How to prepare for bicycle touring

5 Tips to plan a great bicycle vacation

This article focus on 5 main factors to consider while planning a bicycle vacation. The tips go from equipment to itinerary planning to foods and bike set-up.

HOW TO TRANSPORT THE BICYCLE

Before deciding where to travel, it's important to establish how to transfer the bike. The possibilities to transfer the bicycle depend on your destination.

If You travel in Europe by bike, the train is your best friend.

Many cyclists in other European countries are accustomed to travel by train with his bicycle. This is possible from a few years, even in Italy.

1. You can buy a special ticket, (cost nearly 5 Euros) usable on most trains in the same day. The ticket has  included instructions for use.
2. The bicycle should be charged and discharged by the traveler in the same carriage marked.

By train with the bag door-bike.

Although as bags are bulky, are generally tolerated by the controllers.

Shipping by rail.

The bicycle must be sent by the first few days empowered stations, properly packaged.

Shipper.

Addressing a courier is generally a system that ensures safety and punctuality. In addition to cost, the only problem is finding the shipper that has a corresponding precisely in the area that interested.

Airplane.

For some destinations is necessary to use the plane.

In this case, the bicycle may be transported for free as personal baggage (usually between exchanges and a half we must not exceed 20 kg.).

Compacts.

It is not, in our opinion, the most "green" with which to move.

• On a car needed to mount the appropriate carrier now widespread.
• The car can be left at campsites or car parks.
• If the trip is not circular, you can return to starting point using the train.

Rent or travel agency.

And, finally, for those who want to avoid the problem transporting the bike there are other possibilities

The rental is very widespread in several countries, especially in tourist areas most suitable to the holiday by bicycle.
Speaking to specialized travel agencies can, over the hiring, use of combinations or participate in guided cycling trips.

HOW TO SET UP THE BICYCLE

Surely a mechanic of trust is able to advise that better responds to different specific needs. We then simply provide some indications drawn from the experience of cycling tourists.
The chassis must provide housing for luggage racks, fenders, lights, etc..
The wheels must be sufficiently robust and equipped with at least 36 rays of section not less than 2 mm. From discard without delay the tubular, too vulnerable and not very practical; preferable tires with an inner tube.
The transmission system must provide at least one double or triple multiplies.
More functional brakes are those like "cantilever" derived from mountain biking.
The handlebar can be of different types: the "touring", the most widespread, allows a more comfortable; that "racing" is more suitable for long distances (it should be adjusted to the saddle); one from mountain bike, "with special arrangements" represents an intermediate solution.
The saddle must be comfortable but not too cumbersome and spring.
The carrier, which is indispensable, must be robust and well anchored to the frame. In the long journeys also bear considerable weight.
Mudguards are recommended, lighter and resistant to adverse weather.
Lanterns and reflectors are required by law in Italy and all European countries and necessary for its security.

Even mountain-biking can be easily used to round-trips, especially on routes more rugged. In cycling trips you should provide it with the tires lighter.



LUGGAGE AND EQUIPMENT

The list that follows cannot, and will not be quite comprehensive.

Each one could adapt these recommendations to the type and length of the journey to be undertaken.
Grants must have the following characteristics: comfort transported in hand, good waterproofing. In the market there are bags front and rear possibly equipped with capable bag higher.
The handbag to be applied on the handlebars, as well as make it possible to consult during the trip the topographic map, is easily detachable and then used to storage money, documents, camera. etc...
The clothing for the cycle-hiker may be that of a normal walk. Who takes a more demanding trip needs of specific garments. Most useful are certainly shorts with inner lining. The T-shirt cycling, for those who prefer, offers the advantage of back pockets and tissue.
Indispensable have a cape or other waterproof garments.
For emergencies cannot miss a gear bag and a briefcase first aid (include at least: an inner tube in stock, repair kit, the key fixed or Allen, brake wire, pliers and a small screwdriver).

FOOD AND NIGHT

Who pedal for several days I'd recommended:

A hearty breakfast in the morning (milk, butter bread and jam, biscuits, honey, cereals, etc...).
When travel is advisable to keep light energy consuming (eg dried fruit, muesli, etc.)..
Halfway through the day a small snack (eg: a stuffed sandwich and fruit).
The evening meal must be also psychological. And good relying on the local gastronomy, without going beyond, especially in alcohol.
In the summer should drink to integrate minerals (better fruit juices). You can also dissolve one sachet of integrator in its bottle. Still better, however, not to exceed with these products.

For the night, You should be informed with precision on tourist facilities in the countries where you travel and planning stages in order to arrive in mid-afternoon.

Bed and Breakfast: are, in general, families that offer lodging and breakfast. If traveling abroad is that in many European countries (eg Netherlands, Austria) this solution is cheaper and better organized. Just go in the tourist offices or follow the signs.
Hotels: in some countries if they find enough economic (e.g.: France, Austria) in others are very expensive (e.g. Netherlands).


HOW TO PROGRAM STAGES IN A JOURNEY OF SEVERAL DAYS

First, we must have all the material necessary: guides and tourist brochures and indications of possible paths for cycle-tourism.
Essentials road maps as detailed as possible (at least 1:200.000, the ideal 1: 100,000 not always available). Some provide ancillary news very useful. i.e. In the Italian Touring maps are marked the profiles and the climbs, those French Michelin the number of roads. There are German and Dutch papers that report all existing cycle-paths, etc...
Keep count of the time available and their medium kilometers per daily, You must decide in broad terms what path you want to do.
It may be useful to highlight locations where stop for a visit.

Example:

1 ° stage Passau-Ashach: distance partial total distance

Passau-Obernzell 17 km. 17 km.
Obernzell-Schlogen 24 km. 41 km.
Schlogen-Aschach 26 km. 67 km.

Of course, this scheme can be much more detailed, with notes on places to visit, roads to be taken, etc...

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Skiathos: A Greek Trip to Remember

My favorite vacation ever has to be my trip to the Greek island on Skiathos in the summer of 2007. It was the most amazing trip ever! I got the opportunity to take this vacation after meeting my good friend David Gerogiorgis in 2006. After becoming good friends, he told me that he take one of his good friends to this island every summer because he has a house on it.  I obviously accepted his offer and I was not disappointed. It was the first time I had ever been oversees and I was there for three weeks so I got to experience the culture. It was different, yes, but sometimes different is good.

When we got over there I was immediately thrown a 180 when we explored Athens, Greece. It was amazing, not the traditional city you and I and used to but different. The city expands for forever and there are no skyscrapers, it is built out not up. You can find dogs roaming the streets and music playing everywhere. From atop the acropolis, the view was amazing. In all directions there was city as far as the eye could see, it was great! However, Athens was not the feature of my vacation; so we only spent one day there. This was just enough to get to know the culture of mainland Greece.

When I arrived on the island I was amazed. There were beautiful women, little outdoor restaurants, and all the buildings were white and blue. The first thing i ate there was pure ecstasy. Now, I am from Philadelphia and will defend the cheese steak, but there is nothing better than a Greek gyro. It is lamb that is shaved right off the roast in front of you onto a pita topped with lettuce, tomato, fries, and tzatziki sauce. It simply was the best tasting food ever and I took full advantage of it, eating about 4-5 a day. The food wasn’t even the best part of it, it was spending time with my friend and his family in his house or going to one of the many beautiful beaches that we went to daily. The beaches were amazing, not a strong tide and crystal clear water. It seemed like there was nothing on the bottom of the ocean that you could step on and you could swim out as far as you wanted. My friend and I would swim hundreds of feet out and dive down to the 20+ feet seafloor and see what we could find. The weather was perfect everyday and there was no humidity at all. Whether it was exploring underwater caves or eating Gyros, every single part of this trip was amazing. If you ever get the chance to go to the Greek islands, GO! Moreover, if you ever get the chance to experience someone else’s culture, GO! It was worth every penny and I will cherish the memories that I experienced over there.

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Travel Insurance: Travel Guard

Murphy’s Law is in full effect when traveling or on vacation. Fortunately, you can counteract it with travel insurance, and these are just a few of the coverages typically offered.

Many people who travel a lot know even the most minor annoyances and problems of traveling. Luckily for them travel insurance aims to take some of the sting out of travel problems.

For most travelers, they are concerned about protecting their investment and travel can certainly be a risky investment. Travel insurance is offered for cruises, tours, flights and vacation home rentals and can cover quite a lot, including:

Medical - There is nothing worse than being sick when you are on vacation. Medical travel insurance pays for doctor visits and illnesses that occur during your trip, such as treatment, prescription drugs and laboratory work to diagnose illnesses. Policies cover local ambulance service and emergency medical situations that require surgeries.

Emergency evacuation - This coverage typically includes airlifts from a mountain due to a skiing or hiking accident, or a long-term stay at a foreign hospital. Emergency evacuation also covers a flight home if you became seriously ill or injured. When traveling to a foreign country, bring copies of your medical records with you and consider an evacuation policy in case you develop a serious medical condition.

