Stuff You Should Know About: February 2016
Welcome to “Stuff You Should Know About” – a monthly collection of travel news, tips, photos, and other odds and ends that don’t really fit in anywhere else but that I still really want to share with you.
Random travel news
No more borderless EU?
Due to the refugee crisis currently going on in Europe, countries within the Schengen Zone are considering re-instating passport controls at borders. Greece is especially being targeted, but keep an eye on this story if you plan to travel a lot within Europe in the near future!
Leap Year deals
In honor of Leap Year, quite a few travel/hotel booking sites are offering some cool travel deals on Monday, including 29% off bookings or rooms for just $29. Check out this list for some good ones!
Cool travel app/website of the month
I get a lot of emails every week — sometimes every day — about new travel apps and websites. I don’t write reviews very often about apps/websites (only the ones I really, really love), but some of them are still worth mentioning!
This month, check out:
Walc
As a traveler, I'm pretty used to using map apps in order to find my way around new cities. Google Maps is usually my go-to, but I recently learned about Walc, a new map app which I LOVE the concept of. It works like any other map app – you plug in where you are and where you want to go, and then you're given turn-by-turn directions. But the big difference is that the directions are given not using street names, but rather landmarks. So instead of trying to find the name of a street (which, let's face it, can sometimes be tricky!), you only have to look for a statue or McDonald's on the corner instead.
The app is still pretty new, but I think it's a great idea. (And no, I'm not being paid to write about this – I legit think it's a very handy app!)
Top Instagram shots from this month
Instagram is one of my favorite social networks. I mean, who doesn’t love pretty photos?? If you aren’t following already, follow me on Instagram @dangerousbiz!
Here are some of my most-liked photos from the last month or so:
I went to Spain for the very first time in 2015 (I know, I know, what took me so long??), and this bit of architecture still remains one of my favorites. This is Plaza de Espana, a beautiful (and huge!) circular plaza in Seville that was originally built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. It's simply stunning, and you can't skip it if you're in Andalusia! ??
Niagara Falls from above. Wow, just wow. ? You don't truly understand the size and scope of these waterfalls until you see them from above like this. Taking a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls isn't cheap, but I would argue that it's definitely worth it! Have you ever been in a helicopter?
A photo posted by Amanda (@dangerousbiz) on
Road tripping through the Canadian Rockies is one of the best kinds of road tripping, in my personal opinion. This was the Icefields Parkway in Alberta last September. Amazing!! ?
Tromso, Norway sure is a looker! I'd heard people say they love this city before, and now I get it. Even though it's quite touristy (especially now during Northern Lights season), there's no denying that it's a pretty cool little Arctic city. I mean, look at this view! Have you ever been to Tromso?
A photo posted by Amanda (@dangerousbiz) on
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!
Featured bloggers of the month
Check out this month’s Featured Blogs:
Interested in being a featured blog next month?
Go here to learn more!
You should pack this
Each month, I’ll feature one or two of my packing must-haves. This month, I'm recommending:
A packable day pack
Sometimes, I don't need a full-on backpack or my camera bag for a day trip or activity – but my purse isn't always ideal, either. So I decided recently to pick up a packable day pack by Mansov. This lightweight, water resistant bag is nice and small, and folds up into its own pocket for easy portability. It was perfect on my recent trip to Norway for carrying my camera, wallet, water bottle, and extra pair of gloves during activities like snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
I can highly recommend this little day pack!
>> Buy one here.
What I’m planning right now
Because my blog runs a little bit behind of what I’m currently doing, I figured I would use this monthly update to let you know what I’m up to, and what adventures are coming up next! (You can also find more detailed info in my monthly newsletter.)
Coming up:
- A quick trip down to Puerto Rico for a few days this week (the perfect follow-up to a week in Arctic Norway!).
- Ecuador in mid-March, where I'll be challenging myself to a digital detox for a week (EEK!).
- A trip to the American Southwest with Elliot in mid-April to visit as many national parks in Utah as possible leading up to National Park Week.
- AFRICA in May! My dad and I are going on a tour to South Africa and Victoria Falls with Style Hi Club, and then I’m joining an overland trip through Namibia and Botswana with Acacia Africa.
Which adventure are you most excited to read more about?
*Note: There are some affiliate links in this post. If you buy through one of the links, you won’t be charged any extra, but I’ll earn a little bit to put towards running this site!
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