24 January 2013

One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities

So I hear a lot of talk about the negative impacts of travelling, but what if we choose to travel more responsibly? Personally, I believe there is such a thing and our collective choice does make an impact on the world.

Last year the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) organized a campaign called One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities to advocate responsible travelling through many different practices.


Graphic courtesy of 1billiontourists.unwto.org

The campaign actually began in conjunction with the one billionth person crossing the international border in the year 2012. It proves that travelling doesn't need to equate to negative impacts to the society and environment of a certain country, and can in fact bring about beneficial and sustainable opportunities.


Graphic courtesy of 1billiontourists.unwto.org

The supporters of the campaign were even featured on the Thunderclap website.

Graphic courtesy of 1billiontourists.unwto.org

There's even an infographic on the campaign:

Photo courtesy of media.unwto.org

For more info you can check out the official UNWTO website :)


20 January 2013

Wiki and Travelling

Check out some Wiki pages made for travelling :)





This is pretty neat since I can now find a lot of off-the-beaten-path, unwritten rules and advice from a single reliable source.

Wikitravel has been around longer than Wikivoyage so the pages are more packed with information. I'm not sure when Wikivoyage was launched, maybe around 2006, so it needs lots of contributing to.

Can't wait to see how it turns out in a couple of years :)

18 January 2013

Bioluminescent

bio/lu/mi/nes/cent
adjective
the emission of light from living organisms

The closest I can get to this wonder of nature is at Kuala Selangor, where you can watch fireflies while on a quiet boat ride in the night. Sadly, I heard there are less and less of them now because of the development that's been going on :(

Here are some famous spots around the world to see this show of lights, made by none other than mother nature herself <3

Fireflies in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. Photo taken in 2010. Credits to strawberriesbee.blogspot.com

Plankton on Shi Shi Beach, Washington, USA. They can also be found in California too :) Credits to Danny Seidman
Glow worms in Waitomo Caves, New Zealand. Photo source from here

If you think the US is a little too far to see glowing waves, apparently you can find them in Maldives too! 

16 January 2013

Guide Book for Kokopelli's Trail

To be honest, I haven't gotten close to a bicycle since I turned 13. But I do know some hardcore cycling enthusiasts, plus I really like hiking and maps, so I get what Mr Radovan is getting at.

Since his project will be funded in a few hours, I hope this post gets him a few last minute backers! I'd like to see what comes out of this project, regardless if I'll ever have the map in hand.

Check out more of & support Kokopelli's guide book at kickstarter.com :)


15 January 2013

TV Show

I think everyone will agree when I say going through airport security is,
the most boring and tiring activity on earth, 
well, less than fun.

So this is why I want to share a show that gives you a different view of airport securities.

Someone finally decided to dramatize something as bland as airport security!


To Catch a Smuggler airs at 10 pm on Tuesdays in Malaysia, Astro channel 553 (573 for HD).



14 January 2013

How To Tip Around the World


In Malaysia, a lot of cafés and restaurants have something called a 'Service Charge', so we don't really have an active culture of tipping our waiters or waitresses. 

I find this very, very different from some countries I've been to. So advice like this from mint.com helps me a lot.





13 January 2013

Airplane Beauty Regime Part 4!

Click here to read the previous post in this series :)

So my own beauty regime is close to the video tutorial I posted before:

Start off by wiping the face clean with water / toner (best choice) / face spray

With clean hands, apply a thin layer of cream mask. If  there is acne, apply some acne cream / gel and skip the mask on these areas.
 If  using sheet mask, don't throw the extra essence as the mask can be soaked in it again / it can be massaged into the skin.

Start applying hand cream all over the arms and neck, especially dry spots if you have any. Mine are my elbows.

Repeat step 2 throughout the flight, especially when the mask feels like its drying out. Put on your eye mask and catch up on some sleep~

About an hour or half before landing, wipe off the cream mask with water / toner (still best choice) / face spray. Move to step 6.
 If using sheet mask, discard the mask and keep rubbing in the essence. Using (most) sheet masks don't require you to wash off the essence anyway. 

Apply a thin layer of moisturiser on your face 

Some additional products you may use are eye cream / gel, lip balm and acne cream / gel. These are not for moisturising but are for target areas on the face which are more sensitive.

Don't forget to do them all with after washing your hands (hand sanitizer works too) as the airplane is a dirty bacteria infested place.


Hope this helps for all beauty-conscious travellers out there ♥ xo

10 January 2013

Airplane Beauty Regime Part 3!



