Easy Tips To Remove The Stress From Traveling

By Winston Takeda

Many people love to travel. Jumping on an airplane and going some where you’ve never been to before is an amazing thing to do. Mark Twain said that living life without traveling is like owning a book without reading it. No matter where you go, it’s usually a lot more fun that going to work and getting yelled at by your boss. However, traveling can be stressful. Especially with all the new regulations and rules, it can be downright frustrating. However, don’t let that deter your from having a wonderful trip. In this article, you are going to learn some inside secrets on having a great vacation.

One important tip is to always have your tickets and IDs with you at all times. And don’t keep them stuffed away in your bags, keep them in a special place where you know where they are at all times. That way, if some airport personnel asks you for your tickets, you’ll be able to provide them quickly and efficiently. Nothing ruins a trip like misplacing your tickets.

Making sure you pack everything you need is important. The best way is to take a couple of days to do it. One the first day, write down everything you need. Clothes, accessories, books, electronics. Then gather them all in a pile, and check them off the list as you do so. Then once you put them in your bags, check them off again. That way, you’ll have a list of everything that’s in your bags, and if you worry that you forgot something, you’ll just have to check your list instead of rummaging through your bags.
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May 10, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

How Zero Came To Be

By Robert Nickel

How would modern man go about his daily activities without the use of the concept of zero? It seems inconceivable that a world that is denoted in assets that range into the billions and trillions (of fiat currency) could be remotely similar to an economic scheme that doesn’t include the humble zero. The idea and allocation of zero is a fairly recent development in human history. Many cultures pondered the nought as a possibility, but experts now think that it was in fact a culture in Mexico that was the first to actually put zero into practice.

Zero is a placeholder, which means that it functions to show that successive numbers are higher – it is indicated that we are now counting in the tens position by the ’10′ figure, for example.. A higher base of counting was usually denoted historically by the use of a space, however, in messy writing it was impossible to decide if ’1 9′ was actually 19 or 109.. Basic understanding of zero was accomplished by the Babylonians with their use of two small dashes, sometime around 300 BC, but they never took the concept to it’s logical conclusions..
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May 10, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Jaguar Worship in Mesoamerica

By Robert Nickel

Some societies that are known for their worship of multiple gods (known as polytheistic societies) have interestingly, been inspired by local animals and flora for entities to revere. As cultures that shared their habitat with the jaguar cat, it isn’t too unusual that the Mesoamerican tribes of the Olmec, Aztec and Maya regarded the animal as a deity. Unearthed through the years, are a substantial number of fantastic artifacts that attest to the relationship of the local civilizations to the powerful cat that they shared the jungle with.

The jaguar is the largest of the Big Cats in the western hemisphere, and is an aggressive and efficient predator. One of the few felines who will tolerate water, the animal lived in the same jungles as the resident humans, and as they formed societies, they learned to revere and respect the beast who could easily hunt the largest animals around. The powerful cats were represented in the unique sculptural style of the Olmecs, even as far back as the beginning of their civilization..
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May 10, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Things To See And Do In Hurghada

By Matthew Talbot

Hurghada was once a small fishing village located next to the Red Sea, now it is one of the most visited tourist destination because of its superb beaches. There are more than 100 hotels in the shoreline that make life a breeze for visiting holiday makers. It is an international centre of aquatic sports. Here you can do windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming, and of course snorkeling and diving. See incredible coral reefs and hundreds of varieties of tropical fish just 10 metres from the beach. Almost all of the hotels along shoreline have dive escorts on site, or you can arrange a scuba diving expedition with guides. The unique underwater gardens offshore are some of the finest in the world, justifiably famous amongst divers.

The warm waters of the Red Sea are ideal for many varieties of rare fish and coral reefs, which may also be observed through glass bottom boats. This area has many fine accommodations, offering warm and efficient service.

What to See?

Giftun Islands – Big Giftun Island and Small Giftun Island are both home to wide habitat marine life and other underwater attractions, including whale sharks, barracudas and oceanic white tip sharks. Offering spectacular coral, deep waters, caves and canyons, the islands are a must daytrip destination from Hurghada. The islands are now a protected marine park, to protect the islands from over development.

Red Sea Aquarium – A good stop for families, as the exhibits tell you how and where to spot all sorts of different species in the surrounding seas and learn the names of all those fish you’ve been snorkeling with.
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May 09, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Mexico’s Tijuana International Airport

By Robert Nickel

Ah Tijuana! During the 1920′s it was the playground of gamblers, gangsters and anyone else looking to escape Prohibition in the US. In the 1950′s Tijuana was rebranded as the perfect family vacation destination. Today, tourism is at a standstill, but manufacturing operations are thriving. As the northernmost Mexican city, located right on the US-Mexico border, Tijuana is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. It is only logical that its main airport be among the top five busiest in Mexico.

Tijuana International Airport, as it exists today, opened in 1958. There was an airport previous to that, but it quickly became inadequate during the tourist boom of the 1950′s. Tijuana International is also known as General Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport. After Pascual Ortiz resigned, Rodriguez became the Interim President of Mexico in 1932, however, before that point he was Governor of Baja California starting in 1921.. In just two years in office, he established a system of banking, restored public education and wrote laws defining the relationship between private charity and monopolies.

