Flashpacker Guy

Backpackers with a bigger budget

Fight The Boredom Ways To Keep Yourself Entertained Between Travel Activities

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Even when we are experiencing the adventure of traveling somewhere, the feeling of being boredom can always creep in.

In such hours of sheer dullness, some of us resort to watching movies in our hotel room, while some prefer listening to music while almost being passed-out on the rental bed.

Then there are those who choose to lay back with a large book in their hands, while another segment likes to get busy with their phones or laptop.

Some may think of taking a break between these hours of adventure as wasting their time at a foreign location, but the fact of the matter is that a change in location – no matter how pleasant – can make you mentally exhausted at times, and by doing familiar or non-physical activities during hours of boredom could actually make you all recharged for your next day of excursions.

So whether you may have recently experienced this phenomenon or might actually be planning to travel in the near future without having to go through it, we have put together a short list of activities that you can put to use the next time you find yourself in such a situation.

The following list of activities, even while getting some help from your wallet, do not move towards breaking the bank at all, so you can enjoy them without affecting your travel budget.

Play Online Games

Yes, your phone might be the Holy Grail of apps and you may most certainly go through it for the run of the mill games, but there are specialized services that allow casual gamers a chance to try their hands at a particular niche – without having to run a daylong simulation of their own.

One such segment of gaming would be online gambling platforms or casinos that allow users to indulge in how a casino experience could turn out to be for them on their travels without having to actually walk into Vegas to do so – well, that is if you are not already there for your travels.

Binge Watch the Night Away

Even while staying in a hotel, you no longer have to resort to the old model of Video on Demand.

As long as you have your laptop or even your phone handy with you, all that you need to do is sign in to Netflix or Hulu – or if you are a fan of offbeat shows, Amazon Prime – and break out those pillows to sleep to the scenes of a new or beloved series or movie.

To take things up a notch, you call up the room service and order some late night snacks, which brings us to the next section.

Order Room Service

The dreaded room service, you ask? You don’t want to hike up your hotel bill, you say?

We understand.

Ordering room service does not mean that you are lighting a proverbial fire to your wallet, but if you actually follow room service ordering tips that guide you through the process of having a delicious plate of food without regretting its price tag, then you can actually kill that feeling of boredom with a flavor-packed bite.

Get Those Board Games Out

While being way less conventional than the aforementioned ideas, playing interactive group games such as the ever-divisive Monopoly or the immensely popular Catan could prove to turn your evening from being full of ennui into a spectacular game night that you and your travel party would cherish for years to come.

Whatever you do, remember not to pick feuds over the game no matter how tempted you get to win by any means. After all, you have to travel the next day with the same group you would be fighting with over some fake-cash.

Remember to Take Time to Rejuvenate to Enjoy Your Travels

It’s understandable if you want to enjoy every second of your vacation outdoors especially if you have limited time on your hands before you get back to your everyday life; however, you need to keep in mind that you would not be able to enjoy the picturesque backdrops or the marvelous local experiences that you travelled all the way for if you do not have the mindset to take pleasure in them.

Therefore, whenever you feel the need to sit back and relax, go ahead and take a few hours to yourself. It will only prove to enhance your travel experience by providing you with a fresh set of mind during your vacation when you need it the most.

Mighty Fortress Church Helps With Knowledge of Scriptures

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One of the best things for a follower of Christ is to know the Bible. The only way one can know the Bible is by reading and studying it. However, there are some passages in the Bible that can be looked at in a group setting. After all, the common belief is that a religious leader is required to interpret the texts. Fortunately, some of the more honest leaders of church like Bishop Thomas Williams will encourage people to do all of the studying for themselves and share with one another so that they can keep themselves grounded.

One thing that is interesting when it comes to the faith is that a lot of believers have not read the Bible. They rely a lot on the teacher to tell them everything about the Bible. However, one would be hard pressed to find a believer who does not have a Bible. Everyone has a Bible in their home. Therefore, they have access to the Bible. Perhaps the one thing that is keeping them from reading the Bible is that they find the whole process to be a little intimidating because of the size of the Bible and what they have heard about it as far as being confusing.

Fortunately, Mighty Fortress Church is very helpful when it comes to scriptures. One of the first things they do is help people get comfortable with the scriptures. They help people understand that the scriptures is not as hard to understand as they are made to believe. While there are a lot of things that they have to figure out including how to rightly divide the truth, this can be handled with the help of study groups. Mighty Fortress Church is committed to the growth and the relationships of people who are interested in following Christ.

