Some of the the best German-Style Beer Halls outside Germany

Posted on March 22, 2011 by traveljunkies

German Beer Halls are bigger than a pub and more boisterous than a restaurant.
Here are some of the best beer halls outside Germany.

Radegast Hall & Biergarten – Brooklyn, New York
Kunstmann Cervecería – Valdivia, Chile
Bier Halle – Glasgow, Scotland
Beer House – Tallinn, Estonia
Paulaner’s Bräuhaus – Cape Town, South Africa
Tawandang German Brewery – Bangkok, Thailand
Sapporo Beer Garden – Hokkaido, Japan
Löwenbräu Keller – Sydney, Australia

See picures and read more about each of them here

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When Is Cheap Travel Insurance Not Cheap?

Posted on March 19, 2011 by traveljunkies

When it doesn’t do the job when you really need it!

Every day there are thousands of Google searches for “Cheap Travel Insurance”

Today the Google Keywords Tool is showing 90,000 searches per month, that’s 3,000 per day.

But what is cheap? Does it mean the least amount of money to pay? Is something cheap because it costs less?

Yes, sometimes this is the case. Just like at the sales where something is discounted and costs less than the regular price, and when it’s both what you want and what you need, you have a bargain.

But how often do people buy something because it’s cheap only to find it isn’t quite what they thought, or doesn’t really meet their needs, and in some cases was something they didn’t actually need at all?

This isn’t so much a problem if it’s a coat or a pair of shoes etc. which can be sold (on Ebay?) or given to charity or just left in the cupboard.

But what if it’s something really important, like travel insurance?

It’s no good discovering later that what you bought because it was cheap doesn’t actually do the job when you really need it.

You find out the hard way that it’s no longer cheap but in fact can be very, very expensive.

In the next post we’ll talk about how to distinguish between Cheap Travel Insurance, that may turn out to be very expensive, and Good Value Travel Insurance that gives you exactly what you need at an affordable price.

Until then …. take care

Ecotourism 101: How can children benefit from an ecotourism experience?

Posted on March 2, 2011 by traveljunkies

Courtesy of Irene Lane – www.greenloons.com

Ecotourism is full of what educators call teachable moments or, more definitively, unplanned opportunities to explain a concept that has unintentionally captured a child’s interest. Whether it is touring the rainforests of the Amazon, observing blue footed boobies throughout the Galapagos Islands, or understanding the water issues that surround the Okavango Delta in Botswana, ecotourism is a vacation experience that provides boundless opportunities to teach younger generations about the fragility of ecosystems and the significance of heritage.

Who among us has not witnessed the common occurrence while visiting the local zoo, going hiking through the wilderness or even watching a local artistic exhibit of children looking with absolute wonder and amazement at the spectacle of music, art, flora or fauna? There is delight followed by an onslaught of illuminating questions about people and the natural world. And, these teachable moments mark milestones for a child’s personal growth and development. According to John Bakers of Amazonia Travel, the value system that is at the core of ecotourism can be a positive influence on all age groups, not just the young. Specifically, children can benefit from an ecotourism vacation because the experience offers an opportunity for:

Instruction about indigenous wildlife – ecotours are not only small group tours that allow for up-close-and-personal views of nature, but ones that are generally led by a naturalist that have been trained to understand plants, birds, insects and animals and their relationships to ecosystems thereby bringing education alive
Increased awareness about environmental degradation – an important component of ecotourism is to inform tourists about ways to minimize waste, soil erosion, air and water pollution so as not to disturb the environment – lessons that no doubt will stay with children
Involvement with conservation efforts – whether it’s helping to record sea turtle activity in Greece or understand the destructive role of invasive plant species in the wilderness, ecotourism allows for deep knowledge of the fragility of the natural world
Focus on the depletion of natural resources – whether its learning about how an eco-lodge harnessed solar or wind power for their operations or how countries are implementing renewable bio-energy to power engines, ecotourism teaches how other countries are using low-carbon technologies today
Exposure to cultural experiences – from tasting new foods to learning phrases in a foreign language, ecotourism interprets cultural traditions and experiences that provide long-lasting impressions about the world
Inspiration for a life’s passion – while snorkeling through a coral reef or observing animals in their natural habitat in Africa, ecotourism sparks the imagination to dream about a career or even find a solution to an environmental problem

Top 5 list of why exploring new lands and cultures is more important than ever

Posted on March 2, 2011 by traveljunkies

Courtesy of Irene Lane – www.greenloons.com

In the age of travel alerts, political uprisings and airport security lines, it is no wonder why so few people travel outside of their home regions. A recent article posted on CNN.com gave a grim view of Americans who prefer to not travel internationally for a myriad of reasons ranging from our general lack of interest and intense work culture to expensive airfares and logistics.

