Avoid the blahs with these February celebrations

Have you got the January blahs? A bit of post-holiday let down? Don’t be glum, because February offers plenty of reasons to celebrate. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect.

Black History Month

February is African American History Month or Black History Month. Oddly, this is observed at a completely different time of the year (October) in the UK. There will be events for this annual celebration throughout the month.

National Freedom Day – Feb 1

National Freedom Day commemorates the signing of a resolution for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. This amendment ended slavery and became law in December 1865. This is not a public holiday, but many Americans observe the day and a wreath is usually laid at the Liberty Bell. Other celebrations of this event include Juneteenth and Emancipation Day.

Valentine’s Day – Feb 14

Also not a holiday, but widely observed, is Valentine’s Day, taking place on a Tuesday this year. It was originally named after some Christian martyrs and is a boon for card makers everywhere (not to mention flower shops and candy stores). Here are some fun facts about Valentine’s Day.

President’s Day – Feb 20

Now observed on the 3rd Monday in February, this holiday originally honored George Washington’s birthday. It now also honors Abraham Lincoln (also born in February) and other presidents.

Mardi Gras – Feb 21

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday, is a big celebration just before Lent starts – and a great excuse for a party. One of the biggest of these is in New Orleans, which we mentioned in Carnival Celebrations around the World. We’ll look at it in more detail nearer the time.

Leap Day – Feb 29

It only comes around every four years and this is the year for Leap Day. There are several traditions associated with this day and we’ll be looking at those in more detail closer to the time.

Photo: SanFranAnnie

Want discount airport parking ? Find out about our airport parking coupon here.

The Family Scooter

Scooters are common forms of transport the world over. In most countries the scooter is a 1-2 seater form of transport, but lax rules of health and safety in developing nations means that families of 3, 4 or even 5 can be seen whizzing around. With simple engines that are cheap and reliable, the scooter covers terrain from the congested urban metropolis to the unpaved, muddy and step mountain trail.

Tuk Tuk

Due to its loyal serving of Bangkok, Thailand, this is often the first weird method of transport that travelers to the popular South East Asia experience. The cheerful name serves as an ideal sales call from the many Tuk Tuk drivers and their daring and exciting driving practices make riding a Tuk Tuk an experience never to forget. Cheap prices abound, travelers must be wary of a deal too good to be true. Often, Tuk Tuk drivers will deposit you outside an entertainment venue with the offer of a return trip for a mere 20 Baht. However, the venue is always more expensive to get into than originally promised and when you leave, your Tuk Tuk driver is never there. This results in having to pay an incredibly higher price to one of the few present drivers to get back to your original location.

Bamboo Raft

Everyone knows what bamboo looks and feels like but an actual bamboo raft is always a slight surprise on your first encounter. These are often included in package day trips, along with elephant and mountain trekking, but an actual bamboo raft is surprisingly long and ungainly. In addition to worryingly low buoyancy capability, and sometimes you may have to pitch in to help steer at the back, the journey will likely be less relaxing than expected but still surprisingly hilarious and unforgettable.

Venetian Gondola

The Venetian Gondola is as iconic as the waterways it serves. This form of transport is known the world over as both classy and relaxing, allowing you to take in a city known for its beauty and charm. The fares can be expensive as it is primarily a form of transport for tourists, so travelling in groups is cheaper as this does not affect the price.

English Punt

Similar to the Venetian Gondola, this differs in that the boat is propelled by punting the bottom of the waterway, something not possible in Venice due to the depths involved. This form of transport is quintessentially English, even though it is present in several locations worldwide. Like the Gondola, it is now focused on the tourist trade and is most popular in Cambridge, Oxford and Bath.

Las Vegas Limo

Vegas is known for its opulence, but for first time travelers your money will actually go further than you think.  If you want to splash out and arrive in style, the Hummer Limo is king, however many limos and limo drivers are hired by certain venues and therefore offer cheap fees or even free on the condition you go to their specific venue.

Animal

Elephants and camels have been lumped into one category here as it doesn’t take too much of a stretch of the imagination to understand one having experienced the other. First impressions of these are that they are nowhere near as comfortable as you would expect. Sitting on an elephant in the best case involves sitting on a bench harnessed onto the back, which involves a tipping motion that can feel like you are about to fall off the side.  There will also be little room for your legs if someone is sitting behind the head, however this person will have to put up with the spiky hairs that cover this part of an elephant.

Chinese Junk

Junks are traditional Chinese sailing boats with 2 masts, and cruises can be found around Asia / South East Asia on board these amazing vessels.  The distinctive shape is iconic of many locations, and has also led to motorized versions of these boats that preserve the outline and charm of the sailing equivalents.

