Travel Notices

Archive for April, 2012

Friday’s Friendly Funny: Lost in translation

Friday’s Friendly Funny by Dave Blazek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at blog.friendlyplanet.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://blog.friendlyplanet.com.

Friday’s Friendly Funny: The shower limbo

Friday’s Friendly Funny by Dave Blazek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at blog.friendlyplanet.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://blog.friendlyplanet.com.

Cuba is the cover story at the Friendly Planet Travel Book Club!

As the cliché goes, tomorrow is only a day away. For us, that means the next meeting of the Friendly Planet Travel Book club is almost upon us. “Last Dance in Havana,” a novel by Eugene Robinson, was chosen for our second book club meeting scheduled for tomorrow night, April 17. We’ll be meeting at 7 p.m. at the Jenkintown Library in Jenkintown, Pa. to chat about all things Cuba.

We’re excited for another book club meeting that is sure to have lively discussion about the fantastic setting and culture that offers itself to the story. We’ll talk about how Cuba has changed since Robinson wrote the book, as well as what to expect if you travel to Cuba.

Expect to meet new, like-minded people; have more than a few laughs; and enjoy the company of fellow travelers and readers. Also, a few attendees have just returned from our People-To-People Cuba programs and are eager to share their experiences!

If you plan on attending, please RVSP to the event on Facebook, or email Liz Hutchins, our book club coordinator, at [email protected]. It’s bound to be a fun-filled evening, and we’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Friday’s Friendly Funny: The language of traveling

Friday’s Friendly Funny by Dave Blazek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at blog.friendlyplanet.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://blog.friendlyplanet.com.

The best place to visit with your tax refund? Cuba!

With the deadline for tax filing just around the corner, a majority of Americans have already submitted their paperwork and are awaiting their refund check. If you are one of these people, then you’re probably already thinking about how to spend this year’s refund. What would I recommend you do with it? Travel, of course!

The choices of destinations are endless, so it might seem difficult to narrow them down. Luckily, ABC News compiled the “5 Places to Spend Your 2012 Tax Refund” which offers some guidance.

One of the five choices listed is our Colors of Cuba tour. I couldn’t agree more that now is the time to explore Cuba‘s beauty and vibrancy, as it’s the first time travelers have been able to visit in over 50 years.

It’s definitely worth the trip!

COLORS OF CUBA: Now’s the time to make your visit!  
Thanks for including us in your story, ABC News!

If I could give one piece of advice to a first-time international traveler, it would be …

I’m often asked what advice I have for travelers who are leaving the country for the first time. While I have lots of advice of my own, like purchasing travel insurance, we also have a network of travelers who have some great knowledge to share.

What better way to tap into our travelers’ expertise than on our Facebook page? So, in an installment of our Mad-Lib Monday series I posed the question: “If I could give one piece of advice to a first-time international traveler, I would tell them _____.”

We got over 40 responses, and I thought there was great practical and thoughtful advice! Here are some of my favorites:

  • “Be friendly to the locals and be respectful … you are a guest after all!”
  • “Pack light!”
  • “Be flexible and don’t sweat the small stuff.”
  • “Keep your passport with you.”
  • “Eat local and try everything.”
  • “Bring an extra charged battery for your camera so that u can take pictures of all the memorable places and things u see along the way :)”
  • “Keep an open mind.”
  • “Take public transportation and find your way off the beaten path.”
  • “Be patient. Pack only what you can carry. Learn ‘thank you’ in every language!”
I can’t resist mentioning a few thoughts of my own for a first-time international traveler: smile, smile, smile. There was absolutely no one, in any culture I’ve ever encountered, that didn’t respond positively to a sincere, friendly smile. And by the way, that smile will keep you in the right frame of mind to relax, ignore small inconveniences, and simply enjoy the adventure of being in a brand new place!

What would you add? Start the conversation here in a comment below, or join the conversation on our Facebook page to add your tips for first-time international travelers.

Friday’s Friendly Funny: The Holy Escalator of Ephesa

Friday’s Friendly Funny by Dave Blazek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at blog.friendlyplanet.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://blog.friendlyplanet.com.

Philadelphia travel trivia: What do you know about the City of Brotherly Love?

Quiz time — How much do you know about the city of Philadelphia? Our offices are located just a stone’s throw away from there, in Jenkintown, Penn., so we spend a lot of time in the City of Brotherly Love.

We like to consider ourselves local experts, and wanted to know if the attendees of The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel show were just as savvy. Friendly Planet Travel blogger, Caitlin, quizzed passersby on famous Philadelphia landmarks, noteworthy Philadelphians, and how many people visit Philadelphia every year.

Think you know the answers? Hit play to find out!

Can you name five famous Philadelphians? Let me know in a comment!

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