Baggage delay - If your personal belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during your trip this coverage would replace them.

Accidental death dismemberment - Although nobody wants this to happen to them, this coverage provides compensation if you die or are permanently disabled during a trip. It includes accidental loss of life, limb or sight during your trip other than while flying.

Repatriating a body – Along with accidental death dismemberment, this provides coverage in the event you die while on vacation and your remains have to be transported back to the United States. It can be very costly to have a body repatriated from one country to another, ranging well into the thousands.
Dental - Yes, even dental coverage for travel insurance exists, which covers all emergency dental procedures. You can purchase additional dental coverage to relieve acute dental pain and surgical procedures provided in a hospital.

Collision/damage coverage for rental cars - Provides coverage for physical damage to, or loss of, an automobile rented from a commercial foreign or domestic rental car agency.

Travel delay/trip interruption - This coverage reimburses you for any flight delays from 2 hours up. Some insurance companies will offer total reimbursement of your airline ticket for any delays that exceed 5 hours. In a world full of delays this comes in handy a lot.

Trip cancellation - Trip cancellation provides coverage if your cruise line or tour operator goes out of business, if you must cancel a trip due to sickness, if there is a death in the family, or another event that would prevent you from going on your trip that you’ve already paid for.

When you consider everything that can or does go wrong on vacations, travel insurance seems that much more attractive.

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Visitor Medical Insurance

Visitor Medical Insurance for Emergency Travel Health Coverage for International Foreign Traveler

Visitor Medical Insurance, Visitor Health Insurance, Visitor Medical Coverage, Visitor Health Coverage, Visitors Health Insurance, Visitor Insurance, Visitors Medical Insurance - An overview and review of options of International Travel Medical Insurance for global visitors during overseas travel abroad to a foreign country.

Visitor Medical Insurance - An Overview

Visitor medical insurance (also commonly referred to as visitor health insurance, visitor insurance, visitors insurance) is a highly recommended and best form of travel health insurance required especially for international travel & foreign tourist protection purposes abroad. With the increase in foriegn travel abroad by citizens of all nationalities to western countries, visitors medical insurance is highly recommended considering the cost associated with healthcare in developed countries for visitors traveling from USA, UK, Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, etc. Visitor Insurance USA review is needed of every American visitor requiring insurance coverage protection in the United States (US).

Visitor Health Insurance - The Need

To have a safe and worry-free vacation, travel, holiday, or extended stay in a foreign country, it is very important that the tourist or traveler is adequately covered with accident and sickness coverage included in the travel health coverage protection from a reputed visitors health insurance provider. The premiums collected by the insurance company provider will pay for the injured or sick visitors medical bills if needed during your visit to a foreign country. You remain covered under the visitors medical insurance or visitors health insurance policy until you are paying the required premium for the plan. The usefulness of the visitor insurance scheme is accounted on the basis of the method with which you subscribe to it. You can sign a plan to cover for parents, family or friends visiting abroad - outside of their home country or visiting USA on a visitor visa.

Visitor Travel Insurance - How It Works

International visitor insurance is best purchased from the country you are planning to visit. The main reason being it is advantageous to the traveler to obtain a locally networked visitor medical insurance plan as they have in-network billing through a recognized preferred provider network (PPO). Make sure you join a visitors health coverage plan from a company who has office or center in the country which is to be visited. Though the premiums for such countries are higher, such plans are a better choice because of the convenience of claiming for your compensation, which is guaranteed in this case. The reason why it is convenient is that the doctors or hospitals in that country accept the visitor insurance cards of companies having centers in the country that is visited by the traveller.

Visitor Insurance USA - Buy American Vs. Home Country Plan

The doctors and clinics are generally reluctant to accept the cards of some other country or certain medical institutes may not be familiar or associated with your native insurance providers. It becomes easy for the hospitals and clinics to get in touch with the native office if any problem regarding insurance policy arises. The same thing would be difficult or even impossible if the insurance have been purchased in a foreign land.

Once visitor medical insurance is purchased, the insurance holder is given an identification card that needs to be displayed at the time of seeking medical assistance from a hospital or doctor. The insurance company will furnish such a clinic or hospital with written instructions for the likely medical expenses that can be claimed under the policy.

Visitor Medical Insurance USA - Plan Benefits

There are many providers of visitors health insurance. Most of them cover trips from as short as seven days to as long as three years. There are many types of policies under the broad spectrum of visitor medical insurance and these plans are broadly based on:
Maximum covered amount (varies from $25,000 to $1,000,000)
Covered benefit type (comprehensives benefits or fixed benefits)

You can have different options or riders attached with each type of travel medical policy, including protection from risk of terrorist attacks or protection from risk arising from hazardous sports activities such as skiing, white water rafting, sky diving, etc.. You can renew your policy upon your return trip, and some plans also provide end of trip home country coverage for a brief period.

Visitor Health Insurance USA - Coverage Details

Depending on your policy, you can have cover for any or all of the following benefits associated with visitors health insurance. Some of the included coverage are:

• common ailments
• medical emergencies
• dental appointments
• prescription drugs
• emergency medical evacuations
• repatriation of mortal remains
• accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)
• Flight Accident or Common Carrier Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Home Country Coverage
• Trip Cancellation
• Trip Interruption

The cost of a policy depends on the age of the insured person, the coverage level and the length of stay in the visited foreign country. Different plans have different coverage deductibles, which is the amounts that you pay before the insurance company pays anything for coverage benefit. These typically range from $75 to $2,500. Comprehensive plans typically have a co-insurance component, and these amounts also vary. Co-insurance is the percentage or amount of covered expenses that you pay after deductibles. Beyond the deductible and co-insurance amount, the visitor medical coverage plan pays the associated medi-cal costs upto the plan maximum cover selected or insured.


Visitors Health Insurance - Claims Information


After this any claim that you make, will be evaluated by the visitor insurance company and it will make the hospital or clinic appropriate payments on your behalf. Some companies also cover injuries under visitor medical insurance and visitor health insurance which you may have to bear because of accidents, war or terrorist activities. Depending upon the plan, the companies may either reimburse the costs you incur during the treatment or it can also assit to directly pay your bills at the concerned clinic, laboratoy, hospital or caregiver.

Visitor Insurance - Popular Plans for International Visitors

1. Patriot America Insurance
2. Atlas America Insurance
3. Visit USA Insurance
4. Liaison International

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International Travel Insurance

Protect Yourself From Unexpected Delays, Cancelations and Mishaps While In Another Country

Before 9/11, only about 10% of Americans purchased travel insurance. After 9/11 that number increased to about one third of American travelers. It is especially popular with those going on cruises. More than two thirds of cruise line passengers purchase international travel insurance. It provides financial coverage of the significant expense of going on a costly trip overseas.

Reasons To Buy International Travel Insurance

There are several reasons why travelers purchase international travel insurance. Many people who book their international travel far in advance, have concerns that something unexpected might happen prohibiting them from going on their trip. For example, if you get sick, weather delays or cancels your flight, or there is a terrorist attack. International travel insurance covers expenses if the cruise, resort, hotel or tour does not allow changes or refunds. It also helps you if you have your travel documents, money or luggage stolen. International travel insurance can replace these items including urgently needed medication. Policies can also cover medical expenses if you get sick or injured in a foreign country. It will even pay to transport you back home with medical attention if you are too sick to travel on your own. International travel insurance also protects you if your travel provider goes out of business and keeps your money.

Types of International Travel Insurance

• Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance
• Non Refundable Deposit Insurance
• Baggage Loss Insurance
• Medical Evacuation and Repariation Insurance
• Extreme Sports Insurance
• Terrorism Insurance

Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance

This type of travel insurance pays you back if you can't go on a trip or can't complete a trip for some reason. It covers most reasons, like illness, personal emergency and the travel provider going bankrupt. However, it is important to always read the fine print. Some policies cover you if miss a flight and a cruise ship has sailed without you. Others require that you miss at least half the cruise before you are covered. Others wont cover you at all. Trip cancelation and interruption insurance should always be purchased through a third party and not the travel provider itself. The insurance will do you no good if the company you bought it from is out of business. Consider the cost of a trip cancellation and interruption policy carefully before buying it. If your trip costs a lot of money then a policy might be wise. If the policy costs a large percentage of the trip cost, it may not be worth it.

Non Refundable Deposit Insurance

For an additional cost, non refundable deposit insurance can be added to an international travel insurance policy. This will refund your non refundable cost for airline tickets or other reservations in case you can't go. It is a rather expensive coverage, sometimes as much as 15% of the non refundable ticket price. It should only be purchased if the cost does not negate the savings of a non refundable ticket versus a refundable ticket, and there is a significant chance that you might not be able to go.

