22 ways to save money in Paris

22 ways to save money in Paris -

uncorking a bottle of French wine on a sunny day, spread brie on a baguette, the skyline of Paris looked before Sacre Coeur in Montmartre - me, this is the perfect day. Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world thanks to its cobblestones at night under the streetlights, historic architecture, incredible music, spicy delicious food and elegantly dressed locals illuminated. Paris is a city that I just melt into.

But Paris is also a city that melts the wallet. With plenty of restaurants in town, bars and attractions, you can disappear your money quickly if you are not wise. Fortunately, it has not be so, and there are many ways to enjoy Paris without experiencing sadness over a suddenly empty bank account. Here are 22 ways to save lots of money on your next visit to the city of light:

1. Visit the Louvre for free - The entrance to the famous Louvre museum is free on the first Sunday a month from October to March. In addition, to avoid the massive ticket lines, enter via the Carrousel du Louvre entrance, and you will get right to the switch. You can also skip the lines, if you have a Paris Museum Pass.

2. Save the Musée d'Orsay - Tickets to the Museum are just € 8.50 after 16:30 (except on Thursdays, when they are reduced to 8.50 from 18.00 € am to 09:45). Admission is also free on the first Sunday of the month. Regular ticket prices 11 €.

3. Buy a Paris Museum Pass - I'm a big fan of tourist cards, and Paris is one of the best places to get one. There are so many museums and sights worth seeing that the ticket prices really can add up quickly. The Paris Museum Pass help. It offers free and discounted entry to 60 museums and attractions around the city, and you can skip the ticket lines! Price: 42 € (two days); € 56 (4 days); € 69 (6 days). It's worth it after a few attractions.

4. On the first Sunday of the month? Free museums! - If you find yourself in Paris happened on the first Sunday of the month, most of the major city museums offer free admission. The disadvantage is that they will all be super, since this is not a secret!

5. Take public transportation from Charles de Gaulle -. Save money right when you by public transport land in the city You have two options:

• Take the RER B (regional train): This option costs € 9.50 and takes 25-50 minutes (depending on your destination and whether a get Express train). Once you get into the city, you can transfer to the subway to reach your final destination
• take a bus .: The "RoissyBus" costs 10 € per person and takes 45 -60 minutes .

I prefer the RER, but depending on where you go, the bus could be more directly, as you have to transfer to a local metro.

[1945004kannnicht] 6. Skip taxis - The metro system in Paris is very extensive and can take you anywhere you need to go. Do not waste money on overpriced taxis.

7. Buy a 10-pack of metro / bus tickets - bus and metro tickets cost € 1,70 per person. However, you can create a "carnet" buy, which is costing a pack of 10 tickets € 13.70. It will save € 3.30 - a modest savings, but better than nothing

8. Take the Vélib '- Paris' bike sharing program has more than 20,000 bicycles 1,800 stations throughout the city. They come with a one-day pass for € 1.70 or a one-week pass for € 8, have purchased.

9. Stay in hostels - as most hotels are hostels offer great accommodations for travelers on a budget, especially in Paris on expensive , Dorm rooms in Paris start at € 15 and private rooms in hostels start at € 50.

10. Drinking in hostels - Even if you are not staying in hostels, you should still consider drinking at their bars. They offer amazing happy hour with beer as little as € 2. They are a great place to start your night in Paris without blows your budget.

11. CouchSurfing - Nothing is cheaper than sleep for free. CouchSurfing connects you to local people who give not only to remain an open space, but also a local guide who can introduce you to all the great places to see.

12. Visit the free attractions - has The city has a lot of free attractions such as museums like the Museum of Modern Art, Maison de Balzac and Maison de Victor Hugo, most churches and parks such as the Jardin du Luxembourg. You will visit a lot of places in Paris for free.

13 Take a free walking tour - Free walking tours of Paris central attractions are various travel companies available. My favorite is Walking Tours New Europe. There is also Paris Greeters where the locals take you on a free tour of their city. It is modeled after the one in New York. Make sure your guide to tip!

14. Remember that the water-free - If you order water in a restaurant, make sure you ask for tap water. They will try to provide bottled water available and you for it, but the tap water is free and safe to drink.

15. Get the lunch menu - When you eat, do so at lunch and get the prix fixe menu (two- or three-course Menu). Restaurants throughout the city offer this menu at lunch, and with prices between € 10 and € 20, it is a way better deal than the regular dinner menu!

16. Pick up lunch outside markets - Paris is a market town with grocery stores throughout the city. When you save a lot of money on meals, pick his head on one of the markets, some cheese, wine, bread, meat, or anything else, and head to the park for a picnic. (Or a sandwich grab for later!) You'll find the locals do the same, and it is one of the cheaper ways to get a true taste of French food.

17. Go to the grocery store for basics - Grocery shopping is a no-brainer way to eat cheap. You have all the ingredients you need for staple foods and ready meals. They also sell wine!

18. Enjoy free summer festivals -. In summer, free entertainment 19 place almost every night of the week, as the Paris Jazz Festival and outdoor film screenings as Cinéma de Plein Air

. Find free Wi-Fi - Free Wi-Fi is easy to find in cafes, fast food joints (McDonalds all), parks and museums. EuroCheapo has to combine a good list of places.

20. Use Airbnb - I do not want to sleep in a strange house or an inn? Airbnb provides the next cheapest accommodations. This page allows you to book a room or an entire apartment for rent in a Parisian neighborhood. You get the comforts of home! I've seen all night apartments for as little as $ 70th Split that a couple of ways, and it is cheaper than a hostel!

