RyaEast – Travel Guides

15
May

How to Bond With Strangers On Holiday

When you are on holiday you may be interested in getting to know some of the locals who will be able to help make your vacation memorable and take you to some of the best attractions in the area. It is important that you try new things when you are on holiday as you are spending so much money to have a lovely experience it wouldn’t make sense for you to limit yourself to those you are familiar with. There are many ways that you can bond with strangers when you are on holiday in a way that is natural and doesn’t make you seem that you are coming on too strong.

It is normal for you to be nervous when approaching a stranger but as long as you remember to be warm and friendly, you should grow quite comfortable in a little time once you have gotten to know each other more. Again while it can be very daunting if you are able to form a solid bond with someone new you will hopefully be able to bring a new friend into the many different aspects of your home and family life. This article will be looking at various methods of making a bond between yourself and someone new that will last a very long time.

Introductory Drinks

A great way that you can create a solid bond and friendship with someone new and break the ice between strangers would have to be as simple as buying them a drink and introducing yourself. This is a great way to come across as a friendly individual and I am sure that the receiver of the drink will appreciate the gesture and be inclined to start a conversation with you. From this, you have already set a friendly tone which makes it easier and more natural for a lengthy conversation to follow.

Questions and Conversation Starters

If you are someone who likes to be prepared for any situation then you may want to look at finding some form of conversation starters or friendly questions that you can save for initial interactions with a new friend. You want to get new people talking about themselves so that you can show an interest in their lives and learn more about the person, this is when having a list of questions can really come in handy. Especially when you are talking to other guys who may get a little bit nervous about approaching someone who they don’t know in a public setting.

Making Other Plans

Depending on how long you have left on your holidays, you may want to take things a little further and try and arrange some extra plans with your new friend. This is a great way to solidify your bond with someone new as you are showing that you are being genuine about your wishes to spend more time together. As you become more familiar I am sure that you will be able to establish yourself as friends and maybe even arrange to meet up or communicate outside of your holiday time when you are back home.

Using Social Media and Exchanging Contact Info

A final way that you can bond with strangers when you are on holiday and even after the holiday is over is by exchanging contact information and following each other on social media. Social media especially is very convenient for keeping in contact with distant friends, and you can even use the platform to arrange further plans should your paths cross again. Social media is free and easy to use so you should have no issues in building a strong friendship.

27
Jan

Reasons Why You Should Never Settle When Picking a Hotel

By Admin In Tourism

If you are smart, you will be among the few people rushing to go on holiday before the next lockdown. With new variations of Covid hitting the world, it is predicted that we are bound to experience yet another lockdown in the near future, which means now is the perfect time to get away before you are forced to stay indoors for another year.

If you are one of the people rushing to book a holiday, you may be willing to cut a few corners. Right now there are some limits on which countries you are allowed to visit, so you may not be able to go to your first choice. You may not also be able to go when you ideally want to, as the clock is ticking for when you will be able to holiday at all.

Though you are expected to make some compromises, somewhere that you shouldn’t compromise is when it comes to picking your hotel. You have no idea when the next time you travel will be and the last thing that you want is to be left with memories of a disappointing hotel ruining your big break.

Even if you do not plan on spending a lot of time in your hotel room, your hotel is still a huge part of your holiday experience. Here are just some reasons why you should never settle when it comes to picking a hotel room.

You Don’t Have To

One of the biggest reasons why you shouldn’t compromise on your hotel is because you simply don’t have to. There are so many fantastic hotels on the market that it is much easier to find a good hotel than it is to find one that isn’t the best.

There are a number of things that you can do to ensure that you are not being left with terrible hotel options. For example, if you know that a certain resort or hotel branch has a good reputation, you could check to see if they have a location where you plan on visiting.

When I was traveling last year, I was extremely worried about going to a hotel that I would not like. Instead of leaving it up to chance, I took the time to think about when I went to Jamaica and stayed at a Sandal Resort. I had a great time at the resort and realized that I wanted the same experience on my next trip. Luckily for me, there were a few Sandal Resorts where I was staying, so I did a comparison of all the sandal resorts in the area and found one that was available on the date I planned on going.

If you are facing the same issue, you should look back to a hotel that you recall enjoying on a previous holiday. This way, you will know that you will enjoy the hotel that you visit.

Bad Hotels Could Ruin Your Trip

Another reason why you should never settle when it comes to picking a hotel room is that picking a poor hotel room can completely ruin your holiday.

