by Jane Smith
Disney is the most magical place on Earth, but it can also be one of the most expensive. I've put together five tips to help maximize your time, money, and enjoyment while there.
1. Develop an itinerary before you go. Disney is extremely large and can be very overwhelming. Without a plan you will never get to see all the things that are important to you. Do a little research before you get there and develop an itinerary. This will allow you to make the most of your trip and not waste time unnecessarily.
2. What are the park hours ... really? Every Sunday and Thursday Disney offers "Extra Magic Hours" where specific parks either open early or stay open late. Make sure to figure out which parks these are for the days you are there in order to get the most bang for your buck. The only catch to this deal is that you must be a Disney Resort Guest in order to participate.
3. Kids get scared, be prepared. We all have such fond childhood memories of Mickey that it can be easy to forget how intimidating he can be. Prepare your kids by letting them know that you might meet Mickey and some of his friends. Show them pictures before you go, especially pictures of Mickey with other people so that they can get an idea of how big he will be. When you get there, try to first show them Mickey from afar. If they are afraid, DO NOT push them - instead, walk away and offer them reassurance. Scaring them unnecessarily will cast a shadow over the rest of your trip.
4. Do I really have to wait in that line?!?! It is common sense that the most popular rides will have long lines. But many people are unaware that they can sign up for a free FastPass that will allow them to bypass many of these lines. When you get to a FastPass ride, swipe your card and your place in line will be held. They will then give you a time to return, but in the mean time you can visit some of the less crowded attractions or rides.
5. Wear comfortable shoes!!! I know that this sounds like common sense, but so many people forget this one. Disney is a HUGE place and you will be doing a lot of walking so dress accordingly. Those red kitten-heeled pumps may look great with your dress, but two hours into your day you'll be moving at a snails pace because your feet are so uncomfortable. Instead, opt for a trusted pair of sneakers to help maximize comfort and mobility.
Follow these tips and you will be on your way to getting the most out of your Disney vacation. I hope you enjoy yourself and let your inner child run loose at Disney!
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=627199
26 September 2007
24 September 2007
Things to Do During Sea Travel
by Eric Slarkowski
When it comes to booking a vacation, some people are reluctant to travel by ship out of fear they will be bored while sailing at sea. These people obviously have not checked out today's cruise ships.
In many heads are the images of old where a person would sit on the deck of a cruise ship and read a book by the pool all day as they waited for the ship to get to the next destination. Sure, you can chose to spend your time that way if you want to, but there are plenty of other, active things to do aboard the ship as well.
Never fear, even if you were planning weeks of cruise travel you would not get board on the ship. Think of your stay onboard as a rental property in a floating city. It has all the great things that a city will have - entertainment, restaurants, and your lodging. But, unlike a rental property, this place to say keeps taking you to new places for adventures and memories that will last a lifetime.
If you have not been on a cruise ship, or floating city, in a while, consider this one. The Carnival Cruise Ship Elation is 885 feet long. In that space are a number of restaurants, three swimming pools, a theater, a gym, and a series of other venues for shows and entertainment offerings. That is a lot of entertainment space to cover in just a few days aboard. Chances are you will not be able to experience all of it.
Even if you manage to see all the major venues during your travel, there are also a number of minor venues that will be dotted across the ship.
If you are the type that likes the bright lights at night in the big city, make sure to check out the nightlife aboard the ship as well. Most evenings will find you a seat at a theatrical or musical performance, Broadway style. Alternatively, you may get a chance to see a stand-up comedian who will keep you chucking well into the night. And don't forget to check out the ships clubs and other nightspots for the rest of the nightlife offerings.
For daytime activities, you will not get bored either. If swimming some laps or playing a pool game is not enough for you, never fear. There are often volleyball games, racquetball courts, even putting or driving ranges on many cruise ships.
If you are worried about bringing the kids on a cruise because you think they'll get bored, think again. On today's ships are arcades, computer rooms, rock-climbing walls, and kids-only facilities that will keep them occupied throughout the travel time.
By the time you just start to be able to take in all the entertainment opportunities available aboard the ship, you'll likely be arriving at your first destination and preparing to go ashore. The good news is that once you get back on the ship and head to your next travel spot, you'll have plenty more onboard exploring to do.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=624812
When it comes to booking a vacation, some people are reluctant to travel by ship out of fear they will be bored while sailing at sea. These people obviously have not checked out today's cruise ships.
In many heads are the images of old where a person would sit on the deck of a cruise ship and read a book by the pool all day as they waited for the ship to get to the next destination. Sure, you can chose to spend your time that way if you want to, but there are plenty of other, active things to do aboard the ship as well.
Never fear, even if you were planning weeks of cruise travel you would not get board on the ship. Think of your stay onboard as a rental property in a floating city. It has all the great things that a city will have - entertainment, restaurants, and your lodging. But, unlike a rental property, this place to say keeps taking you to new places for adventures and memories that will last a lifetime.
If you have not been on a cruise ship, or floating city, in a while, consider this one. The Carnival Cruise Ship Elation is 885 feet long. In that space are a number of restaurants, three swimming pools, a theater, a gym, and a series of other venues for shows and entertainment offerings. That is a lot of entertainment space to cover in just a few days aboard. Chances are you will not be able to experience all of it.
Even if you manage to see all the major venues during your travel, there are also a number of minor venues that will be dotted across the ship.
If you are the type that likes the bright lights at night in the big city, make sure to check out the nightlife aboard the ship as well. Most evenings will find you a seat at a theatrical or musical performance, Broadway style. Alternatively, you may get a chance to see a stand-up comedian who will keep you chucking well into the night. And don't forget to check out the ships clubs and other nightspots for the rest of the nightlife offerings.
For daytime activities, you will not get bored either. If swimming some laps or playing a pool game is not enough for you, never fear. There are often volleyball games, racquetball courts, even putting or driving ranges on many cruise ships.
If you are worried about bringing the kids on a cruise because you think they'll get bored, think again. On today's ships are arcades, computer rooms, rock-climbing walls, and kids-only facilities that will keep them occupied throughout the travel time.
By the time you just start to be able to take in all the entertainment opportunities available aboard the ship, you'll likely be arriving at your first destination and preparing to go ashore. The good news is that once you get back on the ship and head to your next travel spot, you'll have plenty more onboard exploring to do.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=624812
23 September 2007
Bali Island Tourist Attraction
by Chris Chew
Bali, a beautiful island paradise in the Indonesian archipelago made international news when the island was rocked by suicide bombings in 2002 and 2005. However, the island is better known as an excellent vacation holiday destination and a major tourist attraction.
Tourists who have visited this South East Asian island will tell you that Bali exudes a certain magical charm and that is why, some people call Bali, the Island of Gods. After all, gods live in paradise don't they?
You will be pleasantly impressed by the many stunningly beautiful tourist attractions and the charming local people. If you are a scuba diver, you will be pleased to know that Bali is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.
Bali presents itself as a modern paradox because its ancient and traditional culture is still very much alive amidst modern living. While the basic conservatism of the Balinese people has enabled them to preserve many of their ancient customs, culture and religion, it has never hindered the acceptance of the new and innovative modern technological advancement.
The island is indeed a feast for the eye for tourists on holiday vacation in Indonesia. As the island is situated near the equator, it has almost equal amount of time for rain and sunshine making its environment very suitable for human inhabitation and as a result, Bali has been inhabited and civilized since ancient times.
Bali is also the only island in "middle Indonesia" that has more or less uninterrupted cultural continuity for hundreds of years. It is of this reason, Bali is the only part of Indonesia that remains "Hindu" and is still retaining elements of fusion of ethnic and Hindu cultures of more than a thousand years of cultural tradition.
When the island was colonized by the Dutch at the beginning of last century, the Dutch colonial masters were so impressed by the traditions of the Balinese that a concerted effort was made to preserve the island's mystical culture.
The Balinese society is a strong and cohesive one because the local people promote communal and family values. Feelings of alienation from parents and friends which are common in the western world are almost unheard of in Bali.
Children are carried everywhere or strapped to their mother's back until they are at least three months old. Religious rituals are performed regularly to keep the children safe, healthy and to protect them from harmful spirits. Every aspect of village life is organized in such detail that the individual's responsibilities and rights are meticulously defined by the Balinese tradition.
The Balinese are emotionally strong people and take the unfortunate incidents in their stride. The people are eternal optimists and believe that their Island of Gods enjoys a special place in the grander scheme of things. This is another reason why the local population can bounce back from the tragic terrorist attacks so quickly. Want to visit paradise? Then include Bali as your next holiday vacation destination for its many tourists attractions.
http://www.asiatravelbest.com/site/1391530/page/173181
Bali, a beautiful island paradise in the Indonesian archipelago made international news when the island was rocked by suicide bombings in 2002 and 2005. However, the island is better known as an excellent vacation holiday destination and a major tourist attraction.
Tourists who have visited this South East Asian island will tell you that Bali exudes a certain magical charm and that is why, some people call Bali, the Island of Gods. After all, gods live in paradise don't they?
You will be pleasantly impressed by the many stunningly beautiful tourist attractions and the charming local people. If you are a scuba diver, you will be pleased to know that Bali is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.
Bali presents itself as a modern paradox because its ancient and traditional culture is still very much alive amidst modern living. While the basic conservatism of the Balinese people has enabled them to preserve many of their ancient customs, culture and religion, it has never hindered the acceptance of the new and innovative modern technological advancement.
The island is indeed a feast for the eye for tourists on holiday vacation in Indonesia. As the island is situated near the equator, it has almost equal amount of time for rain and sunshine making its environment very suitable for human inhabitation and as a result, Bali has been inhabited and civilized since ancient times.
Bali is also the only island in "middle Indonesia" that has more or less uninterrupted cultural continuity for hundreds of years. It is of this reason, Bali is the only part of Indonesia that remains "Hindu" and is still retaining elements of fusion of ethnic and Hindu cultures of more than a thousand years of cultural tradition.
When the island was colonized by the Dutch at the beginning of last century, the Dutch colonial masters were so impressed by the traditions of the Balinese that a concerted effort was made to preserve the island's mystical culture.
The Balinese society is a strong and cohesive one because the local people promote communal and family values. Feelings of alienation from parents and friends which are common in the western world are almost unheard of in Bali.
Children are carried everywhere or strapped to their mother's back until they are at least three months old. Religious rituals are performed regularly to keep the children safe, healthy and to protect them from harmful spirits. Every aspect of village life is organized in such detail that the individual's responsibilities and rights are meticulously defined by the Balinese tradition.
The Balinese are emotionally strong people and take the unfortunate incidents in their stride. The people are eternal optimists and believe that their Island of Gods enjoys a special place in the grander scheme of things. This is another reason why the local population can bounce back from the tragic terrorist attacks so quickly. Want to visit paradise? Then include Bali as your next holiday vacation destination for its many tourists attractions.
http://www.asiatravelbest.com/site/1391530/page/173181
21 September 2007
Speed-boating the Mekong River in Laos
by Liz Saarelainen
It was early morning when we left the village of Huay Xai in Northern Laos for the Mekong River, planning to get to Luang Prabang the same day. The 150 km journey along the river by speedboat would take half a day, breaks included.
Contrary to the advice given by our Lonely Planet guidebook we had decided to take a speedboat, because our hostess at Chiang Mai had recommended this alternative. Traveling on a big, slow river boat would have taken two days and required an overnight stay at the village of Pak Peng.
There were a lot of people at the pier when we arrived and the small speedboats set out one by one as soon as they were full. We were among the last to board and when stepping on the boat we saw right away that we had made the wrong choice. There was no turning back however; the low, narrow boat was packed full of people and off we went.
The boat flew on the surface of the water at high speed, at times reaching 80 km/h, and we sat on the hard benches with our chins on our knees, space for each passenger being about 40 x 50 cm. After only half an hour's travel our muscles were cramped and we felt miserable. We watched the passing scenery with our earplugs on, because the noise from the motor was deafening. The Lao passengers also wore helmets and lifejackets provided by the boat driver.
When the river is low, as it was then, accidents happen when speedboats bump into sandbars or sunken logs. Those who have not survived have been mostly local people who cannot swim.
Water splashed on our clothes and soon we were soaked to the skin. The sun was shining and the air was warm but I felt cold. Andy had a pained expression on his face; there was definitely too little room for a big man, particularly for one with occasional but severe lover back problems. I got a cramp on my left leg, but there was nothing I could do about it.
We had been promised that there would be a break every sixty minutes or so and after what felt like an eternity, the boat stopped. We discovered that our feet had gone to sleep and Andy's right foot was totally numb for at least ten minutes.
Luckily there was an additional stop when the boat motor suddenly started to act up. After landing on a sandbank our driver began to repair it and we hoped that he would not get it fixed too soon.
Stepping onto the golden sand dune and warming our sore muscles, we enjoyed our freedom. But then we came to think that we were in the middle of nowhere, only forest on both sides of the river. If the driver were not able to repair the motor, when would there be other boats coming to our rescue? We had not brought any food with us. And how long would our drinking water last?
