Happy cow.net. is a great resource for anyone who is interested in finding
healthy places to eat pretty much anywhere in the world.
It is simple to use…just type in the city you are visiting and up comes a list of recommendations.
Along with a google map, reviews in most cases and the menu. Another feature is you can stipulate the distance from your location so that you don’t get some an endless long list to wade through.
Now there is much more to the “happycow” you also have a heap of recipes which can be downloaded so there’s no need to travel enjoying lovely food.
You could of course always use happycow in you own city to experience how useful it may be when you travel.
If you have similar sites that you think other travellers should know about then please comment below or email me and I will review them…that way we can all enjoy even better travel experiences.
Her’s to your travel exceeding the highest expectations.
Don’t you hate it when you get off a long flight and then you find yourself waiting around to leave the airport?
If you are travelling to Sydney then this is a high probability as you will see in my short video.
I took this video rather quickly after our limo driver told us that on some days you find yourself waiting 2 or more hours in ques.
Sam the limo driver said that early morning before 10 am and evenings from 5 to 8 pm were the worst times as that is when a lot of flights arrive and depart.
In the past I have paid $55 for the Airport to Darling Harbour taxi ride. The limo service cost between $65 and $75. Interesting that it is much quicker than a taxis too.
You can probably speculate why!!!
The thing to remember is that a limo service must be booked in advance…the bonus is they will always have a nice luxury late model car and be very professional.
I have travelled in taxis all over the world and believe me my personal experiences have not always seen me at ease with some local taxis drivers where as I am yet to have
anything but a good experiences with limo services.
Now it would wrong of me not to mention you can also catch a the shuttle bus which is only $15.
You will have to wait your turn to be dropped off as the shuttle services a number of hotels.
And finally there is the train which I have caught once and then had to drag my bags around the streets as it did not stop near my Hotel.
Well that covers more than what I intended…hope it helps the next time you go to Sydney.
The sharp eyed have already picked it up that’s not me on the video.
It is my wife Nilla who would like to share her recent experince while checking her requirements for our forthcoming travel to Peru.
Nilla’s attention to detail saved her from being refused entry into South America. Now I am sure that would be worth avoiding right?
Watch the video and let Nilla explain in her words what she discovered and how you can be sure your passport is in the correct order.
I do need to qualify myself here and say we know this is applicable for Australian passport holders and may not affect you if you are traveling on a different nationalities passport.
I would suggest you check it out…just to give yourself peace of mind.
I just had a interesting link skyped to me from a friend in America.
Frankly it is not something I could see myself using…but once I played around with it I was impressed enough to feel it worth sharing in case you might find it handy.
Now this map is a really cool map if you are trying to get some idea of what flights are available from say your home airport in dollar terms.
Basically it shows you how far you can fly for a set dollar amount which you can tweak and control to whatever amount you want.
It is incredible to think that airlines lost or miss handled 25 million pieces of luggage between them last year.
The good news is that was 23.8% less than the previous year…or if your math’s is not so good that is a huge 7.8 million less lost or mishandled bags.
What a relief!!!
Now if it is not bad enough losing or mishandling your luggage consider this…
…the cost to the industry was a whopping $2.5 billion dollars.
Yip and guess who pays…You and me…the traveller.
So what can you do to prevent your luggage from being delayed or lost?
Well not much really as it is out of your hands…you could though make sure that your luggage has nothing of value in it. Hopefully any lose or delay will not be too devastating.
Secondly I urge anything of value purchased on your travel’s to be sent home by either a courier service or registered post. That way it is much more likely to arrive and in the condition you expect.
Warning…don’t think it won’t happen to you, because it is not a matter of if… but rather of when!!!
A spare set of underwear is a good inclusion in hand luggage. Everything else can usually be purchased at your destination.
That’s it for today.
Please feel free to share your comments or travel tips so all our friend scan benefit.
PS. Have you checked out my pick pocket video yet? This is a MUST see to give you piece of mind when travelling and in my eyes is pretty much 100% guaranteed to work.
