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Choosing the Best Travel Credit Card for Backpack Travellers

Credit cards are so convenient that it is difficult to imagine being without one. However, there are so many different credit card products available, when you want to apply for a card, it is hard to decide which one will best meet your needs. You have to determine what you want in a credit card and then set about searching for the best one for you.

If you love to travel and are planning a backpacking trip, having a credit card can come in very handy. By choosing a card that offers travel rewards, you can save money when you are travelling on everything from flights and accommodation to travel money and more. This depends on the type of travel card you opt for. .

Opting for travel credit cards

If you are you looking for a credit card that offers rewards such as air miles, finding the best travel credit card should be simple. There are plenty of cards available that offer travel benefits. However, some of these are associated with only one airline. If you don’t usually use the same airline for your backpacking travels to different countries then you would be wise opting for a credit card that lets you accumulate air miles you can use with any airline. You do have to check the various types of credit cards of this nature because some of them have an annual fee.

Students can benefit greatly from obtaining and using student credit cards with travel rewards. With many students deciding to take a gap year to travel to different places, these can prove ideal and convenient. They are very convenient for times when you have unexpected expenses on your travels or if you need to pay for accommodation as well as for other travel purchases. You do have to use these cards wisely and try to pay off the balance at the end of the month because they usually have high interest rates associated with them. This can then results in the interest rate outweighing the rewards that you earn.

When it comes to finding the right credit card for your backpacking travels, there are a number of key points to consider. This includes:

    • The type of reward offered: There are different types of travel credit cards. Some offer air miles, others accrue points, and others offer discounts at hotels. You should determine the best one for your needs by looking at the ones that will save you money.
    • The interest rate charged: You should always aim to pay off the card in full each month in order to avoid interest charges. However, there may be times when you cannot do this. It is therefore worth checking the rate of interest charged before you make your choice.
    • The level of travel rewards offered: The level of rewards can vary from one card to another. Make sure you check how many points or miles you get when you spend on the card, as this can make a big difference to your overall balance.

By taking these considerations into account, you can choose the perfect travel credit card for your needs.

We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.

A Night Out in Old (and New) Havana

When we told people that we were going to Cuba, many had questions as to if that was even possible. We had some concerns, but in the end they turned out to be mostly unwarranted. The process is actually fairly simple, as long as the visit is part of a well-planned tour group… CONTINUE READING >> 

When we told people that we were going to Cuba, many had questions as to if that was even possible. Sure, for a long time it wasn’t, or was at least very difficult, then a few years ago it became much easier.

This past summer it became it bit more difficult again, but certainly not impossible. We won’t go into the politics or rationality of the situation, so let’s just say that for those of us with an open mind and an adventurous spirit Cuba is accessible.

We had some concerns, but in the end they turned out to be mostly unwarranted. The process is actually fairly simple, as long as the visit is part of a well-planned tour group. That is where Backroads excels, such as with our Cuba Bike Tour: National Parks, Rum & Latin Rhythms into Havana.

Being part of their special People-to-People experience meant that getting our Cuban Travel Cards, the equivalent of a visa, was basically a breeze and we had absolutely no issues entering or exiting the country.

One of the stipulations for travel from the U.S. is that tourists are not permitted to enter the Cuba more than 24 hours before their tour begins, or stay over 24 hours after it ends. Still, that left us with one night on our own in Havana before our bicycling began.

The ride into the city from the airport served as a quick tour as we passed revolutionary monuments, the old capitol building, and many grand old structures in various states of repair from regal to ruinous in this city founded over five hundred years ago.

Rather than trying to make the scene that was famous in the city’s glory days of yore, when nightclubs and casinos were all the rage, we chose to meet up with a few of our fellow cyclists and explore the burgeoning art scene.

That meant a trip to what has come to be known as simply La Fàbrica, the Fàbrica de Arte de Cubano, which means the Cuban factory of art.

As a special introductory to Havana bonus, we were more than pleasantly surprised that a 1955 Chevy Bel Air showed up to take us when we called a taxi. We didn’t know it at the time, but discovered that many of the old American classics now serve as “illegal” taxis. In this case the lack of legality only means that they are not state run.

