Category: Travelling

Kosher Food Online And More How To Keep A Kosher Diet While Traveling

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For those who adhere to a kosher diet, taking a vacation or planning a business trip can be a very stressful time. Sure, when at home you have your refrigerator stocked with kosher meat, snacks and other foods. But as soon as you make plans to leave home, you have to make arrangements that ensure you can eat kosher while on the go. But more often than not, finding kosher meat and other food while traveling is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to help eat kosher, no matter where your travels take you.

1) First, be sure to bring a stash of kosher snacks with you for the commute. Whether you’re traveling by air, train, bus, or automobile, chances are that your options for kosher food are going to be limited and there’s no better way to make yourself sick than by traveling on an empty stomach. So like most things in life, it’s best to plan ahead and come prepared. Pre-packaged snack foods are great travel options, and there are a surprising number of kosher snacks available at many convenience stores. Just pay attention to the packaging and you’ll be fine.

2) If you’re going to be traveling to your destination by plane and there will be a meal served on board, you should request a kosher meal. To better ensure that there are kosher options, you should book your travel arrangements through an agency that specializes in bookings with Jewish travelers. These agencies will usually arrange kosher meals for your flight.

3) If you’re going to be staying in a hotel, make sure that you have a fridge in your room. That way it is much easier for you to keep your stash of kosher food you brought along with you, fresh. If you are going to be in an unfamiliar place for an extended period of time, and are concerned about finding kosher meat, you can always order kosher food online. Many online retailers cater specifically to travelers in locations with minimal kosher options. With the kosher food online option, you can have kosher food delivered to your doorstep in little to no time. And if you have a refrigerator and cooking ranges in your lodging facility, you’re good to go.

4) If you’re eating at a restaurant and are concerned about your kosher diet, you should ask the server to have your food cooked in aluminum foil. Also request that your meal be served in the same foil in which it has been cooked.

5) The internet has really made traveling a lot easier for travelers, especially those who eat kosher. There are tons of resources online for Jewish travelers that list kosher restaurants in your location, and offer information on what type of food is served, and even offer directions. When in doubt, just turn to the trusty internet, and you’re sure to find some kosher food options nearby.

All in all, sticking to your kosher diet should not be a headache while traveling. With a little planning, preparation and foresight, you can have your trip go off without a hitch and have a belly full of kosher food!

Vacation Cell Phone Rental

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Traveling to a foreign country and have to use your phone can be really expensive. Since the inception of roaming charges they never seem to get lower despite the advent of new and free technology on the market. Phone companies like it when you’re your phone in roaming because you are now caught in a helpless situation.

Some mobile carriers are ruthless in the way they deal with their clients charging for things that need not to be charged for. In fact the best way to avoid being charge for text messages that you don’t care about is to keep your phone on airplane mode. You will be able to access WiFi still but no incoming messages or calls will be received. Another thing which is ridiculous in this modern era is the fact that many resorts charge for WiFi service which doesn’t make sense.

If you will be traveling to Jamaica then cutting your cell phone charges is easy. There are many companies that rent cell phone in Montego Bay Jamaica with local Jamaican number loaded with international talk time. In fact it is cheaper to call USA, Canada and UK with from a Jamaican telephone number in Jamaica than to call a local Jamaican number.

Vacations are already expensive to many and staying in touch with family or business back home could be see your cellphone bill rise astronomically. Renting a cell phone in Jamaica can be cost effective and the idea should be explored is calling the USA, Canada or UK is required when on vacation. One can expect to pay about fifty USD for about six hundred minutes of international talk time; quite remarkable isn’t it?

Stevert Mckenzie, Jamaica Vacation Planner.

Best Jamaica

Rentals Versus Hotels

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It’s a very modern question but an important one nonetheless: why should you choose a vacation sublet over a traditional hotel? Although renting out one’s home or apartment has been a tradition for years, it has only been recently that the vacation rental industry has been booming. While the industry has mainly been dominated by giants like HomeAway and VRBO, there are also up and coming sites like us at MetroFlats.com. However, this article is not about the choice between different vacation home sites; it’s about the choice between vacation homes and traditional homes. Obviously I will be arguing on the side of vacation rentals, but I believe I have many convincing arguments to prove that it is much better for your vacation and your wallet to choose sublets over hotels.

The most obvious reason to choose a vacation home rental over a hotel is the price. Particularly in big cities like New York, hotel prices can be extremely expensive. It is not uncommon to see a large amount of hotel rooms in NYC costing upwards of 300 dollars a night. If you look at the link I provided to Hotels.com, you’ll see that most of the cheaper rooms have very low ratings. With vacation apartments, especially from MetroFlats, rarely do any of our listings crack $300. I’m certainly not going to say there are none that are a bit pricey; there are some. However, the vast majority are around $100. And with the amount of vacation rental amenities included with them, they are worth every penny.

Amenities are my next point. With the most basic hotel room, the most you could hope to get from your room is a wide variety of channels and room service. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to get a Hotel video on demand system, maybe even with video games. Vacation rental apartments, on the other hand, include tons of amenities. Whether it’s a full kitchen to cook your own food or big screen TVs, you will get all the luxury at affordable prices. Check out some of our New York rentals to see more examples of the additions you will get with your rooms.

Finally, vacation rentals give you the chance to live like a local. When you stay in a hotel, you can’t help but feel like a tourist. By staying in your very own apartment, condo, or home, you will get the feeling that you are living with the actual population instead of being isolated in a cramped hotel room. And that, frankly, is something that cannot be replaced.

So there are my arguments against hotels. I hope I’ve convinced some of you that were on the fence. If not, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to at least check out MetroFlats.com further. I certainly haven’t listed all the advantages of vacation homes, and by browsing our site, you will even more of them.

