Ten Tips For Today's Mobile Executive

In this increasingly service-oriented and partner-based economy, mobility has become critical to workforces of all sorts. Employees are constantly on the go - working at client sites, at home, branch offices or with business partners across town and across the globe. In fact, research studies have estimated that over 54 million American employees are currently involved in some form of remote work – equaling more mobile workers than the total combined population of California and New York.

How can a business traveler stay organized and productive while on the road? Here are some ways that the mobile executive can keep focused and be efficient while traveling. Whether you are a first time traveler or a seasoned road warrior, these tips will be useful.

1. Carry Pen and Paper: Even in the digital age, the most low-tech solution is still the best, so always be equipped with a pen, pencil, highlighter and notepad. You might need to just dash off a message or take notes, but remember - paper and pen will always work during a power failure.

2. Be Tech Savvy: Advances in technology are making it easier to be a mobile executive, and having the latest technology at your fingertips such as a cell phone, wireless e-mail, PDA, lap-top computer- will help stay in touch and in sync with your office, your colleagues and your clients.

3. Do Your Research: Do your homework and research the area of where you are going before you get there. This includes noting the currency exchange, places to stay, nightlife entertainment, appropriate attire, restaurants for you and your clients, car service/car rental information, and the distance between the airport and your destination. Be aware of the do's and don'ts of where you are going and dress accordingly, you don't want to end up dressed too formally or too casually for your destination.

4. Bring Batteries: Sure, this sounds like a no-brainer, but it is important to have batteries to back up all of the technological products you may have with you. And, don't forget the charger for your cell phone!

5. Take Business Cards: Always carry extra business cards on you, and keep them in an easy-to-reach place. When traveling, your business card is your calling card, and you want to make sure to have enough with you to give out to important clients, business partners and new contacts.

6. Keep Important Information Close: Keep your license, passport, tickets and directions to your destination in an easy but safe spot close by. Always keep this on hand, in briefcase or on your body, perhaps in a fanny pack or an inner jacket pocket, and never pack your traveling information - always keep it accessible.

7. Bring Office Essentials: I always suggest carrying special organizers for paper files and presentations with you, along with an expanding organizer for all of your paper-based files to keep at your fingertips. This will keep your files handy when you reach your destination.

8. Color-Code Your Files: Color-code papers to save time looking for the variety of documents you need to carry with you. Color-coding keeps your papers visually accessible, making it easier to locate your paperwork when it is organized by color.

9. Stay on Top of Finances: Keep a daily journal of all expenses associated with your traveling so that you can reconcile the money spent upon your return. Travelers should be aware of hidden costs, special surcharges and taxes, especially from hotels.

10. Stock up on Literature: Always carry reading material to keep you occupied, since clients can run late and planes may be delayed. You can also use this time to review your notes, peruse a business journal, catch up on a proposal or return phone calls.

Sharon Mann is an organizational expert for Pendaflex the world's leading maker of innovative organizing products and solutions. Sharon also serves as president of the Pendaflex® "I Hate Filing" club a dedicated group of nearly 100,000 office professionals who dislike filing but enjoy finding new ways to become more organized and more productive in the workplace. For more information visit: http://www.pendaflex.com

[tags]travel,organization,solutions[/tags]

How To Make Sales With Noisy Kids In The House

Kids play hard, and sometimes that means they play really loud in the midst of exploring their worlds and role playing with siblings and friends.

I know with my kids, if I'm not hearing some degree of noise; [i.e. play], from them, it probably means one of them is not feeling well, or they are coming down with a cold.

My world is blessed with two very artistic and rambounous boys; 5 years and 2 1/2 years old. With their play and with their singing; [they love to sing Country music at the top of their lungs!]; they have the ability to raise the noise level in our house to a "heaven-bending" volume in 9 seconds flat!

And while I loved to hear them hard at play, the sporatic and unpredictable noise [play], posed challenges at times when I was doing sales calls, or when clients called with final questions about starting a business relationship with me.

Clients don't wait, when they want to have questions answered and they don't always call at the best times. Sometimes these calls would come through when the kids were eating or doing activities that were not so noisy. Great! But.... most of the time, they did not!

5 year olds are pretty predictable. You basically know when they are going to make noise. But, if you know anything about the 'terrible 2's syndrome', you're already familiar with the unpredictability of when the next scream, or loud laugh will erupt!

Some clients understood. I would say: 'yes I know you can hear kids in the background. That is why I do this business. So I can be at home with them". For other clients, that was not okay. I had some near misses and some fair size loses in bringing people in, to work with me in my business because of this home-based situation.

Over the course of working out of my home, I have had many a conversation with other work at home Moms [WAHMs], and at times have doubled over in laughter at some of the ingenious, and sometimes silly tactics they've pulled just to get a moment of quiet when they needed to portray the illusion of "executive-office professionalism" for the really important calls.

Some of them would hide in the bathroom. Others would sneak downstairs, or sneak out into the garage. The funniest one I heard was the hiding in the closet trick... so the kids would not be making noise right under-foot. That one really made me laugh, because I have pulled similar tactics just trying to get a moments peace! And, yes, I have to admit, I have used them to make my business workable too!

Oh I know... I hear some of you saying... why don't you just get your kids into daycare, or find a babysitter or a Nanny to take them. Well, that makes perfect sense of course. But for the many WAHMs who have given up jobs to work at home, first, they do not want to be giving the majority of what they earn to those services; although they are very valuable services. And, second, there's that guilt.

The guilt we feel because it was our choice to stop working at jobs and stay at home so we could be with our kids. That was a conscious choice we made. So when we start looking at having to farm our kids out to daycare, babysitters, or bringing in a Nanny, guilt; as to the purpose of why we were staying home in the first place starts to manifest.

So what is the solution? Is there really a solution to how to make sales with noisy kids in the house? Well, I don't know if this solution is for you... But I do believe I found the right solution for me!

I don't have to hide in the closet anymore. I don't disappear into the bathroom to talk muffled into the towels, lol! I no longer work 5 to 9 hours a day on the phone during play time, or any time, doing follow ups and sales calls.

Clients no longer call the house at unpredictable times, or at all for that matter. My kids no longer have to worry about how much noise they make in the house! And, I'll still make a nice 5-6 figure contribution to my family's income this year!

What did I discover to make my sales business work for everyone in the household? Well.... that's another story that needs to be explained at another time!

My typing time is up - and my kids are calling me to come outside and play water-bomb balloons with them! Got to go ; )!

Tracey DePaoli is a work-at-home-Mom [WAHM] who got tired of building success at the expense of her family's time. She has a successful business now that allows her the time freedom to travel, play and spend precious time with her two young boys - 2 1/2 and 5 yrs and her partner! She has been an avid Internet marketer and researcher of online trends for over 15 years. Discover more about how you can also earn a 6 figure income while at PLAY! Site: http://www.WeCloseYourSaleForYou.com

[tags]work from home, work at home, home based business, sales, sales reps, telesales, travel reps[/tags]

Sterling, Virginia – Another Loudon County Star On The Rise

Sterling, Virginia is another testimony to the leaps-and-bounds growth of the energetic Loudon County, VA.

Today it's a bustling center of commerce sitting right on top of the very-busy Route 7, the very same route that has been active during the Civil War era as well. You can see two Civil War Site signs marking the route's historic significance a few miles before you reach Sterling's bee-hive of a commercial navel.

Did you know that the whole town itself was started back in 1961 with the far-sighted developer Marvin T. Broyhill Sr.? He bought the 1,762 acres of land which became the "Sterling Park" for only a little over $2 million.

The single-family houses completed back in 1967 went for an average of $18,000 each. Today you're lucky if you can find a townhouse in Sterling for under $400,000.

The Sugarland Crossing Shopping Mall right across one of the cheapest service stations in the whole region is where I shop frequently. It is home to the store where I buy all my vacuum cleaners and cleaner bags, as well as the camera store where I purchased my small but trusty Nikon digital camera.

Other businesses of Sterling include a Giant, Starbucks (but of course!), many restaurants, cleaners, a Middle Eastern grocery (a lot of Arab-Americans, Iranian-Americans and Bahais also live in the area), car dealers, convenience stores of all kinds, an emergency pet hospital, churches, a golf club, and a community center.

Sterling is where the dignified history meets the bustling future. It's always a good place to do some shopping for your daily needs.

Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation. He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

You can reach him at writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

You are most welcomed to visit his official web site http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials. While at it, you might also want to check the latest book he has edited: http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

[tags]ugur akinci,sterling,virginia,travel,loudon county,America,writer,editor,copywriter[/tags]

Discover Alaska Ports

Alaska the superlatives describing our 49th state always begin with biggest, it is the biggest state in the Union, one-fifth the size of the entire lower 48, and has the tallest mountain in all of North America, Mount McKinley at 20,320 feet high plus is home to the biggest state park in the U. S., Wood-Tikchik State Park, which boasts some 1.6 million acres of wilderness. The list of biggies goes on to include being the biggest producer of zinc luring in the biggest king salmon at 97 pounds four ounces and the worlds largest concentration of glaciers covering some 29,000 square miles. It is no wonder that Alaska is one of the most popular cruise travel destinations in the world.

One of the key features of cruising is to be able to get to know more about the destinations being visited. Cruise lines have expanded their shore excursion options and offer a variety of packages and kinds of experiences for travelers to choose from. Here are some examples of what is being offered.

Wrangell

This is one of the most popular and one of the newest ports of call. It is the third oldest community in Alaska and the only city in the state to be ruled by four nations and under three flags: Tlingit, Russia, England and the United States. Fur trading was prominent under the first three "rulers," but by 1861 gold had been discovered on the Stikine River. Until Skagway came into existence, Wrangell was the trade center for all gold rushers as the Stikine River was the principal access to the Klondike fields. It is been reported at one point some 10,000 persons were held in Wrangell while waiting for supplies and transportation to the gold fields. The current population of Wrangell is 2,600. Shore excursions offered range from a one and one-half hour city highlight tour to a five-hour Petersburg "Little Norway" adventure. A myriad of more active outdoor experiences are also featured.