The museum is actually housed in an old factory, which creates a maze of variously sized rooms and spaces serving as galleries and performance venues. Originally part of the Havana Tramway back in the eighteen hundreds, the name recalls a famed cooking oil brand which occupied the premises pre-World War II.

The Factory opened in 2013 with the concept of uniting all forms of art, music, and theater and quickly became a must see in Havana, attracting some of the world’s most famous folks such as Mick Jagger, Lady Gaga, Quincy Jones, Beyoncé, and President Barack Obama.

Our visit came too early in the evening to catch any of the musical or theatrical performances, but we wandered through the numerous rooms admiring the innovative works in their unique settings, much of which has a decidedly political theme.

While drinks, snacks, and a full service restaurant are available, we decided to walk next door for dinner at El Cocinero Restaurant. This establishment, like the private taxi and the “casa” that where we were staying for our first night, is part of a new tourist economy that has emerged in Cuba.

A few years ago the government made the decision to pursue international tourism as a source of income, but the state run services were not ready to meet the demand so rules were put in place to allow some private ventures.

What sprung up resemble Air B&B type lodgings called particulars and Uber style taxis. A similar movement has taken place in the restaurant business with the rise of paladares. These were once restricted to limited seats within a home, but have morphed into what we experienced seated on a beautiful terrace overlooking the Vedado neighborhood of la Habana.

Chef Ramon Manuel Lopez Alarcon has created what is consistently named as one of, if not the best restaurant in Havana.

Far from the bland, uninspired cuisine we had been warned to expect in Cuba, we dined on pork tenderloin with a creamy corn and coconut sauce and grilled Caribbean spiny lobster accompanied by pilaf and salad while some of our tour mates chose lamb curry and duck confit.

Delicious as the entrées were, the deserts were outstanding. We ordered a couple to share around the table, including the house specialty chocolate tart and a cute take on rice pudding that came served like sushi.

After another illegal ride back to our casa, we were left to ponder just how this strange new brand of seemingly capitalist entrepreneurship can coexist with the official economy that remains strictly controlled.

A few years ago the government created a two-tiered currency system, which in essence keeps these new businesses separated from the state run counterparts, but the discrepancy of incomes between government employees and these new service workers has become wildly unbalanced.

Foreigners can exchange currency for convertible pesos (CUC) at a rate pegged to the dollar, which are used for almost all tourist services. In fact, we never even saw a regular peso.

The trouble with this is that CUCs are twenty-five times more valuable than the regular pesos (CUP) that most everyone else is paid in.

This means that on a good night an illegal taxi driver, a server at a private restaurant, or a casa innkeeper can make the equivalent of many months of salary for a doctor, teacher, or engineer working for the state.

The system certainly looks to be unsustainable to our eyes, and Raul Castro has promised to do away with it for some time now, but has yet to find a workable way out.

Hopefully a balance can be struck that will allow Cuba’s burgeoning tourism sector to thrive.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

A big thank you to Backroads for providing this adventure, as always, all opinions are our own.

Dubai: Smorgasbord of places to explore and have a thrilling experience

Dubai a perfect place where culture meets western lifestyle is a country that will never fail to amaze with these places from your list of places to visit: CONTINUE READING >> 

Dubai a perfect place where culture meets western lifestyle is a country that will never fail to amaze. The country of Sheikhs, it is a place where world’s best and luxurious items are available and has manmade beaches to relax and enjoy some adventurous water sports. Known for its ground breaking architect, it is a country of splendor, glamour and traditions. If this New Year you plan to visit this city of dreams and architect excellence then make sure to tick off these places from your list of places to visit:

