Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations, Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of stoic wisdom, and how you can use its waters to reflect on and improve your life.

Hotel living is sweet, especially if you leave room in your luggage for all the mini-shampoos and towels that come with it. Too bad that taking a break from your apartment for a night is so expensive you'd be better off just buying expensive shampoos and towels. That is, unless you can learn to scam your way into a free home away from home in a way that's totally legal.

I hate flying. I hate the cramped seats, I hate the food and I hate the hurry-up-and-wait mentality of airports. Imagine my delight then after spending 33-hours trapped on a Cathay Pacific flight from New York to Hong Kong thanks to bad weather and the bad Chinese government. Welcome to the flight from hell.

Travelling with a group can be exhausting. There's always a danger that you'll end up trapped for hours in a store or museum that no one wants to be at, because you're all politely waiting for each other to finish browsing. It's a form of the Abilene paradox, where everyone goes along with a bad plan to please each other.

We've all been there. You get on a plane, determined to work or read a book or even just sleep, yet somehow instead you spend hours of your travel time entranced by the movie on your neighbour's screen. Entranced and mystified, trying to catch as much as you can without asking your neighbour to share their headphones.

When you have young kids, it can be tough to travel frequently for work (though once in a while, it's pure bliss, amirite?). One dad named Hunter found a sweet way to connect with his daughter while he's away.

Sun's out, promos out.

I am not a big fan of the beach. My skin is a pale, pasty white that does not do well in the sun. Also, sand. But if you are a fan of the beach and want to get to some of the world's best, Jetstar have some great prices for you.

It can feel nearly impossible to you access a sense of wonder in today's all-the-information-any-time-you-want-it environment, but the answer, I find, is often in the natural world. Whether it's feeling the strange cool breeze that arises during the totality of an eclipse, watching a thousand-strong starling murmuration swirl in the sky, or tasting fresh mango plucked from the tree in front of you, our sensory experience of Earth's pleasures -- even if we know exactly how and why they happen -- can reacquaint us with wonder.

This post was originally published on January 3 2017 over on Lifehacker. This sponsored repost is brought to you by Surf Life Saving Australia

If you're planning on hitting the beach this summer, take a look at this handy guide before you dive into the water so you know how to escape a deadly rip current. It might just save your life.

Before you run through a red light because it's been five minutes and come on already, there may be a few ways you can get the light to turn green. This video breaks down how to do it.

Today, teams from around the globe will be fanging their way across the Australian desert. Their mission: to harness the power of the sun for honour, glory and sustainability.

Welcome to Bridgestone's World Solar Challenge.

NSW's National Parks are turning 50 years old and to celebrate they're giving you a present today. Free entry to 45 National Park locations!

In the 1950s, holidaying while black in America was dangerous. The commonplace discrimination occurring during the Jim Crow era meant black travellers struggled to find a hotel room in which to stay, or a restaurant where they could grab a meal. Too often they were met with met with hostility, refused service or worse. So when a brother like me wanted to get out of town, that meant grabbing a Green Book -- a guidebook for black travellers offering tips on how to tour the country safely, as well as a directory of safe holiday destinations.

Bike sharing giants ofo has chosen Adelaide as their first Australian city as the company seeks to expand their footprint into the southern hemisphere. The bikes use GPS-enabled geofence technology which guides users to park bikes within the current area in which ofo is operating and where the pre-determined preferred parking zones are located. Charges start at $1.00 for 30 minutes, with an individual ride cap of $5.00.

Over the past two years, two of my close friends have gone on three one to two-week vacations to Italy. At first glance, their multiple European vacations made it look like they must have suddenly come into piles cash. As it turns out, the key was when they were travelling: during the off-season.

Petrol prices are notorious for fluctuating wildly in the lead up to a long weekend. The "official" explanation is tied into the economics of supply and demand - but we all know price gouging plays a part too. (Citation needed.)

Fortunately, it's possible to predict when to avoid the bowser and when to fill up your tank by engaging in a little market research. The math boffins at comparethemarket.com.au have done the hard work for us. Here's a petrol cheat sheet for Australia's major cities this Labour Day weekend.

Ever seen a pair of shoes on the road and wondered how in the heck they got there? No, it isn't the remnants of some horrible accident. There are actually some pretty simple explanations.

Booking free or discounted flights is one of the most popular ways to redeem Qantas points. However, the Qantas Frequent Flyer website has never been particularly user-friendly. Qantas is looking to fix this issue with the introduction of 'Where Can I Go?'; an interactive map that allows customers to search and explore travel destinations using Classic Flight Rewards, Points Plus Pay or cash. Here are the details.

Flying dehydrates you -- a lot. You probably know that it's a good idea to drink water before, during, and after a flight, but how much is enough?