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Best Place to Visit in Ladakh

Khardung La

Popularly known as the Pass of Lower Castle, Khardung La is one of the highest mountain passes in the world located at an elevation of about 5359 meters above the sea level. It is situated at a distance of 39.7 km from Leh and the construction of road was started in the year 1976 and it took almost 12 years to be opened to the public. The pass acts as a point of entry to the Nubra and Shyok valleys in Ladakh. The pass was mainly used by traders in the past and it was crossed by the help of horses and camels. At the present time, travellers and adventure seekers love to take on the challenging roads on their ladakh bike trip.

Magnetic Hill

Magnetic hill happens to be a road that stretches on the Leh – Kargil National Highways. Located at an elevation of about 14000 km, this place is known for its panoramic viewpoints of the mighty Himalayan Mountain Ranges. The hills are also known as the gravity hills as it provides an illusion of the downhill slope appearing to be an uphill slope. Heading over to this place, if you keep your vehicle in neutral, it will start rolling uphill against gravity at a speed of 20 KMPH. This phenomenon is mainly caused by the magnetic force.

Pangong Tso Lake

Pangong Tso Lake which is known as the high grassland lake happens to be a spectacular natural beauty that is located at a height of about 4350 meters above the sea level. The peculiar fact about the lake is that it changes its color from blue to green and to unusual red. The change of color that occurs in this lake is due to the retention of the minerals and salts in the water as its flow is terminated before it reaches the ocean. If you wish to make the most of your visit, then you can come over to this place in the winter season to witness the completely frozen lake.

Nubra Valley

Also known as Ldumra which means a valley of flowers, is located in the north east of the famous Ladakh Valley. Nubra is best known as a cold desert that is located at a high altitude featuring minimal vegetarians. The best part of this place is the scenic Shyok and Nubra River. Heading over to this place, you will get to witness extensive landscapes, serene lagoons, vibrant monasteries, incredible nature trails and native village scenes, and much more. Taking the trip, you will also be able to collect a number of souvenirs such as almonds, apples, woolen socks, Tibetan and Kashmiri artefacts, and much more.

The Top 5 Uses of a Survival Knife When Traveling to the Alaskan Wilderness

Alaska offers some of the most scenic views and wild spaces of all of the states in the US. With around 70 million acres of public land, it’s no wonder that Alaska’s nickname is “the last frontier!” The beauty of Alaska or any other wilderness adventure can quickly turn into an ugly nightmare if you end up losing your way.

That’s why the survival knife is the most important tool that you can take with you wherever you decide to go into the backcountry. But before you go grab the best survival knife on the market, make sure you know how to use it effectively! Below are 5 of the most important survival knife skills you must know to make sure your wilderness adventure, whether in Alaska or anywhere else in the world, ends with you coming home safely!

1. Shelter Creation

Survival knives are amazing tools to assist in one of the most essential skills in making it out alive during an emergency; shelter building. The easiest shelter to create is a lean-to. Find a large rock or tree to begin leaning branches against.

After you have leaned a sufficient amount of branches against the rock or tree, use your survival knife to cut down small pine bows to create bedding inside of your shelter. The bedding will keep you elevated off of the ground, which will conserve body heat.

2. Food Gathering

After you have created shelter, it’s time to use your survival knife to take care of your second most important need; getting enough calories. If you have been lost for a while, you’re going to need some serious calories to make sure that you have the energy to continue surviving.

Use your knife to construct a variety of different food gathering devices. One that is easy to make and super effective is a dead fall. Your survival knife will allow you to create the trigger so that any critter that trips it will trip it and ensure you have the calories you need to survive.

3. Fire Starter

Now that you have captured your dinner, use your survival knife to create a fire. This will allow you to safely cook your dinner as well as stay warm.

When constructing a fire, a technique that will help create your fire effectively is feathering your kindling. Get a small stick and hold it firmly in your hand. Take your survival knife and with the blade facing away from you, make small cuts into the stick.

Be careful not to shave the cuts off of the stick though. The cuts will allow for the stick to catch fire much easier and lead to a roaring fire in no time.

