Mr & Mrs Smith have chosen the luxury Life Gallery Hotel in Athens, Greece, as ‘Hotel of the Week‘. Their last week’s pick was the Jupiter Hotel, a trendy boutique hotel in Portland, Oregon.

More Great Boutique Hotels

Hoosta Magazine shows pictures of the newly renovated Hotel Elysees Mermoz, a boutique hotel in Paris redesigned by Valérie Manoil, and Monte Carlo Beach Hotel, a luxury hotel on the French Riviera redesigned by India Mahdav.

New Delta Air Lines Routes

Delta Air Lines presents its new international flight offer for summer 2010. The new routes  operated by the American airline company will include a nonstop service from Detroit to Seoul and Hong Kong, a seasonal service between New York JFK and Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden, as well as more routes between the US and many destinations in Africa.

Frida Kahlo Museum

The Perceptive Travel Blog recommends a visit to Coyoacán, Mexico City’s historic counterculture district, and Casa Azul, a  museum dedicated to Frida Kahlo which was home to the Mexican artist.

This is quite an old airport, originally built in 1928, but it has undergone huge modifications with the building of Terminal 4, which is now one of the largest terminals in the world.

It was designed by Antonio Lamela and Richard Rogers, and opened in February 2006 to international acclaim. Incorporating careful illumination and large glass panes and domes, it is certainly one of the best-designed airport terminals around, and if you get the chance to travel through it you should take a moment to admire the architecture. That is if you are not hot, stressed and tired after your flight.

Transport Links

The airport is situated about nine miles away from the city of Madrid. To reach it, you should take the Madrid Line on the Metro to the Nuevos Ministerios station in the city, a journey which only takes about12 minutes and leaves you in the financial district. Alternatively, you could also take the Barajas Line to central Madrid from both Terminal 2 and Terminal 4.

If you would prefer to take a bus, EMT runs regular services to the city, taking you to the Avenida de América station. From Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, take the 200 from outside the baggage reclaim area, or from Terminal 4 take the 204 from the Arrivals area. If you decide to take a taxi from the Arrivals area of any of the terminals, then it should take about 30 minutes to arrive in the city.

Airport Facilities

There are two banks in the airport, including a 24-hour bank in Terminal 1. Added to this there are plenty of restaurants and cafés, and over 100 shops. Pharmacies, nurseries, first aid and a chapel are also on offer, making it pretty much cater for all requirements.

Transfers

There is a free shuttle bus available to transfer passengers between terminals. Also, you may have to take the train to reach your boarding gate, but this is very clearly signed and will not take more than a few minutes. In fact, the whole airport is very efficiently designed, with large coloured signs dotted around clearly directing passengers to their gate areas, and stating how long the journey will take from any particular point.

Top 5 Madrid Airport Hotels:

• Hotel Melia Barajas – 4-Star Hotel – Double from €98
• Suites Kris Aeropuerto – Services Apartemnts – From €55
• Compostela Suites – Services Apartemnts – From €52
• Hotel Tryp Alameda Aeropuerto – 4-Star Hotel – Double from €95
• Hotel High Tech Madrid Aeropuerto – 4-Star Hotel – Double from €72

Photo of Madrid Airport’s Terminal 4 by marcp dmoz

Having said that, I should also point out that Amsterdam is still in developmental stages and so, sadly, parts of the city is still striving to improve or build on such facilities. Stated below are a few accessible friendly options offered in various parts of the city. If you would like to find out more information, please check out Toegankelijk Amsterdam (Accessible Amsterdam).

Accessible options: airport and public transport

Amsterdam Airport Schipol offers a number of accessible friendly options. The Schipol branch of the Dutch Railway Station is one of the easiest ways to reach the airport. Services offered at this station include mobile ramps, lifts that ensure ease-of-access as well as the option of Journey Assistants. The latter are station employers who help visitors with special needs. There are a few features catering to hearing-impaired visitors where at certain points (transfer desks as well as information desks), users can hook up their hearing aid to the loop provided at these spots. The airport also boasts services of staff members called Axxicom Airport Caddy (AAC) who will help travelers.

Dutch public transport is also geared towards helping those with functional disabilities. Like the Schipol branch of the Dutch Railways Station, almost all other stations also offer ramps and escalators. The trains themselves are also designed for easy of access which means wider doors on certain compartments and mobile ramps to help enter and exit the train easily. There are also journey assistants who will help travelers get on or off the train. Do note, that you might have to arrange for one beforehand and thus, it is a good idea to contact the relevant NS (Dutch Railway) branch. The variety of services offered to travelers with special needs differ from station to station and it is recommended that you inquire with NS about this as well.

Traveling via trams might be a bit more restrictive but there are a few options open to those with limited mobility. A few tram stops (tram haltes) along certain lines are built a bit higher so as to more accessible. When looking for wheelchair accessible trams, there are two types of trams to watch out for – the Combino with their lower floors and older trams with a lowers mid-section. The tram company has provided the timetable for tram lines via the internet where they have indicated the lines with raised platforms which are accessible. Look out for the words rolstoeltoegankelijk (meaning wheelchair accessible) which is marked as a black-out tram stop. In addition to this, they have also noted which of the trams themselves are not wheelchair friendly (thus, pointing out what to avoid) by assigning an ‘A’ next to the tram number. Find out more at their website, GVB.

Accessible Attractions & Restaurants in Amsterdam

Quite a few attractions in Amsterdam include accessible-friendly features. Unfortunately most of these sites may not cater for the needs of all travelers. The popular Rijksmuseum, with its accessible-friendly rooms, is a good choice for visitors with limited mobility. The same goes for Van Gogh Museum which has easy access to each floor via the elevator. Their services include free wheelchairs for visitors. Amsterdam Historical Museum is another noteworthy attraction. This charming museum also boasts easy navigation to all parts of the building. Then there is Keukenhof, Amsterdam’s most popular destination, which is specially designed with wheelchair accessible sidewalks.