We then saw two hunters walking on a ridge with guns on their shoulders. One was also carrying what to us looked like a wild boar. He came to the shore with his dog, threw down the boar and, unconcerned about our presence took off his clothes and plunged into the water. The dog remained watching over the boar but could not resist the temptation, started to bite into it greedily. When the man got out of the water, he raised hell, and the dog moved aside with his tail between his legs, waiting for his master to calm down. Finally the hunter left with the boar, the dog walking close behind him.
Our trip continued. One more hour of speeding down the Mekong and we would reach the next stop, the village of Pak Peng. Our minds were made up; we would get off there and rest our limbs.
When and how we would continue our journey would remain to be seen. A traveler's tomorrow is always a new adventure!
http://www.farandfurther.com/mekong-river/mekong-river.htm
It was early morning when we left the village of Huay Xai in Northern Laos for the Mekong River, planning to get to Luang Prabang the same day. The 150 km journey along the river by speedboat would take half a day, breaks included.
Contrary to the advice given by our Lonely Planet guidebook we had decided to take a speedboat, because our hostess at Chiang Mai had recommended this alternative. Traveling on a big, slow river boat would have taken two days and required an overnight stay at the village of Pak Peng.
There were a lot of people at the pier when we arrived and the small speedboats set out one by one as soon as they were full. We were among the last to board and when stepping on the boat we saw right away that we had made the wrong choice. There was no turning back however; the low, narrow boat was packed full of people and off we went.
The boat flew on the surface of the water at high speed, at times reaching 80 km/h, and we sat on the hard benches with our chins on our knees, space for each passenger being about 40 x 50 cm. After only half an hour's travel our muscles were cramped and we felt miserable. We watched the passing scenery with our earplugs on, because the noise from the motor was deafening. The Lao passengers also wore helmets and lifejackets provided by the boat driver.
When the river is low, as it was then, accidents happen when speedboats bump into sandbars or sunken logs. Those who have not survived have been mostly local people who cannot swim.
Water splashed on our clothes and soon we were soaked to the skin. The sun was shining and the air was warm but I felt cold. Andy had a pained expression on his face; there was definitely too little room for a big man, particularly for one with occasional but severe lover back problems. I got a cramp on my left leg, but there was nothing I could do about it.
We had been promised that there would be a break every sixty minutes or so and after what felt like an eternity, the boat stopped. We discovered that our feet had gone to sleep and Andy's right foot was totally numb for at least ten minutes.
Luckily there was an additional stop when the boat motor suddenly started to act up. After landing on a sandbank our driver began to repair it and we hoped that he would not get it fixed too soon.
Stepping onto the golden sand dune and warming our sore muscles, we enjoyed our freedom. But then we came to think that we were in the middle of nowhere, only forest on both sides of the river. If the driver were not able to repair the motor, when would there be other boats coming to our rescue? We had not brought any food with us. And how long would our drinking water last?
We then saw two hunters walking on a ridge with guns on their shoulders. One was also carrying what to us looked like a wild boar. He came to the shore with his dog, threw down the boar and, unconcerned about our presence took off his clothes and plunged into the water. The dog remained watching over the boar but could not resist the temptation, started to bite into it greedily. When the man got out of the water, he raised hell, and the dog moved aside with his tail between his legs, waiting for his master to calm down. Finally the hunter left with the boar, the dog walking close behind him.
Our trip continued. One more hour of speeding down the Mekong and we would reach the next stop, the village of Pak Peng. Our minds were made up; we would get off there and rest our limbs.
When and how we would continue our journey would remain to be seen. A traveler's tomorrow is always a new adventure!
http://www.farandfurther.com/mekong-river/mekong-river.htm
20 September 2007
Try Elephant Safari in Periyar!
by Smith Jones
Periyar National Park is situated on the hills of the western ghats in the state of Kerala in south -west India. Imagine the fascinating sight of the herds of elephants wandering through the dense forests freely. The only idea of taking the elephant safari in the park can mesmerize you. Taking the ride on the back of the elephant will surely make you feel like the Maharaja of the erstwhile era. Elephant safari is the perfect way to venture into the park and explore the areas where it becomes difficult even for the jeep to travel. While taking the elephant ride you can get up close with the wild predators. The mahut are very gentle people, they entertain you with the interesting stories and are very helpful in getting great pictures. It is astonishing to see group of wild elephants walking and taking bath in the lake. While taking the ride you can also go into the depth of the forest along with the jungle guide and enjoy the walk the wilds. It gives you the opportunity to spot the birds and butterflies and most importantly the large animals. The elephant safari give you the feel as though you are transmitted to the completely different era.
Lake Cruise in the Park : Lake cruise conducted by he forests department is the best way to see the park. Herds of elephants and other animals come oftenly to the lake for water. It is exciting to see the wilds of the jungle so close and the pictures you get are really amazing. While boating you will pass through the creeks, promontories and small islets that houses several wildlife species. You can also simple enjoy the peace and quiet of the Periyar lake and the surrounds.
Souvenir Shops: There are several shops near the gate of the Periyar National Park from where you can buy lots of handicrafts items. You can shop for spices, Kathakali masks, houseboat replicas any many more.
Jungle Trekking : Jungle trekking is the ideal way to discover the hidden insights of the jungle. It gives you the opportunity to explore its immense bounties. The guides are the local people, they can converse in both Hindi and English. Witness the Cardamom Hills where the species are abundantly grown. Trekking in the Periyar sancturay takes to the ruined Mangala Devi temple, which is a beautiful old stone temple. Excellent walking routes gives you the fascinating views of the wide variety of birds.
Entertainment : In the evening you can enjoy the Kathakali dance performed by the local people. You can also indulge in taking the Kerala Style Ayurvedic message. Apart from elephant Periyar gives you the unique opportunity to enjoy the the tiger shows are very well managed with minimum inconvenience to the tigers. You can also enjoy the jeep safari in the park.
http://www.ecoindia.com/parks/periyar-wildlife-sanctuary.html
Periyar National Park is situated on the hills of the western ghats in the state of Kerala in south -west India. Imagine the fascinating sight of the herds of elephants wandering through the dense forests freely. The only idea of taking the elephant safari in the park can mesmerize you. Taking the ride on the back of the elephant will surely make you feel like the Maharaja of the erstwhile era. Elephant safari is the perfect way to venture into the park and explore the areas where it becomes difficult even for the jeep to travel. While taking the elephant ride you can get up close with the wild predators. The mahut are very gentle people, they entertain you with the interesting stories and are very helpful in getting great pictures. It is astonishing to see group of wild elephants walking and taking bath in the lake. While taking the ride you can also go into the depth of the forest along with the jungle guide and enjoy the walk the wilds. It gives you the opportunity to spot the birds and butterflies and most importantly the large animals. The elephant safari give you the feel as though you are transmitted to the completely different era.
Lake Cruise in the Park : Lake cruise conducted by he forests department is the best way to see the park. Herds of elephants and other animals come oftenly to the lake for water. It is exciting to see the wilds of the jungle so close and the pictures you get are really amazing. While boating you will pass through the creeks, promontories and small islets that houses several wildlife species. You can also simple enjoy the peace and quiet of the Periyar lake and the surrounds.
Souvenir Shops: There are several shops near the gate of the Periyar National Park from where you can buy lots of handicrafts items. You can shop for spices, Kathakali masks, houseboat replicas any many more.
Jungle Trekking : Jungle trekking is the ideal way to discover the hidden insights of the jungle. It gives you the opportunity to explore its immense bounties. The guides are the local people, they can converse in both Hindi and English. Witness the Cardamom Hills where the species are abundantly grown. Trekking in the Periyar sancturay takes to the ruined Mangala Devi temple, which is a beautiful old stone temple. Excellent walking routes gives you the fascinating views of the wide variety of birds.
Entertainment : In the evening you can enjoy the Kathakali dance performed by the local people. You can also indulge in taking the Kerala Style Ayurvedic message. Apart from elephant Periyar gives you the unique opportunity to enjoy the the tiger shows are very well managed with minimum inconvenience to the tigers. You can also enjoy the jeep safari in the park.
http://www.ecoindia.com/parks/periyar-wildlife-sanctuary.html
19 September 2007
Exciting Things To See And Do In Las Vegas
by Gabriel Adams
Las Vegas, the city that never sleeps, offers you non-stop entertainment 24 hours a day.
Gambling, a round-the-clock activity is a must-do while you are in Las Vegas. There are no opening or closing timings for the many casinos that jostle for space along the Las Vegas strip. In fact, there are no clocks anywhere in sight and with an endless variety of exciting casino games you may be tempted to spend all your time in Las Vegas, casino-hopping. Which is a great thing to do if you are on a winning spree. If not, you may want to consider leaving behind the bright interior neon lights and stepping out into the brilliant Las Vegas sunshine, where there are lots more things to see and do.
Want to experience what weightlessness feels like? A specially designed Boeing 727 at Las Vegas Space Flights recreates the effects of a real space flight including lunar gravity by flying smaller parabolas. You can even experience what it feels like to walk upon the surface of Mars.
Looking for excitement that is more 'exciting' than gambling and weightless walking? Strap on a parachute and experience the thrill of Las Vegas sky diving. While free-falling from 10,000 feet above ground, enjoy a bird's eye view of the city you left behind a few minutes ago.
The Imperial Palace Auto Collections, home to the world's largest collection of classic, antique, special-interest and muscle cars, is a car enthusiast's heaven. Spend the day admiring these classic cars, and if you were lucky enough to have won that jackpot, maybe you could even afford to buy one!
Don't forget to witness the eruption of the Volcano at the Mirage Hotel or take a look at the largest golden nugget in the world, which is housed at the aptly named, Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel. For Liberace fans, the Liberace Museum has on display everything possible about this flamboyant pianist.
www.lasvegasbuffets.info
Las Vegas, the city that never sleeps, offers you non-stop entertainment 24 hours a day.
Gambling, a round-the-clock activity is a must-do while you are in Las Vegas. There are no opening or closing timings for the many casinos that jostle for space along the Las Vegas strip. In fact, there are no clocks anywhere in sight and with an endless variety of exciting casino games you may be tempted to spend all your time in Las Vegas, casino-hopping. Which is a great thing to do if you are on a winning spree. If not, you may want to consider leaving behind the bright interior neon lights and stepping out into the brilliant Las Vegas sunshine, where there are lots more things to see and do.
Want to experience what weightlessness feels like? A specially designed Boeing 727 at Las Vegas Space Flights recreates the effects of a real space flight including lunar gravity by flying smaller parabolas. You can even experience what it feels like to walk upon the surface of Mars.
Looking for excitement that is more 'exciting' than gambling and weightless walking? Strap on a parachute and experience the thrill of Las Vegas sky diving. While free-falling from 10,000 feet above ground, enjoy a bird's eye view of the city you left behind a few minutes ago.
The Imperial Palace Auto Collections, home to the world's largest collection of classic, antique, special-interest and muscle cars, is a car enthusiast's heaven. Spend the day admiring these classic cars, and if you were lucky enough to have won that jackpot, maybe you could even afford to buy one!
Don't forget to witness the eruption of the Volcano at the Mirage Hotel or take a look at the largest golden nugget in the world, which is housed at the aptly named, Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel. For Liberace fans, the Liberace Museum has on display everything possible about this flamboyant pianist.
www.lasvegasbuffets.info
18 September 2007
Looking Forward To An Indian Summer
by Lindsay Chapman
As the damp and disappointing summer of 2007 fades as a bad memory, we need reasons to look forward to the coming autumn. The season of 'mists and mellow fruitfulness' has much to recommend it and we can always hope for a long, mild Indian summer.
We have so many beautiful areas in England, the choice for a quick getaway is vast. Are you looking for a city break to explore top museums, great theatre or indulge in some serious shopping? Are you looking for a change of pace by pottering around the countryside, enjoying the spectacular change in autumn foliage before retiring to a cosy pub? Or do you feel the pull of the sea taking you to those unspoilt little coastal hideaways, which offer surprisingly sophisticated pleasures and wonderfully fresh air.
It is worth taking a look at East Anglia which can satisfy your choice with a diversity often overlooked. Take a look at the vibrant city of Norwich, the classic countryside of Constable Country in the Dedham Vale and, my own favourite, Aldeburgh, a classic coastal town on the Suffolk Heritage Coast.
On a recent visit, I loved walking along the shingle beach with the sea to one side and buildings of all shapes, sizes and colours on the other. On that beach are traditional fishermen's huts where the day's catch is brought in from the sea and then delivered straight to the kitchen door of the town's restaurants, such as the AA rosette rated Brudenell and White Lion. Seafood this fresh is a good enough reason on its own to take a break on the coast.
