TripAdvisor(R) Survey Reveals Travellers’ Home Comforts and Most-Missed Foods
The luggage-contents of this year’s “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!” contenders’ remains to be seen - but teabags and slippers are a good bet, reveals new research by TripAdvisor(R), in a survey of the home comforts and foods that Brits miss the most when travelling abroad.
Creature comforts: travel “essentials”
- “Home sweet home” may be miles away - but a quality cuppa is guaranteed for the 36% of Brits who bring teabags on their travels, reveals the TripAdvisor survey. Meanwhile, 12% bring biscuits with them, ensuring the perfect dunk.
- One quarter of Brits (25%) pack their slippers, a sentimental 30% travel with photos of loved ones - and 12% ensure they’re never caught short, bringing toilet paper on their travels.
- Meanwhile, sweet dreams are in store for the 8% who pack a teddy-bear, 6% who travel with scented candles and 3% who bring their own bed linen.
- Best of british: top 10 foods that travellers miss
- However tasty holiday cuisine may be, nothing beats a roast dinner, according to 31% of British travellers.
- The Sunday classic claims pole position in the TripAdvisor list of travellers’ ten most-missed foods, which also includes cheddar cheese (22%) and Marmite (9%) - which 8% of the nation reveal they never travel without.
Travellers’ Most-Missed Foods:
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Fill your senses with the dazzling colors, pungent smells, and quiet sounds of nature as you hike or bike the dozens of state and county parks in Door County, Wisconsin.
- Did you know? It was the French who named the treacherous waters separating Washington Island from the mainland, “Portes des Morts” or Door of Death. This is where Door County gets its name (www.doorcounty.com).
Or treat yourself to a relaxing, scenic cruise by car, boat, or horse-drawn wagon. You can even get an eagle-eyed view of the changing colors with a scenic airplane ride. Fall colors begin to turn in late September and usually peak by mid-October. The fall color hotline at the Door County Visitor Bureau provides updates. Call (920) 743-4456, ext. 3, then 6.
For your taste buds, there are roadside stands and farmers’ markets at every turn, offering crisp apples from local orchards, aromatic hot cider, and the bounty of the local harvest. And what would harvest season be without festivals? Door County has some of the best in the Midwest with pumpkin decorations, parades, collector cars, arts and crafts, and fireworks.
Reluctant to let the glow of summer fun fade? Fall offers one more chance to enjoy some of your favorite summer activities such as golfing, antique hunting, sailing, horseback riding, gallery browsing, fishing, and sightseeing.
Whether you’re staying in an elegant inn, cozy B&B, modern resort, cabin, motel or campsite, fall will put you in touch with the peninsula’s natural beauty at its best.
Check out these insider suggestions sure to get you going…
Enjoy an authentic Fish Boil dinner - a dining experience found only in Door County. A traditional Door County fish boil features fresh Lake Michigan whitefish caught by local fishermen and cooked outside over an open fire, just as it was 100 years ago by the Scandinavian settlers of the Peninsula.
- Did you know? The fish boil tradition began as an economical way to feed large, hungry groups of lumberjacks and fishermen. Churches picked up the tradition to raise money, and people from all over would come to taste the local fish, potatoes and Door County cherry pie. Eventually area restaurants followed and the Door County Fish Boil became a “not to be missed” event for every visitor.
Board the Door County Trolley for a narrated scenic tour to see breathtaking vistas from Door County’s scenic bluffs overlooking the islands, learning local legend and lore along the way (www.doorcountytrolley.com).
- Did you know? Door County Trolley also offers a lighthouse tour, scenic tour, Jewel of the Door tour, progressive dinner outings and more.
- Did you know? Founded in 1985, Orchard Country Winery is a small family owned winery housed in a historic dairy barn, built in the early 1900s.
Explore Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor with its gleaming white tower and keeper’s home of cream city brick. This 1869 lighthouse has withstood countless storms, witnessed great maritime dramas and is well-known as one of the Great Lakes’ most photographed lighthouses (www.dcmm.org/canaisland).
- Did you know? Door County has the second largest concentration of lighthouses for any county in the US.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
What’s cooking?