  • Burj Khalifa: Iconic and the tallest tower in the world Burj Khalifa is 828 meters high and pride of Dubai. Hundreds of people across the globe visit Dubai to see Burj Khalifa and enjoy being in the clouds in the lounge in the building. The majestic tower is beautiful inside out and gives one feeling of being in clouds enjoying the clear sky.
  • Relax at Palm Jumeirah: If you want to relax on the sunny beaches of Dubai then Pam Jumeirah should not be missed. It is the largest and beautiful artificial island in Dubai in palm shape and has an array of hotels and shopping malls along the coastline of the island. It is easy to reach there and is connected with the mainland with the monorail connecting the tram in the mainland.
  • Shopping at Dubai Mall: Dubai is shopaholic’s paradise undoubtedly. From spice and textile souk in old Dubai to high street Dubai Mall near Burj Khalifa one can shop and go wild with their credit card. Dubai is a hub of all International brands and designers and Dubai mall itself has more than 1200 shops and 150 restaurants to binge shop and eat. Spending a day in the mall is also less and tourists are advised to take the map of the mall to explore each and every section and locate brands in the mall.
  • Exploring the Old Dubai: Even though Dubai has become modern and upbeat but the charm of old Dubai is beyond comparison. The real heritage of Dubai is in old Dubai and Al Fahidi is the historical city of the Dubai that should not be missed. Guided visit to the mosque, souks and Sheikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding will make one nostalgic as it holds the heart of traditional era of Dubai.
  • Dubai Canal: As much as the towns and streets of Dubai are alluring waterways are also not behind. 3.2km long water canal in Dubai extending from old Dubai to Business Bay is mesmerizing. One can enjoy walking, cycling and cruise with your partner.

Dubai is said to be a city to be seen in order to believe the wonders of the city. So if you have always planned to visit the city but could not due to high fares then visit By Discount Codes and avail budgeted travel packages to Dubai and make your dream come true.

We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.

A Parent’s Guide to International Travel with Kids

Travelling with kids is an experience in its own. For some, no matter if it’s their first trip with the first child or the fifth, travelling with children is always daunting. Here are a few points you should keep in mind when travelling internationally with kids… CONTINUE READING >> 

Travelling with kids is an experience in its own. For some no matter if it’s their first trip with the first child, or the fifth, travelling with children is always daunting. Whereas, for some, the first may not be as smooth, but the others are much well-planned. So, you must swear by check-lists, pack-well, get travel insurance and have lots of fun.

Here are a few points you should keep in mind when travelling internationally with kids:

Packing

What you pack and how much of it depends on the age of your child and your destination. But, make sure to pack the essentials. Another valuable packing tip is to divide all your belongings into separate bags. This gives them a sense of responsibility and independence. Also, do not forget to dress the children comfortably for the weather and terrain will be happier in a new environment. With all the gear available, there’s no excuse for dressing toddlers in ski-suits four sizes too big, forgetting their gloves, or leaving them barefoot on a beach where sea urchins lurk. Moreover, an emergency kit with basic medicines & supplies and prescribed medicines, if any, can come in handy with kids.

Long Flights & Wait Times

It’s the dreaded thought of hours in the airport, and then hours on the plane, that put many off the idea of traveling until their kids are older.  But, you must know and accept in advance that you won’t be relaxing with a book or movie on this or any flight for quite some time and then you’re halfway there. Pre-boarding and waiting for check-in can call for your kids to be irritated, hungry and cranky. Let them play around and eat. Also, don’t rush to get in the airplane first, let your child be free and board once the queues are shorter.

International Travel Insurance

Unfortunate events such as baggage loss, passport loss, a medical emergency or an accident can affect your travels, whether for business or leisure. Moreover, when you’re travelling with kids, their safety is of utmost importance and you do not want to be helpless in an emergency. International travel insurance for your family will protect you from such perils by ensuring that you are not left stranded in any emergency. To make the insurance purchase process less cumbersome, you can buy travel insurance online as well.

Strollers are Your Friend

Car seats and strollers are not counted as bags and can be checked at the gate. Airports are overcrowded and if yours is a toddler, then they’re unpredictable, fearless and fast. You cannot chase him all the time (and not to forget, leaving your bag unattended even to run after a kid on the loose is not recommended), so use a stroller to keep your where you can see him/her until you step on the plane.

Give Them a Camera and Encourage Them to Keep a Travel Journal

Giving toddlers their own (robust, child-friendly) camera raises their spirits to observe their surroundings and focus on what interests them. The results from their knee-high view can be astonishing. Also, Get your kids drawing and listing things they’ve seen and interesting foods they’ve tried. Who knows, this might also encourage them to try different foods. Collecting postcards from places you visit and asking them to write themselves a message on the back means they can reach adulthood with a library of memories all their own.

