Winter Skiing In Aspen.

If you are looking for a bit of adventurous winter skiing vacation, the Aspen Ski Resorts in Colorado may be just what you are looking for. When people talk about winter skiing vacation in Aspen, they most likely are referring to the Ajax Mountain, which rises directly above Aspen town.
Unknown to many people, there are actually 4 ski mountains linked together to the name of Aspen and all of the four ski areas are further linked together on the same lift ticket.
The Roaring Fork Valley, another ski resort in Aspen is technically the most challenging ski area in Colorado Aspen, followed by the Buttermilk, which is often billed as the best beginner ski mountain in the Rocky Mountains.
Then there is the massive Snowmass, a ski area which is bigger than the other 3 resorts put together. Any wonder why this ski area is called Snowmass?
The Snowmass prides itself on its extensive intermediate skiing terrain and have plenty of extreme slopes too for the more adventurous and advanced skiers.
The ski trails and 'dump' runs in Ajax have queer sounding names like Bear Paw, Zaugg Dump, Last Dollar, Perry's Prowl and Short Snort. All these dump runs are fairly short, sharp and challenging descents are built on the steep mountain slopes where gold miners of old once tunneled their way into the mountain in search of the precious metal.
Novice skiers are discouraged from skiing Ajax not so much so because of the challenging terrain but because getting off the mountain at the end of the day can be a very intimidating experience.
Most of the skiing is done at the top of the mountain but the main ski slopes such as the Cooper Bowl and Spar Gulch tend to be somewhat fast and furious in which intermediates and expert skiers in Aspen Colorado plunge their way down in dizzying speed.
Unless the novice skiers travel back down on the Silver Queen gondola, they will be forced into the very narrow and steep gullies to plummet like a heat seeking missile. This can be a very terrifying experience for someone new to winter snow skiing. The gentler ski area at the Buttermilk will be a better choice for novice skiers and beginners.
The Aspen Highlands is Aspen's real attraction. It is the only one of the four ski resorts in Aspen that is independently owned. The Highlands had developed a reputation for being the most challenging and yet the cheapest and least expensive resort in the Roaring Fork Valley.
While most skiers in Aspen will only ski at the Ajax Mountain, hard core skiers and speed demons will make their way to the ski lift system to take them to the breathtaking steep slopes of Aspen Highland's Olympic Bowl, Steeple Chase and Temerity, skiing exhilarating runs like Mushroom, Aces and Eights and Deception which starts steep and gets steeper along the way.
Have you tried winter skiing at Aspen Colorado? Why not give it a try in your next winter vacation?

by Chris Chew

Beaches of the Cape

When it comes to beaches, Cape Town is one of the hottest spots in the world. This gorgeous city holds the mid point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, causing a variety of temperature and current fluctuations.
The best place to start, when describing the ocean in Cape Town, is False Bay Coast and the Southern Peninsula. This extensive beachfront travels from Muizenberg all the way through to Kalk Bay and Simons Town. The beach runs in front of the famous naval base of Simons Town. It is here that during the Second World War, heavy guns were dug into the concrete bunkers at various points along the coast.
The water is warmer on this side of the coast, than on the Atlantic Ocean side. St James is a popular bathing spot, with it's tidal pool and brightly coloured bathing booths. The beach joins Muizenberg beach, which is recognisable by the rows upon rows of coloured bathing boxes.
Muizenberg is a long white beach, which runs about 40kms to Gordon's Bay. This is a popular spot for families and surfers. The beachfront is filled with craft markets, little shops, and entertainment. At Gordon's bay, there is a little nook known as Bikini Beach, which is well sheltered from the main crowd and wind.
On the other side of Muizenberg is Fish Hoek beach. There is a footpath that connects the two beaches. This used to be an old fisherman's village and offers windsurfers an opportunity to test their skills. Boat trips around are available from the Kalk Bay Harbour.
Hidden here is also Boulders beach, which is a pay-for-entry area. The beach is a protected area as it is part of the sanctuary for the Jackass Penguin. Swimmers can swim in the warm waters watching the Penguins play around them. It is ideal for children and people who like to combine their love of water with bird watching.
On the other side of Cape Town is Clifton beach, which consists of four adjoining coves. There are stairways that lead from the parking bay and wind down to the white sand. The rocks shelter the area, however this water is part of the Atlantic sea, so swimming is a bit cold. However, there are plenty of things to do other then lie around the place. A spot of rugby, ball, or a picnic are a few ideas.
Next-door is Camps Bay beach. The pavilion is lined with cocktail bars, hotels and restaurants, while the beach itself has a tidal pool available and a wind free braai area. These are just some of the beaches that are available in the Cape. Each one has its own feel and adventure waiting to be unleashed to the next visitor. So whether you are into surfing, kites, ball or just tanning, this summer, Cape Town is the place to be.

by Celeste

Bahamas golf vacation offers you the best holiday experience

When was the last time you took off with your family for a vacation? Chances are that you have done this a long time ago and if this is true, you need to make immediate plans for a vacation. Today everyone is slogging it out at the workplace in their quest to climb up the corporate ladder and become successful. This has increased the stress level, which is taking a toll on the professional and personal life of individuals. Life is all about enjoying the small pleasures and happiness and when we become so engrossed with work, we do not even realize that we are missing out on all these beautiful aspects. Taking a vacation, in a quiet place away from all the worries and tensions, with your family or all alone is the best way to unwind and enjoy life. Now deciding on a destination for the vacation is not difficult when you have the option of going on a Bahamas golf vacation.
The scenic beauty of Bahamas is wonderful and when you go there for the vacation, rest assured that you will enjoy the best holiday of your life. You can indulge in different types of outdoor activities to relax your mind. Snorkeling, scuba diving, skiing and surfing are some of the activities that you can indulge in. If you happen to be a golf enthusiast, a Bahamas golf vacation is something that you must not miss out on at any cost. There are several tour operators that offer Bahamas golf vacation to people who want to go there on a holiday. The web is the perfect place for you to find out a Bahamas golf vacation deal from several of the tour operators offering the package. In fact, you can also find a discount Bahamas vacation package if you are a little short of finance.
A Bahamas golf vacation is just perfect for a busy professional who wants to relax during the vacation by teeing off. If you are taking your family along with you on the vacation, you need to take care of many things. First you will have to make arrangement for a place where your family can stay during the vacation. If your family consists of children, you need to arrange for a place where they can indulge in a lot of activities and have a wonderful time. At times, employers reward their employees with a vacation and if your Bahamas golf vacation is part of an incentive from your employer then you will not have to worry about making the arrangements. They will all be taken care of.
The Bahamas are a wonderful tourist destination; so chances are that this place will be crowded with tourists most of the time during a year. However, there are certain off seasons in a year and during that time you can go for your Bahamas golf vacation. If you like to go to a place where you can relax, lounge and have a good time, the Bahamas Island is the place you must go.
by Suzane Gray

Siam Chiang Mai

picture about chaing mai streetwalking . have a meeting market about handmade and drawing picture . so around the ways of street is a beutiful temple .

Siam Chiang Mai. The Rose of the North.
Chiang Mai is Thailand's 2nd largest city and the center of culture and arts in Thailand. Chiang Mai celebrated its 700th year anniversary about 7 or 8 years ago. Siam Chiang Mai is the Home of adventure Tourism in the far North of Thailand. Chiang Mai was the capital of Siam for many years, being serviced from the south by river barge on the Mai Ping River. The large morning markets are still situated by the Mai Ping. All the main Consulates are still in Chiang Mai, with the British Consulate taking up a large block. The British had considerable influence here in the 1800s and early 1900s, helping the Thai Government set up the mail, railway and transport infrastructure. Thailand means FREELAND. Thailand was never colonized as they had a very astute King who did his schooling in Europe, When the British and French started encroaching on Thailand he summoned the respective consoles to his Palace and put forth the proposition that went something like this, We have (the Kings personal army) 5000 battle trained elephants with full body armour, you have cannon. Your cannon will take out some of my elephants but the other 4000 will trample you to death, we also have a massive army of foot solders that will mop up any survivors. To the British consul he said as a peace offering I will give you all the land on the other side of the mountains bordering Burma. As for Thailand at this time of history it was very hard to service (because of the mountain range). To the French he said something along the same lines but offering them all the land on the other side of the Mekong river. Both Governments looked at the logistics of the situation and accepted the proposition. Thailand has always maintained large armed forces as it was surrounded by hostile Countries who over the last 1000 years or so have each at one time or another ruled the whole Area. During the cold war America supported Thailand to the hilt with planes, tanks, equipment and training. During the Vietnam War the Americans had many bases here, Airport bases at Uban Thani etc. Then came Air America (but that's a whole story on its own) with arms for drug deals, CIA backing of the Hill tribe Drug Lord Armies, as in the CIA's mind they were the bastion against Russian and Chinese communist forces. Many of the treaties put in place in the cold war with the Shan people etc of Burma are still in place today and ratified by each incoming Prime Minister.
Thailand was the launching pad for the secret War in Loa, Cambodia and of course Vietnam. That all said explains why the Thai's are such a happy care free people, they have never had there spirit broken and don't have the undercurrent of hate that you see in a lot of the old French and British colonies. Thailand is a sub Tropical paradise, with plenty of lush rain forests, rivers and lakes. The mountains of the north run down to the flatlands and ocean. Chiang Mai is 11 or so hours by train from Bangkok or 1 hour by plane, It has its own International Air port, so depending on were you are coming from you can fly straight into Chiang Mai. If you take the train from Bangkok the overnight sleeper is a good idea (book a bottom bunk) you get on the train, they serve dinner, make up the beds and you wake up in the morning for breakfast coming into Chiang Mai all for the price of dinner back home. Thailand is a safe pace to travel; I have travelled back and forth from New Zealand for many years making 20 or more return trips with out ever having any thing stolen or the like. Getting over 16,000,000 tourists a year, tourism is its no one $ earner surpassing the rice crop for export $s. From Chiang Mai you can book and plan small excursions into the unknown ha (Burma, Laos and China) with return air tickets from as little as $50 - $150 or you can book on a over land cross river execution to Laos. Traveling up to Chiang Kong and then across the river to Loa. http://siam-chiangmai.com/

by Grant Wills

Top 5 Colorado Ski Resorts For Snow Lovers.

When it comes to wintertime activities, is skiing at the top of your list? If so, have you ever planned a ski vacation? If not, you may want to take the time to examine Colorado and all it has to offer. Colorado is known among professional and recreational skiers as having some of the best ski resorts in the country. To get you started in your planning, five widely recommended Colorado ski resorts are outlined below.

Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge, located less than one hundred miles outside of Denver, is known as one of Colorado top ski resorts. Here, you will find over two thousand acres of terrain ideal for skiing. Whether you are just starting to enjoy skiing or if it is a passion of yours, Breckenridge has what you need to have the time of your life.

