What is jet lag? 

What is jet lag? This common sleep disorder for long-distance travelers affects your internal sleep clock (or circadian rhythms) and can make those first couple days in your destination a foggy blur. Fortunately, there are options for jet lag treatment that can help you enjoy every moment at your destination. We’ve gathered our top five jet lag gadgets to help you leave the fog behind.

Apps to fight jet lag

One popular and inexpensive category of jet jag cure are apps that regulate your sleep. For example,  TimeShifter was developed by a doctor at Harvard Medical School to personalize how you fight jetlag. You enter information such as your gender, age, the times you usually fall asleep and wake up, if you use caffeine or a sleep aid, and if you’re a night owl or early bird to help shift your sleeping rhythms before and after you fly. You’ll then receive notifications with recommendations on adjusting light, sleep and drinking caffeine. Similar technology has even been used by NASA astronauts. 

Similar apps such as Entrain help to regulate your light and darkness exposure. Simply enter your current and new time zone and the app will create a personalized light schedule for you. Jet Lag Rooster app also monitors your light exposure to help in adjusting to your new time zone and sends similar notifications as TimeShifter on light exposure and sleep times. Since you can create your personalized jet lag plan before you fly, why not get ahead of jet lag with one of these easy-to-use apps?

@timeshifter

Light therapy wearables

Another cutting-edge jet lag remedy is light therapy you can wear. Because light is one of the top cues for our brain to adjust to a new time zone, focusing on light exposure is a natural way to combat jet lag. Light therapy, such as bright tabletop lights you may have seen to fight Seasonal Affective Disorder, is used in the morning to simulate the morning sun to kick off your body’s natural rhythms. 

One example of a light therapy wearable is Re-Timer, a portable light device worn on your face. This battery powered device looks like a large pair of glasses. They work by emitting a green light that provides the same benefits as sunlight to regulate sleep and waking patterns. You can wear them day or night – ideally for 50 minutes three times a week – to adjust your body clock. You can even use Re-Timer to help with insomnia, Seasonal Affective Disorder or other light deprivation issues.

@re_timer

Sleep masks

Similar to light therapy wearables, traditional sleep masks are a beneficial low-tech solution to limit light exposure. While a high-quality blackout mask is best, even the airplane’s complimentary sleep mask can help. Some sleep masks have padded eye cups, making them extra comfortable. 

Or, you can take your sleep mask to the next level with a mask that works with a mobile phone app to adjust light and help you regulate your sleep patterns. The mask syncs with the app and tells you when to seek light before your flight and helps you adjust to your new time zone during your flight. Neuron sleep mask measures brainwaves to gather sleep data, develop advanced sleep staging and get personalized sleep tips. Topoint Sleep Eye Mask Wireless Headphones includes built-in wireless so you can also enjoy sounds and music of your choice.

Noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds

Sound therapy, and management, can also help regulate sleep. Loud airplane cabins can make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. So, while earplugs and standard headphones are beneficial, investing in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can enhance your sleep quality. Not only will these block out noise but can give you the auditory experience of your choice from white noise and meditations to music from the app of your choice. 

Portable White Noise Machines

On the topic of sound therapy, you can continue to treat your ears to soothing sounds and regulate your sleep in your destination with a small, portable white noise machine. These easy-to-pack devices mask the background sounds in your room that can be particularly distracting in a new environment. Many machines offer a range of choices from bright or deep white noise to the sounds of the ocean. Should you prefer to pack light, there are many apps offering a wealth of white noise or soothing sounds. 

Check out more of our travel trips and plan your next journey with Luxury Gold.

What is Kobe beef? You may have seen it on the menu of your favorite restaurant, or perhaps even tried it. If you’re planning your next adventure, you may have the opportunity to try Kobe’s finest on our Majestic Japan journey. Let’s take a look at the mystery and myths behind this luxury meat and how it has become a sought-after feature of fine dining. 

Related content: A journey of a lifetime: unearthing Majestic Japan, with Luxury Gold

Kobe Beef, defined 

Kobe beef is an exceptionally marbled, rich type of Wagyu beef from a particular type of cattle breed born and raised in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan. Cows that produce Kobe beef are from the Tajima cattle strain of the Japanese Black breed. How is Kobe beef raised? To qualify, the cattle must be between the ages of 28 to 60 months, as well as born, raised and slaughtered in Hyogo Prefecture.  

