The longest flights in the world are just getting longer. Emirates’ latest route from Dubai to Auckland clocks in at a whopping 16.5 hours – it’s the lengthiest flight on the market – and Qantas plans to launch a new 17-hour route between Perth and London in 2018.

But as painful as long-haul flights can be, it’s their aftermath – jetlag – that cause the greater dread.

That could soon change, though. The medical community has taken the next step toward finding a jetlag cure, thanks to a Salk Institute study published last year in Cell.

Dr. Ronald Evans, the lead author of the study, stated a protein called REV-ERBa may be the key to unlocking a regular, healthy circadian rhythm no matter where (or when) in the world you are.

Turns out, the circadian rhythm, a physiological cycle that roughly matches up to the length of a day, doesn’t just regulate when we feel sleepy – it also regulates when we get hungry and when we feel most active. “Under normal circumstances,” Evans said, “we sleep when it’s dark, and wake up and eat when the sun rises.”

Listen to your gut

Eating is a key point: circadian rhythm is about both sleep and metabolism. In other words, you can fight jetlag by consuming and burning calories at the right times as well as trying to sleep at proper times.

Your circadian rhythm doesn’t regulate itself: REV-ERBa does. According to Evans’ study, the protein acts as a sort of master switch that coordinates the “turning on and off” of genes that regulate our circadian rhythms, including those involved in metabolism.

Pinpointing that master switch and understanding how it works is the first step to controlling it artificially. By regulating both the amount of REV-ERBa in the body as well as how much it fluctuates over the course of a day, we might eventually find a cure for jet lag. And it doesn’t end there: the same science may eventually offer relief to people with chronic sleeping issues and other chronic conditions that can develop as a result of a disrupted circadian cycle.

Alternative strategies

A pill that prevents jet lag is still years down the road, but there are plenty of simple but specific strategies that let you take matters into your own hands. Yes, different strokes work for different folks – frequent road warriors tout everything from popping a pill before take-off to doing yoga upon arrival to apps – but the more we understand the mechanisms that create jet lag, the better equipped we are to pick and choose our tactics.

Evans’ biggest takeaway is to place equal importance on all three of those pillars of circadian rhythm when re-setting your schedule in a new time zone. The sooner you’re moving around, sleeping, and eating at the right times, the sooner you’ll adjust.

The heightened role of diet in fighting jet lag led us to call in nutritionist Kimberly Snyder for extra advice; her clients include A-listers like Kerry Washington, Channing Tatum, and Ben Stiller, and she’s recently co-written a book with Deepak Chopra that discusses circadian rhythms at length.

Meal planning

Her pro tip: Skip the hotel breakfast. And don’t even think about room service.

Instead, says Evans, you should wake up at a normal hour and head off-site for a morning meal: it’ll reset both your activity and feeding cycles while getting you some fresh air and forcing you to wake up at a reasonable time. Counter-intuitive as it sounds, it’s far better than easing into your morning under the hotel duvet with a cup of coffee.

“We can use food and light exposure to adjust more rapidly by timing when we eat, sleep, wake up, and are exposed to natural light,” she advises. Sunlight, she says, “helps signal and reset our circadian rhythms,” allowing our bodies to adapt more quickly.

You are what you eat

Snyder adds that what you order for breakfast can also make a difference. To combat the stresses of travel, avoid those fatty, sugary foods we all crave when we’re sleepy and instead eat foods rich in amino acids and antioxidants such as asparagus, broccoli, avocado, spinach and garlic. Avocado toast and veggie omelets never looked better.

More tips for weary travellers:
• Get ahead of the game. Some shift their sleep schedules before a trip; thanks to Evans’ study on REV-ERBa, we now know that you can shift your meal schedule, too. Snyder says “we should fast while on the plane, and then eat soon after landing, in order to reset our rhythm.” And if you land with a ravenous appetite at midnight, try to avoid an absurdly late dinner. Instead, “time your first meal to match the nearest meal time of your new time zone,” she said.
• You are what you eat. “Be sure not to eat a protein- or fat-rich dinner the night before travel,” said Snyder. “Not only will that make you feel heavy [on the plane], but it also directs energy into digestion through the night.” This makes it harder to fall asleep in flight-as if it wasn’t challenging already. Skipping the plane food doesn’t hurt, either.
• You’re also what you drink. “Drink plenty of water, and bring natural vitamin C or antioxidant packets to mix into your water on the plane and after your flight,” advised Snyder. She said travellers should also avoid alcohol and caffeine prior to, during, and after travel since both are dehydrating and can have deleterious effects the nervous system. If you do drink, go with the frequent travellers’ rule of thumb: two glasses of water for every glass of wine or cup of coffee.
• Supplements help. You know to take melatonin if you can’t fall asleep in your new time zone. But what about magnesium oxide? It can keep your digestive health in check (we’re talking about the end process of nutrition here) which contributes a “regular” circadian rhythm.
• Be realistic. If you don’t recover from jet lag in the first day or two, don’t beat yourself up. Some travellers are faster adapters than others, and circadian clocks can only be adjusted bit by bit.

