Travel for the Over 30s

I spend a lot of time online and it takes a great deal for me to be impressed these days - but this little online site TripIT has just blown me away. If you have ever had trouble managing your own online trip itinerary this site is for you.

You may recall in the old days that the most exciting thing was before you left of a big trip you went down the travel agency and they presented you with your pages and pages of travel itinerary - plus usually a spare to leave with your nearest and dearest at home.

Well its been along time since anyone has done that for me and I distinctly remember the last time I organised a 6 week trip to Europe that I ended up with an endlessly updated spreadsheet - which I then had problem priniting out at 3am the night before we left!

TripIT has seen a market need and provides a brilliant solution. Sign up for a free account then when you get those emails confirming your flight and hotel bookings you just forward it to TripIT and they automatically compile them into one, easy to read itinerary.  Automatically and for free! They claim to be able to automatically generate itineraries from over 500 different sources including Airlines, Hotel chains, rental car companies and major online travel consolidators.

But its better than that - TripIT also allows you to edit your itineary and add items in so you can add planned events without actually having to book them. And then you can share your itineary with a number of different emails so everyone stays up to date on your holiday plans.

There is a up sell to the paid version which automatically notifies your mobile if there are flight delays and changes - more use to the frequent business traveller - but check it out whatever your budget - free is good!

We all have to learn better ways to cope with stress, but it can be even more important when it comes to combining it with travel. If you are embarking on a rather stressful trip, it’s important to find proper ways of dealing with it and allowing yourself to be and stay healthy.

1. Drink Plenty of Water: Though this may sound obvious and trivial, it can really help as you travel in general. If you are on a particularly stressful trip and getting on and off airplanes and other modes of transportation, drinking water can help to ensure that you don’t develop blood clots from sitting for too long. It can also help to push out any toxins or potential colds that you may come across in your travels—this is particularly in close quarters such as on an airplane.
2. Practice Deep Breathing: Before you get your stomach in knots or get a headache that won’t go away from the stress and the actual travel itself, learn the fine art of deep breathing. You can practice this anywhere and sometimes taking a moment away from things and breathing in and out deeply for a few moments can not only allow you to gain perspective, but also allow you to get focused and feel more alert.
3. Take Your Vitamins: As you will likely come across people that are sick, taking your vitamins is extremely important when it comes to traveling in generally. This becomes even more important if you add the factor of stress to your trip. Taking your vitamins and any necessary supplements before you leave and throughout your trip can help you to feel better and prevent you from getting sick from the stress.

4. Get Plenty of Sleep: This may not sound like a viable option if you are in the midst of a busy or stressful trip, but it’s a really important step to keeping you healthy. Be sure that you get a restful night of sleep at night so that you’re ready to take on the day and can deal with the stress much better. This is even more important if you are traveling to a different time zone and want to ensure you don’t get jet lag.
5. Exercise Whenever You Can: If you have a gym at your hotel, use it. Even if you get out for a walk or do something that involves a bit of cardio, your body will thank you. Not only is exercise an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it can also help you to properly fight off stress. This will keep your body running as it should and help you to feel a bit more normal and healthy.
6. Eat Well: Eating a well balanced diet isn’t just good for weight loss, it’s important to keep your mental health in check too. If you are traveling you will likely come in contact with some rather unhealthy meal choices, but it’s important to make the right ones for your health. Add to this the fact that healthy foods can help your body cope with stress in a much more natural way.
7. Avoid Alcohol, Smoking, and Caffeine: Though your first instinct may be to turn to your vices, they are only going to increase the stress that you feel. Whenever possible avoid these three culprits that can weaken your immune system and contribute to you feeling sick as you deal with stress.

Mary Frederick is a blogger and enjoys writing about medical career topics, such as how to go to radiology tech schools online, job and education tips, and more

Parkes, NSW, on the face of it, a unlikely place to drive 360km west of Sydney to see. It is a pleasant enough country town surrounded by wheat fields. Pleasant country towns and wheatfields aren’t on most tourist’s to do lists.

However it was a whole lot different 40 years ago and yes I took the long detour to check out Parkes - well not Parkes itself - but the historic Parkes Radio Telescope which is located down an improbable country road - about 20km out of town. Seriously I’d love to see a tourist’s face who stumbled on the huge dish in the middle of fields by accident!

