New Country, New Food. It’s inevitable, isn’t it?

Well, food is one of those things you will need to try out when travelling or going on a vacation to a new country. You can’t just go to new places and not try out their meals. It feels like a taboo not to. So, how does one locate a good restaurant when travelling?

Most of the time, it can be hard to locate restaurants in a new city because you are unfamiliar with the place. If you’re fortunate, having a tour guide may help you locate one fast.

7 tips for finding a good restaurant while travelling

1.) Plan and book a culinary walking tour

You can start by doing research on the types of restaurants that are available in the country you’re visiting. Research their foods, menu, and price so you will have a bit of knowledge about what to expect.

Reservations could also be made for yourself or your family if you are in a group.

You can also opt-in for a walking tour, where you walk around trying out different restaurants and their meals. It is a good idea as you can decide which restaurant serves the best menu – and also the ones whose price best suits your budget.

Also, you get a good idea of places you should visit and places you shouldn’t.

In all, the tour guide takes you around the area and also gives recommendations on what food you try on the menu and what not to. They also help with the language, especially if you don’t know it.

2.) Read regional publications and food bloggers’ articles

Another way to find restaurants while travelling is by reading articles by local food bloggers. These local bloggers talk about the different foods in their respective countries. They also talk about the best restaurants that you should visit with their locations.

All you need to do is search for a phrase containing the keyword ‘restaurant’ and the country you’re going to on Google. Then try to read different blogs about restaurants in that particular country. Also, while you are at it, you could look at reviews of different restaurants before you visit.

The reviews will tell you a lot about the restaurants, services, and menu. It will help in your decision-making and selection of restaurants that you will visit.

Suppose you are not satisfied with the online information, you can try to look for publications and magazines with food-related content and read about local dishes. You might even get a list of restaurants and locations if you’re lucky.

3.) Ask real people

Recommendation is another effective way to locate restaurants in a new country. Understandably, some locals might not be friendly. However, there are a lot of options to ask from. For example, you can get information about restaurants from your hotel attendants. They’re always ready to help out and give you the best recommendations.

You can even ask other travellers on the plane, in the bus, or talk to your cab driver. They might have one or two recommendations for you.

You might also have friends that have been to the country you are visiting. Or maybe they know someone that has been there before. You can ask them questions about restaurants in the country you’re seeing.

Social media is another tool to get the necessary information about restaurants. You could start by making a post on your social media platform and asking people for their opinion.

You could also type the keyword or use hashtags of what you are looking for on your social platform. If you are lucky, you might see posts of people about restaurants in that particular country or area.

After getting the information you need about different restaurants, you can go on IG and view their pages. This will assist in reducing your alternatives to those that fit within your spending limit.

4.) Look for local restaurants

It’s a vacation, and you are in a new place. It doesn’t make sense to start looking for meals you are used to. Try to look for local restaurants and try out their foods. That’s one main reason you visit to learn and get more exposure. You might also learn new recipes you can try out when you get back home.

Also, you must stick to things you know to go with your locations. For example, you might be visiting a place in India where you don’t expect to find meat steak in such areas. Except maybe you visit more expensive restaurants in India that have that on their menu.

Finally, before you go to this restaurant, try to check if the people patronising them are locals or tourists like you. You’ll have a better understanding of what to anticipate and the kinds of meals that will be offered.

5.) Avoid restaurants in a tourist area

This is another essential tip you should know before travelling to a new place. Food in this area might not be the best, and most of them are pretty expensive as it is an area where most tourists visit.

The best thing to do is to look for restaurants in different parts of the city, especially inside the neighbourhoods. These places tend to be more conducive than tourist-focused restaurants, which might be a bit rowdy and noisy.

This is why you must also conduct proper research before visiting to avoid such places. Most times, the people you ask, like cab drivers, will always refer you to places like this.

6.) Download essential apps

These apps will try to assist you as you navigate around the city. One app you could start with or should have will be Google Maps. This will help you find places easily and help you when you get lost. This might come in handy for you, especially when visiting. It is also essential for you if you plan to drive in a while visiting.

