Tag: Travel Tips

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What Not to Do in The Forbidden City: The Top Five Tourist Mistakes

Where: Beijing, China
February 8, 2012 at 5:43 PM | by | Comments (0)

One of the top tourist sites to visit in Beijing is the Forbidden City, the former Imperial Palace.

We told you the other month how powerful it was arriving at Tiananmen Square—which sits across from the Forbidden City—but today we're telling you what NOT TO DO when you actually step inside the imperial walls. As always, these are just our tips so by all means, please add your own!

So without further ado, here is the Jaunted guide of What Not To Do In The Forbidden City: The Top 5 Tourist Mistakes.

5. Don't Pay for Your Tickets with a Credit Card
Both locals and tourists mostly pay cash in the city, and the admission booths only had one window that accepted credit cards. Since we don't read or speak Mandarin or any other Asian language, there was a bit of back and forth with the cashiers about which one had the credit card machine. Save yourself the trouble and bring 40 RMB ($6.35) with you, per person.

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Four iPhone Photo Apps We're Freaking Out Over Right Now

Where: Singapore
February 1, 2012 at 12:33 PM | by | Comments (0)


Three Singapore art deco buildings we captured and then combined using Diptic

Okay, sure we're totally obsessed of late with iPhone photo-sharing app Instagram (find us by searching for user "jaunted" within the app!), but it's been a thing for us that, before embarking on a big trip, we'll not only download the best city maps and guide apps for our destination, but we'll also look around for new photo apps to up our iPhoneography game.

Thus, before hitting the road to Singapore, we bought four awesome iPhone photo apps that really worked so well, we were spreading their gospel by word of mouth. Now it's time to share them with you:

· Diptic
Perhaps you've seen these uploaded into Instagram and wondered "what the heck?" Yea, this app essentially allows you to combine several photos from your iPhone into one, combined spread much like setting up one of those old-school family photo frames that ends up dusty on a mantle. The layouts are flexible, and you can adjust each picture for size, color, brightness, etc before saving the finished triptych. See another example here.
- Cost $0.99 at the iTunes store

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How We Packed for Two Weeks in Singapore, in a Single Carry-on

January 24, 2012 at 11:15 AM | by | Comments (2)


Click to view the image larger

Last week when we hopped off to Singapore on the inaugural run of the Singapore Airlines A380 JFK-FRA-Sin, we tweeted a quick photo of our baggage before boarding. This is it. Yes, that's all of it for two full weeks of both business and fun; everything we need is there in an 18" four-wheel Titan hardshell carry-on and a lightweight "personal item" purse from Y-3, which comfortably fits both our laptop and DSLR.

Immediately after sending the pic, we were blasted with replies and emails wondering how we could pack so light and not be a backpacker or weekender. It's quite simple, really; practice makes perfect and we recently returned from three weeks around Thailand with almost the same set, except swapping a larger Filson Field Duffel for the Y-3 purse. See a pic of it for proof here.

In addition to practice, we pack by two rules: never roll or bunch anything (we fold flat and stack in a Flight 001 Spacepak) and if it all can't comfortably fit spaced out on a double bed, then some things still must be cut. Here's a full list of all that made it with us to Singapore in those there bags:

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A Travel Ninja Trick to Squeeze More Minutes from In-Flight WiFi

January 12, 2012 at 11:33 AM | by | Comments (0)

We've got bad news, good news and awesome news.

The bad news: The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is wrapping up and will end tomorrow, January 13. That means no more fun gadget announcements and breathless product release liveblogs on your favorite tech news sites.

The good news: Thanks to CES, Ford teamed up with in-flight WiFi provider Gogo to offer a free 30 minutes of WiFi on flights heading into or out of Vegas during the CES dates. Sure, that means the free internet access from 35,000-feet comes to a halt tomorrow, but wait...

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What Melbourne Has to Offer (Besides Tennis) During the Australian Open

January 11, 2012 at 12:18 PM | by | Comments (0)

The whole of Australia is consumed with the Summer tennis circuit currently touring around the country, and the pinnacle of the tennis season down under is marked by the Australian Open played in Melbourne. As the only grand slam tennis tournament held in the Southern Hemisphere, the city is showcased not only as a sport capital, but the cultural capital of Australia.

Melbourne is located on the southeastern Aussie coast and it boasts a vibrant cafe society and an avant garde fashion scene. Originally established during the Australian gold rush, Melbourne's rich history and causes it to be called the "Paris of Down Under." If your plans bring you to the city for tennis, plan to soak up more experiences than just seeing top seeded Novak Djokovic or Caroline Wozniacki.

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Hunting for Hummus in the Old City of Acre, Israel

Where: Acre, Israel
January 4, 2012 at 12:53 PM | by | Comments (0)

The city of Acre (Akko in Hebrew) is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in Israel. Probable references to it stretch back to the 16th century BC, and over the centuries it's been ruled by everybody who was anybody in the Middle East. The Canaanites, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans, British and now the Israelis have all had it at one time or another. The upshot is that there's been lots of time to build and tear down and rebuild the walls around the Old City, photographed here.

The entire Old City has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The problem is that it used to be something of a trap for the many travelers who came to see the ancient sites, many of whom promptly got lost in the winding roads. But over the last few years the Israeli travel and tourism people have made a major effort to make the city more tourist-friendly, posting maps at entrances and in squares. Recently signs have even appeared all over the city to direct people around.

