The holidays are a great time to travel, and with Christmas and New Year’s coming up, there’s no better time to start planning your trip. If you’re looking for tips on how to make the most of your travel experience, you’re in the right place. Here are six tips to help you have a great time while traveling abroad.

Do Your Research

One of the first things you should do before traveling abroad for the upcoming holidays would be to research the place you plan on visiting. Before you go anywhere, it’s important to do some research on the area you’ll be visiting. Knowing what to expect can help make your trip more enjoyable and less stressful.

One of the most important things to research would be the available modes of transport; for example, if there are neighboring islands or cities, you can search for the best ferry routes and take a ferry to them, or would you need to fly? Another essential factor to research would be the levels of crime in the city you are planning on visiting.

Plan Ahead

Another helpful tip is to plan ahead as much as possible. Many first-time travelers aren’t aware of this, but the amount of planning you do before going on a vacation will determine how pleasant the experience is. It might sound counterintuitive since planning is boring, but it will help improve traveling experience.

This means figuring out where you want to go and what you want to see and making arrangements for transportation and accommodations well in advance. For example, if you want to visit a popular city within a country, finding accommodation three days before you plan on departing might not be good enough since it could be a very busy season and hotels might be full.

Pack Light

Another important tip for traveling abroad these holidays would be to pack as light as possible. One thing that can hamper a vacation is lugging heavy luggage everywhere you go. So, try to pack light – only take the essentials with you!

This, of course, depends on how long you will be going for. A general rule of thumb, if it is only a week, would be to use the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 rule. This means that you should only take around five pairs of socks and underwear, four tops (t-shirts or long sleeved), three pairs of pants (shorts or long), two pairs of shoes, and potentially a hat if the destination is hot.

Be Prepared For Anything

The next tip for anyone who wants to travel abroad these holidays would be to be prepared for anything. This might sound like it goes against the previous tip, which is to pack light, but this tip refers to essentials other than clothing.

When traveling abroad, it’s always a good idea to be prepared for anything that might happen – from unexpected weather changes to getting lost in a foreign city. With this in mind, pack all the necessary supplies (such as sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.)

Explore But Be Safe

Finally, the last tip on this list is one of the most important: get out of the hotel and explore. One of the best things about traveling is exploring new places and cultures. So, venture beyond your hotel or tourist spots and immerse yourself in the local environment.

This also involves visiting all of the popular tourist destinations and all of the important cultural heritage sites. Most importantly, try out the local food since it is probably one of the only chances you will get to try the authentic food of the country you will be visiting.

That said, it’s also important to remember that you must be safe whilst travelling in another country. In today’s day and age, it is particularly easy for criminals to spot tourists; unfortunately, tourists make easy targets.

As such, the most important thing you can do when visiting another country would be to be as vigilant as possible and always be aware of what is going on, regardless of your situation.

What is trekking? Have you ever trekked in the Himalayas? Why people are so fond of it? There are many other similar questions that any beginner are keen to know

Trekking in the Himalayas is quite an interesting activity. However, it’s a sophisticated activity and requires sound knowledge and expertise, perhaps the assistance of an expert. Its pertinent that one should keep safety intact while trekking in the Himalayas. A trek becomes an exceptional life-changing experience only when its done safely and involves no mishaps. Otherwise, it becomes a bad memory which we do not want to remember.

Any trek venture has to be safe, and below are the pro-tips on planning a safe trek to the Himalayas.

1. Selection of the Trekking Company: Today every other day, a new trekking company is coming up in our Country without any recognition or registration as there are no laws in our Country which prevent them from conducting the trek. These companies organise treks with large groups and low grade equipment and unqualified professionals to reduce the cost. This is harming the Himalayan ecology and industry a lot. There are laws for registration and recognition from the Government of India – Ministry Of Tourism. They recognise and affiliate if a tour company is an Adventure Tour Operator or not. Only adventure tour operator are allowed to conduct adventure activities in India. These agencies are approved by the ministry based upon the quality of resources whether they have trained resources or not, whether they have quality equipment or not, and whether they follow all safety protocols or not. So go with only registered Adventure Tour Operator with the Government of India, Ministry Of Tourism.

