European Health Card
Thanks to the European Union agreements, free transit extends to free medical assistance within the member states. This way, citizens of EU countries can make use of needed health services via the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) under the same conditions as people insured in the visited country, sometimes fully free, sometimes in need of a co-pay, depending on the country. The card is a personal and non-transferable document with validity in the following countries:TIP: click on your country to be taken to the official national site of the health department, and to obtain your EHIC Countries which are part of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. Countries which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, As part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Switzerland Special conditions: United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) With this card, you will have the right to receive medical assistance in your temporary stay in any of the above mentioned states. This card cannot be used when you move to the new country (for that, you’ll need the S1 form) or if your goal is to obtain some special medical treatment. For the latter, the Health Services should need to write a favorable report in your home country. Some of the covered benefits include providing services for existing or chronic illnesses, pregnancy or childbirth. It is important to know that: ⇒ It is a free card to obtain. Generally, the EHIC validity extends to TWO years, you can request it via the internet, and it usually takes about 10 days to get to your home. ⇒ It does not guarantee free services, as the healthcare system varies from country to country. It guarantees that you will be treated equally, with the same rights, as the locals. ⇒ It is not an alternative to travel insurance, as it does not cover private healthcare, specific travel requirements / benefits, lost or stolen property, flights delays, repatriation, etc. ⇒ Hundreds of millions of Europeans use this card. ⇒ If you ask for the EHIC, your local authority is obliged to provide you with one or, failing that, with a provisional replacement certificate if the card is not immediately available. If you are unsure about your rights, you can contact Your Europe Advice. How to recognize the cards? The front of the cards look the same in every country – like the main picture in this article. The back changes from country to country. If you are curious about the design, please click here to see more. Here are some examples: Do you need a travel insurance? Upcoming article on why you may need one:)
gifts for her – the travel girl
Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p Youtube 𖠿 START HERE DESTINATIONS Europe America Oceania Asia DIVING diving courses MAGAZINE events Conference: SLOVENIA Conference: AUSTRALIA Conference: HAWAII Conference: RIVIERA MAYA PROJECTS & CAUSES MOVEMBER ABOUT 💬 ESPAÑOL 𖠿 START HERE DESTINATIONS Europe America Oceania Asia DIVING diving courses MAGAZINE events Conference: SLOVENIA Conference: AUSTRALIA Conference: HAWAII Conference: RIVIERA MAYA PROJECTS & CAUSES MOVEMBER ABOUT 💬 ESPAÑOL More than 2 results are available in the PRO version (This notice is only visible to admin users) Gifts for her – the travel girl Birthday coming up? A celebration or anniversary? Is she going away for some time and you just wanna gift her something? Are you out of ideas? The authentic traveller woman will LOVE practical stuff, related to travel and adventure, discovery, exploration and auto-dependence. Whatever you choose, apply that practicality and versatility rule – and you’ll be alright with these gifts for her! 😉 Here I present you with some examples for inspiration – enjoy! The MAP theme If she loves traveling, she will LOVE a good map. Possibly (probably!), she already has some sort of map hanging somewhere around the house. If she doesn’t, she needs one! Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida de Dámaris | TRAVELOGRAFA | Travel Adventure Lifestyle (@travelografa) As a child, one of my favourite books in the house was a World Atlas my parents had. I would sit on the floor in the hallway right in front of the bookshelf and open it, daydreaming, imagining the world and the pronunciation of those odd words I sometimes found, learning about geography and topography and where things were as I navigated through those pages full of dreams. I can almost affirm that I can promise you she will spend hours of her life staring at maps, daydreaming about discovering new places, playing over some travel memories, wishing for new adventures. Looking at a map is like traveling with the soul. So she does need to have at least one physical one (no, it’s not the same as a digital one). Maybe something with a map within – some postcard (hand-written! How romantic!), a cover (for her phone, camera, laptop, backpack), a map for her wall, a table cloth, a microfiber towel, some jewelry… anything around the topic. PRO TIP! : If existent, be mindful with trendy sentences within the design! She may not like trendy trends! ALL-in-ONE tool Especially if she is a bit of a MacGyver, she’ll enjoy one of those multi-tools to fix any or everything. These tools usually have a knife, a screwdriver, a can-opener, tiny scissors… a decent variety of mini-tools altogether. Practical and easy to find. What else could she ask for? I still have an all-in-one tool my parents gifted me close to twenty years ago when I first moved away to the other side of the pond. I absolutely loved -and love!- the gift. Super practical, great to carry, and man, have I given it its use!! Disclaimer: It’s still in great condition! *A lot of people go for the typical Swiss knife – I haven’t personally had one but I am sure they are good too. I am very happy with my non-Swiss one (at least not that brand! No idea where mine is from!). Adaptors A true traveller will always carry with her (when traveling, of course), her adaptors. If she does not have them, then she needs them! Nowadays you can find all-in-one ones, which is pretty neat, as they take much less space in the luggage! Practical and necessary to charge all electronics when travelling internationally! Portable battery charger How nice is it to be able to charge your cell while on the go, or having the possibility of doing so when there are no plugs around? A super recommendation here are the solar battery chargers! Rechargeable by usb and just by solar power! Practical AND ecological! PRO TIP! : Be mindful that the amperes in the portable battery are enough for the electronics she might use with it! The mini- I think one of the kings or queens of the traveler’s gifts are the mini gifts, such as personal hygiene items. Gels, shampoos, perfumes, mini-brushes, hair products, face soaps and masks… The adventuress who loves to take care of (and even spoil) herself will always, and I reiterate – always – take advantage of these… if not for this trip, for the upcoming one! Recommendation! : Good smells and quality (always quality over quantity!) Activities The authentic traveller will LOVE adventures. So even when she is not traveling, she will be searching for fun activities to do wherever she lives – this keeps her spirit active, and her zest for living and experiencing alive. There are so many websites (depending on where you/she live/s [ask me in the comments below! I’ll give you some links!]) where you could find packs or activities on offer. If she enjoys chilling, spa day is a go-gett(h)er; if she enjoys staying active, maybe some kayaking excursion, abseiling or a new guided dive. If you can afford it, get her a getaway! Don’t worry about all-inclusive or luxury, camping or simple accommodation combined with a nice hike will be luxurious enough! 😉 PRO TIP! : The better you know her, the more on spot you’ll be with the surprise!! Certain clothing apparel Here, it depends a bit on whether she loves filling her closet or tries to stay minimalistic. Translated: more of anything versus only specific items. My thoughts are: underwear, socks, and multi-function pieces will always make her smile! *Underwear. WARNING: Be mindful with this one, as it really depends on the kind of relationship you two have. It can be awkward if you’re not immediate family (parent, child, partner, sibling, grandparent) or her bestie: check cultural context! In many cultures, giving underwear can imply «I wanna see it on», so keep that in mind (and stay respectful and appropriate) before selecting your gift. *Socks. No twists here! Anyone can give anyone
The StopOver WiFi
