Articles from 2008
Café Américain, Amsterdam
Situated in the heart of the centre, overlooking the Leidse Square, or Leidseplein, the famous Art Deco Café Américain is inviting you ...
5 travel planning tips from frequent fliers
Long before you're on the plane getting comfortable with a blanket and a book, you want follow these tips from frequent fliers. They'll make your flig...
The cleaning up of Venice
While Venice sorts out how to stay afloat, especially given the latest record aqua alta, the mayor is working at making it a more decorous place. Ther...
Tips for Philadelphia to New York budget trips
Tough economic times have put a crimp in holiday travel, reports Travelers Aid Philadelphia from the special vantage of its traveler assistance booth ...
Frommer's top 12 destinations for 2009
It’s really that time of year, and all the pundits are throwing out their top destinations for 2009. I listed the Concierge.com ‘It List&r...
Eyeflare.com’s events calendar 2009 - Part 2
The second of our calendar of events for 2009 that you may wish to plan some trips around. We have a fantastic Thai festival, cheese rolling (?) in En...
The 2009 It List for travel
Concierge.com just released its annual “It List” predicting the 10 must-visit destinations for 2009. Locations on this year’s list c...
Heathrow Airport
Out of London's 5 main airports, Heathrow Airport is the most well known and most used. Around 90 airlines fly from Heathrow to over 180 locations wor...
Where to meet in Paris
There are thousands of spots where you could arrange to meet in Paris. Here are some of the better, as they're beautiful, small, and easy to find even...
Travel resolutions for 2009
New year equals new travel resolutions. Or rather, in my case, re-visiting some old ones. I am however, going to change some travel habits this year. ...
Some tips from Carnival of Cities
This week's edition of Carnival of Cities included a number of stonkingly good articles. Here are a few linked and a link to the full carnival at the ...
Thrift store shopping in San Francisco
San Francisco being the hippy / trendy place it is, there are thrift stores all over the place. Which, if you’re a visitor looking for Americana...
Eyeflare.com's events calendar 2009 - Part 1
For 2009, we’ve found a calendar of unusual or fascinating events for each month to plan your travels around, ranging from Carnival in Rio de Ja...
Hostels gain popularity with travelers of all ages
Hostels are beginning to become a lot more popular with older travelers as both the recession bites harder and the quality of hostels keeps increasing...
Christmas events in London 2008
During the Christmas period, London’s buzzing with different events up until the big day. Many are free, and fun for kids and adults alike.
Win...
Café de Flore, Paris
Paris is the origin of European café culture. While the recent credit crunch has made life more difficult for café owners, today’...
The best street markets in the world
One of the coolest things about travel is to trawl the street markets wherever you end up. Here’s our collection of the best, and strangest, str...
XCOR Aerospace becomes 3rd player in space tourism market
Not content with leaving the space tourism market to Virgin Galactic and Rocket Racing, XCOR has pitched their bid for blasting paying passengers into...
Ice skating rinks in New York City
New York is great for ice skating in November, December and April when temperatures typically range from 45 to 65 degrees but the rinks are already op...
Happy Thanksgiving 2008!
Today's Thanksgiving and we're at home relaxing and thinking about what we have to be thankful for during this past year. This is what's been fantasti...
Website tip: Aerochannel.com
Aerochannel.com is a unique day-of-flight service designed to help airline travelers get to their flight on time. With more than 4.5 million passenger...
Check out Anthony's 3 year blogging anniversary carnival
I was recently invited to take part in Anthony McCune's blog carnival to celebrate his 3 solid years of blogging. It's a great celebratory blog carniv...
Tips for free travel from SmarterTravel
SmarterTravel.com's new "Free Travel Special Report" uncovers free (or nearly free) travel deals and offers a comprehensive list of attractions at top...
hotels.com opens up sweepstakes for millionth review on site
hotels.com will celebrate the approach of one million reviews on its site with the "Millionth Review" sweepstakes.
The sweepstakes, which runs now t...
Lemonia - Greek Cypriot food in Primrose Hill
To celebrate some good news, my wife and I went to Lemonia in Primrose Hill last night to have a nice meal. And it was very nice indeed. Lemonia is lo...
Website tip: Liftopia.com
This ski season, the Liftopia.com website has negotiated special discounts and ski pass deals all over the U.S. As both domestic and international tou...