On the city tour, you will learn not only the colorful history of the community but also the significance of the Stikine River and its influence on the citys development. Of special interest is a visit to Petroglyph Beach, recently designated a State Historic Park, which has the highest concentration of rock carvings in southeast Alaska, dating some 8,000 years before the Tlingit tribes. A petroglyph rubbing demonstration and a visit to the Wrangell Museum are also included. A selection of Stikine River jet boat adventures, island jeep and sea excursions, kayaking, hiking in the footsteps of John Muir and experiencing the magic of a rainforest are available to the more adventurous travelers. Contact: 800-367-9745,

Sitka

Some 90 miles west is the historic capital of Russian-America, Sitka. It was once referred to as the "Paris of the Pacific" for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and sociability in welcoming trading ships that traveled the coast of North America en-route to Russia and the Orient. It is the ancestral home of the Tlingit Indians, was captured by the Russians and eventually sold to the Americans. The Tlingit and Russian heritage is evident throughout the community of 9,000 residents that continues to be rich in beauty, charm and hospitality.

There are 19 structures here that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, seven of which have been designated National Historic Landmarks. There are tours to visit these structures, which include the Anb Hall and the Alaska Native Brotherhood building that was constructed in 1914 in the heart of the Tlingit Village. Russian heritage tours include stops at the Log Cache building 29, a structure remaining from the Russian era, the Russian Cemetery a replica of the Russian Block House Saint Michaels Cathedral, the first Russian Orthodox Cathedral in America and Castle Hill, site of the transfer of Alaska to the United States.

A tour to the Sitka National Historical Park where the 1804 Battle of Alaska was fought between the Russians and Tlingits is also available. The 107-acre park hosts a collection of Haida and Tlingit totem poles as well as an exhibit of Russian and Tlingit artifacts.

Another shore excursion highlight is to visit the Alaska Raptor Center, a pioneering wildlife project dedicated to the preservation of these birds of prey. For the adventurer, there are several options for sea excursions that explore the eel grass beds and kelp forests and underwater explorations of jellyfish, anemones, crab, starfish and a variety of aquatic plants. Contact: 907-747-5940,

Skagway

Located northeast of Juneau, Skagway is home of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Here visitors can retrace the steps of the Klondike Gold Rush miners either by climbing the Chilkoot Trail or taking the famous White Pass and Yukon Railroad. The rail trip follows the Dead Horse Trail, which was followed by over 30,000 prospectors who spent three months crossing the mountain range en route to the gold fields. The rail trip does cross into Canada and passengers need to present international identification to complete this crossing.

This article is sponsored by: www.grouptravelblog.com

Working on group travel blog

[tags]Group Travel Tours ,Singles Group Travel, Travel Tour Groups, Corporate Travel Planning, Tourism[/tags]

Franfurt Germany Tour

Frankfurt is one of Germany's important cities, being the biggest international financial and trade center of Europe. It's famous for it's skyline - a line of towering skyscrapers which is mostly consisting of banks and other financial institutions. Frankfurt is better known in the country as Frankfurt am Main, since there are 2 cities which are named the same. Main is the river which flows through the city thus the source for the city skyline's nickname Mainhattan.

The metropolis of Frankfurt is not that big. You can easily tour the main attractions in 1 day. But as most cities in Germany, it's normally divided into 2 attractions, the old and the new city. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Frankfurt was heavily bombed during WW2, there's not much left of the old city, but still something worth seeing.

OLD CITY

The Roemer - Frankfurt's city hall
One of the most important historical old buildings, housing the election of the former German kings and emperors during the early times. Since 1405, it has been used as the city hall. The area where the Roemer is, the Roemerberg, offers a surrounding of beautiful old houses, used nowadays as stores and restaurants.

The Kaiserdom - Emperor's Cathedral
As the name says, the Emperor's Cathedral. This church was used as the venue of the coronation of the new emperor or king. In front of this church is an archaeological finding of an ancient sauna used by the Romans when they were colonizing the area.

Paulskirche - Paul's Church
This church was built during the end of the 18th century. From damages during the war, it was rebuilt in the mid 20th century and considered one important attraction of the old city.

Goethe's House
Frankfurt is the home of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the world's most famous poets. The house of Goethe is located in the inner city and is open for public viewing. The Goethe Museum is just right next to it, housing a very rich Goethe collection.

A Walk Crossing the River Main
From the old city, you can walk down to the river then cross a pedestrian bridge called Eiserner Steg (iron bridge). From the other side of the bridge, you can properly see the skyline. The road parallel to the river is called Museumufer - Museums on the river bank - lining up a variety of museums. You can walk more until you arrive at another pedestrian bridge called Holbeinsteg. After crossing that bridge, look for the Nizza Garden. This garden is unique because it contains tropical plants and palms in an open German climate.

The NEW CITY
This won't be that difficult to find, just follow the new buildings. Towering banks and offices is a sight you won't miss in Frankfurt. Some bank buildings are combining both new and old architecture. You would see for example Dresdner Bank having an old building and two skyscrapers next to it. Around the new city, you can see modern arts like the hammering man and the inverted necktie, representing the city's trademarks, banking and trading.

Shopping in Frankfurt
There are several good shopping opportunities in Frankfurt but probably the most famous area to shop is the Zeil. If you're going for posh shopping then Goethestrasse is the right one for you. This street is lined up with boutiques from Chanel to Tifanny & Co.

Enjoy your stay in Frankfurt!

View Frankfurt Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com.

[tags]travel tips frankfurt, travel frankfurt germany, frankfurt germany tour, visit frankfurt, frankfurt[/tags]

Enjoy A Memorable Nova Scotia Vacation

Nova Scotia can be found on Canada's eastern coast bordering the Atlantic Ocean. This Peninsula touts dense, rich forests to windswept, rocky shores and fertile inland orchards that make it a perfect vacation spot for scenic viewing and perfect relaxation.

The French first settled in Nova Scotia in 1605 - one of the oldest settlements in North America by Europeans. This is now home to a vibrant ethnic mix of cultures. Nova Scotia offers a unique combination of European history along with its cultural diversity.

On your vacation, visit historical landmarks such as the Halifax Citadel. Go back in time and view the Capital city, Halifax, from the Citadel, a fortress completed in 1856 and in use by British and Canadian Forces until the Second World War. Experience the Victorian age recreations of soldiers training in the courtyard - kilts and all! The Citadel also portrays soldier's wives and civilians in authentic recreations.

Nova Scotia's history also plays a role in of one of the largest sea tragedies in recorded history, the sinking of the Titanic, and is home to the graves of the largest concentration of the victims.

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Want to take an active vacation? there are several scenic trails that cut through Nova Scotia's inlands and coastal areas. There are also hiking, canoe, kayaking and biking routes and tours.

Spring ushers in the traditional festivities of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival in May where you can enjoy parades, celebrations and the breathtaking beauty of some of the loveliest apple orchards in full bloom. Fall is equally well admired with the landscape becoming a sea of brightly colored trees painting the hills and valleys with orange, yellow and red.

View the barren, rocky landscape of Peggy's Cove and visit the most photographed lighthouse in the world. You'll also be impressed with the awesome power and beauty of the ocean crashing and spraying over the rocks. Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy is home to the world's highest tides - so be aware when enjoying the many beaches that dot the coastline.

There are quaint pubs, shops and the art shops of the historic properties in Halifax. Great high end shopping on Spring Garden Road or take a glimpse of works by up and coming artists at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design - a leading visual arts university in North America for more than a century.

Nova Scotia, a beautiful and diverse local, whatever your taste and enjoyment, there is always something for everyone!

Adventure Package Travel: for travel tips, advice, insight and booking for Air/Cruise to North American and Caribbean vacation spots. Visit: http://www.travel-adventure-guide.com

[tags]Nova Scotia vacation, travel adventure, adventure package travel, Nova Scotia, vacation package, tra[/tags]

Carnavel In Panama 2006

It's the morning of the first day of carnaval and I think I am ready. According the lore of carnaval and memorialized in song, one should sleep with his fingers crossed the night before to bring him luck throughout the following four-day festivities. Indeed, with the help of a rubber band and some gauze pads, I expect to have good fortune. I like to invent traditions.

Panama's Carnaval, running simultaneously with New Orleans' Mardi gras, is a sort of last fling—a last chance for people to have fun before the 40 days of lent begin. Around 1910, Panama started celebrating Carnaval in grand scale and today, it is bigger than ever. It consists of 4 days of celebration throughout the country, from big cities to tiny villages. I'm not sure what to expect.

Imagine the annual beer-inspired celebration at your college or the day when your town closes off a main street and allows vendors to sell cotton candy and hot dogs—well imagine that times one zillion. Carnaval was extraterrestrial.

They closed off Via Espana which is the four lane highway I usually have to frogger myself through to get to Dunkin Donuts. Vendors everywhere: It seemed to be a universal rule—no seller may charge more than $.50 for a beer. Incredible food: I felt like packman trying to get a taste of everything I could. I had smoked chorizo doused in a delicious, garlicky, herby chimichurri. I had two traditionally prepared Panamanian hot dogs with all the fixings. I tried samples from several of the hundreds of Ceviche merchants with giant trays of the stuff balanced on top of their heads. I smelled the smoke from old garbage cans turned BBQs blowing crispy roasted chicken bits into the streets. It was great.

My newly shaved head was getting sunburned so I bought a banana leaf hat for a quarter.

Whether it's a legit tradition or just an excuse to be obnoxious, I don't know, but children at Carnaval have this thing where they attack you and throw confetti in your eyes or squirt you with water pistols. It's funny for about 4 minutes then it gets a bit old—but alls fair in Carnaval. I got soaked and covered by a clan of 4 little scoundrels with high-powered Super Soakers, which was funny. One casino on the route had a beautiful VIP-looking stage from which you could drink their beer and throw their T-shirts into the passing carnavalers. I wandered up to the entrance and pretended like I had been there before. A man in a suit at the gate stopped me with his large stubby hand and asked me something in fast mumbly Spanish—I though my plan was foiled, but after nodding and waving to a fake friend at a table, he let me through. It was hilarious. From atop my newly befriended stage I had the perfect view. Tons of people screaming at me for a shirt, lots of pretentiously dressed partiers giving me over-enthusiastic high fives. I felt like a rock star.

