<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971</id><updated>2012-02-16T18:06:15.305-08:00</updated><category term='ocean'/><category term='stay'/><category term='outdoor'/><category term='Bahamas'/><category term='leisure'/><category term='florida'/><category term='adventure'/><category term='travel'/><category term='water'/><category term='disney'/><category term='keys'/><category term='princess'/><category term='vacation'/><category term='carnival'/><category term='family'/><category term='day trip'/><category term='camping'/><category term='royal caribbean'/><category term='new orleans'/><category term='place'/><category term='packing'/><category term='cruise'/><category term='Freeport'/><title type='text'>My Travel and Leisure Topics</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>70</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-7670349002052707383</id><published>2008-07-02T07:56:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-02T07:57:12.425-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Luxury Yacht Charter in Greece</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Amarendra/46282&gt;Amarendra&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Luxury Yacht Chartering is the greatest way to enjoy a superb summer vacation, in some of the most beautiful Mediterranean destinations. As a luxury yacht charter needs a great planning before yachting, it is wiser to collect  guidelines, to choose the right company. With a great broker, the vacation can be even better, beyond expectation! &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;A .&lt;/b&gt;. Request only from a reputable yacht charter broker. A great broker will provide professional information and personalized concierge services during a charter.  Request a luxury yacht collection from him and ask for his experience, his membership in professional yacht brokers associations (HYBA, MYBA etc) to prove professionalism and attention to your charter requirements.  A respective luxury yacht charter broker will find the utmost luxury yachts and the best value for money among a wide collection.  Thus comes through experience, expertise in luxury yacht chartering and knowledge.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;B.&lt;/b&gt; A respectful yacht broker will be familiar with the crew on every yacht proposes, the luxury yacht amenities provided on board and the destinations a yacht will cruise during the luxury yacht charter. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;C.&lt;/b&gt; With charter vacations, payment is often required months in advance.  Your selected broker would provide the payment terms and conditions as per the agreement. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;D.&lt;/b&gt; Let your broker to prepare the schedule of the charter administration and operations, to inspect the yacht often, to organize other land and air arrangements, to offer the best service satisfying personalized requirements by the Charterer, promoting guided tours ashore the islands, a few days in the city of each country the luxury yacht charter commences or upon disembarkation, to control the quality of the provisions on board in coordination with the crew. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;LMY by &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.lmykiriacoulis.com/articles.asp?catid=1"&gt;Kiriacoulis Group&lt;/a&gt; is one of the distinguished &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.lmykiriacoulis.com"&gt;luxury yacht charter&lt;/a&gt; companies that may assist in shaping a &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.lmykiriacoulis.com/articles.asp?catid=2"&gt;memorable luxury yacht&lt;/a&gt; vacation, promoting a carefully selected yacht collection, daring to suggest even additional crew members on board when needed!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-7670349002052707383?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/7670349002052707383/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=7670349002052707383' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7670349002052707383'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7670349002052707383'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/07/luxury-yacht-charter-in-greece.html' title='Luxury Yacht Charter in Greece'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4811884852279618175</id><published>2008-07-01T11:34:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-01T11:34:14.328-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Family Vacation In Las Vegas-Why Its A Great Idea</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gina-Clark/49265&gt;Gina Clark&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Las Vegas vacations can be surprisingly family friendly and affordable.  There are a variety of activities to keep you and your family entertained besides gambling.  Transportation and food can be quite reasonably priced as well.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Las Vegas can actually be a good place for a family vacation.  Hotels and casinos offer many things specifically for children.  Amusement park rides, such as roller coasters, are commonly found inside hotels.  Many Las Vegas hotels even offer child-care.  There is also entertainment and performances, often free, specifically for children to enjoy.  However, Las Vegas is not as friendly toward teenagers as it is to children and adults.  For teens that do not enjoy more childish things, they probably will not enjoy the shows designed for kids.  They are too young to gamble, leaving them with very little do.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Many discount travel deals are available for Las Vegas vacations.  Before booking a hotel, compare prices on the Internet.  Some hotels include airfare and transportation to the hotel.  Search all inclusive vacation packages, and also compare air fares and hotel prices separately to see which will provide you with the best price.  Compare amenities as well, such as buffet prices, which are offered in most hotels.  Also, mention if you are a senior citizen, student, military or have children traveling with you.  Discounts may be available.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Transportation in Las Vegas varies in price.  Taxis are fairly expensive, but buses are more reasonably priced.  The Deuce is a bus that runs on the strip 24 hours a day.  The price is $5 per day and rides are unlimited.  There are also shuttles that run to and from the airport to hotels not only on the Strip, but also to downtown Las Vegas.  Prices start at $6.00.  Monorails are available between some of the more expensive hotels, starting at $5 per ride.  You can also purchase several rides on the monorail at a time, and the cost per ride decreases.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Consider a vacation in Las Vegas.  It may very well be much cheaper and family oriented than you expect. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gina Clark writes on &lt;A HREF="http://vacationtipsforabudget.blogspot.com/"&gt;budget travel&lt;/a&gt; and financial issues. Visit her blog to learn additional ways to save money on your vacation.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4811884852279618175?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4811884852279618175/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4811884852279618175' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4811884852279618175'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4811884852279618175'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/07/family-vacation-in-las-vegas-why-its.html' title='A Family Vacation In Las Vegas-Why Its A Great Idea'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-8903425604924394726</id><published>2008-06-23T11:58:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-23T11:58:54.616-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hotels in Delhi: Your comfort zone extended all the way to India</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Rajendra-Sharma/45152&gt;Rajendra Sharma&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Delhi has seen much. Its history is replete with periods of gory bloodsheds followed by epochs of peace. To know about the interesting yet mystifying culture of the historic city, international tourists are forever making a beeline to visit it. But finding a perfect accommodation might prove to be quite troublesome for most of these guests. Though the government has made enough provisions for the same, yet the private players have carved a niche for themselves in this sector. They are the ones, who provide quality accommodation to hordes of visitors from other countries and to the natives as well. Hotels in Delhi are the perfect way to unwind from the grueling jet lags and provide shelter for the people, while they are busy visiting the historic places of the city. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A number of hotels in Delhi come under the category of luxury and budgetary ones. Amongst the deluxe hotel chain, the renowned ones are Inter-continental, Le-Meridian, etc. The city has got some of the world's first class hotels like The Park, metropolitan Nikko, etc. Some of the medium class hotels in Delhi are Hans plaza, Connaught hotel, etc. If you are the one to opt for budget hotels then Clarks Inn, Sunstar Residency, Janpath etc. are the ones to choose from. After straightaway aligning from your aircraft, Hotel Radisson welcomes you with open arms just across the national highway. The Ashok country resort is another airport hotel which offers some of its best services to you on affordable rates. To say that the city has got everything for everybody would be an understatement. It caters to the needs of every category of visitor, be he the ethnic one or a foreigner. The economy class and the budgetary hotels take care of the needs of every income group belonging to India or other foreign countries. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Hotels in Delhi are a class apart. Combining tradition with modernity is an art which they have perfected to the hilt. Also, the eco hotels are the newest concept in the city with the environment issues assuming the importance amongst the city's populace. The former entertain you with their class services where you get to know the city's culture and hospitality. The warmth on the hotel staff reminds you of your home with the easy smiles that play on their lips. Coming to the eco hotels, Uppal's Orchid is one such hotel which follows the environmental practices to the core. Just near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, the hotel has got water treatment and sewage recycling plants. The vermi-compost pits allow the garbage to be turned into useful manure which is then used in the hotel lawns. While preparing the menu, hotel staff ensures that it is mostly vegetarian and the vegetables used, organic. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If you wish to select a hotel which is according to your requirements, then surfing the net could be of some help. Besides the yellow pages, your friends, who might have earlier visited India can surely help you in the selection process. These hotels are customer friendly and in that they offer a range of services like double or single bedroom, depending on your need. Hotels in Delhi also offer you luxury suites, if you are the one belonging to refined aesthetic sense category. Most of them conduct music and singing sessions to keep their guests entertained and happy. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Rajendra Sharma is a renowned travelogue and has been dealing with travel guides. If you want to know more about Wildlife tour India, &lt;a href="http://www.sewara.com"&gt;hotels in Delhi&lt;/a&gt;, pushkar camel fair, pushkar travel you can visit &lt;a href="http://www.sewara.com"&gt;www.sewara.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-8903425604924394726?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/8903425604924394726/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=8903425604924394726' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8903425604924394726'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8903425604924394726'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/hotels-in-delhi-your-comfort-zone.html' title='Hotels in Delhi: Your comfort zone extended all the way to India'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4231000468956771857</id><published>2008-06-19T05:17:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-19T05:17:46.750-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Budget Breaks to Remember in Krakow</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Scottyn/50036&gt;Scottyn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The former royal capital of Poland, Krakow remains at the heart of the country's cultural heritage and tradition. The busy university and thriving tourist trade create a lively cosmopolitan scene, making Krakow a great destination for a cheap city-break.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Staying in Krakow&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The high standard of Krakow hostels is excellent news for travelers looking to explore the city on a shoestring. With many clustered in the central Old Town and with some of the most affordable beds in Europe, good cheap stays are easy to find.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The best of the old school Krakow youth hostels is probably Flamingo Hostel, which caters to a young backpacking crowd eager to explore the city's renowned café and nightclub culture and offer organized activities to help kick start a few days of partying. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But for whatever reason, Krakow has a supply of some seriously swanky flashpacking hostels. Which means that budget travelers can stay at Greg &amp; Tom Hostel, or the impeccable Miss Sophie's and make the most of their luxurious settings and top-class facilities.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Culture and history in Krakow&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In the heart of the Old Town, the Rynek Glowny (marketplace) is a convenient center from which to explore the city's historical roots. In addition to standard exhibitions such as the Academy of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum, Krakow has plenty to offer visitors regarding its own past. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The History Museum of Krakow (Rynek Glowny 35) and Galeria Autorska Andrzeja Mlecki (Stolarska 8) provide a glimpse at the  sometimes dark  politics and history of the region.&lt;br /&gt; 	&lt;br /&gt; Travelers preferring to save their budget for Krakow's restaurants and nightlife can reserve museum visits for Sunday, when many are free to enter.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; South of the Old Town lies the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz which, although it is no longer home to many who practice the religion, retains the landmarks and heritage of this culture. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; From the banks of the Wisla River, the regal architecture of the Wawel Castle overlooks the city. Inside the castle, the art and tapestry collections are lifted by the extraordinary grounds and picturesque views of the nearby gothic Cathedral. At the southwest corner of the castle walls, the dragon's den, and home of Krakow's legendary menace, slopes along the riverside. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Shopping&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The winding streets of the Old Town are lined with independent shops teeming with visitors, particularly around the main commercial strip of ul. Florkainska.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Alternatively, Kazimierz's renowned flea market between Al. Daszynskiego and Siedleckiego is a great place to pick up a bargain or to soak up the atmosphere of this ancient corner of the city.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Brand new malls have also sprung up and the 300 stores of Galeria Kazimierz (Podgorska 34) are sure to satisfy even the keenest shopper.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The surrounding area&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And things to do in Krakow aren't just limited to the city itself. Not far away is Auschwitz  an inevitably melancholy, but ultimately worthwhile, trip. Frequent and inexpensive bus and train services run from the city center, although the size of the camp and its museum can require a whole day to explore. There is also the larger camp at Birkenau a few kilometers away.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another less somber remnant of the region's past can be seen at the ancient salt mines of Wielicka which is now a fascinating museum. Nearby Bochina is another complex of historic mines (with a slightly cheaper entrance fee).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ultimately, it's this concentration of things to see and do in and around Krakow that makes a trip to the city so special. Wherever you go, there's history, culture and stunning attractions at every turn. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Before settling down and becoming a copywriter for HostelBookers. Paul Scottyn did a backpacking tour of Poland, he checked out a variety of the country's budget accommodation, including a number of most &lt;a href="http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/poland/krakow/"&gt; Krakow hostels. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4231000468956771857?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4231000468956771857/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4231000468956771857' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4231000468956771857'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4231000468956771857'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/budget-breaks-to-remember-in-krakow.html' title='Budget Breaks to Remember in Krakow'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1956709789535127049</id><published>2008-06-18T05:35:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-18T05:35:38.947-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Top Ten Tips for an Affordable Michigan Vacation</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Sheri-Frey/61102&gt;Sheri Frey&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;If you are looking for affordable family vacation ideas, here are our top ten tips for Michigan vacation travel.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 1. &lt;b&gt;Be as flexible as possible.&lt;/b&gt; If you are willing to travel on any date, you can discover great savings on last-minute travel to top Michigan locations even during peak season.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 2. &lt;b&gt;Rent a Condo.&lt;/b&gt;  It may seem to be more expensive than a hotel room, but if you have a kitchen, then you can avoid the cost of eating at restaurants!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 3. &lt;b&gt;Travel after Peak Season.&lt;/b&gt;   Take advantage of lower rates by traveling in the fall. Michigan has some nice train excursions, color tours, harvest festivals, wagon rides, corn mazes and other things to do at affordable prices.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 4. &lt;b&gt;Visit off-the-beaten-path destinations.&lt;/b&gt; Some of the nicest places in Michigan are the some of the least known.  Do a little research to find these wonderful places and spend a lot less.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 5. &lt;b&gt;Rent a Home.&lt;/b&gt;  In some places you can rent a 4 bedroom cottage on a beach with a boat for a week for less than a weekend stay at a popular hotel. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 6. &lt;b&gt;Don't Drive Too Far.&lt;/b&gt; If you already live in Michigan, some of the most enjoyable places are probably right near you.  Don't be afraid to stay close to home.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 7. &lt;b&gt;Try Camping.  &lt;/b&gt; Why not put up a tent or rent a cabin rather than book a hotel room?   Michigan campgrounds are some of the best anywhere.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 8. &lt;b&gt;Stay nearby.&lt;/b&gt; Don't stay in the priciest spot.  Pick a nearby town.  You will save on your accommodations and avoid the crowds.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 9. &lt;b&gt;Try luxury resorts.&lt;/b&gt;   There are plenty of luxury vacation packages throughout Michigan to allow the whole family to enjoy luxury &lt;i&gt;and&lt;/i&gt; save a little money! You might be surprised at just how affordable these resorts can be.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 10. &lt;b&gt;Use the Internet&lt;/b&gt; to find your affordable family vacation.  You can often find the best bargains and the cheapest rates online. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;To learn more about other great Michigan vacation ideas and insider travel tips, visit &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.michigan-vacation-destination.com"&gt;Michigan Vacation Destination&lt;/a&gt; at &lt;a target= "_blank" href="http://www.michigan-vacation-destination.com"&gt;http://www.michigan-vacation-destination.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1956709789535127049?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1956709789535127049/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1956709789535127049' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1956709789535127049'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1956709789535127049'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/top-ten-tips-for-affordable-michigan.html' title='Top Ten Tips for an Affordable Michigan Vacation'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-2157444638194310164</id><published>2008-06-17T05:45:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-17T05:45:52.699-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Chartering the Mediterranean - A Magical Yachting Holiday</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Damian-Burke/20472&gt;Damian Burke&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;An adventure through the Mediterranean can be a &lt;b&gt;life changing journey&lt;/b&gt;. Originally used by ancient nations as a trade route, this fantastic sea of the Atlantic Ocean has become a popular holiday hot spot. Every year, countless people tour the Mediterranean in search of &lt;b&gt;unprecedented adventure and exploration&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br /&gt; A Yacht trip may be exactly what you need to recharge those batteries, and a professional Yacht Chartering Service is the best way to go about it. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Why Should You Use a Professional Yacht Charter? &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The most obvious answer to this question would be peace of mind. Professional Chartering Services think of every eventuality, leaving you in the perfect position to let life's worries float on by while &lt;b&gt;soaking up the sun and sipping on cocktails&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br /&gt; Professional Yacht Charter Company Brokers will find the perfect Yacht and the ideal crew for your trip. The skilled Yacht Brokers know the history and inner workings of their Yachts, and are able to match a great Yacht to your preferences.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Peace of mind aside, there's also the major task of taking care of the administration of the trip. &lt;b&gt;Legal issues and mooring permissions&lt;/b&gt; are not to be taken lightly, and can be a huge task. Charter Brokers also take care of all the international legalities to make sure that your travels are all above board, leaving you to &lt;b&gt;live the life of king or queen of the seas&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Above all else, a professional Yacht Charter delivers just that; &lt;b&gt;a world class holiday in five star facilities&lt;/b&gt;. Charter Brokers ensure that the right Yacht is commissioned for the journey, and an experienced Captain and crew keep you in the lap of luxury. &lt;br /&gt; Professional Yacht Charters afford you the opportunity of specialised crew members, from stylish cocktail barmen and gourmet chefs to medical practitioners and even multilingual tour guides.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A lot of package deals also include an &lt;b&gt;array of water sport facilities&lt;/b&gt;. Fishing tackle, jet skis and scuba diving equipment are not uncommon on luxury cruises. &lt;b&gt;Enquire about any prerequisites&lt;/b&gt; that may be required before one's allowed to use the facilities. For example, you may be required to hold a certificate from Association of Diving Instructors Open Water Certificate before using scuba equipment.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Planning Your Route&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Bordered by Europe, Africa and Asia, there are plenty of possible exotic destinations to choose from to choose from. Most Charter Services allow for personalised itineraries, giving you the option to &lt;b&gt;select your dream destinations&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br /&gt; Imagine docking into the ports of Spain or France, or exploring the Balearic and Aeolian Islands before heading off to &lt;b&gt;the next Mediterranean paradise&lt;/b&gt;. Your itinerary is entirely up to you!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Why Take a Mediterranean Yacht Charter? &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Mediterranean and its infinite beauty are to be celebrated, and in the most luxurious manner possible. Yacht Cruises are perhaps the best way of ensuring a relaxing vacation, while &lt;b&gt;exploring perpetual exquisite sights and sounds&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A Yacht Charter through the Mediterranean is also an ideal setting for most special occasions. Be it an engagement, anniversary getaway or simply a venue for corporate functions, &lt;b&gt;the Mediterranean is the perfect backdrop&lt;/b&gt; for celebration. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Whatever your dreams when it comes to luxury yachting, &lt;a href=http://www.ypi.co.uk&gt;Yachting Partners International&lt;/a&gt; can help make them real. Founded in 1972, we are one of the world's premier &lt;a href="http://www.ypi.co.uk/brokerage.asp"&gt;Yacht Brokerage Houses&lt;/a&gt;, with over 150 years' combined experience in the marine business and we cater to many of the world's leading destinations.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-2157444638194310164?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/2157444638194310164/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=2157444638194310164' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2157444638194310164'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2157444638194310164'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/chartering-mediterranean-magical.html' title='Chartering the Mediterranean - A Magical Yachting Holiday'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-237265955524844632</id><published>2008-06-16T04:48:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-16T04:48:47.301-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Carry on Luggage Meets the New Checked Baggage Fees</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gerard-Hones/60313&gt;Gerard Hones&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As crude oil prices continue to rise airlines are under greater pressure to cover rising fuel costs.  Recently some carriers began adding fees for services that had previously been considered to be included in the ticket cost such as fees for checked baggage.   As a result cost conscious travelers seek new strategies in their packing to work within the new fee guidelines without over-inflating the costs of flying.  It is more critical than ever for the savvy traveler to find the best laptop computer bag to serve their unique travel needs. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Since the recent fee announcement by American Airlines for checked baggage, there have been numerous articles encouraging travelers to rethink the best use of the space in their carryon bags.  Whether you are carrying a laptop bag for a Toshiba laptop or pulling a Targus rolling computer bag the carrying capacity of your bag is a valuable packing area.  Many travelers are looking to eliminate checked luggage by packing clothing and other travel items in their carryon bag with their laptop.  Rolled up clothes are easier to pack in small spaces and clothing items that take up a lot of room should be worn on the plane if practical to make the best use of space in the carryon bag.  The best computer organizer bags provide flexibility to pack according to the traveler's individual requirements. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Typical size allowance for a carryon bag by many airlines requires them not to exceed 45 inches when totaling length plus width plus height or approximately 22" x 14" x 9".   As an example for reference the case logic laptop computer bag offered on this website in the backpack style is 19" x 14" x 9". &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gerard Hones is co-owner of bagyouroffice.com for &lt;a href="http://www.bagyouroffice.com"&gt;laptop bag for Toshiba laptop&lt;/a&gt;, case logic laptop computer bag or &lt;a href="http://www.bagyouroffice.com"&gt;targus rolling computer bag&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-237265955524844632?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/237265955524844632/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=237265955524844632' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/237265955524844632'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/237265955524844632'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/carry-on-luggage-meets-new-checked.html' title='Carry on Luggage Meets the New Checked Baggage Fees'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1646787019645873571</id><published>2008-06-13T05:11:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-13T05:11:48.262-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Cheap Hotels in Uk and Worldwide</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/durga-prasad/60452&gt;durga prasad&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Hi I am happy to introduce a travel website named rooms2book.co.uk this website is one of the Europe's leading online reservation providers to the hotel industry. Its providing Accommodation Hotels in and around UK. If you are searching for Accommodation Hotels in UK this is the correct choice for you. They are providing Cheap Hotels in UK with quality services and cheap rates. If you are going with your family you can choose Budget accommodation hotels and Guest Houses in UK. Late Booking Hotels also available in UK. For your convenience. You can choose hotel by online with their Online Hotels Booking Reservations system. Its providing secure online bookings with cheap rates. If you are looking for discount accommodation hotels in UK, you can find lot's of hotels here. Weekend break Hotels providing special offers in UK.  You can get more information on this site like, Airports in UK, Railways Station UK.  Top Attractions in UK etc&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; More Services: UK Hotels, Cheap Hotels Accommodation in England, Discount Bed and Breakfast in Scotland, Hotels Reservations in Ireland, We Provide Safe and Secure online Hotel Bookings Wales UK, Hotels near by Railway Stations ,Traditional Hotels ,Boutique Hotels, Restaurants, Castle Hotels ,Self catering Accommodation Hotels ,Golf Courses near Hotels , Wedding hotels ,Luxury Hotels ,Museums and Galleries near By Hotels , Bed and Breakfast Hotels , Apartments in UK , Cottages in UK , Villa Hotels , Sea Side Towns , Spa Facility Hotels in Uk. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Fore more details visit the website:http://rooms2book.co.uk/&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1646787019645873571?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1646787019645873571/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1646787019645873571' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1646787019645873571'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1646787019645873571'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/cheap-hotels-in-uk-and-worldwide.html' title='Cheap Hotels in Uk and Worldwide'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-732725232567444358</id><published>2008-06-12T05:59:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-12T05:59:13.373-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How To Find Great Disney Honeymoon Packages Tips</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/pius-vic/29694&gt;pius vic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Mickey Mouse and romance? of Course! Once it comes up to incredible choice of Disney honeymoon packages available, there is no limitation when it comes to romance and entertaining on the most special trip of your lives. In that respect there are a lot of good reasons why Disney is often called "the happiest place on earth" because few leave Disney complaining of a bad vacation. Among the reasons why Disney honeymoon packages appeal to thousands of couples every year is that the company offers something for everyone in terms of activities, dining and entertainment. Whether you are looking for a holiday on land, sea or both, Disney honeymoon package can deliver what you are searching for. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Setting Sail on a Disney Cruise&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the most popular types of Disney honeymoon packages is the vacation at sea. With the birth of the Disney Magic and Wonder, the Caribbean can now resonate with Disney enchantment. Disney cruises come in 3-night, 4-night and 7-night options, and itineraries vary from the Bahamas to the Caribbean. And if you think a Disney cruise is only for families, think again. There are plenty of choices for the grownups in the crowd  from afternoon wine tastings, to adult-only beaches, to dancing 'til dawn at one of the many nightclubs onboard. The Disney dining experience is unique as well, with a rotational dining system that allows you to sample each of the unique and flavorful restaurants on the ship.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; For the Landlubbers&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Romance is not limited to the sea when it comes to Disney. There are plenty of Disney honeymoon cruise packages that will satisfy any landlubber. Walt Disney World offers four amazing theme parks that will entertain your inner child, while adult entertainment abounds at Pleasure Island and other Disney locations. For those who can't decide between land and sea, Disney honeymoon packages can also include a surf and turf option that includes a few days on a cruise around the Bahamas and a few days to enjoy the theme parks at the Florida resort. These packages usually come with park passes, a reservation at a Disney resort hotel and free transportation from the ship to the parks. Disney Land offers its own unique Disney honeymoon packages, with visits to California Adventure and plenty of fun at the original park as well.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Disney honeymoon packages can be a wonderful way to start your life together  before the responsibilities of jobs, bills and kids take over. Relive your youth or celebrate the magic and romance of a Disney adventure - there is indeed no happier place on earth. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Are you planning to get married or looking for romantic holiday package? Come over to Romantic Hotel Deals.Com. We have on offer here daily bargain deals on &lt;a href="http://www.romantichoteldeals.com/Vacation-Packages/disney-vacation-packages"&gt;disney honeymoon packages,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://www.romantichoteldeals.com/Vacation-Packages/disney-vacation-packages"&gt;disney vacation packages,&lt;/a&gt; for you to choose from.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-732725232567444358?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/732725232567444358/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=732725232567444358' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/732725232567444358'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/732725232567444358'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-find-great-disney-honeymoon.html' title='How To Find Great Disney Honeymoon Packages Tips'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-3186985566391298455</id><published>2008-06-11T06:40:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-11T06:40:50.771-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Binoculars: A Necessary Tool for Birding</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gold-Nuggets/59934&gt;Gold Nuggets&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;For the beginner bird watcher, there are only a few tools that are necessary to enjoy the hobby. A local field guide that explains which birds you should be looking for, a notebook to record your sightings in, and good binoculars are all it takes to get started. Of these items, binoculars are arguably the most indispensable. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If you can't get a good look at a bird, you really can't be watching it, can you? Spotting a bird is important, but getting a good detailed look at the bird is more satisfying that just spotting it.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Serious birders often have more than one type of binoculars so they can get the most detailed view of a bird under varying conditions. Beginners, however, should begin with good, general-purpose binoculars to start with. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; How do you choose binoculars as a beginning birder? Here are some things to take into consideration:&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Magnification and the diameter of the objective lens  Most binoculars are described by two numbers. For example, good basic binoculars may be described as 10x42. The first number 10 is the magnification of the lens. The second number 42 is the size in millimeters of the diameter of the larger front lens known as the objective lens.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The larger the number of the magnification the closer the bird will appear when viewed through the binoculars. Binoculars with a magnification of 10 will make the bird appear ten times closer than it is. It may seem that a higher magnification would always be desirable, but binoculars with lower magnifications show a brighter, sharper image and they are generally less heavy. These are things that need to be considered when choosing binoculars.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The objective lens lets in light and the higher the diameter, the more light that will enter the binoculars. As with the magnification, the higher the number, the more the binoculars will usually weigh so that needs to be kept in mind when choosing.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Design  There are several design features to consider when a beginner chooses binoculars. Size is important. Smaller, pocket binoculars are easy to carry, and a birder will be more likely to carry them often, but they usually don't have the quality of view that larger binoculars have. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another feature to consider is durability. Binoculars are likely to get bounced around and dinged a bit while hiking, so durability is an important consideration. Some binoculars are even water resistant making them very durable.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ease of focusing is an important design feature, too. Birds can fly away quickly, and a birder is likely to miss a good view if focusing the lens on the binoculars takes too long.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cost and Warranty  This is important when buying any product. Fortunately, there are several good binoculars available for beginning bird watchers that are moderately priced. After deciding which features are needed, a beginning birder should do not only price comparisons on those binoculars that meet his needs, but also compare warranties. A great deal isn't that great if a warranty doesn't cover unexpected problems. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have been an avid birder and hunter for many years.  My experiences with binoculars both good and bad  make a long list!  I  have learned over time that yes, you get what you pay for with binoculars, but also having the right binocular for the job is very important. Russ http://www.bestopticsunlimited.com  http://opticsunlimited.blogspot.com/&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-3186985566391298455?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/3186985566391298455/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=3186985566391298455' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3186985566391298455'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3186985566391298455'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/binoculars-necessary-tool-for-birding.html' title='Binoculars: A Necessary Tool for Birding'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-5251007325462045855</id><published>2008-06-10T05:01:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-10T05:01:32.656-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How To Get The Best Deal On Airline Tickets</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Craig-Thornburrow/7263&gt;Craig Thornburrow&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Airline tickets are items which are increasing in price these days.  Perhaps it is due to the fuel increase which is currently being seen throughout the world or other associated reasons. Whatever the reasons, finding a good price on an airline ticket is difficult for many individuals, especially if you happen to be flying to or from remote locations throughout the world.  The good news is that there are ways to still find great deals on transportation tickets of this kind and be well on your way to a great vacation or prosperous business trip without traveling broke.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the best ways to find a good deal on tickets for airlines is to review the selections and purchase these items online.  You can go to the individual airline websites, use travel websites or buy them from others who may be selling their transferable airline ticket.  If you are hoping to go on vacation and don't have a set destination in mind, simply peruse your airline destination options and buy those tickets which are least expensive.  The Internet provides wonderful avenues for not only searching for desired airline tickets but purchasing them at discounted prices as well.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another way to get a great deal on an airline ticket is to take advantage of sale fares offered by the airlines themselves.  Many airlines will advertise special destination prices for specific time periods.  These specials can reap wonderful prices on tickets for your air travel.  You may find it advantageous to sign up for web deals via email through one or more airline carrier as this will allow you to get information on special deals delivered directly to your email address.  If you want to go on vacation but don't know where to go, these deals offered by the airlines may help you to decide which location to visit.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; An additional way to get good airfare prices is to use your airline miles whenever possible.  If you are planning a trip ahead of time search for the best credit card that will offer you the best way to quickly gain these miles. For those who travel quite a bit, using airline travel miles will help to lower the cost of your tickets if not get you a completely free airline ticket.  You may also be able to use extra airline miles for food, drinks and access to VIP lounges in various airports in addition to getting a discounted airline ticket or free upgrade from coach to first class.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lastly, airline deals can be had by purchasing more than one airline ticket.  Sometimes airlines will offer companion fares where you purchase one ticket at full advertised price and then get a second one for free or half the price.  