Frugal Vacation Series Goes to Turkey 8.31.11

It’s time for another frugal vacation destination! This place you may or may not have ever heard of, but it’s way cool and has so many different vacation possibilities! Sleep in a cave, go skiing in the desert, go on a cruise along the coast and still save money! What? Where is this awesome and magical place, you ask? Why, it’s none other than Cappadocia, Turkey! Where the heck is that?? Well, for starters, it’s in Turkey. Here’s some other interesting information about it.

This photo of Cappadocia is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Cappadocia, located in central Turkey, is a truly breathtaking and unique vacation destination with a moon-like atmosphere. Set on a high plateau with high volcanic peaks, it has a very different feel from anywhere else and has a warm, arid climate in the summer and cold, snowy winters. So, pack your sunscreen and hat or sweaters and mittens when you plan your trip to this extraordinary city.

Because the area was formed by ancient volcanoes there are a lot of volcanic deposits that are, essentially, soft rocks and buildings have be carved into the cliffs, including hotels, houses, churches and monasteries. These cave dwellings are a relief from the heat of the summer. There are also fascinating underground cities, interconnected by twisting tunnels, some of which are open to visitors. This region is interesting and has made Cappadocia a popular tourist destination (even though you never heard of it until now).

A trip to Cappadocia is great for budget travelers, because the exchange rate is very favorable to most other foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar, the Pound and the Euro. You can stay in 3- and 4-star lodgings, dine in restaurants, use public transportation and rent a car all for less than the cost per night to stay in many economy hotels worldwide. Most hotels offer breakfast in their low rates, making it an even better deal, as it is one less meal you will have to cover on your own. Whatever your budget, a trip to Cappadocia can be accommodated. Since you can save on so many different aspects of your vacation, you can splurge on some of the more interesting activities while you’re there, including:

• Half- and full-day city tours – Take a guided tour through Cappadocia and learn about the most important and interesting sites from a knowledgeable escort. Then you can go back and explore those areas that you found to be most remarkable on your own time.
• Hot air balloon rides ­– Get a bird’s eye view of the wondrous landscape of Cappadocia in the early morning. Take in your destination from a whole new perspective and then commemorate your ride with a traditional champagne toast upon touch down. Bring a sweater, as it is likely to be cold.
• ATV quad tours – The territory is has conditions that are fantastic for viewing from an all-terrain vehicle. Take a unique tour of the city on a quad to cover ground quickly and see different parts of the region than you can on foot or by car. You can go with a tour guide or rent all day for a fun day of exploring the dunes, valleys and hills.
• Skiing – For those of you that travel in the winter and like the colder climates, Cappadocia has incredible skiing in the winters, which are generally quite chilly and snowy. You can rent equipment when you get there and save on baggage fees. With the multitude of mountainous peaks, you can ski all day, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, and then warm up back in your hotel or at a cozy little café.
• Yacht cruise – Take a day trip and sail the Aegean or Mediterranean Seas on a yacht or gullet cruise. These include lunch, sightseeing stops and beach visits for swimming.
• Go shopping – Turkey is a country of bazaars and boutique stores. It is a great place to shop for antiques, brass and copper items, carpets, bold jewelry, silk and one-of-a-kind items you won’t find anywhere else. Pack an extra bag for all the souvenirs you find to bring back home.

This photo of Cappadocia is courtesy of TripAdvisor 

Whether you’re used to luxury accommodations or you’re a backpacker who enjoys saving money and staying in budget lodgings, you will find what you’re looking for. Cappadocia really has something for everyone and is a remarkably distinctive vacation destination that would be hard to match wherever your travels take you. If you usually stay in budget hotels, this might be the time to break out of your rut and treat yourself to a unique and luxurious accommodation. Stay in a cave dwelling! It’ll be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something you wouldn’t have a chance to do elsewhere. On top of all that, it'll still be similarly priced to the hotel rates you're used to staying in. Seeing some of the pictures associated with these kinds of rooms made me want to skip my the vacation I had planned and go here instead. 

Photos of Cappadocia courtesy of TripAdvisor

How have we never heard of this place before? Cappadocia seems to be über popular and one of the world’s best kept secrets all at once. I am always amazed by these kinds of gems. Have you ever been to such a destination? I’d love to hear about it!

This photo of Serinn House is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Another short post? But why? Hopefully you found this post fun and informative enough to not cry over the length of it. This week I am working on book edits in order to get it done and get my book out to you as soon as possible! The cover is being worked on as we speak, as well! Two steps closer to your bookshelf.

