Tuesday 16 April 2019

The best bay area tours for your family


Are you looking for something exciting to do with the kids this weekend? There are a plethora of delightful activities around the Bay Area for your family. Simply put it has the ingredients to make for one of the best bay area tours from exploring an expanding haunted house to taking a day on a lake, it will not be difficult to embark on a fun family adventure that your children will never forget.

Winchester Mystery House
A visit to San Jose will not be complete without visiting the famous Winchester Mystery House at least once. It is considered one of the most spooky places on earth, and for good reason. The house was built in the late nineteenth century by Sarah Winchester, who recently lost her baby and her husband. She moved from Connecticut to California under the advice of a medium, who said she had to build a great house for the spirits, or she would die later. Sarah Winchester never failed to add room after room, and construction was still in progress when she died in 1922. The resulting structure ended up being an architectural phenomenon, with miles of twisting corridors, stairs leading to roofs and secret corridors in the wall. You and your family can visit this amazing house on any of the tours of Winchester Mystery House. Maybe you even see a ghost or two!

Great jumping sports
The best bay area tours offer great Jump Sports giving the whole family a new way to experience fitness, fun and quality time. This is not your average indoor recreational facility; The Great Jump courts are full of giant trampolines where families play dodgeball games or just have fun jumping. The nets and vertical trampoline walls will keep you from falling off the courts, and the attentive staff will make sure your children stay safe during their stay. Ideal for parents, teenagers, and children over 6 years old, this incredible installation will make you want to come back again and again. Once you're tired of your training, you can sit back and enjoy one of their incredible pizzas, or relax with a couple of arcade games before returning home. You may want to return on Mondays at 1 pm for your Mommy and Me and Dad classes: it only costs $ 5 for children 6 and under, and $ 5 for mom and dad.

Sailing on Lake Merritt
Have you ever considered taking in the views of downtown Oakland and the hills that surround it from a boat on Lake Merritt? The boat rental facilities on this artificial lake will provide the family with hours of relaxed fun on a sunny day making for delightful bay area brewery tour. Boat rental options are considerably more affordable than San Francisco, and range from small boats with capacity for 4 people, to kayaks, to catamarans and a little larger sailboats. If you wish, you and the children can learn the basics of sailing together! The personal lake expert will teach you all the basics, even if you have never been on a sailboat before. Just make sure your children know how to swim.

Friday 29 March 2019

Get the most from your California Wine Country Tours



When the fall arrives, it saddens me a little because it indicates that another travel season is over. Although, it has not really made much difference in recent years because I still have to take my ass out of all the fabulous destinations I want to visit.

I can only blame myself because I do not prepare properly.

It's like the Napa and Sonoma wine country tour I made with my sister and her family about 15 years ago. All my life I have wanted to go to California from my home in Ontario, Canada. I dreamed it for years. Then, one day, she announced that they were planning a camp expedition across the country and that I would be welcome to join them.

My dream was coming true. I was euphoric

For the next four months, I focused all my energy on my work. When I was not at work, I was watching TV or writing something. Meanwhile, my sister was collecting information about the places we can visit in the course of our wine country tours from San Francisco. Since we are both interested in nature, I left all the details to her.

However, when the time came for the trip, I realized that I had not investigated anything other than taking a look at some of the books I had brought from the library. She had not spent the necessary time working on the plans or even doing something of her own.

If you plan to travel with your family, do your own research in advance. This may sound like common sense, but it was something I could not do. As a result, I had some dissatisfaction with the tour. She had not thought about the historical places and geological formations that would have been fascinating to visit, apart from the famous city of Tombstone, Arizona, and the Grand Canyon. Fortunately, we visited there, but I could have gotten more out of it if I had done my own research instead of repeatedly asking for a side trip.

The biggest mistake I made was not working with my sister during the planning stage of the trip. Being lazy, I'm going too much to her. Instead of seeing things like El Alamo in San Antonio, the famous Route 66, the UFO sites in Area 51, the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, the San Andreas Fault, the blooming desert in Arizona and the Hollywood attractions, we spend much of our time hanging around marshes, fields and streams while we follow the migration of birds from the USA. UU to Canada.

Obviously, we all had a different mandate.

Do not get me wrong I enjoyed the nature that we saw on the way, but I would also have liked to see some of the cities. Since our trip, I have discovered even more places that I would have liked to see, but now it is too late because it is doubtful that I will return for that three-month trip.

The next time you plan a vacation, start early so you have time to research what's available, share ideas and interests and, if necessary, book accommodation and other services to avoid disappointment.

Thursday 14 March 2019

Experience the Wild Side by Developing Foraging Skills



How deeply you have experienced the proximity of mother nature till now? Generally, people from urban areas remember only a few trekking experiences of their vacations on the name of nature proximity. Nevertheless, there is also a hidden aspect that most of the people never know. Rather than a typical trekking program, you can also go inside the jungle for the purpose of foraging. The term foraging means searching for wild food. Mother nature comprises of some gifts that you cannot produce in any farm. For instance, the morel mushrooms only grow in their natural habitats & they have no seeds that you can use for cultivation. Apart from these mushrooms, you may find many other valuable hidden secrets after becoming a forager. In the below article, you can explore some of the amazing benefits of foraging.