The city lists a few restaurants that offer accessible features although all of them cater to travelers with limited mobility. Located at Leidsekruisstraat 13, restaurant Granada is a charming tapas bar that also specializes in other Spanish cuisine. For a more extensive range of Mediterranean food, try the Restaurant November at Spuistraat 266-268. If you are up for something idyllic and cozy, try Restaurant Il Boccalino, the Italian eatery at Utrechtsestraat 133. Those who want to find out more eateries and perhaps narrow down various features, try the DinnerSite website.

Top 5 Wheelchair accessible hotels in Amsterdam

• Tulip Inn Amsterdam City West – 3-star Hotel – Double Room from €79
• Eden Hotel Amsterdam – 3-star Hotel – Double Room from €100
• NH Barbizon Palace – 5-star Hotel – Double Room from €168
• Amstel Intercontinental – 5-star Hotel – Double Room from €415
• Hotel Okura – 5-star Hotel – Double Room from e175

Photo of wheelchair sign by John Carleton

• Flights to Vancouver

So to start off, how can you get there cheaply? Economy Class goes without saying in this case – try to book flights at less peak times – flying on a Monday for instance could prove significantly cheaper. Getting a flight with a stopover could be an idea as it may lower the price further. Another fact to consider is that Seattle is only a two-hour drive away from Vancouver, so landing there and then travelling to Vancouver will give you the added benefit of being able to see two truly fantastic cities at once. Crossing the border into Canada isn’t as difficult as it once was, either, especially if you have a European Passport.

• Accommodation in Vancouver

A great place to stay in the Downtown area of the city is the Victorian Hotel which is ideal in terms of location and cost. There are also many other great places to stay around this area if you look around in advance.

• Getting Around Vancouver

Vancouver has quite a modern infrastructure, with an extensive modern metro network called the SkyTrain which runs four lines covering most of the city, making getting around cheaply an easy one here. There is also a ferry called the SeaBus, which travels from main Vancouver over water to the North part of the city. Renting a car is costly in Vancouver and probably not worth it, as well as being hardly necessary. Cycle hire is common and, depending on the weather, is a very viable and fun option. Increasingly more and more cycle lanes have been built, making the city quite cycle-friendly. Most public transport is also equipped with cycle racks, including many buses.

• Having fun in Vancouver

Couples or individuals travelling without children will enjoy the Public Art Walk, a 13 kilometre route through Downtown Vancouver. Here are many interesting buildings, sculptures, and gardens, many of which are of unique historical and cultural interest. This is a great way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time. There is also Robson Street, an area chock-full of expensive boutiques, but they’re also intermingled with budget stores and many cafes in restaurants where you can have a snack or a drink and watch the world go by. The Vancouver Flea Market (for those unfamiliar with the term, a flea market is a market where very cheap, often used goods are sold) is a fun, little known place to visit, which may provide some cheap thrills. Additionally, entry is less than one Canadian Dollar.

• Eating out in Vancouver

Recommended is the Cassis Bistro serving inexpensive French food in the downtown area. The Shao Lin Noodle house is also very popular. Also worth visiting is the unique “Japa dog” stand, which serves Hot Dogs with Japanese favourites such as Teriyaki Sauce. There’s always the obligatory McDonalds and Burger King for those who don’t like variety!

Photo of Japa Dog stand in Vancouver, Canada by Tequila Partners

Budget Travel lists the new high-speed train lines in Europe that are making record time and allow travelers to save time on their trip from Rome to Milan, Italy, Madrid to Barcelona, Spain, and Brussels, Belgium to Amsterdam, Netherlands or Cologne, Germany.

Beautiful Train Stations

Kathika  reviews 22 train stations across the world including Atocha railway station in Madrid, Spain, the Gare du Nord in Paris, France, Picadilly Station in Manchester, UK, Union Station in Washington DC, and more international stations renowned for their architecture.

Day Trips from New York City for Art Lovers

Walking Off The Big Apple recommends some day trips from New York City to the art museums and historic sites of the Hudson River Valley,  such as the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Frederic E. Church’s Olana, Thomas Cole’s Cedar Grove and the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, as well as the Institute of History and Art of Albany and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center in Poughkeepsie.

Farmer Market Pictures

Treehugger’s readers share some nice pictures of farmers markets around the world including photos of carrot nuggets at Union Square Farmers Market in New York and assorted spices at a local market in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Things to Do in Birmingham, UK

If you’re planning a weekend break in Birmingham, UK, check out Europe A La Carte and find interesting insider tips and travel tweets on what to do in this young, vibrant city.

Photo of Milan train station at sunset by Ciccio Pizzettaro

When visiting Rome, Italy, the city bus system can be your best friend- or it could be a logistical nightmare.

Many European city bus systems, including the one in Rome, Italy, are not designed with tourists in mind. Rome’s bus system is heavily utilized by locals, but it often scares site-seers away with its complexity. However, you do not need to be one of these fearful tourists. Here are a few tips so that you can use the bus system just like a local.

Types of Bus Passes

There are several different types of bus passes that you can buy. The type that you buy depends on how long you will be in Rome and how much you think you are going to use the city transportation system (all of the Rome bus passes can also be used on the metro system. A little more on that later).

• BIT (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo/Integrated Time Ticket): €1.00. This is a single use ticket that lasts for 75 minutes. It is good for as many bus rides and transfers as you can get in within that timeframe after validation. You can also use it for a single ride on the metro system. You are allowed to transfer the ticket from a metro ride to a bus within 75 minutes. However, you may not use the same ticket when transferring from a bus to the metro.

• BIG (Biglietto Integrato Giornaliero/Integrated Daily Ticket): €4.00. You can use this ticket for as many bus and metro rides as you would like up until midnight on the day of the ticket’s validation.

