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French Foodie Experiences Which Will Satisfy More Than Just Your Tastebuds

For many of us, food takes centre stage when we travel. Food is, after all, one of the fastest we can get to the heart of a place. Local cuisine can tell us everything, from the history of our destination to its underlying values. Variations between local delicacies can also show you a great deal about the politics in each area. In short; anyone who goes anywhere should spend a fair amount of time making the most of the food.

Of course, some countries offer better eating opportunities than others. France, for example, is a food lover’s haven. With winning bistros like Le Baratin on offer, that should come as no surprise. Far from just serving up those iconic snail dishes, French eateries offer a whole load of culinary delights. So much so that many people visit here for the food alone.

If French cuisine gets you excited, you’ll be pleased to hear that the foodie fun needn’t stop with eating. There are also some spectacular food and drink experiences which could take your culinary trip to a new level. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Very French vineyards

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It wouldn’t be a trip to France without a few vineyards, would it? There’s something quintessentially French about sprawling vineyards and wine tasting. And, lucky for you, there are plenty of experiences which could see you getting stuck right in. Options like the iconic Bordeaux Wine Tours offer the chance to get right to the heart of the best vineyards. Even better, you can take this is as far as you like. Most options offer a one-day tour of the grounds, complete with tasting sessions. Others, like the Silver Travel Bordeaux experience, could see you spending a whole three days on wine. It all depends on what tickles those taste buds.

All the olives

While we’re on the subject of French traditions, olives are also worth your attention. In the South of France especially, these are in abundance, and any grow in vineyards similar to wine. Again, there are plenty of tours for the largest olive orchards going. Any one of these could see you viewing a side of France you never knew. Or, you could get right into the heart of the trade by staying somewhere like A Compte Hotel. Here, you can stay in the aptly named ‘olive loft,’ where you have the chance to look out onto an olive grove every morning. Can it get any more idyllic than that?

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A full-blown food tour

If these specialist subjects don’t appeal, you could always go for a full-blown food tour. Options like the Gourmet Marais tour offer three-hour experiences which could see you tasting the best cuisine from Le Marais. Or, you may prefer the Montmartre food and wine tour. Lasting for up to 210 minutes, this trip will see you landing at up to ten gastronomy stops. All with a knowledgeable guide. What better way could there be to get stuck into the best of French eating?

Why Food Should be Centre Stage During Your Travels

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Traveling is the best way to learn about different cultures and experience all kinds of new things. But, whether you are toughing out a hike up an ice-capped mountain or relaxing on a tropical beach, the food and drink you choose makes all the difference to your trip.

Cultures grow up around the foods they eat and how they dine together. If you really want to get to know a new culture, you should always try the various foods at your disposal. For all that globalization has spread cuisines around the world, a pizza in Chicago is very different to a pizza in Naples.

Learning About Food

Every time you travel you should open yourself up to the opportunity to learn and exploring food is a great chance to discover new ways of cooking and preserving food. For wine lovers, this will come as no surprise since visiting vineyards is a holiday in itself. And when you could visit OakGlenn and go on a wine trail, it’s a difficult chance to pass up!

But wine isn’t the only learning opportunity. Italy is well known for its food and there are plenty of schools along the Amalfi coast that welcome tourists keen to learn about Italian cooking. Paris is another hot location for cookery lessons but don’t rule out the other cities and locations you visit. You would be surprised how many friendly restaurant and cafe owners are happy to share their secrets!

Discover New Flavors

If you’re into food and drink, there are few things as great as tasting something for the first time. Every area you visit will have a local delicacy or a particular way of cooking something and you never know when you are going to try the best possible version of something. While there are some pretty weird foods you may not fancy around the world, it is definitely worth your while to give some new things a go. Your new favorite food could be right around the corner!

Part of the joy of discovering new flavors is that you can take these ideas home and experiment with your own cooking. Sharing food is a fundamental part of being human and experimenting with new flavors at dinner parties is always fun.