First of all, walking into a bad hotel can completely dampen your mood. Poor hotels often aren’t very accommodating to their guests and this is something that you will notice as soon as you arrive at the hotel. It is likely that staff won’t be very attentive and you will have to make a lot of the first moves to your room on your own.

If you have been traveling for quite a long time, then being welcomed with poor service may leave you in a sour mood. This sour mood that you may experience will only get worse if you go to your room and notice that it is not the quality that you imagined.

The last thing that you want is to have a poor mood when you are on holiday. Unfortunately, bad moods can often be difficult to shake and if you plan on spending your time in that hotel for the duration of your holiday, then your feelings about the hotel are only going to continue to arise and leave you feeling awful.

Bad Bed

A correlation that is often shared between bad hotels is bad beds. If you go to a cheap and awful hotel, it is likely that they haven’t upgraded their beds in a while or they have purchased a cheap mattress.

The main purpose of your hotel is to ensure that you are well-rested enough to be able to enjoy the rest of your trip. If you are unable to achieve a good night of rest, then it is likely that the rest of your plans may be disrupted. You may choose to sleep in for much longer in order to feel well-rested, which means that you could miss out on some of the things that you are excited to see.

Nobody likes sleeping in a bad bed and when you are on holiday, you are often on your feet quite a lot, so you need to get rest when you can. If you are unable to get rest, then you may choose to not go to some of the activities that you have planned.

This could really compromise your holiday and you may prevent yourself from having experiences that you are excited to try and have looked forward to.

2
Nov

How to Make Friends While on Holiday

By Admin In Things to Do

It is said that you should go travelling alone at least once in your lifetime. Seeing the world alone is an experience like no other and it really gives you the chance to get to know yourself and think about your future prospects.

Travelling with a group of people can be hard enough, as the process of finding a hotel and making your way through the airport can be a bit hectic. For that reason, the prospect of having to do all of that on your own may seem extremely intimidating.

Travelling alone may also not be too appealing if you are someone that is quite extroverted. Going on holiday may not feel worth it if you have nobody to talk to, but travelling alone doesn’t mean that you have to have a lonely holiday, as you can make friends with people while you are away.

Making friends on holiday may seem scary, but it will only further your experience of travelling alone. If you are not sure how you would go about making it, here are some tips on making friends while you are on holiday.

Go to Events

When you go to a hotel, in every reception there is a bulletin board that is dedicated to informing tourists about any upcoming events or clubs that are happening. It can be tempting to walk straight past this board, but if you are travelling alone, it is recommended that you take a minute to look.

The activities on the board may not be your usual style, but you are on holiday and so now is the perfect time to try something new. Usually, on these boards there is a sign-up sheet, so you will be able to see which activity is the most popular. The busier the event is, the more likely you will make friends, so don’t be afraid to add your name to the list.

Be careful when you are picking the activities that you will be doing, as some simply would not allow for you to communicate with other people. For example, if you are doing an underwater scuba expedition, you won’t get the chance to talk to anyone and so won’t be able to make friends.

An ideal activity that you should look for is something crafts related, as you often get plenty of chances to talk and even joke about the difficulty of the task ahead of you. You are under no obligation to stick to one activity, so why not sign up to a few and see what takes your fancy?

Head to the Hotel Bar

A great way that you can easily speak to someone is over a drink. Alcohol helps to calm your nerves and makes the process of speaking to someone new much easier. The bar is the perfect time to speak to someone, as you will both be waiting for your drinks.

Something that may surprise you is that if you tell someone that you are travelling alone, they will feel quite inclined to invite you to come to sit with them. That is just how we behave as humans and it can be used to our own advantage.

When people are on holiday, they are in high spirits and are looking to make friends with new people. If you find some other people that are not travelling in big groups, then they will be grateful for the company and will be likely to speak to you so that they can also make friends.

If you go to your hotel bar and spot people that are alone, don’t be afraid to start a conversation with them, as they will most likely be appreciative that you have had the nerves to do it. Speaking to someone new can be difficult and it can be hard to think of a topic of conversation. There is nothing wrong with reverting back to classic conversation starters and I recommend that you give the would you rather game a try. This is a great way to get to know someone and it isn’t as formal as a conversation. Getting alcohol involved will ease the conversation a bit and make it a lot funner, so give it a try.

