Emerging Travel Trends Post-COVID-19.

There's no question that the current pandemic is already reshaping the way that people look at travel. In the age of face masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing, normal vacations may seem like a thing of the past. According to digital marketing expert, Larry Muller, who has extensive experience marketing in the travel and hospitality industry, the World Travel and Tourism Council has predicted job losses totaling almost 50 million.  That equates to the travel industry shrinking by nearly 25%!
While traveling plans can feel a little bleak at the moment, there is hope on the horizon. Read on to find out how travel will change post-pandemic.

Photo credit: JEShoots on Pixabay.

Traveling Trends to Look Forward To
As people prepare to travel again in the future, they'll be looking at both the level of risk that locations offer for example, when booking ice cave tours, as well as how to maximize their experience. Here are some of the projected trends in travel to look forward to in the coming months.

Road Trips
Since the demand for air travel is at an all-time low, it's time to hit the open road! People feel much safer in their own vehicles where they can enjoy protection from the outside world. Road trips to relatively close locations is expected to increase as more and more people travel by car to get away. This reduces the amount of places that people can visit, but still provides the excitement of "not being home".

RV and Camping Trips
With RV sales at an all-time high, the great outdoors is calling. Since people are being confined to homes/apartments and small living spaces, the urge to get out into nature has increased. Camping grounds are a vacation hot spot at the moment and most sites are reservation only. Gone are the days of just hopping in the RV and finding a spot - however, you can still find BLM land to camp on if you're savvy enough to find it.

Photo credit: Chanwity on Pixabay.

National Parks
Be ready to reserve your spot months in advance if you hope to visit a National Park in the near future. National Parks have quickly become one of the most popular destinations during the pandemic and will stay that way for some time. They are both safe and affordable, while also being gorgeous and life-changing. If you are lucky enough to live within driving distance of multiple national parks then now is the time to take advantage of that.

Backpacking
Backpackers are expected to be among the first to return to international travel. This group of travelers tends to usually be young, single males that are looking to take advantage of discount hotels and out-of-the-way traveling routes.

Photo credit: Pexels on Pixabay.

The Rise of Travel Advisors
Lastly, one thing that will probably be on the rise again post-pandemic is the usefulness of travel advisors. Having a knowledge of restrictions and safety policies put in place in the locales you're trying to visit will become even more important in the coming months. On top of that, travel insurance will likely now be a must-have in the event of getting sick or contracting the virus.

4 (and a half) Tips for Road Trips!

Putting together a road trip is all about being prepared. With these four (and a half!) tips, you can successfully plan and execute a great road trip with no unexpected hitches along the way!

Off to another adventure!

Clean your car before and during your trip.
There’s a very old phrase that you should heed before and throughout any road trip: cleanliness is next to godliness. Nobody enjoys sitting in a confined space for an extended period of time with rubbish and dirt everywhere, so give your car a good cleaning before setting off and take a bit of time to clean it out during as well.

If you’re really after a bit of luxury on your road trip as well, look into hiring a car as well. ICL came recommended for their competitive pricing and are available throughout the UK with a wide selection available for personal hire. Obviously you'll have to keep it clean throughout your trip, but even that will be easier considering you'll be getting a clean car to begin with!

Have a loose plan.
The importance of having a rough plan can not be underestimated when it comes to a road trip. While nobody wants to have a completely planned out road trip with no flexibility, nobody wants to be stressed out dealing with unhappy passengers for hours at a time either. You can use apps such as Roadtrippers to build a route and also look for interesting places and sights along the way.

Take me home, country road...

Have an escape plan to get off country roads. 
You can have the very best intentions of taking in a bit of a scenic route and going down the path less travelled. However, this comes with its own risks of not actually knowing where you’re going and ending up stuck down endless back roads. Saga has a great guide for driving down country roads if you do end up needing it however!  If you do find yourself a little bit lost, you don’t have to persevere down the country roads. Have a plan B ready to escape the country roads, and get your road trip back on track. You’ll be better off and ready to go again once you’ve got your bearings back.

My new phone is awesome.

Preload your phone with entertainment options.
Having some entertainment options can be the difference between having a peaceful time, and developing a case of cabin fever! Stock up on distractions and portable entertainment that you can load on to your phone before you set off. After all, there is no guarantee that you’ll be able to find these on the road during your trip.  And if you don’t manage to get this done for your children, you can always refer to this for tips on keeping your sanity!

Dreaming of Dak galbi...

