How to pack before traveling in a great way

It’s a late friday evening and the next day a mother was going to an vacation with her family. She is trying to pack for everyone in her family. Her brain is spinning and she can't concentrate. She has been packing for several of hours and is still not done. She always forgets what she has packed down so she have to rip up everything just to check, then when everything is laying on the floor she has to start over again with the packing. And when she is going to pack down something special of course she can’t  find it so she run around in the whole house and then she realized that it’s in the laundry and has to get washed. She has no energy left to be doing this. She doesn’t know how this vacation will turn out, she just feels like it’s one big mess.

This is how I guess many feel before traveling, we all have been there when our packing is just chaotic. When traveling it can be very messy and easily turn it to a catastrophe but if you keep it organized you can also have a wonderful vacation.

1. So to keep your packing good and organized you have to start pack in time. Don’t leave all of your packing until the last day before traveling, try to start at least one week before.
2. When packing one great thing to do is to make a list. Make a list of all the things you want to pack in your bag. This both give you a great overview of all the things to bring. You can also tick of everything on the list when you pack them down in the bag. Then you will keep track of what you have packed down and don’t have to rip up the whole packing just to check if everything is down packed.
3. So take out your suitcase that you will have when you travel.
4. Before packing all of the things down in your bag put everything on your bed and look over it and ask the question “Do I really need this?”. This gives you a great overview of what’s necessary and what’s not.
   
   
5. Now you can start to pack things down. A great packing method is to roll your clothes. When rolling your clothes they take up less room in the bag.
6. In your shoes that you pack down you can put for example socks and small soft things and use that extra space.
7. With all of your toiletries a great thing to do is to put them in smaller bottles, they take up unnecessary weight in the bag which could be used for other things.
8. Put down all of the other things as tight as possible,then done close the bag.
9. You are now done and you will have an outstanding packing.

If you have been following this I hope that you will have the unforgettable and amazing vacation you always have wished for without to much stress about packing.

I got some inspiration from www.malinottander.forme who had some great packing tips. The ones I hadn't thought of before and stood on her blog was the rolling method and to ask the question "Do I really need this?".

Anne Frank and Amsterdam

Annelies Marie Frank

Anne Frank is an extremely famous diarist. “The Diary of Anne Frank”, which she wrote, is a masterpiece. But let’s start from the beginning. Anne Frank is born on 12^th of June, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany. Her parents were called Otto and Edith Frank, Anne also had a sister called Margot. The Franks were Jewish, and therefore they moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, in year of 1933, to hide from the Nazis. With 7 other people, 3 of them were her family members, Anne lived in hiding for almost 2 years.

In hiding:

This is when Anne wrote her diary, which was a present that she got on her 13^th birthday.

 The Frank family and the other people lived in a secret annex. During the years in hiding, they were not allowed to go outside and they were anxious all the time.” What if we get discovered?” was probably a thought that went through their mind every day. Additionally, no noise could be made, hence they had to stay quiet. On the day at least.

What happened after they were in hiding:

The eight people in hiding were discovered on 4^th of August, 1944. Later on they were deported to the concentration camp Auschwitz. In another concentration camp, Margot and Anne both died because they got the dreadful disease typhus. Otto Frank was the only survivor. He was the one that made sure that his daughter’s diary was published, thanks to him we can take part of their life, and especially Anne’s.

The Frank House became a museum in 1960. So far, it has had millions of visitors! I think that there will be many more to come!

“I hope Anne's book will have an effect on the rest of your life so that insofar as it is possible in your own circumstances, you will work for unity and peace”, with this sentence Otto Frank often finished his letters.   

Amsterdam

Meanwhile you are in Amsterdam, there are a few places that I would encourage you to go to!

-Van Gogh Museum: If you want to see some marvelous, sublime and ravishing art exhibitions, then this is the place for you.

-Rijksmuseum: Intriguing, fascinating and impressive is how I would describe this museum’s art. Currently there are approximately 200 000 masterpieces that you can look at.

-Canal Cruise: Last but not least, you should doubtlessly take one of the canal cruises! I promise that you will take joy in it. What you get from it, a terrific memory, will be worth your money and time.

                             

Rio De Janeiro, The heart of south america

INTRODUCTION

Known for its strong cultural beliefs, sports, celebrations, and happiness.

If you want to try something completely new, Try Brazil. Brazilian culture originates from the “favelas”, The popular art form of “samba” originated here and so did many other things like famous football stars, and the modern funk music.

Few people are in a hurry in Rio de Janeiro, after all, it's a city widely known around Brazil for its attitude and beach-centric lifestyle. Usually, tourists like to do as locals do as well, rest on the beach milking the suns light and heat.

