BootsnAll's Travel Typepad

Wine Countries in South America

Major wine-producing countries like France, Italy, and even Australia may take top billing when it comes to wine tourism, but there are many wine regions in South America worth exploring as well. What's more, visitors who are accustomed to the higher prices often found when traveling in Europe will be pleasantly surprised at the bargains on offer in South America.

Wine aficionados will likely be familiar with the wines produced in Chile and Argentina, as these are the countries that most often export their wines outside the continent. But as is the case the world over, most countries produce wine to a certain degree, whether it's just for household consumption or for a larger community. There are several countries in South America that may not be known the world over for their wines, but if you're a wine lover you should definitely seek them out.

Colombia is more synonymous with coffee, but wine makers there produce Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon (among others). Brazil, famous for its lively Carnival celebrations, produces an equally celebratory drink - their specialty is sparkling wine. Peru and Bolivia grow most of their grapes for stronger drinks popular in those countries, but there are small (and growing) wine makers in both places.

Even the tiny country of Uruguay gets in on the wine making act. The wines may not be considered one of the highlights of Uruguay yet, but since most of the wineries are near Montevideo it's easy to incorporate a bit of wine tasting into a trip through the country without getting too far away from your itinerary.

In each country, it's a good idea to ask wine makers whether they export their wines to your home country so you can find out about getting any wines you particularly enjoyed more easily back home. Shipping some wine might be a fun holiday splurge, but it's probably not something you want to be re-ordering on a monthly basis.

>> Look for tickets to Uruguay

Are Australia's best beaches in Queensland?

While there is a vast area of Australia that's hot, dry, and nowhere near water, one of the major reasons people visit the country is to see its beaches. Some of the most popular destinations in Australia are along the water, including the cities of Sydney and Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef off the northeastern coast is a huge draw for divers and nature-lovers the world over.

But what, with all that coastline to choose from, are the best beaches in Australia?

To be fair, the word "best" is tough to quantify. One person's favorite beach may not even make another person's top 10 list. But when it comes to gorgeous beaches, there are enough to choose from in Australia that there should be something to suit every beach-goer's style.

Some of the most famously beautiful beaches in the country are in Queensland in northeastern Australia, in the same area as the Great Barrier Reef. The Whitsunday Islands are incredibly popular. There are 74 islands in total, meaning there's plenty of beach to go around, and there's quite a variety of activities available in the area, too (for when you get tired of lying on the beach). Whitehaven Beach, on one of the Whitsundays, is even listed among the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Cairns is another beach hotspot in Queensland, and - thankfully - it's really easy to get to from elsewhere in the country. The distance from Sydney to Cairns is more than 1500 miles, but there are multiple flights each day (on budget airlines) making the journey last only a few hours. You can find yourself a room at one of the cheap hotels in Cairns (which is even easier in the off-season), and then spend your days enjoying the beach. Winters in Cairns are mild, with highs averaging in the high 70sF, while summers get hot and humid. From a homebase in Cairns you can take day trips into the Whitsundays or out to the Great Barrier Reef to go swimming, boating, or diving - all of which makes a tropical climate more enjoyable.

How to Spend One Week in Italy

Ask any travel lover about planning a trip to Italy for one week and you're likely to get an emphatic, "That's not enough time for Italy!" reply. Of course one week isn't enough time to see everything in Italy, and anyone who thinks they'll "do" Italy in a week is crazy - but it's totally possible to spend a lovely week in Italy seeing many of the major sights in the country.

And really? Rather than try to tell you what you can't do, or things you shouldn't do in Italy, I'd rather be on the end of encouraging you to travel for whatever time you can, and do the things in Italy that you'd like to do during that time.

A "greatest hits" one-week trip to Italy would include stops in Venice, Florence, and Rome - a quick glance at many one-week package trips to Italy will tell you that. And if you've never been to Italy before, that could be an excellent option. You won't have much time for relaxing or experiencing "la dolce vita" on such a whirlwind trip, but you will come home with a lot of world-class attractions checked off your to-do list.

There are countless ways to spend a week in Italy - you could pick one region and spend a couple days each in a few cities within that region, do the old-fashioned backpacker trick of visiting a city by day and taking the night train to the next stop, or stay in one place for the whole trip. Staying in one place could mean taking a cooking or language class, or just renting an apartment or villa and pretending that's home for a little while.

However you spend your week, it's quite likely that by the plane ride home you'll be itching to book return tickets to Rome and pick up where you left off.

Plan a Working Holiday in Australia

Australia tends to be a "bucket list" destination for many travelers, but unfortunately it's one item that few get to cross off. Rather than take a two week slice here or there, they wait until they can take a month or two off work in catching a plane to Sydney. The end result is that many people don't ever get to go because they can't ever take the time they need off from their job and they may not be comfortable with going without employment for the duration of their trip.

You could try to work remotely at your current job from Australia. Depending on your line of work, it's definitely possible. It just may not be the most convenient option. It would be hard to keep up with co-workers in a totally different time zone, and internet options in Australia are expensive.

