1. Always pack a few days worth of clothes and necessities in your carry on in case your luggage goes missing. Even better  go carry on only.
2. Roller luggage is only good at the airport. Cobble stone, dirty roads or uneven roads plus tiny plast wheels equals one big pain in the butt! Learn this one the hard way.
3. When researching your destination search with blog at the end i.e. Uganda blog. It'll bring up some rather interesting personal accounts of the destinations.
4. On bus tours arm yourself with hand sanitizers and a good guide book. Don't feel like you have to stay with the sheep heard when you're on a tour.
5. If you have a sensitive stomach but want to drink local water while you are there. Consider taking a bottle of water you're use to drink and mix the two, slowly adding more local water and less water from home. This will help get your stomach use to the water and keeping upsetting it to a minamale.
6. Make sure the water is safe to drink first!
7. When packing only bring things you don't mind throwing away if it came down to that or another souvenir, or even if your bag becomes too heavy and you want to lighten it up along the way.
8. I always pack one roll of toilet paper no matter where I am going. I could be staying at the Ritz and there will still be a roll of toilet paper in my bag. Beyond the obvious, like duct tape there are several other uses for it. For example packing fragile items.
9. Pack a small disposable camera to use when you want strangers to take a picture for you.
10. Forget trying to not look like a tourist. People will know you're a tourist the moment you open your mouth. However try not to look like a dumb tourist. Money belts worn as a money belt. Purse straps around your body. Dont flash large amount of money in public and so forth.

Check those liquids...and check them again!

One time, while flying by myself, I was roughly pulled aside and searched everywhere and everything! We are talking they went through each page of my Sociology textbook way more throughly than I would at finals! The reason: I had left the solution in my contact case. Absurd, yes. Dangerous, probably not. Annoying, definitely. So go through all those unexpected toys and gadgets that your kids are bringing on the plane to pass the time...because something as unexpected as that bit of water in a baby doll with a diaper could cause a huge incident!

Size the carry-on before you need to carry on asprin

There is nothing like being so excited to get on a plane as a little kid. You gather your toys and books and crayons and arrange them perfectly in your mini backpack. You tell Susie the Bear all about where you are going, and make sure she won't get motion sick. And then you get to the airport...and are told to unpack everything or check it! Make sure that your carry on fits all the requirements, and beware that they are getting much stricter each day. Check your airline's website fully for the height and weight restrictions for carry-ons, as well as the number you can have.

Moooommmm, Ryan spilled his orange juice ALL over me!

How many times has this happened at the dinner table? Well, I know you were so going to miss this dearly while you were flying. Never fear! It will still happen, even more because of those little tiny seats that really don't contain all that huge pent-up kid energy. Always take at least an extra shirt and underclothes on board the plane, if you can't fit an entire outfit. Not only will this help you in case of some kid fights and spills, but also if your luggage gets lost, or you are delayed overnight somewhere. Take it from me, there is nothing worse than having your flight canceled, and spending three days flying home from halfway across the world in the same shirt. Multiply this by the number of kids...and well, you get the idea.

Money Talks...and We Listen:

Clearly, budget is always a consideration when choosing where to go. And the more kids, the more this one is the ultimate deal-breaker. With the obvious lowering of the USA dollar power, not to mention huge security hassles that make you want to tear your hair out, traveling too far is sometimes not an option. Never fear! There are endless family friendly places close by your neck of the woods. Some won't-break-the-bank ideas are to check out your county Visitor's Center and see some sights that you've never gotten the chance to. Also, you can look at online (or soon, this site) for some ideas at areas that are closet to you, within driving distance, but not so far that you use the kids' college fund on the gas money!

Higher the Number of Kids...Lower the Hotel Space:

When you are traveling with kids, it can be really difficult trying to get them all cleaned up and dressed in the morning for breakfast. So if you want to get out the door and see the area before, say, dinnertime, think about a short-term furnished apartment. Hotels have live-in suites with kitchenettes and all the do-dads that go along with that. When I was growing up, my parents sure wish they knew about this beforehand! It is much easier (and cheaper) to buy some easy breakfast foods and keep them in the apartment. That way, the kids can be in their pj's, and you can have your coffee while you get them out the door!