RIO DE JANEIRO

Rio De Janeiro is south america's most diverse and harmonic city. Rio De Janeiro is the heart of Brazil. You have probably heard of the giant statue called “christ the redeemer”, the statue represents Rio De Janeiro and It was recently nominated to one of the seven wonders of the world. The statue is now 83 years old, initially to get to the feet of the redeemer you would have to climb all the 220 steps to arrive, however today people can go on a 20 minute ride with a tram or car to the redeemer.

IPANEMA BEACH

Ipanema beach, tagged as the best urban beach in the world, is famous for its popular tourist destination. With the arrival of summer season, the place becomes jam packed with tourists who come to enjoy the clean waters, rough waves and the beautiful surroundings. you can always see people playing beach volleyball or swimming. Ipanema is very famous for its beach events where tourists and locals come together to play games like beach soccer, beach volleyball, etc. It is an ideal place for people who are good at surfing, body boarding, skim boarding. However, the waters can get quite rough which is good for talented surfers.

The best souvenirs to buy in Stockholm

Whenever you travel somewhere you sure want to buy a souvenir, it may be a gift to someone else or just as a memory for yourself. In Stockholm you can buy a lot of different souvenirs so how should you know which souvenir you should buy and which one is the best? We have gathered information of some different souvenirs we found in Gamla Stan in a store named Nobel Swedish Souvenirs. They had a great variation of souvenirs and we are now going to tell you which one we believe is the best souvenir.

- The classic red wooden horse

- Ibrahimovic soccer t-shirt 

- Moose potholder

- A blond doll wearing the Swedish National Costume

The classic red wooden horse really is a true swedish souvenir. It has always been the traditional symbol for Sweden. The horse is also very beautiful so it will look great when you put it in your shelf back home. The wooden horse's size is around 20 centimeters high. The price may be a bit high if you don't want to spend to much money on a souvenir. 

Price: 399 kr. 

Score: 4/5 (Because it's a great souvenir but very expensive.)

Ibrahimovic soccer t-shirt was also one of the souvenirs. If you are a fan of football this is the great thing for you to buy. It looks really nice with the Swedish colors and Ibrahimovic on the back. You can find it in both kids and adults sizes. 

Price: 149 kr

Score: 3/5 (Because it's a good gift with great price but may not be appreciated by everyone.) 

Moose potholder was another souvenir you could buy. There were many different colors to choose between which could be on the potholder. The elks on the potholder sure makes this a very swedish potholder. This could be a great gift which almost anyone would like. It keeps your hands safe from getting burned and still is a lovely swedish souvenir. 

Price: 60 kr

Score: 5/5 (Because it's a great gift with many uses and a very low price.)

The blond doll wearing the swedish national costume of course also is a souvenir representing Sweden in a outstanding way. Just by an eye catch you can see where the doll comes from. The doll is both a great gift for kids to play with or as something nice to look at for anyone.

Price: 299 kr 

Score: 3/5 (Because it is a lovely swedish doll but with a too high price.)

All of these you can find in the store called Noble Swedish Souvenirs. The store is located in Gamla Stan (Stockholm) , at the address Västerlånggatan 43.We hope this article will help you to find a great souvenir from Sweden to take with you back home.

Gamla Stan Christmas Market

You are at the Christmas Market in Gamla Stan. There are people everywhere. A few are playing on their instruments, such as violins. But most of them are just walking around and buying food. Or at least being tempted to, since the wind is carrying a fantastic smell of candy canes, gingerbread and roasted almonds! 

Gamla Stan Christmas Market

Pictures of Gamla Stan Christmas Market to go with the vignette written above this post.

Gamla Stan

We took 4 photos that we think represent Gamla Stan. 

Here is picture of the "Nobelmuseet" located in the center of Gamla Stan.

This is a nice café which you can find on "Stortorget". You can find a lot of cozy cafés in Gamla Stan. 

Here is an alley which Gamla Stan is full of.

Here are some the members of 8F in front of "Storkyrkan". 

"Merry Christmas"

We asked different people if they know how to say "Merry Christmas" in other languages than English and Swedish. A lot of them didn't, but we managed to find 3 people that can say it in Spanish, German, French and Finnish. None of them wanted to be in a photo or video. But two of them were policemen, one was a teacher and one a man on the subway.

Spanish - "Feliz Navidad"

German - "Frohe Weihnachten"

French - "Joyeux Noël"

Finnish - "Hyvää Joulua"

pictures of the museum of wars. Also monkeys, because we can

Armémuseet report

"Armémuseet" is one of the less known museums in Stockholm,  it's very underated in our opinion. The museum is a thrilling experience and has anything from wars with sticks and stones to exhibitions with supertechnology. 