There are also apps, like Nicelocal, that give you updates on discounts for hotels, restaurants, and bars. The primary goal of some of these apps is to give you more information about the area you are visiting. They also provide information about the ideal time to reserve a seat. What is the one appetiser that everyone adores? Are reservations accepted (for a later trip)? All this information you can get from downloading specific apps.

7.) Look for long queues

Restaurants that have long queues outside mean that they have good dishes.

You don’t have to wait in line before having to eat. Especially if it’s a restaurant that serves good meals, you can always come back or, better still, find out why they have long queues. Then look for the best time to return.

You could even go into the restaurant and ask their workers if it’s possible for you to make reservations. If they do, you can make your reservations and return at a later time.

What Not to Eat While on Vacation

There are some things you will need to avoid while on vacation. Food is essential, but it doesn’t mean you should risk your health or neglect other factors because you want to stuff your tummy.

First, as we mentioned earlier, avoid places that attract many tourists. It is a bad idea. Why? Because the price in areas like this might be over the roof and above your budget. Try to look for restaurants inside the city if you want to dine.

Secondly, avoid restaurants that have people at the door. Please do not allow them to force you into their restaurants. It is a trap, and the food might not be good. If it’s a good restaurant, they don’t need to usher people inside or require the services of a doorman.

Again, restaurants that have empty seats should be avoided. It only means one thing, the food is terrible. Try to look for other restaurants that offer better services.

Additionally, watch out for cooked food left to sit at room temperature or warmer, like on a buffet. Such foods can get you sick.

Also, Refrain from consuming fresh salsas and other sauces or condiments produced from uncooked fruits or vegetables.

Finally, be cautious when eating food from street vendors. Follow the same food safety precautions as you would with other foods if you decide to consume street food. For instance, a food is more likely to be safe if you see it come immediately off the grill, cooked, or crazily hot.

Dealing with extreme weather conditions can be challenging. Pack these items for a hassle-free trip to the mountains.

Travelling to the mountains can be an experience of a lifetime. Snow-capped peaks and mesmerising landscapes make hill stations perfect choices as getaways. However, when you plan to trek or explore offbeat places in the mountains, you must carry some essentials. Since shops may not be available at every corner of a trek, women need to pack tight. Here is a list of items that you must carry when planning a journey to the mountains.

Shoes With Grip

Travelling or trekking in the mountains involves a lot of walking. Therefore, women need shoes that offer a good grip. It will prevent your feet from getting cold and allow you to climb swiftly on an elevated path. Puma, Adidas and Wildcraft are some of the brands that make the best trekking shoes for women.

These Shoes also prevent you from slipping. Along with shoes, it is advisable to carry an extra pair of slip-proof footwear in case the other one gets wet.

Woollens

Beyond sweaters, women must have an extra jacket, warmers and a windcheater, depending on temperatures. Trekking and travelling in the hilly terrain can involve braving chilly weather. It could lead to frostbites, shivering, hypothermia etc. You can also carry fancy pullovers to make a style statement, but you must not forget to pack scarves, gloves and extra socks.

Power Bank

You might not find convenient stores or charging points nearby to charge your mobile phone. Hence, it is essential to pack a power bank so that you can instantly plug in your mobile and get going. It comes as a saviour, especially when you decide to trek.

Thermal Water Bottle

Since hill stations lack habitation like plains, it is not easy to find sources for clean water. Hence, women travellers must carry a water bottle because no matter how cold it gets there, your body needs to stay hydrated. On the other hand, a thermal bottle will maintain the temperature of the beverage and keep it from spilling on your clothes or bags.

Menstrual Products

With other hassles of travelling comes the inconvenience of periods. You might get periods while on a trek, or you might need to change a used sanitary pad or tampon. Hence, you must carry your preferred menstrual products. Plan ahead to make sure you have a convenient period. You can also pack a menstrual cup, which can hold menstrual flow up to about 6-8 hours. . However, you might struggle with hygienic surroundings and tap water supply when you need to clean it.

Cash In Hand

The primary issue with travelling in the mountains is accessibility. Unlike metro cities, one might not find small stalls or shacks accepting payment through digital mediums. Also, you might witness connectivity issues or problems with finding ATMs.

