Monthly Archives: March 2010

Backpacking Sleeping Bags – 4 Useful Tips To Purchase The Right One

As the modern-day equivalent of the old explorers, the backpacker will be exposed to all kinds of climatic conditions on many different types of terrain. He or she must be self-sufficient and prepared for the worst at all times. And preparedness starts before leaving home, with the selection of backpacking gear. Of particular importance is your backpacking sleeping bag. Not getting a good nights rest can lead to mistakes that can mean the difference between enjoying that view of the sunset from a mountain ridge and seeing that same sunset from a Search and Rescue helicopter.

1. The Backpacking Sleeping Bag – All Sleeping Bags Are Not Created Equal

Before choosing a sleeping bag, it can be helpful to know what some of the key differences are between the backpacking sleeping bag and other sleeping bags. The needs of a backpacker lead to special considerations that the backpacker must address:

The backpacking sleeping bag must be light. A typical backpacker will already be carrying food, extra clothing for rain or snow, fire-starting and cooking gear, flashlights, water bottles, first aid supplies and other survival gear, and any special equipment for traversing the terrain the backpacker will be in, such as ropes, pitons, etc. Adding a 25 pound sleeping bag to this load can make the weight unmanageable for someone not blessed with a Herculean physique.

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Backpacks That Won’t Break Your Back or Your Bank


Backpacks that are made out of heavy material and are extremely bulky to carry around, even before they are filled. You may also fear buying a new backpack because your past experience dictates that backpacks can be extremely expensive. Put aside those old beliefs, because many newer styles of backpacks are made from lighter weight materials and are very inexpensive, especially when you consider how valuable your new piece of luggage will be for you to use.

One of the most popular new styles of backpacks is one which can either be carried on your back or wheeled behind you. Backpack manufacturers, recognizing that the loads backpacks sometimes bear can be extremely heavy, began making wheeled backpacks in an effort to help consumers save themselves from hurting their backs.

Wheeled backpacks come in a number of different sizes. If you will be using your wheeled backpack to carry around every day loads that are not extremely heavy, there are smaller models available for you to use. If you will be using your wheeled backpack to carry around heavy items such as laptops, books and other school supplies, there are larger and heavier duty wheeled backpacks that you can use to avoid having to break your back or your bank. You can also find much larger wheeled backpacks to use for purposes such as traveling. These bags, which are extremely sturdy and yet often made from lightweight materials, come with many different compartments inside so that you have plenty of places to store all of your necessities when you are on the road.

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Green Travel: Use the Power of Responsible Tourism

The economic buzz of green travel creates both practitioners and impostors. Responsible tourism is not a fad. Good operators understand the issues and incorporate appropriate practices as part of their business strategies, not as part of empty eco-slogans.

For earnest travellers it’s hard to decode all the eco-friendly greenwashing and determine what’s really happening to natural habitats and surrounding communities. This is the dilemma for tourists wanting to choose green destinations without contributing to ecosystem degradation or disrupting local economies.

Tourism operators have a choice to make as well. The current model still supports the pre-Internet generation, when tourist information moved as slow as a lingering tropical day. Today, however, the lightening speed of global communications and a newfound sense of social responsibility urge travellers to make conscientious decisions.

Tourists are no longer just carefree and whimsical sightseers; they are savvy consumers. Instead of just grabbing a Lonely Planet guide and heading out, these days tourists log on, read website travelogues, discuss issues on forums and research potential sites like a corporate raider getting ready for a company takeover.

In the climate change age, travellers seek to use their quota of carbon credits on environmentally sound destinations. They don’t want a journey spoiled by unsightly resorts where pipes spew sewage into beachfront waters or plastic bottles, soda cans and wet waste smoulders in a slow burn under a coconut tree.

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How to Prepare for China Business Trips More Effectively – Part One – Different Goals

Different Goals mean different trip preparations

Obviously, each China business trip can have different goals that require a different kind of preparation. Very likely, your first trip and second trip will be different. Typically, a first trip is to evaluate several factories that will narrow your list to a few that you will consider partnering with after further study.

Goal 1

Visiting new suppliers for the first time for a detailed evaluation

These are probably suppliers that you have met during one of the Chinese Trade Fairs or suppliers that you made preliminary contact with from home. Naturally, you will want to spend plenty of time evaluating these suppliers to be sure they can comply with your business and import requirements. These meetings will primarily focus on the supplier.

Goal 2

Visiting a supplier to discuss a new large project

Preparations for this will mostly focus on the details of your project. Hopefully, you have already visited this supplier, performed a thorough evaluation and concluded that they have the background, experience, and capability to deliver what you want.

It is also a good idea to first purchase a small batch of your product from the supplier to prove the evaluation is accurate before placing a large order.

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