Archive for December, 2008

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Traveling Tips to Keep You Sleeping

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

While traveling, we often push ourselves to our physical limits, almost to the point of exhaustion and deprive ourselves of sleep. Because of this, we may experience symptoms of sleep deprivation including headaches, indigestion, decreased concentration and ability to focus, and irritability. It is imperative that we give our bodies the rest and relaxation it needs each night.

If you are a frequent flier, here are some tips to keep your sleep cycle on track. Try to get mid-morning flights so you’re not a zombie from not getting sleep the night before. Schedule your flight so that you arrive at your destination in time for a full night’s rest. Do not take red-eye flights unless absolutely necessary. When reserving seats, be sure to choose those that will give you the most legroom, such as an emergency row, or aisle seat. Pack a tote with comfort items such as eye shades, lip balm, bottled water, earplugs, and moisturizer. Plan to wear loose clothing on the flight and dress in layers for warmth and comfort. Start to preset your biological clock five days before your flight. If you are flying east go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. If flying west, try to stay up later and get up later. Once you are seated on your flight, reset your watch to the time zone of your destination. Keep yourself hydrated to counteract the dry cabin atmosphere. When the captain turns off the seatbelt sign take a few jaunts up and down the aisles aid in blood circulation. Do a few stretches to replace and refresh the air in your lungs. Loosen up your clothing to aid in circulation and slip off your shoes. Get comfortable. Eat lightly before and during the flight. Minimize alcoholic beverages. Stay away from caffeinated drinks 4-6 hours before you turn in for the night. Discuss the benefits and possibilities of sleep medication with your doctor before your flight.

Once you check into your hotel, request a room away from noise distractions such as stairways, vending machines, and breakfast rooms. If your room is facing the street, ask for a second floor room. Rooms with eastern and southern exposure in the mornings will leave you more alert in the morning. Being close to the stairs or vending machines almost always means inconsiderate noisy people. Try to acclimate yourself to the time zone you are in and avoid naps. Try to stay awake the entire day so you do not ruin your night’s sleep. Keep the curtains drawn to shield you from the light and noise distractions from outside. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature between 65 and 67 degrees in the afternoon and evening. Go to bed and awaken at the appropriate time for the new time zone. Schedule your outdoor activities at your new destination as soon as possible.

For road travelers, sleep debt can be dangerous to yourself and other drivers as well. If you are planning a road trip, be sure to get plenty of rest the night before. Don’t start out if you’ve had too little sleep or are sleepy when you want to leave. Plan to be refreshed when you depart. Plan your trip according to suggested driving time limits. Don’t plan on driving more than 10 hours per day. Make regular stops every 100 miles or every two hours. Try to avoid taking antihistamines as they can cause drowsiness. Try to drive during the day when you are normally awake and stop when you get tired. It is not a good idea to try to drive straight through. Keep your car temperature cool, turn up the tunes and keep the music selections upbeat. Don’t use cruise control if you can help it. Keep your posture at its optimum while driving. Not doing so will make your back tired. Make a few stops along the way for a drink and a light snack. Don’t get catatonic and focus on one point in front of you. Scan your surroundings and keep your eyes moistened with blinking. Traveling with a companion can help as they can watch for signs of fatigue before an accident or catastrophe ensues.

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Singles Cruises: The Best Place for Singles to Find a Companion

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Since there is a great demand for cruise lines, there is also a rapid increase for single travelers who would want to spend some of their precious time in the cruise. Usually, single travelers are on its peak during Valentine seasons.

During this time, singles cruises will give their customers a special singles prices, exclusive singles activities and other valentine related events. Singles cruises are the best way to complete your single adventures.

It is already been a common knowledge to everyone that many singles get disappointed during the V-day. In addition, most of these people find it hard to go out every year and search for their Valentine’s Day date.

Usually, their reason is that they are too shy or do not have enough time to go out and look for a date. So, for all the singles out there who are on the verge of giving up in looking for a date, it would be better if you just save all your money and join the single cruises.

When you are alone you are a total stranger to everyone on the single cruise, so usually other people who knows what the single cruise is for, would tend to be more comfortable and relaxed even when being surrounded by other strangers. This way, you are allowing yourself to get acquainted with other people and become more flexible and comfortable around them.

Who knows, perhaps while you are busy meeting new friends your future partner is just around the corner or he or she is just in front of you. This can be brought upon by the many activities single cruises offers for their guests.

Single cruising has already become very famous and an inexpensive way to meet new people, and many single people do vacations by themselves since it gives them the choice, privacy and provides them special and thrilling adventures with other people who could potentially be mates or at least great friends.

