Matador Network's Blog, page 627
June 28, 2021
The Colosseum’s underground is opening to visitors for the first time in 2,000 years
Millennia-old buildings don’t typically make the news for new architectural developments, which is why the Colosseum’s underground unveiling is so monumental. For the first time in 2,000 years, the hypogea (the chambers and corridors located below the monument) will be open to the public. These underground levels were where gladiators and animals would prepare and wait before entering elevators that would bring them to the arena for battle.
Visitors have been able to enter the hypogeum network since 2010, but only a small section of it. Now, a new wooden walkway has been constructed so tourists can explore the subterranean corridors and archways.
The opening is the product of a massive restoration project launched in 2011 and expected to be completed in 2024. It began with a cleaning of the Colosseum’s facade, followed by the reopening of its underground areas. The third and last phase of the project involves restoring the galleries, updating the lighting system, and adding a new visitor center, The Guardian reports.
The Colosseum’s director Alfonsina Russo told CNN about the restoration and the opening of the Colosseum’s underground chambers to the public, “This restoration is absolutely important for the archaeological research, because it enables us to reconstruct its history. This was the backstage of the shows that went on in the area. [It is the location for] all the preparation, even the technology — they brought props, men and animals up into the area through a series of elevators and cargo lifts.”
The opening of the hypogea marks the end of the current restoration project, though the Ministry of Culture recently announced that a stage-like wooden arena would be built over the hypogea. In addition to making the structure more historically accurate, the arena would also be used to host concerts and other events. 
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This Travelzoo deal takes you on a week-long vacation to Mexico City, Puebla, and Oaxaca
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
This Mexico City Travelzoo deal connects you with a tour operator that will guide you through three of Mexico’s coolest cities — Mexico City, Puebla, and Oaxaca City — on a seven-night trip with lodging and transfers included.
The tour is food-focused, of course, since each stop is in a city known for its gastronomy and culinary history. You’ll fly between the cities (flights included in tour price) and have plenty of time to walk around and eat your heart out with street food, fine dining, and everything in between.
Choose your travel dates and customize the trip. Prices start at $1,829 for seven nights. You can add more nights in any of the three cities, and what you do along the way is entirely up to you (though suggestions for the best food experiences are provided.) This trip is perfect for those who like to craft their own daily itinerary but don’t want to deal with the tricky logistics of individually booking flights and hotels.
Mexico City, commonly known as CDMX, will be your hub for the first three nights of this tour. The city is the largest in both North and South America, home to some 21 million people. Its central neighborhoods of Centro Historico, Condesa, Polanco, and Roma Norte are popular tourist spots and home to many well-known restaurants, shops, and museums.
Puebla’s historic park and square Zócalo is ringed by the towers of the Puebla Cathedral, a small taste of the colonial-era architecture that this city is known for. Mole poblano, often considered Mexico’s national dish, originated here and is available in many of the city’s cafes and restaurants for lunch and dinner. Be sure to sample, and compare with the many varieties of mole available on the tour’s final stop.
Oaxaca is the heart of two of Mexico’s mouthwatering masterpieces, mole and mezcal. You’d have to abstain from multiple offers if you were to not experience both here, the former available in seven different varieties ranging from red to black and best when drizzled over grilled chicken and served with a side of fresh corn tortillas. The latter, mezcal, is the smoky cousin of tequila, produced from agave grown in the hills outside of Oaxaca City. Mezcalerias, bars specific to the tasting of mezcal, are common in the city center. Try it neat or as the base of a cocktail.
This Mexico City Travelzoo deal is fully refundable if your plans change and allows you to choose your travel dates.
Score cheap flights to Mexico City from US and Mexican cities
Photo: WitR/Shutterstock
Full tour not up your alley? No worries — you can still get down to Mexico City for cheap using these deals from Trip.com. Flights from major US cities are as low as $231 roundtrip, depending on where you fly out of. And what’s more, you can also use this tool to buy connecting flights to other destinations in Mexico and create a multi-stop tour of your own making after spending time in the big city.
