Tag: camera

Dolphin Spotting Costa del Sol

Dolphin Spotting Costa del Sol

One of the most exhilarating trips available from either Gibraltar or the western Costa del Sol area is dolphin spotting. There are many different companies that offer boat trips to go dolphin spotting, some which include lunch and a swimming stop and others that are simply a couple of hour trips to find dolphins.

One trip is on a catamaran where you are picked up at either Marbella or Puerto Banus and head out to sea in the direction of Gibraltar. After about an hour if you are lucky you will see dolphins swimming alongside the boat and leaping out of the water.

If you like these types of activities then a dolphin trip is something you should consider as it is a great way to see dolphins in their natural environment as opposed to seeing them forced to perform in captivity.

These dolphin trips tend to be fairly inexpensive, especially if you take one that is only a dolphin spotting trip as opposed to an afternoon out on a boat.

There are various points along the Costa del Sol coastline that you can go on these trips but the main areas are from Estepona or Gibraltar.

As well as dolphins it is also possible sometimes to spot whales and the odd sea turtle in the waters around Gibraltar so make sure you have your camera with you so that you can record your sightings.

If you are on holiday with a tour operator then you should ask your holiday rep about the trips as they should be able to book them for you or put you in touch with the right people. If you are not on a package type holiday then you can find information about dolphin spotting trips in most local papers and magazines which are available from many different locations.

Create an Abandon Ship Bag

Create an Abandon Ship Bag

We have taken many cruises. And have returned safely from all of them. Therefore, it wasn’t until very recently that we thought about creating an Abandon Ship Bag. We had an upcoming trip to Antarctica. The MS Explorer, The Little Red Boat, had sunk in Antarctic waters a few months before we were scheduled to leave. That made us think long and hard about what we might do in a similar emergency.

Did this cause us to rethink our trip? Yes, for about 10 seconds. My husband and I talked about this and we decided that the best thing we could do was to simply be prepared in case something like this happened to our ship.

We decided to do some investigating and ended up creating an Abandon Ship Bag.

When we got on board, we emptied one of our backpacks. We then lined it with a heavy plastic bag we had brought along for the purpose and then put into it:

money

credit cards

copy of passports (the ship held the originals)

medicines

emergency blankets – purchased in a camping store for $4.00 each

our picture backup device: Digital Foci Photo Safe

flashlights

change of underwear

extra pair of socks

We kept the backpack at the foot of the bed so that it was easy to grab on the way out, if necessary. We also left it open so we could quickly add hats, scarves, gloves and cameras. (I’m very pleased to report we didn’t need it after all.)

Personal Protection and Traveling Alone

Personal Protection and Traveling Alone

Traveling alone makes people vulnerable and open for danger.  There are many things that you can do for personal protection to ensure your safety.
When you are traveling alone and you know you will be alone it is very important to plan your trip in advance.  Know where you are going to be, learn the map, determine your transportation and more.  If you get a rental car the best thing you can do is get the GPS system.  The last thing you want to happen is to get lost from your hotel on a bad side of town.  A GPS allows you not to have to stop to ask strangers that you don’t know for directions.  Also, you should find out if the place you are traveling to is a safe destination for women to go to, especially if you are headed out of the country.
When you are traveling alone it may be tempting to get a cheap hotel so you can save money.  One thing to consider is that the majority of the criminals are not going to target people in the larger and safer hotels.  This is because the larger hotels have a valet service, security guards, security cameras, and provide a safe place to stay.  The cheaper places may have the door to your room on the outside of the hotel, no security, and may not even have a well lit parking lot.  Also, when you choose your hotel make sure it is near attractions and the location you need to go to.  This way you won’t have to travel as far and you will minimize the chances of getting lost.
If you are traveling to another country it is important to learn the language a little bit so you do not have too big of a communication gap.  When you are alone in another country and something happens to you it will be impossible to find help if you cannot speak the language. Practice before you plan your vacation.
Another very important thing you need to do when you are traveling out of the states by yourself is find out where the US embassy is located.  If you are robbed, attacked, raped, kidnapped, or anything else this is where you need to go.  They will protect you and get you back to the states and home to your family.
You might consider personal devices for protection and self defense when you travel out of the country.  Always find out what the laws are before you board a plane.  You don’t want to end up in a foreign jail because you didn’t do the proper research.  Take care of yourself and plan ahead so you can have a safe vacation.
When you are traveling out of the country there are many things you need to consider so you are as safe as possible.  The best thing you can do is plenty of research on the crime and the city you are going to.  Find a big and safe hotel and don’t be too cheap.  Paying for safety is the best thing you can do in another country.  Also, find the US embassy and be clear about how to get to it.

South American Tours: Things That You Should Keep in Mind

South American Tours: Things That You Should Keep in Mind

Are you planning to visit South America on your next holiday? Well! The continent offers uncountable attractions that can definitely change your outlook towards your life. Feel the beauty and passion of South American countries and capture some great moments to cherish your precious moments. Isn’t it?
Following things you should keep in mind for making your South American trip, a true success:
Take your ATM debit cards as you will find ATMs all over in South America.
Always pack some comfortable teva sandals, durable boots for hiking and mountaineering with a good quality hiking socks.
Money belt for storing important documents, passport, and money is a must thing for you.
Do not use large and bulky cameras but always carry a palm size camera. You can easily buy films in all major cities.
Always carry convertible pants that dry faster and can be zip off to form shorts.
Choose travel vest that has four pockets. Use each pocket for keeping your money, passport, even camera.
Do not forget to take fleece sweater and light rain jacket to deal with untimely rain and weather conditions.
You need to have a good quality hat to protect harmful rays of the sun. That equatorial sun is generally very strong and hits directly.
Use Shammy instead of a towel. Shammies dry fast, and durable as well. They do not take much space to store as well.
Deodorant is important when can’t take shower, you can always get rid of foul smell!
Headlamp can also help a lot. It is better to buy a good quality headlamp as well.