Busiest airports and travel days this Thanksgiving Weekend
If you've booked your flights or are still planning to travel this Thanksgiving Weekend, here's some information to help you stay in the know and on t...
Quick drying t-shirts from Ex Officio
Ex Officio makes a range of quick drying clothes perfect for backpacking, lightweight travelers, or long term travel. I've covered their quick drying ...
Eco-friendly travel not a priority for UK travelers
Out of 1,000 UK travelers, 55% pay no attention to the environmental impact their travel plans have. Out of the 45% that does care, just a minuscule 2...
TSA gives families a break for Christmas
The Transportation Security Administration is expanding the "family lane" concept to every airport security checkpoint in the country, and will direct...
New English castle tours
English Heritage recently announced that two new tours are offered at Carlisle Castle and Dover Castle.
Open book guided tours at Carlisle Castle
...
5 amazing wildlife encounters
Wildlife is maybe the one thing those of us who live in major cities are missing the most in life. Luckily, there are eco-travel companies out there t...
Belkin FlyThru laptop case review
Belkin just introduced a new TSA-approved FlyThru laptop case, which means you no longer need to remove your laptop from the bag in the airport secu...
Historic environment plays vital role in tackling climate change
The historic environment can play a vital role in tackling climate change, according to heritage organisations. In particular, the sensitive re-use ...
Quick drying underwear from Ex Officio
Backpackers and people like me who travel light are always trying to free up space in their luggage. When I'm away for a week or more, it seems my ent...
Money-saving ski vacation tips
Who says ski vacations have to be super-expensive? If you're looking to cut your ski vacation costs without giving up on comfort and actual skiing, f...
Tapas at The Gore Hotel’s Bar 190
The fancy The Gore Hotel in London's South Kensington now serves tapas in the chic Bar 190. Not only that, they're a bit of a bargain too.
All the me...
With profits dropping, Ryanair plans £8 flights to the US
Budget airline Ryanair wants to offer flights to the U.S. for just £8 plus tax. The budget airline is preparing to buy cheap planes from struggl...
Eating on the cheap in London
Visitors to London usually think of fish and chips, lackluster meals at Wetherspoons, or hot dogs with onions when cheap food comes up in discussions....
Award for Warkworth Castle
Warkworth Castle won the bronze in the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year award, English Heritage's second prestigious prize win in October.
Bu...
Shop for suits in New York City with My.suit
As if you needed another reason to head over to New York and spend some money, a new service from My.Suit is a great incentive for anyone who likes we...
Travelers make more eco-friendly decisions according to new survey
Whether it's sharing rides to and from
the airport or printing only essential pages of their itineraries,
travelers are casting a critical eye on ea...
Website tip: The Bathroom Diaries
The Bathroom Diaries is the world's largest database of restroom locations. It rates over 12,000 public bathrooms in more than 120 countries. They ...
Armadillo Aerospace bags $350k in Lunar Lander Challenge
Space startup company Armadillo Aerospace won the $350,000 prize on Friday in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, proving that a private comp...
Priceline.com now finds good airfares and hotel room rates
Priceline.com used to be an exotic service meant only for the adventurous traveler, those willing to accept the risk of a 6am flight or a surburban ho...
Rocket Racing creates second space tourism business
Space took a giant leap closer to
earth today, following the launch of a new joint venture between Rocket
Racing, Inc. (RRI), Armadillo Aerospac...
Private astronaut Richard Garriott returns to Earth
Richard Garriott, the 1st second-generation astronaut and only sixth private individual in history to travel to space, returned to Earth October 23 af...
Best London Pub Awards 2008
Each year round the middle of October, where-to-imbibe experts, Fancyapint.com, get together to celebrate the anniversary of their site by presenting ...
National Express fare sale in Britain
National Express, the biggest coach company in Britain, is offering 40,000 fares at £3, one way. Getting around Britain can be expensive at the ...
Elite JFK travelers get pampered by American Airlines
American Airlines is now
offering PriorityAAccess privileges to its top customers at John F.
Kennedy International Airport in New York.
"...
The winners announced for Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards 2008
Cruise Critic, the world's leading resource for cruise
reviews and news, today announced the winners of the 2008 Cruise Critic
Editors' Picks Aw...