A brisk walk along the coastal path, passing the RSPB reserve, leads you to the very original and quirky Thorpeness. The whole village could be described as a 'folly', giving every appearance of having buildings hundreds of years old - half-timbered, Tudor even - but in fact the whole place was created as an upmarket holiday retreat at the beginning of the last cenury. Today's village is built around the 'Swallows and Amazons' lake - or Meare as it is known locally. With boats to hire and islands to explore, it's a fantasy land in every respect. The Thorpeness Hotel and Golf Club offers accommodation, an excellent restaurant (enjoy your aperitif on the balcony overlooking the Meare as the sun sets - magic!) and a very highly rated heathland golf course.
So... the choice is vast but with easy access from London and the Midlands, you won't be disappointed with a trip to East Anglia and particularly Aldeburgh and Thorpeness.
http://www.aldeburgh-breaks.co.uk/
As the damp and disappointing summer of 2007 fades as a bad memory, we need reasons to look forward to the coming autumn. The season of 'mists and mellow fruitfulness' has much to recommend it and we can always hope for a long, mild Indian summer.
We have so many beautiful areas in England, the choice for a quick getaway is vast. Are you looking for a city break to explore top museums, great theatre or indulge in some serious shopping? Are you looking for a change of pace by pottering around the countryside, enjoying the spectacular change in autumn foliage before retiring to a cosy pub? Or do you feel the pull of the sea taking you to those unspoilt little coastal hideaways, which offer surprisingly sophisticated pleasures and wonderfully fresh air.
It is worth taking a look at East Anglia which can satisfy your choice with a diversity often overlooked. Take a look at the vibrant city of Norwich, the classic countryside of Constable Country in the Dedham Vale and, my own favourite, Aldeburgh, a classic coastal town on the Suffolk Heritage Coast.
On a recent visit, I loved walking along the shingle beach with the sea to one side and buildings of all shapes, sizes and colours on the other. On that beach are traditional fishermen's huts where the day's catch is brought in from the sea and then delivered straight to the kitchen door of the town's restaurants, such as the AA rosette rated Brudenell and White Lion. Seafood this fresh is a good enough reason on its own to take a break on the coast.
A brisk walk along the coastal path, passing the RSPB reserve, leads you to the very original and quirky Thorpeness. The whole village could be described as a 'folly', giving every appearance of having buildings hundreds of years old - half-timbered, Tudor even - but in fact the whole place was created as an upmarket holiday retreat at the beginning of the last cenury. Today's village is built around the 'Swallows and Amazons' lake - or Meare as it is known locally. With boats to hire and islands to explore, it's a fantasy land in every respect. The Thorpeness Hotel and Golf Club offers accommodation, an excellent restaurant (enjoy your aperitif on the balcony overlooking the Meare as the sun sets - magic!) and a very highly rated heathland golf course.
So... the choice is vast but with easy access from London and the Midlands, you won't be disappointed with a trip to East Anglia and particularly Aldeburgh and Thorpeness.
http://www.aldeburgh-breaks.co.uk/
17 September 2007
Travel tips for adventure tour
by Steve Manik
If you want to enjoy the best of enthusiasm, excitement, enthrallment and challenge, then an adventure tour will be the right choice for you. Most people in this world love to go on an adventure trip just because they want to take a break from the mundane routine they suffer from in their daily life.
Here, you need to follow certain travel tips in order to make sure that you enjoy a great adventurous trip and come back safe and with wonderful memory of the expedition. The reason is that adventure expedition involves a great amount of risk due to the activities like trekking, hiking paragliding, snorkeling, rafting and mountaineering.
Here are some wonderful tips for your adventure tour. Follow these tips to enjoy the best of what you can during your expedition.
a) Physical activity: It is extremely important to consider the amount of physical activity that you would like to involve in. If you want to simply travel across the world and have a look at exquisite places across the globe then you don't require to possess extraordinary health fitness. If you are looking forward to enjoy the adventure like the trekking, hiking or mountaineering, then you require to be in the perfect state of health. The reason is that these activities require a good amount of physical exertion. Keep this in mind when you plan your adventure travel. b) Activities: Make a list of all the activities you want to involve in while on an adventure tour. Decide the activities you want to indulge in while you are on an adventure travel. This will let you plan your travel wisely and also allow you to enjoy the tour. c) Shop comparatively: You need to shop comparatively to avail great prices when on a adventure tour. You need to spend some days or even weeks to make a research on different adventure travel organizations and operators. This way, you will be able to get the best price. Try to compare the services, prices and then negotiate on the price quoted to you. d) Set a budget: You need to work within your stipulated budget in order to enjoy your adventure tour. Plan a budget and stick to it. e) Terms and conditions: Get a copy of the travel operator's terms and conditions in black and white. Review the policies carefully.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=617540
If you want to enjoy the best of enthusiasm, excitement, enthrallment and challenge, then an adventure tour will be the right choice for you. Most people in this world love to go on an adventure trip just because they want to take a break from the mundane routine they suffer from in their daily life.
Here, you need to follow certain travel tips in order to make sure that you enjoy a great adventurous trip and come back safe and with wonderful memory of the expedition. The reason is that adventure expedition involves a great amount of risk due to the activities like trekking, hiking paragliding, snorkeling, rafting and mountaineering.
Here are some wonderful tips for your adventure tour. Follow these tips to enjoy the best of what you can during your expedition.
a) Physical activity: It is extremely important to consider the amount of physical activity that you would like to involve in. If you want to simply travel across the world and have a look at exquisite places across the globe then you don't require to possess extraordinary health fitness. If you are looking forward to enjoy the adventure like the trekking, hiking or mountaineering, then you require to be in the perfect state of health. The reason is that these activities require a good amount of physical exertion. Keep this in mind when you plan your adventure travel. b) Activities: Make a list of all the activities you want to involve in while on an adventure tour. Decide the activities you want to indulge in while you are on an adventure travel. This will let you plan your travel wisely and also allow you to enjoy the tour. c) Shop comparatively: You need to shop comparatively to avail great prices when on a adventure tour. You need to spend some days or even weeks to make a research on different adventure travel organizations and operators. This way, you will be able to get the best price. Try to compare the services, prices and then negotiate on the price quoted to you. d) Set a budget: You need to work within your stipulated budget in order to enjoy your adventure tour. Plan a budget and stick to it. e) Terms and conditions: Get a copy of the travel operator's terms and conditions in black and white. Review the policies carefully.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=617540
16 September 2007
Guide to Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur
by Hosh
Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore are very similar places, in terms of the booming economy and skyscrapers dominating the city area, but there are a few places still worth a visit here.
Petronas Twin Towers First and foremost is the Petronas Twin Towers, which was once the tallest building in the world, until Taiwan came up with their own 1O1, and now Dubai also in the picture with their still-under-construction tower building. Here, long queues are always forming from 8.30am onwards for the free passes up the tower viewing gallery. But be warned that they would only issue around 800 free passes per day for the guided tour, so make sure to reach there early. The guided tour will take visitors all the way up to the sky bridge on the 41st floor.
I was there early queuing in the morning but the timing for my guided tour was scheduled in the afternoon due to the high demand for the free passes. So a good way would be to shop at the mega Suria KLCC shopping mall just next to it while waiting for your scheduled timing up the tower. You can pay a visit to the Petrosains over there, a discovery centre about petroleum manufacturing. At Petrosains, visitors will start with a ride in the dark which covers details on oil manufacture and the science of it.
At a dizzying height of 458 meters, Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of 88-storey buildings, is the best place to take in the view of Kuala Lumpur. There is also the Philharmonic Theater, which surrounds one with wonderful music from the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
Menara Kuala Lumpur Another icon representative of KL is the Kuala Lumpur Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur). Located on a hill called Bukit Nanas, this tower has an observatory platform which is easily accessible by high speed lifts. Taking the lifts up clocks less than a minute, and the view from the observatory tower is spectacular. You can get a bird's eye view of the Twin Tower and other magnificent buildings nearby. There's also a very cosy, revolving restaurant at the top of the tower, offering excellent buffet and great service for a reasonable price. Live music, excellent food, splendid views of the city, this is the place to be in. You might even be able to see Genting Highlands on a fine day!
Sunway Lagoon Sunway Lagoon is probably one the best integrated resorts in Malaysia. Within the holiday resort itself is a shopping complex with over 300 shops, an amazingly large lagoon, an Extreme park, Zoo, archery range, bowling alley and a water theme park. Alongside the shopping mall and the resort is a first-class hotel. Several restaurants offer excellent cuisine as well. It's self sufficient, and indeed a well-worth trip to make.
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque In Shah Alam (about 45 minutes from KL) lies one of the largest mosques in South-east Asia, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque (In Malay: Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz). This impressive building is often nicknamed the "Blue Mosque", for its blue aluminum dome covered with verses from the Quran. It is huge and magnificent, and surrounded by the great lake of Shah Alam in the center of Shah Alam town. It incorporates modern architectural style with Malay architecture in its design.
Batu Caves About 13 km north of KL is the Batu Caves, a place of worship for the Hindus. Large and imposing, it consists of three main caves and a number of smaller ones. The caves are made of limestone and discovered in 1892. You've got to climb up a long fairly steep flight of stairs to enter the caves. A comfortable pair of shoes will work wonders. The surreal carvings and paintings on the walls of the caves will impart a sense of spiritual feel to all who enters.
Merdeka Square, Central Market and Chinatown Back to KL city centre, the Merdeka Square houses the tallest flagpole and has an ancient fountain. It is always crowded with tourists and a visit at night would be much cooler. The Merdeka Square is between the majestic Court House and the Selangor Club. The Central Market and Chinatown are also a mere 10 minutes walk away. Chinatown, also known as Petaling Street is one of Kuala Lumpur's most popular tourist destinations. In the evenings, a beehive of stalls comes alive on the streets.
You can easily find a large variety of food ranging from roadside stalls to restaurants in Chinatown, offering plentiful choices from dumpling noodles, claypot chicken rice, bbq chicken wing, seafood to steamboat and more. Though it might get a little difficult to move around due to the crowds, the historical shop houses add to the ambience. This is also the place to get cheap t-shirts, souvenirs and almost any other things, but prices haven risen considerably in recent years due to the tourism effect. Bargaining is highly recommended.
Hotels are considered cheap in this modern city, and good hotel deals can be found almost any time of the year. A holiday trip to this city can be a wonderful experience, not mentioning easy on the pockets.
www.getcheapholidays.com
Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore are very similar places, in terms of the booming economy and skyscrapers dominating the city area, but there are a few places still worth a visit here.
Petronas Twin Towers First and foremost is the Petronas Twin Towers, which was once the tallest building in the world, until Taiwan came up with their own 1O1, and now Dubai also in the picture with their still-under-construction tower building. Here, long queues are always forming from 8.30am onwards for the free passes up the tower viewing gallery. But be warned that they would only issue around 800 free passes per day for the guided tour, so make sure to reach there early. The guided tour will take visitors all the way up to the sky bridge on the 41st floor.
I was there early queuing in the morning but the timing for my guided tour was scheduled in the afternoon due to the high demand for the free passes. So a good way would be to shop at the mega Suria KLCC shopping mall just next to it while waiting for your scheduled timing up the tower. You can pay a visit to the Petrosains over there, a discovery centre about petroleum manufacturing. At Petrosains, visitors will start with a ride in the dark which covers details on oil manufacture and the science of it.
At a dizzying height of 458 meters, Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of 88-storey buildings, is the best place to take in the view of Kuala Lumpur. There is also the Philharmonic Theater, which surrounds one with wonderful music from the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
Menara Kuala Lumpur Another icon representative of KL is the Kuala Lumpur Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur). Located on a hill called Bukit Nanas, this tower has an observatory platform which is easily accessible by high speed lifts. Taking the lifts up clocks less than a minute, and the view from the observatory tower is spectacular. You can get a bird's eye view of the Twin Tower and other magnificent buildings nearby. There's also a very cosy, revolving restaurant at the top of the tower, offering excellent buffet and great service for a reasonable price. Live music, excellent food, splendid views of the city, this is the place to be in. You might even be able to see Genting Highlands on a fine day!
Sunway Lagoon Sunway Lagoon is probably one the best integrated resorts in Malaysia. Within the holiday resort itself is a shopping complex with over 300 shops, an amazingly large lagoon, an Extreme park, Zoo, archery range, bowling alley and a water theme park. Alongside the shopping mall and the resort is a first-class hotel. Several restaurants offer excellent cuisine as well. It's self sufficient, and indeed a well-worth trip to make.
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque In Shah Alam (about 45 minutes from KL) lies one of the largest mosques in South-east Asia, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque (In Malay: Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz). This impressive building is often nicknamed the "Blue Mosque", for its blue aluminum dome covered with verses from the Quran. It is huge and magnificent, and surrounded by the great lake of Shah Alam in the center of Shah Alam town. It incorporates modern architectural style with Malay architecture in its design.
