Good For Beginners: Cheap Backpacking Gear

Good For Beginners: Cheap Backpacking Gear

Beginning backpackers should not always go out and buy the most expensive equipment for backpacking, since they do not yet know if the sport will be one that they will continue throughout their life or if they will be done with it after their first real excursion. Plus, even experienced backpackers do not necessarily buy the most expensive supplies, knowing that the medium or even cheap backpacking gear suffices in most situations.

How Cheap is Cheap?

There are some items that a consumer can not get around paying close to one hundred dollars for, such as the tent. A solid tent is essential, so even when looking for cheap backpacking gear, a buyer should not go too cheap. One solid tent is the Granite Gear Vigra that runs at close to one hundred dollars.

A couple of other choices are the Osprey Ather 45 or the GoLite Jam. All of these tents are also light, at about thirty ounces. Check backpacking gear reviews for other tents that have the same features as these do and look for sales. Another essential item that is on the more expensive side is the tarp, which runs at about fifty dollars. Beyond this, a ground cloth and stakes will run about twenty dollars, putting the total amount for shelter just under two hundred dollars.

Another essential item when looking for cheap backpacking gear is the sleeping bag. This is another item on which a buyer does not want to go too cheap. A solid sleeping bag that is rated at 20F will cost right around one hundred dollars as well, although sale priced it may be found for a little less than that. However, with a sleeping bag, weight can also be an issue, so look for bags that are right at thirty ounces.

Kitchen supplies and other small items are the least expensive of all the cheap backpacking gear. A Pepsi stove and pot can be found for about twelve dollars. Additional cooking pot, ‘silverware’ and water containers will run about thirty dollars total. Flashlights, maps and other small items will probably run another ten dollars or so, and hopefully most of the clothing is already owned or can be borrowed, depending on the weather conditions.

All in all, the total cost to outfit a beginner backpacker with gear for a basic backpacking camping trip is right at four hundred dollars. Even at four hundred dollars, this is a significant expense for a hobby that may only be done once. Beginners would be even better off borrowing supplies from friends or renting from an outdoor supply company to go on a couple of trips before making the investment on their own.

Toronto Restaurants, Hotels in the Beach District

Toronto Restaurants, Hotels in the Beach District

Toronto restaurants are internationally renowned for their diversity of offerings, culinary mastery, and unparalleled cuisine. Owing to a rich multicultural heritage, Toronto boasts restaurants serving food from all walks of life and atmosphere to suit any style. Toronto restaurants cater to a vibrant, growing community and host some of the most innovative menus available, whether fine gourmet dining or fast fare. MenuPalace.com maintains close relationships with Toronto’s finest restaurants, clubs, bars and catering services to provide you with the latest information and service to help you choose the ideal restaurant for your purpose. Whether a romantic dinner is sought, or a venue for large corporate functions, Toronto has a restaurant that will match and exceed your requirements, and MenuPalace.com provides the resources to find and make the most of your experience.

One of the most tourist friendly locations in Toronto, the Beach district is also a welcoming spot for anyone interested in purchasing real estate. Part of the allure of this stretch along Queen Street East is convenient access to many entertainment amenities, which includes over 60 different restaurants.

Whatever your particular taste, there is guaranteed to be a restaurant in the Beach district to suit your mood. In the mood for a casual dinner of pizza or subs? There are several restaurants waiting to fill that empty spot in your stomach, including established chains like Pizza Hut and Mr. Sub as well as independent and well reviewed establishments like Pizza Nova.

Those in the mood for different fare can try out some of the casual dining rooms specializing in western fare that dot the area. Pubs like Murphy’s Law and Kitty O’Sheas are guaranteed to quench the burger and fries craving that naturally occurs in everyone from time to time, with the option of washing it down with a pint or two in a traditional Irish style pub besides. Those looking for a slightly more formal or family friendly environment can try out the Sunset Grill, Stoney’s Bar and Grill, or Whitlock Restaurant.

Being at the beach often puts one in a seafood frame of mind, and the restaurants in the Beach district are guaranteed to please in this area too. Again, diners can choose from the casual, home feel of restaurants like Lakeview Fish & Chips or a more formal setting such as White Bros. Fish Co.

Exotic fish tastes are also evident in the area, with several Japanese restaurants present including Yumei Sushi, Otabe, and Akane-Ya offering both hugely popular traditional sushi such as nigiri and maki as well as cooked Japanese fare like donburi and tempura. There are restaurants, in fact, made to suit almost any ethnic food taste you may encounter, including Middle Eastern (Aida’s Falafel), Thai (Bow Thai, Urban Thai Bistro), Chinese (Ho Lee Chow) and Greek.

And for those who want dessert after their meals, there are ice cram parlors and bakeries all over the Beaches.

