Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Travelling South? Before Going Into the Water Be Aware of This!
Not so long ago you could enter any pool of water, body soaked in suntan lotion, and no one seemed to care.
You could decide to snorkel the reef and layer your back with the most waterproof screen you could purchase. And again no one minded.
Well the world has clearly changed…and clearly for the better.
Today many properties in Mexico and the Caribbean are clearly stating to tourists that going into the water without a biodegradable sunscreen is an absolute no-no. And for snorkelers and divers the restriction has become even more rigid.
Enter Ron and Sandra Kleier. They had been specializing in making natural sun care biodegradable products for well over a decade under the name Mexitan. Before it became a resort demand they were already perfecting their products for the online market they had developed.
Suddenly, with the maturity of resort brands and tourist regions wanting to protect their pool equipment and the sustainability of diving reefs, they had a product in demand.
The name was changed to Tropical Sands and a Made in America industry was born.
It easily wins over the few competitive products out there. A review of other blogger sites clearly points that out. Why?
It works. Some suggest it works too well. Reports say the 30 and 50 SPF are so good that you may stay completely white, even in the hottest of sun rays. You may have to test this for yourself and use a 15 SPF if you want more tan and less protecton.
It is genuinely waterproof, is easy to apply and is recognized by most countries as a reef friendly sun, and water, protection product.
It is important to read the directions before applying because unlike other sun products you should shake the bottle well first to ensure the active ingredients are properly mixed.
This is not your usual chemically laden binding product that kills reefs and destroys pumping equipment.
The ingredients are as follows: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Deionized Water, Sunflower Oil, Lecithin, Coconut Oil, Glycerine, Xanthan Gum, Green Tea Extract, Jojoba Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A), Shea Butter, Eucalytpus Oil.
Using this product correctly is important. Firstly before going into the water give it the required time to set. Apply a thin coating to your skin. The Zinc and Titanium do not go into your skin. They stay on the surface but unlike Zinc type products of past days which tended to stay white after application for a long time.
It will be a white sheen upon application but because the ingredients have been micronized, the sheen will disappear quickly.
Because it is such a waterproof product it may take a little longer to shower off as you make ready to go out for the evening. But this is proof of its effectiveness and is providing the protection you want and the environment needs.
Since it is a natural product some suggest refrigerating left-over unused bottles to add extra active life to it. It is highly likely that on a vacation daily use will pretty much use up the bulk of the contents. And you will return home sun protected and environmentally responsible.
You can buy the
Tropical Sands products online at
Journeystravelgear.com While you are on the site explore the wide selection of
travel accessories,
protective travel clothing,
PacSafe pickpocket security products and
luggage and bags including the
Lug line,
Victorinox, and
Derek Alexander.
And while unpleasant to think about, these days since the only thing worse than sleeping with bed bugs is bringing them home, it is worth examining the line of
BugZip bedbug prevention options.
Safe Journeys Always
Ron Pradinuk
Labels: General Commentary, Mexico; travel tips, Packing Tips, Travel Products, Travel Tips, Winter Travel
posted by That Travel Guy @
6:20 AM
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Before You Go To Mexico, Read This! It's Important.
It was an advisory from Westjet Airlines that caught my attention. It came out of the blue and when I looked into it I was surprised to find out that some Canadians were being denied bording because of the condition of their passport.
Apparently, Mexican customs and immigration officers have become very stringent in their examination of the passports of those wanting to enter the country, and have denied a handful of Canadians entry because of rips, tears, missing corners or water damage to the cover or inside pages.
As it is the responsibility of the airline to get these passengers back to the originating country immediately, airlines are now doing closer passport examinations upon check-in and denying boarding to those they feel will be later denied entry to Mexico.
Although WestJet officials clearly state Mexico has adopted a tougher approach this year, the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa insists there has been no change in their passport policy relating to what customs and immigration staff are instructed to do relating to the condition of passports.
They underscore that passports in generally good condition, as can be expected under normal use, are no problem.
