2008 › April › 10

Europe on budget. Yes, it is possible

by Iva Skoch on

If you are ready to visit Europe, even with the Euro soaring against the dollar, you might want to consider some of the money-saving ideas Concierge.com has put together.

Read this article to get Concierge.com’s tips for budget-conscious travelers to Europe in the following areas:

  1. Spas. They don’t have to be expensive.
  2. Cruises. They can help you budget and save (if you pick the right ship)
  3. Culture. Visit Europe’s grand churches and cathedrals. See concerts there for cheap
  4. Food. Visit local markets for authentic and cheaper meals
  5. Transportation. Rent a bicycle in bike-friendly town. Use public transportation.
  6. Accommodation. Camping doesn’t have to mean roughing it
  7. Beaches. Visit off-the-beaten path beaches
  8. Airlines. If you plan it well, budget airlines can save you a bunch.
  9. Destinations. Eastern Europe is a big on culture and small on prices. Spend more time in Europe’s countryside to save money.

One of my favorite tips was staying in an apartment hotel, instead of a regular hotel. I have done this several times in London and always liked the experience. It’s not quite as personal as staying in someone’s house, looking at their family photos, but it definitely has more character than your typical hotel. Details here.

Goodbye Cherry Blossoms

by Tynan on


The past two days have been extremely rainy here in Tokyo, which means that hanami, or flower viewing season, is over. The rain has pulled all of the delicate blossoms from the trees, lining the sides of the streets with thin carpets of white flowers.

The blossoms are still in season further North, so pretty soon I’ll be heading up there to show visiting friends the majesty.

Until then, here are some pictures I took of the blossoms in Yoyogi Park.

%Gallery-20252%

Volunteer honeymoons: Less traveled couple vacations

by Abha Malpani on

I’ve always been against doing things you are “supposed” to do, especially the stuff that society expects.

As an Indian girl from a large, well-to-do family, I’m expected to have a huge 5-day wedding and a long exotic honeymoon. Talking about both before and after event, as well as the unjustified amount of money spent on them, are a big part of the shenanigan which is why I’ve ruled them both out as a waste of time, energy and money.

However, if I ever get married, I’d bring honeymoon back into the picture if it was a volunteer holiday. Spending your newly wed time away traveling as well as giving back to society (rather than lounging on a beach drinking Pina Coladas for 10 days) validates the whole idea of spending money on a trip you are taking just because you got married.

Global Volunteers, an organization that places over 2,500 volunteers across 20 countries, says that honeymooners are increasingly choosing volunteer vacations as the perfect way to start their new lives together. The company has sent honeymooners to Tanzania, India, Peru and other places around the world where communities are in desperate need of assistance.

Google “volunteer honeymoon” and the options are abundant; of course because a volunteer honeymoon is really a volunteer vacation you are doing as a couple. It makes so much sense and I imagine that it would do wonders for both your relationship and the cause you choose to volunteer for.

So, where do you begin? Well, the folks at Mahalo.com have done all the homework and narrowed it all down for you in a feature that gives you the whole “how to” process. From whether you should go at all, to where you should go, how long for, where and when to register etc, the article is full of resource links to causes you might want to volunteer for as a couple, along with advice on how to go about it — so check out their full feature about how to take a volunteer honeymoon.

Expensive caffeine: Coffee made from animal dung goes for £50 a cup

by Anna Brones on

At Gadling we are pretty crazy about odd and bizarre foods. We’ve already written about Indonesian turd coffee, a byproduct of wild civets, but today the good news is that you don’t have to travel all the way to Southeast Asia to get it. To get your morning cup of turd coffee, make your way to London instead.

Peter Jones, a department store in Sloane Square, is selling a gourmet coffee blend made from animal dung and selling it at £50 a cup; that’s almost $100! Caffe Raro, which is thought to be the most expensive coffee in the world, is a made from a blend of Jamaican Blue Mountain and Kopi Luwak beans. The Kopi Luwak beans are eaten by the Asian palm civet, and once passed through their system, collected and sold for a little under $650 per kilogram. Don’t worry — they’re washed before they are roasted.

$100 may seem like a lot to spend on a good cup of java — especially when it’s made from animal dung — but then again, if you live in Europe, it’s cheaper than a ticket to track down the specialty in Indonesia.

%Gallery-8934%

Drug lord’s personal items on sale in Brazil

by Iva Skoch on

Talk about a fun auction!

Brazilians have been flocking to an auction of goods confiscated from Colombian drug baron Juan Carlos Ramirez Abadia, who was arrested in Sao Paulo last year and given a 30-year sentence last week. According to BBC, about 5000 people turned up for Tuesday’s opening and 80% of the items had been sold within three hours.

As far as I know, no drugs were for sale, although that would undoubtedly make the auction all the more popular. Three thousand items were on display, including 12 televisions. Clothes on sale included Abadia’s underpants, the quickest items to sell after his capture half-naked by Brazilian police in August 2007.

Underpants? People are weird.