• BTI (Biglietto Turistico Integrato/Integrated Tourist Ticket): €11.00. This ticket is good for an unlimited number of metro and bus rides for three days from the day of validation.

• CIS (Carta Integrata Settimanale/Integrated Weekly Ticket): €16.00. This ticket can be used for 7 days from the date of validation for an unlimited number of bus and metro rides.

• Monthly Pass: €30.00. This ticket lasts for one calendar month and is good for an unrestricted number of bus and metro rides.

Where to Buy Bus Passes

Bus passes can be purchased at tobacco shops, or tabacchi, all over Rome. These little shops often, but not always, have signs outside with a ‘T’. There also machines that dispense single use, daily, tourist, and weekly tickets at all metro stops. These ticket machines also exist, though rarely, at a few bus stops.

Unlike many public bus systems, tickets usually cannot be purchased on board buses in Rome. There are a few buses that do have machines that dispense tickets, but these are incredibly rare, so do not count on being able to buy a ticket after boarding a bus.

Validating Your Bus Ticket

After purchasing your bus pass, it is necessary to validate it as soon as you board the bus. If you have a daily, weekly, tourist, or monthly pass, you only need to validate it the first time you use it. Each bus has at least two yellow validation machines, generally with one on each end of the bus.

The Roman buses operate on a kind of honor system; it is up to everyone to buy their tickets and validate them. There are ticket checkers that check to make sure that bus passengers have validated tickets, but they are few and far between, so statistically, you do have a good chance of getting away without paying for your bus rides.

However, if you do happen to get caught, the fine is either €50 on the spot or €104 if you choose to pay later. All of the ticket checkers speak English and have no mercy for tourists that appear to be unaware of Roman transportation laws. You cannot escape getting a fine once they zero in on you. If you get off the bus, the ticket checker will follow you until they are done writing the fine.

Deciding Which Bus to Use

When deciding which buses to use when getting around the city, the website for the Roman transportation system, http://atac.roma.it, is invaluable. On the right side of the top of the homepage, there is a small British flag symbolizing an English version of the website. Also at the top of the homepage is a tool for determining the best bus route between any two addresses and/or landmarks in Rome. Simply input your starting and ending destinations and press ‘Enter’.

If you plan on using the bus system a lot, it might be worth your while to buy a map showing all of the bus routes in Rome. These can be bought at most of the newsstands you see on the street for just a few Euros.

When planning your bus routes, ignore the bus schedule entirely. The official bus timetables in Rome are merely formalities and are completely useless in practicality. Buses hardly ever come on time, and locals never expect them to. So, when using the bus system, plan for 45 minutes to an hour in travel time to allow for late buses and transfers to get most places in central Rome.

Knowing When to Get Off the Bus

The majority of the Roman buses do not have any internal system that tells you which stop is coming up. Locals rely on experience and external surroundings to know when to get off, but unfortunately, tourists with little knowledge of the city layout do not have this advantage. The best way to know when your stop is coming up is to follow the bus route on a map in real time while you are on the bus. Make sure you mark your stop on the map before you leave for the day, or better yet, just use the bus map you purchased.

Do not bother attempting to count stops to know when to get off. Oftentimes, a bus driver will skip a stop if no one wants get on or off, which throws off anyone trying to count stops.

Furthermore, while you can attempt to the bus driver for help, do not rely on this method for getting around. Many Roman bus drivers are not eager to help people, particularly non-Italian speakers. Oftentimes, they will just ignore a tourist who is trying to speak to them in English. It may seem like a sweeping generalization to say that all Roman bus drivers are unwilling to help tourists; however, this generalization has a more than just a grain of truth to it. If you get confused, try asking a local bus passenger for some help. Romans understand that their bus system is not particularly easy to use and are often happy to help as much as they can. However, it is probably best to prepare as much as possible before boarding the bus.

On a side note, make sure that you get off at the middle door of the bus. Sometimes, the driver will not open the other doors for people to get on and off.

Night Buses

At midnight, the regular buses in Rome stop running, and the night bus service begins. Night buses follow completely different routes from the daytime buses, so it is important to plan accordingly. They run from 12:00am to 5:30 and come every twenty minutes during the week and every ten minutes on Fridays and Saturdays. The night bus service, while sometimes still a little unreliable in terms of its schedule, is more dependable than the daytime service.

The Roman bus system is not the easiest thing in the world to use; even locals have problems with it sometimes. However, do not let all this information overwhelm you. The public bus system is a highly economical way to get around Rome, and if you spend a little time planning your bus routes, you should be fine. Just try to enjoy the organized chaos of the buses, because it is uniquely Roman and should be part of any real Roman experience.

Popular Rome Hotels near Termini Station:

• Yes Hotel Rome – 3-star hotel – doubles starting from € 71 / $ 101
• Crosti Hotel – 3-star hotel – doubles starting from € 85 / $ 120
• Hotel Artemide – 4-star hotel – doubles starting from € 149 / $ 211

Photo of bus on Piazza Venezia, Rome, by Ambrosiana Pictures

It’s hard to count how many bad drivers we meet in a heavily congested road or how many minutes or even hours we could spend stuck in the streets. Sure, we have no choice but to deal with it and the stress that may come with it, but did you know that health experts say a lot of stress induced by driving can have startling negative health effects in the long term? To make sure your heart rate and blood pressure don’t rise significantly when on the road, here are a few things you can do to be a less stressed and happier driver.

1. Start early.

Leaving late for an appointment is one of the surefire ways to get into a stressful driving situation. When you start the travel early, you know you have a lot of time to spare, which will keep you more relaxed and accommodating to any mishaps you may encounter along the way, be it heavy traffic, a road construction, or a not so smart driver.

2. Appreciate your alone time.

Take advantage of your driving time by thinking about your tasks for the day and making a plan on how you’re going to tackle each one. If you are heading home, think about your to-dos for tomorrow or stuff that you may be overlooking in the hustle and bustle of life. If you are driving with a family member or companions, take advantage of the time to bond, talk, or ask questions you’ve been meaning to ask but never got the time or opportunity.