Mighty Fortress Church is the type of church that actually takes the truth and helps people bring it to life to them. They get to not only learn about the faithful in the scriptures but also get to learn about the flaws of the individuals. This can help them gain encouragement for what they are going through. One thing that Mighty Fortress Church is going to avoid is giving the impression that life is going to be very easy and luxurious for people who decide to follow Christ. While there are a lot of amazing wonders that happen, there are also a lot of trials that people encourage each other through.

3 Spooky Spots to Experience Savannah at Its Most Haunting

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If you are considering a visit to the mysterious Georgia city of Savannah, then hopefully you are a person who is not afraid of a potentially frightful adventure. You’d better be prepared to experience some haunted and historical aspects of Savannah if you decide to travel here. The following sites in Savannah just might scare your socks off simply by reading about them. Believe it or not, you might actually come face to face with a ghost. Seriously, these kinds of encounters have commonly been reported around this city!

The Mercer Williams House

Image via Flickr from Clinton Steeds

This interesting house was designed by New York architect John S. Norris for General Hugh W. Mercer, who was the great-grandfather of the famous Johnny Mercer. Construction of the house began in 1860 but was later interrupted by the onset of the Civil War. However, it was later completed around 1868 by the new owner, John Wilder. Numerous tragic events have taken place on the property throughout its existence. The former residents of the Mercer Williams House supposedly had supernatural experiences there, such as ghost encounters. Come visit this eerie place, and find out for yourself about whether or not it’s truly bone-chilling.

The Owens-Thomas House

This house, which has fine architecture and beautiful surroundings, also has a pretty dark past. Behind the beautiful and classy look of this place, there is also a long history of slavery by some of its early owners. Quite a few other tragedies have been witnessed here, as well, such as the fire of 1820, the Civil War, and yellow fever. Because of all of these occurrences, there have been apparent sightings and sounds of various spirits in and around the house. If you aren’t overly frightened already, then you should try exploring this house for yourself and see what you might come across.

The Hamilton-Turner Inn

The Hamilton-Turner Inn, which was made famous by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, is well-known for the paranormal activities that occur within it. This lovely bed and breakfast offers comfortable accommodations, excellent food, and maybe even a few chills and thrills. Some of the supernatural activities that have been reported here include the sounds of laughter from children, billiard balls rolling around on the higher floors, and sightings of a peculiar, cigar-smoking man sitting on the roof. Give this place a chance and you just might be in for the time of your life.

If you are not paralyzed with fear at this point, then you should really go to Savannah and try to have some supernatural experiences of your own. After all, it does have a reputation for being one of America’s most haunted cities. If thrills are what you’re after, then give it a go! No matter what ‘haunts’ you, this guide to Savannah, Georgia, will help you find it. Come for the scares, and stick around for the wonderful atmosphere, great food and drink, and fun attractions that are sure to thrill all.

Put Your Travel Face on with Prescription Sunglasses

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With the seasons of winter and spring passing, most of us would be making travel plans to enjoy some time off with our loved ones.

Whether you are staying back to enjoy the cold within the distant lands or taking an international expedition to get some much needed warmth, if you are traveling, you will most likely be spending most of your time outdoors – which also calls for making some important decisions about your attire.

Of course, you will need proper winter wear or swimsuits depending on where you are going, but if you wear prescription glasses, then you would also have a looming sense of dread about having to keep squinting your way under the sun no matter how the weather gets to be for you. After all, you can’t just put on usual sunglasses due to obvious repercussions of a blurry vision.

Fortunately, there is a very easy solution to that problem that often gets overlooked, which is the simple decision of wearing prescription sunglasses that are bound to give you the comfort that you seek while also making sure that you get to have a clear vision through them.

Designed for people who wear prescription glasses throughout the day, these sunglasses provide the same level of clarity while adding that extra layer of shade in order to shield your eyes from blinding sunlight that one experiences during outdoor excursions.

Getting prescription sunglasses doesn’t mean that you have to subject yourself to a limited selection of designs or wear unsightly frames just because you have to. These sunglasses that support lenses ranging from single vision, bifocals and multifocals are provided by renowned names in fashion, such as Gucci, Fendi and Jimmy Choo.

This means that no matter what type of frame complements the shape of your face perfectly, you are going to find a stylish design easily with the slew of choices provided by these top-tier designer brands.

But having famous fashion-houses behind them does not mean that prescription sunglasses are too delicate for everyday use, since they are just as sturdy as your everyday glasses (even more so in cases). For that extra layer of protection, you can go with options such as scratch-resistant coatings so that your new purchase remains safe even while you ski in the snow or sunbathe amidst the sand.

Even while being offered by brands that never fail to deliver on style and comfort, prescription sunglasses do not break the bank for the one who buys them, and remain affordable for every price point.

