7 Reasons A Long Vacation is Good for Your Health

I’ve already talked about how a long trip can save you money. Here’s another take on it.

We all need a vacation from time to time. While you may think that you just need some down time, a long vacation can actually be good for your health. Let’s take a look at how a long vacation can help with your mental and physical well being.

Relaxing is good for you!

1. Helps to Reduce Stress: As stress is the root cause of so many of our physical and mental ailments, anything that helps to reduce stress is good for us. Long vacations allow us to clear our heads and escape the very things that are stressing us out. So this is good for every aspect of our health and well being imaginable!

2. You Tend to Get More Sleep: Most of us run around with too much to do and too little time, so a long vacation forces us to slow down. One of the biggest health benefits that comes about from this is that we actually get a good night of sleep. Sleep is good for our health and helps our bodies to function at their optimal state, so this is an excellent and very enjoyable benefit from a long vacation.

3. Helps to Lower Blood Pressure: As we experience stress and anxiety in our daily lives, this can cause our blood pressure to spike. A long vacation away not only helps us to relax, but it can bring our blood pressure back to a normal and healthy range. This is important for good health so it’s an excellent benefit!

4. You Are Far Less Likely to Get Sick: When you actually take the time to rest and relax, this is good for your health and can even help to boost your immune system. As your body winds down and takes in all the benefits you gain from extra sleep and relaxation, you reap the rewards by warding off illness. When you are run down and exhausted, and even running on empty you are far more likely to get sick.

5. You’re Eating Good Food: Though the health benefits may be a bit more indirect, you are actually more likely to eat a couple of solid meals a day. When we’re busy and on the go constantly we tend to shove food in and oftentimes skip meals in the interest of time. When you’re on a long vacation, you may not only get in actual meals but may fill them with varieties that are good for you such as fresh fruits and vegetables. These in and of themselves provide health benefits through their nutrients, and this is all good for your health.

6. You Are Getting Exercise: Whether you are swimming in the ocean, hitting the hotel gym, or walking around for sightseeing, you are likely to get in some level of exercise. This gets your heart pumping and burns off some of the calories that you may have stuffed yourself. More importantly it works towards better health and that’s good for you in every sense.

7. You Get to Bond with Your Loved Ones: This may not seem like an actual health benefit, but when you’re happy you’re healthy. The pleasure you get through bonding with your loved ones is along the same lines as the relaxation you get from putting your stress behind you. This helps your mental health and that contributes to your physical well being in the process.

As if you needed a reason to get away, we’ve provided several that prove a long vacation is good for your health. If you want to get some time away, escape the stress of everyday life, and actually improve your health in the process, we’ve given you the perfect ways to do just that.

This was a guest post by Mary Frederick blogs about how to choose the ultrasound tech school for you.

Saving Money on a Long Trip – Less is More!

I recently wrote about saving money on a long trip but one of the most important things to do is to avoid taking too much stuff with you. The lighter you can travel the more money you will save – let me explain!

If you take a large case – you won’t want to carry it far. I don’t care if its the latest beautifully designed backpack or roll-along – if thing weights 20kg – you will take a cab -guaranteed. You will find it hard to get it on and off public transport – thru turnstiles and in general it will be a pain the back and the arm. In Vietnam the standard transfer is by scooter – you on the back the bag between the driver’s legs – would your luggage fit on a scooter with a tiny 40kg diver? If not downsize.

Everyone over packs on their first trip – I remember seriously considering a ball dress on my first trip – seriously Fortunately a more experienced friend talked me out of that. I do generally carry a dres up out fit though – just because I am staying at hostel or cheap hotel doesn’t mean that I don’t want to go to a local ball or casino – Seriously!

So what size bag should you take? I say 25-30 litres – carry on size. I used to carry on my bag – but can’t anymore because of liquid restriction. In addition I have a fold away day bag – which I now carry on – and a small purse which will carry my camera and guide book. I have travelled for up to 6 months at a time and yes my clothing takes a battering, falls to pieces and I get bored with wearing the same thing every day – but its not hard to do – and the benefits are enormous.

Its so quick to get out of a hotel room when you don’t have much stuff to pack. Its so easy to keep a bag safe when you carry it on board th bus not have to check it. Its easier to deal with taxis when you can take your bag with you, inside the cab not have it in the boot.Save your back and and save money on your next trip – and take very little with you!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolinadoug/

Saving Money on a Long Trip

Its the time of the year in Australia where many of the travel companies start with their advertising for cheap airfares and other deals for backpackers on their way to Europe for a gap year . Ignoring the information on student work visas though – most of it will suit the older traveller who is looking for a good deal.

