Resor

My travel bag

by Ranu

Before any travel, there are always difficulties in choosing what to take and what not to. Between the hassle of flying, jet lag and hauling your luggage around; travelling is challenging enough without worrying about looking fashionable while you do it. You assume that you are packed and ready to go but then you realize that you left something behind. There is no best way to pack unless you are travelling with your whole wardrobe. Every traveller is different and every person has different way of travelling. You could nail the airport look and look dapper on your travel by following some important tricks which I learned over my many travel experiences.

Surprisingly, it’s easier to travel light than many would think. When deciding what clothes to pack, choose in three matching colour sets so you could mix and match and create multiple outfits for different days, or even different occasions. Pick the colours based on where you’re going. If you are travelling to urban destinations like Paris or Milan then any combination of black, white, navy or charcoal is a good selection. For a beach vacation or outdoor excursions, khaki, white and bright hues like orange or yellow always work. White linen is also really go with popular choices because it’s cool in warm weather. It can be worn during the day and is also nice for evenings out. Apart from this a pair of jeans, a pair of nice pants, a striped button down, a blazer and a comfortable T-shirt are always good options. Ideally, you should be wearing each piece two or three times on your trip. Bring one dressy flexible outfit, if you have a formal evening or event planned during your trip don’t bother with bulky dresses, heavy full suits and jackets that take up a lot of space. A little packing hack is to roll-up clothes in order to minimize packing space as well as avoid wrinkles on clothes.

Lyza / Flickr

The next thing which takes a lot of space in suitcase is shoes. Minimizing the shoes options would really help in keeping you light. If your travel has more walking around then sneakers are a great deal. A comfortable pair of shoes, low boots or sandals to walk around in will really help. Most women don’t need to bring more than three pairs of shoes on any trip. Pack light and choose a few pairs that serve multiple purposes instead of trying to bring a pair for every occasion or every evening. While packing, protect your clean clothes from getting dirty by covering your shoes with shower caps. This way you squeeze more items in your limited packing space.

To add some bling and glamour to your looks, accessorize right. A few key accessories can change the look of an entire outfit.  I always pack some costume jewellery like a statement ring and a pair of oversized earrings. I am also fond of pins which really enhance the overall looks. Men on the other side should consider a few pairs of bright socks in trendy patterns just to spice up your looks.

While packing chargers etc, use rubber bands to tie each cord into tiny bundles and put in ziplock bag to keep them dry and safe. Always keep an extra battery backup for charging mobile. It is also important research the destination country electric socket type ( I learned it hard way) as not all countries use the same kind; more importantly if you are travelling outside your continent. Never miss to pack a day-bag, if you are travelling on a budget trip. Keep maps, chargers and hygiene accessories in your day-pack for easily accessibility. I learned this trick from a friend and tried; has been working like a charm since.

Finally, if you are a frequent traveller please make a pre-travel checklist. It really helps in being efficient by saving you time & trouble of remembering everything as well as avoiding last minute panics. In addition to the travel pre-requisites, the travel list should also contain basics of daily utilities for your favourite outfits. This way you are always ready to go.

Have a great travelling!!

The Blue Lagoon: Resor

A memorable twilight

The Blue Lagoon is among the wonders of the world according to National Geographic. It is included in the list of 25 locations around the globe by the magazine. Therefore, when I was travelling to Iceland the first thing that came to my mind was to visit Blue Lagoon. Why not? The Blue lagoon is one of the main tourist attractions that one should never miss. The Blue Lagoon is almost everywhere in Icelandic tourist advertisements. It is one of the most commercialized tourist destinations in Iceland, located in the middle of nowhere. The first glance of pool is itself stunning and the blue water with clear blue sky seems like, heaven on earth.

The Blue Lagoon is not a natural phenomenon. When it opened in 1976, they decided to let the water trickle into the lava fields, thinking it would be absorbed by it. However it did not happen; instead the minerals in water made a blanket of mud and the lagoon was formed. In 1992 the Blue Lagoon Company was established. They built facilities where people could undress and shower before entering the lagoon, and it has since then become one of the most visited locations in Iceland. The spa is located in a lava field in Grindavík on the south-western Iceland, and is supplied by water used in the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station.  Every 18 hours the whole pool’s water is replaced. It is situated approximately 20 km from the Keflavík International Airport and 39 km from the capital city of Reykjavík. The best way to reach the Blue Lagoon is by car. One can reach there by driving roughly 30-minutes from the airport or 60-minutes from Reykjavík. However, there are tourist buses and taxis available to reach Blue lagoon from almost anywhere in Iceland. It is open all days of week from 8:00 to 22:00. (Check the website for schedule)

While Iceland is a country brimming with natural hot springs, the Blue Lagoon isn't one of them. The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica & sulphur and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is known to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon averages 37–39 °C (99–102 °F). The Blue Lagoon however stays just as warm as usual, around 37-39°C / 98-102°F, no matter the season or the weather, so it is not too cold to bath in the Blue Lagoon. The contrast between hot and cold is a fantastic experience and one of the reasons bathing is so popular among tourist all year around. There are shallow areas where you can stay in the water, the further out you go the deeper it gets. The deepest area in Blue Lagoon is 1.40m and the shallowest is 90 cm.

My whole experience with this trip was surreal and top of the world however the next day my biggest concern was my stiff hair. Although the silica in water is therapeutic for skin but you need to be careful of your hair. My suggestion is to apply a lot of hair conditioner before entering the pool. There are island bar-counters in the pool so you can enjoy your favourite drink in hot spa. You could also enjoy delicious lunch at Blue Café or LAVA restaurant as well as enjoy nice view of the lagoon.  A single entry to the lagoon is 4800 ISK and there are special treatments package also available which you can upgrade in your adventure.

The Blue Lagoon is designed for a relaxing bath so when you plan an adventurous trip to Iceland please take few hours and stop by the beautiful and magnificent Blue Lagoon.

website:  https://www.bluelagoon.com/