While some of these reasons may be legitimate, it does not mean that the sentiment should continue. Now more than ever, Americans must brush aside their suspicions of international travel and, instead, begin a sincere exploration and discovery of nations and cultures. This is because global issues of the economy, politics and environment will require more of us to do business with and learn the languages of other nations.

Traveling to faraway lands increases cultural sensitivity whereas fear and misunderstanding leads to upheaval.

Hence, my Top 5 reasons why it is imperative to travel internationally in this day and age are that:

Travel enables us to make human (rather than social media) connections with one another and these connections are what will make the global economy mutually beneficial to all
Travel empowers us to discuss and question our social customs and values
Travel provides a different perspective on how regional subsistence issues affects international politics
Travel allows for us to become more sensitive to other cultures whether it’s simply reading the local English language newspaper, tasting local delicacies or making a new friend who has a completely different viewpoint of the world
Travel reveals to us a different outlook on the issues of poverty, race, and religion that is necessary in an age where political discourse within the media is so segmented

Backpackers code

Posted on January 29, 2011 by traveljunkies

Yes, there’s actually an unwritten backpacker code all backpackers must follow. Whether you follow them or not, determines if you’re a true backpacker. The community is wide spread throughout the world. We share the common interest of travel itself. The code is simple and known by most backpackers without having to think about it.

Here’s the list:

You watch me, I watch you

You watch over me and I’ll watch over you. The idea is that we all look after each other in any given environment. An example of this is if you notice someone mistakenly left their wallet on their bed but the person is not in the room and you’re about to leave. Following the code, unless you know this person and guaranteed to see them again, hand it over to hostel front desk for safety. We as travelers need to work together.

Don’t eat my food

We understand that everyone has a budget and eating for as cheap as possible but at no given time is it ever right to steal food. Most hostels have a free food section provided by other travelers who did not want the food they had. Again we are in this together and surely if you need some salt, ask and it’s yours.

Be respectful to the culture you’re in

This code essentially should be followed by everyone regardless of being a backpacker or not however this definitely deserved a mention. Set a good example to locals of travelers passing by and be respectful to the culture of the country you’re at. A simple example is to take off your shoes entering temples within Thailand. Do a little research before you arrive and talk to fellow travelers on anything you need to know about the place you’re at. If you disagree to the way a culture does things that’s fine however you still need to be respectful. The same as you would with your parents.

Stay Chill

Don’t over heat in a bad situation. Thing’s will go wrong, it’s part of the journey. Learn from it and continue the travels. No matter how much you prepare at home, experience is the best lesson. Of course no one wants to be in a bad situation but it happens even at home. Understand that if someone doesn’t understand your language, they’re still taking the time to try to help you. No one likes to be with a traveler that gets angry. If you want to get angry, do that with your PowerPoint presentation at home, not with people.

Speak In The Same Tongue

Naturally, traveling creates friends from different parts of the world. Especially in a hostel environment where people are coming in from every corner of the globe under one roof. Usually English is the common language amongst travelers though your native language may be something else. If you happen to meet someone from your country but you’re with a group of only English speakers at the diner table, it’s polite then to speak English. This goes for any common language the group may have. Speak in the language everyone can have a conversation in. It’s rude to leave off other people when there’s a common language everyone can understand and speak.

The Unwritten Backpackers Code Rules by Michael Tieso on January 2, 2010

Is Australia still the ultimate backpackers destination?

Posted on January 29, 2011 by traveljunkies

Backpacking and Australia really is like fish and chips, or fush and chups for you weird people in New Zealand. Australia hit gold when backpackers started descending upon the country.

Everything about Australia made for the ultimate destination to travel to and backpacker tourism helped Australia’s economy to grow. Australia topped the lists of top destinations to visit time and time again but recent years have seen a shift in where backpackers are choosing to travel to thanks to economic fluctuations and evolving travel trends. This then leads me to ask the question, has Australia lost it’s shine for backpackers or will it always hold the crown and appeal of the ultimate backpackers destination?

Many factors contributed to Australia becoming a backpacker destination. It was really far away for most backpackers and in one country you could visit outback, rainforest, beaches, countryside and fashionable cities. The Australian relaxed lifestyle was what people were leaving their own lives for, and in Australia you could work and travel at your leisure, allowing backpackers to spend a year away rather than a few weeks holiday.

