Culinary Travel Trends

As strange as it sounds, food is increasingly becoming a major reason for people to pack their bags and head to the airport. The “Foodie Era” has encouraged people to not only travel for culture, historical or relaxation purposes, but rather with the intent of getting absorbed into the culinary atmosphere of a new place. From tastes to culinary styles, there is so much you can learn about a place through your tongue and tummy.

Adding to that, more people have realised that you no longer need to visit the swankiest restaurant in town to enjoy a culinary experience. Some argue that you are more likely to have an authentic taste experience by visiting a local market and stocking up on fresh ingredients to go crazy in the kitchen with. Readers Digest  says this is one of the best reasons to do a house swap instead of staying in a hotel, so that you’ll live, eat and shop like a local.

If you’re not much of a cook, then don’t worry, you don’t actually have to slave away in the kitchen every day to get a taste of local culture. Many markets around the world sell tasty traditional delicacies which you can sample. Then there are the small cafes and restaurants that focus solely on their country’s traditional dishes. The setting often allows for you to get lost in the both the gastronomical and cultural flavours of the place you’re visiting.

So when it comes to planning a foodie holiday; whether you plan to cook-up more fresh foods than Jamie Oliver could ever dream of, or eating from local stalls and eateries; you’ll need to do a little bit of research.

Thankfully, our Hummba audio city guides are not just for touring. They include the names and descriptions of some of the best fresh food markets and restaurants in the world’s most popular cities. Download mobile guides to the food-lovers’ cities of New York, Paris, and Rome!

The Flower Carpets of Sitges

Sixty days after Easter Sunday, on the last day of the Corpus Christi Festival, hundreds of locals awake in the early hours of the morning to transform the streets of the Spanish town of Sitges (just south of Barcelona) into ‘flower carpets’. Known as Catif de flors in Catalan, these carpets are made up of thousands of brightly-coloured petals, flowers and seeds. They traditionally depict images of various Catholic effigies, but also feature a range of truly imaginative creations.

The Corpus Christi Festival is a Catholic celebration in honour of the Eucharist – the body of Jesus Christ. However, despite this being a predominantly religious festival, it still attracts hundreds of non-Catholic visitors every year. Most of the streets and plazas of Sitges become pedestrian-only zones, and the flower displays are the centre of attention.

The displays themselves are cordoned-off, which protects them from being trampled underfoot, but this can also cause a bit of overcrowding. Be sure to head out early, so as to avoid feeling cramped in the narrow pathways. Regardless of what time you head out, however, you’ll be glad that you did. The displays are quite simply breath taking; ranging from intricate and detailed to full on flower sculptures bursting with colour. The Catif de flors will not leave you feeling disappointed. To help you navigate the city, download the Hummba Audio Sitges Town Guide. 

Tennis Spectating Do's and Dont's

The summer tennis season is upon us, which will see thousands of spectators flock to Europe to see the two of the most popular tennis Grand Slams of the year – the French Open at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. For first timers, the experience can be both magical and overwhelming, as there seems to be a never-ending list of etiquettes to follow, thousands of people, and long queues to navigate. These simple do’s and don’ts will help you get the most out of your tennis experience.

DO get there early 

The queues just to get in both Roland Garros and Wimbledon can become ridiculously long, and it could take you hours to get inside the grounds. To avoid wasting time sweating in the summer heat, aim to get there as early as possible. Chances are you will still have to stand in a queue, but for half the time. As the tournaments reach their final stages, the queues can quadruple in size – so plan on arriving at least a couple of hours before game-play, even if you already have a ticket.

DON’T talk on your phone during game-play

It doesn’t matter if you are seated at centre court or standing and watching the youngsters play on Court 18, having your mobile go off during game play, and then talking on it, is one of the biggest faux pas you could make. Not only will you get the ‘stink-eye’ from everyone around you, but you could get called out by the umpire or even the players themselves. Naturally, you will be removed from the Court and possibly the grounds themselves. This is a mistake you do not want to make.

DO get involved

Just make sure you do it at the right time. When the Umpire asks for silence, he truly means it. There can be nothing more distracting for players to have fans screaming at them as they are about to make their match-point serve, or any serve for that matter. It can also be quite disrupting for those sitting around you. When that excellent return is made, and that point won, go ahead and cheer, and enjoy that magical moment with the crowd around you.

DON’T walk around during game play

Picture this: You’re sitting in the cinema, or you’re watching a play at the theatre, when suddenly a person in your row decides they need to leave. Imagine how irritating that can be. That is the exact reason you should not be moving around after game-play has started. There is nothing more frustrating for your fellow spectators than to have their view suddenly blocked at that critical moment. If you do need to leave the court, wait until the end of a game, and then leave quickly and quietly.

DO enjoy the atmosphere

Just walking around the grounds of Roland Garros and Wimbledon can be quite an experience. Everyone is in high spirits and discussing the results, the upcoming games and their predictions. They’ll also most definitely be indulging in some of the tasty treats associated with the location. At Roland Garros you'll have to try their delectable macaroon and champagne (‘Ace’ instead of champers for minors) combination, and a day at Wimbledon wouldn’t be complete without having a taste of strawberries and cream.

