Journeyetc |
- Handy ATM tips for travelers abroad
- Every Stranger’s Guide to Brooklyn: Top 5 Neighborhoods to Visit
- Energiya and Orbital Technologies to build the first Space Hotel
- China issues Travel Warning to Chinese Residents Going to Japan
- Ray Charles museum opens in Los Angeles
- Sunday Only! Save 10% on participating hotels!
| Handy ATM tips for travelers abroad Posted: 09 Oct 2010 04:27 PM PDT
These machines offer a solution to the eternal problem that faces a traveler in a foreign country: obtaining money quickly and without fear of getting fake bills or being shorthanded. Since you're dealing with a machine, all transactions are done on a wholesale rate. What's neat about ATMs is that you can find one practically everywhere, from airports to shopping malls, transport terminals, and sometimes even right inside a fast food chain. With the help of modern technology, ATM cards nowadays are treated somewhat like credit cards, meaning they're "connected" within a network or a group of banks and can be used in over a hundred countries across the globe. On the other hand, some travelers have to experience the unfortunate incident of popping their debit card into an ATM only to find out afterwards that not only does that particular machine refuse to give them cash, the entire country has been blocked by your card company because of widespread fraud in the area. Believe us when we say that there's nothing more frustrating than standing in front of an ATM feeling helpless and undeniably cashless. The problem of international fraud has gotten so bad that a number of countries in different parts of the world such as England, the Philippines, Greece, Thailand, Japan, Romania and Singapore have been blocked by different banks to prevent the occurrence of anomalous transactions. Depending on the bank's predicted risk for a certain country, they can also opt to block certain transactions such as those relying on pin numbers, and those relying on signatures from account holders. Alas, banks aren't required to keep their customers updated regarding the bans that are being implemented; that is because by keeping mum about the measures being taken against international fraud, criminals have a harder time of figuring out how much information the banks know about them and their operations. A good tip would be to check out your bank's website and looking up which international debit cards are accepted in your destination before embarking on your trip. Here are a couple more tips gathered from other tourists and also travel agents when it comes to using ATMs in trips to foreign countries: 1. Pack for all contingencies Money talks; but that being said, you should always be prepared for all contingencies and bring along your credit and/or debit cards, and also traveler's checks. If you're handling cash, make sure you have both bills and coins so you won't have a hard time asking around for some change to buy a soda from the vending machine, or to pay the guy at the food stall. Hard cash is handy because it can be used for everyday expenses such as food and transportation, but for bigger expenses such as paying for your hotel accommodation or buying plane tickets, using a credit card may prove to be faster and easier. Having five credit cards is also easier than stuffing lots of bills in your wallet, just make sure not to get carried away when you're swiping your card or you might get a headache when you see your bill by the time you get home. It's also useful to have some traveler's checks in your bag. This way, you can use them to pay for almost anything from clothes in the department store to your hotel accommodation, but not have to worry about losing a big amount when you accidentally lose them or get robbed. 2. In the event that an ATM is giving you a hard time, visit a nearby bank Making a transaction via ATM these days sometimes feels like dealing with a real live person. You can choose which language you want to conduct your transaction; it asks you a question in which you give a corresponding answer; and it bids you goodbye after handing out the cash you asked for (some tricked out ATMs even have built in speakers). But as efficient as this can be, ATMs are still only machines that run on preconfigured programs. If you encounter a problem while trying to withdraw money from a machine, it is best to visit a nearby bank and ask for some assistance. Lots of banks nowadays issue debit cards that also double as credit cards, so you can get cash advances on your card during emergencies. Admittedly, availing of this service will cost you a bit more because of the increased interest rates, but at least you know that a solution is just a phone call away. 3. Keep emergency contact numbers handy We don't want to jinx your trip, but there a number of things that can go wrong while you're abroad such as your credit card failing to work. In moments like this, it's useful to have your bank's customer service hotline or e-mail address so you can