Visit New Places

When you travel, you probably go to the same places everyone else visits but when you go for the food, your whole world opens up. Though you might expect some incredible food from capital cities and metropolises like London, Paris, Beijing and New York, often the smaller cities are where the beating heart of food can be found.

Instagram has had a big effect on the places we choose to go and while being able to take an awesome picture is fine, you would be surprised by the things you can find when you follow your taste buds instead.

Though food may not be the only reason you choose to travel, it can take you to some amazing places. And what better memory of your travels can there be but a recipe you can try at home?

These Are The Reasons Why You Just Gotta Visit Jakarta!

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia. It’s also a bustling metropolis filled with fascinating sights, delicious flavors, and wonderful people as well. In fact, there is so much to see and do there that I might struggle to fit it all in one post. I’ll give it a darn good try though, so all you need to do is keep reading to find out the top reason why you just gotta visit Jakarta.

Great value luxury

One of the most significant reasons that Jakarta is such a popular tourist destination is the fantastic price of a luxury lifestyle there. In fact, high-end hotel chains like the Mandarin Oriental, that would be priced well out of normal person range are surprisingly reasonable there. Of course, you can expect the same impeccable interiors, fabulous facilities, and top rate service no matter what the price.

It’s not just the higher-end hotel that come at a reasonable price either, but the kontrakan rumah or rented homes as well. This being great news for people that are looking to visit in the capital for longer than just a few nights, and that still want to have all their home comforts during their stay.

Additionally, there are plenty of places where you can engage in some luxury activities including relaxing massages in one of the many spas that pepper the city. There are even some massive malls that have a range of high-end stores where you can give your credit card a bit of bashing too. Although, you’ll be pleased to note that prices are usually favorable compared to the US and UK for most things!

Fascinating sites

Another reason to take a trip to one of the most popular capital cities in all of Asia is all the amazing sites to see. Most visitors make an effort to see the National Monument which is an impressive tower standing 123 m high that symbolizes the fight for Indonesian independence.

Then there’s the world famous Taman Mini Indonesia Indah which is a beautiful 250-acre park that comes complete with wonderfully executed scale models of some of the Indonesian buildings. It is also dotted with museums and religious buildings as well and is a place that can provide a glimpse for visitors into the daily life of the country.

Of course, no visit to Jakarta would be complete without taking a trip to the fabulous Ragunan Zoo. A place where you can get up close and personal with tigers, elephant and even orangutans. They also have plenty of facilities there for visitors to including bike and boat hire, and you can even take a ride on a camel or elephant if the fancy takes you! Something that makes it an unmissable stop on any Jakarta tour.

Finally, when it comes to sites to see and place to experience, the hot and humid climate in Jakarta provide the perfect excuse to head to a water park like Waterbom PIK to cool off.

Of course, once you arrive, you can expect not just to be spending time in the pool but riding the slides and flumes as well. Many of which are located in their own zones with names like the Hairpin, and Twisted. In worth knowing that if you take the kid along they get free rubber ring and life jacket when on the rides as well. Which makes it even better value for money.

Delicious food

Finally, one of the true jewels of any trip to Jakarta is the amazing cuisine that is on offer there. In fact, you can expect a wide variety of dishes from western items, to traditional Indonesian fair. There is even a molecular gastronomy restaurant that service Indonesian inspired food but in a fun way. Be warned though with only 28 sitting a day getting in could be the biggest challenge that you have during your trip to the Indonesian capital.

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Of course, if you are looking for something little more informal, then a place like Al Nafoura Lebanese Restaurant is a great choice. There you can sample their kofta, and hummus and their Pitta is said to be pretty good too.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a quick bite to refuel you so you can carry on exploring the city why not give a restaurant like Sate Padang Ajo Ramon a try? They specialize in Indonesian street food and there and their satay pandan is said to be the best in town! With the best thing being that the service is super quick so you can get back to your Jakarta adventure as soon as possible.