In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Breckenridge is also known for its other fun winter activities, including shopping, dining, snowmobiling, and fly-fishing.

Aspen, Colorado

With four great mountains and over five thousand acres of land perfect for skiing, you are sure to have the ski adventure of your dreams in Aspen, Colorado. With the ability to fly in no less than ten miles from the slopes, you can spend your next vacation focusing on skiing and skiing alone.

In addition to adventurous slopes, Aspen is one of the premier destinations for luxury vacations.

Vail, Colorado

Vail, Colorado is commonly referred to as the "North America's Premier Resort Community," and there is good reason for that. With over five thousand acres of land perfect for all levels of ski and breathtaking views, Vail is considered paradise for ski lovers.

When visiting Vail, Colorado, you may enjoy the old European feel created, which can make for the perfect vacation setting.

Crested Butte, Colorado

Although off the beaten path, Crested Butte is a top Colorado ski resort. If you are an avid skier, then Crested Butte, Colorado is a must see for you. With great grooming, safe steeps, and all around perfect conditions, it is ideal for all skiers, but it is most known for its challenging terrain.

Coupled with amazing skiing conditions and fine dining restaurants and shopping centers, you will never find a moment of boredom in Crested Butte, Colorado.

Steamboat, Colorado

With six mountain ranges and a little less than three thousands acres of ski-able land, Steamboat Colorado makes for the perfect ski resort. Whether you are ready to hop right on the slopes or improve your skiing techniques, you are able to do so at the Steamboat resort in Colorado. The Steamboat resort area is commonly referred to as "Ski Town, U.S.A."

For a skiing adventure, with a touch of a Wild West theme, Steamboat, Colorado is the perfect winter vacation destination.

When examining the above mentioned Colorado ski resorts, consider booking a stay at a private vacation home rental to get the most out of your vacation. You can examine rental options, many of which have private, home-like feels, at sites like MojoVacationRentals.com.

Getting around the Philippines.

The Philippines, a country that is comprised of over 7,100 islands, traveling between points is important and transportation is a relevant factor when going to the different locations within the archipelago. There are various means of transportation options available to help you get to where you need to go and some of these are typical and others unique only to the Philippines.By AirThe main international gateways to the Philippines are Manila, Cebu, Clark, Davao, Laoag and Subic, and all international flights diverge to any of these cities with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) located in Manila being the primary gateway. This airport is served by over 30 international airlines which fly to and from different cities around the world. In Cebu the Mactan International Airport (MIA) handles regular international flights from Australia, Japan and Singapore in addition to chartered flights from countries like the United States, Hong Kong and other major countries. The Davao International Airport located in the south of the Philippines handles flights for Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In Central Luzon, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Pampanga and Subic Airfield in Zambales service both chartered flights and cargo planes. To the north of the country, the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte handles regular flights from both Taiwan and Macau.The country's national carrier is Philippine Airlines (PAL) considered as "Asia's First Airline", and to this day remains as the largest airline company in the Philippines, with the largest number of international and domestic flights. PAL has routes to over major 14 cities in 8 countries and regularly flies to 41 Philippine destinations outside Manila.There are other airlines that fly to the domestic skies and these include Air Philippines, South East Asian Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Laoag International Airlines, Asian Spirit Airlines, and Pacific Airways. Each of the airlines services flights to popular tourist destinations. If you are looking for a personalized experience, then there are also chartered flights offered by smaller air companies such as Airspan Corporation (helicopters), A. Soriano Aviation, and Aerolift Philippines (small-to-medium-sized planes)

By SeaThe Philippines being an archipelago of thousands of islands separated by bodies of water, travel by sea is an integral part of the transportation system. A wide range of sea faring options are available which include small ferries to huge cargo vessels, and liners. From the major port of Manila you can take sea trips that can last for a day or two with any of the regular ship lines that ply the sea routes or perhaps take shorter trips with the larger ferries.For long distance inter-island travel the ferries of major Philippine shipping companies such as WG&A are most ideal and these ferries most often include first class cabins. If it's a short island hopping transport you need over the seas, then there are the small motorized boats called banka's which you can avail of to take you between nearby islands and islets.By LandEven in a country with over 7000 islands, getting around by land is easy with the Philippines national highways connecting major islands and the availability of an extensive public transportation system which includes the Jeepney, an exotic form of transportation unique to Paradise Philippines. Other forms of land transportation include the trains, buses, taxis and trikes which make up the main modes of public transportation. In most major cities, the calesa, which is a horse pulled carriage, provides a more elegant form of traveling but is more commonly used for tourist rides in parks across the country.

For long distance land travel a railway system locally called Metrotren and run by the Philippine National Railways can be used. The route goes as far south as Carmona in Cavite and up north to Mecauayan in Bulacan. The rail system within Metro Manila composes of the Light Rail Transit (LRT), which plies the routes from Caloocan to Baclaran, Pasay City and the Metro Rail Transit which traverses the whole length of the EDSA (Metro Manila's main highway) and also connects North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. The MRT passes through all major arteries of Metro Manila including Makati's financial district.The easiest way to get around is using the taxis and they travel any routes throughout Metro Manila. The taxis are also a cheap form of travel with a Flag down fare of 20 Pesos (approximately 30 US cents) on the meter. There are also the buses that ply the main roads of cities in Metro Manila in addition to the provincial buses that travel to various destinations throughout the country. For short distances you can make use of the trike, with a motorized version commonly called a tricycle, or the human powered version of the trike called the pedicab. Being the Philippines, the undisputed "King of the Road" is the Jeepney, which has become the most common fixture on the roads throughout the whole country. The jeepney is the Philippines' version of American jeep which first emerged in the country after the Japanese occupation and has now become a symbol of national pride. Every jeepney you will see is adorned with colorful designs, with each design or theme different from the other, and uniquely Filipino.

by Luvi Marie

Adventure Trip to Tanzania

Holiday Tanzania offers the one of the most adventurous and thrilling safari trip for every one who loves to see the jungle beauty and enjoy the encounter with wild beasts in their natural habitat. Holiday in Tanzania offers a unique journey into deepest and darkest jungles of Tanzania where the most sought animals live enjoying their open space. Tanzania safari gives you the most enjoying and thrilling time of your life that will remain in your memory for long. Imagine the lions, the leopard, the rhinoceros, the buffalo, and the elephant relaxing in the sun and you are hunting with your camera and catching their actions and earning lifetime memories.
On your Tanzania holidays safari, you can actually get the bets time in Africa. Tanzania safari can compel you to return and cherish your unmatched experience life time. The country offers bets views of Serengeti, the stunning and unique Ngorongoro Crater and many other extensive parks and game rich reserves. Enriched with natural wildlife, Tanzania safari can give you a chance to hear loud roar of beasts that will make you scared.
So, next time when you plan an African safari, make sure you include Tanzania as your one of your destinations. While planning to African holidays, use your personal preferences to get the maximum pleasure and enjoyment. You can also fly to many remote places, if your budget allows. Tanzania offers world class accommodation on the African safaris like stylish private camping concessions, luxurious mobile camping or elegant permanent tented camps, anything that you will desire.
African safari holidays are the best way to relish your holidays and collect some great memory to share with friends and family. You will get to know more about the wild animals that have always been a point of study and reveals a new face every time you meet them. No doubt,safari holidays Africa gives you the time of your life with exoticism and class experience.

Myself webmaster of http://www.realafrica.co.uk/, a safari holidays information directory of Tanzania safari, holidays in Tanzania and Africa safaris.

7 Hot Beaches to visit during your Holidays in Menorca, Spain

The beautiful Balearic island of Menorca, Spain has some of the most idyllic, unspoilt beaches in all of Spain. They are with out a doubt the islands greatest attraction. Stunning secluded coves, surrounded by wild pine trees and azure waters lapping at the sand. Menorca has more beaches than all the other Balearic Island put together and makes an ideal villa holiday destination. Stretch out your towel on some of the most beautiful of them all using this little guide to Menorca's top beaches.
Cala Santa Galdana is the queen of Menorca's Beaches. A wonderfully sheltered keyhole bay with white sands, pine trees and high cliffs guarding its entrance. The bay has excellent conditions for swimming and morning shade at the eastern side. Cala Santa Galdana also boasts a fun water park and a children's playground and is situated at the mouth of Menorca's only river and the "The Algendar" ravine which stretches inland for 10kms. Cala Santa Galdana is located in the centre of Menorca's southern coast.
Cala Mitjana is a small natural south facing cove that you can reach by taking a left just before you reach Cala Santa Galdana on the road south from Ferreries or by walking 20 minutes from Cala Santa Galdana. Follow the rough road down to a free car park and then walk for 5 minutes to discover this little known cove with low white cliffs covered in pine trees. Offering excellent snorkeling and swimming conditions Cala Mitjana is also in close proximity to little Cala Mitjaneta. These beaches are in a natural state so remember to come well prepared as there are no facilities here.
Es Grau is a stunning horseshoe bay with fine golden sands backed by sand dunes that lead into the shady pine forests. The beach is situated close to the natural wetland reserve of Albufera with it's wild birds. If possible take a boat trip to the tiny island called Colom where you will find more fine sandy beaches. Es Grau is located in eastern Menorca and is only a short distance from the capital and Mahon.
Son Bou is a long beach with plenty of sand dunes, freshwater marshes filled with ducks and a lagoon near by. Excellent water sports facilities are available here although you should take care to check the conditions for swimming as there are dangerous currents at times. Out to the west of Son Bou you will find an area for nude bathers. Take the road south from Alaior to reach Son Bou. Keep an eye peeled for the caves on you way to Son Bou. These have provided shelter to people for hundreds if not thousands of years.
Cala Pregonda is situated west of Fornells on the North coast of Menorca in a protected area of natural beauty. The beach is accessible on foot and is about 20 minutes walk from Binimella. Cala Pregonda is an especially delightful stretch of sand surrounded by ususual rocks and hills cloathed in Tamarisk and Pine tree. The beach is in a natural condition so you will not find any facilities. However this is a special beach ideal for a refreshing swim.
Cala d' Algaiarens is located on private land west of Cala Pregonda on Menorca's nothern coast.It is in the valley of Algaiarens and is an area of natural interest with dense pine trees. The two beaches of es Bots and de's Tancats are divided by a large rock and are at the mouth of an inlet where shallow crystal clear waters meet golden sands. There is a 4 Euro charge to access them but the trip is well worth the effort if you wish to escape the crowds on the south coast and explore this pretty spot. Take the Ronde Norte from Ciutadella travelling towards the Cala Morrell. At Torre d'En Quart go straight on towards Algaiarens and look out for La Vall.

