GateGuru- This multi-purpose app keeps track of your flight, itinerary, tracks your travel, as well as gives you access to rental cars, restaurants, and airport information. This is an all-in-one app that is a staple for any traveler.

Hipmunk- This app is a travel booking app for flights and hotels, but unlike other booking services, this application is geared towards budget-weary travelers and includes accommodation choices from AirBnB and Homeaway.

Perfect World Clock- If you are traveling to a location with a different time zone or need to stay in touch with people in different locations than you, this app in useful because it shows the date and time for places all over the world.

Wi-Fi Finder- This app finds free or public Wi-Fi hotspots in over 144 countries worldwide. This app lets you filter your results by location or provider and also works both online or offline.

iVox by Comfi-  Calling internationally is expensive, but this app allows you to call abroad for cheap rates (there is even an option to call for free if you are calling to another iVox user). This app makes calls using either VoiP (WiFi/3G/4G) or local numbers.

XE Currency- It is easy to get confused while converting your money to another form of currency, but this app takes away the confusion for you. XE Currency connects to your smart phone’s internet so it is able to keep up to date by updating as soon as new exchange rate information becomes available.

If you have not already heard of these applications, I hope you download them and find these apps useful on your travels!

Strasbourg, France- Also known as the “Capital of Christmas”, this tradition is the oldest Christmas market in Europe and started in 1570. Arts and crafts are typically sold, as well as food, but some highlights include: concerts, shows, activities, exhibitions, an ice skating rink, and the 30-meter high Christmas tree that stands in the middle of Strasbourg. The markets are open this year from November 28 until December 31.

Nuremberg, Germany- This Christmas market is open from November 28 until December 24 and usually brings in about 2 million visitors each year.There are around 180 stalls that pride themselves in selling only handmade toys and goods, mass produced items are forbidden from being sold. Vendors offer everything from baked goods, sweets, ornaments, candles, to all different types of toys and gifts. There are also attractions such as the old fashioned carousel, a Ferris wheel, and a steam train.

Medellin, Columbia- Throughout the entire month of December, there is a carnival in Medellin including over 16 million lights with pyrotechnic displays, street parties and a 79 ft high Christmas tree. On the street, vendors sell food and drinks, while over 500 different activities and 80 events take place for the visitors who want to partake in this Christmas celebration.

Bethlehem, Israel- As birthplace of Jesus Christ, this is the center of nativity scenes during December and January. Every Christmas, thousands of people gather in the Manger Square to attend midnight mass service at the Church of Nativity (built on the spot where Jesus was born). Besides mass, there is also plenty of carol singing, candle parades, live music, and food.

Montreal, Canada- Montreal offers plenty of shopping, events and activities centering around the Christmas holiday. One of the most anticipated traditions for children is the annual Défilé du Père Noël parade in which about 20 floats traverse the main streets and ends with Santa Claus as the grand finale. Another beloved tradition is  the weekly firework displays that are set off choreographed in time with music every Saturday in December.

If you do celebrate Christmas, you know that it is more important who you are celebrating it with, rather than where you are, but if you have the opportunity to go to one of these places it would be a wonderful memory for you and your loved ones to cherish together.

• IT Luggage World’s Lightest Carry-On: This is the best selling, ultra lightweight luggage on the market. Weighing in at only 3.44 pounds, this allows you to bring more of your necessities with you. This comes in a variety of colors and is more structured than just a duffel bag, so there is better protection from the outside for the items you pack inside.
• The Mophie Powerstation Plus: All travelers appreciate their portable electronic devices (smart phones, e-readers, and music players) and know the inconvenience of running out of battery life. This compact universal charger allows travelers to charge their devices easily on the go. These Powerstation devices work two to four times faster than other chargers and are good for 500 charging cycles at full capacity. When not in use, there is a place to hide the attached wires, so it is even more compact than other portable chargers.
• Scrubba Wash Bag: This portable wash bag cleans your clothes as efficiently as a washer and only takes a few minutes. These wash bags are especially good for people who like backpacking or camping because they only weigh around 5 ounces, fold to fit in your pocket and will allow you to save money on washing clothes while traveling. 
• BugLit LED Micro Flashlight: This micro flashlight is encased in a durable plastic housing with two “legs” that are flexible and made to be bent and manipulated so that it can be used hands-free. The white LED has a range of up to 50 feet and one-mile visibility. This flashlight has settings for high power, low power, strobe, and signal. There is also a clip attached to this so you can clip it onto zippers, keys, or belt loops for easy convenience. 
• International Calling Cards: The holidays aren’t the only time to reconnect with loved ones; it is important to stay connected as much as possible. If someone spends most of their time traveling, it is easy to lose touch because of the high cost of calling internationally, but calling cards can eliminate most of the high prices (comfi.com has calling cards that can save you up to 95% on international calls). Showing someone that you care about hearing from them on a regular basis is an inexpensive and meaningful gift.
• Fresh Travel Wipes: These wipes come in packs of face wash, antiperspirant, nail polish remover, makeup remover, bug spray, and anti-bacterial wipes. Not only are these great for the liquid limitations enforced on air planes, but they also eliminate the fear of liquids spilling in your luggage. These are relatively inexpensive and come in a little package, so they won’t take up much room and they would make for good stocking-stuffers.

