Tag Archives: Travel Advice

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Travel Advice for Mexico

traveling couple

Travelling to a new destination for the first time can often be quite daunting, especially if you are not quite sure exactly what to expect. From safety tips to shopping tips, here are a few snippets of travel advice that promise to be a useful read before you set off for Mexico.

Avoid Flagging Taxis on the Street
While hailing a cab from the side of the street may not seem like a dangerous activity, this is a way in which a number of tourists are targeted each year, as thieves either pose as taxi drivers, or work with taxi drivers, to take advantage of visitors. Instead, if you need a taxi, have your hotel or restaurant call you one, so that you can be sure that they are from a reputable company.

Pack Breathable Fabrics
Many people travel to Mexico and watch in wonder as the locals go about their business in long, covered clothing, especially when the heat is really beating it down. However, the secret here is the fact that their clothing is made from breathable fabrics, such as cottons and linens. Even the traditional huipil, which is still worn throughout eastern Mexico, is made from cotton to ensure that the wearer does not end up feeling too hot. So, when packing your suitcase, be sure to leave the synthetics at home and opt for natural fabrics as much as possible.

Try to Speak Some Spanish
When visiting a new country, it is always a good idea to learn a few words in the local language beforehand. Not only does this improve upon your own language skills, but it is also something that locals will really appreciate when you are speaking to them. If you Spanish is extremely rusty, do not feel embarrassed, as locals are likely to help you out with your words and pronunciations rather than mock you.

Taste Regional Specialities
Mexican food is now available all over the world, but the food that you will actually encounter in Mexico is likely to be quite different from the Mexican cuisine you will have tasted in the past. While tacos, enchiladas and all of your other favorites will still be available, Mexican cuisine is so much more complex than this, and each region will have their own range of speciality dishes. From Mayan-influenced dishes to meals that date back to the Aztecs, make sure that you sample a wide variety of dishes when travelling to Mexico.

Don’t Drink Tap Water
The tap water in Mexico is not safe to drink, and this includes the ice that is made from it, so be sure to purchase bottled water when travelling through the country. Some hotels may have purified tap water, but unless there is a sign stating this, be sure not to drink it.

Mexico is a diverse and fascinating country, with so much to offer. While you do need to take a few travel precautions when visiting, do not forget to let your guard down so that you can really enjoy the warmth and generosity that you will experience from locals.

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Safest Countries for Women Traveling Alone

Travel expands the mind and helps you break away from the day-to-day routine that leaves you feeling trapped in a box. This therapeutic effect is one of the reasons many people travel beyond simply getting truly fantastic photos to share with your friends back home. There are problems to consider when you’re a single woman traveling around the world though. Safety is often one of the biggest concerns. OROGOLD typically focuses on helping you look your best, but right now we’d like to help you feel safe the next time you feel the need to travel the world. As a result, we’ve picked a few of the safest areas of the world for you to travel to alone. Some of them may even surprise you.

Ice caves, Iceland

Iceland
No safe travel list is really complete without Iceland. Positive social policies and a constant look for improving their lives make Iceland not only a pleasant place to live, but actually one of the safest places in the world. The crime rate is so low that many people internationally often wonder how the country manages to ensure that it stays that way. The upside to this safety is that you can wander around some truly dramatic landscapes during your visit from green hills to ice-capped mountains. When you tire of seeing the beauty of the landscape itself, then you can retire to the famous Blue Lagoon thermal spring and relax the soreness in your muscles away to prepare for another day of exploring.

New Zealand

New Zealand
As another far-flung location, New Zealand might seem like a quirky choice, but it is actually a fairly safe country. The people, often referring to themselves as kiwis, take great pride in a sort of cultural eccentricity to go with their island home. Much like Iceland, New Zealand is known for some of the most dramatic landscapes. Complementing this is the sheer variety of the landscape that often leaves the mind reeling in awe that so many different places could exist on the island nation. You can tour various locations to learn about the original settlers of the nation as well as their way of life. Or, if none of that interests you, you can at least find one of the kiwi birds the people got their nickname from while you wander around.

Stockholm, Sweden

Sweden
Sweden is often called the gender quality capital of the world. This is a point of pride for egalitarian Swedes who are often quite happy to make use of their English skills to helpfully point people in the right direction. The country, like most of Europe, plays host to truly old cities and a long history for its people. You can spend the day exploring cities such as Gothenburg or Stockholm and run into examples of both their long history and the constant march of progress that the country tries to maintain. While not as safe as Iceland, Sweden does share in the overall safety of the Scandinavia as a whole. As a result, if Sweden isn’t to your liking, then you still have Norway and Denmark to consider as places to travel of similar safety.

Traveling alone any time can be a bit nerve-wracking, but especially when it is the first time you’re going out on your own. Consider this list from OROGOLD as a loose guideline at best as there are plenty of other safe travel destinations around the globe, but these are some of the safer ones with plenty for you to do while visiting. We do suggest that you double check before traveling to any country for any local conditions you need to be aware of such as civil unrest or protests though. It always helps to be aware of the current climate when you’re traveling, after all.