Todd's Hostel Las Vegas
With an outdoor pool, free coffee and tea all day, free WiFi and a common kitchen, Todd's Hostel Las Vegas is a poor man's Ceasar's Palace, a refuge ...
US mayors welcome extension to the Visa Waiver Program
On behalf of the nation's mayors, U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz today applauded the Administration's recent exp...
Parisian hidden gems
With cutting-edge fashions, fabulous food and some of the loveliest outdoor spots in the world, it seems that all the stereotypes are true… a...
Top 2009 travel trends from Tripadvisor
TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travele...
Some cuts in fuel surcharges have arrived
With fuel prices at gas stations going down so much over the past few weeks, we've all wondered why the savings have not been passed on to airlin...
Secrets of the French Paradox
The phenomenon known as "French paradox" is the relatively low rate of heart disease and obesity in France as compared with other Western countries. D...
Top concerns of travelers - Survey results
A recent survey from InsureMyTrip.com ranks three types of travel insurance as most valued by its consumers. Nearly 85% of those surveyed consider Tri...
Heritage-led developments reveal a new way to rescue heritage
Constructive Conservation in Practice and English Heritage on Tuesday 7 October, championed the 20 best development schemes in historic plac...
Eco-travel resources for your trip planning
The rising cost of oil, continuing depletion of natural resources, and climate change are on everyone’s mind. The travel industry has taken not...
Broadway Hostel, New York City
Hostels might be a great choice if you're in New York City and don't have friends you know well enough to crash on their sofa. Hotels here are often g...
4 more cool green getaways
Watching wildlife in an African nature reserve, learning about the plight of polar bears, kayaking a Latin American jungle river, or staying in a trad...
Luxury holidays with Only Exclusive Travel
I'm really a backpacker at heart, but when I travel with my wife I'm leaning more towards somewhat more comfortable trips. In other words, I'm searchi...
Mind reading security scanners will arrive at an airport near you soon
A scene from the airport of the future: A man's pulse races as he walks through a checkpoint. His quickened heart rate and heavier breathing set off a...
Travel questions from Seth Godin
I don't usually pull out others' posts here on eyeflare.com, but these travel thoughts from Seth Godin's blog are worth spreading even further. Seth...
A cooler Tube journey from 2010
Boris Johnson yesterday unveiled a mock-up of the new "S" stock trains being constructed for the Metropolitan, Circle, District and Hammersmith & ...
Great emerging eco-travel destinations
Eco-tourism became a buzzword about 20 years ago, and since then it's success can be measured by how the concept has spread globally. There are compan...
Cure your fear of flying
If you're suffering from an irrational fear of flying, it will certainly be a major obstacle to having a great far away vacation. Fear of flying, al...
What to pack: Bike touring packing listYou've heard it before, but you can never hear it enough: Plan to pack according to the weather. A three-day biking tour through dry terrain will diff...
Travel agency collapse shows the need for travel insurance
With massive travel agency / holiday package firm XL Leisure collapsing this last week, it hightlights the issues with booking holiday packages in gen...
Casio EXILIM EX-F1 is a great all-in-one travel camera
Today I ran across the Casio EXILIM EX-F1 - a six megapixel camera with 12x zoom and some very impressive burst shooting capabilities. The camera capt...
5 common mistakes when booking air fares
It's easier than you'd think to make an expensive mistake while booking an airplane ticket. The below mistakes are common with train fares and buses a...
Local vs global - who's better to help plan your vacation?
While in Paris recently, I ran into a representative of Tahiti travel specialist easyTahiti.com and discussed travel agencies over a couple of drinks....
Mildreds - vegetarian in Soho, London
A cozy spot in London's Soho neighborhood, Mildred's serves exclusively vegetarian food for the area's bohemian and tourist denizens.
Mildred's pride...
Green travel guide to Edinburgh launched
Organic porridge, iPod tours and a carbon neutral hostel are just a few of the eco-friendly highlights uncovered in the first ever green travel guide ...
Discover London's East End with these unique walking tours
Tower Hamlets’ residents can take a step back in time and discover the borough’s fascinating history with the help of a free self-guide tr...
Hire a minibus and roadtrip through Australia
If you're planning a great Australian roadtrip with your friends, you should consider a bus hire to get around in. With the massive distances between ...
Ski the Italian Alps this winter
The south-facing Italian Alps is one of the premier ski areas outside of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. You'll find that the resorts all ...
