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College students under 21 can begin planning their semester abroad trips based on the drinking ages around the world. While outside of the United States, the minimum drinking age is almost universally 18, there are some exceptions you need to be aware of.

Age 20 Minimum

• Japan
• Iceland

Age 19 Minimum

• Canada
• South Korea

Granted, it may still be possible to get a drink since these minimums aren’t as strictly enforced abroad as they are in the US.  But just in case here are some countries with lower (or no) minimums.

Age 16 Minimum

• Germany
• Italy
• Netherlands
• China
• Thailand

The list of countries with no minimum at all include Azerbaijan, Poland, and Portugal. In both Poland and Portugal there is no drinking age minimum but you’ve still got to be 18 to purchase.

[photo by: Chris Breeze]

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Upon Taylor Davidson’s suggestion, I made my way across the street from the Red Fort to one of Delhi’s oldest markets, Chandni Chowk. Below are some of my pictures from the market and a video to give you a better description of the area.

The entire area is crowded, although the merchants were tamer than I expected, except for two overzealous sari shop owners. You can find clothing, jewelery, food, and spices along the main strip and tight side alleys of Chandni Chowk.

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A little over a week ago I gave you a description of the 5 major culprits that cause travelers’ constipation when you leave home to travel.

Don’t worry if you can’t potty either, 77% of travelers have occasional digestive discomfort - but with good planning you can be like our cat friend in the photo and mark your territory anywhere.

Begin By Planning Ahead

Spend 2-3 days before your trip to get your entire digestive system, from your brain to your butt ready to travel.

• Shift Your Mealtimes a Bit - Try to adjust to the mealtimes of a new time zone, or business trip schedule by eating when you will eating. You can also use peanuts to shift your body clock by a few hours.
• Eat More Fiber - Load up on these foods with the highest fiber per serving. The list includes avocados, raspberries, and brown rice.
• RELAX, RELAX, RELAX! - Your state of mind has a big impact on your digestive system and stress makes it more sensitive. SO RELAX!

While In Transit

• Drink Plenty of Water - Add an extra glass per alcoholic or caffeinated drink.

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In season and on sale, you can buy Medjool dates by the pound at Oh Nuts! The Medjool dates send by Oh Nuts! are carefully sorted and only the highest quality are shipped and only 5% make the grade. Medjool dates also make a particularly good gift this time of year as many Muslims around the world us them to break their daily Ramadan fast.

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The Red Fort in Delhi was one high on my list of travel plans for Delhi and it was where I ended up first. The busy tourist attraction is especially interesting if archeology and history are your fancy. The fort is located in a busy part of town and the parking restrictions mean you’ll have a short minute past eager street merchants to get to the entrance if arriving by car or taxi.

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Yesterday marked the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. For the next 30 days many Muslims across the world will be fasting - abstaining from drinking, eating, and smoking during the daylight hours.

How Ramadan will affect your travels in Muslim countries varies across the Islamic world, within these countries, and even among the populations themselves.

When Is Ramadan?

Ramadan follows the lunar calendar and moves back approximately 11 days every (solar) year. In 2008 the dates are from September 1 through September 30.

Should I Cancel My Travel Plans?

No - but you need to be aware of the local laws and respect the regional customs. Most Muslim countries, including 28 in Africa, accept that foreigners won’t be fasting and many major hotels will continue to serve food. Keep in mind that in some countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar it is illegal to eat, drink, or smoke in public during Ramadan.

In other places, like Turkey, many restaurants will be open (varies by city), however they might not serve alcohol for the length of Ramadan. Turkey Travel Planner points out that while it is not illegal, it is impolite to eat, drink, and smoke in public or around those fasting.

Always look up the local and national laws regarding Ramadan and check with your embassy (you can find yours with Embassy World.)

What Are The Advantages Of Visiting During Ramadan?

The restaurants may be closed, but many of the tourist sites, museums, and banks across these Muslim nations in Egypt, Indonesia, and elsewhere will be open - with fewer crowds.

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Congratulations to Daryl, whose Bellagio post was closely voted by foXnoMad readers as the Sexiest Summer Story, earning him $250 towards his next trip. I hope that he’ll update us about his trip when he returns. Below are the final poll results.

I would like to thank Luis, Gorryon, Frederika, Erickson, and Daryl for their entertaining entries. Overall I think the contest was a success but there are some things I plan on doing differently for the next contest.

• A more specific topic
• Simplify the rules and voting procedure
• Shortening the submission time

I’ll be posting about the next contest, which will be a photo contest on October 1, 2008 - but first I would like to hear you opinions, suggestions, and criticisms about the Sexiest Summer Story Contest. Please let me know in the comments section of this post:

• Would you prefer shorter (50-100 word) essays, photo, and/or video contests?
• What prizes would entice you to enter?
• How should I determine the winner? (i.e. voting, number of comments, etc.)

foXnoMad has 2 annual ‘big prize’ contests with several smaller ones throughout the year. To keep abreast on the upcoming winter photo contest you can subscribe to my RSS feed or daily email updates.

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My Interview With Jamie James, Author of The Snake Charmer

Mr. James was kind enough to answer a few questions about the book, his travel experience, and living in Indonesia.

Ever Wonder Why You Get Constipated When Traveling?

It turns out there are 5 main culprits that prevent you from taking shits pooping.

My Travel Plans For Delhi, India

Yesterday I asked for your help in planning my trip to Delhi this week and here’s my list to follow.

Calculate International Cab Fares With World Taximeter

Find out how much it will cost you to get from point A to point B via taxi in major international cities around with World Taximeter.

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Find out how much it will cost you to get from point A to point B via taxi in major international cities around with World Taximeter.

The free online service gives you a break down of the price for 15 North American and European cities. A simple query for a fare from the Chrylser Building to Penn Station shows the 3.14km ride to take about 9 minutes and cost $10.28. World Taximeter estimates the cost not only based on the distance, but the average wait time, any peak hour surcharges, and 15% tip.

Although the search helps you by suggesting famous landmarks, the service is a bit shoddy unless you use specific street addresses. Hopefully World Taximeter will expand its list of cities offered (they are currently taking suggestions).

Knowing how the approximate distance and fare for any cab ride when you travel around the world is the best way to avoid getting ripped off.

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It hadn’t been 5 minutes since I cleared customs in Delhi when a young Indian guy asked me if I needed a taxi and lead me to his green and yellow car sitting right outside of the airport. I knew better, but want to see what he was up to. The entire time he was rather talkative, asking questions about where I was from and doing in India - none of which I answered truthfully. Then I asked him how far away the hotel was, “25 kilometers” he replied for 3875 rupees (~$89 dollars).

Of course I didn’t get in, I went over to a prepaid taxi stand, paid 270 rupees ($6.20) for a short 5km trip down the road to my hotel.

I read about such cons at Indian airports before my previous trip to Bangalore, but it’s easy for someone to get taken in the confusing atmosphere outside of the terminal. Fortunately, it’s just as easy to avoid getting ripped off (or worse) with a few simple precautions.

Always Get Your Cab From A Prepaid Taxi Stand - These government-run booths are located toward the exit of the major airports with bold yellow signs. The prices are set by the state and the licensed drivers can be trusted to take you straight to your destination. You will also be provided an official receipt after prepaying.

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