During the 1969 1969 Apollo moon landing Parkes was a critical  part of the NASA tracking program which transmitted the famous pictures of Armstrong and Aldrin walking on the moon.  Australia being conveniently located “down under” it was one of several used by NASA during the 1960s for both the Gemini and Apollo programs. Unfortunately the other two sites: Carnavon,WA and Honeysuckle Creek near Canberra, have been closed and nothing much remains.

Parkes on the other hand is still a functioning radio telescope with an interesting museum and excellent coffee shop with views over the dish. If you are in the area and have interest in astronomy its definitly worth a detour - kid friendly too.

The story of Parkes and the moon landings was retold in the movie The Dish staring Sam Neil

That’s right on the 5th August Qantas is offering  seats to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane or Adelaide from London for the price of £10! Seats go on sale on the 5 August and are only available for those who hold a valid working holiday visa for Australia. Seats are available on flights departing  between August 15 and September 30 and November 1 to 30 - both traditionally slow times of the year for Qantas.

Is there a catch - yes- there are only 150 seats available for the price and those that want them are recommended to camp out over night to get in first. If they miss out Qantas will offer them a STG679 ($A1,386.56) which is not very good at all compared to prices that Air Asia  X is offering on the route.

Its all a publicity stunt of course. “10 pound Poms” was the term used for assisted English migrants who came to Australia post-War right up to the 1970’s - in an attempt to “keep Australia white” - fortunately it didn’t work out to well!

The original 10 pound Poms had one way tickets in steerage on a boat. The new generation of 10 pound Poms will get a return airfare - as  no one but New Zealanders and Australians are allowed to fly on a one-way ticket to Australia these days. Australia doesn’t want more migrants anymore!

Anyway - if you can bothered camping out overnight its a very good deal - but if you miss out check out other cheap flights such as Air Asia X - that would be a better deal I think

With the economic downturn many people are looking to get extra value for their vacation dollar. They can’t afford a two-week break, an extended weekend may just have to do. If that’s your situation and you live in North America then Panama may be a country to consider.

Panama is considered an eco-destination with much of the country covered in its Word Heritage listed national parks. Even if you are focused on getting up close and personal with nature I would schedule a day or two in the capital. Panama City dates back over 500 years and the atmospheric “Casco Viejo”,the old city, is certainly worth a look. As of course is the fascinating Panama Canal and Miraflores Locks which are only a short drive from the center of town. With 13,000 ships using the canal annually - you’d be unlucky not to see at least one!

Panama has just as much to offer than its better known neighbor, Costa Rica, but is maybe just that little bit off the beaten track. Not that you have to stay in a cheap hostel, or worse, when you get there - though you can if you must. Hotels in Panama cover the full range of cheap and basic to 5-star and luxurious - for my money for a short-break I’d probably consider staying at one of the best Panama hotels : the 5-star luxury casino hotel, Veneto.

The Veneto is the biggest casino in Panama and therefore home to the anything goes gambling culture of Panama and its related nightlife. This place certainly won’t feel like Vegas - it has a rawer, central American edge to it. Nightlife, girls and serious money on the tables is all part of the scene at the Veneto - possibly not family-friendly but definitely edgy and fun for the rest of us!

For your money you will get rooms and suites that are comfortable and offer the normal facilities for a 5-star property. There is a great pool area to chill out in during the day. At night you have several dining options in-house and many more just down the street. But the real action is centered around the casino which offers everything from poker and blackjack tournaments to craps and roulette table games. If losing money isn’t your thing then check out the ever changing entertainment program - and remember to polish up your salsa skills for the local dance floors.

If you need a bit of “me time” then head to the hotel’s spa which includes everything from facials to pedicure, hot stone message to hydrotherapy.

So for me a short break in Panama can be a great combination - you can do a few days at an upmarket hotel and really chill out but there are certainly enough natural and cultural attractions in the country to keep you entertained. Panama boasts a modern infrastructure which will make North American visitors feel right at home. It is of course a Spanish speaking country, but the currency will be familiar - United States dollars are the official currency.

So if you are looking for a mini-break or something longer grab a cheap airfare deal, book a great Panama hotel and pack your best dancing shoes - and welcome to Panama!