Going on a break with the family is a must for most people. Taking time to seek out new terrains and get to know new horizons with the kids in tow is a big part of adding experience to life. Piling the family into the car and heading out is a great way to follow a trail to new adventures, but being stuck in a car with family at close quarters can cause squabbling to an extreme and make an adventure feel useless.
Planning is the key to the perfect family road trip and it’s got to start with how you travel. Some families love to hire a huge recreational vehicle like this one to get their family around. The space and comfort – not to mention, the toilet – can make such a difference to the journey. Not being confined to five seats and bags is a glorious feeling and an RV can change that. Alternatively, plan your mode of transport based on what you plan to do. If you’re heading into the mountains and valleys for hiking, paragliding and skiing fun, then getting into an off-road vehicle like a Ford Ranger is going to change the game and give you every comfort you need as you go off those regular roads and into new terrains. Road trips don’t have to be a stressful affair, and we’ve got four tips to make it work for your whole family.
Activities. Depending on the age of the kids, the fun they have in the car is going to differ. Teenagers may well be happy to sit back with their headphones in, watching the world go by as they listen to the latest tracks. Little children are a whole other kettle of fish. They need interaction and entertainment, from car games like these to portable DVD players to keep them entertained. Babies are always easier, as they tend to sleep on long car journeys and can make life easy!
Time. As a family, you know that timing is going to matter the most. Trying to plan to get to school on time is hard enough, never mind a full road trip. Mark on a map all the toilets and rest stops, and mark down how long you want each stop to last. Once you’ve done that, stick to it! Allow extra time for traffic, but not for choosing candy on the road!
Make It Interesting. Kids are easily bored on the road, and adults are, too! Making those rest stops interesting ones and not just the local gas station can make such a difference. Plan your journey to include interesting towns and tourist spots!
Plan Surprises. Keep a bag with you in the front of the car full of little treats and goodies so that during car games, you have prizes. These little gifts can change the atmosphere in the car during boring periods and make it fun.
Your road trip doesn’t have to be a disaster; careful planning and treats see to that!
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Do you find yourself focusing on the small things?
Do you have the motivation to pick up discrepancies, the kind that other people might miss?
Do you delight in the fine print, able to identify issues before they happen?
If you can answer a resounding “yes” to all of the above, then chances are you’re a detail-orientated person. This has its frustrations, there’s no doubt. When you’re always noticing small details, then you can be distracted from everything else. While everyone else is delighting in the latest hit TV show episode, you’re finding yourself puzzling over a small plot hole that the writers left unanswered. It can even be irritating that other people don’t quite have the same level of focus to the small-scale that you do.
However, on the whole, being detail-orientated is a blessing rather than a curse. When it comes to choosing career options, your detail-hungry brain is always going to be seen as an asset by employers. That means you’re going to be able to pick and choose the industries you want to work in – but which might be the best suited to your personality?
Option 1: Medical Coder
A biller/coder in the medical field is responsible for compiling invoices and dealing with insurance details. On the surface, it sounds like basic-level accounting stuff – but you couldn’t be more wrong.
The reason that a biller/coder needs to be able to focus on details is the sheer amount of data they need to process. If a patient is admitted to the ER, then has a scan, then moves to a ward for treatment – that’s three different departments you’re going to need to pull information from. You then have to compile it along with the required legislation; and there’s no room for errors. It’s perfect for someone like you, who focuses on the small details that others might miss.
Option 2: Project Management
Project management is a task that many people would feel they can turn their hands to, but for those who do it as a profession, it’s an entirely different world. Pro project managers have to be able to identify problems before they happen; liaise with different teams of people; and see how to bring them all together.
The smallest slip, and you can doom a project. But you’re a details person – there’s no way you’re going to be making any slips. It’s high pressure, but it’s high reward too.
Option 3: Mental Health Counselling
This one might sound a little out of left field – but it makes more sense if you think of mental health treatment as a science rather than an art. Identifying the source of someone’s issues requires a lot of focus on their past; being able to remember small details; extrapolate meaning from off-handed comments that they might not even have realized were relevant to their current situation. If you’re able to focus on the details with ease, then this is a job you might just be perfect for.
