Top Things To Do In New Zealand

Throughout New Zealand
Buy the Lord of the Rings location guide, and do some hunting out of familiar scenes from the LOTR trilogy.

North Island
Cape Reinga and 90 Mile Beach
Swim with the dolphins in Paihia, Bay of Islands
Vertigo Climb, Auckland Skytower - beyond the observation decks, and wear an orange suit to do it.
Take a ferry or kayak from Mission Bay, Auckland to Rangitoto Island & climb to the top.
Waiheke Island - only 35 mins by ferry from Auckland, for some great wineries, maybe spend the night.
Raglan- & catch some wild surf.
Waitomo Haggas Honking Holes and tubing the glow-worm caves
Kayak from Whitianga to Cathedral Cove - then go to Hot Water beach and dig your hole in the sand
Drive from Opotiki to Gisborne then around the East Cape and back to Opotiki
Hawkes Bay- wineries, East Coast, North Island
Whakatane- Take a scenic flight over White Island, an active volcano.
Rotorua - to see the geysers, thermal activity and smell, visit Te Whakawerwera for your Maori cultural experience.
Drive out to Lake Tarawera near Rotorua- check out the Blue and Green lakes on the way
Taupo- Tandem Skydive 12,000ft
Craters of the moon outside of Taupo
Tongariro Crossing- one of the best one-day walks in the world, stunning scenery with volcanoes
Walk up Mount Taranaki- West Coast, North Island
Watch the sun rise at Te Araroa - the eastern most place in NZ
Martinborough- wineries- bottom East Coast, North Island
Te Papa Museum in Wellington- you could spend all day here learning about NZ / Maori -culture

South Island
Abel Tasman- for relaxing walking and kayaking around the National Park
Walk the Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough Sounds- Top, South Island Marlborough- wineries, top East Coast, South Island
Kaikoura- for whale watching and swimming with dolphins
4 day hike, Banks Peninsula - East Coast, South Island
Moeraki Boulders - East Coast, South Island for unusual round boulders Christchurch- Arts Centre
Akaroa- for a bit of French New Zealand history
Dunedin- for historic homes, albatross, yellow eyed penguins and seal colonies
Oamaru- for Old Oamaru Stone buildings and Penguin watching
Pancake Rocks and blowholes- Punakaiki, upper West Coast, South Island Mount Cook - South Island
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers- West Coast, South Island
While looking at the glaciers in the Fox/Franz Josef area take a cruise out to Lake Matheson first thing in the morning to take some amazing photos of the reflection of Mount Cook in the water
Wanaka- a relaxing place in Central Otago
Arrowtown- an old Central Otago Goldfields town with an old Chinese village, 20 minutes from Queenstown
Queenstown- for adventure activities and party atmosphere
Pipeline Bungy Jump in Queenstown
Drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy- have a beer at the Glenorchy pub, after stopping and taking plenty of photos whilst on the drive
Queenstown- wineries
5 day trek of Routeburn/Greenstone Track
Walk Milford Track- one of the Worlds best.
Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park- lower West Coast, South Island Doubtful Sound in the Fiordland National Park- swim with dolphins
The Catlins- for nature East Coast, South Island
Stewart Island- for nature bottom South Island

Once you have done all these things you will have had a great look around beautiful New Zealand

http://www.newzealandatoz.com New Zealand AtoZ provides useful New Zealand information to travelers, including a full list of all New Zealand car, motorhome and campervan rental companies along with their daily hire rates Your complete guide to New Zealand.

[tags]new, zealand, travel, vacation, holiday, top, things, activities, ltor,[/tags]

Some Like It Cold

Beaches, swimming pool havens, and tropical islands all across the globe are favorite summer destinations of vacation hungry Americans. Hot spots like the Caribbean, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, and Southeast Asia look just about mouth-watering as a huge grilled piece of steak. But there are also quite a number of us who would rather spend 109 degree weather indoors with our lemonades and our divine air conditioning. Some would even go to farther lengths just to snuggle up with their loved ones in the cold. Are you one of those people who just aren't built for fine warm climates? Are you tired of the smoldering heat? Are bikinis and surfing just too much for your taste to handle? If you are indeed summer's fair-weather friend, fly to the nearest possible arctic escape and enjoy snow, wind, and hale in the middle of the heat wave.

If you are not worried about denting your bank account and you simply have all the time in your hands, I suggest you go international. I hear Switzerland is just completely fabulous this time of year. Temperatures in most Switzerland cities barely even reach 80 degrees during the summer, which is around 26 degrees centigrade. Most tourists would go there in June or July. This is the ideal time for availing tours, then it gets quiet for another couple of months. Tourist season peaks up again some time around September and October after the summer wave when mountain roads and peak passes are still manageable from the snow. Bern, which happens to be the largest city in the Bernese Oberland alpine region of Switzerland, has a long list of chic and elegant ski resorts that's sure to endear any traveler; Gstaad, Interlaken, Grindelwald, Murren, Kandersteg, and Wengen to name the most popular ones. Its mountain ranges are beautiful and captivating all year round, but summer would be the best time to visit to completely enjoy the outdoors as much as the indoor amenities. At tripadvisor.com, you would be able to find great ticket deals and hotel accommodations to virtually anywhere in the world. Fill out the date and destination fields for real time availability and cost estimates. It actually doubles as your very own personal travel agent so you would be able to pick up more information about your travel destination, and maybe even learn about a great new place to visit next time you fly.

For shorter vacations, why not fly domestic and rediscover the overwhelming beauty that is North America. Last summer, my family and I decided to visit some friends in the north, and the unusual cool airiness and refreshingly crisp ambiance made it my best American summer yet. Juneau, Alaska is definitely a welcoming delight in the summer. The urbane summer hot spot used to be a mining town in the 1800's, but through the centuries it managed to transform itself into a hub of local and foreign culture. Anchorage used to be the only airport that welcomed tourist into the state. But with Juneau's expansion and international appeal, prominent local flight providers such as Alaska Airlines and ERA Aviation have created cost-efficient deals to fly directly into the city. Wine, dine, and relax at a resort that triumphantly shows off the city's breathtaking glacier vista views and conveniently directs you to a variety of whale watching spots. Get a good deal and discount on flight and accommodations to Juneau at www.alaskaair.com. For other available discounted packages, compare super saver deals with various American airlines and destinations on hoppa.com.

Not a huge fan of flying? I strongly suggest you go coach. You should take the train or the bus to a much closer local resort that you and your friends have always been planning to see. You might not get to ski in the majestic snowy slopes or share a cup of hot cocoa in front of the blazing fireplace, but you still get that long overdue vacation you truly deserve. At www.coachusa.com, you can get more information on their daily scheduled bus routes, exciting individual city tours, fun group sightseeing tours, and even first class charter services. It's the summer, for crying out loud, so go out there and be sure to enjoy every minute of it.

For more valuable information on discount shopping, discount travel, please visit http://www.shoppersdiscount.com.

[tags]discount shopping, discount travel[/tags]

Bulgaria - Like Spain 30 Years Ago

Before one of my recent trips to Bulgaria, I was surfing the net for information about the country in general. I came across a line on a property website that claimed "Bulgaria is like Spain 30 years ago". It set me thinking………

When I was in my early teens I travelled across Europe with my younger brother and parents every summer. We would just set off with no clear plans as to where we were going to end up, but a rough idea of when we would be back, which was basically when we were down to our last pound note!

We didn't have the luxuries I or my children take for granted as today's seasoned travellers – such as crisp clean hotel beds and room service. We either had an over- ladened roof rack, stacked high with our camping gear and clothes, or if we were a little better off that summer, we had a second hand caravan hitched to the back of our old car. I remember the caravan was always sold on our return to tide us over while Dad went back to work.

I vividly remember one summer, when my father had ingeniously welded together two bread vans – yes bread vans and made them into a camper van, but the really clever bit was, when we arrived on the camp site, the rear section slid out, to give twice the living and sleeping area – although not very good for the "street cred" of two cool 70's teenagers - we certainly had fun.

My point is, we saw and experienced on those adventures, some of the most traditional and native parts of France, Italy and most of all Spain.

So, is Bulgaria like Spain 30 years ago? Well, in my humble opinion – yes, in many ways…………...

The roads for instance – in Spain, their motorways were simple dual carriageways, poorly maintained and infrequent. Until this year - Bulgaria's roads were very similar – where you would hope to have found a sturdy motorway you might find a two-laned, pot hole ridden, carriageway, unfit for donkeys never mind cars – and in-land, donkeys were more common! This year however, I am pleased to note, that with EU funding the new motorway is nearly finished and many of the main artery roads have now been re-surfaced – but the "four by four" transport still most commonly used in the quaint rural regions is still the donkey and cart!

Just like the Spain of my youth.

The toilets – I remember many tears in my youth, where I had the embarrassment of squatting down behind a tree, at the side of a dusty Spanish road, with my nether regions exposed to any passing insect or giggling doe eyed Spanish boy, because I just couldn't travel any further looking for an English style toilet to sit on! We had travelled mile after mile, because I had stubbornly refused to use the traditional Spanish "squat pot" – a smelly hole in the ground, with a porcelain tray with dirty footprints on either side, giving you a hint as to where to put your feet! Yuck!! But I wonder, was the tree any better?

Over the past three years I have travelled the length and breadth of Bulgaria, on my business travels – not looking for an English style toilet to sit on, but certainly wishing I could find one!! Mile after mile, I have refused to visit their "squat pots", but I am happy to report that they are now cottoning on – many of the little roadside cafes and bars of the rural regions have now been re-furbished, and you can find more and more "proper" toilets", and in the tourist resorts, it would be very unusual to have to go looking for your own private "tree"!

The people – one of the things that stands out from my childhood holidays are the memory's of the people in Spain. They were always so eagar to please, particularly when you escaped into the countryside. I remember many occasions when we were given fruit from the trees and drinks from the villagers, even though there was no café to speak of, the people genuinely wanted to meet us, to try and chat to us and always to shake hands – that way they could brag to their friends and relations that they had met the foreigners! Bulgaria today is very similar.