2. Proper Training: Trekking requires stamina and fitness. Individuals should go for proper training before opting for a trek. Your trek is successful if prior training is done for the trek. With proper practice and endurance training, fatigue and anxiety will not trouble you. Also, it is important to note that trekking is 70% mental game and only 30% of it is stamina and fitness. Your character matters as well and there is no alternative to fitness and stamina on a High Altitude Himalayan Trek.

3. Proper planning of logistics Is Very Important: Safe trekking is not safe until you have a proper plan of all the logistics required for such a trek. Camping equipment, trekking gear, food, fuel, safety gear, emergency medicines, etc. On the other hand, you should keep the total weight of logistics in check as that will increase the cost. Loads of experience is required to plan mistake-free logistics for a Himalayan trek. if you book a package tour, your agency does it for you. If you do a DIY trek, you need to do it for yourself. At Himalayan High, we support both. You may book a package trekking tour with us to not get involved with logistics.

4. Small-Group Private Trekking is Favorable: Trekking is a very personal activity and is perhaps one of the very few activities that give you enough time to indulge with yourself or your beloved people, group of special friends, or close family members. It helps you transform personal bonds to the next level as it brings out everyone’s best and truest self. Trekking is most enjoyed when it is done in a small private group, personalized to serve your specific needs. The Himalayas are best experienced when there is silence and solitude around and when you are surrounded only by your best people. Your trek is most enjoyable when all the pain of arranging a smooth trek is taken care of by us, and you focus just on your trek and yourself. Most importantly, a small private trekking group is very flexible, personalized and more enjoyable, is the safest and follows the principles of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.

5. Always Hire A Local Expert Guide: Trekking in the Himalayas goes through dense jungles with wild animals and life-threatening terrain. It’s very important never to venture deep into the Himalayas without a proper guide who is not just very experienced of the route but is also an expert of the sport, its various tips and tricks, safety practices, etc. There have been many incidents in the Himalayan trek where one has lost his path and never to be found again, falling off from a cliff, falling into crevasses, broken bones, etc. So always hire a good guide to accompany you. Also, it is a mandate by many National Parks in India that you must be accompanied by a local licensed guide. Only then do they give the permit to trek in the sanctuary.

6. Always Carry Emergency Medical Kit: High altitude trekking has many risks related to Altitude Mounitain Sickness and can be fatal. You should always carry emergency medicine like Dexamethasone and Nifidipine to be used only on emergency in case of HACE or HAPE. Before using it, proper monitoring is necessary which can be done by measuring the oxygen saturation, pulser rate and blood pressure everyday on a trek. This can be done using lightweight digital equipments.

Looking for a good scare? We picked 13 of the creepiest places we can think of.

St. Louis Cemetery.
From ghost tours to vampire balls, New Orleans goes all-out in October. However, if you’re into designing your own scarefest, visit the grave of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Legend has it that if you knock three times and write three Xs with chalk on her burial stone, she’ll grant you a wish. But be warned, you’ll also need to book a tour to get up close and personal with this grave.

Area 51.
Cue your favorite Sci-Fi show’s theme music. Area 51 is notorious for its high frequency of UFO sightings. While hotel options in the area are paltry , there’s always the option to camp under the stars. Be sure to bring your best tinfoil hat and watch out for those men in black vans.

A vacation rental… with no wifi.
It’s a classic horror story. Boy meets girl. They book a vacation rental in the woods for a week so they can forest bathe, fall in love and work remotely. Everything seems perfect until… they log onto the wifi and can hardly buffer one 30-second video. The horror, the horror. Don’t let this be you. Search for the phrase “wifi” when scanning reviews of hotels and rentals on KAYAK, and see how many couples a shaky connection has destroyed before you book.

Wahiawa Botanical Garden.
Even paradise has its haunts. The Wahiawa Botanical Garden on O’ahu is said to be haunted by the “Green Lady.” Those who’ve spotted her say she has jagged teeth and is covered in green mold and seaweed. Legend has it that if you cross one of the bridges within the garden… you’ll never return. Take a day trip up from Honolulu to see if you can spot her, then tell tales of your spooky close encounter over a Wholly Spirit cocktail at Downtown’s The Pig & The Lady. Be sure to check Hawaii’s quarantine policy before you go. The only thing scarier than the supernatural is being turned away at the airport because you didn’t do your paperwork.