9
Nov

These are the Best Ski Resorts to Visit if You Are a Skiing Novice

By Admin In Guides, Tourism

Skiing has always been, and will likely remain an extremely popular and glamorous sport to partake in. The idea of climbing to the beautiful snowy peak of a mountain in Sweden to shred up the land at high speeds with breath-taking views and incredible resorts to calm down from the exhilaration makes for a fantastic holiday goal for all kinds of people. But if you are a novice to the sport, it can be easy to become unnerved by stories of danger associated with the sport and the high prices charged by many of the more popular resorts. This can create a veritable minefield for prospective new skiers and can even put people off the idea entirely. Hopefully, these resort suggestions can help ease the transition from non-skier to a skiing maniac to improve your vacation opportunities for years to come.

La Plagne

Europe is the world’s hotspot for a good reason, and the French Alps have been a great place to ski for decades and is loved by skiers of all abilities. La Plagne in particular is a magnificent place to start, with its extremely modern build and well-placed living areas right by 4 chairlifts and easy to access busses making it one of the most convenient ways to go directly from your bed to the peak and back down to the local village. It certainly isn’t the cheapest solution, but the easy access to local amenities and the skiing itself combined with its relatively safe and well-controlled slopes makes it ideal for anyone new to the sport.

Breckenridge

If you aren’t willing to travel all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to try a sport you aren’t yet fully comfortable with, you can always venture somewhere far closer to home. Breck is located in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, a wild area that mimics many of the snowy mountains in Europe without all the hassle of going international. This already makes it an ideal candidate to go out and trial this new hobby with its local convenience, but the resort itself is a fantastic place to ski. Not only are the mountains challenging without being too strenuous, but the local town also is directly below the skiing area and has everything you need to feel at home while on vacation. It even has a mall located in the next village which is just a free 20-minute bus ride away, allowing you to set up for extended periods of time without having to give up anything you are used to having when you aren’t living up a mountain.

One of these resorts would be an excellent place to start your skiing adventures and help you gain some in-the-field experience, which is the best way to go from novice to expert in such physical sports. If you still want to improve your chance of enjoyment, it is worth shopping around for some higher-grade equipment such as the traditional skis and warm, packed clothing. To really bring your experience to the max, I would also recommend picking up some personal audio equipment, a guide to which can be found here at https://snowgaper.com/best-skiing-headphones/. This can really help bring the magnificent beauty of nature up a level with your favorite music to create a more personal and brilliant experience all round.

17
Oct

4 Great Phone Games to Keep you Occupied While Travelling

By Admin In Guides

Traveling, whether it’s across the world, to visit family or friends, for a holiday or to work, it is something that’s a part of everyone’s life. Sometimes a good book isn’t enough to keep you distracted; if you’re like me, the words start turning to mush, and you need a break from those white pages, even if it is a turner. One great way I’ve found of passing the time is mobile gaming. Right now, there are some great and addictive games to keep you totally occupied while you’re on that train, being a passenger in a car, riding the bus, catching the ferry, or traversing the underground network.

Penguin Isle

‘Penguin Isle’ is the sweetest game! Become the developer of an isle completely inhabited by Penguins and their friends. This sweet game begins with a few penguin-essential businesses. To start off, you’ll only have a handful of penguins to put to work and look after, but once assigned to a business and earning money, you can upgrade your businesses, buy penguin eggs to hatch, and even have different species of penguins live on your isle.

From a lighthouse to whale watching, a seagull peak, and a penguin adventure park, your little isle will soon grow and become a fully-fledged penguin haven. The animators of this game weren’t stingy, either; zoom in to watch your penguins perform actions, use your attractions, and react to your touch! This game also accumulates in-game money while you’re “away” from the game, so this is a brilliant afk game for travelers while you switch platforms or catch your connecting bus!

Among Us

‘Among Us’ has barely been launched and is already a gaming phenomenon. With the ability to play on a computer or mobile phone, the game has been saturated with eager players from all over the world. Among Us, a seemingly simple game has brought so many gamers utter joy and brilliant gameplay. The premise is simple; you’re either a crewmate or an imposter.

If you’re a crewmate, your job is to complete the tasks assigned to you, which can vary depending on which of the three maps you’re playing. The tasks consist of memory games, reattaching broken wires, and even destroying asteroids, among others. However, the catch is you and your fellow crewmates must finish these tasks to win while avoiding the murderous tendencies of the imposters among you. Part of your duty as a crewmate is to report any bodies you find, and ejecting all the imposters into space for an early win (just make sure you don’t get yourself ejected!).

