The Best Comments Of The Month: July 2011
Sneaking into the Pyramids of Giza, hanging out in North Korea, and trying to figure out where the heck bagpipes came from and more – in these best comments of the past month left by readers like you. Or you. Scroll down to find out.
- I might have pushed Leif Harum to recommit a crime but he may help all of us hopefuls with that aliens-building-the pyramids thing. See? It’s for a good cause.
- Imperator leaves us with some great information on what you need to know if traveling to North Korea.
- I’m severely behind on my Ultimate Train Challenge planning but Stephen has already helped out my leg in China immensely.
- Barbara Weibel tells us the Nepalese nod backward as well, though I suppose it’s all relative, especially if you’re Bulgarian.
- Turkey’s For Life and I are taking votes on who invented the bagpipes – “aliens” is also an acceptable answer.
- Santiago Calatrava, one of the designers of Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences, has also designed many other buildings you may be familiar with, Linda points out.
- Sherry Ott and Lash both ask why you should type out the entire URL when browsing the web at Internet cafes.
I often have trouble calling out the “best” comments – there are so many good ones to choose from each month and every single one is appreciated. Underneath just about every post is a good discussion brewing. Don’t be shy yourself and join one of the conversations, we won’t bite. Besides, it’s kitten-recommended. You can’t beat that kind of endorsement.
Weeks Before The Crowds In Oludeniz On Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast
July 28, 2011 by Anil P.
Filed under Pictures and Video
This picture almost never happened, mostly due to clouds appearing in the sky every time I planned to visit Oludeniz, one of the best beaches in Turkey. Having based myself out of nearby Fethiye (approximately 10 kilometers away) for much of the past fall and winter, I made a few trips to this beach that’s most famous for its Blue Lagoon. You can actually see the edge of the Blue Lagoon at the far end of the beach in the photo above but the best views are from the air. Paragliding is huge in Oludeniz and even when the beaches are as quiet as they were on this late fall day, the skies still have a fair share of people floating above (right over my shoulder in this case).
There’s a bit of confusion online about the exact location of Oludeniz – and what sea it’s on. Both Wikipedia and Google Maps incorrectly place Oludeniz on the Aegean Sea; close but not quite. Make no mistake about it, Oludeniz, which means “dead sea” in Turkish, is on the Mediterranean. The boundary of the Aegean is actually between the northern edge of nearby Rhodes to just south of the Turkish town Marmaris – approximately 80 km offshore from Oludeniz.
The last time I visited Oludeniz with friends Barry and Julia, who write Turkey’s For Life (a must-read site if you’re headed to this part of Turkey) the weather was just warming up. That spring swell in tourists is likely now an avalanche of people from all over the world, with big numbers from England and Germany. That trip helped what had been a dismal set of pictures previously, most of which you can see in my Oludeniz album here.
The Simple Answers To Your Most Frequent Travel Insurance Questions
Travel insurance admittedly isn’t the most interesting realm of travel talk, making it subject to hearsay, rumors, and massive gray areas. All perpetuated due to a lack of discussion and by the insurance companies and travelers alike. Sure, getting travel insurance is easy, but finding out what’s covered and how to use it isn’t quite a clear cut and often full of disappointing surprises if you’re not prepared.
You might be asking what happens if your laptop is stolen or you break a leg in Qatar – to more grave situations like needing to go home or have someone make medical decisions for you.
Do I Need Travel Insurance?
There are two extremes in opinion when it comes to travel insurance from ‘never travel without it’ to ‘it’s a waste of money’. Usually those opinions are formed by people who’ve either had the need to use travel insurance, know someone close to them who has, or has been traveling for years without an incident. The truth is most people’s insurance needs fall somewhere in between. It’s an important question to ask, especially for longer trips, and should you get travel insurance is a topic I’ve covered in dept previously worth a gander.
Is Travel Insurance A Scam?
Insurance companies don’t exactly have the best reputations and the world of travel insurance tends to be murkier waters in general. There are, however, many legitimate travel insurance companies who offer short term coverage, extended travel plans, and those for expats permanently living abroad. The big names floating around are World Nomads, IMG, TravelEx, and HTH Worldwide comes recommended by fellow vagabond Sherry Ott.
How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?
The answer to this question varies widely. In addition to the usual health insurance variables (age, drug requirements, etc.) travel insurance depends much upon which country you’re a resident of, where you’re going, and for how long. Generally speaking though, for a middle-aged single male or female, costs range from about $100-350 per month traveling to and from a range of countries.
You can compare travel insurance rates on sites like InsureMyTrip, call the travel insurance companies directly for lower quotes, and use tactics from The Art Of War to get the best price.
What Isn’t Covered?
