Lonely Planet has named it as one of their Top 10 countries to visit in 2013, and with the Turkish lira looking pretty weak next to the Canadian dollar, there’s never been a better time to search for cheap flights. We all know Istanbul is the ultimate in trendy travel destinations, but if you want to see more of the Anatolian peninsula, try these cheap destinations.

Bodrum

Lauded by Time Out magazine as “the next St Tropez”, Bodrum is an ancient city filled with colour and beauty. Bougainvillea is ubiquitous in the narrow streets, while the majestic 15^th Century Castle of St Peter presides over the town. You can pick up some bargains in the market- if you know how to haggle. Look out for Ottoman style pottery and chandeliers. As for food, you can ask for restaurant recommendations at hotels in Bodrum, or follow your nose to Meyhaneler Street for a real rustic meal.

Kaya Valley

Forget the sea view and discover the real Turkey by heading inland. The bonuses are twofold: you’re getting off the tourist trail, plus accommodation is far cheaper. The area specialises in agriculture: mostly tobacco, and is popular with laid back bohemians from Istanbul.  Be sure to take a visit to the ghost town of Kayakoy; with its desolate churches, and palpable sadness, it’s an interesting sight indeed.

Akyakya

If you want the beach, but also the solace of a peaceful holiday, head to Akyakya. The small harbour towns and villages in this area are peaceful, and have little in the way of tourist traps. While you’re there, take a boat to Sedir Island: legend has it that the sand was imported from Egypt by Marc Anthony, for his new wife Cleopatra. As such the sands are protected: sorry, no sunbathing allowed.

Marmaris

The town that launched a thousand restaurant names, Marmaris is an obvious choice for a cheap holiday in Turkey. Sure, the big resorts can be loud and noisy, but you can also pick up some great package deals with a beach club holiday if you travel off season. Head away from the restaurants on the marina if you want to find authentic, cheap eats; one interesting point is that some restaurants accept international currency, and may give you discount if you pay in dollars.

Dalyan

A little slice of paradise on the coast, Dalyan is environmentally protected and perfect for lovers of all things peaceful. Take a visit to the ancient rock tombs along the side of the river estuary, or spot rare birds and wildlife in the marshes. There’s a fabulous outdoor spa, too. There’s even a disco on the outskirts of town if you decide to party the night away.

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The Go Pro camera is made to help me out with taking some of the best pictures that I’ve handled while traveling. The version that I have uses a processor that can take pictures at 12 megapixels in resolution. It’s the best Go Pro camera model around. There are also 5 and 11 megapixel models for those who don’t want to spend as much as I have on a camera.

The 30 fps burst option has made it easier for me to get pictures taken with ease. There are many times where I’ve tried to get a picture taken in the past but couldn’t do so because the object was moving. The burst action on this camera helps me to get multiple pictures taken so I can choose the right ones later on based on the right timing for getting the picture ready. I’ve had more freedom with regards to taking pictures because the Go Pro camera can be used with either a traditional hand held style or on a tripod or other support device.

The size of the Go Pro is very compact and easy to carry along. In fact, it is a little less than three ounces in weight. The items that I can add onto my camera have made this camera even more convenient for me to use. There’s a Wi-Fi remote that can be used on the camera to help get the camera to take pictures from a remote area. It even supports shutter controls and can turn the camera on or off as needed by the user. I’ve been able to get this remote to work from a few hundred feet away. This has worked particularly well for some of my outdoor travels. For example, I was able to get the camera to work in a wildlife preserve where I had to step away from my camera so I would not startle the wildlife in the area. This helped me to get the image taken carefully without any problems.

I’ve gotten a few mounts to work on the camera too. A side mount can help me attach the camera to the side of a vehicle. The suction cup mount makes it easy to secure it alongside different wall surfaces. There’s also a tripod mount that makes it capable of sticking onto the same tripod that I’ve been using with other cameras for years.

The Go Pro camera is one of the best travel cameras that I’ve gotten in what seems like forever. This camera is made to work quickly and effectively without creating any problems over the ways how my shots are working.

