Business, Travel and Leisure

Germany and Austria: destination for business and leisure

2008-01-12T04:40:00.000+08:00

The Republic of Germany as a destination for business

Germany is rated as one of the most technologically and scientific advanced country in the world. In addition, Germany is a founding member of the European Union with over 82 million inhabitants, meaning a huge market while Germany itself has the largest population among the European Union countries. Germany can serve as an entry point to this huge market while Germany itself too is a huge market for your products or services. Not only that, Germany is ranked the world's third largest economy by nominal Gross Domestic Products, the largest exporter of goods and the largest national economy in Europe. Germany has a high standard of living, meaning its inhabitants have great purchasing power. It is also a good source of products to import if you are an importer instead of an exporter. Products marked "Made in Germany" command great respect among consumers of the world.

With the world getting more environmentally conscious and solar energy as a source of electrical power, the fact that Germany is now the world's largest producer of photovoltaic (PV) electricity with 39% of world capacity compared to 38% for Japan plus also the fastest growing major photovoltaic (PV) market in the world, businessmen in search of environmentally friendly products to import should be making a bee line for Germany.

The Republic of Austria as a destination for business

Austria is among the 10 richest countries in the world in terms of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) per capita plus a very high standard of living. Germany is the main trading partner of Austria, and the two countries are thus tied together closely in terms of business.

Germany as a destination for leisure

You can have almost anything in Germany. You want fun and relax, Germany have some interesting theme parks such as Europa Park, Germany's answer to Disneyland, and Phantasialand in Brühl, among many others. Like architecture. You can see amazing architecture in Germany. The women will love the fabulous shopping and the men the pulsating nightlife. Those enamoured with quaint and ancient stuff or romanticism will enjoy the enchanting medieval villages and traditional wine villages which frequently host friendly festivals and regional specialities plus the numerous ancient castles, palaces and abbeys. Nature lovers will love the picturesque countryside, ideal for walking or simply relaxing in. Germany is also famous for its spas.

Austria as a destination for leisure

Austria's per capita tourist revenue is the highest in the world and this should tell us something about Austria as a destination for leisure. Austria's largest tourist attraction is the Alps for skiing in the winter and for hiking and camping in the summer. Skiing enthusiast will love Austria with its numerous ski resorts. Worth a visit is also the Danube valley with its vineyards such as the Wachau or Dunkelsteinerwald.

Vienna, the capital city of Austria, has its Cathedral, its wine pubs (Heurigen) and the romantic Vienna Waltz music.

Those in Media Art will love the Ars Electronica Center in Linz which has been hosting the Ars Electronica Festival since 1979. There is the highly coveted Prix Ars Electronica, the worldwide highest-ranked prize for media art.

Accommodation in Germany

Germany has a state-run Interhotel network. Hotel rooms in Germany may be classified into 4 categories, from the most expensive "Deluxe" rooms to "Expensive", "Moderate" and "Inexpensive". A good place to look for inexpensive accommodation is Germany Hotels although if you want to insist on staying in more expensive 4 or 5 star hotels, you can still find them in that online accommodation website.

If you want accommodation in Berlin, the capital city, try Berlin Hotels which is a German language online hotel booking website. If you can't make head or tail out of a German language website, no problem, for they have a English language version at Berlin Hotels

Accommodation in Austria

Austria has 20,000 hotels and pensions, 50,000 private rooms plus thousands of simpler accommodations, such as youth hostels, mountain huts, and campsites. The later categories of accommodations are harder to book online, but for Austrian hotels, it should be a breeze at Wien Hotels. A warning though, that is another German language website. But with Alta Vista Babel Fish and Google translate, that should be no problem. Just put in the website URL into the appropriate field, chose the language, and you get the whole website translated into whatever language you want.

Paris for business, travel and leisure

2007-12-29T14:37:00.000+08:00

Paris is a great city to visit. Not only for leisure, but for business too. It is also famous for its fashion and perfumes too. And add the honor of being the "Romance Capital of the World" and also the "The City of Light". The name "Paris" has something to it - something that perhaps one will describe as charisma. Just imagine, Disneyland Resort when it was first started was named "Euro Disney Resort". Nothing romantic or alluring to its name. Sounds more like something connected to the European currency, and the resort was losing money, with attendance, hotel occupancy and revenues falling below projections. When it was renamed "Disneyland Paris", it reported its first profit. Wonder if the fame of Paris Hilton has more to do with the name Paris or the name Hilton. I think the first as Paris is better known all over the world than Hilton. What is Hilton anyway. Just a hotel chain.

Paris as a business center

Photo of La Défense by Thierry

Paris is a major business center of Europe and of the world. Just imagine, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of Paris alone is bigger than that of the whole of Australia, a continent country. La Défense, with its 150,000 daily workers and 3.5 million square meters of office space, is Europe's largest central business district (CBD). Euronext in Paris is the second largest stock exchange in Europe. The headquarter of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is located in Paris. The European Business School Paris (EBS) is also located in Paris.

Paris as a center for education, Science, and culture

Photo of UNESCO Headquarter by Matthias Ripp

Paris is well known as a center for education, Science, and culture, and it is fitting that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) be located in Paris, its capital city. There are other centers like the Académie Colarossi, Académie Julian, Académie Ranson, Académie de peinture et de sculpture, Académie des Beaux-Arts and Amphitheatre Anglais.

Paris, Romance Capital of the World, City of Lights, favorites of tourists

Photo of Eiffel Tower by Matthias Ripp

The above is a photo which almost every person currently on earth will recognize as the Eiffel Tower of Paris. It is in fact the icon for Paris. To many people, Eiffel Tower = Paris. And yet when its designer engineer, Gustave Eiffel, first proposed the plans for the tower to Barcelona for the Universal Exposition of 1888, the Consistory of Barcelona rejected it. What is Barcelona loss is now Paris gain, but not without controversy. Eiffel submitted his plans to those responsible for the Universal Exhibition in Paris and it was built in 1889. However, many in Paris then opposed its construction and considered it an eyesore. It is now one of the biggest tourist draw in the world and in fact was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visit to Paris is never complete without a visit to Eiffel Tower and a ride in the lift to the top for a spectacular of Paris's skyline.