As I travel across Bulgaria, from village to village, acquiring property and land, I have the good fortune to meet many Bulgarians – mainly the older generation, the grandmas and grandads left behind to tend the crops. You can see them in summer particularly, bent double from years of hoeing the land that their fathers and their grandfathers tended. Working away in their cut off wellies, with their 80 year old daughters bringing them a glass of home made rakia or beer – they break off to tell you, proudly, how many generations have ploughed those fields, how many brothers and sisters they have left and thrust upon you the fruits of their labours – literally, the largest bulbs of garlic I have ever seen, apples, plums, carrots – you name it they grow it. I suppose when you bear in mind that they get the equivalent of less than £10 per month in pension, they have to grow everything and anything they can, to either eat or exchange with their neighbours. This is an old way of life, a harsh and un-comfortable way of life, but also a calm and un-complicated way of life – many of us, who rush from one crisis to another, watching the clock, reporting to the boss, struggling with the bills, are looking towards this sort of calmer lifestyle for our early retirement.

Many of my clients, whilst not looking to spend generations farming the land, are certainly looking for the peace and tranquillity that comes with rural living, whether it be in the Spain of yesteryear, or the Bulgaria of today, the opportunities to settle in some of the little villages just 30 or 40 minutes from the coast have never been greater. From as little as £8,000 or £9,000, British people are settling in these villages and breathing life back into these havens. Renovating and building properties, alongside their grateful and friendly neighbours, this is a new kind of heaven. You may have a nice 4 by 4, whilst your neighbour has a horse and cart, and you may have a luxurious pool, whilst your neighbour bathes in an old tin bath, and your pension may buy a whole years groceries in one month – but your neighbours won't mind, they will still share with you what they have, still watch out for you, so they can greet you with a smile and a handshake…..

So is Bulgaria like Spain was 30 years ago? Well in my opinion yes, but Bulgaria is moving faster, learning quicker and has an honesty about it that Spain lost somewhere along the way - Go and see for yourself – Bulgaria has so much to offer everyone.

[tags]Bulgaria, Spain, Tenerife, Holiday Homes, Holdiay Home investments, Bulgarian Mortgages, travel help[/tags]

Fliying To Barcelona Airport Please Get Me Out Of Here

There is only one airport in Barcelona city, commonly known by the locals as "L'Aeroport del Prat".

Barcelona Airport is located 12 kilometres south-east of Barcelona city centre and 3km from Barcelona's harbour (one of the most important in the Mediterranean Sea).

There are a few ways you can get from Barcelona Airport to the city centre, let's have a look at them so you can go by;

* Taxi

* AeroBus

* Night Bus

* Train

* Car

By Taxi

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By Taxi is without doubt the fastest way to leave Barcelona Airport but not necessarily the fastest way to get to your destination. Barcelona, is a big modern city and has so much traffic that sometimes it can drive you nuts.

For a detailed tariff list see below;

There are taxis 24/7 all year long and they'll always have change of a 20€ note (this is your right as a customer) but any bigger note than that, could cause you problems when paying, especially late at night.

Taxi drivers have been obliged to accept guide dogs for blind people since 1993 by law.

For a selection of Taxi companies telephone numbers, see list below (you can also use these numbers to book a taxi).

By AeroBus

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The AeroBus is, as you may have already guessed, a Bus service. It's simply one of those "Airports to City Centre destinations only" that all big airports have.

You buy the ticket on the bus, it costs (at the time of writing) 3'60 ? one-way and 6'15 ? return, they accept Visa. During the day there is usually one AeroBus to Barcelona city centre every 12 minutes.

Check a detailed timetable below,

The journey from Barcelona Airport to the city centre is about 30 minutes long and it stops in 3 other important key destinations before it ends in "Plaça de Catalunya".

For the whole route check below;

By Night Bus

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There is also a regular local night bus, the 106, which takes you from Barcelona airport to "Plaza España". This is the only late night public transport service available.

For a detailed timetable see below,

Try to be at the bus stop about 10 minutes early, as the timetables are approximate and it always depends on traffic.

You can buy a ticket on board just try to have some change on you.

If you don't know where you have to get off, ask tell the driver which your stop is and he'll let you know.

By Train

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The trip takes around 30 minutes. The price depends on where you stop but getting to the centre will cost you 2'30 ?

You can get straight into four of Barcelona's main train stations offering connections to anywhere in Spain.

For a detailed timetable see below,

Be warned that you'll need your ticket on arrival at your destination, so don't throw your ticket away. While you can take your pets on local transport, they must be on a lead or in some sort of cage.

You can also take bicycles on the local train but there are some restrictions at peak times.

For a map of all the Train Zones and Stations see below,

By Car

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There are many car hire companies based in Barcelona Airport, for a detailed list of these companies with contact details and web address see below.

Depending on where you are going you'll need to take one or the other. If you plan to drieve in the city you'd better get hold of a good street map, remember Barcelona isn't a small city (over 3 million people live there and most of them have cars)

The journey to the city could take about 20 minutes but that will depend on traffic conditions.

If you plan to stay in Barcelona city, I wouldn't recommend hiring a car as it'd be more trouble than it's worth and public transport can take you anywhere at anytime. However if you plan to visit the outskirts of the city, a car would be helpful.

Read the full article Flying to Barcelona Airport? Get me out of here with all the missing details & more. Travel Spain Barcelona

[tags]travel spain barcelona, barcelona airport[/tags]

Albania - Tirana, Korca, And Petrela Castle

Located in Southeastern Europe, Albania is a country off of the beaten travel road. Of course, this makes Albania a great place to visit.

Albania – History

Albania is a Mediterranean country sitting on the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. The country is bordered to the north by Serbia and Montenegro, Greece to the south and Macedonia to the east. Involved in the massive strife arising in the former Yugoslavia, the country was previously a Soviet-Bloc country. These days, Albania is a democracy fighting to find its economic feet.

Tirana

Tirana is the capital of Albania and has a population of a little over 300,000. The city is an eclectic mix of traditional European structures, soviet style five story buildings and mid-east influenced architecture. Relatively small, Tirana is a city with a small town feel.

Korca – Rugs, Rugs, Rugs

Korca is a city located in the east of Albania close to the border of Greece. Built high up on a plateau, Korca is a must see if you love Turkish style rugs and carpets. The entire city seems to be devoted to the manufacture and sale of every size, color and type of rug. If you're staying overnight, Hotel Iliria is your best option.

Petrela Castle

Dating back to 500 AD, Petrela Castle is an ancient structure, which is in relatively good shape considering the history attached to it. At one time or another, Petrela was the primary defense of the city of Durres. It has been held, used and conquered by Romans, Greeks, Turks and other. Seriously off the beaten path, getting to Petrela requires a sturdy Jeep or Landcruiser. It is a very bumpy road, but the view is more than worth it.

While Albania is struggling to recovery from a communist pass, it is a fairly safe place to visit. The people are nice and it is definitely an opportunity to visit a country off the beaten path.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of travel journals. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles about Albania and Adventure Travel.

[tags]albania, korca, tirana, Petrela Castle, rugs, travel, eastern europe, europe,[/tags]

Involving Your Baby In Christmas Celebrations

The Christmas holiday period is a time when, for millions of families, the daily routine is likely to change, sometimes drastically or sometimes just a little. If you have a new born, or very young, baby in the house, do not believe that they will not be aware of what's going on just because they are lazing around in their crib sleeping most of the time. They will be aware of differences in their environment, so it is a good idea to think about the well being of the baby in advance, and plan your Christmas period accordingly.

Probably the first sign that something different is going on in the home will be the Christmas decorations and ornaments going up. While the baby may seem oblivious to all commotion and activity as the decorations go up all around, there is a good chance that a baby who has lived in the house for a few months will be very aware of them, even if they cannot focus on the detail of the decorations themselves. This is a good time to get the baby involved in Christmas, right at the start, by letting them lie in the room being decorated while they are awake. Let them watch the rest of the family as they hang the Christmas tree decorations and lights, and all the other ornaments. Once in a while, take over an ornament that is bright and let her see it up close; find some that make a noise, and let her hear the gentle sounds up close. Nothing too noisy, of course, that will scare the baby, just the gentle sounds. Also, pick her up and take her up close to hanging ornaments. That will help the baby feel a part of what is going on, even if they do not have a clue what it is all about.

If your Christmas holiday is being spent at home, then the routine with the baby need not change too much. If you are expecting a lot of guests, though, then it may be rather different, so try not to forget to plan for the baby too. If you are getting caught up in a frenzy of cooking and other preparation in the days before Christmas, and on Christmas morning, then try to involve the baby just a bit, by allowing her to lie in the kitchen with you, or in whatever room the preparation may be going on. Remember, your baby will sense stress and anxiety in the parents, so it is best to allow plenty of time for your preparation so that you are not too rushed and stressed out.

If the baby is used to having a lot of people around, then she will probably not be too disturbed by the sudden influx of visitors. Even then, remember she needs peaceful periods, and when she joins the throng while awake it is worth keeping an eye on whether she is becoming overwhelmed by too much boisterous attention, especially as the alcohol may flow later in the day, or sooner in some cases. Always remember, your baby just needs love, warmth, care, food and security, so as long as you remain conscious of those things at all times, then your baby can enjoy Christmas as much as you, even though she may not be able to tell you so.

If you are going away, then the routine upset will be greater, so it may not be quite so easy for baby or parents. Everything mentioned above for staying at home still applies, and the travel preparation should be no different than for an ordinary trip away. However, take extra care and ensure you have everything that you will need for the baby while travelling and away, listed well in advance and organised in plenty of time. Depending on where you live, there may not be shops open on Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve shopping may be a stressful nightmare for you and the baby. So, it is well worth getting yourself, and your baby's, things well organized in advance.

Christmas should be a great time for you, your family and your baby. Much will be just as normal, but it is always worth remembering that she will be aware of anything that is different, whether in surroundings, tension levels, or sounds. If you are breastfeeding, you should be aware that what you eat and drink will provide her milk.