This is when I had another one of those moments—what am I doing here? Drinking free beer, eating tasty snacks, partying with all these fancy peoples in a VIP stage overlooking a century-long Latin celebration wearing a banana hat. I shook my head at myself in self-righteous shame. I am cool.

Matt Landau Read all my travels at http://www.thepanamareport.com

[tags]panama info, panama bar, panama travel, panama blog[/tags]

Guide To Skiing 101

For all those who cherish skiing, this sport has everything to offer from fun, adventure, excitement, to some of the exotic skiing resorts and quite a few thrilling contests. This archaic sport has thus been able to garner worldwide acclaim. Now there are wonderful skiing resorts almost all across the globe to cater to the skiing enthusiasm of people especially visitors. Let us take a look at a few globally recognized or eminent skiing resorts in the world today.

• When we talk about skiing, the foremost spot that figures is Aspen. Aspen Highlands as well as Aspen Mountain cuddled in Colorado, United States, offer around 1400 acres of slopes for all the skiing lovers. These slopes are not just meant for the professionals but even the beginners, young and old, snowboarders and skiers can have a lifetime experience skiing here. But skiing is not the only sport to relish in the breathtaking ambience. Well there are other activities such as hot air balloon tours, snowshoe walks and snowmobile rides. All in all the 7495 feet high Aspen Mountains together with Aspen Highlands leave no stone unturned to gratify the skiing passion of people. You can make your stay comfortable at the accommodations offered by Aspen Alps, Ajax Condominiums and Aspen Meadows Resort.

• Another skiing destination that is swarming with people during the months of November to April is the Big Mountain. Big Mountain standing firm in whitefish, Montana is America's everlasting attraction. On this approximately 3000 acres of real estate you can enjoy on incredible 91 runs. The proficient ones can ski at a set of 15 separate runs and bask in the glory of wonderful aura and the pleasant game. Other games such as sledding, tubing, sleigh riding, dog sledding tours etc. can even be enjoyed here. But this isn't all…there are nine different restaurants too! The average low temperature of this place is around 44 degrees but winters at 17 degrees can be icy cold. Once Big Mountain is another big destination on your mind, you can get your reservations done at the beautiful Alpenglow Inn or the Grouse Mountain Lodge.

• Big Sky welcomes all the skiing aficionados. The resort is a construction of the former NBC broadcaster Chet Huntley. This area as later on purchased by Boyne Resorts in USA. The contemporary attraction of Big Sky is its being recognized as one amongst greatest skiing resorts and its amazing accommodations.

• Another big name associated with skiing is that of Deer Valley. Deer Valley, a ground to four mountains is situated in Park City, Utah. These huge mountains- Bald Mountain, Flagstaff Mountain, Empire Canyon and Bald Eagle Mountain together make Deer Valley an ideal skiing destination. Horseback riding, swimming, golfing, river rafting are other activities to delight in.

• Colorado presents another great skiing spot- Copper Mountain. Copper Mountain has gained immense recognition because of its incredible 12,313 feet elevation and the huge area 2433 acres of land it conceals, thereby making a perfect skiing spot. Along with these characteristics there are other delightful features too. For instance the West Lake District a home for skating, shopping and bars. The Lazy Lizard and Endo's Adrenaline Café serve as excellent eating joints to all the visitors.

Besides these for the skiing devotees there are timeless other hot destinations to hit like Whistler Blackcomb, Valle Nevado and Snowmass.

Mansi aggarwal writes about skiing . Learn more at http://www.skiforvacation.com

[tags]aspen, ski, travel, slopes, skills[/tags]

Top United States Rose Gardens

Top rose gardens to visit in the United States

Take a day trip to a rose garden Roses have always been valued for their stunning beauty and intoxicating scent. They also have a long history of symbolism and meaning and are ancient symbols of beauty and love. In fact the rose was sacred to several goddesses such as Aphrodite and is commonly used as a symbol for the Virgin Mary. The rose also is the national flower for both England and the United States. Many of the below listed rose gardens are only a day trip away and the majority of them are public rose gardens which are free to the public. So, take time to stop and smell the roses and visit one of these beautiful rose gardens located around the world.

International Rose Test Garden Washington Park Portland, Oregon Portland is known as the "Rose City" and has several public rose gardens; however, the International Rose Test Garden in Portland is the most well-known. It was founded in 1917 and is the oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States.

Rose Garden in Woodland Park Zoo Seattle, WashingtonThe Woodland Park Zoo Rose Garden was planted originally to provide a free, public display of roses. Currently, the garden houses 280 rose varieties.

Lyndale Park Rose Garden Minneapolis, Minnesota Located in Minneapolis, the Lyndale Park Rose Garden is the second oldest public rose garden in the U.S. With over 3,000 roses of 250 varieties, the layout of the garden has not been changed since it was planted by Theodore Wirth in 1908.

McKinley Park Rose Garden Sacramento, California A popular setting for weddings and day trips, this Sacramento Rose Garden is home to over 1,200 roses of all different varieties. The garden is free to the public during daylight hours.

The Centennial Rose Garden, Schmidt Mansion Tumwater, Washington Planted on the grounds of the Schmidt Mansion, the Centennial Rose Garden is maintained by the Olympia Rose Society for the enjoyment of the public. The garden was designed to display a plethora of rose varieties and within historical context. The garden documents the development of roses from ancient times to present day.

Elizabeth Park Rose Garden Hartford, Connecticut The Elizabeth Park Rose Garden is the oldest municipally operated rose garden in the country. With over 800 rose varieties which amounts to 15,000 plants total, this rose garden packs a lot in on two and a half acres.

Mesa Community College Rose Garden Mesa, Arizona This Mesa, Arizona rose garden is a unique and important part of the city's community. The garden serves as an iatrical part of education, allowing students from kindergarten through high school and community college and universities use the gardens as botanical laboratories and study areas.

Chicago Botanic Gardens Glencoe, Illinios - north of Chicago, Illinois The Chicago Botanic Gardens is home to 26 distinct gardens, one of them being a beautiful rose garden that houses 5,000 colorful rose bushes.

The John E. Voight Trial Garden Hales Corners, Wisconsin Part of the Boerner Botanical Gardens, the Voight Trial Garden was opened in 1939 and was traditionally designed with gravel walks around the garden and grass walks through the rose beds. The garden also follows the traditional European design with two circular pools and a rectangular pool filled with water lilies and other plant life on the grounds.

Tyler Rose Garden Tyler, Texas As part of a 14 acre park, the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is the nations largest rose garden and admission to the park is free seven days a week from dawn to dusk. This breathtaking rose garden is also host to the annual Texas Rose Festival held in mid-October.

Jillian Scheeler makes it easy to provide a list of top rose gardens in united states. visit the top ten rose gardens of United States. To recieve free part mini-course visit the United States Rose Gardens Website.

[tags]Rose Gardens, Roses, Rose Garden, United States Rose Gardens, Travel, Visit[/tags]

Forget About Stratford-upon-Avon, Go And Visit Winchester

Each year, far more tourists visit Stratford-upon-Avon than do Winchester. Why this should be so can only be because of marketing. Winchester has so much more to offer the visitor.

There is no denying the charms of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is a beautiful town, nestled in the countryside of middle-England. However England is blessed with many beautiful old towns and villages. The main reason that coach-loads of tourists descend upon the town is because of the life and works of one man; William Shakespeare. And, there is no doubting his importance in history and the great gifts of his writings. But, apart from the cottage of his birth and the cottage of his wife, Ann Hathaway, there remains very little left for the visitor to see, apart from the RSC theatre - the great majority of visitors never actually go inside, never mind watch a Shakespeare play.

In the south of England there lies another beautiful town; one that has far more history for the visitor to explore. The town is Winchester. It's actually a city but its size and the compactness of its centre lend it a feel of no more than a country town.

Winchester cathedral is undeniably England's most beautiful. Its setting is sublime, surrounding by parks. The present day plan of the cathedral was laid out in 1079 AD by Walkelin, the first Norman Bishop. The cathedral has witnessed the coronation, marriages and burials of many English kings and queens. The cathedral saw the coronations of Edward the Confessor (1043), of Matilda of Flanders as queen consort (1068), of Henry the Young King and his queen, Marguerite (1172) and the second coronation of Richard I of England (1194), as well as the marriages of Edward the Confessor and Edith (1045), King Henry IV and Joanna of Navarre (1403) and finally Queen Mary I and King Philip II of Spain (1554). King William II (son of William the Conqueror) is buried in the cathedral.

Winchester has had many famous residents but surely, its most famous of all was that of King Alfred the Great. It was this Anglo-Saxon king who withstood and then finally defeated the Vikings and saved the south from their pagan rule. He made Winchester his capital of England. He married, lived and died in the city. He was also much more than just a military genius; he was a codifier of law, a promoter of education and a supporter of the arts. He, himself, was a scholar and translated Latin books into the Anglo-Saxon tongue. He is the only English king ever to be given the epitaph, "the Great".

Winchester had many other famous residents and visitors. St Swithin was Bishop of Winchester and was tutor to King Alfred the Great. Most of us have heard of the legend 'that if it rains on St Swithin's day (15 July), then it will rain for forty days'. The legend says that as he lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried out of doors, where he would be trodden on and rained on. For nine years, his wishes were followed, but then, the monks of Winchester attempted to remove his remains to a splendid shrine inside the cathedral on 15 July 971. According to legend there was a heavy rain storm either during the ceremony or on its anniversary. Keats and Trollope were just two of many writers who visited Winchester and based their works on the places and people they met whilst staying there. But perhaps the most famous writer to have lived (and died) in Winchester is Jane Austen. She was buried inside the cathedral. Today, a black plaque is to be found on the wall of the house in which she died; the house is a private residence.

