6 Tips To Stay Safe While On A Road Trip

BY  Ankita Nov 7, 2023

One of the most enjoyable jobs on the planet is being a tour guide. If you love to travel and enjoy sharing that love with others, as well as the knowledge you have gleaned about the destinations you are guiding them to, then you should consider building a career based on that passion, and become a tour guide! There are lots of options out there, walking guides for the city sights, cruise and bus tour guides, and museum or special attraction guides. Finding work is fairly easy as there is always a demand, and when that tour operator payment gateway sends you your reward you will feel great knowing you earned it doing something that brought a smile to people's faces! The best tour guides have a certain set of skills in place that suit their profession, here are some of the most important: Knowledge –                     A tour guide needs to know a lot about where they are taking their group, and what they are showing them. They should have an in-depth knowledge of the area and its attractions that they can share with their group in order to give them the best experience possible. They are always prepared to answer unexpected questions, and ready to give pertinent insights and recommendations. A knowledgeable tour guide is one the tourist never forgets, and they will recommend you to their friends. Communication – t's important for tour guides to have excellent communication skills, they should be able to speak clearly and informatively, with proper pronunciation in order to facilitate easy-to-understand directions and information sharing, and to avoid any potential misunderstandings. They should also have a loud enough voice to carry across a crowd without the aid of a microphone or bullhorn and be able to command the attention of many people at the same time. Charisma – Being a tour guide is very much a people-oriented profession, one must be able to share their passion for the experiences they are guiding people to, share information in an informative yet fun and engaging manner, and build a cheerful rapport with their group. A successful tour guide has enough charisma to bring repeat customers back, not just to see the sights again, but for the pleasure of their company! Understanding And Empathy – People sometimes experience difficulties, even when they are out on a pleasant excursion. A tour guide must be sensitive to the individual's needs, and be able to handle any problems their charge is having with sincerity, kindness, and grace, as well as be accommodating as possible. The best tour guides are quite simply put, nice people! Flexibility - Things don't always go as planned, and in the event of a course change, the tour guide has to be able to think on their feet and make adjustments on the fly. Always have a Plan B in place! Check out the Tourism Australia website for more useful information for both guides and tourists. Good luck with your tour guide career Read Also: Budget-Friendly Travel Ideas In Australia Top 5 Used Japanese Vehicles In Australia Top Ten Southern Africa Off-The-Beaten-Path Adventures A Beginner’s Guide To Island-Hopping In Greece

BY  Ankita May 31, 2022

Is there anyone who does not like traveling? By ‘traveling,’ I do not mean the daily travel that one does from their homes to their workplace. I am talking about vacations and trips. There is hardly anyone who will say that they do not want to travel if given an option. Travel helps us in so many ways. From refreshing our minds to inspiring us to go back to our daily lives with energy and zeal, there are so many benefits of traveling. If you have been thinking about visiting your favorite holiday or travel destination this year, try to book your travel through Kayak. Learn more about it in this article… Kayak.com: What Is It? You must have heard the name Booking.com or Google Flights. Kayak is a similar website that helps you book your travel and accommodations. This travel search engine is a part of the Priceline group of travel sites that is also the owner of booking.com and Expedia. It is one of the most user-friendly travel sites that helps the users to look for their preferred destinations and also helps them book their travel stay. So, in case you thought that you could only book your hotels with this one, this would come as a shock to you.  