DON’T forget to explore the city

You may have come to Paris or London just to watch the tennis, but both of these cities have so much to offer it would be a shame not to set some time aside to go exploring. Take a day and visit the incredible art museums of Paris, and be sure to take a ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower and take in the spectacular panoramic views of the city. A visit to London is not complete without paying a visit to the Tower of London, where the rich and dark history of the city is shared. Nor is it quite complete without a walk through its marvellous gardens and parks which connect Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace – homes to the current Royal Family. Download the FREE Tourism Radio Paris and London  Mobile Guides to accompany on your explorations.

 

Top Ten 2013 Summer Holiday Trends

Summer is starting to make its presence felt in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in thousands of travel plans being dreamed up and made. We take a look at these Top Ten 2013 summer trends and how they will affect your plans, jazz up your holiday and improve your trip.

10. Airport Security

Getting on a jet-plane and flying off is made dramatically less exciting by having to do the airport security dance. If you’ve ever travelled by plane, you’ll know it. The coat-off, unlace/unbuckle shoe, whip-off-belt jiggle, which is then followed by the shuffle through and scramble to put it all back on. If you’re really lucky, you’ll set the detector off and have to add the full body feel up to the routine. However, now there is a way to escape having to even take you laptop out of its bag: join the TSA precheck club and frustrating security checks will become a thing of the past.

9. Luxury Contiki, without the price tag

Luxury and cheap and two very contrasting adjectives, but they go hand in hand when it comes to booking a luxury Contiki holiday this summer. Various Contiki tour operators, such as Abercrombie and Kent, have broadened their offering of activities and lodgings, so as to attract a wider range of travellers. This means you can taste the high-life, without forking out large sums of money. Just be aware that some tour operators will increase the size of the groups to lower the costs. For some, this just means more people to socialise with, but for other is can be a crowded nightmare. Make sure you check the max group capacity before you book if this is a concern.

8. Smartphone = Smart Traveller

Carrying fiddly bits of paper in the form of boarding passes and tickets is fast becoming a thing of the past. Especially with apps such as Passbook which is not free and ready to download, but comes standard with ios6. Passbook allows you to store your tickets for everything; from your boarding pass to your travel insurance to hotel bookings.

7. Online booking

Gone are the days when you needed someone else to book your flights and plan your trip. Online booking has been around for ages, but more and more people are relying on this method to not only get where they are going, but also ensure they get the best possible prices while doing so. And booking sites are encouraging this. There are a variety of accommodation and flight sites, such as Expedia.com and Travelocity.com, which allow travellers to find the best deals possible. These sites are not just promoting the cheap and nasty, but actual world-class airlines and hotels. You can also book your own travel insurance and rentals online, and usually for much less than what the travel agent is offering you.

6. House Swap

Accommodation can often take up a large portion of your holiday budget, and for some, staying in hotels even detracts from their holiday. So what to do? Well, just as Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet did in The Holiday, you can try a house swap.  It’s simple. You register on one of many house swap sites such as Lovehomeswap.com or homeswapper.co.uk, get vetted and then get choosing. You can find houses to swap locally and internationally, depending on your location. Just remember, while you may be living in a a wonderful new home for a week or two, a stranger will be living in yours.

5. Lying on the beach

According to Orbitz.com, three quarters of the US population is heading to the beach this summer, and Europe seems set to follow suit. The question is; which beach is everyone heading to? The Travel Channel seems to think its Australia’s Gold Coast. Famous for its perfect surf conditions, golden sands and warm water, the Gold Coast offers a variety of beaches for you to see, and be seen at. The most popular is Kirra Beach – so popular you’ll have to get there super-early to snag a spot, but you’ll only want to leave just after sunset.
Long-layovers and lengthy cramped flights can make travelling absolutely miserable, and unless you have cash to spare for an airport hotel, the best thing you can do is hope you’ll find a quiet corner in which you can doze. Or at least that’s what you had to do. Not anymore, at least not in Abu Dhabi’s International Airport. An introduction of sleeping pods will give you the full private-bed experience for as little as eight British Pounds an hour. Giving you the chance you need to shake off that jet lag and arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to start your vacation.

4. Sailing the Seven Seas

Cruising has always been popular, and why shouldn't it be? You get the full ride when stepping onto a cruise ship – comfortable to luxury accommodation, five-star dining, and world class entertainment. So why has there been a sudden burst of increased interest? Well it’s not really the actual cruise ships that are attracting all the attention, but rather where they are sailing to. The Western world has been thoroughly saturated with cruise ships, so now they are moving East. This means the chance to taste new cultures and explore different cities is easier than ever before. Liners cruising to the far end of the world include P&O, Crystal Cruises, and HollandAmerica.

3. Pop-up hotels

Festivals, retreats and random fields this summer are going to be able to offer you so much more in terms of accommodation. Pop-up hotels, in simple terms, are various forms of accommodation that can be set up practically anywhere and offer a full luxury hotel service. This idea has become very popular at festivals events around the UK. Glamping, which is luxury camping, has been taken to a whole new level at these events, and you know don’t only get the hotel-like surroundings but also the service that goes along with it. Or you can opt to stay in stacked hotel like the ones offered by snoozebox.com. You’ll have four solid walls, a full hotel service and a truly unique experience as no pop-up hotel is ever the same.