Winchester has a rich history. Today, many Roman artifacts are dug up from the Roman period; Winchester being an important Roman town. Its past is clearly visible to the visitor today in its buildings. Within a five minute walk you can see beautifully preserved buildings from Anglo-Saxon through to Medieval, Georgian and Victorian. But Winchester is not a museum piece. The ancient buildings are still lived in and traded in. The city is a vibrant place that many people have discovered and some are lucky enough to call home.

Robin O'Brien is founder of Winchester Tourist Information that provides information of this beautiful, historic town. You can find walks, pictures, things to do as well as details of accommodation in Winchester.

[tags]Winchester, tourism, travel, destinations, vacations, holidays, places, accommodation,attractions[/tags]

France Travel Coming Up Two Ways To Brush Up Those French Language Skills

Many people with France travel on their agenda would like to brush up on their French language skills before their trip. Make no mistake, learning a foreign language is very difficult. However, if you studied the French language in high school or college you might be able to put some of that long-ago effort to good use. Being able to communicate, even with only a few words at your disposal, can make a trip much more fun, and it will perhaps help you figure out where you made that wrong turn before becoming lost!

Here are two ways to brush up your French language skills:

1. For a number of months I've subscribed to a great little free service called French Word A Day. This is a daily email from Kristin Espinasse, an American originally from Phoenix who married a Frenchman and now lives with her family in Provence. Although the implication is that you'll receive one word per day, Kristin provides a good bit more. The theme for each email is in fact one word, but there are also variations on the word, phrases using the word and variations, and a daily proverb which contains the word as well. A recent addition is an audio link to hear the word pronounced properly. Furthermore, Kristin writes an essay she calls "A Day in a French Life" and uses numerous other French words woven into her English text. She summarizes these words at the bottom of the article, which makes an easy reference for additional words. Thus there is an opportunity to learn or relearn a number of words each day. Each email has a link to her web site with a daily photo of France. In addition, on the web site are listed the last ten words and their accompanying phrases, proverbs, etc. as described above, so one can look over quite a few words right away, even if your trip is coming up soon.

This is certainly an excellent review process for French vocabulary. Oftentimes I'll see a word or phrase I recognize but can't quite pin down the translation exactly. For example, a recent word was "le lendemain" (the next day). Included was a phrase I've heard before numerous times, "du jour au lendemain". I always thought this meant "from one day to the next", which is a literal translation. However, it really means "suddenly", sort of like jumping from one day into the next. It's helpful to pick up nuances like that, and I'm sure I'll remember this the next time I hear it in a French conversation. In order to help retention, it is useful to print out the daily entry and keep a file to review from time to time. It's only by seeing words numerous times that they can become part of your vocabulary. By the way, Kristin has compiled her essays into 3 books which she sells on line, and those proceeds help defray the costs of Word a Day so that it remains a free service. Of course buying the books gives you access to many words at once, so that is another excellent option for improving or reviewing your French vocabulary. To subscribe or purchase books, you can follow the link above.

2. For those with a little more time and motivation another excellent tool is a French language course on CD called a l'ecoute de la langue francaise which translates to "listening to the French language". I've used this excellent product and have found it to be a great review of French vocabulary and grammar. There are 108 lessons broken up into beginner, intermediate, and advanced categories, and all this takes 12 hours total of listening time on the CD. At the end of each lesson there is a quick review test. There is both text and audio for each lesson, so I find the best method is to print out the lesson, look it over, and then listen to the audio, reading the text at the same time prior to taking the review test. The audio for the beginner lessons is in English, but both the Intermediate and Advanced are in French. There is a lot of material packed into these twelve hours, so I would recommend a pace of 2 or 3 lessons per week maximum, each week reviewing the previous week's work. In this way there is some repetition and also some time between lessons for the material to sink in. The price for the program is 60 euros if ordered on line, and this includes shipping and a one year subscription to a monthly email newsletter that has interesting articles about French current events, culture, politics, etc., written in French. The web site offers numerous other services and products, such as audio books to listen to, as well as a service to exchange email or even voice recordings with a French professor who will critique the work and offer suggestions for improvement. The company is located in beautiful Lyon, France, and you can find all their products and services by following the link above in this paragraph.

Au revoir et bonne chance!

© Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved.

Walt Ballenberger is founder of Beaux Voyages which provides active tours in France. He has lived and worked in France and speaks the language fluently.

[tags]France Travel,French Language,French Language Skills[/tags]

Get More For Less

The last few trips we have organised have been quite an eye opener for us as we have avoided holiday packages and gone in search of somewhat more customised experiences.

All this came about as a result of travelling on a package tour to Nepal and India some five years ago. There was nothing wrong with the tour mind, except that it was expensive and the person we thought was our guide turned out to have little knowledge of either country and was there primarily to shepherd us and carry our passports for us.

On our package, travel arrangements were dealt with by local operators who clearly knew their business and had designed the itinerary, booked the accommodation and transport, recruited English speaking guides, (real ones) and done all the other work necessary. Our package seller in New Zealand had simply located the local operator and, presumably, worked with them to design the tour and add their mark-up. Oh and of course recruited (and paid for) a New Zealander to ride herd.

Now if, like us, you feel able to carry your own passport, the package tour adds little or no value and substantial cost. Worse yet is that you travel at the pace of the party and can neither dwell on the interesting parts nor skip the boring bits such as visits to carpet/jewellery/craft 'factories' that are thinly disguised sales pitches.

For some, the up side of package tours is that you will meet and get to know quite a few new people from your own country, some of whom you'll love and others you can't abide. Our experience is that being independent involves you, of necessity, with the locals and as an added bonus enables you to adjust your visits to places you want to see and at times when there are few or even no other people about.

We designed our trip to Africa to be completely independent with our own driver and guide as required. This enabled us to see ancient monuments such as Abu Simbel alone and found us camping in remote parts of Tanzania with just the locals for company. Much of the time there were no other native English speakers in the vicinity and so you find out that many of the locals have excellent English skills, good enough for us to communicate with them anyway.

If you've ever been in a tour party and seen a couple moving through with their own guide and wondered how they arranged it and if it was terribly expensive, now you know.

My career has been in computers and communications industry since I starting work in 1970. During this time I have worked for many large companies both in New Zealand and overseas. In recent times I have worked as a freelance consultant

I have lived in New Zealand for the past 30 years

[tags]travel tours holidays[/tags]

Other Peoples Homes - Casa Rocca Piccola, Valleta, Malta

Yes, I put my hands up. I admit it. I have an insatiable appetite for looking into other peoples homes.

No. I am not a "Peeping Tom". When I looked up the definition of "Peeping Tom" in my Collins Concise Dictionary and Thesaurus I am told that Peeping Tom is a man who furtively observes women undressing. That is definitely not me. But, yes, I do confess to glancing furtively sideways when out walking to see how much I can see through any windows not shrouded with window nets. I prefer to think I am inquisitive, having a natural curiosity to find out what puts the soul into a home... what, inspires people and what treasures (or sometimes not) are hidden behind the front door.

Thankfully I can, legitimately, indulge my curiosity, because there are so many beautiful houses and gardens open to the public to visit both in this country and abroad.

On a recent summer trip to Gozo with my husband we decided to take the ferry back to Malta and drive into Valetta. There I found the Casa Rocca Piccola, at 74 Republic Street, the 16th century home of a Maltese nobleman. It is now the home of the 9th Marquis de Piro and his family. Frances, the Marchioness is English and it is her who greets you as you walk through the front door. The history of Casa Rocca Piccola goes back over 400 years to an era in which the Knights of St. John, having successfully fought off the invading Turks in 1565, decided to build themselves a prestigious city to rival European capitals. The house is named after the first owner, Don Pietro La Rocca, Admiral of the Order of St. John in the Langue of Italy. It was, in later years, let to a succession of Italian aristocratic knights and sold to a Maltese nobleman in the second half of the 18th century.

Casa Rocca Piccola is not a museum: it is, in a sense, more than that. It is a living relic of a past way of life burdened with the pretension and aspirations of Maltese lineage. There are numerous items of memorabilia to be seen, not only for their artistic merit, but also because they contribute reality to the overall scene.

Climbing the ornate marble staircase you will see, dominating the top landing a carved wood de Piro coat of arms. This was the last work of the Maltese artist Edward Pirotta. Hanging above is an enormously intricate chandelier from Bohemia. The first room to be visited on your tour is the Chapel in which the walls are painted to simulate damask. There are two crosses on the alter: an ivory crucifix that was granted two hundred days indulgence by Cardinal Godfrey in 1960. The second cross houses a particle of the True Cross behind a little red curtain. Its authenticity is confirmed by no less than seven Vatican seals on the reverse. As was the case with most European noble families it was the custom for the younger son to become a priest and for that reason in particular, many patrician families were given the privilege of keeping a chapel in the house. The Marquis's grandfather represented George VI and his medals are kept here together with an exquisite pair of shoes known as Papal buskins and a pair of silver filigree earrings, a present from the Bishop of Gozo to Nicolina de Piro after her husband donated land to build the famous Ta'Pinu church in Gozo. On next to the Green Room where the walls are indeed green! Here there is a magnificent marquetry bookcase that especially caught my eye. Made in about 1640 during the reign of the French Provencal Grand Master Lascaris it bears his arms on the door. The panels are inlayed inside and outside. A fascinating work of art. I was told that the veneer was a mix of olive and orange wood. There are many portraits hung on the walls and proudly placed is a photograph of the 8th Baron and Baroness who attended the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. Moving on to the Four- Poster bedroom, the only room in the house not in use, the bed is a showpiece reputed to be great-grandmother Orsola's matrimonial bed. Married in 1867 she produced 9 children: 7 boys and 2 girls. They all survived childhood and so the bed is considered lucky!

