Top Travel Destinations
Travelling and photography are two inseparable hobbies. That is because each complements the other. While travelling feeds good subjects for photography, the latter also documents the experiences in the travels. This is why photography enthusiasts should take up traveling in the same manner that people who loves to travel are beginning to explore photography.
If you are someone who enjoys travelling and is very passionate with photography, here are 5 amazing places you definitely need to visit:
Nikko, Japan
Japan holds so many photography-worthy scenes that one as to visit. Nikko is among the most remarkable to see. It is beauty and history harmoniously combined into one. The Shinryo Bridge can prove to be the best start.
The Maldives
If it’s the beaches that you like the most, then the Maldives is the perfect place to be. They long stretch of beautiful white sand beaches with unbelievably clear water. You’ll definitely have your fill of beach pictures in here.
Belize
Have you heard of Belize? Well, this gorgeous country’s mainland boasts of stunning green plains with numerous Mayan ruins and pyramids. On top of that, it has white sand beaches whose waters provide opportunities for underwater photography. The rainforests also house wildlife worth capturing in your lens. This country offers endless picture-perfect scenes. Continue Reading
Thoughts of Home
Working as a flight attendant, travel company representatives, travel writer, and as a sales executive are jobs that are among the most sought out these days. While responsibilities under each job vary, they are all related in the sense that all require extensive travels. A lot of people are seriously looking for jobs that provide them opportunities to travel. This is brought about by the understanding that this type of jobs brings diversity as compared to having an 8-hour job in some office or business establishment. However, jobs that require too much travelling is not all about benefits. Here is a close look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of job with such nature: Advantages
- Experiencing other cultures. Perhaps the most common benefit one can get from jobs that involve travel is the experience of travelling itself. Jobs of this nature allow one to experience first-hand the beauty of a place as well as get a feel of their culture. These things are, even in our advanced society, something difficult to achieve unless one visits the place or leave in it for a period of time.
- Personal growth. Another gain one gets is the opportunity for personal growth. Having gone to different places allows one to learn many things. Thus, making one flexible and able to adapt to many different things. Aside from these, one also has opportunities for promotion within the company. And, even if he desires to leave, his multicultural experiences garnered from his travels enables him to easily land in good jobs with better positions.
International Car Insurance Options
Photo by John Mitchell and reproduced under Creative Commons
For someone who is into travelling a lot, particularly those professionals who travel extensively because of work, having international car insurance is an absolute must. This is particularly handy when you need to rent a car during your stay in the places you visit. This insurance policy will keep you covered as you drive. This is absolutely essential since you would be driving in roads you are less likely familiar with.
International car insurances usually cost higher than regular car insurance and will most likely cover only you as the driver. However, it will all be to your benefit to have yourself covered since you do not know when an accident will occur. Also in some places, your vehicle could be impounded on the spot if a traffic officer pulls you over and found out you do not have it. It is better to be safe than to find yourself in a tight spot.
If you are looking for a good insurance provider to cover your travels, here are some very good companies to check out:
- Esurance. This company is a member of Allstate Insurance Company family. This means that the Esurance has a very stable footing in terms of its financial status; something that is very important for insurance companies. They also offer a 24/7 customer service to assure you that anytime you would need them, they are just a phone call away. Moreover, it provides direct-to-consumer personal car insurance in 42 states and they also partner with other companies in places outside these states. This basically mean that you won’t be having problems in terms of claims should you find yourself in an accident.
- GEICO. This company arranges insurance in more than 200 countries. Moreover, they also have numerous offices abroad. This simply means you won’t be having much difficulties in finding them wherever you may be. Paying your monthly premiums or even make changes in your policies eve when you are overseas will not be a hassle at all. Just like the previous company, they also have remarkable customer support team that is easy to reach.
Along the Road of Many Miles Traveled
We all like traveling, we can’t deny it. Even I myself can’t deny it either. You get to explore new people and experience new cultures. The experiences you can get through traveling do not only stimulate your brain’s curiosity, but also your appreciation of others.
As a photojournalist, I’ve travelled across the globe and been to so many places as far as my horizon can see. With my camera, I give you pictures that cannot be seen in public. Some of those are very sensitive issues such as war or natural disasters. I have provided great info in the form of captured images. Images that make you think, “I never imagined a lot went through this.”
With traveling comes boredom and exhaustion in transit. There are lots of ways to keep yourself busy. In my case, I wanted to learn how to play guitar for those alone-time moments. My fascination with the guitar started when I was in transit. I met a child who plays it and accompanies that melody with a song. From there I observed that even traveling can bring about many types of stress and I consider listening to the sound of strings plucked as peaceful and serene.