3. Pop your favorite music.

Stock your favorites CDs in your vehicle. Connect your iPod or any other music player. The relaxing effects of music have long been proven and it will certainly lighten your driving mood if you listen to stuff that you like. You might want to skip too loud music though as this can put you in a more aggressive mood which is not a good condition to be in case a road misfortune does occur.

4. Listen to a book.

That’s right. In this day and age, you can use your ears to read a book while your eyes are focusing on something else. Audio books provide a great way to relax and minimize road stress. If you’ve always wanted to read a book but never got the time, buying the audio version of the book will let you kill two birds with one stone as you drive and “read”.

Care to share your personal road relaxation tips?

Picture of happy driver by 416style

The airport already handles an enormous number of passengers, 18.7 million in 2007, and this is set to grow even further. As with all airports though, arriving passengers still have to negotiate their way into the city centre of Vienna. This is a brief guide.

There are three main options for getting from the airport to Vienna city centre if you are not being met by hotel services: the bus, the train or a taxi.

Schwechat Airport – Vienna by taxi

For those with large suitcases and deep pockets there is no doubt that the simplest way into town is by taxi. Visitors are warned, however, to ensure that they hire an official taxi and that the driver uses the meter. There have been instances of unlicensed drivers quoting very low prices to unsuspecting tourists and then adding extortionate extras on at the destination. There are booking desks in the arrival halls and the contact information of licensed companies is available as well.

Schwechat Airport – Vienna by train

After the taxi the next most useful way into town is the train. The City Airport Train (CAT) runs into Wien Mitte every half an hour during the day. This takes just 16 minutes, a quick journey time, and visitors can then link up to the metro system to finish their journey to disparate parts of the city. The S-bahn also links the airport to Wien Nord which can be useful. These trains run much more slowly that the CAT but are also much cheaper.

Schwechat Airport – Vienna by bus

The bus links from the airport to Vienna are the best value option but also take the longest. Depending on the level of traffic it usually takes about forty five minutes to the Sudbanhof and an hour to the Westbanhof. Vienna Airport Lines, one of the bus companies running services from the airport, also has services straight from the airport to Bratislava which run throughout the day. Services to Budapest and Hungarian destinations are less frequent.

The costs of taking the bus or trains are not that different so I would advise you to make the decision of how you make the journey from the airport into the city based on where in Vienna you want to go. The bus link to the Westbanhof will get you into the west of the city quicker than taking the train and then switching to the metro but the 16 minutes to Wien Mitte is a very good time to the south east of the city.

Visitors to Vienna are unlikely to encounter any problems getting from the airport to the city or, indeed, vice versa. The most important point to remember is if getting a taxi, make sure it is official and the driver used the meter.

Vienna Airport Hotels

• Eurohotel Vienna Airport, Fischamend
• Hotel NH Vienna Airport,  Schwechat
• Hotel Raststation, Schwechat

Photo of Vienna Airport Train by Gregorius Mundus

Numerous strategies and a combination of words to the check-in staff are said to work, although many of these are closely regarded secrets and those who know often prefer to keep their mouths shut. Thankfully, we’re a lot more open on this blog!

• Dress very neatly

Millions of Euros are probably not earned every year through people not dressing appropriately for business deals, and how much more so should it be for this one where actually, you don’t really much to negotiate with? To prove more eligible, a suit, crocodile skin shoes, “replica” watches and designer baggage could all be prove quite important in your quest for luxury.

• Be one of the last to book a flight that will probably be full

Busy routes, such as London to New York, will probably nearly always have 100% occupation. It’s also quite likely that they may often be overbooked, meaning if you happen to be one of the last to book before it’s announced full, you’re reasonably likely to get an upgrade.

• Start by Travelling Business Class

To the great masses, this is probably quite useless advice, but it is said to be much easier to upgrade from Business to First rather than from Economy to Business – all that Caviar and Truffles can’t go to waste, can they?

• Don’t be part of a family

Let’s think about this one for a minute – who would you like to let into a higher class, a noisy, unkempt family with stressed-out Mum and irritated Dad, or a suave, sophisticated individual well versed in the nuances of flying?

• Know someone working for the airline or the airline group (e.g Star Alliance)

This is not at all improbable. In 2007, for example, Air France had 104,000 employees. Upgrades are more likely if that person is at least a distant family member, although company policy and other factors may affect this, depending what airline you’re flying. It helps if the Airline is a member of a group such as Star Alliance, as it gives the employee a broader influence depending on which airline you book.

• Can I speak to your Manager?

This old trick is pretty high risk. You have to count on the airport check-in staff actually fearing the manager enough that it’s better to run the risk of being spotted upgrading you than to attract attention because of the “feedback” of an unsatisfied customer.

• Act like you only belong in Business Class and that Economy is somehow an insult

If one walks in with an air of superiority and as if you were accidentally booked into economy class, this trick has a reasonable probability of actually working. One of the main rules they teach you in many acting schools is that in order to be the character you wish to portray, get into their shoes and pretend that you are him/her – in the same way, be the business class passenger rather than a hopeful economy class one.

Photo of business class on  Singapore Airlines flight by Pyonko

Flying is almost certainly going to remain a high stress activity for some time but there are things you can do to avoid at least some of the anxiety.

1. Arrange everything that you possibly can well ahead of time.

This goes for the plane tickets, airport transfers and hotel bookings. One of the biggest sources of worry when travelling comes from having to make arrangements at the last minute. Making plans ahead of time is usually cheaper and means that there is much less chance of things going wrong.

2. If at all possible, fly without checked-in baggage.

I appreciate that on many occasions, perhaps most for some people, travelling with just hand luggage will simply not be possible. However, it is my firm belief that this is the case far fewer times than people think. Most people when travelling take far more in their luggage than they need. Cutting it down saves space, makes everything easier to carry, saves money on checked baggage fees which are becoming more and more popular (and extortionate) and finally, it saves time waiting at a baggage carousel.