Check your Passports

Since, last-minute passport renewal costs are astronomical, make sure that you have a passport bag and a documents check-list when you’re travelling internationally. You do not want to go back home from the airport.

Research Hotels Carefully

The hotel choice can make or break a vacation with kids. Choose “kid-friendly hotels” from the pull-down to start your search and remember to inform the hotel that you have kids. Also, ask other parents you know for their recommendations; you’ll want to know how family-friendly a property really is before you book.  Be sure to request a room with a mini-fridge. Not all rooms are equipped, but most hotels can bring one in. Since, children are unpredictable and they can feel hungry any time, you can fill the fridge with fresh fruit, cheese sticks and yogurt for an affordable, anytime snack.

The Big Picture

While you’re planning a vacation – so you’re supposed to enjoy yourself! Traveling with babies is much more relaxing for me when you just kept it simple. You must realize that the kids will get older and you’ll be able to do more over the years, but while they are babies, limit any event planning and don’t expect too much. Just go with the flow.

By travelling with your kids, you are giving them something that can never be taken away… Experience, Exposure and a Way of Life. So, make sure you travel safe and planned.

We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.

Traveling to Crete: Do’s and Don’ts

There are a few important things you need to know before your trip to Crete, especially if it is your first time visiting the island. Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of travelling to Crete… CONTINUE READING >> 

Crete is the largest island in Greece and one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. Every year, millions of people visit the island for its beautiful beaches, its vibrant culture, and the endless holiday experiences and attractions to enjoy. Crete is also easy to get to, plus there is no shortage of amenities that will make your holiday even more enjoyable.

The island is popular thanks to its great weather and friendly people. Nevertheless, there are a few important things you need to know before your trip to Crete, especially if it is your first time visiting the island. The first is to have a reliable Chania Airport transfer. Here are some more of the do’s and don’ts of travelling to Crete.

Do: Be Friendly

While there are reports of crimes happening on the island (mostly minor crimes), Crete is a very safe place. You can be friendly to the locals and receive friendly treatment in return. The same can be said for fellow tourists you meet while visiting the island; being friendly to others never hurts.

When visiting popular beaches such as Balos or Elafonissi, for example, you will come across beggars and locals selling things like cheap sunglasses and jewellery. Don’t worry about their presence and simply say no in a kind and polite way. They will not press any further and you can continue enjoying the lovely beach.

Don’t: Party Recklessly

The nightlife in Crete is very exciting nonetheless. There are plenty of parties to go to every day of the week. As a matter of fact, there is always a party to go to from the start of the night to early in the morning. What you don’t want to do is party recklessly.

Keep in mind that there are other tourists at these parties. An accidental bump or a drunk slur is to be expected. Simply avoid confrontation and move on. You’ll have a much better time partying when you are responsible.

The locals are much better than most tourists you will come across while partying on the island. Locals will take you to your hotel when you’re too drunk to drive home.

Do: Stay in Villas

The best way to enjoy Crete is in utter luxury and one of the ways you can achieve that is by staying in a luxury villa. You will be surprised by just how affordable villas in Crete are, especially with service providers like BlueVillas, who offer many different villas within a large price range, as well as all-inclusive packages.

There is another advantage you can enjoy by staying in a luxury villa: you can travel with more friends and save a lot on the trip. The average villa has at least two bedrooms and can accommodate up to six guests in utter comfort. You can even rent a villa with its own private beach for the ultimate holiday experience.

Don’t: Rely on Taxis

Taxis are great and they are relatively affordable, but relying on taxi rides to fully explore the island is certainly not the way to go. It is much more affordable to rent a car or a motorcycle. As mentioned before, Crete is a big island with plenty of beautiful places to visit.

As long as you have your driving license with you, you can have memorable road trips and an awesome time exploring different parts of the island with your travel companions. It is also much easier to go to shops and restaurants when you have a rental car in Crete such as Rental Center Crete.

Another great way to explore Crete is by walking. You can simply drive to an area (usually a town or a beach) and explore that area on foot. Don’t forget the do’s and don’ts we covered in this article and you will have an incredible time enjoying the best of Crete.