But Eiffel Tower is not the only structure that draw tourist to Paris like bees to honey. There is Disneyland Paris and the Louvre, a museum which houses, among other things, the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and the Glass Pyramid designed by world famous Chinese architect, I.M. Pei. The Arc de Triomphe is also a major attraction. You can climb to the top for beautiful view of Paris. And don't forget the Champs-Élysées, one of the most expensive piece of real estate in the world. You can also take a cruise on the scenic Seine River that flows through the middle of Paris or just stroll along its beautiful riverside. If you like ancient churches, there is the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Moulin Rouge with its high kicking Can-Can dancers is another major tourist draw.

I have visited some but not all the places mentioned above when I went on a one day visit to Paris. Some obviously cannot be covered in a brief one-day visit, others were not built yet. I would like to go back again, but this time for a longer visit.

Hunting for accommodation only on arrival is a risky business and uses up your expensive time. A much better idea is to book accommodation ahead of arrival using one of the accommodation online booking websites like Paris Hotels. The French are very proud of their language and I should know having visited Paris and being a student in Dutch and French speaking Belgium for over 2 years. They would probably prefer you to refer to that website as Paris Hôtels. The Spanish, the French neighbour, I think will refer to the same website as París Hoteles

Business, Travel cum Leisure in Australia

2007-12-22T12:35:00.000+08:00

Why you should combine your business trip with leisure

Big businessmen and company CEOs (Chief Executive Officers), area managers, etc., often have to travel oversea on their business trips. Most of the time, they leave their family behind, and the family members feels neglected and they often miss each other's presence. I believe such globe trotting businessmen and company top executives and managers should at least once in a while take their family along on their business trips. It is only fair. In other words, combine business with leisure, business for the businessmen, etc, leisure for their family, and where the businessmen can spare the time, even join their family for their leisure activities.

However, in such cases, hotels are not an option, for hotels do not normally accommodate large group and also do not have facilities for cooking, etc., something that the accompanying family members may want to do. For that, they will have to consider serviced apartments. Not only that, serviced apartments are generally cheaper than hotels.

What are serviced apartments?

A serviced apartment is a furnished, self-contained apartment meant for both long-term, medium-term and short-term stays. The serviced apartment offers amenities that hotels do not offer, such as a kitchen or kitchenette with cooking and eating utensils. Serviced apartments usually are less expensive than hotels and well suited for large group traveling together. There are even businessmen who rent serviced apartments for their extended stay in a place where they spend long period for their business. It makes more economic sense than staying in a hotel.

Serviced apartments in Australia

Just like anywhere else in the world, Australia too have serviced apartments for rent in addition to hotels. And Australia is an interesting country continent to visit, for where else can you find unique animals like kangaroos, koala (often wrongly referred to as koala bears), Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), etc. Plus there are many cities in Australia famous as cultural centers.

Serviced apartments in Melbourne

Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria located at the Port Phillip Bay in South-east Australia. It is a major commerce industrial center plus numerous cultural activity, so it will be no surprise to find businessmen traveling to Melbourne. Serviced apartments in Melbourne can be booked online via websites like Melbourne Accomodation where you can find service apartments like Armadale Serviced Apartments. Just look at the kind of facilities that Armadale Serviced Apartments include:

Fully equipped kitchen with Fridge, Microwave & Oven

Dishwasher (two bedroom apartments)

Separate living area

Reverse cycle air-conditioning

Queen size beds (28) and/or twin singles

Colour TV

DVD player (request required for some apartments)

Bathroom with full size bath

All linen provided

Iron & Ironing Board

Radio/alarm clock

Complimentary tea & coffee

Hairdryer on request

Guest laundry

Security Intercom (two bedroom apartments)

On-site car parking

Resident Manger

All apartments non-smoking

Tell me, which hotel, whatever star, can beat that?

Serviced apartments in Perth

Perth is the capital city of Western Australia in south west Australia beside the Indian Ocean. Nice serviced apartments can be found in Perth Accommodation too like Seashells Serviced Apartments located on the Sunset Coast, a mere 15 minutes drive from Perth city center. And for your family, Seashells Serviced Apartments is conveniently less than 100 metres from the beach where they can get spectacular views of the Indian Ocean. Just perfect for that business cum leisure trip for you and your family in Australia.

Serviced apartments in Adelaide

Adelaide, the capital city of of South Australia is not called the City of Festivals for nothing. Festivals like the world famous Adelaide Festival of Arts, Fringe Festival, Adelaide Film Festival, Adelaide Festival of Ideas, Adelaide Writers' Week, the Feast Festival, and not forgetting WOMADelaide which is Australia's premier world music event. Timed your business trip to Adelaide with one of the many festivals in Adelaide and bring your family along for they will enjoy the festival atmosphere there while you go about with your business. Get your serviced apartment from Adelaide Accommodation. There will be plenty of serviced apartments like Quest Mansions Serviced Apartments Adelaide, a 3 to 5 star accommodation.

Quest Mansions Serviced Apartments is located at 21 Pulteney Street, Adelaide South near to the city center. If your family is interested in vineyards, the world famous vineyards of the Barossa and Clare Valleys is nearby. Like old historic buildings towns? The old German town of Hahndorf is just a short drive away.

Serviced apartments in Brisbane

Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland is located beside the Pacific Ocean. Business and industries in Brisbane include Information Technology, financial services, petroleum refining, stevedoring, paper milling, metalworking and railway workshops. Tourism is also a top draw and Brisbane can be considered as a gateway to other areas of Queensland.

For accommodation, book them online at Brisbane Accommodation where you can find apartments like Abbey Apartments which is located at 160 Roma Street, Brisbane right in the heart of the Brisbane Central Business District. It is directly opposite the Brisbane Transit Center and a short walk to the Queen Street Mall Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane Convention Center and Suncorp Stadium.

Travel ends in Australia? Get Life Insurance There

2007-12-04T18:18:00.000+08:00

If your travel ever lead you to Australia, the island continent, you might just be tempted to end your travel there just like my sister and her family. She ended up permanently in Melbourne in the state of Victoria.