Hopefully this list gives you some ideas of what to get your loved ones and gives you more time to focus on enjoying your holiday festivities!

Colbalt Light Systems has created a machine that can identify any liquid in a non-metal container within five seconds. This new technology, named the Insight100 Liquid Explosive Detection System (LEDS), can identify solids, gels, powders, and liquids based on their chemical composition.This machine can easily screen partially filled or full containers measuring from ten milliliters up to three liters.

Colbalt Light Systems’ Vice President of Security Products, Ken Mann, explains how the Insight100 works, “We shine a laser at the bottle and analyze the light that comes back, compare that with a spectrum and a library of threat materials. If it’s a threat, we alarm. It’s very specific, so we have a very high level of detection and almost no false alarms.”

This is not the first liquid scanner of its kind, but with the low false detection rate of less than 0.5%, the Insight100 is proving to be more reliable than its predecessors.

So far this security scanner is being tested out in 65 airports in Europe and Australia. If all goes well and this machine is implemented globally, there are expectations for the liquid restrictions to be removed by 2016.

1) Plan early- Generally speaking, unless there are brief special deals that pop up, the earlier you purchase your tickets, the cheaper they will be. If you do want to wait to see if there are any discounts that arise, you should follow your airline of choice on social media (often times special sales will be announced on their pages to their loyal customers before it is available to the public).

2) Use your smart phone- Not only are there applications for tracking your flights and hearing about delays, but airlines such as Delta, Southwest, and American Airlines all have mobile websites where their customers can check in and confirm their seats. Don’t forget to charge your devices before you leave your house, there are outlets in the airport, but it could be hard to track down an open one with the amount of people travelling. If you can, make sure to bring a portable charger.

3) Check in early- By checking in as soon as possible, you will not feel pressured to rush, which can add unnecessary stress to your day. Being early also gives you more of a chance at switching to a better seat and you will ensure that you will not get bumped from your flight. When a flight is over sold, airlines usually bump the customers who are the last ones to check in.

4) Pack light- If possible, try to pack only the necessities. If you can avoid checking a back then you will also be cutting out: time spent checking and collecting your bag, paying extra money, and the stress of worrying about being separated from your belongings.

5) Always ask- In the unfortunate event of a storm or natural cause that makes it so you have to re-book your flight, ask if you will be expected to pay for it. Some airlines have been known to issue waivers for some Thanksgiving flights. If the weather does make it so your flight is canceled and you have to leave earlier or later instead, sometimes airlines will offer to re-book your flight free of charge. If it will save you money, then you should definitely ask.

It is common for travelers to purchase and use personal Wi-Fi hotspots that connect to the internet via cellphone towers. Depending on what rate you want to pay, some people even upgrade their wireless data plans to turn their smartphones into hotspots. This way people will be able to connect to the internet while on the move and can avoid hefty fees charged by businesses.

The FCC says that employees at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, used technology to disable personal Wi-Fi networks established by attendees at its conference facilities. The hotel then charged guests anywhere from $250 to $1,000 per device for access to the hotel network.

In a statement, FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc said, “It is unacceptable for any hotel to intentionally disable personal hotspots while also charging consumers and small businesses high fees to use the hotel’s own Wi-Fi network. This practice puts consumers in the untenable position of either paying twice for the same service or forgoing Internet access altogether.”

Marriott International has agreed to pay a $600,000 fine to resolve this Federal Communications Commission investigation. Along with the fine, Marriott will also file compliance and usage reports with the Bureau every three months for three years including information documenting any use of Internet access point containment features at any U.S. property that Marriott owns or manages.

• Make sure to purchase an electrical adapter that will be compatible with the outlets in the country you are visiting. If you can’t charge your phone then you will not be using it for long.
• Turn data roaming off! Your phone should automatically turn roaming off when you are travelling internationally, but it is also smart to double check. Most people are not aware, but if you are travelling globally, even you are not using your phone, your phone will still use data to do things like receive messages, update apps, and so much more. If you do not turn your data off, you will get a large amount of unexpected charges.
• Use Wi-Fi. Always use Wi-Fi because it is free and it is available in many public places and hotels. To be safe, it is best to use a VPN (virtual private network). VPN’s protect your privacy and help prevent anyone from hacking into your phone because they basically create your own private network.
• Download the iVox international calling application because it allows you to make international calls for cheap rates. When you use this app (with Wi-Fi) you will only be charged the low rate per minute; you will not have to worry about any unexpected charges on your monthly phone bill. This app will allow you to stay in touch with people back home as well as the people and places that you are visiting.
• Write down important phone numbers and keep it somewhere safe. It is handy to have your it on you, but in the unfortunate event of losing or breaking your cell phone, it is always a relief to have the phone numbers you need written down somewhere you can access them.

These may seem like little tips, but if you take them into consideration you will avoid a lot of frustration and surprising fees.