The museum is filled with dolls made out of wax, sometimes you cant tell who is real and who isn't. Armemuseet reaches all the way back to the 16th Century.

The museum has a lot of variation, it shows both swedish and the worlds war history. There many exhibitions about the swedish weapon technology, how people lived, what they ate and how the uniforms looked like and you could even try them yourself. 

If your are interested, the museum allows you to enter for free if you are under 20 years old. Armeemuseet's opening times are:
Tuesday :11-20
Wednesday - Sunday : 11-17

Interviewing Random People in Stockholm

Question 1: Dream destination? 

Question 2: Best trip you ever been on? 

Women approximately 45 years old,

1. Panama city 

2. Venice

Women around 35 years old, 

1. Australia

2. Palma, Mallorca 

Women approximately 50 years old, 

1. New York

2. Bali

Man around 35 years old,

1. Coco Island

2. Las Vegas & Los Angeles 

Woman around 35 years old, 

1. Hawaii 

2. Vietnam

YouTube link to video of us interviewing people (asking these two questions):

http://youtu.be/jdviDzNLyQE

New York

Imagine that you are on a ferry you have this amazing view all over New York. All of the skyscrapers have a reflection of the Sun on them. It's really hot, but you aren't sweating because there is nice breeze that is cooling you down. 

Link to an interview with Filip who has been to New York 

http://youtu.be/C1K-nnHk4qY

Interviewing an anonymous teacher.

Whats your favourite country?
" Germany , probably"
Whats your favourite city?
"Berlin"
Favourite trip 2014?
" Croatia"
Best airline you have traveled with?
"Singapore airlines"
Whats your next trip?
"Kiruna , Sweden"

Huuehuehuehue

Phuket, Thailand.

INTRODUCTION

Thailands largest island, Phuket, Spectacular scenery, stunning tropical sunsets and warm blue sea awaits you at one of the most popular beach destinations. Whether it's world class diving in the Andaman Sea, golf at championship courses or exciting adventures in tropical forests. The most beautiful destination for both sightseeing and adventuring. The island itself has the most beautiful landscapes of thailand, from its famous sandy beaches to forested hills, mountains, cliffs, and lush tropical vegetation.

PATONG BEACH & PATONG CITY

the beach “patong” is one of the most popular beaches in thailand, there is no wonder why,

Patong has a beautiful view of the blue horizon that stretches over the indian ocean.

if you are interested, there is also many luxurious hotels and restaurants in the area of Patong.

Patong is the center of shopping and entertainment in Phuket. There are many things in patong that you just have to try.

MERLIN BEACH RESORT 

The merlin beach resort is highly recommended hotel. It is one of the best hotels I have ever been to. the resort organises activities for anyones interests, Anything from rock climbing to scuba diving. The food in the resort is also an exciting experience, every day there is a different kind of food from a different culture part of the world. They always offer a different show for every day too. The resort is 10 minutes from the city of patong too if you are interested.

If you would like to read more about the Merlin Beach Resort:

http://www.merlinphuket.com/patongmerlin/

SCUBA DIVING / BOAT TOUR

If you just want to relax you can just go on a relaxing boat trip through the “khao Phing kan” AKA “james bond islands” so called because one of his movies were filmed there. The PHI PHI islands are formed like giant mushrooms ascending from the horizon. The area is also known for its beautiful reefs, so if you would like to go scuba diving, there is many varieties of diving services in patong, They will give you equipment and a boat ride to the best reefs anyone has ever explored.

You will fall in love with thailand if you like anything from scuba diving, to enjoying a sunny day on the beach.                            

Helsingborg

It's a sunny afternoon and I'm walking by Helsingborg's beach. I feel the wind in my hair while I smell the mixture between sand, water and a city. The sun is directly towards my face so I close my eyes. I take a deep breath and breath in the hot air and enjoys the moment. I hear laughter and feel the happiness in the air. It's only morning but I know this will be a fantastic day.


Helsingborg, a wonderful little city in northern Sweden. Helsingborg is a pleasant town located just by the water with a nice sight to Denmark. It’s not just a beautiful and cozy town, it’s also a place which offers good food and great shopping. With it’s nice location right by the water, Helsingborg will give you a Miami or Nice feeling even though you are just in Sweden. This city has a great mix with a long beach and a town with shopping and restaurants just some hundreds of meters away. If you are looking for a place to stay which is not too expensive and with plenty of things to do Helsingborg is the right place for your destination the next holiday.

Things to do

In summer Helsingborg is a beautiful place to swim in. It’s blue and clear water makes the swimming very nice. Just by Helsingborg city they have now made a Tropical Beach with palmtrees on the beach. You will feel like you are abroad. The beach in Helsingborg is a great place to visit, even though it’s not summer and winter, the beach will give you a great walk by the sea with a beautiful view that will reach to Denmark.

