Blog - foXnoMad

The Best Point And Shoot For Travelers Might Be This 2 Year Old Panasonic Lumix

by Anil Polat | Nov 8, 2016 | Tech | 2

The best technology isn’t always the newest, particularly for people who travel often. Gadgets tend to take a beating when you travel, from jolts of bus rides to constantly being stuffed into backpacks and pockets. A generation or two behind the latest version of a product tends to have its manufacturing bugs exposed if there are any, plus often cost a lot less.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 digital camera is one such device – a combination of excellent photograph quality, features and reliability, not to mention incredible battery life.

From Lumix To Lumix

In 2014 I purchased (at the time one model behind the latest) a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 on the advice of a professional photographer who told me it was the camera to get if I wasn’t interested in a bulky DSLR. Immediately the quality of my photos improved and for nearly two years I took thousands of pictures around the world with a camera I wouldn’t have replaced if it didn’t develop a black spot in the lens after its limits were pushed on a remote tropical island.

Panasonic DMC-ZS45 LUMIX 20X Zoom Camera with Wink-Activated...

In a way I’m glad it did since the DMC-ZS45 is an improvement on the ZS40 in almost every way.

Updating A Bit Behind

The Lumix DMC-ZS45 costs around $239, while the latest DMC-ZS60 will take a nearly $500 bite out of your travel budget. The main differences between the two most travelers would care about is the lack of time-lapse and lackluster video quality (maximum 1920 x 1080) of the DMC-45. To be honest the Lumix line of cameras never took video all that well but they excel in a number of photographic features you typically only find on much more expensive cameras.

A Wider Perspective

You should not underestimate how useful a wide(r) angle lens on a camera can be if you take a lot of travel photos. A wide angle lens (the DMC-ZS45 goes as low as 24 millimeter) means you can get more in a shot from the same place than a camera that starts at the average 35mm. In other words, you don’t have to walk as far back to fit the stuff you want in frame, handy especially when there isn’t space for steps back to take.

On the other end of the spectrum, the ZS45 has a 480mm zoom lens, optically enlarging your view by 20 times as well as a good marco mode, allowing you to take closeup photos from as little as 3 centimeters.

Feature Plateu

For every technology, there is a point of limited returns on many specs. In my tests the DMC-ZS45 powers up and is ready to take a picture in 8/10ths of a second; the DMC-ZS60 (officially) in 1.4 seconds. They both weigh around half a pound (roughly 280 grams). Yes, the DMC-ZS60 has a 24-720mm focal range, enlarging images 30 versus 20 times, and can shoot 4k video. Image quality, both for photos and videos will increase as time goes on, but the differences are becoming less noticeable. Cameras are light but can never be weightless and if you really need extreme zoom, you’re probably won’t ever be satisfied with a point and shoot.

The one spec there is never enough of however is battery life, where both of the cameras are amazing. The DMC-ZS45 officially takes 350 pictures on a single charge, but I’ve routinely taken more than a 1,000 in all kinds of weather. For all the differences between the latest DMC-ZS60 and the January 2015 DMC-ZS45 model, they’re not worth an extra $250 for most travelers. Besides, if you really want one, wait a year or so and it will probably be the cost the DMC-ZS45 is now.

Why Missing A Flight Isn’t Such A Big Deal And What To Do If It Happens

by Anil Polat | Nov 3, 2016 | Advice, Air | 4

The one event most travelers try to avoid at all costs is missing their flight. Whether you you show up at the airport 3 hours early or cut it much closer, fear of missing a flight can induce panic, terminal sprints, and philosophical debates on rush hour traffic flows. Missing a flight can brandish you a careless traveling idiot undeserving to board another aircraft again but like most things in life, stuff happens.

Fortunately I’ve been unintentionally researching for this post for years. Here’s what happens when you miss a flight and what you can do about it.

Under The Right Circumstances

Many of us who’ve ever flown on a route with a connecting flight have missed a flight due to a late connection. In those cases you’re put on the next available flight by the airline, an inconvenience but without the complications of missing your first flight from the airport altogether. This post is about the latter case, when, for whatever reason, you’ve shown up at the airport too late to check-in. The first thing to do is breathe and stay calm, in most cases it’s not the costly end-of-the-world mistake you may be thinking.