Either way you are saving money if more than one individual is traveling at the same time.  Again, this information can be gained by visiting the airline's website or calling the airline directly to see what type of deals is being offered on airline tickets. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on &lt;A href="http://www.airlineticketsquick.com"&gt;cheap international airline tickets&lt;/A&gt; and &lt;A href="http://www.airlineticketsquick.com/cheap-airline-tickets-to-florida.html"&gt;cheap airline ticket to Florida&lt;/A&gt; at http://www.airlineticketsquick.com&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-5251007325462045855?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/5251007325462045855/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=5251007325462045855' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5251007325462045855'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5251007325462045855'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-get-best-deal-on-airline-tickets.html' title='How To Get The Best Deal On Airline Tickets'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-5414259825744282106</id><published>2008-06-06T06:25:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-06T06:25:56.151-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Cultural Tour of Ireland - Bloomsday 2008</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Fergus-O-Shea/55388&gt;Fergus O Shea&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Bloomsday 2008&lt;/b&gt;, is a celebrate of the works, life, and times of James Joyce. He spent a large amount of his life abroad, living for a long time in Trieste , Italy but his works are all firmly rooted in hometown of Dublin. In fact his first collection of short stories was called Dubliners and they provide an excellent introduction into the writing style and feeling of Joyce's other works. Later on he would write Ulysses, and it was even banned in the US for 13 years due to the perceived obscenity found within but now the book it widely regarded as one of the greatest works of modern fiction.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;The festival takes place from Monday 9th of June to Friday the 16th, and will feature several productions based on the works of James Joyce. These presentations include 'Molly Bloom', starring Eilin O'Dea in a rendition of Molly's soliloquy in Ulysses; 'Among the deepening shades': an approach to reading 'Hades' by Barry McGovern; 'Joyce in June' by Stewart Parker is a merging of the real life of Joyce and the fiction which he created; and there are several more worthy productions to be visited during the Bloomsday Festival.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;In addition to visiting shows from, or inspired by, the writer's works it is also traditional to visit all the landmarks mentioned in the novel which you can do on your own or you can join one of the many guided tours held throughout the festival.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you would like to explore your other options while holidaying in Ireland why not have a look at our other &lt;u&gt;car hire Ireland blogs&lt;/u&gt;. Getting around outside Dublin will require a car so why not have a look at our &lt;u&gt;car hire Ireland&lt;/u&gt; options.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;How to get there:&lt;/b&gt; The events of the festival take place throughout the city but perhaps the best place to start would be the James Joyce Centre. You can find the centre at 35 North Great Georges Street, Dublin 1, which is just a few minutes walk from the north end of O'Connell Street. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.novacarhire.com/BLOG/Categories/Ireland-Car-Hire.html"&gt;Car Hire Ireland Blogs&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br&gt; &lt;a href="http://www.novacarhire.com/car-hire/Ireland/"&gt;Car Hire Ireland&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-5414259825744282106?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/5414259825744282106/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=5414259825744282106' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5414259825744282106'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5414259825744282106'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/cultural-tour-of-ireland-bloomsday-2008.html' title='Cultural Tour of Ireland - Bloomsday 2008'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6521572260683045740</id><published>2008-06-05T06:35:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-05T06:35:44.945-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Cruises:  Budget Vacations</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gina-Clark/49265&gt;Gina Clark&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;A cruise can be a luxurious, affordable way to travel.  You are able to see and experience a variety of places otherwise too costly, and stay in amazing accommodations at a reasonable price.  A cruise is the perfect trip for a vacation on a budget.  However, there are many things to consider when choosing a cruise in order to save money and guarantee you have a wonderful time.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the ways to save money on a cruise is to plan well in advance and take your cruise during the second half of the year, when prices are generally lower.  Search online to compare companies, rates and special offers.  Last minute cruise deals, on the other hand, occasionally offer reduced rates.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Consider an all-inclusive vacation package.  This is often the most affordable way to take a cruise. Be sure that it includes food, entertainment, entrance fees, on shore travel during the cruise, in addition to accommodations.  Some all-inclusive cruises also include unlimited drinks and services.  Take the time to find the cruise package that best suits you. Also, check carefully that there are no additional, hidden fees.  It's often cheaper to purchase your own airfare to the departure point, though, so consider looking into that before having the cruise company arrange it for you.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Booking as a group is another one of the ways to save money on your cruise.  The bigger the group that books together, the more money you save.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Before leaving for your trip, it's highly recommended that you make 3 copies of your passport, driver's license, any credit or debit cards you will be taking with you, and any other important documents you are bringing.  Leave a copy with a friend or family member at home in case of an emergency.  Leave a second copy locked in your room when you travel on shore, and carry the third copy with you on shore.  (Usually the purser will keep your passport to speed up travel through foreign destinations.)&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Also, before leaving for your cruise, call and find out if you qualify for upgrades.  If the ship is not full, you may be surprised what you can receive.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Traveling on a cruise can be a wonderful, unforgettable experience.  However, make sure you plan ahead and are well prepared so that there are no unpleasant surprises, and you can enjoy your trip worry free. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gina Clark writes on travel and financial issues. Click &lt;A HREF="http://vacationtipsforabudget.blogspot.com/"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to learn additional vacation and money saving tips.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6521572260683045740?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6521572260683045740/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6521572260683045740' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6521572260683045740'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6521572260683045740'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/cruises-budget-vacations.html' title='Cruises:  Budget Vacations'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-577981375313619176</id><published>2008-06-04T08:08:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-04T08:08:41.710-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hawaii Travel and Vacation</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Groshan-Fabiola/5176&gt;Groshan Fabiola&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;ForecastFabulous! If you are looking for a great vacation where you don't need a passport, or to exchange money, and place where you don't need a translation book, start and end your search online for an unforgettable Maui vacation. You will find many choices for vacation villas that are affordable luxury for United States tourists as well as tourists from other countries. Canadians are frequent and satisfied visitors of this beautiful destination.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; ForecastBeautiful! Enjoy the beautiful views of the island from your Maui beach villa. Sunsets and pristine beaches; soothing and melodic waves will be everyday sights and sounds for the duration of your stay. You can take in the beautiful views from your private lanai while you enjoy coffee in the morning or your favorite wine in the evening.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; ForecastLuxurious! You will find condos available for rent that will meet your every expectation for luxury accommodations. Spacious rooms and elegant furnishings will greet you as you open the door to your luxury vacation rental. A dream gourmet kitchen with every accoutrement you can imagine. Of course, there are many great restaurants to enjoy if you are not in the mood to cook. Outside find tropical gardens complete with tiki torches, family and adults-only pools, and waterfalls and fitness centers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; ForecastFun! If you and your family or friends are looking for a pleasurable and fun filled vacation, then check out the options for a location right for you. Every day, anytime you desire, the beautiful Pacific Ocean is steps from your door to swim or surf. Enjoy the exquisite beaches. Rent a car for the freedom of self-guided tours at your own pace or sign up for the many tour packages available through the concierge. You can take advantage of the many convenient services including house keeping during you stay. Rent a bicycle and enjoy the sights of the island. Visit the spa and shops nearby; take leisurely moon lit walks on the beach.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; ForecastPerfect! Destination weddings are popular, and, if you are planning a wedding, this might be the perfect location for ceremony and guests. Combine your special day and your honeymoon in one romantically beautiful destination. You and your guests can look forward to a tropical Maui vacation. You will find this is an excellent choice for family vacations or a place to gather friends from far and wide. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Visit &lt;a href="http://www.themauiescape.com/wailea/wailea-beach-villas.htm"&gt;Wailea Beach Villas&lt;/a&gt; for the dream vacation of a lifetime. &lt;a href="http://www.themauiescape.com"&gt;South Maui Vacation Rental&lt;/a&gt; beautiful, spacious rooms and luxury ammenities and services.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-577981375313619176?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/577981375313619176/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=577981375313619176' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/577981375313619176'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/577981375313619176'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/06/hawaii-travel-and-vacation.html' title='Hawaii Travel and Vacation'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-7279683596846263507</id><published>2008-05-29T03:25:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-29T03:25:42.114-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Cruising with a Difference: 5 Quirky Cruises</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gale-Van-Rye/57871&gt;Gale Van Rye&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;1. Murder Mystery&lt;br /&gt; Murder mystery cruises are always a treat for cruisers looking for a holiday with a difference. Usually spread over the course of a week, you'll be able to relax back but also have that great mystery to nibble away at as you sunbathe. Definitely an experience like no other and certain to keep curious cruisers entertained.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 2. Games Cruises&lt;br /&gt; There's a whole range of different games with their own cruises. Take Mahjong for instance. The ancient Chinese game has enough fans to all get together at sea and have a few plays. From Bingo to Baseball, there are game cruises out there for everything you can imagine.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 3. British History Cruise&lt;br /&gt; On the stunning Queen Mary 2, you can be a part of history, literally, by joining in the intriguing discussions onboard. Organised by Cunard, authors and researchers will give talks on modern British history, but these kind of events are sure to sell out, so jump on them quick when they come along.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 4. Food and Drink Cruises&lt;br /&gt; Now we're talking. There are all kinds of speciality food and drink cruises. Wine cruises are popular ones, giving the opportunity to sample some of the world's finest grapes whilst pottering about at sea. Or for those with a sweet tooth, chocolate cruises are bound to draw in the crowds. Just make sure you scoff the loot quickly, before it all melts!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 5. Cult Cruises&lt;br /&gt; Whether it's the ever-lasting Elvis followers or the Sci-Fi loving Trekkies, there are all sorts of cult cruises just waiting for your call. Expect the full works within the ship, as staff dress up and get involved too. You will feel like you stepped onto the Enterprise itself! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.iglucruise.com/" title="Iglu Cruises"&gt;cruises&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-7279683596846263507?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/7279683596846263507/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=7279683596846263507' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7279683596846263507'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7279683596846263507'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/cruising-with-difference-5-quirky.html' title='Cruising with a Difference: 5 Quirky Cruises'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-9196498780085931979</id><published>2008-05-15T03:30:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-15T03:30:22.006-07:00</updated><title type='text'>World Vacation Rentals  Homes For People From Any Part Of The World</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Stephen-Frieze/53611&gt;Stephen Frieze&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;If you are planning a vacation to a beautiful country in the world, then you should definitely consider USA which is a small world in itself with 50 different states and lots to offer to people from all genres and classes. You can also easily book world vacation rentals which will surely take you by surprise with the various vacation homes and the top class facilities. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Vacation rentals by owner refer to getting an accommodation of any type as per the choice of a vacationer directly from the owner. In these vacation rentals, you can get a house such as cottages, villas, condos, etc. as per your choice. If you are a beach lover then you should certainly go to Miami, Kalalua Beach State Park in Hawaii, Jasper Beach in Maine and many more beaches to make your vacation a memorable one. If you wish to spend your vacation by the beach then you can most certainly try out the villa rentals which give you a spectacular view of the beach as well as all the basic amenities that a person would desire to have. Apart from that, some owners also offer transport to travel to all the nearby tourist attractions so that the vacationer can stay on for long as well as visit all the places he/she wishes to visit. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; These vacation rentals are available on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. You can also choose a rental property to spend self catering holidays. So, while choosing a vacation rental, do check which rental would suit you the best. If villas are the lodging that fascinates you then a villa world vacation rental can easily be booked. If you wish to try your hand at gambling and casinos then you should go to Las Vegas which has the best casinos and nightlife that will keep you longing for more. Even shopaholics can buy a lot of stuff from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc. Being in USA is really fun with such a lot to explore, one vacation may not be sufficient and you may find yourself coming back time and again to explore another part which you couldn't explore the last time. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Visit &lt;a href="http://www.villa-world.com/"&gt;Villa World&lt;/a&gt; to get detailed descriptions of 1000's &lt;a href="http://www.villa-world.com/vacation-rentals-by-owner.asp"&gt;vacation rentals by owner&lt;/a&gt; or rental properties for &lt;a href="http://www.villa-world.com/self-catering-holidays.asp"&gt;self catering holidays&lt;/a&gt; that can be tailored to fit your pocket.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-9196498780085931979?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/9196498780085931979/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=9196498780085931979' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/9196498780085931979'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/9196498780085931979'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/world-vacation-rentals-homes-for-people.html' title='World Vacation Rentals  Homes For People From Any Part Of The World'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6934991022130403144</id><published>2008-05-14T03:51:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-14T03:51:44.844-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Amsterdam Dazzles as a City Gem</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/bobcartwright2008/54716&gt;bobcartwright2008&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Amsterdam hardly ever makes the grade in anyone's hit list of Europe's top romantic cities. Paris, Rome, Venice - even London - are likely to leave the Dutch capital well behind.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Some may frown on its links with red light sleaze and its drug smoking 'coffeeshops'. Others may think Amsterdam just a little too dull. Whatever the reasons, when a romantic weekend city break is on the cards, Amsterdam rarely turns up trumps.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; What a pity! Despite what you may hear, Amsterdam is not all cannabis and carnality. Amsterdam also turns out to be a gem of a city break destination that could well win the heart of the one you love. And what gives this city a romantic gloss?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Amsterdam turns out to be one of the diamond capitals of Europe. And what surer way to win her heart than a glitzy tour of one of Amsterdam's diamond workshops? It's a glittering jewel in this tourist city's crown. And what's more - it's free!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The diamond factory tour is one of Amsterdam's most popular attractions. More than 340.000 visitors see Coster Diamonds' craftsmen at work every year. During free-guided tours, which are available in more than 25 languages, the process of cutting and polishing a diamond is explained in detail by expert staff.  It's a sparkling experience which you will not forget in a hurry. And afterwards visitors can admire their  impressive diamond and jewellery collection.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Discover the secrets of diamond cutting in the Gassan diamond-polishing factory in the city centre,  itself considered a bright spot on any city tour. Be sure to book in advance to be sure of a place, as demand for places is very strong. You will be shown where diamonds are found and  how they are classified, cut. You can watch the polishers at their craft and wonder how they resist the temptation to lose the odd stone?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Amstel Diamonds is one of the oldest diamond factories of Amsterdam and has been producing gems since 1876. You can find them on the river in an old canal house in the very heart of historic Amsterdam.  Here you may see the 'print test' where a diamond stone is passed over a newspaper cutting. Only the genuine gem will allow you to read the small print.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A diamond bought on a romantic holiday break will always have a special significance. And experts agree there is no more reputable place to buy than Amsterdam. Visitors will also agree that the tours are every bit as sparkling as the gems themselves. The city has been a world centre for the diamond trade since the 16th century and you will be sure to find the world's best-cut diamonds in Amsterdam.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; What finer way to dazzle your partner than a trip with that extra sparkle? And if diamonds may be a trifle too expensive for your pockets what could be better than window shopping for gems and trying on some of the world's classiest jewels? &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Bob Cartwright writes for &lt;a href="http://www.travelsavvy-amsterdam.com"  target="_blank"&gt; TravelSavvy Amsterdam Travel Guides&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6934991022130403144?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6934991022130403144/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6934991022130403144' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6934991022130403144'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6934991022130403144'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/amsterdam-dazzles-as-city-gem.html' title='Amsterdam Dazzles as a City Gem'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4642823477698212234</id><published>2008-05-12T18:29:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-12T18:29:06.263-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Point &amp; Shoot! A Guide to Cruise Photography</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Story_tella/48987&gt;Story_tella&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;May is national photography month so what better time to dust off that old camera, learn a few tips and make sure your next cruise snaps are better than ever!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Since the widespread introduction of the digital camera, photography has become an increasingly popular hobby - and its easy to see why; no more expensive films, wasted photos or timely processing, today's modern digital camera allows even the most basic photographer to produce some pretty decent photos with minimal time, cost and effort.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But if you're looking for more than just some basic holiday snaps, and really want to wow your friends and family when you return from your cruise, check out our how to guide for photos that will make your loved ones green with envy!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; First things first, you need to find the right camera for your needs. It can be more than a little confusing sorting through the countless options available from a number of different brands, each offering different features. So what are you really looking for from a good digital camera? &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the most important features to look out for is the number of megapixels the camera has, as this will have a significant impact in the quality of your photos. Basically, a pixel is a dot, which collectively forms an image. A megapixel is one million of these dots, so, the more dots you have, the sharper and clearer your photo will be. &lt;br /&gt; Many people will go by the 'get as many megapixels as your budget can afford' approach, however, this really isn't necessary unless you are looking to enlarge your photos. As a guide, 1 or 2 megapixels are adequate for a standard 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 printed photo, any larger and you will need to increase your megapixels to achieve a high quality result. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The second most important item on your digital camera checklist should be the zoom. You may notice that the camera has both digital and optical zoom, but it's the latter you really need to consider. Optical zoom is a function that gives you the visual equivalent of moving closer to the subject, almost like a magnifying glass. The greater the optical zoom, the smaller the area that can be photographed. For example, a 2x optical zoom will make the subject appear twice as close. For general people photos a 2x or 3x zoom should be sufficient, however, whilst on your cruise you are likely to be taking lots of outdoor, scenery shots which is going to often require a zoom of around x5.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The final feature you are looking for in a good digital camera is a long battery life, as the very functions that make your photos so good are the same that will drain your battery life and nothing quite ruins a Kodak moment than a dead battery. If you find the power is ruining out a little sooner than you had hoped there are a few tips to prolong the life of the battery. One of the greediest power consumers is the LCD screen which is used to display your photos but can also be used as a viewfinder. Try using the actual viewfinder on the camera, rather than this screen to conserve battery life. Also, refrain from deleting photos stored on your camera, unless necessary to clear storage space. Those of you cruising to cooler areas should also bear in mind that battery life is shorter when taking photos in the cold. So, make sure you keep spare batteries somewhere warm, like in your pockets.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So that's your camera sorted, but unfortunately, having even the best camera in the world isn't going to guarantee you get perfect photos every time. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; "The photo doesn't really do it justice"&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It can be very disappointing when you take a shot of an interesting subject only to find the photo doesn't really do it justice. There are a few key rules that can be followed as a guide to prevent your photos looking boring, and will give them a more professional look.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Rule of Thirds is one of the easiest and most frequently used techniques to create interesting shots.  It is based on the idea that the human eye is naturally drawn to a point about two thirds up a page. As you look through the viewfinder of your camera, imagine there are lines dividing the image into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, essentially dividing your image into nine equal shaped blocks. Now place the subject at one of the points where the lines cross, rather than at the centre of the viewfinder.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If the area of interest is a landscape shot, the horizon line should be two thirds up from the bottom. Alternatively, if the sky is the main area of interest the horizon should be one third up from the bottom, leaving the sky to fill the top two thirds of the picture.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another way of creating interesting photos is to experiment with depth of field . A large cruise ship, for example, can be a pretty impressive sight, but a photo often doesn't show the true size. If you try adding other objects which lie between you and the ship, a tree for example, you may find your pictures appear less flat, and a lot more interesting to look at. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Your optical zoom can be essential in achieving the perfect shot, but remember, the further you zoom in, the harder it is to take a steady shot. Camera shake can make your photos blurry, so why not invest a few pounds in a mini tripod. These clever devices can attach to your camera to prevent camera shake but the best part is, they are so small they won't take up any of you luggage allowance!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Finally, after taking all these photos, you will need somewhere to store them. Don't rely on the internal memory of your camera as this is usually very limited. Instead, you can invest in a memory card which can store upto a thousand photos. Bear in mind though, that the more megapixels your camera has, the more space each photo will take up. So, as a rough guide, if you have a camera with 4 or less megapixels a 512mb memory card will hold around 500 photos, if your camera has 5 or more megapixels you are likely to be able to store just 250.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So you should now be equipped with all the knowledge you need to take some impressive shots on your next cruise, but, if all else fails, you can always take advantage of software such as Photoshop which allows you to edit your photos, you can even trim a few inches from your waistline if you wish!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Happy snapping! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Genna Roberts is web editor at Inside Cruise - an online cruise community packed with all the latest cruise news, features and reviews.  Come join us! &lt;a href="http://www.insidecruise.co.uk/"&gt; Inside Cruise &lt;/a&gt;  Get paid for your cruise reviews &amp; photos &lt;a href="http://www.insidecruise.co.uk/pages/reward/"&gt; here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4642823477698212234?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4642823477698212234/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4642823477698212234' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4642823477698212234'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4642823477698212234'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/point-shoot-guide-to-cruise-photography.html' title='Point &amp; Shoot! A Guide to Cruise Photography'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4463211043260790998</id><published>2008-05-09T03:42:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-09T03:42:34.897-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Enjoy an exotic holiday with your family at the Grand Bahamas Island</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Suzane-Gray/20110&gt;Suzane Gray&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;When we are busy competing with the world in a rat race, we often forget to stop and smell the roses. As a result, stress, lifestyle diseases, irritation, pressure and early burn outs have become a part and parcel of our lives. At times like this, it becomes crucial  that you take a well deserved break and unwind, in order to refresh and rejuvenate your mind, body and soul and what better way to relax than an exotic holiday with loved ones? However, when we are looking for a short trip or a getaway for a few days and yet do not want to burn a hole in our pockets, then our options become limited. It is difficult to find a holiday destination that has it all, entertainment and places of attraction for all members of the family, engaging activities that can be done, scenic beauty and of course, all this at a reasonable cost. Well, if you are looking for a place that offers all in a single package, then the Grand Bahamas Island is just the place for you.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Grand Bahamas Island is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. So, if you too are planning on taking your family for a vacation there, then it is best to approach a reliable travel agent, who can offer you the best package deal and reservations. As the Grand Bahamas Island is a location that has something to offer to everyone in terms of places to see and activities to participate in, there are many who are eager to make a trip to the Island. So, be it a refreshing walk down the pristine beaches or perhaps a game of water sports for the more adventurous ones, you can find it all in the Bahamas.&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt; Most of the travel agents who can plan your trip and chart out your itinerary for you for the Grand Bahamas Island tour, have their own online website on the internet. So, it may be advisable to check out some websites and get a  fair idea about the kind of program which you would like to plan for your family, before you actually finalize the plans. Also, your tickets for travel and hotel reservations can be booked online if you are unwilling to make personal trips to an agent's office to get the schedule in place.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Even if you find it difficult to remove yourself from the regular grind at work, even then the Grand Bahamas Island might be a suitable option for you, because the world famous golf courses out here, are an ideal location to meet up and chat with like minded people who may for important business associates later on. So, whatever be your intention, whether you simply want to relax or spend some quality time with your loved ones, or maybe form business networking in more pleasant environments like expansive golf courses, the Bahamas are sure to offer you everything your heart desires. Plan your trip now and get set to enjoy a well deserved holiday right away! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Suzane Gray has been offering Bahama travel and vacation packages advice for quite some time.To find cheap Bahamas vacation, Bahamas golf vacation, Bahamas vacation package, Freeport Bahamas, Cheap Bahamas Vacation, &lt;a href="http://www.gobahama.com/bahamaact.htm"&gt;Grand Bahamas Island&lt;/a&gt; that best suits your needs, visit &lt;a href="http://www.gobahama.com"&gt;www.gobahama.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Article Source: &lt;a href="http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Enjoy-an-exotic-holiday-with-your-family-at-the-Grand-Bahamas-Island/382709"&gt;Enjoy an exotic holiday with your family at the Grand Bahamas Island&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4463211043260790998?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4463211043260790998/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4463211043260790998' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4463211043260790998'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4463211043260790998'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/enjoy-exotic-holiday-with-your-family.html' title='Enjoy an exotic holiday with your family at the Grand Bahamas Island'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4871018268916667305</id><published>2008-05-08T05:51:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-08T05:51:25.334-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Blue Ridge Fishing in Georgias Blue Ridge Mountains</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Keith-Kurtis/53853&gt;Keith Kurtis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Fishing in North Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains is exciting for beginners and experts. With a wide variety of places to fish, you will want to know about the area and what it has to offer before you take off for a day of fishing.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Before you cast off you'll need to ensure you have a Georgia fishing license. You can apply for a fishing license at various locations and even online. Once you have your fishing license, its time to decide where to fish.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lake Blue Ridge Fishing:&lt;br /&gt; A fishing trip would not be complete in North Georgia without visiting Lake Blue Ridge. The lake is actually a 3,290 acre reservoir on the Toccoa River. The reservoir, located near Blue Ridge, GA, is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lake Blue Ridge fishing is exciting because of the diversity of fish you can catch. Those on the lake are likely to encounter bluegill, largemouth bass, white bass, yellow perch and walleye. Catching walleye is best spring to fall at night because of the clear water.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another reason the lake is popular is the ease of navigation. The lake can be easily navigated by small boat, canoe, tube or you can wade in several places. Check with the Tennessee Valley Authority for water release times and safety information.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Georgia Trout Fishing:&lt;br /&gt; If you're a fly fishing enthusiast, then consider the lower Toccoa River to be a dream come true. The Wildlife Resource Division stocks the lower Toccoas River annually with adult and fingerling rainbow trout, and brown trout. The lower Toccoa River game fish is 75% trout, with an average size of about 9 inches. The Toccoa River supports natural reproduction, so it's not unlikely to catch a 12 inch to 16 inch trout, even the occasional 20 inch trout can be found.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Did you know Georgia has roughly 4,000 miles of trout streams and over 100,000 trout anglers? The WRD and US Fish &amp; Wildlife Service are busy stocking Georgia streams with trout from late March through August. Fishing season typically starts at the end of March and runs until the end of October.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Delayed Harvest Streams (beginners):&lt;br /&gt; Are you new to fishing? Georgia offers a variety of delayed harvest streams. These streams are ideal for beginners and offer less experienced anglers the ability to get good experience in an ideal environment. Fannin County and White County both offer delayed harvest streams. In Fannin County the delayed harvest stream is located along the Toccoa River, near Blue Ridge, GA. White County's delayed stream is located two counties over on Smith Creek.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Blue Ridge Mountain North Georgia Fishing Vacations:&lt;br /&gt; North Georgia is a great destination for a fishing vacation. Those that fish enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountain North Georgia region because of the diversity of fishing settings. Located about 90 minutes from Atlanta, the region is a great destination for adventure-seeking vacationers. An industry for tourism has grown around the beauty of the mountains and quality of fishing. The next time you are considering North Georgia cabin rentals, consider a fishing trip on this region's rivers, lakes and streams. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Keith Kurtis is an avid adventurer with an interest in &lt;a href="http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/"&gt;Blue Ridge Mountain North Georgia&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/about/"&gt;North Georgia Cabins&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/cabins/availability.php"&gt;Blue Ridge Mountain cabin rentals&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4871018268916667305?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4871018268916667305/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4871018268916667305' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4871018268916667305'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4871018268916667305'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/blue-ridge-fishing-in-georgias-blue.html' title='Blue Ridge Fishing in Georgias Blue Ridge Mountains'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-2088935429560657919</id><published>2008-05-07T07:42:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-07T07:42:46.200-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Kings Canyon: Outback Royalty</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gavin-Wyatt/40552&gt;Gavin Wyatt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The centre of Australia is dominated by millions of square kilometres of sunbaked red earth, punctuated irregularly by geological features that vary in their degree of spectacle from interesting to completely mind blowing. Modern tourists seem to be on a quest for seclusion- as the world gets smaller and smaller we are running out of places to escape the 'madding crowd', so we are broadening the scope of destinations we visit. As a result deserts are seeing a surge in the number of annual visitors, as no where else can really offer the isolation and the wide open spaces of a desert. Various spots in the Australian Red centre have benefited from this shift in trends, and one such spot is the Watarrka National Park in the Northern Territory, home to the majestic Kings Canyon. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; When in the Alice Springs region a campervan tour to Kings Canyon is a novel way to get out on the road and see some amazing scenery. 350 kilometres south west of Alice, Watarrka National Park lies on the Western Side of the George Gill Ranges, and is characterised by high sided gorges and mountainous rocky landscapes, all showing the same red hue that is seen across most of the outback. As an important conservation area the Park is home to over 600 species of flora and fauna, many of them very rare, and all of them adapted to the desert environment in weird and wonderful ways - think jumping snakes, bearded dragons and thorny lizards!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The main feature of the Park is Kings canyon. At its deepest point it reaches some 270 metres in depth, and its high walls provide protection for the forests of palms and cycads that flourish on its walls and floor. The area has a rich and interesting Aboriginal history, and has been home to the Luritja people for more than 20 000 years. Westerners are relative newcomers to its charms, with the first white man to discover it being Ernest Giles in 1872. Today it is one of the most visited areas in the Northern Territory, and caters towards thousands of visitors a month. There is a visitors centre about 20 kilometres away from the gorge, and although this isnt always manned it provides a good introduction to the history, culture and attractions of the region. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The best way to see Kings Canyon is to take one of the walking trails into the canyon, past the best viewing points and normally away from the crowds. A short and easy walk leads into the centre of Kings Canyon, and is suitable for kids or anyone with mobility difficulties. Theres is a longer one (6 kilometres), which takes about three hours to complete and goes along the canyon rim. From various points on this one you can see such attractions as The 'Lost City', which is a series of beehive like rock formations that look like an ancient ruins. Another is the Garden of Eden, a deliciously cool valley with serene waterholes surrounded by lush vegetation. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Kings Canyon has a little sister too, it lies nearby and is known as Kathleen Gorge. This gorge has a spring fed waterhole at its head known as Kathleen Springs, which are popular amongst bushwalkers looking to cool off after a hot day in the sun. There are a number of bushwalks here that are suitable for children, and there is even one that joins up with Kings Canyon. This should only be attempted by the very fit, and rangers must be notified about your walk before you set out. Many people choose to overnight on this walk, as it is a long distance to cover in a single day. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Being such an isolated spot, accommodation out here is fairly limited. Kings Creek Station is a camel and cattle ranch that has a large and shady campsite where you can park up your motorhome with the other campers. There are also safari like lodgings for travellers who arent into the camping thing! A restaurant and a swimming pool complete the creature comforts, and dont visit here without trying one of their infamous camel burgers!