Here are some amazing images from countries starting with the letter M:
Hopefully this will inspire you to see the world. Think you have what it takes to visit them all?
Here are some amazing images from countries starting with letters N-P:
Hopefully this will inspire you to see the world. Think you have what it takes to visit them all?
Traveling abroad without your cat is possible. Here’s how:
If you’re like me, you love cats because they use a litter box. This means that you can travel for a day or two without having to pay someone to board them. Unlike dogs, cats can pretty much handle a few days without humans before someone starts to call it neglect. But what about traveling abroad?
Traveling out of the country means you can’t just run home during an emergency to check on your furry loved ones; therefore, you need to take extra precautions in order to ensure your kitties will be taken care of.
Here are our top ten tips for traveling abroad without your cats:
This ranks at the top of our list because having a trusted neighbor is the best way to ensure your cats are going to be ok. If you’re lucky, you may have a neighbor that loves kitties, and wants to visit them every day. Far too many people move into a new neighborhood or apartment building without meeting their neighbors. Other neighbors with pets may see this as mutually beneficial because they can ask you to return the favor in the future. Lastly, leave an extra spare key somewhere in case of an emergency.
Not all litter boxes are created equal. Forget the pan/bucket thingy, and get yourself the best litter box you can afford. You don’t necessarily need the litter box of the future, but get a nice one. I personally use the litterspinner, and it makes clean up easy. Here are some reviews on other great litter boxes.
When you are gone for an extended period of time, your going to want to get strong litter, but you can’t just change up the litter without testing it out on your cats. If you get litter that is too strong your cats may reject it, and find more interesting places to relieve themselves. If you make that mistake while traveling it could turn into quite the mess.
Cats can get a little lonely and anxious, so make sure to leave them their favorite cat toys. Maybe insert a little catnip inside a toy to keep them busy. Also leave some blankets or clothes with your scent on them so the cat doesn’t miss you as much.
Your cats are going to get bored and frustrated with you gone for so long, so they will turn into little demon children. They will want to explore new pieces of furniture or push items off of counter tops. They will slash curtains and breaks things. Make sure you make these things hard to do. Also make sure you either close or prop doors open so they don’t accidentally lock themselves in rooms. Shut windows so they can’t escape your home.
If you have cats who tend to overeat or steal food from your less dominant cats, they may run out of food too soon. A food dispenser is a great replacement for all of those extra cat food bowls. It also keeps your floor cleaner. The food dispenser makes sure your cats have breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday your gone.
The toilet is not the best option even though cats seem to prefer drinking from it. Get an extra water dispenser so the cats always have enough water. Spills can occur so it’s best to have multiple water sources for your cats.
Cats love to bask in the sunlight once in a while, but that can make your home very warm. I recommend leaving the blinds open in one room and keeping the temperature between 65F – 72F .
Since you won’t be around to say “NO”, your cats may ingest some plants that could cause them severe gastro-intestinal problems or even death. The ASPCA has a great list of toxic plants for cats here.
The only way to really know if your petsitter is doing their job, or if your cats are surviving a few days alone, is to purchase a pet video monitoring system. I suggest getting one that is motion sensored and app-enabled, so you can check in on your cats while you travel.
Hopefully this will prepare you for international travel without your cats. Remember to do these things, and you will have happy and healthy cats when you return. Don’t forget to protect yourself by being insured on your trip. Your cats will appreciate it.
If you are in Barcelona, you will probably visit the legendary Sagrada Familia temple. Don’t just take pictures of the outside, for God’s sake go inside and see it in all its glory.
The world-famous temple was the masterpiece of one of Spain’s most famous architects, Antoni Gaudi. Started in the 19th century, Sagrada Familia is still unfinished to this day. Gaudi worked for over forty years on the temple, until his death in 1926.
His work is carried on by architects and artists, and should be completed around 2026. If you would like to learn more about the history and architecture of Sagrada Familia please visit sagradafamilia.org.
I’m not saying that the the outside of this structure isn’t amazing, but I am saying you should spend some time inside as well. In fact, the video below is a 3d rendering of what the temple will look like once it’s finished.
This video illustrates the unfinished design stages of the temple in a very Game of Thrones kind of way.
While the outside of the temple features amazing relief sculptures and biblical scenes that could keep you occupied for hours, the inside is in stark contrast with perfect geometric forms and amazing displays of structural engineering. Being inside La Sagrada Familia gives you a sense of how meticulous Gaudi was in his architectural planning. Each column is beautifully designed and structurally sound.
See the difference below.
Outside
Inside – photo courtesy of sagradafamilia.org
So, if you are in Barcelona, make sure you give yourself some extra time to see the inside of La Sagrada Familia. It’s worth the extra time. Buy tickets and schedule your visit early to avoid the large tourist crowds because there is a lot to see. ‘
Please explain why we need selfie sticks when we travel abroad?
