If you’re looking for a holiday destination but still can’t make up your mind, visit the Venere.com fan page on Facebook, take our quick test and find out where you should go for your next getaway trip.

Step out your daily routine and live like hamsters

Check out The Guardian Travel Blog and watch a funny video shot at the Hamster Hotel in Brittany, France.  Featuring rooms with giant heel, haystack and seed dispenser, this hotel in Nantes offers guests the chance to live like a hamster for one night.

Weird Airport Stories

Check out Telegraph.co.uk and see pictures of the strangest things confiscated by airport security, such as snakes hidden in a Swedish girl’s bra in Stockholm, a bag of hashish stuffed into the battery compartment of a woman’s sex toy at Gatwick Airport, and, still in London, ten human eye balls swimming in a jam jar at Stansted Airport.

Essential Travel Gear

According to a survey by TripAvisor, 62% of travelers shop for travel books, maps and guides before taking a trip, while 58% buy personal care and 14% go for electronic devices. The survey also reveals that convertible pants, pashmina wrap and teddy bear are amongst TripAdvisor community members’s must-have travel accessories.

Are you a globetrotting genius?

Take Hotel.com’s “Landscapes without Landmarks” quiz and test your geography knowledge.  Will you be able to recognize Barcelona without the Sagrada Familia, Rome without St Peter Cathedral, Paris without the Eiffel Tower and London without Big Ben?

Photo of guide books by Malias

For “road warriors” who find it essential and convenient to use a laptop on the move, durability is quite an important factor when it comes to your purchase – either that or a durable laptop case which for some reason are all very expensive.

The heavier the laptop is, usually the less equipped it will be to survive drops and the like. If durability is absolutely required, a laptop to consider might be the Panasonic ToughBook, which is built basically like an armoured vehicle, and while it’s expensive and has unremarkable specs, it could prove invaluable – it can survive having water poured directly on it and can even withstand being run over by a car practically unscathed.

Battery life is always an issue with many laptops as very few can practically last more than four hours, a figure that rapidly decreases as the battery gets older – the practical lifespan of laptop batteries is often barely one year. It may be worth purchasing a travel battery but these generally occupy a larger space and stick out of the back of the laptop. They can also be expensive and will suffer the same problems with age and frequent use.

The actual brand of laptop is becoming less and less important in recent years as many parts are shared between manufacturers in order to lower cost – a fact that few know. Build quality is still something to look out for though – check for squeaks and rattles when you press the keys and fold the top. Some models of laptop tend to be excessively hot to the touch even on standby. These usually suggest bad system architecture and/or a faulty processor.

A feature that many manufacturers often try to push is the idea of having multimedia controls on the laptop. In my experience, these are often unresponsive, and will probably not work without downloading additional drivers if you ever want to upgrade or downgrade your operating system so are often best avoided. They also drive the price up substantially as well.

Another consideration can be the hardware level and the old tech-shop question which has probably been asked trillions of times – should I choose a laptop with integrated graphics or dedicated graphics? It depends. Are you going to be playing video games or dealing with intensive designing and 3D imaging software? If not, there’s probably no point in choosing a machine with dedicated graphics as they will most probably drain the batteries faster and will increase the bulk and cost of the laptop substantially. As a side note, simpler programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator will usually run sufficiently on a machine with only integrated graphics.

Overall, remember to keep in mind the old warning: “Buy in haste, repent at Leisure!”

Thanks for reading and enjoy your travels!

Photo of traveler at Minneapolis Airport by “Today is a Good Day“

But with increasing reliance on computers for many professions, and with many spending more and more time away from the office, means that a much cheaper and faster desktop no longer seems as relevant anymore. More and more people need something that can, if needs be, be toted out of the office and onto a plane, train, or cafe. To choose a suitable laptop, it is important to understand that despite everyone giving you impossibly varying advice on which brands of laptop are good and which are bad, more emphasis should be placed on the reputation on the individual model than the brand of it – some manufacturers have been known for churning out machines of very differing quality.

But before we start, if you’re going to be traveling, it’s important to choose the laptop with the right kind of operating system. Serious computing enthusiasts might want to choose one with Linux. Trendy people and graphic designers may want to consider the more elite, expensive Macs. But for the thrifty or casual/office user, Windows will probably be sufficient.

Windows and Linux users will have to concern themselves with two additional options: There are two main processor manufacturers and these are Intel and AMD.

AMD processors are a little cheaper and may be better for certain types of PC users, but they tend to drain the laptop’s battery more than they should, so it may be best to choose Intel.

Also, as many readers will be aware, there are many different varieties of Intel processors, such as Celeron, Atom, Dual Core, Centrino, and so on.

It’s not massively important to know the difference between these processors, (although, as always, research doesn’t hurt!) but be warned from the start that the Celeron Processor is aimed at budget laptops and will sacrifice your battery life for performance – a balance, which, for travel, should be tilted the other way.