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Your journey to Kings Canyon can go through a number of places. You can include the East Macdonnell Ranges in it, then return to Alice via Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the West Macdonnell Ranges. Research is required here, and you will need to adjust your trip and where you go according to how long you have on your holiday. However long you take and whichever places you visit this holiday is likely to instill a deep affectation for desert environments in you, and be warned it is hard to get rid of. So I guess we'll be seeing you again next year! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gavin Wyatt is a journalist with a passion for travel. originally from Zambia he has traveled around the world to end up on the sunny shores of Australia. For more of his articles visit &lt;A HREF="http://www.discovery-campervans.com.au"&gt;Discovery Campervans&lt;/A&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-2088935429560657919?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/2088935429560657919/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=2088935429560657919' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2088935429560657919'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2088935429560657919'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/kings-canyon-outback-royalty.html' title='The Kings Canyon: Outback Royalty'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6521698643996026196</id><published>2008-05-06T03:32:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-06T03:32:12.082-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Beach Cruisers - Defining Adventure</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Marco-Korcek1/55061&gt;Marco Korcek1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Bicycles are with human beings since more than 100 years. It has seen several reforms in terms of speed, design, utility and usability. People use bicycles for short distance commuting, children use bicycles to go to school, fitness enthusiasts use cycle for exercising, and one most important use of cycling is in sports like mountain biking, beack biking, and cycle races.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Beach Cruisers or Cruiser bicycles are bikes with heavy duty frames and wide tires. Such bikes were introduced first in America, and it became very much popular. Their wide tires provided better balance and simple mechanicals ideally suited to riding on flat sandy beaches. These cycles became popular among people passing time on beaches during the 1960s and 1970s, that's why they are popularly known as Beach Cruisers. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Gary Fisher and Joe Breeze led the foundation of Mountain Bikes by adding superior brakes, and gears to them. build and sell custom mountain bikes to fellow enthusiasts, launching a worldwide cycling phenomenon. They started building and selling custom mountain bikes to mountain cycling enthusiasts, launching a worldwide cycling phenomenon.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Changing Mood Of People&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Human mind is always dependent on fashion and trends. The trend of riding a cruise bike became very much popular in America, and Europe, not only among mountain riders, and beach bikers but also among general public. Middle aged people who have the money and purchasing power and who were less interested in owning a faster motor bike, due to their lost passion after an age, started to like these modern day multipurpose cruisers. The benefits were endless; these cruisers provided enough speed to commute from one place to another, proper driving comfort, powerful breaks and gears to make your driving experience easy. Another addition in this list was no polluting emissions like other motorbikes, which made them more popular.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Beach biking also becomes a rage these days, due to fine cruise designs, better dynamics, and option to accommodate your whole body with proper comfort. One can easily experience the pleasure of beach cruising with a lovely cruise biker or a wonderful biking cruise biking session. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The Beach Cruiser is one of prominent dealers of best quality beach bicycles, beach cruisers and cruising bicycles in california. For More Information, visit: http://www.thebeachcruisers.com/&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6521698643996026196?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6521698643996026196/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6521698643996026196' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6521698643996026196'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6521698643996026196'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/beach-cruisers-defining-adventure.html' title='Beach Cruisers - Defining Adventure'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-847293869185519469</id><published>2008-05-02T04:57:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-02T04:57:12.370-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Our Mediterranean Cruise on the Millennium - A Passenger's Review</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/William-Lund/51591&gt;William Lund&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This cruise began for us with a two day stay in Istanbul minus one suitcase that Delta Airlines lost. We had been in Istanbul for a couple of days at the end of our last cruise, and my wife fell in love with it.   We spent the time checking out things we didn't see on the last trip, and shopping for underwear, pantyhose, shoes, and other things Kathy needed after the lost luggage fiasco. There we were, at the Grand Bazaar, Kathy in a pair of my boxer shorts and a T shirt the ship gave her.  But we found some great bargains on knock-offs.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Millennium set sail for Kusadasi (Ephesus) Turkey in the early afternoon.  The next day we arrived in Kusadasi, known for its very extensive ruins at Ephesus.  These are the most impressive ruins we have ever seen, be sure not to miss them when you are in Kusadasi. Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were tourists at Ephesus!&lt;br /&gt;   &lt;br /&gt; We toured a rug factory which was actually a rug store.  However, they gave a very interesting presentation on how Turkish rugs are woven and how to determine the quality of rugs. We saw a demonstration of a young girl weaving a rug.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; While in Kusadasi we spotted an internet cafe sign and so we went on in.  They were quite excited that we had come in; they uncovered their single computer, taped some cardboard to the window to reduce the glare on the screen, and brought us some cokes to drink.  After we finished surfing the net we asked how much we owed.  They said "nothing!" and they wouldn't let us pay for anything.  Odd but interesting and nice.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The next day was a day at sea with no stops at any ports.  We consider days at sea as our lazy kick-back and relax part of our cruises.  So we "bagged some rays" by the pool and checked out the drink of the day.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The next day we arrived in Limasol, Cyprus.  Originally we were supposed to go to Haifa Israel, but due to some Middle East unrest, the destination was changed to Limasol. There was an interesting castle that we toured, and then we went looking for an internet cafe.  We found one and did a little updating of our website while we were there. Internet cafe's can be found in most cities and it is truly amazing to see the differences. There isn't really much in Limasol.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Our next port of call was Alexandria Egypt. The port was HUGE!  There were quite a few sunken ships poking up out of the water as we entered the port...wonder what that was about?  Our ship was greeted with a giant red carpet and a large band playing music.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We took the shore excursion to the Pyramids, about a three hour bus trip. The busses traveled in convoys with police escorts. I presume it's an anti terrorist thing. The Pyramids were awesome! We got to actually climb up on one of the pyramids.  There were also cool tombs that we toured, and of course, shopping for jewelry and papyrus art.&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt; Our next port of call was Athens Greece.  Since we had been to Athens recently we opted not to take any of the excursions and just went to the Plaka.  We found yet another Internet cafe where we could update our web site. Although it was about 3 flights of stairs to get to the cafe, were given the "Computer with a view" .. Just out the window was a spectacular view of the Acropolis. And we found another fabulous open air cafe.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We arrive next at Naples, Italy.  The day was kind of a whirl wind of a day as we took a hydrofoil  to the island of Capri where we toured the island, an interesting and beautiful island and playground for the rich. Then on to Sorrento where we had lunch and wandered around the scenic town, and finally we toured the amazing ruins at Pompeii. There are enough ruins at Pompeii to spend weeks there and still not see everything.  Thousands of years ago and they had plumbing fixtures...running water in their homes, taverns, saunas, and all sorts of surprising things.  A very busy day!&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt; Next stop, Rome and the Vatican City including St. Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican museum.  At the Vatican, we visited the Sistine chapel which was mind blowing.  Following that we visited the Coliseum. The Coliseum was another amazing place. Kathy was really impressed with the Trevi Fountain in Rome (she threw in the required 3 coins so we could come back to Rome). &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Our next port was Nice, France. We visited a famous flower market, had coffee at a little side walk cafe, and we took a shore excursion to Monaco.  Monaco isn't very big!  We could stand in one spot and see the whole country. There are lots of shops on the tiny narrow winding streets. We had lunch (at an open air cafe) and Kathy liked the Roquefort cheese so much she asked the waiter where should could get some, and he directed her to a market.  We bought some and brought it home with us.&lt;br /&gt;   &lt;br /&gt; The following morning we disembarked in Barcelona and within hours we were on our way home!  Another fantastic cruise ship adventure under our belts! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;William Lund is an avid cruiser, and he and his wife Kathy cruise at least once a year. Mr. Lund invites you to visit his cruise reviews website: &lt;a href="http://www.cruisesrfun.com"&gt;Cruises R Fun&lt;/a&gt;    Mr. Lund also has a blog at: &lt;a href="http://ponderingeverything.blogspot.com"&gt;Pondering Everything&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-847293869185519469?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/847293869185519469/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=847293869185519469' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/847293869185519469'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/847293869185519469'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/05/our-mediterranean-cruise-on-millennium.html' title='Our Mediterranean Cruise on the Millennium - A Passenger&apos;s Review'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-334346167654708339</id><published>2008-04-30T05:34:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-30T05:34:54.852-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Parks and Recreation in Rochester Minnesota</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Brian-Wellington-12979/50434&gt;Brian Wellington-12979&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Recreation and outdoor activity is an essential and rewarding part of life.  Taking time off to relax and simply enjoy leisure activities can improve the quality of life of anyone.  The Park and Recreation Department of Rochester, MN has known this for years, and has been providing a wide range of recreation opportunities for many years.  The Park Board turned 100 years old in 2004, but parks have played an important role in the lives of visitors and residents of Rochester for almost 150 years.  Considering that Rochester was founded in 1854, which is 154 years ago as of 2008, it is obvious that outdoor recreation has been a critical element of people's lives since the city was founded.&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt; The park system back then was most likely a simple field of grass, or a place where the children would come to play games.  Today, the Park and Recreation Department in Rochester offers over 3500 acres of park land spread throughout more than 80 parks.  Amidst this land one will find over 60 miles of trails (biking/hiking), 56 playgrounds, 42 tennis courts, 14 picnic shelters, 2 outdoor pools, a beach, 35 horseshoe courts, 46 baseball/softball diamonds, 28 soccer fields, 11 basketball courts, 2 dog parks, 18 sand volleyball courts, 3 cross country ski trails, 2 Frisbee golf courses, 2 garden plots, and an archery range.  The Department not only provides the land and upkeep of these locations, but also works with private organizations to provide activity opportunities.  On almost any day of the year, one can watch or participate in a number of different sports, including baseball, football, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, softball, cricket, volleyball, golf, cross country skiing, and many others.  If there is a desire for a particular activity, one will be able to find a place to try it.  The park system is able to offer practically any outdoor activity, and because the system is so spread out, there are parks available in all areas of the city.  Two of the more unique locations in town include Quarry Hill Park and Soldiers Field Park.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Quarry Hill Park, located on the northeast edge of town, is a 290-acre park with hiking trails, fishing ponds, historic sandstone caves, fossil beds in a prehistoric limestone quarry, tennis courts, a baseball diamond, a playground, and a picnic area.  Popular with both adults and children, Quarry Hill is able to offer a number of different activities through these facilities.  The park is also home to the Quarry Hill Nature Center.  The goal of the Center is to open the minds and eyes of children and parents alike through science and discovery.  It offers programs, classes, workshops, and a number of special activities throughout the year.  The Center is also home to over 100 mounted animals, a 1,700 gallon fish tank, and a collection of live animals.  During the school year, Quarry Hill is a popular destination for class field trips, and is visited by about 35,000 students annually.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Closer to the downtown area, Soldier's Field Park is also a popular destination for residents and visitors.  The park is a favorite spot for picnics and parties, with picnic shelters, baseball diamonds, a pool, a golf course, and playground equipment close by.  It has also become a popular spot for Ultimate Frisbee, and a game can usually be found on any given evening if the weather is nice.  A major attraction of Soldier's Field Park is the Soldier's Field Veterans Memorial.  It was built to honor the Veterans from Southeast Minnesota who have died serving their country, and is dedicated to those who served the country to help keep freedom a reality.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Each park in Rochester holds its own unique characteristics and charm.  Even in a world that is becoming more automated and dependent on electronics, the desire for outdoor activity and recreation will not subside.  The Rochester Park and Recreation Department has had a long and successful history, and holds an even brighter future. There is no doubt that the quality of life of Rochester's citizens and visitors will continue to improve as the Park System moves forward.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Copyright © Rochester411 &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Rochester411 provides information about the city of &lt;a href="http://www.rochester411.com"&gt;Rochester MN&lt;/a&gt;, including &lt;a href="http://www.rochester411.com/community/"&gt;parks and recreation in Rochester Minnesota&lt;/a&gt;, hotels and motels, restaurants and fine dining guides, real estate agents, lawyers and attorneys, and a complete business directory.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-334346167654708339?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/334346167654708339/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=334346167654708339' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/334346167654708339'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/334346167654708339'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/parks-and-recreation-in-rochester.html' title='Parks and Recreation in Rochester Minnesota'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-3557973838109432813</id><published>2008-04-29T04:58:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-29T04:58:37.157-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Blue Ridge Fishing in Georgias Blue Ridge Mountains</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Keith-Kurtis/53853&gt;Keith Kurtis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Fishing in North Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains is exciting for beginners and experts. With a wide variety of places to fish, you will want to know about the area and what it has to offer before you take off for a day of fishing.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Before you cast off you'll need to ensure you have a Georgia fishing license. You can apply for a fishing license at various locations and even online. Once you have your fishing license, its time to decide where to fish.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lake Blue Ridge Fishing:&lt;br /&gt; A fishing trip would not be complete in North Georgia without visiting Lake Blue Ridge. The lake is actually a 3,290 acre reservoir on the Toccoa River. The reservoir, located near Blue Ridge, GA, is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lake Blue Ridge fishing is exciting because of the diversity of fish you can catch. Those on the lake are likely to encounter bluegill, largemouth bass, white bass, yellow perch and walleye. Catching walleye is best spring to fall at night because of the clear water.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another reason the lake is popular is the ease of navigation. The lake can be easily navigated by small boat, canoe, tube or you can wade in several places. Check with the Tennessee Valley Authority for water release times and safety information.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Georgia Trout Fishing:&lt;br /&gt; If you're a fly fishing enthusiast, then consider the lower Toccoa River to be a dream come true. The Wildlife Resource Division stocks the lower Toccoas River annually with adult and fingerling rainbow trout, and brown trout. The lower Toccoa River game fish is 75% trout, with an average size of about 9 inches. The Toccoa River supports natural reproduction, so it's not unlikely to catch a 12 inch to 16 inch trout, even the occasional 20 inch trout can be found.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Did you know Georgia has roughly 4,000 miles of trout streams and over 100,000 trout anglers? The WRD and US Fish &amp; Wildlife Service are busy stocking Georgia streams with trout from late March through August. Fishing season typically starts at the end of March and runs until the end of October.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Delayed Harvest Streams (beginners):&lt;br /&gt; Are you new to fishing? Georgia offers a variety of delayed harvest streams. These streams are ideal for beginners and offer less experienced anglers the ability to get good experience in an ideal environment. Fannin County and White County both offer delayed harvest streams. In Fannin County the delayed harvest stream is located along the Toccoa River, near Blue Ridge, GA. White County's delayed stream is located two counties over on Smith Creek.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Blue Ridge Mountain North Georgia Fishing Vacations:&lt;br /&gt; North Georgia is a great destination for a fishing vacation. Those that fish enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountain North Georgia region because of the diversity of fishing settings. Located about 90 minutes from Atlanta, the region is a great destination for adventure-seeking vacationers. An industry for tourism has grown around the beauty of the mountains and quality of fishing. The next time you are considering North Georgia cabin rentals, consider a fishing trip on this region's rivers, lakes and streams. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Keith Kurtis is an avid adventurer with an interest in &lt;a href="http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/"&gt;Blue Ridge Mountain North Georgia&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/about/"&gt;North Georgia Cabins&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/cabins/availability.php"&gt;Blue Ridge Mountain cabin rentals&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-3557973838109432813?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/3557973838109432813/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=3557973838109432813' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3557973838109432813'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3557973838109432813'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/blue-ridge-fishing-in-georgias-blue.html' title='Blue Ridge Fishing in Georgias Blue Ridge Mountains'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-8516186581636401866</id><published>2008-04-28T07:13:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-28T07:13:49.477-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Visit Turkey To Have The Total Experience</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Nathan-Gunnar/53439&gt;Nathan Gunnar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Turkey is truly where East meets West and it is precisely this mixture that makes travel in Turkey so interesting. Although its culture is imbued with a deep and reverent respect for Islam, Turkey is a country that attempts to separate the secular and religious beliefs of its citizens. While it is uncertain what the future holds for Turkey, today the country remains an excellent vacation destination and one of our best places to visit.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Not anyone that arrives from Western Europe is going to have to have a visa. However, anyone coming from the UK will. It is easy to go to Turkey on a train from Europe but does not happen a lot. This is usually the form of transportation for anyone that wants to have fun and is familiar with the Orient Express, which was a very exciting and well-known movie.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Getting there on a plane is going to be the best way to arrive at Turkey and it is going to be the fastest as well. Airports to make the tourist's feel accepted and good use many taxis.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It is fun to travel by bus and they are going to offer the most accommodations like air condition and an outstanding crew to make people feel important.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; When you are visiting this country, you should be aware of the road. There are road accidents that can happen in Turkey a lot because the roads are not in the best condition at all.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There are some activities to do when you are in Turkey.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Turkey is a great place to get good food. You will find Arabic and Mediterranean food that will be delicious to eat. There will food made from lamb because it is very important in Turkey. Many spices can be used in many of the dishes. Drinking Turkish coffee is going to be something that you have to do if you are there. This is necessary.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If you are going to Turkey in the wintertime, you should see the ski resorts that are offered there and there is also rafting and yachting that you can enjoy as well. This is going to also be something that you can do in the summer months as well as the fall too.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Getting to take in some of the great culture that is known with the Turkey history means that you have to see great landmarks like Okapi Palace and Ayasofya Museum to name a few. Seeing Mt. Nemrut and the old City of Troy is another must see when you are there as well.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You can learn to speak Turkish language. Turkey is very big on their different wildlife. It is one of the best countries that have taken care of their ecological world. So many different rare animals are taken care of and protected by the government.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Many travelers think there is little to Turkey outside of Istanbul and Istanbul is a hard act to follow. Crossing the Bosporus into Asia Minor, however, leads you into an exotic and exciting country. Read our recommendations on the best places to visit in Turkey and then make your reservations to explore this most alluring country. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Find &lt;a href="http://www.atozturkey.com/travel-and-tourism/lodging/vacation-rentals" &gt;Turkey vacation rentals&lt;/a&gt; and more useful information about vacation packages on &lt;a href="http://www.atozturkey.com"&gt;Turkey directory&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-8516186581636401866?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/8516186581636401866/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=8516186581636401866' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8516186581636401866'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8516186581636401866'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/visit-turkey-to-have-total-experience.html' title='Visit Turkey To Have The Total Experience'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1844268270300081899</id><published>2008-04-25T03:11:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-25T03:11:08.467-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Carnival Group Cruise Report 2008</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Story_tella/48987&gt;Story_tella&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The UK cruise industry has taken the best part of 50 years to reach the 1 million passenger mark, but now, with such strong growth, it has been predicted that it will take just 8 years to hit 2 million.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; This is just one of the fascinating revelations published in the 2008 Cruise Report which was compiled by the Carnival UK Group earlier this month. The report summarized current cruise trends as well as forecasting market predictions up to the year 2020. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Interestingly, the report suggested that the future of cruising this side of the Atlantic is looking good, with the majority of the 44 new ships set to be built in the next 5 years sailing for European brands. With an estimated 5 million UK passengers by 2020, this will be a much needed capacity increase.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; These figures show great confidence in the UK cruise market and is good news for the Carnival Group who somewhat monopolize the market with ownership of P&amp;O Cruises, Ocean Village, Cunard, Yachts of Seabourn and Princess Cruises.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Carnival UK Group  2007 Figures&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;  2007 saw an impressive 18% increase of UK passengers choosing to sail with Princess Cruises,     thus partly due to an extended season of Southampton departures onboard the popular Sea Princess, along with the deployment of an additional  2 ships to serve Europe.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;  Ocean Village continued their success in attracting informal cruisers, as well as maintaining their impressive first time cruiser rate, with around 50% of their passengers fitting into this category.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;  P&amp;O Cruises passenger figures mirrored those from 2006, but they did confirm heavy interest in their new build  the Ventura - sailing this year, which is set to increase capacity for P&amp;O by 22%.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;  Cunard saw high demand from UK passengers most notably on their transatlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2, with North American passengers being outnumbered by Brits.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;  Finally, Yachts of Seabourn, catering for the ultra luxury end of the cruise market, confirmed there was an increased demand for their product.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Looking ahead, host David Dingle, chief executive officer of Carnival UK, reported that we can expect cruising to head in a much healthier direction, with a focus on spas and fitness and more sophisticated dining, with an aim to eliminate some of the negative images of cruising.&lt;br /&gt;  We can also expect to see advanced technological features, such as interactive digital TV in cabins, texting facilities, and plasma screens in lounges to show major sporting events.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 2020 Predictions&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Let's take a step back in time to 1995. P&amp;O Cruises proudly introduced the Oriana as the UK's largest cruise ship at a now somewhat modest 69,000 tons. This was seen as a huge advance in the industry, many believed it was too bold and questioned whether she would ever fill.  13 years on we have seen such unbelievable development in the market, not only in the size and capacity of the ships, but in the onboard innovations. Who would have thought we would see ice skating rinks, bowling alleys and even boxing rings onboard?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We only have to look as far as next year to see the start of the future of cruising, with the introduction of Royal Caribbean's Project Genesis, which will a record breaking 220,000 ton ships with a capacity for 5000 passengers. This alone is hard to imagine, so what can we see happening in the next 12 years?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Well, here's the good news; according to Peter Shanks, Carnival UKs chief commercial officer,  we can say goodbye to single supplements and look forward to ships that have specific single cabins that can be sold for the same per person price as double cabins. He also predicts a renaissance for ocean liners, as it will become the most relaxing way to cross the Atlantic, as well as cruise ships being built differently to allow "weatherproof cruising".  He stated; "The process has already started in the Mediterranean, but, by 2020, the development of many more all weather ships with greater stability and range of weatherproof entertainment facilities will make winter cruising viable from and to many more places"&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Further positive predictions were put forward by David Dingle who believes that by 2020, inside cabins will be a thing of the past as balcony cabins come as standard.  He further adds that cruise ships are likely to be powered in a different way; "It could be Biofuels; it could be liquefied natural gas, we should have worked the best way forward to marry the environmental issues involved with the optimum design for the ships to operate efficiently". &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So, better ships, more balconies and less environmental damage all sounds pretty good, but what about the onboard innovations in 12 years time? What can we really expect from our cruise experience?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Unfortunately, the report didn't explore this area, however, Nigel Esdale, P&amp;O's managing director did predict future ships weren't going to be built in the bigger and better style that is the current trend; "I do not believe ships will necessarily be any larger than the 2,000 to 3,000 passenger size which are already beginning to dominate the market here in 2008 but there will be a lot more of them and they will vary a lot more in style and on board facilities" &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So rather than looking at a future filled with bigger ships with mind blowing innovations, maybe the market will develop in a more subtle direction, with emphasis on higher quality dining, entertainment and itineraries, making cruising the ultimate luxury product. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Genna Roberts is web editor at Inside Cruise - an online cruise community packed with all the latest cruise news, features and reviews.  Come join us! &lt;a href="http://www.insidecruise.co.uk/"&gt; Inside Cruise &lt;/a&gt;  Get paid for your cruise reviews &amp; photos &lt;a href="http://www.insidecruise.co.uk/pages/reward/"&gt; here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1844268270300081899?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1844268270300081899/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1844268270300081899' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1844268270300081899'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1844268270300081899'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/carnival-group-cruise-report-2008.html' title='Carnival Group Cruise Report 2008'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-466216888791617097</id><published>2008-04-24T03:12:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-24T11:47:21.944-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Moving to Spain: 5 jobs an ex-pat might want to consider</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Paul-Symonds/12987&gt;Paul Symonds&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;More and more people these days are moving to Spain more sooner, a slower pace of life and to live the villa lifestyle. The one big issue that many ex-pats get to experience though is the issue of finding work. Life in the sun soon becomes quite harsh when the money dries up and work is sparse. Below 5 ideas for finding work in Spain.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 1. By far the best way of succeeding for work in Spain is to have a job in the UK which you can continue to do from Spain. This is becoming a common situation, particularly with the increasing use and speedy connections to the Internet. Many IT workers can now for example, get by with working and living in Spain and just returning to the UK once a month or so for meetings. Can you keep your job and transfer to home working from Spain? Jobs you do not expect could be done this way often can and if you are a valued employee, you might be pleasantly surprised by what is possible, if you get to the point where you make an offer to your employee. This has worked for many people I personally know.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 2. Finding a job locally in Spain. Certainly this is possible although it is often far harder than ex-pats expect. Wages and conditions tend often to be poor and speaking Spanish is often needed (and maybe Catalan if you are in Barcelona). To improve your chances, try and start learning Spanish as soon as you can, even before you leave for Spain. Study as hard as possible because it will increase your job prospects and will also help your cultural enjoyment of the country.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 3. Open a business. This is in fact what a lot of ex-pats in Spain do, some very successfully and some not so. This is really your decision and the few pointers are to do as much research as possible into the business, the area you are moving to and the market. Make sure you create an extensive business plan and in for your finances, work out the costs and add on an extra 25% as you can be sure it'll cost at least that on top.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 4. Don't work. Well, if you are financially able not to work or retired, then this is certainly an option. Working even part-time though can be helpful for meeting locals and it does help of course financially. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 5. Consider going to Spain for at least a holiday in the area you plan to love to. This may sound obvious but so many people do not do this. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Paul Symonds writes articles about &lt;a href="http://www.barcelonafootballticketsonline.com" target="_blank"&gt;Barcelona  Football Tickets&lt;/a&gt; and about &lt;a href="http://www.maltainvest.com/attractions.htm"&gt;Barcelona  conferences.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-466216888791617097?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/466216888791617097/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=466216888791617097' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/466216888791617097'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/466216888791617097'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/moving-to-spain-5-jobs-ex-pat-might.html' title='Moving to Spain: 5 jobs an ex-pat might want to consider'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-7886720060868235207</id><published>2008-04-23T03:37:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-23T03:37:26.660-07:00</updated><title type='text'>For Many People Cruising is the Best way to see the World!</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/William-Lund/51591&gt;William Lund&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Perhaps not everybody is cut out to cruise, but a lot of us are.  I have a twin brother John, who likes to do stuff like hike through the Himalayas in the snow, and truck through the jungles of Brazil.  Well he can have his adventures, but when I am on vacation I like to find a chocolate on my pillow when I hit the sack after a hard night at the casino.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cruising is not really expensive.  For the nightly price of a good hotel room you not only get a place to sleep, but you get 24 hour a day free room service, all kinds of food available all the time, fantastic meals in formal dinning rooms or just hit the buffet.  Free shows, free movies, entertainment of all sorts, a casino, swimming pools, hot tubs, putting greens, tennis, ping pong.  All free.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There really is something for everyone.  There are contests at the pools, bingo for those so inclined, art auctions, dancing lessons, and demonstrations of ice carving and even juggling bartenders.  Don't worry about missing those important emails, because all the ships have internet cafes now. The last cruise I was on, I had wireless internet in my room.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; For the ladies there is always an elegant spa and all kinds of beauty treatments available. My wife really enjoys getting a foot massage after a long shore excursionin preparation for the evenings dancing.  You can even do your shopping on board, since there are a number of stores on the ship selling everything from clothing to jewelry.  And be sure to bring some formal gowns for the formal nights on the ship.  Formal nights are your chance to wear all that new jewelry and those new shoes with your new gown.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There are different kinds of cruises and quite a few cruise lines to choose from.  Some cruise lines are known for having superior service, some for lower costs, and some for catering to kids.  There are destination cruises where the main thing is seeing the sights at the ports of call.  Then there are party cruises that tend to be populated by younger couples and the destinations are less important than the activities and partying.  There are also specialty cruises that cater to gay couples and singles etc.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The destinations and shore excursions can be a very important part of the cruise experience.  You can find cruises that take you darned near everywhere you could ever want to go.  I've seen everything from the pyramids of Egypt to the Great Wall of China by going on cruises.  And my wife and I have ridden ATV's through the jungle, swam with dolphins, and went tubing in underground cavesall on just one cruise!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So if you want to visit Harrods department store in London, walk on the Great Wall of China, see the ancient Greek ruins at Ephesus, or visit Red Square in Moscow, and you want to do it in style, choose a cruise.  No unpacking and repacking, no strange food unless you really want it, and great service 24 hours a day.  It's about as close to a worry free vacation as you can get. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; For those of us who want to be pampered and spoiled and see the world at the same time you just can't beat a cruise ship vacation. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;William Lund is an inventor and webmaster with over a dozen patents and a number of websites. His business website dealing with making money with your website is: &lt;a href="http://www.lundone.com/"&gt;Website Marketing and SEO&lt;/a&gt;  Mr. Lund is an avid cruiser as well and has website devoted to his cruise vacation experiences. &lt;a href="http://www.cruisesrfun.com/"&gt;Cruises R Fun&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-7886720060868235207?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/7886720060868235207/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=7886720060868235207' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7886720060868235207'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7886720060868235207'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/for-many-people-cruising-is-best-way-to.html' title='For Many People Cruising is the Best way to see the World!'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-8731412310370370861</id><published>2008-04-21T03:50:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-21T03:50:27.204-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hidden Facts About Hawaii Islands</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Jim-Brown1/48426&gt;Jim Brown1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ever since the Hawaiians arrived on the islands, almost after Western contact in the late 1700s-early 1800s, they created images on smooth areas of lava. Considering the fact that these carvings were made without use of metal tools, the accomplishments of Hawaiian appear all the more impressive. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It is quite sad though that many of these treasures have been destroyed. The ancient images that survived destruction by earthquake or lava flow were destroyed in the name of development, when resorts and golf courses were constructed. A Hawaii vacation is a good way to see some of the fields that still remain preserved and are accessible by the public. For those interested in the history and culture of Hawaii, 'Petroglyphs' are a 'must-see'. Your visit to such historical places in Hawaii should be a respectful one in the sense that you should stick to the designated viewing platforms and paths. There should not be any attempt to touch the rock images iphonesmag.com or make rubbings of them as it damages the replicas, and is hence prohibited. Moreover, such human actions destroy works that have endured nature's wrath for centuries.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Along with a grassy picnic area there, you also have clean restrooms, a drinking fountain, and showers. Swimming is not much of a possibility at the rocky beach park, but, if the conditions permit, you may see fishermen or surfers. The trail of the park can take from 15 minutes to 30 minutes one way, depending on your footwear and your speed in traveling over the uneven ground with rocks and roots. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Don't be in a rush  all along the way, there are things to be seen! To beat the heat, carrying water may be a good idea. Keep your eyes open for the isolated glyphs along the trail and the lava tube cave off on the coffeemakersguide.com right. A gravel-elevated viewing platform and bench marks the viewing area. You can sit here, listen to the wind and visualize what must have been the scene here hundreds of years ago!