3. At all times stay informed about your itinerary and options.

Airlines are becoming very eager for their passengers to check-in online and may penalise you for not doing so. Make sure that you have read the details of the ticket and its conditions before you turn up at the airport or you may be in for a nasty shock. Similarly, although it sounds childishly simple, do check the booking and tickets. Check the dates and times of the flights and check-in, you don’t want to turn up too late or days early.

4. When making bookings make sure that you have enough time to make any changes or transfers that may be involved.

Airlines are usually good at getting passengers from one plane to another but plane to train transfers often cause people problems. Remember that you will probably have to reclaim your baggage, go through passport control and then find your way to the station and each of these things will take time.

5. Finally, the last way of avoiding stress is to acknowledge it and try to relax.

If you find that things aren’t going to plan your first response should be to get them back on track, not panic and start shouting or tearing your hair out. Stay calm and collected, think logically and solve the problem.

I don’t claim that I manage to do all of these things when I’m travelling, sometimes I try and fail, sometimes I forget to even try. However, I have found that when I do these things they help make the process of flying simpler and easier. Which is what we all want, surely?

Photo of airport crowd by indoloony

Check out some of these tips that can help you prevent motion sickness.

1. Sit in front of the vehicle.

If you have the option to sit in front of the car, taxi, or bus, do it. Doing so lets you see the road and the direction of movement better and lessens the wooziness.

2. Get plenty of sleep before travel.

Traveling when you lack sleep is one of the surefire ways to get dizzy in the car. So try to have ample sleep before a long travel. If it’s impossible to do so, then use the time to doze away.

3. Keep your eyes on the road.

If you find yourself having a hard time sleeping, focus your eyes on the road and in one direction. Don’t read, play games, or watch a video. Rest your eyes and don’t move your head too much.

3. Eat light before traveling.

Unless you want to puke on the road, better not have a full stomach when traveling. Stay away from fatty or greasy foods that tend to induce headache and dizziness. And don’t drink anything alcohol!

4. Have some sweets.

I’ve noticed that sucking on a candy or chewing bubblegum helps to lessen my motion sickness. So have a handful of sweets on your pocket!

5. Bring your meds!

If you are especially prone to motion sickness, make sure you pop in a headache prevention pill like Bonamine before you get in the car.

Rumbling through the snowy forests of Siberia or sampling vodka with your fellow passengers before tumbling out into a forgotten nowhere in the middle of the night. The memories of the sights, and just as often the smells, stay with you long after the journey has finished.

Many people’s experience of Russian trains is gained on the route between Moscow and St Petersburg, the closest Russia gets to tourist hotspots. Now, however, the State Russian Railway Company has launched two new luxury trains to ply the route which means the experience will be interesting in a whole new way.

The first of these new luxury trains is the No. 4 /3 Express and will depart daily from Moscow and St Petersburg at 23:59 and arrive at the destination at 08:00. The trains will be made up of 4 categories of coaches allowing passengers to choose which level of luxury they wish to enjoy.

The trains are somewhat confusing in that there are two categories of VIP, which means, at the top end, the air conditioned compartments can be converted into a living room or office, have their own bathrooms as well as internet access and DVD players.

If that seems just too luxurious then there are standard sleeping coaches and simple seats available. And it must not be forgotten that in Russia, perhaps more than anywhere else, luxury comes at a price.

A ticket in the top VIP coach costs about 20,000 roubles for the eight hour trip between Moscow and St Petersburg. The price of a seat is between 1 and 2,000 roubles. As a point of comparison the cheapest air tickets between the two cities are currently about 1,000 roubles.

The Alexander Nevsky, a similar train that plies the route and has even higher standards of comfort and prices. Here passengers can even chose between vertical bunk style beds or, for the more intimate feel, double beds.

Anyone who has travelled by train in Russia will know that the standards of customer assistance are not traditionally high, service with a smile it is not. And yet the new trains are attempting to change this. According to Russian Railways the train crews are drawn from ‘the best conductors, stewards and restaurant staff’ available. The company also claims that ‘the train crews had to undergo competitive certification before serving on the trains.’ This may mean that the staff glower a little less and help a little more. Do not be fooled into thinking it means smiles, because it doesn’t.

One thing that is very useful about these trains is the times. They mean that visitors can have a full day in one city, a night on the train and then a full day in the next, saving themselves the cost of a hotel and flying during the day. However, this depends entirely on your ability to sleep on trains so those cheap seat tickets are out.

While only the very wealthy will be considering the luxury options provided by these trains, everyone else can take comfort from the fact that the Russian Railway company is waking up to the fact that it needs to run trains at times customers would like and with staff who actually help. These are small steps in the right direction.

Photo of Moscow – St Petersburg train ticket by jackiepoh

They are so close in fact that Ryanair flies into an airport known only to itself as Bratislava-Vienna. Anyway, this proximity means that visitors to one city can easily spend a day in the other and make it back in time for tea. I have written this post from the point of view of travelling from Vienna to Bratislava since that is the way I did it but it can be done vice versa.

Vienna – Bratislava by bus

As with everything when you are travelling, the first consideration is most likely to be cost if you don’t have much money and comfort if you do. Bearing this in mind the budget means of transport is, as always, the bus. There are several companies running buses along the short route, Eurolines is probably the most well known although their Austrian site is a pain to use. The Slovak one is useful though. The bus takes about an hour and a half and should cost up to twenty Euros depending on the time and season of travel. The bus means that the emphasis is firmly on the destination and not the journey which, while not unpleasant, is never anything more than bland.

Vienna – Bratislava by bus

The train is quicker than the bus, more comfortable and the journey more scenic. It can also be cheaper, advance tickets costing as little at nine Euros. That price goes up substantially if you cannot buy ahead, however. Both the buses and trains run regularly meaning that if you can’t plan ahead you aren’t going to be left hanging around for ages at the station.