I can’t stress enough how important it is to read the fine print of any insurance policy as they vary quite a bit – generally speaking for routine travel insurance the following are NOT covered: preexisting medical conditions, prescription drugs, pets traveling with you (though there are policies that cover them), sexually transmitted diseases, and anything you do while drunk or high. Don’t get pregnant either. Also, every single policy has wording against you being stupid; be sure to check the exact definition.
Insurance companies also tend to try and make unpredictable events seem expected, wiggling their way out of reimbursement; usually they give you a 3 day window after calamity to cancel a trip. (Here’s how to decide just when to cancel travel plans.)
- What about electronics? Most companies cover cap claims between $500-2,500.
How Do You Actually Use Travel Insurance And File A Claim?
Typically you send an email, use an online submission form, or for more serious or involved claims make a phone call. You need to keep all of your receipts, doctor notes, and anything else that can prove what you’re claiming to the travel insurance company. This process can go smoothly but usually requires a bit of verbal jiu-jitsu so the more paperwork you accumulate the better. Knowing the details of your policy helps as well; you should use the fine print to adjust your terminology accordingly.
- I don’t mean that to say file a false claim, just make sure you use the best wording for your situation to get the most out of your coverage. Also, don’t volunteer information, let the insurance company do the asking and make your claim as soon after the incident as possible.
How About Getting Killed, Being Unconscious, Or Angry Bird Attacks?
Having spent a few hours on hold with various travel insurance companies I found out these basics for when things really go wrong or an ostrich pokes your eye out. (Again, it all varies. I’m just a guy on the Internet. Read and confirm each specific policy!) Basically, travel insurance acts as a secondary insurance to your existing coverage if you have health care back at home. Travel insurance covers the emergency abroad (hospital costs, etc.) and will usually get you back home if the doctors determine you need extensive care.
In the case you’re killed or unconscious for any length of time (hopefully not of course) the information on you is used to contact anyone they can find. Some allow you to designate an emergency contact but the general rule of thumb is to carry a policy print out clearly identifying at least the phone number and name of your insurance company back home. Also, don’t get close to ostriches.
The Details Are In The Devil
Most travel insurance companies post the details of their policies on their websites though often there are gray areas for your particular travel situation. The phone (or via Skype) is the best way to get the details you need. Stick with it, get names, and jot down policy numbers for the things you’ve learned in case you end up having to use them down the…or on the road.
[top photo by: Kathrin & Stephan (kiwi first aid), snejb (question mark), guntzooki (con artist), Images_Of_Money (pictures of currency), EdWohlfahrt (bottle of pills), Peter Prodoehl (telephone), dtaylorcreative (ostrich)]
A Short History Of Paella At La Matandeta In Valencia, Spain
July 22, 2011 by Anil P.
Filed under Food, Pictures and Video
You cannot separate paella from Valencia, Spain where it originated in the 18th century. This dish and the round flat pan it’s cooked in by the same name, was made possible by the introduction of special short grain rices from Africa. Brought along with the Moors who conquered much of the Iberian peninsula during the 15th century, the hot, dry climate of Valencia proved to be an ideal place to cultivate the rice. And paella is all about the rice – which splits short way when heated – not on the ends like other rices, which allows it to absorb much more flavor from whatever it’s cooked with.
The original paella dishes were often made with rat as other meats were hard to come by but has since evolved into three major branches. Above is an example of the Valencia variety; the major ingredients being rice mixed with beans, tomatoes, duck, snails, olive oil and the essential saffron. (Here’s a full recipe.) All cooked over an open fire in the flat paella pans which vary in size but run about 75 centimeters across. There are countless ways to prepare paella, several of which I tried at La Matandeta in El Saler, just south of Valencia.
La Matandeta feels more like a giant summer house than a restaurant, a place so beautiful and calming at first sight you don’t want to leave. Seven courses and several bottles of wine later I almost couldn’t leave, I was so full.
Content to eat away into insulin bliss I was able to recover with a cafe con hielo overlooking the rice (yes, paella rice) fields from La Matandeta’s terrace. Not something often ordered by tourists I’m told, cafe con hielo is basically espresso served with another glass containing an ice cube. Pour unfiltered coffee over ice and you get a refreshing caffeinated shot on a hot Valencian summer day.
There are a few paella faux pas I was clued into on my trip provided by Tour Spain and Valencia Tourism – first off being that paella is a lunch thing, generally never eaten for dinner. A late lunch I should mention, as in Spain, lunch gets rolling around 2pm and isn’t designed for brevity. Lastly, remember cooking paella takes time and the in the best places you won’t see it within 30 minutes of ordering.
You can see more food and the rest of Valencia in my album here.
