Posts tagged with "passport"

Eight Tips for Safe Travel as the World Begins to Open Back Up

It’s a scary time to travel. Despite getting less media attention with each passing day, the pandemic still affects your health while on the road. Now, increased international tensions and conflict make leaving your comfort zone even more problematic. What happens if you get stranded abroad?

While you can’t avoid every snafu, there’s plenty that you can proactively do to safeguard your health and mental well-being on the road. Thinking ahead can make all the difference! Here are eight tips for safe travel as the world opens back up.

1. Have a Contingency Plan

If you’re planning to leave the country, appoint a check-in person stateside whom you touch base with at scheduled intervals. If something should happen, they’ll know to contact the correct authorities and set things in motion to find you and return you to safety.

Given the current state of the pandemic, you might have valid fears about what could happen if you got sick while overseas. Before you depart, make plans for medical repatriation if you don’t want to be treated in a hospital abroad. Such services arrange first-class travel back to your home country, ensuring your comfort and putting your mind at ease.

2. Mask Up

The Travel Security Administration (TSA) extended mask rules to March 18, 2022, but it’s impossible to say what rules will stay and go once that deadline passes. However, even if officials repeal the mandate requiring you to mask up on public transportation like planes and buses, you can still cover your nose and mouth.

Doing so offers some protection even if others decline. Anything that offers a buffer between you and respiratory droplets reduces your risk of infection. However, you should opt for a stronger KN95 or N95 facial covering if you have health conditions that elevate your risks from severe infection.

3. Maintain Good Hygiene

Cases of the flu all but disappeared during the pandemic’s early days. While multiple factors play a part, such as less frequent contact with crowds, improved hygiene measures also contributed to the decline.

Please remember that COVID-19 isn’t the only nasty bug out there, especially when you travel. Take the proper measures to maintain hygiene while eating and drinking, too. Wash your hands before preparing food or eating. 

Some countries have cleaner water supplies than others. When ordering beverages in countries where you don’t trust the water supply, request that your server hold the ice cubes. Exercise caution with raw foods – fresh fruits and veggies are fine if you wash them first, but hesitate around shared trays at buffets.

4. Wear Your Glasses

Although it’s unlikely, authorities have reported cases of people contracting COVID-19 through their eyes. Your risks of infection increase if you wear contacts that cause dryness and irritation.

However, donning your specs keeps you more comfortable, especially in dry airline conditions. It also creates a barrier between your cornea and respiratory droplets, further slashing your infection risk. With summer on the way, those with 20/20 vision can reap the same benefits by treating themselves to a new pair of stylish sunglasses for the season.

5. Stick With Handshake Alternatives

During the pandemic’s early days, elbow and fist bumps replaced handshakes. It’s still wise to avoid this common courtesy and stick to an alternative whenever possible.

Some countries consider the practice rude, so you might be in luck if you’re traveling to some Asian countries. It might be more common to greet the other party with a slight bow in these locations, helping you maintain social distance.

Of course, if you have a big job interview overseas and the interviewer offers to shake, you might feel uncomfortable declining. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer with you and avoid touching your face until you can excuse yourself to go use your hand sanitizer or take a trip to the nearest restroom to wash your hands.

6. Monitor Your Symptoms

You still have a responsibility to your fellow human beings. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms or have a positive test, you should isolate yourself for five days and wear a mask until a negative COVID-19 test confirms it’s safe. This might mean delaying or canceling your travel plans. Different countries have various rules, and you will likely need to pass an entry test, anyway.

Even if you aren’t showing symptoms, testing positive always means that you should isolate yourself in order to protect others. COVID-19 symptoms can be mild for some, while for others they can be deadly. 

7. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Your diet can go far in keeping you healthy. You generally want to look for healthy whole foods, not overly processed versions. Leafy greens, nuts and fruits are all excellent for your health, and can give you a good immune boost in many cases. However, you might want to up your vitamin intake if you’re traveling to a developing country where eating raw local produce is questionable.

For example, vitamin C and zinc can make your cold shorter and less miserable. However, you need both in your body when symptoms develop, or they won’t do much good. If you can’t stick to a healthy, whole foods diet while away, consider stashing a multivitamin and mineral supplement in your carry-on and start taking it a week or so before you depart.