Cala en Turqueta is a lovely sandy cove close to the old city of Ciutadella on the south coast of Menorca. It is fairly secluded with only a few amenities available such as the car park only a 5 minute walk from the beach. Head towards the chuch at Sant Joan which is about 6kms from Ciutadella. Then follow the signs marking the route to Cala en Turqueta. This route will also give you access to the more secluded Cala des Talajer and the Cova des Moro. Stop at the Talaia d'Artruxt is for breathtaking views out towards the neighbouring island of Majorca.

by

Martin Thompson writes travel guides and content his holiday villa websites for Portugal and Menorca, Spain. http://www.holiday-villa-rental-algarve.co.uk/algarve/villas/

Travel Secret - Why Slow Is Better

Our top travel secret isn't really a secret at all, but it takes a while for some of us to learn and apply it. Here it is: Slow down. Slowing down and spending more time in each location is not only a secret of cheap travel, but in our experience, it means more fun.
Slowing Down For Cheap Travel
We returned yesterday (August 13, 2007) from a ten-day road trip, and I can report that going slower saved us money, as it usually does. This isn't just about driving less, though when we started driving 200 miles in a day instead of 600 we certainly saved on gas. However, we also found that with time on our hands, we could do a better job shopping for a place to stay or to eat.
Make the big mile days the ones that pass through the boring stretches. Then when you come to an interesting place, find nice, affordable lodging and stick around a while. Once, while driving around the country camping in our van, we discovered hot springs in a wild part of Arizona, with picnic tables and bathrooms and desert hills to explore - everything we needed at the time. It cost just $3 per night, so it was easy to stay a while.
In fact, we stayed for eight days, enjoying the hot pools even during an unusual snowy day in the desert. We took daily hikes and hunted for antiquities and rocks in the surrounding hills, but more on that in a moment. Just once, we drove into the nearest town for groceries and water, so the entire eight days might have cost us $80 or so. That's cheap travel.
Five years back we stumbled into a great mountain town where we wanted to stay a while. We were in town early, instead of our usual driving until evening and scrambling to find a hotel, so we had time to check things out without rushing. We asked around and heard about a hotel above a pub. The rest of the hotel rooms in town were generally $60 per night and up, but we got a room above the pub for $120 - for an entire week. It had a stove and refrigerator, so we could cook our own meals if we wanted to save more.
Slowing Down Means Better Travel Experiences
More important than the fact that slowing down means cheap travel is the fact that when you go slower you discover things you would have missed. While at the hot springs mentioned above, for example, we befriended a Mayan Indian who brought us to an old Pony Express station in the desert hills. It still had parts of the old walls remaining.
He showed us areas where we could find old arrowheads, and we found some. Out in the middle of the desert, he showed us perfectly round holes that had been drilled into the rocks hundreds of years earlier. They were used for water storage. In our van, we followed him to an area where ancient pottery littered the desert, and where gemstones could be found as well.
We wouldn't have found these things on our own. The experiences were also only possible because we didn't rush from one park to another, trying to fit as many "sights" into a trip as possible. It may not be a secret that a slow trip can be more interesting, but not many people seem to want to try this more relaxing, slower pace.
Where we stayed a week for $120 in that mountain town, we discovered area waterfalls and secret mountain lakes that only the locals knew about. The town was our base as we made trips into the surrounding area. Talking to people in local bars lead us to a well-preserved ghost town that wasn't on our map. Its streets were still full of buildings and foundations, but no tourists - one other car pulled in while we were there.
Our travel secret number one: slow down to save money and enjoy the trip more.

by Steve GillmanCopyright Steve Gillman. Get a free ebook on Travel Secrets, as well as travel stories and tips, at http://www.everythingabouttravel.com

Cuba

Cuba, beauty in simplicity, a haven, a paradise, an experience. One of the largest Caribbean islands, Cuba is all you can dream of and a little more. Endless sandy beaches, captivating culture, old-age architecture, friendly locals, delicious cuisine, it is a place you would not want to leave. Cuba consists of the main island, the Isle of Youth and about 4,195 keys commonly known as cayos. It is 140 kilometers from the Bahamas and 180 kilometers from Florida. Cuba's 11,200,000 inhabitants predominantly speak Spanish. Journey with us as we take you down the alleys, past the favorite haunts and experience with us the true magic of this virgin holiday destination. Join us as we rediscover Cuba's past, revel in its present and predict what lies ahead.
History has recorded that Cuba was originally called Cubanascnan. Christopher Columbus called it Juana. Colonization was credited to a Spanish soldier Diego Velázquez who established Baracoa in the year 1511. With his success he went on to establish Santiago de Cuba in 1514 and Havana in 1515. Thus began the era of the Spanish rule. The 1830s sparked the independence movement, which gained momentum after 1886 when slavery was abolished. Cuba's history has seen several phases. Some of great success and some of great loss. It has traveled many roads but has never lost focus on its final destination. This desire to triumph past persecution and revolt has succeeded in Cuba being a free country today.
The spirit of Cuba is well reflected in its anthem. The phrase 'do not fear a glorious death, because to die for the country is to life' portrays the fierce loyalty the people have for its island. The Cuban national flower is the butterfly jasmine, Trogon is its national bird, and the royal palm is its national tree.
Think of a land with 6700 species of plants, 14,000 species of invertebrates and 650 species of vertebrates. Think Cuba. Hidden within its enchanting forests, arid mountains and lush plains there is a plethora of wildlife unique to this part of the world. It is a hikers dream come true, as the winding trails reveal over 350 species of birds. Cuba has four mountain ranges and Turquino (1,974 meters) is the country's highest peak.
Comfortable cotton is recommended for Cuba's warm climate. Although the average temperature hovers around 25.5ºc, the average relative humidity is 78%. Depending upon the season, a raincoat and an umbrella may come in handy too! Cuba is full of must-see places. From the plantations of Cuba's Pinar del Rio province to the Varadero beach, from the Great Natural Park of Montemar to Cienfuegos- The Southern pearl, the country is brimming in tourist attractions.
Travel with us through these pages, as we give you a glimpse of a country that has so much to offer that Christopher Columbus called it the Pearl of the Caribbean. Meet the people at the bustling market places, enjoy the aroma of authentic Cuban cuisine and take in the sheer splendor of this scenic paradise. Come with us and we will understand if you want to linger a while longer...

About the Author
Visit CubaChannel.com today for breaking news, regular news articles, blog, videos, forums, and information about the land, people, history, culture, government, political conditions, travel, business, and economy of Cuba at http://www.cubachannel.com/

Tips For Finding Family Accommodation.

Whether seeking permanent accommodation or renting living space for a holiday, there are several important factors to consider when selecting the ideal accommodation for your family. Here are a few tips that will help you find family accommodation.
First, ample space for the family to be together is essential. This means you want to look for a space that allows for both common areas, such as a living or family room, plus a dining space that will include plenty of room for everyone to sit at a table without feeling cramped. Generous common space means room to play games, relax and talk, or settle in for a movie.
Along with common space, each member of the family should have personal space as well. Enough bedrooms to accommodate the adults and children in the home are essential, with no more than two persons to a room. If at all possible, try to arrange for each of the children to have individual bedrooms, even if the rooms are cosier. Everyone needs a quiet corner to read or simply reflect in private. Providing this sort of personal space will go a long way in keeping peace within the family.
Nothing says home like a workable kitchen. Make sure the family accommodation has ample pantry space as well as plenty of preparation surfaces so that meal preparation. When renting a home, make sure the major appliances are provided. A proper kitchen will make all the difference in how much the family enjoys the home.
Be aware of the likes and dislikes, or health needs of the family members. For example, a family may prefer hardwood floors to carpeting. Families who love a lot of natural sunlight and fresh air should stay away from dwellings with small windows.
When outdoor activities are important you should look for properties with at least a small back yard.
Practical matters also influence the selection of the living space. Storage and enough closets are essentials, along with working systems to provide heating and cooling when needed. Above all, there is probably a budget to be observed. Know what you want, but never lost sight of what you can reasonably afford. By knowing what you want and how much you have to spend, your chances for finding reasonable accommodations for the family are much improved.
by Samuell Armstrong

Bhutan 2008

Meet the Bhutanese and become a part of history! Bhutan Celebrates 100 Years of Monarchy
In 2008, Bhutan - the last Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas - will celebrate the centenary of the Monarchy. The first king, His Majesty Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck, established the rule of hereditary Monarchy in 1907. To commemorate and to celebrate this happy occasion, a year-long event will be organized in the country. The celebrations will highlight the last Himalayan Buddhist kingdom in the world. It will focus on the vibrant living Buddhist culture of the country.
It will be a golden opportunity to become a part of history! It is a rare opportunity to experience the magic of Bhutan it has never been seen before. The celebration is not only to witness, but you can be deeply involved yourselves in the cultural traditions of the kingdom.
Come! Meet the people of Bhutan and be the part of historic moment of Bhutan-The Last Shangri-la.
For more information contact us at authenticbhutan@druknet.bt Our website is http://www.authenticbhutan.com.bt/ or http://www.toursofbhutan.com/

by Ten Dorji

The Wonderful Food Of Cyprus

As is apt for its multicultural heritage, Cyprus boasts cuisine to make your mouth water. From Armenians and Syrians to their Greek and Persian rulers, Cyprus has retained a part of each; even the Lebanese, French, Italian and British influences are not lost upon the Cypriot cuisine. The fact that they have integrated the influences into a culture of their own is fascinating to watch for tourists. The country has an excellent climate for fruits and vegetables, and the people know how to enjoy those as well, so whether it is a Moussaka or raw vegetables, the food is always delicious and always fresh.

Cyprus is a land of the plenty. Most households have learnt to produce most of their food requirements themselves. While the main dishes, or even styles of serving, remain the same, Cypriot foods are bound by seasonal availability and their seasonal, or religious, festivals. Visit the country in September and witness the wine tasting festival where there is free wine aplenty, or tour during the New Year festivities when the 'Vasilopitta', the special cake for the occasion, is served...perhaps you could be the one to find the coin in your slice of 'Vasilopitta', luck will be abound for you for a whole year, or so they say.

Perhaps the most fascinating style of serving in Cyprus is that of the 'mezze'. The combination of up to thirty dishes served in small saucer-like plates deserves a worthy appetite. The locals are a hospitable people to the extent of being almost too hospitable. When they serve you a 'mezze' it is only fair that you taste everything, so even eating is an art; you don't want to run out of space by eating too much of one thing.

Of course the Cypriots love their meats, when they are eating them. There are religious fasts that prohibit the use of meats in the food, so those fasting eat vegetables practically half the year with different reasons for the fasts. If you prefer vegetarian foods, asking for it is more than likely going to see the request being obliged in most restaurants and taverns. A few of the favorite meat dishes in Cyprus are Dolmades (minced meat and rice stuffed in vine leaves), Tava (meat, herbs and onion stew), Kebabs (spiced and skewered meat pieces roasted over charcoal fire), try those and there still will be plenty you missed!