This post is sponsored by GoPro

CC Sebastian Launay

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Seeing as my trip to Hamburg was for business, I didn’t get to choose my accommodations this time around. Instead, my company chose for me: the Renaissance Hamburg Hotel. That being said, I literally could not have been more pleased with my stay there. The hotel used to be an old publishing house before it was renovated into a luxury hotel, and much of the interior design is still in line with the building’s original purpose.

The food at the hotel’s many restaurants was standard olden-day German cuisine with a modern twist to appease everyone’s accustomed tastebuds. Furthermore, the grounds are extremely nearby many famous Hamburg landmarks and tourist activities such as the Hanseatic Quarter shopping district, the ancient city hall, and Alster Lake, so it was easy for me to slip in some exploration in between conferences. Overall, the incredible Renaissance Hamburg Hotel sticks straight to its name; throughout my entire stay, I felt as though I had stepped back five hundred years yet taken the comforts of modern life back with me.

I always love going to churches and other places of religious worship whenever I visit a new city. The buildings are usually quite old, and they tend to tell a lot about the history and culture of the entire place. The first church I visited in Hamburg was the Baroque St. Michael’s Church, an ancient landmark and a vital part of Hamburg’s history. With its intact original structure and breathtaking architectural beauty, my tour of St. Michael’s was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

I had been getting a magnificent panoramic view of the sparkling Alster Lake from my window at the Renaissance, so I decided on my second day in Hamburg to check out the famous huge, tourist-sucking water body. Strolling along the shores, people-watching, and admiring the birds and lush green foliage surrounding the lake turned out to be quite a tranquil experience, and really changed my views on “corporate” Hamburg.

Another fabulous place to visit in Hamburg is the Museum of Art and Industry. I was late for a meeting even when I first stepped inside the regal building, so I didn’t get to stay long, but even during the short amount of time I did spend, I got to see an incredible array of art styles, from German to European to East Asian.

Despite Hamburg’s reputation as the huge, nightlife crawling hub of Germany, during my trip, I proved that it’s possible to gather a variety of historic and cultural information of substance in the city.

Tomas is an experienced travel writer for leading travel provider www.mypremiumeurope.com who specialise in luxury accommodation in Germany and throughout Europe.

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Airport Parking – Stansted

I love the London Stansted airport – it’s the perfect alternative to flying into crowded, expensive Heathrow. If you’re a frequent Ryanair flyer like me (or anyone in Europe who needs to get somewhere far on a shoestring,) Standsted is the place for you. The best part for me is that they’ve got a lot of parking options, which can be utilized for short-term, medium-term or long-term stays. The pay rate is adjusted depending which option you choose, and Stansted parking deals can be found online as well. There’s also a really convenient and courtesy bus service that links the farther (long-term) parking spots to the airport terminals. Can’t beat that kind of friendly service!

Airport Parking – Heathrow

Ok, so I know I just kind of insulted Heathrow in the last bit (just a teeny tad!) but the truth is that Heathrow’s not so bad. It’s also pretty inevitable that at some point living in the UK you’re going to have to fly to or from Heathrow Airport. Parking at Heathrow can be a bit intimidating at first, but don’t get overwhelmed! The truth is, the multi-story parking lots available upon arrival are really a blessing in disguise. They mean you never have to worry about not being able to find a space. They’re also well connected to some major UK highways and two smaller tunnels to get you out fast, meaning you don’t waste time trying to escape the airport.

Airport Parking – Dublin

The Dublin airport always seems to be a layover for me, so I’ve spent some time there if anyone has. And I’ll tell you, when it comes to car parking Dublin Airport can’t be beat! Because there are so many car rental services available, the parking options are also pretty stellar. If you’re stuck in Dublin (not to make it sound bad!) for a day or two like I often am, it’s really easy to rent a car, see a few sights and then return it to the parking. So make sure you consider renting a car (or driving and parking your own if you live near,) because taking a taxi to or from the center of Dublin can get rather expensive!