One of the USPs of the Kayak website is that you can scan the prices of several other travel sites across the world in mere minutes. And it is not just limited to flights considering you will get options for hotels, car hire, eateries and others. It is one of the good sites considering it is way more reliable than third-party sites providing unstable bookings. They have tie-ups with travel agencies and services driving the sales of individual travel providers! How Does It Help? Kayak or Kayak.com helps the users (you, in this case) find hotels and travel at the best prices. This means that you can not only book your stay in your favorite destination but also book the travel options to the chosen site. Some of the services that are offered by the site are: Hotels Flights Trains Cabs Rental cars Cruise Vacation packages Rental apartment  Rental condos This search engine is also under the Priceline groups. As a result, the names of the hotel or flights that you see on your smartphones or desktops are similar to the ones shown by other search engines owned by the same. However, one of the major benefits of this search engine is that the price of the listing is quite low. This means traveling will not hurt your pockets! Considering it is a metasearch engine, it has more exposure with regard to deals, discounts, and offers. It is guaranteed that you will get bookings done at the lowest prices on this travel search engine. Even though many people hold the opinion that Google Flights have easier and cheaper rates, one cannot deny that Kayak Flights are very economical. The process is speedy. The price transparency when it comes to flights is something that Kayak.com is praised for. Should You Or Should You Not? Before choosing any particular site where you are going to spend money for the services they provide, it is best to learn about the advantages and the disadvantages. So should you or should you not use Kayak for your travel. Here are the pros and cons of this travel search engine: Pros The services are available in 18 languages The mobile app is user friendly It is great to compare the fare of the flights It has a mobile-friendly interface You are guaranteed to get some of the best deals User-friendly interface Cons Some people have complained about the safety concerns This site lack ingenuity because of its lack of user reviews compared to other travel websites Kayak.com: Alternatives There are many alternatives to Kayak as well. Some of them are: FlipKey Booking.com Expedia TripAdvisor Priceline.com  Hotels.com Here Are Some Facts Before going ahead to the reviews, let me tell you some of the facts about Kayak. Here are some: The name founder of the website is Paul English and Steve Hafner The search engine will send price alerts whenever the prices of services that have been selected by the customer fall. Kayak became a member of the Priceline Group of travel in 2012. The organization was started in 2004. Kayak is an American company. The search engine was previously owned by Booking Holdings. Steve Hafner is the CEO of the company. Reviews: What Do People Say About It? I know that you will not just choose this website for your flight and hotel booking simply based on my words. That is why I will bring to you some of the authentic reviews by people who have used Kayak previously. Here are some of the reviews: 1.  "I really use it to explore it was recommended to me by a friend years ago. It fills me with illusion to see so many places that I would like to visit all of them, but for the moment I keep dreaming." Lucy H. Source: influenster.com 2. payment issue sorted very efficiently..... "Payment was declined (anti-fraud), I unlocked the payment and responded to the email from Kayak alerting me to the decline, and the payment was cleared very quickly, or more importantly my booking went through with no further hiccup." TF Source: trustpilot.com Apart from the reviews that have been posted, I would also like to explain to you why Kayak is more reliable as compared to other third-party sites. The users of the site are driven towards booking with individual travel providers. This ensures that the booking is updated and accordingly can be adjusted. There can be fluctuations in the price however, it is not by a huge margin. Another advantage is you can also save your searches hence, it is efficient. The site will give you an alert on the price change if you save your searches! The Hacker Fare is another legit way to use Kayak especially when the website tries to use multiple airlines to give you the best of deals. What To Do To Efficiently Use Kayak! You must set a price alert because that will help you understand your bookings along with the alerts of the searches so that you can adjust your dates or timings based on your requirements. You can also make your preferred plans along with destinations! This will further help you because the application will notify you of any upcoming changes. You should also create an account where you can save cash. This will help you access the deals, especially during price fluctuation. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 1. Why Should You Use Kayak? The travel search engine Kayak is a great alternative to many similar sites. It helps you book flights and hotels and trains and other rental Condos.One of the main reasons you should use this Kayak is the user-friendly website, which makes it easier to research travel and accommodation. 