So long as you remain aware of those things, and act accordingly, your baby will be happy, and have a good grounding for getting more involved next Christmas.

This baby care article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner author of the Bouncing New Baby website. Ably assisted by his baby daughter, he is also responsible for the Baby Blog

[tags]baby travel,baby holiday,christmas baby,christmas with new baby,baby visitors,including baby[/tags]

Plane Trip With Kids

Though you can cover even very long distances by car if you have the guts to, as soon as it comes to crossing water, you'll have to stick to a plane. The equation is the same as usual: limited space + long time of inactivity = whiny, annoying children.

The big difference towards a car is that when you're on a plane, you can't just stop and let your children run around a bit, and you even have to share it with a lot of other people (who probably want to have a rest). So how to keep the little ones calm?

Entertainment electronics cut in again. Modern airlines provide a small tv in the back of the seat even for economy class, or at least one hanging from the ceiling, which might be difficult for your kids to see if they're not sitting on the corridor side. If you don't have that kind of luxury, a camcorder with headphones will do the trick. Modern camcorders have a little flatscreen, so you can use it as a mobile tv/vcr combination. For older children, a laptop with a DVD-player can do the job as well. But keep in mind to charge the batteries before!

Airplane food is generally not very tasty. The free drinks, though, are acceptable, and if you're in with a baby or toddler, the cabin crew will surely help you warming up some milk. Still, you should bring some snacks in case your kid's don't like the food.

Even for adults, the pain in the ear from the pressurizing during liftoff and landing can be quite annoying, so how much more for children. If they're too young for chewing gum, a drink (best with a straw) also helps.

Be careful with your choice of toys. The playground size is very limited, and things easily get lost under the seat, or worse, under someone else's seat. You normally have a tray built in there, so you can set it as a limit. The temperature in airplanes tends to be slightly too cold, especially when your flight is ongoing for some time already and you haven't moved much. So it's useful to dress your kids in layers, that makes it easier to adjust. For yourself, avoid white clothes and have a spare shirt in your handluggage when you're dealing with babies.

Brigette Meier is an occassional author for http://www.e-nterests.com - visit the site for more interesting articles.

[tags]plane trip kids, kids trip, plane kids, kids travel[/tags]

Haiti Fortress In The Sky

[summer of 1986] Let me give you a little background before I get into the actual site. I went to Haiti, nineteen of us flew into Port de Prince, and stayed at an orphanage for a few days (slept on a blanket, on the roof top, swatting cockroaches); then got some Jeeps, and went into them mountains, it was during the summer so it was miserable hot. I had two main objects; first to go up to an area where there was a little village and help put in the foundation for a medical clinic. The local doctor, local in the sense he was 20-miles away, would not come to this village until there was clinic. So anyhow, I helped build the walls, doing some masonry work, and touched up the concrete slap putdown for the floor. The roof would have to wait.

After a few weeks up there, lying on the floor of one of the three churches that were there, other than that, there really were no accommodations, my work was completed. People slept in shanties, on the floor with mats. So in Rome you do as the Romans do, so did I.

On my way back to Port de Prince, I stopped at what some call the 8th wonder of the world, Haiti's Citadel. It is on top of a hill, three thousand feet up. Consuming about the same area of the Acropolis of Athens (where I was in l995, and what a beautiful view of the city from up there). When I was there they were dong some renovation. The Citadel is a fortress on a hill, and was constructed to keep Napoleon's fleet at a distance, and perhaps other foes. The walls are some 15-feet thick. Twenty-thousand workers, worked on this project. Many were killed or died in the process. It was built in the early 1800s.

I had noticed it was decaying when I was there, so it was nice to see the renovation process in action. Below the Citadel was the San Souci Palace and its grounds were also being renovated. I drove by there, and only stopped in front of it too takes a few pictures, I was anxious to make it back to Port de Prince.

They were starting to rebuild a roof on one of the main sections on the fortress; I suppose because of the tropical downpours, it is a decaying foe to the fortress. Not sure if I saved any souls up in this land of Christianity in the day light, and voodoo in the moonlight. But all and all it was a most adventurous trip.

Dennis Siluk's books can be seen at http://www.bn.com

[tags]Travel[/tags]

Hello From Cuba (7) - Fun And Recreation

So, of course, not everything is politics, learning, philosophizing and studying languages. Life also has to include some fun. And Cubans, despite all the hardships, know how to have fun. They love to laugh, to dance, to make music, and they are very sensual people. The women in particular around here are very good-looking (for the most part) and they dress in very tight, sexy clothes. It´s been a true delight observing the Cuban lifestyle.

For me it all starts with the "GuaGua", the official local Havana transit system: overcrowded, with extremely long line-ups, and people pressed up against each other. I have read that the GuaGua is like the local Saturday night movie: it contains "sex, violence and crude language".

Yesterday my friend Pedro and I took the GuaGua for the first time. As a foreigner, I would never take the GuaGua by myself and my professor recommended me not to. But with my friend Pedro as a tourist guide and body guard I felt safe. And indeed you have to line up (sometimes for several buses since each one of them is full), and then when you are inside you have to elbow your way to the back exit to get off at the back door. And it´s not surprising that pick-pocketing and some physical groping is quite normal. I certainly clutched my little backpack in front of me and didn´t let anything out of my sight.

2 evenings ago, Pedro and I went for a walk along the Malecon (waterfront promenade) and we had a peak at the "United States Office of Interests" (there is no US embassy here due to the political tension between these 2 countries). The US Office of Interests is a heavily guarded austere looking office building and right in front of it is a square that (I believe it´s called La Plaza Anti-Imperialista) where the Cubans hold anti-American demonstrations and parades, sometimes a million people strong. Another rather ironic constellation....

We then walked through the Vedado area and entered the famous Hotel Nacional, built as a grand hotel in 1930. Although Cubans normally may have problems entering luxury hotels by themselves, we were not held up by any guards and we ended up sitting and chatting for almost 2 hours in the beautiful gardens of the Hotel Nacional. That evening the Hotel also had a concert by the Buena Vista Social Club, but I decided I didn´t want to spend Can$30 plus. Next week I might have a chance to go to the Casa de la Musica and hear music for $5.00 instead.

My friend also explained to me the male-female dynamics in Cuba, that casual relationships (including sex) are very normal and that a young guy and woman can link up for a steamy night and return to being regular friends the next day. The same apparently applies in marriages where the concept of fidelity is apparently not very deeply entrenched. Some very interesting insights which are in quite strong contrast to the official morale in Canada....

Yesterday after class Pedro and I took a private car (which can always be organized in some way through somone) to Havana´s famous Playas del Este area, the cost is not cheap: more than US$25.00 for a few hours. Playas del Este is an area with kilometers of light sandy beaches with light blue and turquoise water, simply beautiful. The area where we went is mostly frequented by Cubans, although we also saw a few middle-aged Russian tourists with young beautiful Cuban jineteras. My friend had not been at a beach for the last 2 years since the public transport is so cumbersome and other alternatives are too expensive. And there are many Cubans who never even leave their local neighbourhoods. Living in such a beautiful country and not even having access to a beach - indeed hard to imagine...

The water was gorgeous, and scarred from the Canadian winter, all my pores opened up and soaked up the sun. But even changing into my bikini was a half hour ordeal! There are no changerooms or washrooms on the beach and I had to wait in front of the lifeguard station for about 30 minutes (since the male lifeguards took their sweet little time) to change into my bikini. Same with drinks: I tried to buy a pop at the beach bar: closed. So I walked to another beach bar: closed. Finally I followed some locals to a goverment-owned store on the street: it was temporarily locked by a guard, supposedly because there were too many people in the store! So I had to wait another 15 minutes to buy the pop..... "Hacer cola" - being in a line-up - is a way of life here and you encounter long line-ups several times a day, in banks, stores, all sorts of places.

I also noticed that the local Cubans at the beach were having quite a lot of raucous fun, drinking beer (unimaginable in Canada: drinking beer in public!) and then tossing the cans into the ocean. Environmental awareness has a huge way to go here...

Tomorrow or on Sunday I am going to meet a professor of mine, a very nice lady in here mid to late 50s, and we are going to go to a local market together. And Pedro and I made plans to do a little excursion outside the city, I am either going to rent a car or Pedro is going to arrange a loal private car and together with his family (wife, sister-in-law and daughter) we are going to have a nice outing outside of the city, something that is very exceptional and a real luxury for local Cuban people. I am already looking forward to it...

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions(http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest(http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.

"Life is a Journey ­ Explore New Horizons".

The interview with photos is published at Travel and Transitions - Interviews

[tags]travel, travel web site, travel website, travel portal, travel information, spanish study, cuba[/tags]

Carl Sagan, Fritjof Capra On "The Dance That Reveals The Mysteries Of Universe" – Part I

In order to understand the mysteries of Universe one has to turn to Nataraja, The King of dance says Carl Sagan, the world renowned astronomer. He was the head of the Department of Astronomy, Cornel University. The famous 13 hour T.V serial, Cosmos: a Personal Voyage was viewed by an estimated ten million viewers in January 1982. He said that "The Hindu cosmology may contain the answer to the modern day astronomers' conflicting views that the universe may either be expanding or contracting." "If the universe is expanding as per the 'Big Bang' model of Fred Hoyle and Able Le Maitre, then what happens to the stars that expand, explode and died? Off, as another school of astronomy says, the universe is contracting and that the stars and galaxies are being pulled back to a centre of creation, where do they all go?" To find out the answer for this question he traveled to India. He found the answer in Nataraja , the Hindu God worshipped by millions of Hindus. Pointing to the statue of Nataraja, the dancing model of Shiva, he said, 'The answer lies in Hindu Cosmology." Pointing to the conch held by Shiva, Carl Sagan said : " "This symbolizes creation of the universe, stars, galaxies and the human being." Pointing to the fire in the other hand he added: This symbolizes destruction of what has been created." He was wonderstruck on knowing the wonderful aspect of Hindu cosmology. Why he has chosen India for Cosmos : a Personal Voyage? He explained it very clearly:

"The main reason that we oriented this episode of COSMOS towards India is because of that wonderful aspect of Hindu cosmology which first of all gives a time-scale for the Earth and the universe -- a time-scale which is consonant with that of modern scientific cosmology. We know that the Earth is about 4.6 billion years old, and the cosmos, or at least its present incarnation, is something like 10 or 20 billion years old. The Hindu tradition has a day and night of Brahma in this range, somewhere in the region of 8.4 billion years.

