Solo Spring Break Options Not As Depressing As You Might Imagine

by Chris Owen on

Traveling solo for spring break sounds kind of depressing. All alone during a time when others you know are kicking it up in the fun and sun someplace does not sound like a spring break memory in the making at all – or does it? If the idea is to actually get a “break” from school, work and/or the people you might be with 24/7 otherwise, maybe going it on your own is not such a bad idea after all.

Do Something Amazing
I know, it sounds like a stab at an awesome advice photo from Pinterest or Tumblr but there is something relaxing and refreshing about what we feel in the aftermath of stepping outside of our comfort zone. The better news is that if you try and fail miserably (and that bothers you), your friends will not be around to laugh.

Find Other Solo Travelers
Cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts are obvious choices but some are better than others. A short three-day cruise will have more singles, party people and spring break fun. Adding on days also adds maturity; four or five days will still have singles but more young families. That holds true for up to seven-day voyages. Sailings of eight or more days are the cattle call for cougars and seniors, many of which may be solo travelers themselves, if you’re into that sort of thing.Do Something Good Or Watch Others Doing Something Good On TV
As part of an alternative Spring Break, MTV and the United Way along with mtvU are bringing 50 college students from around the country to the New York/New Jersey area to help rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Spring break icon Perez Hilton reports the cast of Jersey Shore (Snooki, JWOWW, Vinny, Sammi, Ronnie and Deena) will be on hand to help.

Check The Internet
Odds are, other solo travelers are too, and not just Online Booty Call either. Wall Street Oasis has some ideas as does Cheap Flights. If your singularity is more of a permanent state, travel agencies that specialize in just that include Singles Travel International, Best Singles Travel and for the adventure traveler, aptly-named Adventures For Singles.

No, there is absolutely nothing we can’t find on the Internet, including spring break ideas for solo travelers and tips on getting in shape for it all as we see in this video:


The Kimchi-ite: Gyeongbokgung, Seoul’s Grandest Palace

by Jonathan Kramer on

The largest of the ancient palaces in the South Korean capital, Gyeongbok Palace is one of the best sights to see Seoul. The ornate buildings within the complex have amazing colors and contain poetic murals and carvings. The huge grounds are spectacular with calming ponds and modest pavilions. It is also one of the most historically significant sites in Korea, built in 1395 and destroyed twice by the Japanese. Best of all, it’s located right in the middle of the city in the downtown Jongno district.

Entering through its main gate, Gwanghwamun takes you into a large square where you can see a fantastic view of the beautiful backdrop of Bukhan Mountain. Inside this square, a musical changing of the guard ceremony is held every hour. Once inside the main complex, there are many amazingly restored palace buildings, each with something uniquely beautiful about them.
Gwanghwamun, the main entry gate to the palace and a symbol of Seoul.

The palace served as the seat of the Korean government during a time of prosperity. It’s a bit ridiculous how many different kinds of buildings and gates one king seemed to require: seven gates and 12 separate buildings.

The changing of the guard ceremony is held every hour.

The palace grounds are actually quite huge with a lot to offer. Wandering around can be very relaxing during off-peak times (non-holiday weekdays) and surprisingly informative given that there are two museums on site. Additionally, immediately behind the palace is the Blue House, the presidential residence. But if that’s too much productivity for you, there are plenty of picnic tables on which you can relax and enjoy all the beautiful trees.

The throne hall, seen here on a rare occasion when the palace is open at night.

Gyeongbok Palace is one of the best palaces to visit in Seoul and also one of the easiest to access. Simply take Seoul Subway Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station or the nearby Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5. Admission is cheap at 3,000 won (US $2.74), but keep in mind the palace is closed on Tuesdays. Best of all it’s walking distance from a lot of other amazing places, such as Chyeonggye Stream, the Bukchon Hanok Village and Seoul Plaza.

Children play on the palace grounds, a great place to see the trees change in fall.

For more on South Korean culture, food and eccentricities, check out more of “The Kimchi-ite” here!