The local national drink is, of course, coffee. The kafenes, or the coffee houses, in Cyprus continue to be a men only affair though. The farmers go there before and after work to enjoy a cup as they catch up on the village gossip. Women and children are only allowed on special occasions like when a puppet show or another for of entertainment is arranged there for the villagers. Otherwise, women have their 'sketo', 'metrio' or 'glyko' - all forms of coffee with varying quantity of sugar- at home.

by Gabriel Adams

Gatlinburg Chili Cook-off and Winterfest In Pigeon Forge

Gatlinburg Chili Cook-off
You will definitely work up an appetite after all that shopping, so make your way to the chili cook-off. Each November, there's a one-day showdown of more than 20 cooks stirring their pots with one-of-a-kind chili recipes. Beans or no beans? Hamburger or steak? Mild or grab-the-fire-extinguisher smokin'? Whatever your preference, you'll have a dizzying selection of chili to sample. When you're finished, cast your vote for the chili you think should receive the People's Choice Award.

Winterfest In Pigeon Forge
From November to February, Pigeon Forge makes the transition from a mountain resort to a winter wonderland. Over five million lights are on display in the shapes of animals and nativities as well as draping virtually every building in town. Take a ride inside a toasty-warm trolley with someone special as the entire town twinkles before your very eyes. It will quickly put you in the holiday spirit!
A huge selection of Christmas shows in local theaters can also be found, from reenactments of the birth of Christ to Santa and his elves. With special events happening throughout Winterfest, you and your family can enjoy Wilderness Wildlife Week, a variety of storytelling events and more.
With so much to choose from, you'll find it hard to decide what to do first. Whether you like to shop, eat or just take in the beautiful scenery, it's all here waiting for you in the Smoky Mountains!

The Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair

Hailed as one of the "Top 20 Events in the Southeastern United States" by the Southeastern Tourism Society, the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair draws expert craftsmen and shoppers every year. The Craftsmen's Fair is held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center, and has been around for over 30 years. Trying to get a head start on your holiday shopping? Then this is the place for you! There are over 200 booths to explore filled with unique, heirloom-quality items designed and created by master craftsmen. You are bound to find something special for everyone on your list, even those - especially those - who seem to have everything.
Not only will you enjoy the shopping and demonstrations from local craftsmen, but there is also live blue grass and country music to keep you entertained. Wear comfortable shoes and give yourself plenty of time to shop till you drop.

About the Author
Bennie McCann is Reservations Manager of Volunteer Cabin Rentals specializing in Smoky Mountain rental cabins in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN. Visit them today at http://www.volunteercabinrentals.com/ to book cabins for weddings, vacations, reunions and other special events. © 2007, All Rights Reserved

Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival

The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community declares itself, "The largest group of individual artisans in North America," and you can find them at the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. Lasting for weeks during September and October, visitors are amazed that practically every town in the Smokies is decked out for fall. Celebrations of all types take place during the festival including concerts, auto shows, rodeos, air shows and, of course, craft fairs.
Artisans and shop owners have handed down their crafts and skills for generations. During the festival, you will find paintings, woodcarvings, quilts, candles, pottery and more than you can imagine in the way of arts and crafts.
As you stroll up and down the streets of each quaint, little town, you'll be welcomed with a genuine, "Hey!" from local business owners. It's as if you've stepped back in time to a place where traditional craftsmanship has not been forgotten

The City of Carnival

Recife is one of the biggest cities in northeastern Brazil, its population is about 1,500,000 inhabitants, and it is the capital of Pernambuco that is situated in the northeastern part of the country. It is as well a very comfortable place all year round, due to its temperatures varying from 20-30 degrees Celsius. Located near the Atlantic Ocean, city was created to become a port city, which major exports being coffee, cotton wool and sugar. Recife as well has a fast growing metropolitan and sightseer region that has been named Brazilian Venice for the reason that half of it is situated on the most important land, and the other one on an isle, which leads to it being divided by numerous diverse stunning waterways and linked by a range of bridges. These Venice-like canals are not the only place of interest of this coastal city. Most arrive to see historical places created three-four centuries ago such as old constructions, cathedrals, and historical monuments. A lot of tourists as well come to enjoy the view of the white sandy coasts There is as well the annual festivity in the city center that attracts tourists from many countries, it is famous as "Carnival", this festivity could be illustrated as a great circus like street merrymaking, and to my mind, it is similar to a more complicated version of "Mardi Gras" celebrated in North America. These actions, while all amusing and fascinating, may not be sufficient, and as a traveler, you might desire to see other attractive things in the town, for instance, local music. Thus you might feel like listening to "Frevo" music. It was originated in Recife! Frevo music is frequently used in the festivity of Carnival. You may as well wish to learn a number of Frevo dances, it is too widely admired during the Carnival. So, Frevo is a kind of instrumental music, performed with very fast tempo with brass instruments. Most compare this kind of music to Czech polka, however, to my mind, Frevo gives the impression to be more exciting and lively.

by Andrew Schwartz

Want To Make Your Trip A Hit? Then Better Stay Fit!

Want to go for a vacation that you yearn, remember you have a few calories too to burn.
Getting back to what we must take care off when we are on a trip. Let's discuss the different kinds of trips we usually go on. Some are long destinations which need traveling by a plane. There are however some trips which are easier and more fun filled. These trips are the road trips. When on the road, you surely will not find restaurants or hotels or even lodges. It's better to pack and take food with you.
You can carry healthy snacks for while on the road. Say something like pancakes, or sandwiches or fruits. Carry something that can be eaten even when you are driving or on a plane.
It is wise to calculate the number of hours you are going to be traveling. Pack the food items which you feel you can carry and is non perishable.
Carry something like a shake or a fresh fruit. You've got to believe when it is said, it's not difficult to pack and plan everything before you travel.
You are going to shell out a lot of money on a trip, then why not find a place where you have fitness centers too. Some even work out in their rooms with basic equipments. As you may have observed, seeing should never always be believed. The posters and hoarding of gyms all over may just be a hoax. You spend all your time and money to go and find out about the gym and what happens? It looks just like a cubicle! Is it worth all the trouble?
When you plan your trip, find out about fitness center within the vicinity. Some of the gyms even have charges which are levied along with your room bills. Use the net and search the web to find out more about fitness center close to your door.
Most of the fitness centers have branches. So when you are traveling you can find out whether your fitness center has a branch or is affiliated to any other gym, so that you can avail the services.
New gym, new rules! As you walk into a new gym (which remember is a stop gap), you tend to get disappointed as the equipments are not the same as those back home. Do not fret. You will have to adjust and get accustomed to the new techniques. Its temporary and you will anyway head back to the old styles of working out. As long as you are on a holiday enjoy the new steps of fitness.
If you do not find a fitness center the best you can do is get your self a bicycle. If you are traveling on a hilly side of the country, go hiking! What's more ecstatic than to go hiking? Try the beach for once. Try cycling up and down the sandy beach and play around with the waves. If you take fitness as a bane it will be, enjoy staying it!! It helps

writen by

Chris McCombs is a personal trainer in Aliso Viejo with specialty in fat loss and muscle toning. He owns a successful company Positively Fit Personal Training. He shares his valuable tips on fitness and "how to" videos on his site.

Tips for Backpacking Around the World

Tips for Backpacking Around the World
Many times people who backpack will do so close to home. Sometimes, though, more adventurous backpackers decide to explore the world. Backpacking can be a great way to travel and save some money.
You will get to see new places and go through terrain you may not be exposed to at home. Since you will be camping instead of staying in hotels you will be able to travel on a nice budget.
Being away from home means if you forgot something then you have to buy new or go without. All you need to do to ensure that your trip is successful is to plan and be prepared.
When traveling you will need to pack light, but make sure you pack everything you need. This can be complicated, but is necessary.
Pack lightweight clothing that will dry quickly and pack sparingly. You will need only about 3 outfits no matter how long you are staying. You can wash them and dry them at night. Take a fleece jacket, boots, sandals and tennis shoes and some type of head covering. Depending on where you travel this may simply be a ball cap, but if you are female and going to the Middle East you will need a proper head garment. Also don't forget to pack a clothesline.
You will also need a sleeping bag, first aid kit, plastic place setting with a plate, bowl, fork and spoon and two towels. It is also important to pack a water bottle and water purification kit.
Don't bring guide books. Try to copy any information you need. Single pages weigh much less than a whole book. Also leave valuables at home. These will make you more prone to thieves.
Always keep in mind any airline policies as they tend to be rather strict these days. You can always buy something once you reach your destination if you can not take it on the plane.
The whole point is to pack light because you have to carry it all around with you. Only pack what you need and what would not make sense to buy once you get to your destination.

by joseph then

http://www.backpackingtips.net/

Thai barbie doll.

Puerto Vallarta

By reputation the second of Mexico's beach resorts, PUERTO VALLARTA is smaller, quieter and younger than Acapulco. In its own way, it is actually every bit as commercial – perhaps more so, since here tourism is virtually the only source of income – but appearances count for much, and Puerto Vallarta, while doing all it can to catch up with Acapulco, appears far less developed and retains a more Mexican feel.
It lies in the middle of the 22-kilometre wide Bahía de Banderas, the seventh largest bay in the world, fringed by endless sandy beaches and backed by the jungly slopes of the Sierra Madre. Its hotels are scattered along several miles of coast with the greatest concentration in Nuevo Vallarta, north of the town and sliced through by an eight-lane strip of asphalt. Just south of Nuevo Vallarta is the new marina, where you can stroll along the boardwalk and have a look at how the other half live, on beautiful boats. Despite the frantic development of the last decade, the historic town centre, with its cobbled streets and white-walled, terracotta-roofed houses, sustains the tropical village atmosphere, an asset assiduously exploited by the local tourist authorities.
The town's relative youth is undoubtedly a contributing factor. Until 1954 Puerto Vallarta was a small fishing village where the Río Cuale spills out into the Bahía de Banderas; then Mexicana airlines, their hand forced by Aeroméxico's monopoly on flights into Acapulco, started promoting the town as a resort. Their efforts received a shot in the arm in 1964, when John Huston chose Mismaloya, 10km south, as the setting for his film of Tennessee Williams' play The Night of the Iguana, starring Richard Burton. The scandalmongering that surrounded Burton's romance with Elizabeth Taylor – who was not part of the cast but came along – is often attributed to putting Puerto Vallarta firmly in the international spotlight: "a mixed blessing" according to Huston, who stayed on here until his death in 1987, and whose bronze image stands on the Isla Río Cuale in town.
The package tourists stay, on the whole, in the beachfront hotels around the bay, but are increasingly penetrating the town centre to shop in the pricey boutiques and malls that line the streets leading back from the beach, and to eat in some of the very good restaurants both on the malecón and downtown. Nevertheless, what could be a depressingly expensive place to visit turns out to be liberally peppered with good-value hotels and budget restaurants, especially during the low season (Aug–Nov).
Puerto Vallarta today is one of the gay centres of Mexico, with a great deal more tolerance for – and entertainment geared towards – the gay scene than almost any other Mexican town.
Information by Rough Guides