Dog Sled

Another form of travel by animal, but the provision of a man made apparatus (i.e. the sled) makes this slightly more advanced than other methods of animal travel. Unlike many forms of transport on this list that are now only aimed at the tourist trade, the dog sled actually still serves as useful in many inhospitable, poorly accessed locations. Several breeds of dog are used in packs of sometimes more than 20, and sleds can maintain speeds of nearly 20mph for prolonged periods of time.

Tubing (Laos/Austin):

Tubing is famous in several areas of the developing world that are popular on the travel agenda but can also be found in countries such as the US. Tubing is a method of travelling down a river on a tire inner tube to access several bars along the designated route. Most famous in Vang Vieng, Laos, it evokes wildly different responses from different people. If you enjoy a wild crowd, cheap alcohol and all day partying, this is a great way to see part of the country. On the other hand, if you are looking for authentic culture, quality local cuisine and escaping the crowd, this is not a form of transport you should seek out. If you’re looking to avoid the dangers notoriously linked to tubing in Laos then Austin, Texas is a viable option that hasn’t been subjected to so much negative press as Laos has.

Matthew Nunn is a major travel fan and has recently returned from an extensive RTW trip. This year he has already started planning trips to Europe in particularly his Sardinia holidays.

Want discount airport parking? Find out about our airport parking coupon here.

A Visit to London

Stop number one would be London, with its centuries of history. It’s easiest to make this the first port of call as most international flights fly there, especially to London Heathrow, the world’s busiest airport. While there, I’d like to show my daughter the sights of one of my old stamping grounds, including a walk to Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Covent Garden, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Madame Tussauds and any of the parks. A ride on the London Eye and a trip along the Thames are also a must, as is a London Bus Tour. Ciao Bambino had an excellent series last year on London with Kids which is worth a read.

From the Midlands to Europe

Next, I’d go inland to the Midlands to visit Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and reconnect with old friends. That would also be a good jumping off point (from the Nottingham East Midlands International Airport) for budget flights to Europe. On my list would be a trip to Denmark, which I’ve never visited but where one of my best friends lives to check out the Tivoli Gardens, among other Denmark attractions.

Also on my list for this trip would be a visit to some friends in Gibraltar (gotta love the view of the rock!) and a week or two soaking up the Spanish sunshine and culture. I really love Spain, with some of my favorite cities so far including Malaga (ancient Arab city with landmarks to match), Barcelona (the Sagrada Familia is a must-see) and Bilbao (where I’d visit the Guggenheim Museum). There are many more Spanish attractions to visit too.

A Trip to France

There’s one more country on my list, which has a place in my heart because I once lived there: France. For me, visiting France is not just about the sights of Paris, though those are excellent. Instead, it’s about the South of France. When I lived there, I went from Nimes to Marseilles to Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Agde, the Camargue and along the coast to Cannes, Monaco and Nice – one of the best trips of my life and one I’d like to repeat with my family. Here’s a snapshot of the Nimes attractions I think are worth visiting.

So those are some of the top places on my European travel list. I’m hoping to get there within the next 18 months. What’s on your list?

Facts about Martin Luther King Jr Day

Did you know:

• that although the holiday was signed into law in 1983, it was only in 2000 that all 50 states observed it?
• that Martin Luther King is one of only three people in the US to be honored by a national holiday? The other two are, of course, George Washington and Christopher Columbus.
• that in Arizona and New Hampshire the words ‘Civil Rights Day’ form part of the official name of the holiday.
• that Martin Luther King Jr Day is also celebrated in Hiroshima and Toronto.

Observing Martin Luther King Jr Day

One of the most important ways to celebrate the day is to join in with the Martin Luther King Day of Service, signed into federal law in 1994. It’s a chance to volunteer and make a difference. The Martin Luther King Day of Service website has resources to help you find a project to join or plan your own.

One of the best places to celebrate the day is in his birthplace, Atlanta. This year, there’s an impressive list of activities including a Civil Rights Film Festival, remembrance services, Day of Service activities, and general celebrations. The King Center also has a program of events which started on Saturday 7th and runs till the holiday itself.

What will you be doing for the holiday?

If you’re traveling to Atlanta, check out our Atlanta airport parking lots.