As far as I know, it is the only ancient religious tradition on the Earth which talks about the right time-scale. We want to get across the concept of the right time-scale, and to show that it is not unnatural. In the West, people have the sense that what is natural is for the universe to be a few thousand years old, and that billions is indwelling, and no one can understand it. The Hindu concept is very clear. Here is a great world culture which has always talked about billions of years. Finally, the many billion year time-scale of Hindu cosmology is not the entire history of the universe, but just the day and night of Brahma, and there is the idea of an infinite cycle of births and deaths and an infinite number of universes, each with its own gods. And this is a very grand idea."

Not only Carl Sagan, Fritjof Capra the famous scientist also admired Nataraja. In the next article we will see his analysis on Shiva Nataraja.

S. Nagarajan is a vehicle body engineer by profession. He has written more than 1300 articles in 16 magazines and published 18 books. He is revealing Eastern Secret Wisdom through T.V. Programmes, magazine articles, seminars, courses. His email address is: snagarajans@gmail.com. His articles on Yoga, laughter, efficacy of mantras and sound, Hypnotism, Tele Kinesis, Power of Prayer, Vastu and Feng Shui, Auto suggestion, Success Formula, Out of Body Experience etc are regularly appearing in ezinearticles.com. So far seventy two articles have been published in ezinearticles.com.

[tags]Carl Sagan, traveled to India , pointing Nataraja he said, "The answer lies in Hindu Cosmology[/tags]

What You Need To Know About Senior Citizens Travel

Are you drained of sitting at home, doing babysitting of your grandchildren? Have your dreams to explore the world not turned to reality? Are your eyes longing to capture the grandeur of the world around you? If yes, don't detain yourself from discovering the world. Your age should not be an impediment in living your life to the fullest.

When it comes to traveling, horde of choices are available for the senior citizens too.

From opting a perfect destination that lives up to their tastes to the mode to travel and the place to cuddle, all lie at their discretion.

· The destination

For those who enjoy basking in glory of the sun at the beaches, locations like Hawaii Islands, Bahamas and the like are ideal holiday spots. The connoisseurs of art and architecture can move to the cities like Barcelona, New Orleans etc. that are swarming with the masterpieces of eminent painters and architects. Evergreen places like Switzerland, Germany and so forth are never meant to be overlooked.

· The Decisive Factor

The determination of a destination is directly proportional to factors like budget, mode to transport, the climatic conditions and the food.

Most of the senior citizens prefer and desire to travel according to their pockets. Since the youth bids goodbye at this age, the potential to earn more takes a backseat. The expenditure is by and large made from the savings that mushroom a little. Keeping in mind the state of affairs of senior citizens, numerous travel agencies offer discount packages that can be availed in the peak as well as the off season.

If you propose to make a trip within the periphery of your country, the costs incurred will be significantly minimized. For instance, you can accomplish your destination by traveling via a bus, a rented car or a train. The fare will be relatively low as compared to outlay on air tickets. But bear in mind that money is not prior to life. If the distance is a bit too long and you haven't got the muscle to sit for long (in a train or bus) take a flight. Your health always precedes your wealth.

A majestic feel of heaven on earth is readily available on the deck of a cruise in a cruise voyage. There are several cruises that can serve you with the best of all amenities, all you have to do is discuss with your travel agent and search online about it.

At this age you should not excuse food as a crucial factor in determining the venue. A little search on the Internet and your travel agent can familiarize you with the cuisine, tastes of people and the luxury plus the budget restaurants at the place you propose to go. Also if you have a petite idea about the cuisine of the place, you can ask the locals the place they throng to gratify their hunger. This definitely will correspond to your pocket.

Try to leave the home when the weather conditions are adverse there and positive and enjoyable. It is always prudent to make an assessment of the climatic conditions beforehand and plan your trip accordingly.

· Some crucial tips

1. The senior citizens and students should be extra vigilant in carrying cash. Avoid moving with lot of cash. Take your credit card along. This safeguards you against uninvited perils.

2. Carry a mobile phone. If that is unaffordable, leave your complete itinerary and all the contact numbers (of the hotel, villa, apartment etc.) with your children.

3. Pack the clothes with your all your essential and even not so significant medicines.

4. Last but not the least, if on the cards get all the reservations done in advance for at this age you should excuse yourself from the last minute anxiety and stress.

Things can be easy in life, all one needs is a little planning and prudence.

Mansi aggarwal writes senior citizens travel topics. Learn more at http://www.seniortravelcentral.com.

[tags]senior citizens travel[/tags]

A Look At The Humidor Plan

There are many styles of humidors that range from the smaller traveling humidor to the large cabinet and even walk-in room humidors. By far, the most popular humidor is the glass top humidor also referred to as the desktop humidor.

While many people will choose to purchase an already made humidor, for those who are more inclined, the art of making one's own humidor can be a very appealing idea and lend bragging rights at the same time. By making one's own humidor, the cigar aficionado can choose the materials, the size, the design and the specific humidifier for his or her own personal creation. The only limit is the imagination of the individual. Whether one chooses to make a simple, rectangular box design or one decides to be more elaborate, choosing to tool the wood with intricate designs, there is no wrong approach.

Performing a simple search for a humidor plan, one can find a wide variety of designs and plans, some for free and some for very inexpensive prices. If one so chooses, there are even plans on the internet for making a humidor out of Tupperware®. One can make any humidor from the traveling humidor to the glass top humidor to the cabinet humidor. The biggest question one must ask is how much time and effort does one want to invest in the finished product.

The major materials for starting ones own project include: -Cherry or rosewood (for external sides of the humidor)
-Spanish cedar (for the interior finish)
-Hinges (for the top)
-Hygrometer (mounted externally for monitoring)
-Humidifier (for maintaining humidity levels)
-Propylene glycol and distilled water (to maintain humidity levels)
-Weather stripping material (to maintain a tight seal)

The basic process for making a humidor from wood with the hygrometer and the mechanical humidifier is as follow:

-Cut the cherry wood to make a bottom, the four sides and the lid
-Cut the Spanish cedar to fit inside the cherry and to be used as the internal lining
-Drill a hole in the front wall of the humidor to receive the hygrometer
-Place weather-stripping around the hole where the hygrometer will be inserted and mount the hygrometer
-Attach the walls and the bottom of the humidor according to the design. Usually, with smaller cases, simple wood glue can be used with small brad nail for support
-Insert the humidifier according to the instructions for the specific humidifier purchased
-Mount the lid hinges to the lid and then mount this to the back wall of the humidor
-Attach weather-stripping along the lip of the humidor where the lid will sit
-Turn the humidor on and allow it to run for at least 24 hours to test the operation and to ensure that the humidifier maintains an approximate 70% humidity level
-After checking, place your cigars in the humidor and enjoy

There are many variations of humidors, affected by taste, requirements and funds available. However, the above plan describes simple steps for building an effective humidor.

Humidors Info provides detailed information on cigar humidors, travel humidors, and humidor plans. Humidors Info is the sister site of Cigars Web.

[tags]humidors, cigar, travel humidor[/tags]

Getting And Treating "Monteczuma's Revenge"

Walking past the row of vendors cooking meat, sausages, French fries and small yellow potatoes was tempting. Sporting a fedora and a Grand Canyon smile, Charlie Martinez fronted his cart offerings of fresh-squeezed orange juice and fresh-strained carrot juice. We ordered one each. I opted for a fried sausage with some yellow potatoes. The potatoes were fine. "Don't eat that sausage", my wife Doris warned. I heeded not - even when I noticed it was slightly undercooked. That night I paid the price. Bathroom trips came every 20 minutes or so. The smell alone could kill. I swallowed Gatorade like an Olympic athlete in training to help prevent my growing dehydration. Finally, in the wee hours we headed for the emergency room. I had Giardiasis.

Giardia is a microscopic parasite which moves around using a pair of whiskers called flagella and lives in the small intestines. It is a common cause of diarrhea. Symptoms can include yellow, foul-smelling diarrhea with bubbles or froth but without blood or mucus, an uncomfortable, swollen abdomen, and mild cramps with lots of gas. The diarrhea may come and go from day to day. There is usually no fever. One symptom that is fairly specific to Giardiasis is passing stools which stink and are difficult to flush away because they float.

Recommended treatments are fairly straightforward. You could try 24 hours on clear fluids and a bland, fat-free diet with lots of rest before starting antibiotics. Giardia infections can often clear up by themselves. "Flagyl" (metronidazole) 2 grams per day for 3 days or Tinidazole (not available in the USA) are common. The drug Quinacrine (Mepacrine) works well too but can cause some side effects. Do not drink alcohol during treatment or you will feel ill. Competent medical treatment by a physician should always be sought for symptoms of any illness while in a foreign country.

Untreated Giardiasis normally does little harm except make you an unwelcome guest and cause some loss of weight. My case was treated with Tetracycline tablets for three days. The organism is transmitted through improper hygiene, especially fecal-oral transmission. Always observe proper hygiene and don't eat raw, uncooked or partially-cooked foods. Take NO foods or drinks with ice in them. Use treated or bottled water only at all times. Hotels in the mid-range and up often can recommend a physician or treatment for minor infirmities while you are abroad. Before traveling it's also a good idea to see your doctor for recommendations and advice. Protect your health. Protect yourself.

