Pizza Hut in India

If you are one of those people like me who love pizza then don’t worry, you are in luck. There are places in India for example the Pizza Hut where you can eat. The good thing is that you will find them in most major cities and towns of India. Although you may not find Pizza Hut in smaller towns and villages but most metros and larger towns of India will have them. If you are travelling to Delhi then there’s one in the popular destination of Connaught Circus in Connaught Place in Delhi.

How to Stay Safe When Traveling in India

Staying safe in India requires awareness and caution. While India draws millions of visitors each year and is known for its great beauty and diversity, there are simple precautions that tourists need to take in order to help ensure a pleasant and enjoyable vacation. The following tips are some of the best ways you can protect yourself from illness, aggravation, and theft.

Watch Out for Pickpockets:

First time visitors to India are easily overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, scents, and colors. With well over a billion residents, it’s easy for newcomers to fall victim to theft and pickpockets. Carry valuables, credit cards and cash in a concealed place, with a combination of cash and reliable credit cards for travelers. Additionally, it is a good idea to save copies of all documents and emergency numbers in a separate place, if you should need assistance. Watch out for individuals posing as guides and porters and expect service providers to show proper identification. Remember that, as the second largest nation on the planet, India is crowded! It’s not unusual to be pushed and jostled, just try to keep calm and reasonably assertive!

Use Caution with Food and Water:

While most food is safe in India, be careful about eating anything that has been sitting out (unrefrigerated) for an extended time. Carefully wash vegetables and fruits before eating them and use extra safety measures when drinking the water. Avoid drinking tap-water from any source that is unknown and plan to drink bottled mineral water with a familiar label. Even then it is recommended that you check the cap to make sure that the seal has not been broken. Carry tablets for water purification as a back-up. Take along insect and mosquito repellents and speak to your doctor about the need for anti-malarial medications. (Note: if you should require medical attention in India, medical providers and medications are usually available at reasonable costs.) Here’s a water buying guide in India.

Extra Precautions:

It may come as a surprise that photography is not allowed in many areas, such as airports, military sites, in railway stations, and on bridges. If you’re not sure, it’s probably best not to use your camera. If you should have a legal problem, ask to speak to the ‘senior inspector’ in the local police-station or get in touch with your national embassy. While violent crimes are not that common in India, it is advisable to remain aware at all times. If you are female, there are additional precautions that are advised.

Safety Tips for Women:

Female visitors are encouraged to take extra precautions when visiting India. Avoid unwanted attention (and potential groping) by dressing modestly. It helps to cover bare skin, wear long skirts, and avoid body-tight clothing. A shawl or scarf is a great way to cover up and prevent harassment. Avoid: touching strangers, posing with men in photos, friendly gestures that could be taken the wrong way, large gatherings, ‘gurus’ and wandering ‘holy-men.’ Additionally, avoid staying alone in a guest house; sit next to women while traveling, and avoid being alone after dark. Be cautious even with hotel staff and remember to securely lock doors and windows.

Final Tips:

Smokers can be fined on the streets and while on public-transportation; always check to see if there are restrictions wherever you. Possession of illegal drugs subject travelers to a minimum of a ten-year sentence. Watch out for scams and sting operations. Stay alert at all times, don’t take anything for granted, use good judgement, and enjoy a safe and healthy trip to India!

Interview with travelers Savi and Vid of Bruised Passports

There are travel blogs and there are travel blogs with a difference. If you have not met Savi and Vid of BruisedPassports.com then you should check them out. Not only do they blog about their travels but blog about the outfits they wear on their travels. They are the most glamorous travelers I have known. Gorgeous Savi has a PhD in visual arts and literature. She describes herself as a bit of an urban gypsy. While handsome Vid loves taking pictures and is a coffee geek.

Sun holidays damage DNA and cause cancer

Who doesn’t like going on holidays!

Some of us like to sit in the sun for hours, be it on the beach or enjoying skiing. Sadly, while we are lazing away in the sun, the solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) of the very sun we are enjoying can actually cause damage to our DNA. Here’s an interesting article that was published in the prestigious Journal of Investigative Dermatology (Nature Publishing Group).

A group of scientists headed by Mark Nieuwenhuijsen of St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Guy’s Hospital in London, investigated that although sunlight increases the vitamin D status, the ultraviolet radiation in the sun can cause DNA damage. The way the DNA is damaged is by forming thymine dimers (T-T dimmers) increasing chances of skin cancer.

Thymine is one of 4 bases of DNA represented by the letter T. Other nucleotides include adenine (A), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). They are the subunits (building blocks) of DNA that link to form the strands of DNA. In order to form the 2 stands of double-stranded that contain the genetic information, the bases, guanine (G) and cytosine (C) while adenine (A) and thymine (T) form base pairs via hydrogen bonds. What the UVR light can do is cause photo-damage to the DNA by causing the formation of molecular lesions called the T-T dimmers. These are often called pre-mutagenic lesions and happen to be altered DNA structures that have the ability to be mutagenic. Basically, these dimmers have the ability to cause melanomas (skin cancer) in human beings.

