Stuff You Should Know About: April 2016
Welcome to “Stuff You Should Know About” – a monthly collection of travel news, tips, photos, and other odds and ends that don’t really fit in anywhere else but that I still really want to share with you.
Random travel news
South American visa fees waived
You may have heard a couple months ago that Brazil will be waiving its hefty visa fee for Americans in honor of the upcoming Olympics. And now Argentina is jumping on the bandwagon – it is suspending its $160 visa fee for Americans who plan to stay for less than 90 days. Great news for U.S. passport holders planning trips to South America this summer!
Czechia
The Czech Republic wants to shorten its name to “Czechia.” Why? So it will be easier to fit onto sports jerseys, of course!
Cool travel app/website of the month
I get a lot of emails every week — sometimes every day — about new travel apps and websites. I don’t write reviews very often about apps/websites (only the ones I really, really love), but some of them are still worth mentioning!
This month, check out:
RueBaRue
There are SO many apps and websites out there that can help you plan your travels. I know this, because I get contacted about a new one just about every day. So, in order for one to earn a spot in this monthly round-up, it has to stand out in some way.
RueBaRue is a travel site that I've worked with before (I've written girls' getaway guides for London and New York for them), and they recently launched a free iPhone app that's basically a mini version of their site. The app focuses on major cities around the world that are tourist hot-spots (like London, Paris, New York, Barcelona, etc.), and gives users the option of building sightseeing itineraries, along with discovering cool things to see and do.
While the app doesn't cover everywhere you would want to go, I DO like that it gives you lots of options for building itineraries based on your interests. You can start with pre-made itineraries that the app will suggest for you, or you can build something from scratch. Itineraries are organized by location, recommended visiting times, distance between sights, etc. – meaning it takes a lot of the guesswork out of being a tourist in a huge city that you know nothing about.
I know how daunting it can be to visit a city like London or New York for the first time – there's SO much to see and do that it often becomes overwhelming. So being able to get suggested itineraries with all the details already figured out is something that I think would be useful for a lot of travelers.
Check out and download the RueBaRue app here.
Top Instagram shots from this month
Instagram is one of my favorite social networks. I mean, who doesn’t love pretty photos?? If you aren’t following already, follow me on Instagram @dangerousbiz!
Here are some of my most-liked photos from the last month or so:
Today I'm dreaming of the stunning lakes (and cool clouds) of New Zealand. Since 2005, I've been going to New Zealand every 3 years. Next year (2017) will be my next “NZ year,” and it can't come fast enough! Is there any country you find yourself returning to again and again?
Inspiration Point at Bryce Canyon National Park has definitely been aptly-named – talk about breath-taking! It's amazing to think that these beautiful and uniform rock formations have been carved and shaped by wind and water. Mother Nature is so incredible. #findyourpark #brycecanyon
A photo posted by Amanda (@dangerousbiz) on
Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park is one of the most popular sunrise spots in Moab – maybe even in Utah! I decided I didn't really want to deal with crowds of photographers that early in the day, though. And you know what? Mesa Arch is still pretty damn impressive at 10:30am, too!
Upper Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona can get very crowded. It's not cheap to visit. And if you hit it on a windy day, you're guaranteed to get covered in dust. But, if you get the timing just right and the sun decides to shine, these brilliant light beams appear in the narrow slot canyon. And then it's all worth it. This is a magical place! ?
A photo posted by Amanda (@dangerousbiz) on
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!
Featured bloggers of the month
Check out this month’s Featured Blogs:
Interested in being a featured blog next month?
Go here to learn more!
You should pack this
Each month, I’ll feature one or two of my packing must-haves. This month, I’m recommending:
Origami Unicorn TUO
If you've read any of my packing posts, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of being organized when I travel. For example, I love packing cubes and other things that make finding the clothes I want easier. And I think I have a new favorite tool for packing those annoying little items like socks and underwear.
Enter the Origami Unicorn TUO bag.
Not only does this folding organizer have a cool name, but it's also really practical. It has three main zippered mesh pockets, two of which have smaller elasticized pockets inside that are perfect for socks or folded underwear. The whole thing folds up into a relatively flat shape, and has straps that make it easy to hang up in a hotel closet or cruise ship cabin.
Anything that saves me digging around in a suitcase for a pair of socks or a bra gets a huge thumbs up from me.
And, as a bonus, you also get a small draw-string laundry bag with your TUO.
I'm already plotting how to take advantage of this bag for my trip to Africa – there's plenty of room to pack everything I'll need for a week or two (and then of course I can wash things along the way).
Learn more about this cool packing organizer here.
FlipSlips
Before I began having problems with the arches of my feet, I used to be quite obsessed with shoes – and especially flats. I don't wear them as much as I used to, but I'm still always on the lookout for great travel flats. I got a sample of FlipSlips recently, and I have to say that I really love them!
You can get these flats in a variety of bright, saturated colors, and they come with a cute feature of an interchangeable ankle strap. They're slightly padded on the inside, and the shoes are made from a neoprene that I LOVE – you don't have to worry about scuffs, and it means the shoes can be squished into any corner of any bag without becoming misshapen.
FlipSlips are technically still in Kickstarter mode right now, although the campaign has already reached its funding goal. The shoes will retail for $79, but you can still get some via Kickstarter for less than that! Check out the campaign here.
I have these shoes in black, and am already planning to get them in green, too!
What I’m planning right now
Because my blog runs a little bit behind of what I’m currently doing, I figured I would use this monthly update to let you know what I’m up to, and what adventures are coming up next! (You can also find more detailed info in my monthly newsletter.)
Coming up:
- AFRICA! My big trips to Africa is now less than two weeks away! After a quick stopover in London, my dad and I are flying down to Cape Town for a 2-week tour around South Africa and Victoria Falls with Style Hi Club. We'll be cage diving with great white sharks, exploring Cape Town, tasting wine, riding the Blue Train, going on safari in Kruger, and flying high over Victoria Falls. After my dad goes home, I'll head back to Cape Town and join up with an overland trip through Namibia and Botswana with Acacia Africa. I can't WAIT for this adventure!
Which part of my Africa trip are you most excited to read more about?
That’s it for this month’s edition of “Stuff You Should Know About!” Which section was your favorite this month?
*Note: There are some affiliate links in this post. If you buy through one of the links, you won’t be charged any extra, but I’ll earn a little bit to put towards running this site! This post was also partially brought to you through paid partnerships with RueBaRue and Origami Unicorn. But don't worry – I personally vet everything that I recommend to you in these posts!
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