Two recommendable health references for travelers are:

"Bugs, Bites and Bowels" by Dr. Jane Wilson Howarth

"Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa and Latin America" by Dirk G. Schroeder

Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. As an expert author he can ghost-write original articles for your articles marketing campaign and content for your website, newsletter, blog or e-zine. Please e-mail him now with your requirements or details at: pentagon_elsb@hotmail.com.

[tags]diarrhea, travel illnesses, Giardiasis, parasites, Flagyl[/tags]

Increasing Opportunites For Skilled Migrants

Skilled Independent Migration has become increasingly popular with a number of countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Essentially, Skilled Independent Migration allows individuals with strong experience and/or education to migrate to another country with the right to work WITHOUT first needing to find an employer to sponsor a work permit. This gets round the problems faced by people seeing great jobs that they cannot apply for because the employer is unwilling to sponsor their work permit.

The purpose of allowing people to enter the country with the right to work already gained is to encourage the entry of people with exactly the skills that the country needs. These visas tend to be more flexible for the individual as they do not tie the person to only one company.

United Kingdom

The HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrant Programme) is a points based system. Applicants are awarded points for their education, experience and previous earnings and must be awarded a minimum of 65 points to qualify. Applicants who are under 28 will get points for this and find the criteria for other areas easier in terms of lower criteria for points being awarded. MBA students from certain universities around the world are also awarded HSMP purely based on their education. The HSMP Visa allows for an initial one year period, with a further three year extension to be applied for at the end of the first year. This scheme has proved very popular since its creation. You can use an online points calculator to get an idea as to whether you are likely to qualify, such as http://www.skillclear.co.uk/hsmp-highly-skilled-migrant-programme-points-calcultor.asp

Canada
The Federal Skilled Worker Visa is again a points based system, but rather more complex than the UK version, with additional points being available in a wider range of areas. These can include points for having a relative in Canada, for having a job offer, for French and English language skills and more. This Visa takes a considerable time to be approved presently, but many feel that the opportunities available in Canada make the wait more than worthwhile. Again, there are online points calculators available to find out if you qualify, such as http://www.skillclear.co.uk/canada/canada-skilled-worker-points-calculator-1.asp

Australia
Skilled Workers wishing to migrate to Australia face two main options - the full Skilled Worker Visa and the Skilled Independent Regional Visa. As its name suggests, the Regional Visa allows you to work in a specific region of Australia and is designed to encourage development of these areas specifically. The full Skilled Worker Visa allows you to work anywhere in Australia but requires you to gain a higher level of points. Again, these visas are more complex than the UK version.

New Zealand
New Zealand is working hard to encourage skilled migrants to move there and have lowered the pass mark from 195 points in 2004 to its current level of 100 points. As with Canada, having a close relative in New Zealand will gain you extra points and previous work experience gained in New Zealand can also gain you extra points.

For individuals with good education and/or experience, there is a strong initiative in these countries to try and encourage you to bring your skills and experience to their economies, representing increasing options available for individuals to experience different cultures and career opportunities.

SkillClear Immigration and Work Permit Services
http://www.skillclear.co.uk/

Dean Marshall is a Director and co-founder of http://www.SkillClear.co.uk - Immigration and Work Permit Consultants for the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

[tags]work, immigration, migrate, migration, emigration, emigrate, work permit, visa, travel[/tags]

Malaysian Holidays For Your Travel Itinerary

Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is a hidden gem for those willing to try something new. One of the best ways to experience the culture is to attend one of the many Malaysian holiday celebrations.

Malaysia is a beautiful country made up of 13 federated states located in Southeast Asia. Originally British colonies, Malaysia is now a multicultural and multilingual country with aspects of everyday life drawn from native Malay and British customs. The official language spoken here is Bahasa Malaysia, although Chinese residing in the country speak their own dialects of the Chinese language, and other languages are spoken sporadically as well.

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, and the country's population, spread out among the various states, is about 25 million. Most of the country is Islamic with anyone claiming to be of Malay decent (about 65% of the country) being Muslim. Other religions are also tolerated with Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity also found in Malaysia. Many of the most interesting celebrations in this country, however, are the Muslim holidays. Visiting the country during these periods can be a great experience.

One celebration in Malaysia that shouldn't be missed is the Moon Cake Festival. Ironically, it is a Chinese holiday made popular by the thousands of Chinese immigrants in residence here. This holiday, which takes place in August, September or October (there are no set dates for Muslim holidays, as they follow calculations from a lunar calendar) was started in the Mongolian dynasty of China. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth moon, and it is held to celebrate the end of the harvest season. The celebration is also associated with paper lanterns. The Moon Cake Festival is celebrated with mooncakes, which are round and about the size of your palm. Flavors range from black bean paste to lotus paste to yellow bean paste, and they are traditionally given to elders to foster better relations.

Another holiday in Malaysia worth experiencing is the Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which is a Muslim holiday where you can meet the King and Queen of Malaysia personally. The line for this privilege can stretch for miles outside the palace in Kuala Lumpur, but is worth the wait. After all, how many opportunities do you get to meet a king? During this holiday, Muslims practice an "open house" where anyone can drop by whether you know the hosts or not and share a feast. The Hari Raya Aidilfitri is one of the most festive of Muslim holidays, occurring after the fasting month of Ramadan.

Witnessing a country wide holiday in Malaysia is an experience not to be missed! Contrary to what you may see in the media, people are generally very friendly.

Rick Chapo is with Nomad Journals - makers of travel journals for preserving your experience on trips. Visit us to read more adventure travel articles.

[tags]malasia, asia, southeast asia, kuala lumpur, muslim, moon cakes, lantern, mooncakes, holiday, celebr[/tags]

Guide To Best Family Beaches In USA

Beaches have always been a hot favorite as vacation spots. When one needs an escape from their daily chores the gusting waters at the sea provide a perfect sight to sooth the senses. Nothing is more rejuvenating than the best of U.S. beaches. Among top rated beaches in U.S. is the Fort Desoto Park's North Beach, St Petersburg, Florida. The beach is a natural treasure for the city and accounts for majority of popularity enjoyed by it. It offers excellent opportunity for variety water games including kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, swimming, biking, camping and bird watching. A specialist attraction of the place is a dog park that enables one to go touring with their animal partners. Another vital facility offered here is ample parking space that is an essential requirement for any beach to be successful and popular. Concerned officers and administrators, who work to educate public about environmental concerns of the sea, contribute to enhance popularity of the beach through planned management and smart projects.

Ocracoke Islands, Outer Banks, North Carolina is another favorite beach for vacationers. Ocracoke Islands being surrounded by water on all sides is reachable only by air or water and is a part of Hyde County. Its banks spread to around 16 miles offering all possibilities for surfing, fishing and swimming. Many birds that migrate from water and land on the eastern flyway present exotic view for bird lovers.

One more beach adding to U.S. list of admired coastlines is Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii. The region offers excellent opportunities for high surfers and serves as a contest site for expert surfers. However there might even be dangerous waves at specific time spans. Both Amaama Road and Hee Road lead to Waioli Beach Park. Another popular coast is Hanauma Bay, on the island of Oahu that is essentially an underwater park.

Florida boasts of having finest coastlines that spread around 1,100 miles. It has beaches to suit everyone's taste. Shell Key, St. Pete Beach offers best birding opportunities with bird sanctuary spread more than half of the area. There is minimal concrete on the surface and consists of only natural beauties. Bahia Honda State Park is supreme tropical seashore revealing clear, gentle water. It serves as a tropical heaven on earth with swimming opportunities. Sebastian Inlet State Park at south of Melbourne Beach is excellent for surfing and is treated as capital of east coast. Another attraction of Florida's beaches is that of South Walton famous for its soothing effects on feet. The gleaming sand on the beach provide exciting experience when walking bare foot. This is basically due to fact that this sand is composed mainly of pure quartz that has been brought down by Appalachian Mountains. The list of Florida's superb coastlines extends to many other beaches but giving space to other seashores in U.S. are the following water bodies.

Massachusetts, Coast Guard Beach at Cape Cod is major swimming beach during summer season. The region has limited parking space and even that remains closed during summer days. Visitors to the place are taken to and fro by specific shuttle bus services provided at those days. The place is excellent for hiking opportunities.

Mansi gupta writes about family beaches in usa . Learn more at http://www.usbeachbum.com

[tags]family, beaches, travel, florida, duck[/tags]

Alice Springs - Australia's Outback Capital

The town of Alice Springs is located in the middle of the Australian continent and is the unofficial but undisputed capital of the Australia's vast outback. This unique town is rich in history and natural features, and is the perfect base from which to explore Australia's Red Centre which includes world famous features such as Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon and the MacDonnell Ranges.

Alice Springs is nestled in the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia. Roughly equidistant between Adelaide and Darwin, it lies almost at the geographical centre of Australia, approximately 1500 kilometres from any major Australian city in any direction. The highest mountain in the Northern Territory of Australia, Mount Zeil, rises to 1,525 metres out of the West MacDonnell Ranges about 200 kilometres west of Alice Springs. The town has a growing population of around 28,000 and is today a thriving regional centre where an amazing variety of tours, accommodation and activities for every taste and budget are available.

The history of Alice Springs began in 1871 with the construction of a telegraph repeater station, one of several such stations built between Adelaide and Darwin as part of the historic Overland Telegraph. Originally known as Stuart, this name was never really popular and in 1933 the town's name was officially changed to Alice Springs. Development was initially slow, with the original dirt road to Adelaide not being replaced until 1987. Until then, travellers including train travellers on the historic Ghan railway followed the same route north as that followed by early Scottish explorer John MacDouall Stuart, north from Port Augusta in South Australia to Alice Springs via the outback towns of Oodnadatta and Finke. Today, the Stuart Highway which runs from Adelaide to Darwin is a first class highway suitable for any vehicle.

Development in Alice Springs accelerated greatly in the 1980's, and the town today is a modern, moderate sized municipality with a wealth of resources and facilities compared to similar sized Australian towns. The Ghan Railway played a significant role in the town's development, first arriving in 1929. The railway line was recently extended north to Darwin, with the resulting route across the centre of the Australian continent from Adelaide to Darwin now representing one of the world's great train journeys.