Beware the Picky Eaters!

Now confession time: for all my travels, I am still one of the hardest people to find something to eat. Oh I'll just say it--I'm a hugely picky eater! And I'm pretty sure you'll have at least one of those in the family. So don't worry, a trip is not the place to try and cure this bad habit...hey, my parents' spent years on this, and I think they've admitted defeat. Check out the local supermarkets and pick up some kid-friendly dry food that you can keep in your mini apartment or hotel room as snacks...or even last minute meals. Because there is nothing like getting to a fun and exciting new international destination, and opening that menu for a relaxing first dinner...and then hearing the whine start in! This will also be way cheaper in the long run!

Harimanok is the trade logo for Pinoy Blog Ads Philippines.  A home to Filipino news, Filipino ads, and unlimitted travel resources. 

I'd like to take this blog as an e-magazine for Filipinos all over the world, not just our overseas Filipino Workers but also our kapamilya anywhere abroad and even here in our own mother land.   So i'd like to invite you to bookmark this site to become one of your daily reads after your first visit to the site.  Being an ex-OFW i would often come back here to read about OFW news and happenings. 

Another find that's worth checking is Paraiso Philippines Forum Site. 

It is another Filipino community for me since previously ive been active in one of filipino forum sites created in the web aside also being an active one my alma mater's forum site.   Forum sites widen my circle of friendship.  That is one of the great things that happened to one's life online especially if one gets active in an online community.  Forum sites helped me broaden my mind to learn accept people from all walks of life no matter if their ideas contradict with mine.  Everyone clicks and some does  not click but still it is good to know that a kababayan is out there.  Ideas and principles may contradict but it is still warm to know that all in all you are all Filipinos being connected by just a click away.  Thanks to the internet and thanks to wise people who made up forum sites.

So do you wanna make more friends?  Do you wanna your ideas, opinions, rants, and even inventions be heard and known?  Do you wanna know business tips, on how to start one, and maintain one, or yuo wanna know how to become a very good problogger? Or you wanna get familiar with a place in this country Philippines that you haven't been to yet  -- then Welcome to Paraiso Philippines Community online.

With the ever changing baggage policies that airlines are imposing on the traveling public – What is a traveler to do? We have finally gotten used to the changes since 9/11 regarding what we can bring on board a plane and what we must check into the belly of the plane! Now we are told there is an additional cost involved in checking our bags with all the items we cannot bring on the plane! And to add insult to injury many of the airlines who are imposing the additional fees are offering horrible customer service! But that is another story for another day.

Here is a sampling of airline baggage policies. Just click on the links to get the details straight from the airline’s website:

AirTran
http://www.airtran.com/policies/carry-on_checked.aspx

American Airlines
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/main.jsp&anchorEvent=false

Continental Airlines
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/default.aspx

Delta
http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/index.jsp

Northwest Airlines
http://www.nwa.com/travel/luggage/index.html

Spirit Airlines
http://www.spiritair.com/Policies.aspx

United Airlines
http://www.united.com/page/middlepage/0,6823,1031,00.html?navSource=Dropdown07&linkTitle=baggage

US Airways
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/baggage/default.aspx

Visit our website for great travel deals!
www.wedesigntravel.com

--Where can I go that the whole family will enjoy?

--What are some tips and tricks for traveling with kids?

--Do you have any advice to keep the kids entertained on a trip (and, horror of horrors, make it educational?!) ?

If you have any other questions that I haven't answered here, until I get this site fully set up with all the resources, feel free to email me at familyflyergirl@gmail.com. I would also love to hear any stories - the good, the bad, and the horribly ugly!

Lori Fleening traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in early 2003. In this helpful list of tips she shares some of my thoughts on travel in the hopes that they may help others who are traveling for their adoptions.

1) The Baby Bjorn carrier is great! My precious little angel is teeny tiny (8.5 lbs. at 2 months) and she loved it! I think we will use it a lot when we get home.