Most importantly backpacking was budget orientated and Australia offered backpackers cheap accommodation, drinks, food and activities. Australia’s success at creating a backpacking industry, resulted inevitably in many other destinations craving the same. It is amazing to think of the sheer number of places that have opened their arms to visitors and acknowledged that backpacking is here to stay and evolving on a daily basis:

South America – In one continent you can visit the World Heritage Sites of Macchu Picchu, the infamous beaches in Rio, the bustling city of Buenos Aries, ski the mountains of Chile, spot unique wildlife in Galapagos and take on adventure in Bolivia. Similar to Australia, got you get home with more stamps on your passport and have experienced the different culture of all South American countries. With Colombia a must see destination for 2010 South America is only set to increase in popularity and the big difference is that South America is still relatively much cheaper to visit.
Central America – The tropics, birds, turtles, dolphins, beaches and chilled out lifestyles will only become more and more popular and it only take half the time to get there. South East Asia – known to all backpackers as cheap, it still is cheap for most backpackers. South East Asia was once a top place to stop for a few weeks on route to Australia, but now it has become a backpacker destination in itself.
China – China has well and truly tapped in to the backpacker market giving backpackers that unique experience of really being in a different world and culture. Whereas Japan is still quite an expensive country to visit, China isn’t and can offer visitors everything other destinations can, from skiing, to adventure, to stylish cities, to remote countryside as well as fascinating scenery. The Great Wall of China still remains my favourite place to visit worldwide.
Africa – Each individual country within the continent offers most Westerners a new and exhilerating experience and with South Africa hosting the World Cup next year it is set to become a destination to visit.
New Zealand – Emerging from the shadows of Australia as a destination in it’s own right, New Zealand is know not just a country to do because you happened to be in the area evidenced when Lonely Planet named New Zealand as a top destination for 2010.

Thongs Australia Backpackers

With so much competition within the backpacking industry, each destination really needs to establish that unique selling point as a backpacking destination and here is why Australia still ranks as an ultimate backpacking destination:

The Working Holiday Visa. Pure backpacking genius. Backpackers can sample the sights, beauty and culture of the country over the course of one or two years. Sure there are a couple of other countries that do the same, but Australia is the only country to give you a little piece of everything.
Australia still remains that far away destination to escape to. You get your money’s worth with that plane journey.
It’s easy! The backpacking industry in Australia has been growing rapidly for years so that everything you need is right in front of you. The immense competition for backpackers business in Australia means that although Australia isn’t thought of as cheap as it once was – you can still get around very cheaply!
The Aussie lifestyle will always remain a favourite. People leave their homes to get away and the aussie lifestyle is the ultimate get-away.
You can’t find the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Great Ocean Road, Kakadu National Park and all the others anywhere else in the world, and they are all must -see places to visit.
It is the original big cheese. This factor we can’t ignore. If it wasn’t for Australia we wouldn’t be backpacking worldwide.

Only time will tell as to what the backpacker movement will do in the ever-changing backpacker industry and whether or not Australia will retain its title as the ultimate backpacker destination. For now, however, Australia can remain proud of its title as the ultimate backpackers destination.

About the Author: Cheska is a keen traveler who has visited many countries in the past few years, including China and much of South America. She’s currently undertaking an internship for Nomads based at Nomads Auckland backpackers hostel, New Zealand

Article from:
http://nomadshostels.com/Trip-Ideas/is-australia-still-the-ultimate-backpackers-destination

Wallabies rescued from Queensland floods

Posted on January 13, 2011 by traveljunkies

Adventure Travel Thrills: world’s top 10 heart-pounding experiences

Posted on January 12, 2011 by traveljunkies

Courtesy of http://mytraveladventure.com.au/

Take a deep breath, get strapped in and feel the buzz. Lonely Planet brings you the thrill-seekers’ list, from its 1000 Ultimate Experiences book.

1. BIG SHOT RIDE, LAS VEGAS, USA

This ride, atop the 110-storey Stratosphere observation tower in Las Vegas, has incredible views. The Big Shot runs on compressed air, which, with incredible force, rockets you in your harness from the ride’s base to the top of the Big Shot’s 49 metre tower in just over two seconds. It’s on the boulevard, on top of the Stratosphere Hotel.

2. MOTORCYCLE-TAXI RIDE, THAILAND

Motorcycle-taxi riders bob in and out of endless lines of cars at alarming speeds, often mounting pavements, and wipe-outs occur with shocking regularity. Often the injured rider or passenger is carted off to hospital in a passing tuk tuk. Look for the orange vests worn by licensed taxi riders, who are legally required to carry a spare helmet; motorcycle taxis are usually down the alleys just off the main roads.

3. ROCK CLIMBING, YOSEMITE VALLEY, USA

They say Yosemite Valley is climbing mecca, with climbs coveted by ‘rock heads’ far and wide, and a degree of difficulty that has necessitated many technical innovations. Even today, as the most demanding ascents have crumbled, aficionados still point to El Capitan, Yosemite’s 915m granite wall, as the planet’s greatest rock climb. Be prepared to self-rescue: it is illegal to camp at the base of any wall.