21. Fill your water bottle in the city -. Paris has more than 800 water wells in the city, where you fill your water bottle

22. Avoid shopping - Unless you are a trust fund baby, avoid shopping in Paris. High taxes and labor costs make everything more expensive than it needs to be. There is nothing in Paris not find a similar version in your home country at a much cheaper price. Save your money and use it for experience, not so.

Paris is an expensive city, and traveling has there on a budget is harder in the last few years. But every major city has budget options, and make through a few adjustments, you can find big savings that make a trip to Paris fun, affordable, and memorable.

Get the In-Depth Budget Guide to Paris!

for deeper as you posted even for budget travelers Paris my travel guide information, check it out! He cuts the fluff in other guides found and will save directly to the practical information you need to travel and money in one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. You will find suggested routes, budgets, ways to save money, both on and off the beaten track to see things and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, and much more !! Click here to learn more and get started.

15 Highlights from 8 years on the road

15 Highlights from 8 years on the road -

Three weeks ago I celebrated my eight-year anniversary on the road to be. On warm morning of 26 July 06, I left home for one year trip around the world. I returned only 18 months later.

I thought I'd be happy to go back to cabin life, when I came back. I would put my MBA to good use, the promotion of renewable energy, and head down the road to the American dream (job, wife, house, retirement, etc.). But the moment I sat down again in this cabin, I realized office work was not for me, and a few months later I was back on the road to an uncertain future.

Now, eight years later, is my life, I never thought, when I waved goodbye my parents. I dreamed not even know that I would be a published author, blogger, and life-long traveler.

How do I move in my ninth year a nomad to be, I wanted to share some of the key moments I 'have experienced on the road:

lives on an island in Thailand

when I was for the first time in Thailand in 06, my friend told me they to join Ko Lipe, a hidden paradise way nicer than the touristy Ko Phi Phi I was. So I made the long journey time (now you can take speedboat) and entered on an island that I had come to call home. On the way over, I met a cranky Irishman, an English couple, and a German couple. I expected to stay on the island three days. A month later, I waved in tears my group Good-bye, when I boarded the boat back to the mainland. We had all packed in our own version of The Beach , never want to leave an island with no paved roads and tourists, where our days Thai food eat were full, to learn the language, the locals befriend , reading, relaxing, and every corner of the island snorkeling.

While I have refrained since grown by most people whose company I enjoyed on the island (although the English couple, I remain incredibly close), the month I spent in Ko Lipe remains my greatest storage of all my travels.

to teaching in Bangkok

Would in Asia more and need money to stay prolong my journey, in I the beginning of 07 I decided to Bangkok would move to learn Thai and English teaching. I knew no one. I had no idea how to get a job. I had never moved anywhere before. I spent my first week in town to play Warcraft from me in between interviews. I remember being bored on a lot, wondering if I could really make it in this new environment.

But as they say, it's always darkest before the dawn, and just when I thought that I had made the wrong decision, was a friend from home to me the name of someone in the city live. My friend and I met a friend for drinks, and he introduced me to the Expat social scene in the city. Shortly after, I got a job and a girlfriend and began to build a life in Bangkok. I've learned to take it upon myself and live on her own.

The months I spent there helped me to be independent and showed me I could be anywhere to start a life.

has failed to move Moving to Taipei

in many respects in 09 to Taipei: I have a girl hit me unloaded after I decided to stay to get her a long-term visa, I have the flu that never went away about 15 pounds and lost, I had a job I hated, and I never prospered as I did in Bangkok. But it was also a great success, because it was at this time that I decided my blog to make more than just a hobby and focus on a resource for travelers. These were the months that I mean years old blog started turning, whose original purpose was to keep my friends updated, what I did in the travel resource today.

I could not have thrived in Taipei, but I'm not even sure I had not moved there that this blog would even exist. I'd probably still be an English teacher in Bangkok.
During my first trip to Amsterdam in 06, I went to a casino to play poker

poker in Amsterdam
. I befriended some other players, and after a few days later to Barcelona heading, decided to fly back to Amsterdam - I missed it too much to stay away. For the next three months, I played poker every day with these guys. They showed me the city, took me to the Dutch culture and was my first international friends. It was the first time that I really connected with locals, and if I had to finally leave, I thanked them for me to open new experiences and told them I would see them next year. A few months later I found out our friend Greg was shot while people to rob his house tried. Greg was the one who invited me for the first time in the group. I've never really thank him, but I will always remember his impact on my life.

Visiting Africa

Go on safari in Africa have I hoped, were all that in 2012 a lifetime goal of mine, and the weeks that I spent in the southern part of the continent, where they would be: animal ~~ POS = TRUNC glow around me, stars in the night sky, fiery sunset savannah, and raw and beautiful nature. The sights that can-do attitude of the locals, the wildlife, the food - Africa was better than I thought. It was raw, unfiltered, and burned in my soul.

The continent really magic.

walking the Tongariro Crossing

One of the most famous walks in the world, Tongariro Crossing New Zealand could those be recognizable, the love the Lord of the Rings as the location of Mount doom. Combating this 22km hike would be a challenge, since I'm not a fast walker, and I was at the time of the mold. I started early in the morning, I befriended a hiker on the way and together we made hardly pulled away as the last buses back to town it. It was harder than I expected on parts, but I did it, and on that day in 2010 was the most rewarding I in New Zealand had.

to dive learning

learning was one of the scariest moments of my life to dive in Fiji - I do it almost died. During my third dive, my partner took the regulator out of my mouth, while we were looking under the surface Coral. I acted quickly and exhaled when my instructor jumped the second controller in panic gripped (or like a fish screwed) to me. I stayed there, breathing hard, while I was trying to calm down and managed to swim a few minutes before rising to the surface.