A variety of historic buildings can be found in the centre of Alice Springs, including the original hospital in Adelaide House, the John Flynn Museum and Church, the Old Courthouse, the Residence and the Stuart Town Gaol. The original Telegraph Station is located in a reserve a short distance outside Alice Springs to the north. On the eastern side side of the normally dry Todd River, which runs through the centre of town, is the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, an arid zone botanical garden located right in the heart of town.

Alice Springs is located in a predominantly dry region, with glorious cloudless blue skies from April to September. Rainfall is unreliable and intermittent, but can normally be expected during the warmer summer months from October to March. During summer, temperatures of 40 degrees C (104-108 F) are common, while in winter (June to August) overnight temperatures often fall below freezing point. Winter days are typically bright and sunny, making this the most popular time of year for visitors.

Information about the Arrernte people of Alice Springs can be found at the Strehlow Research Centre, where many fascinating artifacts are displayed. The Araluen Arts Centre maintains a large collection of paintings by Aboriginal artists from the Alice Springs area, including renowned the watercolour painter Albert Namatjira. Many other activities are available in and around Alice Springs, including hot air ballooning, horse and camel riding, cycling, and excursions to nearby natural attractions in the MacDonnell Ranges. Alice Springs also hosts a variety of events and festivals in the cooler months between May and September.

Alice Springs is well serviced with accommodation suited to all tastes and budgets, from backpacker hostels to luxury hotels, and has several good restaurants. Alice Springs is easily accessible by air or bus from all Australian capital cities. To travel in style to Alice Springs, consider the luxurious Ghan train which departs from Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Cars can be carried on the Ghan so that your own transport is available when you arrive in Alice Springs.

Miguel Scaccialupo writes regularly on Alice Springs Tour topics including Alice Springs Tour destinations and Alice Springs Tour itineraries.

[tags]alice, springs, central, australia, tour, travel, holiday, vacation[/tags]

A World Cup Guide To Berlin

Out of the twelve German cities to play hosts to the FIFA 2006 World Cup Finals it is Berlin - Germany's capital - that has arguably the most important role to play. It is in this city on Sunday 9th July that two teams will contest the final game of the tournament, and one of those teams will claim the ultimate prize in international football…the World Cup.

The stadium in which the Final will take place is Berlin's Olympic Stadium - the very same venue that was used for the 1936 Olympic Games where Jessie Owen claimed four gold medals. In preparation for the FIFA 2006 World Cup finals the Olympic Stadium has undergone a complete renovation. Some 242 million euros were invested to bring the stadium into the 21st century. Work was completed in July 2004, and in September of that year Brazil met Germany for the inaugural international game.

Aside from the World Cup Final on 9th July, Berlin's Olympic Stadium hosts a number of other World Cup matches. Brazil play Croatia here on 13th June, Sweden take on Paraguay in Group B on the 15th June, and Ecuador will attempt to defeat the hosts Germany at Berlin on the 20th. Ukraine face-off against Tunisia on the final day of group competition in the tournament too, while Berlin will be home to the first 2006 World Cup quarter-final on 30th June.

Berlin Sights

Berlin has so much to offer visitors this summer. There are world famous monuments, parks, restaurants, shops, museums and a zoo to take in. Two 'must see' attractions that should top everyone's list are Brandenburg Gate and the TV Tower.

Brandenburg Gate

Arguably Berlin's most famous monument, the Brandenburg Gate towers 20 metres high into the Berlin sky. It was built in 1791 and survived the conquest of Napoleon, but was badly damaged in the Second World War. For years it stood as a partition between East and West Germany as part of the Berlin Wall. Today, it is a symbol of a reunited Germany.

The TV Tower

Affectionately known as the 'toothpick' the TV Tower near Alexander Square is the second highest in Europe. It can be seen from almost anywhere in the city and offers spectacular views from the viewing tower and restaurant. On a clear day you can see up to 25 miles out into the German countryside. It's well worth a visit!

Seb Jay is a freelance writer specializing in the origination of web content for http://www.your-carhire.com.

[tags]europe,germany,berlin,brandenburg gate,travel,football,soccer,world cup,airport,car,car hire[/tags]

14 Great Tips For Better Holiday Photos

Do you want better holiday photos? Are you snaps a bit of a let down? Follow my 10 top tips to get photos that will live up to the memories. You'll be amazed how good they'll look and your friends and family will too.

1. To get clear photos avoid camera shake or moving the camera as you take the photo. Squeeze the shutter gently and steady yourself against solid objects.

2. Frame the shot carefully to get well framed photos and keep fingers and other items away from the lens. Obvious but true and yes I have done it.

3. Experiment with compositions. Use roads and paths as strong lead-in lines, use objects in the foreground to add interest and tilt the camera for added drama.

4. Look for details. Often close-up shots of local objects can say as much about a location as scenic panoramas.

5. Take photos in the early morning light or the hour before sunset, know as the 'Golden Hours', for dramatic lighting.

6. Get up early and capture your holiday destination with a different character, empty of tourists and peaceful.

7. Really fill the frame with your subject for extra impact. Get close and then closer still. Move around and take photos from different angles.

8. Ask permission first if you want to take photos of local characters to avoid causing offence on cultural, personal or religious grounds.

9. Take photos on bad weather days. Some great atmospheric shots can be achieved when the weather is bad especially with stormy seas.

10. Frame your subject through doorways or windows to create a frame within a frame. Street entrances or trees can also work.

11. Photograph the old next to the new, modern next to the traditional or poverty in the midst of riches. These statement making photos will really stand out.

12. Look for strong graphic images such as sunset silhouettes or combinations of colour and form.

13. The sky can often be as dramatic as the land. If it is include more sky or even just the sky.

14. If you're shooting digitally check your shots as you go to make sure you get the best ones.

My final words are experiment, get involved, have fun. Don't be too stiff, relax and get into it. With digital cameras you can take as many photos as you want and just keep the good ones.

Sean McCarthy is the Marketing Director for the Help-Me-Park.Com and a keen amature photographer. Get a great start to your holiday by booking meet and greet airport parking at Gatwick with Help-Me-Park.com. Save money and book airport parking across the UK in advance with HelpMeTravel.com.

[tags]Photos, photography, travel, holidays, top tips[/tags]

The Top 3 Advanta Credit Cards

Advanta credit cards are offered only to businesses. A search of the internet showed the top three Advanta cards as being, Advanta Business Rewards Platinum BusinessCard, Advanta Platinum BusinessCard and Advanta Life-of-Balance Platinum Card.

Business owners who apply for any of these cards must have good credit to be accepted.

Advanta Business Rewards Platinum BusinessCard

This card offers a 0% APR on all balance transfers for fifteen months. After the introductory period, a 7.99% fixed APR is assigned; this is the regular APR for all such cards.

Being an awards card, the Advanta Business Rewards Platinum card has five percent (5%) cash back or travel awards.

Like the other two Advanta credit cards there is no annual fee.

Advanta Platinum BusinessCard

Also offering a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers and purchases for twelve months, this also has no annual fees attached. The regular APR is 13.49%, which makes the introductory 0% a deal.

The best thing about the Advanta Platinum is the Fifty Thousand dollar credit limit. Card holders also have access to free online bill payments as well as other benefits, such as, free vehicle insurance, theft and damage protection, as well as great discounts at select companies such as IBM.

Advanta Life-of-Balance Platinum Card

The Life-of-Balance credit card offers a fixed APR of 2.99% for life on balance transfers made within three months of getting the card. The regular APR on this card is 9.99%.

Cash back rewards of 6% are available on gas, utilities, computer supplies and dining expenses; other purchases earn 2% cash back. Card holders can also earn travel rewards on the Advanta Travel Rewards Point Program. Customers also have the option to select reward types after signing up for the card.

These cards were selected as the top Advanta cards based on APR rating and cash back rewards.

To compare Advanta credit cards, Eric Wasselman recommends Find Credit Cards.

[tags]travel rewards credit cards, credit cards[/tags]

Budapest - Delight On The Danube

Over the 2,000 years of its history, Budapest has been ruled at various times by the Romans, Turks, Goths, Germans and until recently the Soviets. They have all left their influences and the combination has given Budapest an ambience all its own. It's a large city that was once considered three cities. Pest, Obuda and Buda were divided by the Danube, which forks in the middle of the city. The three cities were combined in 1873 and Budapest was adopted as the new name.

During a stay in Budapest there are a few must see attractions.

Spas - Budapest sits on a tectonic plate fault line in Eastern Europe. While earthquakes might seem inevitable, one advantage to the location is the proliferation of mineral water spas in the city. Perhaps the best known is The Gellert Spa Hotel located in the center of Budapest on the eastern shore of the Danube River. From the front, the hotel looks like a classic renaissance building you would find in Paris or Vienna. The entrance to the hotel opens onto an indoor pool that looks like something out of ancient Rome. The square pool is surrounded by baroque columns and covered by a glass roof two stories above the water. Palms, plants and relaxing Hungarians are everywhere. It is staggeringly impressive.

For roughly ten dollars, you can have the full Gellert experience. There is one mixed sex indoor pool and two sections reserved for just men and women. In these reserved sections, you can get massage services, but keep in mind these are vigorous Turkish style massages. Put another way, you will be getting slapped around a bit instead of nearly falling asleep.

At the rear of the Gellert, there is an outdoor area that rivals any Las Vegas hotel. Unlike Vegas hotels with themes, this pool area is truly historic. The area comes with marble steps, ceramic tile mosaics and lush landscape. One tends to feel a bit like you are taking a bath in the Vatican.

There are spas all over the place in Budapest but another that you might try is the Kiraly Baths. Kiraly was apparently built during Turkish rule and the spa experience is entirely Turkish, including the massages.

Castle District - Situated in the Buda section of Budapest, the Castle District sits on the eastern side of the Danube. Positioned a couple hundred feet above the Danube, the entire city of Budapest can be seen from the numerous vantage points. The view is so amazing, the Italians coined a saying, "Europe has three gems - Venice on the water, Florence in the plains and Buda in the hills". The Italians definitely got it right. Some travelers will tell you it's a reason in itself to visit Budapest.