4. Defense

In the event that a predator has smelled your cooked meal and decides that it wants to try to take it from you, you’ll need to use your survival knife to defend yourself. Keep in mind that this is a last resort and that you should try to avoid fighting the predator as best as you can. However, if the animal is intent on taking you along with your cooked dinner, fight as hard as you can with your survival knife.

The best thing you can do is use your survival knife to slash and create space between you and the predator. Avoid stabbing as best as you can, because your knife can slip and you might risk cutting yourself. The goal is to discourage the predator from attacking you further and if you slash wildly, it will improve your chances that it will decide that you’re not worth taking out.

5. Medical Care

If you sustain an injury, survival knives are great for creating a variety of medical interventions. Use it to cut off a strip of clothing in order to create a make-shift tourniquet to stop severe bleeding. If you need to make a splint for a broken bone or to stabilize an ankle, you can use your survival knife to shape a splint from a small stick or branch.

Going into the Alaskan wilderness or any other place where rescue is far away necessitates that you bring the right gear and right knowledge with you. With these 5 tips on how to best use a survival knife, you can confidently go into the backcountry and know that you’ll be able to handle whatever you encounter!

What is Keeping You from Saving for Retirement?

Everyone knows it is important to save for retirement, but it can be hard to dedicate the funds to do so. If each paycheck is already spent when it hits your account, you know you need to do something different. How do you change?
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Everyone knows it is important to save for retirement, but it can be hard to dedicate the funds to do so. If each paycheck is already spent when it hits your account, you know you need to do something different. How do you change?

First, it is a good idea to ask how to find retirement planning near me. Then follow these steps:

Streamline Monthly Expenses

Look for areas where you are spending more than you need to. This can be everything from groceries to streaming services. Cutting back on these expenses to free up money for savings may make you feel a little deprived initially, but watching the money add up will strengthen your resolve. For those who are paying off student loans, look at consolidating your existing loans with a private lender. You can change the terms of your loan, lowering your monthly expenses. It is easy to check online to preview your potential savings. When you lower your monthly expenses, make sure you funnel that amount into retirement savings. It is important to be intentional when creating the savings habit. If not, you will find the money you save in one area is spent somewhere else.

Avoid Carrying a Balance on Credit Cards

You know that credit card debt is expensive, but when you consider how much money you pay in finance charges when carrying a balance, you realize how crippling it truly is. If you have existing debt, pull out your last statement and look at how much you paying in finance charges. Now, imagine being able to deposit that much each month in an IRA.

Take Advantage of Employer Contributions

Gone are the days when nearly everyone could count on a pension. Instead, you are responsible for saving for retirement. Of course, many companies pitch in, matching your donations into your retirement account up to a certain percentage. If you do nothing else for your retirement, set aside the percentage that your employer will match. Not getting the maximum match is leaving money on the table. If your employer doesn’t offer matching funds, you still need to look at ways to save for retirement. Many banks make it easy to quickly set up an individual retirement account online to set aside some money each payday. Even a small amount adds up over time, and as your financial situation improves, you can increase your contribution.

Find a Side Job

If you are struggling to come up with the money to set aside for retirement, look at taking a part-time job to boost your contributions. Think of it as a temporary measure while you pay off debt or otherwise get yourself into a better financial situation. Of course, many people find that they enjoy working a few shifts a month at a grocery store, coffee shop, or some other job. If you find something you like, you may want to stick with it into retirement. No one wants to work full-time once they retire, but keeping part-time hours has a few benefits. It gives your schedule some discipline, which many people struggle with after retirement. Having somewhere you have to be, even a few days a week can make the transition easier. Drawing a paycheck, even a part-time one, will help stretch your retirement funds.

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Maui vs. Oahu: How Do They Compare?

Both Oahu and Maui make for a wonderful vacation. Maui if you want something quieter, and more remote, and Oahu if you want more variety and action…
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If you’re thinking about a trip to Hawaii, two of the most frequently visited islands are Maui and Oahu. You may be dreaming of Maui helicopter tours or lounging on the beaches of Waikiki, so how do you decide?

