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Archive for May, 2009

Walking Holidays – Offering The Chance Of A Different Kind Of Holiday May 30
In an era where children are encouraged to get out and be active, walking holidays offer families the chance to experience the great outdoors and see some of the amazing sites there are to see around the UK and Europe. Walking holidays are totally different to the package holidays that the majority of people opt for but they also appeal to a different segment of consumer.

With cheap holidays been frequently offered, most people overlook other kinds of holidays such as Walking holidays that cater for the more active person. With a number of companies offering walking holidays to places all around the world, its no wonder that these types of holidays are becoming more popular. Many of these tour operators offer superb trips to Switzerland, France, Italy, the Mediterranean and the Himalayas, it is a great opportunity for the family to get out the house and see what the world has to offer.

These types of holidays offer a fantastic opportunity to do something different on your holiday. Most packages include a bed and breakfast which is family-friendly and in prime location for all walks to start, however it is the costs of the packages that seem to be the difference between choosing a cheap holiday and a walking holiday; one company offers a trip lasting 16 days at a cost of £857 per person excluding nights which is expensive considering the holidays you can now get off low cost airlines.

There are certain people who prefer to go on active holidays that involve activities such as walking, but it is hard to see how companies will persuade the other consumer segments to partake in such activities when you can travel to continental Europe for as little as £20.

By: Karl Bantleman

About the Author:
Walking holidays are a great way to get the family outdoors, but with the ever increasing amount of cheap holidays being made available to the public, it is hard to see if these kinds of holidays will ever be a hit amongst the general public.



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Travel Insurance For Seniors May 30
If you are a senior considering traveling, it is absolutely crucial that you buy travel insurance for seniors. When traveling, seniors are at greatest risk of having a medical emergency. Getting the right insurance package for your age group can protect your health and give you peace of mind.

Travel insurance for pensioners is something you should really consider. The older you are, the more at risk you are for having something bad happen to you while abroad. If you are not covered by some comprehensive insurance, you could have some serious problems.

The major concern is that if you have a medical emergency abroad, you will end up in a foreign hospital with no medical coverage. You could end up paying thousands of dollars in medical bill. There are cases where people have had their entire life savings wipeout while abroad, just having to pay for critical medical support.

Since you are a senior, you fall under a special category when being considered for insurance. This category can included insurance for over 60, insurance for over 70’s and travel insurance for over 80’s. There are different insurance packages because each decade you age, there are additional risks for the insurance companies.

If you sign on to a insurance package not specially catered to your age, you may find that you are NOT covered for many clauses. This is the last thing you want: assuming you have insurance when you actually don’t.

So make a point to talk to an insurance agent or look at some online insurance websites to find a package that fits your age.

By: Rick Taylow

About the Author:
Travel Insurance for Seniors is important because if the right insurance package is not chosen for older people, they will not be covered. That’s why it’s critical that you make a point of getting travel insurance for pensioners before you go on a long trip. The last thing you want to find out is that your insurance won’t cover your medical needs in a foreign country!



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Take A Break In Las Vegas and Visit The Bellagio Fountain May 30
One of the most enchanting fountains of the United States is the Bellagio Fountains. People from all over the country and the world come to Las Vegas and view the magnificent display of the fountains. The fountains in all their glory can be seen for miles. The fountains are famous for being featured movies such as “Lucky You” and “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Ocean’s Thirteen”.

What makes the Bellagio so incredible is that it is an eight-acre man made lake. The lake is filled with fresh water. There are countless amounts of underwater pipes that provide the water for the fountain with over 1,200 nozzles that make the fountains able to shoot water in the air. There are three types of nozzles that are used to create different effects. They are called “Oarsman’s” (these cause the water to swing forward and backward. This makes the water look as if it is dancing), “Shooters” (these cause water to be shot upward into the sky) and “Super Shooters” (these send water into the air up to 250ft high). The fountain also uses over 4,5000 colored lights. This fountain is estimated to have cost over fifty million dollars and was designed by WET designs.

