How to pack a Suitcase

Many of us over pack for our holidays- 40 per cent of women admit taking too many shoes, for instance. Some ideas to let you squeeze more in and help them arrive in good shape:

Place Heaviest Items.
Such as shoes and denim, at the bottom.

Leave dresses
in dry cleaning bags and fold them at the waist. If packing more than one, pile them up and fold.

Turn suit jackets
inside out and fold in half along the body. Fold suit trousers along the crease.

Avoid coloured tissue paper.
If the luggage gets damp, colours could run.

Roll knits
rather than folding them. Takes up less room and avoids wrinkles. Ditto for cotton items and ties.

Zip-lock bags
work well for T-shirts and jumpers. Press out the air and seal.

Put beauty products
into small bottles. You can always leave them behind.

Fill handbags
with socks and underwear. It saves space and keeps their shape.

Vanessa Friedman - http://www.rd.com/

CAPTURING THE MAGIC

Professional Tips For Memorable Holiday Pics:


Plan Ahead

Imagine shots you might want to take. Will you need a wide-angle lens?
Should you set out with a change of clothes or rock-hopping footwear in a spare bag?
Knowledge inspires creativity, so do some research on your locale.

Time The Light

Early Morning gives a warm, golden light. For the bright, contrasting light in the middle of the day, use a wide-angle or telephoto lens. When the sun is vertical, create graphic images by using shadows. Try trees, lattice work on a wall or a human form.

Weather Equals light

Learn how to read a weather map. When travelling for pictures of the mountains, choose an overcast day. The light will then be distributed evenly for your pictures of waterfalls, forests and plants. Have some sense of the seasons if the vegetation is to be part of your photographs. Travel in spring to capture splendid wildflowers and wildlife.

Helen Chryssides - http://www.rd.com/

Tips for the Physically Challenged Traveller

1. If flying with a wheelchair, ensure that your batteries operate on gel. If you wheelchair has a "wet cell" battery, it will have to be disconnected, taken out of the chair and placed in a special container.

2. Have your chair serviced one or two weeks before you leave.

3. Talk to your travel agent about these needs:

• Is the resort or cruise ship wheelchair accessible?
• Is your room and washroom large enough to accommodate a wheelchair?
• What electric cal current dose your resort or cruise ship use? if 220 volts is required, make sure this will be provided.
• Ensure you have transportation from the airport to your destination, and back.
  

4. Before travelling overseas, phone the consulate or embassy of any countries you will be visiting. They may be able to supply information on appropriate local medical and transportation services.

Jaq Le Blang0-in the Toronto Star http://www.rd.com/

technorati tags: travel tips

Fun in The Jungle

The dense tropical forest of Asia are magical places to spend an afternoon, an evening or even a night.

Deep in the jungle, as the canopy above darkens the path, you realise that you have nothing but your hands, your wits and your guide to help you survive.

Fortunately, at the Jungle Environment Survival Training camp in Subic Bay, Philippines, your guide is about all you need to live through a hike into the area's 10,000 hectares of virgin rain forest.

Filipino tribesmen have lived in the jungles around Subic Bay for generations, and today they offer jungle hikes and tours. But don't expect your usual guided tour. Subic's vast jungle is home to 3000 types of trees, 10,000 varieties of plants and over a thousand animal species, including huge bats and playful monkeys. Lessons cover starting a fire with two pieces of bamboo, fishing with your hands, and even brewing a from of 'jungle coffee."

Around Asia. similar jungle jaunts are available for travellers looking for something a bit more robust than the tour bus. The Singapore Zoological Gardens offers a night safari set 40 hectares of dense secondary, visitors can see more than 1000 nocturnal animals.

Near Kuala Lumpur, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia offers a variety of ways to interact with its adjacent forest. The 1.5-kilometre Salleh's Trail winds along a path lined with interesting trees typical of Malaysia's forests. Another trail is reserved for mountain biking.

For those with no fear of heights, the Canopy Walkway offers a view of jungle life at the treetops. The 200-metre series of walkways is suspended about 30 metres above the ground.

There are impressive viewing points along the canopy, but the trail up to the area is steep and gruelling.

A small fee is charged for all these jungle tours. In Subic, an overnight tour is offered at varying but reasonable rates, depending on the equipment involved.