Batu Caves About 13 km north of KL is the Batu Caves, a place of worship for the Hindus. Large and imposing, it consists of three main caves and a number of smaller ones. The caves are made of limestone and discovered in 1892. You've got to climb up a long fairly steep flight of stairs to enter the caves. A comfortable pair of shoes will work wonders. The surreal carvings and paintings on the walls of the caves will impart a sense of spiritual feel to all who enters.
Merdeka Square, Central Market and Chinatown Back to KL city centre, the Merdeka Square houses the tallest flagpole and has an ancient fountain. It is always crowded with tourists and a visit at night would be much cooler. The Merdeka Square is between the majestic Court House and the Selangor Club. The Central Market and Chinatown are also a mere 10 minutes walk away. Chinatown, also known as Petaling Street is one of Kuala Lumpur's most popular tourist destinations. In the evenings, a beehive of stalls comes alive on the streets.
You can easily find a large variety of food ranging from roadside stalls to restaurants in Chinatown, offering plentiful choices from dumpling noodles, claypot chicken rice, bbq chicken wing, seafood to steamboat and more. Though it might get a little difficult to move around due to the crowds, the historical shop houses add to the ambience. This is also the place to get cheap t-shirts, souvenirs and almost any other things, but prices haven risen considerably in recent years due to the tourism effect. Bargaining is highly recommended.
Hotels are considered cheap in this modern city, and good hotel deals can be found almost any time of the year. A holiday trip to this city can be a wonderful experience, not mentioning easy on the pockets.
www.getcheapholidays.com
What Will Disney World Weather Be Like On Your Vacation?
by Aura P.
Are you planning a Disney World vacation but need to get an idea of what the weather will be like when you go? Be prepared for what Mother Nature might throw at you. In this article, you'll have handy the average daily low and high temperatures (Fahrenheit), average daily humidity percentage, and the typical number of rainy days for each month of the year.
In January, the average low is 50 degrees and the average high is 72. The humidity average falls at 72.5%, and the number of rainy days this month typically gets is 6.
For February, the average low and high is 51 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The daily humidity averages at 70.5% and February gets approximately 7 days of rain.
In the month of March, the average daily low will hit 56 degrees and the high will hit 79. The daily humidity average is relatively low for Disney World/Orland -- 69.5%. The number of rainy March days is 8.
As for April, you'll be asleep in 60 degree temperature, and you'll find yourself engaging in activities with 79 degree weather outside. This month also has the lowest average daily humidity of the year at 67.5%, and the rainy days average out at 6.
In May, expect to enjoy a daily low average of 66, but this month things start to really heat up -- the average daily high jumps to 83 degrees. You'll experience the daily humidity average at 68.5%, and it typically rains 9 days out of the month.
For June, you'll sleep in 71 degree weather on average but wake up to temperatures trying to reach 91 degrees. The average daily humidity is 73.5%, and the rainy days jump up to 14.
As for July, the average low and high daily temperatures are 73 and 92, respectively. Humidity averages out at 75%, and 17 days out of the month rain may hinder your plans.
The situation doesn't improve in August. The average high and low is still stuck at 92 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit, the humidity ticks up a bit at 76.5% on average, and it rains 16 days out of the month.
For the month of September, the average high and low falls at 90 and 72 degrees, the average daily humidity reads 76%, and it'll rain on your parade approximately 14 days out of the month.
The month of October finally sees some improvement. The average high and low drop down to 85 abd 65 degrees, and the humidity percentage falls a couple of percentage points to 73.5%. In addition, the number of rainy days re-enters the single digits at 9.
As for November, you'll sleep to a 59 degree average temperature, and enjoy your vacation experience in a balmy 79 degrees. The high humidity sticks around at 73%, and the rainy days drop down even further to 6.
Finally, in the month of December, you can explore the park at a comfortable 73 degrees and call it a night with temperatures dropping down to 53. The humidity level and the number of rainy days stay pretty steady at 73.5% and 6, respectively.
Just like you wouldn't get in your car to go to work without looking at (or listening to) the traffic or weather report, you shouldn't be ignorant about the typical weather conditions at Disney World, or any vacation destination. Now that you know what to expect, you can plan accordingly. Good luck and have a great time!
www.DWDiscount.com
Are you planning a Disney World vacation but need to get an idea of what the weather will be like when you go? Be prepared for what Mother Nature might throw at you. In this article, you'll have handy the average daily low and high temperatures (Fahrenheit), average daily humidity percentage, and the typical number of rainy days for each month of the year.
In January, the average low is 50 degrees and the average high is 72. The humidity average falls at 72.5%, and the number of rainy days this month typically gets is 6.
For February, the average low and high is 51 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The daily humidity averages at 70.5% and February gets approximately 7 days of rain.
In the month of March, the average daily low will hit 56 degrees and the high will hit 79. The daily humidity average is relatively low for Disney World/Orland -- 69.5%. The number of rainy March days is 8.
As for April, you'll be asleep in 60 degree temperature, and you'll find yourself engaging in activities with 79 degree weather outside. This month also has the lowest average daily humidity of the year at 67.5%, and the rainy days average out at 6.
In May, expect to enjoy a daily low average of 66, but this month things start to really heat up -- the average daily high jumps to 83 degrees. You'll experience the daily humidity average at 68.5%, and it typically rains 9 days out of the month.
For June, you'll sleep in 71 degree weather on average but wake up to temperatures trying to reach 91 degrees. The average daily humidity is 73.5%, and the rainy days jump up to 14.
As for July, the average low and high daily temperatures are 73 and 92, respectively. Humidity averages out at 75%, and 17 days out of the month rain may hinder your plans.
The situation doesn't improve in August. The average high and low is still stuck at 92 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit, the humidity ticks up a bit at 76.5% on average, and it rains 16 days out of the month.
For the month of September, the average high and low falls at 90 and 72 degrees, the average daily humidity reads 76%, and it'll rain on your parade approximately 14 days out of the month.
The month of October finally sees some improvement. The average high and low drop down to 85 abd 65 degrees, and the humidity percentage falls a couple of percentage points to 73.5%. In addition, the number of rainy days re-enters the single digits at 9.
As for November, you'll sleep to a 59 degree average temperature, and enjoy your vacation experience in a balmy 79 degrees. The high humidity sticks around at 73%, and the rainy days drop down even further to 6.
Finally, in the month of December, you can explore the park at a comfortable 73 degrees and call it a night with temperatures dropping down to 53. The humidity level and the number of rainy days stay pretty steady at 73.5% and 6, respectively.
Just like you wouldn't get in your car to go to work without looking at (or listening to) the traffic or weather report, you shouldn't be ignorant about the typical weather conditions at Disney World, or any vacation destination. Now that you know what to expect, you can plan accordingly. Good luck and have a great time!
www.DWDiscount.com
14 September 2007
Hiking: Travel With a Map or GPS
by Greg Hansward
Whether or not a hiker uses a maps or GPS unit has nothing to do with skill level. Even experienced hikers use these navigational tools.
Actually, more experienced hikers than beginners tend to rely on maps or GPS units since beginners and amateur hikers tend to think they will not need it. Beginners often think that they do not need to learn how to use maps and stick by the reasoning that well-traveled trails cannot be that difficult to follow. To this, experienced hikers chuckle and sarcastically wish them luck!
Truth is that you can get lost, even with visible, well marked trails and this is not a laughing matter. It is possible for any hiker to inadvertently travel off a trail. You would be surprised how easy it can be to get turned around. Stepping a short distance off a trial into a thick forest has confused many hikers and soon they are lost.
Many maps will not actually help you find your way out of the forest, but you can usually find a trail that connects to your previous trail. If anything, it can help you return to starting point. A tourist uses a map to navigate through a new city, and similarly you can view hiking as "tourism through a new forest." It can save you a lot of headaches and even worse!
Here's how to get started:
Get a current map of the area you are planning to hike. Take some time to study it beforehand to get familiar with the symbols and general trail connections.
Becoming familiar with the symbols is important. Almost all will have a legend, but symbols in general tend to differ among publishers. You should also determine what the scale being used is. Look for 1 inch = 2 miles or something similar as it can vary. Keep in mind that it is not all about distance. One mile on a level terrain is not the same thing as three-quarter of a mile near sea level then to a 2,000 feet winding incline.
For the latter, look at altitude on a map which is usually indicated by a series of curved lines. The distance between the lines circling a hill or another natural feature indicates the altitude of that area. The closer the lines are the higher the altitude.
As far as longitude and latitude, longitude runs vertically north and south while latitude runs horizontally east and west (or right and left).
During the day, you can use natural features such as the sun which sets in the West and rises in the East. This means that early in the day if you find the sun you are usually facing east. Likewise, late in the day, you will be facing mostly west if you turn toward the sun. Of course there are variations due to coastlines and latitude, but this is a good approximate place to start.
Finally, be sure to bring a flashlight to read the map in the unfortunate event you are lost at night!
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=614761
Whether or not a hiker uses a maps or GPS unit has nothing to do with skill level. Even experienced hikers use these navigational tools.
Actually, more experienced hikers than beginners tend to rely on maps or GPS units since beginners and amateur hikers tend to think they will not need it. Beginners often think that they do not need to learn how to use maps and stick by the reasoning that well-traveled trails cannot be that difficult to follow. To this, experienced hikers chuckle and sarcastically wish them luck!
Truth is that you can get lost, even with visible, well marked trails and this is not a laughing matter. It is possible for any hiker to inadvertently travel off a trail. You would be surprised how easy it can be to get turned around. Stepping a short distance off a trial into a thick forest has confused many hikers and soon they are lost.
Many maps will not actually help you find your way out of the forest, but you can usually find a trail that connects to your previous trail. If anything, it can help you return to starting point. A tourist uses a map to navigate through a new city, and similarly you can view hiking as "tourism through a new forest." It can save you a lot of headaches and even worse!
Here's how to get started:
Get a current map of the area you are planning to hike. Take some time to study it beforehand to get familiar with the symbols and general trail connections.
Becoming familiar with the symbols is important. Almost all will have a legend, but symbols in general tend to differ among publishers. You should also determine what the scale being used is. Look for 1 inch = 2 miles or something similar as it can vary. Keep in mind that it is not all about distance. One mile on a level terrain is not the same thing as three-quarter of a mile near sea level then to a 2,000 feet winding incline.
For the latter, look at altitude on a map which is usually indicated by a series of curved lines. The distance between the lines circling a hill or another natural feature indicates the altitude of that area. The closer the lines are the higher the altitude.
As far as longitude and latitude, longitude runs vertically north and south while latitude runs horizontally east and west (or right and left).
During the day, you can use natural features such as the sun which sets in the West and rises in the East. This means that early in the day if you find the sun you are usually facing east. Likewise, late in the day, you will be facing mostly west if you turn toward the sun. Of course there are variations due to coastlines and latitude, but this is a good approximate place to start.
Finally, be sure to bring a flashlight to read the map in the unfortunate event you are lost at night!
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=614761
13 September 2007
Dolphins In Komodo - Komodo Liveaboard Diving
by P.J. Widestrand
This trip was a real Dolphin treat! Apart from having these beautiful and intelligent animals around the boat every day, we were also lucky enough to see them underwater at four divesites! Favourite sighting was two Dolphins swimming down to the reeftop several times, checking what the sharks were doing there. Loads of fun!
But things didn't stop with this: lots of sharks around Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, GPS Point and Lighthouse Reef. And we had walls of fish pretty much everywhere. Surgeonfish, Unicornfish, Jackfisk, Red Snappers, Sweetlips just to mention a few.
At the other side of the scale, we found Pygmy Seahorses on many locations. As always, a favourite amongst the photographers onboard. We found several pairs of rare Zebra Crabs hiking along on Fire Urchins, lots of Nudibranchs, including my favourite - the Bunny! (or Pacific Tecacera as it's real name is.)
Walking with the Dragons - this is what we do every Wednesday morning on Komodo Island. Beautiful views, and four BIG Komodo Dragons this time, plus a baby up in a tree.
Another lucky morning at Manta Alley in south Komodo: 15-20 Manta Rays playing in the current just a few feet away from us! I think everybody ran out of space on their memory card on this dive...
Heading back towards Bali, we enjoyed a school of baby Grey Reef Sharks at GPS Point, and the trip ended with a rare encounter with a Blue-ringed Octopus!
www.mermaid-liveaboards.com
This trip was a real Dolphin treat! Apart from having these beautiful and intelligent animals around the boat every day, we were also lucky enough to see them underwater at four divesites! Favourite sighting was two Dolphins swimming down to the reeftop several times, checking what the sharks were doing there. Loads of fun!
But things didn't stop with this: lots of sharks around Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, GPS Point and Lighthouse Reef. And we had walls of fish pretty much everywhere. Surgeonfish, Unicornfish, Jackfisk, Red Snappers, Sweetlips just to mention a few.
At the other side of the scale, we found Pygmy Seahorses on many locations. As always, a favourite amongst the photographers onboard. We found several pairs of rare Zebra Crabs hiking along on Fire Urchins, lots of Nudibranchs, including my favourite - the Bunny! (or Pacific Tecacera as it's real name is.)