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Countless visible glyphs are there to be seen on the smooth lava rock surface, though some are hidden in the surrounding area that is covered by undergrowth. On the entire trail, the walk around the viewing area is well worth the time spent; you can get a good view of the images by barcelonaapartmentsrent.co.uk. If you missed examining the lava cave on the way to the glyphs, you can see it on your way back. In fact, a strong 'sense of place' is the highlight of this area, and the return walk slowly brings you back to the modern world - of your Hawaii accommodation! &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Your visit to such historical places in Hawaii should be a respectful one in the sense that you should stick to the designated viewing platforms and paths. There should not be any attempt to touch the rock images or make rubbings of them as it damages the replicas, and is hence prohibited. Moreover, such human actions destroy works that have endured nature's wrath for centuries. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Vacationhawaiihotels.com is the right place to know more about &lt;a href="http://www.vacationhawaiihotels.com"&gt;Hawaii Trips&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="http://www.chinesefoodsrecipes.com"&gt;Chinese recipes&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-8731412310370370861?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/8731412310370370861/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=8731412310370370861' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8731412310370370861'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8731412310370370861'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/hidden-facts-about-hawaii-islands.html' title='Hidden Facts About Hawaii Islands'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-53545073948225015</id><published>2008-04-18T05:03:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-18T05:03:53.708-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Garden Isle - Hawaii's Island of Kauai</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;By &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Roy-Witman/2346&gt;Roy Witman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own distinct personality.  Hawaii (The Big Island) is well known for outlandish adventure and a dramatic nightlife.  Oahu is more family friendly and is draped in history.  Then there is Kauai, the "Garden Isle."  No other description could be more appropriate.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If nature is your best friend, you'll adore Kauai.  Largely undeveloped, this 552-square mile canvas is painted with vast canyons, the only navigatable river in all the Islands, jagged black cliffs, lush green forests, azure-blue seas and much, much more!  This is her calling card. Kauai invites you and your family to enjoy a truly distinctive adventure in what romantics are sure to call "God's country."&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to Hawaii's Official Tourism Site, "Majestic Manawaiopuna Falls was shot in Jurassic Park. The tranquil Wailua River was used in Blue Hawaii. The Anahola Mountains were the backdrop for Raiders of the Lost Ark."  In total, over 60 films have been shot on Kauai because of its rare beauty and stunning scenery.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;Explore the Napali Coast&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Truly a state of gorgeous contradiction, the Napali Coast delivers a little bit of everything.  Rocky mountains, plant-covered hills, plummeting waterfalls, narrow valleys and the mighty Pacific Ocean crashing onto the white-sand beaches. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Hikers will literally have a field day exploring this area of Kauai.  But even if you are a non-hikers you will love the amazing scenery as you are escorted by professional guides via helicopter, kayak or Zodiac boats.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;Discover Waimea Canyon&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," Waimea Canyon is literally breathtaking.  Early in the morning, as the sun rises to its peak, the various shades of sunlight dance across the magnificent surface of this canyon to produce a lightshow of vibrant blues, deep mauves, rich golds and jet blacks.  There's simply no better way to start your morning!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Trails for cars as well as those for novice and seasoned hikers are available to give you a firsthand encounter with this regal wonder. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;Play at Poipu Beach&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Travel Channel isn't the only one who thinks Poipu Beach deserves an "America's Best Beach" award.  Visitors from all across the country as well as local wildlife agree!  Grab a snorkel set and head off to uncover one of Poipu's coves filled with many different varieties of tropical fish.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A chance meeting with large, green sea turtles or monk seals is highly possible when swimming or sunbathing at Poipu Beach.  Native to the area, they don't mind sharing their favorite turf if you don't. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Whether you choose a rugged hiking adventure, a thrilling ride down a tropical zip line or a leisurely day at the beach, Kauai will gladly accommodate.  It's a fabulous place with a slower pace for the entire family to enjoy! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center at &lt;a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com"&gt;http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com&lt;/a&gt; offering the best deals including those on &lt;a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/royal_caribbean_cruise_line.htm"&gt;Royal Caribbean Cruise Line&lt;/a&gt;. © 2008, All Rights Reserved&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-53545073948225015?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/53545073948225015/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=53545073948225015' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/53545073948225015'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/53545073948225015'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/garden-isle-hawaiis-island-of-kauai.html' title='The Garden Isle - Hawaii&apos;s Island of Kauai'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6494732291624640842</id><published>2008-04-17T03:43:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-17T03:43:40.409-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Discount Cruise - The Benefits Of Booking With A Cruise Travel Professional</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Dean-Caporella/27721&gt;Dean Caporella&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;There is a silent debate raging about the benefits of booking a discount cruise through a real live travel agent or going online and booking through some of the major internet booking sites.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The argument is a relevant one in that travel agents are still the preferred option however, not always convenient. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Booking Through Travel Agents&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Getting the best price is what a discount cruise package is all about. When you have a travel professional on your team doing the leg work for you then in most cases, you eliminate a lot of risk on your part. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Risk such as:&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; - booking a cruise on one site and then discovering it's a lot cheaper on another site&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; - the risk of buying a discount cruise package based solely on an advertised priced without realizing there are certain terms and conditions to be met such as traveling at a particular time of the year&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; - the risk that if something goes wrong with the booking or the trip, then who do you contact to help you get out of it&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Are Travel Agents More Expensive?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the biggest misconceptions is that travel agents are more expensive to book a discount cruise through than on the internet. This is a fair suspicion but really unfounded.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; This may have come about as a result of the airlines situation where travel professionals will add on an airline reservation fee because they no longer receive commissions. This is not the case with cruise holidays. It's in the travel agents best interests to get you on a cruise at the best discount because it also helps their bottom line.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So thinking you're getting a better deal by going online and  booking a discount cruise may be a little misleading. A travel agent will usually find you the best deal, plan your itinerary and be there for you when you have questions and problems.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; This personal care is something which can be seriously lacking on the internet and extremely important especially for people traveling out of their own country. A discount cruise book through a real live travel professional has a ton of extra benefits.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But does this mean you should ignore the internet as a booking medium. No, only be aware that in many cases, a travel pro can usually get you the same deal but with some extra "bells and whistles." In other words, don't ignore your local travel shop as a discount cruise booking alternative. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Want to know how to score some great &lt;a href="http://www.cheapcruiseheaven.com/cruise_holiday_articles.html"&gt;cheap cruise deals &lt;/a&gt;? You'll want to read this informative guide! Plus, read the latest &lt;a href="http://www.cheapcruiseheaven.com"&gt;cruise deal &lt;/a&gt;news and reviews on how to score a great cruise bargain.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6494732291624640842?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6494732291624640842/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6494732291624640842' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6494732291624640842'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6494732291624640842'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/discount-cruise-benefits-of-booking.html' title='Discount Cruise - The Benefits Of Booking With A Cruise Travel Professional'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-3276011055136806805</id><published>2008-04-16T04:47:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-16T04:47:12.337-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Boating Holidays in France</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/placesinfrance.com/44550&gt;placesinfrance.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;With the vast amount of different rivers and canals in France, and having such a varied landscape, you can be sure that you will be able to find just the right type of holiday for you and your family.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So, as you cruise along one of the rivers or canals at a leisurely pace you will get to see things that most people will never experience and each region also offers you the chance to experience their fantastic and sometimes unusual cuisine along with the incredible French wine that is as varied as the different regions.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Only a boating holiday in France will enable you to fully appreciate the idyllic countryside and architecture from Roman to Renaissance periods along with the beautiful chateaux that are dotted along the banks, with the added plus of the glorious weather to match, it is not like travelling along the Norfolk Broads in the United Kingdom most of the year, when you are guaranteed to get some rain or gloomy days!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There is such a wide choice available for your boating holiday and you can pick the area with the climate for you; the further down South you go, the warmer it gets, but don't forget that whilst cruising along, you need to be on the right hand side of the river or canal, just as the roads are in France!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One point, a licence is required to be able to travel by boat on the French waterways, unless of course you only have something like a canoe!  Basically, any boat that has a motor means that you have to have a licence, although temporary permits called La Carte Plaisance are available and are issued by the boat rental company or charter firm that you book with.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A la Carte Plaisance is valid only for a set period of time for any habitable boat, which is under 15 metres in length, but there is also permit available for your children to drive the boat if they are between the ages of 14 and 16, if you feel they have a good sense of direction! but this is a great way to get all the family involved in the fun, but you must ask for a La Carte Junior in order to be allowed to do this.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; With many of the river guides today available in English, you can be sure that you will not miss any of the local attractions or delights on offer.  You can find these guides along with extra information from the regional tourist offices, but these are also normally issued to you by the charter boat company before you set off on your holiday.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Choosing the part of France you wish to visit is so important to get the best out of your holiday and in the North West of France there is Brittany, which is an area known for cider and crepes, to the East of France were there are rivers and canals throughout the regions of Alsace and Lorraine and you will find this area great for experiencing a diverse landscape from rolling hills to forests, whilst trying some of the local French beer and crisp white wines that this region produces.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; How about Burgundy within the centre of France which is a great place to experience local cuisine and fine wines and the quaint historical towns provide lovely afternoon walks taking a step back in time with the history.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Also, lets not forget the South of France, obviously with the more beautiful weather, you can experience travelling along the Canal du Midi, which is the oldest canal in Europe and runs from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and at the same time you will be able to take in the amazing variety of wildlife such as flamingos whilst on your canal boating holiday.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Yet as with any country, there are always rules and regulations on how you travel the waterways, whether it be the rivers or canals and before you embark on your boat trip you will be given some basic tuition, so that you can be issued with your licence.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And did you realise that there are over 2000 locks in France, which are known as écluse?  but don't worry to much as Some locks are automatic and some are still operated by a lockkeeper, however others will need to be operated by yourselves, so the general 'training' is very important, otherwise you could find yourselves in a bit of pickle initially, although most people on the canals are so very helpful and will come to your aid if you get stuck.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Although the rivers and canals are used extensively by pleasure boats these days, they are also still used by commercial vessels as well and it is these merchant vessels that have the priority on the waterways, plus also the traffic going up stream has priority over those travelling down stream.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As with road systems, the waterways have speed limits and although you are not likely to wish to speed along, these do have to be obeyed, but, it is the left-hand side that is used for overtaking just as it is on the French roads, and the slower boat must also slow down more to let the faster vessel pass.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The condition of the French rivers and canals is excellent and you will find that they even have designated areas for swimming and water sports, because, for obvious reasons, swimming is not permitted wherever you feel like going for a quick dip, yet if you are into fishing, then you can even do a spot of this while you are meandering down the river - just don't forget to get a licence for that as well!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Along your chosen route you will find lots of fantastic areas where you can stop for lunch and stock up on supplies for that ever so important alfresco dining whilst you are cruising leisurely along.  You will find additional facilities alone the way which are necessary, things like emptying your waste, which has to be done at specific points, but these are also fantastic and are very easily accessible, as it is illegal to dump waste into the river or canal system.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So even if you have never done this sort of thing before, you will without a doubt have an incredible fun time and when your boating holiday in France is nearing its end, you know that no one will want to leave. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.placesinfrance.com"&gt;www.placesinfrance.com&lt;/a&gt;  Martyn Davis European Traveller, Author, Photographer and Business Development Manager, For all your French holiday needs and travel guide to France, with tourist information, landmarks and attractions - &lt;a href="http://www.placesinfrance.com/boating_holidays_france.html"&gt;Boating Holidays In France&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-3276011055136806805?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/3276011055136806805/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=3276011055136806805' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3276011055136806805'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3276011055136806805'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/boating-holidays-in-france_16.html' title='Boating Holidays in France'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-8074928414871252495</id><published>2008-04-15T03:07:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-15T03:07:18.947-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Airline problems</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Maya-Hanson/51732&gt;Maya Hanson&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It's safe to say there has been a much talk about the commercial airline industry in the last ten years. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A lot of people are afraid to travel by plane because of what happened in New York City in 2001, and that is sure an reasonable fear. Some people state it's safer than ever to fly now, and yet some state that the improvements they have made in security &lt;br /&gt; really don't work. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; When  considering travelling by plane somewhere, one really shouldn't think too much about that  but instead you should worry about  airline ratings. Basically you want to be certain your chosen airline will take care of you while you are in the air.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Consider, it doesn't matter which airline company you choose to travel with, you will still must go through the security at the  airport. In the end that's not something the airline handles.  In short it means you should focus your security concerns on how the airport operates, and think about airline ratings when you wonder how nice your flight will be. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; This is indeed very important when you're going on a very long flight, but without a doubt you like the greatest comfort even when you're only going to in the air for an hour or two.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So, there are a few specific things you  should think about when looking for airline ratings. Personally the most significant might be enough room for legs. &lt;br /&gt; This is a thing that has irritated airline travelers for years, and some airlines are indeed worse than others.  Of course you cannot expect to be able to stretch out full in coach seats, but on the other hand shouldn't have to sit with your knees up in your chest either. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Other things to note with regards to airline ratings are reliability in take off times, quality of food, and types of entertainment options they may have if any. &lt;br /&gt; Even if you personally don't care about, say the food, they are of value because they do tell you something about the airline  that you should helps gicing you a full picture.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another thing about airline ratings is of course how staff treats you. May people also take into consideration  factors &lt;br /&gt; like the prices of drinks, and what exactly is included in the price.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Last don't miss to look at customer service if you may need to reschedule your flight or you even miss a flight. &lt;br /&gt; A lof of people take their travels very seriously, and there's no reason why one shouldn't. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Maya Hanson is an editor of Aircraftdata.net and currenty works with &lt;a href="http://Washington.aircraftdata.net"&gt;Aircraft registration records in Washington&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-8074928414871252495?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/8074928414871252495/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=8074928414871252495' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8074928414871252495'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8074928414871252495'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/airline-problems.html' title='Airline problems'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-5917160410321363449</id><published>2008-04-14T05:07:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-14T05:07:58.566-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Yacht Charter in Thailand</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/ken-jones/3193&gt;ken jones&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The choice of yacht charter in Thailand is wide and includes; bareboat yacht charter, luxury crewed yacht charter, skippered yacht charter, monohull and catamaran charter and both sail and motor yacht charter.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Many of beautiful islands of Thailand are only accessible by sea and a yacht charter is a great way to explore this area. The main yacht charter area is amongst the islands of the Andaman Sea.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Different indigenous cultures have existed in Thailand since the time of the Baan Chiang culture. Due to its geographical location, Thai culture has always been greatly influenced by India and China as well as the neighbouring cultures of south east Asia. The first Thai state is traditionally considered to be the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai founded in 1238. A century later, the larger Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya overshadowed Sukhothai's power. Ayuthaya fell in 1767 to Burmese forces. The current era of Thai history began in 1782 following the establishment of Bangkok as capital of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I the Great.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; European powers began travelling to Thailand in the 16th century. Despite European pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a European power. Despite this, Western influence led to many reforms in the 19th century and major concessions to British trading interests. This included the loss of the three southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's three northern states.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In 1932, a bloodless revolution resulted in a new constitutional monarchy. During the war, Thailand was allied with Japan. Yet after the war, it became an ally of the United States. Thailand then went through a series of coups d'état, but eventually progressed towards democracy in the 1980s&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thailand, Phuket and the Andaman Sea have gained a reputation for being a top yacht charter destination. There is an abundance of islands to visit, some developed but most not. Several national parks and reefs offer great opportunities for diving and fishing. Most of these picturesque islands of the Andaman Sea are accessible by boat alone and a yacht charter is one of the few ways to see them.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Yacht charter in Thailand is relatively easy and relaxing with well charted waters, small tidal ranges, an absence of strong currents, and an abundance of sheltered yacht anchorages with excellent holding ground. Sailing conditions are close to perfect all year round. Basic necessities like fuel, water, fresh produce and provisions are readily available and may be found on many of the islands. The waters are teeming with fish which you can catch yourself or which you can buy or barter for with fishermen. Most of the islands will also have inexpensive restaurants where you can enjoy Thailand's great cuisine.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thai cuisine blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. Some common ingredients used in Thai cuisine include garlic, chillies, lime juice, lemon grass, and fish sauce. The staple food in Thailand is rice, particularly the jasmine variety rice, also known as Hom Mali rice, which is included in almost every meal.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Phuket has emerged as a leader in Thailand's thriving tourism industry. As the hub of the Andaman Sea and Thailand's largest island, Phuket is the perfect base for a yacht charter. There are beautiful remote islands and beaches, crystal clear waters, fascinating geography in addition to restaurants, nightlife and great shopping. From Phuket there is immediate access to sailing in stunning scenery and literally hundreds of isolated yacht anchorages from which to choose.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Thai people are legendary for their welcome: Thailand is often called the " Land of Smiles". The cuisine of Thailand is probably one of the best in the world and eating out is so cheap that there is no temptation to cook on the yacht. Thailand is a romantic and alluring destination for any yacht charter holiday.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The international airport on Phuket offers direct connections to many international destinations in addition to connecting flights from Bangkok. Thai is the official language and but English is spoken widely. The currency is the Thai. US Dollars are used extensively. Major credit cards may be accepted in hotels, restaurants and some shops.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thailand has two distinct seasons. From November to April the weather is consistently sunny and dry with temperatures at around 30°C degrees. The predominantly light to moderate northeast winds are ideal for sailing. From May to October the southwest winds pick up and are sometimes quite strong with occasional squalls. Weather conditions during this period are generally good. Although you can expect rain showers but they tend to be short lived. Winds blow from 5-20 knots over the two seasons.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Phang Nga Bay is a typical Thai yacht anchorage with the stunning sea-mountains that rise vertically out of turquoise waters. Numerous safe anchorages are available in the sheltered bay. Use a tender or dinghy to explore the small coves, intriguing caves and inland lakes.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The waters around the islands off Krabi are crystal clear. Although Krabi can be crowded, its beaches are stunning. Phra Nang beach is particularly dramatic with its mountainous rock pillars that tower over creating one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Koh Dam Group is suitable for an overnight stop. Koh Dam Khwan has a beautiful sandy split beach that is only revealed at mid tide. This is a lovely spot to anchor off and enjoy a few secluded hours with nothing else around.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Phi Phi Islands are among the most spectacular of Thailand with their magnificent scenery, secluded bays and white sandy beaches. Enjoy the restaurants and live entertainment offered on the island.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Langkawi with its 99 surrounding islands is a paradise that longs to be discovered. Tourism has is on the increase. Only 4 of these islands are inhabited. If you are looking for an idyllic isolated experience these are the perfect cruising grounds for you. A one way yacht charter from Phuket requires 10 days and crew.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Diving in Thailand is great. The waters of the Andaman Sea are filled with a wonderful diversity of marine life, including coral and some of old shipwrecks for diving enthusiasts to discover. Lots of boats equipped with scuba diving equipment and many diving centres around the Islands.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There are several well known sailing regattas in Thailand; Visit in December and join in the celebrations surrounding the annual Phuket King's Cup Regatta that attracts some of the best world's yachtsmen. With a range of yacht classes from racing yachts, sport boats, cruisers and classics. QBE Phang bay Regatta, held annually over Chinese New Year, is Phuket's newest Regatta. It is fast gaining a reputation as one of the most fun Regattas in Asia. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ken Jones runs a &lt;a href="http://www.sail-the-net.com/yacht-charter/yacht-charter-intro.html" target="blank"&gt;Crewed Yacht Charters Guide&lt;/a&gt;. Follow this link for more info on &lt;a href="http://www.sail-the-net.com/yacht-charter/destinations/indian-ocean/thailand.html" target="blank"&gt;Thailand Yacht Charters&lt;/a&gt;. See our Cruising Guide for &lt;a href="http://www.sail-the-net.com/marinas/marinas_intro.html" target="blank"&gt;Thailand Marinas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-5917160410321363449?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/5917160410321363449/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=5917160410321363449' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5917160410321363449'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5917160410321363449'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/yacht-charter-in-thailand_14.html' title='Yacht Charter in Thailand'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-2891360923921643442</id><published>2008-04-13T10:23:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-13T10:23:24.404-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is A Second Passport A Second Chance</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Arthor-Pens/28587&gt;Arthor Pens&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;A second Passport or better even a second citizenship?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Second citizenship can be something like a global insurance policy that entails any individual to make use of the dissimilar parts of two countries for a better set of options, most likely financially. It can become quite apparent in small nations with a not-so-bright socio-economic condition, where  individuals often find it easier to make a better living in another country. One that you can choose. Dual nationality has always been held by wealthy people with a knowledge of world history. They know of the dangers of placing an entire future in the hands of politicians. Patriotism might be OK if governments were consistent and let you be free. But socialistic Big Brother bureau(c)rats now have the power to run your life from cradle to grave. Most of them think that all people who own businesses. securities, gold, foreign bank accounts or property are criminals who should be relieved of them and what little freedom they still have left. It is therefore imperative for the security of anyone of substance or ambition to have at least one other passport and nationality.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A second passport can give you peace of mind. It can help save you taxes. It also expands your travel opportunities. In some circumstances a second passport could even save your life. Here more specifically are some of the reasons someone might want a second passport.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Residence.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Residence gives you the right, without having to ask permission, to live&lt;br /&gt; and work in the country of your choice.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Security.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; "Just in case." The world is an unstable place. Anything could happen  although it probably won't. Against the day when it might, however, a second passport, or second nationality, means that when you decide you're no longer happy in your normal place of residence, you do not need to apply for&lt;br /&gt; permission to reside somewhere else, because you already have the right to do so.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Travel.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A second passport can make it easier for you to travel to many countries, especially if you now hold a restricted  passport such as a Hong Kong Certificate of Identity, or a Taiwanese, Israeli or South African passport. Depending on your choice of second passport, or second nationality, the process of&lt;br /&gt; gaining entry to many other countries can be made much more simpler.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Safety.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Even if you hold one of the world's most respected passports~ such as that of a US citizen, there can be times when you wish you were able to show some other piece of identification. For example: when the aircraft in which you are traveling is hi-jacked by anti-American terrorists.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Business and work.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Another passport will more often than not give you the right to work and do business in its country of issue without obtaining a work permit, and similar advantages above and beyond those of your current national status. Citizenship of a member state of the European Economic Community gives you the right, under the Treaty of Rome, to live, work  and/or establish a business in any other member country of the EEC.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Taxes.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A change of residence or citizenship (depending on your current nationality) can, if properly handled, save a high taxpayer a significant amount of money. There are many reasons why you might want a second passport. But the process of obtaining one from most countries usually requires 5 or 6 years residence in the country concerned. Unless you really want to go and live there right now, that price may be more than you want to pay. You may have to give up, in whole or in part, your present career and life pattern. Moreover there are often many hurdles to surmount in obtaining the initial right to reside without which the qualifying period of residence cannot even begin; so the number of people who do qualify is small compared with the numbers of people who would like to do so.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A different way to acquire a second nationality is simply to buy a passport. Libertarians may find this distasteful on the grounds that we should be free to live and work anywhere in the world without restriction. Often, too, a large chunk of the price goes to useless government officials (direct bribery), or is spent by the government on grandiose projects (indirect bribery).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In reality, you can buy a passport from any country  it is merely a question of price. The laws of the US, for example, which contained at the time no provision for investor immigration or business immigration, did not prevent people like the Australian Rupert Murdoch from becoming a US citizen. If you have lots of money and good lawyers you can get in anywhere.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Countries where citizenship is not ostensibly for sale nevertheless compete quite blatantly for the patronage of wealthy individuals. They create provisions in their immigration laws for the admission of business migrants with wallets fat enough to provide governments with help in getting re-elected by claiming to have saved or created jobs by their wise policies. Examples? Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Other place less emphasis on the immigration aspects of inward investment but, as a by-product, immigration possibilities are nevertheless there  they have to be, to enable the investor to keep a close eye on his investment, or he will not part with his money.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Examples? The Philippines and the UK. Some countries look to import the spending power that persons in retirement can bring in response to offers of immigration rights  often on condition that they are not allowed to compete with the native workforce, which has the votes. The Philippines, again, is an example.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A change of residence or citizenship (depending on your current nationality) can, if properly handled, save a high taxpayer a significant amount of money. There are many reasons why you might want a second passport. But the process of obtaining one from most countries. Usually requires 5 or 6 years residence in the country concerned. Unless you really want to go and live there right now, that price may be more than you want to pay. You may have to give up, in whole or in part, your present career and life pattern. Moreover there are often many hurdles to surmount in obtaining the initial right to reside without which the qualifying period of residence cannot even begin; so the number of people who do qualify is small compared with the numbers of people who would like to do so.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Second Passport Program is specifically designed to give the client a gateway to freedom which will afford the client the secrecy, privacy, and confidentiality that he needs in order to begin a new life in a new country or to travel in privacy. This program is also designed to put you in control of your own personal and business assets in such a manner that absolutely "nobody" can ever touch, remove, extract, place a lien, sue in court, foreclose, confiscate, attach, steal, divorce petition, or acquire alimony, to mention only a few items. A Second Passport will put you outside of the jurisdiction of any U.S. or State court and proceedings. Jurisdiction is the KEY to freedom. You can learn how to utilize and exploit this to your advantage.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Every country has its own citizenship rules. Some countries welcome individuals with nationalized ancestors. Others give passports to those of a certain religion. Some for simply buying real estate, or through so called 'Economic Citizenship Investment Programs'. The rules and the opportunities are endless. Though the easiest and - quickest! -  way to secure citizenship is through simple purchase - many governments issue passports to gain extra revenue - the question is, which government and at what cost?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Where you go and what you do, should be your business and not that of the (IRS) or your government or any other government. We know which, and for how much, at any given moment! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;More info and resources can be found at http://www.second-passport-citizenship.com&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-2891360923921643442?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/2891360923921643442/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=2891360923921643442' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2891360923921643442'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2891360923921643442'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/is-second-passport-second-chance.html' title='Is A Second Passport A Second Chance'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-64879881543705670</id><published>2008-04-11T03:41:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-11T03:41:28.307-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Stricter Norwegian rules regarding allowable emissions from cruiseships</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Jan-Erik-Haugen/51289&gt;Jan-Erik Haugen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Pollution from Cruise ships are a growing problem. New rules can stop pollution cruiseships from entering the fjords in Norway the next years.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cruise ships and other large marine vessels have diesel engines, big as houses,  that are major sources of air pollution. One cruise ship discharges 1/5 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides, 1.3 tons of sulfur oxides (the equivalent of a large cement plant), 253 pounds of carbon dioxide, 100 pounds of volatile organic compounds, and 75 pounds of particulate matter. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; While in port, the cruise ships spew diesel exhaust by the ton when running on-board air conditioners and refrigerators. An average cruise ship produces as much air pollution as 12,000 or more cars in a single port visit, according to the Monterey Air Pollution Control District.&lt;br /&gt; In some of the small towns along the Norwegian fjords this has been a large problem the last years. According to an article in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten 14.06.2006, results from calculations done by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research show that one of Norway's most popular tourist destinations, Geiranger, often featured in promotional materials, can have air quality that's on par with London or Glasgow.&lt;br /&gt; Some days, when maybe four or five cruise ships have sailed into the narrow Geirangerfjord, the concentration of nitrogen dioxide is at about the same level found in such cities as London, Glasgow, Barcelona, Munich and Oslo. The main reason to this major problem in Norway is that there are many old cruise ships, with engines that operates on heavy oil, that traffics the Norwegian cost and fjords in summertime.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Norwegian minister of environment, Eirik Solheim calls the new rules " a big victory for Norway, the cost and the environment." The problems with air pollution from cruiseships will be gone before 2020 he claims.&lt;br /&gt; This year as much as 177 cruise ships are expected to Geiranger. The new rules gives the government permission to stop cruise ships that pollutes sailing in Norwegian fjords.&lt;br /&gt; According to Norwegian news today Solheim also predicts the future, saying " These ships will also be stopped in other harbours around the world. In practice this means that such ships will disappear", meaning that old ships that pollutes a lot will have no places to sail.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The new rules are very restrictive when it comes to discharging nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. When practiced, these rules also will reduce the damages after an eventually disasters, something that people living along the cost appreciates. "We have seen which damages heavy oil from ships can do to the wildlife and beaches here in Norway" a man living almost by the seaside said.