get in touch with them and ask for assistance. If you're signed up with an international bank, chances are they have toll free numbers that you can call for emergencies abroad. Having the contact information on hand will not only save you time but also effort as well. 4. Shorten your PIN Not all banks have the same policies; others restrict their clients to four digit pin numbers, while some banks allow longer pin numbers for added security. In Europe, most ATMs are programmed to accept only four digit pins, posing a dilemma to a number of travelers. Before you set off on your romantic getaway, it's a good idea to visit your bank and change your lengthy pin into a four digit one even just for the duration of your vacation. This way, you avoid any potential hassles you may encounter brought about by one small detail such as a pin number. 5. Get your PIN's numeric equivalent Some people base their PINs on letters that form words or acronyms to remember them easier. However, this may prove difficult when you're faced with a keypad that has only numbers and no letters whatsoever. To save yourself the trouble of visualizing letters on a keypad fully aware that the line behind you is getting longer and longer by the second, translate get your PIN's numeric equivalent before jetting off to a foreign country. At times, this may also prove useful against potential theft because in the event that someone may be trying to steal your PIN, memorizing a series of numbers is more difficult than remembering one word. 6. Don't forget the contact details for your travel agent If you're in a foreign country and you feel utterly lost and helpless, one call to your travel agent back home can save your day. After all, who knows your destination, itinerary and budget better than your travel agent? Make sure that you get not only his or her mobile number, but the office number as well. That way, you're still covered if your agent suddenly has an emergency of their own. Always remember that if they can't directly help you, they'll probably know someone who can and be able to track them down.
     |
| Every Stranger’s Guide to Brooklyn: Top 5 Neighborhoods to Visit Posted: 09 Oct 2010 04:16 PM PDT No one can really talk about New York City without mentioning Brooklyn. It has been, for at least a century now, one of the most populated boroughs in the Big Apple. The most prominent people live here including publishers, politicians, executive bankers and advertisers. It's funny, though, that despite its popularity, very little of it is known to outsiders. Aside from the great place to live and raise your kids in, Brooklyn also makes for a great weekend destination. Below are five of the best neighborhoods to visit if you'd like a quick pan of New York's finest. Coney Island
Your Brooklyn trip won't be complete without Coney Island. This is a short one hour train ride from Manhattan, and it used to be popular for its resorts and amusement parks. Visiting this area of New York is like riding the time machine. You will literally be taken to a wholly different era. Say goodbye to concrete and hello to a small beach (if you're visiting in the summer) and a neighborhood right with history. The Coney Island Museum and the New York Aquarium are prime spots to visit. Along the boardwalk, you're sure to chance upon events all-year-round. Mark the calendar for Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and the Mermaid Parade. Park Slope Not all of New York is tough and wry. When you reach Park Slope, you'd be welcomed with tree-lined streets which mark the strips of melow townhouses. This residential area is very popular among families which are just starting out, and you'll see a lot of young parents rolling strollers along as they window shop at boutiques lining Fifth and Seventh Avenues. If you want to relax, the Prospect Park is a good place for a picnic or a quiet afternoon with a good book. Like the Central Park, this was also designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The park has a zoo, a boathouse, a skating rink, and a band shell, so it's not just your boring patch of grass in the middle of the city. To immerse yourself more in culture and nature, you may want to visit the Botanical Park and the Art Museum. These are also very near the park, and you can't miss them when you stroll up north. DUMBO
This doesn't stand for the baby elephant with giant ears. DUMBO is actually an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. During the 1970s, this portion of the Big Apple was mostly industrial, and primarily a space for big factories. Artists must have seen a lot of character in it, though, because when the factories were abandoned a few years after that, they turned the structures into their homes. What used to be a bleak and gray area soon turned into a bustling community with the priciest real estate, thanks to the lofts and studio apartments that just popped out of the wood—no, concrete-work. However, the "home for the artists" phase also weaned. As starving writers and painters transferred to cheaper homes, DUMBO transformed again, this time into an area brimming with art galleries and theaters. Among the must-see spots is the Jacques Torres Chocolate Factory. This structure sits right at the edge of the body of water fronting the Empire Fulton Ferry State Park. This is also the place to be in if you want to get the best view of Manhattan. Brooklyn Heights
