] bank….
…. I decided to teach myself how to play the ukulele.
YouTube is a great site for learning new things. There are more resources for how to play the ukulele than I know what to do with! So between books at the library, free websites/teaching tools and YouTube, I am slowly (and enthusiastically) navigating my way around the island sounds.
With tax, this new “challenge” only cost $32.00!
Learning to play a musical instrument on your own time is great because it’s just that – on your own time. I do my best to carve out an hour here and there to practice my cords and my Beach Boys songs but if we get busy at our shaved ice stand and I’m too tired to serenade September at midnight, then I can just practice some other time. There’s no pressure, no hurry… it’s a ukulele, after all, one of the most laid back instruments in the world.
I enjoy bringing my little uke to the beach and practicing on the sand. Thankfully, it’s pretty quiet. So my fellow beach-goers can’t get too annoyed by hearing Home on the Range over and over again.
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If YOU’RE looking for ways to better your life, liven up the monotony or challenge yourself to a new hobby, click here - It’s 50 Life Secrets and Tips. There’s something for everyone! Enoy!
Categories: Adventure, Beach, Florida, Music, Outdoors, Photography, Stumble Upon, Summer, Thailand, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, Ukulele, Uncategorized
Tags: Adventure, Art, Backpacking, Blog, Blogging, Music, Photography, RTW, Top Knotch Gear, Travel
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No one knows you
Categories: Adventure, Around the World, Backpacking, Circumnavigation, Globetrotting, Pinterest, RTW, Top Knotch Gear, Tourist Site, Travel, Travel Tips, Trek
Tags: Adventure, Art, Backpacking, Blog, Blogging, RTW, Survival Gear, Top Knotch Gear, Travel, Writing
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Around the World for $100,000
The Chinese are generally known to be frugal and modest, so it’s quite a surprise to hear that a 66-day luxury trip around the world sold out in just 13 SECONDS! The trip costs [a mere] RMB 660,000 – over $100,000 USD. The 11-person tour is organized by Ctrip – a Chinese travel agency conglomerate. (Tip: book airline tickets through them when you’re in China – they’re much cheaper than the usual travel agencies/airlines).
The “world tour”, China claims, is the “ultimate travel experience.” The itinerary looks something like this:
Australia + 24 days in South America + a cruise to Antarctica + North Africa + Europe + a 10-day cruise through the Med + Paris + Finland + Dubai + India + Hong Kong.
They’re flying first-class to all of their destinations, staying at the most high-end and posh hotels, and only participating in luxury-related activities. Read the article at CNN Go here.
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I think this type of “tour” is an embarrassment for China. Not only is it ridiculously expensive given that the price tag is 8-10x that of the average annual Chinese salary, but I think it’s extremely homogenous, limited, and narrow-minded. Don’t get me wrong, people are absolutely free to travel however they please and by whatever means they desire but don’t call this the “ultimate travel experience” globetrotting tour of of the world when you’re only going to a fraction of it. (These are my personal thoughts only and do not reflect those of CNN Go or Ctrip.)
Categories: Adventure, Airplanes, Around the World, Asia, Australia, Europe, Explore, Extreme Vacation/Adventures, Globetrotting, Hong Kong, India, RTW, Shanghai, South America, Summer, Top Knotch Gear, Tourist Site, Transportation, Travel, Trip planning, World Travel
Tags: Article, Blogging, China, Extreme Travel, Luxury, News, RTW, Travel, World Travel
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CNN Travel’s Guide to RTW Trips
Just today, CNN Travel posted an article from the Lonely Planet on how to plan a trip around the world (RTW). We’ll summarize the main points from the article:
- Book a RTW ticket stopping at major airports (because the more obscure locations cost more)
- All travel must be completed in a year and no backtracking with a RTW ticket
- Think about what you want to see, do your research and consider weather in your plans
- Cost of the RTW ticket is based on total distance and number of stops (number of countries)
- North America and Europe are the most expensive while Asia and South America are the cheapest
Overall, the article isn’t bad for as vague as it is. It’s a good start for anyone who has ever considered doing a circumnavigation. For us, these tips are a little too broad. We want to leave our timeline open and we hope to use other means of transportation (freighters, walking, boats, bikes, etc.) And who knows? Maybe we’ll end up living in Hong Kong for a couple of years while we’re abroad – we don’t know. But we want to have the world at our fingertips – everywhere to go and all day to get there.
Another HIGHLY RECOMMENDED resource is the Rough Guides book to your First Time Around the World. It’ll give you more info on RTW flights, budgeting, weather, etc. – a more detailed version of CNN Travel’s article. Check it out!
Great book for travelers planning a RTW trip!
Categories: Adventure, Airplanes, Backpacking, Circumnavigation, Explore, Globetrotting, Top Knotch Gear, Transportation, Travel, Travel Tips, Trip planning, World Wonders
Tags: Africa, Airplane, Asia, Backpacking, Budget, Budget Travel, Circumnavigation, CNN Travel, Europe, Globetrotting, News article, North America, RTW, South America, Travel article
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