It seems that traveling can be done ALMOST free!  You can stay free in luxury homes in exotic places….sleep free in the homes of locals all over the world…..or you can work temporary jobs for bed, board, & sometimes food. Just you need the information. Here is some of them for you.

I’ve been an active member of www.couchsurfing.org for a number of years.  I have lifelong friends around the world that I have met through this site. With couchsurfing,  you tap into like minded yet diverse people who love to travel, meet new people, learn the culture, and who trust humankind!  There are millions of members in over 230 countries and territories around the world.  It’s an experience that I believe EVERY traveler should attempt.  Another benefit of this site is the wealth of real time information about the city, country, people, activities, etc of the city or country you are planning to visit…or live.

If you find yourself stranded in between destinations at an airport or just don’t have the money to spend on a bed, www.sleepinginairports.com tells you where to find hidden corners of major airports where you can have some privacy & sleep in relative comfort.  The information is provided by real people sharing their experiences. Not only that, the site also gives you information on WiFi availability, airport hotels, charging stations, showers, and other tips.

Belodged.com “opens a borderless world of unique contacts”.  Very similar to Couchsurfing and it is free as well!

It’s a fact that rich people don’t like to leave their houses empty.  So house sitters can live in mansions, farms, ranches, resort or vacation homes, yachts, retreat centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, private islands, and any other kind of property imaginable  for weeks or months, completely rent-free!  The Caretaker Gazette, www.caretaker.org, is a subscription newsletter that brings house owners & house sitters together.

In the same vein but restricted only to the USA is www.housecarers.com.  It, however, costs $55 a year for house sitters.  It is free for homeowners.

Servas International, www.servas.org, is an organization of people working to build understanding, tolerance & world peace by opening their homes & pantries to travelers at no cost for a minimum of 2 days.  Some people are hosts, some are travelers, & some are both.  There is a fee for membership & host lists as well as other requirements, depending on if you are hosting or traveling.

Similar to couchsurfing but with a small fee, there’s Worldwide Homestay,www.worldwidehomestay.com.  Homestay programs are a great way to meet locals on your trip, people who aren’t trying to sell you something or be your paid guide. It can be an enriching experience for both parties and can save you a significant sum of money, especially in countries where lodging is expensive. It gives you a chance to see how the locals live and to get an insider’s perspective on the area. The people you stay with often know the best local bargains, the most worthwhile things to see and do, and the easiest way to get from point A to point B. In places with limited public transportation, your hosts will often pick you up from the train station, bus station, or airport.

Place2Stay.net provides a point of contact for individuals worldwide who need a place to rest their heads for free.  Again, similar to couchsurfing.

Www.affordabletravelclub.net requires a small annual membership fee + a very small fee to stay in the homes of other members around the globe.  The hosts provide accommodations, breakfast, & an hour of their time to acquaint the guest with their area.

Monasteries & convents around the world offer cheap beds & meals. The prices vary but most are as cheap or cheaper than hostels.  Good Night & God Bless is the most comprehensive website I found for this type of accommodation, 
www.goodnightandgodbless.com.  
Another, which is restricted to Italian monasteries iswww.monasterystays.com.

When students go home for the summer & holidays, many colleges and universities open their dorms to visitors. Expect basic but very affordable accommodations (bathrooms may be down the hall, for example).  An upside of this type of accommodation is that restaurants, bars and entertainment venues often surround college campuses, so there should be plenty of action nearby. There are few central databases of this type of lodging —University-Rooms.com is one to try — but it’s worth calling a few local campuses directly to see if anything might be available during your trip. The local tourist board may also be able to help.

iStopOver.com, offers travelers the option of renting a room in someone’s house, a cottage or a private studio apartment for low nightly rates (it’s not uncommon to see prices under $50 per night). It’s a way for hosts to open up their homes and make a little extra money, while giving travelers a great deal and a local’s-eye view of a destination.  On this site, you can do a “WiseAsk” to get hosts to compete for your business.

One can find freedom for a modest membership fee (about $25 for 2 years) onwww.helpx.net.  As a “volunteer helper”, you can join for free too but you won’t be able to utilize all they have to offer.  During your travels, if you find you are low on funds or if you just want to stay with local people & gain practical experience, you can find a short-term job for room & board.  Some jobs offer that plus a small stipend.  Read the ads carefully & ask lots of questions!  Those who wish to host can join for free.

Then there is Work Away, www.workaway.info, which works pretty much the same as HelpX.  There is a $28 fee for 2 years.