There was a scary moment (and my buddy has never been told sorry!), But it did not ruin my love of the ocean. I have to see a whole new side of life on this planet, and I have been hooked ever since.

throwing tomatoes at La Tomatina

throwing tomatoes in Spain was just as much fun as it sounds. early waking, take the train, sangria, and people were pegging for one hour with tomatoes a once-in-a-lifetime experience (as in after it to do again, I'm OK not do it again). But I owe it all to the Nest Hostel in Valencia. Your policy during the festival stated that you need to stay for at least a week, and our small group of hostel guests was like a family. Surrounded by the same people at the hostel, you have to know all in a manner that does not happen usually. But family life was even closer than the other five in my dorm room and I tied throughout the week. We'll beat it like we had known each other for years (run out of many people of it, since we were so close). After the festival we held together in 09, and five years later to the fateful week we travel all stay connected and Incredibly Close.

Surviving Wiesn

When we plan our trip in 2011, my friend Matt and I decided should be for 5 days enough to experience Oktoberfest. We were seriously wrong - a few days is enough, and by day 3 we have the white flag waving. We have somehow to power on, and dressed in lederhosen we ticked a lifetime goal of our two lists. It was so much fun, and I met some wonderful German, ran into friends that I already knew, and learned that after four stone in a row, I pass out asleep at a table.

Discovering Eastern Europe

When people ask me where she is in Europe a bit out of the way, I recommend three countries should go: Bulgaria , Romania and Ukraine. A few years ago I backpacked through these lands and fell deeply in love with all of them (especially Ukraine). They were a new experience: rustic, less touristy, seemingly still 20 years in the past, and overall a very different feel than in Western Europe. They were difficult to navigate - I had in the Ukraine to mime to get around. They were super cheap. The people were friendly and welcoming. One of my best memories is drinking with some Ukrainian who knew only the word "cheers." We can can not communicate, but we bonded through many shots vodka.

terminal on the island of Ios

Continuing the theme, the people make places, in 2010, I decided on the island of Ios in Greece to visit , At this point I do not remember why I first decided, but I found myself somehow there. And like Ko Lipe, I ended up staying up longer than planned. A group of us on the island bonded immediately. They had come early in the season to find work (all of them did), and I had nowhere to go, in particular, so I stayed. We were like a family, meet for nightly dinner and excursions around the island. The following year, we all came back and took exactly where we left off. Although we are now spread throughout the world, from, I am still in contact with most of them on a regular basis. Time and distance do not destroy deep friendships.

Discovering Coral Bay

to the west coast of Australia go up, I moved into a tiny beach town called Coral Bay. It is a one-street town with a hotel, a bar and a supermarket. Most people come here on motorhome and stay in the RV park. This place is heaven; it's my beach paradise. The Ningaloo Reef is so close to the shore you can swim there, the water is crystal clear and sea life swims near the coast. I have found myself in this out-of-the-way destination twice, and it is my favorite place in the whole of Australia.

knew visit to the Galapagos Islands

that I was beautiful, the Galapagos, but everything I had heard about it, underestimated its beauty. The land, the sea, the sunsets - words to them can not describe. Images can. (Many pictures). My time spent on the islands are grouped by my last night: was the boat is anchored, while we were eating dinner with the headlights on the back. Fish attracted light swam around and then suddenly, Robben began to flit back and forth. Later, when we have to leave the way back to Santa Cruz in the morning, made, dolphins rode Wake for more than 20 minutes to play our boat and jump in the sea. It was breathtaking. Just like the islands.

to the Grand Canyon hiking

During my cross-country road trip in 06 I imagined walkers (I was not) and was on to wander the floor of the Grand Canyon determined. Rising early one morning I drove with my hostel dorm mate in the park, to see to stop elk grazing near. After pulling into the parking lot and admire the view, we fled the upcoming tourist bustle and was part of the small cadre of visitors who go ridge above the canyon. We hiked to the base down and stayed one night before hiking back up. On the way we stopped at a stream to cool off, and we made it just in time for one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen at the head of the canyon. I distinctly remember the feeling of victory, the rushed through me as we reached the summit.

YOU!
As twins, I'm fickle. I was not liable often long with things. But six and a half years later, here I am, still my stories to share on this site and to help others travel more. And it's all because of you. This website, more than any trip changed my life. I have some of my best friends, because it hit, and hosting meet-ups and reading your emails inspired me to be better at everything I do. I wake up grateful every day that I I get the chance, and it's all because of you.

The last eight years have left me with happy memories than I could ever write in a blog post, and while every memory is important these moments the last eight years have established and led me to where I today am quoting

my favorite movie: American Beauty .:

... but it's hard to stay mad when there in the world so much beauty. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon, which is about to burst ... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to make it to hold, and then it flows through like rain to me, and I can not feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life.

Why I'm a solo female traveler

Why I'm a solo female traveler - Has

Last month I announced that I would be put on this website monthly columnist. On the second Wednesday of the month, Kristin Addis of Be My Travel Muse will be here to give you great tips and advice for solo female travel. Your column starts this month. Let's get to know them!

I sat on the beach in Cambodia, amazed that a white sandy beach so unspoiled still exist in the world. There were no outstanding resorts or people with fancy drinks with umbrellas walking by. It was as good as empty. This was my second week traveling alone. I bought my one-way ticket to Southeast Asia, and sit on the beach, I knew I made the right decision

I never travel a lot when I was younger, and had certainly never alone backpack on the back. - Or really do not. Four years earlier, I had lived in Taiwan as a language student for eight months. Coming home and get a full time job, as I thought I should, I could not shake my wish, to return to Asia. In those days of longing, I never thought I would eventually take off on an open journey that I am later for 2 years.

