Route to Machu Picchu - Day 4

It was an early day for us. At 6AM we hopped into our pre arranged car and headed to the Poroy station that was approximately 20 minutes outside of Cuzco. No more than five minutes after we settled into our seats, we were on our way. I looked at my watch and noticed the train was almost 10 minutes ahead of the indicated departure time. Perhaps all the passengers were early.

Our train was the Vistadome class which offered windowed roof for a full view of the mountain range. I must admit, Vancouver to Jasper train was much more scenic. However, my Ecuadorian travel friend reminded us that the difference was these mountain ranges were sacred and bared so much history and culture for the people that lives in these areas. She was absolutely right.




Breakfast was included in the train ticket. I just loved the vibrant colours and the violet flower was a beautiful touch.



The train made a short stop in Ollataytambo to pick up more people. Yesterday when our Sacred Valley tour reached this point, some people got off the tour and caught the train to Machu Picchu here. This would have been a very efficient way to go. If we had known, we could've saved at least half a day of traveling.

1.5 hours later, we rolled into town of Aguas Calientes, the hot water or hot springs in Spanish. This is the entrance town to Machu Picchu. All who came to seek the ancient ruins must pass through here.



The first thing we did was buy the bus ticket to MP for tomorrow. The ticket was 15.50 USD return. The plan was to get on the first bus at 5:30 to see the sunrise.

We had the rest of the afternoon to roam around this tiny tourist town which was full of restaurants, pizzerias and gift shops. So once again dinning seemed to be the best way to pass the time. But half way through lunch, the entire town lost power and it also started pouring rain. We over heard that the power was not coming back on until tomorrow afternoon! We were relieved that we brought our head lamps, but regret leaving our rain gear in Cuzco. But we were able to get colorful ponchos at one of the many shops.

We had little to do and decided to buy a deck of cards. That kept us entertained and out of the rain until night fall. Then it was time to eat again! We had plan to dine a place called Tree House. It had great reviews in the guidebooks and online. However, in the dark, despite asking the locals (including a policeman), we couldn't find it. Disappointed, we settled for the generic touristico restaurant.

One thing I did noted was that I see Chinese restaurants everywhere. Even in a small town like AC. However, I have yet to see one open for business. All of them were closed even during prime meal times. I found that
Back at the hotel, we prayed for no rain tomorrow before settling in for the night.


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Location:Aguas Calientes, Peru

C'mon Canada (Sacred Valley) - Day 3

We arranged the Sacred Valley day tour on day one. The tour was quite cheap, only 20 soles (7 USD) which included transportation and an English speaking guide.

Before hopping on a coach bus, we had to exchange some more soles. There were many foreign exchange shops around Plaza de Armas. We quickly picked one since we only had 5 minutes before the bus departed. But sometimes rushing is not a good idea. As we got on the bus, one of our travel buddies found out the FX shop had shorted her about
30 soles (12 USD). So always count your money twice!

Our first stop was a small market in the town of Pisac. They specialized in clay goods. The stop was short, only 15 minutes before the tour guide herded us back on the bus "C'mon, Canada."





Along the way, our tour guide explained the mountain range were considered sacred to the Inca people. The river that ran through these mountain ranges was the sacred river. Hence the name of this region: sacred valley.

The second stop was another market, silver market. We only had 20 minutes in this market. But you can't drop a kid in the candy shop and expect him/her to come out in 20 minutes. I could've spent an entire day there. In an blink of an eye, we were called back to the bus "C'mon, Canada".


The next stop was the ruins of Pisac. Pisac was a town of where the farmers and architect lived. It was a middle class village.



The Inca people buried their dead along the side of the mountain cliff. I wonder how they were able to dig a hole and put the body in it along these steep mountain sides. The Inca people also believed they lived three lives. One in heaven, earth and under world. Like the Egyptians they mummified the body, but in the fetal position, so they can be born into the next life.



Our fourth stop was Ollantaytambo, the new capital of the sacred valley. On the top, there was a granite stone that was said to be the temple of the sun since it faced the exact direction of the sun rise. However, unlike the other sun temples which are round, this one was not which drew speculation that this was not the sun temple at all. The temple granite was shipped in from the other side of the mountain 7 km away. The large stone pieces were put on logs and rolled to it's finally destination. The temple was once decorated with puma carvings. But during the Spanish invasion, the heads were cut off and now only the faint silhouette of the animal was left.