But when it comes to travel, there are several things I aspire to, and I’m going to share some of them with you. These aren’t resolutions, but aspirations. They represent the things I want to do on every trip I make, no matter the length of the trip or the destination. Here they are:

1. Get out of the compound. In my experience, you miss a lot when you stick only to the area around your accommodation, especially if that accommodation is of the luxury or all-inclusive kind. Don’t get me wrong; I love staying in hotels or apartments, but it’s always wise to explore. One of the ways I’ve done that over the years is to hop on a bus and ride to the end of the line. You never know what you will find. Once, I was on a train along the Costa del Sol, when I spotted a beach where there were no deck chairs and no tourists. That became my favorite haunt for the rest of the trip.

2. Take a detour. We all make travel plans but it’s good to be prepared to throw these out if an opportunity presents itself. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of following a road you didn’t know about that seems to be attracting a lot of traffic. Using that principle helped my discover a cool art shop in central Barcelona as well as a restaurant that made the best Russian salad I have ever tasted.

3. Follow the locals. Even if you don’t speak the same language, you can communicate with people. Smiles, nods and phrase books can help you to share information about where you’ve come from, where you’ve been and what there is to see in a particular location. It’s always more interesting to go where the locals hang out and experience life as an insider than to take the sanitized tourist experience (which also has its merits, I agree). That’s the reason we spent a couple hours once driving to the north of one of the Canary Islands to a great beach and park – no tourist hotels in sight.

These are three of the principles that guide my trips – what are yours? (Image: Clark di Camelot)

Annabel Candy

Planning is a waste of time in the end because the best thing to do is just get somewhere with no plans. Walk everywhere so you get to know the place properly and ask the locals for help and advice.

Lea Woodward

There are a few things which set us apart – we’re a husband and wife team, we run our business from wherever we are and we truly have multiple income streams from digital products, to professional services, to selling physical goods.

Marina Villatoro

I find guidebooks to be bad and unhelpful. That’s why I’m actually creating guidebooks for families to make it so much easier to plan, especially with kids.

Andy Hayes

I learned an awful lot about the sorry state of the traveling public, how to pack a carryon like a ninja, every frequent flyer mile and seating trick in the book, and what airports have decent food options (answer: none).

Soultravelers3

I think travel is the best education so wanted to pass these experiences onto my child by traveling as a family. She took her first trip and stayed in her first hotel at 2 weeks old and we started our world tour when she was 5.

Barbara Weibel

My heroes in travel blogging all have one thing in common; they are quality writers who don’t crank out top ten lists and trite “how to”articles in order to rank well on Google.

Brian, Discovering Puerto Rico

I never travel without an open mind, because you can miss so much if you visit a place with a preconceived mind set.

Lola A Akerstrom

I find Oprah Winfrey to be an extraordinary inspiration, and her life echoes a mantra I try to live by – live your authentic self. You need to show up completely in your own life, and find your own path in life.

Angela Petitt

To me, the best way to travel in comfort and for a good value is to take a cruise and couple it with a pre or post cruise stay in the city of embarkation.

JoAnna Haugen

There seems to be an ongoing discussion about forms of travel that are somehow more acceptable than others, and I just don’t think that’s necessary. I believe that any form of travel is legitimate, and no one deserves to be judged because they prefer certain destinations or travel styles.

Adam Groffman

I think it’s important to be aware of local politics when travelling because more often than not, most travelers don’t pay attention to the important things that happen in the cultures or societies that they visit. Travel can have a big impact on a culture so it’s important to know what we may be affecting when we visit.

Justin Mussler

I have 1 item on my bucket list. To travel forever. I don’t make lists. I couldn’t. My list would never end. And if the destination is so important, what am I missing along the way to that destination.

Martina McAuley

I never travel without a camera because it means that I’m always ready to capture those unexpected scenes and moments in life.

Nancy Mueller

The most unexpected thing that has ever happened to me when traveling was discovering a kindred spirit in a most unlikely place and time in my life.

Natasha von Geldern

I believe that to find the most beautiful parts of any country you need to get out of your vehicle and walk. Wherever you go there is so much to discover.

If’ you’d like to be part of the 2012 series of travel blogger interviews, here’s how you can take part.

So how and why has this changed happened? A decline in religion could be one reason. Fewer people going to church means fewer people investing value in Christian beliefs and ideologies, meaning fewer people are getting hitched. In fact in the UK, divorce rates amongst those in their 60s are rising, indicating that even long term marriages are not safe.

The process of marriage and values surrounding marriage vary greatly from country to country and while some may find the divorce rate in the western world surprising, there are other marriage rituals around the world that would seem alien to anyone not familiar with the local cultures and customs. Here are five unique marriage rituals from around the world.

Arranged Marriages, India

Although arranged marriages happen all over the world, they are perhaps most commonplace in  India, in fact in some parts, they are the norm. This takes place when parents select a bride for their son, or vice versa, locking individuals, often at a very young age, into a marriage they have very little say in. Arranged marriages largely came about because the religion and culture in such countries doesn’t encourage dating, and so in most instances, arranged marriages are the only way that couples can meet.