So why I quit my job, traveling the world?

Even though I was successful at work, I was not happy. My cabin felt restrictive. The job pays well, but I found that the money was not enough to justify my twenties to support spending someone else's dream. I felt like something was missing. I needed adventure, and I could not shake my desire to get back to Asia. But I was not sure how to make it happen.

I spent years for freedom long, difficult with researching distant places away from reality, so I seemed could imagine. I scoured the internet for some kind of inspiration. Was it possible, without a trust fund to travel long-term? Could really alone travel safely women? I knew no one else who could be straight or end their lives with me, so the only way to go it alone.

The more I read online, the more I realized that it was possible, and the more was the dream a permanent residence in my head. The desire was so huge, it was often the only thing I could think of. Quit my job and selling all my stuff was exactly what I needed to do to Asia again, so I hatched a plan and followed it.

The thoughts in my head echoed concerns of my friends. Am I crazy dare to be alone away? I wondered. I will shoot myself in the foot financially and professionally? Will it be safe? Will I be lonely all the time? Do I have regrets

But I knew that the biggest regret of all to stay in a situation that I had was not happy: a world of fancy cars, high rent and designer clothes that somehow never managed to bring me the joy I had been promised.

I no longer believe in the "American dream". I did not want a mortgage, a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a cat called Fluffy. In August 2012, I listed everything I. On Craigslist owned and sold them in the span of one week, then terminated my lease immediately and moved out of my apartment In September shaking in my shoes, I boarded the plane to Bangkok without booked as much as a room when I landed.

Sitting on this beach in Cambodia, it felt like I had reached the pot of gold the end of the rainbow. What had I so afraid? All this turned out just to be safe and easy.

I traveled solo through any country in Southeast Asia, while falling in love with the culture and food. I have from the doors of the trains chugging past cascading rice fields in Sri Lanka depended, dived with whale sharks in the Maldives, attracted more than 100 miles in Nepal, while all my own equipment transmits, and hitchhiked alone through China.

This experience helped me to figure out how to find the less visited places, how to get the people invited into homes to experience the true local culture, and how to go deeper in any location without hitting to leave a guide. As a solo traveler this options for me are often abundant. People want to solo travelers take in, it is for another room, and it can be experienced individually, provides an amazing learning experience about the world.

The beauty of solo travel, especially as a woman, has also taught me about myself so much. It took me more independent, stronger and more resistant. I have met so many amazing women to do the same thing to do, some of which are like 18 or 19 years old as young.

I have received countless emails from girls in similar situations who want to leave behind a conventional life, to see the world. I always tell them that if it is in their hearts, they have to do it

Add to my monthly column, you can expect more contributions on to see exactly how to do that -. How to confront over the fear and get how to inform and indecision of your friends and family conquer as you terminate your lease and to sell your stuff, what to pack, how to stay safe, like finding deeper cultural experiences, and much more. I'll show you that it is easier, as you travel around the world as a woman, think.

Traveling long term necessarily require a leap of faith, but with the right preparation, it need not be a scary one.

Kristin Addis is a former investment banker who all of her belongings and offer California farewell solo sells travel through Asia while to look for off-the-beaten path adventure. There is almost nothing that they will not try, and almost nowhere they will not discover. You can find more of her thoughts Be My Travel Muse . Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook

Conquering mountains. The Guide for Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide to solo female travel out Kristin new book Conquering mountains . In addition to the discussion of many practical tips in preparing and planning your trip is aimed the book, the fears, security and emotional concerns about traveling, women alone. It has more than 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book, as it can help you, and you can start to read it now!

Post-trip depression: It is often emotionally Harder Come Home as Go Away

Post-trip depression: It is often emotionally Harder Come Home as Go Away -

Before my first trip around the world, I was driving through Boston with my friend Mike. One of the things I talked about was how different life would be if I returned home. Where would my friends to be in life? How would you have changed? Which jobs would they? New hobbies? New relationships? I imagined a world of possibilities.

"Everything will be exactly as you left it," he said. "When I studied abroad, I thought the same thing. But in truth, nothing will be different when you get home. Everything and everyone will be the same."

I did not believe him. Finally, a lot happen in a year.

But when I came back, I realized he was right. I had changed, but not at home had. My friends who are now in their late twenties heading, had the same jobs were to go to the same bars, and were usually do the same things. Moreover, Boston itself only felt equal. It had the same impulse as it had before.

It was as if frozen at home during my time had stayed away. I still loved my friends, family and the city, but I did not fit. I had to live there outgrown. Home felt small and unrelatable - I had the fire that I could bring anyone expressed in me, and it frustrates me. It longed to try new things, you go to meet new places and new people, but when I tried to express that words fell flat. The fire was a feeling that only those who had traveled, seemed to understand -. to convey a simple nod understanding this common bond

When the excitement subsided at home, I wondered what was next. I was restless. I felt stale. Did I take this long journey just to the right to land back where I started? No, of course not. I took it to grow.

is easier to come home, as they did in 08, that first time was, but the road still attracts me for just a few days. I know that it is there that I find kindred spirits who understand me.

Every time a friend of a trip is the first question comes to me always, "How do you handle it" Back home hard, and few people who encounter reality that comes home, is often an anticlimactic end to a life changing experience

after a year of mind blowing adventure, you're back where you started have -. on a couch, back in your home or in your old bedroom, bored, anxious and nervous. You will not understand your friends you new, do not want to sail over your time on the Pacific to hear while sitting in rush hour, or do not get why you feel so uncomfortable to be back. "What? You no longer do it here so?"

you feel as if you are back to the exact spot you were left.

I know. I was there. And so have many others.