Of the eight islands, Maui and Oahu are by far the most visited.

Learning the differences between Maui and Oahu can help you make a decision while you’re planning your dream Hawaiian vacation.

The Basics

Oahu is an island that tends to evoke a strong response from visitors. If you love it, you really love it, but for some people, they don’t prefer it.

Oahu is very densely populated. Honolulu alone has a population of almost a million people, while Maui’s total population is 144,000.

What’s unique about Oahu compared to Maui is that there really is something for everyone. If you like surfing, you can go to the North Shore. If you like an urban feel, stick around Waikiki and Honolulu. If you want a secluded experience, there’s Ko’Olilna.

There’s a lot of traffic on Oahu, however, and again if you’re in Hawaii, there’s no mistaking the fact that you’re in a big city.

Maui is much more truly tropical and could be what you envision as far as an island vacation. The pace is slow, and the beaches are beautiful.

Both are going to be truly once-in-a-lifetime to experience, but if you have an idea of Hawaii in your mind, Maui might be more in line with that.

Accessibility

Oahu is the economic center of Hawaii, and it’s home to Honolulu, which has the biggest airport in Hawaii. The Honolulu airport services flights from around the world, some of which are direct.

After Oahu, Maui is the second-most visited Island, and you can find one-stop flights from cities like New York, and there are direct flights from Los Angeles.

Both are pretty accessible.

Weather

Oahu is often described as the island with the consistently best weather in Hawaii. The tourist season is in both the summer and winter, so these are the times you’ll see the most crowds, and the prices will be highest. If you want to find better deals, you might consider visiting Oahu in May, September or October.

Maui tends to have more rain from November to March, and it’s most popular in June and August, and December and March.

Accommodations

Both Oahu and Maui do have beautiful resorts, with the majority of Oahu’s being in Waikiki. Waikiki is much more crowded than the resort areas in Maui, though. It can be tough to even find a spot on the beach.

Maui has more of the spacious resorts, where you can feel like you’re truly secluded.

The Beaches

Oahu has beautiful beaches everywhere, with some of the most popular along with Waikiki, including Lanikai and Waimea Bay. The beaches are crowded and not great for swimming in some cases because the waves get big, thus the appeal for surfers.

Maui has snorkeling, calmer water, and fewer crowds. Popular snorkeling spots in Maui include Napili Bay and Kapalua Bay.

Entertainment

Oahu has a lot more to do. You couldn’t get bored if you tried, because there’s everything from hiking and waterfalls to nightlife in Oahu.

Maui is a much quieter place, and almost all the activities are centered around nature and the outdoors.

In Oahu, you could very easily go straight from the beach to a night on the town.

The Cost

Anywhere you go in Hawaii is going to be expensive, but Oahu wins in this area. You can plan on spending significantly less on average in Oahu than in Maui.

Must-Sees

In Oahu, you’ll want to go to Waikiki Beach of course, because it’s the most famous and has been drawing in tourists since the 1950s.

There’s also Lanikai Beach which is often described as one of the most beautiful in the world.

You can see Pearl Harbor if you visit Oahu, and you shouldn’t miss Paradise Cove. Paradise Cove is one of the largest luau shows in Hawaii, with fire dancers and true Hawaiian traditions.

If you go to Maui, you should do a helicopter tour because you won’t forget it, and you should drive the Road to Hana. You might also want to hike to the Haleakala Crater at sunrise.

As you can see, both Oahu and Maui would make for a wonderful vacation. Opt for Maui if you want something quieter, slower, and more remote, and Oahu if you want more variety and action.

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The Best of Beautiful Barcelona


Beautiful Barcelona has so much to see and enjoy, but there are some things in the city that we think no visitor should miss.
Let’s take a look at a few of our favorites…
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Beautiful Barcelona has so much to see and enjoy, but there are some things in the city that we think no visitor should miss. Let’s take a look at a few of our favorites and some Barcelona Top Travel Tips.

If Barcelona’s heart is the old city’s Barri Gòtic, or Gothic Quarter, then the aorta must be La Rambla. The tree lined boulevard has become a sort of giant open-air theater and is now one of the world’s foremost settings for street performers.

