July 2008
Monthly Archive
Thu 31 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
Air ,
Food[2] Comments
Gradually shifting your body clock, largely regulated by the liver, by slowing digestion with nuts can help reduce jet lag after a long flight overseas.
Most nuts (and peanuts, which aren’t nuts) slow the digestion of carbohydrates by an average of two hours. For a 2-hour shift ahead, for example, simply eat 8 peanuts prior to eating at your regular mealtimes.
A 3-hour shift ahead requires eating an hour later than you normally would, with a small handful of nuts. For greater time differences or if you’re just bad at math, a short fast will engage your “feed clock”.
“If, for example, you are travelling from the US to Japan, you are forced to adjust to an 11-hour time difference.
“Because the body’s biological clock can only shift a small amount each day, it takes the average person about a week to adjust to the new time zone.
“A period of fasting with no food at all for about 16 hours is enough to engage this new clock.
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Thu 31 Jul 2008
Remove the single carrier restrictions and switch cell phone providers with the services of Unlock to Talk. The company can unlock your cell phone through you computer or at one of their walk-in locations.
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Wed 30 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
Fuel ,
VideoLeave a Comment
Last week I posted on an ABC News story that reported drivers pay a few cents extra per gallon for gas when paying with a credit or debit card. I wanted to know if gas prices go up when you pay with a credit card, so I decided to found out - here’s what I found.
In both instances I was able to fill up the same amount of gas (3.677 gallons) for the same amount of $15. To be fair I went to two other gas stations to verify the results. I tried a similar experiment done by ABC News at a local Exxon station.
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Mon 28 Jul 2008
I’ve often get emails, chats, and comments asking me a variety of travel related questions. “Travel Unravel” is a series where I tried to answer these questions in a quick and concise manner with the help of readers in the comments.
Usha asked in the comments: My luggage was lost and after filing the necessary paperwork, I can’t reach anyone - what should I do?
Without knowing which airline this is or the circumstances of the loss, I can only give you a generic answer, but here’s my best shot. You did the best thing by notifying the airline right away of your loss. The next step is to write a letter and snail mail it since these will get you better responses and more compensation for your loss - which, by the way is $1,500 for international flights and $3,000 if your bags were lost in the United States. Give them, as best you can, a complete inventory and the approximate cost of everything in your suitcase.
I’d also recommend contacting the CEO’s office by telephone, email, and a letter explaining your situation. You can get this information online (here’s American Airlines’) or by doing a quick search of the Consumerist for “[airline CEO]“. No matter what, make sure that you keep calling and writing often until the issue is resolved.
Usha, the airlines are usually very disorganized in their process of returning bags, but despite this 99.995% of all bags lost are returned to their owners within 1 week - and I hope that yours are as well.
Readers, what have you done (or gone through) to get your lost bags - let us know in the comments!
Travel smarter,
foXnoMad
Mon 28 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
Site NewsLeave a Comment
I’ve finally gotten around to making some design changes to foXnoMad that had been on my plate for well over a year. I’ve widened the borders, and increased both the content reading areas and the sidebar. Not to mention adding some color and moving some ads around.
I’d really like to hear from all of you - what do you think of the changes?
What would you keep or do away with?
Leave all of your brutaly honest thoughts by leaving a comment. Thanks!
Fri 25 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
Food[4] Comments
I recently submitted some traveling smarter tips for Darren of Travel Rants, including “eat at the shabbiest looking restaurant you run across, they tend to have the best food.”
I received some responses in the comments from readers who disagreed.
Erica from Blissful Travel responded,
I probably wouldn’t eat at the shabbiest looking restaurant, but I’d much rather go to a place where there are more locals than tourists.
and Diane from In2Town added,
…you would never go to the cheapest eating places. You would speak to the locals and find out the best places to eat and my moto is, try everything while on holiday.
and both Mark H and Jack noted that it won’t be a long walk to find a unique places off the regular tourist path.
All valid and insightful points, but my question to you readers is - do you visit the shabbiest looking restaurants for the best food when you travel? I’d like to hear from you all in the comments - I know that many of you are visiting to vote for the sexiest story contest and this is a perfect time to add your first comment!
[photo by: dbz885]
Thu 24 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
LuggageLeave a Comment
The mega-store Unclaimed Baggage Center, where all of your forever lost bags end up, has some clever insider tips to help you reclaim your luggage before it’s too late.
Ensure that the airlines are able to find you by labeling the outside and inside of your luggage.
Put additional identification inside your bag including a copy of your itinerary. This can help the airlines know whether to send your bags to your travel destination or your home.
Also, no matter what kind of rush you are in never leave the airport without reporting lost luggage.
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Wed 23 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
Car ,
Money ,
Video1 Comment
ABC News is reporting that swiping a credit card at the pump may instantly increase your per gallon cost of fuel by a few cents.
Right now I’m running an expierament at several gas stations and I’ll report my findings next week. I’d first like to ask if you’ve noticed any hidden gasoline charges at the pump?
Tue 22 Jul 2008
Posted by Anil Polat under
LuggageLeave a Comment
Take a quick picture of your suitcase and bags to decrease the amount of time that it will take to recover your bags, in case they are lost.
Face it: your luggage probably looks just like 90% of the luggage out there. Let me guess: it’s black with a few zippered pockets? Snap a few pictures of the bags your toting around before you leave. If they wind up in Tahiti when you’re headed to Taiwan, it’ll be much easier to show the airline clerk a photo rather than trying to explain how it’s big and black with zippers.
Travel blog Vagabondish also has 12 other clever uses for your digital camera including photographing subway maps, using it as a backup light, and to avoid rental car scams. A digital camera is one of the few small travel essentials that will help you consolidate information and lighten your luggage.
[photo by: iheartlinen via: Family Travel]
Tue 22 Jul 2008
Open an online savings account with Washington Mutual (WaMu) and earn more interest than a conventional account. The application process takes about 7 minutes and you only need $1 to begin.
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