While there’s plenty of job opportunities for those who thrive on details, the above three might be the best possible fits you can imagine.
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The perfect holiday can often seem like something of a fantasy. It certainly can be hard to plan and arrange the ideal vacation, especially if you are somewhat limited in regards to your funds. Most people are not able to afford five-star luxury every year, so if you are having to scrimp and save, don’t worry about it. Everyone has been there – and what’s more, it doesn’t have to mean that you can’t still have a fantastic holiday. As it happens, one of the best ways to have a holiday with the family is to stay home, or close to home. There are many reasons why that might be; let’s have a look at some of the more convincing ones now.
One of the main reasons that people consider holidaying at home is simply because they will save a lot of money. Just think about it: you won’t need to buy flights (which is often most of the expense) and you will find that any other transport will be much cheaper than abroad. But it’s also a case of having local knowledge. Because you know more than you do about location which are further afield, you can be a little savvier with how you spend your money. You will probably find that you get a lot more for your money than you would abroad, even if in some foreign locations most things might be cheaper. Having the local knowledge really does make a huge difference.
A Safer Journey
There is mounting evidence to suggest that holidaying nearer to your home is more often safer. There are many factors which will influence this. For a start, it is true that you are less likely to be in any kind of accident, because you have more understanding of the culture and won’t find yourself making the same silly mistakes. You will also have an easier time navigating your way, as you already know the area fairly well. You speak the language, and can more easily gain any assistance you might need when you need it. If you are planning a road trip, it might be particularly wise to stay in your own corner of the country. The last thing you want is an out of state car accident, with all the hassle that brings. If you are closer to home, in your own state, you will be less likely to crash in the first place – and if you do, the procedure following it will be much simpler.
You don’t have to actually stay in your town, of course, but even just getting your children to appreciate the local area or state you are in is important. Too often these days, people find themselves getting too out of touch with the area they belong to. This is a real shame, but a great way to remedy the situation is by holidaying at home. It is especially good for your children, and the earlier you take them on holidays at home the better it will be for them. You might even find that they develop an understanding and respect of their home which other kids their age lack. It’s a great way to avoid the trap of ignoring your own corner of the world’s own special beauty.
Cut It Short? No Problem
There are many ways in which travelling close to home will mean that you have a much less stressful time. A particularly good example of this is when you need to cut your trip short. This can happen for a variety of reasons, and it is always a shame when it does happen. It might be a family emergency, for example, or that you have run out of your holiday spending money and need to stop spending. Whatever the underlying problem, it goes without saying that you will find it much easier to make your way back home whenever you want to if you are only just down the road. This can actually be something of a lifesaver in more serious circumstances – sometimes literally. You don’t want to live in fear of this kind of thing to the point that you never go anywhere – but it is still a huge benefit of holidaying at home which can’t be ignored.
Next time you are thinking of taking the family away somewhere, look close to home. You might be surprised at what kind of wonder lay on your doorstep, once you stop and look.
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If you realise you want to make the most out of your life – it’s about time! Your life is whatever you make it, and the possibilities are endless. The first thing you need to do is figure out what you want to accomplish. What are your hopes and desires? Remember that there is no right or wrong answer, and if you don’t know – that’s fine too. It just means your journey will be even more exciting because you have no idea where you may end up!
Whatever it is you end up doing, here are all the tips you need to remember, to help you get exactly what you want out of life.
No one is any better than you.
That person you see as being inferior to you? They’re not; they’re just another simple human being surviving in this world. Their brain isn’t any different to yours, nor their heart, or their blood. They have not been blessed with a set of skills that you’re incapable of developing, nor do they deserve anything more than you do.
Remember this; you can’t lose until you quit… So just don’t quit.
Creativity wins every time.
Albert Einstein said it first – “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” and indeed it is. The most magnificent minds weren’t full of facts, but creativity instead. Anyone can be factful nowadays (thanks, Google), so don’t waste your time on the little things when you could be building up your creativity. That on the other hand, is something that not everybody has, so if you have it – be ready to rise above and use it to your advantage.