There has been a big shift in travel destinations in the past two years. Not that long ago, if you asked someone where they were planning to travel to, you would get a wide range of answers, from chic international city stays in amazing cities like Paris, London, Rome, New York to places a little more exotic like Nepal, Mexico, Kenya – But, with an every changing world, and no doubt a lot of recent tragic world events, it is causing a lot of travellers to rethink their holiday plans.

This has given rise to a large surge in people holidaying domestically in Australia or hopping on over to New Zealand – and why not, there is so much to see and do right here at home, maybe it’s time for you to get reacquainted with Australia.

In a recent survey of more than 4,000 Australians, the top ten destinations they hope to see are:

1. Uluru, Northern Territory
2. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
3. The Kimberley, Western Australia
4. The Whitsundays, Queensland
5. Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
6. Margaret River Region, Western Australia
7. Lord Howe Island, NSW
8. Wineglass Bay, Tasmania
9. Great Ocean Road, Victoria
10. Kangaroo Island, South Australia

How many of these incredible destinations have you been to?

Whether you are after a beach escape, food and wine indulgence, outback adventure, good old fashioned road trip, or tropical paradise, Australia has it covered for bucket list travellers.

Go all out this Australia Day and plan your own Aussie bucket list holiday.

In the past, planning a vacation meant calling a travel agent to book your flights, hotels and activities. But, now in the Internet age, it has become common practice for travelers to book their travel themselves, which not only provides a myriad of options, but is often much better value.

In response to this, travel agencies usually stress the service a travel agent offers. But, consumers need to be aware that they will pay for the service and potential convenience of not planning the trip themselves. But, exactly what is the service consumers pay for? Often the travel agent will use internet based programs that have no more access than anyone jumping online at home and a lot of larger chain travel agencies hire people with little to no prior experience in the travel industry, put them through a 4 week training program and sit them in front of the consumer as an “expert”.

In saying that, there are many great travel agents that have extensive knowledge and experience and can guide consumers to products and provide destination insights that can turn a good holiday into a great holiday.

But with the vast array of travel booking options available, often price becomes a determining factor. There has been a huge boost in consumers turning to comparative booking engines, as they provide consumers with a range of prices from different suppliers in the one location which allows the opportunity for consumers to choose the right product for them. More importantly at the right price.

Online suppliers also have very little to no overheads and so the margin on the products they offer are low, relying on volume of bookings. Where as travel agencies have numerous costs including the travel agents wages, the lease on the store front, the power and telecommunications bills, so often they will place a mark-up on the product – there is nothing wrong with this, that is how economies work – a product is bought at a wholesale or nett rate and a margin or retail mark-up is added to the product. In the travel industry, wholesale suppliers such as airlines, tour companies, cruise lines, etc. pay agents a commission for booking their product and this does not affect the price you pay – But, often travel agencies will put an additional mark-up on the price – making it more expensive than booking direct or with an online provider.

This is because a lot of travel agents are under a lot of pressure to hit a monetary target each week or month and this can result in them increasing the mark-up to ensure they hit their targets, as bonuses such as commissions are linked directly to their performance toward these targets.

Booking a holiday should be a joyous occasion and whether consumers choose to book online or with a travel agent – it pays to research all of the options available to ensure the best deal – what better way to begin your adventure than with an amazing deal!

 

Where are you planning to travel in 2017? Will you choose the adventure of a lifetime? total relaxation? Culinary? A biking tour? A road trip?

There is so much to see in the world and so little time to see it.

We have compiled a list of the Countries tipped to be in the top 10 travel destinations this year.

10. Ethiopia
Ethiopia is as exotic as a country can be. Not only do they have their own calendar, but also language, script, church, cuisine and of course amazing coffee. You can trek the Simien Mountains to see wildlife nowhere else on earth, climb to a church in Tigray carved out of a cliff face or visit a age-old Monastery by boat on Lake Tana. You will be utterly amazed by the beauty of the landscape and friendliness of the people.

9. Myanmar
Also known as Burma a lot of changes have taken place, most notably the election of a civilian government for the first time in around 50 years! And South-East Asia’s most secretive country is set to receive an influx of travellers seeking a chance to see a fast vanishing Asia where life moves differently to the rhythm of chanting monks and monastery bells.

