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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎02-02-2015

@Lilysmom Oh, so sorry. My memory is worse than I thought! ha! Was so sure it was your brother-in-law who was wanting an app for a trip he was taking to Barcelona, and that @Stray had suggested some.

 

Much, too much, going on in this head of mine; can't keep it all straight! LOL!!! Thanks for correcting me. Heart

 

 

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9 Beauty Tricks to Care for Your Skin on an Airplane

by Lauren Diamond, Internet Travel, Reader’s Digest

 

The arid environment of an airplane can make skin look dry and tired. Try these tips to feel fresh by the time you land!

 

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

The air inside of an airplane is pressurized and recycled, and humidity is incredibly low. This can have negative drying effects on your skin. To counteract dry conditions, start hydrating before you even get to the airport. Try to drink an eight-ounce glass of water before you get on the flight, and continue to guzzle water throughout.

 

Pack facial cleansing clothes in your carry-on

Particularly if you’re on an overnight flight, make sure to cleanse your skin before sleeping. Flying increases your exposure to bacteria on surfaces like the seat, tray tables, and even magazines. Clean off germs and makeup to avoid clogged pores. Don’t use a cleanser with harsh drying ingredients. Instead, if you’re planning on taking a red-eye flight, cleanse your skin with a mild cleansing facial cloth before you fall asleep to avoid acne and other skin reactions. These are the nighttime routines of people with great skin.

 

Pack a travel-size moisturizer

Because airplane conditions have such low humidity, it’s especially important to moisturize after you cleanse. Apply a hydrating moisturizer mid-flight (even if you have oil skin!). Dry air can cause skin to overproduce oil, which often causes acne breakouts. Try keeping your skin moisturized with a product that contains Vitamin E throughout the flight to help solve this problem.

 

Don’t forget sunscreen!

Unfortunately, airplane windows don’t protect against harmful UV rays. While at high altitudes, and especially in the window seat, you’re vulnerable to sun damage. One study found that pilots have up to 25 times the normal rate of skin cancer. Bring a travel-sized sunscreen and make sure to reapply if you’re on a long flight.

 

BYOP (bring your own products)

Bring products that you know won’t irritate your skin. Buy empty, travel-sized containers and decant your favorite items to ensure your skin is happy no matter where in the world you are.

 

Mist with hydrating spray

Besides moisturizer, hydrating spray is another great way to keep your skin moisturized on long trips. Try packing a travel-sized Evian spray or rose water spray to mist your skin throughout the flight.

 

Avoid touching your face

The average person touches their face about 18 times an hour. Given the amount of bacteria that live on the surfaces of planes, make sure not to touch your face unless you have freshly cleansed hands. Bring hand sanitizer and keep your hands away from your face to protect your complexion (and safeguard your immunity).

 

Eat well

It can be tempting to succumb to unhealthy food at the airport—it’s quick and easy. But foods high in fat and sodium can be dehydrating to your body and cause inflammation of the skin. Try packing high-nutrient foods, such as apples, plums, and raisins, which have properties known to combat radiation exposure and are low in salt and fat. These are some of the healthiest fruits you can eat.

 

Don’t forget hand cream and lip balm

Your face isn’t the only thing that needs extra attention on a long flight. Make sure to pack a moisturizing hand cream, as well as a lip balm, to avoid uncomfortable cracked skin.

 

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@Lainie T wrote:

@Thanks @World Traveler, @proudlyfromNJ, @Alter Ego (& anyone else I may have missed) for replying to my question. Yes, I've pretty much decided to go with one of the "big names" in the vacation rental bisiness & have even made note of a couple of solid possibilities I've found in Venice & Florence. I guess research & reading the reviews is the best thing. Since I've been to all of the cities several times, I'm somewhat familiar with the areas in which we'd like to rent & would feel safe in letting the girls walk around by themselves -- I hope we're as happy with my choices as we've been with our hotel choices on previous trips (fingers crossed).

 

Vacation rentals definitely seem like a good way to go when you're looking for lodging for a group larger than 2 or 3. Even a family room wouldn't do for a group of this size -- & extra bathrooms are a real plus!

 

Thanks again for your replies! Happy travels!

Lainie


@Lainie T

 

We've rented homes several times in both Italy and Ireland. Once we decided on a location, I contacted local realtors.  I did have a few leads from relatives in Ireland, but in all honesty, could have done it without them.  Initially I scoured AirBnB and didn't really see what I was looking for. 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 508
Registered: ‎10-15-2011

 


 

There is a place in Nairobi, Kenya, called the Carnivore. Google it. I'm not much of a meat eater any more, but if you would like something different, it has all kinds of meat. There was crocodile, giraffe, ostrich, etc. They have a big pit in the middle of the room with lots of skewers of meat being cooked over an open fire.

 

Maybe six or seven men will bring these huge skewers of different meat to your table from which to choose, and they carve it right onto your plate. Quite an experience to go see, even if you don't want to eat there. I don't recall what all I tried, but they had around ten different sauces you could use with the meats.

