Heidi Siefkas's Blog

Seeing Bangkok the Right Way

There are so many amazing places in Asia to visit, and one of the best that you absolutely must consider is Bangkok. The Thai capital is often considered a vanguard of South East Asian travel, and one of the first places that people love to go when exploring that part of the world. It is, in essence, a relatively tourist-friendly way to experience Asia, and you’ll find that there is so much there to see and do, whether you are visiting for the first or fiftieth time. Here are some of the things you should definitely make sure you do when you are there.

Stay in Luxury

One thing to note about Bangkok and Thailand in general is that it is relatively inexpensive to stay in absolute luxury. If that sounds good to you, there are a lot of ways to achieve this, the simplest being to just find a top 5 star hotel in Bangkok and go from there. You’ll be amazed at the prices of these hotels, and just how much of a 5-star experience they really give you too, so it’s something you should definitely think about to help you make the most of your time there.

Throw Paint & Have A Water Fight

If you want to have as much fun as possible while you are in Bangkok, you may want to time your visit so that you are there in time for the Thai New Year. The corresponding festival to this, known as Songkran, sees everyone out in the streets throwing paint on each other and blasting each other with super soakers - yes, really. It’s wild and out of control, and probably the most fun you are ever going to have for a new year experience. It is really amazing how much you can get out of something like this.

Check Out Sambuttri

If you are going to be in Bangkok, you absolutely have to make sure that you are going to check out Sambuttri at least once. It’s the tourist center of the city, and somewhere that a lot of people usually end up for the day and far into the night - and it’s at night that it really does come alive, hosting some of the more raucous elements of the city’s nightlife. So make sure that you at least check this out once or twice while you are there, even if you're only in the area for a week or less.

Eat Some Street Food

Many parts of the world, and of Asia in particular, are known for their street food. But it’s in Bangkok that you get the very best of this, and it’s something that you are definitely going to want to consider. If you don’t try any of the street food while you are in Bangkok, you are simply not seeing Bangkok in all its glory, so that is something you should definitely try out. It’s going to make the whole experience so much more amazing and special.

**Post contributed by peer travel writer and adventurer, Jay Norman, who is based in Japan.**

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How does Travel Benefit your Physical and Mental Health

If you want to travel the world but want to know more about the benefits then you have come to the right place. Travel allows you to meet new people, try new things and ultimately see the world from a different perspective. It’s also great for your physical and mental health too. Take a look if you want to find out more.

Becoming More Hopeful

Activities such as walking, skiing and even hiking can all help you to be much more hopeful. Studies have shown that those who are more consciously aware of the world around them are more likely to be upbeat and hopeful. After all, there’s not much better than being able to enjoy the wonderful scenery all around you, not to mention that the rush of skiing down a beautiful slope cannot be compared to anything else. All of this can help you to be much more perceptive about your environment and mentally, it helps to put you in a better place.

Relieving Stress

Another thing to take note of is that travel can help you to relieve stress. It also helps you to improve your general outlook. According to studies, travel is great if you want to improve your mental health because it gets you away from the tension you may be experiencing at work and home.

Boosting Creativity

Did you know that immersing yourself in a new culture is great if you want to improve your ability to swap between different ideas? You can also think more deeply, which can benefit you in more ways than one. Foreign experiences increase how flexible you are from a cognitive perspective. It also encourages you to adjust your thought process. This can have a major impact on your creativity, so make sure that you keep that in mind.

Time Away from Work

Another thing to take note of is that time away from work also helps you to increase your energy, as well as your productivity. After coming home from a good trip, you may find that you end up having a way better outlook on the tasks you have to do, and you may be able to approach them in new and different ways. If you have never been on holiday before or if you are contemplating a trip, then now is the time for you to take that next step. If you are finding it hard to get time off work, why not seek out a job that allows you to travel? A travel nursing job is just one example of the career path you could take here.

Do Something that Makes you Happy

It’s so important that you do something that makes you happy. Pull out your bucket list and see what things you can check off. By doing something you love, you can then give yourself the care you need to keep on going. Contributing to your happiness is so important, and if you don’t feel as though you are, then now could be a better time than ever to take a trip.