Baggage Loss Insurance

Baggage loss insurance is included with some trip cancellation and interruption insurance, but sometimes must be purchased separately. This is a worthwhile option if you have valuable luggage and contents. The airlines will compensate you for lost luggage, but they do it by weight, not by what was lost. At the most they will pay you a few hundred dollars for losing your things. Separate baggage loss insurance policies will pay much more but you will pay a heafty premium. You can also ask at the airline counter for excess valuation. You can buy up to $5000 extra coverage for about $1 for every $100 in coverage. You must declare to the airline what is in your luggage that is valuable and often provide proof for a claim. An even better option is not to pack valuables in your luggage. Carry them with you on the plane instead.


Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance

Many health insurance companies will not cover you when you are traveling internationally. Those that do usually only cover emergency care, not urgent or routine medical attention. Very few will pay to fly you back home for medical treatment. Medical Evacuation and Repatriation insurance will do that. These policies are especially important if you are traveling to a third world country where medical care is suspect, or if you will be traveling internationally for an extended period of time. Some third world medical facilities are downright frightening and the cost of flying yourself back home on a medically equipped aircraft could bankrupt you. Medical Evacuation and Repatriation insurance policies only cost a few hundred dollars per year.

Extreme Sports Insurance

There are a number of high risk activities that are excluded from ordinary international travel insurance policies. Most extreme sports like scuba diving, rock climbing and running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain are in this category. However, if the purpose of your international trip is to engage in these types of activities, there is no reason that you should not enjoy them. You can buy an additional policy for extreme sports coverage. Different travel insurance companies call this coverage different things, but they are all basically the same. They are an insurance rider for a specific activity.

Terrorism Insurance


After the 9/11 attacks, many Americans were afraid to travel overseas. Some travel insurance companies considered this a valid reason to cancel international vacations while most did not. It is very important to check with your travel insurance company to find out if they recognize terrorism as a valid reason to cancel a trip. Those who do recognize terrorism as a valid reason may require that the terrorism happened in the country you are traveling to within a specified period of time. Some will only allow you to cancel your trip if the State Department issues a travel warning. Insurance companies vary widely on this point, so check the wording carefully.

International Travel Insurance Companies

There are many international travel insurance companies that provide a wide range of coverages for travelers. Compare policies thoroughly before purchasing any international travel insurance. Here is a sampling of some widely known international travel insurance companies:

• MEDEX Assist
• Global Travel Insurance
• World Wide Medical
• International Medical Group
• eGlobal Health
• HTH Worldwide
• International SOS
• Total Travel Insurance
• Travel Guard
• Travel Insured International

External Links:
health and plastic surgery

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What's a Travel Blog?

Travel writing is not a new hobby. Ever since the act of writing began, people have been writing about their travels. Works like Alexis de Tocqueville's account of a revolution-era America, Che Guevara's account of South America in the 1950s and Hunter S. Thompson's gonzo journalism have shaped a whole genre of storytelling. 

Travelblog writers take their inspiration from such innovative writers. Since the advent of the internet, people have used the technology to keep their friends informed of their journeys. Only in the last 10 years has travel blogging really taken off. 

Precursors

Philip Greenspun probably created the first travel blog, before there was such a thing as a "blog." An MIT professor and web developer, he had enough experience with web development, photography, and writing to make up for the lack of tools to create a truly compelling web site (Travels With Samantha- best of the web in 1994. 210 Pages and 250 photos describing a heartfelt trip across North America to Alaska, inspired by the death of a beloved Samoyed). Not to mention that he had comments, signaling the openness that helped to popularize the blog format overall. This one is a classic:

"I'm a member of GOSA, the Geyser Observation and Study Association. I found that you seem to have investigated roughly five times as many attractive women as geysers while you were in Yellowstone. To each his own. If you hadn't seen Echinus at midnight, though, I would have been sure you were purely a poseur. Not one word about Grand, about Castle, the Lion Group, the difficulty of catching Beehive, the maniacally explosive madness that is Fan & Mortar, the isolated ocean of Artemisia...did you see nothing of any of these?"

What is a travel blog?

A travel blog is basically an online travel journal. Think of it as a blog, but with travel specific features, like a map. The cool part about it is that you can write it while you're on the road and your friends back home can read it and follow along with you on your journey instead of mass-mailing your family and friends with travel stories using email. Most travel blog sites now allow you to upload photos, videos and MP3 files to share with your blog visitors.

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What About a Travel blog?

Before beginning your blog, ask yourself the simple question 'Why do I want to write this?'

Do you just want to annoy your mates back at work and show them how much fun you're having at Ko
Samui or do you want to offer more than that. Do you want to offer not only them but also yourself a part of you that you have kept hidden and write about the good times, the bad times and the real ugly times. I'd probably leave out the part about waking up with a She Male the morning after the Full Moon Party but hey, we all write 'honestly' in a different yet honest way!

I guess for those who want to simply annoy their mates, use Facebook that way you can also send each
other hundreds of annoying 'Facebook' things each day.

I began mine simply for my family and some of my friends who seemed interested in my adventure. When I left Australia I knew I wanted to live in China and I knew I had no intention on returning home for a long time. What I didn't know about was blogging. I never really thought about sharing my life with others or that others would actually be interested. It wasn't until I travelled to the Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan Province that I found out about the world of Travelpodding.

I was travelling with two girls from Ireland and one of them mentioned updating her travelblog.
Thankfully I overheard her and asked what it was.

From then on a new experience was added to my life's adventure and one where I get to actually show not only my friends and family how beautiful and crazy China really is but also people I have never met. I
could have continued with Group Emails but like most people I really hate group emails and the time it
takes to attach photos to them. Why is that after you have sent it and deleted it from your account
someone always writes to you asking you to send them the photos you sent the other day? Over a period
of time I began receiving emails from people I had never met and that list continued to grow. It was then
I actually realised that people really were interested in the life I was building for myself away from my
motherland.

Some of these people either desired to do the same or to travel with me from their armchair.

I think that is why my writing style changed rather quickly. One month it was short, not so descriptive and used mainly to show my family and friends back home where I was living. Then after waking up to the fact that people were actually hungry to see what the 'real China' was like I began using it to do exactly
that.

Remember that each country you visit will always offer so much more than what most already know.
It is up to you to find an interesting way to offer the hidden gems you find. If you show them in a not so
exciting manner your hidden gems will remain just that, hidden. They will be passed over for a more colourful and exciting blog that shows boring Big Ben in a way that you never thought to show that ancient
walled city you come across in the northern deserts that no foreigners have ever visited.

In a lot of ways this helped me find not only my own style of writing but also my own style of travelling.
I wanted to see as much of the real China as possible and most of the people I met weren't interested in going off the beaten path. So in a hissy fit I stamped my feet in frustration, went all independent and went in search of 'the real' China alone (much of the time anyhow). Although most of the places I go now are 'for me' they are also for those who want to go there but probably never will.

In other ways I use it to introduce China and the world of travel to new Foreign Teachers and also to
travellers out for their first adventure in either the world or in China. Many of them speak of their dreams
of 'leaving it all behind' and joining those like me who are living their dreams and living 'overseas' etc. I try to also use my blog to capture this dream while it is still fresh and to show them that their dream can
easily be made real. When they get home they can sit and look over their photos of the places they
visited and from there I hope that things 'click' and they will realise that they can actually do the same.

And lastly I also use it for me.

I want it there for when I am old, wacky and a more loony than I am now. So, much of my blog is about
just that. There are many entries on my bike rides, all in rice fields and mountains. To many maybe they
look the same. But to me they don't look the same at all as each of them was found in a different way and took me to a different part of China. I guess others get to see how beautiful some of my rides are
but there is more to it than meets the eyes.

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Story telling and travel blogs

The next step is to pull all these tips together and write an article for your blog. Where to start? How to lay it out? How to make it interesting? One way is to storyboard your adventures. Think of each piece of your journey as an article or individual story for your blog. Together, those stories will connect to tell the whole story paint the complete picture of your travels, but they should also be able to stand as mini stories in their own right. Someone who has found your blog halfway through your adventures, should be able to quickly pick up and get excited by your writing even though they haven't read what's gone before.

A simple rule to remember when you're telling stories. Remember those English classes in school? Each story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Sounds obvious I know, but it's amazing how many people forget this. I think of it as a sandwich. The beginning and the end are the bread. The middle is the filling, which changes according to my tastes - and I have many! The point is, without the bread, my sandwich will fall apart, and so will your story or travel blog article. Give me an opening and an ending as well as the juicy middle bits and I'll be a happy reader.

Use a Thesaurus

Use a Thesaurus. One of the biggest mistakes that leads to a 'boring' writing style is repetition of the same words.

The trip to Thailand was amazing. The sea was an amazing blue and I was amazed by how friendly the people were.