The next room is the Porphyr Room so called because the walls were at one time painted to imitate porphyry marble; then the Blue Room or petit salon with modern pictures collected by the family. Among them works by Annigoni, The Rathmells, Rowley-Smart and Durer. The style of the Dining Room that once had an open terrace overlooking the small garden contrasts with the rest of the house and is considered a "folly". Built by the current family's Grandfather in 1918 its white pillars and light aspect certainly make it very different to the rest of the house. It gives the impression of being a conservatory because of its lightness and airiness.A trompe l'oeil of a Spanish woman playing a harp on a black and white tiled floor produces an exaggerated perspective that gives the impression that the room is longer. The last room is the Carriage Room that was once a stable for a mule but, going back, perhaps my favourite room is the Library. Here I found what can only be described as the most outstanding piece of furniture imaginable. A portable chapel. When shut it looks for all the world like a large black lacquered bureau however, it opens up to become a fully functioning chapel with it own tabernacle, relics and the Way of the Cross. It is richly decorated with pictures of exotic birds and flora and panels depicting St. Francis Zavier in Japan and Goa. The idea was that you could have a Chapel in any room of your house and then it could be closed up to look like a secular piece of furniture. An absolutely breathtaking piece.

One of the treasures of the house I must not forget to mention though is a golden sedan chair made for the Knight of Malta, Fra Victor Nicolas de Vachon Belmont reputed to be a romantic figure who led his men personally, oh, and lastly "April" the family tortoise to be found in the small garden. Interestingly Casa Rocca Piccola was one of the few houses at the time of the knights to be allowed a garden. It was a great privilege for its owners as water was scarce and gardens were technically forbidden.

So, if you ever find yourself strolling down Republic Street in Valletta, Casa Rocca Piccola gives you a rare opportunity to see inside one of the last private unconverted Valletta palaces still lived in today. It comes highly recommended to anyone like myself, with a curiosity and inquisitive appetite to see inside other peoples homes.

Olivia Hughes, Invaluable group of companies.

http://www.invaluable.com

Only Invaluable gives you unrivalled access to pre-sale and post-sale information for auction houses and salerooms across the globe.

Find art, antiques and collectables. Try our Keyword search, register at http://www.invaluable.com for a free 14 day trial.

[tags]Gozo,Malta,Valetta,travel,home,house,garden,Casa, Rocca Piccola,Maltese,Knights,Edward Pirotta[/tags]

Conquering My Fear Of Flying

I admit it, I am afraid to fly. And I'm not alone, as many as 1 in 6 adults has at least some fears about flying. For me it's definitely not a rational fear. In fact all my analytical and logical skills fly right out the window whenever I think about getting on a commercial plane. The most amazing part is that I grew up flying. My father owns a small plane and we would go flying every weekend.

In my preteen years I had an aborted takeoff during a commercial flight and while it didn't scare me at all during the event, when I later found out that it had made the local news I began to see that this was perhaps a bigger deal (it really wasn't but I was a preteen after all). I also began to recognize my own mortality and realized that I am a control freak and don't enjoy the thought of putting my life in the hands of pilots I don't know.

However, I'm gradually working my way out of my fears and back into a state of mind that is not afraid. It's taking me a lot of time, but I make progress everyday.

My first technique is to get a large inside picture of a commercial plane (preferably one that I'll be flying in soon) and make it the background image of my computer desktop. This way, every time I get on my computer I'm looking toward the front of an airplane as if I am a passenger. Initially this worked so well my pulse would race and my breathing rate went up. I've now conditioned myself to seeing that image so it no longer bothers me.

I also like to watch internet videos of planes taking off and landing. My favorite videos are those that are taken from inside the plane, looking out the window at the wing; hearing the roar of the engines and seeing the ground fall away beneath the plane as it rises upon takeoff. Sitting in my recliner with headphones on and watching those videos enables me to participate in a takeoff without actually being on the plane. I can condition myself to the sights and sounds I would normally experience.

I've found several helpful online courses designed to give information to fearful flyers. I use them a lot as I get closer to departure, and I've bought every book I can find about conquering one's fear of flying. I take them with me, I read them often.

I don't watch news clips or specials about airplane crashes. The media sensationalizes airplane crashes simply because they happen so rarely. That also means they repeat that horrific story over and over, scaring the wits out of unsuspecting people.

There are dozens of helpful statistics about the safety of air travel; The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says your chances of being in a fatal plane crash are anywhere from 1 in 400,000 to 1 in 10 million depending on the airline you're flying. To someone who has a genuine fear of flying those numbers don't mean anything when you're locked in a steel tube with no way of setting foot on the ground until AFTER you've gone through takeoff, landing and turbulence.

I recognize that I need help and am trying to look at air travel from a logical perspective again. Each trip I hope to get a little better. If you are suffering from a similar fear, I encourage you to go through the various online resources available and seek additional professional help if your fears are strong enough and you are unable to get through them on your own. It's ok. We can get through this and learn to enjoy (or at least tolerate) this means of travel in order to take that awesome vacation, see family or fulfill the requirements of a great job.

Heather Peters is a recovering fearful flyer who runs Fear of Flying Tips in order to help others overcome their fear of flying. The site is a commentary and directory of the resources available to fearful flyers.

[tags]fear of flying, afraid to fly, travel[/tags]

The Time Is Right For Destinations To Grab Market Share

It has been more than three years since the bottom fell out of the destination and tourism industry, but many are hopeful that prospects are looking up. However, from a brand perspective, the fear is that the marketing of the Tourism industry will fall victim to the same trap, constantly fighting to attract tourists without any long- term solution as new and more enticing destinations enter into the category.

The way to overcome this seemingly never-ending struggle is for destinations to build individual brands that are more about the tourist than about the destination. Historically, that's not been the case. Instead, the brands have been marketing destinations themselves and have more often than not been about the type of destination, exploring the benefits of visiting a tropical destination or one in the Far East, etc.

In tropical destinations, for example, marketing dollars have been lavishly spent enticing the potential visitor with brand visions of romance, white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. So, if you bought into that as a tourist, you bought into the idea of traveling to a tropical destination, but you haven't really made a decision. You've only picked your considered set of destinations.

How can you differentiate one destination from another? It's not as if no other island or resort has sky, water, white (or pink or black) sandy beaches and friendly natives. Destinations are not creating brands to inspire true preference among the considered set. They're just motivating preference between considered sets and creating preference for tropical destinations over, let's say, adventure and wildlife destinations, such as Alaska.

There's proof of this lack of brand identity in the numbers. With a few exceptions, market share mirrors share of voice. The one that spends the most money gets the largest market share. But from a stealing share perspective, you don't have to outspend the competition to increase market share. You can develop a brand positioned against your competition and aligned with customer values so that the customers naturally covet your destination brand.

Now there's a new problem: Cuba. The lifting of the U.S. travel embargo to Cuba is currently being debated in Congress. Make no mistake about it, Cuba will quickly jump to number one in tourism traffic when that happens at the expense of the rest of the category. So few destinations have a brand and tourists will flock to Cuba because, for a while at least, it will represent something like a brand. Cuba will represent "forbidden fruit" and Cuban tourists will feel special, like they are setting a trend by being among the first to visit the exotic locale.

A brand that is built to steal market share is not found in the beaches, coral reefs, or local culture. Stealing share capabilities reside in the hearts of the customers of the competition. Take Cuba, for example. The "forbidden fruit" and "one of the first to visit" attractions have nothing to do with the amenities of the country itself. Everyone who plans a visit to a place like Cuba will expect the same marketed promises: exotic food, white sandy beaches, turquoise blue water and interesting culture. They will go to Cuba because being a Cuban visitor says more about them as a traveler than going to any other tropical destination. Brand is always about your customer and not about you (the destination).

On too many occasions destinations claim all sorts of amenities they believe will be important. Puerto Rico claims to be close and the Virgin Islands claim to be "ours" (as in, part of the United States), but our research indicates that the consumer does not care for those claims. Puerto Rico may be close, but it's not that much closer to us through the air than Jamaica. Does anyone actually think that tourists are going to choose Puerto Rico because it saves them 15 minutes in the air?

Consider this: Hawaii is first in top-of-mind awareness among U.S. travelers, but it's not at the top in the number of U.S. visitors. If it had a brand that said something meaningful about who the tourist is when they visit Hawaii, they would not have to increase their marketing budget to steal share.

Tropical destinations can rest easy knowing that their advertising does not have to say, "Come here to swim. We have beaches, sun and alcohol." Even though that's exactly what they are saying now, they should understand they are not telling their target audiences anything new. Few other industries have category benefits that are so well known. With tourists beginning to travel more and with the looming threat of Cuba, it's time for destinations to build brands around the tourists and start stealing share.

Tom Dougherty
CEO, Senior Strategist at Stealing Share, Inc. Tom began his strategic marketing and branding career in Saudi Arabia working for the internationally acclaimed Saatchi & Saatchi. His brand manager at the time referred to Tom as a "marketing genius," and Tom demonstrated his talents to clients such as Ariel detergent, Pampers and many other brands throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. After his time overseas, Tom returned to the US where he worked for brand agencies in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. He continued to prove himself as a unique and strategic brand builder for global companies. Tom has led efforts for brands such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, Fairmont Hotels, Coldwell Banker, Homewood Suites (of Hilton), Tetley Tea, Lexus, Sovereign Bank, and McCormick to name a few.

[tags]Destination branding, Travel marketing[/tags]

#2 In Series--If You're Going To Malta, Be Sure To See-The Soleado Guest House In Sliema

At one time, Sliema, the largest city in Malta, had many very affordable guest houses. This was before the "discovery" of Malta as a tourist destination. Unfortunately, guest houses have disappeared; the tourism department does not think they contribute to a positive image of the island. I do. They are not only considerably less expensive than most hotels, they are much more fun.

We stumbled on to the Soleado Guest House on Ghar-id-Dud Street on our first trip to the island in 1994. The whole trip was something of an accident because we parlayed a two-hundred-dollar round-trip fare to London with one to Malta for a similar price. We didn't have much time to make sleeping accomodations and we reserved through the internet at a hotel in Qowra, at the northeastern end of the island. It was nice, but too remote, and really not our kind of place. Read: too expensive.

We found another hotel on The Strand in Sliema and made a one-night reservation. That evening we went out to see the town and wandered into the Snuggy Pub (yes, that was the name) that was part of the Soleado Guest House. It was loud and friendly and everyone seemed to be having a great time. The walls were lined with photos of the bartender/hotel manager, Joey Bugeja, with guests. While we were sitting with our beers, a matronly, white-haired English lady came to our table and asked if we wanted some tea. She would make it for us. Who could resist?

