The Cheesiest Travel Photo Contest Part 2 – Entry #1
December 14, 2009 by Anil P.
Filed under Contests, Pictures and Video
All this week I’ll be running the entries into The Cheesiest Travel Photo Contest Part 2. You can vote for your favorites beginning Monday, December 21rst.
“Me being a disrespectful goof at Angkor Wat.”
Submitted by: Kirsty (Nerdy Nomad)
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What Gadgets Can You Not Travel Without?
There is some tech gear I never travel without. A laptop, digital camera, a long range USB antenna and a number of various cables and wires to make my life easier and keep me connected.
I’m curious, what technology and electronics can you simply not do without when you travel and why?
Generally I bring things that help me to stay connected to the Internet, get work done, and keep on top of emails (and of course Twitter). I’m looking forward to hearing your must-travel tech gear for an upcoming post I’m working on and your feedback would be wonderful.
[photo by: nouQraz]
9 Expensive Travel Gadgets Worth Buying As Gifts
There are many wonderful traveler gifts for under $20 but what if you’re looking to splurge a bit on your loved ones or yourself? Use your money efficiently by considering some of these expensive (over $100) travel gadgets that are both useful and fun.
- iPod Touch ($199 refurbished 8GB) – This versatile tool does more than just play music, it’s has a feature set similar to the iPhone, except the phone part. You can download many more great free apps by jailbreaking your iPod touch and save 10-20% by buying Apple-certified refurbished.
- Victorinox Swiss Army CyberTool 41 (On Sale ~$75) – This Swiss army knife has a special tool set specifically for computers. A very handy Swiss army knife to have when you need to clean some dust out of your laptop or want to install a new hard drive on the road. It also has all the other common features like a knife (obviously), corkscrew, and pliers.
- Flip Video Camera ($150) – Record up to 120 minutes of digital video with this small camera about the size of a regular digital point and shoot. It records in high definition onto a 8GB built in memory and is rechargeable by USB. A great way to try and win one is to donate $10 to Passports with a Purpose.
A Long Range USB Antenna ($50) – There are two versions of these antenna that plug in to a USB slot on a laptop and can extend your wireless range 3-5 times. Snagging more wireless networks is important for travelers and digital nomads who often struggle to find good wi-fi. One added bonus with these antennas is that they can be used to hack wireless networks, another useful trick to know on the road.- An eBook Reader ($259) – Load up countless books and take them all over the world with you in a 10 ounce package. Both the Kindle and Nook make great gifts for travelers. If you’re having trouble deciding between them, here’s a comparison of the traveling eBook readers, the Kindle and Nook.
- Digital Camera (~$100) – We often assume that everyone already has a digital camera and forget to consider them as gifts, especially for travelers. I strongly recommend the Casio Exilim series for their reliability and great feature set for a small point and shoot. I’m offering one as a prize for Passports with a Purpose which you can enter to win with a $10 donation.
- Garmin Nuvi GPS Unit (~$130) – Not all who wander are lost but plenty of people get lost wandering. The price of these devices has really come down in the last 18 months. The Garmin Nuvi (like most others) lets you load North American, European, Asian and other maps, upload pictures, and talk on your mobile over Bluetooth. You can also make your GPS talk like Darth Vader although he might lead you to the Dark Side.
A Good Webcam (~$80) – The difference between a $30 and $100 webcam is very noticeable in both the video and audio quality. Unless a person happens to be traveling around with a Macbook, a good webcam is a useful asset for most digital nomads. Heavy Skype users will appreciate the Logitech Webcam Pro 9000.- The Dell Mini Laptop ($299-349) – These laptops are only 2.5lbs, 10 inches wide and an inch thick, and are well manufactured and reliable. One of the neat things is that the hardware is compatible with Mac’s Leopard OS X (aka. Hackintosh). So, with a few minor tweeks you can have your Mac Leopard laptop for about $800 less than buying an Apple.
Some Cheap Geek Accessories
Some of the items below are very useful, simple, and don’t cost much. They’re the opposite of expensive or glamorous, the cheaper digital nomad gifts that are much more useful than their price indicates.
- USB Flex Light ($10)- Great for reading or seeing your keyboard when it’s dark.
- Stereo Cable ($3) – Lets you plug in your iPod (or other audio device) into many stereos, rental cars, and TVs. It’s the one cable most travelers only think about when they don’t have one on them.
- USB Double AA Rechargable Batteries ($20) – Pop the cap off, plug in to your USB port to charge, and now you’ve got some double AA batteries.
- USB squid ($12) – Turns one USB port into 4.
