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14 Reasons to Drive the North Coast 500 in Scotland

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The North Coast 500 (NC500) is one of Scotland’s most spectacular driving routes, covering 500 miles of the gorgeous northern Scottish Highlands. The NC500 begins and end in Inverness, hugging the northern coastline for a large part of the route. There are so many good reasons to drive the North Coast 500 as you have the chance to enjoy such a variety of attractions, activities, and landscapes. These include touring beautiful castles, teeing off at world-class golf courses, photographing picturesque waterfalls, eating fresh local seafood, canoeing on glassy lochs, exploring Iron Age historical sites, lying on sandy beaches, touching 3 billion year old rocks, and enjoying wonderful local Scottish hospitality. These are just a few of the reasons that should have you planning your North Coast 500 road trip! We truly believe that there is something for everyone along the North Coast 500, no matter what your interests or travel style,… Read the rest

12 Reasons Travel Can Be Stressful & Tips for Reducing Travel Stress

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Many people travel as a way to relieve stress, but for some people travel can also induce travel stress. Travel stress is a feeling of mental strain and pressure related to traveling. Although travel has a number of positive aspects and benefits, travel stress can lead to people having a negative vacation experience. A reader on my blog recently wanted to know “Why is travel stressful?”. So I spent some time researching and thinking about this question. In this post we present a number of common reasons that you might be finding travel to be stressful. These include feeling overwhelmed with travel planning, air travel experiences, concerns about the safety of a destination, difficulty handling unexpected events, financial strain, and having unrealistic expectations. Then we discuss a number of ways that you might prevent or reduce travel stress for each travel stressor. Our tips for reducing travel stress are based… Read the rest

Travel Photography: 6 Ways to Take Great Couple Photos while Traveling

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Today we are going to share ways to take great couple photos while traveling. When you travel as a couple, you are going to want to get some good photos of the two of you together. The problem is that getting great couples photos of the two of you together can be a challenge, as usually one of you has to operate the camera or smartphone. So most people end up with a lot of individual photos from a trip, but not so many great couple photos from their travels. In this post, we’re going to share with you some tips to help you take great couple photos when traveling. All of these tips also work for getting any kind of single person, group, or family travel photos. First, we’re going to go through all of the ways that we have taken photos of ourselves together on our trips to… Read the rest

Finland Packing List for Winter: A Guide to What to Pack

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Based on our time traveling in Finland in winter, we’ve decided to create a Finland packing list for winter to help those traveling there for the first time. Winter is a magical time to visit Finland as you have gorgeous winter landscapes, tons of fun winter activities to try, and the chance to see the Northern Lights. However, it is also a difficult place to pack for if you are not used to packing for cold weather destinations. Temperatures are regularly below freezing throughout the winter months in Finland and packing well is key to enjoying your trip to Finland. That is why we’ve put together a Finland packing list for winter to help you pack smart to avoid being unprepared. We’ve put together a suggested Finland winter packing list that lists all the essentials you’l need for your trip based on our own research and experience traveling in Finland…. Read the rest

Guide to Attending the Bristol Balloon Fiesta

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The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is the largest annual hot air ballooning event in Europe, and it is also one of the top outdoor festivals in the UK. Held each August over several days, the Bristol Balloon Fiesta events include the mass ascension of over 100 hot air balloons, nightglows, balloon competitions, and fireworks. In addition to the balloons, the free festival also offers on-site family-friendly amusement rides, games, and musical entertainment. We were excited to attend the Bristol Balloon Fiesta last year to see this colorful festival. If you are interested in attending yourself, we’ll cover all the logistics, share all you need to know to plan your own time at the fiesta, and share our own experiences attending the hot air balloon fiesta.  Information on Attending the Bristol Balloon Fiesta Below we’ll cover all the logistical information related to attending the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, including getting there,… Read the rest

Tips for Driving in Iceland in Winter

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After our winter Iceland trip, we have put together a useful guide to driving in Iceland in winter. Iceland is a wonderful country for a road trip, but winter road conditions and closures can make it a stressful experience for those who are not prepared. We cover everything you need to know before you go, how to be prepared for driving in Iceland in winter, and what to do in the event of an emergency.  We’ll tell you what road conditions are like in Iceland in winter, what kind of car to rent, rental car insurance options, the best areas of Iceland to visit (and avoid) in the winter, how to prepare for a winter Iceland road trip, and how to stay safe. We also provide a list of alternative travel solutions for those who decide they do not want to drive in Iceland during the winter but still want to… Read the rest

Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London

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Did you know that you can find four UNESCO World Heritage sites in London? Although London is one of the world’s great modern capitals, it has a history stretching back to Roman times. London’s four UNESCO World Heritage sites are: Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey & St. Margaret’s Church, the Tower of London, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and Maritime Greenwich. Each of these sites has been determined by UNESCO to represent an “outstanding universal value”, and are all top visitor attractions in London. We’ve visited all these sites, and we’ll tell you about each of these London World Heritage sites and give tips on visiting each of them during your trip. UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London If you are wondering what exactly a World Heritage site is, it is a landmark or area that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has deemed to have cultural, historical,… Read the rest

A Guide to Celebrating Hogmanay in Edinburgh Scotland

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After attending Edinburgh’s Hogmanay several times, we’ve finally decided to write a guide to celebrating Hogmanay in Edinburgh! Hogmanay is the Scottish word for New Year’s Eve and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festival has become one of the largest New Year’s celebrations in the world. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a 3-day festival full of events that include a torchlight procession, live music concerts, family events, a massive street party, traditional dancing, fireworks, and even a costumed parade that ends with a cold dip in the river! If you are interested in celebrating the New Year in Edinburgh, we’ll tell you all you need to know to help you decide if you want to go and what you can do at the festival. We provide advice on planning ahead and finding accommodation, break down the Hogmanay events day by day, and give plenty of tips for making the most of your trip to celebrate Hogmanay… Read the rest