She disappeared and returned from the hotel kitchen with a tray with a teapot and three cups and sat down with us. We found she was from York and a guest at the hotel. She introduced us to a Scottish couple. All three of them suggested we stay there.

The next night we moved in. We were grateful for our good health because the balky elevator chose that night to groan a bit, then quit. Joey had a full house so we got "a room with path" to the community bathroom. He promised us a better room for the next night. The first night's lodging was a minimalist's dream: a bed, a tiny nightstand, a few drawers and a wooden wardrobe. But the bed was comfortable and we were pleased with our choice. True to his word, the next night we had a room with a private bath. We stayed there for the rest of the trip.

The next day we had breakfast with the other guests. Along with our three new friends we met people from Great Britain, Australia, Germany, and France. They filled us in on their favorite places to see. Many had made yearly pilgrimages to stay at the guest house, visit the island, and renew acquaintances with Joey. We invited Dora, our British friend, to accompany us on a day of sightseeing, and she turned out to be a delightful companion; we exchanged Christmas cards for several years. Would that have happened in a four-star? I had my first experience with Maltese bread. Fantastic. (I later learned that the original starter for San Francisco sourdough bread came from Malta.)

I have stayed at the Soleado on my eight trips since. The guest house became the setting for my novel, The Cellini Masterpiece. Its name changed to the Bellestrado and Joey became Josefina, but if you read it, you'll find the bar and meet some guests a bit like the real-life ones. I would recommend the Soleado to anyone who plans to visit the island and prefers adventure to luxury.

John Anderson has had a lifelong interest in Malta and once sold stamps under the company name of Maltalately. His interest in collectibles as well as his travel preferences are off the beaten path. For more information on the Soleado, click on http://www.soleadomalta.com To read the first chapter of The Cellini Masterpiece -- in which the renamed Soleoado plays a key role, go to http://www.cmasterpiece.com.

[tags]Malta, Travel, Guest Houses, Bed & Breakfasts[/tags]

Beijing Shi Du (Ten Ferry)

The Shi Du (Ten Ferry) scenic spot is the most typical canyon full of karst, ridges and peaks and is the closest to the capital city, unique in the northern part, and the biggest in Huabei region. The canyon features 12 marvelous geological sites such as natural "Stone Buddha", "Flied over Stone", "One Line Sky", "Buddha" character of the dragon mountain, "Water Flowing Up", "Stone in the Stone" and so forth. It has enjoyed the fine reputation of being the "green mountain and wild ferry, decorated corridors of hundred miles" for years. The Juma river is just like a piece of jade ribbon winding circuitously, passing through the mountains, complementing each other with the peaks and forests. The scenery has North China's imposing character, it also carries the elegance of South of Yangtzi River. In 1986, Shi Du was evaluated as one of the new 16 sceneries of Beijing, and it was included in Beijing's first batch of scenic spots in 1999.

Service facility:

10 scenic spots: Orphaned Mountain Village, Immortal Peak Valley, Ten-Thousand Scenery Immortal Ditch, Big Canyon of South, Pu Du Mountain Village, Martyrs' Cemetery of PingXi Resistance Against Japan, Immortal Dwelled Cave, Mountain of Pond in the Sky, West Lake Ferry, and Five-Star Gorge.

Entertainment spots: JuMa Paradise, Nine-Ferry Drifting, Eight-Ferry Boat Paddling, Six-Ferry Boat Paddling, and Qingjiang Nine-Dragon Deep Pond and so on. They provide extreme jumps, cliff parachuting, ropeway, crag climbing, sky gliding, drifting, boat pedaling, canoeing, vehicle surfing, motorboating, sand beach bathing, swimming, horse riding and many other programs.

Hotels: Including Shanguang Guesthouse, Buddha Gazing Mountain Villa, YanAn Training Center, Pen Holder Mountain Villa, the Bureau of Finance Training Center, and other middle scale or upscale guesthouses. There are also 11 travel focused villages such as Xizhuang Folk Custom village, Western River Fish Culture & Angling village and others that offer 5600 berths, provide coordinated services like travel, accommodations, food, shopping, and entertainment.

Riding route: 1. Go directly to Shi Du via bus 917 at Tian Qiao; 2. touring bus 10 is available during the official holidays and weekends at Qianmen, Fuchengmen, Xuanwumen; 3. Take train 7 from Beijing's South Station and get off at Shi Du; 4. There are mini buses and carriages inside the scenic area.

Contact phone: 61349871

Touring guides:

Spring:

• Time: April 15th - May 30th
• Activities: Sightseeing, living in the peasant families, eat local specialty foods, enjoy the natural beauty.

Shi Du Scenery Festival:

• Time: June 1st - October 10th
• Activities: Juma river bathing tour that features water diving bathing, sun bathing, boat drifting, angling, sand beach volleyball; summer cultural square activities that features singing, bonfire party, national dances, folk performances, as well as barbecue event that features savoring delicacies of every kind.

Note: You may freely republish this article as long as author bio and active hyperlinks are kept intact. Thank you.

Jacklyn Chen - Webmaster of news-blogs.com. She is a full time mom who works very hard to make living with multiple web sites. For more information and articles about travel, visit her Travel Blog.

[tags]beijing,travel,scenery,scenic spots,travel in beijing,traveling,travel articles,china,china travel[/tags]

Planning Your Vacation

Planning is the key to success when it comes to getting a budget holiday. There are many things that you can influence such as when you book, how you travel, whether you go package or build your own agenda. All of these things can have a significant impact on the price you pay. Above all, each of these things are within your control!

When to Book

Most people know exactly when they are intending to take a vacation. This can be used to your advantage when it comes to planning.

Deciding on when to book is a bit of a gamble. Whilst many tour operators will offer cheaper prices and early booking discounts, you may find that last minute deals are also available which will prove better financially.

There are many factors that you should take into account when deciding on when to book for maximum financial gain:

Are you flexible in terms of dates that you are prepared to travel?

Are you flexible in terms of destinations that you are prepared to travel to?

Will you be buying a package deal or will you be building your own package?

Are you considering a popular destination where many tour operators or flight companies travel?

Firstly, if you are flexible in terms of location and dates then you will almost certainly benefit from waiting until the last minute to book your holiday. Last minute deals are, of course, something that you cannot rely upon and if you are set on going to a certain destination at a certain date then last minute is far too risky.

If you are planning on creating your own package then you need to be aware that you are taking multiple gambles. For example, you need to consider your airfare, hotels and transport. Whilst you may get an excellent last minute flight, you may not be so lucky when it comes to the hotel or car hire. In fact, you may find that paying a premium for other parts of your holiday will end up out-weighing any last minute savings you have made.

As a general rule, if you are looking to go on a specific holiday, a cruise, for example, with a specific company or a destination that is only offered by a few operators, you may find that last minute bargains are simply not available. Cruising is a classic example of this. A cruise line will offer holidays for a certain price, whilst they may offer their holidays through different agents who may individually offer discounts, the actual price of the cruise is likely to remain very similar no matter who you go to for your price.

Phil Howard is the owner of a Florida Holiday Villa located in the Heart of Orlando Florida within easy reach of all the major attractions, Disney, Universal Studios, Sea World. Situated in Oak point nr Kissimmee.

This article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and distribute it as you like. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes, that this resource text is included and that the link above is intact.

[tags]cheap travel, florida holiday villa, vacation planning[/tags]

Vacation In Leeds

Liverpool

Introduction

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in the North West of England. Liverpool is one of England's core cities, situated along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary, with the city centre located about 5 miles inland from the Irish Sea. Liverpool has a varied topography being built across a ridge of hills rising up to a height of around 70 metres above sea-level at Everton Hill.

History

In 1190 the place was known as 'Liuerpul', meaning a pool or creek with muddy water. Other origins of the name have been suggested, including 'elverpool', a reference to the large number of eels in the Mersey. The origins of the city date back from August 1207 when patent letters were issued by King John advertising the establishment of a the new borough of Liverpool, and inviting settlers to come and take up holdings. In the 18th century, as trade from the West Indies grew on top of that from Ireland and Europe, Liverpool began to grow.

The first wet dock in Britain was built in Liverpool in 1715. Liverpool expanded significantly in the 19th century and a number of major buildings were constructed. In the 1960s Liverpool became a centre of youth culture. The city produced the distinctive Merseybeat sound, and, most famously, The Beatles. In recent years, the city has emphasised its cultural attractions, winning the accolade of European City of Culture for 2008.

Place of interest

The infrastructure of Liverpool contains over 2,500 listed buildings. It is the inheritance of high-minded public spirit since the later 18th century, largely with Dissenter impetus, that has resulted in more public sculptures created than in any UK city besides Westminster in London.

The Anglican Cathedral has the longest nave, largest organ and heaviest and highest peal of bells in the world.

Architects well represented in Liverpool:

• Giles Gilbert Scott,
• Peter Ellis,
• Harvey Lonsdale Elmes, and
• John Foster

Sir Edwin Lutyens is represented by the completed crypt of his projected Metropolitan Cathedral, which was built to a simpler design by Frederick Gibberd.

Some of the famous places to visit are:

• Albert Dock
• Bluecoat Arts Centre
• Cast Iron Shore
• Cunard Building
• Lime Street Station
• Royal Liver Building
• Oriel Chambers design by Peter Ellis.
• The Philharmonic Dining Rooms
• Pier Head
• Quiggins
• St George's Hall
• The Beatles Story
• Town-Hall
• Williamson's tunnels

Museums & Art Galleries

Liverpool has some greatest museum and art galleries. Bluecoat Arts Centre, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool Life, the Beatles Story, and Walker Art Gallery are some of them. Besides museum and art galleries Liverpool possesses some famous theatres. They represent Liverpool and its culture, and also a good tourist attraction in Liverpool. Among all the theaters Empire, Everyman, Neptune, Philharmonic Hall, The Playhouse, Royal Court, Unity are big names to mention about.