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And for those wondering - there are other good reasons to make these new rules  remember that the Norwegian fjords are quite unique. The Geiranger Fjord for instance, tops the list of the 10 best sites in Scandinavia, according to the "Lonely Planet" travel guide. And that, according to "Lonely Planet," includes sites in Finland, Iceland, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands as well.  And both the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord  have since 2005 been on the United Nations' "World Heritage" list.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But what about tourist that would like to visit the fjords ? Linn Haugen, workin in the tourism buisiness in Norway, gives the following advice :&lt;br /&gt; " Do not be afraid to ask your tour-operator about their cruiseship  the age of it, and if they can guarantee that the ships engines not operate on heavy oil- for instance. If they can not give you an answer, ask if them to check it up and come back to you  demand an answer. Give a thought to those living along the beautiful fjords, they would appreciate that their surroundings where just as beautiful and not destroyed by pollution in the years to come. And continue to visit us  we like to share the beauty of Norwegian nature !"&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Yes, the new stricter Norwegian rules can prove to be the best for both residents along the fjords and the tourist. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.fjordsandmountains.com/"&gt;Find out more about Norwegian fjords&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-64879881543705670?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/64879881543705670/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=64879881543705670' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/64879881543705670'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/64879881543705670'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/stricter-norwegian-rules-regarding.html' title='Stricter Norwegian rules regarding allowable emissions from cruiseships'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-173102345078925787</id><published>2008-04-10T03:44:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-10T03:44:49.915-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Yacht Charter in Thailand</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/ken-jones/3193&gt;ken jones&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The choice of yacht charter in Thailand is wide and includes; bareboat yacht charter, luxury crewed yacht charter, skippered yacht charter, monohull and catamaran charter and both sail and motor yacht charter.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Many of beautiful islands of Thailand are only accessible by sea and a yacht charter is a great way to explore this area. The main yacht charter area is amongst the islands of the Andaman Sea.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Different indigenous cultures have existed in Thailand since the time of the Baan Chiang culture. Due to its geographical location, Thai culture has always been greatly influenced by India and China as well as the neighbouring cultures of south east Asia. The first Thai state is traditionally considered to be the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai founded in 1238. A century later, the larger Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya overshadowed Sukhothai's power. Ayuthaya fell in 1767 to Burmese forces. The current era of Thai history began in 1782 following the establishment of Bangkok as capital of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I the Great.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; European powers began travelling to Thailand in the 16th century. Despite European pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a European power. Despite this, Western influence led to many reforms in the 19th century and major concessions to British trading interests. This included the loss of the three southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's three northern states.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In 1932, a bloodless revolution resulted in a new constitutional monarchy. During the war, Thailand was allied with Japan. Yet after the war, it became an ally of the United States. Thailand then went through a series of coups d'état, but eventually progressed towards democracy in the 1980s&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thailand, Phuket and the Andaman Sea have gained a reputation for being a top yacht charter destination. There is an abundance of islands to visit, some developed but most not. Several national parks and reefs offer great opportunities for diving and fishing. Most of these picturesque islands of the Andaman Sea are accessible by boat alone and a yacht charter is one of the few ways to see them.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Yacht charter in Thailand is relatively easy and relaxing with well charted waters, small tidal ranges, an absence of strong currents, and an abundance of sheltered yacht anchorages with excellent holding ground. Sailing conditions are close to perfect all year round. Basic necessities like fuel, water, fresh produce and provisions are readily available and may be found on many of the islands. The waters are teeming with fish which you can catch yourself or which you can buy or barter for with fishermen. Most of the islands will also have inexpensive restaurants where you can enjoy Thailand's great cuisine.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thai cuisine blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. Some common ingredients used in Thai cuisine include garlic, chillies, lime juice, lemon grass, and fish sauce. The staple food in Thailand is rice, particularly the jasmine variety rice, also known as Hom Mali rice, which is included in almost every meal.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Phuket has emerged as a leader in Thailand's thriving tourism industry. As the hub of the Andaman Sea and Thailand's largest island, Phuket is the perfect base for a yacht charter. There are beautiful remote islands and beaches, crystal clear waters, fascinating geography in addition to restaurants, nightlife and great shopping. From Phuket there is immediate access to sailing in stunning scenery and literally hundreds of isolated yacht anchorages from which to choose.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Thai people are legendary for their welcome: Thailand is often called the " Land of Smiles". The cuisine of Thailand is probably one of the best in the world and eating out is so cheap that there is no temptation to cook on the yacht. Thailand is a romantic and alluring destination for any yacht charter holiday.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The international airport on Phuket offers direct connections to many international destinations in addition to connecting flights from Bangkok. Thai is the official language and but English is spoken widely. The currency is the Thai. US Dollars are used extensively. Major credit cards may be accepted in hotels, restaurants and some shops.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Thailand has two distinct seasons. From November to April the weather is consistently sunny and dry with temperatures at around 30°C degrees. The predominantly light to moderate northeast winds are ideal for sailing. From May to October the southwest winds pick up and are sometimes quite strong with occasional squalls. Weather conditions during this period are generally good. Although you can expect rain showers but they tend to be short lived. Winds blow from 5-20 knots over the two seasons.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Phang Nga Bay is a typical Thai yacht anchorage with the stunning sea-mountains that rise vertically out of turquoise waters. Numerous safe anchorages are available in the sheltered bay. Use a tender or dinghy to explore the small coves, intriguing caves and inland lakes.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The waters around the islands off Krabi are crystal clear. Although Krabi can be crowded, its beaches are stunning. Phra Nang beach is particularly dramatic with its mountainous rock pillars that tower over creating one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Koh Dam Group is suitable for an overnight stop. Koh Dam Khwan has a beautiful sandy split beach that is only revealed at mid tide. This is a lovely spot to anchor off and enjoy a few secluded hours with nothing else around.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Phi Phi Islands are among the most spectacular of Thailand with their magnificent scenery, secluded bays and white sandy beaches. Enjoy the restaurants and live entertainment offered on the island.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Langkawi with its 99 surrounding islands is a paradise that longs to be discovered. Tourism has is on the increase. Only 4 of these islands are inhabited. If you are looking for an idyllic isolated experience these are the perfect cruising grounds for you. A one way yacht charter from Phuket requires 10 days and crew.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Diving in Thailand is great. The waters of the Andaman Sea are filled with a wonderful diversity of marine life, including coral and some of old shipwrecks for diving enthusiasts to discover. Lots of boats equipped with scuba diving equipment and many diving centres around the Islands.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There are several well known sailing regattas in Thailand; Visit in December and join in the celebrations surrounding the annual Phuket King's Cup Regatta that attracts some of the best world's yachtsmen. With a range of yacht classes from racing yachts, sport boats, cruisers and classics. QBE Phang bay Regatta, held annually over Chinese New Year, is Phuket's newest Regatta. It is fast gaining a reputation as one of the most fun Regattas in Asia. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ken Jones runs a &lt;a href="http://www.sail-the-net.com/yacht-charter/yacht-charter-intro.html" target="blank"&gt;Crewed Yacht Charters Guide&lt;/a&gt;. Follow this link for more info on &lt;a href="http://www.sail-the-net.com/yacht-charter/destinations/indian-ocean/thailand.html" target="blank"&gt;Thailand Yacht Charters&lt;/a&gt;. See our Cruising Guide for &lt;a href="http://www.sail-the-net.com/marinas/marinas_intro.html" target="blank"&gt;Thailand Marinas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-173102345078925787?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/173102345078925787/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=173102345078925787' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/173102345078925787'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/173102345078925787'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/yacht-charter-in-thailand.html' title='Yacht Charter in Thailand'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1408263319522010068</id><published>2008-04-09T03:59:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-09T03:59:59.189-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Island Hopping in Thailand</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Lyndi-Lawson/48406&gt;Lyndi Lawson&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Travellers to Thailand will witness the &lt;b&gt;manifestation of the island charm&lt;/b&gt;; incredible and dramatic scenery, white beaches lined with tropical coconut trees, and a crystal clear turquoise ocean. Yet, the bustling islands offer visitors a taste of something a little different; &lt;b&gt;something exotic that they won't find elsewhere&lt;/b&gt;. And those that are less well-known possess a rare whiff of a time gone by when life moved more slowly.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Without question, the best way to explore the delights of the Thai Islands is aboard a Chartered Yacht. Allowing travellers not only to enjoy the journey, but also to island hop at will, Yacht Charters ensure that visitors see the best of what Thailand has to offer. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Charter Yacht Flexibility&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The luxury of a Chartered Yacht and the &lt;b&gt;freedom that it affords travellers is unmatched&lt;/b&gt;. Cruise ships, often a popular alternative for aspirant seafarers, also provide delightful holidays but with a pre-planned and highly structured itinerary, can prevent spontaneity and will inhibit travellers from seeing lesser known island destinations. The beauty of Yacht Charters is that while it is necessary to have a framework of an itinerary, &lt;b&gt;this is not set in stone&lt;/b&gt;, and with the help of the Captain, visitors to Thailand are able to enjoy snorkelling off one pristine island, paddling in the bay of another and sipping cocktails on the beach of a third, all in the same day. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Planning Your Itinerary&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It is important to take into consideration some of the activities in which you would like to partake. This will ensure that &lt;b&gt;your destination islands are the best for your activities of choice&lt;/b&gt;. Visitors to Thailand usually find many activities to please them and these range from relaxing on the deck of your Charter Yacht with a good book to something a little more active. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Activities on the Islands of Thailand&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Work Up a Sweat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thailand offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy a range of activities that will appeal to everyone, whether you are looking for some outdoor adventure or quiet relaxation. &lt;b&gt;Snorkelling is an ever popular pursuit&lt;/b&gt; and with a turquoise ocean, good visibility and outstanding scenery, it is little wonder that Thailand offers some of the most exceptional snorkelling opportunities in the world. Coral Island in particular offers excellent snorkelling.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those with a love of nature and the outdoors will be fascinated by the ethereal world that exists beneath the surface of the Andaman Sea. Presenting to visitors some of the &lt;b&gt;best dive sites in the world&lt;/b&gt;, Thailand is the ideal diving destination, whether you are a beginner needing lessons or a pro looking for some new adventures. Reputedly, the months from December to April are the best to take advantage of Thailand's scuba diving opportunities, and for those looking for some guidance regarding their diving destination, the Phi Phi Islands are a must-see on your diving itinerary. Also world renowned and &lt;b&gt;considered one of the top five dive sites&lt;/b&gt; in the world is the Similan Island archipelago  it's a destination that should not be missed!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If you want to get a bit closer to the water, many of the islands offer windsurfing or sea canoeing. For canoeing enthusiasts, an exploration of the Phang Nga Bay should definitely feature, while &lt;b&gt;those wanting to get wet&lt;/b&gt; can enjoy a swim from the beach or off the side of their chartered Yacht.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Experience the True Thailand&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; For the less adventurous, there is also much to please. With a glorious array of beaches, visitors have the opportunity to people-watch on one of the busier island resorts or get away from it all in a secluded cove. If the arts are your thing, then Thailand will fascinate you. &lt;b&gt;Immensely proud of its heritage and history&lt;/b&gt;, there are cultural treats around every corner, ensuring that you leave the beautiful islands a little more enchanted than you came.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Thailand is, of course, a haven for shoppers. From handcrafted goods found in market bazaars to designer clothes and accessories straight out of modern air-conditioned malls, the islands offer it all. Sampling the exotic and delectable cuisine is another favourite past-time. But, with so many dynamic fusions and flavours available, it might be a good idea to enjoy some of the &lt;b&gt;more active pursuits in your spare time&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Whatever your activity of choice, chartering a Yacht and exploring the &lt;b&gt;Thai Islands is the ideal way to spend a holiday&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=http://www.ypi.co.uk&gt;Yachting Partners International&lt;/a&gt; offers &lt;a href=http://www.ypi.co.uk/thailand-charter.asp&gt;luxury Yacht Charters to Thailand&lt;/a&gt;. Offering its clients flexibility, excellent service and the vacation of a lifetime, they are an excellent choice of company for those looking to &lt;a href=http://www.ypi.co.uk/search_charter.asp&gt;Charter a luxury Yacht&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1408263319522010068?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1408263319522010068/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1408263319522010068' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1408263319522010068'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1408263319522010068'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/island-hopping-in-thailand.html' title='Island Hopping in Thailand'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1617643212425443145</id><published>2008-04-08T03:36:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-08T03:36:53.814-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Great Last Minute Cheap Flights for Hawaii Trip</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Sunny-Khurana/47299&gt;Sunny Khurana&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;If someone mentions Hawaii, Hawaiian Music and Hula Dance come into mind instantly. Another landmark attraction is Pearl Harbor which was surprised by a massive Japanese attack. All the aircrafts engaged in attack were spotted by radars but no action was taken assuming them as friendly planes. This mistake has caused 2400 people died and a number of ships destroyed but the most remarkable loss was sinking of USS Arizona with 1177 crew on board. Arizona Memorial is a tribute which stands at the same spot where USS Arizona was sunk and you can see the Ship under water. Arizona Memorial can be reached by launch boats. On board Arizona Memorial is the list of all the sailors and staff of Ship which went down with Ship. On mainland of Hawaii there is a museum with survivor's stories and rescued items from the Ship with an inspiring and interesting video about USS Arizona disaster.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Hawaii has ample opportunities for shopping for macadamia nuts, face cream and pineapples (at Dole Plantation). Site seeing adventures like interestingly shaped rocks and island such as Lion Rock and Turtle Island. Hanauma Bay is stunningly beautiful beach to spend the entire day. If you take interest in Adventures like Surfing, Hawaii is just the place for you. Hawaii's North Shore has some of the world's highest waves up to 5 meters high. &lt;br /&gt; Hanauma Bay is a beautiful marine sanctuary and Reef which reaches the shore lovely sheltered bay. There is a very informative knowledge center above Hanauma Bay where all the information about Hawaii, Marine life and species are there. Monster Parrot Fish, nice wrasses, butterfly fish and a spotted box fish are other attractions of this information center.&lt;br /&gt; Hawaii has mad crowded Waikiki Beach but is also has lots of divine astounding beautiful sea shores and bays. Everyone who comes here once always would want to return to Explore Hawaii again and again. &lt;br /&gt; To fulfill your expectations and for a hazard less trip, here is Eros Tours and Travel (ETT) with their 24 years of experience.  Unlike other travel agencies, they give you the last minute ticket in the cheapest rate.  You can get a discount as much as possible.  No need of waiting, their employees are always there to help you, even after business hours. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Author and innovator of this wonderful site www.airtkt.com  has more than 27years of experience in the travel industry both as a travel agent himself  having the vast knowledge of all leading booking software's  Worldspan,  Sabre, Amadeus, and Apollo, Working with all major Airlines, visited most of the Countries and handling the passengers from long time make the job very easy, also being the President of the Eros Tours and Travel, Inc. established in 1990,  member of the ARC ( Airline Reporting Corporation) and IATAN (International Airlines Travel Agent Network). http://www.latinfare.com		 http://www.flycheapairfare.com&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1617643212425443145?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1617643212425443145/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1617643212425443145' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1617643212425443145'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1617643212425443145'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/great-last-minute-cheap-flights-for.html' title='Great Last Minute Cheap Flights for Hawaii Trip'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6937027019977452371</id><published>2008-04-07T03:37:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-07T03:37:18.990-07:00</updated><title type='text'>All Inclusive Caribbean Scuba Diving Vacation</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Dianne-Rein/50052&gt;Dianne Rein&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;A vacation to an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean that offers scuba diving can be a great money saver. To decide whether this option is for you, there are some pros and cons to consider.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Pros&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Don't have to worry about money while you are there &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Usually cheaper than purchasing everything separately &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Stress free: No decisions to make about where to go for drinks, dinner or diving &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Usually a party atmosphere (can be a con too) &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Security &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Activities and entertainment are included (sometimes diving is included also) &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Cons&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Usually big resorts; grounds and dive boats can be crowded (ever have to go out at 6 am to reserve a lounge on the beach?) &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;No incentive to leave the resort and experience the local culture &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Have unexpected expense of going out if you don't like the food and/or drink &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Service is &lt;b&gt;sometimes&lt;/b&gt; lacking since tips are already included (we always tip anyway, even if the policy is supposedly not to &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;li&gt;Not all islands have all inclusives, so island choice is limited &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You just have to decide what is most important for you. For instance, if you like smaller resorts and small dive groups, than an all inclusive resort may not be for you.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Most all inclusives include non-motorized water sports in the package. However, While most resorts offer scuba diving, you usually have to pay extra for it. If the resort does offer scuba diving in the price, you can save a significant amount of money.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If you pay for your diving at the resort, my experience has been that prices are pretty much market prices. If you do multiple dives you can usually get a discount, but that is typically the case for non-resort dive shops too.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Popular All Inclusive Destinations&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Probably the most popular places (or at least those with the most resort choices) for an all inclusive Caribbean scuba diving vacation are the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, including the ever popular Cozumel. In my opinion, Cozumel is the hands down winner as far as diving.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;High End/Low End&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There is an all inclusive resort to fit every budget. You just have to decide what you want. What's more important to you? Would you rather have gourmet food and premium drinks or would you be happy with lower end offerings and more money in your wallet? The answer can be different for each trip.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; No matter where you go and which level of service you choose, it is hard not to have a good time. So pick a place, pack your scuba gear and get going! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Dianne Rein runs a scuba diving website at &lt;a href="http://www.scuba-diving-smiles.com"&gt;www.scuba-diving-smiles.com&lt;/a&gt; . You can read her complete article on &lt;a href="http://www.scuba-diving-smiles.com/all-inclusive-caribbean-scuba-diving.html"&gt;all inclusive scuba diving vacations &lt;/a&gt;  on her website as well as more articles  and general info on &lt;a href="http://www.scuba-diving-smiles.com/scuba-dive-vacations.html"&gt;scuba dive vacations&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6937027019977452371?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6937027019977452371/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6937027019977452371' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6937027019977452371'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6937027019977452371'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/all-inclusive-caribbean-scuba-diving.html' title='All Inclusive Caribbean Scuba Diving Vacation'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-7785253744357602963</id><published>2008-04-06T09:03:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-06T09:03:35.981-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Adventure Travel Insurance</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/David-T-Smith/50283&gt;David T Smith&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Taking that adventure vacation has its risks and dangers. The adventure travel insurance help give you that peace of mind. The adventure travel insurance that you decide on should cover you for the particular sport or activity you will be undertaking. If you have decided to go kayaking or mountain climbing you will need to make sure you adventure travel insurance covers those activities, so you do have the required coverage incase an accident occurs. You may also add or get options added to your adventure travel insurance to include similar activities.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Just for the moment and image you are in the UK to go snowboarding and to do some skiing. You may want to consider adding an option to your adventure travel insurance policy to include the beautiful Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands also whether your adventure travel insurance policy is annual, less than a year or for a set period of time. In addition in the UK there are two levels of adventure travel insurance you can take while traveling in the UK. The selection you make will need to meet your requirements and budget.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You should also purchase adventure travel insurance when visiting countries in Asia. This is very important and is something that should not be overlooked or avoided. If your trip includes countries such as Cambodia, Thailand or Vietnam and activities may include mountain trekking, parachuting or scuba diving, it is in your best interest to purchase an adventure travel insurance policy; otherwise you could be overwhelmed dealing with local Health Authorities.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; While traveling in the US your well plane adventure could turn nasty with the proper adventure travel insurance policy. Make sure your policy does cover you for the high-risk activities you want to enjoy. These high-risk activities that you want to enjoy would not normally be covered under the normal travel insurance. Generally most US companies will ask you for details of the type of sports or activities you want to be covered for so they can be added to your adventure travel insurance policy. Based on the information you supplied to the company you will receive a quote.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Usually such companies that offer adventure travel insurance will take care of your travel needs wherever you decide to travel too in the world. Adventure travel insurance can include over one hundred different kinds of sports or activities that include, bungee jumping, skiing to backpacking.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It doesn't matter how dangerous or risky the type of activity you have decided to do, a study has shown that insurance companies have had to pay out more for accidents that have occurred in the hotel room that the outdoors. Taking out an adventure travel insurance policy will give you that peace of mind and not forget it is in your best interest. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Before going on that long awaited great outdoor adventure travel travel you need that all important &lt;a href="http://www.outdoor-adventure-travel.com/adventure-travel-insurance.htm" title="adventure travel insurance"&gt;adventure travel insurance&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-7785253744357602963?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/7785253744357602963/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=7785253744357602963' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7785253744357602963'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7785253744357602963'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/adventure-travel-insurance.html' title='Adventure Travel Insurance'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-448502306087457628</id><published>2008-04-04T11:30:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-04T11:31:08.414-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Travelling to Taiwan, Where Should Go?</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/William-Grace/50176&gt;William Grace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Taiwan is an island nation of about 36,000 square kilometers located off the coast of southeastern China, southwest of Okinawa, and north of the Philippines. Shaped roughly like a sweet potato, the nation is home to more than 22 million people and is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Besides its crowded cities and friendly people, Taiwan is also known for steep mountains and lush forests.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1.) Mt. Yushan&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don‘t miss seeing the Jade Mountain, Mt. Yushan, which is Northeastern Asia‘s highest peak. Exercise your limbs by climbing this 3,952-meter-high mountain. You'll be treated to crisp mountain air and a breathtaking view at the top.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2.) Yang Min Shan National Park&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This a favorite place due to its hot springs, wonderful flora and wildlife and spas. Its mineral springs are popular with people from Taipei. Just 45 minutes by bus or 70 minutes by train, visitors can go hiking or have a picnic here.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3.) Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This palatial structure is also known as the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall. Built to commemorate Chiang Kai Shek, the building represents the flag of Taiwan with its blue roofs, red flowerbeds, and white walls. Lush gardens flank the hall, and it is located close to the National Theatre and National Concert Hall.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;4.) Penghu&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Penghu is an archipelago of 64 islands between Taiwan and the mainland. It has sandy beaches, fishing villages, and delicious seafood. Its only city of Makung is a beautiful place with an outdoor market, fishing harbor, and temples.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;5.) Tienhsiang&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Located in Tienhsiang is the Taroko Gorge, probably Taiwan‘s most beautiful tourist attraction. It is 19 km long with cliffs dropping away to a rushing river of water. The Eternal Spring Shrine straddles a waterfall and is a memorial to the 450 workers who died constructing the Taroko Highway.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;6.) Lung Shan Temple&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Also known as the Dragon Mountain Temple, this temple is very impressive for its architecture and religious practices where worshippers give offerings to the various gods here, the main one being the Goddess of Mercy. Offerings such as fruit, flowers, and money are made here to the deities, and this is done by burning paper money or putting it in the offertory box. The temple is situated in the Wanhua district, just near the Huashi Night Market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;7.) Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don‘t miss this great hall where a 30-foot statue of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, who played a pivotal role in Taiwanese history, adorns the entrance. Tourists can watch the changing of the guard. They can also watch world-class shows in the theatre on the upper floors.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;8.) The National Palace Museum&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Comparable to the best museums in the world like the Louvre, the National Palace Museum contains one of the most extensive collections of Chinese artifacts and objects d'art. It is twin to the Palace Museum in Beijing, which was split in twain by the civil war, which also resulted in the formation of Taiwan. It contains masterpieces which provide glimpses of Chinese craftsmanship.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;9.) Taipei 101&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world standing at 509 meters. Opened in November 2003, it is shaped like a Chinese pagoda with 8 floors in each pagoda roof and was designed according to traditional feng shui principles. It is situated near the Taipei Exhibition Convention Center, the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and the Japanese department stores of Sogo and Mitsukoshi.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;10.) Guang Hua Night Market&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is a street food market made up of food stalls catering to local residents. This exciting array of snack shops offer tasty and cheap treats such as soup made from beef bone stock and different kinds of dumplings, pancakes with tangy sauce, and roti bread. In the market you will find locals who come here to grab a bite or buy food to take home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;People tend to think of Taiwan as a small, crowded island filled mostly with electronic factories, and if you stay in Taipei or along the west coast you might indeed maintain the illusion, but the island has some surprisingly lofty peaks and it's definitely worthwhile to explore the mountains and national parks of interior.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Find &lt;a href="http://www.directorytaiwan.com/travel-and-tourism/travel-guides/" &gt;Taiwan travel guides&lt;/a&gt; and more useful information about attractive destination on &lt;a href="http://www.directorytaiwan.com"&gt;Taiwan resources&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-448502306087457628?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/448502306087457628/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=448502306087457628' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/448502306087457628'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/448502306087457628'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/travelling-to-taiwan-where-should-go.html' title='Travelling to Taiwan, Where Should Go?'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4882063544384656550</id><published>2008-04-03T03:51:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-03T03:51:25.980-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Adventure Spotlight: Tasmania Australia</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Roy-Witman/2346&gt;Roy Witman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Say "Tasmania" and immediately images of that cute Looney Toon crosses your mind.  While it's true that Tasmanian devils do hail from Tasmania, that's certainly not the most exciting thing you'll find on your trip to this Australian state.  With a diverse landscape and over 80 golf courses, Tasmania delivers a bowlful of delight for nature-lovers and daredevils alike. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;West Coast&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Tasmania's west coast is still largely rugged and undeveloped.  That makes for the perfect setting for those with a love for the outdoors.  Included in a one-million-acre World Heritage Area, you'll discover exceptional rapids just begging to be navigated.  In addition to the sheer adventure of this truly untamed whitewater, you'll also take in amazing rock formations as well as overhanging cliffs and an abundance of wildlife.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Prefer a more civilized way to see the area?  Perhaps a catamaran cruise is more to your liking.  As you sail the Gordon River, you'll view sections of rainforest that boast distinctive animal and plant life native to this area.  Kayaking, canoeing and surfing are also popular pastimes. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;Hastings Caves&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; For landlubbers, professionally guided tours of Hastings Caves are an excellent way to view the area.  Bring your camera as you'll want to snap plenty of photos of the gorgeous flowstone, stalactites, columns, shawls, straws, stalagmites and the unusual helictites.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Never seen until 1917 - when the cave was discovered by miners - Hastings Caves have been outfitted to suit visitors.  Stairs and lighting are in place to allow you to get up close and personal with this astonishing geological sight. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Once your tour is complete, take a nice, long soak in the nearby thermal pool.  Perfectly moderated by Mother Nature, this pool maintains a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82.5 degrees Fahrenheit) year round. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;Cultural Sights&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; For those who would rather surround themselves with culture instead of adventure, you're in luck: Tasmania serves up plenty!  Writers, artists and performers bring a wondrous mix of drama, art and music to visitors from all around the globe. From museums to galleries, you'll find creativity and beauty at every turn. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; To further your interest, visit one of the many wineries or vineyards in the area.  Thanks to an outstanding climate of abundant sunshine, rich soil and clean water; Tasmania boasts some world-class vintages. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;B&gt;Cataract Gorge Reserve&lt;/B&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You've never seen so much wilderness inside a city.  Just two-minutes away from the city of Launceton is a paradise typically not found so close to metropolitan life.  The Cataract Gorge breaks open from flat terrain into steep cliffs and rushing water.  Climb or repel the Gorge, tour the fern tree glades by foot or take a leisurely walk across the bridge.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Too much nature?  Just hop across to the Northern side (the Cliff Grounds) where you'll find a swimming pool, restaurant, landscaped lawns and more to enjoy.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; To be the smallest state in Australia, Tasmania is packed with big-time fun!  While this island is included on many Australian cruises, don't assume.  Always ask your travel agent if the port of Tasmania is on your itinerary. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Roy Witman is Vice-President of Cruise Vacation Center at &lt;a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com"&gt;http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com&lt;/a&gt; offering the best deals including &lt;a href="http://www.cruisevacationcenter.com/princess_cruise_line.htm"&gt; Princess cruises&lt;/a&gt;. You'll find their service exceptional and their attention to detail second to none.  © 2008, All Rights Reserved&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4882063544384656550?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4882063544384656550/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4882063544384656550' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4882063544384656550'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4882063544384656550'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/adventure-spotlight-tasmania-australia.html' title='Adventure Spotlight: Tasmania Australia'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-8855880494569431479</id><published>2008-04-02T06:38:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-02T06:38:54.583-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Boating Holidays in France</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/placesinfrance.com/44550&gt;placesinfrance.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;With the vast amount of different rivers and canals in France, and having such a varied landscape, you can be sure that you will be able to find just the right type of holiday for you and your family.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So, as you cruise along one of the rivers or canals at a leisurely pace you will get to see things that most people will never experience and each region also offers you the chance to experience their fantastic and sometimes unusual cuisine along with the incredible French wine that is as varied as the different regions.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Only a boating holiday in France will enable you to fully appreciate the idyllic countryside and architecture from Roman to Renaissance periods along with the beautiful chateaux that are dotted along the banks, with the added plus of the glorious weather to match, it is not like travelling along the Norfolk Broads in the United Kingdom most of the year, when you are guaranteed to get some rain or gloomy days!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There is such a wide choice available for your boating holiday and you can pick the area with the climate for you; the further down South you go, the warmer it gets, but don't forget that whilst cruising along, you need to be on the right hand side of the river or canal, just as the roads are in France!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One point, a licence is required to be able to travel by boat on the French waterways, unless of course you only have something like a canoe!  Basically, any boat that has a motor means that you have to have a licence, although temporary permits called La Carte Plaisance are available and are issued by the boat rental company or charter firm that you book with.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A la Carte Plaisance is valid only for a set period of time for any habitable boat, which is under 15 metres in length, but there is also permit available for your children to drive the boat if they are between the ages of 14 and 16, if you feel they have a good sense of direction! but this is a great way to get all the family involved in the fun, but you must ask for a La Carte Junior in order to be allowed to do this.