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Austria – A Year-Round Travel Destination

Austria is a land-locked country located in Central Europe. It has nine provinces and is also home to the beautiful Alps. In addition, the country is blessed with many forests, valleys, lakes and rivers that are just waiting to be explored.

While Austria sees maximum tourists during winter who come here to ski and take part in other winter sports, it is also considered to be a year-round travel destination.

If you are planning a visit to the country, you should know what to expect in terms of weather and climate. The country has four distinct seasons, namely spring, summer, autumn and winter. The summers are warm but it can get cool at nights. It usually rains during this time but the showers last for a short while. The winters are sunny and nearly every year it snows covering the mountains and the cities in a white carpet. The winters are quite cold, but certain parts of the country have warm dry winds. Make sure you carry appropriate clothing for the season.

Austria is a haven for those who love old architecture and culture. It is home to Stephansdom, or Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Schonbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace, Goldene Dachl in Innsbruck, Melk Abbey and Loos Haus. It is also the country that gave the world composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss Jr., Johann Strauss Sr., and Johannes Brahms.

Because of the mountainous terrain, the most popular activities in the country are skiing in winter and hiking. There are many resorts that are located on the foothills of the Alps that cater to the visiting skiing community. There are ample opportunities for cross country skiing across the country. Austria has thousands of kilometers of hiking trails and you can use them to explore the Alps. You are bound to be taken up by the panoramic views as you hike.

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Heartburn Foods – Foods That Fan the Flames

If you suffer from heartburn, you probably are well aware that what you eat can trigger some pretty uncomfortable symptoms. If you’re aware of what these negative heartburn foods are, you can often avoid the symptoms of heartburn. And there are also positive heartburn foods that will improve the symptoms of heartburn. This article will focus on foods are likely to cause you problems. However, I will point you toward a resource that would tell you about foods to help treat heartburn and acid reflux.

Even though different foods bother different people, there are common themes. I’ll go over some of the common troublesome foods here, but ultimately you’ll have to compile your own definitive list of the foods that you know bother you.

In general, fatty meats are problematic for many heartburn sufferers. Hamburger meat and sausage are examples, especially if fried in a lot of grease. With this in mind, it shouldn’t be surprising that Buffalo wings can cause indigestion. After all, chicken wings are fatty to begin with then, to make Buffalo wings, they’re deep fried and coated with a spicy butter sauce.

Many people with acid reflux need be careful with sweets, oils and fats. Snack foods such as potato chips and corn chips can cause problems because they are high in fat. Many people are saddened to discover that chocolate is a major problem for them. Along the same lines brownies, donuts and other pastries can be problematic. In short anything that is fried, fatty or greasy might cause heartburn.

There are certain beverages that are problematic heartburn foods. For many people, coffee is the culprit. And any citrus juice such as orange juice, grapefruit juice and lemonade can trigger a severe episode of heartburn, as can tomato juice. Alcoholic beverages are another group of drinks you need to be careful with.

Probably the most common trigger is a spicy tomato sauce, especially if it’s accompanied by greasy meatballs. Combine this, as people often do, with a large volume of pasta and it’s a pretty reliable recipe for heartburn. Another combo that’s very common but a bad idea if you’re suffering from heartburn is pizza with buffalo chicken wings on the side.

The last group of foods I want to mention are some dairy products. Though in one sense milk and other dairy products coat and soothe the esophagus and stomach, the balance of opinion is that the fat in regular dairy products causes more problems than it helps.

For some people, changing their diet and avoiding trigger foods is all they need to do to bring their acid reflux under control. You can find out more about which foods to avoid and, just as important, which foods can help at:

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Expert Camping Advice

Camping is essentially for those of us who love the outdoors
and can do without all of the comforts of home for a short while. However, just loving the outdoors is not enough to guarantee that the experience will be a fun one. The essentials of having fun in the great outdoors are preparation and an open mind. Preparation is easy, if you follow some simple rules.

When you are getting ready to plan a trip, you must select a convenient time that will give you flexibility of one to two days. This will make the trip more about you, and less about your timetable. You may run into weather problems or you may just want to camp for an extra day. Next, choose a
location and make it specific. Don’t just choose a county where you saw a campground. Call the campground or the park office and get reservations or information about the time you have allotted. Many parks are happy give you
information and tips about what to expect. The most
complicated step in preparation is making a list of what to
bring. Making a list is essential and your list will change
dramatically the more you trips you take.

The first thing you need to put on your list of things to
take is the things that will get you there. If you are
hiking to a campsite, list the number of backpacks. If you
are simply driving to a site, list the number of cars. Then
you must plan your shelter and sleeping situation.

Remember, tents are a luxury and heavy to carry. Hikers
usually bring a plastic tarp that can shelter up to four
people. With a tarp, you can tie it between trees for cover
from the elements. Many time you won’t even need that but
you can always lay the tarp on the ground to designate a
clean sleeping area. After this has been set, you will go
over what food you will need. We stress need here. Stray
from fresh produce and meets because they spoil easy and
their scent attracts animals and insects. Stick to dried
food and canned items. Canned items will add weight, but
they are more calorie rich and very easy to cook in multiple
situations. Most of your food should be snacks, so that you
don’t have to cook very much. Trail mix and yogurt covered
raisins will fill you up more than you think, and they are a
cheap alternative to buying food from camping stores that
hike up the price on dried meals.

The last things you will put on your list are what will make you comfortable. Minimal clothing is best. One of each type
of outfit is best. One pair of shorts, pants, sweatshirt,
tee, and a couple pairs of undergarments including socks is
enough. One poncho will take up minimal space. Small LED
flash lights will get you around at night if you stray from
the fire. Then make sure you have some things to keep you
busy. Books, playing cards and a nerf football are all
light and can be very entertaining for hours on end. As
long as you don’t start dragging along things that aren’t
meant for the outdoors, you should be fine. Remember that
everything will be at home when you get back. Most
importantly make a not of the things you didn’t use and the
things you wished you brought. That will make each trip you
take more enjoyable and different than the last.