As we grow older, we often look back on things and admit we were wrong. In regards to the current selfie stick craze, I hope that I’m right on this one. Let’s talk about the selfie stick.
Millions upon millions of people have bought and used selfie sticks over the last year. In fact, the word selfie is actually a noun in the dictionary despite what Spellcheck thinks. So, should we be using selfie sticks because everyone else is? Or like the old adage says,”just because your friends jumped off a bridge, should you?” Are we being perceived as conceited or narcissistic when we waive our selfie sticks around unabashedly and unaware of our surroundings?
We are, quite frankly, obsessed with taking pictures of ourselves. Especially when we are traveling abroad. It’s like a proverbial middle-finger to your less-traveled pals, or a digital bumper sticker to prove that you were actually there.
Now with selfie sticks, people can…wait for it… take selfies from further away! I observed several travelers using selfie sticks abroad, and I couldn’t help but say, “I’m glad that’s not me.” First of all, you are definately a tourist. There is no question about that. Secondly, when did we forget about living in the moment and actually seeing the place we paid good money to visit?
If you don’t think the selfie stick is bad yet, just go to a crowded tourist destination. I once witnessed a girl take 2,000 selfies of herself on a beach without sunbathing or swimming for hours. I challenge you to observe a selfie stick user on your next trip abroad, and then imagine that you are a local. What would you think of that tourist? I’m not calling for a ban on selfie sticks, I just think they should be used in moderation like everything else in life.
Story continues below
I am guilty of taking more than a few selfies, but I have not yet used the selfie stick. I even have one in my household beckoning to be used. It was a prize given to me at a raffle. Oh the irony! Now it sits in my house like the evil doll you can’t seem to get rid of it in that cliche horror film. We will see how long I can resist the call of the selfie stick! Maybe I’ll change my mind.
Get the Photoshop watermarking guide free here:
On October 6th, Bhumika Shrestha became the first transgender to travel internationally with a passport marked ‘other’ in the gender section:
Bhumika Shrestha is a citizen of Nepal, and is one of three citizens who are officially recognized as belonging to a third gender after a Supreme Court ruling in December of 2007. Anya is the official term used in Nepal, which is translated as third gender. Anya describes any biological male who identifies or expresses as a female, or any biological female who identifies or expresses as a male.
The decision to recognize a third gender was a victory for Bhumika and The Blue Diamond Society, an organization that supports awareness, equality, and dignity for the LGBT community and other gender minorities in Nepal. The ruling was further evidence of Nepal’s progressive stance on these issues. Nepal joins Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan to offer passports with ‘X’ or ‘other’ as an option next to (M) for male and (F) for female.
Photo courtesy of: www.outandaround.com
On top of being an activist, counselor, member of The Blue Diamond Society, a pageant winner, and an elected official member of Nepal’s congress, Bhumika is also a world traveler. Bhumika travels to attend conferences and speak on behalf of transgender people all over the world. Just accessing health care, buying a house, or getting a job in your home country can be difficult when you are transgender. Imagine the difficulties a transgender person would face trying to travel internationally with security checks and customs. Bhumika explains how being transgender affects her everyday life in an interview with Out & Around:
While Western countries such as the UK are still debating the subject, Asian countries seem to be leading the charge to define and recognize ‘other’ gender categories. About 2-5 million individuals in India alone identify themselves as hijras, and are officially recognized by the Indian government, which means they will receive health care, education, and other rights given to males and females.
As more countries begin to officially recognize other genders, they will have to rethink the way laws are written to accommodate more than two defined genders. The health care industry will have to determine what changes they need to make as well; especially, for those people seeking international medical insurance when they travel abroad. Often, gender is the determining factor in deciding the type and price of medical coverage offered to an individual. How will insurance underwriters handle travelers who claim to be neither male nor female?
Some of the issues to watch for in the insurance industry are:
As this topic continues to grow, insurers will have to discover plan options that cover individuals from countries that recognize third genders. We here at TravelersAlly are dedicated to helping EVERYONE travel safely. We are currently raising this issue with several large insurance providers, and awaiting more information. In the meantime, please contact us for questions regarding coverage options.
With such a large number of travelers, you can be certain that many of them are unaware they need international medical insurance. These uninsured travelers can leave other countries with the unpaid medical bills if they decide not to pay for unexpected medical treatment. As stated by the International Medical Travel Journal, the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan implemented mandatory visitor medical insurance for mainland travelers entering Taiwan to cover unexpected illness, injuries or death after reportedly assuming a total of about $4 million unpaid medical expenses in 2014.
We are seeing a trend in countries requiring international travelers to have travel health insurance to avoid costly unpaid medical bills. For more information on how to obtain the appropriate international medical insurance plan, visit TravelersAlly for plan options.