Shopping

Pedestrian shopping areas with boutiques, specialty shops, and department stores include Church Street, Lord Street, Bold Street, Whitechapel, and Paradise Street. On the river, Albert Dock also houses a collection of small shops. For shopping centers Cavern Walks on Mathew Street, the heart of Beatleland, or Quiggins Centre.

To buy that special piece of Beatles memorabilia, wander through the Beatles Shop, or the Heritage Shop. For a huge selection of British crafts, famous places are Bluecoat Display Centre, with its gallery of metal, ceramics, glass, jewelry, and wood pieces by some 350 British craftspeople.

Frank Green's is where one can find prints by this famous local artist who has been capturing the Liverpool scene on canvas since the 1960s. These art works includes city secular buildings, churches, and street life.

Food & Drink

For such a world-famous city, Liverpool has yet to host a world-class restaurant. Listed are the best non-hotel restaurants it has to offer: 60 Hope St., Bar Italia, Far East, Shangri-La, Simply Heathcote's, Tate Café.

Education

Primary education is available in various forms supported by the state including Secular, Church of England, Islamic, Jewish and Roman Catholic. Currently no specific Islamic secondary education is provided.

Liverpool has three universities:

• The University of Liverpool
• Liverpool John Moores University
• Liverpool Hope University

It also has a university college, Edge Hill College of Higher Education. Liverpool John Moores University is one of the polytechnics given university status in 1992 and is named after the owner of the Littlewoods retail group. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine was founded to address some of the problems created by trade; today it continues as a post graduate school and is one of only two institutions on world that house the de facto standard anti-venom repository.

The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, which was set up by Sir Paul McCartney in 1996, is famous for training the artistes and technicians.

Sports

In sporting terms, it boasts two internationally known football clubs, Everton F.C. and Liverpool FC. Liverpool Football Club (often known simply as Liverpool), an English football club based in the North-West of England, are the current champions of Europe (2004-2005) and the most successful English football team. Liverpool has won five European Cups, and 18 Football League titles on top of being the English club to have won the most number of UEFA Cups, European Supercups and English League Cups.

Liverpool Football Club is not to be confused with Liverpool (Rugby) Football Club, which was formed in 1858 and is now known as Liverpool St. Helens.

Hotels & Accommodation

The dedicated team at SleepUK can assist and advise on all your Liverpool hotel requirements. Online and offline access to Liverpool's accommodation network ensures travelers will be offered the best possible deal at the time of your visit whether you require luxury hotels in Liverpool or budget hotels in Liverpool.

Hotels in all categories are opening in Liverpool all the time, reflecting the city's renewed prosperity and popularity as a short-break destination.

Or travelers may choose one of the fine hotels in Wirral, the attractive peninsula between the River Mersey and the River Dee. As well as some fine hotels, Wirral also boast large areas of National Trust land, country parks and spectacular coastal scenery. To the north of Liverpool, in the graceful resort of Southport, famed for the splendour of its Victorian shopping arcades and promenade, there's a great choice of hotels to suit every visitor.

Accommodation in the area frequently sells out so be sure to guarantee your stay by booking online today. Some other hotels, listed here, vary from affordable to luxury hotels - Hanover Hotel, Park Lodge, The Suites Hotel, Regent Maritime Hotel, The Dolby Hotel, Radisson SAS Liverpool, Hope Street Hotel, Aachen Hotel, Campanile Hotel Liverpool, The Feathers Hotel, Thistle Liverpool, Days Serviced Apartments Liverpool, Liverpool City Centre Premier Travel Inn, The Sir Thomas Hotel, Throstles Nest Hotel.

Tours and Sightseeing

Organised tours in Liverpool have variety in their theme and according to the theme the contents also changes. The most widely chosen tours are based on Sports or on The Beatles. These tours contains place of interests, famous buildings, museums etc. Cavern City Tours is the most comprehensive tour operator in the city.

Transport

There are three tunnels under the River Mersey: one railway tunnel, the Mersey Railway Tunnel, and two road tunnels, Queensway Tunnel and Kingsway Tunnel. There is also the Mersey Ferry, made famous by the song Ferry Cross the Mersey by Gerry and the Pacemakers. In fact the song is now played on the ferryboats themselves every time they prepare to dock at Liverpool.

Speke Airport was renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport, in honour of the late Beatle John Lennon.

Liverpool has a train system called Merseyrail, the sections in the city centre are mostly underground. The lines terminate at Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby, Hunts Cross, Ellesmere Port, West Kirby, New Brighton and Chester.

Maria is with Sleep UK - providers of discounted hotels to make your stay in the UK as comfortable as possible.

[tags]leeds,leeds england,west yorkshire england,england travel,travel,travel uk[/tags]

Destinations In Southern Germany Wurzburg

The city of Würzburg, located on the Main river about an hour's drive (at Autobahn speeds) southeast of Frankfurt, is a relatively unknown destination that offers sight-seers great architecture and wonderful wines.

While much of the downtown area was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1945, the numerous churches and other historical buildings have been lovingly restored. Even if you just stay for a few hours, you should make sure to see the Bishop's Palace ("Residenz"). This 18th-century edifice contains the world's largest unsupported ceiling fresco, created by the Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, as well as numerous incredibly ornate rooms. According to legend, Napoleon called the palace "the nicest vicarage in Europe".

Among other places to see would be the Marienberg fortress overlooking the city (which hosts a museum that has several of the works of the famous wood carver Tilman Riemenschneider) and the Haus zum Falken with its ornate facade, which nowadays contains the municipal library.

If you are in science or medicine, you might want to visit the house where Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered the X-ray in 1895. It now contains an exhibit about Röntgen's achievements.

After all this sight-seeing you probably will be hungry and thirsty, and you should try out the local cuisine and particularly the dry white wines of Franconia, served in a squat, roundish bottle called Bocksbeutel.

If you want further information, you can e-mail the local tourist office: tourismus@wuerzburg.de

Pamela Bruce lives in Austin, TX. She is the owner of Love Beads Unlimited and sells the sterling silver and Swarovski crystal bead jewelry she designs and creates both in her eBay store (http://stores.ebay.com/LOVE-BEADS-UNLIMITED) and on her website at http://www.lovebeadsunlimited.com, where you can also download the free e-book "A Consumer's Guide to Buying Bead Jewelry Online".

[tags]Würzburg, Germany, Bavaria, tourism, travel[/tags]

Nursing Resumes

What to Include in Nursing Resumes

Nursing resumes are slightly different from every other resume that you would send out. Being that nursing is a specialized profession, you need to remember a few things when putting together your first resume. Nursing resumes can be difficult to write because they will not include the same information as a standard resume trying to secure an office position. Read through the tips below before you start sending out your resume to potential employers.

First off, remember that nursing resumes will not include all past work experience. When applying for an office job, you usually show all of your past work experience, no matter how irrelevant it may sound. But remember that nursing is a specialized profession. You want to make sure that you put down your experience relative to nursing and downplay the rest of your work experience. This is not to say that you cannot include other work experience on nursing resumes, just be sure to not let those jobs overshadow your nursing experience.

Remember to include all nursing related experience on your resume. Anything that pertains to nursing, or caring for people should be highlighted on your resume so that it stands head and shoulders above the rest. This can include any volunteer work that you may have completed, or any nursing work that you did while in college. Nursing resumes often include information about the rotations that you did while completing your degree. This shows that you have experience in the field and are capable of working full time.

Nursing resumes should always include your educational achievements as well. Be proud of what you accomplished. If you were elected into the National Honors Society for nursing majors be sure to include this information. If you had a high GPA, include that also.

Nursing resumes may be difficult to write, but if you follow the tips above you will be able to put together an intriguing package for hiring managers. Sample nursing resumes can also be found on numerous online sites.

Nursing Resources

Self Improvement Resources

Imformation For Parents

[tags]Nursing, Nursing Resumes, Nursing Jobs, Nursing Uniforms, Nursing Scrubs,Travel Nursing[/tags]

Hitchhiking The Pros And Cons

The pros and cons of hitchhiking? Pro: cheap. Con: dangerous. It's convenient, but unpredictable. No car repair hassles, but the hassle of standing in the rain, waiting hours for a ride. I hitchiked 20,000 miles when I was young, sleeping under bridges and fighting off sexual predators from Canada to Mexico. I loved it, but I wouldn't consider hitchhiking as a primary mode of travel ever again.

There are still times when I put out my thumb. The most recent was in the mountains of Ecuador. My wife and I were visiting Las Cajas National Park, hiking along ancient Incan rock walls. We missed the bus back to Cuenca. There may have been another one coming, but we didn't want to wait until dark to find out. Out went the thumb.

To hitchhike is "Ir a dedo" in Ecuador; to "go by finger." The third vehicle to pass, stopped for us. It was a meat delivery truck, and we were in Cuenca in an hour. When the driver refused to take any money, we left him with a large avacado.

If you ever consider hitchhiking in other countries, ask the locals about it. In Ecuador, for example, I've been told you can't get a ride in the southern part of the country. Also, in some areas it's customary to at least offer something for the ride.

Hitchiking In The United States

The pros and cons of hitchhiking are obvious, and the balance is on the side of the "cons." It's difficult to get a ride now. However, it's still legal in most places in the U.S., except on freeways. The point on the entrance ramp where you cross the legal line is decided by the police officer that tickets you.

At sixteen, I was stuck for hours on a Montana highway. A nice old lady picked me up and explained why I couldn't get a ride. On that same stretch of highway, a few years before, the police found a hitchhiker cooking a driver's heart over a campfire.

Ten years later I caught an item on the news: They were releasing the canibal hitchhiker, now that he was sane. You can see why drivers may be hesitant to pick up hitchhikers. The lesson? Try not to look like a Psycho killer when you hitchhike.

One circumstance it may be useful to hitchhike, even if you never have, is when you need to return to your car after backpacking. Trails often come out of the wilderness in a different location than where they start. Since there probably won't be taxis there, hitchhiking could be your only way back to your car.