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June 25, 2021
Visit Iceland’s beautiful Akureyri for an Arctic expedition, beer baths, and whale watching
Driving the now-famous Ring Road, the highway that runs around Iceland’s perimeter, makes for one of the greatest road trips in the world. The drive is an 821-mile visual feast of waterfalls, fjords, volcanic landscapes, and fishing villages. On the third or fourth day of the journey (if traveling the more popular counterclockwise route), the seemingly endless Vaðlaheiðargöng toll tunnel opens to reveal a city situated on the Eyjafjörður Fjord: Akureyri, Iceland’s northern capital.
Photo: Google Maps
For many on the Ring Road, Akureyri serves merely as a quick pit stop, but the small city of 20,000 inhabitants rewards those who linger. Akureyri has a rich art scene, world-class whale-watching, and is the access point to Iceland’s only territory within the Arctic Circle. In the winter, Akureyri is also one of the best places in Iceland to view the aurora borealis. Getting to know Akureyri is worth adding extra days to any trip on the Ring Road, and the following three-day itinerary highlights the best of Iceland’s second-largest city.
Day one: Art, gardens, and beer
Photo: Bláa Kannan/Facebook
For a delicious continental breakfast with fresh bread, Icelandic butter, and espresso, start your first morning in Akureyri at the beautiful Blaa Kannan Cafe. Once caffeinated, we recommend picking up a map of the Akureyri Art Trail and taking a stroll to admire the many public murals and sculptures. For a longer walk, the magnificent Eyjafjörður Fjord is a short distance from downtown. The walkway along the water is embellished with statues and historical plaques about the city’s founding. If you’re feeling peckish after the walk, Pylsuvagninn, the famous hot-dog stand on Hafnarstræti street across from Blaa Kanna, is a local favorite for classic Icelandic hot dogs. They also offer vegan options and creative variations like the “volcano dog,” a frank nestled in a black bun with fried onions and spicy red ketchup.
Photo: mycatisnotfat/Shutterstock
The Akureyri Art Museum hosts permanent and rotating exhibits of Iceland’s most famous artists — many of whom are from Akureyri. We recommend around an hour to explore the museum. The sloping street adjacent to the museum houses numerous small galleries from Nordic artists, and you can easily spend another hour perusing the art for sale. At the top of the street is the iconic Akureyri Church, which like the Church of Hallgrimur in Reykjavik, is a stunning example of Nordic modernist architecture.
Continue climbing the streets higher to the Arctic Botanical Gardens, home to an assortment of cold-climate flowers, succulents, and trees from around the world’s arctic regions. Grab a coffee or snack from the gardens’ café and admire the fjord, mountains, and city views. If there’s still time in the afternoon, we recommend checking out Laufás, a site initially founded by Norse settlers in the 9th century. Visitors to Laufás can explore traditional Icelandic turf-roofed homes as well as a 19th-century timber church, one of the surviving such buildings in the country.
Photo: dalish/Shutterstock
The evening of your first day in Akureyri calls for one of the most unusual brewery experiences in the world: a therapeutic soak in a bath of beer at the Beer Spa, located in the town of Árskógssandur about 20 minutes outside of Akureyri. Surrounded by a panorama of snow-capped mountains, immerse yourself in a bath of beer — purported to renew and detoxify the skin. While you’re not supposed to consume the warm beer in the tub, you are encouraged to enjoy a pour from the brewery’s selection from around Iceland while you’re soaking.
Day 2: Whale Watching and local Seafood
Photo: elleon/Shutterstock
Geothermal chimneys dot the seafloor of the waters around Akureyri, resulting in a rich marine ecosystem and fishing ground. Humpback, orca, mink, and blue whales abound in these waters, and tours depart daily to observe these majestic creatures up close. Make sure to dress warmly, as it’s chilly out on the arctic waters, even in the summer. Whale-watching tours range in price from $100-150, depending on the size of the group, and last about three hours. The guides educate you extensively about the life cycles and social lives of the whales and conservation efforts to ensure their survival. Most tour boats have a bar on board (a little liquid warmth is also great on the cold water!) Whale Watching Akureyri has offices and ports within walking distance of the downtown area.
