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T minus 25 days

January 26th 2009, 03:15

Today, we decided on the name for our blog. I rejected all of Alex’s ideas and he rejected all of mine, except one: losingluggage.com. Our agreement was sublime, not only that, the name was available. The satisfaction of coming up with something that no one else has is primal. Fifteen minutes later and it was ours and we had a nice big tick on our to do list. The first person to hear the name for our blog was my mum’s hairdresser.
“Losing luggage dot com?” she said, archin

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Out of Africa

With sincere apologies to Karen Blitzen, I nicked that title to attract readers, a brazen move to be sure.

The more you get to know about any subject, the more you realize you do not know about that subject. Some smart guy said that once, I think he was Greek. I now know a lot more about Kenya after one week as a tourist than I did before, that’s for certain. I now have deep desire to learn a whole lot more. 


We were “on safari.”  

safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to

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T minus 40 days

January 26th 2009, 03:10

It turns out that we’ll have to fork out as good as 500 quid on pumping ourselves full of tropical diseases in the name of modern medicine in order, they tell us, not to die during the trip. Hepatitises A and B, yellow fever, typhoid, cholera, meningitis and rabies for starters. The guy makes it difficult to tell if he is ripping us off, deliberately anyway, by disguising his calculations with a cloak of incompetence. His pricing seems both random and expensive and I was

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Help for the Lost Luggage Disaster

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Help for the Lost Luggage Disaster

According to Cheapflights.com The Department of Transportation says only 0.005% of bags are lost.

But that’s not counting delays in repatriating passengers with their luggage.

The Cheapflights' site has some helpful information if it’s your bag that happens to be lost or delayed somewhere.

But you know, many of us  who fly frequently are so vexed at the baggage fees, that using a luggage forwarding system is not only a kind of sweet revenge, but for the few bucks
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T-Minus 51 Days

January 26th 2009, 03:01

Perhaps unusually, I’m beginning my travelogue from my desk at home. Having told everyone our plans for the next year (top three comments so far: “That’s going to test the friendship”; “Don’t get pregnant”; “What if I die?” Thanks for that, Mum), and after all the calls made and emails sent to travel agents, and having attended nearly all of Alex’s leaving dos, as far as I’m concerned, we’ve already started. We’ve even come up with a departure date: 1st February. 

Frankly,

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Top 25 Places to Visit in India

We look at some of the most scenic, exciting and just plain brilliant places this beautiful country has to offer.

So before you go booking your tickets for Venice or Ko Phi Phi Nom, check out this list of the top 25 travel destinations in India:

1. Leh, Jammu & Kashmir

This mountain town in Ladakh is quickly rising to the top of must-visit lists. Not surprising when you consider the sheer natural beauty of the place.

The towering Himalayas supply a dramatic backdrop and plenty of opportunity for adr

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Volunteer Visas in Ecuador

Obtaining a volunteer visa is one of the sure ways to avoid getting fined or deported for not having the proper paper work to be in a country. For instance in Ecuador if you over stay say with a tourist visa, even for one day then you stand a chance of paying an outright $ 200 in fines, and if you stay longer then you may pay up to $ 2000. So to be on the safe side for a volunteer you need to make sure you apply for the proper volunteer visa, to avoid these problems.

 

When planning to go for volu

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As many people around the world have by now heard, Vancouver did not win the Stanley Cup last night. But the loss of the Cup has been all but eclipsed by our city's loss of dignity at the hands of a dangerous and deliberate few. photo
(click to enlarge)

Almost every Vancouver citizen is shaking their head this morning at the deplorable behaviour that was perpetrated on our streets last night, and the images that were subsequently spread around the world. #Canucksriot was one of the top trending topics o
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The day started with the return drive out of Masai Mara Park.  The only thing that made it tolerable was thinking back to what a marvelous piece of earth we had just visited. I want to return to Kenya, but I will not return to the Mara until they fix the road. If you are reading this blog with an eye towards your first trip to Kenya, definitely go to the Mara, but bring a pillow to sit on in your vehicle.

On the way out we went past a Land Rover sporting a logo for the Michigan State University H

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Jamaica Travel Tips, Part 4

Mobile Phone

Make sure you arrange for your phone to roam before you leave. While this service is very useful it is costly. You can purchase a phone in Jamaica for as little as US$ 30 with lots of free minutes on it to use while here and donate it to someone before you leave. You can also simply purchase a local SIM card for use while you are here.