Landing in a foreign airport, you have no data. Can’t find any WiFi, and when you find it, you can’t connect – there is no way. You have a long stopover. You need to contact someone. You wanna tell your beloved ones that you arrived safely. You can’t find the directions to your new place… Does this sound familiar to you? It seems like we just found a solution! Anil Polat, blogger and tech-smart traveller (also a computer security engineer) had the awesome idea of recording all data from all airports’ WiFi from around the World, and their passwords, to make them accessible to anyone who clicks on the following map. Isn’t it interesting? He created an interactive map so people can collaborate and update passwords, so the map is constantly up to date. As I write this, I read that the last time this happened was only three days ago! The map presents over a hundred airports all over the World, and all you have to do is to click on the little planes, to get the data to connect to its WiFi. For those of you who are thinking how can I read the map if I am offline?, he also came up with a solution! You can download it ahead of time, so you can use it being offline. This guy thought of everything! Or so it seems! He also developed an app, for both Android and Apple. If interested in downloading it, it’s USD1’99. This is one of the examples that he put on his website (the image is his): What do you think? Here you’ve got some ideas to use that time during your stopovers… Enjoy!! Movies on travel and adventure …and some tips to read before boarding!! 9 tips for when you’re onboard the plane
Black Friday
What is Black Friday? Black Friday refers to the fourth Friday of November -right after the well-known holiday of Thanksgiving– in which Christmas shopping commences… yes, in November. This nowadays’ worldwide known day leads businesses to offer remarkable discounts, to finish the year with a raise of sales. Origin The terminology Black Friday was born in Philadelphia, in the United States of America, and has slowly spread like a virus all over the world. In the last decade, it has been the most important sales day of the year. Back in the 60’s, in Pensilvania’s main city, traffic police used the expression Black Friday to describe the multitude and chaos that shopping brought to that day. Some others give its origin to the cash register, as numbers went red before that day, and right after, they would go back to black. More modern versions have tended to relate the name of this day with the unfortunate demises of some shoppers due to the crushing of the mass. In many foreign countries they have opted to avoid translation, afraid of being misinterpreted when not understanding the meaning. Expansion Year after year, the movement becomes bigger, expanding to more categories, to previous and subsequent days. Stores will put their offers up on Friday, may expand it to the weekend or even the entire week. As expected, this event will also take place in the travel industry. This week, I am sure that you will find great travel deals! Travelling Airline companies and hotel chains also join this major deal-day, sometimes offering up to 80% discount in their products. Some of the ones that I would recommend checking are the following*: Ryanair Easyjet Vueling Canaryfly Bahía Príncipe and Booking ([icon icon=icon-arrow-left size=14px color=#000 ]do not forget to use my code, you’ll get a refund of 15 €!) Stores Set in Spain at the moment, I will recommend you some of the commonly known stores (many of them with worldwide or continental reach). El Corte Inglés is one of the pioneer Spanish businesses to participate in Black Friday. Renown store, also with its own brands, that offers a wide variety of products. Some of their most interesting discounts can be found in their technological merchandise. Photography, video and travel lovers will always be grateful. 😉 Other stores: MediaMarkt Carrefour Decathlon Online shopping Amazon is one of the most prestigious worldwide online stores, innovator with its promotions year after year. It has already been offering discounted prices the entire week, including Cybermonday next week. This year, they have also done a countdown, offering products for only 20% of their original price!! Tips Be careful with scams and with compulsive shopping. The best tip would be to focus on what you actually need or want (and no, «everything» should not be an option). Check prices before the big day so you know it is a real offer. When you are buying online, check the veracity of the website, its certificate and the little lock for security; also, check conditions, minimum purchase if it applies, and date of arrival. Now, enjoy the discounts and make this day useful! [clear] *No content or brand have been sponsored.