Eat local and stay local.
Finally, it’s a road trip. You’re taking in the darkened corners of the towns and villages that you’re travelling through. Make the most of it and live as much like a local as you can. Don’t stop to eat at a chain restaurant or coffee shop. Seek out a local favourite, find the village pub or the quiet little fish and chip shop. If you need a place to rest your head for the night, find a local bed and breakfast and really experience the culture and local quirks. Your road trip might be a once in a lifetime experience, so make it a unique, memorable time that you’ll always fondly look back on! nbsp;

Wordless Wednesday #136 | You Know What I Did Last Summer.

Just some of the things I did while I was on blog break. :)

Hanging out with the sibs.

Wine and dine with the family.

Hitting the beach!

Re-reading some of my favorite literary works of all time.

Partying with the kids.

Yue's Karate Training.

Traveling with these cuties.

And driving! :)

How about you? How was your summer? :)

Find The Best San Francisco Hotels.

If you're ready to find the very best deals on San Francisco hotels, then it's an excellent idea to come prepared to shop. Sure, you can click on just about any website that claims to find you the best deals on hotels in San Francisco, but how can you be sure you're really getting the best possible arrangement for your money? It's one thing to guess, but it's a whole other to be absolutely confident in your dealings.

Photo credit: Cheapacampa.

Finding The Best Hotel Deals In San Francisco
The city of San Francisco is one of the jewels in the crown on California. Without this perennial tourist and business attraction, the Golden State might only be a silver medal finalist. So, when it's time to make the journey to San Francisco, whether on business or pleasure, you can be sure of one thing: You're not the only one who has this trip on their mind. So how can you be sure that you'll get the deal that everyone else misses out on?

How To Get The Deal That Others Have Overlooked
When it comes to getting the deals on hotel rooms that others have overlooked, you've got to be looking in the place that they simply haven't. How can you accomplish this feat? As it turns out, it's much easier than you think. In fact, all you really need to get the deal that others have missed out on is the name of a certain website that you may never have heard of before.

Photo credit: Grayline.

Hipmunk Is Your Nationwide Hotel Connection
The truth is that, up until now, Hipmunk has been the nation's best kept secret when it comes to hooking up customers with excellent deals on hotel rooms and travel packages. Thousands of customers have used this first class website to score unheard of savings on their hotel rooms. And Hipmunk can do the very same for you.

Contact Hipmunk For The Best Hotel Deals
If you're ready to have a great time in San Francisco, you need to plan ahead so that you can get the best possible deal on your hotel room and all of your other reservations. Hipmunk is the company that will put you in the driver's seat when it comes to getting big savings on fantastic hotel room deals. Log on to the official Hipmunk company website at Hipmunk.com today to see what they can do for you.

Blast from the Past | Singapore Adventure!

Maybe because it was the weather, or because my birthday is fast approaching, but I was feeling nostalgic today. So nostalgic that I actually went through my old blog at Livejournal. Reading my posts made me miss the corporate world (I used to work for a telecommunications company), drinking and partying after work, not staying home at weekends (I was a complete wanderlust back then), spending and shopping like crazy without a care in the world (well, I still do this though not very often, lol).

Ah, I miss my twenties! Life was a lot simpler back then. And it was so easy for me to pack my bags and travel wherever I want. Now that I have a child of my own, and I have household expenses to consider, traveling has become a bit, well, challenging.

Anyway, since I'm doing this little trip down to memory lane, I'm reposting my Singapore adventure from eight years back. And by reposting, I mean I'm copy-pasting my post from Livejournal, haha.

Take me back to Singapore! :)

The Merlion.

More photos and stories after the jump!

Fashion Pulse | Complete the Motorcyle Look.

There is nothing better than riding on a motorcycle on the open road. Whether you have been riding for your entire life or bought your first motorcycle as a retirement gift for yourself, you want to create the right look for yourself whenever you are on your bike.

While it is assumed that all bikers like to wear leather and cowboy boots, that isn't the case for all riders. For many riders, they like to wear something comfortable and warm while they are on the open road. Regardless of how warm it is when you get on the bike, the breeze that you will experience while riding may cause the air to feel much colder on your skin.

Photo credit: Harley Davidson.

In most states, it is illegal to ride a bike without a helmet. Even if it is legal to do so, you should still wear a helmet as a safety measure. By wearing a helmet, you can avoid being one of the many stories of people dying or suffering severe head injuries because they were not wearing protection.

To finish the look, you should consider a cool belt buckle that tells the world that you love to ride. The next time that you are online, you can shop for motorcycle belt buckles here from the comfort of your own home.

