Try the ‘traveler’s washing machine’ – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Here’s how to make a “traveler’s washing machine” —

  1. Pack a large, thick plastic bag and a small bottle of laundry soap.
  2. When it’s time for laundry, fill the bag with about a gallon of water and add a scoop of detergent.
  3. A few sloshes of the bag renders the water soapy.
  4. Drop in the clothes, and shake the bag some more.
  5. Leave the clothes to soak for at least 5 minutes.
  6. Dump the water out and fill with fresh water to rinse.
  7. Shake.
  8. Dump out this water and squeeze any excess water from the clothes.
  9. Hang the clothes on anything convenient to dry.

This saves a trip to the laundromat — and money.

[Photo: Flickr | Alexik]

Mount Kumgang hotel in North Korea reopens

by Tom Johansmeyer on

North Korea has reopened its Mount Kumgang hotel – the only place in the country where South Korean tourists are welcome. It’s the first shot North Korea took at working with businesses from across the border and was built by Hyundai Asan with permission from the regime. The doors swung open in 1998, with South Koreans and people from other companies flocking up to check it out.

North Korea shut down the Mount Kumgang resort in October 208 when a guard put a bullet in a South Korean tourist.

In classic DPRK style, no reason has been given for the reopening of the resort or who would be able to visit, but an official from North Korean National Tourism Administration said that official packages could go on sale next year.

[photo by giladr via Flickr]

Use an expandable file to plan your trip – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

In preparation for a recent trip, we compiled 10 day’s worth of information on accommodations and attractions, maps, directions, and other paperwork.

I purchased a plastic, expandable folder with 10 slots, then labeled each with one day/date of the trip. Into each day’s section went everything we needed: maps, directions, confirmation numbers, hours and costs of museums and attractions, etc.

If we ran into a delay or found ourselves a day ahead of schedule, it was easy to move the pile to a new slot.

Bonus: Receipts and souvenirs readily replace used maps and directions, ready to remember a great trip!

[Photo: Flickr | BLW Photography]

Map and highlighter are essential – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Wherever, however, you go traveling, there are two easy essentials you must pack:

The first is a map of the destination(s) you will be visiting. It’s easy to feel disoriented on solo trips — or even a guided tour!

The second essential item is a highlighter. A map that you can mark with a highlighter allows you to see exactly where in the world you are. Just mark the major cities or towns you’ll be visiting beforehand, and then connect the dots as you travel the local roads.

This is especially helpful in Europe where countries are only the size of American states and distances traveled are much less than you might imagine.

[Photo: Flickr | Adam NFK Smith]

Orbitz unveils new hotel comparison tools

by Melanie Nayer on

As the meta search market becomes more saturated, online travel agents and booking sites need to up their game plan in an effort to attract more discerning consumers looking for the nitty-gritty before booking.

Online travel agency Orbitz Worldwide Inc. announced plans to roll out a new “hotel search experience” on its site, complete with destination information, maps, tools and resources for travelers looking to book a hotel room with the OTA.

The side-by-side comparison feature allows users to compare the pros and cons of various hotels in a single view. But there are some other cool new features on this search engine including interactive maps that show both the hotel location and real-time room rate pricing, and a Google Street View image of the hotel and its surrounding neighborhood.You can also filter and sort results based on price, star-rating, consumer reviews and amenities. In most cases, hotel photos, videos and virtual tours from will be posted, but according to Orbitz, these photos and videos will only be from verified customers.

I tested out the site with a quick search for a New York City hotel. My parameters:

3- and 4-star properties in SoHo, Tribeca, or Greenwich Village that offer free WiFi. Orbitz returned four results: Soho Grand Hotel, Tribeca Grand Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Tribeca and the Washington Square Hotel. Not bad options, and when I clicked on the Google map to the left of the page, I was treated to a map of NYC with the four hotels’ placements, as well as the price info.




My only disappointment: I couldn’t find the ‘real’ street view that allows you to see what’s happening near and around the hotel. I think this feature, in particular, will be extremely helpful for travelers who are booking hotels in a new destination, so Orbitz might want to give it more prominent placement.

Have you used the new hotel booking site on Orbitz? Let us know what you think!