The Beach has something to offer anyone in the area in terms of food fare; there are bakeries for a quick bite before heading to work, bistros and faster food for quick lunches, and both elegant and casual restaurants for long, relaxed dinners at the end of the day. The only thing that will hold you back is the difficulty you may experience when it comes to deciding where to go.

Top Ten Travel Tips

Top Ten Travel Tips

Have you ever experienced a serious disaster whilst on holiday? If not, it’s merely a matter of time. It has been said there are two kinds of travellers, those that have experienced a problem holiday and those that are still going to.
Tasked with identifying the top ten travel tips immediately got my mind going but an idea soon took shape. Why not use the experiences of the professionals, ask them to identify the more common causes of problems when travelling. Unbeknown to me this certainly dropped the cat amongst the pigeons, largely because limiting this to only ten became a problem, thank you so much to all those who were a part of the panel.
One of the most common problems and a unanimous choice of the panel were problems surrounding logistical arrangements. Largely related to reservations; dates and ticketing, these can be problematic despite the ease and simplicity of the internet. It is imperative when planning any holiday to any destination that all bookings are made well in advance, followed up either by e-mail or telephone a few days before your departure and still in time to rectify problems if discovered. After this has been done, prevent further problems by ensuring you have proof in the form of copies of any relevant document or reference number, this could be a receipt confirmation of a deposit paid or any item depending on your personal arrangements. This is one of those suggestions where prevention is definitely far better than cure.
Our second tip is all encompassing and covers the packing of essential items. Obviously these items might vary according to your personal plans but would perhaps include items such as passports and ID documents; applicable drivers licences; money – credit cards, wallets and other financial needs; mobile phones and camera’s, (get with it, preferably digital) are essential items nowadays, together with supporting items such as chargers and memory cards. On my personal list are always sunglasses, activity equipment, a few books, a pack of cards, a multi-purpose pocket knife and other smaller items or games which always come in handy.
How are we doing so far, the bottom line is that with tip numbers one and two you can go almost anywhere in the world and if you have forgotten anything else you can purchase them en route.
Tip number three is so absolutely boring you might well stop reading at this point but it remains one of the most common causes of holidays being cancelled. Before you leave home ensure that all domestic matters are resolved and tucked in to bed. These will again vary but will certainly surround adequate locking up and security issues; paying all accounts, in particular municipal services; cancelling any deliveries; ensuring access is available to a trusted friend or relative in the event of a fire or emergency; ensuring pets are adequately cared for and that someone responsible is able to contact you in the case of emergency during your holiday. Yes…boring….but oh so often the cause of having to either come back early or returning to face a smelly deep freeze or worse.
The basics are covered and now we can move onto the fun part, tip number four surrounds choosing the right holiday for your needs and enjoyment. To haul three children under ten years old to a game reserve for ten days will stretch your patience and theirs, you might enjoy spending half an hour looking at a bird or waiting for an Elephant to come to a waterhole while sipping a Chardonnay, they certainly wouldn’t. If you have had a really stressful year and are going on holiday for a time out, a few days in London followed by a few in Rome and a low cost flight via Moscow to save a few cents would mean lots of flights; too many airports and complicated transit arrangements. Our panel suggests taking a few extra minutes to analyse the real needs of all travelling partners before selecting your holiday destination.
You have analysed your own needs and decided on let’s say a scuba diving holiday as an example. Tip number five stays with destination choice and is all about research. That’s easy I hear you saying, once you’ve decided what type of holiday you want. However, you could also end up on a scuba diving holiday in monsoon season, perhaps to a great destination at most times of the year but in the month you have chosen, it’s infested with mosquito’s and a temperature of 45 degrees, is that what you wanted.
Perhaps you might be looking for a quiet and romantic getaway and choose a week in a Spanish seaside village only to find out it clashes with a local political election and the local school holidays. Time researching local conditions is well spent, beware particularly of special offers or discounts, these are usually offered for a reason and often due to seasonality or other sub-optimal characteristics of the destination at the time the offer applies. This same principle applies to discounted flights and packages, it’s important to be fully aware of which items and costs are included and not included in the price.
How far have we gone so far, in summary we have the logistics and essential equipment under control, chosen a stunning destination to ensure our needs are covered and we have selected the dates to suit the destination characteristics.
Tip number six is about the modern day wonder of the travellers’ world. You guessed it, the internet. This modern tool enables you to ensure you are fully au fait with all and any information you might need. From disco’s to dive centres, museums to mausoleums, cathedrals to camping grounds, the information is easily available to you from the comfort of your home; office or failing which, an internet caf?. Referring back to our Spanish village, if you want to know the history, what to see and do while you’re there, the internet provides this service. Even once you’re there, if you want to send pics and news to someone at home, the internet has really made this simple. I read recently that in excess of 70% of all travel arrangements are now made on-line, wow, that is an awesome number and it is no doubt climbing, not without reason.
A list of top ten tips would definitely be incomplete without a reference to the importance of adequate packing. Notice we say adequate as it does vary according to destination and travel method. A car trip to Port Alfred with a trailer and roof rack is a far different scenario than a flight to London. Tip number seven is to pack early; to pack correctly and most of all to pack according to a well prepared list. One often makes the mistake of packing too much, leaving little room for error and no space to include a few souvenirs or that tee-shirt that looked so good in the market. On a personal note our family has a rule, what you pack you carry; this has a fantastic effect of ensuring no one packs without a plan.
The boring battle of the budget. We all have dream destinations we hope to get to one day; this is unfortunately not a reality for most of us. Tip number eight is to ensure you remain within your personal limits of expenditure. Interest rates are high and could get higher; credit offered by banks can be easily obtained by utilising the credit card options so often available. You don’t want to spend the year after your holiday stressed out about how you’re going to pay it back during the rest of the year. Plan adequately before and during your holiday. Whilst it’s certainly fun to spoil yourselves during a holiday, we suggest you allocate a daily allowance to each person and to the whole group; this will certainly help control costs, particularly in an international destination when one is not fully conversant, it can come back and bite quite hard.
The members of our panel are all seasoned travellers, local and overseas. In conversation we certainly learned that all had on occasion bumped their heads or made often silly mistakes. Our unanimous tip number nine is to enjoy South Africa. As residents of this beautiful country we are all absolutely blessed to live within a reasonable distance from either a beach; lake; mountain;
game reserve or whatever it might be that appeals to your family. Too often we feel the need to travel far and wide when it’s all on our doorstep. We might travel to an exotic dive destination but haven’t yet experienced Aliwal Shoal; sit on a Mauritian Beach when our coast offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, perhaps even camping in France when you’ve never been to the Drakensberg or Clarens.
It might be a clich? but we really do have it all in one country. We certainly hope that our leaders will take every action to ensure that it stays that way. We in turn need to appreciate it and invest in local tourism and the job creation it offers. Our panel felt that we need to market ourselves as a destination a little better than we do, encouraging local travellers that Cairo is perhaps not always better than Cape Town. Local is lekker, it has its place alongside braaivleis, biltong, sunny skies and all the rest.
This might be our last tip of the ten we were confined to but it is the simplest and most important – have fun! You’ve worked hard, you deserve your holiday, please don’t forget to enjoy it. In most cases when on holiday, one is surrounded by those your love the most, those dearest and closest.
What an absolute blessing to be able to spend quality time in a holiday destination with those you love.

