Avoid Jet Lag With These 5 Tips

Frequent travelers know the bane of jet lag.

They probably also know a bunch of tips for avoiding it. But for everyone else -- folks who end up taking just one or two business trips a year, for example -- might benefit from knowing great ways to beat The Lag.

Recently, Secrets from the Yumiverse rounded up nine useful tips and packed them into an infographic. Here are the best of the best -- read the original article for all nine. Adjust your sleep cycle. For at least a few days before your trip, adjust your sleep hours. If you're headed west, wake up and go to bed one hour later.

If you're going east, make it one hour earlier. Eat right. On the day of the flight, eat a light and healthy meal. Most importantly, be well hydrated by drinking a lot of water. Live the new time zone.

On the day of the flight, set your watch to the destination's time zone and try to start acting accordingly right away -- don't wait for the plane to land at the final destination. Equip yourself for sleep. If you need to sleep on the plane to adjust to the new cycle, bring a sleep mask, ear plugs, and pillow. Alternately, if you need to stay awake, get up and walk around the cabin as much as you can.

You can also eat a lot of protein (like nuts). Stay outdoors to stay awake. If you arrive at your destination in daylight but your body craves sleep, stay outdoors and get as much sunlight as you can. This will help you stay awake until evening when you can go to sleep and get on the right cycle.

No word on whether taking off your shoes and "making fists with your toes" -- Bruce Willis's advice from "Die Hard" -- actually works.

Holiday-Hoarding Workers Urged to Hit the Road

With Australians accruing more than 118 million days of annual leave, holiday-hoarding workers are being urged to hit the road to rejuvenate their lives and Queensland’s touring holiday industry.

According to research, one in four Australian full-time workers have more than 25 days leave.

Caravanning Queensland CEO Ron Chapman said Queenslanders needed to do themselves and the local tourism industry a favour by discovering their backyard.

“People come from across the world to see Queensland’s beaches, outback and rainforests. Queenslanders need to take some well-earnt time out to discover the state’s treasures for themselves,” he said.

“Queensland’s caravan and tourist parks have bounced back from the start of last year and invested heavily in new facilities which improve the visitor experience.   Forget what you thought you knew about touring holidays – these days there is something for the budget camper through to the deluxe motorhome devotee.

“Whether you’re a solo traveller, couple or large family, a growing number of Queenslanders are discovering the freedom, flexibility and affordably of local holidays.

“There is a reason why Queensland is the destination of choice for road travellers across the country during autumn and winter, when there is perfect weather for perfect escapes.” 

Today, there are about 400,000 caravans, motorhomes and camper trailers registered in Australia, making it one of the world’s most caravan-friendly countries. There are 112,000 registered in Queensland alone.

Travel enthusiasts are expected to roll into Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds in their tens of thousands when one of Australia’s largest caravan exhibitions, the Queensland Caravan, Camping and Touring Holiday Show, sets up camp between 6 and 12 June 2012.

7 Tips to Remember When Staying in a Hotel for the Holidays

The holidays are over, well nearly, we've still got 2012 to ring in but already we've got a post-mortem of the 2011 holiday season from our favorite concierge, @ConciergeCorner.

1. On Shipping gifts: I will be happy to map out, recommend and even drive you to purchase gifts, but shipping and tipping, that’s on you.

2. Keep complaints to a minimum: You are visiting family but I’m away from mine, at work. Have a heart and don’t complain about the low floor of your third party booked room, thanks.

3. Restaurant reservations on Christmas Eve are tough: It’s Christmas Eve and for some reason you are under the impression that you are getting a table at the popular family owned Italian eatery. Sorry, not happening. Mr. Lucco is with his family but I’m sure Red Dragon Asian eatery has availability.

4. Same with tourist attractions: Sadly our most popular tourist attractions are closed but I can get you to the Kremlin, Dubai and Mumbai via Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, now playing.

5. Be specific about gift requests: To come to me saying you want the “it gift” is useless. Maybe I think the “it gift” is Pogs? Say what you want, mean what you say and you’re bound to have a better stay.

6. Yes, tipping is still appreciated: With hundred dollar designer shades on and hands full of shopping bags, I really don’t care to hear how you have no money to tip me cause it’s the holidays.

7. Management won't get off easy: Lucky number 7 goes out to all my senior management out there in “This has been a down year" land. Stop playing the victim and throw me a few bucks, as I know you can.