Churchill in London: A Guide to Winston Churchill Sites in London

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Winston Churchill is one of the most well-known British figures of the 20th century, and today it is easy to find traces of Winston Churchill in London. Although Churchill traveled extensively, there is no city more central to his life than London. It was here that he went to school, sat at Parliament, married, lived with his family, served as Prime Minister, coordinated much of the war effort during World War 2, and died. Although Churchill is best known for his role as Britain’s fearless wartime leader during WWII, he was a well-rounded man who also served in the military, bred race horses, produced over 500 paintings, became an amateur bricklayer, won the Nobel Prize for Literature, and wrote love letters regularly to his wife. Today Winston Churchill remains as intriguing and divisive as he was in life, and London is the best place to learn more about this complex former… Read the rest

Visiting Iceland in Winter: Top 18 Winter Activities in Iceland

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Visiting Iceland in winter can be a wonderful experience as there are fewer people, beautiful winter landscapes, and chances to see the Northern Lights! There are also a number of fun winter activities to do like skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and joining in on holiday celebrations. Although some attractions in Iceland close or become inaccessible during the winter, many of Iceland’s most famous spots are still easy to visit, including the Golden Circle, waterfalls, Blue Lagoon, glaciers, black sand beaches, museums, ice caves, and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. This post focuses on the best things to do in Iceland during the winter, and we cover everything from heli-skiing to holiday celebrations to Northern Lights tours! We provide information on how to do them independently (when possible) for those who want to rent a car and drive themselves. We also provide information on how to book winter day tours… Read the rest

15 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in Edinburgh Scotland

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It’s December so we are sharing our favorite ways to celebrate Christmas in Edinburgh Scotland. There are loads things to do in Edinburgh during December, which include browsing traditional Christmas markets, ice skating, Christmas shopping, enjoying the holiday lights, riding the Star Flyer, and attending concerts. We cover all things associated with Christmas in Edinburgh from amusement rides to church services, and everything in between. Whether you are a visitor or a local, we give you advice to help you find the best shopping hotspots, Edinburgh Christmas markets, festive afternoon teas, Edinburgh Christmas events, Christmas meals, light displays, and Christmas decorations in Edinburgh. We also share a brief history of Christmas in Scotland and some of the common holiday traditions. So let’s delve into our guide to things to do in Edinburgh during Christmas! 15 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in Edinburgh Scotland Although Christianity in Scotland dates back to the Roman… Read the rest

Visiting the Isle of Wight: Queen Victoria Trail

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Queen Victoria had a significant impact on the Isle of Wight, and we have put together a guide to visiting the Queen Victoria related sites on the Isle of Wight. Queen Victoria first visited the Isle of Wight on a holiday with her mother in 1831 at the age of 12. She enjoyed her time on the Isle of Wight and kept returning, eventually purchasing an estate on the island in 1845. The Queen’s regular presence on the island helped put the Isle of Wight “on the map” as a Victorian holiday and wellness destination. She continues to intrigue travelers and her former residence Osborne House is now one of the most visited attractions on the island. Today there are a number of places you can visit that were connected to Queen Victoria or were popular Victorian era destinations, and these include castles, forts, scenic viewpoints, the oldest amusement park… Read the rest

Paris Perfume Workshop: How to Make Your Own Perfume in Paris

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Did you know that you can create your own perfume in a Paris perfume workshop? Fragonard offers guests the opportunity to book a workshop that allows them to develop their own personal fragrance with personal guidance from a professional nose during a perfume creation workshop. Workshop attendees learn about the history of perfume, smell the main ingredients for eau de cologne, devise their own perfume formula based on their personal preferences, and then mix and bottle their own perfume. Laurence and I attended the Fragonard perfume workshop in Paris on my birthday and we had a lot of fun learning, sniffing, and concocting during this hands-on perfume workshop. Interested in attending a perfume workshop in Paris? We’ll share a bit of history of perfume making in France, how you can make your own custom perfume in Paris, how to book a Paris perfume workshop, what to expect at a perfume creation… Read the rest

Travel Photography: Do I Need A Travel Tripod?

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A travel tripod is an easy way to improve your travel photography. Almost everyone travels with a camera of some sort to capture vacation memories while they travel, whether it be a cell phone, a compact camera, or professional DSLR camera. If you are wanting to capture better travel photos, you may want to consider buying a travel tripod. Adding a travel tripod to your photography gear arsenal can help you take better vacation photos without a lot of effort. Today Laurence, an award-winning professional travel photographer, is going to cover the basics of what a tripod does, how it can improve your photography, and what situations are best suited for a tripod. He’ll also provide recommendations of a range of travel tripods to suit any budget, discuss situations when you should and should not travel with a tripod, and provide practical tips on traveling with a tripod. What Does… Read the rest

Paris Pass Review: Is it Worth it?

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If you are planning a trip to Paris and plan to visit a number of the city’s top attractions, you may be able to save money and time by purchasing the Paris Pass. The Paris Pass provides free admission into over 60 of the top attractions in Paris (e.g., the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Seine river cruise), a free Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour ticket, and a Paris Travel Card. It also allows you to skip long entrance lines at some of the top museums and attractions to save you time on your trip. Whereas the Paris Pass can be a great deal and save some travelers time and money, it will not be a good value for all travelers. We’ll help provide all the information you need to know to decide if the Paris Pass is a good deal for you, decide on which pass to… Read the rest