2. Self - Tours

Group tours can be great, you don’t have to organise anything, or consult chunky guidebooks to know what exactly it is you’re gazing at in awe. The problem is, they cost dollar and are limited to certain attractions. Enter the new almost-hands-free self-tour. Depending on the city you’re in, you can download a guide that uses geo-locators to pick up where you are and what attractions are surrounding you, playing audio information as you approach them. The best thing about these guides is that once they’re downloaded onto your smart phone they no longer need to use data and works completely off-line.  Download our Hummba City Guides today on Google Play and at the Apple app store.

 1. Sleeping Pods

Long-layovers and lengthy cramped flights can make travelling absolutely miserable, and unless you have cash to spare for an airport hotel, the best thing you can do is hope you’ll find a quiet corner in which you can doze. Or at least that’s what you had to do. Not anymore, at least not in Abu Dhabi’s International Airport. An introduction of sleeping pods will give you the full private-bed experience for as little as eight British Pounds an hour. Giving you the chance you need to shake off that jet lag and arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to start your vacation.

Top Five Travel Destinations Featured in Film

Climb the New Zealand Alps, wander through the misty, rain-soaked Scottish Highlands or get lost in the forests of North Carolina. Not quite the locations you would think of going to yourself? Well what if I told you these are the locations used in some of the biggest movies to come out in the last couple of years? You may just consider it if you knew you could visit Hobbiton, from  The Hobbit, in New Zealand, or District 12 from the Hunger Games in North Carolina. Travellers are looking for something more when they visit countries, and planning to visit favourite film and TV locations has become more than just a pilgrimage for movie fanatics. These are the top five film locations from recent years:

5. Paris, France. Featured in films which like Moulin Rouge and Inception, who wouldn't find the City of Love and Light a little more intriguing? It's starring roles in these two Oscar winning films has certainly added to its allure. However, bringing its cultural side a great deal more attention is the ever-controversial Da Vinci Code. Visit the many art museums or follow the Rose Line just as the hero of the film, Robert Langdon, did and let the mystery of the city speak to you. Find the best places to share similar experiences with our Hummba Paris guide.

4. Rome, Italy. The Italian capital was brought to life for hundreds of viewers across the globe in the film Eat, Pray, Love. Many women fell in love with the Italian city; its inhabitants; and its food, thanks to the publicity the film gave it. The notion of living the pizza and the pasta lifestyle was never made more tangible than in the way it was portrayed in the film. The cuisine, of course is not the only attraction the city holds. Its ancient monuments have been starring in films for years, with the Coliseum being the most prominent among them.  Enjoy the best of food and culture in the city with our Hummba Rome guide.

3. Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Delve into the world of Katniss Everdeen and the rest of the characters from the Hunger Games at the various locations scattered around and bordering the city of Asheville. By far the easiest, and possibly the best, location to visit is the ghost town of the Henri River Mill. The empty town was the ideal location to mimic the run-down home district of Katniss and Peeta.

2.  Glencoe, Scotland. It was up in these Scottish Highlands that we shared an emotional moment between James Bond and his commanding officer, M. Featuring as the landscape surrounding his family homestead in the film Skyfall, the location swept audiences off their feet and has now become the favoured location used in the film. Perhaps it is the beauty of the rugged hills, or the way the highlands seem to match Bond as dangerous, wild and yet gorgeous that has made them so attractive? Pay the spot a visit and decide for yourself.

1.  South Island, New Zealand. With many of the locations from both The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit spread all over the country, it may be worth your while to base an entire holiday around the island.  If time is limited, choose your favourite scene and go in search of the stunning location it was shot in. The beauty of each of these locations has been preserved, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the magic and mystery of Middle Earth. Download a Tourism Radio New Zealand guide to help you navigate your way around the country.

Le Web 2012 – Where does Tourism Radio® fit in?

Hummba's parent company, Tourism Radio, was this year invited to Paris, France, to take part in the premier internet and blogging expo in the world, Le Web.

According to Le Web’s organisers, more than 50 billion electronic devices will be connected to the internet by the year 2020. If that number is too staggering to comprehend, try look at it from your own perspective: How many devices do you own that are connected to the web? Your Android smartphone? Your iPad? Your television? Possibly even your fridge? It’s only logical that your vehicle will follow suit, and that’s where Tourism Radio and French auto giant Renault come in.

Tourism Radio in the Renault R-Link

At Le Web 2012, we officially launched the Renault R-Link Tourism Radio audio travel guide application. The R-Link is Renault’s fully integrated multimedia system, and will be available in selected Renault models from 2013. Tourism Radio is one of the first applications that will be available for download on the system.

Le Web 2012 follows the theme The Internet of Things, and organisers say it’s all about “melding the physical world and the virtual world.” Here at Tourism Radio, we can’t agree more. Our partnership with Renault ensures that drivers will soon be able to explore cities all over the world from the comfort of their vehicles. We launched the R-Link app with a comprehensive guide to Paris (in English, French and German). Plans to expand our content base to other European centres are already on the cards and these are expected to roll out in the first quarter of 2013.

Tourism Radio in the Renault R-Link

If you’re at Le Web, be sure to head over to the Renault stand and give the Tourism Radio app a spin. If however you’ve missed the expo, don’t worry, you can get all the info you need from our website: http://www.tourismradio.info.