There's a better solution. For those who want to spend extended time in Australia but who can't afford to travel on accumulated savings, there's the Australian working holiday visas program. A working holiday visa allows people 18 to 30 to ravel and work for up to 12 months in Australia. Work can include helping out on a farm, picking fruit, or working in the service or tourism industries. While the visa doesn't guarantee you work (you're on your own for that), it does ensure that you'll have more options than trying to go under the table.

Most people who apply are approved and the online application is easy. Some programs provide more assistance than others when it comes to finding a job and a place to live, but with an adventurous spirit and a bit of research you could be living and working in OZ much sooner than you'd expect, earning enough to fund your travels in the Land Down Under.

Photo by Michael Dawes

Plan a Wild Weekend in Vegas

Though Vegas is a popular spot for quickie weddings, it's no surprise that the city is also quite popular as a destination for bachelor and bachelorette parties. The same "anything goes, no consequences" mentality that leads so many people to tie the knot with a near stranger also entices people to spend their last days of singlehood in Sin City.

There are several other reasons for the city's popularity as a bachelor/bachelorette weekend spot. It's easy to find cheap flights to Vegas from most major airports throughout the US. The city's popularity means that you can get a direct flight from all areas of the country and generally be there in under five hours. It's also easy to find deals that can make a trip to Vegas pretty affordable, especially if you avoid the casinos.

Many of the best hotels in Vegas for Bachelor parties even offer deals that include show tickets, dining vouchers, or VIP passes to local clubs when you book a stay. And of course the more you save on food and lodging the more you can spend on those extra touches that will make a bachelor or bachelorette party more memorable, like limousine services in Las Vegas, spa treatments, shopping and other entertainment.

Photo by Old Shoe Woman

Traveling and Learning to Let Go

For some of us, a trip is the perfect time to relax and unwind, to let the stress of every day life melt away, to forget our cares, to let go.

But for others, a trip only adds to the stress. We worry about speaking the language. We get frustrated when things aren't as we expect or as they would be at home, and we work ourselves into a tizzy running around trying to cram it all into a short stay. It's exhausting, and by the time we come home from our trip, well it seems like we need a vacation from our vacation!

But travel doesn't have to be so stressful. We've put together some travel tips for control freak travelers to help those Type A travelers avoid some of the stress of a trip. Rule #1: don't try to pack so much in! Not all of us have time for a round the world trip, so we try to see as much as possible in a short week or two. The problem is that in trying to see it all, we end up experiencing very little of what life is actually like in that place. Slow down and let yourself wander, let yourself get lost. Pick one or two major things to see and do each day and then let the rest figure itself out as you go along. When it comes to planning vs spontaneity, you need to have a balance.

Recognize that you will never see and do it all, even if you stayed for double the time. Choose the things that are the most important to you and let the rest go. When you look back on your trip, the experience you remember most fondly will probably not be rushing around the city from monument to monument, or crying into your map as you struggle to find the one last obscure museum you just had to see before it closed today. It's more likely that the moments you remember fondly when you are back at your cubicle will be the afternoon you spent simply wandering and getting lost, or the lazy morning where you sat at a cafe, slowly sipped your coffee, and watched daily life in the unfold before you.

It's in the simple things and unplanned moments that we often find the greatest joys of traveling. And to get there, you need to put down the schedule, ignore your watch and simply let go.

Photo by: malias

Safe Travel After the Arab Spring

When my mother first told me many years ago she was going to spend a few weeks in Egypt traveling by herself, I want to think that the news gave me pause. The truth is, however, I don't recall batting an eye. My mother is one of the most intrepid travelers I know, and she routinely makes me feel as if our roles are reversed, me telling her to be careful as she makes plans to go skydiving for her birthday or hitch a motorcycle ride with a stranger into the African desert.

My mother's penchant for adventure draws her to Africa repeatedly, and though there's plenty of unnecessary fear about a continent most people in the U.S. know little about, there are also more recent reasons why traveling safely in Egypt isn't as much of a given as it was the last time my mother was there. Outside the region, many are cheering on the uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East as positive signs for the future, but however soft those revolutions might be in some places there's still reason to pause before venturing in as a foreigner.

More confident travelers will no doubt jump at the chance to get back into places like Egypt as soon as things even start to look like they're calming a bit. There's no doubt that there will be deals galore, with airfare to Cairo at bargain prices and even high-end rooms offering rates like the budget hotels in Cairo. While she isn't likely to be among the first holidaymakers to jet back to Egypt, I have little doubt that my mother will be chomping at the bit to return as soon as she hears about others doing so.

Will I worry about her? I wouldn't be a very good daughter if I didn't. But beyond her ability to think on her feet and her strength of character, there's something else that makes me more confident than I might otherwise be every time she announces where she's off to next - her age. In some ways, the fact that she's nearly 70 is the very reason that I'd be worried about her traveling alone, but because she chooses to travel in places where old people are revered rather than reviled I know she'll be well taken care of.