Walking with the Dragons - this is what we do every Wednesday morning on Komodo Island. Beautiful views, and four BIG Komodo Dragons this time, plus a baby up in a tree.
Another lucky morning at Manta Alley in south Komodo: 15-20 Manta Rays playing in the current just a few feet away from us! I think everybody ran out of space on their memory card on this dive...
Heading back towards Bali, we enjoyed a school of baby Grey Reef Sharks at GPS Point, and the trip ended with a rare encounter with a Blue-ringed Octopus!
www.mermaid-liveaboards.com
12 September 2007
Visit Tunis in Tunisia
by S. Tanna
Tunis is the capital and most populous city of Tunisia. As of 2004, the city itself had a population of 728,453, and perhaps around 2 million in the greater Tunis metropolitan area.
The city is located in the northeastern part of the country, on the shore of Lake Tunis (Arabic: El Bahira; French: Lac de Tunis), which is a natural lagoon. Lake Tunis is connected to the Gulf of Tunis (which is part of the Mediterranean Sea) by a canal which terminates at Tunis' port, La Goulette (Arabic: Halq al Wadi).
Tunis a very ancient city, dating back to at least the 2nd millennium BC, as "Tunes". The city was originally founded by the Berbers, later occupied by the Numidians, and eventually taken over by the Phoenicians from the nearby city of Carthage. After a brief period where the Berbers reestablished control, and a Greek occupation by King Agathocles of Sicily, the Carthaginians again regained control over the city. The Carthaginian Empire, including Tunis, along with the city of Carthage, was however in turn eventually destroyed by the Romans at the end of the third Punic War, in 146 BC. The city of Tunis was however eventually rebuilt during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Tunis however remained of secondary importance after Carthage (which was also rebuilt) until the early Islamic period, when Carthage was finally destroyed for good.
Due to its rich history, there are many ancient and historic sites to see in Tunis. These include the Aghlabid Ez-Zitouna Mosque ("Mosque of the Olive") which dates back to 723, the Dar-al-Bey (the Bey's palace), and the Great Mosque. Additionally the ruins of Carthage are just a short distance away from the city, to the Northeast.
www.travelguide2tunisia.com
Tunis is the capital and most populous city of Tunisia. As of 2004, the city itself had a population of 728,453, and perhaps around 2 million in the greater Tunis metropolitan area.
The city is located in the northeastern part of the country, on the shore of Lake Tunis (Arabic: El Bahira; French: Lac de Tunis), which is a natural lagoon. Lake Tunis is connected to the Gulf of Tunis (which is part of the Mediterranean Sea) by a canal which terminates at Tunis' port, La Goulette (Arabic: Halq al Wadi).
Tunis a very ancient city, dating back to at least the 2nd millennium BC, as "Tunes". The city was originally founded by the Berbers, later occupied by the Numidians, and eventually taken over by the Phoenicians from the nearby city of Carthage. After a brief period where the Berbers reestablished control, and a Greek occupation by King Agathocles of Sicily, the Carthaginians again regained control over the city. The Carthaginian Empire, including Tunis, along with the city of Carthage, was however in turn eventually destroyed by the Romans at the end of the third Punic War, in 146 BC. The city of Tunis was however eventually rebuilt during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Tunis however remained of secondary importance after Carthage (which was also rebuilt) until the early Islamic period, when Carthage was finally destroyed for good.
Due to its rich history, there are many ancient and historic sites to see in Tunis. These include the Aghlabid Ez-Zitouna Mosque ("Mosque of the Olive") which dates back to 723, the Dar-al-Bey (the Bey's palace), and the Great Mosque. Additionally the ruins of Carthage are just a short distance away from the city, to the Northeast.
www.travelguide2tunisia.com
11 September 2007
Choosing Destinations for Holidays with Teenagers
by Robert Carlton
Teenagers are not the easiest to please, and if are the parent of a teenager, you will understand this far better than someone else. This means that vacations with a teenager can be an adventure in itself, but one you may not always want to hold as a memory. To make it a great vacation for everyone, it is recommended that you choose a destination that considers you teenager as well. This will help prevent boredom, an unhappy teen and happy traveling for everyone.
When selecting destinations for your holidays, choosing a destination focusing on teens requires you to consider you child's interests, likes and dislikes. Look at the destination amenities, available activities and facilities to be sure there are plenty of things you teenager will enjoy. Just because one likes to play tennis, does not mean yours will.
Theme parks and amusement parks are popular destinations that tend to cater to teenagers more than others. Some amusement parks can be completed in one day, but there are several amusement park resorts that around which an entire vacation can revolve. Such resorts include Orlando Studios, Disney World or Disneyland. Or, smaller parks such as Six Flags offer nearby hotel accommodations or onsite camping.
White water rafting is another great choice for holidays with teens. There are rafting tours available all throughout the United States, though West Virginia, Utah, Idaho and Colorado are some of the more poplar locations. If you select white water rafting, it is important to consider your child's level of rafting experience, or rather his or her lack of experience. A guided tour is best for inexperienced rafters, including yourself.
Cruise ships are often overlooked as good vacation destination for teenagers, but you will find that many gear towards families. Cruise ships travel all around the world but are most popular for travels to Europe and the Caribbean. Your teenager can find many activities on board, including dancing, video games, swimming, rock climbing and watching movies. Be sure to check what amenities and activities the cruise ship offers before making your reservation.
As mentioned, it is very important to consider your teenager's likes and dislikes. It may be a good idea to let them help you plan your next vacation. Not only is this time spent together, it will ensure you select a destination that has activities they can also enjoy. This will be time well spent in many ways.
Regardless of how you choose your next vacation destination or what destination you choose, make sure you research the destination beforehand. This is the best way to ensure that everyone has a memorable experience that no one will want to forget.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=611329
Teenagers are not the easiest to please, and if are the parent of a teenager, you will understand this far better than someone else. This means that vacations with a teenager can be an adventure in itself, but one you may not always want to hold as a memory. To make it a great vacation for everyone, it is recommended that you choose a destination that considers you teenager as well. This will help prevent boredom, an unhappy teen and happy traveling for everyone.
When selecting destinations for your holidays, choosing a destination focusing on teens requires you to consider you child's interests, likes and dislikes. Look at the destination amenities, available activities and facilities to be sure there are plenty of things you teenager will enjoy. Just because one likes to play tennis, does not mean yours will.
Theme parks and amusement parks are popular destinations that tend to cater to teenagers more than others. Some amusement parks can be completed in one day, but there are several amusement park resorts that around which an entire vacation can revolve. Such resorts include Orlando Studios, Disney World or Disneyland. Or, smaller parks such as Six Flags offer nearby hotel accommodations or onsite camping.
White water rafting is another great choice for holidays with teens. There are rafting tours available all throughout the United States, though West Virginia, Utah, Idaho and Colorado are some of the more poplar locations. If you select white water rafting, it is important to consider your child's level of rafting experience, or rather his or her lack of experience. A guided tour is best for inexperienced rafters, including yourself.
Cruise ships are often overlooked as good vacation destination for teenagers, but you will find that many gear towards families. Cruise ships travel all around the world but are most popular for travels to Europe and the Caribbean. Your teenager can find many activities on board, including dancing, video games, swimming, rock climbing and watching movies. Be sure to check what amenities and activities the cruise ship offers before making your reservation.
As mentioned, it is very important to consider your teenager's likes and dislikes. It may be a good idea to let them help you plan your next vacation. Not only is this time spent together, it will ensure you select a destination that has activities they can also enjoy. This will be time well spent in many ways.
Regardless of how you choose your next vacation destination or what destination you choose, make sure you research the destination beforehand. This is the best way to ensure that everyone has a memorable experience that no one will want to forget.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=611329
10 September 2007
What To See And Do On Your Florida Vacation
by Gabriel Adams
Ask any one about their Florida vacation and their answer is sure to be, "So much to do, so little time." No matter how many days you plan to stay in Florida, it's never enough to take in the many attractions this exciting city offers.
Here are just a few of the top things to see and do for families vacationing in Florida.
Magic Kingdom Theme Park
The original Disney theme park, Magic Kingdom is classic Disney. With carousels, a Dumbo tea-cup ride, Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh, this park is top of the list for younger kids. Older kids have their share of the fun with the three mountain roller coasters- Splash, Space and big Thunder, The Haunted Mountain and lots more.
Universal's Islands of Adventure
Teens and 'tweens who love to scream would absolutely love Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park. Hair-raising roller coasters including The Hulk and Dueling Dragon coaster provide plenty to scream about. Not a coaster, but equally thrilling is The Spiderman "ride", a 3-D simulator with an additional 4th dimension of surprise sensations.
Wild Waters
Wild Waters offers the family plenty of opportunities to soak up the sun, cool off in the refreshing waters, ride the surf in a 450,000 gallon wave pool or hit the twists and turns of the many water slides including the Mini Monster, Bunyan's Bend or Osceola's Revenge. The more daring could tackle the 220 foot-long Silver Bullet speed fumes for the three-storey high Hurricane. There are lots of shallow pools for the younger kids too.
Amazing Exotics
Amazing Exotics offers a unique experience for the whole family. This 85-acre exotic animal compound is home to more than 200 rare and endangered species from big cats to primates. Amazing exotics is not really a zoo but a place where visitors can learn in a hands-on environment.
Orlando Science Center
The 207,000 square-foot Orland Science Center is a hands-on learning center that offers plenty of interactive activities for all ages.
http://www.4fl.org/
Ask any one about their Florida vacation and their answer is sure to be, "So much to do, so little time." No matter how many days you plan to stay in Florida, it's never enough to take in the many attractions this exciting city offers.
Here are just a few of the top things to see and do for families vacationing in Florida.
Magic Kingdom Theme Park
The original Disney theme park, Magic Kingdom is classic Disney. With carousels, a Dumbo tea-cup ride, Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh, this park is top of the list for younger kids. Older kids have their share of the fun with the three mountain roller coasters- Splash, Space and big Thunder, The Haunted Mountain and lots more.
Universal's Islands of Adventure
Teens and 'tweens who love to scream would absolutely love Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park. Hair-raising roller coasters including The Hulk and Dueling Dragon coaster provide plenty to scream about. Not a coaster, but equally thrilling is The Spiderman "ride", a 3-D simulator with an additional 4th dimension of surprise sensations.
Wild Waters
Wild Waters offers the family plenty of opportunities to soak up the sun, cool off in the refreshing waters, ride the surf in a 450,000 gallon wave pool or hit the twists and turns of the many water slides including the Mini Monster, Bunyan's Bend or Osceola's Revenge. The more daring could tackle the 220 foot-long Silver Bullet speed fumes for the three-storey high Hurricane. There are lots of shallow pools for the younger kids too.
Amazing Exotics
Amazing Exotics offers a unique experience for the whole family. This 85-acre exotic animal compound is home to more than 200 rare and endangered species from big cats to primates. Amazing exotics is not really a zoo but a place where visitors can learn in a hands-on environment.
Orlando Science Center
The 207,000 square-foot Orland Science Center is a hands-on learning center that offers plenty of interactive activities for all ages.
http://www.4fl.org/
Ibiza Clubs Welcome New 2007 Flights
Friday and Saturday night clubbers from around Europe, and especially from the UK and Germany, descend upon Ibiza in the summer months for a week - and often two - of non stop partying.
Ibiza runs second only to the UK's main cities of London, Manchester and Liverpool in terms of popularity for clubbers, and some of the Ibiza clubs are as well known as any in the UK.
Demand for flights to Ibiza has been high enough in recent years for a low cost airline to start two new services from the UK to Ibiza, which should see the number of tourists on the island rise this year.
The two new routes are from Edinburgh in Scotland twice weekly, and London's Luton Airport with both routes offering a daily service.
Announcing the new routes, a spokesman for the airline said that the famous Ibiza club season gets going at the end of June, and is still the best place to party in Europe. For the quiet life, head inland to the north coast of the island, where you’ll find some of Spain’s most beautiful landscape rolling into the Mediterranean.
Talking about Ibiza's neighbouring island and equally well known holiday destination Majorca, where they have been offering a low cost service for some years, the airline said of Majorca's capital, Palma, that it is the elegant and cosmopolitan capital of Majorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, and is known for its beaches, climate, cultural and traditional influences. The warm climate of Palma makes it a popular destination, with something for everyone.
As well as Majorca and Ibiza, the airline also offers a service to the third Balearic Island, Menorca.
'Of the three Balearic Islands, Menorca is known as the quiet one, the type of island where you take your family on holiday if there aren't any mid to late teens who need entertaining, which would be more suited to Majorca. Ibiza is well known in Europe as a clubbing destination.' Say one travel guide for Menorca and Majorca.
Menorca villas are often let out to holidaymakers, with the season generally running from May to end September.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Park, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The three Balearic Islands of Menorca, Majorca and Ibiza might be close to each other, but they are all different in character and the type of tourist they typically attract.