For travellers, the warning from WestJet presents a dilemma. No one wants to be put in a position of having to renew passports any earlier than their expiry date. Forewarned is forearmed, so as a precaution, check your passports now and make your own assessment about its condition, or go to the airport ahead of time to check with the airline personnel you will be travelling with to Mexico.
At a time when Mexico suffers from too much media attention because of crime coverage in various parts of the country, this is not likely the best time for officials to get over sensitive about a few water marks or crumpled pages.
But for the traveller it is best to be save than sorry and take whatever action you can in advance to avoid disappointment.
I can't think of much worse than one family member being denied boarding because of one passport that may not meet the stringent conditions Mexico appears to be expecting this year.
If you have travel questions contact me at askjourneys@journeystravel.com . I will answer you question and you will see it appear here on tripatlas as well.
Previous questions can also be found in the
question and answer section of
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1217076912 On the Journeys site you will find the best selection of
quality luggage,
travel accessories,
travel security items,
men's and
women's travel clothing along with
trip reviews, and audio from my
recent radio broadcasts.
And we are the home of
Tilley Hats and
socks so check in to find your size and style.
posted by That Travel Guy @
7:38 AM
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
AirMiles Does Aeroplan One Better With Evil Deed!
Just when we began to think Aeroplan was the head of the Evil Empire for announcing they will take away unused points after 7 years, Air Miles comes along to grasp that position by saying they will only allow five years.
And Air Miles cloaked the announcement in another that was supposed to make their members feel better. Members will be able to use points as cash at a number of locations where they earned the points in the first place.
This move will likely keep the companies from fleeing to better pastures, which the one announcement alone may have done,
Now both programs certainly do allow you to use the points for merchandise as well, at point values per purchase that I have always found unfair, but better to use them than lose them.
The bigger issue is about using points for travel. Frequent flyers and large purchasers of product will certainly collect enough for the trips they hope to use. But the ordinary middle income member gets royally stuffed.
They save the points for their version of Trip of A LifeTime. And it has now been snatched away because of the difficulty these people will have in getting to the required point levels to earn this trip. Unless a holiday in their neighbouring province was right up their alley.
The two companies should change their names and remove any references to Air rewards of any kind. At least that allows members and retailers to become a part of them in an honest understanding of what they are not likely to ever receive.
In the meantime Safe Journeys to all no matter how you will now be forced to travel.
And if you travel book with Renaissance/Journeys travel at
http://www.journeystravelgear.com/ and click the book travel icon.
You will find loads of other great travel products on this site as well ranging from
travel accessories, to
luggage, to
travel clothing for men and
women.
Labels: General Commentary, Reward Points
posted by That Travel Guy @
7:15 AM
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Saturday, December 17, 2011
Going to Cuba? You Need to Know This!
Cuba may be one of the more desirable destinations Canadians choose in great numbers every winter, but each season brings questions about its currency, its travel health policy requirements, and other concerns.
I receive questions from people who remember something about new Cuban legislation that states that even Canadians need to prove we have sufficient health coverage when we travel to Cuba. They want to know what that is all about.
And they are also confused about what kind of money we should be taking with us, and where and how we should exchange it to Cuban currency. Finally, there are question about the Cuban departure tax which they are not sure whether or not is covered in the price of the package upfront.
Here are the facts. Just over a year and a half ago Cuba introduced a new policy that requires travellers to present proof they have sufficient health coverage in order to be allowed entry.
At the outset, this caused a tremendous amount of confusion. Cuba did not do a very good job of outlining what it meant by sufficient, and what was the nature of burden of proof the traveller would need to demonstrate.
What this means for Canadians is that we must produce a provincial health card.
This is not to suggest you should not have supplementary travel coverage. It is important when travelling to Cuba as it is to any other destination.
Provincial health coverage does have its limitations. As an example, if it is deemed better to fly a patient home instead of accepting treatment there, only private plans will provide that service.