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Family Vacation Planning Tips

Family vacations always start out with the best of intentions, but can often end up extremely stressful. To make your next family vacation not only calm and stress-free, but also plenty of fun, OROGOLD has some top family vacation planning tips for you.

Family deciding where to go while on a holiday.

Let Your Kids Have Their Say
If you have children of different ages, it can often be hard to try to accommodate everyone’s wants and needs. If you have already chosen a destination, OROGOLD suggests allowing each of your children to choose one thing in particular that they would like to do on vacation. Help them to do some research on the internet to find out what is available and give them some choices. This will make sure that everyone feels involved and excited right from the start.

Family looking at a map while camping.

A Flexible Itinerary
Over-scheduling too many activities during your family vacation is a sure sign that there will be problems ahead. Children in particular don’t tend to enjoy too much sightseeing, so keep this at a minimum. Try to have a couple of goals for each day, with things that you are hoping to do or see, so that if one doesn’t work out, you will still have a backup plan and won’t be left with absolutely nothing to do. When you do plan particular activities, remember to keep at a comfortable pace for everybody, keeping each family member’s preferences in mind when planning dining options, activity choices, and even wake up times in the mornings. OROGOLD also strongly advises that you set some time aside for private time, especially if you have teenagers with you.

Sad girl in a car

Expect the Unexpected
Whenever you are traveling, it is always advisable to expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to travel delays and long waits. This is even more important when you are traveling as a family, with boredom leading to arguments, which then starts the vacation off on a sour note. To overcome this, pack a carry-on bag with a change of clothes for every family member, as well as medicines and necessary toiletries. You should also pack a good variety of travel games and snacks, as these will come in use when you are busily trying to keep the children occupied during a long wait.

Collage of a family's holiday photos.

Vacation Memories
Everybody loves snapping photographs when on vacation, and it is likely that your children will be no exception. Consider giving each family member a disposable camera and a journal, where they can keep track of their vacation adventures. It is also a great way for the family to share memories after the vacation is over, by looking through and discussing each family member’s journal and photographs. If everyone in your family has a smartphone with a camera, consider purchasing a pocket-sized printer, to help bring everyone’s photos to life at the end of each day.

Planning a family vacation can be difficult, especially if everyone in your family is quite particular about what they like to do when on vacation. By planning a flexible trip, and including everyone’s preferences in your vacation activities, your family vacation is much more likely to be a great success, resulting in precious memories that you will treasure for a lifetime.

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Catch Some Zzz’s at the Airport – OROGOLD Reviews

Although nobody enjoys sleeping at the airport, flight delays and layover times can often make this inevitable. OROGOLD shares some of our top tips on the best ways to catch a few hours of sleep at the airport.

Woman sleeping on a sofa in an airport.

Have a Plan
It is always best to thoroughly research the airport from before if you know that you are going to be spending a few hours waiting there. There are different websites that provide airport information, which can help you to develop a strategy for where you’re going to sleep. Some airports offer great facilities for those who will be needing to spend the night, such as Singapore‘s Changi Airport, which has power outlets, reclining chairs and even a spa for weary travellers to enjoy some pampering. Other airports don’t cater to overnight sleepers at all, and, if this is the case, OROGOLD would recommend arriving as early as possible, especially if you know that there is limited seating. When finding a place to settle down for a sleep, take note of the people traffic in that area, as well as where the speakers are for the announcements, as these are the main things that are likely to interrupt your sleep.

Dress in Layers
Although many airports tolerate overnight guests, they aren’t thrilled at the idea, and often try to make the airport as uncomfortable as possible during the night, to encourage people to find somewhere else to sleep. OROGOLD‘s tip for overcoming this is to dress as warmly as possible, in many layers, even if your final destination is somewhere hot and tropical. Bringing along a fleece blanket in your carry-on bag will also help to keep the cold away. This way, even if the airport doors are left open in the freezing winter, or the air conditioners are turned to the coldest in the middle of the summer, you will be able to stay nice and warm.

Woman sleeping in an airport.

Keep Your Belongings Safe
It can often be difficult falling asleep when you know that you need to keep an eye on your belongings. The best way to do this is by keeping all of your belongings close to your body, either sleeping with your bag hugged to your body, or using your belongings as a pillow. However, this only really works if you are a light sleeper. If you tend to usually fall into a deep sleep, it may be better to tie a string around your wrist, attaching the other end to your bag, so that if someone moves them, you will be instantly woken up. OROGOLD would also suggest that you check to see where the airport security cameras are and find a place to sleep that is near one of them, so that if anything did happen, it would have all been caught on camera.

Although sleeping at the airport is never an ideal situation, there are ways that you can make the best of it, ensuring that you manage to get those precious hours of extra sleep. From choosing your location wisely to keeping your belongings safe, OROGOLD’s tips on how to get some sleep at the airport should make your next overnight airport stay much more comfortable.