If you're trying to tour all six of these neighborhoods in a day, you might want to see Brooklyn Heights next. When you reach the southern edge of DUMBO, you'll see Brooklyn Heights, and you'll know you're there because it has an undeniable small town feel, which seems quaint compared to the rest of New York. Among the famous landmarks are its 19th century churches and brownstones. For sightseeing, the best place to be in is the Promanade. True to its name, the strip gives the best views of the city. If you're trying to get ideas for your home, and your taste leans on the regal, a walk along the Columbia Heights is a good idea. Here, prominent figures like Norman Mailer also lived at one point in their lives. Should you want to know more about this particular borough, a visit to the Brooklyn Historical Society is a must. They'd be more than happy to give you the details about Brooklyn Heights. All that traipsing is also bound to make you hungry. For lunch or dinner just go to Montague Street. Here, you'll find the finest eats New York has to offer. New York would also not be New York without its trains. This neighborhood is also hope to the one place that can tell you the subway's history. Visit the New York Transit Museum and get that rare education you won't be able to find anywhere else. Williamsburgh
The demographics of this neighborhood show that it's the most preferred habitat for hipsters and artists. This is the place to be in if you're craving for some cold and foamy beer at a bar which has a live show. You might want to check out Pete's Candy store, Warsaw, and the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Along Bedford Avenue, you'll absorb the neighborhood's local flavor. The Brooklyn Brewery is a good spot to visit if you're there on a Saturday afternoon or a Friday night. Stroll along South Williamsburg, on the other hand, to look at the Williamsburg Bridge. This is also the part of the neighborhood which has the largest population of Hasidic Jews. The community migrated here from Lower East Side as soon as the bridge was built.
  |
| Energiya and Orbital Technologies to build the first Space Hotel Posted: 09 Oct 2010 02:03 PM PDT
We've heard about the commercial space flights right? They're kicking it up a notch by building hotels right up there in space. Energiya, a Russian space company has partnered with an American company, Orbital Technologies, to create the very first hotel in space. Imagine, their menu will feature delectable gourmet dishes from Earth's renowned chefs to the stars and you can now enjoy these dishes right up there with the stars. But don't expect the Waldorf Astoria just yet because the initial plan is said to cover only around seven space guests and that the space hotel will also serve as a refuge for astronauts, sort of like a posh pit stop where space travelers can stop at the hotel and prepare themselves for a long flight and will serve as the human race's gateway to the vastness of the solar system. According to sources, the seven-room space hotel might not be ready until year 2016 and that the hotel's capacity may or may not change depending on the number of demands made by customers who can afford such luxury.
  |
| China issues Travel Warning to Chinese Residents Going to Japan Posted: 09 Oct 2010 01:56 PM PDT
Still the Chinese National Tourism gave a warning to Chinese nationals who are traveling to or planning to go to Japan to watch their safety when traveling. The Fukuoka incident is said to steam from the two countries' arguments for the claiming of the Diaoyu islands. Just this month, a Chinese trawler's crew was seized by a Japanese patrol boat. The Chinese trawler was said to be in the Diaoyu islands' waters and the Japanese move made China break their diplomatic deals with Japan, who eventually released the vessel's captain. Both countries' tourisms have been affected severely. Data from the Japan National Tourism Organization reveal that the figures of Chinese nationals visiting Japan elevated to about 36%. The easing of some of the requirements for VISA for Chinese citizens helped this figure. But based on the National Tourism Office of China, a great number of Chinese residents have already cancelled their trips to the Land of the Rising Sun. Consequently, the Japan Airlines have confirmed that over 1,000 travelers have canceled their scheduled flights to China in the past months. According to the president of Japan Airlines, Masaru Onishi, they might have to reduce their flights if the tension between China and Japan cease to stop.