- All-In-One Power Adapter ($5) – Coverts between a variety of outlet styles, including US, European, Indian, and several others.
This makes a pretty nice wish list for many travelers who can’t get enough of their technology and gadgets. These are the most useful gadgets for travelers in this price range in case you’re having trouble figuring out what to get for the holidays or that upcoming birthday.
[photos by: nathangibbs, mstephens7, Ho0n]
Top 5 Cheap Thrills In New York City
December 9, 2009 by Anil P.
Filed under Guest Post
This is a guest post by Fiona, who writes the Glove Box Blog about cars and car rental. On a recent trip to the Big Apple, she was delighted to find that some of the city’s best attractions are free. Below Fiona shares some of her top 5 cheap thrills in New York City.
1. Visit The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) On A Friday
Situated on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street, New York’s MoMA is the perfect place to spend a rainy NYC afternoon, but especially on a Friday – when admission is free. Even from the outside, the Yoshio Taniguchi-designed building is visually stunning.
Once inside, enjoy five floors of modern avant-garde and conceptual art, dating from the late nineteenth century to the present. If weather permits, make sure you check out the outdoor installations in the Abby Aldrich Sculpture Garden as well as the indoor exhibits by the likes of Warhol, Van Gough and Monet.
To avail of free passes, visit on a Friday between 4pm and 8pm, when the museum hosts Target Free Friday nights.
2. Make a Late Date with Dave
Ever wanted to see what goes on behind the scenes of a New-York based chat show? This is probably a bit of a loaded question when it comes to David Letterman (if recent reports are anything to go by), but those curious to observe the workings of a real-live New York television studio and its celebrity guests can do so for free.
Late Show with David Letterman is filmed before a studio audience in the Ed Sullivan Theatre at 54th Street and Broadway. The show is recorded Monday-Thursday at 5.30pm and again on Thursday at 8pm. Free stand-by tickets are available to the lucky few who queue on the day of the show in the lobby of the studios. Last minute tickets are also available to those who call (212) 247-6497 at 11 am on the morning of the show. Audience members must arrive 75 minutes before the show is due to record.
3. Walk Across Brooklyn Bridge
The 20-minute walk across Brooklyn Bridge offers you unrivalled views of both the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines – so bring your camera along! The easiest way to begin your walk is to cross the bridge on the Manhattan side, close to City Hall, Park Row and Centre Street. To get there, take the 4, 5 or 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge City Hall. Alternatively take the J, M or Z to Chambers Street.
Enter the bridge via the concrete ramp. Once you’re on the wooden planks you’ll know you’re on the bridge. The walkway is perched above the bridge’s traffic, so you don’t have to worry about dodging oncoming trucks and cars!
Make sure to photograph iconic sights such as the Woolworth Building and the Empire State Building. Look out for the Statue of Liberty on the right hand side. Exit the bridge on the Brooklyn side and enjoy lunch or dinner in one of the many waterfront restaurants and cafés. Alternatively, a walk from Brooklyn to New York is also possible. Hop off the A train at the High Street Stop. Follow signposts to Cadman Park. From here you’ll reach the pedestrian walkway and enjoy stunning views of the Manhattan skyline.
4. Take the Staten Island Ferry
Save your feet as well as a pocketful of dollars! The best views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty are free to those who take the Staten Island ferry that links up South Ferry (near Battery Park) and the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island. A round trip takes about an hour. If you’re looking to photograph the Manhattan Harbour or the Statue of Liberty, make sure you get a good spot close to one of the larger windows. Manhattan is prone to fog, so avoid early morning crossings, when visibility may be poor.
These days it’s easy for tourists to take the service for granted, but the Staten Island fare hasn’t always been free. In 1897 it cost five cents to get from one side to the other. Fares had increased to 50 cent by 1997 just before they were abolished.
5. Buy One Ticket Get One Free On Broadway
TKTS Box office on Duffy Square (47th St at Broadway, just off Times Square) offers half price tickets on popular Broadway musicals and plays. TKTS sells unsold tickets on the day of the performance for all Broadway shows for 25 –50% less than the box office price with just a $3.00 service charge added per ticket. This means you get the equivalent of a free ticket when you book two tickets.
Tickets sell out fast so you should always have two or three shows in mind when requesting tickets – at least you won’t be disappointed after spending all that time queuing! All available show tickets are displayed on digital screens at the entrance. Have your dollars and traveller’s cheques at the ready, as TKTS does not accept credit cards or checks.
Thank you for the guest post Fiona, these are some good (and cheap) things to do in NYC. I’m sure you other New Yorkers have a few of your own to add so feel free to suggest your personal favorites in the comments below.