There are many stylish laptops out there that look absolutely amazing for their price, but look closer and you’ll discover that often all that glitz can often disguise how underpowered the laptop really is. It may sound rather extreme, but unless you only plan to buy a laptop or netbook (smaller laptops known for lower price and portability) to surf the internet, then it’s important to choose a laptop with a hard drive no smaller than 120 gigabytes. You’d be surprised at how fast all that space seems to go after you’ve got a few programs installed.

If it’s running Microsoft XP, make sure that the RAM is no smaller than 512 megabytes, and if Vista, 2 gigabytes. I trust the reader can detect a certain amount of regret from the tone of yours truly for not heeding his own advice!

Photo of laptop by Mark Wubben

1. Beach Town near Rome: Sperlonga

Looking for nice beaches near Rome, Italy? Rob recommends Sperlonga, a pictures seaside village halfway from Naples and the Italian capital. Do not miss his blog post if you’re planning a day trip from Rome to Sperlonga.

2. Top 5 Digital SLR Cameras for Travel

An article for the avid travelers who want to buy a new SLR camera. Paul lists the five best digital SLR cameras from the most expensive SLR to the best value for money digital camera to take beautiful travel pictures.

3. The Best Burlesque Shows in London

Want to have fun and spend an exciting evening in London, UK? Sarah takes you to Burlesque London and lists the best male burlesque nights in Soho. Burlesque clubs and shows reviewed in her article included Working Men, Bearlesque, Madam Jojos, High-End Class and Have A Go.

4. Amsterdam Red Light District: Tacky or Tasteful?

What to think about Amsterdam’s Red Light District? Will draws quite a negative pictures of one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam, Holland.  Read his blog post and drop a comment to share your thoughts about the Red Light Distric of Amsterdam.

5. 5 Packing Tips for the Tour de France

If you are planning a 2010 Tour de France vacation, read this travel blog post by Liz.  A huge fan of bike racing, she shares all the useful Tour de France packing tips she has learnt along the way of the the world’s most popular cycling race.

Photo of sunglasses on sandy beach by Katie@!

But can we ever know enough about the harm UV rays can do to our skin? How can we possibly make any sense of the whole business when so many brands and products are out to get us? Here’s a quick run down of what we need to know this summer.

What you need to know first of all is that the sun works in two ways: UVA and UVB rays. The UV stands for Ultra Violet and they’re like microwaves and light waves but the solar variety. The UVB rays are the more serious ones and can cause skin cancer. They are a shorter and stronger wave. The UVA rays are longer and can affect your skin even from behind clouds and causes wrinkles.

Sun cream

Creams a measured using Sun Protection Factors (SPF). This number is the amount of time you can stay out in the sun with the cream applied without the risk of burning. If you apply simply multiplication then it’s easy. A factor 2 will allow you to spend 2 times as long as you could without any cream on without burning, factor 10 is ten times and so on. Everyone has a different threshold as to how long they can stay in the sun for and there are 7 grades. People with paler skin shouldn’t be in the direct sunlight for longer than 15 mins without additional creams. If this is you then you should always go for factor 30 or more to be safe.

In terms of the brand, scientists are keen to encourage us to go for reputable brand names such as: Ambre Solaire, Vichy, Vaseline Intensive Care’s range, Piz Buin, as they will be properly tested. Always apply more than you think too, as most people don’t use enough. Make sure it’s well rubbed into the skin to avoid blotches.

Sunblock stick

You might have seen the colourful war paint on cricketer’s faces? These are the solid blocks that you rub onto your skin and don’t smear in any cream. They’re a no mess option and come in all the factors cream does. They are a non-greasy stick that many people find easier to transport and keep in their pockets while they’re out in the sun for long periods. You just need to be sure you’ve applied enough and managed to evenly spread it over your skin.

After sun

In the unlikely event that you get home and find yourself sun burnt then there are products to help us sooth the discomfort by all the leading brands listed above. This acts as a moisturiser for the skin and cools it down, but it must not be thought of as a cure and therefore something that allows us to lower the guard we show in the sun. Some are thought to enhance the process of tanning, but again, this shouldn’t be something that encourages sunburn in the first place.

Photo of blond girls sun tanning in Saubadia, Italy by Rickydavid

Or an even more common question (for people who think their 1.3 megapixel camera phone is the very height of photographic technology) is simply: What is a Digital SLR?

To briefly summarize, SLR stands for Single-Lens Reflex, and this where you get to see exactly what is visible through the camera lens, and a hinged mirror controlling light enables for exposures almost as fast as the blink of an eye, ideal for sports photographers who want to capture that particular expression or goal. DSLR Cameras are usually quite expensive, although they are coming down in price almost daily and are vastly superior to normal point-and-shoot cameras. The very finest Digital SLR cameras will cost (of course) thousands of Euros. However, some of the ones on this list take into account those on leaner budgets!