Ugh. Grab your Thesaurus and look for the words that you can use as synonyms (different words that share the same meaning). Go back to Tip 4 above. Reading your writing out loud will help you find these repetitions before you hit the publish button.

From Shane aka Eddakath:

What a Travel Blog is to me

To most a travelblog is a simple 'online journal' that allows them to write about their journey, upload
photos, videos and sound files that when combined allow their friends and family to experience their
journey with them on 'real time'.  Now days the only sense left out is that of smell and living and travelling in the places I do my friends and family had better hope it never happens!

Of course to me a travelblog is the above but somewhere along the way it became an avenue to bring to
life my own Choose Your Own Adventure series.  I always 'plan to plan' each adventure but somehow it never seems to work out that way.  For a month or so prior I will read the LP or browse though
Travelpod (or another personal favourite of mine, Passplanet.com) and try to create a mind map of where
I want to go and what I want to see.For some strange reason I always get nervous that I will waste a lot of my time if I don't have a plan.

Some holidays it has taken me several days to throw the pack on and actually leave the place I am living
as I am seriously yet to come up with a first or starting destination.  From there it seems to simply unfold
before my very eyes and I end up in places I had never even thought of visiting.  I then get emails from
friends asking why I am not heading towards Korea when my last entry stated that I had finally, at least
made a decision that I would turn right and head east.  For some unknown reason I ended up turning left
and heaing west yet there was nothing there I wanted to see.

I really did want to visit the Changbai Shan Nature Reserve on the border of South Korea so why did I
find myself west in Ningxia Province visiting then thousand year old stone carvings?  Some times I really
don't know who is wearing my sandals.  Am I making these decisions from some plan I subconsciously
created prior to leaving or is there a geeky kid hidden away in the back of a library somewhere in the
world choosing my next step?

If you find out make sure you tell me and then we will both know!

Choose your own adventure travel blog style!

Evolving The Storyteller Within (along with your blog)

The most important thing about blogging is overlooked by almost everyone for the first few months of
finding their way though their new world of 'cyber travel'. Style! I never thought about it until I realised why I was actually writing my blog and that led to consciously trying to develop a style that not only I was
happy with but one that also captured some of the people passing by.

I began by writing simple things like, I'm now in Kunming and we are having a great time.
It is Christmas and look at Bill in photo number five, isn't he funny!

Once I figured out why I wanted to write my blog and what I wanted from it things changed.  I became
much more honest when writing about things that were going on around me in this insane and confusing
world of China along with anything in the world of travel. Style! Things don't always go as go as planned so find your own way to write about them. When you find yourself beginning to write about something
you would normally keep quiet about, continue as this is you beginning to find your own style.

Remember that you are the lucky one, you are the one that who is travelling to places that you never imagined you would end up.

These are the same places that millions of others not only dream of going to but also like you millions of others are lucky enough make their reality. First of all find a style that makes your self happy and fulfils the reasons behind your blog and then go about allowing your self the openness and freedom of change when you feel you need something new.

Then worry about how to get a few of the millions that are still dreaming of 'going' to actually read it.

To do that you have to find someway of making your style more interesting than the 'other millions' that have already been there and have written about it or are writing about it now. You can tell the people reading your blog that that Bill was funny in Kunming at Christmas time or you can really tell them why he was funny and what happened in great detail. Add in the sounds, the smells and the colours of the market place. Then describe the moment Bills tastebuds exploded as he had the first mouthful of his Sichuan
Beef Noodles (EXTREMELY HOT!).

Write about how he continued eating his noodles because everyone thought it was funny. Remember Bill is a funny man and likes a good laugh.  But don't stop there, why not add in what happened when you left the market place and the alien sounds that Bills stomach was making that even had the locals searching for where they were coming from.  Most importantly don't leave out what happened to Bill when he couldn't find a public toilet.

Maybe here you could turn off the reader's sense of smell!

Most of all write with an open heart and an open mind. I've been living, teaching and travelling all over China for almost four years and prior to that travelled to various other Asian countries. One thing I will
never pretend is that I understand more than I do and believe me, the longer I'm here the more I
understand that I really don't understand much at all.

For me that makes my adventure and life totally what I want it to be. I am not Asian/Chinese and nor do
I want to be. I am proud of who I am and where I come from so I will always make sure that gap is
between us. This allows me to remain who I am along with the freedom to view the world I live in with
total honesty. I can make it as colourful as I desire and sometimes maybe be a little too descriptive in my details about the Chinese world around me.

I always tell of my journeys to and from my destinations as they are usually the 'fun' part of the adventure. For me they are the part that differs from the last tourist and the millions more that have visited the same destination and written a blog about it. Even the simple purchase of a train or bus ticket can be an awesome blog. But you must treat it with honesty and humour by writing it after the anger and frustration have departed.

Remember that your anger and frustration is born of communication and cultural differences.

What is normal for 'them' is usually very frustrating for 'us' so don't write about another culture whilst in anger.  I think we have all read the blogs that have been written in total unfairness by someone who is visiting a non-English speaking country for two weeks, staying only in hostels and spending their entire time with Westerners and beer. Those reading such blogs will walk away believing that the ticket girl really was stupid for not understanding what the writer wanted. The strange fact is it is the English speaking writer that is in her Non-English speaking country.

Who really is the stupid one? The ticket girl or the blog writer who is visiting an Asian country in which he believes everyone around him should speak English and understand him.  Before writing that day's entry the blog writer really should have sat back and thought about why he was visiting that country in the first place. Was it for the personal challenge and growth or maybe it was simply because it's an inexpensive ego trip. Writing is a strange thing, it has a way of capturing a part of the writer and anyone who reads their work will begin to understand how they see the world around them and where they fit in it.

Buying a ticket in a non-English speaking country can take hours or even several days depending on
where you are. It is these times that your friends and other blog readers are actually after. Once they
know you are safe many will skip through your blog and spend most of their time looking at your photos. Try to keep them entertained, tell them about poor Bill (above) and about the market place that most of them will probably never get to see.

Write a blog about your frustrating experience buying a train ticket but most of all, be descriptive with
cultural differences. I once ate my friends cat and a few weeks later I fell on a floor full off pig sh*%.
How? It was a very poor village in Guangxi Province in China and there simply aren't any toilets in such
places. There are two bricks and you're in with the pigs. One of pigs got a little too interested and nudged me off the bricks.

The rest is.....well an exciting blog!

Also add in who you are. If you are a funny person and other people actually think you are too, use it. If you think you are funny and others beg to differ that you are full of descriptive humour maybe try another
style. I don't think that I am all that funny but what I do know is that I am a little 'silly' with the way I do
things and look at life. Many I know would probably use a more descriptive word than silly and would probably add a string of colourful ones after it.

Therefore my blog is a little 'silly' too!

So to say!

Capturing Your Precious Moments in Style

Just like finding your own writing style, for some there is a need to find their own style of capturing what
will become not only memories for yourself but moments of awe for your friends and family. Everyone has seen photos of Shanghai but have they seen Shanghai through your eyes. I don't seem to look at the world like most people and have a certain quirkiness to me. Over the years I found that I was becoming
bored with my photos. After starting my Travelblog I found that a lot of my photos were actually identical to most others that had visited the ancient walled city of Dali or the bright lights of Kunming.

Actually, there is nothing wrong with that but I subconsciously began changing the way I was taking
photos and soon I had people who lived in the town/city I was visiting or living in telling me my photos
made them want to visit their city through my eyes. With photos it is hard to find your own style and I
wouldn't even know how to tell you to go about it. I guess find what you don't like and go about
changing it.

Remember they are your photos and they are your memories and your view of the world. If you like your photos in black and white take them in black and white. If, like me you like your photos a little this or that way then take them that way. Remind anyone that begins to complain that this is your travelblog, they are your memories and that it is not National Geographic.

Blog Moments Along Your Journey

My biggest advice and probably some of the most important advice to any new blogger is to find out
(and find out fast) 'their own way' of taking travel notes.

When I first began my Blog I tried to write about it when I returned from an adventure. If you compare
the first year of my blog to the rest you will see a big difference in writing styles. I used the method of 'that was awesome I must remember that when I get home'. Things happen and at the time and they are usually spectacular and of course 'you will always remember them when you get home' (not!).

Then remind yourself of the reason you are writing your blog.

Simply put, you are on an adventure and tomorrow something new will happen as it will the day after that
etc. It is all those little things when combined that will make your blog interesting to others. They are the things that you will also want to remember in years to come and more importantly they are the things that
are never offered in a guide book. You will also forget most of them when you are back home having a
beer with your mates trying desperately to explain why your adventure was so inspiring yet off the planet
funny.