Hence, women travellers must carry cash in their wallets. It might not be too much, but a change of $50, $20 and $10 denominations might come in handy.

Sunscreen

Similar to beaches, women need to carry sunscreen while planning a trip to the mountains. At high altitudes, the atmosphere is thin because the amount of air molecules decreases. Hence, UV rays can affect you adversely in the hilly areas compared to what you experience in the plains. Therefore, you must carry sunscreen with a high SPF, between 50 and 70, to protect your skin.

Essential Medicines

If you are someone who gets affected by cold too quickly, you must carry a few medicines. Having a first aid box will help you overcome adverse situations that might arise unexpectedly due to the rocky terrain and extreme weather conditions.

Here are some tips which you can consider when travelling with your toddler for an enjoyable and care-free travel experience.

Travelling with a toddler can be a hectic experience. Cramped airports and stations, busy waiting areas, long delays and taking care of your toddler amidst all this can be very frustrating and spoil your travel experience. From eating, and sleeping to pooping they need precise care and attention.

But through proper planning and prior preparation, you can transform your worst travel experience into a worry-free and enjoyable journey for you and your toddler. Here are a few tips which you can keep in mind when you are travelling with your toddler.

1. When you are taking a flight remember that due to the number of oxygen masks per row, only one lap child is permitted per row. So if you’re travelling with two lap children, the adults will have to split up rows (assuming the rows are 3 people long). This may vary with the specific aeroplane you are flying on, so contact the airline ahead of time.

2. Check with your specific airline regarding birth certificates or vaccine records or any other document as some airlines require a copy or photo of a birth certificate or vaccine records for a lap child in order to fly.

3. If you’re wearing your baby in a carrier, you cannot have the carrier on during take-off or landing. The baby can remain in the carrier for the remainder of the flight.

4. Whenever you are travelling with a toddler always make sure to carry at least two pairs of clothes handy. Never forget that extra outfit since toddlers are constantly coming up with new, inventive ways to ruin their clothes.

5. Never leave home without a snack container since you never know when your child will grow hungry. Snacks are essential to keep kids occupied and happy since they get cranky when they are hungry.

6. For you and your toddler to have a good night’s sleep on an overnight flight, a lightweight scarf is the ideal travel companion. Book overnight trips whenever you can so kids can be weary enough and it will be dark enough to sleep. Use the scarf to hide sunlight or aeroplane light.

7. When you’re planning a trip it’s important to consider their ages and interests when choosing a destination. If your kids are very young, opt for a place that has plenty of kid-friendly activities.

8. Keep some small activities or fun games to keep them entertained as long journeys can become dull and boring for them and they might become grumpy.

We are living in a time where ‘convergence’ is everywhere. Gone are the days when a camera was a camera, a MP3 player was an MP3 player, a phone was a phone….

These days digital cameras are found in a variety of other gadgets – including cell phones. In fact Camera Phones are one of the fastest growing segments of the digital camera market and with the improvements in the quality of what is being offered in some phones (higher megapixels, better lenses, high capacity storage) some believe that they are beginning to win market share away from the low end offerings of many digital camera manufacturers. Our current poll on ‘take anywhere cameras‘ reveals that many of you are using camera phones regularly.

Unfortunately many of the pictures being taken with Camera Phones are poor in quality. This might partially be a result of lower quality cameras – but it is also often a result of poor photographic technique.

Following are 13 tips for Camera Phone owners to help them get the most from their cameras phones:

1. Light Your Subject Well

The better lit your subject is the clearer your image is likely to be. If possible shoot outside or turn on lights when shooting inside. If you’re turning on lights in a room to add extra light to your shot be aware that artificial light impacts the color cast in your shots and you might want to experiment with white balance to fix it (see below).

Some cameras come with a built in flash or light – this can really lift a shot and add clarity to it, even if you’re shooting outside (in a sense it becomes a fill flash). If your camera doesn’t have a flash or light you should avoid shooting into bright lights as you’ll end up with subjects that are silhouetted.