2) We stayed at the Rex Hotel in a suite -- it was great! They were very attentive to our every need and was very helpful with things for the baby. I would recommend a suite as opposed to a regular room because you will have much more room. The "baby cot" takes up a lot of room, but with a suite, you have plenty of room to move around and a separate seating area. If you get a suite facing the street, you will have to deal with the street noise, which was very loud almost 24/7. If you get a suite on the inside of the hotel, you will have to deal with the noise from the weddings. But the weddings end by 9:00 p.m. We're going to try an inside suite for our next trip.

3) We used the Internet in the hotel quite a bit until we discovered the Internet cafe in the Saigon Center, just a few blocks from the Rex. It is very nice and very cheap. It is on the second floor of the Saigon Center.

4) We flew Continental from Houston to Tokyo and loved it! It was a Boeing 777 airplane, and the seats were very nice and the service was great. We will be flying Eva Evergreen Deluxe for our second trip, but I would highly recommend Continental, especially for your first trip.

5) We flew Japan Air and All Nippon for the leg from Tokyo to HCMC and then HCMC to Tokyo. While both were good airlines, I would recommend All Nippon over Japan Air. The plane was bigger and nicer. But I can't complain about either airline.

6) We had about a 10-hour layover in Tokyo on the return trip home (we didn't have the baby -- this was my first trip). The Tokyo airport has "day rooms" that you can rent for a very reasonable price. We rented a room for $7 an hour (for 2 people) that had two double beds and a bathroom complete with shower. The single rooms are even cheaper. We were able to sleep a couple of hours and clean up. Then they have a lounge area that has recliners that you can rest in. It was a very nice way to spend a long lay over and not have to leave the airport. I would highly recommend this if you have an extended layover in Tokyo and don't want to leave the airport.

7) Pack light! I don't know how many times I have heard people say this, but it is so true! I didn't take too many clothes, but took too much stuff that I didn't use. You can buy just about anything you need in HCMC, so you don't have to carry it over. However, I am still going to take most of my meds. with me.

8) Clothing -- It was so weird to go from freezing cold weather to 90+ degrees and extreme humidity. We were so hot! :) A few suggestions for cool clothing: I took loose cotton pants with a drawstring at the waist. These were very comfortable to wear. I also had some Cool Max shirts from Travel Smith. They are more expensive, but they really do make a difference. And you can wash them out overnight and they will be dry by the next morning.

I also had a vest that was invaluable. It is a fairly plain vest that buttons down the front with pockets on each side. In one of the pockets is an invisible pocket with a zipper where I kept my money when I went to the market. It was very easy to unzip it and get out what money I needed, even with a sweet little baby strapped to my chest! :) I felt secure carrying my money there. I also got it from Travel Smith.

I also had a split skirt that had an invisible pocket in it. It was very light-weight and cool to wear. Again, I got it at Travel Smith. They are online at http://www.travelsmith.com.

9) I am having an ao dai made for me and my sweet baby girl at the Saigon Center. There is a department store on the second floor and one of the ladies there is making me an ao dai for the G&R ceremony. It was very reasonable -- $20 for me and one for my baby. And I'm a big woman -- 5'10", size 14.

10) Backpacks are great for the plane and the airport. However, don't get it so full that it is too heavy. I think I was carrying at least 30 pounds on my back (no joke!) and it wasn't fun running through the airport with it on my back!

11) When you leave Vietnam, you must pay an airport tax of $12 per person. You can pay in American dollars or Vietnamese dong. Just be prepared to pay this because you can't get out unless you do.

12) We took lots of comfort foods -- cookies, crackers, etc. You can buy this kind of stuff in the supermarket in the Saigon Center, but it was nice to have without going to the store.

13) Long distance calling -- you can call direct from the hotel ... it's not cheap, but it does work easily. We may try to investigate other solutions a little further.

14) I wore a security pouch around my neck and around my waist -- I would highly recommend this. It takes a little getting used to having something around your neck and waist, but I felt better about carrying large amounts of cash, passport, etc. in a more secure place.