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, www.wwoof.org,  is a group of organizations that link volunteers up with organic farmers.  In return for volunteer help, WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.

Www.oneworld365.com, is a directory of travel opportunities including volunteer projects, gap year ideas, career break & year out projects, TEFL/ESL teaching & courses, seasonal work, summer/winter jobs, working vacations, adventure breaks, expeditions & tours featuring 10,128 organizations worldwide.

The Jobs Abroad Bulletin Board (JAB), www.jobsabroadbulletin.co.uk, has ads offering seasonal jobs of almost every kind almost everywhere.  This site includes numerous links to other travel related job, volunteer, & lifestyle sites.

Www.the-working-traveller.com, also offers up a number of helpful travel, overseas job & volunteer links.

www.summercampjobs365.com offers…you got it…summer camp jobs!

Always dreamed of crewing on a yacht?
www.crewfile.com & www.floatplan.com offer jobs openings for just that!  Sail to your next vacation location while earning your way!

Then there’s the dilemma of how far you have to walk or how long is that bus or train ride.  Why not share a ride?  Sure, hitchhiking isn’t what it used to be back in the day but it’s still alive.  Safer though, is finding someone going your way before you hit the tarmac!  There are several sites dedicated to getting you there more economically & ecologically!  Find the one that’s right for you!

eRideshare.com consists mostly of commuter listings for daily commutes to work.  The site also syndicates rideshares from Craigslist.

AlterNetRides.com gives users a way to share rides within the framework of their own communities.

Ridester.com is a feedback-rated rideshare community.

CarpoolWorld.com is a ridesharing solution for 24 different countries.

Shareyourride.com

RideBuzz.org

RewardRide.com

Zimride.com is a carpool service that started on facebook, but now also works with Universities and companies.

Hitchhikers.org is an international bulletin for hitchhikers.

Digihitch.com is a forum for hitchhikers that offers up advice & answers general hitchhiking questions.

Draggo.com/carpool_rideshare

ZipCar.com is the largest car sharing service in the USA.  Offers the convenience of car access without the hassle of car ownership.

http://www.travbuddy.com

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Now a days with DSLR technoogy many people got interested in self photography. But some people tried to add extra dimension to this and looked for r normal sways to creat a photograph which is impossible in our normal sense. To do such type of work, the main thing is to think out of the box, creating a idea and then research on that to make it possible. Here i am sharing with you my favorite 10 impossible photography 

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In this digital age, capturing a moment in vivid details is no longer that impossible. But because we are humans and we can still appreciate beauty, we still admire a beautifully taken photograph. But wait until you see what these hyperrealistic painters can do. Not only can they copy every detail of a photograph skillfully, they can also trick your eye into believing that what you’re seeing is real. Look and be amazed:

1. Roberto Bernardi

Look at that painting! If I came across that during a random Google image search, I would never think that it is an oil painting on canvas. From the depth of field to how the light hits the basket, this screams “digital photo” to my brain. Alas, my brain is fooled. But I guess that’s okay since Roberto Bernardi is skilled enough and is the right painter to mess with my brain. He studied Renaissance painting while still a student and actually worked in Rome as a restorer in the early ’90s.

2. Denis Peterson

This looks like photo from a National Geographic magazine, does it? But you know it’s not. This is called Don’t Shed No Tears. This acrylic on canvas is just one of the many hyperrealistic paintings that Denis has done. He is so good that his works have been displayed in many high-end museums. His more recent works show New York urbanscapes with giant billboards. You would think that the billboards are the paintings but the buildings, buses, and people are part of the whole canvas, too.

3. Jason de Graaf

The thing that you will notice right away with Jason’s paintings is the way he captures water. From the movement to the beauty of a single drop, your mind would refuse to accept that you’re seeing a painting. Assuming that this is a photograph, you’d admire the person who took it because of his or her perfect timing and fast shutter speed. But when you realize it’s a painting, your mind is officially blown.

4. Gregory Thielker

Gregory is another hyperrealist known for his work with water-related subjects. Not only are his painting hyperreal, they are cinematographic as well. This painting, for instance, will transport you to a movie scene where the character waits patiently inside a vehicle. Any minute now, that rain-drenched window will slide down and another character will be introduced to the scene. This is oil on linen and called “Until Now.”

5. Luigi Benedicenti

This painting puts to shame the work of the best food photographers out there. In fact, all food paintings of this Italian master look incredibly real and delicious. I’d hazard to say that they look even more mouth-watering than an actual scoop of ice cream or slice of fruit in front of you. One look and your senses are assaulted with all great things that you relate with luxurious treats — from the aroma to the way they melt to the texture to the way they taste in your mouth.