8. Stay Fit on the Road

Fitness also decreases your chances of getting sick. Exercise raises your core temperature, killing germs, and your increased respiration rate can help clear them from your airways before they can even set up shop.

If your hotel doesn’t have a fitness center, why not stash some resistance bands in your suitcase for toning in your hotel room? Another option is to take advantage of today’s workout apps to get a guided workout wherever you go. You can also see if the area around you offers a park or some type of outdoor area where you can run and walk freely.

Filmstrip illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Best Places to Live × Work

The Best Places to Live and Work Abroad in 2021—InternationalLiving.com

While just about every country is willing to provide a tourist visa that lets visitors hang around for a few months, most will not grant permission to live and work within their borders without a job offer from a local employer. Some offer long-term residence visas that let expats legally live in the country, but they don’t typically allow for work. A new report from the editors at International Living highlights four countries where it’s possible to find easy access to a residence visa—and the permits that allow for work as well.

Source: International Living

It’s clear that an increasing number of Americans want a different life and are looking for countries where they can live and work legally. But the options are limited without a local employer willing to provide a job.

Expats able to earn from anywhere do have a few good options, however, according to International Living’s report. While a small collection of countries welcomes outsiders, who can qualify for the necessary visas, four in Latin America and Europe stand out as the best options in terms of cost, ease, and timing.

Panama

If your goal is to live and work remotely overseas, but remain close to U.S. borders, Panama is your best bet. Direct flights land in Panama City from at least nine U.S. cities and take between three and seven hours, depending on where you’re coming from.

Beyond proximity, Panama offers what it calls the Panama Friendly Nations Visa, a special program whereby nationals of certain countries (including the U.S. and Canada) can apply for permanent residence, which comes with a Panamanian cédula, the local ID card. That cédula is permanent, allowing holders to come and go as they please, as would a born-and-bred Panamanian. Separately, the program also allows holders to request a work permit through the Ministry of Labor, though that’s part of a different process.

Obtaining a temporary cédula takes about eight days. It will take another two days to obtain a multiple-entry visa that’s necessary so an individual can come and go as they wait out the roughly five-month process for the government to issue a permanent cédula. Once a cédula has been obtained, a person can then apply for a work permit from the Ministry of Labor, which will take about a month.

To start the cédula process, you’ll need basic documents—passport, proof from the FBI that there is no criminal record—and $5,000 in a Panamanian bank account, plus $2,000 for each dependent. And to obtain a work permit, then you’ll need to set up a Panamanian corporation (which can be disbanded after a year).

Uruguay

If speed is more important, then Uruguay is a great choice. Here, expats can land at the airport with the correct collection of documents, and if they already have a pre-scheduled filing date with the immigration office that day, they can file their paperwork and have a temporary cédula that afternoon or the next day. All that’s required is a birth certificate and an apostilled police record (meaning it has been authenticated and is acceptable across international borders). They will also need to show that they have the financial means to support themselves with a provable stream of income from anywhere in the world.

With a temporary cédula, they will also have immediate access to the state healthcare system, or they can immediately buy access with a local, private healthcare plan, which will cost about $70 to $350 a month, depending on the bell and whistles they want.

To manage the process themselves, expect to pay about $600 to $700. But they will also need to have a proficient level of Spanish, as none of the paperwork is in English. Otherwise, hire an attorney. It will be quicker and more efficient and will cost between $1,000 and $2,000.

­Portugal

Portugal has two visas that would apply to someone wanting to live and work on the Iberian Peninsula: D2 and D7. Technically, the D2 is for independent workers and entrepreneurs, while the D7 is for those who are retired or earning passive income. In practical terms, the D7 will make sense for most people, even if they’re not retired, because it’s based on income. The D2 requires proof that an expat can support themselves as a freelancer and can begin issuing Portuguese invoices on which the business will be taxed, though the tax rate is fixed at 20% for 10 years.

With the D7, instead, a person will need only to show that they have €8,000 (about $9,700) per person in a Portuguese bank account and that they have the equivalent of €30,000 ($36,400) in a bank account back in their home country.

To apply for either a D2 or D7 visa, an expat must enroll in the Portuguese tax system and become a tax resident. That requires obtaining a Portuguese tax number before they can even apply for a visa. And for that, they will need a sponsor, which can be a law office, accounting office, or migration office.