Insure Your Travel Plans 8.27.11

It seems like the last couple of years have been rife with natural disasters which have screwed up travel plans (and the lives of people living across the globe). Now, while I try very hard to be an optimistic person, there’s never any guarantee that your vacation will be ruined right before you leave or while you are in the midst of it with something like a hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, flash flood, fire, riots or even the dreaded ash cloud. This is why in the wake of Hurricane Irene, it might be a good idea to take a look at the benefits of travel insurance.

When I travel, I rarely get travel insurance, mostly because I never think anything might happen to me. Once I got it in conjunction with a cruise I was taking, but even though there was a storm that prevented us from docking in one of our ports, nothing else unfortunate happened, and so we never had to use it. I suppose that thinking back on all of our travels, we should have really considered getting insurance, especially with our fondness for traveling during hurricane season. It’s not that we want to get caught up in a hurricane, but that time of year is more affordable and less crowded and we probably just assume that either it’ll happen or it won’t. Of course, with the hurricane warning in Nassau that closed almost everything around us, the tropical storm in Cancun that turned into a Hurricane Wilma the week after we left, our car break-in in Quito and our honeymoon involving airfare to/from London and train service to/from Paris, we should really start looking into getting some coverage on our next big getaway.

Of course, travel insurance doesn’t just cover natural disasters and unfortunate incidents. It can also cover medical emergencies, alternate transportation, lost baggage, cancelled flights, stolen passports/wallets, personal emergency trip cancellation and more. Imagine if you had a trip planned to Egypt and right before you went they closed down all entry to the country because of the riots. Under normal circumstances, all the money you paid for your trip to that point would be lost, unless you paid with a credit card that has coverage for any of those things. That would totally suck, right? While I wouldn’t recommend spending the extra money for a local trip or to go somewhere within you home country (like, I’m not going to get travelers insurance to go to Disneyland for 4 days), because it’s highly likely you can work something out with the hotel or rebook your airfare for a fee, I would urge you to think about getting it for international trips and any big money trips you plan to take in the future.  Planning a once in a lifetime African Safari, only to have it ruined by terrorist activity near the airport would really break your heart...and your wallet.

For most travel insurance, you should expect to pay around 5-8% of your total trip cost. Decide ahead of time if this is something you want to go forward with. The best time to buy your trip insurance is right after you’ve put down deposits (or paid in full) for your trip. The closer you can secure both of these things, the better off you will be, as there are certain benefits that are only available within 2 weeks of booking your trip.

So, where can you get travelers insurance? Many times if you buy airfare or a package deal from a booking engine like Travelocity or directly from the airline it is offered to you on the last page before you hit enter to buy your trip. Take a look at costs and what it covers. Look into the credit card you are using and what is covered and what isn’t. They might include extra auto insurance, trip cancellation, lost or stolen bags and some will cover a trip up to a certain dollar amount.

If you’re looking for customizable plans, check out:

• Travelguard – They have plans for travelers of all kinds, including budget, golfers, last-minute, adventure travelers and those that want several tiers of comprehensive coverage.
• InsureMyTrip – The #1 travel insurance site, purchase a whole package or just separate kinds of insurance, like trip cancellation, baggage, medical and evacuation.  
• AAA members – Are you a member of AAA? Then you already have access to great trip insurance. With their Trip Assist program, choose from a variety of different insurance packages that suit your needs.

Do you NEED insurance? Are you going to an area where they are likely to get bad weather or  hurricanes? Get it! Will you be in an area that has a lot of political strife? Get it! Did you save up forever to be able to go on this trip? Get it! Is there a chance someone in your family might fall ill? Get it! May work obligations prevent you from going on your trip? Get it! You may think an extra 8% on top of your vacation expenses is more than you want to spend, but think about how much it will save you if something happens and your trip is cancelled or ruined. Check this picture I snapped on our way back to the hotel in the Bahamas. Soon after it started to pour down rain, the news issued a hurricane warning and people were encouraged to stay inside or seek shelter in one of the big hotels, since those building were the most secure. Luckily, that was the worst of it and the hurricane passed us by, but you could still see the damage made by the previous hurricane that hit land.

Look at the wind and sky in Nassau.

Learn more about what kind of insurance you should get, why you should get it and compare companies that sell it with the TravelInsurance Review. Do you have personal experience with travel insurance that you’ve used or when you wish you’d bought some? I’d like to hear your stories. You can join in the Savvy Living Discussion, too!

