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Showing posts with label TRAVEL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TRAVEL. Show all posts

Jun 20, 2016

The Future Of Human-Independent Travel Is Almost Here

Autonomous Cars, Trucks and Buses


Not too long ago in a few sci-fi movies, the characters were shown jumping into a vehicle that pulled up next to them sense a driver. They also did not have to get behind the wheel, but could sit back after telling the car their destination. The reality of such commute is very close. Tesla's auto pilot goes beyond just cruise control by taking over the car and not only controlling speed but also distance to the nearest vehicle and has the ability to slowdown, stop, or even switch lanes as necessary. Hence, why the guy above was able to fall asleep while in the driver's seat. Since the technology is very new and, while working well, is not fool-proof yet it is not recommended to leave it unattended 100%.

Volvo S60 - Autonomous driving:

Famous autonomous vehicles:
Kitt (Knight Rider)
Audi Concept (I, Robot)
Minority Report car
The Batmobile
The Fifth Element flying car

Someone made the Lexus 2054 from Minority Report


The Most Ultimate Driving Machine (That You’ll Never Drive) via WIRED



Rolls-Royce Concept Car

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Jun 16, 2016

5 Most Ridiculous Travel Gadgets For Men

5 Most Ridiculous Travel Gadgets That Are For Men


Dude Stick “Chapstick For Men”
www.dude-stick.com
It does look inconspicuous with grey letters on all black packaging. And looks cool enough that I would consider it, though the price of $15 is too steep for a lip balm. Considering that a Blistex medicated lip balm has a great green color and works great to protect and heal your lips.

Sunscreen for Men
Skin is skin, and needs to be protected from harmful rays of the sun. SPF 30 or above would work the same for men and women. I know I have shared the same sunscreen on many vacations with my wife and we both either get burned or tan slightly. Though in my wife's case she will be brown in a few hours, and I will be the one slathering after sun lotion and aloe to sooth the burn.

Dude wipes
Carrying around wipes is not manly. I like feeling clean just as much as the next guy. But at the same time I will not be carrying around wipes. Maybe a few tissues. Nowadays I just grab some from the kid wipes that we always have with us. These do come in nice black package to make it more manly when you take them out, but you are still taking out a wet nap.

BBQ Toolbox
thefowndry.com/products/bbq-toolbox
A grill on the go. The grill is built right into the regular looking red toolbox. It unfolds to reveal the grilling surface powered by charcoal. On the sides are useful food prep and cooking stations.

Wenger Swiss Army Knife
When traveling, you want to be prepared for just about anything. You would like to have some tools on hand just in case. This gadget takes it much much further by giving you every tool you can think of within one package. The gadget performs 141 functions in total. More then necessary for most trips and outdoor activities. It is most certainly not carry-on friendly.






Save on Wearable Technology + FREE shipping on all orders $35+!

Get 15% OFF NOCO Genius Multipurpose Chargers. Perfect For All Vehicles. Shop Now.

Get huge discount on Family Travel Deals! Book now and get extra $15 off with Coupon Code – TLFMT15.

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Jun 13, 2016

Rio Summer Olympics 2016: What Travelers Need to Know & Pack

Rio Summer Olympics 2016:
What Travelers Need to Know & Pack



Rio Olympic Games 2016 begins on Friday, August 5 and run through Sunday, August 21

Precautions
By this time a lot of folks looking to travel to South America are aware that there is the Zika virus outbreak. In just over two months, Brazil recorded 91,387+ probable cases, as well as a rise of chikungunya and dengue, diseases transmitted by the same mosquito. To make sure you have a great trip without a lot of mosquito bites, pack these travel accessories:

Mosquito Repellent Shirts and Bandanna

Repellent Sprays and Fans

Repellent Bracelets

Getting in there
Currently, a valid passport and tourist visa are required to travel to Brazil. However, it looks like visa requirements may be waived for travel during the Olympics. This is great for travelers during the time period since that would save both time and money.