Photo: Sundlaugar
After a day on the ocean, warm your bones in the geothermally heated sauna and Jacuzzi at Akureyri Swimming Pool, a popular destination among locals. Day passes to the facility are about $10, and amenities include an Olympic-size swimming pool, dry and steam saunas, and hot tubs. Public swimming pools are deeply embedded in Icelandic culture, serving as a social hub and, especially during the winter months, a respite from the cold weather. The classic regimen is to sit in the sauna for about 20 minutes and then plunge immediately into a pool of cold water.
For fresh seafood with a Japanese flair, make a dinner reservation at Rub 23, a celebrated restaurant near the Akureyri Art Museum. The menu leans heavily on sushi, sashimi, and other raw-fish dishes and brilliantly showcases the delicious fish of Iceland’s cold waters: arctic char, salmon, cod, and plaice. Depending on the season, make sure to try Icelandic lobster as well, a crustacean related to Maine lobsters but considered more succulent and sweet.
Photo: Johnny Motley
While Rub 23 has an enviable dessert menu, it’s worth going the short distance to Brynja, a locally beloved ice cream parlor. Specializing in soft serve, Brynja only offers a couple of flavors (including a vegan option). Still, the rich Icelandic milk makes for an unforgettable cold treat — even more so with the dazzling assortment of berries, chocolates, nuts, and Icelandic candies to top off your cup or cone.
Day 3: An Excursion to the Arctic Circle
Photo: Elsmore Media/Shutterstock
While Iceland hovers right below the Arctic Circle, one small territory of the country is actually within it: Grimsey Island. It is located about three hours by ferry or 30 minutes by plane from Akureyri, Grimsey Island in the 9th century — roughly the same time as Akureyri. Norse Vikings settlers arrived on the tiny wind-swept island at some point in the 9th century, and Grimsey quickly became coveted for its fertile fishing grounds, seabirds, and seals. As a result, the island is steeped in history and mythology and is home to a small town in addition to one of Iceland’s oldest churches.
The natural beauty of Grimsey Island is exceptional, even for the lofty standards of Iceland — a country so blessed with stunning scenery that the religiously inclined might see evidence for a divine flair for ostentation. While there are no large animals on the islet, seabirds — including puffins — abound on Grimsey. The island’s arctic latitude makes it one of the best places to view the northern lights; the celestial light shows that the Vikings imagined were warrior angels racing across the sky. Also, due to the extreme northern latitude, the sun shines 24 hours straight on Grimsey during the summer months. Most hotels have blackout shades, but it’s a good idea also to bring a sleep mask.
Photo: VicPhotoria/Shutterstock
Perhaps even more chilling than Grimsey Island’s frigid weather is the large concrete ball placed on the island by the Icelandic government to track the edge of the Arctic Circle. In modern times, the Arctic Circle has been receding on an average of 48 feet per year, and the ball’s location is adjusted each year accordingly. Thus, Grimsey Island bears witness to the increasing loss wrought by climate change.
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The least stressful cities in the world in 2021
Have you ever wondered whether life would be more or less stressful if you lived in another city or another country? A recent study conducted by VAAY looked into 500 cities and then narrowed down the search to about 100 cities worldwide to find out (they trimmed the cities for which they could not obtain reliable data). The study looked into 15 different factors to determine which cities are the least stressful, including safety and security, gender and minority equality, social and political stability, pollution levels, unemployment rates, and access to health care, congestion, and more.