Therefore, before you embark on your next adventure, make sure that you grab a pair of this essential accessory to make your experience squint-free. Your retinas will be thanking you – and so will your future self when those vacation pictures come out.

5 Amazing Things Happening In Africa

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Africa has been given a bad reputation over the past few decades. Everything from war, to famine, and to poverty has stricken this continent, and the image of Africa has since been seen in a negative light.

However, this is a new century and with this new century comes a new outlook on Africa from not only the world but from the people on this continent.

So if you are unaware of what is going on in Africa and why this century will be the century that this continent sees a huge overturn on its image continue to read on.

5 Amazing Things Happening In Africa

# 1 – The Tourist Industry Is Booming

Right now the Serengeti Safari traveling packet is one of the most highly desired places for people who visit the continent to visit. The wildlife, the landscape, and the environment have been received very well by tourist. Going on safari holidays is something that’s only going to become more and more popular. From safaris to major sporting events like The England Rugby Tour, Africa never fails to entertain!

# 2 – Nigeria Will Become A Major Economic Power In The Near Future

Nigeria, Africa’s Richest Country, is looking to become a major global economic player in the near future. This is a result of many young people looking to become entrepreneurs as well as the Information Technology sector that has become very popular across the continent.

# 3 – Civil Wars Are Declining

To add more warm good news to this fantastic fire of positivity, the amount of civil wars this continent has been so heavily plagued with for decades are finally coming to a halt and may civil wars that were once a prominent part of the continent are no longer having a stay.

# 4 – Growing Middle Class

Africa’s middle class is growing, and this is due in part to the many jobs and opportunities that have come as a result of China and Africa’s relationship. Although there is still extreme poverty in a particular section so the continent overall there seems to be a steady increase in the economy.

# 5 – Promising Demographic

Unlike many countries in Europe which are seeing a decline in their population as well as specific places in Asia – Africa is looking to hold half of the human population sometime in 2050.

The Future Looks Bright

This is a new center that we are in and this century is looking to be a monumentally different century and for many reasons. Aside from many countries that were once poor, this may also be the century that we land the first man on Mars. What a time it is to be alive.

4 Authentic Indian Restaurants in Queens, New York

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Are you planning a trip to New York City? Untapped Cities ranks Queens as one of New York City’s most diverse communities. For anyone who wants to experience the city’s Indian culture and cuisine, a visit to Little India in Jackson Heights, Queens, is a must. Strolling down Roosevelt Boulevard, you could be in Mumbai with all the colorful saris while pungent aromas of chaats transport you to New Delhi. Explore the following four authentic Indian restaurants you can find in Queens.

Jackson Diner

If you’re in Jackson Heights and you’re hungry for Indian cuisine, try the neighborhood icon Jackson Diner. Nibble on tandoori wings or sample a samosa before trying the Chicken Lajwab, a curry dish full of succulent dark-meat chicken seasoned with tomato and ginger with a brightened accent of cilantro. Don’t forget the naan.

Samudra Restaurant

If you are a vegetarian and looking for an authentic Indian restaurant, look no farther than Samudra Restaurant. The Paneer Pakora — an Indian-style cheese marinated in Indian spices, dusted in chickpea flour, and deep fried — is amazing.

With seven authentic chaats, any one will whisk you away to Jaipur as you close your eyes and indulge. Looking for the perfect dosa? The restaurant offers more than 15 types of dosa, with a flavor for everyone. Spinach, however, is the most popular flavor. To enjoy more of this hearty cuisine, you’ll want to book a room at a nearby Queens hotel.

Seva Indian Cuisine

Located in nearby Astoria, Queens, Seva Indian Cuisine will take you on a flavorful journey through India. Start with the Masala Crabcake, made from lump crab seasoned with garam masala, mint, and a lemon cilantro sauce. Try the Chicken Tikka Masala slow cooked in the clay oven and served in a light tomato-cream sauce.

Spice things up with the Chicken Vindaloo prepared with sun-dried Kashmiri red chili, potato, and tamarind, and finished with a fiery sauce. Wash it all down with a creamy lassi, and you’ll feel like you traveled to New Delhi yourself.

Yaar Indian Restaurant

Also in Astoria, Queens, Yaar Indian Restaurant is ranked at the top of Foursquare’s Best Indian Restaurants in Queens, scoring a 9.2. Start with the trio of samosas and you’ll be on your way. Lamb, chicken, and vegetable stuffing offers a wonderful variety to this Indian staple. This restaurant is also known for its Lasuni Gobi, a tasty dish of roasted cauliflower with garlic and scallions. If you have trouble deciding which entree to choose, try the Tandoori Mixed Grill, a savory selection of Seekh Kabab, Malai Kabab, tandoori chicken, and shrimp with basmati rice.