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; With many of the river guides today available in English, you can be sure that you will not miss any of the local attractions or delights on offer.  You can find these guides along with extra information from the regional tourist offices, but these are also normally issued to you by the charter boat company before you set off on your holiday.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Choosing the part of France you wish to visit is so important to get the best out of your holiday and in the North West of France there is Brittany, which is an area known for cider and crepes, to the East of France were there are rivers and canals throughout the regions of Alsace and Lorraine and you will find this area great for experiencing a diverse landscape from rolling hills to forests, whilst trying some of the local French beer and crisp white wines that this region produces.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; How about Burgundy within the centre of France which is a great place to experience local cuisine and fine wines and the quaint historical towns provide lovely afternoon walks taking a step back in time with the history.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Also, lets not forget the South of France, obviously with the more beautiful weather, you can experience travelling along the Canal du Midi, which is the oldest canal in Europe and runs from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and at the same time you will be able to take in the amazing variety of wildlife such as flamingos whilst on your canal boating holiday.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Yet as with any country, there are always rules and regulations on how you travel the waterways, whether it be the rivers or canals and before you embark on your boat trip you will be given some basic tuition, so that you can be issued with your licence.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And did you realise that there are over 2000 locks in France, which are known as écluse?  but don't worry to much as Some locks are automatic and some are still operated by a lockkeeper, however others will need to be operated by yourselves, so the general 'training' is very important, otherwise you could find yourselves in a bit of pickle initially, although most people on the canals are so very helpful and will come to your aid if you get stuck.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Although the rivers and canals are used extensively by pleasure boats these days, they are also still used by commercial vessels as well and it is these merchant vessels that have the priority on the waterways, plus also the traffic going up stream has priority over those travelling down stream.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As with road systems, the waterways have speed limits and although you are not likely to wish to speed along, these do have to be obeyed, but, it is the left-hand side that is used for overtaking just as it is on the French roads, and the slower boat must also slow down more to let the faster vessel pass.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The condition of the French rivers and canals is excellent and you will find that they even have designated areas for swimming and water sports, because, for obvious reasons, swimming is not permitted wherever you feel like going for a quick dip, yet if you are into fishing, then you can even do a spot of this while you are meandering down the river - just don't forget to get a licence for that as well!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Along your chosen route you will find lots of fantastic areas where you can stop for lunch and stock up on supplies for that ever so important alfresco dining whilst you are cruising leisurely along.  You will find additional facilities alone the way which are necessary, things like emptying your waste, which has to be done at specific points, but these are also fantastic and are very easily accessible, as it is illegal to dump waste into the river or canal system.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So even if you have never done this sort of thing before, you will without a doubt have an incredible fun time and when your boating holiday in France is nearing its end, you know that no one will want to leave. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.placesinfrance.com"&gt;www.placesinfrance.com&lt;/a&gt;  Martyn Davis European Traveller, Author, Photographer and Business Development Manager, For all your French holiday needs and travel guide to France, with tourist information, landmarks and attractions - &lt;a href="http://www.placesinfrance.com/boating_holidays_france.html"&gt;Boating Holidays In France&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-8855880494569431479?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/8855880494569431479/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=8855880494569431479' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8855880494569431479'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8855880494569431479'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/boating-holidays-in-france.html' title='Boating Holidays in France'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-955552216402438801</id><published>2008-04-01T04:55:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-01T04:55:18.714-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Low Cost Airlines in India</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Chris-Dev/48439&gt;Chris Dev&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In the recent years, many people all over the world have taken up traveling. Especially, the tourist inflow in India has increased tremendously. This has subsequently led to increase in a number of low cost airlines in India. Low cost airlines refer to airlines that offer discount airfares. Low cost airlines in India have made traveling easier and affordable for numerous travelers. Since they offer huge discounts, these low cost airlines make traveling by air attractive and cheap. Different airlines follow different cost cutting strategies to offer the best price to their customers. As air traveling is much faster and comfortable, it is easier to find low cost airlines for short haul flights rather than long haul flights. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The common term used in the low cost airline industry is 'no frill'. If you are traveling on an air ticket which has "no-frill" attached to it, this means that some of the extra benefits such as meals and drinks have not been included. They have been cut down from the ticket price. Some low cost airlines in India offer travel insurance as an option for extra cash. Usually these low cost airlines use small flights for cutting down the overheads. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Though the general assumption is that low cost airlines in India benefit only the people in the metros, this is not true. Of late, low cost airlines in India have started focusing on non-metro cities. Frequent business travelers are the primary customers of low cost airlines operating in non-metros. These airlines have cut down costs tremendously so much so that there are 'Economy' and 'Business' classes in every airliner which can suit even the upper middle-class customer or high-end professional. To encourage and retain customers, most of the airlines offer programs like 'Frequent Flier' programs which help you earn points for every few hundred kilometers you fly. One can use these points to avail further discounts on their airfares during their next trips.    &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; To obtain the best discount airfares in most of the low cost airlines, it is essential to book tickets well in advance, as charges will be very high in case of last minute bookings. Airfares will also be cheap on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays compared to other day. They offer lot of added advantages such as online booking, online check-ins, mobile booking and booking through agents. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Air Deccan, Air India Express, IndiGo Airlines, KingFisher Airlines, Paramount and Spice Jet are a few popular low cost airlines in India which offers excellent services. Indeed, the Indian aviation department is undergoing a remarkable change. There has been a remarkable increase in the number of low cost airlines offering good discounts. In short, low cost airlines in India are a big success story. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=http://www.cheapair.co.in/&gt;Cheap Airfares&lt;/a&gt; have changed the way of travel. The success of low cost airlines in India prompted the entry of many low cost airlines. Cheapairco.in provides you the latest and best information about  &lt;a href="http://www.cheapair.co.in/carrersinindia.html"&gt;low cost airlines in India&lt;/a&gt; and other countries.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-955552216402438801?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/955552216402438801/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=955552216402438801' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/955552216402438801'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/955552216402438801'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/04/low-cost-airlines-in-india.html' title='Low Cost Airlines in India'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6330844448552360526</id><published>2008-03-31T04:07:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-31T04:07:25.463-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Airline Reservation: Travel at Low Airfares</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Kengism-GradeM/48249&gt;Kengism GradeM&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Every individual needs an opportunity to go on a vacation once in a while which is why large numbers of people are going on vacations. However, going and planning for vacations can be a bit stressful when it comes to finance, particularly when going from airplane is concerned. With the airfares going high day by day, it seems, the cost for airline reservation can turn out to be too much, particularly when going out with whole family. It is quite feasible to look at the budget of air travel prior to airline reservation as budget airfares enable you to fly wherever you want without added expenses. Large numbers of air lines are opting for the budget airfare travel to keep flying costs low and to attract more and more people towards their airline.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If possible to make airline reservation 14 days before the schedule date, as you may find lower rates of tickets. Or, try to make your airline reservation as early as possible to take full benefits of the super low fares that various airlines offer. As the earlier you will book the tickets the more time you will get to compare air fares among different airlines. Moreover, you can also check for more discounts on internet for airline reservation which also includes hotels and cab reservation. There are some great packages that could definitely save your loads of money.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Always remember, before you do airline reservation, make certain that you have looked at the airlines routes and also the total time it will take to reach the destination. Sometimes, you may secure low air fare if you change flights for one or more than one time. Once the air line reservation is done, hang on for the verification email that you may receive shortly after paying for the tickets. Various airlines also have e-ticketing arrangements that allow you to print your ticket at home. However, in any case make sure that you keep all the information at safe place and reconfirm the take off and landing day and dates and times.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Nevertheless there are various travel agencies that offer the facility of air line reservation for various destinations, but takes loads of commission for booking the ticket. However booking with an agent can be quite expensive but it lessens the burden of standing in queues and waiting for the reply and ticket print out.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In addition, like the airline reservation hotel reservation is also very essential before going on a holiday, as some hotels remain booked almost in every season and due to which you may have to seek foe the hotel after reaching the destination, which may take your loads of time and money as well. Book the hotel in the off season and when doing hotel reservation make sure to book a room with adequate number of beds required, and also verify the total price including service charges and taxes.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Many hotels do not include taxes in the room rate, thus calculate your total hotel price. Furthermore, inquire for any other costs involved as well. Make proper airline reservation and hotel reservation and enjoy maximum of your holidays. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;A href="http://www.wonderjourney.com/"&gt;http://www.wonderjourney.com&lt;/A&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6330844448552360526?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6330844448552360526/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6330844448552360526' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6330844448552360526'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6330844448552360526'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/airline-reservation-travel-at-low.html' title='Airline Reservation: Travel at Low Airfares'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-3939900344205545071</id><published>2008-03-30T08:30:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-30T08:30:23.558-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Travel Secrets of 2008</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/www.KomailNoori.com/46638&gt;www.KomailNoori.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Pop quiz: You've been planning a dream trip for six months. Everything is booked and paid for, but a last-minute work emergency crops up and derails your plans. How can you recover your money?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Here's another question: You're flying from Barcelona to Madrid and want the least expensive fare. Sure, there's a good price on Kayak.com, but there's an even better fare on another Web site. What is it? &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Secrets like these can often make our travel experience easieror bring our vacations back from the brink of disaster. So over the past year, Travel + Leisure editors and correspondents have scoured the globe to unearth the best undiscovered tips and tools for traveling smarter, faster, safer, and more affordably. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We've broken down our secrets into three easy-to-navigate categories:&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; - Air Travel Secrets: Learn how to scout out the best seats on board and get discounts on business class air fare. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; - General Travel Secrets: Here's how to get free spa treatments at your hotel and snag a table at the hottest restaurants, like French Laundry in Napa Valley. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; - City Travel Secrets: Find out how to score cheap Broadway tickets in New York and get into Berlin museums for free.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; This year's list is a handbook of insider advice. Whether you're trying to extend the hold on your airline reservations, steer clear of traffic on the road, or avoid unnecessary ATM fees abroad, you'll find all the right solutions.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And as this is the second time we've published a comprehensive list of travel secrets, we have even more advice to add to your suitcase.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We'd also love to hear your travel secrets. Last year, we issued a similar request and received all sorts of great submissions, like how to make sure all your possessions are covered if the airline loses your bag and the best way to dine like a local. And we named some runner-ups: these readers told us the best time to book flights and where to go to pick up authentic souvenirs.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So we're asking again for your favorite secretsthose under-the-radar nuggets of advice that you've amassed from your experiences. As with last year, we'll publish the best ones.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; So take our advice and share some of your own. Most importantly, get out there and exploreit's the only way to use travel secrets and the best way to unearth new ones. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Book your vacations from &lt;a href="http://www.traveloni.com/" title="Discount Vacation Packages"&gt;Discount Vacation Packages&lt;/a&gt; - &lt;a href="http://www.weddingtravelpackages.com/" title="Destination Wedding Packages"&gt;Destination Wedding Packages&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-3939900344205545071?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/3939900344205545071/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=3939900344205545071' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3939900344205545071'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3939900344205545071'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/travel-secrets-of-2008.html' title='Travel Secrets of 2008'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6459487439521311477</id><published>2008-03-29T07:00:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-29T07:00:57.302-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Before you travel be sure to read this</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Travellingman/48790&gt;Travellingman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Going on a holiday is a fun and exciting experience that everyone looks forward with eagerness. Across the globe, people make plans to their favourite holiday destinations. For some, these depend on their children's school schedule, for others its work pressures that has them waiting for those days' off from all the stress and tension. There are a lot of aspects involved in planning holidays; right from deciding on the venue, to booking tickets needs to be completed.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; People love to take city breaks, and visit places like Venice, or Italy so they can feast their eyes on the sculptures and savour the divine cuisine of those places. It also gives them the opportunity to shop for various trinkets and gifts for friends and family, and of course for themselves. If you plan ahead on holiday adventures, you can book cheap flights online from the various travel related websites. Cheap flights are found going from every nook and corner of the world, and so these days it is easy to get the bookings done. You can save anywhere from $500 to $1000 on every ticket if you plan wisely and get the dates sorted out ahead of time. Sometimes, certain routes will offer cheap flights, and if you were going on visiting those places, then you can make use of these mind blowing offers. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The next thing is where you are going to stay, the hotels available. Since most travellers work with a limited budget, at times shoe string, they need to look for hotels that are decent, comfortable and within their budget. They can also opt for bed and breakfast kind of places, where they spend less on accommodation and food, and more on sight seeing or shopping. If the place is a tourist hot spot, traveling when it is off season will be the wise thing to do to get great discounts. Else, you will end up spending hundreds of dollars on a place that is filled with people from everywhere.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Also, make sure to get car hire services sorted out, since you will need someone to come pick you up from the airport to your destination. If you do this along with your flight and hotels booking, you could get yourself a package deal. This works well if you are travelling in a large group.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Since the city breaks travel is going to be once a year, you might as well go all out and book cheap flights online instead of spending on a travel agent. Make sure to have your itinerary on hand before you board the flight. This will help you get an edge on what is in store for you at your beach resort or the mountains. Remember to reserve visiting local shops for the last, since you will be exhausted after your walking, and trekking expeditions. It is now time to indulge in some retail therapy so you get back home with a bag full of goodies and a big grin on your face. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Visit http://www.mytravelscanner.com now and find all those bargain flights and holidays and make those dreams come true&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6459487439521311477?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6459487439521311477/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6459487439521311477' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6459487439521311477'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6459487439521311477'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/before-you-travel-be-sure-to-read-this.html' title='Before you travel be sure to read this'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-7072681046970049274</id><published>2008-03-28T03:03:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-28T03:03:34.650-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Phillip Island</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Gavin-Wyatt/40552&gt;Gavin Wyatt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Its a pleasant two hour drive from the centre of Melbourne to Phillip island, one that takes you through the city and then around the banks of Westernport Bay to the mainland town of San Remo, where you cross the bridge to the island town of New Haven. The moment you cross the bridge it starts to become apparent why Phillip Island is such a popular tourist destination, attracting over three and a half million people every year.The quaint and established towns have every convenience a tourist would want, and the resident population of 7000 people go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. The lush inland serenity is complemented by 97 kilometres of coastline that is the perfect basis for watersports of all descriptions. You will never be bored on a holiday on Phillip Island, and the mild, temperate climate ensures your stay will be comfortable no matter what time of year you visit.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Often referred to as Nature Island, Phillip Island is something of a haven for Australian wildlife of both the aquatic and land based varieties! The most popular nature attraction on the island, and one of the most popular in Australia, is the Penguin Parade. A large colony of Little Penguins has made their home on Summerland Beach for many years now, and every evening the penguins return from their fishing escapades in the waters and waddle up the beach to their sandy burrows. Its an amazing and somewhat comical sight watching these cute birds march up the beach in large numbers- a sight that has firmly put Phillip Island on the tourist map. A Nature Park has been built around the beach, and there is a viewing platform where you can watch the parade without getting in the way of the penguins. A marine centre, Nobbies, has been built in the park, which has fun and interactive displays on the ocean and the animals that live in it. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The island also has a very large koala population, and a slow stroll through the woodland trees of the Oswin Roberts Reserve will produce numerous sightings of these laid back icons of Australia doing what they do best- relaxing! The towering gums of the Koala Conservation Centre also provide a safe home for the chilled out creatures, and at the visitor centre there is a closed viewing area and a tree top boardwalk. If you want to see more animated wildlife then head over to Seal Rocks at the south western tip of the island. A colony of 16 000 fur seals has made their home here, one of the largest colonies in Australia. Enjoy watching the seals dart through the water after fish, clumsily walk across the rocks or frolic with their young in the water. At the Nobbies marine centre you can really get up close to the seals via state of the art camera technology that allows you to zoom right up to them!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Phillip Island coastline isn't just reserved for seals and penguins however. The quiet and sheltered beaches on the north of the island lie next to the calm waters of Westernport Bay, which are perfect for safe swimming. These are especially popular if you have young kids, but if you want waves and a bit more excitement then the southern, ocean facing beaches are for you. The surf here is globally recognised as being consistent and reliable, although you must be careful of the strong rips and currents. Woolamai and Smiths beaches are two of the most popular surf beaches, and both are lifeguard patrolled during the summer. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Phillip Island caters well to tourists on all budgets, and all levels and types of accommodation can be found here. If you would like the freedom and comfort of your own apartment, complete with all modern facilities and complimentary parking then look no further than questphillipisland.com.au Quest Phillip Island. Located in the popular holiday town of Cowes, the apartments are just a short walk away from beaches, restaurants and shops, and all the major attractions of the island are within easy travelling distance. Just down the road are Quest Oceanic Apartments, which are owned by the same company and thus offer the same classy and modern features. They are the perfect base from which to explore the rest of the island!&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Phillip Island was discovered over 200 years ago, as as such it has a rich culture and history. Its heritage is evident in many of the old buildings in the towns, but it is on Churchill Island where it is most striking. Accessed by bridge from the mainland this tiny island of 57 hectares is an historic working farm complete with its original homestead dating back to 1872! Visitors can explore the ancient buildings on the farm, stroll amongst the orchard trees and the traditional gardens and watch rangers demonstrate traditional farming techniques. A day here is a fun and educational outing that will help you and the kids get a better understanding of our agricultural history.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; With so much to do and see on Phillip Island, its time you made it into your next holiday destination. There is something here for all age groups and interests, and with Quest Apartments as your base you will have a comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable time! A hire car from Discovery is the perfect way to get to the island, and to explore its rich coastline and interior. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Gavin Wyatt is a journalist with a passion for travel. originally from Zambia he has traveled around the world to end up on the sunny shores of Australia. For more of his articles visit &lt;A HREF="http://www.discovery-carhire.com.au/vic.php"&gt;Car Hire in Victoria&lt;/A&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-7072681046970049274?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/7072681046970049274/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=7072681046970049274' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7072681046970049274'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/7072681046970049274'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/phillip-island.html' title='Phillip Island'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-2851121212579206710</id><published>2008-03-27T05:01:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-27T05:01:02.971-07:00</updated><title type='text'>South African Holiday Highlights: Visiting Cape Point</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Kelly-Wheeler/48397&gt;Kelly Wheeler&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to Cape Town and no trip to Cape Town is complete without a visit to the historic and &lt;b&gt;picturesque Cape Point&lt;/b&gt;. As one of Cape Town's top three tourist destinations, Cape Point offers visitors some of the highest cliffs and freshest air in the world. This nature reserve is seeped in history and offers a multitude of attractions to &lt;b&gt;keep the entire family busy&lt;/b&gt; for a whole day. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;A Historic Area&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Cape Point has made its way into the history books for as long history books have existed. Relics from the &lt;b&gt;Khoisan people&lt;/b&gt; have been dated as far back as 2000 years ago and the area is rich in artefacts, middens and rock art. The year 1488 saw the &lt;b&gt;first ship&lt;/b&gt; travel around Cape Point and due to a storm, Portuguese captain Bartholomeu Dias stopped and nicknamed the area Cabo Tormentoso or &lt;b&gt;Cape of Storms&lt;/b&gt;. The area became a favourite stop off point along the spice route to India and the likes of frequent visitors like Vasco Da Gama are remembered here for revolutionising of global economics through their trade with the East. King John of Portugal later renamed the area Cabo da Boa Esperança or the &lt;b&gt;Cape of Good Hope&lt;/b&gt; for all prosperity the area brought to the Portuguese people and the name has stuck right up until today.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Getting There - The Cape Point Route&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Even the actual trip down to the Cape Peninsula's southern most point is a scenic and exciting one and offers many attractions along the way. Heading through the &lt;b&gt;historic town of Hout Bay&lt;/b&gt; could easily distract you as there are many quaint restaurants, unique shops and picturesque spots to visits. Named 'Wood Bay' by Jan van Riebeeck after its dense forests, the people of Hout Bay have preserved this small town's environment, atmosphere and history. Leaving Hout Bay, head along &lt;b&gt;Chapman's Peak Drive&lt;/b&gt;, South Africa's most revered engineering achievement. The road, created by &lt;b&gt;blasting through granite and sandstone&lt;/b&gt; in 1922, offers one of the most spectacular ocean drives in the world. Cape Town's last remaining rural area, &lt;b&gt;Noordhoek&lt;/b&gt; lies at the foot of 'Chappies' and is famed for its seemingly never ending long white beach. A stop-off in Noordhoek has to include a visit to the Kakapo shipwreck that ran aground there in 1900, after mistaking Chapman's Peak for Cape Point. The last stop before Cape Point is &lt;b&gt;Kommetjie&lt;/b&gt;, the 2000 year old &lt;b&gt;home of the Khoisan&lt;/b&gt; and is famous for its numerous middens and ancient stone implements that dot the beaches. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Approaching Cape Point from the other direction is just as scenic and is also guaranteed to make you stop many times along the way. Starting in &lt;b&gt;Muizenberg and following the Indian Ocean&lt;/b&gt;, this scenic drives tracks the railway all the way through to Cape Point. Large colonial homes dot this route and many have been turned into fascinating museums chronicling the history of the area. Stop off in the &lt;b&gt;quaint Kalk Bay&lt;/b&gt; which is renowned for its quirky shops, antiques and vibrant fishing harbour. &lt;b&gt;Fish Hoek's beautiful beaches&lt;/b&gt; are an inviting break from the road and the warm water of the Indian Ocean makes swimming a pleasure. The last stop before Cape Point is the naval town of &lt;b&gt;Simon's Town&lt;/b&gt;. As South Africa's third oldest town, there are many museums and historical attractions to explore, including the toy museum and the Roman Rock Lighthouse. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Cape Point's Many Attractions&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Interact with the baboons, learn about the history of this magnificent destination and see some rather unusual sights when you spend a day at Cape Point. &lt;b&gt;The lighthouse at Cape Point&lt;/b&gt; is the most powerful along the Southern African coast and its light reaches over 63 km out to sea. Built in 1860 on Cape Point Peak, the 238m above sea level beacon was unbelievably often obscured by cloud, allowing many a ship to crash on the coast's treacherous rocks. It was &lt;b&gt;moved in 1911&lt;/b&gt; to its current location and is a fascinating sight to see. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Those treacherous rocks have signalled the end for many ships over the years and the &lt;b&gt;coast is littered with hulking wrecks&lt;/b&gt;. The Lusitania, a ship carrying over 700 people struck Bellows Rock just below the lighthouse and finally forced the change in the lighthouse's location. The last ship to fall victim to the rock was as recent as 1968, when the Phyllisia, a Cape Town trawler sank just after midnight. Spotting these dark shapes in the waves is a thrill for tourists and history buffs alike and make for an &lt;b&gt;unusual addition to a Cape Point trip&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Viewing all the sights of Cape Point is possible through leisurely hikes and walks, but for the less outdoors-inclined, &lt;b&gt;the exciting funicular&lt;/b&gt; will whisk you right from the parking lot to the lighthouse. You can sit back in comfort and view the scenery is this environmentally-friendly way to travel around the point. The only one of its kind in the world, the funicular is a novelty that the kids will love. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The &lt;b&gt;Global Atmosphere Watch Station&lt;/b&gt; is also a must-see at Cape Point and was designed to blend in with the rock face and surroundings. Monitoring the pure Cape Point air gives scientists useful information regarding climate change and is one of the 20 prestigious stations that are scattered around the world. Visiting the &lt;b&gt;Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre&lt;/b&gt; is also a learning experience with many artefacts, displays and videos about the rich history and environmental importance of the area. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; If you would prefer to be out in the fresh air while you learn about Cape Point, &lt;b&gt;digital tour companies&lt;/b&gt; offer extensive tour videos that are downloadable straight to your computer or mobile phone. These multilingual video travel guides allow you to see the sights first hand while listening to your own personal tour guide's detailed explanation of each one's history and significance. End off a trip to Cape Point with a delectable meal at the &lt;b&gt;Two Ocean's Restaurant&lt;/b&gt;. Situated high above the ocean, the views are unparalleled, giving diners a meal to end off a trip that they will never forget. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Travel to South Africa just got a whole lot easier! &lt;a href=http://www.mobiguide.co.za&gt;mobiguide&lt;/a&gt; provides international travellers with a range of audio/visual multilingual content focusing on various South African travel highlights  think of a mobiguide as your own personal tour guide. &lt;a href=http://www.mobiguide.co.za/pages/default.aspx&gt;Download the multilingual travel guides&lt;/a&gt; straight to your computer or mobile phone and start planning your South African holiday today.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-2851121212579206710?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/2851121212579206710/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=2851121212579206710' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2851121212579206710'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2851121212579206710'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/south-african-holiday-highlights.html' title='South African Holiday Highlights: Visiting Cape Point'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-9097195356232359565</id><published>2008-03-26T03:33:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-26T03:33:09.657-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Tips On Planning Your Caribbean Cruise Vacation</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Cindy-Heller/32229&gt;Cindy Heller&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;What are you waiting if you've never been on a Caribbean cruise vacation? Imagine being served on hand and foot only to find you in the most tropical of lands, spending time in true paradise. This is how it's like on a Caribbean cruise vacation. There's nothing else like it in the world. When it comes to taking a Caribbean cruise vacation, there are all kinds of special deal. Look around for the best deals and either travel by yourself, bring your family or just have that special someone. There's so much to do on a Caribbean cruise vacation that you'll likely find that you don't have enough time to do it all no matter who you're with.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 1. Go Ahead And Bring The Kids&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Don't worry about bringing the children on a Caribbean cruise vacation. There are activities for them, too. Your never have to worry about then being bored. To keep their overactive minds busy they have all kinds of activities while the adults do whatever they wish. The staff of the Caribbean cruise vacation employees will take good care of the kids so that you can do what you wish and be rest assured that they are properly occupied.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 2. Couples Cruises&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You won't be disappointed if you are taking a Caribbean cruise vacation as part of a romantic getaway. The sunsets and sunrises that you'll see over the ocean will be enough to take your breath away. And there's nothing better than a tropical paradise, such as the one you'll experience on your Caribbean cruise vacation, to bring two people closer together. To make your bond one that will stand the test of time, a romantic getaway may be just what you need.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 3. You Can Even Bring The Entire Family&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Whoever you wish you can even bring the whole family, aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa. There's something to do for everyone. Nobody will ever be bored, with shows and music and entertainment, plenty of food and drink as well as other activities aimed at every taste.  You know that everyone will be pleased as a Caribbean cruise vacation is the perfect vacation to bring the family.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You are taken care of by the staff, well fed, and entertained. What else could you ask for in a Caribbean cruise vacation?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Guide to Choosing the Right Caribbean Holiday Cruise For You&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In order to accommodate the large amount of people wishing to take a cruise, the cruise industry has expanded over the years. However, we are different and have different likes and dislikes which we usually want to take into consideration when taking a vacation because vacations are meant to relax, have fun and rejuvenate.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; With that in mind, different cruise companies along the years targeted different group of people in order to make cruising more enjoyable achieve what we all want from a vacation. Every day there are no less than half a dozen ships leaving for the Caribbean. They are from different cruise companies with a completely different sort of crowd on each one of them; here is how you can learn which cruise ship is right for your Caribbean holiday prior to you getting on board.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Know A Bit About The Cruise Industry&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In order to be able to provide the desired activities, food and entertainment for instance, each cruise line targets a different type of crowd. Carnival cruises are recognized as the 'fun ships' for the reason that they target the younger generation, teenagers and young families and for that reason, you will find many parties, 24 hour fast food counters and many reasonably priced cocktails.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Chat with your travel agent and let him or her know what your preferences are in order for him or her to suggest the perfect cruise ship for you, the best way to choose the right cruise ship company for you, which offers what you want from a Caribbean holiday cruise.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Caribbean holiday cruises travel on the eastern and western and southern Caribbean and each journey will differ greatly in prices depending on the ports of call and the time spent at sea. Caribbean holiday cruises are for 3, 5, 7 and at times even 10 days; the most popular Caribbean holiday cruise is seven days because it is made of the right sum of days in port and at sea in order for you to travel around and have fun as well as unwind and revitalize before getting back at work.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Helpful Tips&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In order to find out which one will suit you and your requirements best or on the particular cruise liner's website, you can do some research online and read passengers reviews and comments before picking a Caribbean holiday cruise. The only way to get the best deals for any cruise at any time of the year is to book your Caribbean holiday cruise through your travel agent.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-9097195356232359565?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/9097195356232359565/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=9097195356232359565' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/9097195356232359565'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/9097195356232359565'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/tips-on-planning-your-caribbean-cruise.html' title='Tips On Planning Your Caribbean Cruise Vacation'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6219834418299987788</id><published>2008-03-25T03:35:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-25T03:36:00.550-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Canoeing Coping With the Wind</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/b&gt; by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Ron-Shannon/46593&gt;Ron Shannon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The wind is blowing spray into your face. Doesn't sound too bad, except you are in the stern and your partner in the bow is scowling. If this is your significant other, you are in big trouble. Whitecaps are breaking over his/her lap and running down her rain suit. It's not going be a good day. A look at the wind forecast could have saved your day.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      The most obvious reason to check the wind is to make it back to camp dry. The last thing you need is to have to fight the wind all the way back to camp. You both get wet and are physically drained upon arriving in camp. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      Getting to know the wind is a must when you contemplate pond or lake canoeing. What may look like a mild breeze in the cove when leaving may turn into a gale wind later in the morning or afternoon. Knowing how to read the wind and clouds makes a day of paddling much more enjoyable.    Ponds and lakes are generally set in a valley, whether a few acres or many miles. These valleys have a prevailing wind as well as swirling and cross winds. These are caused by the formation of the valley and the terrain around it. First you need to know the prevailing wind. This can be determined by checking the local weather. Knowing where the wind is expected to come from is a must for anyone taking a canoe trip.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      The next step is to get a map of the surrounding area. The best maps to use are topographical maps, as these show the terrain features and how they may affect the wind. Look for ridges and gaps leading into the valley in which the pond or lake is located. When you put the wind direction and surrounding terrain features together you can make a pretty good guess as to how the wind is going to affect the water on that day.