Misconceptions

For starters, you’re not the only one. 2% of all travelers who show up two hours before a flight don’t make it and around 70,000 American Airlines fliers have missed flights in the United States alone due to excessive security line wait times alone. Given the numbers of people missing flights, the airlines have incorporated some flexibility for customers to handle such circumstances.

Know When It’s A Lost Cause

Prior to getting to the security line, your major deadline is check-in. For most flights if you’re not at the airline counter 45 minutes before departure, checked bags or not, you’re probably not making that particular flight. You should do all you can to make it on time but know when it’s time to start thinking about alternative options. Trivially stressful events like soccer matches can increase your chances of a heart attack and a missed flight isn’t worth a hospital visit.

Once you’ve accepted the inevitable, begin politically pivoting to get on another flight and pay as little as possible for it.

Black Hat Travel Hacking: How To Miss Flights For Free – The first rule is not to admit fault; a flat tire or traffic accident closing highway lanes are best. (A lot of airlines have a ‘flat-tire’ rule.)

Anecdotally, several airlines have policies that allow passengers to re-book flights with no penalties if they’re no later than 2 hours of the scheduled flight.

Internet Ahead

For close calls (i.e. missed flights within 2 hours) go to the check-in desk and explain your story. (Or as Spock would say, exaggerate the truth.) When you arrive at the airport, be sure to tell the staff you’re running very late for a flight so they can push you to the front of the check-in line – you might get lucky if there are any flight delays.

In cases where you’ve really screwed up the times, say A.M. with P.M., be calm, collected, and use The Art Of War to get on the desk agent’s good side but first call ahead to the airline. At worst, you’re likely to pay a re-booking penalty of $100-200, and while it’s not the best news, it’s a lot better than having to pay for a completely new ticket.

The Cave Where Batman Found His Soul Is In A Rural Indian Village

by Anil Polat | Nov 1, 2016 | Travel | 4

chand baori

Located off a very dusty road in a village of a couple of people between New Delhi and Jaipur, India, is one of the Rajasthan states most impressive sites. So little known is the Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri, that nobody bothers to charge an entry fee, and on my several visits I’ve never seen more than a handful of others wandering the grounds. Isolated and mysterious, the 13 story deep (3,500 steps) architectural feat, Chand Baori was the perfect place to imprison Batman.

The Dark Knight Rises

You’ll notice in The Dark Knight Rises that Bruce Wayne is stuck at the bottom of a pit, along with a bunch of other prisoners, and is the only one who is able to make a (literal) leap of faith to escape. Some of these scenes were filmed at Chand Baori, carefully enhanced with computer graphics. You can see the scene below:

As Bruce Wayne climbs out of the stepwell you’ll notice another famous Rajasthan view, the Mehrangarh Fort, which isn’t really close by but then again, it’s a movie about a billionaire who fights crime dressed up like a bat.

Back To Life, Back To Reality

Chand Baori was originally built around 800 A.D., when the sleepy village Abhaneri was a more active city named Abha Nagri. The Rajasthan state of India is dry and hot, so the stepwell served both as a water conservatory as well as a cool place to gather during the intense midday heat. Unfortunately, because a tourist fell in several years ago, it’s no longer allowed to walk down to the bottom to experience the several degrees cooler air once enjoyed by elites living around Chand Baori.

The Dark Knight Rises [Blu-ray]

How To Get To Chand Baori

You can either have your back broken by Bane, or take a detour on a drive from New Delhi to Jaipur; alternatively if you’re going from Agra to Jaipur or the reverse. In any case, you’ll be going about 2 hours out of your way to see Chand Baori. India is full of visually incredible places that seemingly come out of nowhere and Chand Baori is really one of the best examples of it.

I wouldn’t say it is worth a drive from Jaipur, New Delhi, or Agra just to see Chand Baori, but chances are you’ll be moving through these cities as part of a well worn tourism trail. Don’t miss Chand Baori if you’re passing nearby, though make sure your driver knows where they’re going (and really make sure, don’t take any side head nod at bobble value). Most experienced drivers and tour guides (like my friend’s Wandering Earl Tours) won’t have any trouble getting you to Chand Baori.

A visit around the ruins generally lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, enough time for all the photos you want as well as re-imagining Bruce Wayne simply taking the steps up to escape.