Good to know:
You must obtain your Brazilian visa in advance from the Brazilian Embassy or consulate nearest to your place of residence in the United States. Visas cannot be obtained at the airport, and immigration authorities will refuse entry into Brazil to anyone not possessing a valid visa.

What Gadgets To Bring:

Smartphone
It is likely to be one of the first things that will be on the list to take along. It is an essential travel planning tool. Though the smartphone is also the communication device, and I am not even talking about making calls. Social media, and sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, have become the top news sources around big events. The Olympics of 2016 will be even more so with people from around the world posting messages and pictures from all of the competitions.

Camera
Brazil is known for its colorful scenery, outfits, and people. You would want to capture all of the scenery of the country as well as the Olympic events.

Top Recommendations for Travel & Outdoor Photography

Binoculars
Everyone wants to be close to the action. Though finding tickets that are in the front is either too difficult or too expensive. And some events occur in a large stadium where no matter where you sit you might not see all of the action up close. And a pair of light compact binoculars will come in handy in those cases.

Electrical Adapter
The type N socket and plug are the official standards in Brazil, see image below. In parts of Brazil, an electrical outlet allows for plugs with two round pins, as well as American-style plugs that have two flat prongs. However, that is not common

type n electrical sockettravel adapter

US Travel Adapters

UK Travel Adaptors

Get Ready For Winter (in Brazil)
August is the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere. It happens to be one of the most comfortable months to visit. Rainfall is low, temperatures remain high. The average temperature is 19°C (66°F) at night and up to 26°C (79°F) in the afternoon. Swimming is possible all-year-round in Rio, with a water temperature around 22°C (72°F).


VPN Connection
If you live in the United States, the only way to watch the Olympics is to see it on television. Although NBC has streaming available, only customers with a cable subscription can use the service, which includes the same tape delay as the regular broadcast. The BBC is also streaming the Olympics, and they’re doing it live. The catch is that the stream is region-locked. To bypass the restriction you can use a VPN service, such as the Private Internet Access, to create a proxy that will let you stream the games.

Accessories to take along
Sunscreen - SPF 30 or higher!. Apply it before you leave the room and frequently at the beach. Rio is on the Tropic of Capricorn and the sun is blistering hot. Don't ruin your vacation by baking red as a lobster.

Filter Water Bottle
It's best not to drink the tap water while on your Rio de Janeiro vacation but instead opt for bottled or filtered water. Tap water is fine for bathing, cooking, and washing dishes. Though problems have been known to occur with Rio's water treatment system.

LifeStraw Go Water Bottle with Integrated 1000-Liter LifeStraw Filter

Related Content:
Apple Maps Gets Public Transit Directions For Rio de Janeiro Ahead Of Olympics


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Jun 6, 2016

13 Tips For Safe Summer Road Trips With Kids

Family Travel Safety Tips and Gadgets

2016 is shaping up to be the summer of the road trip
Cheap fuel prices, and with summertime gas prices predicted to be the lowest in 13 years, families have more spare change to spend on their trip. 90% of Memorial Day travelers are planning to go by car according to AAA.

Image: Newsroom.AAA.com

Safety

• Traveling during the warm weather months, give yourself an extra five to ten minutes to get the car cool before putting the kids inside. It can be miserable and also dangerous in a hot vehicle. Plus this will get you off on a better start to your trip.

Make sure the kids have all the snacks and drinks they need

Kids Play Tray for Snacks Great for Car Bus Train and Plane Journeys

Cozy Greens® Backseat Car Organizer - Must Have For Traveling With Kids

High Road Kids Food 'n Fun Car Seat Organizer with Cooler and Snack Tray

Make sure that you have the directions to your destination set up on your GPS

Google Maps App (iTunes/Google Play)

How To: Use Google Maps Offline When Traveling

Waze - GPS, Maps & Traffic (Google Play/iTunes)

Garmin nüvi GPS

Place your sunglasses and glasses by you/driver

Driver’s See Through Sun Visor that blocks glare from the sun and oncoming traffic could be a good idea in addition to glasses.