Most provincial plans will not cover costs upfront, and that may be what is expected by the hospital to which you are transported. This could be the same requirement with some private insurers as well, so it is best to check the fine print before you depart. On www.voyage.gc.ca it is clearly pointed out Cuban authorities will not allow anyone with outstanding medical bills to leave the country.
When purchasing your insurance, be advised that because of the decades-long embargo against Cuba by the United States, Cuba will not recognize a policy issued by a U.S. insurance company.
In terms of money, there are two official currencies used in Cuba. One is the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), which is used by tourists and can be purchased right at the airport upon arrival. This currency has no value outside the country, so arrive at the airport early enough on the day of your departure to change all of these pesos back to Canadian.
Their other currency is the National Peso or MN, which is worth a pittance of the CUC. Heed this warning: Apparently it is a common scam in Cuba for some merchants and others to try to give tourists change in MN instead of CUC.
I am often asked about the use of traveller's cheques in Cuba. Even though you may purchase them from a Canadian financial institution, the reality is that in Manitoba they are all, to my knowledge, processed through U.S. clearing houses.
While credit cards can be used in many establishments, they are not accepted everywhere. And you might as well leave your debit card at home. You will not likely be able to use it anywhere on the island. There are a few ATMs in place but even these are few and far between.
As a final note, I was surprised to find a caution on the website relating to renting automobiles in Cuba. The advisory suggests Canadians should avoid driving in Cuba completely.
Traffic accidents are one of the highest causes of arrest and detention of Canadians. That is because any accident that results in injury or death is automatically treated as a crime from the outset. The onus is on you, the driver, to prove your innocence. This is not easy to do when you don't speak Spanish.
It can take many months for a case to go to trial. In the meantime, your home is in Cuban detention.
Unlike Canada, rentals are all government-controlled. You will not be leaving the country until all outstanding real and perceived debts are satisfied, and from reports, the charges for damage can reach into the thousands of dollars.
Finally, there is a departure tax that must be paid before you leave Cuba. Many do not expect this, believing that charge has been included in the overall price of the vacation package by the tour operator. That is not the case, so hold on to 25 CUC per person. That is the airport tax that will be levied and it can only be paid in CUC currency.
This is truly a most wonderful country to visit, and thousands come back to Canada raving about the experience. The information here is meant to clear the widespread confusion.
If you have travel questions you would like answered, forward them to me @
askjourneys@journeystravel.com I will answer them directly and you will often see that answer publisher here, in the Winnipeg Free Press where I write a weekly column, and on
http://www.tripatlas.com/ where I also publish many of my columns and stories to reach a national audience.
You can listen to my weekly radio show (
The Journeys Travel Show) live at noon CST on
http://www.cjob.comron/ Pradinuk is president of Journeys Travel & Leisure SuperCentre and can be heard Sundays at noon on CJOB.
Travel products,
previous columns,
travel tips, and
travel stories can all be found at
http://www.journeystravelgear.com/
One of the product categories most in demand over the last year because of the world wide publicity regarding the epidemic that hits even the best hotels are
bed bug protection products. We have a selection of luggage protectors you can order on line. There is only one thing worse than having bed bugs in your hotel room bed. That is bringing them back home in your luggage.
Bug Zip protects against that happening.
posted by That Travel Guy @
6:22 AM
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Friday, December 16, 2011
Travel Healthy This Season!
There has a great deal of discussion over the past number of years about healthy travel with concerns raised from the air on board to conditions like deep vein thrombosis. And jet-lag has a significant impact on most people who fly.
Insofar as jet-lag is concerned, in the past, those of us who travelled simply had to live with it all, just hoping for the best. Today we can take steps to at least marginalize some of the effects.
Many will report they often find they get sick after flights, long or short, blaming the quality of the air inflight on the aircraft manufacturers.
The reality is today's aircraft offer better air quality than will be experienced in many homes and offices.