2. How To Kayak? If you are someone who likes watersports, then you must have heard the name Kayak or Kayaking.To Kayak, you need to make sure that you engage your core muscles as you paddle. You also need to push the paddle away from the body with the help of the shoulder and pull it back. 3. Who Owns Kayak? The mega online travel site Priceline.com acquired the travel and accommodation search engine Kayak for a massive amount of 1.8 billion dollars. Since then, Priceline.com, who is also the owner of Booking.com, has been the owner of Kayak. Wrapping Up! If you are planning to travel and are looking for a search engine that can help you find the best deals, I recommend that you try using Kayak. Also styled as KAYAK, this is one of the best travel search engines out there. In addition, it is a member of the Priceline group, which makes it a trusted company. You can book your hotel stays and the travel options from the search engines. In addition, there are a variety of services that the website provides to the users. Some of them are flight booking, trains, Kayak rental cars, and hotels. If you were looking for some facts and reviews of this site, some of them have been included above. Hope you found this article helpful. Read Also: The Many Reasons Hotel Stays Become Extended In New York City Finding The Best Hotel In Bournemouth 10 Best Places To Travel In February

BY  Sibashree Sep 30, 2024

High in the mountains, Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming harbors a great ecosystem for wildlife viewing. It is just south of Yellowstone, another great destination for exploring diverse wildlife.  Further, as you indulge in the exotic beauty of the Teton Mountain Range and the Snake River, you will meet bison, bears, mountain lions, red squirrels, and even wolves. It is also home to the most colorful western tanager, bald eagles, and many other adorable birds. Are you charmed by the stealthy nature of reptiles and vipers? You can find garter snakes and rubber boa snakes here.  Fascinating! Isn’t it? Let me share a complete overview of wildlife at Grand Teton National Park. Don’t Miss Your “Spot” To Watch The Grand Teton National Park Animals You may not be a fan of Sheldon Cooper (from Big Bang Theory) and his obsession with his favorite spot. At Grand Teton National Park, you must know about the right spots for wildlife viewing.  Here, I have curated the best spots within the park where you can meet wildlife without causing any disturbance in the space wild creatures demand.  Oxbow Bend Oxbow Bend is one of the most beautiful vistas of the Grand Teton National Park. You often see a grizzly mother bear (grizzly No. 399) taking a stroll with her cubs. Further, the wetlands are mooses.  Oxbow Bend also attracts thousands of colorful birds and reptiles who graze around or visit to drink water here.  Moose Wilson Road The Moose Wilson Road stretches between the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center and the entrance of Granite Canyon Park.  It is hard to resist taking adorable snaps of bears indulging in berries here. You will also find moose in the wetlands.  National Elk Refuge Spanning 25,000 acres, the National Elk Refuge has 7,000 elk. The best time to visit the National Elk Refuge is between mid-December and early April. Take a horse-driven sleigh ride to meet Elks from a close distance.  The National Elk Refuge also has bison, mountain lions, bald eagles, and bears. Moreover, if you are lucky enough, you can meet wolves here.  Kelly Loop and Antelope Flats Kelly Loop and Antelope Flats are like a hidden gem in Grand Teton National Park. Look at the sagebrush to find a pronghorn or bison passing by.  Grand Teton National Park Animals (Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Unusual Ones And More) Grand Teton National Park is a perfect coexistence of various species and a wonderful depiction of dependence in the food chain. Let’s find out who has made a home in this beautiful wilderness. Mammals At Grand Teton National Park As you explore the Grand Teton National Park, a small or big mammal will always be around you. Grizzly and black bears are the most prominent animals in the park, and you will also meet bison, moose, bighorn sheep, or elks.  Also, this park has wolves, wolverines, and mountain lions.  Small mammals in the park include red squirrels, chipmunks, Uinta ground squirrels, and long-tailed weasels.  Further, yellow-bellied marmots and squirrels will be your companion as you hike through the trails in the park.  Are you looking for mammals in the water? You will find the adorable muskrats, river otters, and beavers swimming around.  Do you know that moose is the largest antlered animal in the world? A moose can store 100 pounds of food in their stomach.A male moose can weigh as much as 1400 pounds.  Birds At Grand Teton National Park https://www.instagram.com/p/CgNiUMRMfpW/ The vibrant feathers of the western tanagers here are a treat to the eyes. Further, you will meet the calliope hummingbird, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, ospreys, and sage grouse in the park.  Do you know that Grand Teton National Park is the home to The calliope hummingbird? It is the smallest bird in North America and weighs even less than 1/10th ounce. Also, the largest waterfowl in North America, The trumpeter swan, lives here near spots like Swan Lake, Oxbow Bend, National Elk Refuge, and Flat Creek.  