**Post contributed by peer travel writer Jayson Jackson.**

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A Superior Autumn Adventure – Bayfield, Wisconsin featured in Home By Design

Located in Northern Wisconsin on Lake Superior is the quaint, coastal town of Bayfield. Although its population is slightly under six hundred residents, its list of attractions and accolades is robust: proudly the berry capital of the Dairy State as well as the gateway to the Apostle Islands. Many say that Bayfield and its surrounding area are where land meets the sky with Lake Superior providing a beautiful and ever-changing mirror. Whether you choose to charter your own boat, paddle a kayak, or cruise with one of the many tour operators, no trip to Bayfield is complete without time on the largest of the Great Lakes. Here, we share Bayfield attracting on lake and land.

Read the full article of my home state and a place I hold near to my heart, Bayfield and Lake Superior.

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La Dolce Vita – Florence Italy featured in Home By Design

The capital of Italy's Tuscany region, Florence (Firenze) is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, but also the best of today's culinary creations. If you desire a dose of culture, history, and edible works of art, Florence is an ideal vacation locale and the dream of many. Although you could do Flroence in a weekend, you would only scratch the surface. We suggest a week, spending the majority of the time in the city and a day or two touring the Tuscan countryside for wine tastings and the postcard-worthly cities of San Gimignano and Siena. Get ready to embark on an Italian adventure of food, art, architecture, shopping, and beautiful vistas, all in one spot. Andiamo!

City Center.

Without a doubt, the top destination in Florence is the Santa Maria del Fiore or il Duomo; the cathedral is located in the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This terra-cotta-tiled dome cathedral is one of the largest in the world, bowing to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The construction of il Duomo lasted from 1420 to 1436, and today the engineering feat is admired by visitors and locals alike. The cathedral's creation included valuable contributions from the Renaissance's most prominent artists, including Michelangelo, Donatello, and others.

Entrance into the cathedral is free, but if you want to tour Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, and the Opera del Duomo Museum, you'll need tickets. For the adventurous, il Duomo presents a challenge: climbing to the top. It is a tight spiral staircase, but the views are worth every step. Plus, you can reward yourself with tasty Tuscan delights when you return streetside.

Fine dining.

If Italy is known for one thing; it's food. Some traditional dishes not to skip are ribollita (a heartybread, bean, and greens soup); bistecca alla Fiorentina (typically served rare); and lampredotto (offal, yet delicious, sandwich). You can pair all of these with the local, bold, red wine, Brunello di Montalcino. A great stop for any foodie and even the pickiest eater is the Mercato Centrale. This market is a combination of food stands with local cheeses, olives, oils, and breads as well as restaurants with plenty of room to sit and enjoy multiple courses. Save room for exceptional desserts, such as Florentine chocolate or zuccotto (a chilled, dome-shaped dessert similar to tiramisu).

Want to know more about Firenze? Read full article in Home By Design here.

 

 

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How Camping Helps You Find Serenity

Why do people go camping? For many, it is about the serenity it offers. Camping is one of the last remaining links we have to the lives of our ancient ancestors. Previously our homes were mountains, forests, and wildlands, not big concrete cities. When we sleep under the stars, it connects to ancient times on an almost biological level, making us more contemplative, relaxed and peaceful.

This post takes a look at all the ways camping helps you find serenity. Here’s what you need to know:-

Creating Lasting Memories

One of the best parts of camping is how it creates lasting memories. Most of the time, we don’t remember what happened on Tuesday morning on a regular working week, but we do recall every aspect of our camping itineraries. For some reason, they feel so much more significant than our daily lives. 

Reconnecting To Yourself

Going camping also provides opportunities to feel more connected to yourself. Suddenly, you can step away from the ceaseless demands of daily life and connect with a true sense of serenity within, providing you with a sense of calm that you don’t get when you spend all your time in the city. Just “being” can have profound effects on how you feel when you finally get away from obligations and work-related tasks. 