Whether it’s Northern Indian or Southern, Mumbai, New Delhi, or Bangladesh, Queens can transport you to these places with an authentic culinary experience. Whether you are from India and looking for that homestyle meal, or you’re traveling to New York City and have a passion for Indian cuisine, Queens delivers.

A Walker’s Guide to Syracuse, New York

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So, you’re heading to Syracuse, New York. You might be visiting the city’s famed university or you might be there for different reasons. Either way, whether you’re looking to keep a smaller budget, you don’t want to deal with the hassle of traffic or other issues, or you don’t want to have to rent a car, you can still get around easily.

With the right choices, a stop in Syracuse without a vehicle is not only able to be done, but you might even find it to be quite enjoyable. Here are some great ways to get around Syracuse on foot.

Taking Public Transport

Syracuse has public bus transportation services that include a wide variety of routes to help you navigate the city. There are also special options available for people with disabilities.

In addition, there are numerous taxi and cab companies that do business in Syracuse. If you intend to use one, it is best to study up on which one would suit your needs best before you start your travels.

Where You Should Stay

There are several hotels near Syracuse Hancock International Airport, the region’s main airport, a number of which provide shuttle services. In addition, booking a room in one of these hotels keeps you close to Downtown Syracuse, and, as such, you’ll stay within walking distance of several attractions and an array of options for dining out.

If you’re there specifically for Syracuse University, you might be inclined to stay near the Skytop, University Hill, or Westcott neighborhoods. The Westcott neighborhood also features the scenic Thornden Park and hosts an annual cultural fair. Should your business or pleasure in Syracuse take you to the New York State Fairgrounds, you might want to look into lodging arrangements in the Lakefront neighborhood.

What Attractions Are Available

If you happen to be staying in the Lakefront neighborhood, you won’t be far from Destiny USA. The largest shopping mall in the State of New York, Destiny USA also features numerous restaurants and several other amenities, such as an IMAX movie theater, a mirror maze, and a rope-climbing course.

A short journey south and you can reach the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. There are also a variety of museums to visit in the city. Among these are the Everson Museum of Art, the Erie Canal Museum, and the Saint Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum.

Sports fans have a number of entertainment options. Along with numerous college and other sporting events, depending on the time of year, one can also take in a Syracuse Chiefs baseball game or a Syracuse Crunch hockey game.

If you’d like to just enjoy a number of the sights and sounds of other attractions the city has to offer, groups of up to 13 people at a time can take a pedal tour around the city. With a little innovation and research, getting around Syracuse, New York can be an enriching and unique experience. Skipping the rental can save you a little bit of your hard-earned money as well.

5 Civil War Sites to Visit Near Norcross, Georgia

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Do you need a reason to come to Georgia? Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Wisconsin Monument, Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum, and the Andersonville National Historic Site are among the many Civil War sites you can visit. By staying close to Civil War sites, you will be in a position to save on cost and time spent traveling to Georgia’s most amazing historical sites. You will worry less about distance and cost while focusing more on the experience.

Andersonville National Historic Site

Andersonville National Historic Site is one of the places you should explore. The site was built 18 months before the Civil War ended. It started as a stockade but was later converted to a prison. The Civil War prison site had a capacity of 10,000 prisoners. You will get to explore the cemetery site that serves Camp Sumter. Established in 1865, the cemetery is estimated to have held more than 13,000 Union soldiers.

Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum

Forty-eight minutes’ drive from Norcross is the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum. The Atlanta Cyclorama is the most noted attraction here. You wouldn’t want to miss this panoramic image inside a cylindrical platform. Standing in the middle, the cylinder rotates slowly, giving viewers a 360-degree view of the Civil War. The amazing cyclorama was developed from narrations offered by Civil War veterans or their widows.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

In a 54-minute drive from Norcross, you can explore the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. It’s in the park that the Confederate Army defeated the Union Army during the Kennesaw Mountain Battle that took place in early 1864. You will get to experience fifteen miles of Kennesaw Mountain trails as you explore stunning summit views, Civil War history, and the ferny-green forest. You’ll be surprised to learn that this beautiful landscape once hosted a muddy and bloody Civil War battle.

National Military Cemetery in Marietta

Initially referred to as the Marietta and Atlanta National Cemetery, the National Military Cemetery in Marietta was set aside in 1866 as a place to bury the approximately 10,000 Confederate and Union soldiers that died as a result of Sherman’s Atlanta campaign. The land for this great historical site was offered by a Union-loyal resident, Henry Cole. The local merchant hoped that by offering the burial ground, his honor would conjure others to live in peace. Additional land was offered, bringing the cemetery to a size of 23 acres.