For that reason, they’ll need to hire a pro to walk them through the process and be their sponsor for the tax number. All in, that will cost you between €1,000 and €2,500 (about $1,200 to $3,000). The process will require two to four months to complete.

As a freelancer, an expat will also want to apply for Non-Habitual Resident status, or NHR, which is issued to people who’ve never lived in Portugal before and move to the country. With NHR status, income earned outside the country is exempt from taxes. They will have to file a Portuguese tax return and declare the income, though they’ll owe no taxes on it. The other benefit of this is that it shows Uncle Sam they’re a tax resident of another country, which then helps trigger their eligibility for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.

A person is eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship and a passport after five years of residence, though they have to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language.

Czech Republic

It’s a two-step process in Czech Republic. First step: apply to join the živnostensky (zivno) list. This isn’t specifically for foreigners. It’s a trade license for any Czech resident who works independently, be that a plumber, masseuse, artist, or whoever. That will take a week at most. Zivno in hand, they can then apply for a one-year, temporary residence visa.

They must apply for a residence visa at a Czech embassy outside of the Czech Republic, show they have housing (a notarized lease agreement) for the full-length of the visa they seek, up to one year. That means they’ll need to visit the Czech Republic to arrange that. Some expats will move to Prague, obtain their housing and zivno, then take the train to nearby embassies in Berlin, Vienna, or Bratislava and complete their application.

They will need a signed letter from their bank stating that they have the equivalent of 125,000 Czech crowns on deposit (about $5,700). That will need to be translated into Czech, which a visa agency can handle. Be sure the account has a debit card, which must be presented at the application meeting at the Czech embassy, because officials will want to see it—it’s proof that a person can access the account.

An FBI criminal background check is required, though as an American an expat can also go to the U.S. embassy in Prague and sign an affidavit attesting to their criminal-free background. Along with a passport and an application form, that’s pretty much all the documents an applicant needs.

To hire a local agency to help with the process, it should cost less than 15,000 crowns (about $685) for everything. The embassy fee is a separate 5,000 crowns (about $230).

Once the temporary visa expires after a year, it can easily be traded in for a renewable, two-year long-term residence visa. After five years as a legal resident, a person is eligible to apply for Czech citizenship and a Czech passport, which like the Portuguese passport, is an EU passport and thus gives them free rein to live and work anywhere in the EU.

The full report on the best places to live and work in 2021, including more information for immigration experts in each of the countries mentioned, can be found at: The Best Places to Live and Work Abroad in 2021.

International Living has launched its new “Work From Anywhere” resource, devoted to coverage of innovative money-making strategies, ways to build a portable income, tips for boosting health and well-being, methods to maximize Social Security, and so much more. More information can be found, here.

Bike Ride illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Bike4Tourism × Cycle the World

Bike4Tourism Invites Would-Be Travelers to Cycle the World, Virtually

Seeking a Global Community to Bike Together While Apart and Share Images of Each Other’s Routes

Missing international travel?   Wishing you could host some out-of-town friends to show them your most beautiful locations? Then Bike4Tourism has an inspiring global event tailor-made for you this Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday, May 30th.

Bike4Tourism aims to promote healthy living and sustainable tourism. The goal of the event is to have as many participants as possible, in every country, riding bikes and sharing photographs to the global community of the most beautiful places near their homes.

In sharing each other’s images, cyclists will virtually visit cities, countries and continents, without need for a passport — just a helmet and the will to discover or rediscover the places that surround us and show them to others.

Organizers are hoping for more than 115,000 participants around the world to break the current record.  Proceeds will support environmental conservation charities and aid tourism businesses in financial need following Covid-19 travel restrictions.

It’s hoped that participants are left with even more desire to travel, sustainably, with a huge selection of photos of beautiful places from which to choose their next journey.

All are welcome to participate, and free tickets will be made available for children to encourage family bike rides.   Early bird tickets are available from April 20th.  For more information, visit Bike 4 Tourism, and Facebook.

COVID 19 by Symara Wilson for 360 Magazine, Covid Travel restriction

Coronavirus Mutations × U.S. Travel Restrictions

By: Emily Bunn

A breaking news article featured in The New York Times announced that the United States will be imposing a mandatory requirement for negative COVID-19 test results from all incoming, international travelers. The requirement for proof of a negative test in order to fly will begin Tuesday, January 25th.