The thought of having to park a car in an airport parking lot is often an anxiety-ridden one. But it isn’t always bad! Hopefully the above information has helped if you’re planning a trip to any one of the places that’s made my top three list for best airport parking.

Photo Credit: Michael Blechinger

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Canada with a Difference – Shopping

• In the UK, as well as most of Europe, when you go shopping the price you pay is the price that is tagged on the item. In Canada, a lot of the time you have to have your math head on to figure out the tax etc.

Canada with a Difference – Scenery

• In many places the scenery is quite similar, especially in the countryside, but there are some tell-tale signs you are in Britain, for example, the coast is different, you can drive from on to the other in a day for a start and some of the scenery is quintessentially British. Also there are some really great places to stay in some of the great coastal areas like the Snowdonia National Park in Wales. Wales-cottages offer holiday cottages in Wales and don’t forget to sample some of the amazing sea food on offer.

Canada with a Difference – Wild Animals

• There are truly some amazing animals in the UK and there aren’t too many you have to worry about. Back home there are cougars, bears, snakes and spiders on the list of concerns but in the UK there are only a few foxes and badgers. If you are worried about your pet though, you might want to check out some pet friendly cottages just for safe measures.

Canada with a Difference – Old Cities and Towns

• The oldest real city in Canada is New Brunswick and it dates back to the 16th but there are some settlements in the UK such as Bath and York that date back to the times of the Romans, which makes the UK steeped in ancient historical interest.

CC Zack Bonnell

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Here is a guide to the research you need to do and the rewards you can receive from volunteering in Africa.

The opportunities

The opportunities for volunteering in Africa include such varied projects as teaching English to school children in Ethiopia or Morocco; working on human rights projects in Ghana or Togo; carrying out conservation work in South Africa or Kenya; working as a radio journalist in Senegal; or acting as a medical intern in a hospital in Tanzania.

The website www.projects-abroad.ca is a good place to start looking at the wide range of projects available in Africa for international volunteers. You can find more information here that is specifically about South Africa.

Whether you’re volunteering for a few weeks or a few months, your experience in Africa will give back to you so much more than you can ever give to the project you work on. Volunteering in Africa will provide you with a fantastic platform from which to learn new skills, meet new people, see fascinating sights and learn more about this enticing continent and its people.

How to prepare

In a very real sense nothing can actually prepare you for volunteering overseas in Africa: it’s a life-changing experience. Your time in Africa will look, smell, sound, taste and feel different to anything you’re used to. It will be rugged, it may get rough but it will be immensely rewarding.

Establishing your expectations is likely to be the most important preparation you can undertake.  How will you cope with different food? What essentials can you do without – electricity, showers every day, regular internet connections?

The second most important thing will be trying to understand, as much as possible, exactly how it will be on the ground. So be sure about your motivations and aspirations.

Read volunteers stories and find out about the country, the area and the project. Listen to what they did – what they packed, forgot or missed but also listen to what they felt. Let their experience help you to throw away your dreams – it’s time to face reality. The volunteering experience provides its own magic.

Questions to ask your volunteer organisation

With these considerations in mind, here are some essential questions to ask anyone providing you with volunteer opportunities in Africa:

• Can I talk to previous volunteers?
• What work will I be mainly doing? What will my hours be?
• Will I work with locals or volunteers or both? What language will be used?
• Where will I live? Will I share? Do I need a sleeping bag?
• What food will I eat?
• What exactly is included and excluded in the project fees?
• Where is the nearest hospital or clinic?
• Is there a number that I can be contacted upon should all else fail?
• Is there in-country support or a number I can call if I need help?
• Are there certain clothes I shouldn’t wear because of cultural norms?

Be prepared

After all your research, preparation and questions you should now be prepared for an experience that will change your life. You will get to know an African country like never before, make friends from all over the world, pick up new skills and help make a real difference to the life of others. The volunteer in Africa does give a lot to their chosen project but they take home a whole lot more.

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