But there is much more to it than that, the district is also home to several “don’t-miss” landmarks of the city. It is certainly worth a walk, especially since it is less than a mile from end to end.

We began at the famous Christopher Columbus Monument, which stands in the center of a circle by the waterfront. He was placed there for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona in1888 on what is said to be the spot where Columbus returned to Spain after his first voyage to the New World.

The famously confused captain is striking a stoic pose while gazing out over the Mediterranean, which strikes us as a bit strange. Shouldn’t he be looking west toward the Americas?

But we knew which way we were going, into the old town. La Rambla is great in and of itself, but several points of interest are just off the main street, such as the Plaça de George Orwell. Some are certainly worth a quick detour.

This seemed like a great spot for a cool drink and a quick bite of tapas, but when we asked our server why the square was named after the famous writer he didn’t know. This meant we were forced to check with Google. It turns out Orwell came to Barcelona in 1936 to fight in The Spanish Revolution, saying he had “come to Spain to join the militia to fight against Fascism.”

Across La Rambla from the little plaza there is a good, but small example of the work of the city’s most famous architect, Antoni Gaudí. The Palau Güell was built from 1886 to 1888 for the wealthy tycoon Eusebi Güell, but it is only a small taste of what was to come from Gaudí.

A little farther up we came to the Boqueria. This is perhaps Barcelona’s main market and dates back to 1217, when an open-air meat market sprang up near the city gate. The name is believed to come from the Catalan word for goat, boc. So, a boqueria would be a place where goat meat is sold.

Nowadays almost anything you might want to eat is available here, from bread, to fish, to cheese, to fruits and vegetables, and even flowers to dress up the table.

Another site worth stopping by is the Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi. Construction began over seven hundred years ago and the giant bell tower is one of the main landmarks of the Gothic Quarter.

La Rambla comes to an end at the Plaça de Catalunya, or Catalonia Plaza, which is often considered the unofficial dividing line between the old city and the new. This open square has several interesting statues, along with numerous cafés and restaurants, so it is a great spot to take a little break.

About a mile north of the plaza is what we came to think of as the highlight of Barcelona, the Sagrada Família.

This immense cathedral is without a doubt the ultimate masterpiece of architect and designer Antoni Gaudí’s extraordinary career.

One piece of advice, leave yourself plenty of time to enjoy it. We spent several hours just absorbing the entirety of the structure and came away fully convinced that this is the most incredible building we have ever seen.

It is safe to say that Barcelona simply would not be the city that it is if not for Antoni Gaudí, and many visitors spend days just taking in his creations. We were not quite that obsessed, but do feel it would be a shame to visit the city and not see at least a few of them.

So we walked over to the Park Güell and up several hundred steps into one of the world’s strangest parks. It was originally meant to be part of a housing development, but that failed to take off and it became something of a testing ground for some of the famed architect’s ideas. The result is somewhat surreal, but certainly enjoyable.

It is as if he created his own little world here, which could also be a way to describe the beautiful, breathtaking city of Barcelona.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Travelling With Toddlers In Car | Tips Every Family Needs

Toddlers can be a handful all on their own at home, and travelling with them can be just as tedious and hectic. They love to move around and explore, and travelling tends to restrict this quite a bit. This can agitate them and create a long car ride with a very fussy toddler. Here a few tips for parents that will hopefully come in handy for that next car ride or trip you have planned.

Have the Right Car Seat

For trips, toddlers travel by car seat. It is important that it is up to the task and installed correctly. The car seat should be comfortable for long journeys. It should be installed and adjusted to prevent any shifting or cause any harm or discomfort to your toddler. An uncomfortable car seat will add misery to your car ride, which you are trying to avoid. A proper car seat will support your toddler while keeping them stable and well-positioned. An example of a great car seat is the Daiichi baby car seat. This car seat will firmly support the waist, neck and head of your toddler, keeping them in the perfect position throughout your ride while providing comfort.