15) Our hotel (The Rex Hotel) had a safe in the room that was great. We were able to leave our plane tickets, passports, money, etc. in there and not worry about them.

16) About your passport -- we were told that once we got to Vietnam and checked into our hotel to leave our passport locked in the safe at the hotel. You need to carry a copy of your passport with you at all times, but it is best to leave the original in a locked safe. There will be times that you need it to do your paperwork, but it is safer if you don't carry it around with you all of the time.

17) Before you land in Vietnam, you will have to fill out immigration papers on the airplane. These are very important. The flight attendants were very helpful in helping us to fill them out. When you go through immigration at the airport (a very serious event), you will be given a yellow copy of your immigration paperwork. YOU MUST KEEP THIS PAPER IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY. This made me more nervous than losing my passport. You need to keep this yellow immigration slip with your passport in the locked safe. You must have it to leave the country.

18) It is important to stay hydrated -- drink lots of bottled water. It is very accessible for a very cheap price.

19) Take lots of $1 bills. They will come in very handy. You can usually pay the taxi driver with dollars. Also, a lot of the vendors in the market with take dollars. It's just handy to have them.

20) The hot tea at breakfast is wonderful! I cannot tell you how wonderful the tea is in Vietnam! We brought some back, so I can enjoy it here back in the States.

21) If you are craving American food (we were not very adventurous eaters) the Paris Deli in the Saigon Center is a good place to go. You can get hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. there. Also, the Rex Hotel restaurant serves great macaroni and cheese! Talk about comfort food! :)

22) Don't think twice about buying something you see if you like it. Everything is so inexpensive. You will regret it later if you see something and don't buy it. I bought several things for my sweet baby girl as she grows up. Just remember that you have to get it home! :) My suitcase had a "heavy" tag on it when I got home -- it weighed 68 lbs. and I was allowed 70 lbs.!

23) Take an extra duffle bag or suitcase for all of those treasures. You can also buy luggage fairly inexpensively over there, also.

24) Take lots of pictures and videos. The only way I am surviving right now without my sweet baby girl is by looking at her pictures and watching the video of her every day, sometimes more than once! :) I miss her so much ... I just can't wait to get back to her!

25) Take warm clothes for the baby while you are in the hotel. You will definitely want to use the air conditioning, and sometimes it is hard to control where it is blowing. Make sure you have enough warm sleepers, blankets, etc.

26) Have your pictures developed in Vietnam. It is much cheaper than here. And you get to look at all those wonderful pictures! :)

Well, I guess I'll stop for now. This turned out to be a lot longer than I meant for it to be. I hope some of this is helpful for you! :)

Read more: http://www.adoptvietnam.org/travel/index.htm

Planning a vacation is fun and very rewarding, but it can be a bit stressful too. It requires a lot of time for packing and listing all the essential things you need to bring, plus deciding on all the places you want to see.

To read more, please click on the link below:
http://www.ladolceliving.com/travel/travel-tips-for-seniors.html

Come visit us at www.ladolceliving.com for more senior care tips, articles, online community and senior housing options.

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Avoiding the main causes of illnesses is relatively easy. Stay away from eating raw or undercooked meat, and be cautious of seafood. Be wary of poorly cooked cream sauces and unpasteurized dairy products. And always wash fresh fruit, even if served at a restaurant. As far as drinking water is concerned stay away local tap water and opt for properly packaged bottled water.

While eating-out, don't assume local restaurants will be overly cautious about their food preparations, and if you feel that their standards are lacking, go somewhere else; it is not worth ruining a trip over. Most hotels exercise caution with their water and have appropriate filtering systems in place. If you find that this is not the case, you may have to resort to using bottled water only, even for brushing your teeth.

Finally, a word about medications. Nausea is often a side effect of vaccinations taken to combat the common illnesses in certain countries, so consult with your doctor on which inoculations you absolutely need. Stomach cramps and nausea can ruin your wonderful vacations, so follow this advice and stay healthy and safe on your next trip!

-Sources: gothamist, wiki, cnn.
-Image source: Brooklyn Lens Photography.