Tourism Radio® showcases audio guides on the Renault R-Link at Le Web 2012

(Cape Town, South Africa) South African travel technology company Tourism Radio joins forces with French automaker Renault at Le Web 2012 – the foremost blogging and web expo in the world.

Renault first announced its fully-connected and integrated R-Link multimedia system at last year’s Le Web, where it was revealed that Tourism Radio would be one of the first applications available for download on the system.

Tourism Radio’s R-link application plays general audio information about the area a Renault vehicle is driving through, as well as information about specific points of interest nearby. It will serve as a personal tour guide, built right into the dashboard of future Renault models. The uniqueness of Tourism Radio’s technology is in its ability to seamlessly arrange thousands of audio clips and organise them into a coherent dialogue, based on location, creating a tailor-made user experience for each vehicle.

Tourism Radio CEO Mark Allewell says, “Renault has always been at the forefront of automotive technology, and I believe that the R-Link is quite simply the next evolutionary step of the motor vehicle. Tourism Radio is the perfect addition to the R-Link, and it also fits in with the theme of Le Web 2012, the Internet of Things.” Allewell will attend Le Web from the 4th to the 6th of December, and has been invited to showcase Tourism Radio on the Renault stand.

Tourism Radio’s R-Link application will initially feature an audio guide to Paris (in English, French and German), with plans to roll out to other major European centres in the near future. For more information about Tourism Radio visit http://www.tourismradio.info.

Tourism Radio clocks its one-millionth device rental day

(Cape Town, South Africa) South African travel technology producer Tourism Radio® has officially recorded its one-millionth device rental day. This comes just weeks before the traditional Southern Hemisphere end-of-year tourist high season.

Tourism Radio currently has location-based travel guide devices circulating in South Africa, New Zealand, Namibia and Angola. The device plays audio clips automatically as the user approaches specific points of interest or enters into a general location. The uniqueness of the technology is in its ability to seamlessly arrange thousands of audio clips and organise them into a coherent dialogue, based on location, creating a great user experience for travellers as they drive around.

While in use, the device keeps a detailed log of its position and gathers information about how many times particular sound clips are played, based on the user’s movements. This means Tourism Radio is able to produce detailed usage reports on where travellers are going and what they are doing during their stay – a very handy tool for advertisers.

Since the Tourism Radio usage stats went live in early 2010, the company this month logged its one-millionth device rental day. Tourism Radio CEO Mark Allewell says, “Our ability to not only play locally-relevant information to travellers, but also to build up a huge database of where travellers are going, has given us an insight into what tourists expect while on holiday.”

“With these usage stats,” says Allewell, “we’re able to show our advertisers exactly where their money is going. No longer do companies have to spend with the faint hope of having some kind of impact on anyone who happens to see or hear their ad. Tourism Radio offers advertisers a captive audience, and we’re able to show them just how effective their campaigns actually are.”

CNN features South African tech-company Tourism Radio on Marketplace Africa

In an effort to showcase entrepreneurship in South Africa, CNN recently featured Cape Town-based travel technology company Tourism Radio on their Marketplace Africa programme.

Founded in 2005, Tourism Radio is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Mark Allewell. The company produces location-based technology and travel content, with audio clips that play automatically when users approach specific points of interest. “The uniqueness of the technology is in its ability to seamlessly arrange thousands of audio clips and organise them into a coherent dialogue, based on location,” says Allewell.

Tourism Radio’s mobile phone application, Hummba, is a traveller’s community and travel guide shop; users can buy travel guides, upload postcards and share their travel experiences with fellow travellers.

CNN’s Robyn Curnow spoke to Allewell about the challenges associated with being an entrepreneur in South Africa. Allewell admits that he was one of the lucky few. “We were very fortunate in that an international investor saw the potential of Tourism Radio when we were featured on the Discovery Channel in 2006. They immediately decided to buy in, allowing us to expand our operations to New Zealand, Namibia and Spain.

Allewell says many entrepreneurs are looking for a ‘quick fix’, instead of taking the time to create something that really works properly and speaks for itself. He maintains that there is also a huge lack of skilled labour in the tech industry, which makes things incredibly difficult for start-ups, “A lot of big companies are coming in to Cape Town now and taking up those resources.”

Allewell says the attention they have received from CNN is the latest in international interest the company has received. “Over the course of the last year, we’ve forged solid partnerships with some of the world’s top brand names, including North American travel guide giant Frommer’s and French automotive leader Renault.”

For more information about Tourism Radio visit http://www.tourismradio.info or view the CNN Marketplace Africa feature here.

South African tech company Tourism Radio reaches out to cruise line tourists in Angola

(Cape Town, South Africa) Hummba's parent company, Tourism Radio is proud to announce its partnership with the world’s foremost luxury travel company, Abercrombie & Kent (A&K). The agreement will see the Cape Town-based leader in audio travel technology provide detailed audio tours to passengers on A&K cruise liner passengers visiting the Angolan capital city of Luanda.

A&K representative, and Vice President for Worldwide Cruise Operations at Akorn Destination Management, Chris Owen-Collett says, “Previously, the main challenge to operating in Angola was the lack of qualified and English-speaking guides, however we have now found a way to successfully meet this challenge in the short- to mid-term.”