Now, to reply to her latest email asking for information on Madagascar...

Travel with Kids: Learning from the Pros

Anyone who's child-free has probably grumbled at the sight of a baby boarding their flight. It's natural, and understandable - but if you're the parent tarveling with that infant, it's not all fun and games. New parents find out quickly that while babies don't come with an instruction manual, there's all sorts of wisdom to be gained from those who have gone before.

This guide to traveling with a baby may not come with the baby, but it probably should. If you're a new parent (or about to be one) and you like to travel, this guide will help you get past the idea that your traveling days are over (at least until Junior's a little older) or that you need a nanny or you'll never be able to make it work. Sure, having an extra set of hands is helpful, but it's not required. And given all the reasons to travel with young kids, the idea of waiting isn't always the right option, either.

Traveling with young kids is a challenge, to be sure, but there's so much to be gained that it's definitely not something to dismiss outright. If the parents are up for it, just think of what the children can get out of it. They're veritble sponges when they're young, able to soak up new languages easily, and those skills will always serve them well later in life. Introducing kid to new environments, different-looking people, and unfamiliar foods can make them more adaptable, more tolerant, and more adventurous. Travel does all of these things for adults, too, but we come into it with all sorts of baggage - which is something young kids are blissfully unburdened by.

There are precautions you can take to make sure that you aren't worrying about what might go wrong, too, and that alone can provide peace of mind for both the parents and their relatives back home. Get a quote on travel insurance for families - you'll be surprised at how inexpensive it can be.

How Much Stuff Do You Need to Travel Around the World?

Anyone who has traveled has likely heard it a million times: it pays to pack light. By traveling with just a carryon, you'll avoid extra luggage fees, eliminate the risk or having your luggage lost by the airline, and your travels will be easier as you won't have to lug around large bags or arrive at the airport early (and be the last person waiting) to check your bag.

On a two week trip, traveling with just a carryon isn't that daunting of a prospect. But stretch that trip out to a few months or a year and suddenly it seems an impossible task to live with nothing but what you can carry on your back.

When planning your RTW trip and deciding what to pack and what to leave, the important thing to remember is that a year long trip is really nothing more than a series of one or two week trips, all strung together.

Therein lies the beauty of a RTW trip. Yes, a year is a long time, but you don't need to pack for an entire year. You only need to pack for a few days, one you realize that you can do laundry every few days and you can buy most of what you'll need on the road. Packing lightly seems a lot easier when you plan to wash your clothes every few days. Even accounting for changes in climate and the gear you'll need for various activities, you can still pack for a few day trip in a single bag.

You just need to get out of the "vacation" mentality. On an RTW trip, you have the time to wash your clothes every few days, as you won't be rushing from place to place each day. Since you have more time in each place, taking an hour or two to do laundry doesn't feel like as much of a time sacrifice as it does on a more rushed trip. You'll also get many of the aforementioned benefits out of going with just a carryon. Some quotes on RTW tickets include luggage fees, while others don't. So you know you won't get hit with surprise fees like you might with checked bags. And after a few months on the road, you'll appreciate the fact that you aren't lugging around a giant bulky bag, especially when running to make trains, climbing up a dozen flights of stairs to your hostel, or worrying about your belongings on an overnight bus.

Traveling light on an extended trip may seem difficult, but it's much easier, and much more beneficial than you might expect.

Photo by fortherock

Plan a Family Trip to Chicago This Summer

The summer trip seems to be a family tradition. From road trips to Disney World or the Grand Canyon to backpacking adventures around the globe, a family trip is a time to learn, explore, and bond as a family before the chaos of work, school, social activities and events resumes in the fall. In the US, one of the best places for a family vacation is the Midwest city of Chicago.

Beacuse it's a major hub in the center of the country, it's easy to find cheap flights to Chicago from most major cities. You can also drive from other Midwest states like Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan and Indiana. And summer travel deals - particularly during the week - can help bring the cost down even more. Chicago also offers lots of free and cheap things to do, many of which are ideal for families. Window shopping at the larger-than-life stores on the Magnificent Mile,  walking along the Lakefront path, riding the water taxi on the Chicago River, browsing at farmers markets and seeing the animals at the Lincoln Park Zoo are all free activities great for kids of all ages - as well as adults.

And if you visit Chicago in summer, you can take advantage of the city's lakefront location and play or swim at one of the many beaches location on its 26 miles of shoreline or attend a summer festival, which seem to happen every week. When the heat gets to be too much, there are plenty of ways to cool down too, like ducking into one of the city's great museums. The museums are fascinating for adults, but will also capitvate kids with exhibits like Sue, the giant T-Rex skeleton at the Field Museum or the underground mine ride at the Museum of Science and Industry. And after a long day of sightseeing, the kids can check out the view at the Signature Lounge atop the John Hancock Building, while mom and dad relax with a cocktail.

Photos by Paul and Christa