The rules are meant to be broken.
Let’s put it this way, if you stick by all of the rules that are set, you’ll end up missing out on a whole bunch of fun. Sure, rules have been put in place for a reason, but why should you follow them without questioning their validity first? Don’t ever be put down or put off for questioning things. It shows strength and curiosity, and that’s what everyone needs within their lives. How else are you going to learn?
Don’t be scared to ask for help.
Whether you’re battling an inner demon, or can’t manage your thoughts and feelings – ask for help. People get it into their heads that doing so is a sign of weakness – but it isn’t at all. There are plenty of ways you can get the help you need, click here for more information. The most important thing to remember is that you’re human, and if you’re struggling, just ask.
Slow down and enjoy.
Why is everyone always in a hurry? Before you know it, you’ll be ninety years old and wishing that you looked at the trees properly, counting every leaf it owned.
Speeding down the road in your car to knock two minutes off your journey time really won’t make any difference. Neither will pushing in line at the grocery store. – Take time out to see all the beautiful things in this world! Who knows how long they’ll last for, so take a chill pill.
Regret nothing.
Go all out and never regret a thing. Talk to that person you can’t take your eyes off at work. Quit the job you hate and try something new. Decide to be an artist for a year. Travel around the world alone. Get up on stage and sing Whitney Houston like you know you can. – Whatever it may be, go out and enjoy. Who cares if you fail miserably – it was fun while it lasted. Now onto the next.
Upset about something? Do something about it.
If something is eating you up inside, do something to make a difference. It’s no good whining about it on social media – you need to get out and take a stand. Join a movement that you’re passionate about, or create a website, or a vlog about the issue and what you’re trying to do. If you’re not willing to make the effort, stop complaining.
Be grateful for what you already have.
It’s very easy sometimes to forget how lucky you actually are. The biggest thing being – you’re breathing. Sure, we all look around us and compare our lives to one another, but what advantage actually comes out of that? Be grateful for what you have, and cherish it, because you don’t know how long you’ll have it for. If you’re thankful for your family, or the relationships you have within your life, it doesn’t hurt to be vocal and tell them. It will surely come to them as a surprise to hear, and it will mean an awful lot.
Stay true to yourself.
One of the most important things, and also one of the hardest, is to stay true to yourself. This means owning who you are, and not being ashamed, embarrassed or scared to reveal your true self. You’re amazing, and people are lucky if they get to know you even a little, so never feel as though you can’t be yourself. Some people are rude and arrogant, and they aren’t trying to hide themselves away from the world, so why should you?
Less thinking, more doing.
Who cares what people are going to think of you. The ‘what if’ words are the most harmful thing you can say to yourself, because it has the potential to hold you back from the things you want to do in your life. What. If. You took too long stressing about it, and now the opportunity that was once right in front of you, is gone forever? You’ll be so disappointed that you didn’t just take the leap. You don’t want to spend your life being stuck in a state of limbo. So when making a decision, get the essential information you need, and then just go for it. Swap out what if to why not. That’s a damn lot more exciting.
Hearing loss has a way of sneaking up on you. While it’s something that we traditionally write off as an inevitable part of aging, there are numerous causes of hearing loss although many are degenerative and in many cases we don’t realize the extent of our hearing loss until it’s gotten pretty bad. If you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves over and over again. If people accuse you of not listening to them or you have trouble realizing that people are talking to you half way through a conversation then these can be telling signs that you have hearing loss that you may not even be fully aware of.
Hearing loss can be a cause of embarrassment and anxiety to sufferers that is only exacerbated when it is left ignored and untreated. As people get more impatient with having to repeat themselves and the world around them feels more remote and alienating, sufferers of hearing loss can find themselves suffering severely damaging psychological effects. Here we’ll look at spotting the signs of hearing loss, the psychological and emotional impact that sufferers may undergo and the importance of identifying the cause and the effects that it may have on treatment as well as how people with hearing loss can help themselves and others around them better understand their condition.