Now, the second role you could be assigned is that of the imposter. Your one task is to cause complete and utter chaos while maintaining a façade of complete innocence. You have the ability to sabotage ship systems, resulting in oxygen depletion or a reactor overload if the crewmates can’t fix them in time. Your other ability is to kill your non-imposter crewmates and dwindle your numbers down enough to win the game.

Now, go check on your penguins!

Swordigo

‘Swordigo’ is an old classic. It is a single-player story and action game, your role is that of an apprentice who must avenge their master’s murder and purge the land of the evil that is taking over in the form of creatures, dangerous terrain, and the antagonist of the game. I’ve never finished it because of the difficult boss levels, but even without the ending, this game is worthwhile.

Lara Croft Go

‘Lara Croft Go’ is a puzzle game where you control Lara herself while navigating tombs and underground caverns. The puzzles on this game are sure to keep you occupied during your journeys.

I hope these suggestions help your travels to be more enjoyable. Happy gaming!

14
May

These Apps are a Must Have for any Travel Enthusiast

By Victoria Cross In Uncategorized

Before traveling, there are a lot of things that you have to remember to do, such as planning activities, ensuring all your documents are up to date, and packing everything that you might need for your trip. If you are an avid traveler and often forget to do something essential, it might be time to consider doing something to make sure you are completely prepared for your trip. Whilst some people like to make lists, there are also some really great apps available that are a must-have for any travel enthusiast. Here are just a few that you should consider downloading:

LoungeBuddy

LoungeBuddy is the perfect app for travelers that like to do things on a budget. If you spend a lot of time in airports thanks to long layovers or flights that often get delayed, this app will make your flying experience so much more comfortable. All you have to do is enter your credit card details, airline status, and lounge memberships and the app will tell you which lounges in the airport will let you in for free, or which ones you can buy a cheap day pass for.

TransferWise

If you are tired of losing money thanks to unfair conversion rates when you transfer money whilst on holiday, then the transfer services for abroad by Transferwise will really improve your entire traveling experiences. This safe and easy app will allow you to transfer money up to eight times more cheaply than the back does thanks to thanks to it’s the system that bypasses expensive international payments.

Hostelworld

Hostelworld is a great app for when you are planning a backpacking trip with minimal costs. The app does exactly what you would expect from an accommodation app or website, however, the design of the website and the interactivity sets it apart as it allows you to see exactly where the hostel is in relation to where you want to visit and also shows you many reviews to make sure that you are staying somewhere clean and safe.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is probably an app that you have already heard of, thanks to its great reputation for finding hundreds of flights at the cheapest possible price. With the app searching over 1,200 sources to find the best available option, you don’t have to look much further to be sure that there aren’t better cheap flights are out there. You can also keep tabs on your favorite flights and destinations, which allows the app to send notifications to your phone if the price changes at all.

TripIt

TripIt is the perfect app for you if planning your itinerary is the most stressful part of your trip. Making sure that your flights, transport, and hotel check-in times are all correct and line up can be difficult, however with TripIt, all you have to do is forward your flight, hotel and all booking confirmations to the app’s email address and the app will set up and show you a detailed itinerary. This takes the stress out of things completely on the day of travel itself so all you have to worry about is how you’re going to relax.

These apps are just a handful of the hundreds that are available to make your travel experience just slightly easier, whether that is with the actual planning of your trip or once you arrive at your holiday destination, there’s bound to be an app to help you with that. If you like the sound of these apps and want to find out about some more, just look for some on the app store or on the internet, see what else is out there.

30
Apr

Best Destinations for a Couples Holiday

By Victoria Cross In Things to Do

Going on holiday with your significant other is always a fun experience, especially if the relationship is quite new and you have never traveled together before. It can allow the two of you to bond and get to know each other better, as well as have an amazing time together exploring new countries and new cultures. Although, it can be hard to decide on a destination that you both would enjoy, which would also have places and activities that appeals to both you and your partner. This is especially true if your tastes are quite different, they do say opposites attract after all! If you are struggling to think of the best destination for you and your partner, this list might be helpful for you:

Paris

I’m sure it is no surprise that Paris is on this list, as it isn’t famously known as The City of Love for nothing. Thanks to the food and wine, the beautiful sites, and the romantic language, Paris has become a very popular destination for couples holidays. Couples flock to the city on their honeymoons, to celebrate their anniversaries or just for romantic getaways. Whether you decide to take the guided tours available around the city, or just take your time getting to know it at your own pace, you are guaranteed to enjoy your time in Paris.