A great place to visit in Helsingborg is the beautiful garden Sofiero. Sofiero is fantastic garden full of flowers, labyrinths and vernissages with paintings and ceramics. It’s a beautiful garden and also a perfect place for picnics and playing with children. In the summer evenings Sofiero also have concerts which are outdoors.

         

As a parent to a children you may want to bring your children to do something really fun, then Helsingborg has the perfect place for you. A building full of fun and tricks, called Busfabriken. It’s the children's paradise. While your children plays around in this fun and safe environment you can either join them or enjoy a nice cup of coffee meanwhile they are playing.

Höganäs saluhall is also a nice place to visit. It’s a house full of exclusive food,chark and stores where you can just go around and enjoy the great food Höganäs saluhall offers and feel good in the cool environment. Höganäs saluhall also have a restaurant on the second floor. Boutiques and exhibitions you can also find in Höganäs saluhall.

Places to eat

In Helsingborg there are plenty of restaurants where you can eat, so you will surely find a restaurant that will work best just for you. Some tips are:

Garage Bar, it´s a little restaurant with a relaxed environment with a hint of rock. Red, black and yellow are the main colors in this tough and cool restaurant. Garage offers you hamburgers, tacos, enchiladas and a lot more. A bonus for all of you gluten intolerants is that they can offer gluten free bread going with your hamburger.

Flickorna Lundgren is one of Helsingborg’s lovely cafes or bakery. Flickorna Lundgren is not a normal cafe you can find in the city, it is a bakery with pastries that will make your mouth watering. Flickorna Lundgren is located a bit outside Helsingborg but it’s totally worth the little trip getting there. As soon as you enter flickorna Lundgren you will feel the calm and nice environment, with flowers around your table and horses, goats and pigs walking around in their garden some 100 meters away where you are sitting and enjoying your pastries.

Shopping

Helsingborg is a city full of great shopping. Helsingborg has a great variation of different stores. In the city of Helsingborg you can find the beautiful pedestrian called Kullagatan with a lot stores. Kullagatan offers luxury stores as well as budget stores, both the ordinary stores both also stores that are unique for just Helsingborg.

About 20 minutes outside Helsingborg with car Sweden’s biggest shopping centre is located named Väla centrum. To get to Väla you can either take the bus, bike or drive car. It's easy to get to Väla and not to much walking distance so it won’t be to difficult to carry all of your shopping bags on your way home. Väla offers you a mall with 180 different stores and 20 restaurants. Everyday there is a new adventure at Väla, coming there and shop will be an experience to remember.

In the little town located nearby Helsingborg called Höganäs there is a outlet where you sure will find something for you for a really great price. Höganäs Outlet offers designer clothes and ceramics for a cheaper price. Höganäs Outlet offers the clothing store Lager157, Ittala, Hunkydory and a lot more.

Alicante, the City of the Sun

Alicante, the City of the Sun

Imagine that you are on a beach, the sun shining on your face, the smell of the Mediterranean Sea and the wind blowing in your hair and making the sand dance...

Well, the title says it all, Alicante is a town located on Spain’s east coast, it is sunny almost every day there, it hardly ever rains, and when it does it doesn’t rain much, the summers are warm and the winters are mild.

Things to do, on the summer:

Go to the beach – if it is a sunny day, you just want to relax, maybe take a drink and read a book, then why not go to the beach?

There are beachside bars, which play music all day long, that you can go and buy a cooling soda, or possibly an ice-cream, boardwalks, so that you won’t burn your feet in the hot sand, and activity centers that you can borrow pedal boats, kayaks, windsurf boards and normal surfboards from.

So this is a great activity for both adults and children since there are so many things to do, that are fun for people in all ages!

When you are on the beach, snorkeling is a good tip of mine. The feeling that you get underneath the water, floating and observing the sea animals, it is wonderful!

Go shopping - If you are in Alicante and haven’t been on a market before, I extremely advise that you go to one. You can buy almost anything on the markets, everything from  fruits and vegetables to toys and bags.

“Mercado Central” is a great example and a traditional market that you should go to if you want to buy some food.

But if you just want to go to one shopping center, and buy both clothes and food, “Centro Comercial Plaza Mar 2” is where you should go to. It is located in the middle of Alicante and consists of almost every kind of store.

Event that you should go to:

On July 16th, there is a celebration when the local sailors, and spaniards, pay tribute to their patron saint “La Virgen Del Carmen”. People gather around by the sea and fireworks are shot. It gives you an amazing experience and by my own experience, a celebration that you do not want to miss.