Spotting the signs
Hearing loss in adults doesn’t just happen overnight. It often takes place over a period of years in increments so small that sufferers don’t even notice it day by day. While we may associate hearing loss with advanced age, it can be experienced at virtually any age, regardless of our general health and fitness. If you notice any of the following occurring on a daily basis then there’s a good chance that you’re experiencing hearing loss.
You struggle to hear people talking to you on the phone
You frequently feel that others are mumbling and often need them to repeat themselves
You struggle to be part of conversations in busy places like malls, cafes, bars and restaurants.
Your partner and friends accuse you of not listening.
Your family often says that you have the TV or radio on too loud.
You can’t tell where sound is coming from.
Conversations require a great deal of conversations and become exhausting.
The psychological impact of gradual hearing loss cannot be underestimated. It can alienate you from your partner and friends and leave you feeling isolated. It can cause people to become frustrated and irritated with you, negatively impacting your self-esteem. Moreover, coming to the realization that you are in fact losing your hearing is a genuine bereavement that requires emotional and psychological adjustment. As with any loss you can expect to feel anger, resentment and you may well be in denial of the existence or extent of your hearing loss. Once you’ve come to accept it as a reality of your life, however, you must not suffer in silence but seek help in identifying the cause of your hearing loss as this will be the first step to treating it.
Hearing loss can have a seriously detrimental effect on not only your ability to live your day to day life but on your mental health if left untreated. Thus, it’s important to seek the advice of an audiologist to correctly identify the cause of your hearing loss. In some cases it may even be something that can be reversed. Most common cases of hearing loss are attributed to either nerve damage (sensorineural hearing loss) or obstructions in the ear canal (conductive hearing loss). Many cases of hearing loss can be reversed by removing waxy buildup in the ear or removing lodged foreign objects from the ear canal. Likewise infections or pus buildup in the ear canal can be treated with an antibiotic. Some obstructions, however like perforation of the eardrums or Otosclerosis (an abnormal bone growth in the middle ear) cannot be reversed. Hearing loss caused by nerve damage, however, has a more diverse range of causes. It can be caused by aging, regular exposure to loud noises, viral infections, hereditary conditions like Meniere’s disease (which also affects your balance) and even lifestyle related conditions like obesity or excessive smoking can cause sensorineural hearing loss.This kind of hearing loss requires more comprehensive treatment that will likely remain with you for the rest of your life.
An audiologist will likely want to prescribe you a hearing aid. There was a time when hearing aids were ugly, bulky inefficient things but the advent of digital technology has made hearing aids much more discreet and effective. Whether you opt for a hearing aid that clips behind the ear or one that sits discreetly in the ear canal, most digital hearing aids are hard to detect, though it’s important to note that hearing aids require a period of adjustment. When you first start wearing a hearing aid you’ll likely experience a tinny buzzing in your ears. Over time your brain (which has gotten used to compensating for your hearing loss) will start to recognize these vibrations as sounds and adjust to the hearing aid over a period of weeks. It’s important to allow yourself this period of adjustment and stick with your hearing aids as frustrating as the transitional period may be. If your hearing loss makes phone conversations difficult the good news is that there are many phones for the hearing impaired available. They have hardware and software built-in that can not only elevate the volume but clarify speech by reducing background noise and even slow down talk speed to make speech easier to understand.
Openness and honesty
When you hearing loss has been diagnosed it’s important to take ownership of it and not to feel embarrassed. Being open and honest about it with friends and family will prevent them from getting impatient and irritated with you when they have to repeat themselves. They’ll also know that your hearing loss is outside of your control and that you’re not deliberately ignoring them.
Those around you can help by being patient and trying to speak more slowly and clearly in your presence.
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Getting roadworthy can be a difficult time. It might feel like there is an overwhelming amount of requirements you need to make before you can happily call yourself roadworthy. At the very least, making sure that you have an operational car, the correct insurance and road tax, as well as the confidence to do well on the road is required. As a new driver trying to figure out all of this information and begin your driving career safe, it’s likely that there are many driving insights you simply aren’t told as a new driver. Some people don’t figure them out for years, or neglect to even learn them at all.
You’re an intelligent reader, and so if you’re a new driver, or even a driver looking to brush up on their roadworthy knowledge, it’s worthwhile reading the following advice. Who knows? One day, it could help you out in a pinch.