[All photos by Jonathan Kramer]

Video Of The Day: Transmongolian And Transsiberian Train Trip

by Libby Zay on

Filmmakers Rubén Sánchez and Cristina Fernandez from creative studio Factoria shot this fantastic video during a transmongolian and transsiberian train trip. The pair traveled about 7,500 kilometers (4,460 miles) on a journey from Beijing, China, to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and then from Irkusk, Russia, to Moscow. The second leg of that journey alone is more than 5,000 kilometers (3,106 miles), a distance almost equal to crossing the entire United States from coast to coast. But more remarkable than the numbers is the footing they captured, which includes everything from sprawling shantytowns and cityscapes to mountain peaks and vast farmland.

To learn more about transmongolia travel, here are some more videos posted by Stephen Greenwood. And to see past videos that made the cut as Gadling’s “Video of the Day,” click here.

Photo Of The Day: Philippines Jeepney

by Chris Owen on

This Photo of the Day, titled “Philippines / Palawan / Roxas,” comes from Gadling Flickr pool member AdamJamesWilson.

Adam captions the image

“Took this photo during a stop on the otherwise miserable eight hour bus journey from Puerto to El Nido. Not 100% sure that I was in Roxas but looking at a map now it seems likely.

The jeepney is a real Philippine icon. The originals were converted military jeeps abandoned by the US army after WWII. By today’s standards this one is pretty tame but to me the older beat up ones are the most visually interesting, they have this slightly dystopian appearance that wouldn’t look out of place in a post apocalyptic road movie.”

Somewhat unique, and surely something we don’t see every day, Adam captured this image using a Canon AV-1 with Kodak 200 film.

That brought back a lot of great memories, shooting roll after roll of film while traveling. We would hope for the best until professional developing would reveal the true results of our efforts.

In a hurry, one-hour photo developing was available for a premium price. On a budget, we sent off rolls of film in an envelope that came in the Sunday newspaper, choosing a “flat” or “glossy” finish. If luck produced a good shot, we might send the negative (included with the prints) back for additional copies.

That’s not ancient history either. In 1999, digital cameras replaced film cameras in big city newspapers then soon became the camera of choice for millions. The origin of the digital camera dates back to 1975, not long after I bought a Polariod “Swinger” camera for $19.95.

Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as a Photo of the Day. Now, you can also submit photos through Instagram; just mention @GadlingTravel and use the hashtag #gadling when posting your images.

[Photo Credits Flickr user AdamJamesWilson – Kodak]

The SXSW Of Cruise Travel Starts Monday

by Chris Owen on

Considered by many as the SXSW of cruise travel, Cruise Shipping Miami is an annual mega-convention that starts Monday in Miami, Florida. On hand will be cruise line executives and travel experts participating in panel discussions, workshops and more during the four-day event, on track to draw record attendance this year.

The four-day trade show highlights all the latest and greatest would-be cruise ship features that we might see in the future. Press conferences, including a “State of the Industry” panel, will surely address the ongoing issue of safety at sea as well as new, upcoming trends.

As cruise lines focus on differentiating themselves from one another, seminars on everything from expedition cruising to social media, environmental issues and refurbishing older ships. Gadling will be on hand, looking for answers to questions readers have raised since last year’s show.At the 2011 Cruise Shipping Miami conference, we investigated new things you might see on a cruise ship in the future, some of which made it – others not so much. Last year we saw a focus on new ports, top-deck features and safety issues in the wake of the Costa Concordia grounding. Gadling will be on hand this year as well, reporting back with a roundup of the conference and answers to your questions.

Have something you’re dying to know about cruise travel? Now is the time to ask with a comment below. Follow @CruiseShipping and the hashtag #CSM2013 on Twitter for live updates throughout the event.

Cruise Shipping Miami also features exhibits and demonstrations from destinations around the world. At last year’s show, Japanese Taiko Drumming was one such event as we see in this video.




[Photo credit – Flickr user Trondheim Havn]