Do you want to watch birds romancing with their mates? Find out trumpeter swans moving in pair with their mate for life and sage grouses displaying their courtship in the sagebrush.  Reptiles At Grand Teton National Park https://www.instagram.com/p/CDlzaa-oYU5/ This nation is home to snakes such as rubber boa, valley garter snake, and wandering garter snake. These reptiles are found near the waterbodies in the park. You will also find the northern sagebrush lizard here. It is the only lizard species living in the park.  Amphibians At Grand Teton National Park  Despite a high elevation, cold temperature, and a dry climate, this national park has five species of amphibians. These are: Columbia spotted frogs Western tiger salamanders Western toads Bullfrogs Boreal chorus frogs Northern leopard frogs were found earlier in this area but have become extinct. If you want to spot these amphibians, you must visit Taggart Lake or String Lake.  Native Fish At Grand Teton National Park https://www.instagram.com/p/CgnT_ImrdGZ/?img_index=1 The native and non-native fish at Grand Teton National Park are vivid. Some (for example, mountain suckers) survive on mountain algae, while others (for example, cutthroat trouts) eat small fish and insects. For many animals and birds, like bald eagles, fish is the primary food source in the park. Further, fish is a secondary food source for the local inhabitants. In addition, by eating insects and algae, a fish keeps the spread of these elements in check.  Native Fish At Grand Teton National ParkUtah suckerFine spotted cutthroat trout of Snake RiverMountain suckerSpeckled daceUtah chubBluehead suckerNon-Native Fish At Grand Teton National ParkRainbow troutBrown troutLake troutGuppiesGoldfishGreen swordtail You will also find many aquarium species at Grand Teton National Park.  Species At Risk At Grand Teton National Park Grand Teton National Park is home to many species at risk and species of concern. Further, it has whitebark pine trees, which are up for listing.  Whitebark Pine Trees: Up For Listing  The invasive disease of blister rust and mountain pine beetles greatly harms these trees.  Alarmingly, an NPS Survey (2018) says that 57% of the trees were affected by blister rust, while the beetles harmed 30%. In addition, 40% of the total vegetation died.  Only 15% of the trees were able to produce cones. The pine nuts and seeds are an important food source for grizzly bears, squirrels, nutcrackers, black bears, and other animals in the area. Further, these trees play a crucial role in trapping and retaining snow, as well as in preventing the melting of snow. Thus, they prevent the erosion of steep slopes in the park. Do you know that grizzly bears eat whitebark pine nuts during hyperphagia? Hyperphagia refers to overeating before going into hibernation. These nuts are rich in protein and fat.  Species Of Concern After a magical recovery, Grand Teton National Park’s bald eagles are no longer endangered. However, these birds still fall into the category of the species of concern. Other species of concern in the national park are greater sage grouse and grey wolves. You will find the bald eagles near the Gros Ventre and Snake Rivers. They love eating fish and sometimes prey on carrion, waterfowl, and other small mammals. Greater sage grouse here are known for the most poetic display of their mating in the spring season every year. You will find them in spaces in the sagebrush.  Species At Risk  As a part of the Greater Yellow Ecosystem, Grand Teton National Park is home to around 800 grizzly bears. It has made a recovery from the list of endangered species after a long conservation endeavor and is now a species at threat or risk. Other species at risk at this national park are: Canada lynx Yellow-billed Cuckoo Western glacier stonefly The park gets filled with the knocking call of the yellow-billed cuckoo in the spring.  Small Creatures At Grand Teton National Park Insects play a very crucial role in the food chain system. They help pollinate flowers, function as nutrient recyclers, and feed many animals. So, when you see a violet lupine in Grand Teton National Park, you must know bees are around.  Along with bees,  Grand Teton National Park also has small and mighty ones, such as the Army Cutworm Moth (the food of grizzly bears during the fall season), Bark Beetles, carrion beetles, etc. Beetles are very important for the ecosystem of Grand Teton National Park. They break down woody plants and help return the nutrients to the soil. Further, carrion beetles recycle the minerals found in the corpse of an animal. Thus, these insects help with the decomposition and recycling of essential nutrients.  Over three million people visit Grand Teton National Park every year. Along with wildlife viewing, you can enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, climbing and mountaineering, and backcountry camping here. So, gear up for the best experience in the wilderness.  Also read Top 10 Most Popular Paraguay Food That You Must Try. Top 13 Famous Wonders Of India That You Must Visit! 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