If you want to enjoy the hot sun, beautiful resorts and the limited rum punch, a Caribbean singles cruise will be a great option for you. But, if you opt to being a hopeless romantic, and want to taste a glass of red wine, with the full moon beckoning you, then a European singles cruise will be better for you. Whatever it is that you want, there will always be a singles cruise that will suit you best.

All you just have to do is make some research about the cruise line that provides the best single special and that will definitely suit your taste and preferences.

Here are extensive tips that can help you decide which to choose:

1.  Travelers who are alone will be charged of a single rate. This is because most cabins are designed for double occupancy, so what most cruises do is just to add for an extra charge to one person in a room. Obviously, you are not paying for a 150 - 200% additional charge, but expect it to be a bit of a pricy.

2.  There are cruises that give up the additional fee during promos but will give you a room with another person. If you do not like your privacy to be invaded or if you do not want to share a room with someone, it will be good if you choose to have an additional price to have a single room only for you.

However, if you are a person that finds it more interesting to be with someone in a room, then you can always grab the promo.

3.  Try to look at the broadsheet or in the internet to know if there are still available single cruises in which you could join. There are instances that a cruise is pre-booked by a singles organization that allows only their members to join the cruise. However, most of these organizations are also allowing non-member singles to join with them, but with a pricier tag than those who are members of the organization.

Though you will be able to join such groups, you will still be traveling as a single. The good thing about joining them is that you would be able to meet other single persons. You do not have to be doubtful when joining such group, since they are just like you – single cruisers, who are in deep search for companionship and love.

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How Collectors Price Their Stamps

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Stamp collecting is not exactly a new trend sweeping through the world; In fact, philately (or the study of stamps), and stamp collecting have been of interest to many enthusiasts for over centuries. In fact, the American Philatelic Society (APS), which is the biggest congregation of philatelists and stamp enthusiasts in the world with over 40, 000 members, was established in the year 1886.

However, the standards by which the marketability and collectible worth of stamps have more or less remained constant. Stamps, generally, are determined as worthy of being collected on the basis of the quality of the stamp and rarity.

Under the qualification of quality is firstly the physical wholeness of the stamp. In effect, it must not be creased, folded, and must still have complete perforated sides. In addition, considerations on its centeredness have the capacity to jack the prices up or drive them down. Centeredness means that the design is placed in equal distances from the perforated edges on all sides. An alternate definition for centeredness is that the perforated area under the design is much larger in measure than the one at the top.

Color also plays a huge factor in the quality of the stamp. Consistent exposure to the sun and wrong storage methods can cause the color of the design to fade. Moreover, many amateur stamp collectors make the mistake of soaking stamps to remove them from the paper without taking into consideration the ink used to print the stamp and the ink of the cancellation on a used stamp. Stamps issued before the 1940s were printed using fugitive ink, which runs in water. Other times, a used stamp will have a cancellation that runs on water. Soaking the stamp will cause the cancellation’s ink to run into the design, completely compromising the quality of the stamp.

Aside from that, the condition of the gum or adhesive film at the back of the stamp is also taken into consideration. A stamp with its gum more or less still intact is much better than one that has been severely damaged by licking and sticking.

As for rarity, this is rather obvious. How rare it is would more or less imply the degree of difficulty posed upon a collector to acquire the stamp.

A mint or unused stamp has equal chances of being as expensive as a used stamp, and this is best determined by the availability of the stamp. A stamp with lesser propensity of being used on letters would be more expensive if it were acquired as a used stamp; a stamp, on the other hand, that was used in letters in huge volumes would obviously be much more expensive in its mint condition.

The exception to this general rule of thumb is stamps that were already acquired at a steep price. These stamps, acquired expensive even when they are used, will likely to have prices hiked if the great demand to acquire it continues to increase.

However, there may be great difficulty in trying to assess objectively the possible market value or worth of a stamp. Expert philatelists who are connoisseurs in stamp valuations are most likely able to objectively assess the worth of the stamp.

These expert philatelists are not very hard to find. They are usually some of the stamp enthusiasts who’ve had much experience in trading, selling, and collecting stamps. Their services are made most accessible to members of philatelic clubs of which they are part. Some associations that afford their members the services of expert philatelists include the American Philatelic Society (APS), and its member organizations in various states and cities.

On the other hand, other options are of greater accessibility especially to amateur stamp collectors. Across the country, most libraries have more or less an extensive collection of stamp catalogues that help guide stamp enthusiasts in finding out the various stamps issued under a particular theme or subject classification. Moreover, stamp catalogues contain a wealth of information as regards a certain price level for which these stamps are sold in the market.

Usually, stamp prices are a little bit higher than how they would be sold by individual sellers. Nonetheless, these catalogues are useful guides when it comes to at least being aware of what price range the stamp would fall under.

The most commonplace stamp catalogues available in the libraries include the US-based Stanley Gibbons, Britain’s Michel, and Germany’s OCB.

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