REPOST: 7 secrets of packing a car for holiday travel

People always worry about packing enough for when they travel. This article from Observer-reporter.com shares some simple tips to pack for a road trip.
 

When planning a holiday road trip, finding creative ways to utilize vehicle space is essential. Here are some resourceful tips for making the best use of any vehicle storage capacity. | Image Source: observer-reporter.com

When it comes to packing a vehicle for holiday travel, the guy with the red suit and the white beard is the unquestioned master. For those who don't possess a magic sack with unlimited storage capacity, packing a vehicle for a family holiday trip is a critical logistical skill. Those who master it tend to have holiday adventures that are festive and fun. Those who don't can end up frustrated and frazzled and find themselves on the naughty list.


If a holiday road trip is on your schedule, here are some tips that can help it go smoothly:


Make a list and check it twice


Prior to the trip, make a comprehensive list. Prioritize according to the things you must take and the things that might be nice to have. When packing time comes, you won't forget any essentials and you will have already decided what things you can do without if there isn't enough space.


Plan for safety


Winter travel presents hazards. Although you won't be starting from the North Pole, you still could need items like tire chains and a tow strap, depending on your destination and the areas through which you will travel. Even with limited space, it is always important to have jumper cables, flares, a flashlight, a fully charged cell phone and a car charger. If you have a roadside protection plan included with your car insurance, make sure you have that information readily available. Also, you might want to have a backup service like AAA. If you break down on a holiday or a weekend, sometimes it can be difficult to connect with actual humans when you call those 24-hour emergency numbers.


Find extra space


Almost every vehicle has nooks and crannies that are easy to overlook. Many cars have room under and behind seats. Some have a shelf behind the back window where you can stash a few items, as long as you don't obstruct the rear view. If your vehicle has a spare tire compartment in the bottom or side of the trunk, remove the cover and you will likely find enough extra space for a few small items.


Pack smart


USA Today advises, “Many travel experts … agree that rolling is superior to folding. Tightly rolled clothes take up less space than folded ones. Plus, they're less prone to getting deep wrinkles from fold creases.” Also, remember to fill hollow spaces like those in shoes and boots. Pack them with socks, personal care items, or a rolled up shirt or jacket.


Organize the trunk


Hard-sided luggage offers better protection for fragile items, but it doesn't allow much flexibility in tight spots. Two medium-size bags will likely fit better in the trunk than one large suitcase. In general, put heavier, bulky items on the bottom and toward the front of the cargo area. Keep more fragile items like electronics at the top.


Be casual

Traveling is stressful. Make it easier on yourself by resolve to have a laid-back, relaxed attitude, and leave dresses, suits, hair curlers, dress shoes and blow dryers at home. If you think something needs to be on a hanger, then reconsider taking it. It will save space in the car and help you remember that your focus is on a fun, calm, casual trip.


Take it slow


Travelsense.org notes that winter driving is much more fatiguing than summer, so plan for slower speeds and more rest stops. The human cargo you carry is far more valuable than any of the possessions you've jammed into your vehicle. As Santa has proven for hundreds of years, the key to holiday travel is to arrive safely at your destination.


Follow this Pete Scamardo Facebook page for more helpful insights on traveling.

REPOST: The Growing Use of Social Media in Travel

Social media is already an integral part of people's everyday lives. This article by Bryan Levy of Guardian Liberty Voice talks about social media's role in traveling.
 

Image Source: guardianlv.com

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, pictures of people on vacation are all over social media. Beautiful locations, scenic beaches, and more show up in news feeds with regularity, but this is just one way to use social media when traveling. Beyond just vacationers, the travel industry has also embraced the social media sites. Some sites cater exclusively to travelers, setting up sight-seeing partners or people looking to offset costs by traveling with others, but there is also a dark side to using social media for traveling.

According to the European Travel Commission, almost 20 percent of people consult social media to decide where they want to go on vacation. Not only do they use social media for deciding on location, vacationers are also searching social media sites to see what restaurants or sightseeing destinations their friends have been to. The European Travel Commission also found that Asian users use of social media for travel is almost double that of American or European users.