Take out (if not already) electronic toll collection device, such E-Z Pass, and mount onto the windshield

Phone charger is plugged in and ready to charge phone that is put away into a cupholder

Or if you are using it as GPS or handsfree calling, make sure that the phone mount is securely in place
We have used on many road trips and love the iOttie Easy One Touch Car Mount

Answering the phone on the road is not a safe option. Best, if you do have to, is to use Bluetooth for hands-free system

Related articles:
Family Trip to DR - What To Pack
Aruba Vacation - Kids Gadgets and Accessories
How to Get Your Phone and Tablet Travel Ready
Summer Family Trip to Norwalk CT
more tips for summer road trip below

Entertainment

Keep the backseat passengers busy and enjoying the ride

Travel-Themed kids packs that include 20-page activity booklet, fun souvenirs to review, flashlight adventures, trading cards, stickers and luggage tags. These will keep them busy for awhile.

Play movies and shows

Best way to watch movies in the car is with a mount that would hold the iPad or other tablet in place, hands-free, and away from kids' faces. Giving them a better view and also some distance from the screen.

Listen to music

iPod Nano these days is under $100 and has 16GB of storage which can hold around up to 30 hours of music. More than enough for most road trips.

Share the sound

Better yet, the backseat passengers can share the music, as long as they agree on the genre, for duration of the ride without needing an extra MP3 player. A headphone jack splitter will allow multiple users to plug into the same device and listen to the tunes

Charge All Your Gadgets

Using the car's cigarette lighter, or better name would be an electrical port since we never use it for that, you can charge your gadgets with the USB chargers specifically designed to fit there. We currently have the Griffin dual USB charger in the front. It has been plugged in there for 3+ years. The latest gadget for charging your devices in the car is the Belkin Road Rockstar with 4 USB Ports. Not only does it have the same USB plug for the electrical port, but it also has an extension that is pulled through to the backseat and 2 other devices can be plugged in. The secondary portion has 2.4A ports that can charge tablets.


Extra

The Best Part of Road Trips is…

Water Safety Tips for Kids

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May 31, 2016

How To Travel Light With Your Family To the Beach


Summer Beach Packing Guide

It's Summer Time which means lugging a million things to the beach or pool, right? WRONG.

Here's my quick guide on how to travel (relatively) light with your infant or toddler to the beach this summer!
Updates:2024

(Links below are affiliate links, meaning that TTG receives a commission on sale of products sold as a result of clicking on the link. We strive to provide honest opinion and links to products that believe to be of quality and useful to us as travelers and others. By clicking on this link for your Amazon purchases, you're helping us out but not paying anything additional for your purchases)

Gear:

Schylling Infant UV Playshade – it’s a must – under 2 lb and becomes huge. Like a little playhouse that’s protected from harmful rays, harsh sun and has ventilation: http://amzn.to/248q6lpb An adult or two children can fit in there comfortably. A perfect place to discreetly breastfeed too or put a baby down for a nap. Or just fill it with sand and toys and your little one has a little play area sheltered from the sun. You can even get a little pool (like this) and fill with water. Instant fun!

Swimways Baby Spring Float (Pool only): http://amzn.to/1rr0Rfj
We used this only in the pool. The waves at the beach made me skeptical. It protects the baby from the sun and allows them to safely float and move their legs and arms. Folds flat.

Universal Waterproof Pouch: https://amzn.to/3xOCgc2 Cellphone dry bag for Apple and Android phones. It is IPX8 Certified waterproof for 100 feet.

Apparel:

Imse Vimse Water Shoes (Infant): http://amzn.to/1VH5RJf
Super cute and perfect for tiny feet. Keeps early walkers safe in the sand and the shoes float!