The top ten least stressful cities are:
Reykjavik, IcelandBern, SwitzerlandHelsinki, FinlandWellington, New ZealandMelbourne, AustraliaOslo, NorwayCopenhagen, DenmarkInnsbruck, AustriaHanover, GermanyGraz, AustriaAlthough no US cities made the top 10 (or even the top 20), some cities scored relatively well, including Houston, Texas at 25; Seattle, Washington at 39; and Chicago, Illinois at 40.
The good news is that none of the cities at the bottom of the list are US cities either. Starting at the most stressful, they are:
Mumbai, IndiaLagos, NigeriaManila, PhilippinesNew Delhi, IndiaBaghdad, IraqKabul, AfghanistanMoscow, RussiaKarachi, PakistanJakarta, IndonesiaKiev, Ukraine“Our objective with this study is to show what cities can achieve for their citizens through effective governance, robust environmental policies, and well-resourced social welfare systems,” VAAY cofounder Finn Age Hänsel said in a statement. “The aim is not to single out the cities which may lag behind in any of these areas, but rather highlight those which are leading examples of what can be done to improve the well-being of their inhabitants.”
The full list is also broken down into categories. Iceland’s perfect scores for gender equality and air and noise pollution are partially why the country ended up so high on the list. Helsinki, Finland, which placed at number three, and Oslo, Norway, which placed at 6, had a perfect score for minority equality.
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Jason Derulo partnered with Hotwire to give away a $50,000 vacation
If you’ve never been on a luxury vacation, here’s your chance.
Hotwire is teaming up with musician Jason Derulo to give away a luxury vacation worth $50,000, including private jet service, to one lucky winner. All you have to do is complete the Tik Tok challenge — and Jason Derulo has set the standard.
@jasonderuloShow us why YOU'RE ready to get away. Hotwire & I might send you there in a private jet. Use ##HotwireHotelGoals & follow @hotwiretravel to enter ##ad
♬ HotwireHotelGoals – In House Music + Sound
The challenge will require you to use your imagination and some green screen. All you have to do is turn your home into your dream vacation. Maybe it includes a swim-up bar or a deep soaking tub. Whatever you’re looking for, use TikTok’s features to create some magic.
There are a few rules. You must follow @HotewireTravel and tag #HotwireHotelGoals on your post. You’ll also need to explain why you’re ready to go. In Jason Derulo’s case, it’s taking a break from parenting. You’ll also need to be 18 to enter. The contest begins June 25 and ends July 12, 2021.
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12 extraordinary natural wonders to see before they’re gone
Earth’s natural wonders are a readymade bucket list for travelers. But they might not always be. When news such as the recent UNESCO recommendation that the Great Barrier Reef be added to a list of endangered heritage sites breaks, it’s a bittersweet reminder that the planet’s most extraordinary attractions are also some of the most fragile. From the climate crisis and pollution to development and invasive species, the threats to Earth’s ecosystems are innumerable. Below are 12 of the most staggering at-risk natural wonders travelers should visit before they’re gone.
1. Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
Photo: Julie Shigetomi/Shutterstock
The largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, second only to the Great Barrier Reef worldwide, spans Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. It’s suffering at the hands of human encroachment, from overfishing and overtourism to pollution. Warmer waters and rising tides also pose a threat to the reef system’s hundreds of fish species, dozens of coral species, mangrove forests, manatee and sea turtle populations, and myriad of other marine life.
2. Glacier National Park
Photo: Vaclav Sebek/Shutterstock
That the world’s glaciers are melting is an oft-acknowledged consequence of climate change. This is one issue facing Glacier National Park in Montana. The park is also home to a variety of at-risk flora and fauna, from grizzly bears to stoneflies, whose survival depends on the park’s preservation. Only one species is considered endangered, the gray wolf, while four are listed as threatened and 140 plants and animals are considered “species of special concern.”
3. Congo Basin
Photo: Antoinee/Shutterstock
The Congo Basin spans 500 million acres across central Africa, making it the largest tropical forest in the world after the Amazon. Home to thousands of plant and animal species, many of them endemic or endangered, it also hosts more than 100 Indigenous groups. Sadly climate change, deforestation, and poaching have made this vital ecosystem an at-risk natural wonder.