A&K has been actively developing Luanda as a viable port of call for cruise liners, and Owen-Collett says their partnership with Tourism Radio will help open up the country for well-travelled cruisers to sample. The majority of liners entering into regional waters stop at Walvis Bay, in Namibia, and Owen-Collett maintains that destinations like the Angolan ports of Luanda and Lobito remain largely unexplored from a tourism standpoint.

Tourism Radio CEO Mark Allewell adds, “The uniqueness of our technology is in its ability to seamlessly arrange thousands of audio clips and organise them into a coherent dialogue, based on location. This move into Angola will see Tourism Radio represented in three countries on the West African coast [including South Africa and Namibia].”

Angola is currently in the midst of a massive phase of reconstruction and rejuvenation, following a brutal 27-year civil war. Luanda has been rated as one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, and it is arguably one of the world’s up-and-coming tourist destinations. Allewell says, “Once again, we’re moving into unchartered waters and we look forward to providing A&K passengers with a tour of Luanda they won’t soon forget.”

South African tech company Tourism Radio announces excitement over the recent purchase of the Frommer’s brand by Google

(Cape Town, South Africa) South African travel technology company Tourism Radio is pleased to hear about the recent purchase of the Frommer’s travel guidebook brand by Google, and excited about the potential this holds for mobile travellers.

An announcement about the internet giant’s latest acquisition was made by Frommer’s owner John Wiley & Sons earlier this week. Both parties declined to comment on the financial terms of the Frommer’s deal, but Tourism Radio CEO Mark Allewell says this shouldn’t be the focus. Allewell maintains, “The fact that Google are expanding on their existing travel interests means that they’re obviously committed to developing the industry, in so doing, completely changing the way we travel.”

Google bought restaurant review authority Zagat in September last year and has confirmed that Frommer’s will now be fully integrated into the team. Allewell says, “Frommer’s is one of the most trusted travel guide names in the world, and they’re the perfect addition to the Google stable.”

Tourism Radio partnered with Frommer’s in March this year to produce audio travel guides for destinations all over the world on their mobile platform. Allewell says, “At present, we’re very happy with our partnership with Frommer’s, and together we’ve produced some really quality guides for tech-savvy travellers.”

About Tourism Radio:
Founded in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2005, Tourism Radio is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Mark Allewell. Tourism Radio provides location-based technology and travel content, and currently has offices in South Africa, New Zealand and Spain. Tourism Radio’s mobile phone application, Hummba, is a traveller’s community and travel guide shop where users can buy travel guides, create travel routes, upload picture postcards and share their travel experiences with fellow travellers.

Things to do in London after the Olympics

The spectacle that was the London 2012 Olympics is now but a fading memory, and along with the athletes, many tourists will now be heading back to their respective countries. If however you find yourself in London with a few extra days to spare, then now’s the perfect time to do a little sightseeing. In an effort to kick start your post-Olympic holiday, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite attractions in the city.

No visit to London would be complete without a trip to Buckingham Palace. Probably one of the world’s most well-known royal residences in the world, Buckingham’s 19 state rooms are open to the public until early October. Head over to the front gates before 11:30 in the morning and you may find a good spot to view the changing of the Queen’s Guard.

For a view of the city that simply can’t be beaten, the London Eye is the place to go. Open daily, and until about 21:00 in the summer, the London Eye is the largest observation wheel in all of Europe. Its 32, glass-sided pods make one full revolution every half hour. Grab a spot on the north side of your pod and you’re guaranteed views of the city like you’ve never seen before. More than 3,1 million people visit the London Eye each year.

If you’d rather keep your feet on terra firma, then be sure to head on over to one of the city’s many, bustling street markets. The Camden, Portobello and Greenwich Markets are favourites in this regard, and tens of thousands of tourists, and locals, visit the trio each weekend. See if you can pick up a good deal, or head over to the markets just to see what’s on display.

Madame Tussauds is another one of London’s must-see attractions. This famous wax museum features hundreds of life size replicas of celebrities, historical figures, royals and sports stars – including many of the athletes from the London Games, like Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and British gold medallist Jessica Ennis.

If you’re looking to explore the more cultured side of London, head over to Britain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art, the Tate Modern. Towering over the River Thames, this refurbished power station now contains works by some of the world’s most influential artists. Have a bite to eat at one of the gallery’s restaurants and admire the scenery.

If you’re looking for something to do in London after the Olympics, then we hope this list gave you a few ideas. But for more detailed information about these attractions, as well as hundreds of other places of interest in London, head over to Hummba and download our London City Guide. It’s available on iPhone and Android, and packed with quality travel content from Frommer’s Unlimited.

Let us know what you think of our London picks, or make a few suggestions of your own in the comments below. See you in Rio de Janeiro 2016!

Happy travels!

Hummba’s Top Apps for the London Olympics

The London 2012 Olympics unofficially kicked off last week, with the women’s football event playing out in front of a 25-thousand strong crowd at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The Games only officially opened however on Friday, with a Danny Boyle spectacular. A fitting tribute to Britain’s biggest ever sporting event, wouldn’t you say? But with the excitement of the opening ceremony now over, what else is there to do in London besides watch 204 nations compete in the Games over the next two weeks?