(will insert picture later due to technical difficulties. Actually it was human error by my husband)

Across from the temple, was a mountain where the Incas did a lot of worshipping. Probably due to this side profile of what appeared to be an Inca god. They also built an llama shaped terrace and structure on this mountain to mimic the llama consolation in the sky. This area was considered the centre of the Inca world.





June 21 is the inca new year since it is the only day that the sun hits the inca god face. This only happens between 11 to 12. On this day, the phenomena can be view through this window below.


Our last stop was Chencharo. Much of the indigenous styled textile was produced here. Today these people still uses all natural ingredients to process and dye the llama or wool threads and then wave them into beautiful blankets and other products.




Our day ended in a lovely Peruvian sunset.



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Location:Cuzco, Peru

Horses and thunderstorm - Day 2

We slept in as much as we could. We took our time enjoying our breakfast of papaya in yogurt and scramble eggs. The breakfast discussion involved whether was legal to bring cocoa teabag back home since it was highly unlikely the actual leaf would be TSA approved.

We contemplated what to do for the day. Since we have Sacred Valley planned for tomorrow, we thought perhaps a nice horse back riding trip to see the natural side of Cuzco would be nice.

Before the horse back riding, we went to the market to pick up snack in case of an in prompt to picnic. And look what I found! Taste of home.




By noon we were set and off to the ranch. My horse was chestnut coloured with very soft hair. I really liked her. But for some reason I just couldn't remember her name! She was named after a type of llama. So I called her "Chester". Yes I know she was a girl with a saddle decorated with pink stars.







We stopped at a small hill where the Inca people would hide and ambush the Spanish. It was full of caves and tunnels.







On the top of the hill, we got a lovely view of Cuzco city.



Our second stop was the ruins of temple of the moon. There was not much left. But the stone craftsmanship of the inca culture was still very evident. As we headed back to our horses, the clouds started to roll in. A thunderstorm was coming. Within 5 minutes, the cold rain had hit us. But before we knew it, it was also over. Our clothes had pretty much dried when we returned to the ranch.







When returned to the city, we dined at one of many oven pizzerias, Chez Maggy. I highly recommended this place located just off of Plaza de Armas. The pizzas were clay oven baked and pasta was also hand made. It also had free wifi which made this iPad enthusiast very happy. But we had to end our day by getting a 7 USD (20 soles) foot massage at one of the many spas.


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Location:Cuzco, Peru

Skipped over Lima, Straight to Cusco - day 1

As per usual, we arrived approximately 1 hour before our international flight. Maybe I am getting older, but I actually felt a slight panic. At 5AM, YVR seemed unusually busy. After a smooth security screening and customs, we were in less than 40 minutes with time to grab a Timmy's treat before boarding.

English was already the second language at our stop over in SFO. Everything was done in Spanish and not all was repeated in English. Our flight landed in Lima shortly after midnight. We hired a taxi who didn't seem to be from Lima and didn't have a cell phone. After what seemed to be hours of driving around in circles, we checked into our hotel at 2AM in time for a 4 hour nap before our flight to Cuzco.




When we finally arrived in Cuzco by midday, I was so tired that all I wanted to do was dive my head into a soft pillow. But I am a tough traveller, I can't waste a beautiful day. Not too mention, I was also too excited to start exploring a new city. Besides, a cup of cocoa tea will keep me fueled.




On the way to Plaza de Armas, the city center square, cute little girls in traditional indigenous outfits holding baby sheep or llama were eager to approach us for a picture in exchange for one or two soles. This is very common. If you take a picture with them, expect to have to pay them.

The Armas square were packed with tourists and locals for a Sunday stroll. Surrounding the square, stood the La Catedral and La Compania and countless cafes and restaurants with intricately carved wooden balcony. Even Macdonald's was subtly hidden under the stone arches.

We decided to take it easy since we were still adjusting to the 3400m altitude. The slight incline would make my leg muscle ache and breathless. We ended up having lunch on a balcony and people watched for a few hours. The restaurant also had a terrace. on the way up there, we passed by the kitchen and caught our first glimpse of the Peruvian delicacy: Cuy! Aka the Guinea pig all nicely roasted and ready to be served.