4 exciting green getaways
Trekking through the high passes of Tibet, exploring wildlife in Ecuador's jungles, or canoeing down a river in Utah. Here are 4 very cool and eco-fri...
Foreign transaction fees will make your travel budget shrink
Credit card companies make money from travelers in a range of ways. Besides charging you interest on your purchases, and even higher interest on cash ...
'Checkpoint friendly' laptop bags now allowed
To speed up the security process and better protect laptops, starting August 16 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow passengers...
Bug Band - No mess bug repellent
If you're tired of the mess of most bug repellents, or poisonous DEET, this is a great little product for camping trips, spending time outside, or any...
Odd destinations: Wieliczka Salt Mine
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is known as "the underground cathedral of Poland." This mine dating back to the 13th century stretches over 300 kilo...
Funny things tourists say
“Can you tell me where I can see the hobbits?”, “Are the tunnels underground?”, and “Does my ferret need to be on a lead...
The best cheap hotels in Paris
The dollar is low and prices for Paris hotels are high as always. Or...? There are actually quite a number of good hotels at better prices than you'd ...
5 more free things in Paris
Paris is outrageously expensive for anyone earning dollars. But there are quite a few things in the city that can be done for free. Previously, I shar...
5 free things in Paris
Paris can be a very expensive city, but there are things to do that are absolutely free and very enjoyable. Here are some examples from Parisians in t...
Velib’ bike rentals in Paris
It’s been a year since the introduction of Velib’, Paris’s bike rental system and they are being used by people all over Paris! Th...
Carbon offsetting programs
A single long-haul flight between London and Los Angeles will rack up 2.6 tons of carbon emissions in your personal pollution account.
Most airl...
Great reads #21
Beth Basinski treats us to the Top 10 Dive Destinations over at Matador Travel. Two of the places listed especially attracted me, as diving in the Gal...
Eco-travel seals of approval
There's no convenient 'green pages' directory for eco-lodges, eco-friendly tour companies, or eco-travel destinations. Instead, there are dozens of pr...
1 carry-on suitcase = 1 week of travel
Yes, you can fit everything for a 1 week trip into a single carry-on suitcase. It's not even difficult. Just follow this packing list and ideas for a ...
Unclaimed Baggage Center
Unclaimed Baggage is a one-of-a-kind store snuggled in the foothills of the Appalachian ...
Get Oyster-ed for cheaper London travel
Get Oyster-ed for cheaper London travel
London travel is often slow, crowded and awfully hot. It can also be extremely pricey. Here's how to save som...
New bid to globalise sustainable tourism certification
Clearly, 100 different global sustainable tourism certification schemes is too much for the beleaguered consumer. In an effort to make the situati...
Eco-travel destinations no longer
Eco-travel has gone through a honeymoon period and become a mainstream trend. It's easy to find information about where to go and where to stay if you...
Cheap theater tickets in London
London's West End is on par with New York's Broadway theater district when it comes to top quality big budget theater productions. But with the US Dol...
Travel cheaply in Italy
Italy has become one of the most expensive destinations in Europe. Here are my tips for travelling cheaply in today's Italy.
Travel during the off s...
Scrumptious breakfasts on the Las Vegas Strip
Breakfast is more an afterthought than a destination in Las Vegas. Your options used to be café, buffet or Starbucks. While that may be accepta...
When in Spain, just say no
Travel brings risks: Theft, accidents, shoddy hotels... You can now add robbery at ATMs to that list. However, this time it's not a thug with a knife ...
Travel + Leisure's yearly top ten round-up
In an annual poll, magazine Travel + Leisure lets readers choose their favorite cities, destinations, hotels, travel providers, and much more. This us...
Website tip: Las Vegas Hotel Guide
Las Vegas is an adult playground whether you're into gambling, partying, or simply experiencing a range of fun activities. Currently, the 'Sin City' h...
Daytrips from Amsterdam
Get a taste of the countryside when visiting Amsterdam. Cycling is the Dutch way to travel and the simplest excursion is to rent a bike, take the tra...
Skip the lines at Orlando's theme parks
Waiting in line for a free burger is out of the question for me. So waiting an hour for a 60-second ride is not going to happen. Luckily, Orlando is c...
Great reads #20
A very late issue of my roundup, which I've decided to make monthly rather than weekly. Let me know if you'd like to see more travel articles, more of...