Here at Hummba we’re firm believers in the versatility of mobile apps, and that’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite apps, just to make your life a little bit easier while you’re in London. Let’s get to it...

XE Currency Converter:
Probably the best currency converter available at the moment; it’s free and it’s incredibly easy to use. Available on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows mobile devices, the XE Currency Converter certainly covers all the bases. It uses live exchange rates and will help you keep track of your money while you’re in London.

JiWire WiFi Finder:
If there’s one thing you can be assured of when you travel to another country, it’s that roaming data charges will cost you an arm and a leg. Enter JiWire’s Wi-Fi Finder. This Wi-Fi registry features nearly 800,000 locations all over the world where you can get your mobile device online free of charge. More than 180,000 of these are in the United Kingdom, so if you’re looking to save a few ‘Bob’ on data charges while you’re in London, then get the app and head for the nearest hotspot.

Tube Map:
London has one of the best public transport networks in the world, but it can all get pretty confusing if you’re new to the city. Download Tube Map onto your iPhone or Android and you’ll be cruising the Underground like a local in no time at all.

Hummba:
Let’s face it, London’s a pretty big place, and finding your way around can be quite a daunting task. That’s where we come in. Hummba has a comprehensive London City Guide that uses your mobile’s GPS location to point you in the right direction. The guide features hours of detailed audio content about hundreds of tourist attractions, restaurants and accommodation facilities in London. If you’re looking for something to do other than watch the Games, then download Hummba and explore the city to the fullest.

London 2012 Olympics official guide:
Last but not least, the official apps of London 2012 are also well worth a look. You can join in and share your experience at the Games, follow the latest results, or keep the kids busy with the London 2012 game.

So there you have it, Hummba’s top apps to have during the London Olympics. Let us know what you think of any of these apps in the comments below, or feel free to make some suggestions of your own. What apps can’t you live without when you’re on holiday?

Enjoy the Games, and happy travels!

Top 5 Hummba Tips to Travel Light

Airline baggage allowances are the bane of every traveller and if by now you haven’t mastered the ability to travel light, then you’re in for a bumpy ride.

The world’s major airlines allow for baggage of between 20- and 30-kilograms, and most of us can deal with that. But find me someone who’s never been a little over the allowance at least once during their travels and I’ll have to start checking how often they wear the same clothes. That being said, here are a few handy travel tips to help you “lose a few kilos”.


Use a smaller bag:
This self-imposed baggage limit will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Do you really need to take that extra pair of fancy dress shoes half way across the world? Take a smaller bag and stop yourself from even thinking about packing the unnecessary items. 
Many airlines also allow you to check in online before you’ve arrived at the airport. This means that if you’ve only got a small carry-on bag and nothing to hand in, then you’ll speed up the process even more.


Check the weather:
Your clothing will most likely take up the bulk of your packing space. That’s why figuring out what to wear before you head off is always a good idea. Lose the thermal underwear if you’re planning on spending most of your time on the beach. Unless you’re heading off into a monsoon, then rather opt for the lightweight, water resistant jacket instead of the heavy all-weather coat. Packing dark colours is also a good idea, as these tend to dry faster than lighter ones. 
When in doubt, refer to our next tip.


Buy it there:
This is a tip taken from seasoned traveller, Tim Ferriss – author of Four Hour Work Week. Ferriss says one of his top tips for travelling light is to allocate a small amount of money to a “settling fund”. Items like bottles of sunscreen and umbrellas are cumbersome and difficult to pack. They can easily be bought at your destination, so rather leave them at home. This will add to your travel expenses, obviously, but it will be considerably cheaper than paying hefty airline baggage penalties.


Leave the guide books at home:
Owning a comprehensive travel guide to your favourite travel destinations is all well and good, if you’re at home. Why subject yourself to lugging the book half way across the world with you? Adding to that, it may even be outdated by the time you arrive. The Hummba mobile travel app can easily be downloaded onto your iPhone or Android mobile and is even more useful. Drop the guide book and go mobile.


Roll, don’t fold:
According to OneBag.com, folding your clothes into neat little squares is not as efficient as you may think. It’s also the best way to crease your clothes. 
Rather lay your jackets, dresses, shirts, trousers, t-shirts and shorts on top of one another (in that order) and roll them up. Put your socks in the middle and wrap your clothes around them. You’ll find you have a lot more space to play with if you use this method, and your clothes will come out looking a lot better as well.

These are just a few tips you can use to save some space when packing for your holiday. Remember to visit Hummba.com before you leave and download a mobile audio travel guide. That way you’ll have at least one of the points covered.

Happy travels!

Top 5 Travel Destinations with Hummba Audio Guides

US-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure recently released their annual World’s Best Awards, and some of our favourite travel destinations made the cut. In fact, we’re very proud to announce that we have audio and text mobile travel guides to nine of the Top 10 cities, and they’re all available for download right now in the Hummba guide store.

Bangkok:
Bangkok came in first on the list, narrowly defending its title from last year. Krung Thep, as it’s known to locals, is a popular tourist destination for travellers looking to experience Southeast Asia at a bargain. It’s not unheard of to stay in a 5-star hotel in Bangkok for the same price as a 2- or 3-star hotel in New York! There are also more than 400 temples in the city, and our Bangkok City Guide helps you navigate them with ease.