5. Canon EOS 450D

At around €550, it’s a bargain, with both an expensive look and feel, and the LCD screen menu options are particularly easy to use. Despite lacking the high definition video capabilities of its older brother, the 500D, but yet is significantly cheaper. Advantages include a high megapixel count of 12.2, and much more compatibility with Canon’s range of lenses than many other cameras of this type.

4. Nikon D60

Costing around €450, this is considered perhaps the best value for money budget DSLR – still quite expensive though, isn’t it! Like many DSLR cameras at this price, the lens that comes bundled with it leaves a lot to be desired, meaning you’ll probably want to upgrade it after a few weeks of ownership to make the most of its 10.2 megapixels, a relatively unimportant yet still rather meagre megapixel count. Standout features include a start-up time of just 0.19 seconds and an extremely light, mostly plastic body.

3. Nikon D700

It has been called by many the best Digital SLR of 2008. It does, however, command a high premium of around €2000 – and that doesn’t include the lens. Some of the advantages and features that justify this price level are a massive, self-cleaning “FX” sensor, and a 5ps image capture rate which can increase with a more expensive battery kit.

2. Pentax K200D

It costs €575, only has 10.2 megapixels, and is quite expensive for the features offered. What then, makes it worth buying? Pentax are well known for their rugged durability and reliability, and are popular with journalists – the K200D has 60 individual seals that protect the camera from any kind of dust and damp that would make this camera ideal for taking onto a warzone. While the average Venere Blog Reader isn’t probably going to encounter anything of the sort, it could come in handy for those going on an African Safari or even the beach. Take my advice – nothing ruins cameras more than sand.

1. Olympus E-3

Olympus aren’t usually featured anywhere near the top of any photographer’s list of the best cameras, but that doesn’t mean they can’t manufacture a gem every now and then. The E-3, costing around €2400, is the most expensive on this list, but for some, the price will be easily justifiable with its renowned autofocus system which basically has the ability to keep very fast moving objects in focus – thought to be better than any other camera in the world. It’s also bundled with wireless flash and is extremely durable. Well worth the money!

Photo of traveler taking pictures in Luxor, Egypt, by Antonioperezrio.es

My mom and I have spent three recent summers following the Tour from start to finish, without any official connection to the race. No press passes, no family members working for a cycling team, no friends on the staff – it was just the two of us, chasing cyclists around France weeks on end!

We’ve gained a lot of experience, and with Lance Armstrong back in the saddle for this year’s race, I thought I’d share some of the packing tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way. Whether you’re going to the Tour for a couple of days or the whole thing, it’s important to be prepared.

1. Pack Light

This is key, especially if you’re visiting multiple stages of the race. You’ll probably find yourself switching hotels frequently, and nothing is more tiring than lugging your suitcase in and out of each hotel room, through small European hotel hallways, and up and down the stairs. We discovered that by carrying a small suitcase, we could leave a lot of stuff in our rental car and limit the amount we were hauling.

2. Pack a Spare Bag

Your spare bag – preferably a duffel that can be stuffed, empty, into your other luggage – will be your lifesaver as you collect free stuff from the publicity caravan each day. You can also use this bag to store groceries for picnic lunches, bottles of water, and emergency provisions like umbrellas and ponchos. Anything you don’t need to carry inside with you every night can go into this bag.

3. Pack for the Wait

What do you like to do to pass the time? At the Tour, lots of hours are spent waiting on the side of the road for the race to come by, so I recommend packing a couple of books, some cycling magazines, or maybe a deck of cards. Some days you’ll be near food vendors and restaurants, but you could also end up hanging out in the countryside all day, so I recommend always having enough food on hand for an impromptu picnic. Handy, easy-to-find picnic foods include baguettes, croissants, fresh fruit, cookies, and crackers. If you’ve got the chance, think about following our lead and buying a small charcoal grill. While camping on Alpe d’Huez, we grilled sausages, potatoes, and mushrooms for one of the tastiest meals of our trip!

4. Pack Like a Fan

Do you have a favorite cyclist or team? Think about how you can support your favorites! Scour ebay for deals on things like flags adorned with your team’s logo or official jerseys. Once in France, you can buy a plain white sheet at any old supermarket, as well as paint. Painting up a sheet and draping it across your car is a great way to show support for the teams you love. If you want to be particularly daring, buy some high-quality house or wall paint to use on the roads – be careful, though. You only want to do this when it’s clearly accepted by the locals and the police force.

5. Be Prepared

Don’t forget sunscreen, umbrellas, bottles of water, snacks, some spare change to buy a newspaper with the latest race details, and your camera! Plus, if you’re going to the start or finish line, have a pen handy for autographs. You’ll need a good set of maps, a guidebook for the Tour, and if you don’t speak French, a handy multilingual dictionary.