We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.

This post may contain sponsored links.

These Must-Have Apps will make Travel a Breeze this Year

Whether you want to communicate in a group, current location tracking, or know the weather before you embark on your next destination, check out these apps to find what works best for your travel this year… CONTINUE READING >> 

Traveling is always an adventure. Anything longer than a trip across town with family or friends requires some strategic planning to keep everyone connected, entertained, and organized. In the mix of activities like traveling within a city, itineraries, flight booking and of course actually talking, apps can be super helpful when you’re traveling in a car or a plane.

Whether you want to communicate in a group, current location tracking, or know the weather before you embark on your next destination, check out these apps to find what works best for your travel this year.

Whether you want to communicate in a group, current location tracking, or know the weather before you embark on your next destination, check out these apps to find what works best for your travel this year. While these must-have travel apps help ensure smooth trips, your professional life can also benefit from seamless organization; consider forming a California LLC to keep your business affairs in order and protect your personal assets as you navigate exciting new journeys.

For calling within the group: Rebtel

Skype and WhatsApp will always be staples when it comes to international calling and messaging, but a Wi-Fi connection is needed to use them. Since internet in the other country may not be available everywhere during your travel, or it can be expensive. So to make cheap calls around the world without the internet (or faffing around with phone cards), Rebtel is the app to choose. By “hijacking” local phone lines, it gets the best available calling rates. The app was launched earlier this year and it is currently offering a “Rebel calling” deal, which means friends or family can be called for free if they are also using the app. The app is available for both Android and iPhone.

For Itineraries: Google Trips

If you are the kind of person who prepares for every trip by getting a manila folder and filling it with every bit of your travel itinerary, then Google Trips is like that folder, but without the annoyance of maintaining a tatty pile of paper printouts. This app serves as a trip planner and travel guide for anyone who is exploring a new place. The app gathers all your travel information from Gmail and Inbox and organizes it automatically. It also maps out half-day or day itineraries, with suggestions of things to see or do. Best of all, it works entirely offline, so you don’t need to worry about arriving in a new country and having to find a Wi-Fi spot before you can find out where you’re going.

Cellphone tracker app for GPS tracking: Xnspy

When you are traveling in groups or with family, you would always want to track your group members to know where their whereabouts. But to make sure they are not lost during the travel you should use a GPS tracker app. Xnspy is a cellphone tracker app that tells you the exact location of any person during the travel. This app has multiple location monitoring features that can not only help the user during the travel but can also be helpful for the parents whose kids are leaving for a foreign trip.

Even if the target person does not have the internet facility it will keep recording their location and once the phone is connected to the internet it will update detail of all the locations visited in the form of location log.

Similarly, when teens embark on a trip the parents are always concerned about them visiting certain places. So even if you have forbidden certain places for your children to travel, you can set virtual boundaries around those geographic areas and if your teen enters those locations, its current location tracking feature will alert you about it. The Xnspy app is compatible with both, Android and iOS devices.

For Weather Forecasts: Accuweather

Once you have left the jurisdiction of the good old Met Office, you will need to find a wider-reaching weather report source. While traveling to a new country or a different landscape, the weather can sometimes be really harsh and it can end up ruining your whole plan. For international weather forecasting, Accuweather tops the charts. The website and app, which provides services in over 100 languages, is used by around 1.5 billion people and offers everything from general long-term forecasts to minute-by-minute precipitation forecasts hyperlocalized to your exact address. The detail is prodigious – you’ll never be caught without an umbrella or suncream again.

For meeting new people: Tinder

You have probably heard of this app, but if you want to date/hook up/be swept off your feet by a wine-drenched local poet who can “show you the real Paris”, then Tinder is a winner. The original swipe left/swipe right dating app – which is used by around 50 million people around the world each month – beats by far any of the dating apps that have attempted to capture the travel market. These include travel “companion, partner and buddy” app TourBar, which seems oriented towards those seeking sugar daddies, and apps like MileHi, AirDates, and Wingman, which aim to encourage in-flight dating. Unless you want to star in the movie Creeps on a Plane, when trying online dating abroad we suggest sticking to the classics.