Road Rage Will Come Your Way
It’s natural to feel frustrated while driving. It’s not natural or wise or acceptable to let it inform your driving behaviours. You will experience a plethora of personality types on the road, from those with attitudes, those showing off to the inhabitants of their car, as well as people who are overly cautious such as a small percentage of the elderly. All of these people can cause you stress on the road, especially if they cut you up or drive dangerously near you. While it might be tempting to flip the bird or honk the horn, or even yell out of the window, all of this adds to the distractions of yourself and other drivers on the road.
Don’t add to a situation his danger through your own anger, even if it will take saintly patience to prevent yourself from doing so. The dangers far outweigh the benefits of letting out some of your frustration. If someone has seriously inhibited you from driving safely, or has put you in harm’s way, memorize the license plate or read it out to someone else in the car, pull aside and call the police on them. They will notify the highway authorities and track the vehicle down. If they do, it’s likely that they will require a statement from you, and that’s where you can have your justified ‘revenge,’ for lack of a better term. Getting a dangerous driver officially penalized can maybe even save lives at a later date, and at the very least you will feel vindicated from having to experience the situation.
Ignoring Small Repairs Lead To Big Repairs
You needn’t be the wisest or most adept car mechanic to understand that ignoring the smallest fixes will lead to big repairs needing to take place. Depending on your model and make of your vehicle, this can get VERY costly. Some small repairs, while seemingly insignificant, can actually render your car less than roadworthy without you knowing. Most people have limited knowledge about the model of car they drive, so they are unable to identify the errors and issues that can accumulate from them.
For example, small chips which occur from flying chipped tarmac or rocks on the road can leave you with tiny cracks on the windshield. Why the small crack might not seem like much, it heavily reduces the structural strength of the tempered glass, and as such provides an unsafe environment for you to drive in. Over time, the crack is sure to spread, and if you’re really unlucky, a crash will make the entire screen collapse and smash in on you. For a small preventative cost, using a auto glass repair and replacement firm can help you immediately fix the issue and continue driving with peace of mind. It’s not just the windshield which can be subject to problems like this however. Even seemingly innocuous issues like frayed seatbelts can be a major problem if you leave them too late.
The world of driving is a world of unpredictability. Think about it. You are driving a thick metal and plastic vessel in a line next to plenty of others at high speed. You want this vessel to stay as structurally safe and sound as it can, and for the safety features to be like new at all times. What’s more important, a saving here and there or the solid understanding that you are safe alongside your family during your holiday travels?
These tips can get you far on the road, but they’re usually not explicitly told to you as soon as you begin driving. Knowing them can help you stay a more temperate, patient and more importantly safe driver. Who knows, with these correct attitudes, you may even enjoy your driving experience more.
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There is a little stigma attached to spending time on your own. A lot of people view it as being some sort of social pariah, yet some people love their own company and would prefer it to be that way more often. But if you are one of those people who struggle to enjoy your own company, there are many benefits of being on your own for a short period of time. The one main positive is developing resilience and relying on your own resources, so how can we find more suitable methods to enjoy your own time?
The most clichéd of methods to spend alone time is actually one of the most beneficial. By travelling alone and seeing other parts of your country or the world (depending on your budget) you can broaden your mind and get a unique sense of perspective on things. A lot of people get in a car and go, and a lot of people are now taking to obtaining a motorcycle license, getting on a Harley and heading down that open road until they find what they’re looking for. This is an extremely romantic idea, but there are plenty of people that do it as an alternative to meditating or mindfulness. So if this is an option for you, you can find out from American Motorcycle Trading Company on what types of motorcycles are suitable. The open road is a great way to clear your mind in whatever form, be it hiking, spending time in a foreign land, or just getting on your trusty hog and finding out what you’re all about in the great wide open.
For a lot of us, we don’t really know what makes us tick. By creating a journal that is for the purposes of your own thoughts and feelings, that no one will ever have access to, means that you can spend a lot of time getting to know yourself better. It’s also been shown that getting our thoughts onto paper is a very suitable method of beating stress and gaining a unique perspective on our problems. So even if you aren’t physically able to spend time alone, this could be a suitable pastime to be engrossed in your thoughts and make you feel like you have had some quality alone time. A lot of people swear by writing a diary because it acts as a very effective “brain dump” too.