It’s Time For Your Home To Go Green

Do you ever just sit and think, ‘I need to do a little bit more for this planet!’? No? Well you should do. This planet is going to be the home of your grandchildren, and their grandchildren… until one day there will be no planet for them to live on. We have so much time on our hands to make a difference, yet we do believe because of how severe the damage is that we’ve done to this world, that people are now starting to believe that nothing can be done to help this world. But there can, and is so much to be done for this world, and a lot of it starts with the difference you can make inside your home. We really do waste a lot of energy, and do a lot of damage to this world without even realising, just by the simply daily tasks we do around the home. Not only that, but the way your home is structured might also be causing a few problems that you might never have thought about before. So, if you’re determined to do a little bit more for this world, and you know you want to go green, here’s how you can do it within your home!

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Parts Of Your Home To Change

If you have a new build home, then we’re sorry to say that this section might not apply to you as much. By new build, we’re classing that as any home that has been built within the last three years. Any older, and there are some changes that you can make. The first change is with your windows, and if you haven’t had them done for a while, now is definitely the time. Without even realising it, your windows are the worst conductor of heat, and all of that lovely warm air you’ve got in your home is slowly seeping out, making it harder for you to keep your home warm, therefore you’re using a lot more energy! You can get new windows throughout your home, and although it might cost you a dime or two, you should actually see your energy bills going down. Not only that, but at the same time as doing your bit for your planet, you’re increasing the value of your home, and making it much nicer to look at!

Wasting/Saving Energy
This is where so many of you will be going wrong, because sometimes it’s just hard to know when you’re wasting energy. Well, if you’re someone who sits through the day with lights on around the home, you’re wasting energy. If you always leave windows open whilst the heating is on, you’re wasting energy. If you have the TV on through the night because it helps you sleep, you’re wasting energy. All of these issues have simple solutions. Shutting windows, setting a timer on the TV, and just being more conscious of what you#vegot on in your home, and whether you actually need it. There’s always ways to save energy, you just have to be more proactive when doing so!

3 Things to Do on a Visit to Colorado

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Travel is a big deal these days. No matter where you turn, you can find books, articles, v-logs, and a million different Instagram photos, showing off people’s latest adventures and encouraging you to hit the open road yourself.

And, of course, there’s no doubt about it. Travel really can have an immensely positive, and transformative effect on your life. Seeing new places, meeting new people, and “getting out of your comfort zone”, can completely shift and revitalise the way you look at the world.

The thing is, if you listen to some of the more ardent travel enthusiasts out there, you’d have to assume that it was only possible to get any of these benefits from travel by going on long haul international trips to far-flung corners of the world.

The reality, though, is that some of the most potentially transformative and awe-inspiring travel experiences can take place closer to home. If you’re an American, for example, visiting the rocky state of Colorado could be an excellent idea, whether you’re looking for hotel deals in Limon, or camping opportunities in the great outdoors.

To demonstrate that fact, here are some things to do on a visit to Colorado.

Visit the Garden of the Gods

The Garden of the Gods is a registered natural national landmark, and is by all accounts likely to be one of the most beautiful places you will ever see.

The Garden of the Gods features front range climbing, jeep and Segway tours, rental bikes and electric bikes, and a series of monthly presentations, classes and activities, with an adventurous flavour.

The park itself offers an extraordinary and breathtaking view of the Colorado wilderness. There you will find majestic, soaring red-rock outcroppings, forests, and blue skies as far as the eye can see.

Play your cards right, and you may even find a dinosaur or two roaming around.

Scare yourself silly at Stanley hotel (or not)

Do you remember the classic Jack Nicholson film, “The Shining?” If you’ve ever seen the film, odds are that you found to be a pretty harrowing, and psychologically disturbing experience.

Well, it turns out that the shining was shot in Colorado. To be precise, in the beautiful and historic Stanley hotel.

The hotel bills itself as being famous for its “old world charm”, and offers various luxurious rooms, in addition to stunning views of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Of course, the museum also has attractions, and mementoes related to “The Shining” for you to enjoy and spook yourself out with.