Where the challenge exists, however, is in helping our bodies manage inflight temperatures and bacteria that are brought or left on-board by fellow passengers.
In previous blogs, I have written about the state of the seat trays and washrooms. While clean, they may be decidedly not bacteria-free.
Take a quality disinfectant spray on-board in an acceptable 100 millilitre bottle and use it immediately to clean your tray and armrests. Likewise, wipe the taps and other surfaces in washroom areas before you use them.
Dress in layers to accommodate any temperature variances the airline may throw at you.
While they do try to create average temperature controls to suit the health requirements of most of us who travel, I have been on flights where I have perspired, and others where I have approached near-shiver conditions. With a layered-clothing strategy you can add or subtract garments as required.
It is also wise to wear loose-fitting clothing on long journeys. Not only will this contribute to a more comfortable trip, but tight clothing of any kind can impede proper blood flow which can contribute to the condition in the other part of your question, DVT, or deep-vein thrombosis.
While not exclusive to air travel, DVT is known to occur most frequently on long flights.
It is a condition that happens as a result of blood clots that form in veins. Experts say when this happens, it raises the potential for pulmonary embolisms. It has been referred to as "hospitality-class syndrome" because the seats are not only smaller in these sections, but passengers tend to stay in them too long, perhaps not wanting to disturb others in the row or just from a lack of understanding about how important it is to find ways to increase circulation through exercise of any kind.
We can take actions to alleviate some of the conditions present during flights.
On these long-haul flights, it is especially important to get up often to walk around and stretch. There are also a number of in-seat exercises that can be undertaken. A number of airlines actually suggest some of these on their websites. The website www.videojug.com/film/how-to-do-an-in-flight-fitness-workout has a video demonstration of some of the ones that are easy to do while flying.
Dehydration is another contributor to DVT. Drinking lots of the right liquids will not only help prevent DVT but will help lessen the impact of jet lag as well. Alcoholic beverages are definitely not the right choice if you are serious about doing the right thing for your travel health; nor are caffeinated beverages. The bloating effect of carbonated beverages can also be a problem for many.
Water is the best for you, and while flight attendants do try to walk up and down the aisles as frequently as possible with water, their other duties prevent them from coming by often enough to keep most people hydrated. I buy a large bottle of water, post-security, for almost every flight we take, regardless of duration.
Watch what you eat before boarding as well. It's best to avoid greasy foods in the hours before a flight.
Your choice of shoes is important. With the change in cabin pressure, feet will often swell during flights. Wear comfortable shoes. Slip-on-style footwear can be a great help, and it is worth carrying an extra pair of socks if the temperature in the aircraft gets cooler during your flight.
There are a variety of compression socks available on the market and, if recommended by your physician, they can actually be used as a tax deduction. A few years ago there were only one or two manufacturers who offered these socks designed specifically to help increase circulation. Today they are easy to find at many retail outlets that offer a wide variety of footwear and socks.
There is also now a number of homeopathic tablets that help control the impact of jet lag. One of them is a product called No Jet Lag, www.nojetlag.com/ On the site, you can find a list of links to independent publications that have reviewed the product.
While many of the effects of long-distance travel are physical, there is also an important mental aspect.
In confined spaces that offer few options for normal activity, it is hard to keep the mind occupied for long periods of time. Time does indeed fly faster when you are busy. Take work projects with you and do them for a couple of hours at a stretch. Find the best books you can. Bring your favourite music along, and even though movies are a standard offering on long-distance flights, if you have a portable DVD player, take it with you along with movies you have been waiting to watch for some time.
There are few people who are not impacted negatively by long-distance flights in some way. I hope these suggestions will make this expedition, and others you may take, more satisfying.
If you have other travel questions forward them to me at
askjourneys@journeystravel.com
If you are looking for either the
No Jet Lag or
compression socks or any other travel products to make your trip more enjoyable go to the
Journeys website .
posted by That Travel Guy @
8:00 AM
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Sunday, December 11, 2011
Ease Your Motion Sickness With Trip Ease!