A Weekend in Paradise.

Whenever Mum comes home for her annual vacation, we make it a point to spend a day or two at the beach. You see, we're a family of beach bums, and my Mum, who spent most of her childhood and teenage years in Subic, practically grew up by the sea.

For this particular beach trip (which happened about two weeks ago), we decided to go somewhere close by since my grandmother will be travelling with us. That means Subic, Bataan, and most definitely Pagudpud were out of the picture. And so we ended up choosing Sariaya, which is about an hour and a half away from where we live. My sister, who acts as the family's travel planner, chose Paraiso Beach Resort for our weekend getaway.

Welcome to Paradise!

'Paraiso', by the way, is the Filipino word for 'paradise'. And I guess there's no better word to describe a scenery such as this.

Ahhh, the beach! :)

More of Paraiso after the jump! :)

Wordless Wednesday #43 | Off to Antipolo!

 

Every year, my parents-in-law would hie off to Antipolo City to visit and hear mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Peace and Voyage, more commonly known as the Antipolo Cathedral. They do this in commemoration of their wedding anniversary, and this year they just celebrated their 35th. :)

Wordless Wednesday #41 | Beach Bum.

Car Insurance | Why you should get one and what you can get from it.

Whether it's a top-of-the-line luxury car, a brand new sedan, or a rustbucket from the late 1990's, it is important that the vehicle you're driving is insured. Car insurance is extremely important for so many reasons.  Not only does it protect you in case an accident occurs, it also protects the people who may be riding with you in the car. Moreover, it also safeguards your family members who may drive your car. Simply put, the insurance protects you, your loved ones, and of course, your car.

When it comes to auto insurance, there is one name that has earned its reputation and is well-renowned in the market - The Hartford. Providing innovative car insurance features that come with a myriad of benefits, The Hartford makes sure that you get the most out of the money you spend.

Photo credit: Cars Avenue

The RecoverCare Car Insurance Benefit for instance, pays for the services  that you might need whilst you are nursing your injury. Say you need to hire someone to do your laundry, mow the lawn, clean the house - whatever service you need, The Hartford will help you pay for it.

They also have the Lifetime Car Repair Assurance which covers the repairs for your car for as long as you own or lease your vehicle. With over 1,600 accredited auto repair shops to choose from, policyholders across the country can enjoy this benefit whether they're in Connecticut, or elsewhere in the United States.

Another notable feature is the New Car Replacement benefit.  In the event of total loss of a new car within the first 15 months or 15,000 miles after you purchased it (whichever comes first), The Hartford shall replace it with a new vehicle - the same make, and model as the car that was lost. And with no deduction for depreciation at that.

Most importantly, there's the 24/7 Claim Hotline, with customer service agents working round the clock and ready to take your call day or night - because The Hartford believes that claim support is a key feature of car insurance.

For those who are willing to take the extra mile, there are Auto Insurance Upgrade Features available that allows you to enjoy even more benefits aside from the standard benefits mentioned above.

Back on Board, and a Quick Weekend Recap.

Just got back from an awesome out-of-the-blue, out-of-town weekend with my sibs! I was fervently hoping there'd be wifi at the places we were going, but alas! Even the resort hotel we stayed at didn't have internet connection.

So pardon my excommunication for the past three days. I'll try to catch up on my blog roll, plus your comments, blog posts, tweets and wall posts. I'm looking forward to a busy week ahead, since the little man will be starting with his School Readiness Program. (That's tomorrow at 8 freaking 30 in the morning, good luck to my insomnia and good bye to my Kdrama marathons!!!)

Anyway, here are some snippets of the weekend that was. Full posts and more photos coming soon! :)

At The Aristocrat.

Memorial shadows.

St. John the Baptist Church.

Tiptoeing for holy water.

Between the salt and pepper shaker. :)

Arabella's.

Fancy some footwear?

Al fresco at Kainan sa Balay.

Balay. Bacoor. Brandon.

Brushes galore!

Suesh Alabang Town Center. Finally!

Turning Japanese.

And now we're back to regular programming!

*Photos were captured using Finn, my point-and-shoot Fuji FinePix J150W. Photos number 3, 4, and 5 were tweaked using Picnik's HDR (#3), Fancy Focus (#4), and Black and White Focus (#5) modes.

Sharing with Scenic Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Sunday Snapshot, Blue Monday, Green Monday, MYM, Mom and Me Monday, Rednesday, Wednesday Whites, and Color Connection.