And I just had to share some of what I learnt just in case you are part of the 35,000 plus Australians who can now say they have enjoyed a river cruise in Europe.
Of course it is much more than just a craze where people rushing off to Europe to be on one of these cruises.
Rather it seems to me that it is the style and freedom River Cruises like Avalon Waterways offer which is what is catching on.
Check out my short summary of the presentation in the video below and then in a day or so check in when I share what I am thinking will be about a 6 to 8 minute detailed highlights including some pictures of what you can expect from river cruises in Europe.
I think you will be very surprised by what you discover…I certainly was.
Feel free to ask me any questions or post a comment.
My last travel tip warned on locking your car doors when traveling…if you missed it check it out
Please understand these tips are not meant to be negative, just what I call good common travel sense which some people simple don’t have due to lack of travel experience.
This simple very inexpensive way to prevent your valuables from becoming the booty of a smart pick pocket is very very effective…almost pick pocket proof and certainly easy to implement. That way you get to enjoy the surrounds not stressing about becoming a victim.
Let me share my story of how I learnt the hard way about this technique.
While in Puno in Peru back in 2004 a group of us were walking through the very busy market.
There were thousands of people mostly shoulder to shoulder jostling between the stalls.
Next thing my wife called out yuck John that guy just spat on your back. Well my jacket actually. I turned in shock to see what sort of person would stoop to such a low act.
By the time we realised what had happened some member of the group had nudged up against me and deftly removed a $100 note from my jackets inside pocket.
It was all over in a spit sorry split second.
Don’t let this happen to you…
learn the simple steps you can take to protect your valuables no matter what distracting trick might be pulled on you. I reveal it in the video below with a demonstration of what I think is the most anti pick pocket protection going.
The good news you can get these ( you will learn in the video) in most markets in any city in the work for only a couple of dollars.
Personally I never travel without mine…and neither should you!!!
If you have any travel tips you would like to share then post them here for others to benefit.
This is just a quick warning which I want you to know about.
Hopefully you have not been caught out as some travellers have already.
I am passing on word for word what I have read as well as the contact numbers below.
Consumer Protection is acting quickly to close down a bogus travel website which is offering ridiculously low airfares and operating without a licence. The website -www.AusFlightz.net- is hosted overseas and is using a travel agent licence number and ABN of a legitimate travel business. It is also falsely claiming to be an agent for major airlines. The physical address on the site does not exist and the phone number has been disconnected.
Consumer Protection Commissioner Anne Driscoll said the Department launched an investigation after receiving complaints from licensed travel agents who were approached by consumers asking them if they could match the low fares.
“To sell travel in Western Australia you must be licensed and this business definitely does not hold a licence, despite its claims,” Ms Driscoll said. “The airfares being advertised are well below market prices, with the site claiming that the fares being offered are cheap because they are exempt from paying fees and taxes. We strongly recommend that consumers avoid making any bookings or revealing any bank or credit card details on this site until our investigations are complete.”
Consumer Protection is approaching the web hosting company overseas to suspend this account and is continuing to investigate. If in any doubt, travel consumers are urged to contact Consumer Protection to check that the agent or website they are dealing with is on our register of licensed agents. Consumers who may have had dealings with this particular website are also asked to come forward by calling us on 1300 30 40 54 or by emailing consumer@commerce.wa.gov.au
Again please be careful when something seems to good to be true…well you know how it goes…right?
Next week I share the top 10 safest travel destination…so please check in regularly.
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There are many tours planned with the first being to my homeland Italy in May 2010, this journey encompasses all of my passions which I would love to share with you, walking, cooking, culture, people, scenery and history.
We commence this Gourmet Walking journey in Florence staying in a villa just outside of San Gimigiano, walk amongst the vineyards and olive groves, learn how to cook a Tuscan feast, then we walk the Amalfi coast and attend a cooking school in Sorrento for 6 days where we will learn how to make Limoncello...
If you would like to know more about this trip to Italy, visit here