The sources people are using for research are disparate. Travelers rely on professional online reviews five to eight percent more than they rely on user forums, and that number drops drastically for those who use what their friends might like on Facebook. When it comes to dedicated trip sites like TripAdvisor, people are more likely to trust that information than others. Context becomes an important part of the equation. If a site has a reputation for being knowledgeable about traveling, and its commenters are seen as credible, those sites are trusted the most. Eighty percent of travelers read many reviews, and TripAdvisor is the most respected.

Other sites are closer to the more traditional social media models. These sites do different things to facilitate the travel process. Airbnb allows people to rent out their personal homes to travelers, though users should always be careful. There are increasing reports of people renting through Airbnb who end up squatting in rented places, making life difficult from the rightful owners of a house or apartment for months on end. Some sites connect travelers to one another. These sites allow for users to connect with people already living in the city. They can connect for meals or sightseeing or for a person who knows their way around a city. Users should be aware, though, that some of these people may not be exactly above-board. Jezebel has reported that some of the profile on these kinds of sites may be used for prostitution.

There are other things that individuals are advised to remember when using social media while traveling. While on vacation, holiday makers should never be too open on Facebook or Twitter. There have been police reports of criminals monitoring these social networks to see when people are away and breaking into their homes. While using social media for research could be beneficial, too much openness may lead to other problems.

The world continues to move online, and the travel industry is no different. While people still need to leave their houses to do the actual traveling, it has never been easier to plan a trip from the comfort of one’s own home.


Pete Scamardo is an avid traveler. Follow him on Twitter for more travel tips and trivia.

REPOST: 10 Tech Tips For The Ultimate Outdoor Adventure

Kristin Scheel of Sfist.com shares 10 useful apps for nature-loving travelers in this article below.

Get outside using your smartphone or laptop (Photo by Kristin Scheel). | Image Source: sfist.com

 Earlier this summer, my friend and I started something we call Uber hikes, which is exactly what it sounds like: We drive to a trailhead, walk as far as we like, and then call an Uber back to our car. We felt slightly ashamed the first time, but for less than a minute. And then we enjoyed the complimentary mini bottle of water provided by our driver.

Here are 10 other ways that technology can lead you back to nature.

Transit And Trails

Stop, right now, wherever you are, and download the Transit and Trails app. Plug in your address and find your nearest exit into the wild. Co- Founder Ryan Branciforte says one goal of T&T is to get people to use existing public transportation to get away, not just around. Unfortunately, there are zero trailheads found near my apartment in the Mission, but the Transit feature shows how easy it is to hop a bus to the nearest one. The Trips feature will lead you from the Caltrain station to the top of Mt. Tam!

Tahoe Beaches App

Headed to the Lake? Looking for some shade? Check out the Lake Tahoe Beaches app. Using feature filters, you can search for a beach that is wheelchair accessible, allows barbecues, overnight parking, and dogs, shows you where to rent a kayak or a tube, find nets for your volleyball team, and the nearest place to buy ice. If you haven't been to Tahoe in the summer, what are you waiting for? Summer is all about The Lake.

Take Your Phone Underwater

For anyone who has accidentally laundered their phone or dropped it in the lake while documenting a rowboat picnic date, you might consider one of these waterproof smartphone cases. Not just for accident proofing, the cases will allow you to take crazy underwater videos of yourself while scuba diving.

Weekend Sherpa

Weekend Sherpa is an email list started in 2006, which is so long ago that most of the people I talked to could not remember that far back and how they first learned of it — they just know they get it! Weekend Sherpa sends you weekly posts full of excellent things to do in the outdoors in Northern or Southern California. A typical post, dated July 24 includes a list of Mt. Tam picnic sites, including the West Point Inn, which makes this the third time I’ve heard “West Point Inn” in one week, so either everyone I know is a Weekend Sherpa, or the Weekend Sherpa is just that tuned into the seasonal zeitgeist.