The Fountains of Bellagio are not only known for its sheer size and power but the elaborate display of music and light that one can see and hear along with the movement of water. People gather through out the afternoon and early evening to view the beautiful show of light, music and water that takes place every 30 minutes. The choreographers of these shows make a great effort to make sure that each movement of water and color of light fits perfectly into the music chosen for each show. Some of the pieces of music that the Bellagio Fountains shows are set to are All the Jazz, Fly Me to the Moon, Luck Be a Lady, Your Song, Hallelujah Chorus, and Con Te Partiro by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli. Each show is simply a masterpiece of its own.

So the next time you are visiting Las Vegas, take a few moments and visit the Bellagio Water Fountain. Its not your typical indoor water feature, and it will allow you to spend some nice peaceful moments during your fast paced visit in Vegas.

By: Taylor

About the Author:
Soothing Walls is an online leader of outdoor and indoor floor and Wall Fountains



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Cheap South Beach Hotels May 25
Cheap South Beach Hotels provide fantastic deals to cater to your vacation needs, offering accommodations near popular locations at discounted rates. South Beach is regarded as the most visited part of Miami Beach. It stretches from 1st street to Lincoln Road, covering some of the most vibrant commercial areas such as Alton Road, Collins Avenue, Espanola Way, Ocean Drive, and Washington Avenue. South Beach consists of an eclectic mix of boutique-style hotels, colorful shopping areas, gourmet restaurants, and historic buildings.

South Beach has accommodation options ranging from luxury to budget hotels. Hotel Nash, New Clinton Hotel and Spa, Boulevard Hotel, Indian Creek Hotel, and the Clay Hotel are among the hotels providing accommodation at cheap rates. Usually, cheap South Beach hotels feature single rooms, double rooms, or family rooms, at affordable rates ranging from $70 to $250. Sometimes rates include car rental and tour packages. Air conditioning, ceiling fans, refrigerators, satellite television, and telephones with voice mail are the amenities in the hotel rooms. Guests can also enjoy facilities including business centers, dining areas, fitness centers, lounges, saunas, and ample parking spaces.

Some of the cheap South Beach hotels such as the Clay Hotel are affiliated with the Hostelling International (HI) – one of the largest networks of budget hostel accommodations in the nation. Some cheap South Beach hotels provide four to six bed dorm rooms with all amenities including air conditioning and private bathrooms.

Most of the cheap South Beach hotels are within walking distance to the area’s major attractions such as the Bass Museum of Art, Everglades Alligator Farm, Flamingo Park, Holocaust Museum, Opium Garden, Pro Player Stadium, and Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

By: Jennifer Bailey

About the Author:
South Beach Hotels provides detailed information on South Beach Hotels, South Beach Luxury Hotels, South Beach Condo Hotels, Cheap South Beach Hotels and more. South Beach Hotels is affiliated with Jacksonville Florida Hotels.



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does anyone know a company at Alicante airport that will hire me a car without a credit card? May 25
I can’t find a car hire in Alicante that does not require a credit card.

By: pinkmarch

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National Trust Cottages – Experience Properties of Outstanding Natural Beauty May 21
Many people are surprisingly unaware they have the chance to stay in one of the many National Trust cottages available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is really a unique experience as the Trust maintains properties in some of the most beautiful locations in the country and the experience is really out of this world.

The National Trust was founded in 1895 as a reaction to the rapid growth and expansion going on at the time. Due to constant development and industrialisation there were areas being deprived of their historical and scenic locations in a bid to continue growth. Miss Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley were the founders and pioneers in establishing areas that protected areas under threat.

Since that time they now have two hundred and forty eight thousand hectares of land under their control and about 200 buildings. This means that they cannot be sold or the land built on, meaning that there are guaranteed places of natural beauty and historical significance safe from development. They are also well looked after so that deterioration cannot occur.

They keep almost all of these areas and building open for the public to view and have a number of cottages available for people to stay at for short breaks. This is a fantastic opportunity as it means that you can stay in a building that has historical significance and has its beauty preserved. Many of these buildings are some of the most well kept and idyllic places you could imagine, so a chance to stay in one is an amazing opportunity.

By: Jane L Green

About the Author:
Looking for the most beautiful National Trust Cottages? Then Click Here right now!



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Cheap Flights Hotels – A Complete Travel Package May 18
According to many, arranging a holiday requires a lot of time and planning. Planning a trip requires booking flights, hotels plus deciding how you are going to spend your time once you have reached your destination. The best choice is to browse the Internet for all inclusive holiday packages that makes planning easier, helps you keep expenses under control, and reduces the stress of travel!