The Stanley Hotel.
Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining after spending just one night here in the early seventies. Although it was the eerie solitude that unsettled him, the hotel is infamous for its many ghosts, including past owners and staff who have been known to help guests unpack their bags from beyond the grave. The hotel even offers nightly ghost tours detailing the history of some of their most famed spirits.

Arizona desert without sunscreen.
Just… ouch. Regrets, we’ve had a few.

Hotel Monte Vista.
We’re happy to find a hotel that embraces its spookiness. The Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff doesn’t shy away from the ghostly occurrences that roam its halls. Over the years, many ghoulish stories (and sightings) have emerged. There’s the Meat Man’s television in Room 220, the dancing couple in the Cocktail Lounge and the woman in the rocking chair in Room 305. But, some of these ghosts are willing to lend a helping hand — like the Phantom Bellboy. Guests report hearing a knock on their door with a muffled “room service,” only to open their door to an empty hall.

Sleepy Hollow.
We would be remiss not to include this famed town of spooky lore. Home of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, Sleepy Hollow likes to go full-creep in October. You can take a cemetery tour at night, attend storytelling events at the Old Dutch Church and so much more. Walk across the bridge that Washington Irving made famous on your way to the haunted house at Philipsburg Manor. Best of all, Sleepy Hollow is only a 40-minute train ride to NYC.

A time machine set to March 2020.
Literally the one place we would refuse to travel.

Mutter Museum.
There are two types of people: those who get creeped out by tumors in jars and those that don’t. If you fall into the latter category, then a visit to the Mutter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia should be on your October travel list. The museum showcases a collection of medical oddities and boasts exhibitions like the tallest skeleton in North America, castings of siamese twins and the jaw tumor of President Grover Cleveland.

A local brewery that runs out of beer.
Sober up, you really came for the pretzels anyway.

Edgar Allan Poe House.
The writer’s last days in Baltimore were nearly as dark as his tales. Nearly 170 years later, the cause of Poe’s death remains undetermined. Literary lovers and ghost chasers alike can visit his final resting place — and home — in Charm City. Some report seeing Poe’s ghost wandering the Westminster Hall Burying Ground. Either way, we say it’s worth breaking out your copy of “The Telltale Heart” and attending the annual Halloween tour of Poe’s grave.

Bell Witch Cave.
Not far over the Kentucky/Tennessee border is the Bell Witch Cave. Once just the stuff of local legend, this spot was made famous by the indie horror film The Blair Witch Project. It’s said that the cave and cabin on the Bell property are haunted by a witch who murdered the property’s owner, John Bell. Think you can’t be spooked? Take a haunted candlelight tour, if you dare.

A scarf maybe a simple piece of fabric worn around the neck but besides keeping the head warm, protecting one from the sun and other uses, it has now become a style accessory you can’t ignore.

They can be made in a variety of different materials such as wool, linen, silk or cotton, the best part about them is that they can be worn in variety of ways. Scarves and dupattas are probably the easiest way to amp up any look. From wearing them as a bandana to a neck wrap to even turning them into a jacket, there are multiple ways you can style your scarf, making them look new every single time. We share how you can style your scarves in a fun way.

Wear it like a neck wrap

One of the easiest ways to jazz up any outfit, be it traditional or western, is to wear a scarf. Take a square scarf and fold it diagonally. Holding it below your neck, take both the ends back and wrap them around your neck. Tuck the loose ends under the scarf and you’re ready!

Wrap it like a headband

Another easy way to style a scarf is to tie it like a headband. Fold the scarf multiple times sideways to make it into a narrow strip. From underneath your hair, bring the scarf up and tie the two ends together in a bow.

A scarf can replace your chunky necklace

Well, if you like to wear something around your neck when moving out, it’s time to experiment with the scarf as a neck accessory. Just wrap the scarf around your neck and tie a half knot in the middle. Now, take one end, loop it around the corresponding side. Finish it with a knot. Repeat the same on the other side.

Make a jacket out of it

If you have a colourful mirrorwork dupatta, you can turn it into a fun jacket for all your festive nights! Fold the dupatta lengthwise. Then, bring the two ends together and knot them together, to create loops for the arms. Put your arms through them and you’re ready to go!

A bandeau top

Lovely tiny tops, well make your own bandeau top with a silk scarf. Just wrap the scarf around your chest. Tie the two corners into a half knot and pull them against your chest in a firm manner. Now let the ends drape down.