Advantages of becoming a forager
  • Experience of finding rare species
Not everyone is fortunate with the ability to identify the hidden secrets of nature. A random person cannot figure out that which mushroom is edible or which herb is life-saving h proper training, a forager can discover the rare species. It is helpful in arranging food as well as herbs that have huge medical importance. 


  • Opportunity to come closer to nature
Foraging is a task where you spend the entire day inside the forest in finding edibles and herbs. In this way, a person learns lots of things from nature. The way how to explore the jungle, experience of the safe journey and developing survival instinct with the help of wildlife are some skills that one can gain during the foraging. 


  • Unique camping experience 
Camping can become more adventurous if you are a forager. After gaining adequate knowledge regarding the flora & fauna of a specific region, you can arrange food without requiring any external help. Just imagine, returning back to the campfire with some delicious chanterelle mushrooms, cooking it and sharing with friends. It will change your perspective towards forest camping nights. 


  • Helpful in emergency situations 
Emergency situations may occur at any time when you cannot find a source of food. The skills of foraging can help you in identifying edible wild mushrooms of different species. If you are in the middle of a forest without any life support, this skill can help in surviving for years without any external help.


  • It can also be an earning source 
There are several types of edible mushrooms, flowers, fruits and herbs that one cannot find in any botanical garden or greenhouse. The demand for this rare stuff always remains high. Therefore, foraging can be adopted as a source of side income or full-time job too. 

How to become a forager?

You must be wondering how to become a forager? Gain some knowledge from the internet regarding the edibles of a particular location. Nevertheless, i is not enough because watching virtually and experiencing practically are two different things. The online images and videos can help you in understanding, but it is important to get some formal training from the professional foragers. There are some agencies where you can apply for a trip with experts by booking a date. They organize group excursions where members are educated with adequate information regarding all wild edibles whether they are fruits, vegetables, mushrooms or herbs. 

Foraging can be fun if you love forests. Try to find a foraging agency in the nearby location that can teach how to differentiate between black trumpet mushrooms & its poisonous twin. 

Tuesday 26 February 2019

What are the benefits of seaweed for skin?



If you love foraging for food, the nearest wood is not the place you can explore. Sea can also offer you a variety of forged food. Apart from sea salt, seaweed is also known for its incredible benefits for the skin. In addition to beautifying your skin, seaweed is also known for its healing properties. Before we get to the topic i.e. what are the benefits of seaweed for skin, you may want to know what makes seaweed so special. It is rich in antioxidants. Not only that, but seaweed also contains many essential minerals and vitamins that are very beneficial for the skin.              

Even recognized dermatologist say that seaweed is a powerful anti-aging ingredient. This ingredient can not only regenerate skin but also protect the skin. So, let’s see what are the benefits of seaweed for the skin. 

Seaweed Contains anti-inflammatory benefits

With its anti-inflammatory properties, seaweed can reduce inflammation caused by acne. Seaweed contains essential oils that can prevent breakouts. Deep-cleaning with some products containing seaweed as an ingredient can easily draw out toxins, bacteria-clogging pores and other impurities. Most of the products containing seaweed can also reduce redness and inflammation.        

Seaweed provides protection from Rosacea 

Seaweed is an important ingredient in many products used for keeping rosacea under control. This food foraged from the sea is a great source of vitamins B and it is anti-inflammatory as well. Application of primer is the first step to a great makeup. Nothing can be better than a mattifying primer containing skin-brightening seaweed. A primer containing seaweed and other natural ingredients can deliver the silkiest and softest formula in the market. These formulas are specifically made for an ultra-smooth application with long-lasting wear. The benefits you will get include brighter and more youthful-looking appearance.           

Seaweed Exfoliates and detoxes the skin

This is one more great benefit of seaweed for your skin. It can also serve the purpose of an excellent exfoliant. This can remove toxins and dead skin cells from your skin. You can add seaweed soak and sea salt to your bath to reap exfoliating and detoxifying benefits of seaweed for the skin. You can find many organic seaweed soaks available on the market. Apart from sea salt and seaweed, these products contain other beneficial ingredients such as juniper and eucalyptus. These products will not only purify your skin but provide you with an ultimate relaxation mode. 

Seaweed cam repair damage from heat styling 

Not only skin, but seaweed is also beneficial for your hair as well. Any damage to hair due to over-styling can be repaired with seaweed. Hair care products containing seaweed can replenish and lock in hydration. 


Seaweed Promotes collagen production

The anti-aging properties of seaweed are because of its richness in Vitamin C which promotes the production of collagen. It is collagen that gives strength to the skin and prevents wrinkles and other signs of aging. Seaweed can help you in getting youthful skin. In addition to these benefits of seaweed for skin, you can also reap other benefits as seaweed can target hyperpigmentation and brighten your skin and also deep cleanse your skin.