The Best Restaurant In Pristina, Kosovo, Might Be The Best Health Food In The Balkans

by Anil Polat | Oct 18, 2016 | Food | 4

home restaurant pristina

The concrete construction of Pristina, the capital of the small rebellious republic of Kosovo, isn’t the prettiest. Old cement apartment blocks with weathered paint are evidence of a stalled economy, the similar story shared by many disputed and autonomous territories around the world. A short walk up though from the dull apartments looking over Mother Teresa Square though you see something new, a restaurant bringing Kosovan food back to its main ingredients.

Balkan Clean Cuisine

Aptly named Home Restaurant inconspicuously sits behind a small garden of lazy ivy while boldly serving some of the best fresh foods dishes in the region. Spend enough time in the Balkan capitals like Sofia, Bulgaria or Belgrade, Serbia, and you’ll come to find there is a lively petri dish of healthy eateries cultivating an ever growing number of unique vegan, vegetarian, gluten, sugar, whatever-weird-allergy-you-think-you-have free restaurants.

home restaurant pristina menu

Home Restaurant, a lot like these other places however doesn’t alienate its cuisine, but rather incorporates locals dishes into its vision of the original.

Going Back To Roots

Many restaurants focused on health trends tend to think up original dishes with completely foreign ingredients, trying to create an entirely new cuisine to cater to vegetarians, vegans, or the lactose intolerant. At Home, traditional Balkan dishes are brought back to their origins of varied fresh vegetables, fish, meat, and hearty soups with plenty of legumes. A lot of Kosovan cuisine, like Turkish for example, is unintentionally vegan.

home restaurant salad pristina

Home serves freshly cooked food daily and the menu variable enough that it too can change day to day. Aside from offering traditional meat dishes there are also modern touches like the sesame tuna steak or falafel for vegetarians. All of the meat and eggs are from farms – not the factory kind – sadly, a feature one has to look for in modern cuisine. The vegetables too are grown locally, something you distinctly notice in the taste of everything you eat at Home.

As It Should Be

Home highlights Kosovan foods without constraining itself. The sauces are simple, vegetables in season, and care is taken to add to the ambiance by staff who – as cheesy as it sounds – make you feel at home. In case you’re wondering, the prices are also moderate by Pristina standards, cheap compared to much of Europe, even its eastern fringes.

home restaurant pristina kosovo

At this point, I’m rambling on about how great Home is because I would go to Pristina just to eat there. There’s probably a deeper story about how it came to be in Pristina (since it’s a bit odd Home is there in the first place) but I never got around to finding out because I was too busy eating during each visit.

home restaurant pristina fish

The excellent food is served by friendly staff at reasonable prices plus they offer free wifi (they also accept credit cards). You should not miss Home Restaurant if you’re in Pristina, and to be completely honest, it might be worth visiting just to eat there if you’re traveling in Skopje or other nearby cities.

Targu Jiu, The Best City To Visit In 2015, Is Making Its Own Tourism Trail In Romania

by Anil Polat | Oct 13, 2016 | Contests, Travel | 1

targu jiu night winter romania

There may not be a whole lot going on in Targu Jiu, the city you voted as the best to visit in 2015, but much like Craiova, the residents of this southwestern corner of Romania are deeply passionate about it.

You hear a lot about ‘off the beaten path’ places everyone seems to know about. Want to get off the regular tourist trail? Targu Jiu, and the greater Oltenia region, should be in your Romania travel plans.

Targu Jiu, In Short

The population of this industrial city has been falling over the last decade as employment opportunities have shrunk in Targu Jiu, where there aren’t a lot of industries to begin with. The Jiu River, most notable as a tributary to the Danube, calmly flows through the city so innocently, it looks like an empty road at night.

jiu river targu jiu romania

Targu Jiu is quiet, at first.

Sculpting Tourism

A younger couple asks, as I look over the Jiu River from the park where The Avenue of the Heroes sculptures are located, what I’m doing there. The man is a Romanian who’s visiting his childhood home for the first time in years, noting it’s changed quite a bit, but perhaps not enough yet to attract tourists.

Across the street, Irish Pub quickly gathers a large crowd but the bartender is already a good friend. Step a block away though and you won’t notice it, the streets are empty, though only because the crowds are concentrated in small pockets of activity.