6. Jacques Bodin

This French hyperrealist has shown his beautiful works in Milan and Paris. His close-up paintings of women can rival the most detailed editorials of magazines. But it’s his paintings of grass that really take on a hyperreal element. This painting, for instance, can easily be a photograph of a grassy knoll near the beach.

7. Pedro Campos

“How could this be anything but a photograph?” you ask yourself. Well, it’s not. It’s an oil on canvas that measures around sixty by sixty inches. This is not the most impressive of this hyperrealist’s works. He also has fantastic paintings of fruits, soda cans, marbles, and other objects that will make you go “Whoa!” The thing that you must notice is the way he paints plastic bags; they look so real you can almost hear them crinkle.

8. Claudio Bravo

Hailing from Chile, this hyperrealist now lives in Tangier, Moroco. If that brilliant painting is not enough to impress you, Claudio has been commissioned by very powerful people to do their portraits. Examples are the former president and first lady of the Philippines, Ferdinand and Imelda Marco and the dictator of Spain, Franco.

9. Alyssa Monks

This talented lady’s works can be primarily categorized as photo realism but she has some paintings that can be called nothing but hyperreal. Her series of bathing portraits, for example, include genuinely exceptional hyperrealist pieces. This is not really surprising since Alyssa is one of the celebrated painters of our time. Her works have been displayed in top galleries all over the world. She has also been awarded the Elizabeth Greensheilds Foundation Grant for Painting thrice.

10. Simon Hennessey

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Doing portraits primarily, Simon is one of the most popular hyperrealists today. He has painted celebrities and has has shows all over the UK. If you ever like having your mind blown, you may visit his work at the Plus One gallery in London. And perhaps, if you have money to burn, you can ask him to do a portrait of you.

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One thing you won't lack for in Vienna is a place to go and drink coffee. You'll often find there is one opposite your hotel, which is very handy when you wake up late, miss breakfast, and need something to wake you up in the morning. Not that we've done this on a very regular basis. Much...

There is something about Vienna's wide variety of coffeehouses that is very comforting. We suspect they used to having to cater to hungover tourists and locals, so the staff generally speak softly and give you what you want with the minimum of fuss—in our case normally something greasy such as fried sausages and a large pot of coffee.

Of course, coffee drinking isn't just for those who have been out the night before. Vienna's coffeehouses are great places to meet friends for a chat and catch up. If you're feeling peckish, you can enjoy a range of sweet treats along with your coffee.

Whether you go to Café Sacher, one of the most luxurious cafés in Vienna, or one of the many small coffeehouses surrounding it, you can find the perfect atmosphere for you. You see, the Viennese coffeehouse is more than simply a place to enjoy coffee; it's an institution. Writers such as Karl Kraus and Elias Canetti, artists such as Gustav Klimt, and other creative geniuses all sat down in various coffeehouses to relax and discuss ideas. Whether you go to the Café Hawelka or the Café Museum, you are sitting in a piece of history.

If you fancy something a bit different, however, you might want to try Haas & Haas, which offers a variety of breakfasts from around the world. You can sit down and order a full English breakfast while your partner has dim sum, the Chinese breakfast, served in a bamboo steamer. Café Sperl is famous for its soft boiled eggs and ham, and Café Drechsler, our personal favorite, offers great sausages and goulash—a perfect hangover cure.

When you have a coffeehouse just over the road from your hotel, though, you will find that it's the perfect place to have a midmorning snack and just generally relax. That's what makes Vienna's coffeehouse culture absolutely fantastic—they are relaxing, charming, and elegant. And the coffee is great, too!

If you are a massive music fan, there are a lot of options for you in Vienna. Whether you like classical music, jazz, rock, metal, or pop, you are sure to find a venue that will cater to you, and they’re all within easy reach from your hotel or zimmer.

Classical music, of course, has a major influence in Vienna. The Vienna State Opera offers performances 300 days of the year on a wide variety of themes, albeit based on opera or ballets. In addition, the Vienna Musikverein and the Vienna Konzerthaus both offer a wide range of classical music, including concerts, musicals, and recitals. 