Obviously my first method didn't work so I then moved on to writing five simple words for each day.
There was no reason why I set the limit to five words. It worked in a limited fashion but not one that I was happy with. I then changed to putting pen to paper and actually writing about my day each night for
an hour or two with a cold beer. This worked well but I then had to transfer it to the computer when I
either got home or found a trusty net cafe that didn't shut down either the internet or the entire computer on me several times during my visit. Of course during which I was also being chocked to death by the
thousands of smokers sitting around me.

If I left it until I returned from my adventure it then would take me several months re-typing it and
uploading photos. This, even though it was exciting looking at the pictures again, it became rather
annoying. I mean who wants to type all those pages when they could be outside riding through a beautiful
rice field at the foot of a breathtaking mountain. So prior to my last adventure I spent a little money and
purchased myself a tiny seven inch notebook with a heap of memory. So each night over a few beers or
when I'm on a long bus or train journey I can sit back and capture the day in words, sort through my
photos and do back ups all at the same time.

So I guess you could say that my photos are now my 'travelling notes!'

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5 tips for writing your own Travel Blog

1. Use all five senses:
You've got five God-given senses to detect the world around you, use all of them! Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. The most vivid writing comes from people who know how to describe the colours of the sunset in the Caribbean, the sound of the birds in the jungle, and the titillating sense explosion you can experience in the local food market. When you're writing, double-check to make sure you've got all of your senses represented in your blog entry. Believe me, your readers will notice the difference.

2. Be Honest
When you're travelling, things don't always go exactly as planned, so don't pretend that they did. Some of the most entertaining stories come from communication confusions and misunderstandings. Maybe while you're in the situation, you're not having such a great time, but by adding a dramatic plot to your story, your friends back home will be on the edge of their seats, waiting for your next installment.

3. Think deep!
It's important to use your brain when you're writing. Nobody wants to read a story about somebody who backpacked around Europe and saw the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. We've all heard that one before. What's different about your story are the thoughts swimming around in your head. If you explain exactly why you came to visit a place, or if you reflect a little bit about your surroundings. You don't have to be Plato reincarnated to write thought-provoking literature.

4. Speak in your own voice
Write how you talk. Everyone has their own unique voice, so use yours. The best writing, period, is the kind of writing you can read out loud without stumbling. So, read your stuff out loud before you publish it, your brain and your mouth will automatically detect a grammatically awkward sentence by stumbling over it. Make a note, and then change it.

5. Photos
You need them. The more the better. Self-portraits, pictures that seem like they're too boring to bother, food, bugs, hotel rooms; all turn out to be fascinating glimpses into what you're experiencing.

Developing your style:

The tips above are great to keep as a check list beside your computer or in a notebook. Whatever suits you. Remind yourself of them often and add new guidelines as you develop your writing style. This will keep you on top of your game and help you avoid the dreaded 'black hole of boring content'.

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Trip Packing

With airlines cutting into the amount of luggage you can check and carry on, packing has become even more of an art. Here are some tips for you.

Here we go again, what to pack! Here are some tips to help you tackle this part of your trip:

*  The first, and most important, thing to do is make a list.  Without a list, you'll be tempted to pack everything you own, "just in case". Don't think in terms of what you might need on the trip - pare it down to what you absolutely need. Believe it or not, there are stores and shops where you are going. You'll probably find that you didn't need as much as you thought!

*  Next, keep in mind that airlines are charging to check 2 bags and some are even starting to charging for the first bag. It is nothing to sneeze at with $100 dollars a bag being reported. There is a new practice of mailing your belonging ahead of time. There is even a company in Europe that will hold it until your arrival, and then deliver it to your destination for you. This service is less than the one or two hundred dollars you would pay to the airlines. Something to look for in the future. There is a need and I’m sure that companies will spring up in the U.S.A. and the Americas.

   
                                                                                        
*  Check the weather and the customs at your destination and pack accordingly. Bring a travel umbrella if rain is in the forecast (and leave it at home if it isn't!). Make sure you have something appropriate if you have an audience with the Queen, or are going to a very conservative country. (For example, covering your head in many Middle Eastern Countries)

*  Choose 2 or 3 basic solid colors that mix and match, and take separates that can be put together in several combinations. Black, khaki, red, navy and white all work well together (choose, at most, 3 of these colors). Or choose whatever color you wear a lot of, but make sure the colors work together – don’t bring an item that you will wear only once. One or two multicolored print blouses will kick your look and can be used with the solids you choose.

*  Bring items you can hand-wash and hang to dry overnight. Lightweight cotton blends, especially blends with nylon, work, as well as silk or silk blends.  Silk knits are lightweight and cool, but also layer well for warmth. Bring a small bottle of mild detergent for washing.

*  Dark colors and small prints hide wrinkles better than light-colored solids. Choose cottons blended with poly or nylon for light weight and wrinkle resistance. Knits are especially good for travel. There are several online sites and catalogs that special in travel wear, so take the time and look them up.

*  Black is especially good if you need something dressy. Avoid taking a dress if you can and stick to the separates. Wear a nice top and pants in black with some simple jewelry, belt or scarf.

*  Avoid taking dress shoes. If you wear nice pants for dinner, you can wear comfortable flats, too. Unless you have a special event planned, keep dinner clothing simple.

*  Pack more tops than bottoms. You'll be able to wear pants or skirts more than once, but tops are usually worn only once before washing. Make sure you have at least 2 tops for each bottom, and make sure each top will work with more than one bottom.

*  Consider bringing a skirt instead of shorts if traveling to a foreign country. A skirt is as cool and comfortable as shorts, but dressier. While shorts are accepted almost everywhere in the U.S., they may not be appropriate in other countries. A good length is at the knees for comfort and acceptability.

*  Comfortable walking shoes are very important, especially for shopping and sightseeing. But big, white athletic shoes are distinctively American, so if traveling abroad and don't want to look like a tourist, look for something a bit less athletic. There are a variety of comfortable walking shoes. They are not fashionable but they don’t scream "tourist!" Looking like a tourist can make you a target for thieves.

*  What you wear on the plane should also be considered wardrobe for the trip. Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes. Don't wear a heavy coat if you are going to a warm destination, even if it's winter at home. Wear a lightweight, water-resistant jacket with a sweater or sweatshirt underneath, and a long-sleeve top. This should get you from the car to the airport without freezing or getting to warm at your destination.

*  A cashmina is a versatile piece to bring. It can be used to dress up a basic outfit, or provide a bit of warmth on a cool evening. It can even be used as a blanket on a plane, so this is a good carry-on for your flight.

*  Pack a change of underwear and a top in your carry-on in the event your checked bags are lost. You really don't need more than this (unless you can fit all of your clothing and toiletries in your carry-on.). At the worst, you can buy what you need at your destination.

*  If you are staying in a condo or VRBO (vacation rental by owner),  there may be a washer and dryer. You can pack half of what you would have, and do a small load of laundry every few days. You can wash your clothes again before going home, so you can relax when your trip is done. Beware of laundry service at a hotel!  It can be unbelievably expensive or ruin your clothes!

*  You might want to bring a couple of simple pieces of costume jewelry, but do not bring anything expensive, or that will attract thieves. This is not the time to show off your best pieces. One pair of basic earrings and a chain necklace will get you through any day.

*  Bring travel-sized toiletries, and items that do double-duty. Don't bring several lotions and fragrances - one good quality, scented lotion will do. Use a combination shampoo & conditioner. Or just use what the hotel provides - the better hotels provide good quality products. Better yet - buy the product you need when you arrive. Finding local stores and products can be part of the adventure.

*  If you fill your own small bottles of shampoo, etc., do not fill to the top of the container. Liquids expand on the plane. Put all liquids in a zip-lock bag.

*  Remember that liquids are restricted in your carry-on. Only bring what you need for the first day or two, in case your checked luggage gets lost. If you have prescriptions, always carry them on the plane with you.

*  Don't bring a hair dryer or iron if you don't need to. Check the hotel website for "amenities" to see if they provide them. Even modest hotels have these basics. (I've only run across a broken hair dryer once, and the front desk provided a replacement).

*  Bring a first-aid kit and travel-sized containers of over-the-counter drugs for common ailments. Think double-duty here, too. In addition to band aids, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean cuts as well as cleaning hands when water isn't available. Pain relievers and cold medics are necessities, and allergy pills can double as a safe sleep aid (antihistamines cause drowsiness, and many people have trouble sleeping when traveling). Bring Pepto-Bismol tablets for a variety of stomach ailments

*  A Swiss Army knife can be very useful, but remember to pack it in your checked luggage, NOT your carry-on!

*  Wear a concealed money belt to hold your valuables. You'll probably be carrying all your money, a credit card, and every important document you own, so protect it from pickpockets by wearing it close to your body, preferably under your clothing. There is a company that specializes in clothing with many hidden pocket, both tops and bottoms. You can buy the clothes already made or there are patterns available so you can sew them up yourself.