If you ended up like her and her family, it would be wise to think about getting life insurance for protection. Even though what you may think is purchasing a piece of paper, it is very important for it is protection for those you leave behind if ever something happened to you. It is said that our life hangs on a thread, and a pretty thin one at that. It is therefore very important for you to provide for income protection so that the dependents who depend on you to bring the pay check home every month. What will happen to them when the pay checks stopped if you did not provide for them to continue to have income even after you are gone.

Perhaps my nephew can confirm that with you as he is currently studying to be an actuary on Sydney, New South Wales. An actuary have to go through long period of study so that they actually can calculate the financial impact of risks and uncertainties of many thing including the risks and uncertainties of life. Even before he graduate, I am sure he can tell you about the importance of getting protection via life insurance. Otherwise, you can do your own research using the Internet. Even I can tell you about its importance too as I do know a thing or too about life insurance plus my sister-in-law is a pretty successful life insurance agency manager.

Another way is to get an insurance broker like life insurance which the site says they can offer free service to help you with all of your personal life, trauma, disablement and income protection insurance needs within Australia. You can get information about the types of insurance available to Australian residents.

San Diego for Business and Leisure

2007-10-21T19:16:00.000+08:00

San Diego is located on the Pacific coast in Southern California, United States of America. It is the economic center of the San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos metropolitan area and thus is a good destination for doing business.

However, San Diego is also blessed with a pleasant mild, sunny weather throughout the year with temperatures ranging from about 57°Fahrenheit in January to 72°Fahrenheit in July. It is also blessed with beautiful beaches including Torrey Pines State Beach, Black's Beach, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove, Children's Pool Beach (La Jolla), Windansea Beach, Marine Street Beach, North Pacific Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Bay Beaches, Mission Beach, South Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, Sunset Cliffs and Dylan's Beach. Of all these, Mission Beach is the largest. If you go to San Diego for business, it is probably a good idea for you to take your family along for a nice business cum leisure trip.

Before you depart, it would be wise to book your accommodation first, and the most convenient way is from your office or home computer via the Internet. One such site to book accommodation online is San Diego Beach Rentals. If you plan to let your family have a nice vacation, looking for Mission Beach Rentals is probably what your family would like you to do. An example of what you can get is a beautiful suite at Mission Beach. The suite has very large windows that lets you enjoy the beautiful views of the beautiful sunsets and the sea shore. It comes ceiling fans in all rooms, televisions, Jacuzzi in the Master Bath and washer plus dryer. Let your family enjoy the luxury while you go about your business.

Florida, tourism, theme parks and beaches

2007-08-31T10:47:00.000+08:00

The State of Florida located in the southeastern region of the United States of America has a mainly subtropical climate, except for southern Florida, where the climate is tropical. Warm weather, miles of beaches and scores of theme parks attracts millions of tourists and tourism plays a very large part in its economy. It is an attractive place to visit, particularly if you are looking to escape the cold climate of your area. The state has many vacation rentals for visitors and if you are looking for one for your planned visit to Florida, you should try Florida vacation rentals.

The world's largest vacation resort, the Walt Disney World Resort together with other amusement parks and the Universal Studios are located in Orlando and play a large part in attracting visitors to the state. Getting suitable accommodation for your vacation in Orlando should be no problem with Orlando vacation rentals.

Many people confuse Miami with Miami Beach and South Beach. Miami and Miami Beach are actually 2 different municipality while South Beach is but a beach in Miami Beach. Miami has the world's largest cruise harbor, the Miami Harbor, able to accommodate the largest cruise ships and many people depart for their Caribbean cruise from Miami Harbor. An architectural revolution in the 1930s brought Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Nautical Moderne architecture to South Beach. In 1966, the Jackie Gleason Show, a popular weekly variety series, was taped in South Beach, bringing more fame to the area. And recently the famous TV show, Miami Vice, brought international attention to the area. South beach is also a very popular place with fashion photographers frequently used the area for their photo shoots. The nightlife is very lively with many night clubs and restaurants. And the beach has also attracted nude sunbathing even though it is a public beach

Seek your accommodation through Miami Beach vacation rentals.

Jersey City, a city for business and leisure

2007-07-12T18:19:00.000+08:00

Jersey City is a city on the west bank of the Hudson River in Hudson County, New Jersey. It is just across from Lower Manhattan in New York City, and is part of the New York metropolitan area. It has 18 km of waterfront and very good rail connections. Jersey City is an important transportation terminal and distribution center with railroad shops, oil refineries, warehouses, and factories that manufacture all sorts of products including cosmetics, chemicals, electronics and all kinds of petroleum products. It is an important commercial and industrial center, port of entry and manufacturing center. Many large corporations headquartered in the crowded nearby Manhattan Island have branches here. It is an important business destination.

The Ellis Island is also a historical place for it is through here that many ancestors of the current inhabitants of United States of America passed through. An estimated 12 million people from Europe first landed here in search freedom of speech and religion, and for economic advancements. It is a short ferry trip from Jersey City.

The Statue of Liberty needs no introduction, and is also a short ferry hop from Jersey City via the Circle Line ferry at Liberty State Park.

Within Jersey City, there are also lots of Things to do like enjoying the Jersey City nightlife, entertainment, go shopping or visit various cultural destination and museums. And don't forget Fine dining and cocktail outlets

Wailea, Maui Island, Hawaii

2007-05-27T21:21:00.000+08:00

Hawaii is a tropical archipelago in the mid-Pacific ocean consisting of six main islands and some minor islands and atolls. The biggest the the southern most is Hawaii Big Island. North of Hawaii Big Island is the popular Maui island on which is Wailea located between the base of a dormant volcano and the ocean, thus giving you a varied environment to explore and enjoy. Wailea was included in the list of the country's 99 Best Recreational & Residential Private Communities in America. It is a resort community doted with award-winning luxury hotels, resorts, posh homes and condominiums frequented by celebrates, the rich and famous and honeymooners. Wailea hosts the Maui Film Festival every June when movie stars take in movies under the glowing stars in the Maui sky. Wailea is a pricey place to be in, so if you plan to visit Wailea, bring lots of cash. However, it is also possible to visit Wailea on a budget too. Refer to the bottom of the post.