The CDC has ordered for all travelers to provide proof of a negative test taken no more than 3 days before their travels. Without documentation of a negative test or documentation of recovery supplemented with a letter from a health care provider or public health official, passengers will be prohibited to fly.

The United States is not the only country to be putting in place tighter travel regulations. Due to new mutations of the virus, many countries are adopting stricter border protocol. The New York Times reports:

“Even as the United States moved to impose travel restrictions, citing the danger of the fast-moving variants, a case of the variant spreading in Brazil was identified in Minnesota.”

Variations of the virus in Brazil and South Africa, due to international travel, both pose the threat of COVID-19 mutating. If the virus does mutate, it is potential that the new strain of such will be unreactive to current vaccination efforts.

The New York Times reports that Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, an adviser to President Biden, has commented: “With the world travel that you have, and the degree of transmissibility efficiency, it’s not surprising.” Further, President Biden has broadcasted a ban on travel by all non-citizens into the United States from South Africa, the U.K., Ireland, and 26 other European countries.

An article published today on AP News reported that in attempts to increase vaccination efforts, President Biden announced that his administration is planning to purchase 100 million doses of each of the approved coronavirus vaccines–Pfizer and Moderna. Vaccination deliveries to states will be surged for the next three weeks. The Biden administration has announced that they plan to vaccinate 300 million citizens by the end of summer, as reported by The New York Times.

The President, in a White House briefing on January 26th, commented on importance of increasing vaccination supplies to help Americans:

“And to a nation waiting for action, let me be clearest on this point: Help is on the way.  We can do this if we come together, if we listen to the scientists.”

These efforts come at an especially critical time, as the global number of coronavirus cases has surpassed 100 million, reports The Wall Street Journal. However, that has been recent speculation regarding the accuracy of that number. In New York, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration has been accused of undercounting the amount of coronavirus deaths that occurred at nursing homes. A report released by Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, shows that the coronavirus death count appears to have been cut by approximately 50 percent. The report compares the number of facility deaths publicized by the Department of Health–1,229 deaths, versus the number of facility deaths reported the Office of Attorney General–1,914 deaths. This staggering discrepancy between reported deaths has spurred suspicion against Cuomo, and the Office of Attorney General (OAG) is conducting an on-going investigation concerning the cause of these variances.

However, there is still hope. In Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom rescinded the county’s stay-at-home order this past Monday, reports The Los Angeles Times. This new jurisdiction will allow for all counties in California to return to the four-tier, colored-coded system of assessing coronavirus risk. Lifting the imposed stay-at-home order could allow for the reopening of personal care services and outdoor dining. While LA has been particularly hard hit by coronavirus, the city actually has a higher vaccination rate than most other comparable cities in the U.S. The New York Times reports that “83 percent of the doses the city has received have been administered, compared with 74 percent in New York City; 52 percent in Bexar County, which includes San Antonio; and 58 percent of the doses ordered in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix.”

While the coronavirus situation is still being closely tracked and monitored, hospitalizations and the number of patients in ICUs have been steadily declining. With hospitalizations at their national lowest since December 13th and an increase in vaccination efforts, there is progress to be recognized, despite current setbacks and uncertainties.

Despite progress in vaccination efforts and decreasing corona virus cases, new virus mutations pose critical cause for concern. In countries across the Asia-Pacific region, a new, more infectious variant–the Delta variant–is causing stay-at-home orders to be again put into place. This new variant was first identified in India, and has quickly been spreading. As restrictions begin yet again, countries across the globe are grappling with the harrowing fate that the pandemic is far from over.

In some major Australian cities, such as Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Darwin, residents have been forced into strict lockdowns. Flights are even being banned due to the new threat, with Hong Kong barring British entry. Indefinite stay-at-home orders were extended by the Malaysian government on Monday. In Malaysia, the new variant is especially threatening, as only 6% of the country’s residents are fully vaccinated, reports the New York Times.

India has faced a devastating, major second wave of coronavirus due to the Delta Plus variant, a sub-lineage of the Delta variant. This past spring, the dangerous variant caused thousands of deaths per day, and forced residents into partial stay-at-home orders, yet again. Much like in Malaysia, in India only 5% of the population is fully vaccinated. In fear of a third wave of the virus, Maharashtra’s chief minister, Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, has authorized the use of a fourth vaccine in an attempt to increase vaccination supplies.

