Traveling to Cuba

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The relaxing allure of vacation consistently tempts Americans to head off to Europe or the Caribbean islands for a respite away from home. One island nation, however, has not been visited by many Americans for the last sixty years for reasons of tense international relations. Cuba and the United States have been approaching a diplomatic relationship that has already changed the course for travelers as direct flights between the two are already flown and will be increasingly as the air clears up.

Cuba saw a record number of visitors last year, and with Cuba on the brink of an influx of Americans, that number is sure to skyrocket. There is a bit of urgency for travelers that wish to see Cuba in its current state. It offers calm, quaint beaches and modest urban centers lending an uncharted charm to the place. Peaceful dining in family-owned restaurants (paladares are restaurants run by self-employed groups), learning dances and experiencing native culture are just a few of the attractions. Old, pre-embargo American automobiles are driven around the streets making it seem like something out of an anachronistic novel. Cuba has a one-of-a-kind vintage feel, “still in 1959,” but natives and onlookers view it as ephemeral, and inevitably so. Some fear the closer relationship between the U.S. and Cuba will lead to modernization and capitalization, and the remodeling of an original and unique place. The country sits at an important threshold of transition, and a gold mine of opportunity for future change. Entrepreneurs and real estate agents have already visited Cuba to scan for and assess business prospects. Some are more optimistic about the modernization seeing it as a way to bring Cuba up to speed with Western expectations.

For those that seek a less run-in-the-mill vacation experience, it is important to travel soon. Cruiseship companies are expected to launch a series of lines including Cuba in their trips, and the island might be quickly populated with zealous tourists. In short, if you want to see Cuba for Cuba, go now.

from Dr. Marieve Rodriguez’s Travel Blog http://ift.tt/1yrFD3l

Airline Wine

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It may not come as a surprise that airline wine doesn’t rank too high by international wine standards. This infographic from Skyscanner does point out some interesting facts, though. Who would have thought EasyJet’s white wine would be the industry leader? Since nearly 90% of people might go for a drink on a flight, this infographic may come in handy…

from Dr. Marieve Rodriguez’s Travel Blog http://ift.tt/1EWsYXR

The Benefits of Off-Season Travel

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The off season tends to be the black sheep of travel – it’s the time of year in between peak “tourism times”, when you’ve missed the best weather or after a holiday/prominent festival. Too often, people miss out on traveling to a new country and exploring a region because they assume they will encounter less than ideal weather conditions.

Obviously, you wouldn’t want to explore Mount Kilimanjaro in 104 degree heat or trek through excessive snow in the Alps; however, for the most part, traveling during the off-season is generally the way to go.

Here’s are three reasons why you should consider traveling during the off-season:

Your Wallet Will Thank You

You get the most bang for your buck during the off-season. Hotels, airline companies, and even restaurants lower their prices. You’ll be able to book rooms at as much as 50 percent off the usual cost and flights will leave you wondering why you didn’t consider off season traveling earlier.

Keep in mind, the money you save on travel and lodging can go towards souvenirs and fancy dinners.

No Crowds

There is nothing wrong with tourists (especially seeing that you yourself are one), but during the off-season you get to experience paradise on your own. You don’t have to wake up before dawn to secure a spot on the beach or call weeks in advance to schedule a tour. You get to experience the must-see sites in your own time and discover the area through the eyes of a local.

Great Weather

I know, this sounds like a hypocritical statement. The peak season tends to have the best weather (as mentioned above), which is why everybody travels during this time. However, these days the weather is so temperamental that even during the so-called peak season, you may end up finding yourself in a torrential downpour. So who is to say that the peak season is in fact the best season to travel? Even if you travel during the rainy season of a specific country, it doesn’t typically rain 24/7 and the sun may even shine the entire time, so travel when you want to – don’t let the weather define your vacation.

from Dr. Marieve Rodriguez’s Travel Blog http://ift.tt/1BGfEFm

3 Reasons Everybody Should Travel

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It doesn’t matter if you live in a bustling city, adore your job and are an active socialite. There is nothing that can replace the experiences and memories you’ll make while traveling. Taking a trip to a foreign country allows you to take a peek at how the rest of the world lives. It gives you the opportunity to explore different cultures and broaden your perspective; it’s eye opening. Saint Augustine once said: “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” So don’t limit yourself. Explore the beauty that is this world – it could be life-changing.

Embrace new cultures
Not only is traveling extremely exciting but it opens the door to cultures you may not be familiar with. It can be very rejuvenating to be enveloped by a culture that is unlike your own – you get to take a break, forget about your everyday life and completely let go. You also end up learning a lot about the world. You learn new customs and values; new cuisines and entertainment tastes that you may not even know existed.

Enjoy life like never before
Travel opens the door to so many possibilities, including changing the season. Imagine trading in the blistering cold and snow for sunshine and warm, sandy beaches. As if that isn’t motivation enough to go check out last-minute vacation deals right now, think of all the attractions and activities you can experience that your hometown doesn’t offer. From eating authentic tapas in Barcelona to taking in the breathtaking Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, there are memories to be made in every corner of the world.