Cheap travel tips for students
If you're between the ages of 12 and 26, did you know that you can get discounted travel just because you're student? Yes, we all thought that senior ...
NYC Restaurant Week 2008
NYC Restaurant Week is back for its summer session, offering New York City travelers deeply discounted prices at more than 230 top restaurants across ...
Madrid
Madrid may be lacking in architectural beauty compared with other major Spanish cities, but it makes up for this with its bou...
London for free summer 2008
Eyeflare's guide to 10 brilliant things to do in London that don't cost a penny. In a city where money most often flows very freely, these are some tr...
10 best beaches in America 2008
Dr. Beach - aka Stephen Leatherman - is director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. He uses 50 criteria in select...
7 commandments for lower travel costsAnyone living in U.S.A. or the UK is suffering from high oil prices, the rise of the Euro, and steeply rising airfares. In fact, those climbing expens...
Sex and the City hot spots in New York
Top picks of fabulous Sex and the City locations for those that want to trace Carrie's well-heeled footsteps. A bustling cosmopolitan destination of j...
Naples, Italy
Naples, Napoli in Italian, is the third largest city in Italy and the biggest in Southern Italy. Its name comes from the Greek Neapolis meaning new c...
10 nature walks with literary flavor
For some fantastic summer travel ideas, why not combine a love of the outdoor with a love of literature? Here are 10 beautiful walks that will titilla...
The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi coast is both legendary and mythical. It is believed that here lived the treacherous Sirens, as described by Homer in the Odyssey. In fac...
Headphone splitter for sharing music
Headphone splitters are tiny cables that let you plug to headphones into a single headphone jack and so share your MP3 player's output with a fellow t...
5 secrets for great travel portraits
Getting close to people at your destination is the best way to get close to their culture. Your camera is one of the best tools to meet people. Every...
Website tip: WhyTravelToFrance.com
We're off to Paris again this fall, and are beginning to look at things to see and do. I came across WhyTravelToFrance.com when I was reading France t...
Travel fit - pack Kettlestacks
Staying fit while on the road is sometimes difficult. An new portable version of kettlebell called Kettlestacks can make it much easier.
For those t...
Great reads #19
The Great reads feature will be moving to a biweekly schedule from now on. So, every other Monday morning, I will guide you to some of the best travel...
Finding new webhosting
This site used to be at Network Solutions for hosting, but has recently moved over to GoDaddy. NetSol ended up being more costly than what I was prepa...
Stay in a houseboat on Lake Powell
Sparkling, clear, blue water laps against towering, sheer, red-rock canyon walls and sandy beaches. Power boats and wave runners zip about while house...
Lowfares.com
As one of the best meta search engines in the travel sector, Lowfares.com is also the granddaddy. Around since 1995, it's a web pioneer and now going ...
The new vacation terms
We had 'staycation' and 'mancation' but the travel industry* has come up with some new terms** lately:
unification
family reunion crui...
Tips for cheaper money abroad
Saving money abroad can be a lot simpler than the usual advice. Rather than obsess over the right season to go, which country is the cheapest right no...
Amsterdam - coffee shops, history, and canals
Charming medieval architecture and an expansive 17th century canal system, present everywhere in the city center, both help to make cosmopolitan Amste...
Picking savings accounts
On the seriously boring front, my wife and I set out to pick some new savings accounts after our previous bank really let us down. After some very in-...
Aloksak waterproof bags
Using plastic shopping bags to pack various items in your bags is an old trick to keep things separated.
The problem with shopping bags is they're n...
Montreal
Montreal's charm lies in its old-world atmosphere rather than its star attractions. Nonetheless, this city of immigrants has managed to carve out a pl...
Cheap and simple green travel
Would you travel greener if it were simple and inexpensive? 90% of travelers in a recent survey indicated that they would like to have less of an impa...
Tips for great hotel deals
Learn some great tips for finding hotel deals that are much better than those advertised. You don't have to pay $400+ in New York, $300+ in London or ...
Great reads #18
Tim Leffel at Cheapest Destinations has a really informative article up about costs and other practicalities of traveling in South America. There real...
Share your travel plans with "the man"
Would you share your travel plans with the government? No, me neither. However, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has gone ahead and created a...
Jazz on the Park, New York
Jazz on the Park is the hipster's hostel in New York, with house music blaring in the art-filled lobby, weekly barbecues in summer for just 5 bucks, ...