Among the things that Wailea is famous for are championship golf courses, tennis clubs, some of Hawaii’s finest spa facilities, high class shopping, five crescent-shaped beaches. The Wailea Beach was named "America’s Best Beach" by Doctor Stephen P. Leatherman (also known as "Dr. Beach") in 1999. The ocean off the beach is also visited by groups of 1,500 to 3,000 spouting humpback whales which arrives each December and stays until May. Some of them swim so close to the beach that they can be seen from the land. You can join whale-watching cruises as well as sea kayaks if you want to get close with the giant sea creatures.

If you are visiting Hawaii, you are actually participating in ecotourism (tourism concentrating on local culture, wilderness adventures, involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Well, Hawaii is full of natural and diversed flora, fauna and distinct cultural heritage. However, any travel will involve the burning of depleting fossil fuel and CO2 emission, contributing to global warming. However, there are ways of offsetting such carbon emission. There are many sites offering ways of offsetting carbon emission and one such site is ClimateCare.

If you plan to visit Wailea, better book your accommodation ahead of your trip. You can do this conveniently via Hawaiian Beach Rentals. You can book condominiums at Wailea Condominiums. You have a choice of 85 condominiums to chose from at the time of publishing. If condominiums are not what you want, you may also chose hotels from Wailea Hotels or Wailea Vacation Rentals (only 6 of them). If those are too pricey for you, try Wailea Vacation Deals, Discounts and Specials (5 to chose from).

What do you do with your children when you travel on business trips?

2007-04-23T15:27:00.000+08:00

Do you often travel on business trips? What do you do with your children? Leave them in the house? What are they to do while you are gone?

Here is an interesting site where you can get ideas of what to do with your children when you go on long business trips - Wherekids.com. You can get them a book to read about places you travelled to. Went to New Your? Wherekids.com has a book "Where was I? New York! written by Dave Carberry and illustrated by Hazel Mitchell. Get them involved. Get them to know about the places you went to. Wherekids.com have more titles coming, so watch out for them.

Brought you kids with you when you travel on a business trip to New York? At Wherekids.com there are lots of suggestions of what to do with your kids when they are with you in New York. Challenge your kids with geographical knowledge game.

You can read a Teacher's Kit, a guide for educators and parents on the book "Where was I? New York!".

When travelling, it is always advisable to book your accommodation in advance

2007-03-14T05:41:00.000+08:00

Whether you are travelling for business or leisure, it is always a wise move to search and book for suitable accommodation in suitable location and at suitable price in advance. Towards this end, Eurobookings.com is an ideal online service for travellers. With Eurobookings.com, you can do that in 13 languages from the comfort of your home. You can search for hotels by check-in date, check-out date and location. The search function also have an advanced search feature where you can specify Star rating and features like parking, fitness center, Internet services, etc.

Eurobookings.com has a comprehensive Hotel Guide which provides an insider's view into the top European hotels and travel destinations around the world. If you are searching for hotels in European cities like Barcelona, take a peep at Hotels in Barcelona or Prague at Prague City Hotels.

You can even get a look at maps showing the locations of the available hotels like this one for hotels in Prague:

While Eurobookings.com concentrates on hotels in Europe, it is actually a world wide service. 2007 is Visit Malaysia Year, and I made a check for hotels in Kuala Lumpur, and it turned out 44 available hotels in 3 locations at Hotels in Kuala Lumpur.

Travelling to Milan? Book your accomodation online

2007-03-07T17:44:00.000+08:00

Are you planning to travel to Milan, Italy? If so, it will be wise to book your accommodation ahead, so you are assured of a place to stay when you reach there, and not have to hunt desperately for accommodation when you reach there. If you don't do that, you may have to settle for accommodation that is not to your liking or at rates that you are not comfortable with, or worst, have sleep in public shelters if all accommodation are fully booked.

You can search for, and book online your accommodation at Discount Milan Hotels. You have a choice of 5 star hotels, 4 star hotels and 3 star and below hotels which you can examine at leisure from the computer in the comfort of your home. The rates are quoted inclusive of taxes, and there is are picture galleries of your potential accommodation (see screenshot below. Click to enlarge):

This accommodation booking service is run by HotelClub which was voted the World's Leading Travel Distribution Service for 2005 at the 12th Annual Travel Awards Conference.

For further benefits, you can join their HotelClub Membership Program and be eligible for further benefits.

One can plan, but any plan can go awry. You may be forced to cancel your booking. Fortunately, HotelClub allows cancellation of booking, but there will be a cancellation fee involved.

Visit Extreme Rugged Remote Parashant Canyon National Monument

2007-02-14T07:34:00.000+08:00

Visit Extreme Rugged Remote Parashant Canyon National Monument
by: Bob Therrien

Grand Canyon Parashant Canyon National Monument is not as well known as it’s bigger sister next door. On January 11, 2000, President Bill Clinton established the 1.1-million-acre Monument. This vast monument protects much of the Shivwits Plateau. The Shivwits is ecologically unique because it's where the Sonoran, Great Basin, and Mojave Deserts intersect. This region is a wildlife habitat for several endangered or threatened species. California condors, desert tortoises, willow flycatchers, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope call this area home.

This is a very remote and undeveloped Monument. Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is located in northwest Arizona, bordered by the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon National Park to the south and east, Nevada and Lake Mead to the west. Many people fly into Las Vegas as a Hub, and plan their visit from there.

The Monument information center is located in the lobby of the BLM Office in St. George, Utah. The address is 345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah, 84790. There you will find maps, field guides, books, and other items. Staff members are available to answer questions and provide safety information.

If you decide to add this to your adventure tours, here is the mileage from closest major cities: To Saint George from Las Vegas 118 miles, 190 km, From Phoenix 435 miles, 700 km, From Denver 631 miles, 1015 km.

There are only two semi-maintained trails in the Monument – Mt. Trumbull and Mt. Dellenbaugh. All other hiking is on unmarked routes or requires bushwhacking through dense brush or rugged terrain. Grand Canyon Parashant provides a sense of solitude to those who trek into its isolated areas. Located on the edge of the Grand Canyon, the Monument's expansive landscape showcases both natural and cultural history.

