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Virtual travel experiences that can be enjoyed online

January 21st, 2021 by Dave

Video

Convoy, produced by the travel company eDreams, is one of the first virtual reality travel experiences.

One of the locations, the Zagreb in Croatia, is also the setting for Convoy 2, which will go into production early next year.

This video has been optimised for mobile viewing on the BBC News app. The BBC News app is available from the Apple App Store for iPhone and Google Play Store for Android.

Available to UK users only, but as is the case with savvy users who use tools such as VPNs so they don’t miss out on the next new online casino, there are probably similar ways around this geographically limited availability.

Travel the world virtually with Google Earth

You’re in Buenos Aires; you’re driving down the Avenida Libertador. Before you know it, your car has lost control and you’re spiraling toward the ocean below. Rather than letting yourself panic, you stop in your tracks and get a better look at the crash site. Sure, your car isn’t really on the freeway anymore; your body isn’t really there. But you are, and you’re still the one on the other side of that windshield. Google Earth has brought you back to this exact moment. You can move through the car, examining everything, all the time.

Bizarre, yes. But imagine you’re walking through a department store, or a mall, or a field, and you’re just walking, but you know where you are, and you know where the other people around you are. You could just glance at them and know where you are in relation to them. That’s the idea behind the “Specular” tool in Google Earth: it’s a combination of Google Earth, with the elegant user interface of Street View. We made a sketch of how it works:

To use the “Specular” tool, click on the “Glass” icon that comes up when you open the panorama view (a small rectangular icon with four little wings). There’s no narration: it’s as if you’re there.

Next, click on the plane, and the rest of the panorama will snap to the plane of the Earth. The bird’s-eye view is just a grainy vision; the bird’s eye view of a whole hemisphere is a more realistic image. To pan around, just move your mouse over to the side, just like you would in Google Maps. Click once on a region, and a photo of that region will snap to it. So, if you’re looking for the street, for example, you’d move your mouse and click on the street–this screengrab shows it from San Francisco’s busy Broadway, a neighborhood that has been excavated by more than three feet of soil over the years. From this perspective, Street View just looks like something out of The Jetsons; you can zoom all the way in and see the dirt piling up. And because Street View uses aerial photography, it’s pretty accurate (you can still see traffic in the photo, even if Google itself can’t see it.)

The “Specular” tool will have to do for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see more details and access point details. To see more of the Specular tool in action, check out this Google Earth trailer online…

Filed Under: Travel

Wildcard Family Holidays to Break the Summer Boredom

January 7th, 2021 by Dave

image

When you?ve got older children, or those of the teenage variety, it can be a real challenge to find something to keep you all interested and having a great time away. Why not try something completely different? Here are a few ideas to fire up your imagination. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

How to pack light for a Cold Winter Trip

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

Packing for a cold winter trip may seem like a daunting task because the tendency is for us to bring most of our warm clothes, for fear of being cold in a strange place. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

Seven Cool Travel Photography Hacks

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

The art of travel photography is quite different from taking pictures for personal use.The challenges faced by the wandering photographer differ from day to day and have to be overcomed by adopting certain tricks, a task which requires skill and dedication. Whatever the situation, these seven trusted photography hacks will help you save your day.

Pack right

You would not like to tote every piece of equipment you own when you are going on a vacation. Not only will it add to the weight, most of it would come back unused. Take a call from your last holiday and then decide if what you want to capture now is the same. If yes, then you can safely leave either your wide or long zoom lens at home.

See that the sun is behind you

If you want your pictures to be as vibrant as the travel brochures and magazines you read, then always work with the sun either behind you or to the side of the subject so as to allow maximum light to fall on it.. A sunny day will eliminate harsh shadows, the use of graduated filters and make up for the light difference in shadow and highlight areas.

Try the ant’s eye view

Photography is about being creative. If you want your image to stand out, leave the tripod at home, and try shooting from a very low angle. You don’t have to set the camera exactly on the ground but can place colorful carpets underneath it or a line of stones for the best effect. You can get crafty and make use of fence posts, tables or anything that is still.

Boost the pictures

Boosting the vibrancy and saturation during the post-production stage can really make your pictures look lovely.The secret is to boost just till the saturation point when the picture looks colorful and will look great on magazines and newspapers.

Research locations

Use Google Maps to look for hidden spots away from the tourist hordes. Just type in the address about any area you are interested in and you will discover pretty locations and places where you will find something photogenic to shoot.

Use aperture mode

If you are hoping to hone your photography skills, it is better to take pictures on aperture priority as most professional photographers do. While manual may have its plus points, using aperture after adjusting the ISO and Exposure settings is a great way to build confidence and capture a good image.

Take multiple shots

A good way of capturing great travel photos is by taking multiple exposures and then blending them at the post-production stage to create one nice image.The common method is to take exposure for highlights, for mid tones and another for shadows to get the correctly exposed image.