Great reads #17
Getting lost in a foreign city happens to the best of us, the rest of us, and the most seasoned of travelers. For tips on getting your bearings again,...
Drinking in France
Wherever you can eat you can invariably drink, and vice versa. Drinking is done at a leisurely pace whether it's before food (apéritif), after ...
Central Park Hostel, New York
Because it's not nearly as well-known as it eventually will be, and doesn't enjoy the marketing advantages of hostels belonging to the worldwide Hoste...
Jordan
Instead of Dubai, save your hard-earned dollars and visit neighboring Jordan for a cheaper and more down-to-Earth vacation spot. As Dubair has become ...
Charge all your electronic gadgets at once
Getting your electronic gadgets charged while you travel can be taxing. There are so many chargers, cords, and connections that all have to be brought...
Train travel around the world
Train travel is fast, convenient, and usually cheaper than flying. As an added benefit, you get to see the beautiful countryside you're traveling thou...
Great reads #16
Is that great American tradition - The Road Trip - be in danger? With gas hitting $4 per gallon and only rising, it certainly is costing more each day...
Santa Ynez Valley, California
If you're looking for a better priced alternative for California's Napa Valley, head to Santa Ynez Valley to experience the same superb level of wine ...
Pigeons aren't welcome in St. Mark's Square
From this May 7, feeding pigeons in St. Mark's Square will be illegal. Tourists that feed pigeons and are caught will be fined 50 Euros, ca $80 USD, ...
Solar chargers for backpackers
Stuck outside, far from everything, and your iPod battery dies. Yep, we've all been there. But if you pack a travel-sized solar charger, you can boost...
Great reads #15
More messy air travel news this week, so maybe it's time to catch the train instead? And the Inca Trail is sold out, travelers to Peru will have to fi...
How to use your camera's built-in flash gun
While on the road, you're likely packing just a compact digital camera. And during travels, your photo opportunites are often in shadowy locations or ...
Get fingerprinted leaving the USA
If you hadn't read the exact words of Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, you wouldn't have believed it. The DHS, char...
Traveling with teens to New York
It can be difficult to keep teenagers entertained while on vacation. Here are some ideas on amping the excitement levels while on a trip to New York C...
Great reads #14
Loads of new travel finds for you to read this week. There's a lot of talk about airline security and it's nice to see it's finally being taken seri...
Shooting photos from a moving vehicle
On the road you often see some interesting sights out your window. Here are some travel photography tips on capturing photos from a moving vehicle.
...
Luton Airport
London has 5 main airports and Luton Airport is the least known but possibly easiest to use. There are no long-haul flights from Luton Airport, but pl...
Carnival of Cities 16 April 2008
Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Cities, it's the first for eyeflare.com. If it's your first time here, have a look around, subscribe to our...
Great reads #13
Lonely Planet in shocking author admission of plagiarism and corruption. Roman catacombs, Civil War destinations, and more airline bankruptcies. It's ...
Cheap flights - our best tips for bargain air travel
Cheap air fare is the holy grail of travel. It used to be that I’d budget $500 for the flight and $250 for the rest of the trip... but now compe...
Keep your travel money safe from thieves
Never keep all your travel cash in one place when traveling, not even in the in-room safe. Here are our best tips to keep your money.
Hotel room safe...
Concert and theatre tickets with viagogo
If you're looking to find entertainment at any European destination, viagogo can help you find theatre or concert tickets easily.
viagogo is an on...
Hosting Carnival of Cities on 16 April 2008We're hosting next week's Carnival of Cities here on eyeflare.com on Wednesday 16 April 2008.
This great blog carnival is about finding and promoting...
Great reads #12
Wardrobe tips for India, declining U.S. tourism and faltering airlines, and how to get free stuff in the UK are all in this week's crop of articles.
...
Obituary of the late Mr Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his...
Minestrone soup and pesto
Soup is one of the best one-pot meals. This hearty minestrone makes a perfect feast if you're staying in a hostel with friends or even cooking for you...
Italian speeding fines can kill your vacation budget
The Italian highway authorities have installed cameras and sensors on major roads that clock your average driving speed, read your license plate, and ...