Vienna – Bratislava by boat

The top end of the market is not, as is usually the case these days, taken by the plane. Flying between the two cities would in fact be completely pointless; you could walk the distance in the time it takes to go through security. The most pleasant means of transport is in fact the boat.

Both cities lie along the course of the river Danube as it winds its way through Europe and out into the Black Sea. Boats ply the course regularly, much more so in summer, and although it takes considerably longer the views and experience make up for it. The boats are generally full of contented looking people hanging over the railing and humming ‘Blue Danube’ to themselves. The price of the boat tickets is high since they are a tourist commodity and this puts many people off, one way to get around it is to take the boat in one direction and either the bus or train in the other.

“The Danube Toward Vienna” picture by Bill Barber 

• Planning a summer holiday on the Apulia Coast, Southern Italy? Disccovery Puglia takes you to the superb baroque city of Lecce, the enchanting Trulli houses of Alberobello and the historic center of Bari.

• Ukholidayoffers recommends taking the Artesia high speed train to travel from Paris or Lyon, France, to Turin and Milan, Italy.

• Bellavventura posts a blog with amazing pictures of The Path of Gods, a hiking trail on the Amalfi Coast, South of Italy.

• Looking for a yummy recipe from Italy for dinner? Italy Travel Notes shares a video showing how to prepare Pesto.

• Pizzapeople shares the Tiella recipe, a vegetable stuffed deep-dish pizza from Naples.

Picture of Trulli houses, Apulia, Italy, by Manjeet Bawa

Celebrate the Eiffel Tower’s Anniversary

Budget Travel posts an article on the Eiffel Tower turning 120 years old. If you are in Paris this summer and want to celebrate the Old Gray Lady’s anniversary, go get baguette bread and French cheese at a nearby grocery store, and enjoy a gourmet picnic on the Champs de Mars.

Plan your French Gourmet Holiday

If you are planning a holiday in France including a gourmet visit to Burgundy, check out Why Go France and find useful information on how to get from Paris to Dijon by train, car and bus.

Take a Look at One of the Trendiest Hotels in Paris

Eric the Epicure posts a blog on his stay at the Mama Shelter Hotel and shares some links to HotelChatter reviews of the most talk-about hotel in Paris.

Window-Shopping at Paris Department Stores

Eye Prefer Paris shares pictures of funny baby dolls showcased in the window of Paris’s older department store Le Bon Marché (Rive Gauche).

Enjoy a good Parisian coffee

Gridskipper lists the 8 best cafés in Paris where to linger and enjoy a good French coffee.

Photo of Tour Eiffel snack by Sakurato Kitsa

And while the process of buying and selling back your bicycle from a shop can be a hassle if you don’t speak the language, it is well worth the freedom and romance you’ll feel whizzing around the Arc de Triomphe or under a canopy of poplars in the Bois du Boulogne on two wheels.There are some streets you’ll want to avoid and certain hilly areas of Paris you may or may not be able to climb depending on your fitness level. These five tips will help you stay out of accidents and find the true Zen of bike riding in Paris.

Tip #1: Learn some useful phrases…

Or at least learn how to say some numbers in French. In my experience, most bike shop owners will give you a fair deal and be upfront about the condition of the bike. But very few will be willing to speak in English to you. I had an experience once where the shop owner, when I returned to sell back the bike two weeks later, pretended not to know me or remember the deal he promised. Once I stopped speaking English and addressed him in my basic French, his memory instantly improved. You don’t have to know a lot, just enough to show them you’re not a naïve American or Brit.

Tip #2: Avoid the following streets and Arrondissements…

Arrondissement means neighborhood in French. Some of them are perfectly conducive to a quiet, peaceful ride, but some of them are like something about of Indiana Jones. The Latin Quarter is tempting, but the narrow streets are usually very crowded with pedestrians and outdoor diners. You don’t want to end up with your head in a bowl of French onion soup. Instead, try a ride through the nearby Odeon district in the streets between the Seine and the Boulevard Saint-Germain. They are relatively level and residential, so you can just enjoy the architecture and feel like you’re in an old movie.

The Quai des Tuileries and the Rue de Rivoli, both on either side of the Louvre, are also straight, level and tree-lined. If you’re in a daring mood, go around the circular streets of the Arc de Triomphe in the Place de Charles de Gaulle and head west down the Avenue Foch to the Bois du Boulogne, to ride through the trails in the forest.

Stay away from the Boulevard Saint-Michel and the Luxembourg gardens. There are too many bus lanes. Montmartre would also be a bad idea, as well as anywhere south of the Trocadero or the Rue de Passy in the 16th arrondissement. The inclines are incredibly steep.

Tip #3: Buy a pair of gloves.

The most common problem that occurs as you’re riding your bike through town is the chain will fall of the chainring. It’s usually a cinch to put back on, but because the chain is covered in grease, you’ll be left with blackened hands and get stares if you go to a café or museum looking soiled. Stuff some gloves in a satchel or backpack and you’ll keep your hands clean and free from injury when a bike malfunction does arise.

Tip #4: Buy a bike with a basket and horn.

Yes, you will look like an old lady, but it truly does come in handy. Unless you plan on racing in the Tour de France, a clunky bike with wide tires and a sturdy frame will pose the least amount of problems and has less of a chance of being stolen when you lock it up outside.

Tip #5: Rubber band the cuff of your pant legs.

If you’re wearing nice pants, the last thing you want is for the cuff to get stuck in the chainring or petal mechanism and tear. That’s why I recommend putting a rubber band around your lower leg or ankle to keep your clothes clean and prevent an accident. You want to get places on your bike, but you don’t want to arrive looking like a homeless person. So keep your trips light, don’t get too sweaty, and, of course, check the weather report. You’ll do just fine.

