1 . Welcome to “Cash Poor Points Rich”, a new travel blog dedicated to sharing experiences with credit card points and miles to help you get big travel, but for small spend.With the right planning and maximization of available resources, traveling as a college student may be easier than you think.

If visiting a place with happy locals is a priority for you, there’s no better city to hit than Chengdu. It is home to pandas and spicy things. Moreover, the city’s abundance of cultural and historical sights, together with its laid back lifestyle, make Chengdu one of the most attractive and livable large cities too. Past travelers have spent, on average, ¥157 on meals and ¥43 on local transportation for one day.

Tourism is picking up in Vietnam lately, where you can travel for about ¥100 per day if you play your cards right. Con Dao Island Nation Park, a group of dramatic tiny islands off the southern coast, is a great destination to see sea turtles and other wildlife while exploring the area on foot. Its thick jungle will give you a good chance to uncover a paradise (天堂) of your own.

If you’re looking for an affordable European summer beach vacation, consider Zakynthos Island. Food is cheap and mouthwatering. There are plenty of free things to do, although the favorite is spending time on the beautiful beaches edged by electric blue water. There are countless options for swimming in the appealing sea, along with charming villages and museums to explore.

New Orleans is an incredibly unique place in the U.S., full of fascinating history, absorbing culture, delicious food, and a constantly buzzing nightlife scene. There are actually a couple of hostels in and near the French Quarter that offer reasonable accommodation rates for students.

2 . Bike Rental & Guided Tours

...... Why MacBike

MacBike has been around for almost 30 years and is the biggest bicycle rental company in Amsterdam. With over 2,500 bikes stored in our five rental shops at strategic locations, we make sure there is always a bike available for you. We offer the newest bicycles in a wide variety, including basic bikes with foot brake(刹车), bikes with hand brake and gears (排挡), bikes with child seats, and children’s bikes.

Prices

Guided City Tours

The 2.5-hour tour covers the Gooyer Windmill, the Skinny Bridge, the Rijksmuseum, Heineken Brewery and much more. The tour departs from Dam Square every hour on the hour, starting at 1:00 pm every day. You can buy your ticket in a MacBike shop or book online.

3 . After my family got comfortably settled in Hotel Ramada in Bangkok, we started exploring the city. After endless hours of shopping, it was finally time to go back.

This was when the trouble started. We forgot there are two Ramada hotels in the opposite directions. Absolutely unaware of this, we started searching for the way back. Google maps suggested us the shortest route, which was just 20 minutes away by walk.     1    

Bangkok felt different after sunset. Walking along the heavily-crowded roads with the dark-red sky felt beautiful. Lost in our talk, we didn’t realize that we passed onto the quieter part of the town.

    2     It was closed for redecoration. Unluckily, nobody around us then spoke English. Worse still, we stepped in a local tuk-tuk (三轮车), which took us to an unknown area for an enormous pay. We had no clue where we were, our mobile phones nearly out of power.

    3     He was a taxi driver. Recounting the day’s events proved to be a great conversation starter. We ended up talking through the way. He was so kind as to offer to drive us around for the rest of our stay.     4     For the next four days, from floating markets to the temples of Wat Pho, our trip wouldn’t have been so trouble-free without him.

Sometimes when things don’t go according to plan, I think about the stranger we met on the streets and how a tiny mistake on our part led to unexpected results.     5    

4 . Children’s Discovery Museum

General Information about Group Play

Pricing   

Group Play $7/person

Scholarships   

We offer scholarships to low-income schools and youth organizations, subject to availability. Participation in a post-visit survey is required.

Scholarships are for Group Play admission fees and/or transportation. Transportation invoices (发票) must be received within 60 days of your visit to guarantee the scholarship.

Group Size   

We require one chaperone (监护人) per ten children. Failure to provide enough chaperones will result in an extra charge of $50 per absent adult.

Group Play is for groups of 10 or more with a limit of 35 people. For groups of 35 or more, please call to discuss options.

Hours   

The Museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Group Play may be scheduled during any day or time the Museum is open.

Registration Policy   

Registration must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Register online or fill out a Group Play Registration Form with multiple date and start time options.