A surprise is that the amount of time spent on Ibiza by each tourist is longer than on Menorca and Majorca - destroying the myth that Ibiza is primarily for long weekends or short trips for a couple of nights in the club.
The findings by the Balearics Tourist Authority show that after Ibiza, Menorca visitors stay on average for 11 days, with Majorca just behind. And the same pattern emerges for spending per day, with Ibiza top, Majorca second, and Majorca last.
The amount spent by Ibiza tourists averaged 94 Euros a day - a huge contribution to the island's economy, which could be furthered with the new routes from London and Edinburgh in Scotland.
http://www.easyarticles.com/article-75141.htm
Ibiza runs second only to the UK's main cities of London, Manchester and Liverpool in terms of popularity for clubbers, and some of the Ibiza clubs are as well known as any in the UK.
Demand for flights to Ibiza has been high enough in recent years for a low cost airline to start two new services from the UK to Ibiza, which should see the number of tourists on the island rise this year.
The two new routes are from Edinburgh in Scotland twice weekly, and London's Luton Airport with both routes offering a daily service.
Announcing the new routes, a spokesman for the airline said that the famous Ibiza club season gets going at the end of June, and is still the best place to party in Europe. For the quiet life, head inland to the north coast of the island, where you’ll find some of Spain’s most beautiful landscape rolling into the Mediterranean.
Talking about Ibiza's neighbouring island and equally well known holiday destination Majorca, where they have been offering a low cost service for some years, the airline said of Majorca's capital, Palma, that it is the elegant and cosmopolitan capital of Majorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, and is known for its beaches, climate, cultural and traditional influences. The warm climate of Palma makes it a popular destination, with something for everyone.
As well as Majorca and Ibiza, the airline also offers a service to the third Balearic Island, Menorca.
'Of the three Balearic Islands, Menorca is known as the quiet one, the type of island where you take your family on holiday if there aren't any mid to late teens who need entertaining, which would be more suited to Majorca. Ibiza is well known in Europe as a clubbing destination.' Say one travel guide for Menorca and Majorca.
Menorca villas are often let out to holidaymakers, with the season generally running from May to end September.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Park, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The three Balearic Islands of Menorca, Majorca and Ibiza might be close to each other, but they are all different in character and the type of tourist they typically attract.
A surprise is that the amount of time spent on Ibiza by each tourist is longer than on Menorca and Majorca - destroying the myth that Ibiza is primarily for long weekends or short trips for a couple of nights in the club.
The findings by the Balearics Tourist Authority show that after Ibiza, Menorca visitors stay on average for 11 days, with Majorca just behind. And the same pattern emerges for spending per day, with Ibiza top, Majorca second, and Majorca last.
The amount spent by Ibiza tourists averaged 94 Euros a day - a huge contribution to the island's economy, which could be furthered with the new routes from London and Edinburgh in Scotland.
http://www.easyarticles.com/article-75141.htm
09 September 2007
Discover the Perfect Vacation in Hong Kong and China
Spending yearly vacation in a fantastic country would be the dream of every vacationer. But, for an enjoyable vacation, an effective plan must be devised, which should include everything vital to make a vacation memorable. In other words, you should ask yourself a number of questions before devising an effective plan for vacation, such as which destination would you like to go for vacation, what are the activities you are planning during your vacation, whether you are interested in exploring new places or culture of a place, or would you like to enjoy adventure trips, and so on. However, it would be quite confusing for a common man to plan a vacation. Here comes the importance of tour agents. No matter what your tastes are, they will take all steps to make your vacation an enjoyable as well as a wonderful experience.
With umpteen destinations to choose from, one of the best destinations preferred by most of the people across the globe is Hong Kong/China destination. China is the world's third largest country, with great cultural and ethnic diversities. As per the records of the World Tourism Organization, China is the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world, and is estimated to become the first in the next 15 years.
In addition to being home to the Great Wall - one of the Seven Wonders of the World, China has to its credit a continuum of tourist attractions, with 23 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous region, and two administrative regions. Beijing - the capital city of China - comes with such renowned attractions as Temple of Heaven Park, the Summer Palace, and the Imperial Palace Museum within the Forbidden City, which in turn is the world's largest palace complex. Along with cities such as Macau, Shanghai, and Lhasa - Hong Kong is also one of the much famed tourist places in China.
Now we will discuss some of the top attractions in the city of Hong Kong. The city boasts of such a great number of attractions that it takes months to explore all of them. Just few among the Hong Kong attractions are the peak tower with Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and rooftop observation area; Man Mo Temple; Wong Tai Sin Temple, an ancient shrine famed for its fortune-tellers; the Bank of China Tower, one of the tallest building in the world that is noted for its architecture; the Avenue of Stars, which is graced and illuminated with tons of twinkling lights; the Clock Tower - one of the oldest landmarks that is situated on the site of the old Kowloon Station; Hong Kong Park, featuring a 1400 sq mt conservatory, air-conditioned sports center, and Olympic Square; and Statue Square, a popular pedestrian in the central district. Equally important are such attractions of Hong Kong as Hong Kong Disneyland, Central District that is home to many government buildings, Ladies Market, Repulse Bay, and Mongkok that is much favored for its teaming activities.
Hong Kong also offers excellent opportunities to enjoy a range of activities. Taking a helicopter ride, riding the peak tram, riding the cable car, riding the century-old tram, and taking a harbor cruise are just few among them. In addition, superb facilities are made available to enjoy exciting and interesting sport activities like sedan chair race, horse racing, swimming, and wind surfing. Also, worth mentioning is the night life in Hong Kong, with its British as well as Irish themed bars, dance clubs, and modern bars offering live music shows and fun. Nightlife in Hong Kong is mainly spread throughout three areas in Kowloon: cocktail bars in Tsim Sha Tsui, pubs on the Ashley Road, and clubs on the Prat and Chatham Roads. Apart from this, Hong Kong boasts of a chain of music clubs and theaters, each of them ensuring fun and entertainment in a relaxing environment.
Above all, Hong Kong hosts a great number of festivals and events, such as Chinese New Year; Birthday of Che Kung, dedicated to Che Kung - the general of the Sung Dynasty; Spring Lantern Festival; and Hong Kong International Film Festival, which is to honor Asian film festivals as well as eminent film makers. Also, great is the gastronomy of Hong Kong. Hong Kong's hall mark is perhaps its world-class cuisine, covering regional, English, continental, and western. An array of restaurants, pubs, bars, and eateries can be seen here.
So what all to dream? Just plan your vacation with us and feel relaxed. All you have to do is to logon to our website and share your interests and likes and dislikes with us.
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/discover-the-perfect-vacation-in-hong-kong-and-china-200182.html
With umpteen destinations to choose from, one of the best destinations preferred by most of the people across the globe is Hong Kong/China destination. China is the world's third largest country, with great cultural and ethnic diversities. As per the records of the World Tourism Organization, China is the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world, and is estimated to become the first in the next 15 years.
In addition to being home to the Great Wall - one of the Seven Wonders of the World, China has to its credit a continuum of tourist attractions, with 23 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous region, and two administrative regions. Beijing - the capital city of China - comes with such renowned attractions as Temple of Heaven Park, the Summer Palace, and the Imperial Palace Museum within the Forbidden City, which in turn is the world's largest palace complex. Along with cities such as Macau, Shanghai, and Lhasa - Hong Kong is also one of the much famed tourist places in China.
Now we will discuss some of the top attractions in the city of Hong Kong. The city boasts of such a great number of attractions that it takes months to explore all of them. Just few among the Hong Kong attractions are the peak tower with Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and rooftop observation area; Man Mo Temple; Wong Tai Sin Temple, an ancient shrine famed for its fortune-tellers; the Bank of China Tower, one of the tallest building in the world that is noted for its architecture; the Avenue of Stars, which is graced and illuminated with tons of twinkling lights; the Clock Tower - one of the oldest landmarks that is situated on the site of the old Kowloon Station; Hong Kong Park, featuring a 1400 sq mt conservatory, air-conditioned sports center, and Olympic Square; and Statue Square, a popular pedestrian in the central district. Equally important are such attractions of Hong Kong as Hong Kong Disneyland, Central District that is home to many government buildings, Ladies Market, Repulse Bay, and Mongkok that is much favored for its teaming activities.
Hong Kong also offers excellent opportunities to enjoy a range of activities. Taking a helicopter ride, riding the peak tram, riding the cable car, riding the century-old tram, and taking a harbor cruise are just few among them. In addition, superb facilities are made available to enjoy exciting and interesting sport activities like sedan chair race, horse racing, swimming, and wind surfing. Also, worth mentioning is the night life in Hong Kong, with its British as well as Irish themed bars, dance clubs, and modern bars offering live music shows and fun. Nightlife in Hong Kong is mainly spread throughout three areas in Kowloon: cocktail bars in Tsim Sha Tsui, pubs on the Ashley Road, and clubs on the Prat and Chatham Roads. Apart from this, Hong Kong boasts of a chain of music clubs and theaters, each of them ensuring fun and entertainment in a relaxing environment.
Above all, Hong Kong hosts a great number of festivals and events, such as Chinese New Year; Birthday of Che Kung, dedicated to Che Kung - the general of the Sung Dynasty; Spring Lantern Festival; and Hong Kong International Film Festival, which is to honor Asian film festivals as well as eminent film makers. Also, great is the gastronomy of Hong Kong. Hong Kong's hall mark is perhaps its world-class cuisine, covering regional, English, continental, and western. An array of restaurants, pubs, bars, and eateries can be seen here.
So what all to dream? Just plan your vacation with us and feel relaxed. All you have to do is to logon to our website and share your interests and likes and dislikes with us.
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/discover-the-perfect-vacation-in-hong-kong-and-china-200182.html
07 September 2007
Welcome to Costa Rica
by Aazdak Alisimo
Costa Rica, the Rich Coast, was named by its earliest Spanish settlers in anticipation of the gold and treasure they would discover there. Instead, they found a greater treasure.
Costa Rica is a tiny gem of the country that is located in Central America between the countries of Nicaragua and Panama. Its total size is about the same as the States of New Hampshire and Vermont combined and its population is just over 4 million people. It has slowly been gaining a reputation as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the entire World. This reputation has been earned for a variety of reasons.
Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries in the World. Its tiny land mass is sandwiched between the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The result is over 800 miles of unspoiled beaches. The country is divided by a central highland that bisects the country like a stone backbone. The mountains are covered in many areas by lush tropical rain forests that contain one of the most diverse ecosystems anywhere. Costa Rica proudly claims the largest species density in the World and ecotourism has become a leading industry.
Costa Rica is one of the most peaceful countries in the World. It has no standing army. The army was abolished by the Constitution and Costa Rica has become a leader in the struggle for human rights and peaceful co-existence. This attitude is reflected in the daily life of the people of Costa Rica and the overall pace of the country. Its people revere a peaceful, joy filled life surrounded by friends and family. This attitude is reflected in the unofficial motto of the country, Pura Vida, or the Pure Life.
Costa Rica is one of the most progressive and stable countries in Latin America. It has a commitment to universal education and has encouraged technological development while retaining the devotion to Pura Vida in daily life. This has made it a popular choice for foreign investment.
Costa Rica is a country that seems almost too good to be really true. From its pristine beaches on two coasts to its five active volcanoes to the mind boggling diversity of its native flora and fauna, Costa Rica seems more a fantasy created in the mind of an artist than a real country located only a short air journey away from the United States.
http://www.costaricavacationtravelinformation.com/
Costa Rica, the Rich Coast, was named by its earliest Spanish settlers in anticipation of the gold and treasure they would discover there. Instead, they found a greater treasure.
Costa Rica is a tiny gem of the country that is located in Central America between the countries of Nicaragua and Panama. Its total size is about the same as the States of New Hampshire and Vermont combined and its population is just over 4 million people. It has slowly been gaining a reputation as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the entire World. This reputation has been earned for a variety of reasons.
Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries in the World. Its tiny land mass is sandwiched between the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The result is over 800 miles of unspoiled beaches. The country is divided by a central highland that bisects the country like a stone backbone. The mountains are covered in many areas by lush tropical rain forests that contain one of the most diverse ecosystems anywhere. Costa Rica proudly claims the largest species density in the World and ecotourism has become a leading industry.
Costa Rica is one of the most peaceful countries in the World. It has no standing army. The army was abolished by the Constitution and Costa Rica has become a leader in the struggle for human rights and peaceful co-existence. This attitude is reflected in the daily life of the people of Costa Rica and the overall pace of the country. Its people revere a peaceful, joy filled life surrounded by friends and family. This attitude is reflected in the unofficial motto of the country, Pura Vida, or the Pure Life.
Costa Rica is one of the most progressive and stable countries in Latin America. It has a commitment to universal education and has encouraged technological development while retaining the devotion to Pura Vida in daily life. This has made it a popular choice for foreign investment.