In good news, the Covid-19 vaccination is largely effective against the new Delta variant. However, this Delta variant is 50 percent more contagious than several of the other variants of concern, such as the Alpha variant.

As countries continue reopening, people look toward high vaccination rates to change the coronavirus game. In the U.S. and Britain, officials are planning to, or already have, lift most pandemic restrictions. White House secretary, Jen Psaki, recently announced that the United States would send two million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to Peru. Additionally, the U.S. looks to send 2.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine to Pakistan. A third shipment of 1.5 million Moderna vaccination doses will be sent to Honduras from the United States.

Looking ahead to this weekend, July 30-Aug 1, 2021, the return of  a major musical festival threatens a super-spreader event. The highly infectious variant of COVID-19 has again created a surge in the number of recent coronavirus cases. As festival fans migrate to Chicago for Lollapalooza – the first of which held since 2019 – the Windy City braces for the potentially devastating impact.

Fortunately, the festival is taking several precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. All attendees must be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of event entry. However, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that not all guests will be honest about meeting these requirements.

The head of the BBB, Steve Bernas, warns of the potential for festival scammers who fabricate fake vaccine cards and negative test results. “We anticipate a double whammy this year not only the tickets but also the vaccine cards,” Bernas said in a statement. “The scammers will be out in full force.” He continues, cautioning ticket buyers to be on high-alert: “Just like finding tickets, there are countless ways for consumers to find vaccinations cards online, with online marketplaces, ticket sellers, resellers and the like…and unfortunately, some of them are rip-offs”

One of Chicago’s top coronavirus experts, Dr. Emily Landon, also weighed in on the weekend’s festivities. She argues that Lollapalooza’s 72-hour testing window is too lenient, and that the city is inviting in a massive spike of cases by holding the concert. NBC Chicago reports that Dr. Emily Landon commented, “Lolla has let us down with respect to how vigorously they’re restricting people based on the things that they sort of initially told us (about how) ‘we’re going to be really strict’ and now it’s like they’ve lightened up quite considerably on checking vaccines and negative tests.”

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady expressed concerns similar to Dr. Emily Landon’s. Recognizing the importance of getting vaccinated, she commented the following in a coronavirus update last week: “We want people to have a good time and we want this to be as safe as it can be…And so certainly we’ll be watching that just as we do any other gathering, but I am more concerned about the many people who have not chosen the COVID vaccine.”

Still, Chicago’s mayor and top doctor still haven’t wavered their support for the much-loved music festival. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot expressed her desire the event to occur as safely as possible, though she didn’t comment on the recent uptick in case numbers and coronavirus hospitalizations. NBC 5 Chicago reports on the current coronavirus statistics in the city:

“Chicago’s average daily number of new cases rose to 130 per day early Monday – a 76% jump compared to last week. The city’s average daily case rate was at 90 per day last week and 41 per day the week before that, meaning it’s more than tripled in roughly three weeks. However, it is still significantly lower than the more than 700 cases per day the city was seeing earlier this year and last, before vaccines were widely available.”

Additional safety measures, including mandatory mask-wearing on public transport, will also be enforced. The Chicago Transit Authority is offering reduced ticket rates this weekend for Lollapalooza travelers.

As Summer winds down, COVID-19 cases are beginning to rise yet again. Several virus variants, including the new Lambda variant, are causing major concern among Americans. In an attempt to quell concern, several cities have launched vaccine passport programs.

Across the United States, metropolitan hubs including New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans are requiring residents to show proof of vaccination before entering indoor spaces. That means that visiting gyms, concerts, restaurants, and more will require citizens to have both of their required vaccination shots. Vaccine passports are not being put in place to stop public gatherings, but are intended to creater safer enviroments outside of one’s home.

However, many Americans are opting to stay indoors yet again, thanks to new variant threats. The Lambda variant, which was first detected in Peru and is quckly spreading through South America, is causing concern among citizens. The New York Times reports that “On June 14, the World Health Organization designated it as a “variant of interest,” meaning, essentially, that experts suspect it could be more dangerous than the original strain.