Kobe beef must also have a Meat Quality Score between four and five. Other specific requirements include the pure lineage of the Tajima cow, weight requirements and the “Japanese Chrysanthemum” seal officially certifying it. Because of these guidelines, only 3,000–5,000 head of cattle meet these restrictions each year. 

@kobe_beef_official

Look, taste and texture 

Now that we know just how unique this beef is, let’s get to the good stuff: the taste. Kobe beef’s distinctive marbling is what makes it so desirable. In fact, it always has a Beef Marbling Score (BMS) of 6 or more. The high marbling also means that Kobe beef is fatty, similar to purebred Angus. This fatty marbling creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is enhanced when you thinly slice it to prepare Japanese dishes such as shabu shabu. 

@kobe_beef_official

Wagyu beef  

You may have heard the term “Wagyu” associated with Kobe. Wagyu means “Japanese beef.” (“Wa” refers to something Japanese while “gyu” means beef). The classification of Wagyu beef includes only four breeds of purebred cattle including Kuroge (Japanese Black), Akage (Japanese Brown), Nihon Tankaku (Japanese Shorthorn), and Mukaku (Japanese Polled). This classification was established in 1944. Wagyu, like Kobe, is also a highly marbled and tender beef. 

Kobe beef vs Wagyu beef       

“What is the difference between Kobe and Wagyu?” you might be wondering. Among the four cattle breeds of Wagyu beef, Taijima cows — that we learned earlier produce Kobe beef — are a type of Japanese Black cattle. So, all Kobe beef comes from Wagyu cattle, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe. As a comparison, the Kobe beef classification is a little like the classification for Champagne among sparkling wine. Champagne is a type of sparkling wine. But only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France can be classified as Champagne. 

Wagyu beef look, taste and texture   

Similar to the specific type of beef from Kobe, Wagyu is also rich, tender and fatty. People often describe it as having a smooth or buttery flavor. Because the fat coats your tongue on the first bite or two, the flavor diminishes as you eat more. That’s why Wagyu beef usually comes in small portions, often of three to four ounces. 

American Kobe beef 

Now that we looked at the difference between Kobe and Wagyu, you maybe be wondering what that fatty, succulent cut was that you had in the United States labeled “American Kobe,” “domestic Wagyu,” or “Kobe-style.” If you guessed that these aren’t pure Kobe, you’re probably correct. Cows outside of Japan aren’t regulated the way Japanese Wagyu is, so it’s rare to find authentic Kobe products outside of Japan. Even though some Wagyu cattle breeds have been brought to the United States and produce the same rich flavor, it is rare that it is pure Kobe or sometimes even Wagyu. Several restaurants have been called out for labeling beef from Kobe on their menus when it was in fact simply Wagyu. 

Myths about Kobe

When speaking of the highly prized beef, some say that the cows are massaged to help redistribute the fat. Some farmers do massage their cows, but it is usually to warm their muscles during a cold winter. Some use massage to relieve stress for cows who do not roam free. But because the Wagyu — and thus Kobe breed – of cows are a working breed, they typically roam freely. 

Destination Japan 

Should you find your mouth watering for this rich, marbled meat, or simply want to explore the country that produces it, we invite you to join us on our Majestic Japan journey. Not only will you enjoy a range of fine Japanese cuisine, but sample some of the nation’s other famed specialty, sake.    

What authentic cuisine do you want to try in Japan? 

Visiting Uluru – also known as Ayers Rock — is a mesmerizing and unforgettable encounter, only made better by a luxury resort stay. Both quintessentially Australian and a unique, personal experience, this more than 300-million-year-old site on our Inspiring Australia tour will leave you longing to return Down Under. 

Your time in the Red Center will be enhanced by your stay at the award-winning, five-star Sails in the Desert Ayers Rock Resort. Among Uluru resorts, Sails in the Desert adds a dramatic and elegantly comfortable aspect to your visit to the red center of ustralia. 