 

Mosquitoes – How to Avoid Unwanted Friends

Beyond splatting these irksome unwanted new holiday friends, we suggest bringing the following Essential Oil

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Cows, Canines and Kids: The Chesterfield Inn

We missed the Strolling of the Heifers, a yearly event here in Brattelboro, Vermont, and by all accounts Vermont’s  answer to Spain’s frenetic  running of the bulls.

And a much preferred, more gentle event.

But we didn't miss the contra dancing at Pierce's Hall, tiny hall in a brick building unchanged since it was built early 1800's

It was off a dirt road, dusty and remote. There was an  obscure but lovely waterfall and an outhouse for a bathroom..

The d
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San Diego Summer Fun & Events

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Great weather and the buzz of out-of-town visitors make La Jolla, San Diego's favorite coastal community, the place to be from June to September. Our beaches are at their best – just don’t forget to practice safe sun. In addition to kayaking, surfing, and snorkeling, here are some of the special events you won’t want to miss:

Now through Sept 5 - The Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla’s summer exhibit is “High Fidelity: Selections from the 1960s and 1970s” plus “Emperor’s River: Philipp Sch

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Midnight Sun in Lapland

midnight sun Lapland

 

There’s little that can quite prepare you for your first time standing outside at midnight in broad daylight. The sun staying just above the horizon casts beautiful pinks and golds over the sky and lake, and the world around you is completely silent except for birdsong. It’s a magical time of year.

The video below was taken on 8th June,  as we get closer to summer solstice (June 21st) the sun will stay higher in the sky throughout the night.

Turn your speakers up to hear the bird song - and very

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Biodiversity in Costa Rica: Birds

Costa Rica is such as small country in size, but very big and rich in nature, fact that has been proved and experienced by nature lovers from over the world, over and over again. The large range of species of both flora and fauna, gives the real essence and charm to this beautiful country. If we take a look at a specific group, it is very easy to realize how diverse and wide Costa Rica´s biodiversity is.

birdswatching-guanacaste20-300x225.jpg?width=300 Birds are a good example; this group is very rich and varied, with around 850 species, the

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Jamaica Travel Tips, Part 3

Clothes

We advise rather than picking out a few things in your wardrobe, to think outfits –beyond the beach there are plenty of occasions when you will need more than a swimsuit including dinner at Mille Fleurs. For a 2-week holiday think of those occasions and prepare 4 outfits around them. Try to choose cotton and linen where possible which are comfortable and quick drying and allow the skin to breathe, in humid conditions jeans do end up feeling like you are wearing a weight as well as socks t

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Are You Flying a Mean Airline?

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Are You Flying a Mean Airline? 

It’s great that the airlines made money last year, all except American Airlines that is.

And according the recently released 2011 Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report, the experience of flying has improved too.

The AQR  is a touted as a “premier statistical study of major airline performances in the United States” conducted by a Wichita State and Purdue University professor.

Still, outrageous baggage fees, elimination of food and other creature comforts, numerous add-
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A Trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

9008627857?profile=originalI am in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, visiting a deciding battleground in the U.S. Civil War. In 2013 comes the Sesquicentennial of the 1863 battle and its outcome largely decided if our "perpetual union" would survive.

I resist retelling the details of a battle that is documented elsewhere. Instead, I will concentrate on how to entertain a family while taking them to a historical destination.

What is it about this place that draws people? I think the answer is that the Civil War is about good versus
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UGANDA
26/05/11 Ebola haemorrhagic fever (update) A further two deaths suspected to be due to Ebola haemorrhagic fever are under investigation in Luwero district, Central Region of Uganda. This is the same area where the first confirmed death due to ebolavirus infection occurred. Another suspected case of ebolavirus infection is being investigated in hospital in Kasese district, Western Region of Uganda. The Ministry of Health plans to launch a national awareness campaign on Ebola haemorrhagic fe

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Since medieval times, Egypt has always been a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world. The good weather, the many beaches of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, and the diversity of monuments that the land of the pharos hosts always attracted travelers from different regions to come and visit Egypt.

 

 

However, with all the political events that started with the people's revolution against the government on the 25th of January 2011, and with many countries placing warnings to

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