After lunch was more walking very slowly around the city. When we arrived at Plaza San Francisco, there was a parade of men, women and children carrying fresh flowers and pictures of some sort of saint. We naturally became very curious and started following the crowd. turned out it was a celebration of the virgin for the children. The crowd were heading towards the temple to lay flowers. However, when we saw it turn uphill, we quit the pursuit.



We went back to the Plaza San Francisco to find locals hanging out playing carnival games and watching street performers.



We even found this guy who had a strange sense for fashion. Later we found out they were candyman and the outfit made them stood out and helped to attract business.




At this point, I was barely able to keep my eyes open, so we headed back to our hotel for a much needed 10 hour sleep.

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Location:Airports

The Traveler Compatibility Quiz

I love traveling with friends. However, picking the right companion to travel with can be a challenge. The wrong match can turn best friends into sworn enemies and ultimately ruin the trip. I have personally experienced and have heard many horrid stories about disaster travel experience involving different expectations, schedule, habits and etc.

Here is a little quiz to help you figure out whether the travel companion you pick or have in mind is right for you!

Instructions:

• You and your potential travel companion each take the quiz separately.
• After finishing the quiz, compare the score and add up the questions you both have the same answers for.

1. What type of relationship do you currently have with your potential travel companion?

a. Acquaintances – we just met
b. Friends – we hang out or talk on the phone (or have the intention to) at least once every couple of weeks
c. Good friends – we hang out or talk on the phone (or have the intention to) at least once a week
d. Best Friend forever – we hang out and talk on the phone (or have the intention to) everyday! Godparent to my first born.
e. We are related (blood oath doesn’t count, but you should pick option D)
f. Couple – We are in a romantic relationship

2. Why do you guys want to travel with your potential travel companion?

a. I always wanted to travel to the intended destination and she/he was the only person who said yes to traveling with me or vice versa
b. We both wanted to do something together and traveling was an idea we agreed on.
c. Traveling together was something we always wanted to do together

3. Why did you select your intended destination?

a. I decided to tag along after hearing about it from my potential travel companion and I know very little and have no expectations about the intended destination
b. I want to experience new things such as culture, food, people and etc.
c. I have family there I want to visit
d. I like to do volunteer there
e. I want to relax and unwind

4. What was your favourite past travel destination?

a. Beach/Cruise – sitting on a beach and sipping Pina Coladas (ie: Mexico, Caribbean’s)
b. Away from civilization – trekking to remote mountain or jungle areas and interacting with nature (ie: South American Amazons, African safaris)
c. City Culture – walking through galleries and museums (ie: New Year)
d. Ancient Culture – walking through ruins (ie: Angkor Wat, Macchu Pichu)
e. One word – “VEGAS”. It has everything: gambling, partying and shopping
f. I haven’t really traveled much outside of my home country or area.

5. Where do you like to eat out the most?

a. Michelin rated restaurants
b. Boutique local eateries
c. Ethnic restaurants – ie: Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian, Greek
d. Chain restaurants – ie: Olive Garden, Outback steakhouse
e. Food court
f. Street food cart

6. What do you love to do the most?

a. Being Active
b. Food appreciation
c. Partying
d. Shopping
e. Learning/Exploring
f. Relaxing
g. Working

7. When traveling, what is the LOWEST form of accommodation you are willing to put up with while traveling?

a. A roof is good enough (ok, maybe a tent)
b. Have the basics like an actual bed, washing facility and safe (ie: local hostels)
c. Private sleeping and washing facilities (ie: B&B, motels or inns)
d. Private sleeping and washing facilities with some amenities (ie: Holiday Inn)
e. Pillow top bed with a high thread count, turn down service, a view and 24 hour room service (ie: Four Seasons or Fairmont)

8. Do you like to stick to a schedule?

a. No – I don’t like to plan. I just show up at my destination and do whatever is in the spur of the moment
b. Yes – I like to plan everything ahead and usually stick to an itinerary exactly
c. Mostly – I like to plan majority of the trip and leave some room for spontaneous activities
d. A little – I plan a little bit and do some research before hand, but leave a lot of room for spontaneous activities

9. Are you always on time?

a. Yes – I am always on time and sometimes even early
b. No – I am always late.
c. Sometimes – I am sometimes late, sometimes on time, really depends on the situation or occasion

10. What is your financial situation?

a. I am pretty well off, not really concern with money and sometimes even known to be frivolous.
b. I am pretty well off, but I am aware of my money and is careful how I spend it
c. I am not well off, but money is still not a concern for me. Life is meant to be lived and not tied down by money.
d. I am not well off and like to live within my means.
e. I have a lot of debt like mortgage, car payment and student loan. Hence, I need to be very budget conscious.