Getting a cheap airfare deal in the early part of the year should be easy -  Europeans are leaving for the southern hemisphere in droves to avoid their winter. So the plans fly 1/2 empty on the way back to Europe – and those are the cheap tickets.

Youth hostels no longer have age restrictions – except in southern Germany so yes you can stay in the them and yes they will save you an enormous amount of money particularly in Western Europe and the UK.

Hiring a car gets cheaper with age – thank goodness – its still not cheap but long term leasing arrangements in Europe can be a good deal if you are a small group. Its also a lot less time wasting than buying and selling a vehicle.

The best way though to save money on a long trip is to travel more slowly. Fast travel eats your cash – well fast! Slow down – take slower forms of transport – walk or cycle – and you will not only see more of the country but you will save a huge amount of money. Short-term, traditional tourists pay a lot for convenience because time is money for them. But if you are travelling for a long time than fast travel will burn you out – and and burn your budget.

Slow down – the more closely to living as a local you can manage the cheaper it will be. Many locals in Asia eat at the street stalls rather than cooking at home – that’s why they are so cheap. If you leave the air-conditioned, English-menu tourist restaraunts and join the locals you will find great food, ambience and very cheap prices!

Take a local bus or train rather than a hire car and experience life at the ground level. The only thing you lose by saving money on long-term travel is time – but that’s the whole point isn’t it?

Debit Cards Better Than Travel Money Cards ?

Yes i think debit cards are the way of the future and a much better deal than the over-prices travelwx travel money cards which you see advertised all over the place. Basically the travel money card is a pre-loaded credit card i.e. a debit card – except you get to pay to add money to it and even to check the balance.

In contrast I was sent a debit card by my bank as a replacement for an ordinary EFTPOS card. The debit card isa mastercard branded card which will work anywhere that Mastercard is accepted – which is pretty much anywhere! The mrechant may think its a credit card – and that’s the button you push on the machine – but in fact its a debit card because you are using your funds direct out of transaction account.

Makes sense to me – although you need to check what fees are being charged particularly for cash withdrawals from ATMs using the card for direct purchases makes a whole lot of sense. You can keep track of your account using your normal online banking as well – no need to try to remember yet another password!

One thing is for sure I think I have bought my last traveller’s cheque – they really have gone the way of the horse and carriage! These days I travel with a mixture of cash and the debit card will be joining my credit card along for the journey so I have a mixture of Mastercard and Visa – yes there is the odd country swhere one is much more commonly accepted than the other.

Cash is still king in a lot of circumstances and I use a mixture of clean, non-damaged $100 bills for the bulk of it and some $10’s for the odd border official or taxi driver on arrival. Yes all US$ I am afraid – still the world currency dispite its battering in recent years.

Cancun, Mexico – Well-Connected Hotels

Cancun was one of those strange “not of the country” places. You know what I mean is Cairns, Queensland feels like Japan, most of the Costa del Sol feels like Brighton, Bali is a little piece of Queensland.

I got to Cancun in the late 1980’s- from the US. But unlike most of the American tourists there – I travelled overland – all the way from San Diego via Baha California and down the length of Mexico.  By the time I got to southern Mexico my Spanish had improved quite a lot from the surivival mode and I was quite competent at “una mas cervesa por favor”  level of Spanish. I was used to staying at small local hotels, taking local buses and drinking and eating in comfortable tavernas usually on the town square.

And then I got to Cancun.

Wall-to-wall huge Hotels, Americans, English spoken everywhere, prices 10times what they were in the rest of Mexico, and sometimes even quoted in US$ instead of Mexican pesos!

It doesn’t look like anything much has changed in Cancun – though the hotels seem to have got bigger.

This video was really shot on location in Cancun – not by me – by a friend – Allyn – over at bloggerillustrated.net – funny particularly if you follow Darren Rowse!

Simpler Travel Between Australia and New Zealand

Today it looks likely that it will become a little easier to travel between Australia and New Zealand – finally – years to late in my opinion- the requirement to pass through immigration, customs and security in both countries will be removed.

Wellington sculpture near Wellington Airport, New Zealand

As a New Zealander I have automatic right of entry to Australia , as Australians do to New Zealand but until this change occurs I can still board a plane in Auckland, and have to pass security in Brisbane even if I am just transiting to an international flight!