Get Into Gaming
You don’t have to do anything particularly adventurous to enjoy a bit of “me time”. Often, just doing a spot of gaming can totally make your day.
Sites like https://winiota.com/ explain how it works. Some games are free to play, while others require a subscription. There are many games that will actually pay out money under the right circumstances.
Find a game that’s right for you. Choose something that you naturally find compelling. Don’t feel like you have to choose all the most popular games, like PUBG. Any will do.
Even if you don’t go to sleep, having a bit of quality alone time during the day to muse over the more pressing thoughts in your mind will give you that breathing space from your day to day life that you didn’t even know you needed. A lot of us are worried about spending time on our lonesome, but it may be just what the doctor ordered for you to go through the thought of the day and to reduce stress and anxiety. But also you may realize that life isn’t always as stressful as you’ve built it up in your head. If you can afford yourself the luxury of 10 minutes a day where you are doing something for your own benefit, this could be the rejuvenation process you need.
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Of all the things your business needs to be, compliant isn’t one of the most exciting. Reputable, prosperous, fruitful – these are all exciting prospects that most business owners would love to assimilate with their companies, but complaint? Not so much. In reality, we all know that our businesses need to operate to a certain standard, but compliance is definitely not one of the most exciting areas that you have to take care of. Either way, it has to get done. So, you’re going to want to get this one ticked off of your list and fast. But what does it mean for your company to be compliant?
The main idea of making sure that your business is compliant is to make sure that you’re operating in a manner that is considered within the law. But this can be across a wide range of areas, and not just legal concerns. As your business grows and does well, it’s in your own interest to make sure that you’re operating as you should be in each area. You want to protect your business, so in order to keep trading, you should make sure that you tick all the boxes you have to across each of the following areas of compliance.
Finance
One of the most common areas of compliance across any business if finance. This may be one of the areas that you’re most familiar with. But, it’s also important to ensure that you are operating above board when it comes to your finances. The legal implications of not doing this are not worth the risk. So ensure that you’re recording all of your business finances and transactions, and writing off your expenses fairly and in compliance with your local tax law.
Taxation
Following on from this, you may also want to consider taxation compliance. There is a lot you need to know about filing taxes, so make sure you are familiar with everything. Even if you hire an accountant, you should try to understand as much as you can to ensure that you are accountable for what you are declaring. Because it is vital that you declare everything fairly and that you’re paying the relevant taxes as you should be.
Employment
There there’s also human resources (HR) compliance to consider. Even if you have a small company with only a handful of employees, you may be bound by the relevant employment laws in your area. So it’s vital that you read up. You’re going to want to make sure that you have the right policies and procedures in place to keep yourself compliance and ensure that your staff is content too.
By law, you may also be responsible for arranging certain insurances. In order to be compliant with your state laws, you are going to want to take out the right policies and ensure that the cover you for the necessary requirements. To do this, you may want to speak to your local state department as your insurances could vary by your business type, your turnover, and your business size. However, it’s likely that you’ll require liability insurances as a minimum.
Data
Then, you should also think about how your business operates with its data. In this guide to data protection, you should be able to understand what is required of you. Not only should you aim to be compliant to protect your own interests, but also to ensure that any customer information that you hold is kept safe and secure and that you’re not liable to any lawsuits.
Verification
Next, you could consider the compliance you have with the way you operate your business. Depending on the industry you work in, it may be a standard procedure to check the identity of your customers. But to do this, you may need real-time identity verification to provide the assurance you need in today’s digital world that will help you operate smoothly. When your customers need to be verified in order for you to supply your product or service, you will have to ensure you have that verification process in place to stay compliant with industry standards.
Health & Safety
Finally, there’s also health and safety to think about. Even if you’re a small business, you may be liable for health and safety laws. So, you’re going to want to check what is expected of you and work to put the necessary plans and policies in place to ensure that you’re compliant with local laws. In doing so, you should be able to reduce your liability should things go wrong.