cheap dirt ticket

Time to get started on this topic. Take a few moments to read every aspect of this paper hopefully it will be of great help. Airlines are well thought out as one of the best ways for a person to get from destination point A to destination point B. There are dissimilar levels of comfort that we can get from our air travel. This level of comfort depends for the most part on the character of ticket that we have paid for. Some airlines offer airline cheap dirt ticket packages and interesting monetary value offers to entice low budget travelers to fly on their flights.While you may have to hound round for the best deal that you can get from these unlike airlines you will see the various packages, low price tickets, and no frills airline cheap dirt ticket prices as well. This entropy gathering can be quite an useful as many of us lean to stick with one or two airlines that we know about. For the person who is on a low budget or person who is feel adventurous, devising travel plans with an airline that is offering airline cheap dirt ticket prices and packages is the best way to get our holidays started. The first and foremost ground will be the amount of money that has been saved with booking airline tickets from an airway that is offer dirt inexpensive tickets. When you have in the final analysis elect the airline that will give you the best deal you must see about securing the rest of your travel plans. This usually way preparation your agenda so that you can leave for your holidays with a minimum number of trouble. Likewise acquiring your travel dates and hotels booked you will need to see about securing your airline reservations. As you are looking through the many details for your flight schedule you should confirm if you are acquiring an airline cheap dirt ticket price. Any discrepancies in the sum of money of money that you will have to give should be fixed before you at last give the full amount of the various tickets. Since many airlines have inexpensive tickets to admit their diverse customers you can always be sure that you are passing to be able to find such an airline cheap dirt ticket as well. Whether you will want to continue your journeying with these types of tickets will depend on the serving that you receive on these airlines. This clause was written to provide you with knowledge about the subject I appreciate you taking your time to read it.
Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com
Michael Malega presents several airline cheap dirt ticket articles for your information. You can visit Michael's web place here airline cheap dirt ticket

Frankturt

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Frankfurt's most famous resident, once said that "Frankfurt is full of curiosities." There is still truth in these words today. One such curiosity is the interplay between the traditional and the modern, manifested in the mishmash of towering skyscrapers and tiny, half-timbered houses. With over half a million residents and a large immigrant community, Frankfurt displays all the signs of a unique city to visit. Ever since the first trade fair took place here in the Middle Ages, Frankfurt has been shaped by business and commerce. Bankfurt is home to over 400 banks including the European Central Bank and Bundesbank, as well as continental Europe's biggest Stock Exchange. The city After severe Allied bombing in March 1944, Frankfurt's Altstadt (old town) was almost completely destroyed. Yet there are still many sights to see - the Rathaus (City Hall) Römer, the Leinwandhaus, Paulskirche, Dom and Goethehaus are only a few yards apart from each other. For s shopping adventures visit the Schillerpassage, Goethestraße or the Freßgass Passage. Evening entertainment in the form of theatre or other cultural pursuits can be found in places like Schmiere, Tigerpalast Variete Theater or the Volkstheater. Bahnhofsviertel In the 1920s, more than 20,000 people lived in the ornate houses close to the main station, the Hauptbahnhof. Today the Bahnhofsviertel (station quarter) is home to just 4,000 residents. There are many reasons people frequent this neighborhood, with the 1970s sprout of the red light district being just one. The area is filled with entertainment like the English Theatre and numerous bars and restaurants, like Casablanca Bar and for takeout try Markt im Bahnhof. Locals flock here after work in the nearby Banking Quarter. Bockenheim The district of Bockenheim, home to Frankfurt's Johann Wolfgang Goethe University and some 40,000 students, is extremely lively. The cafes, bistros, pubs, and shops near the university have focused their attentions on the young clientèle. The Theater am Turm, in the former tram depot, is one of Frankfurt's top locations for theater and ballet productions. Bornheim The "merry village" of Bornheim spans the divide between the traditional and the trendy. Old-world cider pubs, spanking-new bars, exclusive boutiques and simple corner shops attract a mixed clientele. At the heart of this residential area is Berger Straße, a great place for a bit of shopping. You'll find entertainment a plenty in the Mousonturm and in the Berger Cinema. If you are in need of relaxation, try the Chinese Garden. The Ice Rink is a perfect spot of energetic fun. The Dippemess Festival, which takes place twice a year, is a good bet for entertainment. Höchst The district of Höchst, which gave its name to the world-famous paint factory, was incorporated into Frankfurt in 1928. The old town's baroque beauty is showcased in the Bolongaro Palace on the Nidda estuary. The Neues Theater Höchst, is a cultural magnet featuring cabaret, comedy, and children's theater. Popular concerts and artistic performances take place in the Jahrhunderthalle. The highlight of Höchst's entertainment calendar, however, is the Schloß- und Altstadtfest (Castle and Old Town Festival) during the summer. Nordend Nordend, the most densely populated and popular residential area of Frankfurt, boasts attractive streets and quaint 19th century houses. It is also home to numerous pubs and small shops. The area is home to a community of wealthy bankers who live alongside the student population. People meet up in one of the many Italian, Greek or Turkish restaurants in the area, or in bars such as Harveys. Ostend Once a run-down working-class district, today Ostend is a much sought after residential area. This neighborhood offers more than just industrial parks, it houses countless ornate villas and plenty of culture and entertainment possibilities. Literary enthusiasts meet in the Romanfabrik , while young party people head for the LOFT House. In the old warehouses you'll find furniture design shops such as Kontrast, as well as dozens of advertising agencies and film producers. Sachsenhausen The district of Sachsenhausen on the opposite bank of the River Main is known for its cider and its old, half-timbered houses. Old Sachsenhausen has lost some of its charm over recent decades due to war and political strife, but it still has a lot to offer. For instance elegant town houses on the river bank and fine boutiques on the elegant Schweizer Straße. Art and culture are alive at Museumsufer, where the National Film Museum, Museum of Ethnology and the Städel Museum are all located. Westend Westend is situated in the shadows of the skyscrapers and high-rises that are home to the city's banks and financial companies. In the seventies, the district was full of students and squatters demonstrating against the destruction of the area's old buildings. Today, offices and banks lend the area its character. Owners of the luxury flats and penthouse suites meet up to jog in Grüneburg park or relax in the Palm Garden. The recently restored Synagogue, the monumental IG-Farbenhaus and the Alte Oper are all well worth a visit.

Cololado

Seventy miles south of Denver on I-25, COLORADO SPRINGS was origi-nally developed as a vacation spot in 1871 by railroad tycoon William Jackson Palmer. He attracted so many English gentry to the town that it earned the nickname of "Little London." Despite sprawling for ten miles alongside I-25, modern Colorado Springs, a bastion of conservatism compared to liberal Denver, still retains much of Palmer's vision, thanks to a high military presence, fundamentalist religious organizations, the exclusive Colorado College and a well-to-do Anglo-American community.
Motorists whisk through the incredible Garden of the Gods, on the west edge of town off US-24 W, without bothering to get out of their vehicles. This gnarled, twisted and warped red sandstone rockery was lifted up at the same time as the nearby mountains (around 65 million years ago), but has since been eroded into finely balanced overhangs, jagged pinnacles, massive pedestals and mushroom formations. The visitor center, at the park's eastern border (tel 719/634-6666), has details on hiking and mountain biking trails.
At the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, 101 Pro Rodeo Drive, off I-25 exit 147 (daily 9am–5pm; $6; http://www.prorodeo.com/), videos and displays explain the sport's various disciplines (calf roping, barrel racing and the like). Other local exhibits of note include the painting and sculpture gardens of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 30 W Dale St (Tues–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 1–5pm; $6), ranging from Native American art to Post-Modern pieces; the displays and demonstrations of specialized mining equipment at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry, east of I-25 exit 156A (Mon–Sat 9am–4pm, Sun noon–4pm; $6); and the town's history museum, the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum, 215 S Tejon St (Tues–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 1–5pm; free), part of which is a restored courtroom, location for a number of Perry Mason episodes.
Information by Rough Guides

passion in Barcelona

As small as Europe is in comparison to any other continent, the diversity of culture is something that really appeals to any traveller. As somebody who hasn't travelled much, I was overwhelmed when choosing which European country I was going to visit on my long awaited holiday. But after looking through many brochures the answer came surprisingly easy. That very same day I booked my holiday to Barcelona.


Alluring Passion
The essence of Spain is passion. I could feel it as soon as I set my foot down at the airport. Everything the Spanish do is with passion. The way they walk, their language, their cooking style and even their flaring tempers are displayed with such passion that you can't help but be inspired. It's like a wild fire burning out of control.


On the way to my accommodation, my taxi driver enthusiastically gave me a rundown of things that I should do and see as a first time tourist. I felt like a kid in a candy store, not quite sure where to begin but wanting everything at once. And even after my long tiresome flight, the exhilarating feeling that I was in a city with so much to offer made me realise that the next two weeks were going to be beyond memorable.


My Apartment
Instead of booking into a hotel, I opted for my own Barcelonan flat. This wasn't just going to be a holiday, this was going to be a life experience and I figured the best way to go about it would be to have my own place to call home. I was staying at the Vista Real. It was an apartment rented out specifically as a holiday accommodation for tourists who want to feel like they have their own safe haven. Quite a clever illusion I think. I had my very own place and I was ready to become a Spanish senõrita.


Park Guell
After my breakfast at the café across the road from Vista Real, I set off to the Guell park. Architecture in Barcelona in my opinion is quite haunting. Most of the buildings are designed in the gothic style and the major landmarks were done by Barcelona's famous architect, Gaudi. The Guell Park is one such a landmark. With enormous stone structures, the entrance to to Guell Park is a brightly coloured tiled dragon. I was awestruck at the beauty and detail with which every inch was designed. It seemed like the magical world of a hypnotic fairytale. And it was drawing me into its spellbinding world.


Just a normal day
I spent the whole day at Geull Park before I eventually left to go back to my apartment. This was a typical day for me in Barcelona. Joining the locals for some breakfast and walking through the city of Barcelona. I left everything to the heat of the moment, and like a true Spanish senõrita passionately continued on my holiday.


Living in my own apartment, even for just two weeks, was one of the best things I could have done. And for me it has made the idea of staying at a hotel almost unbearable. Since then, I have travelled to Amsterdam and Paris, again staying only in holiday apartments. I have become a woman of the world.


About the Author
WayToStay Apartment Rentals offers short-stay self catering accommodation in Barcelona, Amsterdam and Paris as the smarter alternative to hotels for leisure and business travellers.

Straight Forward Reviews

Straight Forward Reviews on Travel by Sammy Maseko


It's a good idea to buy film before traveling in order to save money, but film can easily be destroyed by the increased security devices that are in use now, so consider buying a special case made especially for carrying film when you travel. It's always a good idea to have a small first-aid kit along with you on the trip that can be retrieved handily in the case of an emergency. By basically sticking to a "when in Rome, do as the Romans" idea with your tastes, you will make your trip much more affordable.