However, it has been reported that the Lambda variant is likely not as contagious as other deadly virus mutuations, like the Delta variant. And fortunately, the Lambda variant is able to be combatted by the vaccines that have currently rolled out across the U.S. The New York Times records the climbing numbers of the Lambda variant, “As of mid-June, Lambda had been reported in 29 countries, territories or areas, according to a June 15 update from the W.H.O. The variant had been detected in 81 percent of coronavirus samples sequenced in Peru since April, and 31 percent of those in Chile to date, the agency said.” However, assessing the virus has been difficult due to Latin America’s limited ability to conduct geonomic surveillance and follow-up laboratory studies, reports the NYT. Scientists and medical professionals around the world are currently conducting research to better understand this new variant and its implications.

HotelPlanner’s Delta Variant Coverage:

America’s comeback is in jeopardy. The Delta variant is surging, prompting concerns that we need another lockdown. Travel executives are already huddling, discussing potential next steps to both protect guests and their businesses’ bottom lines. Americans were traveling in record numbers, and people are wondering if this could slow down the sector. How could the Delta variant, and other emerging variants, impact travel?

“We are watching the rapid uptick in Delta variant case infections closely, says Tim Hentschel, Co-Founder and CEO of HotelPlanner. “Although some families may choose to curtail their summer travel plans, we remain confident that the vast majority of Americans who were planning to travel this summer will keep their plans, while exercising more caution with crowds and destination selection. For those who are already vaccinated, the Delta variant shouldn’t be a deterrent to summer travel because they should be protected.”

ABOUT HOTELPLANNER

HotelPlanner is a leading travel technology company that combines proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, and a 24/7 global gig-based reservations and customer service network, to quickly and seamlessly serve all traveler hotel & accommodation needs from a single platform.

HotelPlanner is one of the world’s top providers of individual, group, and corporate travel bookings, specializing in unique “Closed User Group” discount rates.

Founded in 2004, HotelPlanner has enduring partnerships with the world’s largest Online Travel Agencies, well-known hotel chains, individual hotels, online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, sports franchises, universities, and government agencies.

Masego – Passport

Masego released a brand new song Wednesday from his upcoming experimental EP inspired by trapphouse jazz.

The new song is titled “Passport,” and it comes with a brand new music video that you can see by clicking right here.

Masego will use that trapphouse jazz inspiration to explore every step of a relationship, showing his evolution, both as a person and as an artist, while unable to perform for crowds.

His brand new EP will follow up his 2018 album “Lady Lady,” which propelled him into the spotlight. Listeners have streamed “Tadow,” the leading single from “Lady Lady,” over half a billion times, making it certified gold by the RIAA. It was also used in over 2 million TikTok videos.

Masego also gained traction after performing his song “Queen Tings” on the BET Awards Broadcast, which you can see by clicking right here.

To learn more about Masego, you can click right here. You can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Rita Azar, illustrations, travel, 360 MAGAZINE

Planning a US Trip After the Quarantine? Here’s What You Need to Prepare

Traveling is good for people’s souls as it reduces stress to most of us. But with this current pandemic happening around the world, people can’t even go back to their normal life and it really affects everything. It is like a nightmare that everyone’s wishing to end. Many flights these days are postponed and canceled and traveling is very limited for essential goods only. Quarantine and lockdown are implemented globally and it requires social distancing.

We all know that most people dream to travel across the US. It is the most popular travel destination throughout the world. You can still pursue your American dream when the virus is not present anymore. Planning a US trip for a vacation after this pandemic can be very exciting after a long period of staying at home, but we have to be more careful than usual and prepare everything needed to travel safely because as they say this is the new normal.
Here are the things you need to prepare for your future US Trip.

Passport and Visa

When traveling to other countries, it is important that you have a valid passport with at least a minimum of 6 months’ validity for most of the countries requirements. It is also important to obtain a visa if the consulate requires you to have before you enter the country. This depends on the regulation for every passport type. Some countries will be asked to obtain ESTA or the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which replaces the American express visa system in the US for certain countries. https://www.estaform.org/ was formed by the Department of Homeland Security of the United States, allowing 39 nations the freedom to travel to the US without needing to apply for an official American visa.

TSA Approved Lock

When traveling to the US it is a must to buy a TSA approved lock before packing your luggage. Transportation Security Administration or TSA implements strict baggage procedures for safety and security. All bags are screened and sometimes need to be physically checked so they are allowed to break your bag lock. It is helpful if you buy a TSA approved lock to avoid losing or breaking it and to keep your bags safe to your final destination.