4. White Cliffs of Dover
Photo: GlennV/Shutterstock
Southeastern England’s chalk cliffs are eroding at an alarming rate, abrading 10 times faster now than they have been over the past seven millennia. Though erosion has been underway since the cliffs were formed roughly 90 million years ago, researchers attribute the speed at which they’re currently disappearing to human impact, such as the construction of sea walls and other coastal engineering, and increasingly intense storms that are likely due to climate change.
5. Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Photo: JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock
North America’s monarch butterflies face several threats. Chief among them are deforestation, shrinking breeding habitats, a decrease in larval food sources due herbicide use, and severe summer and winter temperatures. Last December, the UNESCO-listed Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve northwest of Mexico City, where millions of monarch butterflies migrate every winter, saw a 26 percent drop in its hibernating population. Forest degradation in the reserve also increased by four times between 2019 and 2020 compared to 2018 and 2019.
6. Sundarbans Mangrove Forest
Photo: Mahmud Alam/Shutterstock
The world’s largest mangrove ecosystem, the Sundarbans, sits on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal between India and Bangladesh. It’s also disappearing. Rising sea levels and human encroachment are steadily shrinking the Sundarbans, whose threatened and endangered wildlife, from the Bengal tiger and Indian python to the Ganges and Irrawaddy dolphins, add to its status as an at-risk natural wonder.
7. Joshua Tree National Park
Photo: Dennis Silvas/Shutterstock
The Mojave Desert’s million-year-old Joshua trees are becoming yet another casualty of climate change. In September 2020, the species was granted temporary protection under the California Endangered Species Act due to the threats of hotter, drier conditions and fire. Development and vandalism have also contributed to the desert’s dwindling Joshua tree numbers.
8. The Dead Sea
Photo: vvvita/Shutterstock
The Dead Sea is dying. As the flow of freshwater to this natural wonder in the Jordan Rift Valley decreases, a consequence of human intervention such as mineral extraction and the construction of pipes, the Middle East’s most famous salt lake is drying out and disappearing. As of 2016, it was reportedly receding at a dramatic rate of 3.3 feet per year.
9. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Photo: Troutnut/Shutterstock
In January 2021, the Trump administration auctioned off nine leases for oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Biden administration has since suspended these leases, but the threat of drilling has long loomed over the refuge, which is among the largest unspoiled wilderness areas in the US and habitat for such species as polar bears and caribou. The climate crisis has also resulted in faunal decline, particularly the refuge’s polar bears.
10. The Everglades
Photo: Romrodphoto/Shutterstock
Spanning two million acres, Florida’s Everglades is the largest subtropical wetland in the country. Several endangered species live in the Everglades, from the Florida panther and the West Indian manatee to a number of the wetland’s hundreds of native bird species. Non-native species pose a considerable threat to the Everglades, primarily plants, which are estimated to have invaded roughly 1.7 million acres. The rising sea level and a lack of freshwater due to the diversion of river water for agricultural purposes have also put the area at risk.
11. Glacial Patagonia
Photo: saiko3p/Shutterstock
Patagonia’s icefields comprise the second largest glacial sheet in the Southern Hemisphere after Antarctica. They’re also some of the most rapidly thinning ice expanses on the globe. Some scientists speculate that the HPS-12 glacier is the fastest melting glacier in the world. According to glaciologist Etienne Berthier, at its fastest, HPS-12 thinned more than 140 feet in one year.
12. Komodo Island
Photo: mbrand85/Shutterstock
According to the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 2020 conservation report, Komodo National Park, which takes up a majority of Indonesia’s Komodo Island, is an area of significant concern. Together with the existing threats to the island’s marine ecosystems, which include illegal fishing practices and the presence of a coral-killing invasive species, the island’s eponymous reptile species is reportedly suffering at the hands of increased tourism.