If you are traveling abroad, be it on business or pleasure it is a good idea to consider taking out travel insurance. Travel whether for business or pleasure should be accompanied by travel insurance. Many travel agents are not fully knowledgeable when it comes to understanding the details of various travel insurance policies and may overlook something that could be important to you or your family and few offer suggestions.

Because of the Internet and the positive response to the Internet by Travel consumers, Travel Suppliers are now placing their products online for ALL to see. VIP Travel Rewards is accessable internationally and meets the needs of the Global community with inexpensive online purchase of highly sought after travel and brand name related products and services. A loyalty based program by VIP Travel Rewards offers customers the opportunity to instantly purchase brand name and travel related products and services with a percentage of Rewards Dollars on the already lowest retail prices available.

Make sure you make a list of or the places where you'll visit during foreign travel and leave a copy of it at your home so that your family members can easily contact you. In order to keep your sanity and actually enjoy some of the travel spots you take your children to, follow some simple pre- planning and travel organizing tips. Be familiar with local laws and customs of the country where you want to travel.

The truth is, the more you enjoy business travel - the more relaxed you'll be for any meetings or presentations. There are many Brilliant Hotels in New York and finding discount hotel reservation is easy whether for business travel or vacation travel, premiere and discount hotel bookings can be easily be done on the web through many trusted providers. If all of this sounds good to you, and you are serious in your desire to start a home based travel reservation business, then there a few things you should think about first.

Having a business credit card from American Express can also make employees much more comfortable with International travel. If you have a card like the Hilton Honors Platinum Credit Card from American Express, you can also earn reward points for free hotel stays, free airline tickets and discounts on travel vacation packages. And when you arrange with a travel agency for a tour with a fixed schedule, all the necessary reservations are confirmed.

Most discount travelers want to get discounted tickets for theme Parks, Museums and other attractions within driving distance, and the secret to making the most of your travel budget is to research and take advantage of any discounts available. Employee discount travel is a part of the fringe benefits that are offered to employees by their company A company works with different travel agencies and gets special deals in return that employees can benefit from. To help the company provide employee discount travel facility; there are many other companies that serve as agents.

Chances are that if you do all of your planning and booking online your budget travel is gong to be even cheaper. Making your self known to other guests, the receptionist and locals, is another way to find the best way to eat within your travel budget. Being friendly with other guests in the hotel, the concierge and the locals, is another great way to discover good food that won't break the budget.


About the Author
Are you interested in more information and guidelines on budget car hire then check out:travel agents car hire.

5 Worst Vacation Hotspots

Everybody has a bad vacation story: bad hotel service, bad weather, some food poisoning or maybe even getting mugged. But you know what? If you really want to impress your friends and family you'll have to go a step further.

So, what's the worst you could do? I don't know, maybe something like getting asthma, lung cancer, getting kidnapped and some limbs amputated or even dying. Not the smartest thing to do, but when you're trying to impress everybody you have to do a bang-up job!

Let's see which 5 vacation spots are the worst:

1. Kwinana, Australia - this is actually a pretty nice spot, close to Perth. Long sandy beaches, nice weather, warm water; it's all fine and dandy unless you stay there for more than a few days.

Kwinana is home to an Alcoa refinery, which emit carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, benzene and volatile organic compounds. These things affect everything from fauna to flora and, of course, people. Officially there is no link between these chemicals and an increase in cancer plaguing Alcoa workers, but why don't you go there and test it for the rest of us? Pretty please?

2. Go swimming in Gansbaai, South Africa - this is the "great white shark capital" of the world. It's great when you actually want to go diving for sharks, with a protective cage and all. But when you just go out for a dip and Jaws decides to be the South African welcoming committee, well that's a whole different thing.

Still, let's be honest: shark attacks, considering how many people go in the water, are so few and far between that you should be more concerned about getting struck by lightning. So if you want to get lucky you might want to increase your chances with a little cut on your leg or arm (but this is just a suggestion).

3. Columbia - ah, the country of guerillas, cocaine and (your ticket to fame) kidnapping. Although Colombia is the 26th largest country 2 thirds of the world's kidnappings happen here.

By looking at the stats you'll see that tourists aren't usually a high priority, but you do have a good chance if you work for a high profile company or are a public person. Those guerillas always need a few extra bucks, so you might as well take a shot.

4. Iraq - I don't think this needs any explaining. War zone, trigger happy military personnel, bombs going off almost everyday - this vacation might not be that fun but it sure would be exciting!

5. Venus - yes, I know, you can't visit other planets... yet. Technical innovations will make it possible (although expensive) to take outer space trips in a few years. So why not plan a visit to Venus?

It is a little hot for our current air conditioners at 460 degrees Celsius, so you might want an industrial grade freezer as a temporary home there. Also a chemical oxygen scrubber that recycles your air is a good idea considering that the atmosphere is made up of carbon dioxide and nice puffy clouds of sulfuric acid that relflect all the light coming to the planet.

And don't forget to always keep moving - the planet's surface is full of active volcanoes.

This is the ultimate vacation hotspot and it will likely impress everybody on Earth, not just your friends and family, especially if something happens to you.

Now you have to decide: how much of an attention seeker are you? Cancer is dramatic, losing an arm or leg will get you on local TV, but if you could get on another planet and getting burned alive because of the atmosphere is maybe the best thing you could do to get noticed by a whole planet!


About the Author
AA Travel is a Romanian travel agency (agentie turism) that has various offers for New Years Celebrations (Revelion 2008) and Christmas Day (Craciun 2007) in countries all over Europe.

Ski resort in canada

Family vacations are a great way to bond over the winter holiday season, and most ski resorts say that they welcome families. However, not all ski resorts are created equal when it comes to family ski vacations. With these tips comparing our picks for resorts in Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia, you'll know just where to go, making this winter vacation the best one yet.
Mont Tremblant is an East Coast family favourite, 45 minutes outside of Montreal. The charming village is pedestrian-only, making it a great and safe place for families to wander.
Kids are welcome in the daycare from the age of eighteen months, while the ski school offers a fun and educational day or week-long programs. Youth (aged 5-12) and children (aged 3-4) can enjoy full day ski (youth can also snowboard) lessons including lunch for around $100 or four full days of lessons, lunch, and photos for $300 (please call for exact rates). There is also a ski or snowboard terrain park for older kids with 20 rails, 15 jumps, and a 15-foot high half-pipe.
There are also a staggering number of family-friendly activities off the slopes, like child-friendly snowmobiling and snow trains, skating, sleigh-riding, and more. The La Source aquatic center is a family-friendly après ski with an indoor pool, whirlpool, and "Tarzan" rope.
Tremblant hotels also impress with their family-friendly rates - in almost all properties kids can stay in the room for free! Tremblant hotels also remain significantly cheaper than many other Canadian resorts, family-prices or not. Dining options range from old-fashioned pizzerias to more 'adult' properties, so all ages and palates are well-accommodated.
The stats: 94 trails over 625 acres, with a rise of 2871 feet and an annual snowfall of 150".
Sunshine Village wins points with young kids from the second they arrive at the resort. Cars are prohibited in the village, so skiers travel up the mountain in a six-passenger gondola.
Once on the slopes its parents of young kids who are won over, as children 5 and under ski free. Sunshine Village also offers a lesson guarantee - if you're not satisfied with your child's lesson, receive another lesson for free! During Tiny Tigers daycare, children, aged 19 months to 6 years, enjoy playtime inside and out as well as lunch and snacks. If young children (aged 3-6) are eager to learn to ski, the Tiny Tigers Ski & Play program is the way to go. Groups are a maximum size of 3 and the Tiny Tiger pros are experts teaching kids. Participants will enjoy one hour of ski & play with their instructors in the morning and another in the afternoon, as well as all the fun of the Tiny Tiger daycare. Kids Kampus offers the same fun learning for children 6 to 12.
Sunshine Village provides the only ski-in/ski-out lodging in Banff National Park, as well as access skiing in Mount Norquay and Lake Louise - giving parents of fickle kids the opportunity to make every day's adventure a little different. The town of Banff is close-by and offers a greater variety of family-friendly lodging, most hotels let kids 16 and under stay free.
The stats: 107 runs over 3358 acres, with a rise of 3,514 feet and an annual snowfall of 396".
Whistler-Blackcomb is the biggest and, some say, the best. This beautiful mega-resort definitely goes above and beyond when it comes to facilities for families.
Children as young as 3 months are welcome in the daycare (parents get pagers), while lessons can start at age 3 (for skiing) or 6 (for snowboarding.) If kids are apprehensive about skiing, Whistler's Family Mountain Zone is a great place to start. This specially designated area has a slower pace better for families who wish to stick together. Whistler has all the usual ski schools - one day lessons run around $115 and five day lessons approximately $550 - and also features the popular alternative of a two or five-day Ride Tribe camp, where 12-to-18-year-olds can learn tricks and new terrain with a hip instructor and other teenagers. They can then show off their new skills in one of the resort's five terrain parks. Children aged 6 and under ski free.
Non-skiing snowy fun can include exploring the kid's adventure park (there's one on each mountain!) where kids can put their skis aside and climb around a castle or tree-house, or going tubing at a family snow tubing park.
A popular accommodation choice for families in Whistler is the rental of ski-side condominiums, offering a little taste of home while away. Most resorts and hotels also allow kids under the age of 18 to stay in their parents' room for free.
With time off the slopes the village is especially exciting for older children and teenagers to explore, with movie theatres, rock climbing walls, a youth center, and pool - all easily explored independently by foot.
The stats: 200 runs over 8,171 acres, with a rise of 5,280 feet and an annual snowfall of 360".
Learn more about these great resorts, including snow conditions, restaurant guides and more, with online ski Canada resort guides.
Ready to take the plunge? Fresh Tracks Ski offers exclusive packages of the best hotels, activities, and extras for families to Tremblant, Whistler, and Banff.
About the Author
Leigh is a traveler, writer, and avid skiier living in Vancouver, BC.

Holidays in Africa

Holidays in South Africa are a wonderful experience, simply because there are so many places to visit and so many things to do.
There are a wide variety of activities to enjoy, from watching the big five in Kruger National Park - one of the world’s biggest national parks and top destination for safari in South Africa- to enjoying the world class beaches and renowned surfing areas while on holidays in Cape Town. Experience the sweet scent of desert that amazingly turns into a colorful carpet of flowers in spring. Alternatively You can choose to wander through the rich wine routes during a Garden Route tour, tasting as you go.
Cape Town is the world’s whale watching capital, and you can come up close and personal with white sharks, dolphins and penguins. Take part in a wide variety of adventure sports, or relax in some of the country's laid back bars and restaurants.