Costa Rica is a country that seems almost too good to be really true. From its pristine beaches on two coasts to its five active volcanoes to the mind boggling diversity of its native flora and fauna, Costa Rica seems more a fantasy created in the mind of an artist than a real country located only a short air journey away from the United States.
http://www.costaricavacationtravelinformation.com/
06 September 2007
2007 Holiday Hot Spots
New competition from former Eastern Bloc countries have focused the minds of the tourist boards in traditionally favourite holiday destinations for Europeans in recent years - and it appears they could be doing a good job as many of the most chosen areas for this year are pretty much the same as ten and even twenty years ago.
The biggest winner this year among the holiday resorts seems to be Spain with six out of the top twenty destinations either being regions of the mainland like the Costa del Sol, or one of the Spanish Balearic or Canary islands, such as Ibiza and Tenerife.
Among city breaks Paris ranks highly, as it always does, while London has suffered with a high pound resulting in visitors from the US dropping this year - and a boredom factor setting in - with some Americans not visiting a second time as they feel they have 'done it' after seeing Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. While some will venture as far afield as Windsor Castle, some twenty miles out of London, and some Oxford, few venture to other parts of England, preferring to catch the Eurostar to Paris with a two city trip.
Far flung destinations reaching the top twenty include Egypt and the Dominican Republic. Florida is in the doldrums for European visitors despite good value with the Euro and British Sterling both doing well against the US dollar. But getting in and out of America is becoming a real chore for many visitors now. If it isn't bad enough queueing at Disney for the rides with children in tow, a long wait in line at immigration after a ten hour flight is not the best start to a holiday - and with EuroDisney a far easier option visitor numbers are unlikely to recover any time soon.
But it appears no matter what new destinations come up for holiday possibilities, Spain and her islands are resilient to the challenges, and when they are challenged aren't afraid to advertise to past tourists to visit again, and for new ones to visit for the first time.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London's Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London's Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island's core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London's Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/2007-holiday-hot-spots-209692.html
The biggest winner this year among the holiday resorts seems to be Spain with six out of the top twenty destinations either being regions of the mainland like the Costa del Sol, or one of the Spanish Balearic or Canary islands, such as Ibiza and Tenerife.
Among city breaks Paris ranks highly, as it always does, while London has suffered with a high pound resulting in visitors from the US dropping this year - and a boredom factor setting in - with some Americans not visiting a second time as they feel they have 'done it' after seeing Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. While some will venture as far afield as Windsor Castle, some twenty miles out of London, and some Oxford, few venture to other parts of England, preferring to catch the Eurostar to Paris with a two city trip.
Far flung destinations reaching the top twenty include Egypt and the Dominican Republic. Florida is in the doldrums for European visitors despite good value with the Euro and British Sterling both doing well against the US dollar. But getting in and out of America is becoming a real chore for many visitors now. If it isn't bad enough queueing at Disney for the rides with children in tow, a long wait in line at immigration after a ten hour flight is not the best start to a holiday - and with EuroDisney a far easier option visitor numbers are unlikely to recover any time soon.
But it appears no matter what new destinations come up for holiday possibilities, Spain and her islands are resilient to the challenges, and when they are challenged aren't afraid to advertise to past tourists to visit again, and for new ones to visit for the first time.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London's Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London's Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island's core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London's Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/2007-holiday-hot-spots-209692.html
Liveaboard Diving Komodo - Indonesia
Sveinung
During this very lucky trip, coming through the Komodo Channel, four DUGONGS surfaced next to the boat!! These gentle animals showed no fear, just slowly swam north. A wonderful sight, and a first for most of us on the boat. We were also greeted by lots of Bottlenose Dolphins and a pod of Pilot Whales. As I said, a lucky trip, and I haven't even started with the underwater stuff yet…
Both Crystal Rock and Takat Toko were at their best, with several Dolphins (this time UNDER water, mind you…), lots of sharks and walls of fish. Stunning!
As if it wasn't hard enough to find a Pygmy Seahorse, there are a few minuscule Denise Pygmies around at Satonda Island. They're only as big as the tip of a toothpick, and extremely well camouflaged. I filmed "one" of these little fellows, only to realize later, when we watched the day's footage on the big TV, that there were actually TWO of them, head-to-head. Very cute!
Critter-loving guests got a mouthful at Pink Beach and Cannibal Rock. Nudibranchs everywhere, many Frogfish, Mushroom Coral Pipefish and an Indian Walkman. Just to mention a few.
Best nightdive this trip was at Torpedo Alley, with the highlight beeing a super-rare Bobbit Worm.
Last day we dived at Moyo Island, with Pelagic Triggerfish, loads of Longfin Bannerfish, a Turtle, Mantis Shrimps and two BIG Banded Seasnakes.
A wonderful trip, with good conditions through-out. Can hardly wait to go back out!
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/liveaboard-diving-komodo-indonesia-209903.html
During this very lucky trip, coming through the Komodo Channel, four DUGONGS surfaced next to the boat!! These gentle animals showed no fear, just slowly swam north. A wonderful sight, and a first for most of us on the boat. We were also greeted by lots of Bottlenose Dolphins and a pod of Pilot Whales. As I said, a lucky trip, and I haven't even started with the underwater stuff yet…
Both Crystal Rock and Takat Toko were at their best, with several Dolphins (this time UNDER water, mind you…), lots of sharks and walls of fish. Stunning!
As if it wasn't hard enough to find a Pygmy Seahorse, there are a few minuscule Denise Pygmies around at Satonda Island. They're only as big as the tip of a toothpick, and extremely well camouflaged. I filmed "one" of these little fellows, only to realize later, when we watched the day's footage on the big TV, that there were actually TWO of them, head-to-head. Very cute!
Critter-loving guests got a mouthful at Pink Beach and Cannibal Rock. Nudibranchs everywhere, many Frogfish, Mushroom Coral Pipefish and an Indian Walkman. Just to mention a few.
Best nightdive this trip was at Torpedo Alley, with the highlight beeing a super-rare Bobbit Worm.
Last day we dived at Moyo Island, with Pelagic Triggerfish, loads of Longfin Bannerfish, a Turtle, Mantis Shrimps and two BIG Banded Seasnakes.
A wonderful trip, with good conditions through-out. Can hardly wait to go back out!
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/liveaboard-diving-komodo-indonesia-209903.html
04 September 2007
Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort - Hilton Head Island, SC
by Rich Neste
Imagine a world-class vacation resort with private residences, and Hilton Head Island's Palmetto Dunes is the happy result. This resort borders the Atlantic Ocean and has even been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top Eleven Family Resorts!
Fifty four holes of championship golf wind through the Palmetto Dunes community in Hilton Head Island. Spread over three courses, golfers enjoy these challenging links designed by George Fazio, Arthur Hills, and Robert Trent Jones.
The Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center boasts 25 courts. 23 are clay and two are prime Nova ProBounce; eight of the courts are lighted at night, and instructors offer private lessons and adult/junior clinics. Since 1975, Tennis Magazine has ranked the center among the top 50 in the nation.
Over 11 miles of connecting lagoon systems are great for kayaking through Palmetto Dunes. Guided tours are offered on a complementary basis by the community's naturalist. These lagoons are also a great place to do a little fishing and crabbing!
Shelter Cove Harbour, bordering Palmetto Dunes to the west, offers canoeing, deep-sea fishing and sailing charters, and other water sports. The deepwater marina on Broad Creek is accessible from the Atlantic; its 15.5 acres contain 170 boat slips for 120-ft boats. Shopping, dining, entertainment and bike paths create many diversions for residents and vacationers alike.
Luxury Vacation Rentals and Resorts:
If you are planning a vacation for your family this summer and still are not sure where to go, I recommend going to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The first thing I would do is look to book one of the beautiful Hilton Head Island Vacation Home, Condo or Villa Rentals online. This luxury getaway is just forty five minutes away from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
Befitting a resort-residential combination community, Palmetto Dunes contains numerous upscale vacation facilities including the Marriott, Hilton and Disney resorts and several luxury hotels in Hilton Head Island.
Highly popular is the Hilton Head Disney Resort, which offers over 120 villas/studio units occupying 20 three-story buildings on its own island in Shelter Cove. The main resort building has a uniquely-shaped heated swimming pool, a waterslide, a wading pool, and a large whirlpool spa. It also has a shuffleboard court, horseshoe pits, and bocce games. Part of the island's Disney Resort is its 13,000 square foot Beach House, covering 3.5 acres of oceanfront land, complete with a temperature-controlled, 50-foot-long swimming pool, a children's soft-floored pool/play facility, arcade games, dressing rooms, covered parking, and a poolside bar.
The Marriott at the oceanfront has more than 500 recently restored guestrooms with a balcony for every accommodation and wireless high-speed Internet. Its popular pool deck features a picturesque two-part swimming pool.
The Hilton at Palmetto Dunes also has balconies attached to each room, as well as separate adult-only and family swimming pools, Hi-Speed Internet, and the Ocean Tides Spa.
Palmetto Dunes Real Estate:
Housing options in Palmetto Dunes include private real estate as well as houses and villas ("Villas" is the local term for condominiums.) that are marketed for rental. As a distinctive feature Palmetto Dunes has two security gates manned 24 hours a day. Access into the private residential areas, as well as the resort areas, is strictly controlled. Views include woods, golf course, lagoon, or oceanfront.
Home prices range from $600,000 to $6.5 million, making this plantation one of the island's most exclusive. Villas are priced between $150,000 and $4.5 million. Complexes include Windsor Court, Captain's Walk, Somerset, Hampton Place, Villamare and the Townhomes at South Shore, among others. A few home sites are available for sale in Palmetto Dunes. Lot prices range from the $400,000s upward, as high as $7 million for an oceanfront parcel.
Short History:
The Hilton Head Agricultural Company owned the only 1,900 acres of hunting land left on Hilton Head not already owned by developers Hack, Fraser, or McIntosh,. The tract finally sold in 1967 to the Palmetto Dunes Corporation (outbidding Fraser) for $1,000 per acre.
The Palmetto Dunes community was intended to outshine any previous island projects as a much more intense vacation experience. While other plantations were either major resort destinations or private residential areas, Palmetto Dunes' founders incorporated both ideas by building a second internal gate separating its private residential sector from the ritzy vacation areas.
Later, in 1971, Phipps Land Company and Trans International Properties Corporation of New York together purchased and incorporated the resort. (PLC had earned a success as the first major financial provider for Sea Pines Plantation). Palmetto Dunes was subsequently sold to Greenwood Development Corporation (formed in 1978 by Jim Self of Greenwood Mills) in 1979. Ownership and management of the community was finally conveyed to the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association on January 1, 2006.
Whether you are looking to spend your vacation, to celebrate your wedding in Hilton Head Island or to live here, you will enjoy exclusive and preferred tennis, golf and amenity privileges unique to this piece of paradise called Palmetto Dunes - Hilton Head Island.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=603524
Imagine a world-class vacation resort with private residences, and Hilton Head Island's Palmetto Dunes is the happy result. This resort borders the Atlantic Ocean and has even been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top Eleven Family Resorts!
Fifty four holes of championship golf wind through the Palmetto Dunes community in Hilton Head Island. Spread over three courses, golfers enjoy these challenging links designed by George Fazio, Arthur Hills, and Robert Trent Jones.
The Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center boasts 25 courts. 23 are clay and two are prime Nova ProBounce; eight of the courts are lighted at night, and instructors offer private lessons and adult/junior clinics. Since 1975, Tennis Magazine has ranked the center among the top 50 in the nation.
Over 11 miles of connecting lagoon systems are great for kayaking through Palmetto Dunes. Guided tours are offered on a complementary basis by the community's naturalist. These lagoons are also a great place to do a little fishing and crabbing!
Shelter Cove Harbour, bordering Palmetto Dunes to the west, offers canoeing, deep-sea fishing and sailing charters, and other water sports. The deepwater marina on Broad Creek is accessible from the Atlantic; its 15.5 acres contain 170 boat slips for 120-ft boats. Shopping, dining, entertainment and bike paths create many diversions for residents and vacationers alike.
Luxury Vacation Rentals and Resorts:
If you are planning a vacation for your family this summer and still are not sure where to go, I recommend going to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The first thing I would do is look to book one of the beautiful Hilton Head Island Vacation Home, Condo or Villa Rentals online. This luxury getaway is just forty five minutes away from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
Befitting a resort-residential combination community, Palmetto Dunes contains numerous upscale vacation facilities including the Marriott, Hilton and Disney resorts and several luxury hotels in Hilton Head Island.
Highly popular is the Hilton Head Disney Resort, which offers over 120 villas/studio units occupying 20 three-story buildings on its own island in Shelter Cove. The main resort building has a uniquely-shaped heated swimming pool, a waterslide, a wading pool, and a large whirlpool spa. It also has a shuffleboard court, horseshoe pits, and bocce games. Part of the island's Disney Resort is its 13,000 square foot Beach House, covering 3.5 acres of oceanfront land, complete with a temperature-controlled, 50-foot-long swimming pool, a children's soft-floored pool/play facility, arcade games, dressing rooms, covered parking, and a poolside bar.
