What to Pack For an Extended Trip

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In preparing for our around the world trip (covered in detail the blog Nomads in Asia), we had to think long and hard about reducing everything we’ll need to use for about a year to two backpacks. I’ve read a couple of great lists on the subjects of what to pack including and thought that it’d be useful to share ours. Other than cloths, these are the items we’ve started with

Travel list

  • Netbook: After a lot of research, we settled on the Samsung N110, as it had the best (5-8 hours) battery life and video Memory. The machine has worked really well after a $20 2 gig RAM update. The only time when the Atom CPU has not been able to keep up with my regular computer has been video editing. The only criticism is that the screen still pales to a 15inch monitor, which is why I would consider the Acer for future travels, even though it weighs a little more.
  • 2 4gig USB Cards. We will use Firefox and chrome off these USB’s in internet cafes to further secure our data.
  • External hard drive – I’m partial to Western Digital, but had a larger Toshiba lying around at work.
  • 1 DSLR and 1 Point and shoot camera. After breaking 2 Cannons in 2 years, we’ve gone with unconventional with the choice of Olympus models for these devices. We’ve had these cameras for almost 4 months and so far they’ve been great. The Olympus point and shoot had a problem with the original battery, but that has been solved with a replacement.
  • Camcorder – On loan from my sister. Will have some good videos to come
  • Photocopies and photos of all of our important documents (insurance/bank/Visa papers) – I used to scan these in the past, but found that I can get the same quality with a digital photo.
  • Lonely planet on a shoestring + 2 fiction books to read/trade.
  • Swiss army knife.
  • Adapters – I left the convertor at home since most of our electronics didn’t need it and we were able to save about a point.
  • ~10 Cliff/energy bars. Although I’m a pretty adventurous eater, there have been times when hot weather travel has left me with no appetite which is when these come in handy. After they run out, my go-to local equivalent will be vanilla wafers.
  • Bungee cords/Carabineers – don’t know when these will come handy, but I know they will.
  • iPhone – the contract may be cancelled, but hopefully this sucker will still work wonders on wifi
  • Cable Splitter – so we can both listen to an ipod/watch a movie on the same device.
  • Inflatable Travel pillow – Last minute impulse purchase, we’ll see if it’s a keeper.
  • 2 sheets/pillow cases – You can always buy a Sleeping bag liner at REI for 40 bucks, or take an old sheet. I went with the second route.
  • Light summer sleeping bags – We might regret this, but they were cheap, weigh 1 pound each, and can be thrown away after we hit the mountain in Malaysia.
  • Sunscreen/Bug Spray/Dramamine/Moleskin.
  • Shamwow as towels – I’ve hated travel towels in the past so we’ve substituted Shamwow’s which cost account a fifth of the price and seem to actually work better in my test run
  • Extra passport photos for the ongoing visas.
  • A headlamp – way smaller and more practical than flashlights, and good for night and early morning hikes

Expect an update in a few months to see which items we forgot and which ones we’ve thrown away. Check our progress around the world a our blog t Nomads in Asia.

Planning A Vacation To Michigan? Find Free Michigan Travel Guides

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Michigan is one of the most unappreciated vacation spots in the United States. Whenever people think of the state of Michigan, they’ll typically think of Detroit, and while the Tigers and Lions are excellent reasons why you should visit the Great Lakes state, Detroit is only the tip of the iceberg for Michigan. The eleventh biggest state of the union, Michigan has a variety of hotspots, from quaint little villages to huge metropolis towns, to some of the best out-of-doors areas you’ll find just about anywhere in the nation. The fact is, Michigan is one of the main destinations for anybody who enjoys trekking, cycling, camping, marining, fishing or maybe hunting.

You can find information and facts about the best vacation possibilities that Michigan can offer simply by either searching on the Internet and also picking up a handy Michigan travel guide available through the mail or at your local travel agency.

Michigan is located in the northern central United States, and thus, is a popular spot for travelers looking for convenience. Believe it or not, it’s also one of the most popular tourist spots for Canadian residents too since there are nine international crossings, that connect Ontario with Michigan. A majority of Michigan is connected by a number of major American freeways, as well as Amtrak rail service, containing several stops within the state.

For anyone wanting to fly to Michigan, Detroit offers one of the biggest airports in the country the Detroit Metro Wayne Country Airport, which takes care of nearly 31 million travelers per year. In addition to the Detroit Metro, there are actually more than a dozen more commercial airports that dot the Michigan landscape. For more information on transportation options, you should grab the newest Michigan travel guide.

Like most states within the Midwest, the seasons in Michigan are usually distinctly defined. Therefore you will experience warm summers, chilly clean falls, snowy winters and a warmer spring. In addition to being able to go swimming during the summer and cross-country ski in the winter, Michigan is a wonderful place to see the trees turning throughout the fall and see the greens coming back again in the early spring.