Tokyo in dreams

On the edge of the Orient, TOKYO – the last great conurbation before the yawning chasm of the Pacific Ocean – is one of the world's most perplexing cities. On the one hand, gaudily hung about with eyeball-searing neon and messy overhead cables, plagued by seemingly incessant noise, often clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic and packed with twelve million people squashed into minute apartments, it can seem like the stereotypical urban nightmare. Yet behind the barely ordered chaos lie remnants of a very different way of life. Step back from the frenetic main roads and chances are you'll find yourself in a world of tranquil backstreets, where wooden houses are fronted by neatly clipped bonsai trees; wander beyond the high-tech department stores, and you'll find ancient temples and shrines. In this city of 24-hour shops and vending machines, a festival is held virtually every day of the year, people regularly visit their local shrine or temple and scrupulously observe the passing seasons. And, at the centre of it all, is the mysterious green void of the Imperial Palace – home to the emperor and a tangible link to the past.
In many ways Tokyo is also something of a modern-day utopia. Trains run on time; the crime rate is hardly worth worrying about; shops and vending machines provide everything you could need (and many things you never thought you needed) 24 hours a day; the people wear the coolest fashions, eat in fabulous restaurants and party in the hippest clubs. It's almost impossible to be bored here and first-time visitors should be prepared for a massive assault on the senses – just walking the streets of this hyperactive city can be an energizing experience. You'll also be surprised how affordable many things are. Cheap-and-cheerful izakaya (bars that serve food) and noodle shacks far outnumber the big-ticket French restaurants and high-class ryotei, where geisha serve minimalist Japanese cuisine, while day-tickets for a sumo tournament or a Kabuki play can be bought for the price of a few drinks. Many of the city's highlights are even free: a stroll through the evocative Shitamachi (low city) area around Asakusa and the major Buddhist temple Senso-ji; a visit to the tranquil wooded grounds of Meiji-jingu, the city's most venerable Shinto shrine, and the nearby teenage shopping mecca of Harajuku; the frenetic fish market at Tsukiji; the crackling, neon-saturated atmosphere of the mini-city Shinjuku – you don't need to part with lots of cash to explore this city.
Even if you don't arrive in Tokyo, chances are you will end up here or pass through on your way to other parts of Japan, since the capital is the major transport hub. Every day, scores of Shinkansen (bullet trains) speed up to the far north of Honsho or south to Kyushu, while flights, buses and ferries connect Tokyo to the far-flung corners and islands of the Japanese archipelago.
The only time Tokyo is best avoided is during the steamy height of summer in August and early September, when the city's humidity sees its citizens scurrying from one air-conditioned haven to another. October and November, by contrast, are great months to take in the spectacular fireburst of autumn leaves in Tokyo's parks and gardens. Temperatures dip to freezing in the winter months, though the crisp blue skies are rarely disturbed by rain or snow showers. April is the month when Tokyoites love to party beneath the flurries of falling cherry blossoms – one of the best months to visit the capital. Carrying an umbrella is a good idea during tsuyu, the rainy season in June and September, when typhoons occasionally strike the coast.
Legend says that a giant catfish sleeps beneath Tokyo Bay, and its wriggling can be felt in the hundreds of small tremors that rumble the capital each year. Around every seventy years, the catfish awakes, resulting in the kind of major earthquake seen in 1995 in Kobe. There is a long-running, half-hearted debate about moving the Diet and main government offices out of Tokyo, away from danger. Yet, despite the fact that the city is well overdue for the Big One, talk of relocating the capital always comes to nothing. Now, more than ever before, Tokyo is the centre of Japan, and nobody wants to leave and miss any of the action.
Information by Rough Guides

Paris

Long considered the paragon of style, Paris is the most glamorous city in Europe. It is at once deeply traditional – a village-like metropolis whose inhabitants continue to be notorious for their hauteur – and famously cosmopolitan. While such contradictions and contrasts may be the reality of any city, they are the makings of Paris: consider the tiny lanes and alleyways of the Quartier Latin or Montmartre against the monumental vistas from the Louvre to La Défense; the multiplicity of street markets and old-fashioned pedestrian arcades against the giant underground commercial complexes of Montparnasse and Les Halles; or the aristocratic wealth of the grand quarters against the vibrant chaos of the poorer districts.
At times, Paris can feel inhumanly magnificent, the arrogance of its monuments encompassing the chilly pomp of the Panthéon, the industrial chic of the Eiffel Tower and the almost spiritual glasswork of the Louvre pyramid. Yet it also operates on a very human scale, with exquisite, secretive little nooks tucked away from the Grands Boulevards and very definite little communities revolving around games of boules and the local boulangerie and café. And even as Paris's culture is transformed by its large immigrant and gay populations, even as extravagant new buildings are commissioned and erected, many of the city's streets, cafés and restaurants remain remarkably, defiantly unchanged.
In the great local tradition of the flâneur, or thoughtful boulevard-stroller, Paris is a wonderful city for aimless wandering. Relaxed quarters such as the vibrant Marais, elegant St-Germain and romantic Montmartre are ideal for street-browsing, shopping and café-sitting, and the city's lack of open space is redeemed by beautiful formal gardens, by the pathways and pavements that run beside the River Seine, and by endless hidden or unexpected havens. And everywhere you go, historic landmark buildings and contemporary architectural wonders remind you of the city's pride and grandeur – and stop you getting lost.
There are over 150 art galleries and museums in the city – few of them duds – and an uncounted number of cafés, brasseries and restaurants lining every street and boulevard. The variety of style and decor is hard to beat, ranging from ultra-modern fashion temples to traditional, mirrored palaces, and from tiny bistrots where the emphasis is all on the cooking to bustling Vietnamese diners. After dark, the city's theatres and concert halls host inventive and world-leading productions of theatre and dance, while many classical concerts take place in fine architectural settings, particularly chapels and churches. Above all, Paris is a real cinema capital, and the city's vibrant cultural mix puts it at the forefront of the world music scene.
Information by Rough Guides

Somethings in thailand.

Pattaya the place full of smiles - Sue Thomson. Date of travel: Aug 2006
If you've never been to Thailand why not? What a wonderful place, the people are great and they make you feel really welcome. I have just come back from my second visit to this wonderful place - Pattaya. It's a bit like marmite you love it or you hate it. I have never had any trouble with looking past the busy night life, that can be a bit of a shock for the first visit, after a few days the loud calls from all the bars and the loud music just blend into the back ground. There some wonderful places to visit - one of the most breath taking places I found this time is the Sanctuary of Truth. The whole place is made of wood and is still being built, I don't want to spoil anything but it is a place to go and see for yourself... I will mention that I took 2 teenagers with me and they have come back with a new look at life so well worth it in my eyes. I will be going back just as soon as I can....
Hellfire Pass? - Be Careful who you book with - John. Date of travel: Apr 2006
I wanted to see the infamous Death Railway and attend an Anzac Day service there. I looked up the net to see who runs tours and found Hellfire Pass Tours. I booked through my travel agent and was charged AUD$590 for a three day tour. This price included the agent commission. I was in email contact with someone called 'Bruce'. When I was in my room waiting to be collected for the tour I received a phone call from 'Tony' that he was in the foyer. I went down and met Tony and asked him who Bruce was. His reply was 'Oh, that's me also!' I should have been a bit aware by then! There were 7 other people on my tour and we had a wonderful guide. However, very few arrangements had been made for accommodation. I was told I was sharing with a fellow male on the first night, this being someone I had never met before the tour. Inspection of the room showed it to be a double bed!!! We both declined and insisted on our own rooms. Our guide told us that the original bookings had been made by Bruce or Tony or whatever his name really is. The man himself actually arrived at this destination and immediately blamed everyone else for the error! He didn't sound very convincing! There were many other items which could be mentioned but maybe it is summed up by a comment 'Bruce' made to another traveller; "I'm just here to rip Aussies off!" Bruce is a New Zealander. At some stage I discovered that all the other members of my tour group had paid AUD$270, half of what I had paid. When I returned to Australia I emailed Hellfire Pass Tours and requested a refund of $270. Bruce aknowledged that i was due for a refund but over the following months every excuse was made as to why it couldn't be paid straight away. Eventually he stopped replying to my emails and even wrote an email to my travel agent telling her that he was amazed i was asking for a refund. He was very uncomplimentary to me in this email as well. On at least three occasions he has promised a refund and nothing has been forthcoming. I write this as a warning to any traveller wanting to see Hellfire Pass and the surrounding areas. It is a wonderful and inspirational area but DO NOT use Hellfire Pass Tours as Bruce or Tony has already stated his case, "I'm just here to rip off Aussies!" I am $270 down to prove it.
Wonderful Phuket - Mike Krogh. Date of travel: Apr 2006
We had a 10 night stay in Phuket at the Novotel and enjoyed every minute of it. The Thai people are extremely friendly and adapted to making tourists enjoy their stay. Be adventutous in your eating but also be careful - don't eat at places you would normally not eat at if at home. Prices are also very reasonable. We enjoyed a day trip out to Phi Phi including snorkelling and lunch on a beach - well worth the cost. We also hired a Jeep and did some touring of the island ourselves. One of the locals took us on a island tour as well. Phuket is safe and has recovered remarkably from the 2004 Tsunami. although some damage can be seen in the more remote parts of the island. We were in Phuket during the Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) which was a great fun experience. The weather was generally superb with very good weather and some quick thundershowers. Intention is to visit again this coming year.
Railay - Krabi - Lesley Thomas. Date of travel: Feb 2006
Pattaya the place full of smiles - Sue Thomson. Date of travel: Aug 2006
If you've never been to Thailand why not? What a wonderful place, the people are great and they make you feel really welcome. I have just come back from my second visit to this wonderful place - Pattaya. It's a bit like marmite you love it or you hate it. I have never had any trouble with looking past the busy night life, that can be a bit of a shock for the first visit, after a few days the loud calls from all the bars and the loud music just blend into the back ground. There some wonderful places to visit - one of the most breath taking places I found this time is the Sanctuary of Truth. The whole place is made of wood and is still being built, I don't want to spoil anything but it is a place to go and see for yourself... I will mention that I took 2 teenagers with me and they have come back with a new look at life so well worth it in my eyes. I will be going back just as soon as I can....
Hellfire Pass? - Be Careful who you book with - John. Date of travel: Apr 2006
I wanted to see the infamous Death Railway and attend an Anzac Day service there. I looked up the net to see who runs tours and found Hellfire Pass Tours. I booked through my travel agent and was charged AUD$590 for a three day tour. This price included the agent commission. I was in email contact with someone called 'Bruce'. When I was in my room waiting to be collected for the tour I received a phone call from 'Tony' that he was in the foyer. I went down and met Tony and asked him who Bruce was. His reply was 'Oh, that's me also!' I should have been a bit aware by then! There were 7 other people on my tour and we had a wonderful guide. However, very few arrangements had been made for accommodation. I was told I was sharing with a fellow male on the first night, this being someone I had never met before the tour. Inspection of the room showed it to be a double bed!!! We both declined and insisted on our own rooms. Our guide told us that the original bookings had been made by Bruce or Tony or whatever his name really is. The man himself actually arrived at this destination and immediately blamed everyone else for the error! He didn't sound very convincing! There were many other items which could be mentioned but maybe it is summed up by a comment 'Bruce' made to another traveller; "I'm just here to rip Aussies off!" Bruce is a New Zealander. At some stage I discovered that all the other members of my tour group had paid AUD$270, half of what I had paid. When I returned to Australia I emailed Hellfire Pass Tours and requested a refund of $270. Bruce aknowledged that i was due for a refund but over the following months every excuse was made as to why it couldn't be paid straight away. Eventually he stopped replying to my emails and even wrote an email to my travel agent telling her that he was amazed i was asking for a refund. He was very uncomplimentary to me in this email as well. On at least three occasions he has promised a refund and nothing has been forthcoming. I write this as a warning to any traveller wanting to see Hellfire Pass and the surrounding areas. It is a wonderful and inspirational area but DO NOT use Hellfire Pass Tours as Bruce or Tony has already stated his case, "I'm just here to rip off Aussies!" I am $270 down to prove it.
Wonderful Phuket - Mike Krogh. Date of travel: Apr 2006
We had a 10 night stay in Phuket at the Novotel and enjoyed every minute of it. The Thai people are extremely friendly and adapted to making tourists enjoy their stay. Be adventutous in your eating but also be careful - don't eat at places you would normally not eat at if at home. Prices are also very reasonable. We enjoyed a day trip out to Phi Phi including snorkelling and lunch on a beach - well worth the cost. We also hired a Jeep and did some touring of the island ourselves. One of the locals took us on a island tour as well. Phuket is safe and has recovered remarkably from the 2004 Tsunami. although some damage can be seen in the more remote parts of the island. We were in Phuket during the Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) which was a great fun experience. The weather was generally superb with very good weather and some quick thundershowers. Intention is to visit again this coming year.
Railay - Krabi - Lesley Thomas. Date of travel: Feb 2006
Railay was fantastic. We had never been rock climbing before but thought we'd give it ago after seeing others on the rock from our hotel balcony and we had so much fun. We climbed with Thai'd Up Climbing. A very small company but they were professional, knowledgable and were above all really nice people! Highly recommend Railay, Krabi, Thailand!
Railay was fantastic. We had never been rock climbing before but thought we'd give it ago after seeing others on the rock from our hotel balcony and we had so much fun. We climbed with Thai'd Up Climbing. A very small company but they were professional, knowledgable and were above all really nice people! Highly recommend Railay, Krabi, Thailand!