You can go online and find a complete travel package that answers all your trip needs. Online travel websites can be very helpful as travellers get the opportunity to quickly and efficiently get great deals on holiday packages and other travel amenities. You can customise your very own travel package, which include options like cheap flights, hotels, car hire, destination activities, and travel insurance. You can easily customise great holidays online based on your travel budget. The online travel gurus help you understand the ins and outs of discount air travel, helping you find the lowest possible airfare. You can save money plus have the advantage of creating your very own travel package.

With the help of online travel services, traveler can save time get bookings done faster. One need not go door to door to very local travel agent to get the best travel deals and packages.

Most of these online travel websites work as consolidators that negotiate and purchase bulk tour deals. By doing this, they amass huge savings and pass this on to you, offering you cheap flights, hotels, transportation, all in one complete travel package. With all your journey booking completed online, you can plan the perfect holiday any time and anywhere.

By: Tariq Ansari

About the Author:
Book Cheap Flights and holiday packages to worldwide destinations with Direct Flights International award winning booking engine.



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International Travel Insurance To Africa May 14
Despite plans being flawless and preparations made to the hilt, circumstances still can crop up out of nowhere. Many unpredictable things can happen when you are on safari. You can expect these ‘unpredictable things’ to force you to call off your vacation to return home, or to deal with the emergency immediately while on holiday.

Can anything be done to prepare for these instances? Yes! Purchasing Travel Insurance will ensure that most, if not all the costs for these unforeseen circumstances will be covered. Travel Insurance is purchasable prior to making any significant steps towards your planned African safari. It will definitely serve as a safety net for you and the people you will be traveling with. Getting an insurance cover is important when traveling to Africa; in fact it is a requirement for your own good.

Before you start searching for a company which can assist you with Africa travel insurance, there are things that you should keep in mind. You should ask the following

- What kind of insurance do you need?

- Do you travel around the world frequently?

- Are you planning to make trips to other locations besides Africa?

If you answered yes to most of the question, try considering an International Travel Insurance Plan. As the name implies, this insurance plan would ensure that you are given sufficient “International Coverage” wherever you go. The policies set in these plans should cover you well when you travel to Africa.

Here is another thing to keep in mind. Say that a situation arises during your stay in Africa, and as a result, you or someone with you needs emergency medical treatment. After the medical treatment, you have to shoulder the bill for the meantime. In this light, try to check the insurance policy that you are interested in, and make sure that your insurance plan covers reimbursement for medical expenses.

You should also make it a point to look over the said policy to see if it covers one of the many activities you may participate in when you get to Africa. Does your Insurance Policy cover any injuries you might get when you take part on a wild and unpredictable safari?

Would the company cover you when something happens during white water rafting, bungee jumping, quad biking, dune boarding, or camel riding? The policy should be able to answer your questions in detail. Take note that there are certain programs and activities in Africa that you may not be able to take part in if you do not have travel insurance in the first place.

Be prepared to shell out a few extra bucks for premium payments for addendum to your policy to cover those unique activities that you plan to do in Africa. A few extra costs and effort is quite inconvenient, but you will see how vital they can get if something ever happens.

Keep in mind that the insurance company should provide you with a comprehensive policy. You will need this document in case there are problems on your repatriation when returning to your home country. A comprehensive policy should contain specific details surrounding unexpected circumstance: medical expense coverage, treatment services, and trip interruption, to name a few. These details will help in determining the extent of coverage of your travel.

The Insurance policy document is apparently as important as your passport in many cases. Before leaving for Africa, make sure to leave it at home and/or with somebody that the company can contact in case of emergency. While traveling or in certain situations, have a copy of the Travel Insurance Policy for the crew you are with, state clearly who to call when emergency happens.

Checking the coverage limits of your travel insurance is very important to find out how you are covered in case something happens. One other factor that you should not overlook in the same policy would be the rules regarding reimbursement in case something happens. Getting money back means more to spend on other vacations in the future.

Whenever you plan on an African Safari for business or pleasure, do not forget to consider purchasing travel insurance. It isn’t just for you, it is also for what you have with you. It’s bound to give you the peace of mind that each and every traveler deserves.