Post-Holiday Depression is real. Who is returned from a trip, know what I mean. We talk about how amazing and life-changing long-term travel is rarely the idea address that comes home, is more difficult than to leave. Online communities you can commiserate with like-minded people, but they are of little use.

If the initial hugs are hugged out, tells the stories, and the meeting over, many of us find that returns home not really at home coming. Our true home is surrounded by the unknown.

The street is where we belong.

And for this reason, the view is always on the horizon, looking, dreaming, and wish for another opportunity gone.

Further examples

• How Dan to Life Back Home Adapted
• That Place Called Home
• Why Coming Home Hat failure does not mean

Help Planning My trip to the Caribbean

Help Planning My trip to the Caribbean -

In a few weeks, I am on my way to the Caribbean. I've been down there on a few islands (Bahamas, Curacao, Grand Cayman), but never spent have a longer period of time, so I pumped! I've always wanted to sail around the region. I fly in Puerto Rico on November 2, to spend a week there, and then toward the US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands with a friend. After that, I do not know. My only plan so far is to go to the south and east, I like to get in six weeks. I do not return. I'll just with the flow.

And that's where you come in.

I have no itinerary, I thought you my trip could be planned. Let the tables a little turn. If you were in the region, leaving a tip in the comments (or send me an email to [email protected] ) and I 'll follow your suggestion. I'm open to anything: food, activities, beaches, hiking, restaurants, you name it! I thought it would be interesting to all my six week trip through crowdsourcing and do only what all suggests. You are the master of my trip.

My only goal for the trip to try to see if I can travel on a budget the region. Is it possible? Can it be done easily? How you do that? The Caribbean is not known, a budget destination, but I'm always prove wisdom wrong from the conventional travel. As they say, where there's a will, there's a way

Let us find this way

I also need some logistical support ..

There is not much sailing information online about between the islands. I want to fly and avoid as much as possible to take boats. If anyone knows how to get between the islands by ferry or by trips on boats hitchhiking, crewing, or anything else, please let me know. If anyone has traveled in this way through the region before, I'd love to hear about your experience and your brain get information.

Finally, if you live in the area, I'd like to meet, so can information on how to contact you (if you want my friend and host me that would be great, too!).

I have for many years a great Caribbean travel dream. I want in life on the island and only wings to settle it. I'll fall in love with a place and never leave Perhaps. Maybe I'll make it to dozens of islands. Maybe I'll be a boat captain. Who knows!

The endless possibility of the reasons why I love traveling.

Fall to the land of the elves

Fall to the land of the elves -

As we stared at the sky, patches of neon and dark green changed to light pink and back to green. They came out of nowhere, hung like a curtain invisible hangers, and danced a duet of an outrageous symphony. They would appear, disappear and reappear all over the sky. My companion, Lulu and Germaine (two friends from France a week trip around Iceland to spend), and I looked confused, as the Northern Lights dancing over us. It was the first time that we had seen it, and although it was bitterly cold and we were slightly tightened, we stayed out, shivering - for hours -. Watch nature brilliant ballet

Every night, before this, we run outside and then retreat would be seen back in defeat, as it was too cloudy for the lights. But that night the sky was clear, the stars shone around us and nature finally let us see its mythical show.

I had high expectations for my visit to Iceland. I had seen films and pictures in magazines country with jagged mountain peaks, volcanoes with barren lava fields, rolling hills with grazing sheep and glacier that stretched for miles. I imagined a utopian land, with nature grazed in the friendly locals in line a majestic landscape.

Despite the eagerness Iceland these images caused to visit, I postpone this journey over the years. Something always came. This year to reflect promised on my list of things that I would I do, and I realized none of them achieved, I decided to finally go and booked a ticket in June. And as the plane rose last month in Reykjavik, I wondered: "Could the fairytale image to live in my head to himself?"

There could, in fact, do not exceed it.

and it happens immediately.

From the moment I landed I was kindly stranger welcome and helped. It was Bragi, a couch surfer rep who drove me to the Golden Circle. And Paulina, the smart student who let me sleep on her couch, took me to an Icelandic Match and her family's farm, revealing a secret "locals-only" swimming hole and went far out of the way, let me fall in the East blank check to facilitate a bus city Vik. And Paulina friend Alga, which also opened its coffee to me at the end of the trip. And Mary and Martha, who proved that Reykjavik nightlife is far crazier than everything in New York has to offer. Then there were the CouchSurfing host in Ayukeri cooked the dinner for me and his other guests, and the blog readers (of a high-level government officials turned out) and her husband, who introduced me to traditional clam chowder (delicious!).

Each step of the way I helpful and excited encountered Icelanders who wanted the best to show their country. She loved nature, stubborn faith (over 50% of Icelanders in elves believe) stopped elves and fairy tales, and appreciate a good pint.

After saying goodbye to my new friends in Reykjavik, I drove around the ring road (Iceland Main) with Lulu and Germaine after a ride with them in Vik hitchhiking. Forests transformed developed in fjords and fiords moon as lava fields.

Over the next 10 days, my love for Iceland became an obsession as I was constantly treated to dizzying landscapes and helpful locals. For such a small island, Iceland has a wide range of landscapes and micro ecosystems. And as we traveled, wandered and waited anxiously for the northern lights, I could not help but notice the silence. With hardly anyone or any animals around the country seemed so still.

And it was the silence that affected me the most. From NYC, I do not know a world without noise. My day begins and ends with car horns outside my bedroom window horn. In Iceland there is noise barely, and the silence helps you appreciate life.