Those going on holidays in the sun will have to make a decision if exposing themselves in the sun is worth the risk or not. Although one cannot completely eliminate sun exposure, the time they expose themselves will have to be monitored. Basically it’s a matter of maintaining optimal vitamin D status and minimizing risk of skin cancer.

One of the major drawbacks of this experiment was that a small sample section (n=71) was used and the assessment was carried out over a period of only 6 days. In addition, the observations were made based on the holiday maker’s diary registrations. Furthermore, there was no mention of the holiday destination. The part of the body that was exposed to the sun was also not mentioned.

What this study shows that although sun is good for vitamin D, it has the ability to damage DNA. For a holiday maker in the sun, this means they will have to make efforts to reduce their exposure to the sun. Although this experiment was carried out on 2 nationalities – Danish and Spanish, a wider section of the people would need to be carried out to get a better picture. Also dietary habits also need to be taken into account. For instance, some people eat more eggs which are high in vitamin D. Also gender, skin type, age, variations in the way subjects applied sunscreens and the rest of the variable parameters could also have affected the results.

But then this a real life study carried out on actual people holidaying in the sun. The tests speak for themselves. Those in the sun for extended hours had increased T-T dimmers (in the urine) and 25(OH)D (vitamin D in blood serum).

How do you protect yourself from UV rays?

More people are likely to die from skin cancer caused by too much exposure to the sun than due to low levels of vitamin D. Considering that malignant melanoma is one of the most common types of cancer in the Western world (white skinned population), those travelling to sunny destinations will have to take precautions to prevent excess exposure to the sun.

Let’s take a look at how we can protect ourselves from the sun. Living in a hot country like that of India where temperatures often reach 45 degree Celsius, this is coming from firsthand experience.

You can use a Sun Meter UV card that measures the intensity of the UV rays that can burn your skin. These cards change color from white to dark purple depending on the UV ray strength. It’s quite useful when going on holidays.

Apply sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor of more than 30. Although it does not completely protect you from the harmful radiation of the sun, it does prevent penetration of harmful radiation. I don’t go out without it. You can always use something called, Sun Bum spray sunscreen for kids.

Protect your skin with clothing. Wear long sleeved shirts and pants. But mind you, clothing does not protect you completely. If you can see through a garment, this means that UV light can go through too. Clothing that are tightly woven helps deflect UV rays more than thin cotton. There’s a range of UV protective clothing for both men and women. For instance this, “Columbia Women’s Bahama Long Sleeve Shirt” supposed to be made from material that blocks the sun’s harmful rays.

…If you are travelling to India in the summer, you should read this.

Wear sun protection gloves. For those doing skiing or engaging in sports, it’s a good idea to wear sun gloves especially by those who are going to be in the sun whole day. Some even wear arm sleeves such as these to protect their arms. It’s certainly good for activities such as cycling, fishing, golfing, jogging, and climbing types of outdoor activities.

Wear a cap. At least you will have your face in the shade. Make sure that you have a cap with a wide brim and a neck flap.

When out in bright sunlight you should always wear sunglasses. Not only will they protect your eyesight from harmful ultraviolet rays, but wearing large-framed wraparound shades also protects your face from sunburn. If you already wear spectacles, you could always invest in some prescription sunglasses for your trip. Visit website here to find out more.

Spend more time in the shade. Carry an umbrella if you have to. This Coolibar UPF 50+ Titanium Fashion Umbrella deflects the damaging ultraviolet rays. I personally don’t go out without one either.

If you see any unusual moles or freckles on the skin then get it checked with a doctor.

So you see, it’s a delicate balance between exposing yourself to the sun and getting vitamin D. Just because a well reputed journal has come out with a research, this does not mean people will stop going on holidays. You just have to be more careful and balance it appropriately.

What are your thoughts on this study? Do you have some of your own ways to prevent the sun, if you yes then please feel free to share them below?

Being Fly: How to Find a Cheap Flight

Flights can make a huge dent in our holiday budget, especially when travelling abroad. The quest to get from to A to B and save money is one the greatest challenges for travellers, so when and where can you find the cheapest flights? We bring together some tips.

Booking last minute

You could find a cheap flight by booking last minute, although this method certainly isn’t for everyone. Last minute deals will work out best for those travelling during off-season outside of peak times. Flights are harder to fill during these months, and airlines often drop prices if there are spare seats in the weeks before departure. Last minute deals suit those who can be flexible about travel dates and times, are flying during off-peak times, and can be flexible about their itinerary.