Photo of  Tour de France fans in Haute-savoie, French Alps, by virtualfred&lamartina

1. Dress the kids in bright colors and loud-patterned clothes.

Doing this ensures you can spot them easily in crowded places like parks and zoos. You can also make them wear colorful hats or caps that can protect them from extreme sunlight.

2. Split them up.

If you’re traveling with your husband or any other adult, assign beforehand the kids that one should look after. Splitting the kids up (such as when in a plane) also keeps the noise level down.

3. Stock up on food and water.

Make sure you have a lot of easy-to-carry-and-eat foods packed so that no one gets hungry in the middle of a flight or bus ride and throws tantrums. Stock up on water to keep everyone hydrated.

4. Bring a stroller.

A stroller can work two ways. First, you can use it to carry a tired or sleepy child. Second, you can use it to carry all your heavy bags and shopped items!

5. Pack a lot of wipes and tissues.

No telling what the kids will get themselves into while eating or playing. Having ready wipes or paper towels allow you to easily wipe any mess and keep the kids and their stuff as neat as possible.

6. Bring their favorite toys.

If you want to keep the kids as preoccupied as can be, make sure they have their favorite distractions with them. I found this effective when I recently went on a long travel with a six year old niece who tends to get temperamental. I let her bring two of her favorite dolls as well as the dolls’ stuff and she was pretty much behaved the whole of the trip.

Photo of tourists under the Eiffel Tower by jay-chilli

It’s difficult to describe here but the Gorillapod is simply a wiry, flexible camera tripod enabling the photographer to get that shot with his partner when no-one else is around to take the picture.

Fitting into the standard camera tripod slot, you’ll be able to attach it to trees, ledges, on sand, stair banisters, and pretty much every other horizontal and vertical surface you can think of. It’s also quite small and light, and takes up very little of the bulk a standard tripod might.

2. Aerobed Active

Ever been to a hotel where the bed smelt of cigarette smoke and was hard and lumpy? With a portable, inflatable airbed such as this one, you can either place it on the floor or just put it on top of the current uncomfortable bed. It could also come in handy if you wanted to save money – you could just book a single room and toss a coin with your partner to see who gets the real bed. Also included is a tiny rechargeable pump for when the power socket doesn’t match the plug. It inflates in under a minute for the times when you’ve got back to the hotel at 3 in the morning and desperately need to “catch some Z’s”. They’re also available in Single and Double configurations meaning you needn’t spend nights alone.

3. AquaBourne Hydration Backpack

Now that the pesky ban on taking liquids onto flights has finally been abolished, we’re all free to carry on bottles and liquids of all shapes and sizes. But instead of having bulky bottles take up room and possibly even leak all over your freshly laundered shirts, some ingenious entrepreneur has come up with a bag with an internal 1.5 litre water pouch, which can be accessed by a drinking tube, saving the wearer having to grope around in a busy airport terminal for a bottle. The only downside is that it might be slightly, well, odd.

4. Flip Mino HD Video Camera

The world’s smallest HD video camera has space for a full hour of sleek 720p video, has a pop-out USB plug, costs only €160 and has about the same size and dimensions as a cigarette packet. It’s advantageous because its portability means it can easily be fit into a pocket and whipped out stealthily when something is seen which simply has to go on Youtube. It’s a much better solution than anything else at this price range and enables you to adopt an air of smugness when fellow tourists lugging around clumsy conventional camcorders turn green with envy.

5. Suck UK Key Bottle Opener

So you’ve got brought your stunning lady on holiday with you, you’ve got to the hotel, you’ve opened the mini bar and found something suitably alcoholic, you look around and – there’s no bottle opener! Rather than ruin the romantic mood you’ve worked so hard on for the last half hour, you can merely pull out your keys and phssst – Success! Designed in the UK by curiously named “Suck UK”, who are presumably rather proud of this nifty invention.

Picture of Gorillapod by supermariano81

By far, the best reason of all. You won’t have to queue before the return flight at the always unbearably slow check-in desk, which always has that family about 4 people ahead of you who decided to buy life-sized marble statues and replica siege machines on their holiday and are now fretting about how to keep them within weight restrictions.

2. It’s safer – less chance of theft

Theft of check-in baggage is particularly common in overcrowded airports lacking sufficient security. Many European airlines (including a very famous British one which will not be mentioned here) seem to spend their resources almost professionally losing huge amounts of baggage, an occurrence which shows no sign of decreasing. While useful measures such as fitting padlocks to suitcases or covering them with a layer of plastic wrap can diminish chances of theft, this can lead to greater inconvenience if you need to take something out of the bags later on.

3. It can be cheaper

Even in economic boom times, the Airline Industry is a very competitive one always known for slim profit margins – and in these lean times, the emphasis with flyers really is on the price. In order to cut costs, many Airlines (particularly small, budget ones) are charging for check-in baggage, often at extortionate prices, forcing many to pay for something they used to have free (although, as they claim, it does lower the cost of the ticket). On the plus side, some now allow more weight (sometimes 10kg) on the hand baggage. Depending on the way you look at it, this new trend among airlines is either a blessing or a curse.