11. What is your current career situation?

a. Professional
b. Tradesperson
c. Entrepreneur/Self-employed
d. Student
e. Unemployed

12. What do you hope to get out of the trip you guys are planning?

a. Grow, build or reinforce the bond we currently have
b. The relationship will remain the same between us
c. I have no expectations. It is just a trip.

*******************YOU ARE DONE!*******************************
If you and your potential travel companion scored between:

0 - 4 :( Nothing wrong with being domestic friends. Maybe you two should keep it that way.

5 - 8 :| It is going to take a little work of managing expectations and maintaining good communication to make the trip you both will enjoy.

9 - 12 :) Travel BFF in the making. You sound awesome; let me come on the trip as well!

I am still here!!

I have been ignoring the blog-sphere for awhile. It has been a very busy summer, although it came very late. I am working on starting out on a new partnership with a US company called Extraordinary Destination Wedding. The company specialised in customized exotic weddings. Until recently, couples thought an exotic option was to be married in Italy for example, but with celebrities like Katy Perry who recently opted to be married in India, people are now starting to think beyond the beach for their weddings and they are truly following their adventurous hearts with dare to be different attitude. According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2020, China will overtake France to become the largest tourist country. China is becoming more and more intriguing for couples from all corners of the globe. Her romance lies in its mystical culture and the serenity of its natural beauty. China couldn’t have over 1.3 billion people without a little romance. So she knows a thing or two about weddings. China has great potential in the wedding business out bound and in bound. It is a multi billions business.

I am also planning my South America trip in September. I will only be gone for about 3 and half weeks. Since I am trying to get to Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, I don't have a lot of time and there is tremendous amount of planning involved. But planning is half of the fun. I sometimes learn more during the planning stage than the actual trip. The actual trip then becomes a visual download of my research. It is truly a fascinating process.

I have also decided to learn how to roller blade as an adult!! Talk about off balance. But practice makes prefect and I have been practicing 3 times a week by the dog park. Summer is always so short. I have to make the best of it. Always mixing hard work with tons of fun!

Who wants to go noodling?

My favourite food in the entire world is noodles. It is the ultimate comfort food for me. Instead of birthday cakes, my mom would make noodles on my birthdays. The long strand in Chinese culture symbolizes longevity.

Noodles have been staple food around many parts of the world for a long time. It probably has the longest history in China. A 4000 year old bowl of noodles was unearthed in northwestern China about 6 years ago. The first recorded account of noodles dates back 25 AD during the East Han Dynasty.

Noodles is such a versatile food. There are so many different types of noodles and different ways the noodles are made from. Not to mention too-many-to-count ways to cook and eat them. So do you like your wheat, rice, egg, mung bean or sweet potato noodles cooked in soup, stir fried, steamed, or cold mixed in sauce?

Handmade noodles are by far the best and are typically made just from wheat flour, salt and water. This type of noodles can be formed by pulling, cutting and peeled. This ancient art form is not easy. Check out this funny video of Gordon Ramsay Learning to Make Noodles. Noodle masters usually spend over 10 years to prefect their skills (they have incredible arm strength!) and the best noodle masters are from Lanzhou located in central China.

When cooked, handmade noodles should be chewy and it can absorb all the flavour of the sauce and other ingredients. The other way to tell noodles is handmade and made with love (once a friend told me anything handmade is made with love) is the each noodle strand should look a little different from each other.

For more noodles fun:

* "The Story of Noodles" is a great book to read to your future noodle enthusiast.

* My signature noodle dish recipe. A great summer vegetarian dish that serves 3 to 4.

Ingredients: 6 cups of noodles, 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil, 2 tbsps of diced green onions, 2 tbsp of light soy sauce and 1 dry or fresh diced red chili pepper.

1. Boil noodles in large pot of unsalted water over medium heat until barely tender and still firm. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water until cold.
2. for the dressing: Put green onions and red chilli pepper in a ceramic bowl. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan until it bubbles and pour hot oil into the bowl. Add light soy sauce into the bowl last. Mix with a spoon.
   