Wisconsin Monument

Marietta National Cemetery is home to the Wisconsin Monument that was dedicated to the 400 men who lost their lives as a result of the Civil War. The monument is made of Georgia’s granite, and its top has a large eagle shaped from bronze. There’s no better place to take a photo.

Georgia is blessed with numerous sites that carry the rich history of the Civil War. If you’re into international traveling, Norcross, Georgia, should top your list of places to go as you assess your holiday destination options.

Protect Your Creativity

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We all, for the most part, understand what plagiarism is. It is taking someone else written work for your own and trying to pass off what someone else has done and claim it for yourself. This has been around for a long time, and it is not only restricted to the written area of artistry, but it can also be attributed to other artist and designer who create online masterpieces, i.e., imageries.

It can be very annoying and disturbing to know that your work has been used and given credit to by someone else. The amount of hours that you put into giving something great only to have someone come along and take it – is justifiably frustrating.

So, to protect your online art and images, there are certain software that can be purchased to protect your pictures and let you know any time someone has used your pictures for their own purpose.

In a day and age where information online is so plentiful it can be quite the challenge to search through literally MILLIONS of pages to see if someone is using your images for their own uses.

So to help those designers and artist who would love to show their work online but don’t want to have their works used or stolen – watermarking is one of the best ways to protect against this.

Not only does it brand your images but with this software, you will be better able also to TRACK when someone is using your image. This is the best of many other pieces of software that all do essentially the same thing.

Another type of weapons in your arsenal are things like reverse image search engines. These show where your images are used over the internet.

Stay ahead of your plagiarizers and those stealers who would choose to take your hard work and pass it off for your own.

This bodes true for all those who call themselves freelancers, writers, artists, designers – whatever you are. So why not protect your creation? Why not take steps to make sure that when your work is put out there that it will be protected and the credit will go to you for your hard work.

There are numerous services online to which you can sign up to and start protecting your images and artistry.

Who knows – someday that picture you took could cost millions of dollars, and although it isn’t for the money what you do, it could really be hurtful to have someone else come along and just take that work for their own.

Starving artists we all are, freelancers, so why not protect the little bit that you have? You won’t regret it.

Make Memories With Your Family That Last Forever by Taking an Amazing Trip to Canada

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If you are looking for a country that delivers amazing natural scenery and a warm welcome wherever you go Canada has to be right up there amongst the top contenders.

There are so many incredible things you can do and plenty of memories to make when you take a family trip to Canada, so here are some of the places you might want to visit.

Outstanding natural beauty

The country is clearly blessed with lots of places that simply take your breath away with their natural beauty and many visitors to Canada would probably nominate Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve once they have been there for themselves.

It is not an easy place to get to and access to the park is by boat or plane only, but your reward for making it across to this massive Unesco World Heritage site is a land that appears to have been frozen in time and leaves a lasting impression on you.

It starts with the falls

Visiting Canada almost necessitates a trip to see one of the most iconic landmarks in the country, Niagara Falls.

The falls are undeniably spectacular and the sight and sound of all that water falling at such a rate will be something that you will always remember. However, it is worth noting that the whole Niagara Falls State Park area is a joy to explore and there are plenty of other activities and sights to enjoy.

Kids will love going to the discovery center there or taking one of the hiking trails, so maybe consider staying close by at the Courtyard Niagara Falls, for instance, and make the family adventure last a bit longer.

Go wild in Jasper

Canada can boast having a number of world-class national parks to enjoy and one of those is Jasper, which is the largest of the country’s Rocky Mountain parks.

Jasper National Park is still a place where bears, caribou, and even mountain lions, are able to roam free, but considering the park spans a massive 10,878sq km, you should be able to enjoy the glaciers, and other natural wonders like the Miette Hot Springs and Maligne Canyon, without any worries.

The park is popular with hikers and mountain bikers but there is plenty of room for everyone and you can still easily find a remote spot where you can feel like you are at one with nature.

A guaranteed hit with the kids

We are free to roam the earth as a species but it hasn’t always been that way and if your kids are into dinosaurs you should not pass up the opportunity to visit one of the best dinosaur museums on the planet when you come to Canada.

A major highlight of your visit to Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology will be the chance to see the “Hellboy” dinosaur skeleton which was discovered in 2005, and “Black Beauty”, which is a 67-million-year-old T-rex that has been wowing visitors for years.

If you take in some of the sights and attractions during your time in Canada you will be certain of making some everlasting memories of your time there.