4. PARASAILING, ACAPULCO, MEXICO

Parasailing was invented in Acapulco and that’s no surprise: it’s an absolutely prime location for floating upon the air, with a spectacular, panoramic view of the city, the hills and the islands beyond Acapulco Bay. You take off from the beach and you land on the beach. Operators abound at Contesa Beach and are easy to arrange except during the busy spring holiday season.

5. ZAMBEZI RIVERRAFTING, ZAMBIA & ZIMBABWE

The British Canoe Union classes this white-water run as an extreme Grade V: violent rapids, steep gradients, massive drops. One of the rapids is called ‘Oblivion’ and is said to flip more canoes than any other on the planet.

6. RUNNING WITH THE BULLS, PAMPLONA, SPAIN

Ever since Ernest Hemingway popularized the event, running with the bulls through the narrow streets of Pamplona has come to symbolize some kind of macho pinnacle. Bull runs start at 8am every day from 7 to 14 July; runners must enter before 7.30am. Once you start running it is technically illegal to stop.

7. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE CLIMB, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Follow in Aussie comedian Paul Hogan’s footsteps, prefame – he worked as a rigger on the ‘Coat Hanger’, the world’s largest steel-arch bridge; its summit is 134m above sea level. The climb takes over three hours and it’s a hairy thrill, with cars and people below like ants, and lovely Sydney Harbour before you. .

8. SWIMMING WITH SHARKS, DYER ISLAND, SOUTH AFRICA

Dolphins not edgy enough for you? Try swimming with a great white off Dyer Island. All you have to do is jump in a cage and be lowered into a school of hungry sharks. As they peer in helplessly with those dead black eyes, you might think ‘this is soft!’ Think again. Smaller sharks have been known to butt their way through the bars. From April to August most operators can almost guarantee the sharks will appear.

9. ‘EDGE OF SPACE’ FLIGHTS, RUSSIA

This must be the ultimate high for mainline adrenalin junkies: strapping yourself into a MiG-29 fighter jet and submitting to speeds of Mach 3.2 at a height of 25km – the edge of space – where the sky is black and earth spreads out beneath you. The pilot might even let you take the controls, but make sure you’re not too jittery and bank too far, otherwise you might be forced to draw upon that ejector-seat training they put you through.

10. SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS, NEW ZEALAND

These graceful and playful creatures are guaranteed to quicken the pulse of anyone lucky enough to get near them, with their undeniable intelligence and exuberant personalities. They get frisky and acrobatic only if they feel like it, so a new trend has taken root: swimmers sing not only to attract dolphins, but also to get them in the mood. Apparently Elvis tunes do the trick nicely.

How About A Trip To Mongolia

Posted on January 11, 2011 by traveljunkies

We have 13 top holidays to Mongolia in traveljunkies

Just go to www.traveljunkies.com and enter Mongolia in the search box

The 8 Most Bizarre Rituals in the World

Posted on January 11, 2011 by traveljunkies

The 8 Most Bizarre Rituals in the World

By Turner Wright
Taken out of their cultural context, these rituals may well be considered “bizarre”, “unnecessary”, even downright insane, but not to those who perform them. They completely believe in what they’re doing, what it represents, and the impact on the receiver.

What are some of the most bizarre rituals around the world?

#1: Birth
A Muslim shrine in the Maharashtra state of India, where it is common practice to toss newborn babies off the side of a 15-meter tall temple.

#2: Marriage
The history of certain wedding customs are bizarre in themselves.

#3: Food
Phuket Vegetarian Festival

#4: Death
Sky Burial, Tibet

#5: Fire
Udappu Firewalking, Sri Lanka

#6: Fertility
Hounen Matsuri Fertility Festival, Japan

#7: Blood
Maasai Cow Blood Demonstration, East Africa

#8: Coming of Age
Bullet Ant, Costa Rica

Read the full report complete with spectacular pictures here …
http://www.vagabondish.com/8-bizarre-rituals-world/

About the author …

Turner Wright enjoys the finer things in life, which include: writing travel articles, eating too much, and running until his veins pump battery acid. He is a simple boy from Austin, Texas, but will soon be bouncing around three continents. Check out his blog, Once A Traveler.

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Category Archives: Travel

Some of the the best German-Style Beer Halls outside Germany

When Is Cheap Travel Insurance Not Cheap?

Ecotourism 101: How can children benefit from an ecotourism experience?

Top 5 list of why exploring new lands and cultures is more important than ever

Backpackers code

You watch me, I watch you

Don’t eat my food

Be respectful to the culture you’re in

Stay Chill

Speak In The Same Tongue

Is Australia still the ultimate backpackers destination?

Wallabies rescued from Queensland floods

Adventure Travel Thrills: world’s top 10 heart-pounding experiences

How About A Trip To Mongolia

The 8 Most Bizarre Rituals in the World