Hiking Europe by Mia & Steve mestdagh

The first thing to consider of course is planning out your route. It all depends on what type of hiking holiday you prefer – one filled with walking along the mountain ranges, one concentrated on skiing, or some other type of holiday. After you have this in mind, you will be able to pinpoint the locations, which might suit your requirements with ease since the internet is something we all have access to these days. Make sure you research the route you have chosen well though, because there are a lot of nasty surprises, which might find you in the mountains.

After that, you should really decide what you need and want to take with you. The standard equipment will require you to bring only enough food and water for the hiking holiday, whereas everything else is based on the context of your trip. It is always good to invest in some general things of course, such as a hiking backpack. They can be found in many specialized stores across the world and they vary in sizes and applications. Good advice is to spend some time in finding a truly good backpack, which will not betray you on your trip.

Hiking Europe – 2 by Mia & Steve mestdagh

Last but not least, you should decide who you are going to go with. If you are taking an unfamiliar route on your hiking holiday, you should definitely consider taking someone, who knows the way. This might be a friend, or a specialized guide, who will charge you, but at least you will know that you will be completely safe with them. There are specialized agencies, which provide hiking holidays, and you should observe some possibilities with them in order to be sure that you find the right thing to suit your needs completely.

As a whole, you should carefully observe your possibilities for exciting hiking holiday (or as the Danes say “spændende vandreferie”). There are many things, which you should take into consideration before going on a trip, and if you are not sure as to how to proceed with preparations, it is highly advised that you find a good online guide to read some things. The mountains can be a dangerous place and if you do not have the knowledge required to go through the trip with ease, you should definitely choose another opportunity. Otherwise, you risk both your safety and the safety of the people with you at all times.

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Travel pack by Nick Gray

1. Keep it simple: The best tip anyone would give you for taking a trip is to always travel light particularly if you are flying to a foreign land. Travelling light means taking as little luggage with you as possible. This is to avoid waiting for too long in the luggage claim area especially if you have kids with you. People have had terrible experiences when they carried too much luggage with them; they either lost their bags or had to spend the whole day searching for them at the airport.

2. Take care of your travel documents: This one again is for those who are going for an international journey. Keeping all your travel documents in one place, usually your backpack or hand carry, is a great idea to save a great deal of time and trouble while travelling. Also make sure you take along a phonebook or address book to have all the important numbers handy in time of need.

3. Pack well for kids: If you have kids travelling with you, it is advisable to make a checklist of all the items you are going to need when it’s time to change their diapers, clean their hands and face, give them something to eat or drink, and keep them busy while the journey is underway. Kids make a lot of mess particularly if you forget to pack up necessary items for them, such as baby wipes and tissues, extra diapers for babies, activity books for older kids, playthings, warm clothes, etc.

4. Don’t forget the cash: It’s always a good idea to keep some extra cash with you while travelling in case of an emergency requirement. Credit cards are good but remember they are not accepted everywhere. If you are travelling to a foreign country, convert your local currency into the currency of that country to save time.

5. Arrive at the airport early: It’s not going to help you if you arrive at the last minute. In fact, you will be running here and there and will be exhausted before the journey has even begun. So, always arrive at the airport early.

6. Protect your health while you’re away: It’s going to be a terrible experience to fall sick while you’re travelling. People may have food allergies they are not aware of or may become a victim of a foreign disease. It is therefore important to get vaccination shots before flying and keep important medications with you like pain killers, flu relievers, cough syrups, and the like.

7. Plan a safe travel: Imagine how dreadful it would be to get into some sort of serious trouble in a foreign land. It is therefore advised to stay as safe as possible. Dress up according to the culture of the country you’re visiting to mix up with the locals. Take care while renting cars, never accept anything from a stranger, don’t fall prey to local deals that appear to be very attractive, and avoid going into strange areas and narrow alleys.

8. Tips for travelling with pets: Animals are just as important as your own kids while you’re travelling. Pack for them according to the duration of your stay and take along anything you’re going to need.

9. Do not pack too many clothes: If you want to enjoy your trip, always take a few clothes with you with matching accessories and shoes. Try to carry only washable clothes and the ones that dry quickly. For children, it’s always best to carry disposable and inexpensive clothes to come back light and easy.

10. Use guidebooks whenever you can: It’s not a good idea getting lost in a foreign country. Particularly if you are travelling to Europe, it is advisable to buy guidebooks of areas you are going to visit to make the best use of your time.