The Pros And Cons Of Using Your Credit Card Abroad

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While it is undoubtedly very convenient to swipe your credit card when you are travelling overseas, it might be an eye-opener to know that you may be paying additional costs and fees every time you do so. Consider these statistics

Banks earn 500 million from overseas credit card usage.
According the Office of National Statistics, Britons spend more than 30 billion in foreign countries; of this, more than half is spent with credit cards.
Almost 70% of credit cards users are unaware that their credit card company levies additional surcharges and fees when they make card purchases during foreign jaunts.

If you were previously unaware of these charges, read on to find out the specific costs you could incur when you swipe your cards on non-UK soil.

Fees for Swiping your Card

When using your card abroad, you may have to pay up to 2.75% of every single purchase you make as an exchange rate loading or foreign usage fee. This means if you have bought goods worth 1000 on your credit card, you may have actually paid 1027.50 for them.

Fees for Cash Withdrawal

If you need cash whilst travelling abroad, you should try and avoid making withdrawals on your credit card as you may be subject to even further charges. Firstly, you may have to pay local cash withdrawal fees of approximately 1.5%. Secondly, you may also need to pay additional fees for withdrawing cash overseas. You may also be charged interest on the amount of cash you withdraw. This means that potentially for every 1,000 you take as cash you may end up paying 47.50 for the privilege (the equivalent of an interest rate of 4.75%)

Currency Conversion

Here you pay a bit of money, even though there are 2 ways in which currency is converted to sterling. In the older system, when you make credit card purchases abroad you pay in local currency. Visa or MasterCard then convert the purchase price to pounds when you reach home, and you pay the amount in sterling. Since the exchange rate fluctuates, you may either find yourself paying up more, or less than the day you made the purchases. In the new Dynamic Currency Conversion or DCC, the local payment vendor will inform you of the pounds sterling equivalent at the purchase point. However, although the exchange rate offered is normally quite poor, this method does help you to budget during your holiday as you are aware of the exact amount charged to your card.

The good news is that not all credit card providers charge you the same rate. If you are a savvy user, you should either be able to negotiate your card company into proving you with a more reasonable foreign usage rate or simply select a card that levies the lowest fees. This is well worth doing as by investigating possible credit card charges before you get on the plane, you may save up to 5% of your holiday costs.

There are a few credit card providers that dont charge a commission fee when you use your credit card overseas. One of these is the Post Office credit card. Comparison websites like About Your Money will compare the Post Office credit card against other credit cards. Because lets face it you are not on holiday or overseas all the time, so although this will save you money for a short period of time, will it for a longer duration.

Which Monorail Andor Light Rail Ticket Is Best For You

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When you shop for a Sydney Monorail or Sydney Light Rail ticket, the first thing you will notice is there are many options available to suit travel needs and budget. The right ticket choice depends on why you plan on riding in the first place and the number and ages of those in your group. Of course, there are plenty of single person ticket options too making travel to and from the Sydney city centre easy and affordable.

Identify Your Purpose for Travelling

Before you pick your ticket, the first thing to consider is the purpose of your trip. If you are planning on riding the Sydney Monorail or Light Rail as a worker, you will find weekly and annual ticket fares that offer significant discounts over the purchase of single trip tickets. You can buy tickets for the Sydney Monorail or the Sydney Light Rail or a combination ticket which enables you to ride both modes of transportation.

If you are a visitor to the great city of Sydney, there are various ticket options designed to fit a one to three day adventure. The adventure is made even more affordable when you buy a Supervoucher ticket which gives you the ability to ride the Monorail and/or Light Rail in addition to getting a large number of discounts at museums, attractions and restaurants.

The Supervoucher will let you purchase discount tickets to the National Maritime Museum, the Powerhouse Museum, the Sydney Tower, the Sydney Aquarium and free gifts, bottles of wine, or desserts at local restaurants to name just a few of the benefits. The Supervoucher includes much more in the way of discounts for the Sydney visitor whether coming from out of town or a resident looking for an excursion.

Count the Number in Your Group

Once you decide on the purpose of your trip, the next step is to count heads and determine ages in your group. There are many ticket variations available with all offering special rates depending on your age.

For workers travelling to work on the Monorail and/or Light Rail, the single trip, weekly pass, annual pass, or METROCARD swipe card are the best choices. You can purchase tickets for just the Monorail, just the Light Rail or a pass which lets you ride both. This combination pass is perfect for those Sydney workers coming from outside the city centre. The Light Rail only pass is ideal for those travelling to work anywhere between Central Station and Lilyfield.

There are ticket price discounts designed to accommodate family visitors ready to just enjoy the many Sydney attractions. The Supervoucher Monorail and Light Rail passes are sold as single tickets or group tickets. The family group rates enable two adults and two children, or one adult and three children, unlimited riding and discounts on most of Sydneys major attractions. A family can save a lot of money buying the family pass.

There are also special ticket rates available for children ages 6 to 16 years old, senior citizens, NSW war widows and widowers, and those on full pension. All children under five years old can ride for free.

If you are involved in the travel trade industry, there are even special rates which have been developed to make large group travel more affordable. Business, conference, and social groups such as weddings can purchase group packages through hotels and travel agencies which give everyone travelling with you the same opportunity to enjoy Sydneys sights and sounds. School groups, clubs and senior tour groups can also buy a ticket packages offering large discounts on both travel and attraction entrance fees.

Make Sure You Understand Your Options!

The best ticket for you depends on what the purpose of your travel on the Sydney Monorail and Light Rail, what you want to accomplish during your city visit, and the number of people in your group. But no matter what you decide, there will be an inexpensive ticket option available you just wont be able to resist. When you get ready to purchase your ticket, just make sure you take advantage of the many discount options available.