In my years of going through the most dangerous of locations, I get to picture the current situations that are happening – from wars and natural disasters to any anomaly that threatens the balance of everything. It is tiring work but the return to me was the sense of fulfillment and achievement which makes all the sacrifices truly worth it.
Getting distracted from the pressures of what I do means a big thing for me. Even the simple things such as reading books or listening to music keep my mind sane and keep my body from failing to function well. It’s a must that I take care of it.
In this line of work, you need to have guts and courage to face people but too much of anything is never good obviously. You don’t need to wait for an ulcer to happen to stop drinking too much soda. Just like I’ve said, too much gut can place your life in jeopardy. You’re a man in a foreign country and you don’t know how things work in there. It’s better to set your limits when on the road. Never act the role of the daredevil. You need to leave the dirty work to the people responsible for the mess, not take it into your own hands.
Capturing life’s captivating moments in the midst of adversity has always been enticing to me. Due to my experiences on the road, I have learned to empathize with others and also learning to see the bigger picture is the one thing that I’ll never forget. The pictures that I took will serve as a reminder that if I feel lonely, sad, depressed and if I feel I’m suffering the worst problem I can think of, think again. There is more to life than what you’re going through right now.
Getting Fit for Travel
Travelling to different and new places would entail people to try out equally different and diverse things and gain wonderful experiences. Asides from experiencing something new and exciting, it is a common thing for travelers to constantly take pictures of themselves with the beautiful and breathtaking scenery.
For this reason, people consciously or even subconsciously desire to look good in every shot. These pictures will be treasured forever and it would be a shame if they did not look their best in the picture.
Reasons to Look and Feel Good when Travelling
People constantly desire to look good and attractive no matter where they go. When travelling, they would like to make a very good first impression as well as to look really good in photographs. However, looking great in pictures is not the only reason to start exercising before a trip. It is also good to start a workout regimen before travelling to keep the body used to constant movement. Travelling entails people to constantly walk around to see new sights and hear new sounds. If the body is not fit enough to do so, a person can easily feel fatigued and eventually ruin the vacation.
Ways to Get in Shape before a Trip
- Eat Right. The first thing people think about when trying to get back in shape before a trip is to abruptly change their eating habits and begin a drastic diet which, in the end can be hazardous to their health. It is essential to get ample food into the body to be able to properly function. A good thing to do is to create a well balanced meal plan and to stick with it. Junk food and cakes should only be an indulgence and should not be eaten regularly.
- Feasible exercises. A lot of people begin to panic when their travel dates are fast approaching. They would spend hours upon hours at the gym just to be able to get that perfect body shape in time for their planned vacation. A body that has not experienced any type of exercise then suddenly thrust into a rigorous and grueling workout will just end up in muscle pains and agony. Take things lightly in the beginning and add new workout techniques along the way, particularly if you are exercising from home on a new piece of exercise equipment.
Getting fabulous and fit in time for a vacation should always be accomplished in a safe manner. In this way, the effects of exercising and eating right will not only last during a trip but for a lifetime.
My Life Is So Exciting But It’s Not The Same For Everybody
The life of a photojournalist is an extraordinarily exciting life. Dangerous as well, but exciting.
I came home recently to spend a little time with my family, and this was brought home to me in spades. A friend of mine, who has been working as a simple newspaper journalist, has been unable to earn a sufficient living doing so. In fact he was struggling to support his family and eventually was forced to find a job. He got a forklift licence and became a forklift driver.
Compared to the life of a forklift driver being a photojournalist is very different. Of course the vast majority of people do simple, ordinary jobs like driving forklifts, for a living. The average man goes to work at 9 a.m., drives his forklift or whatever else he does, comes home and eats dinner.
And yet life for me is so very different. I could be in any part of the world at any one time. I could be in a war zone. I could be covering riots. I could be photographing new military equipment. I could be doing just about anything.
There’s no 9 to 5 for me. Sometimes it’s midnight to midnight, other days I do a couple of hours work and then spend the rest of the day on a plane.
In fact I can’t think of any 2 days that were the same.
Its high adrenaline stuff interspersed with boredom, like when I’m sitting on a plane. One moment trying to sleep in the air and the next I’ve got my flack jacket on, helmet on and I’m trying to stay alive while I take my photos.
I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that my life is so different to everybody else’s. I love what I do and so that’s got to be good. However I also know that I’m in danger a lot of the time and that’s got to be bad.
