Recent airport amenities and rule changes by TSA can make your travels over the upcoming holiday easier, faster and even fun. The following tips bellow are geared towards helping you enjoy your journey, not just the destination during your holiday travel. Buckle up!

1. Check in ahead and do it online: Checking in and printing boarding passes at home (or downloading a virtual boarding pass to your smartphone) is a great way to skip past lines at the airport. Make sure to have a seat assignment, too. Baggage fees for some airlines are lower when paid in advance online, so consider that option as well. Finally, check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport. Certain companies offer customers a smart phone application where you can receive alerts on your smartphones, which can also be sent to up to six friends or family members meeting them at the airport.
2. Look into alternate airports: If you haven’t booked your Thanksgiving travel yet – or if you’re looking ahead to Christmas or New Year’s – consider using alternative smaller airports. These are often easier to navigate and less crowded. For example, if you’re traveling to San Francisco, consider flying into San Jose or Sacramento, two of the least-busy airports serving the greater Bay Area. Chicago travelers might have better luck with Midway International (MDW), while those heading into or out of the Los Angeles area may save time by going through John Wayne Airport in Orange County.
3. Leave the laces tied: A recent rule change by the TSA allows children 12 years old and younger to leave their shoes on when going through airport security—a welcome change and time-saver for parents. So next, time be sure to have your children keep their shoes laced-up when waiting in the security line.
4. Look up transportation and parking options: Some airport lots let you make advance reservations, while others provide real-time information on availability in each lot. Another option is to skip driving to the airport altogether by ordering a shuttle or sedan service, with reservations for many airports available on Orbitz.com or other online sites.
5. Pleasant Distractions: Another great perk for parents of young ones are airport play spaces and interactive exhibits. Several airports, such as Chicago O’Hare International and San Francisco International Airport have special areas designed with kids in mind. For example, at O’Hare, the Chicago Department of Aviation and the Chicago Children’s Museum have teamed up to develop Kids on the Fly. The interactive exhibit occupies children with airplane models, control towers and more. Meanwhile, adults looking to unwind and pass the time until their flight might want to consider purchasing a one-day airline club pass. Most clubs offer free Wi-Fi as well as beer, wine and cocktails as part of the entrance fee.

Island hop by ferry or rove on-island on a rented bike or scooter. One of the world’s longest coral reefs, 230 miles of white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and a bounty of dive spots lure visitors to the Turks and Caicos’ eight major islands, just east of the Bahamas. Bird sanctuary French Cay, underwater Columbus Landfall National Park and Caicos Conch Farm are among the major attractions of these legendarily friendly isles.

Turks and Caicos are a series of small islands in the Caribbean so any neighborhood affiliation would be primarily be by island. Grand Turk and Salt Clay make up the Turks portion, with Grand Turk being the capital island and Cockburn being the central town. This is the administrative and historical hub of the islands, with various museums and old buildings as attractions. It is also reputed to be the island on which Christopher Columbus set foot in 1492.

Providenciales known as Provo, is the most developed island for tourism, with the largest airport of all the islands, many hotels, golf club, and grocery stores. There are also large foreign minorities of Haitians, Dominicans, French, Canadians, Germans and Americans here.  The 12-mile beach at Grace Bay has been praised by Conde Nast and Island magazines, among others, for its exceptional beauty. North Caicos is the island with the most lush vegetation, and was formerly a plantation island. Today, it is home to large flocks of pink flamingos. Middle Caicos is the largest island, with limestone cliffs to the north and swampland to the south. There are also a few plantation ruins to be found here, as well as various wildlife. South Caicos is the fishing capital of the islands and home to the Commissioner’s House, where Queen Elizabeth stayed when she visited the islands in 1966.

East and West Caicos, the last two islands, are uninhabited. So come explore some of the freshest parts on the Caribbean! Enjoy and Relax!

Museums are staple to many travelers’ trips all over the world. From medieval sorcery in Iceland, to forensics in Bangkok, the world holds a large and vast variety of museums. The Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft, Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum, and Songkran Nlyomsane Museum, are three museums that have caught our eyes.