Go back in time to the ancient days of the Pueblo people, at the Mesa Verde

The Mesa Verde National Park was established in 1906 to “preserve and interpret the archaeological heritage of the ancestral Pueblo people.”

The site boasts many striking historical attractions, perhaps most significantly of all the 600 cliff dwellings, which are known to be some of the best preserved and most notable in the United States.

It would be a crime for any archaeological buff to visit Colorado without visiting the site. Simply seeing the dwellings carved into the sheer rock of the mountainside, is liable to be a breathtaking experience.

Things You Can Implement To Help Save The Planet

Unfortunately, the planet has got to the point where it needs saving, this means that we all need to take steps to decrease certain things in our lives and get rid of habits we have too. This will help to reduce the strain on the planets Ozone layer and resources. There are a few things you can do that are simple and others that are drastic and take a bit of funding, however they’re worthwhile doing if they mean saving and restoring the planet.

Want to make changes and help save the planet? Below are some tips and ideas to get you started!

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Recycle

This is something that has been implemented in most places to help people go green but it isn’t compulsory everywhere. Recycling basically means separating certain materials into recyclables and landfill waste. This allows us to recycle the waste that can be recycled and reuseed, most of which is not biodegradable, which then stops us throwing non-biodegradable materials into landfill which ends up in our oceans and on land killing our animals, destroying vegetation, and polluting out oceans. The main things you can recycle is paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and tins. Separating these things out and recycling them will help to reduce landfill usage and stop them potentially ending up in our oceans and killing our planet further. It might take a few minutes to do, but it’s worth taking the time.

Upgrade to elemental power

The use of gas and electric to power our homes and businesses is taking its toll on the planet. The resources used to power our homes and businesses are killing the planet and the sad thing is that we don’t really need to use them as much anymore, as we have managed to create ways to harness the elements and use them to create power such as wind farms and solar panels. However, many people are still using these damaging sources of power. Wind farms are an alternative option – they do what it say on the tin – that use wind power to turn the turbine and push power through a generator which will collect energy and put it into the power grid.

Wind farms are not ideal to have in your back garden, however solar panels are an excellent alternative. They use the UV from the sun to create power, and what is amazing is that even on cloudy days, some UV rays still come through and create power. The great thing about solar panels is that any energy that you don’t use, you can sell back to the grid – you can actually make money while also saving the planet and reducing the use of the resources. These can be fitted directly on to your roof. However, you should properly research the process further before going ahead with it, to make sure you get the most out of it. There are lots of sites that can help you to learn more about this, such as www.earthyb.com, for instance. The key is to know exactly what you are getting, before you make a purchase.

Making changes in life is never easy, especially when there can be a financial cost involved, which can deter you from choosing to make those changes in the first place. However, if doing so will give the planet a better chance of remaining ‘healthy’, then they’re worthwhile considering.

The Tenets Of An Impromptu Trip

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Heading on a spontaneous trip can be a beautiful idea in theory, especially if you hope to surprise someone you love such as a partner or relative. However, in reality… it can be just as spectacular as you’ve imagined it. This is one of those surprises that can hold up perfectly provided you’ve planned for it well, and have managed to keep it a secret. The idea of heading on an impromptu trip can be a wonderful one, but knowing where to get started can sometimes be a bit of a worrying idea. This is where Destination Guides come in. What service should you go with? How can you plan this without alerting the person you love? How can you ensure that both of your schedules are open for a trip like this? Who knows if upon presenting them with the vacation you have arranged, they don’t respond with plans they were crafting themselves, halfway across the world, on the exact same dates? Well, there are worse problems to have.

However, like with anything, a good trip takes a little time and foresight to develop well. With our advice, you will be able to do that and more:

Traveling Practicalities

Of course, travel can sometimes be somewhat limited when desiring to go at the last minute. Many of the vacations you might have chosen when planning ahead of time will likely be taken. For example, it’s unlikely for that cost-effective luxury cruise to have any spaces available before it sets sail, no matter how many countries you may have wanted to visit on that journey. But does that mean you can’t travel at all?