Products seen here:

1. Sasa Bulgarian Rose Whitening Mask
A sheet mask that is extremely fragrant and leaves your face with a slight glow after use

2. Sasa Rice Bran Antioxidant Mask
Used this during my excruciating long haul, and it made my skin feel really cleansed

3. Palmer's Olive Butter Formula

4. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula
Towards the end of my trip at UK, my legs (shins) got extra dry and started to itch, so I tried several moisturisers for relief. This butter worked like magic. If you ever have the same problem, use this butter formula!

5. L'Occitane Cream Mask
A good alternative if you feel conscious about using sheet masks in a crowded space. This mask glides smoothly and doesn't have an annoying sticky feel. I applied it frequently, especially when it started drying out on my face. I even slept with this mask on.

6. L'Occitane Moisturizing Face Lotion with organic olive tree extracts
A good finish after using the cream mask, though the smell is a little strong and distinct.

For a step-by-step of my Airline Beauty Regime, stay tuned!

07 January 2013

Airplane Beauty Regime Part 2!

Ever since I watched this video, I've been inspired to turn my flight experiences into my very own spa sessions <3

This is such a good idea I don't know why I never thought of it. I barely have time to pamper myself now; having a DIY spa 30,000 feet in the air with 12+ hours alone is a beauty revelation!

Here are some stuff I took onboard the flight to create my own spa session:






Top photo: 
1. ZA Energy Mist with Vitamin B. This is used to wipe the mask off my face. It comes in handy especially when the bathroom (sink) is hard to go to.

2. L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream. This hand cream is sample-sized, which is a life saver  when travelling.

3. Darphin Redness Relief Recovery Cream. This is my everyday moisturiser which I can't live without so it had to come with me.


Bottom photo*: 
Before I explain the products in this photo, let me introduce my very own formula for flight spas, which is
the 2Ms - Mask and Moisturiser

Here's why this formula works:

It's a really practical and effective formula, especially for those who are less fussy and want to have a simple beauty regime onboard their flight

With only face mask and skin moisturiser, be prepared to end your flight with your skin feeling oh-so pampered, so healthy and so moisturized~ 

Also, take note that I brought several masks and moisturisers only because I wanted to try out different products and also to save for the return flights. I may have missed out using a few, which means bringing only one kind of mask and skin moisturiser is perfectly fine. Just remember to bring enough of them!


I will be explaining the products in the second photo in Airplane Beauty Regime Part 3, so stay tuned! ☺xo

06 January 2013

Travel Planning Sites - Part 1

The Internet is my best friend when it comes to planning my travels. These are some sites used on my most recent trip.

Schedule & Activities
www.utrip.com
Thumbs up: The site is very detailed and takes into account all aspects of your travel.
Thumbs down: They only cater for travels in some European countries (booo)




Packing
upl.codeq.info
Thumbs up: Looong and detailed explanation about which items you need / can leave behind.
Thumbs down: May miss out on some personal preferences. (Example: They missed out thermal inner wear for winters below  10°C, which is something I would need)




Finally, some good packing videos for those who have medium to small sized luggage :)




Tip: Your actual best friend to plan travels should be someone who travels the most similar to you. The Internet actually comes second ;)

Stay tuned for part 2!

04 January 2013

Long Airport Transfers

Longest airport transfer experienced: 16 hours in Hong Kong
Most recent long haul: 7 hours in Abu Dhabi :(

I always underestimate the effect of a long haul, especially at night time......

Big mistake. 

These hauls can get you bored, irritated, restless and also worsen your jetlag. So here are some tips* on facing long transits comfortably :)

1. Cash*
When I left UK, I had finished my pound currency and didn't prepare any cash for the flight haul, since I thought I could survive without it. Bad idea! Cash is always essential, even if a little, for emergency cases. 

2. Charged phone or tablet
I emphasize "charged". Otherwise, never board without a charger in your hand luggage.

3. Meals
Plan your meals so that you have breakfast, lunch and dinner on time. Pack food or find out suitable places* to eat at the airport you are heading to. Otherwise you will be stuck for 7 hours surviving on crisps!

4. Cozy spot
This depends a lot on the facilities of the airport. For me, I find multi-faith rooms a blessing. There I can sit, sleep, lie down, eat, drink, basically do anything in private (just remember to keep clean to respect others)

5. Clothing
I sometimes forget how cold it can get when staying long hours in an airport. If you're on a commercial flight and they hand you a free blanket, remember to take with you (most airlines won't mind this)

6. Company
Most important of all, try your best to travel with a friend. Having an actual person to talk to instead of looking through Twitter is always a better choice when travelling <3

*Refers to travellers on a budget, not family holidays or luxury holidays where you usually prepare plenty of money for shopping and dining ;)