1. The Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft

In Hólmavík, Iceland, about 155 miles (250 km) north of Reykjavík, find out about the wildly inventive sorcery of medieval Iceland. Potions mixing human blood and the brains of ravens were thought to make you invisible. To become rich you needed enchantments that involved catching sea creatures with a net woven from virgins’ hair. Or you could wear necropants—made by skinning a dead man from the waist down. Only one word can describe this place: haunting.

2. Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum

Who knew that in Tennessee you could find concentrated kitsch in the form of a mind-blowing display of more than 20,000 salt and pepper shakers yard after yard of illuminated shelving in this museum in the mountain resort town of Gatlinburg. There is every shape from pandas to Easter Island moai and others that must be seen to be believed. As a side note, the $3 admission fee earns an equivalent discount at the gift shop, enticing visitors to start competing collections.

3. Songkran Nlyomsane Museum

Of six medical museums housed in Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, the Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum is by far the most macabre. The Siriraj Hospital is on the west side of the Chao Phraya River. It offers such attractions as the corpse of a cannibal, the remains of accident victims, and the evidence gathered from murder scenes. This museum is definitely not for the squeamish.

The 3 Best Tips for Traveling Green

When you hear the terms “green traveler” or “eco-friendly tourism” do you immediately picture sleeping in a tree house in the jungle or canoeing down the Amazon? While both of those are eco-friendly ways to travel, we have much more simpler tips for you on how to travel green. Moreover, if you’re looking for way to help the environment while traveling you’ve come to the right place because we have 3 great tips on how to be green while traveling. For some of us it is hard to even remember to recycle at home let alone while traveling. However, we have broken it down for you into three simple categories on how to be eco-friendly while traveling.

1. Reduce

• Reduce the number of plane rides you take
• Reduce the number of multi-stop flights you take (opt instead for nonstop flights)
• Reduce the number of car trips you take
• Reduce your energy consumption while staying at a hotel
• Reduce your energy consumption at home while you’re away
• Reduce your energy consumption by turning off the lights in your hotel room when you leave
• Reduce your energy consumption by not running the air if it is not necessary
• Avoid disposable items on your trip by opting for sit down meals instead of drive through

1. Reuse

• Reuse water bottles and limit buying bottled water
• Use storage containers for food
• Reuse clothes
• Instead of buying new technology, buy used
• Consider bringing your own soap and shampoo and leaving a note for housekeeping to let them know that the toiletries are unused

1. Recycle

• Recycle while traveling (even if it means having to carry it with you through the airport until you get to a recycle bin)
• Ask the hotel where you are staying if they recycle
• Download a smart-phone application to help you locate recycling locations wherever you travel

If you only have time to do one thing during your trip, the most important is reducing. Not only will you save money by reducing, but also you will also be traveling greener and decreasing your carbon footprint. Take this moment to imagine what it would be like if we were all eco-friendly travelers or even just eco-conscious while traveling, the chances are the world would be a cleaner place. The earth has millions of hidden treasures and adventures to offer, lets keep these treasures nicer longer by becoming eco-friendly explorers by traveling green.

After booking a night at a luxurious hotel in Athens, Greece, board your cruise ship, get settled in and start your relaxation!

Taking a cruise is the most luxurious and comfortable way to spend your holidays. You get on board, unpack your suitcases and act as if you are living in a luxurious hotel. Cabins are obviously smaller in size, but the other entire facilities make up for this inconvenience of space.

Many Greek cruises are organized at regular dates and include some Greek islands (it isn’t possible to include all of them, as Greece has 69 inhabited islands), usually the most popular ones and also some other Mediterranean destinations, such as Venice, Istanbul and the Turkish shores. Apart from the great Mediterranean cruises that make the tour of the Mediterranean Sea and include almost all Mediterranean countries in their schedule, there are also others cruises around Greece and the Greek Seas. These cruises are of shorter duration and depart from a Greek port or island.