Motion sickness is a condition that affects many people when they fly.
Many are interested in taking any of the drugs that cause that awful drowsiness feeling and wonder if there is anything that they can take or can do to help alleviate the impact that even the slightest turbulence in flight has on me?
There are homeopathic products that help some travellers, if conditionions are not exceptionally bad. If you suffer from motion sickness in flight or anywhere else, you would have to try some of them to see if they work.
A New Zealand product that is readily available at Journeys is called Trip Ease. It is promoted as a product that is natural and safe, with no side-effects or drug interactions. However, I have found some people are even allergic to some ingredients in homeopathic products.
You can check the ingredients on this one at
http://www.tripease.org/
Travellers with similar conditions should also try to select seating that offers the greatest degree of in-flight buffer from turbulence while on the aircraft.
Experts suggest an airplane going through these conditions tends to react in a teeter-totter manner. As the nose of the aircraft goes up and down it is the passenger sitting in seats at the extremities of the plane that will feel the impact of turbulence worst.
The front and back of the aircraft move the greatest amount as the adverse conditions force the nose up and down even as the aircraft stabilizes itself. Apparently the tail-end seats move even more than the front ones during these periods. Therefore, your best place to be is over the wings in the middle of the aircraft.
And to stress again a point I have made in the past, when the crew instruct you do fasten your seatbelts, do so without hesitation.
There have been a number of proven reports of serious injury to those who have chosen to ignore these instructions as turbulence suddenly worsened.
You would like to order
trip ease online at
Journeys along with a wide range of
other travel products for health, security, and comfort on the road.
Labels: General Commentary, travel accessories, Travel Products, Travel Tips
posted by That Travel Guy @
1:23 PM
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Friday, December 2, 2011
Gift Idea 5 No Kidding Kids, BlanKid Buddy is the Best!
Let’s face it. Travelling with children can be difficult at times.
They need to be comfortable en route. They need a place they feel is truly theirs, where they can store their goodies and most precious take along possessions. And whatever they take on-board has to have a look that they are excited about.
Parents can drive themselves crazy figuring out where to find the best options for these seemingly most important childhood objectives.
Look no further. It’s arrived in
Blankid Buddy!
At the Travel Goods Association annual trade show earlier this year it was given the Buzz Award for the new product of the year. Dr. Toy named it the Best Vacation Product as well as Best Pick of the year.
And recently the New York Times Holiday Gift Guide selected it as one of the hottest products of the year and a 'must have' children’s gift.
Those are a lot of accolades. Are they deserved? They are, and here is why.
In the long run the
BlanKid Buddy was invented to make travel more comfortable for everyone in the family . It is an all in one blanket with an inviting and plush animal cover that converts easily into a pillow, fairly large backpack, or a cosy blanket.
Three animal characters were incorporated into the design of
Blankid Buddy. They include
Makema the Monkey,
Pailou the Panda, and
Lula the ladybug.
Your children will go wild over them so you can feed them, dress them, or play with them…all from on bag.
The blankid can fasten into place around the child’s legs with loads of coverage for most 3-8 year olds.
The backpet itself is quite big with built in extra pockets for easy access. Recognizing that children spill things the inventors from Cabeau built in an additional removable water resistant bag.
The travel pillow, which is created from the animal arms, wraps around and attaches easily behind the child’s neck for comfortable head support.
This is a highly functional children’s travel product. If you are searching for the gift for a soon to be travelling family, I don’t think you can do much better than this.
It sells for under $45 and like other
Cabeau products, is well made to last.
You can see the
Blankid Buddy and a wide range of travel products at
http://www.journeystravelgear.com/ .
If you have travel questions or travel comments about traveling with children or any other travel subject contact me at
askjourneys@journeystravel.com
Not only will I answer the question directly, but you will see your question published right here on Tripatlas.
Labels: Family Travel, Travel Products, Travel Tips
posted by That Travel Guy @
9:55 AM
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