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When preparing to travel with a family, there can be a multitude of different things to sort out – from tickets to taxis to the airport, as well as packing clothes, equipment and toys in between.

In amongst all the hassle of packing, arranging and ensuring your young ones will have enough to keep them occupied until you get to the hotel or resort at your destination, the thought of arranging insurance for your holiday might slip to the back of your mind.

Checking that you have adequate travel insurance before your trip is essential in order to ensure that you and your group are covered in the event of accidents and theft during your holiday.

Annual travel insurance policies can be purchased for longer periods of time, should you be making multiple trips during a short period of time.

Such deals can often work out cheaper than single-trip travel insurance and can help cover all members of your group during your holiday your family from a range of factors.

When searching for cover it is important to shop around, research different policies and the type of cover that they offer and, most importantly, to read the small print to check for any snags which could affect any claims.

Factors will depend on location and any planned activities during the holiday. Whilst activity holidays can be fun for all, but it is important to make sure you’re covered for sports such as jet-skiing and other activities that have an increased risk of injury.

It is also essential to ensure that your possessions are covered for the duration of your trip in order to protect against any financial loss as a result of theft, luggage and passport loss, travel delays and any other legal expenses.

There are also a wide range of companies that specialise in and offer family travel insurance. These policies can be catered to meet the needs of your holiday and help to cover costs should you or your children require any medical assistance during your trip.

By: David Collins

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Travel Insurance

Nintendo’s Wii Fit sounds like some kind of dream machine – a games console that is fun to play but helps you lose weight too?

It all seems too good to be true.

However with Christmas fast approaching and with some of the hype having died down the question remains does the Wii Fit actually help you lose weight?

One lady who wishes to remain anonymous has created the splendidly named “Diary of a fat woman” blog; it charts her progress as she embarks on a “Wii Fit Diet”, a diet which consists of well balanced meals alongside a 60 minute workout provided by the console.

Her latest entry puts her weight at 225lbs which considering her weight on day one was a cuddly 238.8 represents a drop of 13lbs between June 9th and July 20th.

So far, so good.

But it’s not just the girls who are deciding to get physical with the Wii; the blokes are more than happy to step up to the plate too.

Philadelphian Mickey DeLoronzo gained notoriety when he decided that at 191lbs he was carrying a little “extra baggage” and made it his mission to put the NintendoWii Fit to the test.

After 45 days he was down to an impressive 176lbs (that’s an incredible 15lbs loss!) and whilst he concedes that any 60 minutes of additional movement per day over a prolonged period of time would result in some weight loss, he feels that Wii Fit made it much less painless.

In short, Nintendo’s Wii Fit seem to have created a superior fitness game which actually delivers results, but ultimately you’ll only get out of it what you put in to it and your will-power is as much a part of any success as the graphics, the interface and the balance board.

By: Taylor

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Grape Seed Antioxidant

For years, grapes have been known for their medicinal values in treating skin, kidney, and liver disease, in addition to cancer, nausea, and eye infections. Grape leaves were used to treat bleeding and inflammation, while dried grapes were used to treat constipation.

Grape seeds, known as Vitis vinifera, have been recently discovered to have the most health benefits. It contains vitamin E, flavonoids, linoleic acid, procyanidins, fatty acids, and antioxidants.

Health Benefits

Grape seed antioxidant supplements are known to be able to increase the amount of antioxidants in the body. There are certain studies which have discovered grape seeds to contain one of the best antioxidants, which can help prevent and alleviate the symptoms of certain disorders.

High Cholesterol

Grape seed antioxidants were able to help with people who have high cholesterol. A study with regard to grape seed’s effect on high cholesterol was conducted on 40 people for 2 months. They found that a combination of grape seed extract and chromium was more effective than placebo in lowering bad cholesterol.

High Blood Pressure

Grape seed antioxidants are also believed to be able to aid people with high blood pressure. In a study conducted on healthy mice, it was found that grape seed extract was able to reduce systolic blood pressure. More studies are needed, however, to prove its ability to lower blood pressure in humans.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis, wherein the pancreas are inflamed, are supposedly able to be remedied by grape seed antioxidants. A study made on 3 people with chronic pancreatitis found that taking grape seed extract lessened their symptoms, whereas taking conventional medication failed to do so. Further studies in order to prove this are needed, however.

Cancer

Grape seed antioxidants are also able to help with cancer, as well as in preventing cell damage due to chemotherapy. Studies have been conducted wherein it was found that
grape seed extract prevented the growth of breast, stomach, and lung cancer cells. Again, more studies are needed in order to verify this.

Heart Health

Additionally, grape seed antioxidants are also said to have the ability to improve blood circulation, prevent the clogging of arteries, and help with certain circulatory ailments.

“Some research shows that consumption of grape seed and grape skin in combination, such as in red wine, grape juice or a commercially available vitamin supplement products, may be more beneficial than grape seed alone. Further research is needed.1”

When not to use Grape Seed

Grape seed antioxidant supplements are generally safe, but do not take it if you are allergic to grapes. Also, do not take it if you are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant.

In addition, avoid taking Grape seed antioxidants when you are also taking medications such as anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs like warfarin/heparin/clopidogrel, pain relievers, and cholesterol-lowering drugs, as it may cause bleeding.

Grape Seed Usage

The most effective grape seed extracts contain 40-80% proanthocyanidins or 90% polyphenols per dose, standardized in each and every capsule.

By: Taylor

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There are plenty of ways to experience Melbourne without breaking the budget. Ironically, some of the most interesting places to eat, see and stay are also at the cheaper end.

Cheap accommodation is usually found in hostels which are situated around the city areas as well as St. Kilda and Fitzroy.

If you’re staying for longer than 3 months consider staying in share accommodation. Cheaper than a hostel and you’re living in an actual house. Hostels can be great if you want to meet up with other travelers and perhaps party a little bit. Share houses have the advantage of generally being quieter than a hostel. You also get to meet and live with Australians which is an interesting cultural experience in itself.

You can find share accommodation ads up at:

Readings Bookshop: 309 Lygon St, Carlton,

Friends of the Earth: 312 Smith Street, Collingwood

Soul Food: 273 Smith St Fitzroy

Cheap eats can be found everywhere in the city. Swanston street, Elizabeth Street and the China Town areas of Little Bourke street have the best budget restaurants and cafes in the CBD area. A favorable mention is the “all you can eat” vegetarian restaurant “Crossways” at 123 Swanston Street. The last I was there it was $4 for the all you can eat menu.

Victoria street, Richmond which is about a 30 minute walks or 10 minute tram or bike ride from the city is fantastic for cheap but high quality Vietnamese food.

Brunswick Street in Fiztroy and Acland Street in St. Kilda while popular areas aren’t really the cheap food havens that they used to be. While you may be able to hunt down a reasonable price on a meal, most of the places here have hiked up their prices greatly(Some would say that the quality is going down as the price is going up!). Bimbos Deluxe on Brunswick street still has pizzas for 4 dollars though, so you can’t really go wrong there. St. Kilda has the “pay as you feel” Lentil as anything at 41 Blessington St.

At the northern end of Melbourne up in Brunswick we have Sydney Road which is full of authentic and cheap priced Middle eastern restaurants and cafes. A1 bakery deserves a mention for meat pizzas from $2.50.

Public transport in Melbourne is fairly good. Prices are reasonable, just make sure that you do have a ticket because ticket inspectors are strict these days and fines are high.

If you’re going to be in Melbourne for a while, buying a second hand bike is arguably both cheaper and more convenient than catching public transport all the time. Melbourne has plenty of bike paths both in and out of the city and in recent years many of the roads have been redesigned with bike lanes.

Within 10-15 km of the city center bike riding can save about 20 minutes or more over driving a car. Within the city itself, bike riding is the best way to get around. Forget about driving a car into the city and with some parking garages now asking for $8 an hour you’re far better off on a bike or tram.

You can get a second hand bike at the Ceres bike shed for between $30 and $70. The Ceres Bike Shed is run on a volunteer basis so it’s best to give them a call before going down there. ph: (03) 9387 2609

You can get there by catching the 96 tram from Melbourne. They are located at the corner of Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East.

These are just some quick “insider” tips on how to live or holiday cheaply in Melbourne.

By: Jack Albert Kingston

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Package Holidays

Traveling around the world is one the biggest dreams of most people. Traveling also gives people the opportunity to learn more about other people, places, cultures, and more. However, traveling is also tiring and has risks involved. This is why some people are scared to travel much. You should take note that accidents do happen during unexpected times and they may also happen during travels. But traveling is worth the risk when you will get to learn more than what you might be able to by being stuck in one place all your life. Traveling will expose you to things that you will never see within the four walls of your house, of your school classroom, and of your office.

To be quite certain and to put yourself at ease while you enjoy and take in all the pleasure from traveling, you have to cover yourself under travel insurance. Travel insurance will grant you the assurance that even if you are not at home and you are not near your favorite clinic, you will still be well-taken cared of in cases when you might get sick, hurt, or injured in any way while traveling. Even if you are already grown-ups, you should still apply your camping motto and mode of “always being ready.” An ever ready mode means that you must take the proactive measure of insuring yourself against future expenses. Medical expenses vary from one country to another. If unfortunately, you will get sick in a country that charge expensive bills for medical care, you will not be too burdened with the bill.

Another thing is that when you travel, you would more likely try out the activities that a particular place offers. For example, you might want to try the sand dune rides. However, you might also be exposed to sandstorms, or your car might accidentally overturn while you drive it fast. When you meet accidents like these, you need not worry about your medical expenditures.

If you have travel insurance, you will also be assured that if you might accidentally lose one of your plenty baggage upon flight transfer from one plane to another, you will be able to recover the amount of those things inside the lost baggage. This will help you endure the unfortunate loss of some of your necessary possessions. This will also allow you to buy new replacements so as to continue your travel without taking your loss to the heart.

If you have travel insurance, you will also be assisted with the amount of money that you have spent on tickets that you may not be able to use especially if you have decided to cancel out your booking schedule due to an emergency.

By: Lee Jacksonlee

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Worried about the drop in your 401k and the uncertain economy however still considering a holiday but concerned about the cost? Well it is possible to have a holiday in the Caribbean and save money. This article will provide you some of the ways you can reduce your Caribbean vacation cost and still have a wonderful time.

Hotels

These are the times in which it pays to shop around. The economic slowdown in the United States and Europe is causing many hotels in the Caribbean to have empty rooms and so lower rates are available. By researching the various hotels and the packages they offer you can find hidden bargains.

Another way to reduce your hotel cost is to remember that hotels that are not directly on the beachfront but within walking distance of the beach usually cost less than hotels on the beach.

What type of hotel

Ask yourself the question, how much time do I really spend in the hotel room and the hotel? If your answer is that you spend a lot of your vacation time out of the hotel room, then do you really need to stay in a large hotel? On all the Caribbean islands there are small hotels that offer much lower rates than the large hotels.

Another vacation saver is to consider self-catering hotels. Many self-catering hotels provide all the conveniences of a regular hotel room with the added benefit of a decent sized kitchen or kitchenette. By being able to prepare some of your meals (at least breakfast) you can reduce your vacation food bill. When researching self-catering hotels ask for photos of the kitchen area so that you can see if it will be adequate for your needs. Also find out if there are any supermarkets within walking distance of the hotel.

If you choose a self-catering hotel, when you visit the supermarket, buy local brands rather than simply buying the brands that you use at home. You will generally find that local brands cost less.

Eating Out

One of the pleasures of a Caribbean vacation is dining, as there are numerous restaurants on each island serving all types of cuisine. One way to save money during your Caribbean holiday is to eat where the locals eat. You will invariably find that the prices at these establishments are lower as these places cater for locals who do not have the purchasing power of tourists. Part of the benefit of a vacation is to experience the culture of the island and local cuisine is a great way to experience local culture. How to know where to eat; use the time tested method: if it is lunchtime and there are many people lining up then the food must be good and the price must be reasonable.

Alcohol

Almost every hotel in the Caribbean has a bar because relaxing with a drink is part of the holiday experience. Visiting the bar everyday however can eat into a holiday budget. One way to save money and still have your alcohol is to visit the supermarket. By purchasing your alcohol at the supermarket and having some of your drinks on your hotel balcony while watching the sunset, you can save money. When buying alcohol in the Caribbean you will find that local and regional brands of beer cost significantly less than U.S. and European brands of beer, so buy local. The same is true with the cost of rum when compared to other distilled spirits such as whiskey and vodka.

Getting Around

Most people on a Caribbean vacation want to do some sightseeing and visit the places of interest on each island. Renting a car is a great way to do your sightseeing. Many of the attractions on each island can be found once you are armed with a good road map. In addition, having a car allows you to widen the circle of places where you can choose to have dinner. In deciding to rent a car however you should think of the amount of time the car is parked in the hotel parking lot while you are relaxing on the beach in front the hotel or taking an afternoon siesta. While the car is parked and you are not using the car you are still paying the rental for the car for that entire period.

One method of having the benefit of a car and still save some money is to plan your holiday in advance by researching the sights. The Internet has made researching sightseeing attractions much easier and one of the web sites where you can learn about the places to visit on different Caribbean islands is at the Island Adventures Page, of the Caribbean Outdoor Life web site. Once you have completed your research you make a list, then rent a car for only 2 or 3 days and do all the sightseeing on those days. In this way you save on the car rental. On the days that you have the car you can choose to visit restaurants that are not in walking distance of your hotel.

Another potential vacation saver can be found in the area of car rental insurance. Check if your home auto insurance or credit card will provide insurance on a rental vehicle while you are on vacation in the Caribbean, thus saving you from purchasing insurance from the car rental company.

On the other days when you do not have a car you can use local transport for getting around. All hotels either have taxis at the hotel or arrangements with taxis who will quickly come to the hotel once they receive a call from the front desk. A much cheaper alternative however is to use the local bus service. The front desk staff can usually provide you with directions and advice on using the bus service.

Tours and Attractions

Every Caribbean island has retained much of its natural vegetation and so hiking to visit waterfalls and scenic points is one of the attractions of a Caribbean holiday. All islands have at least one local hiking club and/or Field Naturalist Club that will organize hikes for its members. All of these clubs will allow non-members to participate on their organized hikes. While these clubs will charge a fee for you to participate in their hike, the fee will be much less than the fee charged by a tour guide. One point to remember however is that these hikes are organised for their local members and will therefore be on a weekend.

Many of the attractions on the various islands charge a fee for entrance. There are however many other attractions that you can visit for free, particularly historic buildings especially churches, the smaller forts and government buildings. The capital of each island is one location where you are certain to find historic buildings and monuments that are free places to visit.

So if you are thinking about a vacation, consider the Caribbean, with a little planning you can have a wonderful vacation at a significantly lower cost.

By: Brian Ramsey

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My friend and I are both 21 and are looking to road trip in America this summer (mid-June to early July) and we need to hire a car. Our journey takes us through Nevada, California and Arizona. We are travelling for 22 days. It is only us and we both intend to drive the hired car. Being aged 21-24 we are often subject to an additional charge per day. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Can anyone recommend a company which would be the cheapest for our situation?

By: troymuqbil

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I am going to Geneva Airport next week and need to drive to Les Gets. What’s the cheapest car hire for four days from that airport?

By: nick birch

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This sweet Portuguese fortified wine is from the Duoro Valley in the northern regions of Portugal. There are similar wines produced worldwide but the true port is from Portugal. There are several styles to choose from, so here is a little help navigating the aisle and in choosing a good port.

Tawny Port: This amber color wine starts out red but is aged and mellows to this golden colored liquid and takes on a nutty flavor from the wood casks. The age indicated ‘in woods’ indicates the time it spent in the cask, which ranges from 10, 20, 30 and over 40 years.

Garrafeira isa more aged vintage style of Port made from single harvest grapes ingle harvest that combines both the maturation of years spent in wood and further aging in large glass vessels called demijohns, the the bulk of the time spent in the glass storage. Presently, there is but one company, Niepoort, that markets Garrafeiras. The word Garrafeira may be found on some very old Tawny labels, where the contents of the bottle are of exceptional age.

Ruby Port: This is the cheapest style, only aged 3-5 years in stainles steel.

White Port, is made from white grapes and is found dry to very sweet, and is served cold or over ice.

Vintage Port represents only 2% of port production but is the flagship of all Portuguese wine is made entirely from grapes from a declared vintage year of production. These wines are aged in their barrels for but a short time, so they retain their deep ruby colour and fresh fruity flavors. Fine vintage ports can for decades continue to gain complexity and drink wonderfully long after they were bottled. These are particularly sought after and expensive wines. Vintage port should not be confused with ‘Late Bottle Vintage” which is a lesser wine.

Late Bottle Vintage is a grape that was designated Vintage but was left in the barrel too long due to lack of demand.

One of my favorite port makers is Taylor’s Port, Taylor Fladgate, Portugal.

By: Angela Tunner

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The hospitality and tourism sector is booming with the recent hike in the number of tourists. Touring has become very expensive, thanks to the exotic hotels and its facilities. But this cutthroat competition amongst the airlines and the hotels is bringing down the cost to a certain extent. Nowadays, people are not just making trips for fun, but also for professional purposes. An individual always tries to save as much as possible on a trip by cutting down on unnecessary expenditure.

One can always opt for cheap hotels to save a few bucks during the trips. Generally people have an idea that cheap hotels have dingy little attics for rooms and epitomize lack of hygiene. But if one visits a cheap hotel, this myth will be busted. Cheap hotels are nothing but decent hotels with quality service and standard facilities. The only difference is that cheap hotels are pocket-friendly. The lower price tags help in saving some of the tourist’s money. This bit of extra cash can be used in shopping or in binging on foreign cuisine.

With Internet accessibility at our fingertips, finding the different cheap hotels in different cities has been rendered easy. Search engines will give the tourist a list of all the cheap hotels in various parts of the world at a glance. One can choose any kind of accommodation based on one’s needs and budget. In this age, no one will be disappointed. There are various kinds of hotels that cater to people of different classes of the society. The offers of various hotels can be checked, and the hotel that gives that maximum number of amenities in the minimum cost.

Cheap hotels have all the required facilities like a television set, delicious food, excellent service and good rooms. They are clean and have an impressive ambience. These basic facilities are available at a surprisingly low rate. But if one is looking for the five star facilities like Jacuzzi and spa, cheap hotels is not an option. Cheat hotels allow the visitor to enjoy the bare necessities of life at a reasonable rate. One can have hotel reservations in discount hotels or book rooms in expensive hotels in off-seasons. Some of these expensive hotels give special discounts in certain seasons. These discounts will help in saving a lot of money, as well as give a chance to live in the best of hotels. Off-season tours are also profitable.

For getting to know about the cheapest hotels, one can get in touch with travel agencies. They often have tie-ups with cheap hotels of other hotels that give a special discount to visitors booking hotels through specific travel agents. Various airlines, too, have associations with cheap hotels. Websites of various hotels sometimes offer lucrative deals, which should not be missed.

The quality of the service and food in the cheap hotels are not sub-standard. They are equally delicious and impressive. These cheap hotels offer such low rates as it attracts more tourists than the expensive ones. It is like getting special offers and discounts throughout the year.

By: Miroslaw Nikolin

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