travel | The Circle of My Life

The Phenotypes of Travelers

Posted on February 18, 2017 by iheart11

With our lives being displayed prominently on social media, everyone knows about each other’s vacations. Most of us with a decent presence on social media cannot resist putting up at least one picture or status update of a place we are visiting.

I put up my vacation photographs on facebook, and pay due attention to my friends’ photographs, trying to see where and how they are vacationing (sometimes to get ideas for my next vacation, at other times to feel jealous).

Based on my observations, I think I can categorize vacationers into the following categories:

The “I’ve got to see it all” type

Highly motivated to make the most of their vacation, they want to cover as much ground as possible and take pictures at every single attraction in the city. They pack their itineraries with as many tours and activities as they can, and are unhappy if they have any free time left.

I humbly state that I belong to this group.

aid26819-900px-plan-a-family-vacation-step-1-e1484859866193

2. The meticulous planner

This person has planned every single activity down to the last detail. Everything is prepaid, and nothing is left to chance. Alternative plans are in place as well.

That’s my husband. infographic-template-with-plane-and-travel-items

3. The Laissez-faire traveler

Nothing is pre-planned except tickets and accommodation. Everything else is to be figured out at the destination. Usually solo travelers or young couples. These travelers are bold and willing to experiment. They have the best stories to tell.

203

4. The Intrepid Traveler

The ones with a spirit of adventure- these guys are mountain-biking, deep-sea diving, surfing, kayaking or rock-climbing everywhere they go. Vacation is the time to prove their physical grit and stamina.

(My only concern is that their “vacation” sometimes gets prolonged due to injuries sustained during their daredevil activities.)

'These elevators are slow, but it sure beats flying.'

5. The “I’ve earned my leisure” type

These are people who are exhausted running the rat race everyday and take a vacation just to languish in hotel rooms, bars, by the poolside or the beach. They are not interested in sightseeing, they are just there to get away from home.

People I envy the most because they really have a good time.

stock-vector-vector-cartoon-of-family-relaxing-beside-pool-96030128.jpg

6. The “fish out of water” type

These are the travelers who are constantly complaining- they love the idea of a vacation, but are very uncomfortable in a new environment. They might compare everything to “back home”. These are the ones who would rock a staycation.

twotypes2a

7. Ms./Mr. Fancypants

These are the folks who enjoy the finer things in life. They usually have plenty of money (obviously!) and take luxury vacations. They want exotic experiences at every place.

8. The “children rule the roost” type

Families with children, who spend most of their vacation fussing over their kids, their naptimes, their food and drink, or chasing them.

9. The “All the world’s a poster board” type

These are the photographers who share the magic of their lenses on facebook and instagram. They are busy clicking away, especially at sunset and sunrise!

'Mom, can't we stop to look at the Grand Canyon?'

10. The “Bleasure” traveler

The one who sits with his mobile phone and laptop on the beach- mixing business with pleasure. More and more common now as no one is expected to unplug..

stock-vector-vector-cartoon-of-business-executive-on-beach-81294310.jpg

I am sure there are many more types, and we can all probably fit in one or the other mold, but I’ll stop here.

So, what kind of a traveler are you?

Earth Laughs in Flowers..

Posted on January 28, 2017 by iheart11

“I must have flowers, always and always.”- Claude Monet

Needless to say, we all love flowers.

I am not into gardening, nor do I buy floral arrangements for home. However, I do love visiting botanical gardens especially to admire different varieties of flowers. Having visited several prominent botanical gardens in the country, I can easily say that I am fortunate enough to live close to the best botanical garden in the country- the Longwood Gardens.

Longwood Gardens consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows in Kennett Square, PA in the Brandywine Creek Valley, about an hour away from Philadelphia. They were purchased by a prominent industrialist Pierre Dupont in 1906 to save the trees from being felled for timber. Soon he developed it into a horticultural display to entertain his friends, and today they attract over 1 million visitors a year.

One of the best parts of these gardens is the indoor Conservatory containing more than 4500 plants and trees. The heated conservatory is accessible in every season, with seasonal display of flowers.

We have been visiting Longwood Gardens multiple times a year since we moved to Philadelphia. Infact I can actually create a photo album documenting my 6 year old’s milestones with these gardens as the backdrop!

Without further ado, here are some photographs of the gardens, focusing solely on the flowers:

Orchids on display at the Orchid Festival (Feb-Mar)

Waterlilies (summer)

Voluptuous chrysanthemums at the Mum Festival in Fall; the first photograph shows the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum (known in Japan as Ozukuri)

Christmas Display

Euphoria over Euphorbia (poinsettia) at Christmas

Dahlias, tulips and more mums

This makes me want to plan my next trip to Longwood Gardens-the Orchid Festival just opened last weekend!

I’ll get richer by spending money

Posted on January 26, 2017 by iheart11

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”

As much as I love traveling, I have to agree that travel is expensive. More so than anything else, I think. Also, unlike buying an object, you cannot have a predetermined budget, as you are likely to run into some unforeseen situation that requires you to shell out money. Over the years, as we travel more, my husband and I have learnt some tricks to save money during our travels. While most of these ideas are not original, they are tried and tested by us.