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The highest rooftop pool in NYC is opening in this club on July 1
For a top-notch view of Manhattan, you can visit The Edge, the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere and scare yourself half to death, or enjoy the vista in a relaxed atmosphere from the new pool on top of the Renaissance Hotel in Chelsea.
Somewhere Nowhere, a new club located on the 38th and 39th floor of the Renaissance Hotel, is opening to the public on July 1 and it promises the highest rooftop pool with 360-degree views of Manhattan.
The two-level indoor and outdoor space that forms the club is 5,516 square feet, and is described as “a full-sensory wonderland,” “whimsical,” and “an enchanted, wanderlust getaway” in a press release.
The pool, located on the 39th floor, is set in a garden-like area with lush greenery designed to make you forget you’re in the heart of one of the busiest cities in the world, and transport you somewhere magical.
“We wanted to redefine what a rooftop experience in NYC could be for our clients. When designing the space, we were able to create what we had always imagined — from the stunning views from within a secret rooftop garden perched high in the sky with its own pool,” said Sameer Qureshi, co-founder of El Grupo SN. “Our focus will be singularly on delivering the best hospitality experience to everyone that honors us with a visit.”
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You can get travel insurance that reduces your carbon footprint
This is The Climate Win, the most positive sustainability news around the world every week.
Global travelers have a new way to reduce the carbon footprint of their international travels. Wanderwell is out to change the travel insurance market by funding environmental causes with every policy it sells.
The company, which bills itself as “travel insurance for good,” is a certified B-Corporation, which means it’s been accredited as a private company that can stand behind its do-gooder claims. In addition, it’s a member of 1% for the Planet, a nonprofit organization whose members commit to donating at least one percent of revenue to vetted non-profit partners of the group, all of which are focused on conservation and sustainability initiatives.
“I knew from day one that we needed to be a B-Corp,” says Wanderwell co-founder Erin Fish. “We have to be accountable for our actions, and we need to basically have a template for how to do that. That’s what being a B-Corp has been able to do — it provides us a template with
how to be constantly improving our business practices.”
Fish owns a separate insurance company focused on employee benefits, and brought his knowledge of the insurance game to the travel world in 2014 with the hope of making a positive impact. The company started as an off-shoot of Fish’s existing business, and after a few years grew into its own entity.
“I wanted to start a new company, and I thought, I really think we can change the travel insurance industry not only with what we do, but how we do it,” Fish says.
The company currently acts as a travel insurance broker, connecting travelers with the insurance plan to meet their travel needs, including trip protection and medical coverage. This results in what Fish hopes is not only a donation to environmental causes, but also the ideal plan for each customer. The causes they support tend to reflect the contemporary tastes of these customers, a perfect example being the company’s partnership with the annual Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds festival in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
“What we do with them is they make us the preferred partner travel insurance,” Fish says. “And so people buy their tickets and then buy their travel insurance through us. We donate 10 percent of our revenue — not profit, our revenue — to a non-profit that they select.”
Most recently, that funding was donated to The Nature Conservancy to further Dave Matthews Band’s efforts to plant one million trees.
Wanderwell is also a proclaimed ally of the Transformational Travel Alliance, a loosely organized group of industry players such as guides, businesses, and influencers who have committed to harnessing the power of travel to “to positively transform how we live our lives, how we live with others, and how we live on our planet,” according to the group’s website.
“We believe that being B-Corp and a 1% for the Planet member is a cost of doing business.” Fish says. “To us it’s not like we’re donating and this is just extra, it really is just like paying our taxes and our licensing fees and all that — it’s just a part of it.”
More climate winsAmericans are installing solar power at a record-breaking pace, according to a new report in Reuters. Solar installations rose 46 percent in the first quarter of 2021 over the same period last year, with the country set to install 24.4 GW by the end of the year.
Maine officially became the first US state to divest from fossil fuels, according to Elektrek. The new LD 99 law, which directs the state government to “Divest Itself of Assets Invested in the Fossil Fuel Industry,” outlines a five-year target for getting state funds out of fossil fuel assets.