Visiting the state in different seasons will provide you with unique tourism opportunities. In the summertime, you may spend time at the Great Lakes with the family, while in the wintertime, a wintry ski resort cabin rental in the woods will certainly allow you to feel like the modern world is a million miles away. Check a Michigan travel guide to learn more.

One of the greatest ways to discover more about a state that you are interested in checking out, like Michigan, is to grab a travel guidebook. While you might prefer a web search, or speaking with your family members about their experiences, there’s no superior way of getting most of the details you will need to make a good, informed decision on where you should visit, where to eat and accommodations than with a travel guidebook.

Assuming you have an interest in traveling to Michigan for pleasure, and want more info about places you need to check out and places to stay while doing so, you can get everything in the most recent Michigan travel guide. To get one, see your nearby travel agency or order online for free home delivery.

4 Tips to Prepare For the Perfect Baby Photo Shoot With Your Compact Digital Camera

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Having a cute little baby at home would without doubt inject a sense of excitement and joy into the lives of everyone that lives there, but remember that the little one would not forever be a baby, and would grow up pretty quickly (and you don’t want to miss it)! Take few steps to immortalize the memories and the joys that you share with your baby while he or she is still a toddler, but how does one accomplish this? By taking dazzling pictures of course!

Capture the best moments of your baby’s initial years (and yours with the little toddler) by getting your compact digital camera ready, but before you start snapping away, there are certain basic tips that you can follow to ensure that you understand the basic art of baby photography, and do not end up with sub-par quality pictures. Let us now look at four of these basic photograph tips that would make your baby’s photo shoot a success:

Tip #1: Ensure that you follow the baby’s schedule – babies would look at their best if you wake them up during naps when you are free, thus ensure that you manage to find a suitable time when the baby is well-rested, and rest assured that your toddler would look his or her best during the session

Tip #2: Make sure that you have the right wardrobe in place for the baby – choose the cutest and nicest outfits for your baby, and make your pictures look a lot better when you take them. Simplicity works as well, so it’s up to you to make your choice on how you want to dress your little one up

Tip #3: The location is exceptionally important – thus take some time to decide on where you want to take the pictures. Outdoor shots are preferable if you want the pictures to look more natural, but ensure that you read up on outdoor photography tips first before you attempt any outdoor shoots. Shots within your home would also work perfectly to preserve memories of your precious baby growing up within your home

Tip #4: Always take your time and be patient during the photo shoot – Ensure that you do not rush through the session, as photo shoots with little toddlers take time, and remember to always remain patient during a shoot

Always ensure that you prepare well before any photo shooting session with your little one, and emerge with brilliantly taken photos that would keep both you and your adorable toddler smiling for years!

Unveiling The Benefits And Power Of Restaurant Logo Designs For Your Food Corner

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France is the place from where the concept of restaurants emerged. Dine-out in restaurants is now the part of our urban routine. Before we proceed to the article, I must tell you the history of this word. As indicated earlier, the roots are closely consociated with France; the name has been taken from a French verb as well that is,” restaurer” which means to restore.

You can find an eatery now at every corner of a city which has emphasized a lot on the need to lay down a brand mark identity for it. Most of the time, the startup business owners don’t bother investing their hard won cash in their restaurant logo designs for they don’t have faith in its credibility.

Therefore, let me inform you about the benefits that this little piece of graphical representation can bring for you and your business.

1- The existing domination of internet has urged every business owner to launch their corporate website which is indeed a very good idea but what if your website doesn’t look professional to the visitors? Obviously, they will leave your website in the next second. Here, this small graphical piece plays its part. If you have a professionally designed brand mark for your eatery then you can utilize it on the website to show how professional you are.

2- What would be the impression on your potential customers if they don’t see a visible logo on the title board of the eatery? After all, there should be a sizable difference between your brand and other common ones. If you will use your corporate brand mark on the title board then even the passersby will notice your brand mark and if it has the ability to attract the viewers then who knows they would decide to dine-out in your eatery any day.

3- I think, every eatery business owner is now offering home delivery service. It may take time for the startups but for those who are in this business for years then they should employ their brand mark identity on the bikes and rider’s t-shirts to get the maximum exposure. If you will print the bran mark on the rider’s t-shirt and motorbike or whatever means of delivery service you are using then it is obvious that he will take your restaurant logo design wherever he goes. You will feel very proud of your eatery when it is even advertised on roads but don’t fret if things are slow as big names and brands are not created overnight. It takes several months and even years to establish your business as a big brand.

So what are you waiting for? Get your brand identity before some other new way of branding jumps in to the market or your competitor gets an edge on you or your business gets lost in the crowd of so many restaurants.

Hence, hopefully you are quite convinced by the obvious power of business brand mark identity whether its for a restaurant or some other line of business.