Team Savories: Bonnie Synder (right), Leroy Smith (center), Austin Whitherspoon (left)The scenic mountain location of my hometown, Ruidoso, New Mexico is the perfect setting to combine a vacation getaway with a fun and informative cooking class. Explore new cuisine and techniques. Create fabulous food through hands-on participation. Whether you are an experienced gourmand or are just beginning to discover cooking, an interactive cooking class with my friend, and incredibly talented certified personal chef, Bonnie Synder, and her team at Savories Culinary Studio can help take your cooking to the next level.
The hands-on cooking classes are taught in the studio’s professionally equipped kitchen built exclusively for culinary instruction and inspiration. Classes are limited to small intimate groups which allows personalized instruction. Cooking classes include printed recipe handouts and a generous sampling or meal of the food prepared, served with wine/beverage. Knives, tools and equipment are provided. All you need to bring is an appetite for food and fun!
For information and reservations visit www.savories.net. See Savories in action on these YouTube videos. And, if you sign up, be sure to let me know so I can join the fun!
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Fig trees, vineyards and olive groves. Risotto, gelato and chianti. Is there any better treat for the senses than Italy? Now, cyclists can enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Italy up close, with Ciclismo Classico’s six-day wanderlust “Under the Tuscan Sun.”
This trip takes travelers to many of the sites seen in Diane Lane’s famous film, such as Cortona. Stroll down Etruscan, medieval and Renaissance villages. Zigzag through tiny towns on a picturesque road lined with fig trees. Explore picture-perfect hilltop towns and ancient abbeys.
Traveling by bike allows travelers the freedom to venture off the beaten path, meeting local people and experiencing local culture, and classic Tuscan fare, including fresh pastas and vegetables. This Tuscan adventure departs September 7th and October 2nd, rates start at: $2,895, per person.
More on Ciclismo Classico > Click here
Source: Adventure Travel Media Source
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
THE WAYFARERS’ NEW FALL CINQUE TERRE WALK IS PERFECT FOR A GIRLFRIENDS GETAWAY FOR ALL AGES
Guaranteed in US Dollars
Enjoy the camaraderie of a fitness-oriented and pampering vacation with the Wayfarers’ new “girlfriends getaway” Cinque Terre itinerary. An energetic walk that covers mule tracks by road, and hills via stone steps, Cinque Terre offers an immersion into the area called by many the most beautiful part of Italy and one that is best visited by foot. Accommodations are in a former 16th-century Franciscan monastery with a state-of-the-art Wellness Spa and in a hotel with its own sandy beach.
A World Heritage site, Cinque Terre or “Five Lands” sits near Genoa in Liguria, in a corner of Northern Italy originally forged by the Romans as trade routes. Linking five enchanting villages set in the cliffs and harbors of the Italian Riviera, the pathways and rocky terraces of the area offer views of pastel houses that reach from hilltop to the blue Ligurian Sea, terraced vineyards, and olive groves. A food mecca, the region is synonymous with olive oil, basil, pesto and the dessert wine Sciacchetra. Of particular interest to women, the Walk features a tour of Rapallo’s lace museum; lunch in elegant Portofino; shopping in Sestri Levante, a town known for its fine linens; a crossing of the Riviera di Levante by boat, rail and cable car; and a visit to a mountaintop monastery. Days are punctuated by meals of local delicacies, wines and limoncello between walks covering three to five miles. Dinner is a lavish affair preceded by a cocktail hour designed to further foster conversation and friendship.
Priced at US $3795 per person, based on double occupancy, the seven-day/six-night walk takes place on September 21-27 (women only) and October 5-11 and includes 6-8 miles of walking per day. A single supplement is priced at $470.
The Wayfarers, named one of the “Best Outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure, marks its 25th season with 83 diverse Walks through 15 countries. All Wayfarers Walks are US dollar guaranteed, so travelers can book with no worries about fluctuating exchange rates. The Wayfarers 2008 schedule includes Walks in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland and the United States.
