Travel Photo of the Week: The majestic Alhambra Palace

The huge Arabic fortress on the hill dominating the Spanish city of Granada – the Alhambra – is one of the world’s best-preserved Moorish palaces. Alhambra tours takes in the Alcazaba and Watch Tower dating back to the 9th Century. The Alhambra offers a great display of mosaics and examples of Muslim art. This photo sent through by a regular reader has now been set as my desktop wallpaper! I love Moorish architecture and Granada remains high on my bucket list!

Photo courtesy of Travel Tips Plus reader Lavinia.

Being connected whilst travelling or working remotely has become very popular over recent years. Now more people than ever are working from home either on a full-time or part-time basis, whether they are self-employed or they work for an employer.

One of the key requirements for any remote worker is a good computer, and many people choose to invest in a laptop because of their enhanced portability. If you are in the process of choosing a laptop for your remote work, here are five of the key features to look for.

1. Lightweight

One of the joys of working remotely is that you can take your work with you anywhere. You may want to work from home one day, in a café the next or even in the park. Having a good laptop makes this possible. However, if you are transporting your laptop around with you, you will want to ensure that it is as portable as possible, and this means choosing one that is lightweight.

Some of the latest ultrabook laptops are incredibly thin and lightweight, but they tend to be more expensive as a result. However, it could well be worth investing in one of these if you know that you will be carrying your laptop around with you a lot and want to make it as convenient as possible.

2. Long Battery Life

If you plan to work on your laptop in various different locations, you will not want the power to run out when you are in the middle of some important work. It is therefore a good idea to find a laptop that has a long battery life.

If you cannot find a laptop that has a long enough battery life, or you don’t want to buy an expensive laptop just because it has a good battery, another option is to buy a spare battery. For example, visit here for cheap laptop deals and then spend the money you save on an extra battery. This will ensure that you never run out of power when you most need it.

3. Webcam built in

If you are going to be making video calls to people back in the office or to your clients, it is a good idea to buy a laptop that comes with a built-in webcam. Most laptops come with a camera these days, but otherwise you can always buy one separately.

4. Fast Boot Time

If you are working on the go, you will not want to spend ages waiting for your laptop to boot up. You may want to open it up and write a few notes on the train, for example, without having to waste time waiting for it to get ready. It is therefore a good idea to choose a laptop that is fast to boot.

5. Sturdy

If you are carrying around a laptop with you every day, it is certain to pick up a few knocks from time to time. As well as investing in a good laptop case, try to buy a laptop that is sturdy and able to put up with a few knocks, as this will save you having to purchase another new laptop too soon.

Work Better on the Go

Choosing the right laptop can make a big difference to your remote working. It is therefore worth spending some time thinking over your specific requirements and finding the laptop that provides you with everything you need. Consider the above five areas when you start looking for the ideal laptop for remote working, and then find your perfect model.

So, you want to get the best deal on your travel money and ensure your money is safe and working hard for you whilst abroad?  Holidays are expensive enough as it is so it makes sense to take some precautions and do a little planning when it comes to exchanging, carrying and spending your cash abroad.

1. Take A Combination Of Cash And Cards

When travelling to foreign climes, it’s a good idea to take a mixture of foreign currency and debit and credit cards so that you are prepared for all possibilities. For example, some vendors abroad may not accept cards or you might not have enough cash to cover that big shopping purchase.

Take care with your cards and inform your bank that you are travelling in case they put a stop on your card whilst abroad. Take photocopies of your cards and keep your provider’s emergency number safe in case you lose your card or have your personal belongings stolen.

2.  Remember The Exchange Rate!

Many people don’t take a second glance at the exchange rate when changing their money and certainly many don’t think of comparing exchange rates before they travel.  But in doing so, you could save yourself a significant amount of money especially if you plan to change up large sums.  Most foreign exchange companies today offer 0% commission deals so ignore this – it’s really not that important.  What is important is the actual exchange rate you are being offered.

If you are thinking of exchanging money at your bank you might want to think again. Their exchange rate might be up to 5% different to that of a foreign exchange broker who has access to live market rates.

3.  Put Your Kids On A Leash! 

When you’re travelling with kids, holiday expenses can really spiral out of control! Those snacks, souvenirs, inflatables for the pool and fairground rides can eat into your budget really quickly.  To keep a tight rein on your holiday budget, why not consider giving your children a set allowance each day? This will not only help you to keep your money in check but will also teach your children that money doesn’t grow on trees and that they need to budget too.

4.  Pick A Card, But Not Just Any Card

On holiday it’s easy to forget about a budget and to be tempted by sheer overseas indulgence. And if you take a big arsenal of credit cards with you, you could end up spending more than you bargained for.  There is no problem with spreading your spend when abroad as long as you can pay off the balance when you get back home.  It’s also essential to check out the fees payable for international cash withdrawals or payments on your credit card.  If you really want to take a credit card with you for those little luxuries, shop around for a 0% credit card and limit yourself to a budget that you can afford to pay back quickly when you get back. It won’t be a good feeling paying off a credit card bill for a holiday you had years ago!

5.  Be A Savvy Duty Free Shopper

If you can’t ignore the lure of the duty free perfume, booze or tobacco, just be mindful that duty free stores are using a new trick to make more profits – giving you the option to pay for goods with your local currency.  This might seem convenient for you but there’s a hefty conversion fee to consider – this could be as high as 3%.  You’d be far better to pay for goods in any leftover currency you have or to use your debit card.

About the author: Born and raised in San Francisco, Aviva Tabachnik is the Head of Partnerships at MyTravelMoney, an OPP award winning travel comparison website. Aviva is a keen travel adventurist & semi professional dancer.

Travel Photo of the Week: Amethystine Python

During our lovely break to Port Douglas we took a day trip northwards to explore the Daintree Rainforest region to Cape Tribulation. After crossing the Daintree River we stopped at the superb Daintree Discovery Centre. A must if you are in the area! The centre has won a multitude of awards in both general tourism and ecotourism. The highlight is most definitely the aerial walkway which takes you into various levels of the rainforest canopy and finishing off with a climb up the canopy tower to view of the rainforest treetops.

Whilst ambling along the elevated boardwalk with a small cluster of visitors, a young lady beside me called ‘Snake‘. We all stopped in our steps wondering where this snake was. As it turned out it, it was right in front of us and intertwined with the rainforest vines – very well camouflaged. The snake was an Amethystine Python and a small movement had caught the lady’s eye. Very well spotted we all thought! The small movement turned into further movements until it’s head poked out for some classic photos to be taken. What a good sport!