Photo of Eiffel Tower, Paris, France by Jeff Weston

In the past few years, the French capital has made considerable efforts to provide handicapped visitors with accessible facilities, but it might be quite a challenge for wheelchair travelers and disabled tourists to get around Paris and visit all the fantastic sights and museums the city has to offer.

Accessible Museums and Tourist Attractions in Paris

Most Paris museums, such as the Louvre, the Musées d’Orsay and the Musée du Quai Branly, as well as the famous Bateaux Mouches boat rides on the river Seine, are wheelchair accessible.

The Centre Pompidou and the Parc de La Villette are the most accessible museums in Paris.  Both equipped with lifts, ramps and accessible restrooms, to welcome people with reduced mobility, the museums organize special activities and exhibits for visitors with physical and mental impairments. Activities at the Centre Pompidou include tactile tours and audio guides for the visually impaired, guided sign language tours and bilingual family workshops for the hearing impaired, as well as museum visits lead by lecturers specialized in pedagogical art for the mentally disabled. The Parc de La Villette includes the Grande Halle art center and the Paris Museum of Sciences and Industry where visually impaired people can attend a free relief drawing workshop.

For further details, check out the list of Paris accessible sights and museums released by Tourisme & Handicaps. The association, which provides accurate information on accessible tourist sites in France, has created the“Tourism & Handicaps” label to help disabled travelers and wheelchair users plan their stay in Paris and other French cities. Signs on the “Tourism & Handicaps” label indicate accessibility for one or more disabilities: physical disability, mental disability, visual impairment and hearing impairment.

Another great resource for seniors and travelers with reduced mobility visiting Paris is “Le Guide de Paris Accessible”. In the guidebook, avid wheelchair traveler Franck Vermet divides tourist sights and museums into 4 levels of handicap based on mobility criteria and represented by 4 different colors to help physically challenged travelers plan their holiday in Paris.

Accessible Transport in Paris

Access to public transport in Paris is not easy for disabled travelers and wheelchair users, but in the last few years, the RATP (Paris Transport System) has put many efforts in providing disabled passengers with efficient services, facilities and vehicles that suited their needs.

Both Paris airports are fully equipped for physically challenged travelers and accessible airport transfer to the center of Paris is available from both Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle (RER B train) and Paris Orly (bus shuttle to Anthony station, then RER B).  In addition, 38 bus lines and a high number of underground stations are now wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair signs on transport maps tell you which stations you can get on board and get off at. Important: Lifts are often out of order and in most stations you may need the help of an RATP employee  to access the platform and board the train.

For the safety of blind and visually impaired passengers, all RER and metro stations feature an acoustic warning system that indicates where the edge of the platform is and limits the risk of falls. In addition, on line 14, metro stops are announced by a speaker. In addition, ticket booths are equipped with a hearing loop system to help hearing impaired travelers communicate with the RATP staff.

The best up-to-date maps and information on wheelchair friendly buses  and accessible metro stations in Paris are available on infomobi.com.

Wheelchair Friendly Hotels in Paris

It is not very easy to find an accessible accommodation in the center of Paris. But the most recently built hotels generally have a step free entrance and offer specially equipped rooms to guests with reduced mobility.

Here are a couple of wheelchair accessible hotels in Paris available on venere.com:

L’Amendier Hotel -  Paris La Défense

This budget hotel in Paris has received the French “Accessible Tourism” label certification and offers two wheelchair accessible rooms specially equipped to welcome guests with reduced mobility. Located in La Défense business district, the Hotel L’Amendier is housed in a modern building and features an array of amenities including nar, restaurant, garden free wireless Internet connection and free private car park.

Hotel Novotel – Paris Gare Montparnasse

Conveniently located near Gare Montparnasse train station, this brand new city hotel offers wheelchair accessible accommodation in Paris featuring modern amenities.  A member of Novotel Hotels,  the Hotel Paris Gare Montparnasse also boasts a café-restaurant, an indoor play area, business facilities, private car park and fitness room.

Photo of Eiffel Tower by Daquella Manera

Go by plane, train, or coach – not car or boat

Because of all the protests at Airports in the UK recently, many people have got the impression that haring all over the place by cruise liner or green hire car will somehow lower their emission in comparison to flying by plane. While it’s true that airliners don’t do our planet much good, well, neither does any other form of travel particularly, unless you wish to traipse around on a donkey like some ancient prophet. Trains are also fairly emission-low nowadays, what with there being more and more electric ones (and the electricity being generated by greener methods in keeping with the EU’s plan to lower carbon emissions drastically) – so there’s hope!

Only go to local restaurants with locally sourced ingredients – save food miles

You’ve often have to pay a bit more compared to if you just decided to waltz into the local McDonald’s and order a McBoring with Fries, but think of the variety, surprise (hopefully a surprise of the more pleasant variety) that you have coming to you with visiting local, family-run joints that use ingredients sourced from local farms. Not only will you have more fun this way but you’ll also be saving the planet too – most foreign chains use foreign ingredients which have been flown all over the place with planes belching CO2 in the manner of a baby after a meal. Just because you’ve flown yourself to a country doesn’t mean you have to take all your ingredients with you.

Don’t print out your holiday snaps

I don’t know the statistics but I’d hazard a guess that increasingly large numbers of photographs are taken on holiday in the aim of having for a keepsake and sweet little memories to remember but as is often in life, it’s best just to enjoy things as they happen rather than storing up a virtual data bank of every single little moment. But if you are an avid photographer, then save paper by only printing the very best shots out – there’s increasingly less and less need for hard copies as the human race shifts further and further into the digital age. You could also consider investing in a digital photo frame – there are now many low-cost models on the market, and although they’re distinctly gimmicky, you may find it a blessing in convenience.