Swim shoes (toddler): http://amzn.to/1Tm7x8j - little feet are very sensitive and even the softest sand may have a sharp sea shell, we don’t take chances. Get those with a strap, the pull ones are too hard to put on

iPlay Hat with TIES: http://amzn.to/1TfRvcl If it is windy, you will certainly want to make sure the hat doesn't fly or float away. We've lost more than 1 hat before.

Rashguards: http://amzn.to/1Tm73iB - cute and comfy – guarantee the baby won’t burn the shoulders and back which are most sensitive to exposed sun – we didn’t bring any traditional swimsuits – they either do not cover or are impossible to take off if your little one is not potty trained.

Sunglasses: http://amzn.to/217auwc In the water, on the way to lunch, she always wore shades. Go for something lightweight and comfortable

Swim vest: http://amzn.to/1Tm7jxO Yes, floaties are cute, but this keeps the child above the water at all times and gives them mobility in the arms – she wore it every day to the ocean

Toys:

Toys, toys and more toys! http://amzn.to/1Qk1oEdand http://amzn.to/1PDeS0L aka FREE BABYSITTER - bring tons of shapes, shovels, and buckets – guaranteed 30 min of peace ;)

TIP: when getting sand toys, get a mesh bag so that even if wet or sandy, it will all shake out before you get home. Also, try to get buckets that stack into each other to maximize space

Care items: diapers, sunscreen and other musts:

Swim diapers: http://amzn.to/1Tm7b1y Save on space and get swim diapers instead of disposable. Not recommended if your child tends to go #2 in diapers

Swim diapers (disposable): We've tried them all, Pampers has great disposable ones. They are softer than Huggies and more durable. I recommend a fresh change after every hour in the water. Bring about 10 for 3 hrs of beach time. Put them in a quart Ziploc and squeeze air out.

Baby Powder: http://amzn.to/1OeHAkz You will thank me later! It takes off all the wet sand so you can reapply sunscreen without issue!

Noodle & Boo Sunscreen we love it: http://amzn.to/2174QKk

LureLux Natural Bug Repellent: http://amzn.to/1SIEwAt

Natural Hand Sanitizer Spray Original Scent: http://amzn.to/1TFZ2UU

Thermos Sippy Cup: http://amzn.to/1SGjVjN
Love this! We have it and the thermos straw bottle. It’s perfect in hot and cold weather, especially at the beach when sippy cups warm up extremely quickly

Hooded towel: http://amzn.to/1sRSytW Adorable and so functional. After the beach or pool, I quickly put this on my little one and they are dry and warm. Its very light and folds thin so there's no bulk of the beach towels

Snack holder: http://amzn.to/1Z3Bw5X I was THAT mom with flimsy Ziploc bags that quickly turned into a mess in the sand. These prevent snacks of coming out of the container and has easy access for little hands.

For the mom and dad:

Beach umbrella: http://amzn.to/1TLQxJx It weights around 9 lb but is super sleek and can be carried on a shoulder with built-in strap. Expands really big. Great shade

Sand Repellent Blanket: http://amzn.to/1WXp6PL I hate pesky sand that gets on the blanket or towels. This blanket is really cool and dries quickly and sand doesn't stick to it.

Best on the go beach bag/diaper bag: http://amzn.to/24ugvVo
This bag has a separate compartment for a cooler which has helped us organize and ensure everything is temperature regulated (formula, milk, snacks, even meds).

Cooler tote: http://amzn.to/1Z3BzyE Light and padded - keeps everything cold without the bulk of a traditional cooler - freeze water bottles before heading out and there's no need for ice or bulky ice packs

Mesh Sand Free Bag:
https://amzn.to/3WcG5kL This tote shakes off sand and debris, ensuring your belongings stay clean and sand-free.

Towel holders: http://amzn.to/1Qk1Imv We discovered this on the windy beaches of Aruba and have been using them ever since


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