Once the registration form is received and processed, we will send a confirmation email within two business days.

Guidelines   

●Teachers and chaperones should model good behavior for the group and remain with students at all times.

●Children are not allowed unaccompanied in all areas of the Museum.

●Children should play nicely with each other and exhibits.

●Use your indoor voice when at the Museum.

5 . India, as a country with plenty of resorts (旅游胜地), is popular with different kinds of travelers. If you’re planning to visit the country, the followings are the places that may interest you.

Delhi is a perfect place for those who love history, and there are plenty of attractions here to keep tourists of all interests entertained. It’s often the first city that many tourists visit on a trip around India. There are many resorts including India Gate, the Lotus Temple, Qutub Minar, and Humayun’s Tomb.

Agra is most well known for the Taj Mahal, which draws a large number of tourists to the city. Built in the 1600s, the Taj Mahal is still standing strong today and is admired by tourists as an important part of India’s heritage (遗产).

Kashmir is one of the most beautiful cities in India. With flower gardens, amazing water-falls, and snow-topped peaks, it’s a simply unforgettable place that tourists want to return to time and time again. Kashmir is especially popular with honeymooners and loved-up couples, because a lot of romantic trips are on sale in Kashmir.

Though Goa is small in size, it’s one of the top resorts for young tourists and those who love taking beach vacations. The golden sands and coconut palm trees are the charm (吸引力) here, and the sunrises and sunsets are so gorgeous that you’ll never forget them.

6 . Yellowstone National Park offers a variety of ranger (护林员) programs throughout the park, and throughout the year. The following are descriptions of the ranger programs this summer.

Junior Ranger Wildlife Olympics (June 2 to September 1)

Kids can test their skills and compare their abilities to the animals of Yellowstone. Stay for as little or as long as your plans allow. Meet in front of the Visitor Education Center.

Experiencing Wildlife in Yellowstone (July 10 to September 1)

Whether you’re hiking a backcountry trail (小径), camping, or just enjoying the park’s amazing wildlife from the road, this quick workshop is for you and your family. Learn where to look for animals and how to safely enjoy your wildlife watching experience. Meet at the Canyon Village Store.

Photography Workshops (June 19 & July 10)

Improve your photography skills — join Yellowstone’s park photographer for a hands-on program to inspire new and creative ways of enjoying the beauty and wonder of Yellowstone.

6/19 — Waterfalls & Wide Angles: meet at Artist Point.

7/10 — Wildflowers & White Balance: meet at Washburn Trailhead in Chittenden parking area.

Canyon Talks at Artist Point (June 9 to September 2)

From a classic viewpoint, enjoy Lower Falls, the Yellowstone River, and the breathtaking colors of the canyon (峡谷) while learning about the area’s natural and human history. Discover why artists and photographers continue to be drawn to this special place. Meet on the lower platform at Artist Point on the South Rim Drive for this short talk.

8 . Travel Is Good for Your Health

Travel means lots of opportunities to force yourself to be active.     1     So you’re more likely to attempt a new extreme sport, a walk on sand, or a real hike to get the best views of your surroundings. So you see that travel is really good for your health.

    2     This one might not come as a big surprise to you, but it’s been scientifically proven that travel will increase your happiness, decrease your depression, and remove your pressure. A study found that after vacation,travelers felt well rested, less anxious, and in a better mood.

Travel improves your brain health. Travel expands your mind. You meet new people all over the world. You adapt to new cultures and situations.     3    This is all good for your mental health because new experiences increase cognitive flexibility, keeping your mind sharp.

Travel will decrease your risk of heart disease. That’s because people who wander away from their homes for a little vacation are generally less stressed and anxious, or at least they’re willing to take a break from their stressors (压力源).     4    

Travel will let you live longer. It’s true.     5    Whether local or global, all forms of travel improve our life and can actually increase our life expectancy. Research shows that travel reduces stress, keeps your body healthy inside and out,and improves brain health. This adds to the chance of living longer and having fun.

9 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:

Disneyland, California

Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.

Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida

Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

EPCOT, Disney World, Florida

EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.

Disney­MGM Studios, Florida

MGM’s streets are the home for some great movie­themed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.

Universal Studios, Florida

Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.