The Best Places To Eat In Targu Jiu

There are two really good choices for food in Targu Jiu though Antique, which doesn’t look like much from outside, is the one you’ll want to keep going back to. It has a good selection of Romanian foods traditional to this part of the country served in a cozy encompassed mansion basement. The service is great and (as you’ll get accustomed to if you visit Targu Jiu) the staff are friendly and inquisitive because there aren’t that many foreign visitors.

antique targu jiu restaurant

Your second option is Restaurant Ambassador, serving a blend of traditional and semi-food-you-find-everywhere though without the ambiance of Antique or small attention paid to the preparation of all the dishes. I mention it because Ambassador is a good choice in Targu Jiu, but Antique is a good choice in this region, reminiscent of the excellent Crama Ileana in Sibiu.

taragu jiu church romania

Slowly but surely, Targu Jiu begins to change from “wait, what, why, where?!” to “I am now starting to get why so many people voted it The Best City To Visit In 2015.

Travel Expansion

It was clear to me during my visit to nearby Craiova in 2014 that the local governments are trying to create a new tourist trail in the Oltenia region or Romania. By building new town squares as well as investing in promotion, cities like Targu Jiu are trying to emulate the successes of the Brasov, Sibiu, and others in Transylvania, which has become an sizeable source of income for central Romania.

targu jiu christmas romania travel

Without vampire or castles though, Oltenia is having to come up with modern attractions, advertised to the world through a grassroots campaign of locals who love their towns. Targu Jiu’s residents for the most part are enthusiastic – with typically eastern European realism – about what their city has (and doesn’t) to offer. I’m incredibly grateful to the people who voted and brought me to Targu Jiu in 2015, much like Craiova in 2014, its a place I hope more people see too.

The Starfleet Academy Experience In New York City Is Federation Utopia For Trekkies

by Anil Polat | Oct 6, 2016 | Culture, Tech | 3

There are a lot of geeky reasons to travel so when I heard about the interactive Starfleet Academy Experience on board the Intrepid Museum in New York City, I knew I had to make it a part of my annual convention pilgrimage. The Starfleet Academy Experience (SAE) was anything but disappointing but be warned, you’ve got to be one step beyond a casual Star Trek fan to truly enjoy the exhibit.

What The Heck Is A Starfleet Academy Experience?

Well timed with Star Trek Missions, the first major Trek convention in New York City in a very long time, the long standing Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has opened a (very) interactive exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the original show through October 31, 2016.

Essentially, the exhibit is broken down into the major fields of study seen on Star Trek, from tactical to communications. Your progress is tracked by a wrist band that digitally updates your own personal voyage through Starfleet Academy. The first stop is in medical, where you’re asked to scan an injured Klingon, and diagnose his condition based on a number of tricorder readings.

You make your way through the individual areas, taking 30 second touchscreen tests, learning a lot of sci-fi and science along the way. The creators of SAE put in a lot of thought to make every section interactive but different so it doesn’t get boring.

Beam Yourself Up

Admittedly, I did not expect stepping onto a transporter and watching myself beam up would be nearly as fun as it was. Or plotting a course for the Enterprise around 6 or 7 astronomical phenomena on a touchscreen the size of a large television. The longest line was for phaser practice (basically a one-person arcade shooter) which, if you’re pressed for time, can be skipped without regret.

You’ll learn a few phrases and be tested on your Klingon pronunciation as well. (If you really want to try your skills, read this post I wrote entirely in Klingon.) All of this taking place in a large area built to look like the halls of the Enterprise from The Next Generation. The effort on creating the look, feel, as well as appeal to casual and hardcore Trek fans is noticeable.

Sit In The Captain’s Chair

Given that the entrance fee is $25 (or $35 if you don’t want to be forced to visit at a scheduled time) the extensiveness of the Starfleet Academy Experience is appreciated. As you make your way toward graduation, which takes about an hour if not more, you’re welcomed with a recreation of the Enterprise bridge where you take the Kobayashi Maru test. Then, pose for countless photos in the captain’s chair, helm, security, engineering stations… and again, depending on your enthusiasm.

On the way out, you scan your wristband on last time to get your Academy results, plus a read out of the starship positions you’re best cut out for. You can have that, as well as your transporter video emailed directly to you. The Starfleet Academy Experience is open 10am-7pm daily, through October 31st. I recommend arriving early, then purchasing tickets to visit the Intrepid Museum itself, on the aircraft carrier by the same name.

About Anil Polat

Hi, I'm Anil. foXnoMad is where I combine travel and tech to help you travel smarter. I'm on a journey to every country in the world and you're invited to join the adventure! Read More