4. It teaches you skills

Do you just “bung everything in” like you did when you were packing at six years old or do you take time and fold everything with an almost mathematical level of precision? Some swear by rolling everything up to its fullest extent, while some say everything folded squarely saves the most space. Either way, only taking hand baggage is going to lead to cramming in some form or another, so you might as well learn some techniques. It can often help to write a list of the things you intend to pack and analyse how much of the stuff you’re taking is actually vital.

5. It’s easier to travel light than it used to be

Provided you’re not setting off for a getaway in Siberia in deep winter, there’s no reason why you will need a massive amount of space and weight for a short holiday. Laptops, mobile phones, electric razors, and all kinds of devices nowadays take up far less space than they would have even three years ago, with portability being the order of the day. Some companies even sell special lightweight clothes designed to be crammed into baggage.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your travels!

Photo taken at Geneva Airport, Switzerland, by Larsz

Here are five safe travel tips:

1. Travel with companions

Avoid traveling solo constantly in every destination. Mix up your itineraries instead. Take short and long trips with travel companions or groups for variety and safety in numbers.

2. Inform the hotel of your adventure plans

In many European countries, if you’re heading out on a mountain adventure, it’s expected that you inform the hotel’s front desk of your plans. Should you be delayed returning or missing from the ski trip or hike, the hotel will know where to locate you and contact authorities if necessary.

3. Take your mobile phone

Pack your mobile phone or buy a pay-as-you-go model on-the-road. Mobile phones are an inexpensive way to check in with family and friends via text or voice. Wherever you’re going, a mobile phone can be vital in case of emergency.

4. Protect your personal travel documents

Passports, visas and other travel documents should always be strongly protected. If you’re carrying your documents, ensure they are secured in your carry-on bag. When you’re heading out on day trips, you could leave your documents locked up secure in hotel safes if available.

5. Invest in security-conscious gear

Visit your nearest travel shop and take a look at the latest, state-of-the-art gear. Ask about the most secure locks and luggage. Research online travel stores for hotel door alarms and other gadgets.

Photo of backpackers in London, UK, by Garry Knight

• Mike Salzburg invites you to vote the best travel blogger in the bloggersguide competition.

• Thanks to the rolling duffles bag you can win with WeJustGotBack.com you won’t feel anymore the  to the pack horse of the family in your trips.

• If you are planning a trip to Bath, ukseries advises you to attend to the 61st Bath International Music Festival.

• Great tip by mylittleswans: delight with gourmet contemporary Italian wood-oven cuisine right in London.

For a start, I’m not going to talk much about the iPhone. Yes, it’s good, and yes, it’s probably the best, but traveling with it can be a complete pain in the unmentionables. Reasons for this are simple- most versions of it are sold locked, depending on where you buy it from- meaning that you won’t be able to use the SIM card of a particular country’s provider while on a two week break somewhere, and also because of the cost of international 3G data network roaming fees that traveling users may not be aware of- there have been horror stories of $3000 bills after a casual user forgot to adjust some of his data settings.

1. The Blackberry Bold

Massive battery life, durable and well built, has a camera surpassing the iPhone’s, and good looking. Acclaimed by critics and seen as a more practical, and business-orientated alternative to the iPhone, the Blackberry Bold is well worth considering. Yes, it’s usually sold locked to the carrier, but it’s easy to forget the singular massive advantage over the iPhone – Push Email. For those of you who don’t know what that means, Push Email is basically a technology where emails sent to you get sent to one of RIM’s (The maker of Blackberry) servers, which are then forwarded to you in a different way so that they arrive with the promptness and immediacy of a SMS – you don’t have to bother continually checking your email. This also lowers data usage because Blackberry’s servers shrink down any large unnecessary files such as Pictures in order to lower your data usage.

There is, however, one gripe some users may find annoying – the small size of the screen.

It’s a very bright and high-resolution one however, so most users will not find it a problem.

2. Nokia E71

Small, smart, and sleek. While the most conservative in terms of design and innovation, the Nokia E71 is the traditional conservative answer to the business phone – don’t expect revolution here, or even incredible usability – you won’t find it. What you do get though is a practical, well featured business phone much like the blackberry, except to the E71’s credit it’s sold unlocked everywhere, meaning you can travel all round and switch to as many networks on as many SIM cards as you like. Even better is the fact that prices are dropping faster than an anvil on a cartoon character. One (admittedly massive) problem with the E71 is the absence of a standard 3.5mm headphone jack – you’ll have to tote an adapter if you want to listen to mp3’s with your normal headphones. Nokia, why oh why?

