Vegan Clothing

Catch me if you can!

A friend of mine was asking me about my new shoes the other day. When I got over the initial shock of one of my buddies asking me about shoes, I told him they were just like the running shoes I had in high school; Asics, very light and comfortable, very 80’s. I’d just picked them up from Zappos.com. He nodded and said, cool. I then mentioned that they were vegan as well. He asked, “What are vegan shoes?”

I told him it meant they were made of all man-made materials. So, in a pinch, I could eat them should it become necessary. I pointed to his all leather loafers and shook my head. “I wouldn’t be able to make a risotto with those.”

In all seriousness most vegans and vegetarians are aware that you can buy vegan friendly clothing and accessories, (no wool, no silk, no leather.) They can sometimes run a bit on the pricey side, but more and more designers are creating stylish options. Jenni has picked up purses, wallets, and shoes at sites like Alternative Outfitters and at MooShoes.com, and you can find even more than clothes at sites like Vegan Essentials. If you have any favorites be sure to pass them along.

Hosteling

The af Chapman & Skeppsholmen hostel  in Stockholm

Hostels have come a long way over the years. They aren’t just for college kids on a budget, nor are they just an excuse to make a low budget horror film.

Hostels are an affordable option for any independent traveler wanting to see the world and connect with others. Many travelers, like Rick Steves and his son Andy highly recommend them. Hostels come in all shapes and sizes: jumbo jets, sailing ships, cinemas, castles, monasteries, and sometimes the accommodations are on par with what many hotels have to offer.

If you plan on making your own meals or simply want to cut your lodging costs hosteling might be the way to go. HostelWorld has become one of the preferred sites for finding hostels. There you will find the beloved hostels of Lisbon like the Travellers House, winner of the Hoscar (Hostel Oscar) in 2009 and 2010 and many others. They are mobile as well.

Bing Travel

I haven’t actually used Bing travel, part of Microsoft’s Bing search engine, but I’ve had it recommended to me lately by some of my friends. Bing Travel searches for airfare and hotel reservations online and predicts the best time to purchase. It looks like this feature is only available for the US and Canada, but it’s worth a look when doing your travel planning.

Gift Ideas for the Techie Traveler – Featured – Travel Gear Blog

It’s that time of year again. Here are some great techie gifts for the travelers in your life from the TravelGear Blog.

Gift Ideas for the Techie Traveler – Featured – Travel Gear Blog: “- Sent using Google Toolbar”

Scottevests

Over the years I’ve heard professional travelers like Johnny Jet sing the praises of Scottevest. Johnny has claimed to wear two of them when he travels, one right on top of the other.

You certainly can’t fault ceo Scott Jordan for finding ways of getting the word out about his products. There was the recent brouhaha Scottevest got into with Delta over one of their ads, and the round the world challenge Scottevest sent travel writer, Rolf Potts, on. 

Scottevests feature up to 26 pockets, are lightweight, windproof and have removable hoods and sleeves. You can keep all your essential items handy: phone, passport, keys, camera, etc. They are even capable of storing an iPad, if you can believe it. They’d probably be great to go shoplifting in an as well. If you’re into that sort of thing.

They’re pretty pricey, but they might save you a carry-on, as well as time in the security line. If the recently rejected Delta ad is to be believed, they might well be: ‘The Most Stylish Way to Beat the System.’

Off Peak Travel

November has evolved into a vacation month for us. It’s the beginning of the low season for European travel. Low season runs from November to March. We’ve found some great deals over the years by traveling opposite the high season. Sure, it’s a bit cooler, wetter and darker in Europe; much like it is for everyone else living in the northern hemisphere. But because of this airlines and hotels have to work harder to fill seats and rooms. If you’re willing make a few sacrifices, you can get a great deal, and have an awesome holiday. So, as you plan your holiday consider the time of year you’re going, and why other people might or might not be going there.

Do some homework too, and see when the actual low season is; we found the low season for Stockholm was actually August. Europeans are not doing a lot of work in August, they too are on vacation, so the hotels in the capital cities such as Stockholm, Paris, etc, had great deals. Bermuda was a great deal last November. It was breezy and chilly, but it was still a lot milder than central Illinois. Keep in mind that it’s the off season for a reason. You might find it great that there’s nobody else at the museum, or that you have the beach to yourself, but that also might mean you’re going to loose some of the extra service you might be expecting. Many attractions have different operating during the low season and some may be closed entirely.

Kiplinger‘s had a good article on off peak travel. I was reading it this morning while I was waiting for the scones to cook.

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Volunteer Vacations & Work Travel: The Ritz-Carlton, Give Back Getaways

Traveling is one of the most fulfilling things you can do for yourself. Getting out on the road and meeting people from different places is food for the soul. But if you really want to combine traveling with giving back and making a difference, well, now there are some options.

I was reading about this on CNN’s website this morning.

Giving back while you travel – CNN.com

Volunteer Vacations & Work Travel: The Ritz-Carlton, Give Back Getaw

House Swapping

Jenni and I rented an apartment a few years ago when we took the boys to Ireland with us. I thought it was great and I highly recommend it as an alternative to staying in a hotel.

Lately I’ve been hearing more and more about house swapping. It’s a pretty interesting concept and possibly a big cost saver to your travel budget. Your accommodations end up costing you nothing. To do it: you register with a service, post pictures of your home, and make arrangements with the owners to swap homes with them for a weekend or a couple weeks. I haven’t done it myself, but something to consider.

This is a pretty good article from Travel + Leisure where the authors talk about their experience.

Special Report: House Swapping – Articles – Travel + Leisure

The Leading Swap Agencies

Each of these companies is largely Web-based and has listings that cover the world. See the FAQ sections for sample agreement forms that members use to outline the terms of their trade.

Intervac The oldest and best-known house-swap outfit, Intervac was founded in 1953 by Dutch and Swiss teachers’ unions to facilitate temporary out-of-town housing for members. Twice a year the company publishes two regional catalogues that go to members for $100 a copy. Average number of listings: 10,000. 800/756-4663; www.intervacus.com; annual fee $70.

Homeexchange.com This site offers the most exhaustive guidance for would-be swappers. Average number of listings: 6,500. 800/877-8723; annual fee $50.

Homelink International Homelink also produces a directory of offerings that members receive two times a year for $45. Average number of listings: 14,000. 800/638-3841; www.homelink.org; annual fee $75.

Flip Camera

I’ve been lugging my old Sony camcorder around for years. I love that camera. But this year we went ahead and picked up a Flip camera. These little pocket size video cameras are great when you’re spending the day sightseeing. They fit right in your pocket and make it easy to have a video camera with you at all times. They plug directly into your computer, so you can easily offload your videos and post them on the Internet to share with your friends and family back home. I’ve read reviews by folks who really liked them, and reviews by people who really didn’t. I don’t think the technology allows you to shoot high end videos, and there are some functional limitations, such as being unable to use them for night shots, and some limited zoom capabilities, but for what they are they’re an excellent investment.

Noise Canceling Headphones

I’d been considering getting noise canceling headphones for years. They do a great job of canceling out the sound of the jet engines, letting you listen to your music or movies without having to crank the volume all the way up. You can spend a small fortune to get the high end Bose headphones, but we invested in a some relatively inexpensive JWIN’s that worked just fine. Amazon has a pretty good selection, but you can find them all over the place these days. Do a little research and see what works for you. But these are a great investment.