Buda Castle - Sitting on top of a hill and towering over the Danube, the Buda Castle is stunning. Started under the guidance of King Bela IV in the 14th century it was expanded upon by later rulers. Medieval times, however, saw the castle burned, looted, demolished, bombed with cannon balls and ransacked. Each time, new rulers rebuilt. Visiting Buda Castle is like stepping back into the heights of the renaissance. The Castle is adorned with red marble stairways, gothic facades, bastions and epic statutes overlooking the Danube. The fountains around the Castle are simply fantastic for variety and beauty.

Holy Trinity Square - Just to the south of Buda Castle lies Holy Trinity Square. The Church of the Holy Lady, which is also known as Matthias Church, dominates the square. The church has served as the location where Hungarian Kings undertook their rule and many famous figures are interred on the grounds.

Fishermen's Bastion - This Roman bastion has the appearance of a mini-castle at Disneyland. The views from the parapets are amazing as you take in the Danube River as it cuts its way through Budapest.

Just outside of Bastion, however, you have to keep your eye out for something amazing. Hungarians historically have been some of the best horsemen in the world. As part of the tradition, the horseman carry bullwhips instead of ropes. Big bullwhips. And they like to crack them just outside of the bastion. If you aren't paying attention when this occurs, the world's loudest snap will send you diving for cover. The only thing I can equate it to is the sound of rolling thunder, but without the rolling. When it happens tourists' drinks, food and cameras go flying!

Margaret Island - In the middle of the city chaos lays an oasis of tranquility, Margaret Island, which is one of the unique elements of Budapest. The island is located in the middle of the Danube River in central Budapest and is a little more than 1 mile long and 500 yards wide. With the exception of a hotel at the south end, the island is free of cars and buildings. In the past, Margaret Island served as a private park for Hungarian royalty and you can see why. The island consists mostly of paths flanked by old growth trees, rose gardens and tailored lawn areas. Peacocks walk freely around the island and wild ducks nest throughout the island. At the south end of the island, you can visit hot thermal springs, walk on paths through peaceful ponds or relax in front of tiered water cascades. During part of the year, plays are undertaken at an outdoor theatre. Only in Budapest can you be in the middle of an active city, walk 200 feet across a bridge and be in a peaceful, forested area.

When visiting Hungary, it is easy to fall in love with Budapest. Don't let the language frighten you away, there are getting to be more people - particularly students - who can speak a little English and they're all eager to practice on you. Hungarians are a proud people. While most are polite and some helpful beyond belief, they are reserved, perhaps the most reserved people in Europe you'll meet south of Scandinavia. Make a friend though and you'll have a friend for life. Welcome to Budapest!

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Travel

[tags]travel[/tags]

Two Canadian Immigration Options

When you apply for Canadian Permanent Residence visa under the Skilled Worker Immigration scheme, you have two options:

a) Hiring an Immigration Representative: The first option is to hire the services of an Immigration Representative / Consultant. They are also called Immigration Lawyers. Their job is to make the process easier for you, because they know exactly the documents you need to submit with your application. They normally charge legal fees and government fees. The legal fees refer to the fees they charge for their consulting services, and the government fees refer to the fees that have to be paid to the Canadian government in order to apply.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (2005), authorized, paid representatives may only be:

- Immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants. If you wish to verify if an Immigration Consultant is in good standing of this Institution, please visit the following website:http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultants/verify-rep.html#consultants

- Lawyers who are members in good standing of a Canadian law society and students-at-law under their supervision. Please visit their following website to verify a lawyer's status in a Society: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultants/verify-rep.html#law-societies

- Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and students-at-law under their supervision. For further information please visit the following website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultants/notaries

If you wish to hire an Immigration Representative to assist you with your Permanent Residence application, you need to complete the form called "Use of a Representative" [Number - IMM 5476].

Its purpose is to appoint the representative to establish communication and conduct business with Citizenship and Immigration Canada on your behalf. Please note that the forms may change from time to time, so you should verify which form you need to use at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultants/index.html.

Of course, not all Immigration Lawyers are professional and ethical. If you are interested in finding an ethical and authorized Canadian Immigration Lawyer, send me an email to: consulting@stepbystepimmigrationcanada.com and I will be glad to send you my recommendations.

b) Applying by yourself You can also apply by yourself. The advantage is that you save the legal fees of the Representative, which sometimes can be 2 to 3 times the government fees.

If you decide to apply by yourself, I strongly recommend downloading Step-by-Step Immigration to Canada. This take-you-by-the-hand manual will simplify your Canadian visa application process.

Alex Berez is author of "Step-by-Step Immigration to Canada" and owner of http://www.stepbystepimmigrationcanada.com.

[tags]immigration canada, canada immigration, canada, canadian immigration, canadian visa, canada, travel[/tags]

Talking Parrot In Skara Brae!

Kara Brae, the home of the Ranger's guild, was recently visited by a strange individual indeed. This fellow, although rather short and greenish, proved to be a wonderful addition to the town's atmosphere, if only for a day. This individual was a parrot, and his name was Ale. He resided, for that day, in the Farmer's Market, with his owner, Piku. The citizens of Skara Brae first spotted Ale when he rushed -- flew, rather, to the Skara Brae bank. There, Ale began to speak aloud -- yes, speak! -- informing the citizens of Skara Brae of his need for their assistance.

Apparently, someone had snuck into their home at night and stolen a box of precious jewels from Piku. After several minutes, a good search party had been aquired ; they began their search on the mainland portion of Skara Brae, at the nearby 'tavern,' Joh's Creb Sheck. Suddenly, a fellow in bone armor jolted past. Ale recognized him, and the adventurers broke into pursuit. They cornered this odd suspect in a small abandoned building -- he claimed to know of no jewels, and blamed everything on a fellow named Triden.

Beware the Dreaded Theet O Vac!

The adventurers, knowing a clue when given one, immediately fanned out and attempted to find Triden. Very soon, Triden was discovered, and the jewels recovered from his cold corpse. The box was returned to Piku, and all involved were given a hefty reward. Those who inquired as to whether or not they would ever see Ale again were told that a fellow named Zemaj Taldor may very well become Ale's new owner, but the transaction has not yet been confirmed.

Beware the Dreaded Theet O Vac!

All in all, the events that forepassed gave all a reward, both literal and spiritual. I return now, however, to my hallowed halls of learning.

-Seer Rhykan

My games and blog (http://www.freenewarticles.com) are devoted to the next phase in marketing - Role Playing for the New World! As I explain and show the fun that it can be to play the role of a Banker, a President, or a crazed terrorist with 85 lbs of explosives strapped to your 80 lb frame. Imagine! Wandering into the Harry Potter premier! Visions of virgins dancing in yor head! Maybe you will want to play the part of a mortgage broker? Help people 'get the home they have always wanted' during a housing bubble!! Talk about realistic! There will be Tech bubble guys, gold bugs, free article writers, gurus of all kinds, UFO cult members, and many others. All dedicated to helping you spend money you have not earned yet. Write on target. See my molds here - http://www.delsmolds.com

[tags]Thetan,theet o vac,rhykan,free new articles,molds,concrete,travel,hubbard,religion,school,plaster[/tags]

Antigua Guatemala - Latin Charm Beneath The Volcano

Antigua was the capital of Guatemala until 1773, when the Santa Marta earthquake rocked the foundations of the town. Still, the city retains its colonial charm in the extravagant architecture of buildings, churches, convents and old residences, which offer more than a glimpse of past prosperity.

Tourism is Antigua's main income generator. With more than 60 language schools in a city of just over 30,000 people, it's a popular destination for westerners to spend a few months studying Spanish amongst cobble-stoned streets and colourful neighbourhoods. In the evenings, locals and tourists alike arise from that fabulous Latin American tradition, the siesta, and head out to enjoy the wide range of local or international cuisine on offer.

Not surprisingly, the dreaded Ronald McDonald plague has spread to Guatemala. However, Camperos, the local finger lickin' chicken chain dominates, having sent Colonel Sanders and his army running for the border like...well like a pack of chooks with their heads cut off some time ago. Whatever your pleasure, once you've fuelled the belly, you can head on to a bar for a few local cervezas, or Samba the night away in one of the lively nightclubs.

During the day, most of the action takes place around the Grand Plaza. Street vendors ply their trade as tour buses roll into the square. It's a great place to sample the local food and world-renowned coffee in the outdoor cafes and restaurants, or simply hang out under shade in the park with the Antiguans.

As you find in most developing countries, children are always at the ready to sell you some local textiles, a wood carving or jewellery, while displaying sales techniques that would put the best real estate shark to shame. Being a sucker for an angelic smile, it was useless trying to resist the charms of a little Mayan girl who promised me that my senorita would adore me if I bought her the lovely embroidery scarves her mother had made for us.

At the other end of the bench, knee-high brother was smoothly working on senorita, telling her that she had the eyes of a goddess, and any man who did not adorn her with such a gift was not worthy of her. It was now three against one, so I handed over a wad of Quetzales to the grinning dynamic duo.

It's worth spending at least a day exploring Antigua's colonial buildings and ruins. The most impressive examples being Catedral de Santiago, San Francisco, the town's most notable church near Parque Central, and the former nunnery, Las Capuchinas.

Looming over the city like a sleeping giant is the active volcano, Pacaya. For a few dollars you can take a guided hike up right to the rim of this 2500 metre chimneystack.

Climbing a volcano is not so much a strenuous activity as a complicated one. After a two hour uphill trek through dense bushland and small mountainside villages, greeting passing bulls, cows and chickens as they head into town to do lunch, you find yourself staring up at the huge dark grey cone of Pacaya, and realise the hike has just begun.