Serbia

For many people, the very word ‘Serbia’ has taken on a pretty negative sound, one that evokes memories of wars and troubles dating back to the painful break-up of Yugoslavia in the early nineties. Things are far better there now though. The nation has opened up a fair bit to the EU and the wider world around them. This is probably the perfect time to visit – get in before everyone else does. Many have family trees that link back to here and we can’t help but wonder what adventures a quest to rediscover long lost family would lead us to.

Mexico City, Mexico

Americans often tend to regard Mexico with more than a bit of suspicion. The motives are no doubt colored by violent movies and exclusive negative news flow; however, Mexico City is not a place to be missed. No matter what method you use to count, it is one of the biggest cities on earth, populated by more than 20 million people. We would love to explore what the mega city has to offer in terms of culture, food, and sights.

Romania

Allow me to casually drop one name on you: Transylvania. If you’re anything like us, that ought to evoke images of fortified castles sitting among dark and foreboding mountains; backwards villages where garlic-and-pitchfork toting locals are going about their days, always with one eye on the local lord and his late-night habits. Located in the Carpathian mountain range, this province was recently described to me as “what the Alps were like 100 years ago.” Apart from Transylvania, Romania also has a ton of interesting culture and sights, and it’s generally a lot cheaper than the rest of Europe. Spring in Bucharest, anyone?

Mustang, Nepal

Mustang is so rich in culture that it is often thought of at being more Tibet than Tibet itself. The thought of clearing that Kagbeni checkpoint and venturing into the kingdom itself is one we cannot get out of our head. Extreme remoteness combined with fees and the legal obligation to bring a liaison office along keeps most tourists at bay. And if Mustang seems to be too exploited there’s also the similarly alluring Doplo regions to explore to the west. You’ll be surrounded by 8000m peaks, all-world scenery and Dal Bhat Tarkari makes this a personal favorite.

The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan

A visit to this ecological disaster zone will definitely have to be filed under “adventure travel” rather than sunbathing or relaxing. The lake is located in Qaraqalpakistan, a remote region of Uzbekistan. Once you reach the towns around the lake shore, there are still 8 hours of dried up sea bed to traverse before you’re actually at the lake.

Photos of the Mendocino Glass Beach, like the one above, captivate the imagination with thoughts like, “wow, that’s cool!” But proceed with caution. The millions of shiny color stones on the beach are actually wasted glass from old bottles and glasses. While this may change your feeling about the beach it still is a breath-taking site that truly is a diamond in the rough.

Nestled away in Mendocino Coast, CA crystal beaches stretch for miles, sparkling from millions of small pieces of eroded glass. Why is this beach is composed of glass, not to be found in the sand at most other beaches in the world? Well, beaches on the Mendocino Coast have not always been beaches. From 1950 t0 1967 the beach as a dumping ground. As a result, glass, porcelain and other waste ended up on the Pacific coast.

Recently the state of California has acquired the beach, therefore making it a protected area. Visitors are encouraged not to pick up any glass in hopes of preserving its “artificial beauty”. It has been said the shiny crystals display their color especially on sunny days, creating a striking sparkle that capture the attention of tourists instantly. While human activity is often responsible for the deconstruction or transformation of many landscapes that is not the case in Mendocino. The glass beach in Mendocino is an example of an artificial landscape that holds a mysterious beauty unique to the rest of the world.

For us travelers, taking photos serves an important purpose. Our photographs tell a story of adventure, exploration, and discovery. That is why special attention must be paid to the equipment a traveler chooses to bring on their next expedition. The items assembled below are for the person who is much more travel junkie than photo geek, and are designed to make the entire photography experience easier and more enjoyable.

Camera

Travel Tripod

Digital Storage/Card Case

Photographer’s Bag

Obey the Law!

The United States of America is known for a lot of things, baseball and apple pie come to mind, but for every great idea there are a plethora of…let’s call them strange ideas. The legal system is responsible for some of the more entertaining concepts, and because the states have a large amount of power to govern themselves some pretty hilarious laws emerged.