Like any art form which takes skill and dedication to perfect, travel photography too can be learnt. The more you travel, the more technique you will develop to capture the world in colorful detail.

                 

Filed Under: Travel

Well-travelled Britons leave rest in shade

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

Well-travelled Britons leave rest in shade

Britons are the most travelled people in the world, according to research. A study published today found that 84 per cent of people from the UK regularly venture abroad ? almost three- quarters more than in the US.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

Trouble in Paradise

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

The great thing about travel is that it?s a great opportunity to relax and recuperate, stepping away from the work life even for a week is enough to recharge your body even if you spend your time out and about exploring new places. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

Sail to the heart of exotic Asia

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

Sail to the heart of exotic Asia

Asia is on a cruising roll at the moment, with voyages on offer for every budget and sailing style. There?s a rush to visit Burma, both by river boat and ocean cruise, before commercialisation gets too strong a grip, but there are also plenty of new itineraries on offer. In-depth Japan, remote islands of the Philippines, the best dive sites
in Thailand… we?ve got it all here.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

20 great winter sun holidays

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

20 great winter sun holidays 1

1 Bali,
Indonesia

Stay in a five-star hotel in Bali, with flights, all for less than ?900. That?s what Tropical Sky is offering at the Grand Nikko hotel on Bali?s south coast on certain deals from December to February. Although this is during Bali?s wet season, downpours tend to come in short bursts and temperatures reach about 27C each day. Overlooking the Indian Ocean and right by a sandy beach, the Grand Nikko has tennis courts, a spa and four pools. There are Japanese, Chinese and seafood restaurants.
Details
Seven nights? B&B costs from ?879pp until December 25, with return Singapore Airlines flights included; the price between January 6 and February 29 is ?889pp (01342 886941,tropicalsky.co.uk) [Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

Six Great Ways To Save Money For Your Travel Adventures

December 9th, 2020 by Dave

Whatever your travel goals are, there is always one thing that everyone’s travel plans have in common…they cost money. Many of us dream of winning the lottery and travelling the world, unfortunately it isn’t likely it will ever happen. However, there is no need to panic, there are ways you can make money to fund your adventures alongside your main income. Here are six great ideas to help you save money for a life-changing adventure: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Travel

Using Your Travel Card for Savings

November 9th, 2020 by Dave

Travel money cards have become an increasingly popular, safe and convenient way to take cash abroad and purchase foreign currency. Essentially, travel credit cards are specially designed prepaid debit cards that you deposit with, before traveling.

In essence, the advantages of pre-loaded the card with your chosen currency is that as the exchange rate is favourable – you could use it to purchase your desired amount of foreign currency at the same time you pay for your flight ticket or hotel bookings. This method would not work if the currency rates were suddenly changing against you. However, if your preferred currency remains constant on the card, the chances of having any sudden change in your currency preference are virtually zero.

When planning your trip abroad, it is often a good idea to plan ahead and obtain a few travel cash cards. With this, you could have a pre-loaded card with an equivalent amount of the chosen currency. These types of travel credit cards, however, have a limit on the amount of cash that can be stored on the card, so it may not be advisable to carry more than you need.

If you choose to use a credit card when you travel, remember that it may be difficult to use cash for some purchases abroad. For example, you may find that most shops and restaurants will only accept major credit cards, including Visa or Mastercard. If your credit card does not have a credit card machine, you will have to bring with you some money, such as in the form of coins or bank notes. You should also remember that most restaurants and hotels charge a service fee, which you would need to cover.

For travellers from the European Union or other European countries, you will have to present your passport as evidence of your identity. This will ensure that you get the best possible exchange rate when you shop or use certain services.

Ideally, you should choose a good credit card provider to help you save money. In addition, they should provide you with the option of having a high credit limit, so that you don’t have to worry about buying large amounts of foreign currency. You could also consider getting a cash back credit card which would allow you to take out the credit when you purchase goods and services at shops and restaurants, giving you money back for purchases.

Many banks offer card providers that can be accessed via the internet, so it is easy to search and compare different providers. Just enter the details required and you will be able to compare the different deals.

One great feature of using a travel card is the fact that it provides a convenient method of transferring money abroad. With just a few clicks, you will be able to transfer your funds from one country to another without paying the transaction fees charged by traditional transfer companies.

The first thing that you will need to do before choosing a good credit card provider is to check your credit rating, to ensure that you have a high score. Also, check how many credit cards you currently have. Some cards are available to those who have good scores and good financial records, but may not be suitable for those with poor scores or records.

When choosing a travel card, make sure that you read all the information carefully and make sure that you understand the terms and conditions. before you apply. The amount of cash you can store, as well as the interest rates and other charges, will vary from one care provider to another.

It is important to make sure that the card that you choose is safe and secure, as hackers can access your credit card information by using software programs. that you install in your computer.

It is also essential that the credit card you use is accepted internationally. Make sure that the provider that you choose can be accessed online. through the internet or through regular mail, rather than through your normal bank account.

Filed Under: Budgets, Travel

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