Well, I tried to use my FREE denied boarding compensation voucher but it was just such a hassle to get it booked, that I just went ahead the next day and bought a full fare ticket to Las Vegas on the website. That way I did not have to speak to anyone at United. I cannot tell you how frustrated I was and still am at United Airlines. I could not get a reservation agent to help me book this ticket. How can anyone run a business that way. The airlines need all the happy customers they can get. But all they do is Piss People Off on a consistent basis. I will try to use the voucher on my next trip, when I am not working on a deadline and I don't need to get some where on a particular time and day. But the next time I call United I really want to talk to a person that I can understand and that will not insult me on the phone. Get a Clue United! Hire people that care about your customers! I really liked flying United, I want to like United, but they keep kicking me in the head every time I try to book a flight!

• If you are still a novice, don't rush for stiff and huge mountains. Test your strength against small altitude hills.
• Enthusiasm and physical strength can be related in sense that the amount of fun you will have while climbing will help to generate the body strength.
• Motivation is required to complete this long journey so see what motivates you.
• Examine your physical and mental strengths. Body resistance differs from person to person so avoid comparing yourself with others. You must be also technically sound to make proper use of tools with you.
• Dehydration is the problem most of the mountaineers face during the course of their journey. Carry enough fluids and keep drinking them regularly.
• Never overlook what your sixth sense says. Follow it or at least listen to what it is saying.
• It is rightly said that experience is the best teacher. The problems you faced during the climbing the mountains should be analyzed so that the mistakes are not repeated again.
• Meet some of the experienced mountaineers or certified guiding service and know about their good and bad experiences. Enquire about the necessary things required.
• At higher altitudes, breathing becomes difficult and so it is advisable to learn how to face such situations. Create the habit of working at a very moderate pace for long periods of time. Go for aerobic exercises that will teach you to use our body to breathe efficiently. · Learn the basic climbing techniques such as rappelling, belaying, anchor systems, climbing protection, useful climbing knots, basic rope management, and most important, basic wilderness survival.
• If you are too worried about fitness and heart problems then avoid it.
• Try to maintain constant rate of climbing. You can practice this if you have hills near by. Improve your stamina by setting new goals of increasing your work out.
• Carry an I-pod or portable MP3 player with you to avoid getting bored.
• Preferably you can go for weight training programs. This will make you more energetic and prevent you from getting into unnecessary injuries.

Source: http://www.bharatonline.com/nepal/adventure-sports/trekking/trekking-tips.html

Please insure yourself against sickness, accident, helicopter evacuation, hospitalization and the like, as you would normally do before embarking on a wilderness vacation.
We do not insure our clients ourselves and we accept no responsibility for damages or expenses which may arise from mishaps to persons on Nepal Insight Tours trips. Reservations are accepted only on this understanding.
Medical and evacuation expenses incurred as a result of accident during a India Insight Tours trek are chargeable in full to the clients involved. Actually you will be safer on your trek in the Nepalese Himalayas than on the roads of many parts of the world, but insurance does not cost much and is a worthwhile precaution. Coverage should include air flights, including charters.

• Hudson Valley and Catskills Fall Foliage - Could be as simple as a window seat on the Metro-North Hudson Line to Poughkeepsie or as unique as a vintage 1929 biplane ride in Rhinebeck.
• Heading from NY to DC? Stop by and enjoy Pennsylvania Fall Foliage near Lancaster, which is part of the colorful Amish country harvest scene. Or along the Potomac for DC and Maryland Fall Foliage.
  
• Staying in the City? Visit Central Park for New York City Fall Foliage or combine a visit to relatives in Great Neck with a tour of some of the historic North Shore mansions and Gardens for some Long Island Fall Foliage
• Visiting the Boston area with not enough time to get to Vermont? Massachusetts Fall Foliage is presented in a historic setting at Concord, MA.
• And to our friends in Colorado, who won't even acknowledge that Vermont exists (as far as skiing is concerned, at least) - the Colorado Fall Foliage is different. Vintage Train Rides, 14,000 ft snow covered peaks as backdrop for the Colorado Rockies Fall colors and even some Gold mining ghost towns south into New Mexico.
  