 

 

Colinka says:

 

I have a daughter who lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, and when I visited her a year ago, we went to a similar restaurant there called "Carnivore."  (Must be part of a chain!) It was just as you described. I got to try zebra, impala, crocodile, kudu, boar.  The impala was the best. What an experience!

I would definitely go back to South Africa again.  Loved the Capetown area. The view from Table Mountain was spectacular.

 

 

I love this thread, by the way!

 

.


 

 

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@Colinka Oh, so glad you got to try Carnivore. It's quite an experience, isn't it? 

 

Do you get to see your daughter in South Africa often? Any other place in Africa you have seen? I absolutely LOVE Africa and the people there. We have several posters on this thread that love going to that continent.

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Registered: ‎02-02-2015

Just received the March issue of Reader's Digest and loved an article titled Talk to Strangers. Actually, it is "Advice for improving any vacation: Go it alone, leave your phone at home, and Talk to Strangers." I hope you get a chance to read it.

 

What I wanted to make sure to share with you was the first paragraph of the article written by Kio Stark from The New York Times:

 

"I love to travel alone for one reason: the strangers. I talk to people who live in the places I go, travelers, anyone with a story, anyone who may turn my path a different way from what I had planned. These encounters cement my memories of a place, and my relationship to it."

 

That is EXACTLY how I feel! The writer then goes on to tell about an overnight train ride and how that opportunity to talk with a stranger (which was done reluctantly) made for a great travel change.

 

The author briefly touches on five areas:

 

1. Don't ignore your fellow tourists

2. Ditch your phone

3. Let strangers make all your plans

4. Use a paper map, or none at all

5. Most important: Listen

 

An enjoyable read. Smiley Happy

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Registered: ‎02-02-2015

The March issue of the Reader's Digest has a section called News from the World of Medicine, by Smantha Rideout. One of the little tidbits in this section was as follows:

 

An Easy Jet Lag Weapon

Sleeping pills, light-regulating apps, herbal remedies--there's enough jet lag advice to fill a 747. But one of the easiest tricks is to regulate your mealtimes. In a recent study of airline crew members on long flights, researchers found that travelers who eat at normal mealtimes in their destination time zone (as opposed to eating whenever they want) will likely experience fewer symptoms of jet lag--such as fatigue, moodiness, and brain fog. Fortunately, many airlines serve onboard meals according to the time at their final stop. Of course, that means you've got to eat when, as well as what, they serve you.

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 508
Registered: ‎10-15-2011

@World Traveler wrote:

@Colinka Oh, so glad you got to try Carnivore. It's quite an experience, isn't it? 

 

Do you get to see your daughter in South Africa often? Any other place in Africa you have seen? I absolutely LOVE Africa and the people there. We have several posters on this thread that love going to that continent.


Actually, she and her boyfriend are coming to the US in a few weeks. They will hit LA, Las Vegas, SFO, and here in Idaho where I live. If things continue as they seem to be, she may be spending many more years in South Africa. (Her BF is Afrikaan.) So, I may be traveling there again.....

I have been all over Europe, too. Love Ireland and Austria and want to go back. Unfortunately, my husband won't fly, so I have to find other ways to get my travel fix. Went to Ireland with a group of female cousins a few years ago, and we had the time of our lives!

I enjoy reading about all the adventures other posters have had. This is a great topic and I agree that you should have your own forum!

I haven't read all of the posts in this expansive topic, so I don't know if this has been mentioned already: Rick Steves' website has a great amount of useful travel information and hints.

Thanks for the reply. I loved South Africa, but didn't get to go anywhere else on the continent.  Met an Australian couple in Capetown who had taken a train and Jeep trip from the northern tip of Africa down to the bottom. It was quite an adventure, and they loved it!

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Posts: 12,169
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@Colinka You've been to Ireland? Oh, boy! There are quite a few of us who love that place. I was there last summer (June/July) and posted most days. @JudyL  was there in August/September this past year and also posted of her adventures. From the responses I got from our posters while I was over there, it is a favorite place to go for many on this thread. They were full of suggestions of where I should be sure to go while over there.

 

Rick Steves comes up every once in a while. He is a great source of information. While in Ireland, I saw a sign on a building that mentioned Rick Steves recommends it as a B&B. And, typical of him, it was right smack dab in the middle of all kinds of activity and definitely is a great place to stay if you want to be able to walk to a lot of attractions. Think that was in Cobh. I also got his DVD on Ireland.

 

 


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Re: Travel Chat

[ Edited ]

@gacat123 Did you get your Lug Lunch Tote/Scooter yet? Mine is still in Buffalo. I was supposed to have it no later than today, a holiday. Smiley Sad

 

And my Lug Kickflip2, which I ordered on 2/16, is still in processing. 

 

Oh, well, didn't need to have either of them ASAP, but you know how it is....once you order something, you want it immediately! ha! As long as they get here by this summer, before I go back to Europe.