The world's best coastal drives
Spanning from California's Highway 1 to cliff-hugging drives along the Tasmanian coast, sometimes the journey really is the destination. Book a flight...
ecoescape UK handbook for eco-friendly travel
A new series of eco-travel guides has launched for the United Kingdom. These ecoescape guides to "responsible escapism" feature 'slow travel...
Greek chicken with onions, olives, oregano, and feta
This easy to make meal is chock full of flavor. It cooks within an hour and like most one-pot meals is even better made a day ahead of eating s...
Europride in Stockholm summer 2008
Europride is taking place in Stockholm, Sweden, this year between 25 July and 3 August. It'll be the biggest event on the European Gay and Lesbian cal...
Great reads #11
A bumper reading roundup this week. Inside, we have some stringent warnings about the risks of becoming a traveling hippie and tales of Paris in the F...
Happy Easter!
Hope you all are having a better Easter holiday than this bunny :-) ...
Brazil's Florianopolis is perfect for surf holidays
The island of Florianopolis, in Brazil's Santa Catarina province, is one of the world's best surfing spots. There are a massive 42 beaches on the isla...
The Farmhouse Table, Covent Garden, London
Saturday saw us in Covent Garden and at The Farmhouse Table, a restaurant I've been curious about for a while. It turns out to be a good choice at a r...
10 amazing castles in Ireland
Ireland is as famous for castles as it is for Guinness. Dotted everywhere on the Emerald Isle, the castles connect modern day tourists with the dra...
Great reads #10
From the last week, we've got space travel, mountain climbing, everyday travel, and body language tips. Read on for a Monday morning travel fix.
Tra...
Kayaking is adventure eco-travel for everyone
For the environmentally aware adventure traveler, kayaking is a great option either as a vacation theme or a day's activity. Here's rundown on what ka...
Fantasticable flights get your heart pumping
Adrenaline junkies will love this experience. Fantasticables are joyrides where you're strung to a metal wire and fly between mountaintops in a glorif...
Hotel fire safety - your steps for surviving
Almost without exception, each of us has traveled away from our homes and stayed in a hotel, motel, or a bed and breakfast establishment. Oftentimes...
Great reads #9
Monday morning reading for all you travel junkies. Here are some of the best articles I've come across during last week.
Travel articles from other ...
i'Toscano - great Tuscan food in Florence
We found this Tuscan restaurant in Florence on a local's recommendation for our anniversary dinner. It's a great choice for classical Italian food fro...
Don't fall for vacation booking scams
Every year, thousands of travelers fall prey to scamming travel agencies that take their money and quickly vanish. Here are 5 vital checks.
If you...
Great reads #8
More reading for a Monday morning. Here are my best finds for articles during the last week.
Fantastic travel articles
The Traveler's Notebook cove...
easyJet launches miles credit card
easyJet's Iannos Stelios has just launched a new airmiles credit card for his budget airline, and if you're a frequent easyJet traveler, it may be a u...
Strata with tomatoes, herbs, and goatcheese
This simple one-pot meal is originally a peasant's meal. It's quite hearty and very simple to make while on the move, whether in a hostel kitchen or a...
Circuit workout video for travelers
It's hard to get a good workout in while on the road; cramped hotel rooms, no gyms, and no space in the carry-on bag all conspire to get you out of sh...
Help travelers save by gifting them your used transport tickets
Most urban public transport systems in the west can be quite expensive for a visitor. London is outrageous, but so are cities like Venice, and even Pa...
Great reads #7
It's Monday and time for another collection of great articles and links to liven up your work week. Take a look at these and look busy in front of the...
Hotels in Murano, Venice
Murano, the island where all the glass art is made, is a quiet and cheaper alternative to the Venice islands for a hotel. There are only two on the is...
Make your own small and cheap first aid kit
Make your own small and cheap first aid kit
When you’re traveling, it’s a good idea to keep a small first-aid kit on hand for unexpected ...
Perfect carry-on cases for travel photographers
Air travel is the perfect opportunity for your photographic gear to be ruined while traveling. Checking it means that the 'baggage handlers' can get t...
See New York from a double-decker bus
One of the fastest ways to see New York's sights is to take a tour on a double-decker bus from City Sights NY. Starting at $37 per day and person, yo...
Sausage and sage with white beans in Tuscan style
Italian food can be as easy as this one-pot dish from Tuscany. This sausages, sage, and white beans dish is hearty, easy to make, and feeds all your n...