*  Carry a shoulder bag with straps short enough to hold the bag under your arm or long enough to wear across your torso. A zip top is also a good idea, as long as you keep it closed. Avoid the "fanny pack" - it targets you as a tourist and is easy to get into and grab no matter how it's worn.

This list is for adults that travel, but with a few modifications, it can be applied to families. And lastly, for every traveler out there; take along your sense of adventure, your patience, and your curiosity.  They will take you far in the adventures of your life.

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Travel Insurance

Everything you need to know about travel insurance for your next trip

Travel insurance is a temporary policy used to insure travel-related risks such as trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost baggage, medical emergencies, and more. Travel insurance policies can be purchased easily online, and are generally issued via email.

Every traveler should at least consider travel insurance so they are informed and aware of their risks while traveling, and solutions to insure against these risks.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is the general term for an insurance policy, which can be purchased for the length of your trip, that covers travel-related risks such as:

• Trip Cancellation
• Baggage loss, theft, or damage
• Medical emergencies
• Dental emergencies
• Emergency evacuations
• Baggage delays
• Travel delay
• Accidental death coverage and more, depending on the company.

The essential purpose of a travel insurance policy is to cover unexpected financial losses while traveling. You have homeowners insurance to cover home-related financial losses, and auto insurance to cover car-related financial losses. The same holds true for travel insurance.

There are a variety of situations you can encounter while traveling that result in financial loss, from an unexpected trip to the hospital with a sprained ankle to a digital camera snatched by a thief.
For example: You have been planning an African safari for over a year, but a week before you leave your husband becomes ill and is unable to travel. Canceling your trip at the last minute could result in lost airfare, tour expenses, or lodging costs. For a trip like this, it could easily total $10,000.

What are the different types of travel insurance?

Travel insurance can include a wide variety of insurance products, from the general purpose package policy to a specialized coverage policy. Insurance companies have designed specialized policies for several types of trips, and for several types of traveler. Here are a few examples:

Package Policy, aka Travel Insurance - This is the most common type, and covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost/stolen/damaged baggage, emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation, missed flights, and delayed baggage. Some package policies have additional coverage for damaged rental cars, identity theft, flight accident coverage, and more.

This type of insurance covers most travelers' needs, and is a good overall plan. It includes comprehensive coverage for the full variety of risks. The following plans are more specialized, usually focusing on 1 or a few specific coverages.

Travel Medical - This is a temporary medical insurance policy for those traveling abroad. This type of plan typically does not include trip cancellation, delayed flights, baggage, and the other coverage seen above in the Package Plan. Travel medical policies are intended for medical emergencies and medical evacuations. This type of plan is for travelers staying abroad for extended periods of time and have the need for medical insurance. It is also purchased by travelers who are fairly certain they do not need the other coverages, and simply need medical coverage while overseas.

Multi-Trip Annual - These policies provide annual medical coverage for multiple trips throughout the year. It is typically used by a traveler who will be abroad several times a year, and does not need the trip cancellation, baggage, and other basic coverages of a package policy. Annual policies usually have a trip length restriction of either 15, 30 or 70 days. Furthermore, some annual plans include coverage for evacuation, flight, accidental death, limited baggage, and trip interruption (but it's no substitution for a package plan)

Business Package Policy - These policies are designed for individual business travelers, or even companies with traveling employees. These policies provide coverage for multiple business trips throughout the year or a single business trip. They typically offer coverage similar to a package plan, but they can also provide for baggage and business-related items including the costs of trade shows and business conferences as well as the expense of lost, stolen and /or damaged laptops, cell phones and booth exhibits.

Medical Evacuation - These specialized policies provide protection for travelers in the event they become seriously ill or injured while traveling, and need to be transported to the nearest appropriate care facility or, on some plans, to your hospital of choice. The expense of moving an injured person can be quite high, which accounts for the use of a medical evacuation policy. They can also include coverage for repatriation of mortal remains.

Major Medical -These are designed for travelers who are going abroad for a longer period of time, usually at least 6 months, and require more permanent insurance. These plans provide comprehensive medical protection including emergency medical treatment, wellness care and optional prescription drug coverage. It is designed to replicate the coverage you receive at home. Like most major medical policies, these plans contain both in and out of network coverage, deductibles and co-payments and have the added travel benefits of accidental death and emergency medical evacuation protection.

Flight Accident - These policies are designed for travelers going on a single trip, and it provides coverage for flight accident insurance which is a form of accidental death coverage while flying (see below).

Accidental Death - AD & D policies (Accidental Death & Dismemberment) are designed for travelers going on a single trip, or can be written on an annual basis for individuals, businesses or groups. These policies provide protection in the event of a loss of life, or a dismemberment injury sustained while traveling.

Who needs travel insurance?

As you see from the variety of policy types listed above, there is a travel insurance plan for every type of trip and traveler. But, who really needs to purchase travel insurance?

For 90% of travelers, you can start with two important questions:

• Can you afford to lose your non-refundable trip expenses in the event of a loss?
• If you are leaving your home country, does your medical insurance follow you?

Answering the two questions above will provide a good starting point to determine if you need travel insurance for your next trip. Even though there are many aspects to deciding if you need trip insurance, the answers to these two questions can help guide you to the right decision.

1. Can you afford to lose your non-refundable trip expenses in the event of a loss?
If you answered "No", you should consider trip cancellation/interruption coverage, available with a package plan. Even though there are several "side benefits" to a package plan such as coverage for lost baggage or identity theft protection, the primary expenses for your trip are airfare, hotel, and tour costs. If you are unable to take your trip, you are at risk of losing your pre-paid, non-refundable expenses.

2. If you are leaving your home country, does your medical insurance follow you?
If you answered "No" to this question, you should look into travel medical and emergency medical evacuation coverage, available both by itself or within a package policy. Most health insurance plans, including Medicare, don't cover you while traveling abroad. If you have a medical emergency like a broken leg or sudden illness, you will need medical care in a foreign country. A travel insurance plan with medical coverage would provide payment for medical treatment expenses and any evacuation expenses as well.

Both of the above situations are covered with a package policy, which is why these types of travel insurance plans are so popular.

What are the different travel insurance companies?

These are the major travel insurance companies; including providers of package policies, emergency evacuation plans, and travel medical plans. (Listed in alphabetical order)

Access America
Access America is the travel insurance brand of World Access Service Corp. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, World Access was founded in 1983 with a mission to provide access to American-style healthcare to those traveling abroad. Their product line features a variety of plans, including standard package plans, a "last minute trip" plan and rental car protection plan, and a medical evacuation only plan. They work with some of the best brands in the business like AAA, Orbitz, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Disney Cruise Line, and Best Western.

AIG Travel Guard
With more than 20 years of industry experience, AIG Travel Guard is America's leading travel insurance plan provider. We specialize in providing innovative travel insurance, assistance and emergency travel service plans for millions of travelers and thousands of companies throughout the world. Our industry-leading, comprehensive travel insurance plans are distributed by more than 12,000 travel companies through virtually every distribution channel in the travel industry. AIG Travel Guard is a subsidiary of AIG Travel, Inc., a member company of American International Group, Inc.

American Express
When you insure your trip with Global Travel Shield, you get the added peace of mind of knowing you have first-rate insurance coverage that is offered by American Express Travel Related Services Company. American Express has been one of the world's most trusted providers of travel services, with an enduring commitment to outstanding customer service.

CSA Travel Protection
CSA Travel Protection provides consumer-focused travel insurance, 24-hour emergency assistance services, and convenient concierge services. Since 1991, domestic and worldwide travelers have entrusted CSA to safeguard them against unexpected events. Whether you're traveling domestic or abroad, CSA protects your travel investment with exceptional customer service & product performance.

Global Alert!
Global Alert! offers two levels of travel protection allowing travelers to select the specific coverages, depending on needs. Their Preferred product provides Medical Expense/Emergency Assistance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption, Travel Delay, Baggage and Baggage Delay and Cancel For Any Reason Benefit. The Preferred Plus plan adds increased levels of protection and Rental Car Damage coverage.

Global Underwriters
Global Underwriters has become an industry leader in the development, administration, and marketing of international life and health insurance products. Their portfolio of international insurance plans provide peace of mind and security to thousands of travelers and international businesses.

The Diplomat series of international health insurance policies was custom designed to provide the benefits most important to international travelers at competitive prices. Beyond their exceptional medical coverage, they also provide generous benefits for medical evacuation, emergency reunion, and accidental death or dismemberment.

HTH Worldwide
HTH Worldwide applies expertise to bring innovative healthcare services and insurance to international travel, study and commerce. Each year hundreds of thousands of leisure and business travelers as well as international students and scholars protect themselves, their families and their travel plans with HTH. Their programs combine comprehensive, competitively priced insurance products with critical travel health information, security information and unique medical assistance services.