2. Get Close to Your Subject

One of the most common mistakes with camera phone images is that their subject ends up being a tiny, unrecognizable object in the distance. Camera phone images tend to be small due to low resolution (although this is changing) – so fill up your view finder with your subject to save having to zoom in on the subject in editing it later (which decreases quality even more).

Having said this, getting too close on some model camera phones creates distortion and focusing issues (particularly if the camera phone doesn’t have a macro or close focusing mode).

3. Keep Still

As with all digital photography, the more steady your camera phone is when taking your shot the clearer your image will be.

This is especially important in low light situations where the camera will select longer shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light. One trick is to lean your camera phone (or the hand holding it) against a solid object (like a tree, wall, ledge) when taking shots.

Keep in mind that many camera phones also suffer from ‘shutter lag’ (ie the time between when you press the shutter and when the camera takes the shot can be a second or so). This means you need to hold the camera still a little longer to ensure it doesn’t take a shot as you’re lowering it away from the subject.

4. Edit Images Later

Whilst it can be fun to use your camera phone’s inbuilt editing and effects, editing pictures later on your computer produces much better quality images. Take your shots in color at high resolution to keep your options open on how to treat it later.

You can always make it black and white on your computer, but you can’t make it color if you take it in Black and White mode.

5. Don’t Throw Away ‘mistakes’

Remember that on many phones the quality of the screen will not be as good as your computer’s. So if possible hang onto your shots until you can get them on your PC. You might just find that they come alive on a quality monitor. You’ll also find that even ‘mistakes’ and blurred shots can actually be quite usable (in an abstract kind of way)

6. Avoid Using the Digital Zoom

As tempting as it might be to zoom in on your subject when taking your picture (if you have a zoom feature on your camera phone), if the zoom is a ‘digital zoom’ it will decrease the quality of your shot to use it (you’ll end up with a more pixelated shot)..

Plus you can always edit your shot later using photo editing software on your computer.

Of course some camera phones are beginning to hit the market with ‘optical zooms’ – these are fine to use as they don’t enlarge your subject by enlarging pixels.

7. Experiment with White Balance

An increasing number of camera phones come with adjustable white balance which allows you to modify color balance in your images based on shooting conditions. Experiment with this feature to get a good feel for the impact that it has on your shots. I find that it impacts different camera phones differently. Read your manual to find out how it works on your phone.

8. Take loads of Shots and Experiment

The beauty of all forms of digital photography (including that of camera phones) is the ability to shoot off many shots quickly and without cost. This means you can experiment with different modes and composition and discard those that you don’t want to keep.

Camera phones are particularly good for experimenting with new angles and perspectives – shoot from down low, up high, close up etc and you’ll end up with interesting and fun shots.

9. Follow Rules of Composition (and then Break them)

Learn some basic composition ‘rules’.  – ie don’t place your subject squarely in the middle of your frame but a third of the way in). Simple tips like this can bring life toyour photos.

But then also remember that the beauty of a camera phone is its ability to break all conventions – some of the best shots around break all the rules. So shoot from the hip, the floor, up high, up close – anything goes.

10. Keep Your Lens Clean

One of the challenges with many camera phones is keeping them maintained and clean. Phones spend a lot of time in pockets, in bags and being used in all manner of weather and conditions. As a result they get dirty and can easily become damaged – fingerprints are a common problem on camera lenses – especially if your phone doesn’t have a lens cover. From time to time clean the lens of your camera using a soft cloth (sunglasses cleaning cloths are great).

11. Observe Camera Phone Etiquette

While there is no formal set of rules for using camera phones – it is worth considering how you use it and what impact it might have upon others. There are many cases of camera phones being abused to take sneaky or voyeuristic photos. Ask permission to photograph strangers, consider restrictions on the use of cameras in places like theaters and concerts etc.

12. Use the highest resolution possible on your camera phone

Some phones allow you to choose what resolution you want to take photos at. It almost goes without saying (but we like to state the bleeding obvious) that the higher your resolution the clearer your shot will be. This is especially true for camera phones which often have sensors of under 1 megapixel in them. Keep in mind however that the higher the resolution the larger the file size of the images you take – this means if you want to send images they can end up taking a long time to send.