1 . You’ve made the decision that you want to travel more this year. You’ve realized that experiences are more important than possessions (财产) and you’ve put together a plan to start saving for your next big trip.     1     Here are my top tips to help you choose your travel destinations.

Be open-minded.

Haven’t heard of a place?     2     Have no idea where a place is? But you’ve found cheap flights to that place…? Search it using the search engine, check whether it’s safe and if so, book that flight! Sometimes you’ll have the best adventures in places you can’t pronounce, Ljubljana, for example.

    3    

You want to travel to a certain destination but flights are really expensive? Don’t let this put you off, unlock your creativity and find a solution. Using the example of Ljubljana again, it’s really expensive to fly direct but flights to Venice are cheap and then there’s a 2-hour shuttle (往返) bus from Venice Ljubljana. Problem solved.

Explore travel websites and blogs.

    4     Visit travel websites and blogs that specialize in the destinations on your route. These websites often feature articles and lists of top attractions, along with detailed descriptions, impressive photos, and helpful tips from experienced travelers. Take the time to look through these websites and complete a list of the attractions that catch your interest.

Seek suggestions from locals.

Locals are often the best sources of information when it comes to discovering hidden destinations. Engage (接触) with locals through conversations, or social media groups related to your destination.     5    

3 . Holidays abroad are officially back, with millions set to book a trip away this summer, To guarantee a stress-free break, use these practical tips.

By not having insurance, travellers risk having to pay substantial medical or repatriation (遣送回国) costs if they fall ill or hurt themselves abroad     1     . Make sure you take out comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book. So if something goes wrong and you can't travel, you could claim for the cost of your holiday.

    2    

With tourist areas expected to be crowded this year, many visitors will face disappointment if they don’t book attractions or restaurants in advance. Avoid long queues at busy places by making a reservation.

    3    , being able to speak and clearly understand the local language will make your whole holiday experience stress free and much more enjoyable. When you want to order food, call for taxis, or communicate with the locals, a language translation device or app such as Pocketalk will help ensure your trip runs smoothly.

Unfortunately, as a traveller, you can attract the attention of criminals who see you as an easy target, so it’s important to stay alert to the possible risk of theft, cheats and other financial tricks.     4    . Do not let your credit card leave your sight when paying for things.

With large numbers of travellers expected this year,be prepared for airports, ports and stations to be extremely busy with a high chance of delays. Have a less stressful journey by allowing yourself plenty of time to check in and get through security.     5    

4 . Vietnam Quality Tour

This tour is the perfect introduction to Vietnam, with cultural activities and plenty of opportunities to interact with the locals. Learn more about the history of Saigon, and explore Hue for a glimpse(一睹) of the grand past of this ancient country. Hoi An will impress you with its stone streets and scenic riverside setting, while the capital city Hanoi features timeless streets full of local life, wonderful colonial(殖民的) architecture and a splendid history. The tour finishes as it started, with a showstopper—Halong Bay, where you’ll take an overnight journey by sea out onto the calm waters and wind your way through the breathtaking karst(喀斯特) scenery.

When booking this tour with The Times Travel Offers, you will get a high-quality free pre-tour extension, which includes an extra hotel night with breakfast and dinner, as well as a half-day cooking class which is of great value-make sure to quote TIMES-ON when booking.

5 . Since the mid-1990s, tourists have paid storm-chasers to take them to places in the American Great Plains where they expect to see tornadoes. Why, a reasonable follow-up question might go, would anyone want to get so close to something so disruptive? These tourists, a study found, characterized their relationship to severe weather as a “passion”, describing their feelings about tornadoes using words like “enjoyment”, “fascination” and “love”. Some people seem spiritually moved by tornadoes-one tourist called the storms “humbling” -but the main motivator seemed to be simple: Twisters are cool.

America has many more tornadoes than any other country, and its people have long regarded twisters with a mix of fear, awe and thrilled pleasure. Fast-moving and dramatic, tornadoes have been irresistible parts for popular entertainment. One needn’t be an extreme-weather enthusiast, however, to take a brief and far-less dangerous tour: of culture tornadoes have inspired and of the transformation of American society’s feelings about these storms from fear to excitement.

European colonists in the future United States were fascinated-and sometimes horrified-by their new land’s weather. In the Early Republic, the influence of romantic ideas about the terrible and wonderful power of nature became clearer in American tornado culture. Some people began to write about tornadoes in terms of awe, and to produce art that explored the phenomenon’s natural beauty, while also moralizing about its meaning. Since the 1930s, American tornadoes have been less deadly: the country has much better early-warning systems, fewer people live in rural areas and tornado activity has largely shifted from the southeast to the thinly-populated Great Plains.

Storm-chasing-a scientific, thrill-seeking activity that most Americans found out about via the1996 blockbuster film Twister, is still incomprehensible to many who don’t practice it. “I find it difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t chased what forces us to seek pleasure from risk,” wrote Jennifer Henderson, a scholar and crazy storm-chaser, characterizing her feelings while chasing as “a sense of exposure and revelation tightly coupled”.

6 . Shrewsbury is an ideal getaway with visitors.

Set off on a self-guided tour of Shrewsbury on one of the town’s new e-bikes. The route is easy to follow with lots of stops along the way, including the Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery and the Victorian-era Shrewsbury Prison. It’s most suitable for ages 14-plus.

This was the world’s first iron-shaped building when it was built in 1797-a forerunner of the modern skyscraper (摩天大楼). A new visitor centre opened in September-it’s also the end point of the Heritage Trail e-bike tour. An exhibition explores how the building has grown and been repurposed over the years.

Situated in the centre of town, this was an innovative example of modern architecture when it opened in 1965. Recent upgrades mean it’s now home to more than 70 independent businesses, including traditional market stands, artisan producers, craft shops and antique dealers.

Opened in 2020, Riverside Cabins is a rural collection of wooden cottages built in18th century, a 20-minute drive from Shrewsbury. Cabins sleep between two and six guests and each come with their own hot baths, as well as Wi-Fi and smart TVs. Try your hand at boating along the river, with equipment available to borrow on site. From £ 135 for a minimum of two nights for a family of four.

Elephant Trunk Hill lies     1     two rivers meet, one of them is the famous Li River of

Guilin city in Guangxi, and it is the symbol of Guilin. The hill was     2     (former) named Li Hill and resembles (像) a giant elephant standing in the river, drinking water through its trunk. Thus, the mountain was named Elephant Trunk Hill.     3     (date) back to as early as the Tang and Song dynasties, the hill has been a famous tourist     4     (attract) over 1,000 years of history. The scenic area combines unique rocks, beautiful waterways, special caves and numerous cliff stone carvings, which make it enjoy a high reputation worldwide.

Ranging     5     historical significance to cultural richness, we are grateful to witness such a breathtaking landscape. The     6     (commerce) value of this site is undeniable, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe who take advantage of its beauty.    7     (be)frank, few places offer such a diverse blend of natural and historical elements. Visitors may occasionally complain about crowds, but     8     response from the authorities has been positive, aiming to enhance the overall experience. The     9     (reject) of modern developments preserves its natural beauty. The site continues to inspire future generations to come. Energetic and flexible, it     10     (adapt) to the changing times while maintaining its essence (本质).