The Marriott at the oceanfront has more than 500 recently restored guestrooms with a balcony for every accommodation and wireless high-speed Internet. Its popular pool deck features a picturesque two-part swimming pool.
The Hilton at Palmetto Dunes also has balconies attached to each room, as well as separate adult-only and family swimming pools, Hi-Speed Internet, and the Ocean Tides Spa.
Palmetto Dunes Real Estate:
Housing options in Palmetto Dunes include private real estate as well as houses and villas ("Villas" is the local term for condominiums.) that are marketed for rental. As a distinctive feature Palmetto Dunes has two security gates manned 24 hours a day. Access into the private residential areas, as well as the resort areas, is strictly controlled. Views include woods, golf course, lagoon, or oceanfront.
Home prices range from $600,000 to $6.5 million, making this plantation one of the island's most exclusive. Villas are priced between $150,000 and $4.5 million. Complexes include Windsor Court, Captain's Walk, Somerset, Hampton Place, Villamare and the Townhomes at South Shore, among others. A few home sites are available for sale in Palmetto Dunes. Lot prices range from the $400,000s upward, as high as $7 million for an oceanfront parcel.
Short History:
The Hilton Head Agricultural Company owned the only 1,900 acres of hunting land left on Hilton Head not already owned by developers Hack, Fraser, or McIntosh,. The tract finally sold in 1967 to the Palmetto Dunes Corporation (outbidding Fraser) for $1,000 per acre.
The Palmetto Dunes community was intended to outshine any previous island projects as a much more intense vacation experience. While other plantations were either major resort destinations or private residential areas, Palmetto Dunes' founders incorporated both ideas by building a second internal gate separating its private residential sector from the ritzy vacation areas.
Later, in 1971, Phipps Land Company and Trans International Properties Corporation of New York together purchased and incorporated the resort. (PLC had earned a success as the first major financial provider for Sea Pines Plantation). Palmetto Dunes was subsequently sold to Greenwood Development Corporation (formed in 1978 by Jim Self of Greenwood Mills) in 1979. Ownership and management of the community was finally conveyed to the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association on January 1, 2006.
Whether you are looking to spend your vacation, to celebrate your wedding in Hilton Head Island or to live here, you will enjoy exclusive and preferred tennis, golf and amenity privileges unique to this piece of paradise called Palmetto Dunes - Hilton Head Island.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=603524
Find Cheap Travel - 4 Secrets for Savings
by Jed Jones
"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page, " said St. Augustine. Truer words were never spoken, and travel is indeed one of the great pleasures of life that broadens our horizons. And yet, most of us of course face the reality of a limited travel budget. Here are 4 secrets for finding inexpensive travel, listed in order from conservative to adventurous.
Secret #1: Check at least three travel Web sites: The Web-savvy among us already know that checking online travel Websites like Travelocity, Expedia, and HotWire before embarking upon a trip is a no-brainer. These sites are all information aggregators that compare information from multiple vendors, so visiting any one of these is already a smart move when planning a journey. But, take it another step and cross-check the best deal you find on any one of these with your results from the other two: you just may save $200-$300 or more on plane tickets by shopping around. Note that these sites can penalize you more severely for schedule changes or cancellations than when you purchase directly from the airlines.
Secret #2: Look for package deals: Most people intuitively search for airfare, then a rental car, and then a hotel, all as separate items - even though in the back of our minds we know that buying package deals instead could save us $100s or $1,000s. To save more money, try doing a search for available package deals before committing to buying individual items. By being a bit more flexible with your airline or hotel preferences, you can stand to save big.
Secret #3: Travel seasonally: Hawaii is beautiful in October and Colorado is an awesome destination even in the middle of summer. Consider traveling during the off-peak season to see world class destinations at a huge savings.
Secret #4: Be a true adventurer: Try this one for size: arrange to take some time off (by yourself or with a special friend or family member), pack for a vacation, and then the day or two before leaving, check the Internet for last-minute travel deals. Airlines, hotels, and resorts would rather have you for half the price than have vacancies and make zilch. Take advantage of this fact. Of course, by doing this you give up the ability to choose your destination, but you are guaranteed to save a lot of money. And, the delightful surprises you can encounter on this type of trip can make this type of travel all the more fun.
www.dont-sugar-coat-it.com
"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page, " said St. Augustine. Truer words were never spoken, and travel is indeed one of the great pleasures of life that broadens our horizons. And yet, most of us of course face the reality of a limited travel budget. Here are 4 secrets for finding inexpensive travel, listed in order from conservative to adventurous.
Secret #1: Check at least three travel Web sites: The Web-savvy among us already know that checking online travel Websites like Travelocity, Expedia, and HotWire before embarking upon a trip is a no-brainer. These sites are all information aggregators that compare information from multiple vendors, so visiting any one of these is already a smart move when planning a journey. But, take it another step and cross-check the best deal you find on any one of these with your results from the other two: you just may save $200-$300 or more on plane tickets by shopping around. Note that these sites can penalize you more severely for schedule changes or cancellations than when you purchase directly from the airlines.
Secret #2: Look for package deals: Most people intuitively search for airfare, then a rental car, and then a hotel, all as separate items - even though in the back of our minds we know that buying package deals instead could save us $100s or $1,000s. To save more money, try doing a search for available package deals before committing to buying individual items. By being a bit more flexible with your airline or hotel preferences, you can stand to save big.
Secret #3: Travel seasonally: Hawaii is beautiful in October and Colorado is an awesome destination even in the middle of summer. Consider traveling during the off-peak season to see world class destinations at a huge savings.
Secret #4: Be a true adventurer: Try this one for size: arrange to take some time off (by yourself or with a special friend or family member), pack for a vacation, and then the day or two before leaving, check the Internet for last-minute travel deals. Airlines, hotels, and resorts would rather have you for half the price than have vacancies and make zilch. Take advantage of this fact. Of course, by doing this you give up the ability to choose your destination, but you are guaranteed to save a lot of money. And, the delightful surprises you can encounter on this type of trip can make this type of travel all the more fun.
www.dont-sugar-coat-it.com
03 September 2007
Cool Down And Stay The Night With A Ghost
by Adam Longfellow
If you are tired of the summer heat, you may want to think ahead to something a bit cooler. Whether you are getting away this summer or planning for the fall, we found some places that just may chill you to the bone. Across the country and around the world, there are many places where you can stay the night alone, with a loved one or perhaps with someone of a ghostly nature. From bed and breakfasts in stately old buildings around New England to high-end ocean resort hotels in California, you can explore a bit of history and maybe even feel the past come back to you.
There are places in almost every state in the United States, in all different price ranges and levels of luxury. For one example, and perhaps one of the most haunted, there is the great Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, CA. This ocean liner, now permanently docked at the Port of Long Beach, was commissioned in 1936 and journeyed a thousand Atlantic crossings. Many incidents of strange rapping noises, moving objects, disembodied voices, and ghostly apparitions have been reported by staff, guests, and investigators on the docked ship. The First Class Swimming Pool, said to be the most haunted place aboard, is haunted by the ghosts of two women who drowned there. One is dressed in 1960s clothing and the other wears 1930s attire. The forlorn ghost of a little boy who fell overboard near the pool has also been sighted in the passageway.
In Washington D.C., there is a hotel with some classic haunting stories that appear to be linked to the inauguration of President Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge did not attend his own inaugural ball in 1925 because he was mourning the death of his 16-year-old son. Every year since 1937, on Jan. 20 (Inauguration Day) the lights in the Grand Ballroom flicker and dim at around 10 p.m., the time that the first guests were announced for Coolidge's inauguration. Hotel staff have past reported of finding a plate of exquisite hors d'oeuvres and a glass of fine wine in Grand Ballroom balcony. Neither item had been served at any function on that day. And one elevator refuses to move from the eighth floor to the lobby level until 10:15 p.m. -- the approximate time Coolidge would have arrived at the ball from his waiting room.
If smaller places are more to your interest, there is the bed and breakfast at the Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg, PA, one of the most haunted areas in America. The loss of life at Gettysburg was tremendous, and the entire area is steeped in heavy energy, and riddled with restless ghosts almost anywhere you go in town or around the countryside. The Farnsworth House Inn offers more than just a bed and some sleep. Several of the rooms are haunted with six actually being cited on their web site.
There is the unsolved mystery at the Lizzie Borden Bed And Breakfast in Massachusetts. Several ghosts and tragic stories abound at The Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. The Stanley Hotel and Conference Center in Estes Park, Colorado is a popular one because Stephen King wrote part of "The Shining" while staying there. The ABC mini-series was also filmed there on location. Any ghosts you find there are friendly and probably the original owners playing piano or hanging out in the Billiard room. There aren't any evil spirits lurking about.
Looking for the best recommendations for one night or want to know where they can get a real fright? Ghost encounters are never for certain. In fact, most of these places only have a few documented events spread out over many years. And many of these seem to be from people who didn't know the stories or didn't believe in ghosts before something happened to them. It's more about the history, the imagination and what you think could happen while visiting. You just never know what may be around the next corner, in the shadows or what may wake you up at night.
If you are looking for something really different in this world, try spending some time at places with occasional visitors from another world. Plan ahead if you are looking to stay around the end of October as many of these places are busy or have special events for Halloween. Some of them wish the ghost would move on and others relish the added attention and business. Many of the larger hotels will not deal with reserving of a particular room tied to a ghost story, but you may get lucky. Or unlucky depending on your point of view.
www.allstays.com
If you are tired of the summer heat, you may want to think ahead to something a bit cooler. Whether you are getting away this summer or planning for the fall, we found some places that just may chill you to the bone. Across the country and around the world, there are many places where you can stay the night alone, with a loved one or perhaps with someone of a ghostly nature. From bed and breakfasts in stately old buildings around New England to high-end ocean resort hotels in California, you can explore a bit of history and maybe even feel the past come back to you.
There are places in almost every state in the United States, in all different price ranges and levels of luxury. For one example, and perhaps one of the most haunted, there is the great Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, CA. This ocean liner, now permanently docked at the Port of Long Beach, was commissioned in 1936 and journeyed a thousand Atlantic crossings. Many incidents of strange rapping noises, moving objects, disembodied voices, and ghostly apparitions have been reported by staff, guests, and investigators on the docked ship. The First Class Swimming Pool, said to be the most haunted place aboard, is haunted by the ghosts of two women who drowned there. One is dressed in 1960s clothing and the other wears 1930s attire. The forlorn ghost of a little boy who fell overboard near the pool has also been sighted in the passageway.
In Washington D.C., there is a hotel with some classic haunting stories that appear to be linked to the inauguration of President Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge did not attend his own inaugural ball in 1925 because he was mourning the death of his 16-year-old son. Every year since 1937, on Jan. 20 (Inauguration Day) the lights in the Grand Ballroom flicker and dim at around 10 p.m., the time that the first guests were announced for Coolidge's inauguration. Hotel staff have past reported of finding a plate of exquisite hors d'oeuvres and a glass of fine wine in Grand Ballroom balcony. Neither item had been served at any function on that day. And one elevator refuses to move from the eighth floor to the lobby level until 10:15 p.m. -- the approximate time Coolidge would have arrived at the ball from his waiting room.
If smaller places are more to your interest, there is the bed and breakfast at the Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg, PA, one of the most haunted areas in America. The loss of life at Gettysburg was tremendous, and the entire area is steeped in heavy energy, and riddled with restless ghosts almost anywhere you go in town or around the countryside. The Farnsworth House Inn offers more than just a bed and some sleep. Several of the rooms are haunted with six actually being cited on their web site.
There is the unsolved mystery at the Lizzie Borden Bed And Breakfast in Massachusetts. Several ghosts and tragic stories abound at The Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. The Stanley Hotel and Conference Center in Estes Park, Colorado is a popular one because Stephen King wrote part of "The Shining" while staying there. The ABC mini-series was also filmed there on location. Any ghosts you find there are friendly and probably the original owners playing piano or hanging out in the Billiard room. There aren't any evil spirits lurking about.
Looking for the best recommendations for one night or want to know where they can get a real fright? Ghost encounters are never for certain. In fact, most of these places only have a few documented events spread out over many years. And many of these seem to be from people who didn't know the stories or didn't believe in ghosts before something happened to them. It's more about the history, the imagination and what you think could happen while visiting. You just never know what may be around the next corner, in the shadows or what may wake you up at night.
If you are looking for something really different in this world, try spending some time at places with occasional visitors from another world. Plan ahead if you are looking to stay around the end of October as many of these places are busy or have special events for Halloween. Some of them wish the ghost would move on and others relish the added attention and business. Many of the larger hotels will not deal with reserving of a particular room tied to a ghost story, but you may get lucky. Or unlucky depending on your point of view.
www.allstays.com
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