However Rodriguez’s works as Governor of Baja California and as interim President were not the only reasons he was immortalized through a major airport. In 1943 Rodriguez was elected Governor of Sonora and quickly made education his primary mandate. He helped establish the state’s first university, which is now a very highly respected destination for students all over Mexico.
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May 06, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Mexico City International Airport

By Robert Nickel

It’s a mystery to many people the miracle of flight. Perhaps it is the liberating properties of flight that make many people long to be in the air? Perhaps we just need to get away from things? We can see the world through a new perspective and this can influence our world view in positive ways. Obviously the mechanical devices man has created have long surpassed the cruder methods of flight attempted by man’s imitation of birds.

The first untethered flight took place in November of 1783, via a hot air balloon. The first untethered powered flight was flown by the Wright Brothers in December of 1903. Now, more than 100 years later there are approximately 95,000 commercial flights each day. Chartered, private and military push that number up to around 300,000. Of course those numbers are guesstimates, but the point is clear.

Mexico City International Airport is the busiest airport in Mexico for both commercial and non-commercial traffic. Located just five kilometers from the center of the city, the airport had its first landing in 1928 and hasn’t looked back. Today there are 31 domestic and international airlines offering direct flights for over a hundred world destinations. In 2011 Mexico City International flew more than 26 million people.
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May 06, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Airports: Escobedo International

By Robert Nickel

located in Apodaca, Mexico, General Mariano Airport is the fourth busiest airport in the country today. Escobedo International provides international and domestic flight operations in the region, much like Del Norte International Airport. It is named after Mariano Escobedo, Nuevo Leon’s former governor and a Mexican Army General. Escobedo was a driving force against brutal dictator, Porfirio Diaz in 1878, and helped in ousting the dictator from power.

The community of Apodaca, where Escobedo International is located, is a division of the metropolitan area of Monterrey. The city is named after Dr. Salvador Apodaca, a Bishop who spent much time in the region. On a rather obscure point, there is a Canadian connection with this small city in Northern Mexico. Historical ties with Mexico can be found with a Provincial Park named Apodaca on Bowen Island, in British Columbia, Canada..

The park was named for the birthplace of explorer and surveyor Jose Maria Narvaez, who did a lot of surveying work on Bowen Island during the latter part of the 18th century. Ironically the city is named after a Bishop while the regional airport is named after a former General and Governor, and we find a connection to a nature park named after the Bishop located in far off Canada.. many associations can be found amazingly!
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May 05, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Cancun’s Sister Cities: Cozumel

By Robert Nickel

Sister cities, or twin towns as they are referred to in Europe, share a cooperative agreement to promote culture and commerce between the two entities. The practice is first recorded as occurring in 836 BCE between two small towns in Germany and France. The first recorded instance during the modern era was in 1905 and included an English village and a French community. After the Second World War the concept of sister cities became more frequent, and used as a tool to foster cultural understanding between different nationalities and promote international projects. The first North American city to establish a sister city relationship was Toledo, Ohio with Toledo, Spain.

Mexico has a vast and uniquely differing gathering of cultural groups, plus a broad range of living environments across various regions.. It is therefore appropriate that Cancun have a sister city relationship with the Island of Cozumel, which lies just six miles off the shores of the hospitality zone in Cancun. Cozumel is small, just 250 square miles and its largest community is San Miguel.
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May 05, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Airports: Guadalajara International

By Robert Nickel

Guadalajara International Airport is also referred to as Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport, named after Miguel Hidalgo. He was a Mexican priest who led the movement that eventually brought about Mexico’s Independence from Spain and it is for this reason that he is often referred to as the “Father of Mexican Independence”. Much of the work Hidalgo’s movement did begin in Guadalajara. After the Mexican War of Independence he retreated to the city, and was welcomed there. One significant change Hidalgo made while in Guadalajara was the signing of a proclamation to end slavery and despite the unofficial status of the document, it was honored.

Mexico is indebted to the rich history of Guadalajara and it’s impact on Mexican culture.. A city of great interest to students of many disciplines, especially history and archeology, many people travel to the historical sites for educational purposes. Opening in 1966, and located just 16 kilometers south of Guadalajara, it is ranked third in Mexico in terms of volume. Figures compiled in 2011 make clear that seven million passengers used Guadalajara International, and only 2.4 million of those going to or from international locations. Those numbers show that most of the traffic is domestic, but even more so, that Guadalajara is a connection airport where travelers stop to catch a connecting flight.
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May 03, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips

Timisoara: Sister City of Cancun

By Robert Nickel

Created as a boon to both economic and artistic endeavors, a sister city works to trade ideologies and commerce between two cities. Very popular in Europe shortly after the second world war, it’s an idea that was effective in building ties between, Germany, France and Britain. Especially from the 1940′s to 1960′s, sister cities were used as a conceptual framework to create understandings between nations in Europe. Eventually, many other regions of the world decided to take part in the concept, even those as far flung as Mexico.

Cancun has two sister cities, the first of which is a rather surprising choice: Timisoara, Romania. Considered a major economic powerhouse for Romania, Timisoara is a major city in the region and a hub of culture for western Romania.. The city serves as a meeting point for four major European cultural groups, including Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian and German. In Timisoara only about 15% of the population is other than ethnic Romanian, which is a small number out of a population of 303,000..
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May 02, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Travel Tips
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