3. Pour dressing all over noodles and toss until it coats all the noodles.
4. Meat or seafood option: stirfry 1 cup minced meat or diced shrimp in 1 tsp of oil and add them into the noodles before the dressing is poured.
   

* Funny Noodle related inventions:

left: Noodle cooler chopsticks
Right: Noodle face protector (actually I don't know what it is suppose to do)

Obsessed with Cars

Being stuck in traffic bothers me in many levels. Idling is not good for the car, waste of gas, bad for the environment and most of all, I just hate siting still! I can't imagine being stuck in traffic for 9 house, let alone 9 days. That is exactly what happened in Beijing last summer. The jam was 62 miles long!

I have always been frustrated with why the Chinese government is not doing more to curb the country's appetite for cars. But as I learn from my family and friends in China, it is actually pretty hard and expensive to own a car in China by western standards.

1. Training is expensive and testing is rigorous (and ridiculous at times). To get a license potential drivers must have at least 58 hours of instruction in a certified course that costs around $300 to $500, a considerable sum in China. The actual testing includes the written exam, a technical course and two driving tests. Some jurisdiction even require potential drivers to pass a medical check up. Being too short, color-blind, suffer for nervousness or high blood-pressure, have trouble jumping have been routinely been the reasons people got denied the privilege to drive. Some are rejected because their thumb is not the right shape, or they are missing a finger or they can’t hear well in one ear.
   
2. Registration fee is expensive. Fees doubled between 2000 to 2005 to $4,600 per vehicle that is more than twice the city’s average per capita income.
   
3. license plate is very hard to come by. Only limited number of them are issued every year. In some cases, a highly desirable license plate (i.e. the ones with a lot of "8" in them) is auctioned off at a higher price than the car itself. You think your local DMV is bad, the people of Chinese might have wait for months to get a license plate.
   
4. Car is pretty expensive to purchase in China. A middle of the road car like Toyota Corolla can cost up to 200,000 RMB (approx: $30,700 CAD). That is almost double than what they sell for in Canada.
5. In major cities, highways access alternates everyday depending on the last digit of your license plate number. There are also rules against driving on highways if you have an out of province license plate. For example, a Jiangsu plated car may not drive on Shanghai highways during weekdays from 9 to 5.
6. Parking is a bitch. Most Chinese cities were built for bicycles not automobiles. Unlike American cities, Chinese cities have virtually no parking spaces and no parking garages. Most neighborhood streets and alleys are barely wide enough for one car. Check out the video of this woman and her ingenious way of solving this headache. Click here.
   

Despite these road blocks (and the state of the global economy), cars are still selling like hot cakes. The Chinese purchased 14 million cars, that is 4 million more than the Americans in the past year. Why? I think China is making up for lost times. Less than 20 years ago, the Chinese way of life is own by the state. The company they worked for belonged to the state. The apartment they lived in was provided by the state owned company they worked for. Food ration stamp was also distributed by the state. Their kids went to state own schools. China had maybe a handful of private companies and owning a business meant you were not educated, lower class and you had no choice. Now the country is opened up, the people is buying everything that represents bountifulness, prosperity and self-expression. To many Chinese car is the ultimate expression in freedom.

Owning a car is still the dreams of millions of Chinese. Unfortunately, that means this dream will continue to contribute to even longer traffic jams...

Who are the China's Wealthiest?

It seems like China is pumping out new millionaires and billionaires everyday. Out with the stereotype image of country bumpkins in shabby monotone clothes, the new imagine of the Chinese in the eyes of western world is now represented by these grassroot riches who love to buy Louis Vuitton and Gucci products in bulk everywhere they go.

Most Chinese who landed on the Forbes' richest list 2010 are self-made with very humble beginnings. They are mostly under 50 and made their riches in less than 10 years. Zong Qinghou (left) is the newly minted richest person in China and takes the #103 spot on the Forbes list. He had very little formal education and worked as a salt farmer and did other menial work. Zong started his 7 billion USD beverage empire with less than $20,000 USD. Liu Yongxing (#154 on Forbes) who is worth approximately 5 billion USD started his career as poultry farmer with his 3 brothers. His company is one of China's largest markers of animal feeds.