Not in the least. Last minute cheap flights, last minute package deals and last minute ticket sales can all open you up to impromptu yet no less exciting experiences that you may not have considered beforehand, despite them being obviously beneficial and something you would most likely adore from the offset. Even if you have time to plan, sometimes placing this limiter on yourself can help you open yourself up to a spontaneous and wonderful environment you may not have experienced.

Scheduling Resolutions

Getting the time off work, finding a babysitter, or convincing your spouse’s’ boss to let them have the time off can sometimes be difficult. This is why impromptu trips can sometimes be a little more expensive. Paying your family members to look after your children, or bringing them while asking their school for an emergency break, or perhaps suggesting the same to your partner’s boss can help you get away with a fun trip over the weekend. A day missed on Friday and Monday might open you up a four day weekend, or tailored with an extended holiday even longer. Sometimes a little request might get you far, so it’s always best to ask as you’re interested in booking the tickets.

The Purpose

Impromptu trips can happen for a number of reasons. But be sure to have a purpose, because that will justify the expense and immediate schedule conflict you might have to solve. For example, do you just have to see the Venice Carnival this year? How about seeing the grand final of a sporting event your family cares about? A food tour can even be equally as justifiable, because sometimes your stomach just won’t listen to reason. With this, you will make good use of your impromptu vacation.

We wish you nothing but the best if deciding to head abroad with these tips in mind.

Three Places 2019 Needs To Hand To You

We all love a bucket list, don’t we? The one thing that nearly everyone has on that list is the destinations across the world that make their souls sing. Finding destinations that you can go to that make you feel like you’ve accomplished something in your life is not always easy, because your choice of destination has to appeal not just to you, but to all those with whom you travel.

2019 is going to be a big year for travel, with more destinations and more innovative travel solutions than ever before, and it’s also going to be a big year if you’ve resolved to do new things and see new places. You should go and capture the world in the best way that you can, and travel is the way to do that. Getting on a plane and seeing new places from a relaxing Caribbean vacation to an adventure in the Galapagos is how you want to make memories in your life. There are hundreds of destinations to watch out for, and we’ve got three places that you want handed to you in 2019, so that you can see the world in a new light.

Plane view

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The Peloponnese, Greece

The tourism in Greece is always going to be high when you have an islands as beautiful as the ones that make Greece what it is. However, you can head to the go-slow corner of the Mediterranean by discovering the Peloponnese. Heading to the mainland and discovering the wide-open spaces that Greece has to offer in the off-season is the way to go for 2019 with Patras and Pyrgos finally being linked by train again, which means that you can explore the region in the most relaxed way possible.

Egypt

The Grand Egyptian Museum may have been delayed again, but for the first time in eight years, there is a waiting list for city hotels and boat trips along the Nile. There has been a few years of civil unrest in Egypt, and now it’s back on the map and people want to see it all. Nile cruise liner Sanctuary Retreats has now launched weekly sailings of its boutique wooden boats. These are all kit out with leather deck chairs and art deco features to die for.

Matera, Italy

This romantic ravine in Italy attracts those who want a more immersive experience in a new destination. Matera is built into the rocks and it’s a strange city that sits miles from anywhere else. People come from all over to see the sassi, the troglodyte cave dwellings where citizens lived in the dark until it was abandoned. Now? They’re hot property and people come from all over to view them. It’s one of the most romantic places in Italy to go and it’s somewhere that absolutely should be on your bucket list this year.

Taking the time to travel is good for the soul – don’t wait around to book, either, shop for the best deals online today.

Travel Solo Or With Friends: Which Is Best?

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Traveling is one of the best things we can ever experience, and we’re so lucky to live in such an innovative time that allows us to travel freely around the world in such a relatively short time span than would have ever been possible 100 or even 50 years ago – and certainly for a lot less money than would have been possible, 20, 30, or 50 years ago.

However, one of the many great things about travel is how it caters to so many different types of people who all like to travel in their own way.