Istanbul:
Istanbul climbed up two spaces from last year to take the number three position on the Travel + Leisure list. The Turkish capital is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and holds the unique title of being the only city in the world that is found on two continents (Europe and Asia). Istanbul’s nightlife is booming and restaurants, bars and clubs are popping up all over the place. Our Istanbul City Guide has detailed information about 320 points of interest in the city, so you’ll never be left without something to do.

Cape Town:
The Mother City will always hold a special place in our hearts. It’s where Hummba’s parent company, Tourism Radio, was founded, so we might be a little biased when we say it should have featured a little bit higher in the list. At number four however, Cape Town proves that it still has what it takes to compete with the World’s Best – thanks in part to the stunning Table Mountain, which looms over the city and offers breathtaking views from on high. There’s no shortage of things to see and do in the Mother City, and our Cape Town City Guide will point you in the right direction from the moment you arrive.

New York:
New York came in at a disappointing number seven; falling three spots since last year. Don’t let that put you off however. We firmly believe that the Big Apple remains one of those places that every traveller simply has to visit at least once in their lives – add it to the bucket list if you haven’t already. Our New York City Guide has already proved popular with mobile travellers, and it’s certainly one of our most impressive. It features more than three hours of audio as well as hundreds of restaurants, shops, tourist attractions and accommodation facilities. If you’re on your way to New York, do yourself a favour and download the audio travel guide from the Hummba guide store.

Paris:
Coming in at number 10, is the ever-consistent Paris. The City of Lights is often called the most romantic city in the world, and we can’t help but agree. There’s so much more to do in the French Capital than just the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Download our Paris City Guide and you’ll discover some of the many hidden treasures of this beautiful place.

That being said, we better get back to work on our Kyoto City Guide. Happy travels!

Hummba and the Tûranor's solar voyage

Twenty-nine minutes short of 585 days.

This is the exact amount of time it took for the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar to sail around the world. Using only solar power, the double-hull catamaran officially gained a place in the Guinness Book of World Records when it became the first solar electric vessel to circumnavigate the globe on the 4th of May, 2012.

Designed by Craig Loomes, of New Zealand, the Tûranor’s name is taken from The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and it means “Power of the sun”. Built at a cost of €12.5 million, the boat looks like something from outer space. It’s topped with 500 square metres of solar-panels, and comes in at 31-metres in length. You can find out more about the dimension of the boat here.

Hummba was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the official media partners for the boat’s nearly 60,000-kilometre journey. The Tûranor’s crew posted hundreds of picture postcards as they literally took Hummba around the world. Using mobile GPS technology, members of the Hummba travellers’ community could follow the Tûranor’s route and even interact with the crew along the way.

Hummba followed the Tûranor as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Monaco to Miami, and then as it passed through the famous Panama Canal on the way to the mysterious Galapagos Islands. From there the boat made its way across the Pacific Ocean to the Australian east coast, where it stopped in Brisbane before heading up, over the equator, to Hong Kong. Heading back south, the Tûranor stopped over in Singapore before making its way to Sri Lanka and Mumbai. A security detail then joined the crew after a quick stop-over in Abu Dhabi and communications were cut with the outside world as they travelled through the dangerous, pirate-infested waters of East Africa. The Tûranor came back on the radar as they passed through the Suez Canal and into the safer waters of the Mediterranean before finally arriving back in Monaco. You can see a map of the voyage here.

Upon the boat’s arrival back home, Hummba CEO Mark Allewell said, “We never imagined the wealth of information that our partnership with PlanetSolar would produce. Looking at the postcards as the crew uploaded them onto Hummba was a truly humbling experience. We now have an incredible archive of the Tûranor’s voyage, which can be easily accessed by anyone.”

But what’s next for the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar? According to the PlanetSolar website, the voyage was part of a plan to further advance and develop solar energy technologies. On top of that, talks with potential partners are also underway to ensure that the Tûranor itself is put to good use. The vessel has already proved itself as an incredible educational tool that can be used to help introduce people of all ages to the value of renewable energies.

From all of us here at Hummba, we’d like to once again congratulate all those involved in the voyage of the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar. We also look forward to following the boat on its next great solar adventure.

If you’d like to view the Tûranor’s postcards, you can view their Hummba profile here or you can visit hummba.com to upload postcards of your own.

Happy (solar) travels!

Tourism Radio City Guides, featuring Frommer’s

Hummba’s parent company, Tourism Radio® recently partnered with US-based travel guide publisher Frommer’s® Unlimited; check out the earlier blog post here. In a nutshell, the partnership sees Tourism Radio’s audio city guides significantly beefed up with quality Frommer’s travel content.

That means we’ve now got more than 40 guides, to destinations all over the world, with more on the way. Our current offerings include guides to New York, Paris, Berlin, Singapore and even the islands of Hawaii. You can find these through the Hummba guide store or search for your favourite destinations through the continent and country pages on the Hummba website.

Just click on North America, for example, and you’ll be provided with information about the continent, as well as a list of the guides we have on offer. There are several city guides in the United States of America, and Canada, that you can download directly onto your mobile phone.

Thanks to our partnership with Frommer’s, these guides now contain detailed information about the various tourist attractions, restaurants and accommodation facilities found in the area, and much more! What better way to explore the cities you visit on your travels? You can even use them to discover more about the cities you’ve lived in for years.