Sometimes I struggle with this. I know putting myself at risk is a problem for my family because if I were to die or become incapacitated they are the ones who suffer. I also know that spending so much time away from home is also such a burden on my family and I always feel so guilty about it.
But at the end of the day I’m a photojournalist. That’s what I do, that’s what I love and I think that’s what I’ll keep doing. But I do recognize the ups and downs. I love the adrenaline rush, I love the work but I know that there are some serious downsides to what I do.
Maybe some day I’ll take up work as a forklift driver. Hopefully not too soon.
5 Ways to Lose 5kgs Before the Next Vacation
Photo by Jeff Blackler and reproduced under Creative Commons
You have a vacation coming up and you want to have a great-looking body for those new set of clothes and swimwear that you bought. So you’re thinking that you have to lose about five kilograms. While there are diets that claim to get you to shed those unwanted fat in no time, it is better to go slowly, with the proper diet, exercise and scientific methods. Your skin will not sag and your body will adjust better as well. You will develop better eating and exercising behaviors and the effect of shedding that excess weight will be longer, and could turn into a regular habit. However, before you get into any weight loss program, you should first consult with your doctor.
Here are some tips for you to lose about five kilograms in just over two weeks:
- Use a treadmill for 20 minutes a day. Walking gives you a good cardio workout and introduces more oxygen into your system. A good treadmill has a weight loss feature that alternates between slow walking, about 4km/hr for four minutes and fast walking for another four minutes at 6.5km/hr. When you are walking faster your heart rate increases and it will continue to pump blood in the same pace when you start walking slower, getting your body to burn more fat. Another way of working out is through rowing machine. Read more and find out the best rowing machine reviews by clicking here.
- Look into lap band surgery and check with the doctor if it will be applicable to you. Lap band surgery is a semi-permanent method for losing weight. It involves minor surgery to insert a gastric band on your stomach to tighten its opening and limit the amount of food that passes through it, giving you a sense of being satiated. The side effects are few or none at all, and the recovery from the surgery only takes a few hours. There is no need to stay in the hospital overnight. It is also reversible and the doctor can adjust the tightness of the band for an individual’s need. Learn more about lap band surgery by visiting this website.
- Avoid fried foods and alcohol. There are ingredients in beer and alcohol that make you gain weight, especially around your middle. Instead of frying your food, boil, broil or poach them instead. Otherwise eat most of your food raw, meaning the colorful fruits and vegetables. Introduce spices into your food, such as pepper, cinnamon, ginger and cayenne, which are great for improving your metabolism as well as your mood. Oatmeal, egg, melon, cucumber and tomatoe will fill up without too many calories. If you want to drink something, drink green tea instead, which has plenty of anti-oxidants. If you take coffee, do not add sugar. It might taste weird at first but you will get used to it in a short time. Avoid sugary things and junk food, too. This goes for artificial sweeteners as well.
- It is always recommended that you drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Water keeps you hydrated, makes you feel full and cleanses your body. If you need to shed more pounds fast, drink about two liters of water a day, but not every day. Instead of drinking sodas and other artificially-flavored drinks, go for freshly-squeezed juice, which is healthier.
Yoga exercises look quite sedate but it can actually burn about 350 calories in an hour. You tone your body, you ease your mind and lessen your stress with yoga. Seek the help of a yoga instructor so you get the basics right. Even if you are a beginner, there are exercises that can help you shed weight fast without too much effort. You can even do some yoga poses while watching your favorite TV show.
Travel the Globe and Never Be Out of a Job
Photo by Whatsername? and reproduced under Creative Commons
Although many people find it good to work and stay near family and friends, which can make them feel comfortable and secure, they are people that seem restless because they want to see the world, meet new people and experience different cultures. Some professionals, such as teachers, are now exploring the opportunities of traveling abroad and working at the same time. Taking short courses in jobs related to the health care industry, which is in high demand, is a great way to see the world and work at the same time.
Here are some tips:
- If you have a background in education, agriculture or health and you are interested in social work, you can apply as an international aid worker by applying with an international organization such as USAID. You get to travel to different countries and help residents to recover from their dreadful situations.
- If you want a change of scene, you might consider getting an associate degree to become a Medical Records and Health Information Technician. The degree could take two years to complete, but the job is in high demand. On the other hand, qualifying to be a medical assistant takes about one to two years of study. This field is also in high demand.