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17 Travel Resolutions We're Making for 2012

December 28, 2011 at 1:15 PM | by | Comments (0)

After thousands of stories and countless countries in 2011, we're more than ready to begin a fresh year. Before we hit 2012, however, we're making a few resolutions. Travel resolutions. It goes beyond losing weight or promising to do our laundry more frequently; these tackle how we interact with the world.

What are you resolving to do with your travels in 2012? Share in the comments!

And now, without further ado, 17 travel resolutions for 2012 from Jaunted's regular, frequent-traveling contributors:

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Don't Forget About Brisbane, Or 'Bris-Vegas' As It's Called

December 20, 2011 at 2:20 PM | by | Comments (0)

Most tourists to Australia visit the more popular cities, like Sydney and Melbourne or the iconic tourist spots like The Great Barrier Reef or Ayers Rock. However, the nation's third largest city is finally getting it's moment in the spotlight.

You may recall our previous stories about Brisbane that involve either devastating floods or the Royal visit, but now we're going to tell you about the hot spots of the River City.

Situated on the east coast just over an hour's flight north of Sydney, the state of Queensland mostly specializes in rugby, the freshest produce and surfing. Brisbane, or "Bris-Vegas" to locals, is the state capital and boasts more than just beaches, pineapples and sport. The city is flourishing as a laid-back alternative to Sydney and a warmer choice over Melbourne.

Brisbane has near perfect weather year-round, with Queenslanders often selling their state with "Queensland weather: beautiful one day, perfect the next." Since the seasons are flipped from the Northern Hemisphere, this could be an ideal winter get-away. But be cautious since Summer is traditionally the wet season; it is sub-tropical after all.

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A Flight Attendant's Top Ten Tips for Staying Healthy While Flying

December 20, 2011 at 11:00 AM | by | Comments (0)


A waiting area at London-Heathrow, packed with travelers and germs

My first year as a flight attendant I was sick more times than I can count. I had to figure out a way to travel and stay healthy. Cold and Flu season is upon us and if you're planning on getting on an airplane you'll want to follow my tried and true tips for staying healthy!

· Strengthen your immune system before you even get on a plane. Eat right and exercise. Think fresh fruit and vegetables, less sugar, and whole grains. A healthy lifestyle may prevent you from catching your neighbors cold!
· Sleep. Get a good nights rest the night before you fly. If your body is not used to it flying will make you extremely tired. Add the stress you'll probably be feeling and you have a recipe for exhaustion.
· Meditate. Speaking of stress, take the time to relax and before you travel, properly prepare yourself by packing a full day before and give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport. That way if you get stuck in traffic or the security line you can relax.

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In London's Soho, No-Reservations Restaurants are Where You Want to Be

December 15, 2011 at 3:46 PM | by | Comments (0)


Spuntino's Peanut Butter and Jelly Dessert "Sandwich"

In London, our preference is for restaurant trawling, not pub crawling. The local culinary scene has undergone subtle yet significant changes over the past year: artisanal coffee is easier to come by, locals are every-so-slowly embracing the concept of brunch, there is an increased presence of street food, and a handful of strictly no-reservations outposts have made a splash among critics and discerning diners alike.

It's the latter trend with which we're most taken, as these democratic, "queue-with-the-rest-of-'em" restaurants are focusing more on putting out great food rather than trying to compete with their five-star contemporaries. Their websites are typically devoid of essential intel, save for the locale's address. If you're lucky you'll get a phone number, not that it will help in trying to wrangle a dining spot.

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Three Classic Cocktails for Toasting 'Bon Voyage'

December 15, 2011 at 12:20 PM | by | Comments (0)

It's cold outside and the holidays are approaching. Naturally this means a glut of travelers getting to their destinations in less than ideal weather. This calls for a drink (though not before driving, of course).

Bon Voyage cocktails are one of those travel traditions that will never die, and luckily recipes for the standards are still very much in use today. Thus, before you or your friends and family hit the road, we'd like to share some of our favorites. Order 'em up with confidence.

Without further ado, Our favorite three cocktails for toasting "Bon Voyage":

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Neighborhoods to Know and Go: Chicago's Andersonville (in Instagram)

Where: Clark Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States
December 13, 2011 at 12:38 PM | by | Comments (3)

We're going to give it to you straight. There once was a time—not too long ago at all—that the north side Chicago neighborhood of Andersonville was known as an area where girls who like girls settled down and raised their kids and altogether made the area a desirable and safe place to stay forever. We're happy to report that the spirit of inclusiveness prevails, but a bloom of craft beer bars and brunch-happy restaurants have brought in a more mixed crowd and—dare we say it—tourists way tired of the Michigan Avenue crap.

Andersonville is where to come if you want to leisurely stroll while window shopping, sipping some excellent coffee and reminiscing about college with a friend you haven't seen in years. There will be occasional breaks to coo at babies in their strollers, pet Dachshunds in quilted tartan coats and impulse buy entire pieces of vintage furniture. God it's just so great when you really need to be in or are already in a warm and fuzzy mood, no matter the season.

Without further ado, our personally picked top spots to hit in Andersonville:

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