The combination of loose rubble, steep incline, and gale force wind provides excellent practice for your Latin dance moves...one step forward, two tumbles back. On a clear day, you can see right into bubbling, glowing cone. Unfortunately, we experienced fairly heavy cloud cover. Nonetheless, you get a great sense of fulfillment on reaching the peak.

For anyone contemplating a trip to Guatemala, Antigua provides the perfect introduction with its wonderful assortment of Latin charms and spirited adventures.

Take a peek at Guatemala.

Simon Hillier is a freelance writer based in Sydney, Australia. His company, Get There Writing Services, provides copywriting, travel writing, feature articles, scripts and ebooks that will have your readers clicking and streaming for more. For further information on Simon's article services, visit the feature articles and travel writing section of the Get There Writing Services website.

[tags]Guatemala, Antigua, Get There, travel writing[/tags]

A Bite On The Toe Says Time To Go

One of the truly inexpensive ways to travel is with a group doing volunteer work of some type.

Several years ago, my wife, oldest son and I were able to travel to Sarawak, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. We went with a group of mostly high school students that was going to build a church.

My wife and I were going to provide medical treatment for the local people while the rest of the group worked on building the church.The cost for us was about $1300 apiece for airfare, bus, boat, room and board. That covered a two week trip. Try and get a trip anywhere for that and you will see what a bargain that is flying from the United States halfway around the world.

We arrived in Kuching early one morning and were taken to a mission to stay the first two nights and get a chance to acclimate to the different time zone and temperature. It was very hot and humid.

During those two days, we were able to tour the city, visiting the museums and shopping for souvenirs. We were also able to go to a cultural center where we could watch native craftsmen and dancers. They had some unique stringed instruments - like a cross between a guitar and a sitar.

The next morning we took off by bus before daybreak, riding about twelve hours through typical tropical vegetation and small farms. Whenever we stopped for a break, there were many large cicadas. The largest ones in Borneo are about the largest in the world, the size of a large mouse with about an 8 inch wingspan.

If you catch one, they sound like a frog croaking. Although I'm really not interested in partaking of them, I'm told they are good to eat.

When we finally got to Tatau, we got off the bus and took our things down to the river to get on a boat. At least that is what they called it. It was more like a large torpedo. Very narrow but large enough so that inside we could sit four across with an aisle in the middle.

Once we had loaded all our gear - which included a small cement mixer - we took off at an estimated thirty miles an hour. The river had enough twists and turns that I was totally disoriented by the time we arrived at our destination. During our time there, I was convinced that the sun rose in the west and went down in the east.

On the way, we passed a village that was the home of Nyla - the subject of the book "Nyla and the White Crocodile" which I had read as a child. As a young girl, a local witch doctor had told Nyla's (pronounced 'Neela') father - the cheif- that she must be sacrificed to a large white crocodile which had appeared in a creek next to their longhouse. The book describes her adventures.

One of our interpreters, a local pastor, was a nephew of Nyla and told us that later in life she had been killed by a crocodile. An ironic end to one of my childhood heroes.

When we finally arrived at our destination, there was a great commotion. We started hearing music and then a procession of dancers led us up to the longhouse. This was a very impressive structure of over one hundred houses built into a single long building and sharing a covered and enclosed front porch about twenty feet wide. The porch serves as both sidewalk and community meeting and play area.

We were welcomed with a party of dancing, music and food. After a long trip, we were then mercifully shown to our accommodations. Our family was given one of the houses for our use both to sleep in and to serve as a clinic during our stay.

We had brought our own cook and water filter, so we were not as worried about getting sick. Local dishes were interspersed with potatoes, bread and peanut butter. The potatoes were imported from China.

During our short stay, the youth worked hard and mostly finished a very nice cement block, metal roof church.

In the meantime, we were treating everything from head lice to leprosy. We were told that people had come as much as six hours by boat to get treatment from us.

One of the saddest things that we saw was a woman with severe burns on her back. It was the custom for women who had recently given birth to sit by a fire for the first 24 - 48 hours. This poor woman had fallen asleep and then leaned back against the burning hot bricks of the kitchen fire. We were told that this was a very common injury. Fortunately we had some good creams for her and treated her twice a day.

One of the problems that I had was with the toilets. Each house had a board behind it which went up at about a thirty degree angle to a small hut on posts. Inside was a small toilet. What you would do is take a small pail of water from the rain barrel beside the back door, climb up the plank and take care of business.

The roof of this little hut was only about 5 and a half feet from the floor. The hut was about three foot wide and three foot deep. I'm glad nobody was able to watch this 6 foot 3 inch man who after entering the hut had to squat down and do the hokey pokey to get turned around get the pants down, do the required actions and get dressed again.

We were told that these toilets were not only inconvenient (though much better than the squat pots - just a hole in the ground) but were dangerous. The year before, a pastor had lost his balance in one and fallen through the wall head first to the ground and breaking his neck.

We slept on air mattresses with mosquito nets covering us. While this gave us pretty good protection, it did not keep some rodent from biting my toe through the net two nights before we left. This happened about three in the morning. I made a pretty good commotion trying to scare it away and get a light so I could look around and make sure a Cobra was not following him.

After that, I was more than ready to go home.

On the way back, we boarded a bus that had a fairly loud engine knock.

We got on the bus about dusk. During the night, the knocking got worse and worse. Finally, about three in the morning, the driver stopped, stood up and said, "Scuse please, scuse please, change bus!" We got off and in another hour or so, another bus came to get us and take us back to Kuching. We later found out that for an additional $50 each we could have bought plane fair and skipped the bus ride altogether.

Despite the great memories of the trip, getting on a Malaysia Airlines plane with air conditioning and cold soda pop was a real pleasure.

We were able to go back to Sarawak to another village the next spring - but that is another story.

Ron McCluskey has prepared more valuable information for you including updates to this article. Go to I Love Travel Vacations now to find more great travel resources.

http://ilovetravelvacations.com

[tags]Sarawak, Borneo, travel, vacations, travel vacations, travelers, discount travel[/tags]

Top 5 Most Scenic Highways In The US

Now here is a subject that is open to lots of controversy. Anyone attempting to put "a stake in the ground" on this subject must be really brave – or incredibly stupid. You may see some bias here – four of the five are in the west, and four of the five run at least partially along water, and two, are Interstate highways – the nemesis of civil travel; so you may already disagree without even looking at the list.

Everyone has their one or two favorite highways, but after traveling over 50,000 miles in the contiguous 48-states, this is our consensus of "the best of the best." See if you agree.

#5 – Interstate-84, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon (80 miles) It is hard to imagine that an interstate highway runs through this magnificent stretch of scenery that was only recently designated a National Scenic Area. The gorge is the only cut through the Cascade mountains near sea level and the gorge varies in depth up to 4,000 feet. It forms part of the state line between the states of Oregon and Washington and features waterfalls (Multnomah Falls), scenic view points (Crown Point), Cascade Peaks (notably Mt. Hood) and the mighty Columbia River. http://www.gonorthwest.com/Oregon/columbia/Columbia_River.htm

#4 – Going to the Sun Highway, Glacier Park, Montana (51 miles) There are many engineering marvels throughout the US highways, but none rivals "the Garden Wall" climb from Apgar, MT at Lake McDonald to the Continental Divide at the top of Logan Pass. The highway took eleven years to build and was completed in 1932. In fact, if your vehicle is over 20 feet (including bumpers – they are very exact) or over 8 feet wide (including mirrors), you won't be driving that portion of the highway. The scenery is unparalleled everywhere you look, and the wildlife is still abundant. http://visitmt.com/tripplanner/wheretogo/glacier.htm

#3 – Interstate 70, Salina to Green River, Utah (100 miles) Now the first thing some of you will say is, "why not keep going?" and yes, the section from Green River through the Glenwood Canyon to Vail – and beyond – is also eye-popping, but you've got to stop somewhere on this marvelous highway. The section chosen winds through the red rock country, skimming the edge of several national parks, and provides the highway traveler with turn after turn of vistas that are like watching a movie. http://www.rockymountainroads.com/i-070b_ut.html

#2 – Highway 1, "The Overseas Highway", "The Keys,"Florida (120 miles) Where life still moves slowly on a two-lane road with 42 bridges and the bluest water in the states, the Florida Keys are the closest thing we have to the Caribbean. The Keys are composed of five areas, each boasting its own unique contribution to the area: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Lower Keys, and finally Key West. Only in Key West do they celebrate sunset every night with a party at the dock, and the sound of steel drums permeates the air. Here, everything having to do with water is available. Whether it is fishing, snorkeling/diving, kayaking, or simply bobbing around in the water, you'll find what you want. http://www.fla-keys.com/

#1 – Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway, California (a little over 100 miles) Don't let the distance deceive you – this is a three hour-plus trip. Unless you have no fear of heights, start in the south and go north – from Morro Bay to Carmel. Stop frequently to gawk. Feel the ocean wind and spray in your face. See the most incredible views this country has to offer. If you get tired of the outdoor beauty, stop at the Hearst Castle and take in the man-made beauty that William Randolph Hearst imported mostly from Europe for his castle by the sea. Gas up and grab some snacks before you leave, both are scarce along the way, but be sure to save room for lunch or dinner once you reach Big Sur or Carmel. Both have excellent choices and incomparable local ambiance. http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2301/index.html

So there you have it – the experience of seasoned road warriors. One of the great things about road trips is the opportunity to explore new roads and towns, go places you've often been intrigued by in the Sunday paper. Sometime in your life, you have to find time to take a really long road trip. Thousands of miles, months of time; there is nothing like it. Only then will you truly experience being a kid again. We'll await your list.

Phil and Carol White decided to live their road trip dreams when they retired, while they still had their health, stamina and sense of humor. All along the way people kept saying, "Oh, we'd love to do what you are doing, but what did you do about …" and the list would begin. When we returned home, we did some research and found that they was really no "handbook" to help people plan that dream trip – that long trip in the back of your mind. So we wrote Live Your Road Trip Dream so that you too could live your dreams.

[tags]road trips,RV trips,baby boomer travel,US travel,travel planning,road trip planning,travel budgets,t[/tags]