About The Wayfarers
Offering an eco-aware “walking” holiday of both culture and fitness, The Wayfarers’ newest Walks/hikes include South Africa, Slovenia, New Zealand and California. A new women’s-focused program with Girlfriend Getaways and Mother/Daughter walks adds shopping, museums, spa treatments, and more. Other popular walks are the Founders’ Walk on the Isle of Wight, Croatia, Austria, Amalfi Coast, and Czech Republic. Now in its 25th season and named one of the “Best Outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure, The Wayfarers offer exclusive entrées into homes and gardens otherwise closed to the public, graceful accommodations, outstanding cuisine, and meetings with local residents. Walks range from 5-12 days and are rated easy to challenging, with distances of 4-5 miles, 6-10 miles or 12-15 miles per day. www.thewayfarers.com, 800- 249-4620.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Epicurean Travel - Exploring a Destination Through Its Wine and Cuisine
Do you eat to live or are you one of us who lives to eat? There’s a lot you can learn about a country and a culture through its food and wine. Be adventurous! Try it all - from snails and candied fungi to jellyfish and grasshoppers. The taste may be as good as the stories you’ll have to tell! Here are some 5-star epicurean adventures to die for:
British Columbia - Okanagan Valley: Canada’s Wine Country
What better way to toast a day of hiking and biking amidst stunning vistas, meandering riverside pathways and hillside vineyards than with a glass of the finest local wine? How about making the toast while soaking in an outdoor hot tub? Austin-Lehman’s Okanagan Wine Country adventure vacation was named one of the “World’s 25 Best New Trips for 2007” by National Geographic Adventure Magazine. BC’s Okanagan Valley, aptly dubbed the “Napa of the North,” has yet to be widely discovered. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, it’s been called one of the finest grape growing regions in the world - and an ideal setting for an active 6-day wine tasting adventure. Click HERE for more information
A Taste of Argentina: The Adventurous Cook’s Tour
Cook and eat your way through Argentina with Myths and Mountains! Discover a world of wines and gourmet food in South America’s hottest destination. Join renowned gastronomist Alejandro Frango for an appetizing round of in-depth culinary workshops in Buenos Aires. There’s also wine-tastings in Mendoza and dinner at one of the top 10 restaurants in the world. It’s a spicy sampling of empenadas and mate teas, parillas and asados, Malbecs and Merlots. Add a dash of hiking and horseback riding in the Andes to whet up an appetite for this tasty adventure! Click HERE for more information.
France: La Provence Complete (Cycling Adventure)
Sun-drenched Provence, land of endless pleasures, is the ideal choice for an indulgent epicurean get-away from EURO-Bike & Walking Tours. Enjoy charming market towns, world-renowned cuisine, majestic landscapes, and some of Europe’s most beguiling hotels. Experience the famous wine regions of Cote du Rhone, Gigondas, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape and indulge in a special dessert wine from the village of Beaumes-de-Venise. Bicycle on quiet farm roads surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, stopping at roadside attractions dating back to the Bronze Age. Then relax at exclusive hotels, savoring gourmet meals and outstanding local wines. Click HERE for more information. Ask about the special discounts on fall departures!
France: Provence - Pathways of the Impressionists (Walking Adventure)
Walkers on this trip brought to you by The Wayfarers, can step into foodie heaven with a symphony of flavors created by renowned Provencal Chef Edouard Loubet. The landscape that once inspired the impressionists now provides the essential ingredients for one of the top young chefs in Europe. Passionate about using only the freshest seasonal produce, Chef Loubet earned his first Michelin star by the time he was 25. During the trip, you will dine in the eponymous Restaurant Edouard Loubet at La Bastide de Capelongue - and enjoy the best of Provencal cuisine. Chef Loubet makes his own red and white wines which accompany the meal. Click HERE for more information.
Peru: Trekking to Machu Picchu - Lodge to Lodge
Now you can travel like Inca royalty and experience all the rave of Peru’s nuevoAndean cuisine at 12,000’ in the Andes with Wildland Adventures. The new Machu Picchu Mountain Lodges Trek is a 6-day luxury adventure that features a physical, cultural, and spiritual journey traversing ancient footpaths through the high Andes en route to the legendary ruins of Machu Picchu. Trekking from lodge to lodge you’ll enjoy the eclectic mix of Spanish, Arabic, African, and Asian influences that give rise to delicious Peruvian gastronomy paired with Peruvian, Chilean and Argentine wines. Click HERE for more information.
Croatia: Gourmet Delights Sailing the Dalmatian Coast
Explore Croatia’s charming island towns, isolated swimming coves and local vineyards and wineries with ROW Adventures. A seasoned Croatian guide and crew will fully immerse you in the local culture and history. Enjoy world renowned Dalmatian wines and Mediterranean cuisine on a vintage 11-day small yacht tour. Fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood are paired with local wines for an epicure’s delight. Click HERE for more information.
Source: Trusted Adventures www.trustedadventures.com.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".