8. Oman
Oman has been the jewel in the crown that is Arabia for a while now and looks set to raise it’s appeal even higher. The sultanate is known for it’s breathtaking beauty and kaleidoscope of history, buzzing souks (markets) and stunning mosques – And the swathe of luxury accommodation choices including the incredible Six Senses Masundam Peninsula and soon to open offerings from Kempinski and Anantara.

7. Mongolia
With a brand new international airport to open in 2017 in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is heralding a bright new future due to an economic boom that sees the capital cities skyline peppered with new steel and glass towers. Also set for completion in 2017 is the Shangri-La complex which will feature a 290 room hotel, an IMAX theatre and Hard Rock cafe. Don’t miss seeing the towering statue of Genghis Khan in Ulaanbaatar and just outside the city is the stunning Mongolian countryside highlighted by Lake Khovsgol.

6. Bermuda
Just over 1,000kms from the North Carolina coast, Bermuda is reachable from most East-Coast US cities in around 2 hours to see you immersed with a combination of Britain mixed with an unmistakable island flair. Bermuda will play host to the America’s cup in June with the USA will defend their title. And year round temperate climates make it an ideal location for your next holiday.

5. Nepal
Even natural disasters can’t keep Nepal down for long. And even after the devastation of the Earthquakes in 2015, travellers are in awe not of what is lost, but of what remains. Some temples crumbled, while others didn’t even have a tile out of place and whole swathes of the country escaped serious damage including the world famous trekking trails. Travellers are in a great position to help rebuild the nation by visiting and supporting the local culture and its people and to help it bounce back even stronger.

4. Dominica
The locals say if Christopher Columbus rose from his grave, Dominica would be the only Caribbean island he would still recognise. See prehistoric ferns and deserted beaches where the only skyscrapers are are the Coconut Palms! Dominica is set for rapid expansion in 2018 including large scale chain stores, so see it before the new wave of tourism hits its shores.

3. Finland
Finland was fought over by Russia and Sweden for 800 years, and finally gained independence in 1917 – and the country is planning major celebrations in its centenary year. Travellers will be delighted with al fresco concerts, communal culinary experiences and sauna evenings. See the new national Park, an 11,000 hectare park studded with Pine forests and crisscrossed by rivers. Discover Finland’s proudly unique culture and landscapes.

2. Colombia
For decades, civil war and crime meant only hardened travellers ventured to Colombia. Fast forward to the present day and the those lost years seem like a distant memory to most Colombians who are keen to proudly display the countries vibrant culture, nature and amazing hospitality. Now over a decade into its dramatic about-face, this jewel of South America will welcome a visit from the pope in 2017.

1. Canada
2017 will see Canada celebrate its sesquicentennial, marking 150 years since confederation. And bolstered by the positivity unleashed by its energetic new leader, Justin Trudeau, Canada is getting set for an elongated birthday party. Not to mention the vibrant cities, friendly and inclusive people and stunning scenery – all of which goes to making Canada the number 1 choice for 2017.

It is a privilege to have the ability to travel – Make 2017 a special and memorable year.

Now, I ask again: Where are you planning to travel in 2017?

Qantas to launch Perth to London non-stop service

Qantas have logged a number of firsts in their history and they are getting set for another.

Penciled in to start in March 2018 (possibly earlier), the new 787 dreamliner will embark on a new route between Perth and London – Travelling more than 14,470kms with a flight duration of around 17 hours, making it one of the longest non-stop flights in the world. And creating a direct link between Australia and Europe!

“This is a game-changing route flown by a game-changing aircraft,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement. “Australians have never had a direct link to Europe before so the opportunities this opens up are huge.”

“It’s great news for travellers because it will make it easier to get to London. It’s great news for Western Australia because it will bring jobs and tourism. And it’s great news for the nation, because it will bring us closer to one of our biggest trade partners and sources of visitors.”

Qantas have made additional considerations with the aircraft, especially regarding passenger comfort.

In addition to the comfort factors that Boeing have built in to the Dreamliner are improved air quality, lower cabin noise and technology to reduce air turbulence. All designed to make the longer flight time more enjoyable for every passenger.

Mr Joyce said, “A direct flight makes travelling to Australia a much more attractive proposition to millions of people. We expect many travellers from Europe will start their time in Australia with a visit to Perth before going on to see other parts of the country.

“Our modelling shows that people from the East Coast as well as South Australia would fly domestically to Perth to connect to our non-stop London service. Some will take the opportunity to break their journey, whether it’s for business meetings in Perth, to holiday or to visit family.”

The airline will also look at re-scheduling it’s domestic service to ensure good connectivity with the long-haul London flight.

Remember to check back for further updates and get ready to book your tickets! As first tickets look to be available for sale in April 2017 for the first services to take to the skies in March 2018.