Santa monica

Immediately north of Venice, Santa Monica is the oldest and biggest of LA's resort areas, perched on palm-tree-shaded bluffs, or "the palisades," above the blue Pacific. Once a wild beachfront playground, it's now a self-consciously healthy and liberal community, with a large expatriate British contingent of writers and rock stars, ranging from Rod Stewart to John Lydon.
The Santa Monica beachfront grew into a giant funfair city when it was linked to downtown LA by the suburban streetcar system. It was the location for many of the underworld stories of Raymond Chandler, most memorably as "Bay City" in Farewell My Lovely, but today Chandler wouldn't recognize the place. The gambling ships and bathing clubs have gone, and Santa Monica is now well known for its tight rent control policy and stringent planning and development regulations. For these perceived infractions, local right-wingers refer sneeringly to the city as the "People's Republic."
Santa Monica reaches nearly three miles inland, but most things of interest are within a few blocks of the beach. The visitors center (daily 10am–4pm; tel 310/393-7593, http://www.santamonica.com/), in a kiosk at 1400 Ocean Ave, makes a good first stop. It can be found in Palisades Park, the enjoyable, cypress-tree-lined green strip along the top of the bluffs, where the homeless mix with the yuppie elite and the whole area seems to be under constant threat of eroding down to the beach below. Two blocks east of Ocean Avenue, the Third Street Promenade, a pedestrianized stretch popular with street vendors and itinerant evangelists, is the closest LA comes to having an urban energy, though colorless chain stores are crowding out many of the quirky boutiques and oddball shops – especially north of Arizona Avenue, now a fully corporatized dead zone. On weekend nights the Promenade brings together visitors and Angelenos of all ages and accents, and it's by far the best place to come for alfresco dining, beer-drinking or people-watching.
The real focal point of Santa Monica life is down below, on the beach and around the once-decaying and recently refurbished Santa Monica pier, which boasts a well-restored 1922 wooden carousel (daily 9am–6pm; 50¢) – featured, along with Paul Newman, in the 1973 movie The Sting. Although the familiar thrill rides of Pacific Park (Mon–Fri 11am–6pm daily, weekends closes at midnight; $16, kids $9), the pier's walled-off amusement zone, may first attract the eye, save your money for the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center (weekends 11am–5pm, summer also Tues–Fri 3–6pm; $3; http://www.odc.ucla.edu/), just below the pier at 1600 Ocean Front Walk, where you can find out about local marine biology and get your fingers wet touching sea anemones and starfish. The grand beach houses just to the north of the pier were known as Hollywood's "Gold Coast"; the largest, now the Sand and Sea beach club, was built as the servants' quarters of a massive 120-room house, now demolished, that belonged to William Randolph Hearst. In the adjacent villa of MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, the Kennedy brothers were later rumored to have had liaisons with Marilyn Monroe.
Five miles north along the curving Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from Santa Monica, a huge mock French chateau inadvertently marks the easily missed entrance to the opulent Getty Villa, 17985 PCH (www.getty.edu/museum/villa.html), the original site of the Getty museum. A fake Roman villa poised high above the ocean, the complex is currently closed, until it re-emerges as a showcase for Getty antiquities.
Information by Rough Guides

Las vegas

Las vegas

Shimmering from the desert haze of Nevada like a latter-day El Dorado, Las Vegas is the most dynamic, spectacular city on earth. At the start of the twentieth century, it didn't even exist; at the start of the twenty-first, it's home to well over one million people, with enough newcomers arriving to need a new school every month.
Las Vegas is not like other cities. No city in history has so explicitly valued the needs of visitors above those of its own population. All its growth has been fueled by tourism, but the tourists haven't spoiled the "real" city; there is no real city. Las Vegas doesn't have fascinating little-known neighborhoods, and it's not a place where visitors can go off the beaten track to have more authentic experiences. Instead, the whole thing is completely self-referential; the reason Las Vegas boasts the vast majority of the world's largest hotels is that around thirty-seven million tourists each year come to see the hotels themselves.
The telephone area code for all phone numbers in the text, unless otherwise indicated, is 702.
Each of these monsters is much more than a mere hotel, and more too than the casino that invariably lies at its core. They're extraordinary places, self-contained fantasylands of high camp and genuine excitement that can stretch as much as a mile from end to end. Each holds its own flamboyant permutation of showrooms and swimming pools, luxurious guest quarters and restaurants, high-tech rides and attractions.
The casinos want you to gamble, and they'll do almost anything to lure you in; thus the huge moving walkways that pluck you from the Strip sidewalk, almost against your will, and sweep you into places like Caesars Palace. Once you're inside, on the other hand, the last thing they want is for you to leave. Whatever you came in for, you won't be able to do it without crisscrossing the casino floor innumerable times; as for finding your way out, that can be virtually impossible. The action keeps going day and night, and in this windowless – and clock-free – environment you rapidly lose track of which is which.
"Little emphasis is placed on the gambling clubs No cheap and easily parodied slogans have been adopted to publicize Las Vegas, no attempt has been made to introduce pseudo-romantic architectural themes or to give artificial glamour or gaiety."– WPA Guidebook to Nevada, 1940
Las Vegas never dares to rest on its laurels, so the basic concept of the Strip casino has been endlessly refined since the Western-themed resorts and ranches of the 1940s. In the 1950s and 1960s, when most visitors arrived by car, the casinos presented themselves as lush tropical oases at the end of the long desert drive. Once air travel took over, Las Vegas opted for Disneyesque fantasy, a process that started in the late 1960s with Caesars Palace and culminated with Excalibur and Luxor in the early 1990s.
These days, after six decades of capitalism run riot, the Strip is locked into a hyperactive craving for thrills and glamour. First-time visitors tend to expect Las Vegas to be a repository of kitsch, but the casino owners are far too canny to be sentimental about the old days. Yes, there are a few Elvis impersonators around, but what characterizes the city far more is its endless quest for novelty. Long before they lose their sparkle, yesterday's showpieces are blasted into rubble, to make way for ever more extravagant replacements. The Disney model has now been discarded in favor of more adult themes, and Las Vegas demands nothing less than entire cities. Replicas of New York, Paris, Monte Carlo and Venice now jostle for space on the Strip.
The customer is king in Las Vegas. What the visitor wants, the city provides. If you come in search of the cheapest destination in America, you'll enjoy paying rock-bottom rates for accommodation and hunting out the best buffet bargains. If it's style and opulence you're after, by contrast, you can dine in the finest restaurants, shop in the most chic stores, and watch world-class entertainment; it'll cost you, but not as much as it would anywhere else. The same guidelines apply to gambling. The Strip giants cater to those who want sophisticated high-roller heavens, where tuxedoed James Bond lookalikes toss insouciant bankrolls onto the roulette tables. Others prefer their casinos to be sinful and seedy, inhabited by hard-bitten heavy-smoking low-lifes; there is no shortage of that type of joint either, especially downtown.
On the face of it, the city is supremely democratic. However you may be dressed, however affluent or otherwise you may appear, you'll be welcomed in its stores, restaurants, and above all its casinos. The one thing you almost certainly won't get, however, is the last laugh; all that seductive deference comes at a price. It would be nice to imagine that perhaps half of your fellow visitors are skilful gamblers, raking in the profits at the tables, while the other half are losing, but the bottom line is that almost nobody's winning. In the words of Steve Wynn, who built Bellagio and the Mirage, "The only way to make money in a casino is to own one"; according to the latest figures, 85 percent of visitors gamble, and they lose an average of $665 each. On top of that, most swiftly come to see that virtually any other activity works out cheaper than gambling, so end up spending their money on all sorts of other things as well. What's so clever about Las Vegas is that it makes absolutely certain that you have such a good time that you don't mind losing a bit of money along the way; that's why they don't even call it "gambling" anymore, but "gaming."
Finally, while Las Vegas has certainly cleaned up its act since the early days of Mob domination, there's little truth in the notion that it's become a family destination. In fact, for kids, it's doesn't begin to compare to somewhere like Orlando. Several casinos have added theme parks or fun rides to fill those odd nongambling moments, but only ten percent of visitors bring children, and the crowds that cluster around the exploding volcanoes and pirate battles along the Strip remain almost exclusively adult.
Information by Rough Guides