Whilst some people love the complete freedom of solo travel, others want to share the memories they make with those closest to them such as their friends.

There’s certainly no right or wrong option here, and as we said – travel allows us the chance to choose which style we’re best suited to, so if you’re struggling to decide whether you’d like to travel solo or with friends for your next trip, then we’ve got some useful things to consider from each side coming up in this post for you.

Solo Travel:

Freedom to make your own schedule: Solo travelers mainly love to travel this way because they enjoy the freedom to decide how and where they spend their time. If you’re traveling with a friend or group of friends, you may all have different ideas about how you’d like to spend your time during the trip and this can either mean you have to compromise on something you’d like to do, or it can mean you all go your separate ways for a few hours.

It can be more expensive: As much as there are now a lot more tour companies popping up who are focused on solo travelers, there’s still a lot of price discrimination, so if you’re traveling solo and staying in a hotel, for example, you can often expect to pay a surcharge for the fact that you’re on your own.

You’ll meet new people: Traveling solo doesn’t mean being lonely, and in fact solo travelers are some of the best people you’ll meet. It’s a lot easier to meet other solo travelers when you’re traveling solo than if you’re with a group of friends, and you may also not be so motivated to do so if you already have people to hang around with.

Travel With Friends:

It can be a bit cheaper as a group: When traveling with friends, you’ll be able to split things across the group. This is especially useful when it comes to things like accommodation. For example, if you wanted to book a rental house through a company like Drew Fasy, it’s better when you can go as a group and split the cost. You can also find a lot of tour companies offering discounts on group bookings for things like travel and day trips.

You won’t get lonely: Solo travel can definitely get lonely – especially if you’re quite a shy person, so if this is something that can become an issue for you, then traveling with friends could be a good option.

7 Important Ride Share Tips For Travelers

2019 is set to be a big year for ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft, with more and more of us using these instead of other methods of public transport or driving ourselves. They’re fast, they’re cheap, they’re convenient – what else do you need?

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It is important to bear a few specific safety pointers in mind to keep yourself safe before, during and after your journey, particularly if you are traveling in a new area, and in this article, we are going to look at a few of those tips.

1) Let someone else know you are traveling.

When traveling alone, especially at night, share your journey with friends or family, so they know exactly where you are. Send a picture of the registration plate to someone, or if you are using Uber, you can hit the ‘share my ETA’ button, or ‘send ETA’ on Lyft, and it will send a notification to the person you designate. They will then be able to follow your journey on GPS.

2) Keep your personal information to yourself

We are not saying sit in silence for your journey, but be mindful of what information you re sharing with your driver. Don’t give out your address or where you are staying, your phone number or how long you are traveling for, and it’s never a bad idea to let them think someone is expecting you at the other end of the journey!

3) Give feedback

While it doesn’t seem particularly relevant to safety, giving feedback after your journey can be the difference between keeping a lousy driver off the road and a good one on the road.

4) Wear your seatbelt

Just because someone else is driving, it doesn’t mean that you are completely immune to an accident. You should always buckle up – in fact, wearing your seatbelt can also improve your passenger rating on Uber. If you did happen to be in an accident when you are ridesharing, it is essential to find a great lawyer for legal advice.

5) Be Aware Of Your Surroundings

If you’re in an unfamiliar city or area, make sure to track your route on your own maps app to ensure the driver is following the correct course. Try to avoid using rideshares on an evening or night, but if you do need to, try to find out beforehand what businesses and stores are open along the route.

6) Confirm Your Driver and Car Before Getting In

Always confirm the license plate and the name of your driver before getting in – this information is clearly laid out in the app and your booking. As well as keeping you safe, it also prevents you from getting into someone else’s ride in a busy area like an airport. It’s also important to ask the driver the name of the passenger rather than say your name first.

7) Don’t pay cash

Uber and Lyft take money directly from your bank, and there is now the option to tip after the journey through the app, so there is no need to have your purse or wallet out during your ride.