Turn off and unplug everything before you leave home

Unexciting, yes, but you’d be surprised at how much energy the television and microwave use while on stand-by – there have even been calls in the last few years in the UK to ban the stand-by mode on devices, some take it so seriously. Also remember to turn off any radiators/air-conditioning but ask a friendly neighbour to come round shortly before you get back and power them on again, if it’s in the depths of winter or the pinnacle of summer. Uninteresting but useful.

Enjoy your (green) travels!

Photo of bike wheel and green grass by Vali…

Make your flight as comfortable and as conducive to sleep as you can. Listed below are some tips on how to put the comfort and the zzzzzzzz to your air travel:

1. Do the electronic check in to avoid the long queue and to get a better seating arrangement.

2. Avoid the seats at the end of the aircraft and those near the wings and toilets if you want minimal distraction, noise and movement.

3. Get to the airport early to minimize the stress. One time, I was the last passenger to check in and all eyes were on me when I stepped on the plane. Not to mention, I had to run from the check-in counter all the way to the aircraft and even long after the airplane took off, my heart was still palpitating.

4. Wear a pair of shoes that’s easy to slip on, without having to tie/untie each time you go through security check and to the toilet.

5. Wear or bring a thick pair of socks. That way, when you take your shoes off, your feet are still protected form the cold. If you’re still feeling cold, you can let your blanket hang loose to reach the soles of your feet.

6. Wear comfortable clothes. Consider the fit and the texture, nothing silky as it gets even colder when its cold. It should be something you could wear comfortably while sleeping without looking like you’re going to sleep (like a negligee or pajamas).

7. Bring a jacket. It may not be cold at the check-in counter but it’s worth tagging along when it gets cold up there.

8. Watch inflight movies. It’s an entertaining way to pass the time. There’s one movie which was never shown in local theaters here but thankfully, I saw it while flying with Northwest Airlines – Bottleshock. Unfortunately, not all airlines show free movies. I’ve learned that an Airline company is now charging pay per view to deal with the economic crunch.

9. Move around and stretch for better circulation. At the beginning of the flight, an instructional video shows easy exercises which can be done without leaving your seat.

When you’re feeling comfortable but still far from feeling sleepy, then

10. Read a book or a magazine. Bedtime stories are not just for the kids. Skip the suspense thriller and action genre (even for the movies), if you want to set your mood to sleep.

11. Listen to a relaxing music which can help ease the tensions in traveling and which can help you get to sleep.

12. Keep the remote control in its place. You might end up sitting on it, which is uncomfortable and you may accidentally press tn or call the steward.

13. Bring an eye mask. If it’s part of your sleeping regimen that all lights are turned off before you sleep, then recreate that environment by using an eye mask. If your child hugs a stuff toy when sleeping at home, you can either bring her stuff toy or make use of the pillow.

14. For the male traveler, pull out the wallet from your back pocket. It will create an uncomfortable bulge when you sleep and it will create an imbalance on your spine.

15. Instead of drinking soda and caffeinated drinks such as coffee and tea, opt for water. Skip on the sugary items, too. You can set aside your dessert for later, when you wake up.

16. The ideal posture is sitting at 135 degree angle so unless it’s meal time, take off and touchdown, pull your seat back.

17. Put the allocated pillow or blanket between your low back and the seat to alleviate spinal compression.

18. Relax and clear your mind. Avoid thinking of complicated matters which will keep your mind awake. Perhaps you can picture a serene view of the plains and hills and start counting sheep.

Sure, it is exciting to travel but it can be uncomfortable with long haul trips. If not addressed properly, the start of what could be a beautiful journey may end up disastrous and ruining the trip. Make sure you get a comfortable flight and a good sleep so you’re all set and recharged to begin your new journey.

“Sleeping on the Plane” picture by bravenewtraveler

Talk about a car holiday these days and everyone assumes you want to re-live college days where you could pack into a cheap car with some friends and go off on an adventure somewhere which usually involved a dire shortage of finance, lashings of alcohol, and uncomfortable accommodation. That is, if you’re American. But to Europeans, the concept is rather hazy.

But if you can’t beat them, you join them, right? The whole concept of a driving holiday seems so alien nowadays, despite cars having rapid technological improvements making them much more comfortable and enjoyable for long distance driving, it seems that fewer people all the time even consider driving while on holiday – you could probably blame this trend on low-cost airlines and better infrastructure such as the Euro-star and Coaches which can now go across EU borders unrestricted. But that also means Europe’s easier than ever to drive around in on holiday, what with satellite navigation and the like of which only James Bond had in our parent’s generation, not to mention that unique example of quintessentially Germanic hyper-efficiency, the Autobahn.

Here are pretty compelling reasons why you should go on a driving holiday:

You could rent a convertible

Sounds corny, but what could be better than leisurely cruising through a narrow road on a Bavarian pasture with the wind in your hair while at the throes of a BMW cabriolet? As they say, simple things please simple minds. And what’s wrong with that?

It can be romantic for couples

If you feel your relationship has reached the twilight of your youthful passions, what can be better than some forced alone-time with your spouse? You’re sure to enjoy, or at least endure, the intimacy of being inches away from her side. Good luck.

You get the mobility you otherwise wouldn’t have

Ever used to feel that the idyllic tourist town the tour company dumped you in for accommodation lacked a) entertainment or b) competitive pricing? Now you can just hop in your rental and won’t have to face the bother of being picked up by a strange, sweaty (albeit friendly) bald man if you need to get somewhere pronto.

You can travel much further and do more in a shorter amount of time.

Everything’s at your reach! You don’t have to sit languishing at the train station on a bench with a dismal bottle of imitation Cola wondering if trains actually run on time where you are. Just remember to buy a decent road map or a Satellite Navigation system if it isn’t built in.

It can be quite cheap

Petrol’s not as costly as it used to be, and you could always rent a diesel for added economy if needs must. Just don’t go driving around the UK or Denmark, where petrol is more valuable than gold-encrusted lemonade in the Sahara Desert.

Happy Travelling!

Photo of road, Tuscany, Italy by fortes