Entertainment is Key

Keeping toddlers entertained when taking a road trip is extremely important. Still, it is impossible to do if you are the driver. While you focus on the road, your toddler must have something to focus on too. Ensure you take along books and toys for the ride to keep your toddler distracted and entertained. Playing music can also help the rider to go by a lot quicker and is fun for everyone. Singing along to kid-friendly songs is a great way to involve your toddler during the journey and keep them occupied.

Ensure their favourite things are close by. There are multiple backseat organisers that can be utilised to keep what they want within their reach. Additionally, if your toddler has a device, or you have one that they can use, downloading fun movies or cartoons that they can watch. If another adult or mature passenger is travelling with you, they can help to keep the entertainment going and serve as a companion to your toddler. Similarly, if you need a break or would prefer to be the backseat companion, that person can take over the driving for a while.

When all toys and videos have lost their power, your toddler may need a nap. To keep the comfort going, ensure you take along their favourite blanket or comforter to soothe and pacify them during the ride.

Take Plenty of Snacks

Snacks are crucial to any trip or activity involving toddlers. You can never go wrong with having an abundance of snacks for a ride. Snacks can add to the entertainment your toddler needs. In the case of a tantrum or fussing episode, their favourite snack or drink might be just what they need to dry those tears and soothe their misery. While packing snacks, avoid packing too much juice and snacks with high sugar content. The last thing you want is a toddler with so much energy you run out of things to entertain them with.

Conclusion

Road trips with your toddler do not have to cause panic or dread. They can be fun and exciting and a good way to have bonding time with your children. Just plan, do the necessary checks, and appropriate packing. Everyone will be ready for and look forward to the road!

About the Author

Monica is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.

3 Reasons Your Foundation Repairs Must Be Dealt With

Keeping your Kansas home in good shape is important if you want to maintain the value, practicality levels, and comfort of the property… CONTINUE READING >> 

Keeping your Kansas home in good shape is important if you want to maintain the value, practicality levels, and comfort of the property. However, sometimes, this can involve hiring professionals to get the work done properly – for instance if you need to have foundation repair in St Louis. If problems arise with your foundation, it can be easy to miss them or ignore them. This can be hugely risky, as it can cause many serious issues.

This is why it is important to ensure you always have foundation repairs carried out and that you find a Kansas City foundation specialist to do this work. If you simply leave the damage to get worse, it will have a huge impact on your home as well as your finances. Remember, with something as important as your foundation, you need to get the work completed sooner rather than later. This is why you need to act quickly if you suspect there may be issues. In this article, we will look at a few of the reasons why foundation repairs must be dealt with.

The Importance of Getting These Repairs Completed

There are many reasons why it is important to get these repairs completed, and the sooner you get them done the better. Some of the reasons why this work is so important includes:

Protecting Your Home

One of the reasons you need to get this work carried out at your home is to protect your property. A range of serious issues can arise if your foundation is damaged, and the worse the damage gets the bigger these problems will become. You may find your doors and windows sticking, your floors may start to sink in areas and become uneven, and you can develop cracks and movement in the walls among other things.

Foundation problems get worse over time. Without realizing it – many people live in houses with foundation problems. So all homeowners should be familiar with the warning signs of foundation trouble to catch issues early before they have a chance to turn into significant structural problems.

Protecting Your Finances

One of the reasons you need to ensure you get the work carried out is to protect your home from a range of problems that can otherwise arise. While you may be worried about the cost of having foundation repair carried out, the cost of dealing with the issues that can stem from foundation damage may be far worse. This includes sinking floors, jamming doors and windows, and damage to walls, among other things. In addition, if you have foundation damage and related issues, it can also knock down the value of your home, thus further impacting your finances.

Reducing Hazards

Getting your foundation repairs completed is also important if you want to reduce hazards around your home. When your floors and sinking because of foundation damage, it can cause the risk of trips and falls which could lead to serious injury. Weakness in the walls due to cracks and movement could increase the risk of collapse. Even your sticking doors and windows could lead to injury when you are struggling to open and close them.

These are all important reasons why you need to ensure your foundation repairs are carried out.

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