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      Let us say the prevailing wind is out of the North. If there is a ridge on this side of the pond it will tend to lift the wind over this part of the pond. The wind will drop back down on the pond farther toward the southern end, causing waves to build up between there and the other side of the pond. But where there is a ridge there is almost always a cut or valley. This is where the winds that catch you by surprise will come from. A gust out of a cut can turn the water into a frothing mess leaving you surprised and wet. If there is a ridge on the other end it will back up some of the wind causing rougher water.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;       If on the other hand the ridge is on the other end of the pond and you have a valley at the end you start from the reverse will happen. The wind will flow straight down the pond until it hits the ridge. There it will flow up and over the lay of the land. This leads to high waves and possibly white caps.&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;      Clouds will also affect the wind. At this point let's assume we all know light wispy clouds mean a fairly nice day, whereas dark heavy clouds mean bad weather is on the way. Clouds have an effect on the wind also. Light clouds will let the wind stay high in the atmosphere affecting the waters surface less. Dark, heavy clouds, on the other hand, are denser and will keep the wind low creating more turbulence on the water's surface. A look at the sky can give you an idea of what kind of winds to expect. Even a brisk wind will skip over the surface of the pond if it is a cloudless day, though a 5-10 MPH wind will whip up a pond if the clouds are keeping it on the surface.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;       Unless you wake up to a windy day the first few hours of the day are the best to canoe. Get out on the water and enjoy yourself with some leisurely paddling and sightseeing. This is the best time to head over to the other side of the pond if that is your destination. By mid to late morning the wind will invariably pick up, so you want to be where the wind will be at your back or quartering from your back when heading back to camp. This will make the trip smoother and a lot more enjoyable.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      The best way to keep from getting wet is to hug the shoreline. You want to keep a hundred feet or so from the shore to avoid hidden dangers. Large rocks and dead trees will hide just below the surface near shore and the wind could push you into these areas if you are too close. Also if you capsize and are close to shore you can get on top of your canoe and push it to shore. Remember to keep your life jacket on and watch the wind for an enjoyable day on the water. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ron Shannon is a Reg. Maine guide from Clinton, Me. USA. He has been camping for over thirty years, using camp as a base for fishing, canoeing and hunting trips.  Though he now uses a travel trailer, he has amassed his knowledge from tents to trailers through years of trial and error. His camps have ranged from camping alone to as many as twenty people. Copyright Ron Shannon  You can find info on writing your own articles at our web site: http://shannonsenterprises.com Contact: rbsarticles@verizon.net&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6219834418299987788?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6219834418299987788/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6219834418299987788' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6219834418299987788'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6219834418299987788'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/canoeing-coping-with-wind_25.html' title='Canoeing Coping With the Wind'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1088381058717481638</id><published>2008-03-24T02:49:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-24T02:49:33.611-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Quality Service Can Beat Low Fares In 2008</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Michael-Johnson-7925/27895&gt;Michael Johnson-7925&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;After years of having little competition, Air Malta has had to contend with a host of rivals entering Malta's airspace in the lst two years and competing for the same passengers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The number of people visiting Malta has risen well as a result, and fares to the holiday island have come down in the island's main UK customer base, but new routes have also started in otherwise unchartered territories for Malta's tourism industry, including Norway and Spain.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Faced with the new competition the airline opened new routes - notably Liverpool in the North West of England - but also cut her offers with various offers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The most notable difference though for frequent flyers to Malta either on business or for Malta holidays has been the level of service offered by the airline, setting them apart from the new low cost airlines flying to the island's Luqa Airport.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One example of the airline's success at providing a quality service has been the lack of losing their passengers luggage - while some airlines are notorious for upsetting passengers by frequently losing their luggage, the airline has proved to be the best in Europe.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; 'There was real concern before the advent of the low cost carriers that the established Malta airline would be knocked out of the skies' comments one Malta travel site, 'but they have approached the situation well and not only tried to match the fares, but gone a step further by improving the quality of service and opening new routes too - impressive.'&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; New official figures show that last year's all important summer season had been the best in six years for Malta, reversing the decline in fortunes for the Mediterranean island.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The good news for Malta is that despite the increase in the number of tourists arriving at Luqa Airport via low cost flights to Malta, the occupancy levels of hotels has increased from basic to 5 star, showing that Malta can appeal to all.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Further good news for Malta came from the figures for hotels and holidays with the news that while the number of arrivals from her traditional UK market rose by eleven per cent, the number of people from Germany visiting Malta increased by a third this year, adding strength to the holidays industry that has been reliant on tourism from one country in the past, and even Spanish tourists now visiting the island.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; And Malta's airline has shown that you can visit the island in comfort, and still pay less for the airfare than two years ago! &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;For holiday information about Malta, which includes &lt;a href="http://www.yourmalta.com/travel"&gt;holiday Malta&lt;/a&gt; hotels, accommodation, a map, the weather and other &lt;a href="http://www.yourmalta.com/holidays"&gt;holidays&lt;/a&gt; information go to yourmalta.com&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1088381058717481638?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1088381058717481638/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1088381058717481638' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1088381058717481638'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1088381058717481638'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/quality-service-can-beat-low-fares-in.html' title='Quality Service Can Beat Low Fares In 2008'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1466420154368344887</id><published>2008-03-23T11:13:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-23T11:13:06.872-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Spain - Not Just For Beach Vacations</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Paul-Ashton-7925/47527&gt;Paul Ashton-7925&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Spanish vacations are rapidly gaining popularity and appeal not just from Europe, but from visitors based in the US, Canada and further afield too - tourists from all over the world are discovering the richness and beauty found in this wonderful country.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Spain has a diverse history and contains far more attractions than was once assumed. Today, it is a hotspot for trends and culture exploration. Spain offers the best of metropolitan luxury and gorgeous countryside.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Whether interested in Madrid, Seville, Malaga or Saragossa (Zaragoza), there is something for everyone at any of these glamorous destinations. Despite the assumption that this is a dry and barren country, much of Spain has been irrigated and is currently farmed.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to Reuters, Spain is an impressive second on the list of top holiday attractions around the world. Over 59 million people visited Spain during 2007, and the numbers are expected to rise during 2008. This has been attributed to lower airfares and better accommodation - perhaps the greatest reason lies in the land itself. Destinations such as the Spanish holiday islands of Lanzarote, Mallorca, Menorca and Tenerife have become popular centres for activities of all types.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lanzarote is an island that is possibly the most unique destination of all. This area was formed from hundreds of volcanoes and enjoys a beautiful subtropical climate. One of the most popular attractions on Lanzarote is the National Park Timanfaya. This park features both live demonstrations and bus tours across the land that appears almost lunar.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Visitors can also enjoy a trip to La Geria, the wine area of Lanzarote that produces some of the most delicate flavors possible. The growers dig deep pits to grow their grapes in, which allows the plant roots to access the rich, fertile soil beneath. Tourists can enjoy many "bodegas," where wine may be sampled and purchased.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Visitors are also welcome at the island's Museum of Contemporary Art. This building in Arrecife is created from an old fortress that once guarded the harbour for Lanzarote.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; El Golfo is a strange attraction that resulted from a volcanic crater. Visitors can see a large green lake amid the blue waters. This odd coloring results from algae and has been a fascinating excursion for many visitors.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cesar Manrique left an island legacy that is widely appreciated today during Lanzarote holidays. He constructed a home that reflected the traditional architecture of the island. He felt it important to conserve such elements that might otherwise be lost to time. One of Senor Manrique's final works was The Cactus Garden. This is a place of beauty that he crafted from an old quarry.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Teguise is another attractive destination that is the former capital city of the island. It remains one of the oldest cities of the Canary Islands and many visitors appreciate the lack of more commercial structures. The greatest event of the week is the Sunday market where everyone can purchase goods ranging from pocket watches to African masks.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Visitors have plenty more to explore during their holidays. Even with all these activities there are many more just in Lanzarote. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; These Spanish holiday island destinations are rapidly gaining popularity for helping people to venture off the beaten path and discover roads that are less taken, but are completely intriguing. When you plan for your holiday or vacation, Spain is a wonderful destination that can give your family a wonderful vacation. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;A range of Spanish guides are produced by Tribune Properties, including for Lanzarote. The island's airport and airlines offering direct &lt;a href="http://www.yourlanzarote.net/flights"&gt;Lanzarote flights&lt;/a&gt; are included with a choice of accommodation and &lt;a href="http://www.yourlanzarote.net"&gt;Lanzarote hotels&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1466420154368344887?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1466420154368344887/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1466420154368344887' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1466420154368344887'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1466420154368344887'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/spain-not-just-for-beach-vacations.html' title='Spain - Not Just For Beach Vacations'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-2522382126344634009</id><published>2008-03-21T05:38:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-21T05:38:26.030-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Teeming Wildlife in a Volcanic Crater</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/apple1165/40259&gt;apple1165&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;WE GAZED from our lodge on the rim of Tanzanias volcanic Ngorongoro Crater, at 7,600 feet above sea level. Our vision ended abruptly in a wall of mist. Our disappointment at the thought of having made a journey to this extraordinary crater to be faced with a fog was soon dispelled by our guide, Joseph. He assured us that the scene would be different when we dropped down.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; To drop down was Josephs way of describing a 2,000 foot descent to the volcanic crater floor. As we descended in a Land Rover, a four wheel drive vehicle, the blanket of mist cleared. The sun bathed crater lay like a huge bowl with a diameter ranging between ten and twelve miles. We were now in the midst of herds of frolicsome zebras and cavorting wildebeests. A small herd of about 400 wildebeests, explained Joseph. Although this was a wonder to our eyes, it was really only a small representation of the 10,000 head of wildebeests estimated to teem on the crater floor.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Grazing with the zebras and wildebeests in almost equally vast numbers were the Thomsons and Grants gazelles. Tommies, as the former are affectionately called, are about the size of a goat. They have strongly marked black lateral side stripes, with tails that never seem still. Both types of gazelles provide the greater part of the meat diet of predators such as lion, leopard and cheetah, as well as of hyena, jackal and wild dog. But observing them in such profusion, one is not given the idea that they live in constant fear of the predators. In fact, we soon observed a lioness intently selecting her next meal from among a nearby herd of gazelles. The tommies were aware of her presence, Joseph told us, as could be seen from their unusual alertness while grazing. Yet there was no sign of panic in their midst.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Our visit to this crater of wildlife gave our fourteen year old son a new view of that slinky animal, the hyena. As we roamed the crater floor we came upon several families of hyenas, and they had the cuddliest cubs. They were not dragging bones and bits of carcasses around, but were just basking in the sun in small family groups.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Hippos, Buffalo, Lions, Elephants&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We swung down toward Lake Makat, a lake that had been adopted as the new home of a herd of fifteen hippos. When strangers approach, hippos seem to feel more comfortable in water. We were able to observe the antics of one new member of the herd only a few months old.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; I can still feel the steely stare of the buffalo when I think of our visit to this crater. Large herds roam the crater floor, and a visitor may come close to them. The approach of our Land Rover attracted their attention, and we were conscious of icy stares as they remained apparently motionless until we moved on. Weighing up to 1,500 pounds, each with massive horns, they look formidable indeed, appearing to have nothing to fear. However, four buffalo were recently reported killed by lions. Usually when lions are bold enough to approach a herd, the bulls form a ring with the cows and calves in the center and drive the king of beasts away.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Our visit to the crater would not have been complete had we not seen the king of beasts in his natural habitat. We were not disappointed. We saw lions aplenty, but they appeared to be the epitome of laziness. They seldom even roll over at the approach of a vehicle. The lions in the crater are of the black maned variety. They are sleek and beautifully conditioned. As they hunt mostly at night and make a kill only every third day or so, the casual visitor to the crater rarely observes the lion in action.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; We soon approached Lerai forest, the haunt of over two hundred elephants. In many ways the African bull elephant seems to be more deserving of the title king of beasts than the lion, from whom the healthy elephant has little to fear. However as we observed the tiny calves striding along under the lumbering body of the female, it could be appreciated that the little fellows would not survive long were it not for the aggressive adult female guardian.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Birds and People&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The bird life of this crater is no less spectacular than its mammal life. In fact, few places in East Africa display such diversity and abundance of birds. Around the lake and the marshes the visitor is gratified by the sign of pelicans, ibis, egrets, herons, storks, spoonbills, bustards, secretary birds, crested cranes and flamingos. We were most interested in observing the flamingos, which obligingly take to the wing with a flamboyant display of bright pink and white feathers in response to a clap of the hands.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Wild creatures do not have the area entirely to themselves, as there are many families of the Masai tribe living in and around the crater. The Masai are pastoralists, having made the rearing and caring of their cattle their whole way of life. They seldom, if ever, hunt the game of the crater, except perhaps to protect their herds from predators.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; But young Masai warriors who want to marry have been known to impress their girl friends by hunting lions with only spears. In reply to my wifes comment about the dangers of living and raising cattle in an area so heavily populated by lions, Joseph said: The Masai do not fear the lions; the lions fear the Masai and run away at the sight of Masai warriors armed only with spears.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A day in Ngorongoro Crater is indeed a rewarding experience, if only to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of closeness in peaceful surroundings with these magnificent animal specimens. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ruel Hinaloc create several niche website. Do you need Wallpapers for your desktop? Get one here for free &lt;a href="http://www.hotbabeswallpapers.net"&gt;hot babes wallpapers&lt;/a&gt; or at &lt;a href="http://www.sexylingeriewallpapers.com"&gt;sexy lingerie wallpapers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-2522382126344634009?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/2522382126344634009/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=2522382126344634009' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2522382126344634009'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/2522382126344634009'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/teeming-wildlife-in-volcanic-crater.html' title='Teeming Wildlife in a Volcanic Crater'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-5419456970416296502</id><published>2008-03-20T03:46:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-20T03:46:46.431-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Canoeing Coping With the Wind</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Ron-Shannon/46593&gt;Ron Shannon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The wind is blowing spray into your face. Doesn't sound too bad, except you are in the stern and your partner in the bow is scowling. If this is your significant other, you are in big trouble. Whitecaps are breaking over his/her lap and running down her rain suit. It's not going be a good day. A look at the wind forecast could have saved your day.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      The most obvious reason to check the wind is to make it back to camp dry. The last thing you need is to have to fight the wind all the way back to camp. You both get wet and are physically drained upon arriving in camp. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      Getting to know the wind is a must when you contemplate pond or lake canoeing. What may look like a mild breeze in the cove when leaving may turn into a gale wind later in the morning or afternoon. Knowing how to read the wind and clouds makes a day of paddling much more enjoyable.    Ponds and lakes are generally set in a valley, whether a few acres or many miles. These valleys have a prevailing wind as well as swirling and cross winds. These are caused by the formation of the valley and the terrain around it. First you need to know the prevailing wind. This can be determined by checking the local weather. Knowing where the wind is expected to come from is a must for anyone taking a canoe trip.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      The next step is to get a map of the surrounding area. The best maps to use are topographical maps, as these show the terrain features and how they may affect the wind. Look for ridges and gaps leading into the valley in which the pond or lake is located. When you put the wind direction and surrounding terrain features together you can make a pretty good guess as to how the wind is going to affect the water on that day.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      Let us say the prevailing wind is out of the North. If there is a ridge on this side of the pond it will tend to lift the wind over this part of the pond. The wind will drop back down on the pond farther toward the southern end, causing waves to build up between there and the other side of the pond. But where there is a ridge there is almost always a cut or valley. This is where the winds that catch you by surprise will come from. A gust out of a cut can turn the water into a frothing mess leaving you surprised and wet. If there is a ridge on the other end it will back up some of the wind causing rougher water.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;       If on the other hand the ridge is on the other end of the pond and you have a valley at the end you start from the reverse will happen. The wind will flow straight down the pond until it hits the ridge. There it will flow up and over the lay of the land. This leads to high waves and possibly white caps.&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;      Clouds will also affect the wind. At this point let's assume we all know light wispy clouds mean a fairly nice day, whereas dark heavy clouds mean bad weather is on the way. Clouds have an effect on the wind also. Light clouds will let the wind stay high in the atmosphere affecting the waters surface less. Dark, heavy clouds, on the other hand, are denser and will keep the wind low creating more turbulence on the water's surface. A look at the sky can give you an idea of what kind of winds to expect. Even a brisk wind will skip over the surface of the pond if it is a cloudless day, though a 5-10 MPH wind will whip up a pond if the clouds are keeping it on the surface.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;       Unless you wake up to a windy day the first few hours of the day are the best to canoe. Get out on the water and enjoy yourself with some leisurely paddling and sightseeing. This is the best time to head over to the other side of the pond if that is your destination. By mid to late morning the wind will invariably pick up, so you want to be where the wind will be at your back or quartering from your back when heading back to camp. This will make the trip smoother and a lot more enjoyable.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;      The best way to keep from getting wet is to hug the shoreline. You want to keep a hundred feet or so from the shore to avoid hidden dangers. Large rocks and dead trees will hide just below the surface near shore and the wind could push you into these areas if you are too close. Also if you capsize and are close to shore you can get on top of your canoe and push it to shore. Remember to keep your life jacket on and watch the wind for an enjoyable day on the water. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Ron Shannon is a Reg. Maine guide from Clinton, Me. USA. He has been camping for over thirty years, using camp as a base for fishing, canoeing and hunting trips.  Though he now uses a travel trailer, he has amassed his knowledge from tents to trailers through years of trial and error. His camps have ranged from camping alone to as many as twenty people. Copyright Ron Shannon  You can find info on writing your own articles at our web site: http://shannonsenterprises.com Contact: rbsarticles@verizon.net&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-5419456970416296502?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/5419456970416296502/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=5419456970416296502' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5419456970416296502'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5419456970416296502'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/canoeing-coping-with-wind.html' title='Canoeing Coping With the Wind'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1049343817766829001</id><published>2008-03-19T05:37:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-19T05:37:10.135-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The plight of searching cheapest air-tickets </title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;What does one do to book cheapest air-tickets? Well, one may try his luck with the trusted travel agent or one might prefer to search cheapest offer on his own by operating on the internet. Whatever option one may choose the result i.e. the cheapest flight detail is subjected to various discrepancies. Have you really got the best deal is a highly debatable topic, logically favoring those who are against the motion. Moreover, if you choose travel agent, it can take anywhere between precious 20 minutes - hours to perform the job and for one to do it himself, the time taken runs into a minimum of priceless hours. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Is there any other foolproof way of accomplishing the task and that too quickly? Well, after searching and scanning lot of information one of the most interesting, unique, effective and a speedy service is Textminute.com. Within two minutes of sending a SMS to an assigned number, one receives the cheapest flight and fare details. Wowisn't it great? Undoubtedly it is. They bank on the highly explored search engine and wireless mobile technologies to carry out search and that too highly accurately and reliably.  Now, one must be wondering about the cost of the service. Well, one need not shell out oodles of money from his pocket. It only costs 50pence per sms you receive. Even call to your travel operator will cost more and if you plan to do it yourself then one might need to pay psychic and emotional cost. By just sending a SMS containing airport codes and other basic details one can have the best information in a fraction of a time as compared to other means.  &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Besides this almost all travel agent's have some sorts of arrangements or partnership with airlines thus they promote a particular airline. At Textminute there's no such exclusive tie-up making it free of errors and biasness. On top of all, unlike the other available options, this radical technology is not prone to human error and judgement. Moreover, Textminute.com doesn't act as a middleman between the customer and the carrier or the party offering the deal. They will provide information of the supplier and then one has to contact himself. The best part about the technology is that it can be put into use all round the year and round the clock. Therefore, one can check for best flight offers at anytime - at midnight or early morning and even on public holidays when travel agent's shop is closed. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Agree, humans are always resistant to a new technology or think thousand times before trying a new buzz. Therefore, trying this out of the box technology as a complimentary thing to your personal efforts or to travel agent's result is certainly not a bad idea. The result will get cross-checked for only 50 pence. If the results vary, the technology will help in saving one's hard earned money. However, sometimes one doesn't receive the search SMS because of reasons like - network problem, unable to perform search etc. In such a case one isn't charged. Moreover, with continual up-gradation in technology it won't be long before such situations are tackled effectively. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I have reviewed various means/web-sites/solutions of finding the best solution to achieve the agonising task of cheapest flight details but have never come across anything even near to Textminute.com. The service is only available in UK, would love to see it spreading across different parts of the world.  To explore the world of Textminute.com and to experience the services please visit the website below:  &lt;a href="http://www.textminute.com/"&gt;Visit Textminute!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1049343817766829001?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1049343817766829001/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1049343817766829001' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1049343817766829001'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1049343817766829001'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/plight-of-searching-cheapest-air.html' title='The plight of searching cheapest air-tickets '/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6717324551660188089</id><published>2008-03-18T07:30:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-18T07:30:16.934-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Vacation Rentals In Oregon USA</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Aoureliou-Televko/42795&gt;Aoureliou Televko&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;When you dream of the coast, I'll bet money that you're fantasizing about sandy beaches, the warm sun shining down, and gentle waves washing up between your toes. Everyone tends to do this. But what if I told you about a different kind of coast? The kind that offered a chilly breeze, on and off sunshine, and cold waves crashing into a rocky shore. Yeah, now how does that beach vacation grab you? Are you still interested? Well, if so, then maybe vacation rentals Oregon coast style are up your alley. In my opinion, this is where it's at. Visit holidayhomes.ca for more information.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; You can have the redundant, tired Miami and San Diego beach scenes. I have experienced a whole new kind of getaway with the ocean involved and it's vacation rentals Oregon coast style. After living in Salem, Oregon for only a few months, my wife and I quickly discovered the beach, which was only an hour's drive away. How sweet can you get! We decided to look into vacation rentals Oregon coast based. This was a major change from the sunny beaches we were used to back in North Carolina. Once we drove into Lincoln, I knew right away. Although it was sunny on this August day, the temperature was around 62 degrees. My jaw dropped as I watched the massive waves roll in and crash on the huge rocks. This was awesome. In fact, it was my kind of beach scene. I'm not once for heading out in the ocean. I head to the coast for the relaxing atmosphere and scenery. As we proceeded on, it appeared that we were heading higher up into a mountainous region. Soon we reached Newport. This was the place where our vacation rentals Oregon coast style were located. I knew in my gut that this was going to be a fun two weeks. Find Hotels at findhotelall.com&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Okay, so here's the deal; I've now been tested out the vacation rentals Oregon coast three different times. All summer vacations were a success. My family and I prefer the Newport area other the other towns and here's why. It's a nice little beach town/tourist attraction. Therefore it offers the fun shops, candy stores and restaurants. The nearby aquarium is awesome and ideal for families with children. But, my absolute favorite spot is the Rogue brewery. If you love great beer, this is your spot. Have a seat and try a smoked ale. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Business owner of holidayhomes.ca vacation rentals directory worldwide.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6717324551660188089?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6717324551660188089/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6717324551660188089' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6717324551660188089'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6717324551660188089'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/vacation-rentals-in-oregon-usa.html' title='Vacation Rentals In Oregon USA'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-3938289530979858353</id><published>2008-03-17T03:40:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-17T03:40:25.241-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hawaii Cruise Packages - How to Save Money with Small Ship Hawaii Cruises</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Terry-Edwards/17546&gt;Terry Edwards&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;When considering different Hawaii cruise packages, there are a variety of different things you can do to save money and get the best deal. In this article, we will discuss different tips on how to do just that.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Regardless of the cost of a Hawaii vacation cruise, there are always things you can do to enjoy more savings and get better deals. The simple strategy is to book your package far in advance. The farther in advance, the better. Sometimes if you book over six months in advance, you can enjoy up to 15% off the cost of the gorgeous package.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; This would make you think that if you book late in advance, you would pay more. But this isn't always the case. In fact, some cruise packages are cheapest if you purchase them at the last minute. This is because cruise ships do not want to leave the dock with anything less than full capacity. In an effort to make sure that there are no empty seats, they will offer last-minute tickets for a large discount. Of course, the drawback here is that you have to resort to waiting for a last-minute ticket to become available and you will have to make vacation plans immediately when they do become available.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; There are other ways to get Hawaii cruise packages that discounts. Consider going in the off season. When there is less demand for a cruise, the cost will go down. It is at this time that you can take advantage of rate reductions and purchase a package.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Every so often there will be inaugural Hawaii cruise packages that become available. Inaugural cruises are those where a cruise ship is just starting out, and is offering special introductory rates to those who choose their package. Of course, there are also drawbacks to this method. Usually on an inaugural cruise there will be some things that need to be worked out before the cruise runs as efficiently as possible. There will always be inevitable problems that you will have to face. But, that is why you are able to get the package at a big discount.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Finally, you should also consider group fares. If you travel by party, sometimes you can be offered a nice discount. Keep these tips in mind when looking for your best deal on a Hawaii cruise. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;You can find out more about a &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.hawaiicruisepackageinfo.com"&gt;Hawaii Cruise Package&lt;/a&gt; as well as more information on everything to do with Hawaii Vacation Cruises and packages by going to &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.hawaiicruisepackageinfo.com"&gt;http://www.HawaiiCruisePackageInfo.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-3938289530979858353?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/3938289530979858353/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=3938289530979858353' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3938289530979858353'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3938289530979858353'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/hawaii-cruise-packages-how-to-save.html' title='Hawaii Cruise Packages - How to Save Money with Small Ship Hawaii Cruises'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4181497029378984468</id><published>2008-03-16T04:42:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-16T04:42:19.627-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Paradise On Earth - Honolulu, Hawaii</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile//0&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Paradise. There is perhaps no other city on the planet to which the word "paradise" accurately can be used as a description of the community. In short, Honolulu truly is paradise on earth.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the most compelling features of Honolulu is its magnificent climate. The year around, the average high temperature in Honolulu is in the mid-80s. Nearly 400,000 people call Honolulu home today.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The performing arts are a major part of the Honolulu cultural scene today. This includes everything from a number to top rated theater venues as well as a highly regarded symphony and opera. Indeed, Honolulu has started to garner international acclaim for its performing arts offerings.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Beyond the performing arts, other cultural opportunities in the city include art museums and galleries as well as a natural history museum that focuses on the natural history of the Hawaiian Islands. These museums also trace the social and cultural changes of the islands through the generations.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Some of the most important attractions and points of interest in Honolulu include:&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ala Moana&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Aloha Tower&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Bishop Museum&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Diamond Head&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Honolulu Academy of Arts&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Iolani Palace&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Lyon Arboretum&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; USS Arizona Memorial&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Waikiki Aquarium&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Waikiki Beach&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Of course, recreation plays a significant role in the day to day life of Honolulu for both residents and visitors alike. This includes everything from the full array of water sports, golf, tennis, hiking, biking and many other outdoor activities.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Honolulu and the Big Island itself are known for some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. From lush forests to beautiful skies to towering mountains ... Honolulu and the majestic island on which it is situated are incomparable.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Perhaps because Honolulu is a city so geared to people being able to spend time out of doors, health, wellness and appearance are important considerations to the residents of the community. People from all walks of life express concern for health and wellness issues on a highly regular basis. Indeed, when polled, many people indicate that one of the reasons that the live in Honolulu is because they are able to pursue a healthy lifestyle on all levels.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Skincare is a significant priority for many people. As a result, it is very common to find residents of Honolulu who are interested in professional treatments for such skin conditions as acne scars, varicose veins and sun spots. Consequently, there are professionals available to the residents of the city who specialize in dealing with, treating and resolving such skin conditions as acne scars, varicose veins and sun spots. The professional providers of services designed to treat acne scars, varicose veins, sun spots and other skin conditions are readily available in Honolulu.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Finally, in recent times, the number of men and women  including families  who end up relocating to Honolulu has climbed dramatically. A number of census studies indicate that Honolulu is on the path to becoming the residential destination of choice for an ever increasing number of people over the course of the coming decade. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Visit&lt;a href="http://www.honoluluskincarecenter.com"&gt; Honolulu Skin Care Center&lt;/a&gt; for more information on skin care or to find a &lt;a href="http://www.honoluluskincarecenter.com"&gt;Honolulu,HI cosmetic dermatologist&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4181497029378984468?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4181497029378984468/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4181497029378984468' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4181497029378984468'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4181497029378984468'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/paradise-on-earth-honolulu-hawaii.html' title='Paradise On Earth - Honolulu, Hawaii'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-5343074259186921321</id><published>2008-03-15T04:45:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-15T04:45:59.226-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Alaska Fishing Lodges Advice</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Paul-Zayer/51473&gt;Paul Zayer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Recreation is an important aspect in people's life. Anglers are the main group of leisure seekers, and have a firm advantage on the other groups who make use of nature's wonderful creatures and elements for food.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As a result, the popularity of fishing in many areas had continuously dominated the society. This is why along with its series of activities, individuals now realize the necessity for fishing lodges specially in regions where fishing activities seem to never end.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Alaska Fishing Lodges, among all fishing lodges available in the industry today, are among the most treasured and most popular fishing lodges in the United States.