@travellingtripfinder

The Location 

Sails in the Desert is just a five-minute walk from Town Square. Here, you’ll find a post office supermarket and several casual dining options for your travel needs. But more importantly, Uluru and the domes of Kata Tjuta are 12 and 33 miles away, respectively. 

@exploreuluru

Your Uluru Resort 

As you approach this Uluru luxury resort, staggered sweeping white sails let you know that you’re staying in an iconic setting. Inside, colorful carpets featuring modern indigenous colors and prints carry you through the hotel.  

@travellingtripfinder

The rooms 

The Indigenous motif continues in the hotel’s 228 rooms. Your private retreat will soothe with natural tones and Indigenous artwork, artifacts and decorative accents depicting the local Anangu creation stories. Your balcony or patio invites you to take in the wonder of the desert, day or night. Terrace rooms offer a shaded oasis beneath the gum trees and the enchanting desert night sky. A decadent experience among Uluru hotels, the deluxe suite includes a separate living area, bedroom and multiple balconies as well as a spa bath and rainwater shower. 

@brintonsapac

The spa 

For any guest seeking a bit of pampering, the onsite Red Ochre Spa is the perfect spot to rejuvenate your body and spirit after a day exploring Uluru. The newly upgraded rooms and facilities host a range of services that will surely tempt any guest of Australian luxury hotels. Power-boosting facials re-awaken the senses. Hands and feet massages provide focused attention. And massages offer a range of customized treatments including hand-picked essential oils blends to soothe the senses.  

@balmainspa

Cocktails and more 

Continue your pampering as you treat yourself to a refreshing cocktail infused with native ingredients or a light meal at Walpa Lobby Bar. The Pitjantjatjara name for wind, this casual setting is ideal for coffee, lunch, snacks or a pre-dinner drink or nightcap. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, seafood and salads such as the Thai Papaya and Prawn or the Ancient Grains salad.  

@leisha322

Local to international 

Savor local flavors with a modern twist at Ilkari Restaurant, named for the local Pitjantjatjara word for sky. Enjoy a buffet breakfast, complete with a customized dish from the egg and pancake live cooking station. As evening sets in, the buffet dinner tempts with salads, vegetables, antipasto, seafood, roasts and a grill selection highlighting Indigenous flavors. Enhance your meal with a regional wine. Then top it all off with a treat from the cascading chocolate fountain alongside an intercontinental selection of sweets.  

@alohahisanori

Dining poolside 

You’ll surely work up an appetite after a cooling dip in the pool lined with lush gum trees. Pira Pool Bar, the name for the moon, is just the place to enjoy a casual bite or cocktail in your lounger. Dine on a selection of shared plates including oysters and scallops, tapas, desserts and handcrafted cocktails. 

@ckarea.shop

Indigenous flavors 

While staying at Sails in the Desert, don’t miss your opportunity to join in the complimentary Bush Food Experience. Located in the Arkani Theater, just a few minutes’ walk from your hotel, this 45-minute program will introduce you to the local bounty of the land. Learn about Australian and local bush tucker and how local Indigenous people hunted, gathered and prepared these foods. Then watch a cooking demonstration. 

An eye for art 

While stunning Uluru is just a short drive away, you don’t have to step outside your hotel to take in one-of-a-kind Indigenous art at the Mulgara Gallery. Located in the foyer, this airy space showcases Australian hand-crafted glassware, pottery, textiles, metal and leather work. Admire the glasswork of internationally renowned artist Chris Pantano. View the Central Desert dot painting from Papunya and Mt Allen, as well as colorful body art from Utopia. The gallery also displays artifacts including didgeridoos, rain sticks and other tribal instruments. A collection of Australian Opal and colored diamond jewelry dazzles with its inspiration drawn from the land and sea. 

@hotdotdesigns

A grand scale 

From detailed dot paintings to iconic Uluru, Sails in the Desert acquaints you with sites from the small to the epic. On your Inspiring Australia journey, you’ll take a guided walk through the domes of Kata Tjuṯa Walpa Gorge where you’ll learn the cultural significance of Kata Tjuṯa’s ancient rocky domes. Then, bask in your first views of Uluru at sunset over sparkling wine and canapes. A memorable ending in a memorable place. 

@exploreuluru

What other elegant hotels will you stay in with Luxury Gold?