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All You Need to Know About Luxury Hotel Reward Programs – OROGOLD Reviews

Luxury hotel reward programs are often misunderstood, with many travelers not bothering to sign up for one as they feel that the benefits would not make a difference to their stay. However, OROGOLD believes that a majority of reward programs offered by hotel groups can not only save you money during your stay, but will also give you many added perks that will make your trip much more enjoyable.

NIght view of a luxury resort with swimming pool.

Points are Easy to Redeem
One of the major problems when it comes to airline loyalty programs is that it can often be hard to redeem points, either because they only offer a small selection of seats for flights, or because of the lengths you have to go through to do so. In comparison, hotel groups have fewer restrictions, and do not blackout any dates for reward nights. The points that you earn with many hotel reward programs never expire, meaning that you can save them for however long you want, and they also allow you to use them for stays at competitor hotels. Many hotels will also accept your points instead of cash for things that you might spend on during your stay, such as room upgrades or meals at the hotel.

Extra Perks During Your Stay
Hotels are constantly offering deals and special bonuses to their reward program members, such as free room service breakfasts and free Wi-Fi. You can also use your membership status, no matter what level it may be at, to enjoy late check-outs, free parking, and other little perks that all make traveling slightly more convenient.

Woman lying on a hotel bed looking at her credit card.

The Best Reward Programs
Although the benefits to joining a reward program are plenty, they all do slightly differ, so it is important to do a bit of research before deciding which one, or more, to join. The Marriott program is one of the most diverse, and covers 18 different brands, including Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance, and also allows points to be redeemed with Delta and United Airlines. The Hilton program covers high end brands such as Conrad and the Waldorf-Astoria, has over 4000 locations in 90 countries, and can be used with 50 different airline and rail partners. The only downside is that you need to use your points at least once a year to stop them from expiring.

If you have already booked your trip, don’t worry, as you can still sign up online to the reward program at the hotel that you have booked, so that you will still be able to collect points for your stay, as well as enjoy member perks. Many hotels also offer credit card programs for their members, allowing you to earn points for money that you spend elsewhere, and these are usually easier to redeem than points earned from airplane credit cards. If the program you join is going to influence your travel in the future, be sure to research into the different programs available, as not only do the choice of destinations differ, but so do the membership perks.

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Dispelling Airplane Myths – OROGOLD Reviews

Over time, airplanes have gotten a bad reputation for being packed with a whole variety of germs and diseases, but most people do not know where exactly these germs lie, as well as how to avoid them. OROGOLD reviews some of the most common airplane myths, along with the actual truth behind them.

Interior of an airplane with stewardess walking down the aisle.

Cabin air is a dangerous health hazard
One of the most commonly believed airplane myths is that the most dangerous hazard whilst flying is the cabin air itself. This is definitely not true, as cabins are fitted with HEPA filters, which clean the air. Instead, the upholstery of the seats, the tray tables, the armrests and the toilet handles are much more likely to contain traces of certain bacteria, including MRSA and E. Coli. These strains of bacteria have been found to live for up to a week on planes that haven’t been properly cleaned.

Air stairs being attached to an airplane.

Each plane is thoroughly cleaned between flights
According to many industry watchers, proper cleaning of the inside of an aircraft does not happen as frequently as we would like to think. Since the FAA does not regulate, or even inspect, aircraft cleaning, it is left up to the individual airlines to handle. As a general rule, each aircraft is supposed to be thoroughly wiped down after every 30 days of service, or after a 100 hour flying period. However, this means that an aircraft could carry out dozens of different flights before it is deep-cleaned.

Man resting in an airport lounge.

It is safe to use the bagged pillows and blanket
It is easy to believe that the pillows and blankets that are handed out, wrapped in plastic, are safe to use, but this is not necessarily true. Eyewitness accounts have stated that on some airlines, pillows are stored in the overhead compartments in between flights, with nobody changing the pillowcases. Your best bet would be to bring along a warm jacket, as well as neck pillow that has a cover that can be easily washed.

Airlines take precautions to ensure that certain viruses, such as Ebola, are not spread through the cabin
Ebola is a virus that is causing particular concern at the moment, but, as of yet, there have not been any reported cases of the virus managing to spread within the confined space of an aircraft cabin. Ebola is not an airborne virus, and can only be spread via blood or bodily fluids, so all passengers should make sure to cover up and exposed wounds.

Box of tissue sanitizers.

Once I’m on the plane, there’s nothing I can do to protect myself from harmful bacteria
Every flier can, and should, take steps to ensure that they are protected from any harmful bacteria that may be living in an aircraft. A pack of disinfectant wipes should be carried with you at all times, and used to wipe down the armrest and tray table as soon as you reach your seat. When touching door knobs or the toilet handle, it is best to use a tissue or a paper towel, so that your skin does not come into direct contact with it. As tear ducts are a fast route for germs to reach the nose and throat, your eyes are particularly vulnerable, and you should keep your hands as far away from them as possible.

Although the amount of germs that are found on an airplane may seem shocking, there are plenty of ways to keep yourself protected from them. By being aware of which areas of a plane contain the most harmful bacteria, and by carrying disinfectants and hand sanitizers with you at all times, you will have a much better chance of keeping your body free from the germs.