If you prefer something a little more modern, there are a wide variety of clubs and other venues within the city. One of the biggest venues is the U4 club, which has seen the likes of Prince, Nirvana, and Grace Jones. If you're feeling brave, you can check out the Jenseits Café & Dance. This former brothel generally focuses on funk and soul with a little bit of jazz thrown in. If you're in the mood for a wide variety of music, the Prater Dome offer something for everyone. Vienna's largest disco offers a wide range of music, from dance, trance, and garage to R&B, salsa, and Latino – all in the same venue.

No city would be complete without its jazz clubs. One of the best clubs to visit is Jazzland, which is Vienna's oldest jazz club. Hidden underneath a church, this club has managed to attract numerous famous jazz musicians, from Big Joe Williams to Ray Brown. The food is pretty decent too. Another place to visit would be Porgy and Bess. This unique club has musicians from around the world visiting it, including some more unusual ensembles. A recent concert featured jazz musicians from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. If you just fancy a very nice dinner with some jazz in the background, go to the Albertina Passage, which is based in the Vienna State Opera. 

If you fancy doing a bit of dancing, you can practice your samba or salsa in Vienna's Latino clubs. Floridita is a great place to experience the delights of Cuba, and El Dorado's cozy atmosphere is a perfect place to learn a little bit about Latin America's dances.

Finding these clubs is generally easy, but be sure to check out what is open by asking around. Some of the smaller clubs are well worth a visit, so ask your friendly Austrian hotel staff for details.

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Before coming to Europe, I had no idea about street arts. I only saw few of such things in magazines or in movies. After coming here, i got amazed by the art quality and the creativity behind such great form of arts. 

Specially i loved the ones in trains in Portugal, in the train tunnels of France. Though i don,t know it the graffiti and the street arts are different or the same. The main think is i loved the format. This is a way, where art can become a weapon against all that is evil in our society today. I call this artists the baul of modern times. I heard about streets arts in Latin america is one of the best. I would love to go there in my life to see those by myself. 


I appreciate these artists a lot for the work they had been doing for years. 

Here i am sharing with you my top ten favorite street arts. 

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Kustia is a city in Bangladesh where lived two legends who shaped the bangla culture to what it is todays. There must me something in the land, in the air in that city. I once been there and felt the difference. The city is amazingly poetic, brings out the spirituality among a person. 

Each year there is a Lalon festival in this city, where all the baul singer gathers and exchanges their philosophies.  They perform to the fullest. I have some audio collection of those, which i will upload in my youtube channel soon and post the link in the blog. Here i am sharing some photos with you to give a feel of the things on the night of the festival.

Also in kustia, there is the kuthi bari of Rabindronath Tagore, it is made of wood, there is a nice lake by the house. Amazingly clam and musical environment. Very hard to explain. We should all oneday visit that place to now how our poet felt living some years in that place.

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The time of Christmas markets is quickly approaching, travel agencies have already offered two – three days long arrangements to most popular destinations around Europe that attract thousands of people every year. Maybe you are thinking of visiting one of those places as we speak.

The idea of Christmas fairs is generally the same, though there are some differences between regions and countries. East Europe is well-known as a destination that every traveler puts on his travel map at this time of year. Visiting some of the best fairs in Germany like Nurberg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Etfurt or Dresden you cannot miss, as well as Vienna’s market in Austria, Budapest’s in Hungary or Prague’s in Czech Republic. All the markets open on the last week of November and last till Christmas Eve, marking the weeks of Advent. They work from morning to late evening, around 8 or 9 pm and are usually held on main squares.

Christkindlmarkt, Vienna

Particularly attractive during late afternoons and evenings, when it’s dark and all the lights and people create the seemingly warm atmosphere, Christmas markets turn into shopping bazaars. The original concept was to present and sell hand-crafted work typical for that region and for the period (Christmas time). But nowdays, you’ll find things such as hand-crafted work, Christmas ornaments to gloves and scarves, candels, jewlery, sweets and more. So don’t believe everything you hear! 

booth, Vienna

The second reason why people visit Christmas markets is because of the food. There is always something typical for the region you are in but where ever you go, you will find the inescapable grilled suasages, deep-fried potato cakes and hot mulled wine. Just to keep the winter cold away… And where there is food, there is music too. Coming out of the numerous wooden booths or sometimes as live performances in the later hours of the day. Kids won’t be neglected either. With so many sweets to choose from and shows to watch, you will not have to worry about the little ones.

Erfurt

Nurberg

My disclaimer is that you really don’t have much to do there for three day. Have fun, enjoy the atmosphere and then take a walk around the city, go shopping or sit in one of the local cafes or restaurants. In the end, all you want to do is to experience the Christmas spirit…

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