China's new brigade of ultra riches also include a few fierce women. Six out of world's top ten richest self-made women are Chinese. At number one with an estimated personal net worth of $5.6 billion, Zhang Yin (right) made her fortune from recycled paper. Following at number two Wu Yajun, a former journalist, chose a more conventional business when she founded Longfor Property in the steamy basin of Chongqing, one of China’s four municipalities. At number 3 is Chen Lihua, she too made her fortune in real estate with a focus on residential housing projects. Oprah is number nine.

China in the Winter

Most people would recommend checking out China during the spring and fall months. However, in the winter, China can be a great place to be too.

In the most southern tip of China lies city called Sanya. It is roughly on the same latitude as the island of Hawaii which means warm weather all year around. This beautiful island city also known as the "Hawaii of the East" is number 2 on the top 10 places Chinese people like to vacation in China (click here for the complete list). In recent years, Sanya has attracted many tourists around the world and numerous hotel chains to develop resort properties there. It even played host to several Miss World competitions. In Sanya it is not just about the white sandy beaches, there are also plenty of culture sites like the Nansan Temple, Guan Yi Statue and etc.

Now moving to the north of China, a city called Harbin is worth visiting in the winter despite the cold and snow. Often referred to as "Ice City", Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province located in the northeast of China. The city is the host of one of the world's four largest ice and snow festivals: Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. It starts on January 5th of every year. The festival features larger than life ice and snow sculptures of famous people, landmarks and scenery. In 2007, the Canadian themed festival featured the largest snow sculpture ever made depicting Niagara Falls and Crossing the Bering Strait was 250 meters long, 8 meters high and used over 10,000 cubic meters of snow. For more awesome pictures of the festival click here.

FYI: The other three festivals are Japan's Sapporo Snow Festival, Canada's Quebec City Winter Carnival and Norway's Ski Festival.

Staying Healthy While Traveling

Staying healthy is not only important in our everyday life, but also critical when we are traveling. The crappiest way to ruin a trip you have been planning for months or even years is to get sick. Here are a few of my tips on how to stay healthy during your travels.

Get poked before you leave - Certain countries like Tanzania requires yellow fever vaccination certificate before entering the country. However majority of countries do not have requirements and vaccination is merely a good to have. My personal attitude is it doesn't hurt to pay the 40 to 50 dollar consultation fee and get the latest professional opinion. Especially if you are going off the beaten path.

Stress - Traveling is a very exciting thing for most and for me is a passion. But it doesn't mean it is not going to cause stress to your body. One of the signs of stress, especially during the first week or so, can be your bowel movement. The body tense up and nothing gets release from your body. This can be a not so comfortable experience. Therefore, try to include fiber in your travel diet. A banana or yogurt can do the trick. Stress in general can weaken your immune system leaving your vulnerable against a cold virus and etc.

Watch what you eat and drink -I have a very strong stomach and often referred by my friends as "iron stomach". I have eaten countless questionable street food around the world and not gotten sick (knock on wood). However, I still observe certain rules. I try not to eat any raw food (including veggies) unless they are soaked in alcohol. Not because I have a preference for alcohol, but it does kill bacterias. Secondly, I always drink and use filtered water including brushing my teeth.

Pack Vitamin C tablets -Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species, in which it functions as a vitamin. Once a day drop a Vitamin C tablet into your water bottle will keep your immune system strong while exploring the world.

Ginger is the magic word - Ginger helps relieve indigestion, gas pains, diarrhea and stomach cramping. Ginger root is also used to treat nausea, help relieve pain, stimulate circulation of the blood, removing toxins from the body, cleansing the bowels and kidneys, and nourishing the skin. Other uses for Ginger Root include the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems by loosening and expelling phlegm from the lungs. Ginger Root may also be used to help break fevers by warming the body and increasing perspiration which is great help in getting over a nasty cold. Not only is ginger very useful for a lot of things, it is also cheap and often found easily in any market or grocery store around the world. My favourite way to consume ginger is cut it into 1/4 inch slices, add hot water, honey (or sugar) and drink it like hot tea.

White Lies - In some culture (ie: the Chinese), refusing food or alcohol that is offered to you is considered very rude. That is when telling a little white lie can save you from a lot of trouble later. Refuse food that looks questionable to you by saying "I am full" or the local spirit specialty is too strong for your liking I recommend using "I am feeling under the weather".

I am not a medical professional. Above are just my personal tips that I have found useful and worked during my travel, so results may be different for you. Safe travels!