Shared Experiences

Camping is also a route to serenity through shared experiences with other people. The opportunity to socialize without distractions is invaluable and can make a tremendous difference in how you feel about yourself and others. Campfire chats are an excellent way to learn more about your character, what motivates you, and where you’re heading in your life. 

Gazing At The Star

Camping also fosters serenity by giving you a possibly rare opportunity to stargaze. City light pollution can make it hard, if not impossible, to watch the stars where many people live. Hence, getting out into nature almost provides a window into the universe, letting us see everything that’s out there and marvel at its beauty. Many people find space a relaxing force because it reminds them of their insignificance in relation to the entire cosmos which is vast beyond measure. 

Simple Decision-Making

Going camping also generates serenity because it simplifies decision-making. You don’t need to decide between two complex sets of alternatives, as you do in regular working life. Instead, you simply do what you need to do to remain comfortable and dry. 

When you think about it, camping requires little more than putting up a pop up camping tent and preparing three meals a day. It doesn’t need to be any more extravagant than that. Many people who go camping spend their time chatting around the campfire and generally enjoying each other’s company. If they want to go for a hike, they do. If not, they don’t. 

More Sensory Acuity

Camping may also drive a sense of calmness and equanimity by sharpening the senses. The activity forces you to focus more on the outer world instead of the thoughts and dialogue occurring in your mind. 

You also become more attuned to some of your more repressed senses. For instance, getting into nature introduces you to smells that you simply can’t experience in the big city. These experiences strengthen your connection to the world around you, changing how you feel tremendously. 

Breathing Fresh Air

Another benefit of camping that contributes to serenity is the ability to breathe more clean air. Camping locations are often many miles into nature and a long way from the big cities. Trees soak up much of the remaining pollution, allowing you to breathe easily, for the first time.

Creative Inspiration

For some people, going camping also provides them with creative inspiration. The new experience forces them to think in new ways, giving them fresh ideas. 

Therefore, anyone who wants to be an artist should go camping occasionally. The experience can enable them to generate new perspectives that wouldn’t have occurred to them otherwise.

Connection To The Earth’s Energy

Whether you believe in “energy” or not, camping brings you into direct contact with the Earth. It gives you a sense of the seasons and the character of the natural world which is lost in clinically clean, heavily-insulated homes. The multisensory experience provokes a sense of serenity, helping you feel more grounded and rejuvenated. 

Mindful Presence

Lastly, camping can help you find serenity by providing you with a sense of mindful presence. Being in nature encourages being fully present in the moment and appreciating the beauty around you. 

**Post contributed by Aaron Medina, a peer outdoor adventure lover and writer**

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How Anyone Can Make The Absolute Most Of Their Vacation

We all know that a vacation is supposed to be something to go on in order to get away from the hustle and bustle. We aren’t robots and we need to have plenty of rest in order to fulfil our potential. We also need to get around the world and explore what this planet has to offer. Some people like staying in the same place throughout their entire lives, but the majority would much prefer to see plenty before they depart. One of the best things about vacations is that they can turn into a move if we like the place enough. Everybody deserves to have a vacation in this world and everybody deserves to get the most out of them. 

A lot of people will spend the week away doing very little and end up, regretting it when they are on their way home. You don’t have to spend your entire vacation jamming in lots of different things, but you want to ensure that you are not leaving yourselves bored when you are there. If you’re curious as to what you can do in terms of getting the most out of your holiday, here are some tips:

Create A Genuine Itinerary And Plan Properly 

Because it's a vacation and you're getting away from formal activities, you might think that planning isn't necessary. Planning your trip will make things so much nicer, however. You don't have to be strict and rigid with this kind of thing as it will just be a case of jotting down the things you'll want to do on set days. Without any kind of plan, you could be all over the place and it could ruin the entire trip.

Get Up Early And Seize The Day

It's so easy to have a lion and to be a little lazier when you are on vacation. You have every right to do this because your typical days will likely have early starts and plenty of work. The best thing to do, however, is to get up and really take part in the activities that you had planned. You won't regret it whereas you might regret missing a few hours out of your days.