On a beautifully clear day in the north, a local leader has to explore myself Game of Thrones Movie Locations (yes, that's one thing!). Since there is no one on the tour was otherwise, the guide took me off-road. We got off the car and climbed a rocky hill. Below us, the earth opened up into a series of deep cracks. All around us there was nothing but an empty plateau. Iceland extended in all directions around us, with volcanoes and mountains in the distance. There was no sign of civilization. I sat down. The leader sat down. We were silent. All we could hear was the sound of wind whipping around our heads. If the decay nothing but an eerie yet peaceful silence remained.

All was silent.

My guide and I did not look at each other have. I suppose he was as satisfied as I was. During the day, I feel that he has a deep love for nature and was probably happy just sitting there.

Then I sat in the hot springs near Myvatn relax and before I knew it my two hour visit, was on. I have ready to go, to think that the time had gone too fast. That sums up my trip to Iceland: it went too fast. The 11 days, I spent there just were not enough.

When we at home that day, my guide pointed out, as a boat shaped rocks drove. "This is a troll boat," he said. "The lake has been overfished by a troll years ago, so the locals remained very late, so that the troll to forget what the hour. Suddenly, as the sun rose to its cave, ran the troll back, so as not to would transform stone. on the way, they really dropped their boat. Somewhere out there is the troll, but we have not found them. "

" Do you think, trolls and elves are there? "I asked.

"I think these stories teach us respect for nature. Iceland is a harsh environment, and it is easy, the country or come to ruin in danger. These stories teach us about balance. But then again, I can not prove these creatures do not exist, you know? this country is special, "he said

he, like the other Icelanders I met that of the country speaking, was correct. Something mystical and unique about this place is.

Why Road trips are a good idea for Family

Why Road trips are a good idea for Family -

in third fourth Friday of every month, Cameron Wears of Traveling Canucks is here to give us tips and advice on how to travel with your children better. This is a frequently requested topic, so I'm excited to have him on our team!

Traveling As a newcomer parent who thought may feel like an overwhelming proposition with your infant or toddler. You do not put your life on hold while you raise your child, but at the same time, you do not want to take a trip that to be a pleasant experience more headaches.

Introducing our two little boys on the world an extremely rewarding experience. We appreciate our together time and enjoy with them our passion for travel and adventure to share. But it is not always easy. In fact, sometimes you can travel with our boys be quite a challenge. I think that's part of what makes it so satisfying. Like a mountain trekkers reach the summit after hours of painful climbing, the reward is not just about the view at the top or the ability to say: "I did it." The reward is the preparation and the journey, the unexpected moments in between.

This is what we love most about road trips. They make the trip the adventure, the objective secondary. Road Trips were a big part of my childhood and some of my fondest memories. They are a wonderful way to spend time together as a family, traveling on a budget, and to see much of the landscape. Here are reasons why you should consider a trip for your next family vacation into account and ways to make it happen.

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Whether you drive your own adventure

100 miles or 2,000 miles, you are in complete control over where you go and how you get there. to be in a vehicle, you can visit the countryside and places to see, you would not normally visit. Adventure is in the most unexpected places.

While on a trip through the Canadian Rockies this summer we had to visit the Freedom what attraction we wanted. When we drove the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Banff (probably the most beautiful drive in the world), we found repeatedly pull us the highway waterfalls, canyons, glacial lakes and Rocky Mountain to see viewpoints. We would never be able to stay been in this incredible mountain lodge in Banff National Park when we were traveling by bus or train.

The great thing about car trips that every day is different. Morning brings new landscapes, new cities, new attractions and new hotel rooms. This is exciting for the kids and the parents, because every day is a new adventure. It also means that you can change your itinerary at a moment notice when something better to do.

Dates are not important

One of the most stressful parts of the family trip is to make your departure time. No matter how well you plan, you will always feel rushed on travel days. Packaging, feeding, cleaning, dressing - there is never a shortage of things to do (and that's before getting ready to start up). Planes and trains do not wait for families unpunctual, so we often begin "the process" for several hours prior to departure.

Road Trips You can go at your own pace, to remove the unnecessary stress that comes with strict timetables. On our summer road trip through the Canadian Rockies, we had a lot of itinerary with activities planned for each day. But, as the journey evolved, changed our itinerary. We have stops we stop away. We decided to swim in the pool after breakfast instead to hit the road.

What I love about car trips, is that if your kids (or you) are a little slower to move, you can push back your departure time and let things happen naturally. If you spend more time in a tourist attraction, this is no problem, take your time. This is the journey, so you get to call the shots.

Save on Flights

Now that we travel with two little boys, our flight costs have doubled literally money. Although our youngest is under two years old, he is an inquisitive little guy who still can not sit for more than a few minutes. For this reason we need now to buy four seats when we fly so that he can have some space (and give us of keeping him for hours a pause).

purchase flights for a family of four is not cheap. In fact, to pay for flights, find the money is often the biggest limitation that prevents from traveling young families. Domestic flights cost at least $ 500 each, so that a single trip within North America can run us about $ 2,000. By removing these costs, we have to stretch able our travel budget, so that we can travel longer and deeper. Most car journeys we take total less than $ 2,000, which means that we can go more often.

a journey from home allows us to use our personal vehicle, so we eliminate the cost of renting a vehicle and the automatic addition of insurance. $ 100 may cost per day renting a vehicle, so use our personal vehicle saves us a lot of money.

After a vehicle allows us the freedom to stay in hotels or apartments that are located outside the city center, which tends to save us considerable money on the price of accommodation and overnight parking (not overlooked, the cost of parking in the downtown of a big city - it may be as high as $ 40 per night) [

traveling frequently

Based on the above point, to save money on expensive airfare, we can more travel experiences. Road Trips must not last more epic cross-country adventures weeks; sometimes a weekend a few hours from home is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Big trips to exotic destinations or distant tropical islands can sometimes feel unattainable, if you are caught in the daily routine your child rearing, but that does not have to stop travel. I'm sure you think a couple of goals in a 3-5 hour drive from home, that "you always wanted to visit" but never found the time. Why not that city / beach / National Park your next adventure?