Drive-Thru Weddings, USA

Weddings are usually long drawn out affairs executed with military-like precision,  lasting an entire day, in front of crowds of family and friends, planned years in advance. Perhaps the strangest marriage ritual in the world then, is the ‘drive-thru’ wedding, most common in Las Vegas, where couples will get hitched in a matter of minutes, often without an audience and occasionally under the influence of considerable amounts of alcohol.

Bride Kidnapping, Kyrgyzstan

In what is perhaps the most extreme and deplorable wedding ritual of them all, bride kidnapping in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan. A recent study in fact suggested that half of all marriages in the country are the result of bride kidnappings, a phenomena partly born out of a disorganised legal system that is not enforced on a country-wide basis but dictated by individual villages and towns. Groups of men will plan a kidnapping days in advance, although it is usually the females in the groom’s family that will carry out the kidnapping.

Shotgun Weddings, USA

The term ‘shot gun’ wedding refers the process whereby a father would approach his daughter’s partner with a shotgun, and demand that he ask for her hand in marriage, if she became pregnant. Although the term itself is fairly new , the ideals that founded it are in fact quite old fashioned. Today it’s commonplace, at least in the Western world, for couples to have a child outside of wedlock, and although it may be frowned upon in more conservative, religious communities, today’s shotgun weddings don’t often live up to their names  – thankfully!

Stag Parties, UK

Although it seems routine for Brits, looking from the outside in, the concept of a stag party is bordering on the insane. One of these parties usually consists of the groom to-be going on a weekend away in Europe to somewhere selling cheap alcohol with a group of friends, a few days before the wedding itself. The groom to-be will be forcibly fed a near-lethal mixture of said alcohol, while wearing a humiliating fancy-dress outfit, only to be humiliated further by getting bound to a lamp-post or other immovable object. Grooms have often been known to be no-shows at their own weddings as a direct result of stag-party antics!

Joe is a travel blogger who doesn’t have plans to get married any time soon! He’s looking forward to his Hayes and Jarvis Dubai holidays next year, but won’t be looking for a holiday romance there! (Image: sdmustangclub)

Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

This book is a great, inspirational read for those who are looking to escape the 9-to-5 and design their own lifestyle. While it would be silly to act expect that everyone can achieve it the tips in this book provide a blueprint for how Tim Ferriss did it and gives you some advice on streamlining your business processes and creating an ideal lifestyle.

Notes from a Small Island/Notes from a Big Country  by Bill Bryson

In my opinion Bill Bryson writes some of the funniest travel books out there. These two books are useful to appreciate the countries that form two halves of our “special relationship”. Small Island looks at Britain while Big Country looks at America. Both are warts and all and I defy you to read them without laughing out loud several times.

Billy Connolly’s Route 66

When you see him live, comedian Billy Connolly is absolutely hilarious if often foulmouthed. Although I haven’t read this book I have seen episodes of the series on which it was based and it is laugh out loud funny as this Scot turns his comic eye on America. You can see the country from the perspective of an outsider and you may never look at it the same way again.

Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

If you’ve got a case of wanderlust then you will enjoy this book which provides inspiration from famous vagabonds as well as practical advice on setting your destination, the nomadic lifestyle, working abroad, handling setbacks, financing your trip and settling back into your life after it’s over.

How to travel full time by Colin Wright

This book covers some of the same territory but also includes information on building an online professional and personal platform, how to live like a local, how to share your adventures with other people, the effect of travel on your relationships and safety tips.

(Image: Alice Harold)

A friend of mine always dresses up to travel. Even if she’s going on a family holiday, she never wears jeans and sneakers, or sweats and flip-flops or any of the other ‘I’m on vacation’ combos you sometimes see your fellow passengers wear. Her theory is that the more grungy and comfortable your attire, the more casual the airline staff treat you. Dress down and the standard of service goes down. A guy I know says the same.

They agree that if you dress like you mean business, then you get business-class treatment, even if you happen to be traveling in coach. While you don’t have to be too formal, it’s best to avoid looking like you’ve just come back from walking the dog or a session at the gym. Both my friends have the evidence to prove it. Flying with the same airline at the same time of day but with different attire, they were able to score better seat positioning and upgrades when dressed in a more business-like fashion.

I generally like to be casual, but I put it to the test myself. I noticed that when I made a little bit of effort, I was able to get those hard to come by extra legroom seats on a couple of flights without having to pay a surcharge. What do you think?

(Image: the|G|™)