We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.

It Feels Like Our Lives have been Erased

Photo albums spanning four and five generations, adorable baby clothes, favorite toys, and revered books held in hopes of future grandchildren, the emergent works and grades of our offspring as they strived from class to class in their studies, souvenirs gathered from across the globe, and the relics and mementos of our previous careers  have all been wiped away forever. CONTINUE READING >> 

In all of our years of travel we have been quite lucky. No bad accidents or illnesses have struck while on the road and very few mishaps. We had a couple bikes stolen from the back of our motorhome once, but that is why we carried cheap ones.

Yes, we try to take precautions. So when preparing for our recent trip to Cuba we decided to leave several things in our apartment that we normally would have carried with us. Our best computer, back up drive, some beloved antique family jewelry, and most of our credit cards stayed behind. We thought that they would be safer there.

Goes to show you never can tell. Here is what happened to our building while we were gone:

A wildfire raged through in the predawn darkness of last Tuesday and completely destroyed everything we had except what was with us in our carry-on bags and backpacks.

Because internet access was scarce, and we spent our days on our bikes with the Backroads tour that we were on, we didn’t find out until over a day later.

At that point we had to decide whether to leave behind the fantastic tour of Cuba we had so looked forward to and head back to California to see if anything could be done, or try to ignore things and stay for the duration of our trip.

Ultimately we concluded that we simply couldn’t possibly appreciate or assimilate the rest of the trip while wondering what had happened to our home, so we cut it short and flew back.

That in itself was heartbreaking because the three days that we did get to spend on the island were incredible, and yes, we will have stories about that soon.

We returned to total devastation, which put us in the odd and uncomfortable position of victims. Frequent visitors to GypsyNester.com will know that we are inclined to post ways to help when disaster strikes, perhaps sometimes too much. (BTW, there is still help needed for the hurricanes of this past summer.)

When we made our way up the hill to where our home once stood, we found the complex reduced to nothing but ash by an inferno beyond anything we could imagine. Firefighters were still on the scene pouring water on stubborn hotspots days after the blaze.

Fortunately everybody got out safely, but the stories we have heard from our former neighbors are of terrifying escapes in pitch blackness, with only minutes to spare. Some had to flee so frantically that their cars were left behind.

The speed of the fires caught everyone, including firefighters, completely by surprise and electricity was out to the entire city of Ventura. Perhaps we were lucky not to be there; avoiding the trauma, but another side of us can’t help but think that we may have been able to save a few cherished keepsakes.

Our vagabond lifestyle had already reduced our worldly possessions down to the famous 16 Boxes that we wrote about in Going Gypsy, so we are not mourning the loss of a great deal of “stuff.” Unfortunately, that means what little we did hang on to throughout our many moves were the truly important, irreplaceable, sentimental items.

Photo albums spanning four and five generations, adorable baby clothes, favorite toys, and revered books held in hopes of future grandchildren, the emergent works and grades of our offspring as they strived from class to class in their studies, souvenirs gathered from across the globe, and the relics and mementos of our previous careers  have all been wiped away forever.

Processing that loss will take some time. It may be years before we stop recalling some treasure that was once tucked away in what we thought was the safety of our closets. Or maybe that will never go away.

Meanwhile we are faced with the daily tasks of recreating something resembling a normal day-to-day life. In that sense we are better off than many, we have a place to stay temporarily and friends and family have been unbelievably helpful and supportive.

To help those who are not as fortunate, here is a good list of resources that can certainly use any and all donations.

One thing we are trying hard to embrace is graciously accepting the help that has been offered by so many, including complete strangers. Our inclination is to decline and feel that others are more worthy of aid.

A dear friend wisely advised us to stop that, not only for ourselves and facilitating our recovery, but for the people who genuinely desire to help. We should not deny them that opportunity.

With that in mind we are passing along this link to the GoFundMe page that our wonderful children have set up for us.

They felt helpless scattered across the globe in Paris, New York, and Alaska and did this as a way to connect, assist, and show their love and concern.

It is incumbent upon us to gratefully accept that assistance.

Most importantly, we say thank you.

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com