3. T-mobile G1

Ever wanted the touchscreen of an iPhone combined with the physical QWERTY keyboard of the Blackberry Bold or E71? The G1 (otherwise known to the general public as “that google phone”) is the most flawed piece of hardware on this list, but what it lacks in finesse and looks it makes up for in potential. Having both keyboard and touchscreen, the G1 also runs Google’s new universal mobile phone operating system, called Android. Google’s hope is that small developers will do most of the work developing applications for it, while they provide a stable platform – a new business model which focuses on the operating system rather than the phone. Of course, Symbian (the OS on the E71) works somewhat like this, but is (arguably) dull and incredibly hard to use, as well as slow and lacking in power. Like with the E71, no normal headphone jack, but you do get a decent 3.2 megapixel camera.

Enjoy your travels!

Photo of Blackberry Bold by edans

What are you going to be photographing anyway, 360 degree panoramas of the Pyrenees at dusk? 90% of tourists probably aren’t going to be snapping anything more grandiose than their overpriced snack at a café or a sparrow perching on a gargoyle. Also it’ll attract thieves like moths round a flame. At least you’ll be able to swing it round your neck on its strap, like a barbarian brandishing a club, which could be a possible deterrent.

2. Money Belt

As I’ve mentioned before in a previous article, the reviled money belt is the most evil contraption of the holiday maker. They make everyone look overweight, paranoid, or both. Other than carrying the huge camera aforementioned, it’s the quickest way to announce to the world “I’m a tourist. Please rob me/cheat me/attempt to sell me worthless kitschy souvenirs” Also they’ll sap the romance out of your holiday faster than you can say: “Venere“.

3. Pencil and Notebook

As much as you may think yourself to be somewhat of an unique artsy-fartsy intellectual, anything you bring on Holiday to prove yourself one is likely to end up hypothetically slapping you in the face – anything as small as a notebook is sure to get lost in the abyss of your travel bag, and the accompanying pencil will likely burrow its way through your fresh pin-stripe shirt in the manner of a gerbil through sawdust. Take heed.

4. Fur Coat

Fur coats are a controversial subject these days. Exclusive?; yes, Expensive?; yes, Exploitative?; maybe. Does the animal get skinned alive or does it get killed first? And how would we like it if we were used for our skin? As well as the risk of being shunned by animal rights activists on the plane, it may also be irredeemably confiscated by airport staff, depending on which country you travel to. Why? Because although it’s about as dead as Tutankhamen, some countries won’t allow them in due to the fact that they may carry some new exotic type of disease or house a colony of bacteria. Gah!

5. Tinned Food

It was said that when Beatles drummer Ringo Starr went on his spiritual voyage of enlightenment to India, he took a week’s supply of canned Baked Beans just in case. He wasn’t the only one to adopt this practice either. Before the birth of the internet, there was no way to quickly check the honesty of the travel brochure, as well as a dire lack of McDonald’s.

But what with terrorism and baggage weight restrictions nowadays, even the most frightened or stingiest of tourists will have to resign themselves to the fact that bringing your own sealed food will cause either extreme embarrassment at the baggage scanner, or possible detainment on suspicion of carrying bombs. Although it just might save you some of your precious pennies, in which case you have our blessing.

Photo of statues of tourists in Indianapolis, IN originally posted by kimberlyfaye

Dear Travel Agony Aunt, I’m thinking of booking a trip to Venice late November early December. Do you have any suggestions for hotels and what the temperature would be. Would it be very cold? Thank you!
Mr. Murphy from Ireland

Dear Mr. Murphy,

The magic of Venice in any season has no need to be reminded. It is a very popular destination year round but winter is probably the best time to visit this enchanting city if you want to avoid crowds, live the real Venice’s atmosphere and find cheap hotels. In Venice high water events are frequent in Autumn and Winter but the risk of acqua alta should not prevent you from visiting the city. The floods do not take place everyday and last only a few hours, especially in the area around St Mark’s square, the lowest point of Venice. So pack good waterproof footwear and plenty of warm clothes and stride through the fascinating morning mist that envelops the whole city! Winter in Venice is the season of cold temperatures, icy winds from the sea, quiet streets, misty views and…hot chocolate! In cold weather, you shouldn’t miss the Venetian hot chocolate with whipped cream. Viziovirtù, located in San Tomà in Calle del Campaniel, 15 minutes walk from St. Mark’s Square, is definitely one of the best chocolate shops in Venice and serves a mouthwatering hot chocolate with classic or spicy flavors. Since the days are short in winter, I would suggest you to go sightseeing until early in the afternoon and later enjoy the evening in a cozy restaurant or a romantic wine bar.

Winter months are also the best time to save money. Venere.com offers a wide range of pensions and budget hotels in Venice for every taste. They should all be well heated and often offer discounts to those tourists staying for 5 days or longer. The most popular hotels in Venice on Venere.com are the following:

1. Hotel Stella Alpina

The Stella Alpina hotel in Venice lies within meters of the the city’s central train station and the Grand Canal. This charming four-storey hotel is situated in a quiet area of Venice’s historic city center and only five minutes from the Venice Casino.