Here are my favorite tips:

Get a travel credit card from your bank which has zero foreign transaction fee if you travel abroad frequently.(Source: bankbigbang.com)
Plan the beginning and end of your vacation on a weekday (especially midweek) as airline tickets are cheapest during this time. Take overnight flights if you have the stamina to avoid spending an extra night in a hotel.
Travel during off-season if possible (definitely avoid major school vacations).
Try a new (ish) airline that is trying to advertize. For example, Etihad Airways offers packages for inexpensive layovers at Abu Dhabi, Iceland Air allows you to fly to most major destinations in Europe with a stopover in Reykjavik (believe me, you would not regret a stopover in Iceland ever) at affordable rates. We also did a free tour of Istanbul during a 12 hour stopover as part of a package from Turkish airlines on our way to India.

Travel light! The less baggage you have to check in, the better it is, because the fees for checked baggage can add up pretty quickly. Before we had kids, we never checked in any bags- just hauled a carry-on each. I have never packed an extra pair of footwear (usually travel in my sneakers or comfortable sandals).
Research the area of your interest thoroughly before going so that you know how to save money on transportation and sightseeing. Buying tickets online can help save precious dollars.
Choose lodging smartly. Now we do not use bed and breakfast places, preferring the predictability of hotels. We try to look for hotels downtown close to train stations in Europe so that public transportation is always accessible. In the US, we stay in chain hotels in the suburbs because they are cheaper and we always rent a car.
Eat smart. We try to book hotels with free breakfast. While traveling, breakfast is the most important meal of the day since it is the most predictable. Having a hearty breakfast with coffee at no extra cost is great. We also buy food from grocery stores when we can (especially if there is a refrigerator in the hotel room). In many parts of Europe, grabbing something from a cafe and eating it on the sidewalk is cheaper than sitting down in the same place to eat.
There is a lot written about how to shop for local goods and haggle for prices in different countries, but my take on it is to stay away from shopping altogether. The world is a small place, and you can have pretty much anything shipped to your home from any part of the world. If you absolutely have to buy some memorabilia, postcards are the best.
Keep your personal tastes in mind when you travel. For example, there are many great art museums in major European cities, but there is no point splurging on a detailed tour of a “must-see” museum that you can barely endure.

(Source: pinterest)

(The first photograph is from my personal collection-Iceland)

Walk the World!

Posted on January 20, 2017 by iheart11

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” Steven Wright

Travel is a necessity for me. I probably carry the spirit of travel within me even when I am out exploring my own city. We (my husband and I) have become a fan of walking tours lately, and this is our preferred way of touring each destination.

Here’s why we love (guided) walking tours:

1. Most tourist places in any major city are located within a radius of a few miles, and walking is the best way to see each attraction. Even if you get on a bus or in a car , movement is slow and you have to constantly keep getting off and on, dragging your camera along (not to mention trying to find parking for your car). Better to just walk.

Walking on the streets of Oslo, with quotes by Henrik Ibsen (norwegian playwright) engraved on the sidewalk

2. You get plenty of exercise to offset the gourmet meals you enjoy on your vacation. (That’s how we burnt off all our calories from pizza and gelati in Italy! 10000 steps a day- bring it on!)

Crossing the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence to burn off calories

3. Many major cities, especially in Europe have free walking tours provided by a local guide. The quality of these tours might be variable, but they are usually fun. Our most entertaining walking tour was a free one in Oslo, Norway where our guide had witty anecdotes on the history and geography of Norway.

The stories we heard with the Oslo Opera House in the backdrop!

4. If you want an in-depth tour to understand the history and culture of a place, there are special tours led by university students of history and archeology. We did such tours in Rome and the Vatican City, and learnt a lot that we would not otherwise have figured out (they tend to be pricier, though).

Painted ceiling, Vatican City: Without a knowledgeable guide, we would never had understood art from the 16th century

5. Most walking tours are conducted in smaller groups, and there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions. I myself am not that inquisitive but love listening to other people’s questions and the tour guide’s answers.

You have to ask questions when something as quirky as this shows up on the sidewalk on a tour of historic Annapolis, MD..

6. There is safety in numbers! Traveling in a group is much safer than exploring a city alone.

Dusk- Pier 39, San Francisco, CA- safer with people around

7. Having children might appear to be deterrent, but not for us. We have a stroller with a reclining seat in which our son (now 5 years old) can sleep. He has been with us on all our walking tours, sometimes participated actively, and often fallen asleep. On uneven surfaces, we just haul the stroller together, each parent catching one end.

My son had plenty of questions regarding these cannons at the Akershus fortress, Oslo, Norway

8. I strongly recommend trying walking tours in your own city on a free weekend. We did 4 free tours covering 4 sections of Philadelphia one Saturday, and it was the best sightseeing in our own town. (Also it was our first time walking through many areas of the city, because we always drive everywhere.)

Outside the Rodin museum in Philadelphia

9. In addition to seeing major attractions, you can discover some hidden gems, especially local cafes and eateries. Many walking tours take you through the local markets where the tour guides help you buy authentic stuff at fair prices.