International Medical Group (IMG)
International Medical Group (IMG) is a worldwide leader in designing, distributing and administering global healthcare benefits. Their clients include international vacationers, business executives and consultants, missionary groups, expatriates, professional entertainers and athletes, government entities, schools and universities, professional marine captains and crew, and local and third country nationals.

M.H.Ross (Travel Insurance Services)
M.H. Ross Travel Insurance Services is pleased to bring you Enhanced Travel Protection. When you select M.H. Ross Travel Insurance Services as your travel insurance provider, you have a team of experienced specialists and technical experts in the travel industry working together to provide you with prompt and professional service. They strive to anticipate your needs and solve your problems before they occur.

MEDEX
For more than a quarter of a century, MEDEX has been dedicated to serving the needs of international travelers and expatriates. Over this span, MEDEX has grown to become a recognized leader in the travel assistance and international medical insurance marketplace. Operating from a centralized operations center in the United States, MEDEX has worldwide coverage, global medical assistance expertise, and an unsurpassed network of more than 350,000 providers... including its Physician Advisors, International Centers of Excellence, credentialed air ambulance resources, specialized security providers, and preferred provider organizations.

MedjetAssist
MedjetAssist is a privately held company, backed by a powerful and reputable investment team with strong ties to the world of aviation, finance, government, and real estate. In operation since 1991, MedjetAssist is responsible for more than 95,000 lives within its membership program and maintains a global presence with ICU-equipped air ambulance affiliates around the world. The program is backed by Lloyds of London.

MultiNational Underwriters
MultiNational Underwriters, Inc. (MNU) was established in 1998. It quickly became a recognized leader in the field of international health insurance, offering a complete portfolio of health and life insurance products to customers in over 130 countries. Sensing the increasing acceptance of the Internet as a medium for commercial transactions, MNU was among the first to make insurance products and services available via the World Wide Web. This innovation has continued to evolve and, at present, MNU customers can review coverage options, obtain quotes, purchase insurance and receive their insurance documents - all electronically, without human intervention, 24 hours a day. Today, many thousands of international insurance professionals host MNU's electronic tools on their websites, and this number continues to grow.

On Call International
On Call International is the premier travel assistance provider in North America. On duty for more than seven million North Americans traveling worldwide, On Call performs more emergency medical transportations within the leisure travel market than any other company in North America.

RBC Travel Protection
RBC Insurance is the insurance specialist of RBC Financial Group, one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies. Through RBC Travel Insurance Company, millions of travelers have benefited from trip cancellation, comprehensive medical and other protection for over 35 years. Our products are some of the most highly recognized and progressive in the travel insurance industry. We're also proud to offer you access to one of North America's largest and most experienced travel emergency assistance networks - guaranteeing 24/7 personal, multilingual service from anywhere in the world. In fact, we receive over 500 calls a day, every day of the year. And each day, we handle about 70 interventions, from all around the world, helping customers solve emergencies and get home safely.

Seven Corners
Seven Corners, Inc. began offering international medical insurance to the worldwide community in 1993. The company was founded by international insurance professionals with a strong commitment to customer service and a belief that the public deserved reliability when purchasing international insurance. Travel, whether it is domestic or international, brings with it a certain degree of risk. Regardless of where in the world you intend to venture, Seven Corners, Inc. will be there to support and assist you. From issuing ID Cards the same day to providing 24-hour multilingual assistance services, Seven Corners, Inc. is dedicated to the service and travels of our clientele.

Travel Insured International
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Travel Guide to Organize Your Sicily Vacations

All info You need to Know before book a vacation package or travel independent

When You think of Sicily, the ming goes to Taormina, the tourist beaches of Naxos and the mysteries of Cosa Nostra.

If it is true that these two aspects belong to the Sicilian reality, it also said that they are a long way from summarize the amount of attractions in the region and its deep historical and artistic tradition and culture.

Sicily has known fact in its history several waves of invasions and occupations, which remain numerous testimonies that difference between Palermo, strongly characterized by the Arab civilization and Norman, the grandeur of Greek ruins of Agrigento and Siracusa, and the harshness inland where perpetuate yet, here and there, ancestral traditions worthy of novels by Leonardo Sciascia!

Sicily Travel Guide

Environment

Sicily fascinates for its ancient culture and its art cities but also for the countless natural beauty of the territory.

A deeply diverse nature ranging from the majesty of Etna to rolling hills planted with olive trees, vineyards and fragrant citrus groves, sandy beaches of the Reserve Vendicari, Pozzallo and Isola Bella to steep cliffs overlooking the sea, from the spectacular Gorges' Alcantara to the islands, worldly and not, as Pantelleria, Ustica, Lipari, Stromboli, Favignana, Salina, Panarea.

Culture

Through the centuries, Greeks, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians and Spaniards dominated the Sicilian cities, building and changing from time to time habits and customs of peoples to their subject.

Visiting the Sicilian cities, even today, you can admire ancient buildings, greek-Roman style fortresses with their Arab-Norman, majestic baroque buildings, churches from the interiors coated with Byzantine mosaics as the famous Palatine Chapel of Palermo and much more.

The cities of Greek origin are concentrated mainly in the western part of where we find Selinunte, Segesta, Syracuse and Agrigento, with its spectacular Valley of the Temples.

From an architectural point of view, Eastern Sicily is characterized by baroque Sicilian style with which were built palaces and monuments following the devastating earthquake of 1693.

The area most affected by the earthquake, completely rebuilt by the end of 1600, is called Val di Noto and includes the city of Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, Ispica and Noto, beautiful "gardens of stone" testimony of Sicilian Baroque and included by UNESCO in prestigious World Heritage List.

Exploring the island will find other cities jewel-like Taormina, the "pearl of the Ionian Sea," Enna, Sicily navel, Piazza Armerina, Caltagirone "the city of ceramics" and Catania, with its baroque palaces in black and white and his irresistible nightlife.

Eating

As the architecture, even the kitchen is a meeting point between East and West: This contamination between different cultures has led to bold combinations of flavors that make traditional Sicilian dishes a sensory experience unique and fascinating.

The fish, the main ingredient of the table, is prepared in a thousand different ways with herbs and spices such as mint and wild fennel.

A note to deserve the famous Sicilian pastry, cassata and martorana fruit, and wine, particularly the Nero d'Avola, quality product that is gaining success abroad.

Travel Tips and Events

The best seasons for visiting Sicily are spring and autumn, during which the mild climate allows you to swim and at the same time will not be oppressed by the heat while visiting the sites.

In summer, indeed, the beaches are invaded by hordes of holidaymakers and prices tend to rise.

The religious festivals still play a very important role in the Sicilian society, resulting in fervent and spectacular celebrations. With their processions of penitents, the events of Holy Week recall closely the Spanish tradition, in particular those held in Enna from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday are particularly impressive.

Outside this specific period, every city and country celebrates its patron saint, which Palermo is Santa Rosalia (from July 10 to 15).

For fans of the stage should follow the Week Pirandelliana (late July-early August), in Agrigento, which proposes theatre performances, operas and ballets.

At the international festival Taormina Arte (from the end of July to September), you can attend concerts, theatrical performances and film inside the greek theatre and public gardens in the city.

To have an idea of Sicilian folklore do not miss the Festival of almond trees in bloom organisations in the first ten days of February in the valley of the temples in Agrigento.

On 14 and August 15 instead takes place on August Messinese, during which takes place "walk of giants.

How to get there (flights, ferries, cars)

To move to 'internal' island the most convenient mean is bus. Links are provided by numerous companies and local services can reach virtually any destination, the main city on the coast to small internal towns.

There are quite efficient railway lines from Messina to Palermo, Messina in Siracusa and Palermo to Agrigento is a private line, the Circumetnea, which allows you to tour around the Etna.

The other links are picturesque but terribly slow and uncertain.

The best and fastest to reach Sicily is the plane. There are two airports: that of Punta Raisi, the Falcone-Borsellino, is 32 km from Palermo, while the Fontanarossa is only 7 km from Catania.

In both cases shuttle services provide the link with the city centre.

If you prefer to travel by land, there are bus lines that connect directly Rome to Palermo, Trapani, Messina, Catania, Agrigento.

You can also reach Sicily by train, traveling along the line Milan / Florence / Rome / Naples / Reggio Calabria / Palermo / Catania. But the journey times rather long, partly because of crossing the Strait of Messina.

Who reaches the island with its means must take the ferry at Villa San Giovanni (Calabria) or in Reggio Calabria, where there is also a hydrofoil service.

The island is also accessible by sea from Genoa, Livorno, Naples, Malta and Tunisia.

There are also ferries and hydrofoils linking the Aeolian islands and Egadi.

Weather

The climate of Sicily is Mediterranean, with hot summers and mild winters. On the coasts, particularly the south-west, the weather is influenced by African and currents occur torrid summers.