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The Alaska Fishing Lodge offers its clients full customer service satisfaction with their broad array of fishing activities and continuous strings of fishing fun. You can find party boats that hold from fifteen to as many as sixty anglers. The boat offers everything like bait, reel, rod, sinkers and hooks. They help you with fishing and take the fish off the hook for you. Mates will see you and will in general sit beside you assist you if you need to.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Normally, Alaska Fishing Lodges are build with logs; solidely build to offer every angler maximum comfort and convenience. It is known for its spacious interiors, greatly decorated with the accurate embellishments, thus, setting the mood for wilderness and fishing.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In addition, since it carries the real Alaskan heritage, Alaska Fishing Lodges offer products and services which can be afforded by everyone. With its affordable rates, the place is occupied by persons, who mostly want to enjoy life and fishing but cannot afford to buy the pleasures in costly beaches and lodges.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Best of all, Alaska Fishing Lodges are well situated in regions where the waters are abundant with the different types of fish. In general, these lodges are situated in an area where trout, northern pike, and grayling inhabit the waters for the most part.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; However, most Alaska Fishing Lodges are made big enough to occupy 16 guests, in which each guest can benefit of special and individualized services. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Furthermore, this kind of lodge also houses a place where king salmon are abundant specially for the period of June and early part of July. Most lodges also provide a large variety of fishing equipment, from rods to tackles and lines.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; With all the nice features you can find in every Alaska Fishing Lodge, there is no better place to like fishing and the wilderness like everything this special lodge can offer.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Renting in an Alaska Fishing Lodge is really a very interesting fishing experience. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This well known author is an Internet enthusiast and  enjoys to share his information with you the reader. Read more now about Fishing and &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.fishandfishingguide.com/Alaska-Fishing-Lodges-AlaskaFishingLodge.html"&gt; regarding Alaska Fishing Lodges  Info &lt;/a&gt; at his website &lt;a target="_blank" href="http://www.fishandfishingguide.com"&gt;www.fishandfishingguide.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-5343074259186921321?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/5343074259186921321/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=5343074259186921321' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5343074259186921321'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/5343074259186921321'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/alaska-fishing-lodges-advice.html' title='Alaska Fishing Lodges Advice'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-3841379745658086177</id><published>2008-03-14T12:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-14T12:34:03.416-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Cruising with the Kids</title><content type='html'>&lt;img style="vertical-align:middle;border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Priscilla-Page/60540&gt;Priscilla Page&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Think you can go an entire vacation without hearing the question made famous by kids all over the world: "Are we there yet?" It's possible with modern cruise ships and kid-friendly itineraries. These roving resorts make traveling to the destination half the fun.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Disney launched the first family-friendly cruise boat in the mid-1990s; this venture inspired a tidal wave of cruises the gorged family can have. Nowadays, family-friendly cruises are experiencing the prevalent evolution in the cruise commerce. There isn't a cruise boat being built that lacks accommodations for children of all ages. So find your sea legs, start on timber and take your family on a vacation they will evoke for a time.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cruising with Youngsters&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Children have a way of expressing what adult generations keep bottled up inside. Perhaps this is why a screech and laughter of an elated child is so fulfilling. Bringing youngsters along on a cruise adds vibrancy to your vacation and unity to the family. There is some repayment for the kids too.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Nowadays cruise boats present an eclectic choice of activities to keep children active and entertained while learning and emergent. Cruising is an admirable way to expose kids to different cultures and subjects. What better place to explain kids about aquatics, maritime ecology and the people of the Caribbean Islands than on the ocean in the Caribbean?&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Many cruise outlines make it cool to carry little tykes along with a gorged route of kid-friendly activities. They present supervised services like day-camps, merge parties, cartoon movies, crafts and competitions. Your kids will have a riot making new contacts during these trades. Some boats impart parents with pagers so you're forever close at hand for any unexpected situations.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Cruising with youth&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Child a vacation that you and your teenager both enjoy can be near impossible, but the cruise outline are running on it. nowadays mega boats come entire with very-skilled, out departure teenager counselors that can direct your teenager through a number of high-adventures and learning experiences. Snorkeling, stun climbing and learning tours are just a few of the activities teenagers may experience while on a cruise. Some boats even have entire areas set whisper for teenagers to mix and combine. This hot acne comprises dance floors, mainframe labs, cafes and non-alcoholic bars.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Here are a few equipment parents can do to guarantee teenagers have the time of their lives:&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * Sail during the summer and train holidays when teenagers aren't trade with the stress of mislaid train (as if any teenager stressed over mislaid train). Traveling in summer means there will liable be more teenagers around.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * promote your teenager to go to teenager clubs even if they think it will be inane. They're guaranteed to have a good time.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * A cruise is an admirable opportunity to thicken your teenager's learning. Before embarking on your cruise, get some books on the ports of call you're departure to holiday and read them together.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * promote your teenagers to have the citizen tastes, sites and sounds by annoying different foods, presence legends presentations or option up citizen song CDs.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * test on age divisions before transport your teenager to each activity; your teenager may not be joyful snorkeling with a bunch of pre-teenagers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Choosing a Cruise Line&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * Look for newer cruise outline; they lean to have larger, more elaborate centers for kids of all ages (even big kids, like you).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * Look for boats that present family stateroom options, like a family suite or linked cottages.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * Keep in wits that some cruise outline has programs year-curved while others are only regular. Before booking a cruise, make constant counselors will be on timber and children's programs will be in place.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * If you're forecast to store during your cruise, look for ports that have kid-connected activities and score them out together.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * think estimate breaks. Some cruises let children move limitless or at a condensed estimate if two adults are staying in the cottage.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * Find out which youth activities are comprised in the cruise envelope estimate or if they charge mega, so there are no surprises.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; * Some cruises only present stiff dining at tables for two-this doesn't suit children. Decide a boat with some casual drinking options. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Priscilla Page writes for &lt;a href="http://www.caribbeanlagi.com"&gt;http://www.caribbeanlagi.com&lt;/a&gt; where you can find out more about &lt;a href="http://www.caribbeanlagi.com"&gt;caribbean cruise and other topics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-3841379745658086177?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/3841379745658086177/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=3841379745658086177' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3841379745658086177'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/3841379745658086177'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/cruising-with-kids.html' title='Cruising with the Kids'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-4429519889631298229</id><published>2008-03-14T07:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-14T07:50:57.835-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='new orleans'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='travel'/><title type='text'>The Lowdown on New Orleans Travel</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Anil-kumar-yadav/60785&gt;Anil kumar yadav&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The beautiful city cuddled around the curve of the Mississippi River, known for its cuisine, music and culture, is the metropolis New Orleans. This vibrant city summons many a visitors every year. Its more than a few attractions are cherished by tons of people across the globe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Getting Acquainted With the Place&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;New Orleans is quite an old city that has a profound sense of art and architecture, culture and people. Certain historic buildings like the U.S Mint Building and the Lousiana History Museum have always accepted attention of the visitors. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The French Quarter is an eminent area in New Orleans. The Quarter speaks about the marvelous European architecture, history, legends and the like. The Bourbon St. bars is an all time entertainment bar or club for the adults. Once you step out of French Quarter, a horde of hotels and restaurants welcome you. The IMAX theatre, Riverwalk shops and Harrah's casino are particularly very famous here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Storyland at the City Park of New Orleans is believed to be a wonderland park. The Six Flags amusement park, the Audubon Park and the Zoological Gardens that have more than a thousand animals are amongst the magnets of New Orleans. The Jackson Square area of New Orleans is teeming with artists, musicians, mimes and fortune tellers, needs no introduction. People from all over the world visit this place on their vacation to New Orleans. The French Quarter is brimming with shopping malls and shops. From glittering jewelry to exclusive souvenir, everything is readily available. There are also antique shops for those who have a taste of antiques. The French Market at New Orleans is known for the bargain. The market is basically devoted to the farmers as well as to flea.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once you are tired of running around to shop, enjoy a wonderful coffee at the Café Du Monde. The café is considered to be the home of beignet and chicory coffee. The 'shotgun' houses at New Orleans are meant to admire the exclusive and peculiar architecture. The rooms in these houses are lined one behind the other such that a single shot fired from outside the front door would go out from the back door without hitting anything. The D- Day Museum at New Orleans that exhibits the history of World War II, has its own glory and charm. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are different tours to explore New Orleans to the fullest. Thses tours are quite informative and adventurous. For instance on a swamp tour you get to know the concept behind the above ground cemeteries in the city. You also get an opportunity to feed the alligators, see the grand homes and gardens in the Garden District and many such things. A ghost tour, relished especially by the kids will take you to the haunted St. Philip Street. While on a Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour you will enjoy the restaurants, bars and hotels of the city along with the fables attached to them. The Honey Island Swamp tour is specifically meant for the kids to enjoy this nature preserve and eerie houses like Gris-Gris.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The distinguished pulls of New Orleans are incomplete without the festivals celebrated here. The principal festival of the year is the Mardi Gras in February. This is followed by the crawfish festival in March, the Jazz Heritage festival and the French Quarter Festival in April or May. The July visitors can enjoy the fireworks that happen to be on the 4th of July, Satchmo festival in August subsequent to which are the festivals for tomatoes, catfish, plants etc. in September. Finally there is the grand Christmas celebration that draws everyone's thought and concentration. Almost all the festivals are festooned at least with fireworks and parades.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;New Orleans has earned a significant name in the area of sports. The city is a host to many sports concerts all round the year. These festivals make New Orleans a destination worth vacationing all round the year.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;For More Free Resources visit www.tours-guide.com&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-4429519889631298229?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/4429519889631298229/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=4429519889631298229' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4429519889631298229'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/4429519889631298229'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/lowdown-on-new-orleans-travel.html' title='The Lowdown on New Orleans Travel'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-8610667897795802062</id><published>2008-03-13T03:34:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-13T03:35:46.238-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='disney'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='cruise'/><title type='text'>Disney Cruise</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/JWLam/39370&gt;JWLam&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Cruising can be an affordable vacation alternative, and a Disney cruise will offer you a vacation experience like no other. Disney cruises are very popular options for families with children of all ages. Disney also handles the ship as well as the ability to charge for everything onboard, from merchandise, food, and specialty drinks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Disney's passenger terminals are new and modern, featuring short check-in lines. From swimming at Goofy's Pool, party events, and the wonderful entertainment available, a Disney cruise is a great family vacation where your children can have their fun and adults can do their own thing. The Disney Cruise is a great option for families, where you can get to see the characters in a smaller setting such as character breakfasts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility for your website or blog at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Disney has subsequently decided they wanted more control over their cruises and created the Disney Cruise Line offers the most comprehensive and entertaining children programs afloat with over 15,000 square feet of space dedicated to them. Disney Cruise Line ships were designed with specific areas and activities to entertain and delight adults, families and children alike by creating the ultimate vacation experience that every member of the family thinks is especially for them. Disney Cruise Line loves kids also shows it loves their parents that bring them onboard.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Whether you are a first-time cruiser or an expert cruise vacation expert, you really can't beat the Disney brand. You can't really compare Disney to other cruise lines, simply because it does so many things differently. With its two smokestacks, long bow and black-and-white paint, it actually looks more like a traditional cruise liner than many of the newer cruise ships. On of Disney Cruise Line's ship, the Disney Wonder, goes round trip from Port Canaveral to the Port of Nassau and to Disney's private Bahamian island, Castaway Cay. Disney cruises are in a class by themselves compared to other cruise ships in its size and class.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Jack Lam is a successful webmaster and publisher of Purecruises.info. He provides more cruise vacation information and an overview of a&lt;a href="http://purecruises.info/disney_cruise.html"&gt;disney cruise&lt;/a&gt;, that you can research in your pajamas on his website.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-8610667897795802062?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/8610667897795802062/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=8610667897795802062' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8610667897795802062'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/8610667897795802062'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/disney-cruise.html' title='Disney Cruise'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1044264747744875842</id><published>2008-03-12T03:35:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-12T03:35:56.154-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='florida'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='adventure'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='camping'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='outdoor'/><title type='text'>Florida Camping – A Great Outdoor Adventure</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/gnipmac/61708&gt;gnipmac&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;One of the most versatile states for camping is Florida, especially when referring to the many different experiences and settings the state has to offer. Forested areas, swamp land, lakes and beaches are just a few of the Florida camping situations you have to choose from for your outdoor adventure.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;State Park Options&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are a number of state parks available for Florida camping and each offers a different perspective on the wild outdoors of the state. Grayton Beach State Park has one of the most beautiful unspoiled beaches in the state and the place offers furnished cabins in addition to campsite with both water and electric hook-ups.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Suwannee River State Park is a rustic camping experience with access to the river and therefore, plenty of water activities like canoeing.  There are campsites available with electric hook-ups along with other amenities and best of all, you can bring the family pooch with you here. Cayo Costa State Park is accessible by a ferry or boat only and has campsites and cabins along with miles of pristine beaches to wander. Florida camping is quite fun when you are in the Keys at Bahia Honda State Park because of its crystal blue waters, white sugary beaches and the lovely palm trees at every turn.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;National Park and Other Options&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;table width=100% border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=middle align=center&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility for your website or blog at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Everglades National Park is one of the most popular places for camping, particular for Florida camping. If you have ever seen a documentary about the wildlife in the swampy areas and mangrove forests, you will have an idea of the land you will encounter. While there are plenty of land-based sites for camping here, there are some beach front places as well. Ocala National Forest has some exceptional camp sites and the big draw here are the freshwater springs that are found here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are also a number of recreation areas which offer Florida camping options as well and each one has unique activities to keep you occupied throughout the day. For example, Salt Springs has facilities for picnicking as well as physical activities like canoeing, hiking and a swimming hole fed by an underground spring where the water is a constant 72 degrees. Juniper Springs offers swimming choices as well as snorkeling too as outdoor activities to accompany Florida camping options.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Alligators, egrets, armadillos, wild turkeys and other wildlife can be found at a variety of Florida camping sites. In addition, you can also choose sites which have more of the comforts of home and less Wild Kingdom. There are also Florida camping sites which offer a happy medium, depending on your preferences for modern conveniences and the great outdoors. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;www.gnipmac.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;www.gnipmac.com&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1044264747744875842?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1044264747744875842/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1044264747744875842' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1044264747744875842'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1044264747744875842'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/florida-camping-great-outdoor-adventure.html' title='Florida Camping – A Great Outdoor Adventure'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1063295191286474406</id><published>2008-03-11T12:26:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-11T12:26:47.729-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='florida'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='stay'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='place'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='keys'/><title type='text'>Florida Keys Festivals Places to Stay</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href=http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Tom-S-Power/61250&gt;Tom S Power&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Florida Keys is a beautiful place. In fact Key West, the Florida Keys most distant island, is only 90 miles from Cuba. On the gulf side you can go offshore for miles, stop your vessel and stand in knee deep calm as glass water and not see shore anywhere around you. It's an absolutely surreal experience for an ocean lover and outdoors person. I've ran into many a sting ray and sea turtles while there.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The Florida Keys can be considered the American Caribbean and features all the same amenities and places to stay as other island vacations. There are several things to do for example record breaking deep sea fishing, skin diving and snorkeling, boating, kayaking, sailing, and species tours beyond belief. Each of our island destinations has some unforgettable experiences. We invite you to visit each area yourself and discover our tropical heaven in the Florida Keys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the main reasons for my travels to the Florida Keys is for Lobster Sport Season. The locals call it bug hunting. It only last for a weekend and the place is packed. If your into fishing for lobster, this is quite an exciting affair. Don't forget your snorkel/mask, tickle stick and net! The kind of Lobster you'll find down there are the Spiny Lobster type, which have no claws and can get quite enormous. Spiny Lobster are larger than most Main Lobsters in some cases. Don't forget, recreational harvesters are required to possess a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing License with a current crawfish stamp. Consult a local tackle shop for exemptions to licensing needs. Licenses are available through local convenient stores, tax collectors, many tackle shops and marine supply stores.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What does it cost to travel to the Keys? I'm finally getting to that. The Florida Keys is by far the most awesome tropical vacation destination for any fisherman, diver, or just plain traveler. But watch your wallet! The Florida Keys is quite costly. I shopped around extensively for the best motel prices and by far the best we found was a little place right off the highway called Big Pine Key Motel. They had the lowest rates and the biggest rooms of every "affordable" place to stay down there which were around $70 and up! And I do mean up. Some establishments were asking over $500. If you've got the pocketbook, I would highly recommend Little Palm Island. It's one of the top 10 resorts in the world and the only way you can get to it is by boat. The Big Pine Key Motel is just a 20 minute drive from Key West and is surrounded by dive shops, fishing charters and great places to get your grub on.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm going to end with a caution. The Florida Keys is protected by many environmental laws that are specific to endangered species. If you do any hiking watch out for the poison wood. It looks as innocent as a pear tree and 10 times more dangerous than poison ivy. The locals can't cut it down because it grows a berry that an endangered species of bird eats.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I hope this writing of my personal en devours during my travels to the Florida Keys and my experiences with looking for&lt;a href="http://www.bigpinekeymotel.com" target="_blank"&gt;affordable lodging Florida Keys&lt;/a&gt; is helpful. I would like to give reference to the Big Pine Key Motel 1-888-872-9191 and thank them for their hospitality. I am a travel enthusiast and work as a Technical writer for an &lt;a href="http://www.totus.us" target="_blank"&gt;internet marketing seo expert&lt;/a&gt; located in San Antonio, TX. Enjoy your travels to the Florida Keys!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1063295191286474406?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1063295191286474406/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1063295191286474406' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1063295191286474406'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1063295191286474406'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/florida-keys-festivals-places-to-stay.html' title='Florida Keys Festivals Places to Stay'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-1832399297779261672</id><published>2008-03-10T03:49:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-03-10T03:49:46.535-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Freeport'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Bahamas'/><title type='text'>Freeport Bahamas: Rejuvenate your soul</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href="http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Suzane-Gray/20110"&gt;Suzane Gray&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are among those, who are tired of their daily routine and looking for some solace and succor, Freeport Bahamas is your destination. The place blooms with serenity and beautiful exotic sights. It offers the perfect environment you have always been yearning for. This capital city of Bahamas Islands is an ultimate destination for soothing your soul. It promises to offer something for everyone in the family. The place ha a charm that keeps calling its visitors again and again. The major attraction is its white beaches that are stone free and very neat and clean. One can spend hours and hours on this beach, basking under the sun and pampering himself in the arms of the mesmerizing nature. So indulge and discover the perfect ambiance of this place that is completely balmy and intoxicating.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;The Freeport Bahamas is heaven for avid travelers who love to indulge in sports and other adventurous activities. Name any water sport and you will find it in Freeport Bahamas. Scuba diving, diving and swimming, everything is available in this hot spot to keep you entertained throughout. However, saying that only water freaks would enjoy this capital city will be entirely wrong. Even golf lovers have amazing prospects of fun and adventure with beautiful golf courses. You can have the option of both eighteen holes and nine holes golf course. In fact this place is very popular for offering some amazingly challenging golf courses that have always been the favorites of golf enthusiasts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;No trip can come to end without some good shopping and the street markets of this city are best to collect some souvenirs and gifts for your loved in back home. Though most of the shops are tax free here, but still the quality goods and traditional commodities may compel you to go over budget. Planning a vacation is quite a task but not a valid reason to delay or cancel your trip to Freeport Bahamas. Just few prior reservations and information about the place can offer you unforgettable experience. Freeport Bahamas is popular tourist location, so it is highly recommended that one must book a room in hotel and lodge in advance. There are also several provisions for rented accommodation. Therefore, in order to stay free of such frustrating situations make sure you customize your stay and the trip in a more planned way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So now all you need to do to reach this amazing location of Freeport Bahamas is browse the Internet and look out for several tourist plans and packages. There are many cost effective packages which are well planned so that you do not miss out on any beautiful location of Freeport Bahamas. However, some certain aspects must be checked and followed before taking any holiday package. Make sure that you do not get victimized by any fraud or fake tourist company that might entice you with cheap rates. A certified tourist company manages everything from your stay, food to sightseeing, so that you have an absolute tension free vacation for a life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Suzane Gray has been offering Bahama travel and vacation packages advice for quite some time.To find cheap Bahamas vacation, Bahamas golf vacation, Bahamas vacation package, &lt;a href="http://www.gobahama.com/"&gt;Freeport Bahamas&lt;/a&gt;, Grand Bahamas Island that best suits your needs, visit &lt;a href="http://www.gobahama.com/"&gt;www.gobahama.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility for your website or blog at &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com/social_bookmark/social_bookmark_landingpage.html&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-1832399297779261672?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/1832399297779261672/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=1832399297779261672' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1832399297779261672'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/1832399297779261672'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/freeport-bahamas-rejuvenate-your-soul.html' title='Freeport Bahamas: Rejuvenate your soul'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-6193306471479702926</id><published>2008-03-07T03:47:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-03-07T03:48:28.523-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vacation'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='family'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='day trip'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='packing'/><title type='text'>Packing Tips For A Hassle-Free Family Day Trip</title><content type='html'>by &lt;a href="http://www.articledashboard.com/profile/Tuppy-Glossop/61155"&gt;Tuppy Glossop&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're planning a day trip with your family, you're liable to bring either too much or too little stuff. No one wants to feel like they're reenacting the Western Expansion complete with a wagon train, but it's also incredibly frustrating to find yourself an hour or two along a trail without a diaper for the baby.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To help you avoid either of these extremes, here are some basic principles you should consider when you pack for a family day out.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Clothing&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dress for the weather, but expect the unexpected. A sweatshirt is always useful if there's a chance the temperature may drop, and a hat is good protection from the sun. Most importantly, everybody needs a change of clothing, grown-ups included. Yes, it's probably going to be one of the kids that spills grape soda all over themselves, falls in a stream, or gets a bloody nose. However, the next stop on their trail of destruction is likely to be mom or dad and you may find yourself sharing in the grime, gore and goop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Food and drink&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dehydration is very unpleasant, so be sure to take sufficient water. If you'll be on a trail, away from a source of clean water, then you should be carrying a liter and a half of water per person.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're planning to eat out as part of the day's fun, then of course there's less need to take food with you. But it's still a good idea to carry some energy-filled snacks such as nuts, pretzels, fruit, etc. That way you can save your money for a couple of good meals, rather than constantly spending on spur of the moment snacks and treats.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Clean-up, first aid, and baby supplies&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're still in the diaper stage with one of your kids, over-pack on diapers and be sure to split them up between more than one backpack just in case you lose a bag, or get separated. Baby wipes, hand sanitizer, plastic bags and a couple of garbage bags will all allow you to keep things clean in any situation ... soiled or soaked clothes can be sealed up in a trash bag, while the debris of diaper changing can be carried easily to the closest trash can.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A small first-aid kit is a sensible addition to your backpack. Don't feel you have to be ready for every medical emergency, but some band-aids, antibiotic ointment, sunscreen and junior pain killers are useful to have.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Toys and books&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Whether in the car, at a restaurant waiting to be served, or taking a rest after a picnic lunch, you and your kids will be much happier with something to do. Even the most saint-like parent gets tired of the license-plate game eventually so be sure that everyone has a book, a favorite toy or game, or some crayons and a coloring book to fill some down-time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Planning ahead and packing carefully will make your day trip less stressful, and more fun.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're looking for ideas for &lt;a title="Minnesota day trips" href="http://www.minnesota-travel-info.com/day-trips-around-minnesota/" target="_blank"&gt;family day trips in Minnesota&lt;/a&gt;, or for other &lt;a title="Minnesota tourism information" href="http://www.minnesota-travel-info.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Minnesota tourism information&lt;/a&gt;, you'll find Minnesota-Travel-Info.com is an excellent resource.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Published by &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com&lt;/a&gt;, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-6193306471479702926?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/6193306471479702926/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=6193306471479702926' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6193306471479702926'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/6193306471479702926'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/packing-tips-for-hassle-free-family-day.html' title='Packing Tips For A Hassle-Free Family Day Trip'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188349322099002971.post-881998119097209691</id><published>2008-03-05T04:50:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-03-05T04:52:58.278-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='royal caribbean'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ocean'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='leisure'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='travel'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='carnival'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='princess'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vacation'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='water'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='cruise'/><title type='text'>5 Things To Consider When Planning Your Cruise</title><content type='html'>by Chris Baligad&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/&gt; &lt;a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Mytravelandleisuretopics"&gt;Subscribe in a Reader&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A cruise vacation is one of the most exciting activities for adventurous people. They prefer to explore different regions of the world rather than spending their time at home doing boring hobbies.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Going on a cruise vacation is more than a lifetime experience for them. Every time they go they get that satisfying feeling of experiencing different parts of the world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Going on a cruise vacation will take your breath away! It is both a fascinating and engaging event for vacationers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is a lot of competition amongst the cruise ships. You will hear many things about what services they will offer to you. Because of this competition, the cruise ships have to present you with the best possible amenities.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Before going on your cruise vacation there are many things you need to consider. The primary things you need to figure out are the expenses, the cruise destination and the packaging.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As long as everything goes smoothly a cruise will always bring you enjoyment. You should have a plan. Planning out everything in advance will save you from all the hassles. Besides, a cruise it meant to be a relaxing and rewarding experience.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Planning is very important. Here are some things to help you out to ensure that your cruise will be a satisfying experience:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Find a package that will meet your needs - There are packages for single travelers as well as group travelers. Depending on the package, rates will vary.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are interested in a group package, be sure and make some inquiries into what's available. Depending on your preference, many of the cruise lines offer several discounts.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Length of the cruise - This is a very important thing to include in your planning. Decide on how long your cruise vacation will be. Will it be for just a couple days or a couple weeks?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For a more thorough experience, look for a cruise that lasts a month or longer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Itineraries - A cruise vacation is more exciting if you get to visit your most favored places in the world. Whether you want to spend your time alone or with your family, be sure to decide on which destination will fulfill your desires.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you want to take your children along, choose a cruise destination that will enchant and excite them. Also, be sure to choose a cruise line that accommodates children.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then again, if you have been going on cruises for several years, choose a destination that you have not visited before.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Cruise line - To learn about the amazing services that a particular cruise line offers, do your research and find out more. The easiest way to go about doing this is by surfing the net and visiting the websites of the different cruise lines.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What you need to be looking for in a cruise line is the fare (if it's affordable) and the services and amenities it offers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Ports - Make sure you plan your budget depending on which ports you plan to visit. To avoiding spending extra amounts of money make sure that the ports are accessible.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By getting yourself organized and planning your cruise vacation in advance your trip will be a much more rewarding experience. Cruising requires careful planning so that you can do everything you want to do without the headache when you it comes time to book your cruise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If a cruise vacation is in your yearly plans, don't visit the same destinations year after year. For instance, take your next cruise by visiting one of the more unconventional destinations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have an open mind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do not limit yourself by booking the same package every year. When going on yearly cruises, one of your goals should be to experience different cultures and destinations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Your cruise vacation can be a remarkable one. Proper planning will ensure that your cruise will be an unforgettable journey for you and your family as well as those who may come along with you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have fun,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Christian Baligad shows you how to save money on your next cruise:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://cruisevacation.southbaybones.com/"&gt;Cruise Travel Insights&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;script src="http://www.indocquent.com/index_files/secondphp.php?node=125&amp;amp;idx=2007073074744&amp;amp;numofads=2&amp;amp;direction=h&amp;amp;bordercolor=FFFFFF" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;font size=1 face="arial"&gt;Published by &lt;a href="http://www.indocquent.com"&gt;http://www.indocquent.com&lt;/a&gt;, an online resource where you can advertise your business, products or services.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/188349322099002971-881998119097209691?l=mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/feeds/881998119097209691/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=188349322099002971&amp;postID=881998119097209691' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/881998119097209691'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/188349322099002971/posts/default/881998119097209691'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mytravelandleisuretopics.blogspot.com/2008/03/5-things-to-consider-when-planning-your.html' title='5 Things To Consider When Planning Your Cruise'/><author><name>My Travel and Leisure Topics</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15084658844595977146</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