2. Locanda Herion

The Locanda Herion hotel is located in the characteristic area of Cannaregio in Venice, only a few minutes from the Santa Lucia train station. The main feature of this hotel is the play of interlinked terraces, transformed into miniature roof gardens.

3. Hotel Rio

Hotel Rio lies in a lively area in the heart of Venice, in close proximity to St. Mark’s Square and just a short walk from the San Zaccaria vaporetto waterboat stop. Several rooms in the hotel were once occupied by the famous musical composer Antonio Vivaldi!

4. Hotel Reiter

The Reiter hotel boasts a superb position in Venice Lido, just 200 meters from the Venice Lido water boat station and only a 10 minute boat ride to St. Mark’s Square, in the very heart of Venice.

5. Hotel La Meridiana

La Meridiana hotel is situated in center of the Venice Lido, 100 m from the beach and only 500 m from the Venice Film Festival Palace. This Venice hotel is a recently restored building dating back to the 30’s.

Photo of lost traveler in Venice, Italy originally posted by David Sifry

The things they overlook might happen while traveling as they are occupied in trying to choose the gadgets they can take with them while overlooking the necessities for the gadgets to work.

Below includes a checklist for technical travelers:

• You should always be light since techies don’t normally fly to boring spaces which are not anything tech related. So, when you are ready to go to a tech literate place then it’s forever good not to overload since you don’t want to have gadgets that are not working in other countries. Bring what you need.

• Make it a point to the right plug adapter since different countries use different ones to avoid regretting after words.

• You must always have an extra battery for the computer or phone to use when needed.

• Bringing very many USB Sticks and Mini Mouse may lead to confusion, so have only those you need.

• Have scanned copies of your travel documents on places like your email in case you loose them.

• The airlines usually allow luggage up to 56 by 45 by 25cm so try to limit yours to that size.

• Must buy the calling cards of the destination country to be used if your phone is disconnected or gets spoiled.

• Money must be exchanged from your local currency to the one of the destination country in case of any trouble.

• You can avoid the language barrier by looking over the internet for how to read and address different languages since you will find that some countries only speak their native language and its good to know this before you go.

• Lastly, you must know how to manage time because what you do isn’t supposed to affect your normal time including being aware of what time your flight is to avoid ignoring anything since time is money.

Photo of Maldive Islands originally posted by Novecentino

British traveler stereotype: The British Foreign Office reports an increase of British holidaymakers arrested and hospitalized in Spain, especially in popular holiday destinations such as the Costa del Sol and the Balearic Islands. According to the report, the main reason is drunken behavior.

Hotel stories: Concierge.com lists the 15 worst hotel guests ever. The list includes English rock star Amy Winehouse, who made headline news for fighting with her husband at London Sanderson Hotel last September, and Paris Hilton’s friend Brandon Davis, who remained in debt with Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel for a long time after losing $150,000 at the hotel casino.

Do you know what flashpacking means? Visit Vagabondish to find the definition and learn how to be a successful flashpacker.

Gourmet travel: According to Men’s Vogue, China could become the next number one wine-producing country.

I have been Voyaging since I was a sparkle in my father’s eye and I will tell you some career international travel tips.

• International travel is part of your job as a freelancer; you have to be on time for work, looking and acting professional.

• As far as clothes are concerned, professional clothes for a freelancer is not casual; professional is looking like the kind of character who knows how to do your job. If you are a fashion writer, you need to look fabulous. If you are a corporate/business writer, put on a suit. If you are a tour photographer, how put on protective clothing with many pockets for your gear. First impressions are everything since that is work not a holiday. Comfortable and appropriate clothes are best to use after all, they may be on your body for not many days.

• Have light luggage. You may change your plan of the trip and leave your baggage behind. When you are impressing whoever greets you at the other end, you don’t have to look like a tourist. More importantly it’s not good to be faced by an unpleasant surprise: an airport may be under construction, transportation on strike, escalators broken, and long distances lacking assistance. If you can’t carry your luggage for two miles, don’t take it. If you are a musician or a freelancer with heavy equipment, rent it locally. There will be a mental and physical advantage of carrying less by bringing fewer.

• For more guidance, look to the professionals who travel occasionally: flight hostesses and pilots. They hold one small suitcase or a bag. Checked-in luggage is usually exposed to theft, loss or damage in addition to forcing you to wait in long lines at customs. As a freelancer, you must be ready to work with your essentials and equipment at hand.

• Put cultural expectations, job definite requirements, and the climate of your destination into consideration. On your trip, you will end up wearing your favorite light cloth, so don’t bring your entire closet. You can hand-clean stuff as desired, and hang them over something to dry at night.