Satisfy your stomach
Food ties everything together. If it’s bad, it’s sure to leave a bad taste in your mouth (no pun intended) and potentially spoil your trip, but if it’s good, there are no words to describe the amount of happiness and sheer joy that food adds to your experience. Sure, you can make tacos at home or order a pizza from your local pizzeria but those don’t even come close the authentic hole in the wall you’ll find while aimlessly perusing their respective native lands.

In fact, certain dishes are considered absolute must-tries and you won’t have truly experienced a certain city until you’ve tried it (think Escargot in France or Tagine in Morocco).

*****

So whether you’re looking to de-stress, re-charge or be adventurous – travel! You won’t regret it.

from Dr. Marieve Rodriguez’s Travel Blog http://ift.tt/1ztbyxZ

Three Cool New Startup Travel Apps

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In today’s day and age, people are coming up with technology to make things easier and easier. There are many startups trying to solve a problem or make a process more easier. Here I want to take a look at some pretty cool startup companies out there today who are striving to make traveling easier. As we all know, traveling during the holidays can be tough, exhausting, and complicated. Lets take a look at three startup’s out there today who aim to make our lives just a bit easier.

LookBooker: Ever been away or abroad for an extended period of time and need to find a hair salon or get your nails done for an important meeting or date and it’s tough to do so because you’re not familiar with where you are? LookBooker aims to help simplify the process of getting a hair or beauty appointment. The idea is to keep business travelers looking in tip top form despite being away from their home where they may normally go to look their best. It’s currently offered in Singapore and New York.

Funlidays: Funlidays is a trip planning app that allows you to plan a trip a lot easier from your phone. It makes it easy to build an itinerary to help guide you along your trip and make sure you do everything you wanted to do. You can search attractions, organize schedules, and get directions. The best part of the app is that it holds drag and drop capabilities making use of the app far easier.

Maps.Me: Maps.Me is an excellent app for those heading abroad. Ever think ahead and realize when you get to an abroad location, you will lose a lot of capabilities from your phone without wifi or don’t want to be charged extra for using data abroad? Lets face it, when you’re lost, you turn to your phones GPS to help navigate. Imagine being lost abroad and having to turn to your phone where it costs a lot more to use in many cases. Maps.Me allows you to get directions, discover points of interest, search, and bookmark locations all while being offline and not using data.

from Dr. Marieve Rodriguez’s Travel Blog http://ift.tt/1w6vwgR

Flying Around the Holidays..Efficiently

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Last minute holiday travel….the best time to travel? Sometimes waiting until the last minute can be beneficial, especially when looking to get away for the holidays. Here are some key aspects to look at when looking to travel last minute during the holidays according to The New York Times.

Don’t Be Picky, Go Where the Deal Is

Ok so you may not go to your first choice destination, but that does not mean you can’t go to a fantastic location. Be selective in looking for the best deal possible. Its on you for waiting until the last minute but you can still find a good bang for your buck. A good location to head to is Europe. Apparently during the holiday season, specifically Christmas, Europeans tend to stay home which opens up the opportunity to find a great hotel deal. According to Sarah Gavin of Expedia, “The big secret for both Thanksgiving and Christmas is it is absolutely true that airfare is more expensive but hotels are a lot cheaper.” An interesting statistic to look at is the following: Travelers who waited until December last year to book a hotel room saved about $60 a night compared with those who booked a room in August through October (according to hipmunk.com).

Travel at Inconvenient Times

Booking a flight at 4 am will be far cheaper than a flight at 2 pm, don’t hesitate, just book the 4 am flight. You can sleep, or try to, on the flight. There’s also a chance that wherever you are heading, the time zone will adjust itself that you arrive at a decent hour and booking the 4 am flight made sense. Look to book your flight on a early weekday, it will be cheaper than say a Friday or Saturday.

Use Competition to Your Advantage

Look into low-cost-carriers, they’ll always be looking to undercut the competition in order to secure business. A good airline to keep an eye out for is Frontier Airlines. Frontier Airlines is a great cheap airline and has beaten other airlines by 2.5 times price before. I’ll take that wherever I can find a deal like that.

Look At the Little Guy

When choosing airports, it may be best to use the airport that is a bit more out of the way in order to save more money. For example, choosing La Guardia over JFK or flying into Long Beach instead of Los Angeles International Airport can save you some money both on the way to your destination and on the way back.

Bundle Up

In a case like this, where you have waited far too long to book your trip, it may be best to take some sort of bundle deal offered. You end up saving money but again, it may not be your first or second choice destination. Before choosing the bundle, make sure it is still a place you would have liked to go anyway.

from Dr. Marieve Rodriguez’s Travel Blog http://ift.tt/1xA6mIZ