Itinerary

The United States is a very big country and it has many states. Before your trip, it is essential to plan your itinerary so you can fulfill your American dream. Consider exceptional and thrilling destinations with rich histories and cultures. Of course don’t forget to list down the popular places like New York, LA, and Vegas. Prepare for the activities you might want to visit and try like Universal Studios. List down everything so that you will not miss out on anything on your trip.

Accommodation and Pocket Money

No one wants to cram at the airport with their heavy luggage and ruin the trip because of stress. Book your hotel or accommodation before your trip so that everything will go smoothly upon arrival in the US. You have endless options for accommodation so you can choose whether you prefer the luxurious or the budget time lodging. Most prices in the US are listed excluding the tax and it also depends on where you are visiting. So be prepared to have enough budgets as everything will have additional costs.

All things will run smoothly if you will be well prepared for your dream US trip. You just have to keep in mind that this time you also have to be extra careful and practice proper hygiene to prevent any health risk. Don’t forget to always bring alcohol and sanitizers and of course, always wash your hands to keep yourself traveling healthy and COVID free.

Splash house, palm springs, 360 magazine, vaughn lowery

Splash House 2018

By Vaughn Lowery

Every year music lovers are inundated with obnoxiously priced festivals featuring notable artists. Over the past few years, Splash House [SH] seems to have cured our summer woes with a three-venue, a Vegas – style mirage in Palm Springs: the Renaissance, the Riviera Resort and the Saguaro properties.

For those of who appreciate deep house and bubbling under the radar EDM artists like Mija and Fisher, this is your destination. With no dirty turnstiles or porta potties, plenty of in and outs (depending on capacity) alongside of actual local and franchised eateries at your fingertips, SH has the brightest future of any experience introduced in recent years. Some packages include all properties while others encompass lodging as well as after hours at the Air Museum. And, the producers have made it super easy for half-clothed partygoers to hop around to each location with complimentary shuttle buses. Over the past two seasons, Splash Mates have witnessed sold out dates with trendy +21 tamed crowds.

So if you are seeking a forum to nurture lasting friendships coupled with groovy music, fun and non-stop activities, then list Splash House on your calendar for 2019.

The Filming of Netflix’s “The Crown”

The Crown Netflix

The Crown Instagram

Ah, yes. The Royal Family, but wait. We’re not talking about Prince William and Prince Harry. As a matter of fact, we’re talking about Netflix’s “The Crown.”

If you haven’t watched it yet it’s definitely one to binge watch on. Although the new season is not premiering  until next year, travel-hungry folks can gain the first hand experience of the show’s Royal Family by booking a trip with CIE Tours.

As the cast films their third season, it’s the perfect time for fans to be a part of the action with a CIE Guided Tour.

Breathtakingly beautiful locations such as Westminister Abbey, Windsor Castle, and Kensington Palace are the perfect places where your adventure-seeking heart desires to experience the royal treatment as British natives help guide you around.

The Royal Family-related tours include Best of Britain and Rockin’ Britain. Best of Britain starts off at the Windsor Castle where you then move onto historic York, then Edingburgh for castle exploration and traditional Scottish evening entertainment. Last but not least, the tour ends in London to explore Megan’s new hometown.

If that tour didn’t suit your fancy then the Rockin’ Britain may be more of your taste. The tour starts in London where you then visit the glorious London Tower. It ends at the Kensington Palace which is, of course, the beautiful former home of Princess Diana.

Isn’t it about time your passport gets another stamp anyways? Get on that plane and up, up, and away you go!

Kelly Rowland

Take a peek inside how stars like Kelly Rowland vacation in style! Beach vibes are perfect for spring break and once you’re packed and have your passport in hand, select the ultimate getaway to Bondi Beach, Sydney.

How the stars jet set is always a mystery but nothing beats the ocean views and must-visit hidden gems in the worlds ultimate beach town like designer hotel, QT Bondi. Kelly Rowland has been spotted rocking retro looks all around Bondi Beach while filming The Voice Australia.

Rowlands favorite location in Australia is QT Bondi, the ultra-chic beachside hotel that is nestled among the best restaurants, steps to hidden beaches, moonlit classic movies, oceanside yoga and dozens of other barefoot luxuries that have become synonymous with Bondi beach.