Good basics are: jeans, underwear to last you a week, socks and t-shirts, sneakers, something semi formal and fine closed toe shoes. Knee-length man shorts to fit in with the locals. Safari shoots, and hot days, carry comfortable pants or long skirt that protects your legs from insects, plants, and the sun. You can reduce the weight out of your baggage by wearing your heaviest stuff during travel.

• Having good breath and body odor is essential for freelancers, just like it is for any worker or interviewee. Don’t forget your toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, detangle, bar of soap, deodorant, sunscreen, razor, and frame.

• Get a passport immediately just in case a big newspaper or magazine wants to fly you out tomorrow.

• Have a copy of your passport, identification, tour tickets, front and back of all your bank and credit cards. Keep one copy in your wallet and give another to somebody you at home. If your documents get stolen, this will quicken the process of a block and reissue.

• Take a plastic file for receipts you or your employer will want receipts for reimbursement and tax filing.

• In case you will have no access to food or water because of delays, holding periods, waiting, breakdowns, catastrophes. Bring fruits or snacks. Buy water in the terminals where liquids are accepted. When everyone is loosing their minds, you will be calm because your blood sugar will be balanced. As with any job, you cannot disembark to work dehydrating and hungry.

• The early bird catches the worm so do not miss an airplane, bus or other transportation connection. You will never get another chance to avoid letting your client down since this avoids mistrust and expenses. When you travel on planes, trains, buses, metro, or stride the avenue, you are at stake of being pick pocketed. You ought to put your most precious items in a place that is not available by grabbing hands (thugs/thieves)

• Your money and documents should be in your clothes. You can’t do a good job when your equipment is stolen or you’ve been injured. Since weapons are not accepted traveling when you are alone, keep your distance from people on the street, keep an eye on your drink, and tell somebody where you are and with whom.

• If you are a freelancer in a relationship and your partner is home, a photo and small candle are fine for bedtime. Regular communication via email, post cards, telephone, and small gifts is a nice way to keep the relationship alive. If you are traveling with a companion, keep tensions low by eating well, sleeping well and being opened to compromise. If you are single, don’t do anything silly and don’t even think about dating your subject until the article is published.

• Have a pocket dictionary for your destination language.

• Sleep on the plane to get the rest you need to do a good.

• Traveling to a destination on the other side of the earth could be a 72-hour day. You must look good and feel comfortable, open up to opportunities and be prepared for the worst scenario.

Photo of solo traveler at Hong Kong International Airport originally posted by benny yap

Read a few helpful hints before you start packing for different climates.

• Some places are popular for their beaches and sunshine, but people tend to forget that a few months each year, they have the highest rainfall! So, check the climatic conditions when you plan your beach party trip.

• Packing according to the time or the season you are traveling to help get the necessary items. If the weather is rainy, it is best to pack a few woolens and folding umbrella. Or if you are going to a cold place, check for the temperature and carry a thick jacket, apart from the woolens and socks

• It is better to foresee the requirements and pack lotions, umbrellas, sunglasses that buy them in the new place as tourists are always charged way more than normal.

• If you plan to visit the beach, apart from checking the local weather, pack sun tan lotion, hats, towels and even an umbrella as showers are unforeseen in coastal areas.

• Apart from the local weather, altitude plays an important role. And as we all know, the higher we go the cooler it becomes, so pack a few extra woolens if your are planning a trip to the high altitude destinations whether near the sea or close to the mountains.

• Many things are taken for granted when you pack, but do take an extra precaution with your cameras and electronic equipment as moisture can actually cause damage on exposure.

• Keeping in mind the local customs of the place that you plan to visit is also important when you pack your clothes, especially when you travel to Middle Eastern and some Asian countries.

So, when you carry what is required, you are able to carry less and enjoy more!

Picture of Corfu beach, Greece originally posted by Gavin Gilmour

Carry a separate bag for your camera so that you do not have to rummage through cosmetic, feeding bottles and clothes to click on a moments notice.

Always carry an extra battery that is fully charged to take that perfect shot with limited time and opportunity.

With the new digital cameras, carrying rolls of films are passé, but don’t forget to carry extra memory sticks/card to offload the images from your camera every night, to click a whole lot of new ones the next day. It is frustrating to delete photos to make way for new ones.

If you are really keen on nature photography or love to be professional about it, take your tripod with you. There are few good travel tripods that do not require too much space and get you that perfect composed shot or a memorable video.

To get the best photos, it is better to click multiple photos of the same scene or place and later see which one turned out the best, instead of messing up with perfect views.

You can also take photos of the same scene from different locations and various angles for better composition, as trips come once but pictures last forever.

If you have just bought a new camera or have not taken pictures for a long time, its best to check the camera for features and practice taking pictures before embarking on the trip.

Apart from taking photos of everyone and everything, enjoy the vacation also. People tend to get very engrossed in clicking pictures that they miss out the essence of a vacation!

So, bring back beautiful cherished memories with these quick travel photography tips!

Picture of Japanese photographers originally posted by tanakawho