- Being an ultrasound technologist is a rewarding career. Hospitals usually employ people with this qualification. They can also be employed in physician’s offices and outpatient clinics. Qualifying for this position can take from two years for an associate degree or a full four-year course for a bachelor’s degree. If you already have a background in healthcare, you can get qualified with about a year of study. Training for this type of work is usually given on the job and may take a few to several weeks. Certification is needed to be employed in this job.
- A phlebotomist is a person that is trained to draw a patient’s blood in a clean and safe environment. Many professionals and part time students enroll in this program because it only takes about six weeks to complete the course. The coursework includes about 40 hours of non-technical coursework and another 40 hours of actual training. After completion, a student sits for the certification exam, which is composed of a written exam on theoretical knowledge and a test on proper procedures. The student may also be required to put in 200 hours of clinical training. Visit this website and find out how to become a phlebotomist.
- If you have a bachelor’s degree in psychology but do not want to teach, consider other options. You can find work as a case manager in a mental health agency and assist professionals in formulating treatment plans for their clients, including the monitoring of their progress. You can also help in finding housing and employment for clients after they are discharged. As your experience grows, so does the remuneration.
- As a teacher, you have the necessary patience and sense of caring for people. And with a degree in psychology, it could help you land a job as a human service worker that is usually tasked with providing assistance and care to people suffering with disabilities in their mental development.
- Even with just a high school diploma, you can be a home care assistant, but it would be better to take a short course in a community college and getting certified, which will increase your chances of getting a better job. You can choose to be a companion to an elderly and become a sort of personal assistant, who can do some light housekeeping, grocery shopping, cooking, and organizing your client’s daily schedule. This could be a live-in arrangement or you can have two or three clients that you can assist for a few hours each day.
Photo Journalism Can Be An Extremely Dangerous Profession
Whilst I love my work the risk to my health and safety really worries me. I know there have been a large number of photo journalists who cover wars who have been killed or injured in the line of duty, in other words trying to do their jobs.
Of course it makes complete sense. A war zone is a dangerous place and if you are there, whether as a soldier or a photographer, you’re at risk. Of course I wear a bullet-proof vest and a helmet but that doesn’t always guarantee your safety, in fact another journalist was killed just recently wearing a helmet and a bullet-proof vest.
As well as that I hate guns. It’s just something that I’ve inherited since I was a child when I saw my father shot when out hunting. He wasn’t killed but from that day on I’ve always hated guns and what they do to people. My father still goes hunting but I’ve managed to talk some sense into him about guns and he is now extremely careful about how he treats his hunting rifle, and luckily he keeps it in a very good gun safe, locked away, when my family go to visit.
Of course I don’t have anything to do with guns when I’m out taking photographs in war. Just having people around me shooting makes me nervous. I suppose you’d expect that being in a war zone.
But whilst there is no doubt that there are a wide range of risks to my safety I still have to say that it is one of the most exciting things that I have ever done. The adrenaline rush from taking a fantastic photo ride in the middle of the action is something I just can’t even begin to describe, it’s just something you would have to experience to understand.
I like to get as close to the action as possible because that’s where the great shots are taken. You’re never going to get a great action shot two miles behind the front lines, if you want to get that action shot you have to be right there in the action yourself.
And of course in many wars journalists are a target because the other side doesn’t want any publicity about what is going on. So I know that they will specifically target a journalist if they are able to, and so I try to stay as inconspicuous as possible so I don’t advertise my presence.
But when you’ve got a camera hanging around your neck it’s a little difficult at times to suggest that you’re anything but a journalist. You don’t see many soldiers standing around with a camera around their neck, they normally have a weapon around their neck, so it’s pretty easy to pick me out.
I get on very well with the soldiers that I’ve been working with. I’ve been embedded in a unit and I’ve come to know the men in the unit extremely well over the course of a couple of weeks. I’ve taken some fantastic photos of some of these men in the middle of the action and am very sad to say also taken some photos of some of them after they’ve been killed.
I know that some of my photos will be treasured by the families of these soldiers who have seen some last images of them.
So it’s a wonderful job, but I hate some aspects of it. I hate the guns, I hate the fighting but I love the adrenaline rush and I love being there in the middle of it taking some wonderful photographs.
Why I Always Take Out Travel Insurance
Photo by THOR and reproduced under Creative Commons
These days, more and more people have been inclined to travelling to expound their horizons and experience cultures and traditions different from their own. When travelling however, most people only focus their travel preparations on things such as passport renewal, purchasing of luggage and allotting a budget for the trip. They forget other essential preparations such as travel insurance. People who travel without the proper insurance needed often times think that it would simply be a waste of resources to pay a bit extra for it. You can also find out the seniors travel insurance. Read more about its benefits and the difference between the travel insurance for oldies than standard travel insurance by clicking here.