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The Jetta is a great family car, well regarded as one of the top sellers on the market. It’s know to be a reliable, practical machine that is perfect for transporting lots of people to their destination without any hassle. But how does it measure up in terms of the specific categories such as safety, cost, and style, and is it a good overall investment? Read the post below to find out.
Ticket Price
One reviewer at https://ca.motor1.com/reviews/99836/review-2017-volkswagen-jetta refers to the Jetta as a big car for a small price, and they are certainly not wrong. The basic level model that is one without all of the bells and whistles is little over $15K. While the top of the line spec, filled kitted out version will usually set you back under $30K. Not bad for a family vehicle.
Safety
One that is regarded as very safe, with a plus rating from the IIHS, scoring good in front, side, rear, and roof tests. The Jetta comes with brake assist, plenty of airbags, and ABS too. So it is a truly good choice for those concerned about the safety of their families when they are on the road.
Interior
It is also praised for having a spacious interior, large enough to comfortably seat adults in the back. As well as a roomy boot, so it’s a great choice for driving vacations or families that have large pets like dogs that they want to transport with them.
Also, in favour of the Jetta is that it is relatively low cost to insure as it’s seen as a safe, stable, and reliable choice by insurance providers. Of course, to make it even cheaper, shop around using an independent comparison site like https://www.gobear.com/sg/car-insurance as well. As then you can guarantee that you get the lowest quote, and it won’t even cost you a penny! After all every little helps when you are paying out to run a car!
Fuel Economy
However, if you are assuming you will get the fuel economy up in the 70 that we see from some of the smaller new cars on the market with the Jetta, you will be sadly mistaken. As you are looking at 55- 65 tops. Not bad, as a whole for a large and roomy car like this, but certainly something that you will want to take into consideration before you buy.
Looks
Lastly, we also need to consider how this car performs on looks. Unfortunately, despite being a sedan version of the sporty VW golf, the Jetta seems determined to keep its dates look. In fact, the 2017 version looks almost like a twin for the 2015 version, with hardly a difference between them. Something that is especially noticeable when you have a model like the Toyota Corolla in the same category to compare it to. I mean sure we get that it’s best not to reinvent the wheel if you’ll pardon the pun, but even the owners of family cars want models that look modern too!
So, if you are looking for a safe, well-priced family car, the Jetta is a good choice. As long as you aren’t too bothered about outside look a fuel economy.
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Hi everyone! On August 21st, the solar eclipse took place and what a show it was. The path of totality, where one would see a total eclipse, crossed the U.S.A. from Oregon to South Carolina. I had heard the reports that there would be tremendous traffic in the areas around the path of totality, but, being within 100 miles of a total eclipse for the first time in my life, I decided to go for it. I’d never seen a total solar eclipse and felt it would be almost criminal for me to miss this one because of fears of heavy traffic. And, to get an idea of what to look for during a total eclipse, and also ways of making pinhole viewers, I checked out YouTube, which can be very helpful in finding out about lot’s of things.
The Trip There
I was prepared. Totality in Salem, Oregon would take place around 10:17am local time, so, I got up around 4am and left about 5:15am. I mapped out a back road route in advance and armed with my maps, gps, and a packed lunch, eclipse glasses, a home-made pinhole viewer, and my camera, I set out. Traffic going to Salem was much better than I expected and I arrived there in about an hour and 15 minutes, which is near normal. I realized, people had been arriving over the previous 4 to 5 days, so the influx was more gradual, and I figured this might be the case, but, being a possible once-in-a-lifetime event, I wasn’t taking any chances.
My Viewing Site
I didn’t go to one of the advertised venues, but instead opted for a supermarket parking lot on the east side of Salem. I found easy, and free, parking. The beautiful thing about an event like this is, you can view it from anywhere, it’s not like a greatly anticipated movie, rock concert, or sports event where you have to go to a specific place, this is visible across a wide path from anywhere in town or between towns for that matter.