Immerse Yourself Within The Area And Culture 

Heading out on vacation is something that you really shouldn't take for granted. You should be mindful of where you are and appreciate everything that's around you. Immersing yourself within the culture and the people can really make you feel like you're making the most of it. Staying in locally owned accommodations and researching hotels near me while you are there can really help you to create a connection to the community. 

Keep Yourself Energized And Rest When Necessary 

We talked briefly about not wasting your time during your vacation, but sometimes you will have to rest in order to get the most out of the days ahead. They will likely be times where you are just completely shattered, and this is when you are allowed to rest. Burnout can still happen when you are on holiday. 

**Post contributed by Lucy Sells, a wordsmith based in London**

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It’s Time To Visit The Catskills

If you are looking for somewhere new to visit and you haven’t yet tried this out, you might well want to consider the Catskills. This is a series of mountains in the state of New York which draws a lot of visitors each year, and it’s somewhere that you may well want to check out if you are keen on being active, seeing some of America’s most beautiful sights, and generally having a great time, whether you are alone, with family or adventuring with friends.

In this post, we are going to go through most everything you need to know about visiting the Catskills. By the end you should have a pretty good idea of how to prepare for such a trip, so let’s take a look right now and see if there is anything you should consider here first of all.

When Is The Best Time To Visit?

It’s always good if you can know when the very best time to visit is, as that is going to help you plan a lot. As it happens, with Catskill you have something to look forward to in pretty much any season of the year, so that is something that you are going to want to be aware of here. If you want a cooler look ahead, then you might be thinking about the spring and early summer. In the summer you can expect some beautiful sunshine but nothing overly hot, and for many people the fall is when it really comes into its own, especially in terms of the beauty of the natural environment.

In any case, whichever time of year you do go, you are bound to want to think about visiting at a time that is suitable, and that is something that requires decent planning ahead. So make sure that you are doing that, and that you think about the different times of year in accordance with that. Remember too that the prices of everything can change according to the time of year, with high summer still very much considered the high season. In general, you should make sure to visit the Catskills when it is appropriate for you. If you can do that, it’s going to make it a much more enjoyable trip for you.

Common Activities In The Catskills

So what do people generally get up to when they visit the Catskills? There are quite a few different things that you might want to consider here, but in general you are going to be looking at lots of outdoorsy experiences, as of course we are talking about mountains and being out in nature here. So arguably the most common tourist activity is simply hiking or walking, and of course you may choose to camp as well. If that sounds like something you might enjoy, then you should certainly make sure you are considering that.

Of course, that’s not all, and it’s not as though there is no civilisation to be found here at all. You should also be able to find some towns and so on that you can experience, and if you want to get to know people then this is the best way to do so. There are a lot of varied places to visit in the region, and plenty for you to see, so make sure that you allow yourself plenty of opportunity to go exploring naturally and organically as you would like to.

If you allow your feet to take you in this way, you are bound to experience some fascinating and interesting sights, so that is something that you should definitely bear in mind here.

Finding the Best Accommodation

You might also be wondering about what kind of accommodation you can find to stay in, and as it happens there is quite a lot that you might want to consider here. The truth is that there is plenty of accommodation you are going to want to think about, and it’s vital that you are doing all you can to look at the many different options. If you are coming to the Catskills to do what most people do - which as we have seen, is hiking and walking - then there are a few things in particular that you might be thinking of here.

First and foremost, you may want to look at various campsites that are to be found around the region. There are many of them, and they often have a lot of facilities for you to use, so this is something that you are definitely going to want to be aware of. If you are not planning on moving around quite as much, something like some Catskill mountain cabins could be a much better option, and many of these are fully fitted out homes which you can easily relax in and spend a week or more in. So there are plenty of options for you to consider all in all.

Finding the best accommodation can often take time, but the good news is that there is always a lot to choose from, and you should be able to bear that in mind as you plan your trip.