This is relatively safe and easy, in these circumstances. National Parks like Yellowstone are almost the only places we've even seen hitchhikers lately, and drivers are comfortable picking up people that are obviously backpackers.

Hitchhiking Safely

Follow some basic safety guidelines. Be prepared for many possible circumstances. Have rainwear, in case you can't get out of the rain. Have food and water, since you never know how long you'll wait for a ride. Bring warm clothing if cold weather is possible. Also, always have a highway map with you.

Use intuition and common sense when hitchhiking, and don't be afraid to say no to a ride. Maybe I shouldn't have taken a ride with that cocaine-snorting guy in Idaho when I was sixteen. Then again, maybe my intuition wasn't so bad. He turned out to be a decent guy, and brought me hundreds of miles closer to home.

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com

[tags]pros and cons of hitchhiking,hitchhiking,travel[/tags]

All Inclusive Vacation Specials Are On The Rise! With Internet Access Deals Could Not Get Any Easier

It seems that nearly all the people that love to travel are searching the Internet these days to find All Inclusive vacation specials, and are having great success obtaining a great deal online!

Vacations are important to us, for many reasons, and an inclusive vacation is the best way to go where the value and pricing are important. Where local travel agency's don't have the time to monitor all the packages out there, you never know if you're getting the best available cheap all inclusive holidays for your money.

Many vacation agencies must resort to multiple searches within a variety of slow travel databases that take a lot of time, and that's what agents don't have these days is time to do last minute searches, so you normally end up with a quote that is much higher than what you saw on the Internet!

On the other hand, with the Internet, vacation specials are easy to find because you're tapping directly into the live vacation reservations system that is updated daily. With the amount of cancellations that occur, you have the luxury to tap into this mass inventory of travel deals that have to sell quickly to fill these voids.

If you happen to be wondering why they sell the vacation packages so cheap, I will give you an inside tip. Most of the Tour Operators pre-purchase resorts, airfare, and the other services in advance. The resort and airline company will normally give them a time frame to release the space without penalty, however, if it's cancelled too late, the Tour Company is responsible for the cost, and if it goes empty, they will lose the total revenue. This is why many people that cancel last minute get penalized, by either losing their deposit or full package amount.

This is where you and the Internet come into play. The Travel Suppliers rely on the online travel companies such as 11thHour Vacations.com, Last Minute Vacations.com, and expedia.uk, which have these massive databases that can update in minutes! They are the backbone in driving great deals online quickly to the public, and where you can enjoy fantastic savings. Sometimes you can book specials that come available up to two weeks prior to the date you would like to depart!

About the author: William Lezubski (Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC), and Certified Travel Counsellor(CTC) - William is a professional in the Travel Industry and is the owner and author of "Discount Caribbean Vacations Web Site" available at http://www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com

[tags]all inclusive vacation specials, cheap all inclusive holidays, inclusive, vacation, travel, packages[/tags]

Safety Tips For Moving With Pets

Which kind is your pet? The pooch who is the first one in the car when the door opens, or the kitty who runs to hide at the first hint of travel? Both kinds face dangers on the road, but there are steps you can take to protect them. Even the happiest traveler can get into trouble, and it can happen even on a short jaunt to the grocery store.

What can you do?

1. Always use ID tags. When traveling, add an extra tag with your cell phone number. If you don't use a cell phone, add the number of a trusted friend who will be at home while you're on the road.

2. If your pets are microchipped, be sure to call and update your address and phone number. If they aren't microchipped, consider having it done.

3. Keep your pet contained. The back of a pickup is NOT a safe place, but if your pet must travel there, either put him in a secure carrier, or cross tie him so there's no chance that he can fall or be thrown over the side. Falling from trucks is a major cause of lost and/or injured pets. Sometimes the fall is fatal. Also, remember that the temperature of your metal pickup bed corresponds to the weather. Use a liner so that you don't burn his feet, or freeze them!

4. While a few cats travel well in cars and stay put, they should ride in a carrier so they can't jump out when the door opens and can't suddenly decide to ride under the driver's feet or around his or her neck.

5. If at all possible, contain your dogs in a carrier inside the car. This is a safety precaution for both you and the dog.

6. Remember the heat factor. Don't take your pet if you'll have to stop for more than 5 minutes on a hot day. Temperatures inside your vehicle can reach killer heights in a matter of minutes. You love him…don't cook him! Cold weather holds a similar danger for your short haired friends.

7. Take water and a water dish! When you reach for a drink remember your pet probably needs one too.

8. When you stop for a potty break, keep your pet on a leash. Even the most well trained dog can become frightened and bolt. You don't want your best friend running in traffic, and you don't want him lost up a mountain side or wandering in a strange city.

9. Don't discount anxiety. For pets who don't like to ride, anxiety comes from the trip itself. Moving to a new home can cause emotional upset for ALL pets. Your vet can prescribe a sedative for extreme anxiety, and there are also homeopathic products to help calm their nerves. Check at your nearest pet store.

10. Plan ahead and be sure to take medical records on long trips or moves. If you're missing any vaccination certificates, ask your vet for copies. You may have to give proof of vaccinations if crossing state lines. If you're relocating, your new veterinarian will want to know your pet's medical history, when he had his last vaccinations, etc. Proof of rabies protection is vital at this time, because an emotionally distraught pet could bite. (Yes, even your dog who has never hurt a fly.) Without proof of a rabies vaccination the dog would have to be quarantined, if not put down.

Moving day is a dangerous time for your pets. Take these additional precautions:

Containment: Do NOT try to keep an eye on the dog and cat and the moving all at the same time. Doors will be opening constantly and no one can watch every minute.

If your new home has a secure fenced yard in an area where the movers (or the family) will not need to go back and forth, it could be a safe place, but check often. Stop occasionally to give a treat or throw a ball… let him know that this is an OK place and that you are nearby.

If you own a kennel cage, put it up first and put your dog inside until things settle down. Be sure to stop and talk to him now and then.

If you own kennels that your pets use for sleeping or riding, place them in the quietest room of the house and put your pets in them until the movers have left or everything is unloaded. Leave the cats in their travel carriers until you're sure the doors won't be opened by movers.

If you have no fenced yard and your dog is accustomed to staying home without one, be sure to go outside with him the first several days. If you must leave him outside alone, tie him on a long chain or cable tie. (Not a rope - they are too easily chewed.) You and the dog may hate the idea, but his safety is worth a few days of discomfort.

Anxiety:

If your dog sees his role in life as protector, he or she will hate the movers being there and handling your belongings. Put him in the back bedroom or the yard where he can't see what's going on. Don't let him follow them back and forth, because this is a sure formula for disaster. You don't need your dog being lost or hurt, and you don't need to deal with your insurance over a dog bite. Remember, even the calmest dog WILL BITE if severely provoked.

Remember that moving to a new home is traumatic for your pets. After things settle down on moving day let them take a tour of the house, with you along acting relaxed and happy. Don't transmit your fatigue to your pets!

Understand that your housebroken friend may relapse at this time. If your new home was formerly occupied by other pets yours may feel a need to "mark" their territory. Not a pleasant thing, and not to be condoned, but don't go ballistic on them. If it appears that marking will be an ongoing problem you may have to shampoo the carpets with a special shampoo designed to kill the odors left by previous pets.

Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter and co-founder of the Animal Rescue group in her hometown. She offers discounted rates for rescue groups needing fundraising letters and/or newsletters. You can visit her at www.marte-cliff.com

[tags]dogs, cats, travel, pet safety, moving with pets, pet cpntainment, pet anxiety[/tags]

Exploring Ancient Cyprus

The Eastern Mediterranean is a hotbed of human history. From Troy and her famous citizens to the vast Roman Empire that conquered the region with such panache, many thousands of years of human drama have unfolded in this small corner of the world.

The island of Cyprus is no exception. Great temples, ancient cities and magnificent residences merge to provide a collage of life on Cyprus that stretches back more than 10,000 years.

At Choirokoitia, near present-day Larnaca, a village of stone dwellings stands as evidence of the beginnings of life on Cyprus. Archaeologists have dated activity at Choirokoitia to 7500BC. The Neolithic Cypriots who inhabited the village would have spent their days farming the surrounding lands and hunting with tools fashioned from stone.

A visit to Choirokoitia really is a humbling experience…and one that is unforgettable.

The Ancient Greeks and Romans
Fast forward a few thousand years and we find ourselves admiring the legacies of the ancient Greeks who came to Cyprus. The ancient city-kingdoms of Amathus and Kourion, both now sprawling archaeological sites near the Limassol coastline, offer us a glimpse into a world dominated by lust, war and veneration of the Gods.

By the early years of Christianity the Romans arrived on the shores of Cyprus. In typical Roman style the Empire set about embellishing the older Grecian structures, placing their own architectural stamp-mark on Cyprus. Amphitheatres like the magnificent example at Kourion and the smaller but still very impressive Paphos Odeon near Paphos, are Roman creations that are 'must see' attractions on a tour of ancient Cyprus.

No trip around the ancient Roman Empire in Cyprus though is complete without a visit to the Paphos Mosaics. Situated in Kato Paphos, close to the modern-day harbour in the town, are three Roman villas sporting some of the finest examples of Roman floor mosaics in the entire Eastern Mediterranean.

The mosaics at the House of Dionysus show Dionysus - the Greek God of Wine - with Ikarios, the King of Athens. The House of Aion, which was the second Roman villa to have been uncovered on the site, depicts the birth of Dionysus. The third and arguably most impressive villa on the site describes Theseus and his mythological battle with the Minotaur in the Labyrinth.

Getting around Ancient Cyprus
The easiest way to tour Ancient Cyprus is to hire a car. Car hire can be booked in advance for pick up at the international airports of Larnaca and Paphos.

Most of the ancient archaeological sites are signposted from the main highways in Cyprus, so are easy to find. An entry fee is normally charged at each site, but is equivalent to no more than 1 or 2 euros / dollars per adult.

Seb Jay is a freelance writer. For Cyprus hire cars visit http://www.your-carhire.com

[tags]travel,cypus,archaeology,ancient,kourion,paphos,limassol,romans,greeks,europe,mediterranean[/tags]