  |
| Ray Charles museum opens in Los Angeles Posted: 09 Oct 2010 01:46 PM PDT
Officially launched on Sept.23, the 80th birthday of Charles, The Ray Charles Memorial Library will only be open by means of appointment to school group. On the other hand, the public is likely to be allowed in the museum next year. Operated by means of a nonprofit foundation, the museum that Charles founded during 1986 focus more to the underprivileged and needy children particularly with those of hearing problems. Blind himself, Charles believed that his deafness was a better handicap. Trying to fill up the emptiness of not having the music and arts course into public schools, it is expected by the curator's of the museum that the exhibits motivate and open more possibilities to the teenagers following how the icon of soul transcended musical, socioeconomic and racial limitations all throughout his career of over 50 years. Built by Charles within 1964, the two floor building has seven galleries resting on its ground floor. Situated within the notable Harvard Heights area, he did not only establish houses as his offices as well as archives of memorabilia and master tapes but moreover a studio for recording. The first ever album that Charles made was the 1965 disc entitled “Country & Western Meets Rhythm and Blues.” Alongside with lots of films, educational interactive show also audio video recording, the museum include mementos like gold records, costumes, Charles' selection of dark glasses along with one of its custom-made chess boards wherein he often beat his able and sighted opponents. Charles founded what is popularly known now as Ray Charles Foundation having a $50 million funding, and currently its assets are valued by near $100 million, as what Valerie Ervin, the president of the foundation reported during an interview. After Charles death in 2004 due to cancer, his whole estate was handed over into the foundation. He died at the age of 73. The foundation's accomplishments has widen particularly in education, as well as by giving a total of $5 million in a university, the Morehouse College, a school for black men within Atlanta. Making unexpected visits to find out how they spent on the funds, Ervin also demands quarterly information coming from beneficiaries. Providing an extra job in avoiding oversight is a director of the board. The overhead of the foundation has about five employees. Handling Charles' post- 1960 albums is the Marketing Group of Rey Charles which provides the licensing arm. Rare albums like “Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters," will soon be release in partnership with Concord Records. A song of Kris Kristofferson entitled “Why Me, Lord?” is included in the tracks which is a duet of Charles and Johnny Cash. Ervin, who operated the business of Charles all through the last ten years of his life, said that they own everything. She also added that they don't need to request for licenses as Mr. Charles when he was still alive was adamant for the fact that all things linked to him was his. Among Charles' 12 children, none of them are part of the foundation. Before Charles died, he told his intention that each of his children would get $500,000 and informed them that they should not challenge his requests. One of Charles children filed a suit to the foundation during 2008 to take control of his intellectual property privileges but was denied in court. The office of the marketing group located at Cleveland in Ohio is taking note into different merchandising potentials, but Ervin still goes with the conservative method guided by the idea "What Mr. Charles would do?" Ervin also told that if they are able to sustain the foundation in good standing then there's no point to make things a big deal. Lastly, she said that the business is their main concern which primary fuels their moves to help children in need.
  |
| Sunday Only! Save 10% on participating hotels! Posted: 09 Oct 2010 10:15 AM PDT Expedia is launching a special 24 hour sale this Sunday only! Score a perfect ten by receiving 10% off on thousands of select hotels around the globe if you book on 10/10/10! This coupon is easy to use! If a hotel is participating in this promotion, a coupon for 10% off will appear in your search results next to the hotel. When you select your participating hotel, you simply enter the special coupon code at check out! You must book by 11:59PM(PST) 10/10/10 but can travel Through 12/31/10. Incoming search terms:• expedia SAVETEN
  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Travel Guides To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment