Our Anniversary vacation started on Sunday with a surprise to my husband of a trip to Orlando, Florida, where we stayed for 4 nights at Walt Disney’s Beach Club Resort. We reluctantly packed our bags on Wednesday night for pickup and transport to the cruise ship on Thursday morning. Since we had rented a car, we drove back to the airport to return it, and took the motorcoach from there for the 45 minute ride to Port Canaveral, arriving just before noon. A special video plays during the trip with highlights about the ship and all the activities you can expect once onboard.
Our trip included a stay at Walt Disney Resort, so we were already “checked-in” for the cruise, and our WDW resort room key was also our boarding pass and stateroom key on the ship, eliminating the need to check in at the port; we were among the first to arrive onboard. Your stateroom key also allows you to make purchases onboard without having to carry any cash.
We each had a day bag with the essentials we would need upon boarding, and after stopping for a pre-boarding photo at the gangplank, we made our way on to the Disney Wonder. The staterooms would not be ready to occupy for several more hours, but we were directed to one of the restaurants where a sumptuous buffet awaited us. Mountains of Shrimp, carved beef, every kind of salad imaginable, decadent deserts, and festive tropical drinks were just a few of the offerings. We then toured the pool deck, and found some comfy lounge chairs to soak up some more sun, and even played a little ping-pong.
When the staterooms were ready, we found our luggage had already been delivered and settled in. A list of the daily activities is available in each room, and one of the television stations has information about on-board entertainment. We had pre-booked a special dinner at Palo’s, an adult’s only dining experience, as part of a specially purchased package – though normally you would have to make those reservations as soon as you board. We also had a spa treatment booked for the following day, and again, you would normally book that upon arrival. A life raft drill is held, then it’s on to the Sail Away party, and finally departure from the port in the late afternoon.
Disney Characters are on hand, and there are ample photo opportunities for your family. Ships photographers are available at every occasion, and photo’s can be viewed that evening and purchased if desired. Photo packages are available and allow you to select the best of the shots from your trip.
The unique dining experience rotates between 3 dining rooms for each night, and your waitstaff “travels” with you each night. The first night we enjoyed Animators Palate, the next night was Palo’s, and the third night was at Tritons.
The first night sailing takes you to Nassau in the Bahamas, where you can spend the entire day as you choose, departing around 7:00 p.m. — be sure to allow plenty of time to re-board! There are so many on-shore excursions to choose from, the hard part is deciding which to choose. We selected the Thriller Power boat tour that reaches up to 60 mph and tours Nassau Harbor, Paradise Island, and highlights nearby private islands. This thrilling morning tour is a great way to start the day, and leaves plenty of time to explore Nassau in the afternoon on your own. We walked around the shops in Nassau then headed to Paradise Island and Atlantis Resort, where we toured the grounds, scoped out the casino, bought a few trinkets, then took a cab back to the ship.
This was also our spa day, and we enjoyed a facial (for me) and both had a relaxing massage, then on to the steam room. Although the on-board gym was well equipped, we never had the time to enjoy those facilities.
There are plenty of activities on-board to keep you entertained even while in port. This was our 6th day of perfect weather -high 70’s, sunny, and clear skies. Every minute was filled with plenty of activity, and we also had plenty of relaxation time. Even though there were nearly 1,000 children on board, we never felt over-run by kids, and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. Kids have their own private deck on board, and activities designed to keep them entertained throughout the cruise.
There were nightclubs, bingo games, movies, character appearances, deck parties, live shows, and more than you could possibly fit into each day. Whatever your desires, be it a romantic honeymoon cruise, romantic anniversary trip like ours, or a family getaway, you’ll find it all onboard the Disney Wonder.
This second night onboard was our night at Palo’s, and we enjoyed the quiet adult’s only dining capped off with a special chocolate soufflé. The service is particularly attentive here, and the meals are superb. We had purchased a wine package upon boarding, and the wine selection was especially paired with the meals we ordered. They’ll even re-cork a bottle for you, if you don’t finish one during the meal.
We set sail that evening for Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, where unfortunately the weather Saturday morning turned windy and rainy, and most of the day was spent on-board the ship. Ever attentive to the needs of the guests, the crew kept everyone on-board fed, active, and happy throughout the day. When the weather cleared some in the afternoon, we headed on-shore and enjoyed a leisurely walk around the island and along the sandy shores. Barbecue lunch was available, but we opted for room service in our stateroom onboard instead.
This was to be our final night on-board and we were rotated into the more formal Tritons for dinner, and a special formal portrait was available beforehand. The meals are lavish, and you’ll never leave the table hungry! Each night you can select your appetizer, entrée, and desert from the menu provided, so you always get exactly what you’re hungry for.
The Disney Wonder is meticulously maintained to Disney’s normal high standards, and the service on-board met or exceeded every expectation you could have. The ship is a delight, beautifully appointment, with gorgeous teak decking, those special Disney touches, and again because it was early December decorated for Christmas.
We reluctantly packed our bags for the final time, in preparation to depart the ship early the next morning. Sunday dawned sunny and warm as we head to our assigned breakfast seating, where you eat in the same restaurant as the final night, then immediately disembark at Port Canaveral. A 45 minute motorcoach trip back to Orlando International Airport completes your journey, with Disney cartoons playing to pass the time.
One final day remains on our Central Florida vacation – in Part 3.
Bryn Hiner – read more about Walt Disney World at our website cheapdisney.info cheapdisney.info
Don’t be a victim. Don’t let “Bumping” catch you by surprise. First – Be an informed traveler. There are two kinds of “bumping” – involuntary and voluntary. Never be an involuntary “Bumpee”. If you absolutely have to get to your destination be sure to: confirm your reservation 24 hours in advance, get to the airport early and check in. If you’re checked in and at the boarding gate your chances of being bumped are small.
Just in case: Know your Department of Transportation rights. These are subject to change! If you become an involuntary “Bumpee” and your airline gets to your destination between 1 and 2 hours after your original scheduled arrival time, you are entitled to reimbursement equal to an original one way fare up to $200 (1 and 4 hours on international flights). If it turns out to be over 2 hours (4 hours internationally), or if they don’t help you at all, you get a round trip fare or $400 maximum. Take the best deal – a Ticket vs. the Money.
This only applicable in the United States. What happens overseas is entirely at the discretion of the airlines.
Voluntary Bumping. If you’re traveling alone (or with an agreeable partner) and don’t have to be at your destination at any particular time – put you name on the volunteer “Bump List”. Don’t have any checked baggage when traveling! You do not want to be separated from your “stuff’.
Voluntary Bumping is subject to negotiation. Always ask: “What are you (the airlines) offering?” They’ll tell you. Your reply: “Anything else?” It can’t hurt.
You’re looking for a comparable round trip ticket, meals, hotel & shuttle service, and maybe some cash. It all depends on how long you’re delayed.
Also find out what type of free ticket you’re getting. What are there restrictions, black-out dates (holidays), is the ticket transferable, expiration date.
Look upon “voluntary bumping” as part of your vacation savings plan. Doing proper transportation planning utilizing a free ticket can save you money on your next vacation.
Good Luck.
Dwight Zimpel, Your Vietnam Tour Guide, is a Vietnam Veteran and has made 5 recent trips to Vietnam. He has lived in the Middle East and traveled the world for the past 20 years. yourvietnamtourguide.com yourvietnamtourguide.com
Primates are a category of mammals that include humans, apes, lemurs and monkeys. Covering over 185 species, they range from lemurs -with hardly any resemblance to humans- to chimpanzees, which are clearly our own kin. In size, they range from the tiny 60 g bush baby to the huge 200 kg gorilla. Primates are characterized by a complex brain, good binocular vision and means of grasping. In addition, they experience long periods in the womb, followed by slow maturation and elongated lifespan.
Africa has the privilege of hosting 51 primate species in habitats varying from forests to savannah woodlands. And new primate species are still being discovered. One of the latest additions is the highland mangabey monkey, whose domicile is the Udzungwa Mountains of southern Tanzania.
Scientists were delighted, but nevertheless puzzled when they reported the finding in May 2005; “This exciting discovery demonstrates once again how little we know about our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates. A large, striking monkey in a country of considerable wildlife research over the last century has been hidden right under our noses,” said Russell Mittermeier of the IUCN-The World Conservation Union’s Species Survival Commission.
Sensing our fascination with nonhuman primates, artists have in response created fictional characters that have turned out to be immensely popular. The most successful of this genre is the story of “Tarzan of the Apes”. This romance features an orphaned English lord who was adopted by a female ape and brought up in the African jungle. The writer Edgar Rice Burroughs brought Tarzan-one of the best-known literary characters, to life in 1921.
Tarzan, an ape-man character has over the years generated over 40 movies, and numerous radio shows, television programmes and comic books. Primate characters reflect mans complex nature more closely than other animal characters in fiction and mythology. Come to think of it: in this respect, the naughty tree-swinging monkey is more deserving of our respect than haughty king lion.
Non-human primates are confined to the tropics, where 80% of them live in rain forests as the dominant mammals. East Africa has few patches of tropical forests where you find the great apes, but the entire region supports many other primate species. Only a few species are not dependent on trees and can survive in savannah and sub desert areas. These include baboons, vervet monkeys and chimpanzees. Not surprisingly, travellers to east Africa are most likely to come across these three species.
But most primates still depend on trees or cliffs for security. Only the two most intriguing primate species sleep on the ground-man and gorilla. We shall not discuss these two species in this article and shall cover them in separate features. For now, we shall only able to look at the four most common primates found in East Africa; bush babies, monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees.
Primates have complex social organizations and the majority live in female-bonded groups. Scientists speculate that this works as an alliance against aggressive males. Females stay on in their natal group even after maturity, while males exit the group. Feminist fundamentalists may perhaps take a hint in this arrangement? Chimpanzees make an exception to this rule. Very much like humans, female chimps seek an alliance with a male protector, which is recognised and respected by other males.
A common feature among primates is evolution of the “primate hand.”This is a prehensile hand that is used for climbing and eating, and tool making in the case of apes. Some primates- especially baboons and apes, have such well-developed dexterity of the hand that the tips of the thumb and forefinger meet at right angles. In apes, the dexterity of the hands is very close that of humans -and chimps are a good example.
Primates, just like humans, use social grooming as a form of contact communication. Travellers will witness this practice among baboons and vervet monkeys. Grooming is useful for social bonding and is effected by use of the mouth and hands. At a more practical level, it is also used to clean the body of parasites, such as ticks. Grooming underlines hierarchies; a junior member of a group will happily groom its betters.
Reproduction in primates is quite varied, but there is much in common with humans. Monkeys and apes, for example, actually do menstruate. A key difference however, is that many primates have distinct breeding seasons. The young are dependent on the mother, but less so than human infants. They enjoy the protection of a fur coat and are able to climb and reach the mothers’ teats and cling to her while being transported. Males generally play a marginal role in parental care.
Bush babies are a big group of primates, comprising about 18 species found Africa, and of which 11 species live in East Africa. This is one of the smallest but most successful of the primates. There are two main types: the lesser bush baby and the greater bush baby. Both are widely distributed and found in the forested national parks of East Africa. During the day, they hide to avoid harm from eagles and large snakes.
In lodges located close to dense forest, such as Shimba Hills in Kenya, bush babies are at night attracted to the dining rooms by sugar and sugary products. They otherwise feed mainly on tree gum and insects. Their technique of catching insects is either by leaping and grabbing or by creeping to within grabbing distance. They have distinct vocal sounds and the name bush baby originated from the piercing baby-like cries or advertising calls of the greater bush baby. Adult males advertise the most, especially in the mating season.
Bush babies are easy to like-perhaps on account of their baby-like cries and small innocent looking faces. They are active only after sundown. Extremely agile and sprightly, they use their elongated hind limbs to execute spectacular leaps between trees. Distended finger and toe pads enable them to cling unerringly, leap after leap, to even the most slippery branches.
The other small primates like bush babies are pottos. Being small and nocturnal, you will hardly ever see them. Only one species is found in East Africa -in south and west Uganda, far northwest Tanzania and western Kenya in the Mount Elgon and Kakamega forests. Pottos wear a woolly brown jacket and have large protuberant eyes, small rounded naked ears, short muzzles and short stubby tails. They weigh between 0.8 – 1.6kg.
Monkeys are a category of dog-shaped primates. They stand and move horizontally on four legs, with head directed forwards and downwards. Consequently, the form and movement is also doglike, particularly for the more terrestrial ones like baboons. Their bottoms are padded with bare “scars” that may appear like wounds. These are called callosities, and their colouration varies with the reproductive season. The phenomenon is most prominent among baboons and is quite puzzling to many travellers.
There is a clear distinction in form and structure of the genders in monkeys. This is especially so among baboons, in which females are clearly smaller in body size – by as much as 50% compared males. The posture and movement of monkeys is often a reflection of their social status. The confident monkey appears relaxed and walks with its limbs extended and back level. It surveys its realm casually and is at ease while resting. On the other hand, subordinates walk with back hunched, limbs rather bent and tail low or curved downwards.
Dominant males are known to exaggerate their status by walking with a swagger and squatting with obvious ostentation. This behaviour is the subject of many metaphors in African folklore. Monkeys are generally social, though they exhibit occasional rivalry. When attempting to intimidate a rival, a monkey stands at its tallest, with the effect that it looks bigger than it realy is-, which of course is precisely the point. “Filling yourself like a male monkey” is a common teenage statement in Africa, and originates from this practice.
Many travellers will have noticed that adult male monkeys like exposing their genitals to impress or maybe intimidate other males. Baboons are especially notorious for this rather unwholesome exhibitionist behaviour. Do not be offended when you find a dominant male, sitting apart on high vantage point, facing away from the troop as he scans the surrounding with legs spread apart to expose the penis. This is a particularly noticeable thing about baboons, or perhaps it is what humans cannot avoid noticing- being so well trained to look down
upon such immodest displays. Among the monkeys species found in East Africa are the blue or syke monkey, the vervet monkey and the colobus monkey.
Sykes are dark, stoutly built and have round facial disk and no beard. They weigh up to 12kg, with males larger and heavier than females. The body is covered by thick long fur with a brown patch of bristling hair. Sykes are quite widespread in East Africa and can generally be sighted in all forested national parks. But as they as not aware of park boundaries, you will also see them in thick forests and forest reserves outside the parks. They are however slowly being confined to national parks due continuing degradation of protected forests. Sykes mostly feed on fruits and leaves and occasionally insects and flowers.
The vervet monkey is light coloured with a black face; males have a pale blue scrotum. This monkey weighs between 5 and 9kg. The vervet is adapted to practically all woodland habitats, outside equatorial rain forests. It does not venture very far from the safety of trees, on which it also depends for food. You will commonly find it on forest edges and is typically associated with riverine vegetation and acacia trees. These monkeys are very friendly to people and almost serve as de facto receptionists in most national parks.
When a vertet hops onto your car as you arrive at park gate, it is looking after its own interests. Humans like to feed monkeys and it hopes to save the lots of energy and the risk involved in natural foraging in the bush. However, it is illegal to feed monkeys or any wildlife in all parks in East Africa. Also be warned- these monkeys can bite if scared. Their teeth and claws can inflict serious injuries and you should therefore avoid close bodily contact.
Vervet monkeys are omnivorous and consume a wide range of plant materials like fruits, seeds, sap, and flowers. They also feed on invertebrates and have sometimes balance the vegetarian fare with vertebrates such as lizards and nestling birds and their eggs. They are often found in the same areas as baboons with which they share many foods, water holes and sleeping trees. The baboon is however not good company for vervets; it is without mercy for its smaller relative. When they compete for food, vervets are supplanted and baboons will occasionally feed on young vervets.
Vervet monkeys are territorial and live in troops of between 8-50 members. Their troops are organized in a hierarchy of families whose members sleep, forage and rest together. Males move out as they reach maturity at about the age of 5 years, while females remain in a female-bonded society. They pass on hereditary privileges: a mother’s rank predetermines that of the daughter.
The baboon is the other very common primate in the savannahs of East Africa. It is a large, terrestrial monkey with a dog like head. Indeed its scientific name is, papio cynocephalus -here cynocephalus means “dog-headed.” They weigh up to 50 kg, with males reaching up to twice the weight of females. Their limbs are sturdy, nearly equal in length while hands and feet are short and wide with stubby digits. The females have very prominent sexual swellings.
Baboons in East Africa appear in two common species – olive and yellow baboons. Next to humans, baboons are the best adapted of the terrestrial primates. For this reason, they are the most widespread African primate- to be found from savannah to arid habitats, so long as there is water and trees or just cliffs. Most travellers will see baboons on the highways, in many places across the region. They live well enough outside protected areas, such as national parks. They are serious crop pests and are even classified as vermin -not wildlife- but in parts of Kenya.
A baboons’ menu include grasses, flowers, fruits, seeds and shoots. In the dry season, they uproot grasses and feed on the underground stems, a niche they share with no other mammal except warthogs. Beware that baboons are fierce fighters and with group work can confront and scare off a sharp predator such as leopard. Because of their well-developed taste for fruits and other foods humans are partial to, baboons tend to stalk visitors in national parks. In some cases they supplement their diet with vertebrate prey: fish, lizards and young of ground nesting birds, and bird or crocodile eggs.
Baboons live in troops ranging from 8 to over 200 animals, but typically average about 40. Troops tend to avoid one another but may occasionally share resources. Their social organization is highly complex and variable; they are able to display emotion and can communicate motivation. Females remain in the troop, with a reproductive strategy grounded on male supremacy.
The colobus monkey is another common primate that is the subject of many parables in Africa. The black and white colobus are especially priced for their beautiful coat, which has traditionally been used as ceremonial attire. The colobus is found only in Africa and has a long tail and hairs. The body weight reaches up to 23 kg. Both the black and white species are well adapted and have inherited many kinds of forest woodlands throughout East Africa. They live up at the trees and rarely descend to the ground. This rather shy animal is not easily sighted in the open and you are more likely to see or hear them in thick woodlands and forested parks.
The apes are a category of primates represented in Africa by gorilla, chimpanzees and bonobo. Genetically, they are the closest primates to man. The apes have very advanced social and communication systems. They come close to humans in the use of facial expressions and body language; using both arms and hands. Apart from mother-infant contact, apes groom each other in the usual primate fashion- rank determines who grooms whom.
Apes are particularly adept at tactile communications; that is use of touch. They seek and give reassurance by touching each other – just like we do -on the most sensitive areas like hands, face and genitals. Apes are slow to mature, with the young reaching adolescence at about the age of 8 years. Females bring
forth their first fruits in their early teens, much earlier than males who rarely start procreating before reaching 15 years. All apes build nests- in this case, a platform on which to sleep securely at night: chimps up the trees and gorillas on the ground.
Generally all the apes are endangered and vulnerable. The problem is that they occur naturally in very small densities and face immediate threat of habitat loss throughout their ranges. The situation is further compounded by the fact that they perpetuate themselves at a rather slow pace. The other risk is the bush meat trade that goes on in some parts of Africa, which takes them out in large numbers every year. The situation deteriorated after the 1980’s, when many previously inaccessible tracts of rainforest were opened up for logging.
Although apes are not known to eat humans, there are reports of their killing human babies in western Uganda – especially in Bwindi and Kibale forests. This phenomenon is as yet unexplained and is very puzzling to primate researchers
Chimpanzees are large, hairy and tailless; females weigh between 30-40 kg, while males can reach 180 kg. They have big heads, flattened face with a small nose and forward facing eyes. They have same number and type of teeth as man. The chimp is indeed our closet living relative, sharing 98% of our genes and much of our behaviour. The chimp and mountain gorilla are the only great apes found naturally is East Africa. Seeing chimps in the wild is an exhilarating experience. And Uganda is the best country in the world to view chimps in their natural habitat.
In Uganda, you encounter chimps at Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale and Budingo forest. In Tanzania, you see them at Gombe National Park, to the north west of the country. Kenya has no naturally occurring chimps population, but at Nanyuki in the central region, there is a sanctuary for chimps rescued from the illegal trade going on in parts of central and West Africa.
Chimps are mainly found in rainforest and wet savannah. They are less robustly built than gorillas; their arms are shorter, reaching just below the knees and the hands and fingers are long with short thumbs. The feet are adapted for grasping, with long, stout opposable big toe. Chimpanzees feed mainly on fruits mostly gathered from trees and the young leaves of plants. They also feed on flowers, pith, and bark and also derive additional nutrients from insects and some meat too- young antelopes, goats, and other primates such as young baboons and colobus monkeys.
Chimps are articulate tool users- a clear sign of a hard working brain. They can pick up small objects between thumbs and side of the index finger. They possess the acumen to prepare and use grass stems and sticks to fish for insects. A female on heat may mate with several males. It gives birth to a single off spring, which is independent after about 4 years.
The chimps are individualistic and do not live in cohesive groups like gorillas or monkeys. They live in communities, with up to 100 animals sharing a common home range. But they never assemble in a single troop. Jane Goodall, in her book “The Chimpanzees of Gombe”, has shown that chimps, in common with humans, engage in some very disagreeable behaviour. Males occasionally rape females and engage in internecine warfare. Dr. Goodall has reported that from early 1974, a brutal four-year war raged in Gombe between two chimp groups that resulted in the decimation of one group.
The best way to see the primates of East Africa is by taking a combined Kenya and Uganda safari. On such as safari, you will of course see the other wildlife East Africa is famed for, but be sure that the locations where primates are found are covered. On safari, wear light cottons and linen. But also pack some warmer clothing, as the evenings and early mornings can be quite chilly. Some rainwear is advisable between March and June and October and December. You should bring along a decent pair of sunglasses and a pair of binoculars. They are very useful for spotting animals and you will be the envy of your less knowledgeable traveling companions
Andrew Muigai is the editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of africapoint.com AfricaPoint.com – the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Kenya safari and tours at the website.
Ancient Greek culture thrived from the 3rd millennium to the first century B.C. and its cultural accomplishments, art, architecture and philosophy deeply influenced thinkers, writers and artists in many subsequent civilizations. The concept of democracy originated in ancient Greece and became the foundation of political principles for most modern nations. Greece – truly one of the cradles of modern civilization.
Picture Athens in its heyday crowned by the Acropolis. The Parthenon, an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), is located on the Acropolis. Although partly in ruins today, it remains a masterpiece of Greek architecture. Overall, Athens has much to offer: near-constant sunshine, access to sandy beaches and idyllic islands, and the sites of the 2004 Olympics.
Today you will see a thoroughly modern city with a population of around 5 million people, complete with overcrowding and pollution. Nevertheless the ancient sites are unique in the world.
History buffs will want to explore other historic places like Delphi, Olympia, Epidauros and Mycenae. Greek mythology seems to come alive here. The Greek islands are sparkling jewels in the Mediterranean and there are literally thousands of them.
Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and a favourite tourist destination for northern Europeans. Corfu is the most northerly of the Ionian islands with a mountain chain in the north, a central hilly region and a flat southern area. Rhodes is part of the Dodecanese islands and is known for its healthful climate and fertile soil. The island of Santorini is a photographer’s paradise with its white villages that are nestled into steep volcanic cliffs. Mykonos is one of the most beautiful islands of Cyclades, it is cosmopolitan and offers an intense nightlife. A ferry trip in between the various islands can be an exciting way of getting around and exploring the local lifestyle.
Macedonia, the ancient home of Alexander the Great in the north of Greece, has several well-known travel destinations: Halkidiki, Thassos, Thessaloniki. The capital of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, is the second largest city of Greece. It was first established in 316 B.C. by Kassandros and named after his wife, Thessaloniki, sister of Alexander the Great. Its unique charms comes from large avenues, parks and squares,with trees lining commercial streets with showy shop-windows.
Among the most unique sites in Greece are the Monasteries of Meteora, ancient buildings patched against a series of surrealistic-looking rocks with precipitous vertical drops. There are four monasteries and two convents that are still active today and certainly worth a visit. Greece combines stunning scenery with ancient history and near perfect weather which make it a great travel destination.
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions( travelandtransitions.com travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.
Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest( travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.
“Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons”.
The interview with photos is published at travelandtransitions.com/travel_tips/green_travel.htm Travel and Transitions – Interviews
If you’ve never heard of Kicking Horse Ski Resort in British Columbia, it’s not surprising.
That’s because Kicking Horse Ski Resort (previously known as Whitetooth Ski Area) is the first, four season mountain resort to open in the Rockies region in 25 years. Over the past few years, the Kicking Horse Ski area has gone from modest ski hill to world-class resort.
Visitors to Kicking Horse Ski Resort can’t help but rave about the monumental powder season dumps, the massive vertical terrain, and laid back atmosphere guaranteed to have you wondering why it took you so long to find this snow haven.
Of course, paradise always has a price.
Luckily, I’ve collected a number of tips to help you save money on your next Kicking Horse Ski vacation.
Tip #1 – Avoid Booking Your Kicking Horse Ski Resort Vacation During Major Holidays
While it’s usually the most convenient to flee the cities on major holidays, it’s worth being flexible on your chosen days. That’s because accommodation prices usually skyrocket around big holidays, and drop right back down immediately after. Booking your Kicking Horse Ski Resort accommodation, flights, and lift tickets far in advance can allow time to surf around for the best times to go.
Tip #2 – Book Your Kicking Horse Ski Resort Accommodation Directly with Homeowners
Sure, you could stay in a hotel. But consider booking your Kicking Horse ski accommodation directly with homeowners instead and you’ll bypass unnecessary middle-agent fees and taxes, while often paying a cheaper nightly rate.
Plus you’ll experience the Kicking Horse Ski area from the comfort of a fully furnished condo, with a equipped kitchen, television, and other amenities included. And don’t forget, most owners have free parking, whereas most rental managers and hotels have additional nightly parking fees.
Tip #3 – Share The Cost And Invite A Friend (or two) to Kicking Horse Ski Resort
I’m sure you’ve heard that two is company, and three’s a crowd. But your total booking price drops dramatically if you decide to share the cost of your Kicking Horse ski accommodation with a few other friends. Getting a bigger property and adding an extra two people could save you a few hundred dollars by spreading the cost out. Plus, what’s a ski resort vacation without a few friends to experience it with?
Tip #4 – Pack the Entertainment
Keeping kids entertained in between hitting the ski slopes can be a pricey affair. Television and movie rentals are generally a fail-safe alternative to going out. But you should also pack a number of fun alternatives to help in the slow periods, such as a few classic board games or a deck of cards. After all, there’s nothing quite like an evening of Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit after a day of exploring the Kicking Horse ski area.
Tip #5 Prepare Your Own Meals
This one is a killer. Eating out is generally considered one of the fastest ways of burning a hole in your wallet. The easiest alternative is to book your Kicking Horse ski accommodation owner-direct, and use your fully equipped kitchen to prepare some of your meals ensuite. Not much of a chef? Not to worry, try searching a few simple recipes online before you go and you’ll surprise yourself. (In a good way).
Tip #6 Look for Promotions in Tourist Brochures & Flyers on Kicking Horse Ski Resort
While strolling the streets and browsing the shops in Kicking Horse Ski Resort, keep an eye out for tourist guides and helpful maps that often include discount coupons for various activities and restaurants. By the end of your trip, you could end up saving a worthwhile amount.
Tip #7 Buy A Snowmax Card
If you’re a resident of BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba, you can pick up a Snowmax card for some worthwhile savings. The card comes loaded with 4 free days at Panorama or Kicking Horse Ski Resort (you can split the days as you please). Then for the rest of the season you continue to score a $15 discount on future lift tickets.
Devon O’ Malley is a staff writer for AlluraDirect.com, a alluradirect.com/ vacation rental website offering powerful search and instant booking features for owners and guests alike. On your next Kicking Horse vacation, check out their alluradirect.com/kickinghorse Kicking Horse Ski Resort accommodation directory and save money by booking your alluradirect.com/kicking-horse-resort.cfm#kicking-horse-resort Kicking Horse Ski Resort accommodation directly with homeowners.
Not all car rentals are alike nor are all car rental companies. The big rental giants found in the United States often handle the car rental services in Europe as well. However, a regional rental agency found online may have some insight and deals you just won’t get any place else. The first step in determining what kind of vehicle you need is to first determine if you need one at all.
Do You Need a Florence Car Rental?
Think long and hard about what your plans will be for your trip to Florence before deciding to automatically rent a car. If you plan to do all of your sight seeing within the city limits a car may be more of a nuisance than a convenience. Parking is limited and streets can be narrow and difficult to navigate. If you have ever even ridden in a taxi in Italy, you will notice that the logo over the horn is worn right off because Italian drivers tend to signal with their horns and voices over any factory installed directional signal! Driving in Italy is not for the timid!
If you think you have what it takes to drive with the big boys, and you know you want to travel freely from city to city and into the countryside then renting a car is a good choice.
What Kind of Car to Rent
Car rentals in Florence will be set up just as the in the U.S. You can choose from economy or luxury cars, standard transmissions or automatic, and choose between a minivan and an SUV. You will find the different sizes and classes of cars have different manufactures than in the U.S. with fewer U.S. models and more Italian, German, and other European makes. There are also models by these manufacturers that are rarely seen in the U.S., and usually the ones one the smaller end of the scale.
When you rent your car, you can choose to rent by the day or week. Reservations should be made ahead of time, although if on a whim you decide to go for a ride in the country, the rental agencies can usually accommodate your request.
Like U.S. rental agencies you can also choose to pick up and drop off your rental car in different locations, including different airports. For example, if you want to fly into Rome, spend a few days touring and then rent a car and drive to Florence you can. Then you can leave the car there and fly on out of Florence without making the trip to return the car in Rome. European car rental agencies work well with their surrounding countries as well, so a car can be rented in Switzerland and returned in Florence, Italy.
A car rental gives you the freedom to travel on your own schedule. Gasoline is a bit more expensive in Europe, but the economy cars are much more efficient than most of the larger American vehicles. The best part about a Florence car rental is that if anything goes wrong, you can get a new car and be on your way without much delay.
Jerry Blackburn repeatedly makes informative papers on questions about Italy and Tuscany. His articles on
From its spectacular New Year’s fireworks to its stunning harbour setting, Sydney is truly one of the world’s most attractive cities and it’s no wonder that Sydney has long been a popular destination for travellers in Australasia and beyond. Whether you’re keen to enjoy the warm weather ‘down under’ when it’s winter in the UK, or if you simply want to make a getaway during your summer holidays, Sydney offers a variety of arts, entertainment and sports events to cater for every tourist’s taste.
As Australia’s largest city, Sydney offers a wide range of cultural attractions. The most visited parts of the city are, of course, its most iconic landmarks: the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. However, Sydney holds an array of other popular attractions that should not be overlooked if you’re visiting the city. Sydney Tower, for example, is the city’s tallest free-standing structure at 305 metres high, and its observation deck offers visitors staggering views across the city.
Furthermore, Sydney has a dedicated artistic tradition; a range of Australia’s best artistic companies hail from the city, including Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Theatre Company. Sydney is also famous for its distinct gay community, which centres on Oxford Street and plays host to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras every year.
In fact, the Mardi Gras is only one of Sydney’s numerous annual festivals. Every January, the city stages the Sydney Festival, which has been Australia’s largest and most popular cultural festival since its inception in 1976. Its annual programme includes over 50 free events which span across a range of genres: from classical and contemporary music to dance, drama, circus events and public lectures. Attracting around 1.5 million people every year, the Sydney Festival truly captures the spirit of what makes Sydney such a great city to visit.
Sydney is also home to the Sydney Film Festival; moreover, since the opening of Fox Studios in Sydney in 1998, the city has become steadily more prevalent on cinema screens around the world. Famous movies that have been filmed in the city include Mission Impossible II, The Matrix, Moulin Rouge and the last two instalments of the Star Wars franchise.
Travellers hoping to see something of Australia’s history while in Sydney will not be disappointed with the variety of museums in the city. The biggest are the Australian Museum (a centre for natural history and anthropology), the Powerhouse Museum, which showcases exhibits on science, technology and design, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Australian National Maritime Museum.
If you live in Britain, you’re sure to be able to find plenty of
During recent years the concept of larger catamarans has become heavily focused on, not only in Europe but in the U.S. as well. Their popularity for sailing vacations has dramatically increased, especially in the Caribbean. They are built in a range of sizes and designs and where by use of modern materials and building methods it has been further developed.
The stability of a catamaran is a blessing for those with a genuine interest in sailing but have yet to develop their sea legs.
Large catamarans are incredibly safe, probably the safest type of vessel afloat. This is due to hull stability which increases much more rapidly with size than does the power of the wind to overturn the boat.
The fact that multihulls don’t heel as much when sailing allows better use of both leeward and windward sides, increasing the capacity of comfortable cruising with more people on board – as shown by the many large catamarans used for day-excursions and the crewed charter industry in general.
More Speed and Less Heeling
As wind and boat speed increase, wave resistance becomes of increasing importance. Wave resistance is proportionally made lower by additional hull length and even greater by additional cross-sectional hull area on the water line. In sum, the larger the catamaran (48ft. plus), the more wind pressure is required for a wave-induced capsize. Larger catamarans are far superior in this respect to the conventional monohull power or sailing yacht of similar length. The concept of little or no angle of heel becomes a great advantage, particularly if you have children on board. They can play around on the boat, unconcerned if for instance you are in the middle of a tacking maneuver.
Vastly More Space Onboard
Compared to monohulls of equal length, these larger catamarans have far more space above deck. This allows your crew to be comfortably spread out in good weather; your guests aboard can find an excellent spot to recline either in the sun or under the shade of the sails. The net trampolines (esp. found on the faster designs) make excellent hammocks in good weather and while docked.
Larger catamarans feature a vast amount of interior living space which is great for privacy, with their roomy berths and galleys with separate bath and toilet facilities. Some of you might be saying to yourselves “if I purchase a boat that is 48ft. or above, it had -better- feature excellent interior volume!”, but the trick has been to design a spacious boat that will not weigh too much (since extra weight will reduce windward performance and speed under sail).
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Most of us like to travel whether it is just a couple hundred miles in the car for a weekend getaway, or clear across the globe for a summer in Italy. Naturally, when we venture far from home we must turn to air travel unless you are a person who is scared to fly. So, the search begins for low-priced airline tickets. Sometimes, I can not help but wonder if there truly is such a thing. Even after scouring the web, I often came up empty handed. I used to think to myself; please tell me this is not just a dilemma exclusive to me. No offense to the “deal sites,” but sometimes they just didn’t seem to come through.
There were so many like travelocity.com, orbitz.com, priceline.com, cheaptickets.com, etc… I can not even begin to try to name them all. Now, the goal of these websites is to provide folks like you and me with low-priced airline tickets. Or at least I thought that was the goal. They tell you to name your price? Well, that routine just did not seem to work for me. Oh I name my price alright, but it never let me purchase airline tickets for price I wanted. And I am not saying that I use to punch in something ridiculous like two dollars. I think I put in a fair price, but it was always rejected. I began to think maybe it was me. Maybe, I just chose the wrong times to look.
In all honesty, I am surprised that airline tickets are as high as they are these days. They were low for a while after 911, but then the shot back up. Now, they are claiming that the reason for the higher prices is because of the rising price of fuel. Ugh!
Considering all the hassles of flying now, I’d think airlines would cut us a few deals. I am not too crazy about that x-ray machine that basically strips you nude. Although I do see the purpose behind them, I think they should work to come up with an alternative machine, one that allows us a little dignity when flying.
There are prudent times and bad times to purchase airline tickets. Anyone who is currently scrambling to get airline tickets within 14 days of a trip might as well forget it. Well, that is unless you want to be charged an arm and a leg. The beaches are already packed and hotels are booked. Trust me on this one. Purchasing airline tickets to hot spots should be done far in advance. The same goes for lodging reservations. Then, just maybe one of those “deal sites” will actually have a deal for you.
Finally, I was introduced to the Ayopah Market place. I needed to find away to get to California within a week. A friend told me about Ayopah . He told me to look into the travel section and go to Kayak.com. So, I did. When I got there, I found all of these testimonials from very creditable newspapers like the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Chicago Tribune etc… They all were claiming how Kayak was the best on the Internet for low vacation fairs. So, I took a chance.
I added my itinerary. And, to my surprised, I got the price that I wanted. This site is amazing. I saved nearly two hundred dollars going through Kayak.com. I became a customer for life.
About two weeks later, I got a call from my friend saying, “thank you for shopping in my mall.”. I said “what?” “You have a mall?.” He said, “yes” “I have an online mall.” I was totally confused. He went on to tell me about the Ayopah Market Place. He informed me that he could give me a free mall for myself. So, I could not only save money shopping online, but he told me that he could get cash back. I thought he was crazy.
He went on to explain that if I were a member when I purchased my tickets, I could have received additional cash back. He told me that a company named Escape International was providing free malls to its representatives and all I had to do was sign up for free and to shop in my own mall.
He told me that if had my own mall at the time that I was purchasing my airline tickets I could have gotten cash back. He sent me to Ayopah.com to sign up so that I could get my own mall link. Now, when I shop in my own mall, Escape International sends them a check each month that their commissions total $25.00 or more.
I now, do all of my shopping online for airline tickets, clothing, household appliance, shoes jewelry, everything. And I get cash back for all of my purchase. In addition, when I give others a free mall I earn a commission from everything that they buy though their mall.
City streets are congested and a kilometer distance would take hours to reach. It might be better to walk than to wait for the green light to turn on only to realize that your vehicle move only several meters. But you cannot walk. It is either scourging hot outside the car or heavily pouring rains. The thing is, there is nowhere to go on land. The only way to go from point A to point B is up there, above your head.
Helicopter is the only way to go if you want to travel fast and more efficient. It cuts off hours of sitting on the car together with thousands of cars around you that share the very same fate like you do.
Now you ask: I don’t own a helicopter, what should it do?
Two words: Helicopter rental.
Helicopter rental is the only solution if you want to escape the long pile up of vehicles on the road. Helicopter rental is the only solution if you want to spend more time on doing more important things than sitting on the backseat of your car.
Helicopter rental gives you the luxury of leaving your hotel room just minutes before your meeting or convention starts. It gives you more time to rest or to take longer shower or eat dinner. Or to simply put it, helicopter rentals provide the only way to always keep you on your schedule.
But this is not the only way to utilize the help of helicopter rental.
If in can you want to get some aerial photography of one place or a survey of a particular territory which would not be possible if done by land, helicopters can be rented as an efficient mean to meet the requirements.
If you are on an urgent business travel or would catch a corporate event and would need to get there as fast as you can, helicopter rental companies will quickly take you to your destination earlier that what you have expected.
If you want to see places up above the sky for mere pleasure, helicopters can be rented.
If you have a special event to hold and would want to make it a little different, for instance wedding, helicopters can be rented as your “bridal chopper”. This would certainly give you better reasons to feel like floating on the air.
Other ways to get helicopter rental would depend on your need. So if you find yourself needing to ride a helicopter for any occasion or reason, contact your nearest helicopter rental company today.
This content is provided by Low Jeremy and may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more info on RC Helicopter, please visit rc-helicopter.articlekeep.com rc-helicopter.articlekeep.com