There were a few others there, including someone with a telescope, using it to project an image of the sun and eclipse on a large white sheet of paper, and this was actually more effective and safer than the glasses, and more detailed than the pinhole viewer, though the pinhole viewer was definitely effective in showing the advancing eclipse.
Total Solar Eclipse 2017. Man with telescope using it to project image of eclipse on large white paper. Looks great! – 8/21/2017
Remember! – Never look at the sun without certified eclipse glasses or filters! Best and safest is to look indirectly using a projection on a surface or a pinhole viewer! Otherwise your eyes can be damaged instantly! Only during totality in an eclipse is it safe to look with the naked eye!
What I Saw
At first, when the eclipse started, you didn’t notice much darkening or lessening of the amount of light. What you could notice, as I had learned from YouTube, is that, the light coming through the leaves of a tree will actually show the crescent sun as the eclipse advances! I saw this for myself! And, this effect is visible whether or not the eclipse itself is total, partial, or annular. (Where the moon doesn’t quite cover the sun but leaves a full circle of light instead of totality.)
Total Solar Eclipse 2017. Crescent suns on the ground after totality as seen through the tree leaves. – 8/21/2017
There is another effect which is sometimes happens just before and after totality, called “shadow snakes”, in which these shimmering shadowy lines appear, but this is somewhat rare and I didn’t see this, but, in retrospect, I could see where it may have been close to happening.
As the light dims, which you do start to notice at around 85-90 percent totality, it looks different from the dimming of light when the sun sets normally or when clouds move in. And, you can “See” the moon’s shadow coming, as a darkening of the sky. It also looked to be changing to a darker blue, again, different from a normal sunset. And, the street and parking lot lights come on as well! Then, totality hits and it gets almost as dark as night much quicker than it would in a normal sunset. At this point, you can look at the sun without protection, with the naked ye, safely. And what a sight!
Total Solar Eclipse 2017. Sun in totality. Light from corona makes sun look like it is shining but in actuality, it is dark as it is covered by the moon, which one would see in person or with a better camera. – 8/21/2017
You do see the sun’s corona from behind the moon, which is a pitch black circle in the sky. You can also see stars and planets. I saw Venus, which, where it was, would be completely obscured by the sun’s light before and after totality. In the photo I took, the light of the corona does overwhelm the dark circle of the moon, and no photo does it justice.
The temperature does drop, though I was too engrossed in the eclipse to really notice it myself. Also, all along the horizon, you see distant light as in a sunset, but overhead and nearly to the horizon, it’s a night sky! They refer to this as a “360 degree sunset or sunrise” And it is really different and worth seeing.
Where I was, totality lasted about a minute and 56 seconds roughly. When the sun starts reappearing, there’s a sort of flash at one end of the moon’s rim making it look like a diamond ring. At this time it is no longer safe to look at the sun with the naked eye!
And, the light again looks different from normal sunlight. It first looks like the light is coming from a very powerful electric spotlight from far away, like standing in a big football or athletic field at night with only one light on, shining down on the filed. Then, still slowly but seemingly faster than before totality, the light starts coming back, still with that strange dimness, but then returns to normal. And, on the projection of the sun or through a pinhole viewer, you see a now reappearing and growing crescent sun, the crescent appearing on the opposite side.
Though the totality only lasts a very short time, the partial eclipse usually lasts about two hours, so you can still use the pinhole viewer to view the remaining partial eclipse.
In Conclusion – My Thoughts
Total Solar Eclipse 2017. Me just after the totality phase of the eclipse, as shown on the projection in the background. – 8/21/2017
I had considered staying where I lived to view the eclipse, where it would be 99.2 percent totality, but everything I’d read from those who had seen a total eclipse said that there was a huge difference, like the difference between “going to the prom vs actually getting married”, or “hitting 5 numbers in the lottery vs hitting 5 plus the mega or power number for the top jackpot”, so I went and it was worth it! It did take me 2 1/2 hours to get home using back roads, but I’d do it again even if it took me twice as long to get home! I found that the comparisons that I read about are true and I’m glad I went down to Salem to see my first total solar eclipse! It was quite a show and not one to be missed!
Here’s the video I took during the eclipse. Enjoy!
Happy Observing!
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