Don't forget that you can get Shereen Travels Cheap on your Kindle (or via your web-enabled device and free Kindle reading app) through Amazon. Get updates instantly as soon as new posts are added!


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 Project Runway Live Chat          Mon. 8/29 9pm EST/5pm PST

I hope you can join me on the Project Runway live chat on Ebates on Monday with Kristin from BonBon Rose Girls and several other community leaders. We'll be talking about the designers, Tim Gunn, the fashion and more! 

Winner! There are two great giveaways happening. 

The first is for a Travelon Flat Out HangingToiletry bag stuffed with a bunch of awesome stuff: GoToobs courtesy of Human Gear, rinseless laundry detergent courtesy of SoakWash, a selection of LaFresh wipes, some travel sizes of men's Jack Black toiletries, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, Colgate Wisps, nail polish remover wipes, anti-bacterial wipes, sunblock, body wash, Man on the Move soap leaves and (not shown) 2 toothbrush sanitizers. What more could you ask for? Throw in some lip balm and your toothbrush and go! Enter here or click on the Current Giveaway tab at the top of the page.

The second giveaway is sponsored by Travelon. They have generously offered to send one of our readers their fantastic Pack-flat Backup Bag. It's an extra carry-on bag for your travels. Packs flat for your journey there and then unzips into a full carry-on bag that fits under the airplane seat for all the goodies you bought on your trip. Click here to enter. Drawing will take place on September 1.

Some photos courtesy of Daily Venture.

Review: Fluxx Card Game

Do you have kids (or a spouse) that are always claiming they are bored at home and on the road? Check out this awesome card game and they will never utter those words again. Fluxx  can be played by those aged 8 and over. It's the card game of ever-changing rules, so no matter how many times you play it, it will never be the same game twice. The object of the game is to be the first to reach whatever the "goal" is (example: milk and cookies, where you need to get both the card with milk on it and the card with cookies on it), but since there are many goals and everyone wants to win, the goal will continue to change throughout the game. You may have 3 cards or 12 cards in your hand at any given time, because the rules will continue to change. You may have to pick up 3 and leave 1 or exchange cards with another player. A game can last 5 minutes or 30 minutes, but it will always be a blast.

         

Want to know more about how to play? Here’s how it works. Every game starts with the Basic Rules which is a card you leave next to the draw deck. The basic rules are always “draw a card, play a card per turn”. Once the game starts, the players may use a New Rule card, which will add rules to the basic ones or change them completely. You may end up with an X=X+1 card, which then means you add one to all the numbers on the rules cards, making the basic rules now “draw 2, play 2”. Another new rule might be “Draw 2, play 3” and you would put that one over the basic rules card, because it totally changes them.

Throughout the deck are Keeper Cards which are used to meet the goal. You will usually need two to win, like Bread and Butter or Sun and Moon. With these also come Goal Cards which will give you a goal to work towards in order to win the game. Of course, the goal will change throughout the game as well, so you might have the winning combo at one time, only to be thwarted by another player’s cards before your turn comes back around.

Action cards are just what they sound like. When you play one, you must do as it says, like resetting the rules or drawing the specified amount of cards and playing them immediately. As you can see, this can totally ruin your own strategy, which is why you never know what will happen. There is even enough healthy competition when just two people play. My husband and I have the best time trying to ruin each other’s hands to win. Usually this only helps us lose to the other faster, but it doesn’t stop us from having fun.

There are several different versions of the game and they can be used separately or as one big deck. The current sets include: Stoner Fluxx (no longer on sale, but can be found on Ebay occasionally), EcoFluxx, Family Fluxx, Zombie Fluxx, Monte Python Fluxx, Martian Fluxx and Pirate Fluxx. Some come with brand new rules to play by, too. There are even expansion sets, for those that think one pack of cards is never enough, but too many rules is too much! We have Fluxx 4.0 and Fluxx Zombie now, but have yet to venture into playing them together. We take them with us everywhere, though, because it’s a great time-waster. It keeps you on your toes and is really fun. It’s the perfect travel game. We play it on the plane, in our hotel room, at the Laundromat. Anywhere there's a flat surface! Just one look at our box can show you how much we love this game.

           

Don’t live in the U.S.? Grab yourself a deck of Fluxx Español, German Fluxx, Japanese Fluxx or Dutch Fluxx. Looney Labs has thought of everyone!

Where to purchase: 

Amazon

Are You Game

Your local game distributor