Planning Your Trip to The Catskills

When you actually start planning out your trip, you are going to need to think about a few different things in particular. One is often money and finances. The good news here is that this region is not terribly expensive, and you might even be pleasantly surprised at how affordable it can be to rent a place,and to buy food. The excursions that you do find will generally be affordable too. However, you still need to plan ahead as you would at any point. So that is something that you are certainly going to need to think about here.

And make sure that you think carefully about your length of stay. You want it to be long enough to see everything you want to see, but not so long that you get frustrated. That’s up to you.

*Post contributed to London-based travel writer, Ross Matson.*

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Take a Hike – Head to the Trails for a Dose of Nature

"Take a hike," might be closely associated with an unkind dismissal, but there is something to be said for the suggestion. With people admittedly spending too much time on electronic devices and having a 24-7 "on" status, the world is experiencing high stress and insomnia. Taking a hike and immersing yourself in nature could be just what the doctor ordered.

Hiking Is Healing

Many people connect to several devices every single day. When those devices don't work correctly, what's the first thing you do? Turn the device off. When you reboot a smartphone or tablet, it works better. The same can be true for your body. If you want to clear your mind, improve your physical health, or recharge your battery, you will find that hiking is a total mind, body, and soul healer.

Read the full Take a Hike article in Home By Design

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Highlights of Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

There are a few epic road trips in the United States. Route 66 might be the most famous, but arguably the most beautiful is the one that parallels the Pacific Ocean coastline. The Pacific Coast Scenic Byway/Pacific Coast Highway spans from Olympia, Washington to just South of San Diego, California. It is an approximately 1,650-mile journey following Highway 1 or Highway 101, which hugs the impressive coastlines of Washington, Oregon, and California.

North to South or South to North

Many travelers debate whether to drive from north to south or vice versa. Most would say driving from north to south gives you better views as your lane is closer to the ocean. Regardless of which way you experience the drive, budget enough time; this route is not a race.

Read full article in Home By Design.

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Don’t Let Lost Luggage Ruin Your Vacation

There are a lot of things that make a vacation go sour. Running out of money. Having your hotel cancel your reservation. Being stuck with a flight delay. Losing your luggage is definitely at the top of the list. But it doesn’t have to ruin your entire vacation. Here are a few ways to save what you can from your trip and maybe even get something back.

Label your luggage

If you have already lost your luggage, then this tip might not help. However, if you’re simply preparing for the possibility, then one of the best ways is to make it easier to find you if your lost luggage later turns up. You should have a label outside of your bags, such as a tag with your details on it, but you should have one of these inside the bag, as well, in the event that the exterior one gets torn off.

Stay in touch with the airline

First of all, don’t let it go. While you don’t want the thought of your lost luggage to dominate the entire trip, it’s important to keep the airline accountable and to see if they can find it. Sometimes, luggage will turn up one way or another. Make sure that you know the model, make, and color of your suitcase so that they can keep an eye out for it. There’s no guarantee it will ever show up, but it has happened before.

Get a refund

In most cases, airlines have a period of 21 days to find your luggage and return it to you. If they do not, then you should be entitled to a refund. However, you should make sure that you check the policies of the airline before you go in asking for your money back. There may be some circumstances that change how long you might have to wait, for instance.

Get yourself covered

Not every travel insurance package covers this, but there are plenty that will help you cover any costs that you might suffer because of lost luggage. Check with providers like Generali as to whether or not you can get coverage for the contents of your suitcase, as well as any expenses you have to take on because of lost luggage. Finding the right insurance package is usually the appropriate course of action to mitigate any kind of loss during your trip.

Ask for compensation

Of course, even if you do have insurance, it doesn’t mean that you should turn to them first. You’re likely to have to buy a range of things, from clothing to toiletries, to make up for your lost luggage. Keep and organize your receipts so that you’re able to provide them to your travel provider. They should be able to compensate for these.

Losing your luggage is never going to be a pleasant experience, and it’s not wrong to feel angry or sad about losing some of your possessions. However, you can recoup your vacation from it with the tips above.

*Post contributed by Brian Matthew, a peer adventurer who travels light.*

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