The road trip mentality allows us (and you) the ability to travel more because it can be a last minute decision, which is not very expensive, especially if you to camp with friends and family want or stay.

pack what you want, not what you

I need love the amount of space we have, if we take road trips. traveling with small children, no longer means we travel light, so packing can be quite a stressful ordeal. Did we bring the playpen and / or portable highchair?

for a flight package forces us to make difficult decisions about what essential and what must be left behind. Young children are unpredictable, so that more clothing and with "comfort toys" is ideal. a vehicle that allows us to bring the doubtful things "just in case."

One of the questions we asked most frequently is, whether we travel with baby car seats. They are large, heavy and cumbersome, as many parents struggle with the decision to hire a car seat at your destination or bring your own (to answer the question, we bring more car seats with us). A road trip with our personal vehicle eliminates these headaches, because the car seats are already set up.

Take breaks on your terms

Have you do not forget your first long flight? Do you "get me that damn plane away" a moment? I did. I felt suffocated and trapped. Everything I was walking around and wanted to do some fresh air (not a good idea, at 35,000 feet).

children are not going to get otherwise. You need a break from the chair, they need to stretch their legs and take a deep breath of fresh air. The problem is that young children have a hard time to understand why they can not get up and walk around or get off the plane (not an easy thing to a two year old to explain). Road Trips, you can have the ability to slow down and take as many breaks as you need, so the trip much more enjoyable for all.

routine is important, so we try our best over long distances during typical napping hour drive. If they fall asleep, we enter on the gas and try to cover as much ground as we can. Our boys over long distances in the car not like to be (who does?), So we try to schedule breaks to the daily activity or attraction

bring your own food -. And save money!

Our child has a severe food allergy difficult find restaurants, it may be such that cater to his diet. It is a challenge, even in our hometown, where we are very familiar with the options available. traveling in a vehicle that allows us to stop at a supermarket and buy foods that have ingredient labels. This is very important for us.

We bring a small cooler with us and charge it with the food, so we must not rely on restaurants. Eating in a restaurant as a family of four usually costs us $ 30-50 in North America (no alcohol). If you eat 2-3 times a day, adds to that number quickly. Through food purchase in bulk, we save time and money, and allows us to draw, and have a picnic at random parks that always fun.

Spend time together

This is my favorite part of the car trips. Life is busy. We are always plugged in and focused on what is "out there" or we are too busy with our daily routines. to spend a long time together gives us the ability to attract and connect on a completely different level. We blow up songs on the radio, play games like "I Spy", and actually talk to each other. We love to hear their stories and learn how to handle the world. Children have found a way to simplify complex situations.

I have often heard parents say that travel to difficult and expensive with small children. While they may have perfectly valid reasons for this line of thinking, when travel is important then is a great solution to load the car and take a trip. If you have recently said to himself: "I need a vacation, but the timing is not just right," do yourself a favor and take a road. Open a map, select a destination you've always wanted to visit, and go.

Need some inspiration Road Trip? Here are a few points to help a few seeds of plants:

• Great Road Trips Ideas in Canada: 9 routes to you for the summer Pumped
• National Geographic: Ultimate road trips
• Top 10 American road trips

Cameron Wears is one half of the duo behind the award-winning Canadian travel blog TravelingCanucks.com. Having traveled to over 65 countries and territories on six continents over the past eight years, he now lives in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, with his wife Nicole and their two boys. You can her family travel adventures on Google+, Twitter and Facebook.

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How to spend four days at Hong Kong

How to spend four days at Hong Kong -

Hong Kong. Its name inspired visions of a chaotic, unkam rich city with tall skyscrapers, smog thick, endless noodle stalls, big finance and wild nights. It is one of my top five most popular cities in the world, and I enjoy a chance to visit. The fast pace creates a sense of constant change, and the crowds, the diverse culture and food keep me coming back constantly. Oh, the food! I could go on all day long bent sitting on a noodle bowl!

Hong Kong is a bustling city with eight million inhabitants with one of the largest hubs in the world. It can be overwhelming for many visitors, especially those who are not used to crowded places. And to do with so much, you can scratch their heads about where to begin, to the best of the trip.

The four-day plan will help you organize your trip, you control from the beaten path, and show you why Hong Kong is one of the on-the-go cities in the world.

Day 1

, the Hong Kong Museum of History - in order to understand a place, you need to understand his past first. In this museum you can do just that. It provides an excellent overview of long and complex past Hong Kong. There are exhibits on the archeology related, social history, ethnography and natural history of the region. It is great to allow so about 2-4 hours for your visit. Admission is free on Wednesday and there is an audio tour for HKD $ 10

walk through Kowloon Park
Head to Kowloon island huge park on features a swimming pool, fitness center, small ponds, where you can watch ducks and other aquatic birds, a Chinese garden, an aviary, and many rest areas where you can relax to escape the oppressive heat Hong Kong. It is one of the best places to people watch in the city.

The street markets in Mong Kok

This area of ​​Hong Kong has the largest and busiest markets in which the hectic atmosphere, sights and sounds of Hong Kong to enjoy. The masses and sellers really illustrate Hong Kong on-the-move beings. The two best markets for inexpensive souvenirs are the Ladies Market (clothes at reasonable prices, accessories and souvenirs) and the Temple Street Night Market (flea market)

Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront -. Stroll the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and enjoy the stunning views of the skyline of Hong Kong Iceland. While you're here, make sure to visit the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong answer to the Hollywood "Walk of Fame", where you can see the stars of Chinese and Western film alike. There are shops, restaurants, and at night, a large market offering traditional open-air Cantonese cuisine alongside imitations and souvenirs. Come ready to haggle.