Of the points of interest in the Monument, here are the ones that the Bureau of Land Management point out:

• Virgin River Gorge Campground
• Condor Release Viewing Site
• Pakoon Springs
• Mt Trumbull Schoolhouse
• Sawmill Historic Site
• Witch’s Point
• Uinkaret Pueblo
• Nampaweap Petroglyph Site
• Tuweep Ranger Station
• Toroweap Campground
• Toroweap Overlook
• Tassi Spring
• Pearce Ferry Campground
• Pearce Ferry

To travel here, you must use caution, as it is off the beaten track. You must have the appropriate maps to find your way to and around the Monument. There are entry roads from Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Plan your entrance point by your travel route. There are no paved roads or visitor services within the Monument's million-plus acres, so visitors need to be prepared by traveling with an appropriate high-clearance vehicle equipped with two full-sized spare tires. Some content provided by The National Park Service and AZ BLM.

About The Author
Bob Therrien is a travel writer and has traveled all over North America. He currently operates the website at Parashant Canyon.

Toothache In A Foreign Land

2007-01-26T08:16:00.001+08:00

Toothache In A Foreign Land
by: Steve Gillman

Getting a toothache while traveling overseas can be more than just annoying and inconvenient. It can ruin a good vacation. Here are some tips for preventing a toothache before you get on that plane, and for treating it if you get one anyhow.

Traveler's Dental Care

First of all, don't ever go on a long trip if you have an unresolved tooth problem, or even the hint of a toothache starting. Get it taken care of by a dentist, and if there is lingering pain, get a prescription pain reliever to take with you.

Have dental work done far enough in advance of your trip to be sure that all the pain is gone. It is common for a high spot on a new filling to cause severe pain days after it is put in. Any dentist can easily solve this by grinding it down - but wouldn't you rather have it done by the dentist you know and trust?

Avoid doing anything that can cause toothaches or other dental problems while traveling. Avoid eating popcorn, for example. It may be one of the worst foods for damaging teeth.

A toothbrush AND floss are a good idea on any trip, of course. Toothpaste may no longer be allowed on the plane, however. If you travel with only carry-on, this means you will have to remember to buy toothpaste as soon as you arrive at your destination. You can carry a bit of baking soda as an alternative as well - this will be allowed on the plane. Toothbrushes and floss are about dental problem prevention, of course, but what if your toothache starts while you're overseas?

Toothache Treatment

Try aspirin. Tylenol #3 is even better for a severe toothache. Antiseptics that contain benzocaine, applied directly to the irritated tooth and gum will temporarily relieve pain. Oil of cloves (eugenol) will also may help when applied to teeth and gums. Never put aspirin or other painkillers directly to gums, as they may burn your gum tissue.

Sometimes tooth pain does not originate in the teeth or gums, but in the sinus cavities. It may be a sinus infection putting pressure on the gums from above. In these cases, you might have to eliminate the infection with antibiotics to get relief. Some temporary relief is possible if you can clear the sinuses by steaming (carefully) your face, or eating hot sauce.

When teeth are temperature sensitive, you should obviously avoid hot and cold drinks. If it is cold outside, it will also help to breath through your nose. Breathing through the mouth brings cold air flowing over your teeth and can cause a lot of pain.

I have a toothache - the inspiration for this article. Two days ago I noticed that each time we drove over a mountain pass here in Colorado, the pain intensified. Descending below 8,000 feet seemed to take the pain away. If you notice this problem, be ready when flying - not all planes are fully pressurized.

Should you visit a dentist in another country? Certainly you'll have to if it is an emergency. Some toothaches are too severe to wait. You may prefer to just treat the pain until you get home otherwise. On the other hand, if the problem is simple, like a lost filling, some countries provide an opportunity for cheap dental care. Ask first, to see that the dentists are using gloves and the latest tools.

About The Author
Copyright Steve Gillman. For travel stories, tips and a free Travel Secrets e-book, visit:

Everything about Travel

Paragliders - Some Great Places To See Them

2006-12-06T08:54:00.000+08:00

Paragliders - Some Great Places To See Them
by: Tim Parish

Paragliders are being flown in thousands of locations around the world. In fact if you are patient and know just where to go, chances are you could see one or two at a place near you. Are you a frequent traveller? Would you be interested in seeing some paragliding action in some spectacular surroundings? I'm about to highlight just a few exceptional places on this planet where there is a lot of paragliding activity from time to time. These locations are all very public too, so access is easy.

Since these places are very well-known in their respective parts of the world, no detailed 'who to contact and how to find it' information is provided here. The locals will soon point you in the right direction, if that's necessary.

You have probably guessed by now that this article is aimed at those who haven't thought about actually flying in a paraglider. However, most of the locations below do offer opportunities to get a ride in a tandem paraglider, if you so desire!

Torrey Pines, California, U.S.A.

Many members of the public roll up at Torrey Pines Gliderport in Southern California. Here, they can see paragliders and hang gliders launch from the cliffs into the Pacific Ocean breeze. Famous for many years for being a busy hang-gliding site, paragliders have become commonplace too in recent years. Plenty of space to park your car at the edge of the cliffs and watch the soaring action. Occasionally a pelican or 2 will sail past as well!

Interlaken, Switzerland

Paragliding goes back a long way in this region, almost back to the birth of the sport. So it's not surprising that paraglider-spotting is easy in this picturesque Swiss town. Oriented towards tourism, the town is located between lakes Thun and Brienz in the Bernese Oberland region. Being in the Alps, there are magnificent mountains nearby. Pilots launching from these mountains often use a landing area in Interlaken itself. Shoppers walking along the Bahnhofstrassein can watch the brightly colored paraglider canopies arriving and landing gracefully in the nearby park. A lot of paragliding takes place in other parts of the Swiss Alps too.