Venice

This famous city is one that everyone should visit if they get the chance, regardless of whether it is for a romantic couples holiday or not. The beautiful canals and small restaurants tucked away down side alleys, make you feel like you have been transported to an entirely new world. You or your partner can take a ride in a gondola, which may be pricey but are definitely worth it for the romance. With other must-see sights, such as the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square, you are unlikely to get bored, however, if you do and you’re looking for a fun activity to do with your partner as you sit on your Venetian balcony, check out ponly. Here you will find conversation and question games to play with your significant other, which will easily pass time in the evenings.

The Caribbean

A popular holiday destination, for families, friends, and couples, the Caribbean has many destinations that you and your partner will enjoy. Whether you stay in a hotel on a resort, in a private villa or cottage, or really anywhere else, you are bound to have a good time thanks to the huge difference in culture, the people you will meet and the gorgeous sights to see. There are also many cruises to take around the Caribbean, something that you and your partner should consider as it can be argued that everyone should go on a cruise at least once in their life.

Santorini

This Greek island is, according to some on the internet, one of the most romantic holiday destinations a couple can go on, thanks to the beautifully whitewashed town of Oia found on the island. The town has become a hugely popular destination for honeymoons thanks to the unique buildings built into the side of a cliff and breathtaking ocean views. The town is also very well known for the sunsets that can be seen there, provided perfect photo-ops to remember your holiday by. Whether you are going for your honeymoon or just a holiday away, definitely consider this Greek island, if not for the beautiful sights then the chance to discover and learn about a new and interesting culture.

Tokyo

If timed correctly, booking a holiday to visit this city or many other Japanese cities at the start of the year, you may get to see the famous cherry blossoms. This beautiful once a year occurrence is something that you are likely to remember for the rest of your life and will definitely make your holiday with your significant other extremely special. As well as this, the Japenese culture is hugely different from that of the western world, making it an ideal destination to go and learn about new foods and ways of life. Whilst often thought of as busy, you and your partner might just enjoy the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.

12/04/202017/01/2021

The 6 Most Scenic Holiday Destinations Across America

By Admin In Uncategorized

If you are interested in going somewhere nice on vacation, without having to pay expensive prices to fly abroad, it might be a good idea to consider a road trip. This way you can get away from home for a while without having to spend a lot of money and it will also give you a chance to see some of the beautiful sites and holiday destinations that are spread out across the country. Due to the sheer size of the USA as a country, some of these might be very far from you and not an option to travel to, however, there is bound to be at least one destination on this list of the 6 most scenic holiday destinations across America that might be close enough.

United state of America, USA

New York City, New York – popular as a travel destination for tourists, NYC might also be somewhere for you and your friends to go. If you’re from a particularly quiet part of the country, New York City might be a completely new experience for you and not only can you have fun on a huge shopping spree, but there are also a lot of other things to do. The beauty of the city will make you Instagram look great thanks to pictures of the famous yellow cabs or skyscraper.
Orlando, Florida – this is somewhere to bring the kids thanks to the magic of Disney World and Universal Studios, both of which your kids (and you) are gonna love. Whilst it may be a bit expensive to get into the parks, this is a vacation that you will never forget, as the memories will always stay with you. If you want to keep more than just memories from your trips, it might be a good idea to invest in a good camera. Before spending, however, you should look online at sites like Camerakool for reviews of a wide range of cameras to ensure you get the best available option.
New Orleans, Louisiana – New Orleans is a famous tourist destination across the world as you know that when you go, you’re going to have a great time. The locals will always make sure that you’re having fun and love to show you the colourful and beautiful sites.
San Francisco, California – with so many fun tourist destinations to have a look at and visit, as well as the unique structure of the city thanks to the extremely steep streets, it is very unlikely that you will come away from this vacation having had a bad time.
Savannah, Georgia – not typically first on people’s lists of places to visit, Savannah is a traditional and beautiful Southern city, where you can learn about the history of the South.
Seattle, Washington – Seattle has several famous landmarks that make visiting worth the money you spend on gas. Whether you visit the Space Needle to see an amazing view of the city, or a huge Nirvana fan, excited to see where they originated, you are bound to have a great time.