By: Ivan A Cuxeva

About the Author:

AfricaPoint, a travel agent based in Kenya offers African safari tours to top travel destinations in Africa. View safari itineraries and travel to Africa in style. Visit us at http://www.africapoint.com



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The "Richest Square Mile on Earth" May Well Also be the Most Haunted Square Mile on Earth! May 14
Life in mining towns was not easy. Many died untimely and violent deaths –
deaths from diseases, from hostile environments, from mining accidents, from crime, and even from broken hearts. Conditions were ripe for creating ghosts and many mining towns today claim hauntings. Central City, Colorado, also known as “the richest square mile on earth” was a thriving mining town during the gold rush area and to this day many of it’s first residents and visitors still roam it’s buildings, streets, and cemeteries.

On the main intersection of town was a building housing one of these restless
spirits on it’s second floor. During the late 1980’s the second floor of this building
was the annex for the Golden Rose Hotel, the main building being directly across
the street from it. The hotel was a replication of earlier days, all furnishings were
actual gold rush era pieces, and to preserve the historical aviance there were no
telephones in the rooms. Guests would have to walk across the street to the
main lobby to talk to hotel personnel. With a ghost living in one of the rooms,
guests made the trip over to the main building quite often.

I worked in the hotel in 1990 and 1991 until the building was sold to be turned
into a casino. Room 25 seemed to have it’s problems. Windows would open
themselves, which would not have been so hard to rationalize if they had not had
to slide up to be opened. Water faucets turned themselves on, clothes and other
objects would disappear then turn up on the bed when the occupants got ready
to leave. When the haunted room was empty, any guests in rooms on either
side would come to the desk to report fights in the room.

I remember one guest had reported that items were missing from his room. We
assured him that our housekeepers were extremely honest people, but he
seemed to not be convinced, until just before check-out he came in and spoke to
me. He told me that his belongings had turned up, just as I had indicated they
might do. He seemed shaken, and I again reassured him that this was not a
prank that anyone on our staff would orchestrate. He agreed readily that it was
not our staff. It seems he had already packed and was writing a quick letter to
mail on his way to his next destination. When he turned to the bed his
belongings were neatly laid on the foot of the bed. When I remarked that it was
highly unlikely that someone could have snuck in to replace the items without
him hearing them, he just laughed. It seems that he had been facing the mirror
on the desk in his room while writing and that no one could have moved
anywhere in the vicinity of the bed without him having seen them – and no one
had. His missing belongings seem to have just materialized out of thin air.
Several times during my employment with the Golden Rose, guests in rooms
next to the haunted room came to me to report fights in the next room. When I
would just calmly smile and assure them everything was quite in order, they
would protest so furiously that I would have to walk across to the annex with
them and open the door of the room where the “fights” were taking place. It was
interesting to see the colors the guest’s faces would turn when I opened the door
revealing that the room was indeed unoccupied, and neatly ordered with nothing
out of place or destroyed. Some guests loved it, some insisted on moving to the
main building for the rest of their stay.

When gaming was re-legalized in 1991 the annex was sold and converted into a
casino. I went off to a business partnership running a parking lot, shuttles, and
some miscellaneous marketing. Part of this marketing involved doing coupons
for some of the casinos. Checking an order one day, I went to Doc Holliday’s
casino – which was in the building that had housed the Golden Rose Annex just
months before.

It was early morning and when I entered the office the secretary was quite
frazzled, and was sorting a very disordered stack of papers on her desk. She
complained loudly that the “guys” kept forgetting to shut the windows and file
cabinet drawers at night and she was many mornings faced with picking files up
off the floor and reorganizing them. She was also not pleased with the
disappearance of files, which would invariably turn back up on her desk at a later
time, but she could never find out who was taking the files in the first place. The
room the office was in? You guessed it. Doc Holliday’s casino office was
located in none other than the haunted annex room.

I was told that the casino was called Doc Holliday’s because it was believed that
the ghost of Doc Holliday inhabited the building. He actually died and was buried
in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Whether he actually has taken up permanent
residence in Central City, a town he frequented often during life, or not will
probably always be a mystery. It is no mystery that SOMEONE has decided to
take up permanent residence in that room, however.