On top of all that, there are also a number of ‘lite’ guides, which can be downloaded absolutely free of charge. These lite guides give you the opportunity to sample the content of some of the more popular travel guides, before committing to paying for the full one. We recommend you give the Paris and London lite guides a try, and if you like them, purchase the full guides.

For more information about Tourism Radio’s City Guides, visit hummba.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter as well (@tourismradio and @hummba). That way you’ll be the first to know when we release new city guides in the coming weeks.

London and Paris City Guides – Hummba is all you need

London and Paris are undoubtedly two of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. Millions of people visit the cities each year, and many them will travel half way across the globe to do so.

The two cities share a few similarities in that they are both modern capitals, and have long been considered the centres of culture, fashion, entertainment and industry for their respective countries. They are also travel hubs, and are often used as stopover points for people travelling even further afield. Another point to note is that the two cities are relatively close to one another, and one can easily travel between the London and Paris by simply hopping on a high-speed train (a trip that takes just two hours) or budget airline. That being said, the two cities couldn’t be any more different.

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe, while London has Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Piccadilly Circus. Paris is known as the City of Light and is unofficially regarded as one of the most romantic cities in the world. London however claims the title as being one of the most commercially successful places in the world; the city to go if you’re looking to make it.

Here at Hummba, we believe both cities are fantastic destinations in their own rite. Each is a veritable cornucopia of tourist attractions, and one can easily get lost in either for days on end. That’s why we’re put together our comprehensive City Guides to London and Paris.

The London City Guide features more than three hours of quality audio travel content and a total of 634 points of interest, while the Paris City Guide contains 549 points of interest, and also has more than three hours of audio.

You can download the guides onto your iPhone or Android mobile. Or download them from the iStore and Android Marketplace: just search for “Tourism Radio London City Guide” or “Tourism Radio Paris City Guide”.

Happy travels!

Location-based travel guides – why should you be using them?

Here at Hummba, we’ve long said that the days of carrying around a bulky travel guide book are numbered. What was once a useful tool (before the advent of the smartphone), is now becoming nothing more than a nuisance when travelling abroad. The travel information contained in guide books is notoriously outdated, and of course they can be quite pricey. Adding to that, unless you buy a ‘pocket version’, they can also be quite heavy and bothersome to lug around from one place to the next.

According to the Pew Research Center in Washington, more than 46% of Americans owned a smartphone in February, 2012. This represents an increase of 11% when compared to the numbers from May, 2011 (source). People are beginning to explore the capabilities of their mobile phones, as well as rely on the devices to carry out everyday tasks, such as check train timetables or read restaurant reviews. The emergence of third party applications is also adding fuel to this fire, showing smartphone owners the sheer amount of information they can easily access at the touch of a few buttons.

Enter Hummba, the intelligent travel guide for your mobile phone. Our intelligent audio guides use mobile GPS technology to provide smartphone users with accurate travel information that is relevant to where they are in the world. For example, you can find up-to-date information about the nearest place to grab a bite for lunch, while you’re standing on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. With Hummba, you’ll have access to an unprecedented amount of audio and text travel content, right there on your mobile phone.

We offer two ways to get the travel information you need. Firstly, you can download the Hummba application to your iPhone or Android, free of charge. You can then search for paid or free guides to your favourite travel destinations and download them through the app itself. Download multiple guides and use the Hummba app to get the most of your travels.

If however you’re looking to download a guide to a single travel destination, then you can visit the iTunes Store or Android Marketplace and search for the Tourism Radio standalone guides as well. Search for the Tourism Radio New York City Guide, for example, if you’re looking to find out more about the Big Apple.

Location-based travel guides for the mobile phone take all the legwork out for getting travel information when you need it most. Visit hummba.com for more information on the Hummba application, or head straight for the Hummba guide store and start searching for guides.

New and improved version of the Hummba mobile travel application available for download

We recently released the latest version of our location-based Hummba mobile travel application (available on iPhone and Android). The app now comes jam-packed with new features, including the ability to find and purchase guides though the app itself, filter points of interest by category, as well as find your way with the innovative ‘go there’ button.

The new category filter allows Hummba users to search through thousands of museums, restaurants, historical attractions, and more, at touch of a button. The partnership between Hummba’s parent company, Tourism Radio®, and Frommer’s® Unlimited, a world-renowned travel guide publisher, has ensured that our guides now contain an unprecedented amount of up-to-date, quality travel information.

The Hummba application also supports in-app purchasing. This means you can search for the guides you want either on the Hummba website or in the app itself, where you can make your purchases directly. Just download a guide to your favourite holiday destination and pay for it through the Hummba app, even while you’re on the move. There’s no need to find a computer and search through the app store for your guides.

On top of these features, Hummba also puts you in the right direction. Need to find the quickest way to get from your hotel in London to Big Ben? Just select the Big Ben point of interest in Hummba and hit the ‘go there’ button in the top right corner. Hummba will use your current location to map out a route. There’s no need for bulky guide books and impossible-to-use city maps, just use Hummba.

For more information about Hummba, the Hummba app, or our comprehensive city guides to popular tourist destinations all over the world, visit hummba.com.