Travel Insurance Benefits
Travel Insurance should be considered as part of the top 3 of any travelling checklist. Not only will it help in gaining reimbursement for certain losses, it can also serve as a means to provide ample protection in cases of emergencies, like the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses. When travelling to different places, most especially abroad, a person is not likely to fully grasp the country’s daily habits and environment. Due to this, it is possible to get into an accident, which would need some medical attention. Paying for your medical expenses out of pocket can cost an arm and a leg’s worth. However, if you have the necessary travel insurance, your expenses can be reimbursed which will save you a whole lot of money.
- Compensation for baggage losses. Another essential benefit when acquiring travel insurance is that travelers are able to gain compensation for certain personal baggage losses. When travelling, unfortunate things do happen and in some cases, airlines would lose a passenger’s luggage. With travel insurance, these loses are justly compensated.
- Compensation for cancellations. When travelling, no one can fully predict what would happen during the trip, most specially when going to places with constant weather changes or political turmoil. One of the most frustrating things to happen to a traveler is to get their trip cancelled. Most people in this type of situation have already paid for the vacation and would normally be disappointed with their money wasted. However, if the proper travel insurance is purchased, the expenses for cancelled trips or trips that were cut short can be justly compensated.
People who travel should also think of travel insurance as a form of security blanket. There are so many types of policy inclusions in various insurances and make sure that you pay for a policy which would be most beneficial to your travel habits. In this manner, travelling would be made more at ease and secure. Read about travel insurance reviews by visiting this website.
All About The Ups And Downs Of Being A Photo Journalist
I absolutely love the my work as a photo journalist. It’s one of the most exciting and rewarding things that I’ve ever done and I’m extremely happy that I’ve chosen photo journalism as a profession.
It was a long road. Learning photography isn’t easy. Photography is an extremely challenging task, and being one of the better photographers around is difficult because so many people love photography and would love to make a living from it. So the competition is extremely high and it’s extremely hard to get your work noticed. Not only that but as a photojournalist you need to have a very specific skill of taking photographs in high pressure situations.
Many photographers can take great photos when they have a half an hour to set up but taking a great photo when you’ve got a few moments, or even less, is much more challenging.
There are some really wonderful rewards from being a great photo journalist. You get to expose some of the atrocities that are found in war. Some of the things that governments like to cover up you get to uncover. I’ve been particularly pleased that I’ve been able to take some stunning photographs of some very unpleasant situations in wars I’ve covered.
And of course you get to do some serious travelling. Whilst it’s true to say that a lot of the places I travel to are very dangerous they are also extremely interesting places, much more interesting than just taking a holiday in London or New York.
So my profession is an extremely exciting one and I find it very rewarding. However there are some downsides.
I miss my family greatly and my family misses me. Obviously I make my income from being somewhere other than where my family is, and all my travelling poses significant stresses on my family life and relationships. My kids don’t see enough of me and I hugely regret that. It is a very major negative to the work I do.
Another of the downsides is that I don’t really make sufficient money from this. It’s very difficult in my profession to make a lot of money and there’s really very little I can do to increase my earnings. I pay for most of my own equipment, and I’ve been struggling to buy some of the latest equipment, and have needed to take out a small installment loan, from this website, to be able to afford some of the equipment that I now need to be able to compete with some of the best photographers on the planet.
Unfortunately, whilst photography equipment is now extremely good it is also extremely expensive. I have 3 digital cameras and each one cost way over $3000. That’s just my cameras of course, I have a number of telephoto lenses, filters and stacks more equipment. And of course it gets pretty hard to travel with all of that photography gear as well. I needed a small loan each time I bought a new camera.
But then of course everyone has downsides to what they do. I don’t think anyone has a profession where everything is perfect and I suppose that I’m just like everybody else. I need to enjoy the upsides as much as possible whenever I can and I need to work through the downsides as best as I can. In that respect am sure I’m no different from anyone else who might work as an accountant or a lawyer. Nothing is ever perfect.
But I’m extremely pleased that I’ve been able to make a success of photojournalism. It’s an extremely tough profession and one where there is enormous competition from other journalists, and one where you need to be outstandingly good to make an impact. I’m proud that I’ve been sufficiently good at what I do to be successful at it and be able to support myself and my family.
I just have to grit my teeth through the bad things.
Images of The World
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