This is only one instance of haunting in Central City. For people interested in
ghost hunting, I would be hard pressed to think of a better place to visit. You will
find that there are scores of very well known haunted places there, and quite a
few lesser known ones as well if you talk to residents that have lived in the area
for a time.

By: Taylor

About the Author:
© 2007 Sally Taylor:
You don’t have to be Indiana Jones to find gemstones and fossils or prospect for gold and artifacts. Come on over to http://www.rockhoundstation1.com and learn how easy it is to turn those dull weekends into a life of adventure.



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Money Saving Tips While Cruising May 12
Cruises are an excellent value. Food, entertainment and many onboard activities are included in the price of the trip. Still, it is easy to overspend if you’re not careful.

Where can the spending add up? Watch the beverages, shore excursions, spa treatments and items ship sell onboard. Many are over priced.

Talk to your travel agent about the port you are visiting and read online blogs. In many islands you can just walk off the ship for shopping and beaches, where on others you will want to buy an excursion or take a cab.

Spa: Want a relaxing massage or ******? Regular prices are about 20 to 30% higher than you would pay at a local spa. The best time for a Spa treatment is the days you are in port, where they will run $20 to $60 off per treatment. Keep in mind even if you have an excursion planned for the day, the spa is open until 10 p.m. Try to avoid getting your hair & nails done onboard. They are expensive and usually do not offer any specials on these services. Also, they will try to sell you products at the end of your treatment. Ask questions and write the name of the items down but purchase it when you get home. You can usually find cheaper price on the internet. Elemis for example often offers 10% off on online purchases.

Consider purchasing packages, such as the soda, wine, beer, coffee or ice cream programs. I was recently on a 7 day cruise where it cost $29 per person. When you consider that each soda costs $3, and my husband usually drinks a minimum of 5 per day, he easily would have spent $80 or $90 on soda versus the $29. Tea, coffee, milk & juice is free onboard, but name brand coffee such as Seattle Best or specialty coffee drinks, there is an additional charge. Ice cream can be ordered each night in the dining room with your choice of topping and whip cream, so perhaps pass on the $3.50 ice cream sundae and wait for dessert. You can always order 2 desserts if something else on the menu interest you. Chocolate cake with a side of vanilla ice cream perhaps?

Internet: Wifi connections are great on the newer ships, but again this can get expensive. Purchase a package prior to using the internet. Minutes can go for over .70 if you do not purchase a package, but drop down to .30 to .50 on average depending on usage if you buy one of their packages. Some ships run specials the first day of the cruise where you get 10 to 30 minutes free if you sign up for a package that day so check your cruise bulletin.

Specialty dining: In recent years ships have now offer restaurants that have a cover charge. The food & service in these venues are usually top notch, but if you are on a budget, you can skip it without being cheated. It’s not that $20 or $25 is not worth it for Brazilian Lobster or Kobe beef, but depending on the ship you are on, there is usually a great selection in the regular dining room without paying additional. The menu’s are posted early each day outside of the dining room, so take a look and see what interests you. If you don’t feel like dressing up, then the buffet usually has the same items being offered in the formal dining room.

Gratuities: Your bar bill include 15% tip each time you order. There is no need to tip additional money, unless you feel the service is “above and beyond.”

Watch the casino! Cruise lines are making it easier for you to spend your money. On many ships, In the slot machines, you just insert your room key and you can deduct the amount you’d like right from your account. It is harder to keep track of how much you are spending versus using cash, since no receipt prints out. Best bet is to have a budget in mind for each night, take cash and walk out when it’s gone.

Last but not least, shopping. Although items onboard are duty free, chances are you can purchase the items cheaper in port. You can “negotiate” with local vendors most of the time to get the price down, where on the ship it is a fixed price. Also be aware of the shopping allowance per person. When visiting the Caribbean, you are eligible for a $800 pp exemption. You may also bring back 1 liter of alcohol, up to 200 cigarettes and up to 100 non-Cuban cigars. You will be asked to complete a form prior to disembarking the ship that explains all of these exemptions. Keep all of your receipts handy just in case you are questioned by customs.

Children can spend hours in the kids club, and adults can spend an entire cruise vacation, reading, watching movies, swimming, watching live entertainment and eating, at no additional cost.

By: S Brage

About the Author:
For more great travel tips, visit http://www.atlastravelweb.com



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