Project NOAH

A great app that doesn't require building an ark or extracting promises from God, Project NOAH lets you share and compare wildlife sightings as you roam the earth. It's a new way of saying, “I tagged my first elk.” Or, oh look, a double rainbow!”

Turn Your Camping Stove Into A Charging Station

When I was married, I went camping exactly one time because my partner did not enjoy being so far from outlets. On the second night, when I found him glumly poking the campfire, after everyone else had fallen asleep, I had to admit that his camping experience would only be improved by a good game of World of Warcraft. We might still be married if only we had had this BioLite CampStove, a campstove that converts wood fire into electricity to charge your portable devices.

Warm Showers

What if at the end of Burning Man you said fuck it and just kept going, Thelma and Louise style. Except on a bike. But maybe you don't want to go it alone. Well, say no more: Warm Showersis a social network for touring cyclists. Register to receive or provide a place to shower, a couch, or a room. If you can't spare the time for a bike tour, no matter, this is a great way to live vicariously through your guests and their travels. 

Reserve Campsites Online

Did you know that you can reserve a campsite on Angel Island, the second largest island in the Bay, which is a state park and historic landmark and accessible only by boat or ferry. The island is supremely quiet at night with uninterrupted views of the city and surrounding islands. Reserve a spot at the state park reservation system, but warning it fills up fast. If you're a hiker and biker, there is an amazing loophole in the campsite reservations system just for you. Last minute space is often available at campgrounds for hikers and bikers. Check out the list here. It's first come, first served and you do actually have to hike or bike — fakers will be easily found out! When they ask you where you came in from, don't say "the parking lot."

Golden Gate Park Field Guide

Stuck in the City? This Academy of Sciences app tell you what the Bison are doing in the Buffalo Paddock, when the California Lilac will be blooming, and the fastest way from the Angling Pools to the lawn bowling greens. Or for more whimsical park experience, try the “adventures” feature, for recommended walks and destinations within the park. The interactive site invites sharing. If you were to notice a raccoon mother defending her den on the trail by the Chain of Lakes, you can upload photos and leave character notes and observations.

Use Your iPhone As A Compass 

Isabel Jagoe, formerly of Traction advertising agency in the Tenderloin and now a certified forest schools teacher in Yorkshire, aka Downton Abbey, England, recommends the basic compass tool installed on every phone for losing yourself in the moors. The iPhone compass, for example, operates using a magnetometer inside the phone and still works when you're off the grid. Within range, the compass grabs location data from the maps app and will note latitude and longitude. Other compass apps include: Orienteering Compass and Smart Compass from Google Play.

For more tips and tricks to make traveling fun and easy, follow this Pete Scamardo Twitter account.

Some places I'd like to visit next year

Image Source: thethrillionaires.com

So, here we are: my first actual blog entry. I’ve been thinking about putting my thoughts and plans for travel on a blog but I haven’t been able to pursue it until now. Let me start then, with a little introduction.

You’ve randomly found Pete Thomas Scamardo’s blog! Hello! Welcome. As I’ve already mentioned, I plan to use this site as an idea dump for my thoughts on travel and my plans for the future. I am also planning to post some articles about travel and adventure from a few other sites and those might be more interesting to some readers.

Image Source: heraldsun.com.au

It’s nice to have something like this to remember all of my adventures by so I thought why not, eh?

I’m thinking that I should complement my introduction with a short list of the places that I’d like to visit next year. As always, I do my research around the end of the year and make a list of places that appeal to me. I recently found this list on switchbacktravel.com. From that, I have become interested in traveling to South Africa, Brazil, and Morocco.

South Africa is at the top of that list for me because right now I am all about seeing and being with wildlife. Brazil comes second because exploring the vast tropical wetland sounds just about the thing I’d like to do to unwind. Finally, Morocco is enticing because of its unique hiking opportunity. So there you have it. What do you guys think?

Image Source: switchbacktravel.com

For more updates about my travel plans, please add me up on Twitter.