Movies on travel and adventure
Facebook-f Instagram Pinterest-p Youtube 𖠿 START HERE DESTINATIONS Europe America Oceania Asia DIVING diving courses MAGAZINE events Conference: SLOVENIA Conference: AUSTRALIA Conference: HAWAII Conference: RIVIERA MAYA PROJECTS & CAUSES MOVEMBER ABOUT 💬 ESPAÑOL 𖠿 START HERE DESTINATIONS Europe America Oceania Asia DIVING diving courses MAGAZINE events Conference: SLOVENIA Conference: AUSTRALIA Conference: HAWAII Conference: RIVIERA MAYA PROJECTS & CAUSES MOVEMBER ABOUT 💬 ESPAÑOL More than 2 results are available in the PRO version (This notice is only visible to admin users) Movies on travel and adventure Sometimes you need to travel with your mind, daydreaming or sitting on the comfort of your couch. For those moments, these Movies on Travel and Adventure are absolutely perfect. As mentioned in this other article, here are some great movies to watch, both with company and on your own. Here, I present them to you divided in four sections: – To the solo traveler– To the one who believes it’s never too late– To the family guy/ girl– To the one who enjoys a good documentary There are sooo many good movies… here, I present you my 9 + 6 movies on travel and adventure. For families, couples or solo travelers. To be inspired, to learn, to be entertained and to keep in mind… and to not make the same mistakes others did before us! To the solo traveler Eat, pray, love *[introspective journey] «I used to have this appetite for food, for life… and it’s just gone» Story about a female traveller and her journey to find herself when she knows something is wrong and is in search of something different. «I wanna go someplace where I can marvel at something» Based on a true story, it narrates Liz Gilbert’s (Julia Roberts) journey to self-discovery. She had everything one typically dreams of: a stable and successful job, a nice house and a husband; but she feels unfulfilled, lost and unhappy. After ending her marriage, she kisses goodbye her comfortable house and risks everything, to go on a journey throughout Italy, India and Indonesia, to find herself. «Your life is changingAnd that’s not a bad thing» Click to see more info about Eat, Pray, Love on IMDB. 127 hours [*contains delicate scenes for sensitive public] An adventurous cyclist takes a journey through the desert, unannounced and under-ready, and he becomes trapped amongst the beauty and tough scene that surrounds him. Based on a true story, this movie narrates the solo adventure of Aaron Ralston, played by James Franco. It catches the attention of the solo traveller, especially because it does not only show the fun side of it and the opportunities of growth, but also the consequences of not taking precautions and being cautious «There is no force on Earth more powerful than the will to live» Click to see more info about 127 hours on IMDB. Wild «If your nerve deny you, go above your nerve» Reese Witherspoon plays the role of a woman who travels solo for over a thousand miles, after living terrible moments in her personal life. Harsh story, pain, and a strong woman who fights for self-improvement and overcoming difficulties. «What if I forgive myself? What if I was sorry? But if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t do a single thing differently. What if all of those things I did were the things that got me here?» Click to see more info about Wild on IMDB. The Way Tom (Martin Sheen) receives a phone call from France, to communicate him that his son, an adventurous young man who was doing the Camino de Santiago by himself, died during a storm. Tom travels to France to pick up his son’s remains, and ends up living a great adventure, and understanding (maybe too late) why his son loved traveling and adventure so much. A movie that moves you. «You don’t choose a life, dad, you live one» Click to see more info about The Way on IMDB. Into the Wild «Happiness is only real when shared» A young man (Emile Hirsch) who has family problems and frustrations, finishes university and decides to leave everything behind, to hitch-hike to Alaska, where he hopes to find the meaning of life and to reencounter with Nature. He disappears, even changing his name, to reclaim freedom, playing with his own death. Based on a true story, such of Christopher McCandless. Worth seeing. «Happiness is only real when shared» Click to see more info about Into the Wild on IMDB. To the one who believes in it’s never too late The big year «Most people wake up one day and realize they didn’t do everything they wanted to» Three men in crisis: mid-life crisis (Owen Wilson), work-life crisis (Steve Martin), and the no-life crisis (Jack Black), decide to embark the adventure of their lives, participating in an anual competition of bird-watching. They will compete, explore, get to know each other and make some dreams come true. «The year to do all of the things we never couldThis is my year, I’m gonna make my mark» Click to see more info about The big year on IMDB. The Bucket List «(…) we’re supposed to make a list of all the things we wanted to do in our life before we kick the bucketWe could do this. We should do this» Two terminally ill men become friends and decide to face cancer in a different way: accomplishing their bucket list before the final day, embarking themselves into a trip together. It is very interesting and wonderful to see how two completely different men (a millionaire and a humble mechanic) get united to make their dreams come true. «Find the joy in your life» Click to see more info about The Bucket List on IMDB. The secret life of Walter Mitty «Life is about courage and going into the unknown» This movie, whose main character is played by Ben Stiller, is a remake of such of 1947 under the same name. Walter is a shy employee in an publishing company, who dreams about being the hero of amazing adventures… until his dream comes true – an extraordinary adventure, better than any