Oludeniz, Turkey

It's hard to beat this location for the sheer amount of paragliding activity in the one area. Most Americans haven't heard of this place, but it is a major paragliding destination for Europeans. As a watcher, there's no need to brave the somewhat exciting truck ride to the top of Mount Babadag, where the paragliders launch. Babadag is an imposing limestone mountain 2000 meters (6500 feet) high, overlooking the wide white sandy beaches of Oludeniz. With literally dozens of pilots flying on some days, some with passengers, there is ample opportunity to observe them landing on the beach back in Oludeniz. Many of these pilots make their living this way. The place to be is the Fly-Inn Cafe, a meeting point for people who are waiting to fly or who have just arrived back via the air. Upstairs is the slightly more up-market Ottomania Restaurant which has great views of the whole bay area.

Lima, Peru

The city of Lima in Peru, South America, extends right down to a series of coastal cliffs. It's commonplace for the general public to see paragliders quite close-up as they soar along the cliffs. The district of Minaflores in particular is a nice area for shopping and dining, in full view of the Pacific ocean and all the flying action. You can explore the Larcomar mall, perhaps relaxing in a restaurant such as the Mangos or the Vivaldino, with a window seat. Or, just take a stroll along the footpath (sidewalk) atop the cliffs. Either way, you are sure to see paragliders sooner or later, provided weather conditions are favorable. In blustery weather, the seagulls have the air to themselves!

Hartbeespoortdam, South Africa

This is actually the name of a dam, although the name also refers to the man-made lake which it creates. Some say the area looks a bit like Switzerland as a result! Not far away are the large cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg. To view paragliders, it's hard to beat a cable car trip on the Hartbeespoortdam Cableway, which is in fact the longest monocableway in Africa. From this moving vantage point, you can enjoy panoramic views of the dam and it's surroundings. Soaring birds such as the Black Eagle, Fish Eagle and White Backed Vulture are often joined by paraglider and hang-glider pilots.

Voss, Norway

Now to the winter paradise of Voss, in Norway. Situated between Norway´s most famous fjords, the awe-inspiring Hardanger and Sogn, this town is a hub for extreme sports of all kinds. There is a park where you can just relax and maybe spot a paraglider or two approaching from the nearby mountain, overflying a fjord on the way. If the weather co-operates! Voss can be reached by train from nearby Bergen, affording a very scenic trip beside the fjords.

Conclusion

During your travels, you might find yourself within an hour or three of one of these places. Never seen a paraglider, ever? Why not take the opportunity for a memorable experience seeing paragliders in flight! The longer the stay, the less chance of disappointment due to unsuitable weather of course. Alternatively, a phone call to one of the local paragliding organizations might help you time your visit.

About The Author
Tim Parish is a motorless flight enthusiast, the webmaster of Paragliding Tales and Reviews, a site which will introduce you to many aspects of paragliding, with a sprinkling of humor. Tim has had the pleasure of soaring in sailplanes, hang-gliders and paragliders in the past, both real and simulated. His enthusiasm for these activities is evident in his writing, which he hopes will inspire others.

Paragliding Tales and Reviews (close new window/tab to get back to this page).

How To Minimize Stress During World Travel and Tours

2006-11-28T10:25:00.001+08:00

How To Minimize Stress During World Travel and Tours
by: Jon Arnold

With world travel the very first thing you can do to reduce your stress levels is to have a travel agent you can trust. This is because you have no idea of all the rules and regulations that are going to come up during your world tours. Having an agent that you trust is a great source of stress reduction. This is because you do not have to worry about all the little details and the infinite amount of paperwork and changes that come up. A good travel agent can advise of things like your passports, visas, shots and immunizations, as well as providing tips on local customs and culture so that you can fit in more easily when you arrive.

There are a number of travel sites out there and the most popular ones deal with getting you the cheapest flights and hotels. This is great and wonderful for what they do and they are good at it. They however will not make sure that all the little details are taken care of or provide the personal touch that other sites and agencies can. I have found that world-travel-tour.com is one of those sites that does a good job of keeping their eye on all the small details.

World travel these days can be a very scary thing filled with all kinds of stress because of the events in the news. A good agent is aware of all those things and will do everything to make sure that you are safe. Your world tour will be enjoyable and relaxing when you have the assistance of a knowledgeable agent. Here are some other things to consider while on your world tour.

Make sure you have your schedule set and that you did allow yourself some "me time" in all the hustle and bustle of the trip that is something that can be easily forgotten. Keep your schedule realistic, these tour spots have been there for thousands of years and they will be there when you get to come back. Make sure you have a list of your medications and doctors so that if something should happen you can get proper treatment.

Bring a good book to read since the flights are long and you will have plenty of time to read and sleep. Make sure you get a good night's sleep before you head out on your flight. Even if your world travel is for business, schedule yourself some time for yourself to enjoy the new location you are in, instead of just trying to cram in back to back meetings and appointments. You will be able to enjoy being in the place you're at for the meeting and be well rested and be able to work better in the end.

Relax and enjoy your world tour and find all the secrets the world has to offer. If you go to world-travel-tour.com it will be a good start to finding what the secrets are. The secret after all is that this world travel stuff really does not have to be filled with stress and doubt. If you want that, then go to work, world travel is about stress free time for you.

About The Author
Jon Arnold is a computer engineer who maintains many websites to pass along his knowledge and findings. You can read more about the stress of world travel and tours at his web site at World Travel Tour

Kill Two Birds With One Stone - Medical Tourism

2006-11-26T06:38:00.000+08:00

Kill Two Birds With One Stone - Medical Tourism
by: Lawrence Westfall

Medical tourism is a fairly new term used to describe an amazing amount of people globally that travel world-wide for health care. Why these people travel and for what differs, but basically there are two types of medical tourists – the regular tourist that adds a visit to the doctor for some minor treatment, as part of his or her holiday, and the tourist travelling primarily for medical treatment.

Before there even was a term 'medical tourism', it was common practice among the well-to-do in third-world countries to travel to the USA, Switzerland and Germany for medical care. However, since the year 2000, this trend has been reversed and now countries such as Thailand, are attracting patients from the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom.

This new market has grown as modern health care systems all over the world are struggling to meet the medical needs of their own populations. In the United States, the price of health care is beyond the means of most and there are an estimated 40 million people without health insurance. While in Britain, Canada and Holland, socialised health care ensures affordability, demand for medical services far outstrips supply and waiting lists for surgical procedures or specialty medicine can be as long as two-to-three years.