It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway. Nevada

Idiots may not vote. New Mexico

“Every citizen of the United States, who is over the age of twenty-one years, and has resided in New Mexico twelve months, in the county ninety days, and in the precinct in which he offers to vote thirty days, next preceding the election, except idiots, insane persons and persons convicted of a felonious or infamous crime unless restored to political rights, shall be qualified to vote at all elections for public officers. The legislature may enact laws providing for absentee voting by qualified electors. All school elections shall be held at different times from other elections.”

The legislature passed a law that states that the Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street bridge in Little Rock. Arkansas

If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle. Florida

“No female shall appear in a bathing suit on any highway within this state unless she be escorted by at least two officers or unless she be armed with a club.” Kentucky

An amendment to the above legislation: “The provisions of this statute shall not apply to females weighing less than 90 pounds nor exceeding 200 pounds, nor shall it apply to female horses.”

It is illegal to use a lasso to catch a fish. Tennessee

A person who has participated in a duel is no longer eligible to become Governor. Pennsylvania

Panhandling and fortune telling are prohibited. Minnesota

“Any of the following are vagrants and are guilty of a misdemeanor:

(4) A person who derives support in whole or in part from begging or as a fortuneteller or similar impostor.”

No one may be arrested on Sunday or on the Fourth of July. Ohio

“No person shall be arrested during a sitting of the Senate or House of Representatives, within the hall where such session is being held, or in any court of justice, during the sitting of such court, or on Sunday, or on the fourth day of July.”

It is illegal to give beer to hospital patients. Massachusetts

“Section 5. Whoever, except under the direction of a physician, gives, sells or delivers alcoholic beverages…to a patient in any hospital who is suffering from inebriety or from the effect of inebriety, or from excessive use of narcotic drugs or from the effect of such use, and whoever has in his possession within the precincts of any hospital any such beverage or drug with intent to convey or deliver it to any such patient, except under direction as aforesaid, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two months.”

We hope to put your mind, and body, at ease with these pro tips to reduce travel related anxiety.

Before Departing

Master some relaxation techniques. Sign up for a yoga or meditation class and practice deep breathing techniques in advance of your trip. Slow, deep, conscious breathing will slow your heart rate and calm you down. Creative visualization is especially well suited to travel fears. If you are panicky on a plane, for instance, imagine yourself at your destination having a wonderful time instead.

Take care of your body. Stay hydrated, get plenty of good rest, eat right, and get your exercise. Try cutting caffeine from your diet – for many people this is the single best way to reduce stress (travel or non-travel related).

Pack early and leave time for last minute details. One of the most stressful scenarios is when you remember a laundry list of things to take care of the night before your trip. Make sure important things such as going to the bank, and letting neighbors know how long you’ll be away and how to contact you are done at least a few days in advance of departure – it will save you from a lot of stress as your vacation comes closer.

If your anxiety is caused by general fears or is particularly severe then seeing a therapist or doctor could be a good move for you. However, many people will be averse to seeking counsel or getting a prescription so these options will likely be a last resort.

During Your Trip

Our friend Ryan never misses a workout, and he doesn't looked stressed.

Use distractions. In the movie, “French Kiss,” Meg Ryan is taking a flight to Paris and is sitting in her chair petrified. Kevin Kline picks an argument with her and before she can notice the plane has already taken to the air. That scene is more than just Hollywood magic – it actually works! Much like the visualization techniques put your mind at rest, being distracted will prevent your mind from focusing on the wrong things. Mind over matter!

Keep in touch. A lot of stress can come from being away from the ones you know and love. Try sending weekly emails with updates of your experiences, set up a simple travel blog for friends and family to visit, or simply update your Facebook profile often – people love pictures!

Don’t skip your workouts. Exercise is a great way for your body to naturally release pent-up stress. Also, if you get regular exercise at home then keeping up your routine will help control anxiety.