Breckenridge, Colorado, is upping its sustainability game through a diverse array of approaches, including free public transit, a plastic bag ban, a push for solar power, and by asking travelers to volunteer to help maintain popular trails in the area. The result is a model which other mountain destinations could follow.
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The 6 tastiest foods to replace your awful inflight meal, according to chefs
Airplane food has a pretty terrible reputation. The idea of an inflight meal can conjure that scene from Airplane when everyone gets food poisoning from the fish. Though airplane food has since made great strides in both quality and variety, it’s still pricey, and it struggles to shake that hermetically sealed, preservative-laden notoriety.
Bringing your own food is a cheaper, tastier, and in some ways a more convenient solution. It’s also a great way to make your flight snacking more sustainable by avoiding wasteful plastic trays and cutlery that often accompany inflight meals. Grace Woinicz, a chef and small restaurant owner, recommends “avoiding packed products, and replacing them by carrying home made products. You can wrap homemade products in aluminum foil and keep them in your hand carry or keep them in a washable food storage container.”
Before you make any hasty decisions, there are a few key considerations to be made. Chef Devan Cameron, a home-cooking expert at Braised & Deglazed, tells us how important it is to keep storage in mind so your food — whatever it might be — doesn’t spoil.
“Most foods should not be left out of the fridge for more than two hours,” he says. “You’ll likely need an ice pack or cooler bag to prevent your food from spoiling before your flight. Dehydrated foods can also be a good idea because they won’t need to be kept cool. If you go the cooler bag route, make sure to store wet foods separately from dry foods. For example, salads should be stored separately from their dressing or they’ll become soggy.”
The only question left is what to bring (and to make sure it can actually make it through airport security). We talked to professional chefs for expert insight on their favorite foods and drinks to pack for a flight.
1. Homemade chicken wraps
Photo: Rimma Bondarenko/Shutterstock
One of Woinicz’s favorites is something you can find all over the airport — and likely on many airplane menus. But nothing beats the freshness and cost-effectiveness of simply making it in your own kitchen and bringing it along.
“Homemade chicken wraps offer a smart option for your flight meals,” she says. “Preparing and wrapping a chicken sandwich at home is quite budget-friendly and very convenient to carry. You can easily keep it during long flights and eat halfway through. You can even ask the flight attendants to heat them for you in the convection oven if you prefer it warm.”
2. Powdered hummusHomemade meals don’t have to be complex to be satisfying, convenient, and delicious. Woinicz, for example, chooses a simple classic for a great inflight meal.
“Hummus and crackers are one of the cheapest meal options that are easy to carry and prepare during flight,” she says. And contrary to popular belief, not all hummus comes in a plastic container.
“Pack some hummus powder along with crackers in a bowl,” Woinicz says. “Whenever you feel hungry, ask the flight attendant to provide you with some hot water. Pour in hot water, and your meal is ready to eat. This is one of my most commonly carried meals during flights because of how budget-friendly and convenient it is.”
3. Salad
Photo: arnaud zamora/Shutterstock
It might not sound sexy, but it gets the job done. Salads are not only a healthy option, they’re also a safe snack for travelers looking to avoid stomach distress caused by the greasier foods often served in airports.
Woinicz prefers to eat as healthy as possible during her flight to avoid health issues while traveling. “I always carry a homemade salad made out of spinach, lettuce, corn, capsicum, chicken, and a few sauces on it,” she says. “Salad is easy to carry in disposable containers and the airport security has never had a problem with it.”
4. Fresh vegetablesVegetables from home are always fresher and tastier than the stingy side-portions you get on an inflight meal. Vicky Cano, chef and recipe developer at Mealfan.com, chooses vegetables for their versatility.