Today, governments, insurers and employers are carefully looking at outsourcing medical treatments as a way to improve access and lower health care costs for their citizens, policy-holders and employees.

Thailand's health care services are about one-half the cost of similar services in Singapore, one-third the cost of Hong Kong and one-tenth the cost in the United States.

Who are the medical tourists and what are they coming for?

By and large, medical tourists are travelling for specialty surgical and medical services. The recent upsurge in the popularity of plastic surgery, however, has led to a new wave of medical tourists and headlines like "Sun, sea and surgery" or "Scalpel tourism" have helped create the buzz for this growing phenomenon. Medical tourism destinations, such as Thailand, promote the benefit of high-quality medical care as just one more reason to visit the kingdom.

Elective out-patient procedures like check-ups, dental care, and LASIK eye surgery are becoming increasingly popular and there is a growing interest on the part of the tourism industry to include these services as part of their travel packages. Higher intensity medical services, like spinal and cardiac surgery, pose a greater challenge because these medical services are not as easily packaged and require significantly more knowledge about medicine.

Bumrungrad Hospital, located in central Bangkok, is a major player in the medical tourism field in Thailand, attracting over 360,000 international patients every year from over 150 countries worldwide. But Bumrungrad is not alone. There are quite a few other hospitals in Thailand and also in out-lying regions that are aggressively marketing their hospitals to capture a slice of this fast growing market. Both Bumrungrad Hospital and the India-based Apollo Hospital were recently featured on the CBS award winning news program "60 Minutes" as medical tourism destinations for a growing number of Americans.

Reliable figures on the size and growth of medical tourism are hard to come by, as government and immigration statistics do not yet categorize inbound travellers coming for medical care. That said, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is actively promoting medical tourism as medical tourists on average spend more and stay longer than leisure travellers.

So, whether you are the casual visitor that will take advantage of some minor medical work while in Thailand, or you are planning your vacation around your surgery, Thailand is the place to go and get it done professionally and at an extremely good price.

About The Author
Larry Westfall is the owner of Pattaya Crazy.

Where To Find Weather Information For Malaga And The Costa Del Sol

2006-11-25T06:42:00.000+08:00

Where To Find Weather Information For Malaga And The Costa Del Sol
by: Jack Blacksmith

An accurate Malaga weather forecast is important when planning a vacation. Luckily, Malaga has some of the best weather in the country. This area gets very little rain, and virtually none in the summer. There are approximately 300 sunny days in the year in this city.

In general, the climate in the area can be described as a typical Mediterranean climate. Malaga is one of the hottest areas on the Costa del Sol. The mountain keeps the winds away in the summer and winter. The area has a mild climate with little rainfall. For this reason, the area is a popular vacation destination in all seasons.

The favourable weather in Malaga makes it a perfect destination to enjoy the outdoors all year. There are many outdoor activities available year round in this area. Fishing, golf, hiking, boating, water skiing and horseback riding are some of the popular outdoor activities enjoyed by tourists.

Golf enthusiasts like to travel to this area. Golf holidays are popular year round in Malaga. There are fine hotels and golf resorts located in this area. Fall and winter golf vacations are a good choice for off season travel. The weather is warm and dry enough to get plenty of time on the course.

The weather in this region is favourable for the growth of semi tropical vegetation. The local flora and fauna includes palm trees, cypress and hibiscus.

Malaga Weather Forecast for Spring and Summer

The average temperatures in Spring range from a high of 18-22 degrees Celsius. The low temperatures, usually at night, are between 11 and 15 degrees Celsius. The average rainfall for the Costa del Sol is between 20 and 30 mm in the month of may, 40 mm in April. This can vary from year to year, with 10 mm in one year and 40 the next.

Summer is the most popular tourist travel season on the Costa del Sol. The temperatures in the summer range from a high of 29 to a low of 18 degrees Celsius. There is little rainfall in the summer time. The average rainfall is between 0 and 4 mm per month. The majority of the days are warm and sunny.

Malaga Weather Forecast for Autumn and Winter

The weather in the Fall is nearly as warm as the summer. This is a good time to travel if you want to avoid the crowds, but still enjoy the warmer temperatures. The average temperature in the fall is between 19 and 27 degrees Celsius for the high. The low temperature is between 12 and 20 degrees Celsius. Average rainfall for the autumn months is between 20 and 30 mm.

Temperatures drop in the winter, but the weather is still relatively mild. The average temperature in winter is a low of 8 and a high of 17 degrees Celsius. The Malaga area is protected from the colder Northern winds by the mountain chain. This helps to keep the weather warm in the winter.

Getting the Malaga Weather Forecast

You can get the local forecast for this area on television, in local newspapers or on the internet. If travelling from a distance, you may want to keep track of the weather patterns on the internet in the weeks leading up to your trip.

A good weather forecast can help you plan your vacation days. You can get a seven or ten day forecast on the internet. Check the forecast in the days leading up to your vacation. This will help you plan your activities. Save the best days for outdoor activities and any rainy days can be spent visiting indoor tourist attractions.

About The Author
Concentrating on latest developments in Spain, Jack Blacksmith publishes primarily for Alicante Spain (close new window to get back to this page). Writing for detailed publications like Costa del Sol (close new window to get back to this page) ,the author proofed his know-how on news relating to Malaga Weather.

Istanbul’s Pera and Taksim Area and the Significance of its Hotels for the City

2006-11-24T06:35:00.000+08:00

Istanbul’s Pera and Taksim Area and the Significance of its Hotels for the City
by: Hakan Silistre

Istanbul’s modern city center, Taksim has gained its reputation of being the heart of the living city not only because of its convenient location but also because of many different cultural, historic and artistic attractions that it offers to the travelers. The hotels located in this part of the city is significant to the development that the city has witnessed in the last 4 decades.

Taksim Square derives its name from the 1733 water distribution building built there, in which water distribution for different districts of Istanbul used to be administered. The word “Taksim” in Turkish means “distribution” as it relates to where the water would be distributed from at the time. At the center of Taksim Square is the 12 meters high Republic Monument which was designed by the Italian architect Pietro Canonica and it symbolizes the foundation of the republic by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.