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Hall of Steel, Leeds / Paul8032

The view provided by the display, encompassing every floor of the armoury, overlooks the city of Leeds, Clarence Dock, and the Air/Clader navigation canal. It is a very different world from the one in which those swords were used. Conflict happens on a supposedly more sophisticated level thousands of miles away from us, out of sight and shamefully, out of many of our minds.  Our cities are no longer the fortresses they once were but rather places we come for excitement and pleasure.

We see those swords, one after the other, over 2,500 pieces of steel, and we can attempt to imagine the masses of armoured soldiers marching across the very lands we amble along with our friends. We walk those hills breathing in the fresh air, exercising our bodies that sit in front of computers, and anticipating a warm pub meal afterwards as a reward. The weight of our backpack in which we carry a couple of water bottles is nothing compared to the weight of armour those soldiers had to carry and the sense of dread and fear that could have been lurking at every turn.

We stand and stare at the largest mass display of arms and armour since the 19th century. Armour from as early as the 1600’s, and military equipment from the 1800’s. The display is beautiful, but is also sad. One wonders how much blood has been shed by the seemingly endless display of swords mounted all around. What were the emotions running through the hearts of those who held them? Fear? Anger? Exhilaration? Did those swords make those men feel powerful, or vulnerable? I suspect each sword has several stories to tell, stories we try and tell through fiction, but stories we will never really know.

The Hall of Steel sets distinguishes the Royal Armoury from other museums. One feels as though they have stumbled into a mass grave, or at best, a memorial or tribute. The men who held those swords are all dead, but we remain, wondering what it was really like. War and conflict are things we still have not managed to abolish and avoid. We are reminded that what was such a reality for them is still our reality today.

We know it’s wrong but we are fascinated by violence. We know it should not result in hurting people, but we long for something to pour lives into. We sense a thrill in risk, which compels us to jump from airplanes and hang from bungee cords. It is with great fascination that we pour over the actual weapons, armour, and equipment used throughout history, knowing that much of what has happened in the past has resulted in where we are today.

The Royal armoury has a way of satisfying our curiosity about the armour, displaying it for us to wonder about and admire, but amidst all the displays, informational videos, and artwork, the Hall of Steel stops us in our tracks and challenges us to consider the realities of war. It asks us questions we most likely don’t know the answer to, filling us with conflicting emotions of awe, admiration, pride, but also sadness, horror, and doubt.

Robert Goodwood writes historical articles on behalf of Hello Yorkshire.

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Just remember the following 10 top tips for an enjoyable backpacking experience:

1. Keep it light. You literary carry your whole world on your back, and keeping the backpack light will ensure less muscle cramps. If you have opted for a bigger backpack, choose the one that not only has the shoulder straps but also an additional waist strap that will distribute the weight evenly.
2. Don’t slouch when you are carrying your backpack, it can put a strain on your back and cause permanent damage to the sensitive nerves of the spine.
3. Keep your passport, extra money and any other official documents in zip-lock bags at the bottom of the backpack. Buy a waist bag to keep your daily spending money and other items in. This is more convenient than opening your backpack every time when you have to pay for fare etc.
4. Bring climate appropriate clothes. If you are travelling to a cold place, bring jeans, long shirts, a jacket, fleece blanket etc. For warmer countries, shorts, t-shirts and sandals would be more comfortable.
5. No matter where you are going, always have one pair of long sleeve shirt and jeans or pants and a light jacket. The nights are always colder than the days, and long sleeves can decrease mosquito bites in certain areas.
6. Always carry your own toilet paper with you. And always check all the bathroom cubicles for any hidden intruders. This is especially important if you are a woman.
7. Always carry a mineral water bottle with you. You might travel to certain areas where the water might be contaminated.
8. Get yourself vaccinated before embarking on your backpacking experience. You don’t want to fall ill while you are vacationing.
9. Carry insect repellant, a first aid kit and antibiotic medicines with you. These can provide immediate assistance until you are able to go to a doctor or the hospital.
10. Finally carry plastic bags for your dirty laundry. You might not always get the time to wash your clothes and you want to keep your dirty clothes away from the clean ones.

If you enjoy backpacking or adventure travel then check out Gap Daemon – the UK’s top backpacking website filled with useful information on Gap Year travel advice, information on Volunteering abroad and more! Share your backpacking and adventure travel tips below

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