“Vegetables are multipurpose foods serving as healthy solo snacks and, on top of that, they can be used in other foods as additives,” she says. “Fresh vegetables are a better alternative to the oily and greasy foods often served on flights. So in order to keep your health in check, always carry a ziplock bag with you containing freshly cut veggies whenever you are preparing to travel on an airplane.”
5. Homemade hummus with vegetables
Photo: Natalia Klenova/Shutterstock
While the powdered stuff does the trick, you can also make the real stuff at home and bring it with you. Katerina Coumbaros is from Greece and owns three restaurants in Orlando, Florida. She often flies back and forth from the US to Greece with her children, so clean and efficient plane snacking is a necessity. She leans heavily on hummus for her inflight meals, and she gets creative with its use.
“House-made hummus never fails in an airtight container with pita chips,” she says. “You can also use that hummus to make stuffed pita sandwiches. We use sliced chicken, bell peppers, hummus and sautéed onions. We typically avoid raw greens because they get soggy over time.”
6. PizzaAlright, enough clean, responsible dining. It’s time for the fun stuff. Pizza isn’t just everyone’s favorite food, it’s also one of the best foods to bring on a plane. And no, we’re not talking about ordering a large pepperoni pie at the airport and trying to eat it with the box squeezed onto your lap. Pizza is perfect: It’s delicious, portable, TSA won’t take it, and it’s appealing no matter what temperature it’s at when you’re ready to eat it (as anyone who has enjoyed second-day pizza can attest). Like most other plane meals, the best pizza snack is one you make at home and pack in an airtight container.
“Head to your local store,” Coumbaros says, “get a premade flour crust, top it with your favorite sauce, cheese, and proteins and cut them into squares to easily snack on.”
The post The 6 tastiest foods to replace your awful inflight meal, according to chefs appeared first on Matador Network.
Former TSA officer gives tips and tricks for airport security on TikTok
If you’re a frequent flyer, you should, at this point, know the basic rules of TSA carry-on screening: Your liquids can only be 3.4 ounces or less, your shoes need to come off, and don’t forget to take your laptop out of your bag before it goes in the X-ray machine. But you might have some lingering questions that are just not listed on the government website. Former TSA officer and TikToker Jaime Cooper has taken it upon herself to answer some of those burning questions you might have.
Although current TSA officers are banned as of February 2020 from using the social media app, Cooper no longer works for the agency. She’s decided to share some of her knowledge from working in domestic terminals in New York. Her first video on the topic has amassed over two million likes.
“Number one: the dogs in the airports don’t smell for drugs, they only smell for explosives. Number two: all of the tips and tricks that you’re using to try to conceal and hide the illegal things that you’re bringing? Just stop, because it’s an X-ray. It can literally see through everything. You’re not hiding it in a toothpaste tube or whatever it is that you’re doing. Number three: it makes more sense to put it in your checked baggage because that way if they find it they’ll just throw it out, whereas if you’re in the security checkpoint and somebody finds it and they decide to be an asshole, they’re going to call the cops and that’s just going to lead you to issues and missing your flight,” Cooper explained.
@jai.inditsa tips.. let me preface this by saying if you got your stuff through, congratulations to you #fyp
♬ Bundles (feat. Taylor Girlz) – Kayla Nicole
In later videos, Cooper talks about flying with warrants, flying with expired identification (apparently you can do so for at least a year), and what items you should check and what’s okay in a carry-on like pepper spray (checked bag), vape cartridges (apparently no one will know the difference between nicotine and THC), and edibles (she recommends packing them in a Ziploc bag). She even addresses racial profiling and random search selection. And while you might think the weirdest thing a TSA agent might find in security is your sex toys, try a dead body.
@jai.indi#stitch with @nurse.lizbeth this still haunts me 😭 #fyp
♬ Blue Blood – Heinz Kiessling & Various Artists
Cooper prefaces all this by saying these come from her personal experience working as a TSA officer in airports in New York City, so follow her tips and tricks at your own risk.
The post Former TSA officer gives tips and tricks for airport security on TikTok appeared first on Matador Network.
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