The historic Pera, where is now officially called “Beyoglu” is a long pedestrian-only district that starts at the Taksim Square and swings through to Galata Tower for almost one and a half miles. More than 55 private or state-owned Art Galleries and over 30 foreign Consulates can be found in Beyoglu.

Beyoglu houses many movie theaters such as Emek, Fitas or the Alkazar. Most of the foreign movies are presented in their original language with subtitles in Turkish.

Hotels located in the same area as Lamartine include Hyatt Regency, Ritz, InterContinental, Hilton and many other smaller sized hotels.

Istanbul Hilton is especially an important hotel of the area since it was the first of its kind in Istanbul. It used to be one of Conrad Hilton’s favorite hotels in the world as he described in his 1957 book “Be My Guest.” He does not forget to mention the Istanbul hotel right at the beginning of his book, where he presented his acknowledgments. He mentions that “his greatest debt is to each individual who has ever been his guest in any hotel – whether in Cisco, Texas, New York or Istanbul.” He was so proud of having his franchise in Istanbul because he thought this was a place where the West connected with the East. Throughout the book, he also mentions about a report he had about the Istanbul Hotel on his desk that stated people from 38 different nationalities stayed at the hotel during April of 1957. He describes in detail the time period he opened Hilton Istanbul in one of the last chapters of his book that he named “Horizons Unlimited.” Conrad Hilton notes that “the moment he reached Istanbul, he felt the antiquity, romance and mystery of this ancient city”. He thought this was a “tremendous place to plant a little bit of America by building a hotel here that would be a friendly center where men of many nations and of good will may speak the language of peace.”

Nearby tourist attractions include Flower Courtyard, Military Museum, Dolmabahce Palace, AKM Cultural Center, Galata Tower and Lutfi Kirdar Exhibition and Convention Center. Cicek pasaji is an “L” shaped historic passage where many small taverns and seafood restaurants are located side by side. It is one of the first places of choice in the city for locals to take their foreign guests for dinner during which they can see a unique environment which presents what dinners at Pera used to be like for many centuries. You can expect to see musicians stop by at each table to play a song of choice of the table and expect to be tipped for their services. They do not necessarily work for the restaurant but go through them one by one.

Taksim is an ideal location for both leisure and business travelers since they can reach many attractions in a few minutes. The hotels of this area blending history and culture with comfort and luxury make the area an excellent choice for prospective travelers.

About The Author
Hakan Silistre - is the author for Hotel Lamartine's travel tips section. Please visit Lamartine Hotel (close new window to get back to this page) for more travel tips and city specific information written solely for prospective travelers headed towards Istanbul.

Retire Overseas: The Best Places To Retire In Asia

2006-11-22T16:10:00.000+08:00

Retire Overseas: The Best Places To Retire In Asia
by: Alex R Valdivia

Choosing a place to serve as a retirement home is always a major decision for anyone. The right decision can lead to years of contentment, and a wrong one can be costly. In order to make the right decision, one needs to gather information about the various options before settling on one.

Here are some of the criteria you should consider when considering a retirement location:

Job Outlook - Since many people work at least part time after retirement, availability of jobs is required in the desired place.

Recreation - Shopping and sport events, access to outdoor recreation, from skiing and biking to walking and hiking.

Cost Of Living - It should be affordable; preferably less than the cost of living in the U.S.

Education - Good public education should be available since many will want to take advantage of continuing education. A scope of higher education should be available for the retiree in order to pursue a new career.

Travel - It should be well connected to the other cities and towns and be easily accessible.

Public Transportation - Transportation such as buses, taxis, trains and planes should be easily available, comfortable and low in cost.

Climate And Weather - this is a major factor that needs to be borne in mind while selecting a place for retirement.

Medical Care - Proximity to comprehensive, well-recognized health care facilities is a major factor to be considered when choosing a place to retire.

Food - A variety of food of all regions should be easily available at a reasonable cost.

If your budget and schedule permits, you should try living in the place of your choice before actually investing in any property. Local community rules should also be read carefully and understood before investing in any property in a foreign country.

Consider Asia in your Retirement Location Choices

Asia is a great retirement option for those seeking affordable yet comfortable living, without compromising on natural beauty, entertainment and great food. The largest of the seven continents, Asia is home to numerous countries, which vary in geographical form, from islands and peninsulas to plateaus and mountains. To top it all off, the continent is home to some of the world's most hospitable people, making it a perfect place to retire.

Below are some of the best places to retire in Asia:

Malaysia

Malaysia is blessed with a pleasant, warm climate, inviting shorelines of white sands skirted by crystal clear waters. Lots of public and private hospitals, recreational/entertainment facilities and developed and quality education system are also available.

Thailand

Thailand’s reputation as a holiday paradise and an exotic, colorful and easygoing country is well deserved. To add to this, Thailand has a sophisticated and modern culture, fantastic sceneries, cheap shopping options, wonderful food and great nightlife.

The Philippines

The Philippines are comprised of over 7,000 islands, with clear blue waters, white sand beaches and coconut palm trees. The climate is moderately warm all year. Day to day expenses are low, living is easy and the people are warm, friendly and helpful.

Laos

Located in Southeast Asia, the tiny country of Laos is also a great retirement option for those looking for something different. The culture, lifestyle and mannerism of the people of Laos is greatly influenced by the Buddhist religion.

India

India The country is rich in culture and traditions, the effect of which is clearly visible on its people who have distinctive manners, habits, and cuisine, relative to their specific geographical location.

These places offer just a minor glimpse into what Asia really has to offer. Varied landscapes, lifestyles, cultures and cuisines are just a few of the attractions that the continent boasts of. From a retiree's point of view, the significantly lower cost of living leads to a relaxed and tension-free life.

Copyright by Best Places to Retire and Alex R Valdivia

This article may be used freely in ezines, newsletters, websites, to offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, active links and this resource box is included.

About The Author
Alex R Valdivia offers detailed reviews on some of the best places to retire in Asia where you can live comfortably even on a small pension or retirement savings. Go to http://www.bestplacesretire.com and find your ideal retirement location.

Introduction

2006-11-22T15:32:00.000+08:00

This blog is set up to test the adding of working Google AdSense searchbar and link unit in the header.