• My personal favorite is near Pittsburgh. Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece is at its best when the nearby trees are showing the brilliant colors of Southwest Pennsylvania Fall Foliage. Let me know if anyone actually makes it there.
  

And good news for frequent flyers with busy schedules - the Fall Foliage season is 2 months long - go up or down in elevation (UP = Adirondack Fall Foliage, DOWN = Maine Coast Fall Foliage) or go North (Vermont Fall Foliage) to South (Virginia Fall Foliage). Just make sure to go.

The airline decided to save fuel by getting rid of the LIFE VESTS. As anyone flying from Toronto knows, planes fly over the Great Lakes. Eh? But they are not so "Great" and all routes are less than 50 miles from shore, so life vests are a luxury the airline can no longer afford. Eh?

Other than that - Jazz is a good airline. This fall you may want to fly them to New York for Fall Colors, to see Virginia Fall Foliage, but not Colorado Fall Foliage.

• Fall Foliage in Portland, Bangor, Acadia, Bar Harbor and the Maine Coast
• Fall Foliage in Burlington, Stowe, Rutland and the New Hampshire Green and Vermont White Mountains
• Fall Foliage in Lake Placid, Lake George, Saratoga Springs, Adirondacks and Northern New York
• Fall Foliage in Pittsburgh, Laurel Highlands, Alleghenies and Southwestern Pennsylvania

With an increasing number of residents exploring the highways and byways of South Africa, local tourists should not be naïve in thinking that travelling around South Africa is without its own surprises. Before packing the Volksy with the veld skoene, binoculars and vuvuzela, there are a few interesting tips and services that all road-trippers should be aware of.

• Do your research when choosing your destination and accommodation before confirming any bookings. There are a number of websites, such as www.tripadvisor.com, where tourists can give personal accounts of various destinations, hotels and sights and rate them accordingly.
• If you're renting a car, make sure you get a vehicle with a radio that can tune into the newly-launched Tourism Radio on 90.2FM, which uses the Global Positioning System to track your vehicle's movements. At a cost of between R10-R15 a day, this convenient service provides useful and insightful information on all the areas, landmarks and routes whilst driving.
• With the high rate of credit card fraud in South Africa, be sure not to hand out your credit card details to anyone, no matter how trustworthy they seem. Do not phone, fax or email them through. Rather book with a guesthouse, backpacker or B&B that has a secure online payment system such as Booksure (look for the padlock insignia on the website) to make sure you don't fall victim to theft.
• Try to book directly with your guesthouse, backpacker or B&B instead of going through a third party website or company. This way, you avoid paying rates that are inflated by the built-in third party commission that is taken for every booking made.
• South Africa may seem harmless to those who know the languages but if travelling to the north-eastern parts of Mpumalanga, Kwazulu/Natal and Limpopo, malaria can be a risk, so take your pills well in advance of your departure date.
• Make sure that your accommodation facility knows in advance if you have any specific eating requirements. Some booking facilities also offer the opportunity to put requests like these in writing while negotiating the room booking.
• Watch the seven o’clock news to get a full weather update. No one likes an unexpected thunder-fuelled Highveld storm on an empty petrol tank. Most radio stations also have a traffic report in their drive-time traffic show. Listen out for reports on accidents, closed roads or traffic jams.
• Hotel concierges are a mine of information and are there to make your trip easier and more enjoyable. Your first question should always be to find out where the nearest clinic is in case of an emergency.
• Make sure that your accommodation facilities are benchmarked by one or all of our national accommodation facilities. Ask if they have been graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa or are affiliated with FEDHASA (Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa) or SATSA (Southern Africa Tourism Services Association).
• It is also worthwhile registering with a 'Travel Buddy'. This system consists of a network of volunteers who are willing and able to assist and advise tourists who aren't familiar with their chosen destination. When you're in a pickle, you can call a local to bail you out. To find out more or to register, log onto www.satravelbuddy.co.za.
• Exercise some ‘cultural intelligence’ and research the most spoken language of the region you're visiting. Learn a few useful phrases. Go online and visit www.salanguages.com to get some useful words and sentences in any of the 11 official languages.
• According to the Cape Tourism website, safety tips vary from place to place. However, the basic guidelines usually remain the same, as outlined on www.tourismcapetown.co.za:
  1. Separate your cash and credit cards and don’t carry all your cash with you.
  2. Store all your parcels and baggage in the boot of the car and out of sight.
  3. Don’t let strangers help you at ATM's.
  4. Park in well-lit areas at night.
  5. Always drive with your doors locked and your windows closed.
  6. Explore your new surroundings in large groups.