Begin in Beijing – Beijing Travel Information

Begin in Beijing – Beijing Travel Information

The best way to kick off your Asian travels is in China’s progressive and even tragically hip capital city of Beijing. Traditional relics like the Tiananmen gate stand juxtaposed against the imposing modernist architecture of recent history, most notable in the Dashanzi Art District. The People’s Republic of China has its financial industries mainly in Shanghai and Hong Kong, but Beijing remains the nation’s true cultural and political center.

Orange County Meets Ming Dynasty in Beijing

When many travelers think of Beijing, they imagine the dictatorial atmosphere of Mao Zedong or television images of protesting citizens; however, Beijing has a tremendous history beginning as early as the 1st century BCE and has persevered through Kublai Kahn’s Mongols, Japanese invasion, and the Communist Civil War victory in 1949.

The Forbidden City is a fascinating journey through 500 years of Imperial secrecy. The head of state no longer resides here and the beautiful buildings and breathtaking gardens are open to the public year-round. The entrance to the Forbidden City is the infamous Tiananmen Square and gate, protected by four formidable marble lions. Nearby, the Temple of Heaven is another sublime representation of an era of dynasties and royal architecture. With airfare to Beijing, you also have the extra opportunity to see the Great Wall of China, which is only one and a half hours away by bus.

Although there are hundreds of historical sites in Beijing, the rapidly sprawling metropolis is also overflowing with contemporary wonders and luxuries. The National Zoo houses the largest inland aquarium in the world as well as China’s famous pandas. Next to the Imperial Palace, the Wan Fung Art Gallery provides insight into the artistic transition from regal and traditional to cutting edge contemporary. Most interestingly, the suburban sprawl has witnessed the creation of a $60 million American-inspired community called Orange County, complete with town homes and tract housing.

Chinese Cultural Centrifuge in Beijing

Experience two cultural traditions in one at the Laoshe Tea House where you will be both charmed by Chinese opera and soothed by a variety of traditional teas. For world-class shopping in Beijing, visit Wangfujing, or you can find your way into the many enchanting smaller districts for traditional Chinese shops and boutiques. Beijing is also home to several notable temples like the Miaoying, and even a mosque that was built in 996.

With such dynamic experiences to offer and the immaculate preservation of its past, Beijing is truly an international city and there’s no wonder the cosmopolis has been chosen for the Olympics. Get your airfare to Beijing now or wait for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.