Take the Star Ferry

The best way to get across the harbor from Kowloon Iceland to Hong Kong Iceland, is on the Star Ferry, the shows a great view of the city skyline for only HKD $ 2.20. It is one of my favorite pastimes.

Day 2

ride Ngong Ping 360

This cable car just over 3.5 miles, running from Tung Chung over the bay towards the airport and then on to Lantau Iceland, where you can visit the Po Lin monastery. The cable car offers a panoramic view of the entire airport, harbor and town, before it travels through the surrounding mountains. The journey takes about 25 minutes. Lantau Iceland is a little touristy, but the drive and provide the monastery is worth looking at the city and small islands that dot Hong Kong

a food tour Take -. After the morning on the cable car and a killer view of Hong Kong enjoy lunchtime spend a food tour. Hong Kong is a food-filled city, and you will find a wide range around the world. Without help, you will never find all the hidden local favorites. The following three companies offer the best value tours:

• Bigfoot Tours
• Soft Adventures in Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Foodie Tasting Tours

a junk boat for rent

junk boats - with the big sails look at these classic boats in any film about Hong Kong - a fun way around the harbor at full sail -day and half-day trips. You can take a boat with a large group of friends rent (15 people or so) or a group travel to participate. Here are some recommended companies that offer affordable tours:

• Jaspas Junks
• Island Junks
• Saffron Cruises
• Hong Kong Junks

day 3

Walk the Ping Shan Heritage Trail

the hotel is located in the New Territories (the less the city visited northern district ), this track will lead past some of the most ancient monuments of the Tang clan. walled Hakka village Tsang Tai Uk, Fu Shin Street Traditional Bazaar, Che Kung Temple, one Mo Temple and the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas

Another option is the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail. It begins at the Taoist temple complex of Fung Ying Seen Koon and passes the walled villages of Ma Wat Wai and Lo Wai before Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall completed in the 18th century.

This part of Hong Kong is often skipped by tourists, and the paths through the city more rural region meandering, are quiet and a welcome change from the huge metropolis of downtown.

Hong Kong Heritage Museum

This museum shows the history of the city and the love of art. There is a large exhibition on the New Territories, and an opera house for performances. It fills in some of the blanks from the Kong History Museum Hong left and gives you a look at the artistic culture of the city. ! Only on the - it is also close to the beautiful Sha Tin Park and Shing Mun River, so that the environment as interesting as the museum

Che Kung Temple away street from the Heritage Museum of temple Che Kung, a General is dedicated during the southern song Dynasty (1127-1279) in ancient China. The temple here is always filled with people who are so prepared for crowds. The traditional architecture and intricate sculptures make this worth a visit after you see the Heritage Museum.

Day 4

The Peak Tram

This tram takes you to the top of the Peak, Hong Kong Iceland's largest mountain, at 1,700 Foot. Take a cable car to the top where you can enjoy a spectacular 180-degree views of the skyscrapers of Victoria Harbor, Kowloon, and the surrounding hills. It is the best view of the city

Hong Kong Museum of Art -. This museum is a fascinating and interesting place, showing Chinese ceramics, terracotta, rhinoceros horns and Chinese painting, and contemporary Hong Kong art artists. It's part art museum, part of Ripley's Believe It or Not .

to the nightlife in the Lan Kwai Fong Experience

LKF the main nightlife and party area in Hong Kong and with a variety of bars, clubs filled sheesha (water pipes), and cheap drinks. Nights are wild - the street is always full, people very drunk, and distributed like candy shots. It is violent, but if you want to see Hong Kong wilder side, this is the place to do it.

Other suggested activities

• Day trip to Macau - the gambling mecca of Macau is only a short boat ride away. For HKD $ 150, the 60-75-minute boat ride from Hong Kong ferry terminal you are in this former Portuguese colony, where you can hike gigantic modern casinos, stroll historic streets with Portuguese-inspired houses lined, and dine on pancakes. a famous local specialty
• in a cooking class - Hong Kong food. Why not learn how to cook some of it? These Hong Kong Expat website a list of 20 schools has
• walking -. Hong Kong may be a densely packed city, but there are also scenic hiking in the mountains and outer islands. There are a lot of trails (especially in the underdeveloped parts of the New Territories). This link to the Board Hong Kong Tourism lists all paths
• Visit Disneyland and Ocean Park -. If you on a trip with the family, or if you. A backpacker in connection with your inner child, head to Disneyland or Ocean Park for a day of fun Hang out with Mickey Mouse and shake hands with sea creatures. You can see Giant pandas at Ocean Park, which justifies the whole visit.

In a city of eight million people there to see countless things and do. Explore One could fill weeks Hong Kong many islands, markets, restaurants, attractions and nightlife. Although impossible so great to condense a city in a four-day itinerary, this list can help you experience the most Hong Kong has to offer in a short time.

For more travel tips for Hong Kong, check these contributions:

• Why I enjoyed Hong Kong
• My Favorite Restaurants in Hong Kong
• detail planning Guide for Hong Kong

the in-depth budget Guide to Hong Kong today!

Would you like to plan the perfect trip to Hong Kong? Check out my comprehensive guide to Hong Kong written out for budget travelers like yourself! He cuts the fluff in other guides found and will save directly to the practical information you need to travel and money in one of the most beautiful and exciting in the world. You are suggested routes tips budgets, finding ways to money, to save on and off the beaten path, things to see and do, and my favorite non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, and much more !! Click here to learn more and get started.