Is that silly or what? Finally the politicians agree and from as early as early next year it will be possible to fly to Australia or New Zealand as easily as you would a domestic destination – though you will still need to take a passport – the model is similar to that which operates in parts of  the European community.

Its going to make airfares from popular destinations such as Sydney or Melbourne to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch a lot cheaper too – $47 will go as the tax for those security details are removed! That will drop the East Coast Australia to New Zealand airfares by as much as 20% because of the outrageous percentage of your “air fare” which is a actually government taxes. You will still have to pay the $25 departure fee ex-New Zealand though it sounds like.

All in all its a long over-due move which will make it easier for the many holidaymakers and immigrants who live on both sides of the Tasman! Hopefully it will start off another round of airfare wars as well!

Cheaper to Fly to Bali then Holiday in Western Australia

I have often found living in New Zealand and Australia that its cheaper to fly for hours to get Asia than holiday at home. Its a tough call for the local operators but at the end of the day some of the locals need to get a little more price focussed.

The lcoal newspaper has been running the story – that travelling to that most local of  “overseas island” – Rottnest Island some 20km off Perth’s shoreline is now more expensive than flying to Bali.

Nope its not a con – its true. Looking at dates in May 2010 you can get an Air Asia  flight for $99 one way Perth-Bali and a room in a 3-star hotel for around A$80/night for four people.

In contrast the ferry to Rotto will cost of $211 for four people and then you will b e paying $952 to stay in motel accommodation.

The 7 days in Bali comes in at around A$1200 for a family of four and hundred dollars less for airfare and accommodation in Bali.

In reality the costs in Bali would be even less. Even if you ate out everynight – and who wouldn’t you will pay less for food in Bali than if you do your own catering in Rotto.  On Rotto there is no transport so you will be paying bus fares or hiring bikes to get around. Laundry will of course be self-serve while in Bali you will find someone to do it for you for very little.

In addition you will have the chance of cheap shopping, duty free allowances each way and winter sun – yup I think Bali is the best option for next winter for Perthites looking for a winter break.

Rottnest Ferry at Hilary's Perth

Would You Travel Uninsured?

Very early in my travelling experiences I had a few items stolen in India. On return home  – months later I tried to claim. I gave up – the forms were incomprehensible – I had the camera details – but it had never been sold in my home country – I’d bought it several years previously in the US – could I please provide a quote from a local camera shop?

I gave up and rarely took out travel insurance again. I found I couldn’t get just health insurance but had to get cover for everything – including unlikely items such as bookings – which I never made.

It seems to be that the industry has not got any better. Now I am looking at from the other side – in 3 years my partner gets expensive. Why? Will his health deterioate and he suddenly be of higher risk of being robbed? Dunno – but according to plenty of travel insurers he will cost them more to insure – go figure!

Swine Flu Should Help The Mexico Travel Deals

Geeze did you ever hear such a lot of talk about nothing? Not since the millenium bug have we had so much angst about a disaster which has, quite frankly, failed to materialise.

I am of course talking about swine flu. Well I think its time to turn it around and see it as a travel opportunity – obviously anywhere in Mexico is looking lieka very good deal at the moment -I’ve always had a soft spot for Manzanillo where it sounds like they are doing just fine. Lets face it most tourists don’t go to Mexico to stay in dirt poor villages or even Mexico City – instead they go for the beaches of Baja or the culture nad beaches of the Yucatan.

I’d say only stay away from Mexico long enough to get a great travel deal!

Moving House – it gets Scarier with Age!

I think moving house is a bit like traveling for the over 30s - it becomes a bigger and bigger deal as you get older!

My friend Mary over at the moving house blog is facing the upheaval of moving across country – and its not like she’s actually doing it because she wants to – its because she following her husband across the world!

Is that fair- would you do that! I know how much of a deal it is just to temporarily go travelling and yet still have a base to return to – it must be so much worse if you are moving house for someone else’s reasons!

The issues with relocating tend to increase with the distance that you are travelling to- moving in the same suburb means the kids don’t have to relocate school, moving across town does. Moving inter-state is worse but moving overseas is the worst!

We will probably move country again in the next year or so. We always treated this as a temporary move so it wouldn’t be to much drama as we are in a furnished apartment here, I am still not looking foreward to the packing though!