Generally the Sicilian summer is hot, rainy, dry and ventilated. More humid, but generally not afose, areas along the coast that are also beneficate of the system of sea breezes and in general a frequent ventilation.

The inland areas, the findings of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Etna are the most cold and snow of the island. On the highest hills of the island (Etna, Madonie, Nebrodi) the abundant snow falls.

Agrigento

Placed on top of a hill, it's an ancient Greek colony overlooking the Mediterranean and the famous Valley of Temples. This site, heir of the past greek of ancient Akragas, is famous for the philosopher Empedocles.

The Archaeological Museum displays artefacts brought to light in area, and in particular the telamons (atlases) of the Temple of Jupiter.

After visiting the site, is a good idea to stroll the narrow streets and winding old Agrigento that extends in the upper part of the city.

As its name, Santa Maria dei Greci, a Norman church of the eleventh century, stands on a greek temple of the fifth century BC probably dedicated to Athena: note the wooden ceiling and Byzantine mosaics.

The cathedral, built in 'years 1000 and accompanied by a tower of the fifteenth century, has suffered splashy remodelling. Worthy of attention painted beams in the nave, the stucco of Baroque apse and a Madonna attributed to Guido Reni in the sacristy.

Founded in 1290, the abbey church of the Holy Spirit is adorned by a beautiful coffered ceiling (1758) and four pretty low stucco of Giacomo Serpotta.

Just 6 km southwest of Agrigento is the birthplace of Luigi Pirandello transformed into a museum.

Catania

The name derives from the Greek Katane, which means grates, lava from the ground on which rises. It is the most vibrant cities of Sicily, and headquarters of the oldest University, founded in 1434 under the domain aragonese.

It is capital of the province dominated by the giant volcano Etna. Catania was destroyed nine times and nine times is reborn, so his motto is the mythical Phoenix, "Melior de cinere surgo" Risorgo ever more beautiful from my ashes, which reads under the arch of the eighteenth Port Ferdinandea, today Porta Garibaldi.

Enna

Situated on top of a rocky ridge in the midst of the land, Enna is a little far from the route followed by most tourists. The path to reach the city is very pleasant, appreciate even more by stage at Piazza Armerina, where the Roman Villa retains splendid mosaics of rare finesse.

Built by the Swabians, Castello di Lombardia, the most imposing medieval fortress of Sicily, has retained only six of the twenty original towers.

The above will have extraordinary views until the city of Calascibetta, founded by the Arabs in the ninth century, and sees the profile of Etna. The construction of the cathedral was begun in 1307 on the initiative of Eleanor d 'Aragon.

To admire the findings brought to light by excavations made in the province, go to the Archaeological Museum set up in the palace Varisano.

In the modern part of town, there is the Tower of Frederick II (XIII century) in the middle of the park.

Monreale

Monreale picturesque town located up to 310 m. overlooks the Conca d'Oro. On top of this hill, you can admire one of the most significant monuments of religious of all Italy, the famous cathedral.

Palermo

Palermo, that was one of the most flourishing cities in the Mediterranean world, lost the enamel of a time but remains a fascinating city and extremely interesting.

Palazzo dei Normanni, the Palatine Chapel (1130-1140) beautifully embodies the richness of the Arab-Norman style, with its Byzantine mosaics and wooden ceiling to stalactites.

Mosaics adorn the equally splendid internal Martorana, a church dating back to the twelfth century but several times enlarged and restructured.

Not far, the Arab domes of San Cataldo (XII century) suggest a mosque more than a place of Christian worship.

The church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti (1136), topped by five domes and adorned with a beautiful garden that encloses the ruins of a cloister, arouses the same impression.

Let then the Middle Ages and head towards Piazza Pretoria, where the fountain of the sixteenth century is one of the rare examples of Renaissance art in Sicily; due to the nakedness of marble statues nicknamed the "fountain of shame".

If you are attracted to the macabre not miss the Catacombs of the Capuchins, which contain approximately 8000 bodies stuffed.

The Vucciria market offers, on the contrary, the same spectacle gaudente and the same pleasure of the senses of a souk Maghreb or the Middle East.

11 km from Palermo, Mondello beach, an elegant seaside resort, stretches in arc of a pretty bay of Mount Pellegrino (606 m).

Syracuse

Greek city founded in 734 BC by a group of Corinthians, Syracuse grew rapidly, as to constitute a threat to Athens.

He reached his zenith economic and cultural under the dominion of Dionysius I, when the city attracted thinkers of the calibre of Plato.

Hometown of mathematician Archimedes, Syracuse was converted to Christianity by the same St. Paul. The island of Ortigia is the physical and spiritual heart of Syracuse, with a predominance of medieval buildings interrupted here and there from churches and baroque palaces.

The Cathedral of the seventh century incorporates in its structure columns of a greek temple dedicated to Athena.

Damaged by several earthquakes, has a composite architecture and the towers on the left side of building testify to its use as a mosque during the period Arabic.

The Piazza del Duomo, in the highest of island, where once stood the ancient Acropolis of the Greek city, is surrounded by baroque palaces, including the Palazzo Beneventano and the Archbishopric,the Church of Saint Lucia to Badia Devoted protector of the holy city, which was martyred in Syracuse during the reign of Roman emperor Diocletian.

Not far from there, you can see Fonte Aretusa, a natural source that flows a few metres from the sea, according to legend, the nymph Aretusa was transformed into a source from Artemis to escape the attentions of river god Alpheus.

On the mainland extends the Archaeological Park of Neapoli, the new city. His Greek Theatre (fifth century BC), completely dug into the rock, could accommodate up to 16,000 spectators, also derived from the rock, large Roman amphitheatre dates from the third century AD the Ara of Gerone II, imposing in size (22 , 80 x 198 m), was used for public sacrifices of animals.

The Ear of Dionisio, a cave 65 mt. long and 23 mt. high, so christened by Caravaggio because of its shape and a legend that the tyrant of Syracuse would have exploited the exceptional acoustics of the cavity to listen to the conversations of prisoners it locked up.

If you intend to remain in the province of Siracusa, 33 km south of the city awaits Noto: completely razed to the ground by the earthquake in 1693, the town was entirely rebuilt in the style of Baroque era.

Taormina

Placed along the flanks of Mount Tauro, overlooking the sea and with views of Etna, Taormina has a particularly fortunate situation, which enabled it to fall into the most famous of the island.

Founded by the Sicilians, was conquered by the Greeks in the fifth century BC, following the destruction of Naxos. After Roman occupation, it was the turn of the Byzantines, who did their Sicilian capital.

Destroyed by the Arabs in 902, the city will remain a very important business and artistic center during the next centuries.

Worth a visit the Greek Theatre built in the third century BC remain primarily the elements remade or added in Roman times and, in addition, part of its structure is hidden by a room of the twelfth century.

From the place on which stood the scene is an enchanting view of the Etna and the whole coast.

In the center of town there is the Odeon, a small Roman theatre not well preserved.

The Cathedral of the thirteenth century has undergone several changes, the last dating back to 1636.

In Taormina you can admire different residences, including Palazzo Corvaja: was born as a bastion for work of the Arab in XI century and in 1410 was the seat of the Sicilian Parliament.

For fans of the beach, there is a cable car that allows you to reach those of Isola Bella and Mazzarò at the foot of the city.

Trapani

The site and the port of Trapani probably already existed before the Greeks, having been founded by people Sicane towards the eleventh century BC.

In the same time, Eryx (Erice) was founded by the Elimi, a people of origin troiana, while the Phoenicians gave life to the emporio of Mothia.

From the Middle Ages until the second world war, Trapani was an important maritime centre and craft, thanks to salt production, fishing for tuna and processing of coral.

Islands

Aeolian (Alicudi, Filicudi, Lipari, Panarea, Salina, Stromboli, Volcano) in the province of Messina

The Aeolian Islands or Lipari take its name from Aeolus, god of winds, located off the north-eastern Sicily, this archipelago is a paradise of caves, small bays, unexplored corners and active volcanoes.

The volcanoes of Stromboli and Volcano (which says lived the god Aeolus) brothers are the children of Etna, have created a melancholy landscape, made of black sand beaches.

Egadi (Favignana, Marettimo, Levanzo) in the province of Trapani
Pelagie (Lampedusa, Lampione, Linosa) in the province of Agrigento
Pantelleria, in the province of Trapani

Beaches

The surprising coastline of Sicily is a mixture of caves and inlets wet beaches quiet. Crossing more than 2 km, the beach at Mondello, near Palermo is one of the most impressive of Sicily, as is the bay of Cefalu.

Among the inlets of the famous resort Taormina is the beach of Mazzaro and the wide beaches of Letojanni and Giardini Naxos on the east coast, enormously popular by lovers of the sun.

Other very nice beaches: Selinunte, Gioiosa Marea and Marina di Patti.

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