Visit Kauai for the outdoors
Only 20 minutes from Honolulu by air, is the tropical paradise of Kauai, Hawaii. It's an outdoor paradise, and its famous for fishing, golfing, and ...
Free audio tour guides for business travelers
The Economist produces a number of very good audio guides for busy business travelers to use before and during a visit to the major cities of the worl...
Carcassonne, France
Carcassonne is a pristine medieval town located about 45 minutes south of Toulouse. It is a very easy day trip if you are traveling from the Toulouse ...
Chinese New Year in London
London's Chinese New Year celebrations are a great, free, day out for visitors and Londoners alike. It's also one of the most child-friendly events: W...
Use online check-in to save time at the airport
Everyone knows about online check-in but most of us still don't use it. I know I haven't, mostly because I couldn't figure out how to check my bags! U...
Piccolo Diavolo, Italian food in London's Soho
The 'Little Devil' is an appropriate name for a central Soho restaurant, and one of our favorites too. They always serve up great Italian food at dece...
Great reads #6
Travel's getting more obnoxious every day. Whether it's horrible airplane food or being charged for basics such as checking in, it's a wonder we reall...
Use Delocator to find independent coffee shops
I love taking some time out while travelling and visiting a coffee shop or great café. But finding a good independent one in a strange city can...
Visiting Pisa and Florence
For our first wedding anniversary, Lauri and I visited Pisa with a day trip to Florence. Here's what's good to see and where to stay in Pisa and Flo...
The world's worst airports listed
We all spend more and more time in airports, and here are the ones you should avoid if at all possible.
Updated 25 January 2008.
Worst European air...
See the northern lights up close and personal
Virgin Galactic will soon offer up trips through the northern lights if Richard Branson's plans come to fruition.
Certainly never one to shy away f...
Website tip: cFares promises cheaper air fares
In a market saturated with cheap flight search engines and online air travel consolidators, cFares promises a different proposal: Get access to the su...
12 tips to survive an airplane crash
Following the BA Boeing 777 crash earlier this week, I found some tips on an older Condé Nast travel article about getting out alive when your ...
Stop your travel bottles from leaking
To stop your shampoos, cremes and everything else you pack in a bottle wile traveling from leaking out and ruining your baggage, squeeze the bottle w...
BA plane crashlands at Heathrow Airport
A plane from China operated by British Airways crashed at Heathrow today after shearing off its rear landing gear by touching down short of the runway...
Travelers rely on search engines to book vacations
A UK study with Google and comScore is showing that travelers are getting smarter when they're looking for vacation bookings online. Over 20 million t...
3 islands in the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean islands are great destinations all year round, but spring and fall are the most pleasant and beautiful. Malta, Crete, and Cyprus are...
What to pack: Moleskine City Notebooks
My new favorite guidebooks are Moleskine's City Notebooks. Instead of telling you what they think is
best, they give you a map and empty pages to ...
Top 10 cool destinations for 2008
This year, intrepid travelers are finding new, and newly cool old, destinations to jet off to. Luxury travel mag Concierge.com share's their Top 10 li...
Carpool for eco-friendly commuting
Not all travel involves jetting off to exotic places (or Cleveland...). Most of our miles and co2 emissions are caused by our daily commute - usually ...
New York City
New York City, the city that never sleeps. A metropolitan world city for hundreds of years and one of the world’s most impressive destinations...
Caffe Vergnano 1882, London
A coffee lover’s paradise, this proper Italian coffee shop at 62 Charing Cross Road in London serves some of the best espresso and cappuccino anywhe...
Great reads #5
More great articles from around the travel sphere. Best of all is that we now get to have two carry-ons again traveling to and from England! This issu...
Paris tours for the unorganized visitor
If you need some assistance with finding a perfect tour to the sights of Paris and surrounds, try isango! This specialist can help you work out an iti...
A place for your wheels in London
Anyone who drives in London sooner or later runs into parking problems. Severe parking problems, given the state of the streets around where I live. H...
Waxy O'Connor's, Soho, London
In the heart of the West End, Waxy O'Connors is like no other bar. The fantastic features cathedral like timber carvings, stained glass windows, beaut...
Website tip: Finding hotels in Rome, Italy
The major travel consolidators are quite thin when it comes to well priced and central hotels for Rome. RomaClick is a good local alternative.
The R...