  source: www.iafrica.com

Reserve the Best Seat

While booking try to get the seat depending on your preference. If you get the front row seat, it would be great as you'll get ample of legroom and just the right space to stretch yourself.

Bring Your Own Entertainment

Bringing some good music and things that will keep you occupied is the best way to kill boredom. Get your own a mp3 player, cd player, or whatever portable music player you have. Make sure that you have enough batteries to last the length of the trip. Another way of dealing with in-flight torture is watching in-flight movies and reading the magazines in the pouch in front of you.

Preventing Popping Ears

Most air travelers have probably experience it at least once; popping ears causing pain and discomfort. You can carry along some gum to chew on during the trip. Using earplugs is another good option.

Take Proper Rest

Don't resist your body's response to take rest. Sleeping as much as possible on a flight is a great way to refresh your body pass those hours. Be sure that you bring your own neck rest.

Dress Comfortably

Dress comfortably and try to wear loose clothes. Nothing’s better than wearing a t-shirt and a pair of loose pants. Also, bring along a sweatshirt or something that you can wear in case the air conditioning is too much for you.

The Highfield Festival is regarded as the biggest rock festival in Germany's east. Every year in August at the Hohenfelden Reservoir near Erfurt, national and international bands are welcomed, to serve the region three days a year with good rock music. In this years 11st edition, alongside the national stars such as Die Ärzte and The Beatsteaks even global greats like The Hives, The Killers or Bloc Party played on stage.

A special event surrounded  by beautiful nature

If you go to the Highfield, then there is one thing usually pretty sure: You will attend one of the most beautifully situated festivals in Germany. Because the festival site is surrounded by a forest landscape in the immediate vicinity of a large dam, on which you can see one or the other artist with pedal boats to ride on the water.

25.000 spectadors celebrated close to Erfurt

Further, the Highfield is probably one of the few festivals absolutely close to a large city, more precisely: Near the capital city of Erfurt, which is equally inviting to go shopping. But is it? City trip and festival atmosphere? Yes, it works! Operadors offered a bus shuttle service with the so-wonderful name "Highfield Express", which run sufficient during the day and night between Erfurt and the festival to explore the well-known historic Old Town Erfurt and possibly even to celebrate with a sip of wine at the annual wine festival. In any case, it was a successful year for the biggest festival in eastern Germany - with an estimated attendance of 25.000 rock fans. Welcome back in 2009!

With gas prices skyrocketing in the past years, you will always want a car that will give best value for your money. So what can you do to be more fuel efficient? Here are some tips that will help you to save some money:

1) Before you move out of your home, check that your tires are inflated. It is only a safety measure but it has been seen that mileage can greatly be improved by making sure that the tires are inflated regularly.

2) Always plan out the route beforehand. Sites like Gasbuddy.com can help you find cheap gas prices in your city. This can save you more.

3) Another way to improve your vehicle's performance is getting a tune up for your car. If you haven't gotten tune up for your car, make sure that you get one before the hitting the road next time.

4) Cleaning you car's trunk will also help you to maximize your car's fuel efficiency. Try cleaning your car's trunk to remove that extra junk that makes your car heavier and reduces the mileage.

5) Check whether you car requires premium gas or not. If you car doesn't require premium gas you can purchase regular unleaded gas that will cost you comparatively less than what you pay for premium gas.

6) Whenever you are required to move out of the car, be sure that you turn off the engine. Keeping the engine idle for a time can waste gas.