Visit Place In India Fined Best Vacation Destination

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If you are planning your holiday tour or honeymoon to Keral ,we hope thhssaattcceewwll ell ouu ppo ooaaiinn<b> Poua etntons n Kea apza tiapli ea ot oh,Gavi Kllm Kovaa,Kmao, nar,Mzaplna elymathy iabr hkkay,Vraa and otya,Iuk,hisr raua,Plkad aaprm Kohkd,anr aao n o. Alappuzha:
It is famous for its boat races, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. Alappuzha beach is a popular picnic spot. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is over 137 years old.
Houseboats come with all comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for gazing so that one can enjoy uninterrupted view of backwaters.

Athirappalli:
The most famous waterfalls of Kerala, Athirappalli and Vazhachal are situated on the Chalakudy River. The waterfalls are located on the edge of the Sholayar forest ranges are just 5 km apart. This is the only place in the Western Ghats where four endangered Hornbill species are seen.

Bekal:
Kasaragod, the northern most district of Kerala is known as land of gods, forts, rivers, hills and beautiful beaches.
Illuminated beach: The beach gets illuminated during the evening hours so that tourists can spend more time at the beach even after the sun set.

Fort Kochi:
Fort Kochi, there is no better choice than setting out on foot. Relax, breathe deep and come out in cotton, soft shoes and yes a straw hat. At each and every nook of this island steeped in history, there is something amusing awaiting you.

Gavi:
The Kerala Forest Development Corporation has caught the attention of tourists, mostly from European countries. The project is exclusive in many aspects and the majority who visited were nature lovers and adventure tourists.
Gavi, located in Pathanamthitta district offers its visitors activities like trekking, wildlife watching, outdoor camping in specially built tents, and night safaris.

Kollam:
A destination whose sands are sodden with adventures and legacies waiting to be explored. Kollam has had a strong history of commerce since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans.

Kumarakom:
The village of Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake, and is part of the Kuttanad region. The bird sanctuary has rare birds. An enchanting backwater destination, Kumarakom offers visitors many other leisure options. Boating and fishing facilities are also available.

Munnar:
Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. 1,600m above sea level. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, which towers over 2,695 m. Anamudi is an ideal spot for trekking.

Muzhappilangad:
Adventure sports like paragliding, parasailing and microlite flights are possible at the Muzhappilangad beach in Thalassery. Other attractions include water sports, power boating or a simple catamaran ride.

Thekkady:
The very sound of the word Thekkady conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice scented plantations. The Periyar forests of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India.

Prompt Tours &Travels offers a wide range of packages at affordable price. We are specialist in Kerala honeymoon packages, Kerala tour packages, South India tour package. Call/WhatsApp 98418 02288 or email: prompt_travels@yahoo.co.in

Vintage Christmas Decorations Are Available As Close As Your Own Home!

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Christmas is on its way, and you like to celebrate the beauty of the season with various kinds of decorations, especially when it comes to decorating the Christmas tree. Vintage or vintage style Christmas decorations are available in a variety of different ways and one of those ways can be found in your kitchen pantry!

Vintage Christmas Decorations Can be Store-Bought or Handmade

The first thing that you should do before you buy vintage Christmas decorations at a store is to talk to older acquaintances who truly remember what it was like to experience Christmas with vintage Christmas decorations surrounding them. Remember, while some manufactured vintage Christmas decorations can be ornate, some traditional decorations are also remarkable simple to reproduce.

Christmas is a time for loved ones to get together and share cherished memories. The decoration process can be part of all this, and you can actually make decorations together in the tradition of vintage Christmas decorations!

During the First and Second World Wars, money was tight for people all over the world. However, that did not stop them from adding some loveliness to their Christmas by making their own decorations. One of the most popular kinds of decorations that can be made is a simple string of popcorn to adorn the tree with.

Start by making a bowl of popcorn (minus the butter) and get a long piece of thread. Simply thread the needle through each kernel of popcorn, and the result is fun, inexpensive way to decorate, yet also a reproduction of a kind of vintage Christmas decoration.

When you start thinking about decorating for Christmas, there is the inside to decorate, but there is also the outside to decorate as well. Nowadays Christmas decorations are becoming very technologically savvy, with animatronics and the like. However, they had to all start somewhere, and at its earliest beginnings there were vintage Christmas decorations in the form of strings of large Christmas lights.

Basically, these large Christmas lights look much like the lights available for outdoor decorations today, just bigger, and some would argue better. They always came in long strings of lights, and were multicolored. In fact, you can often still see these strings of large Christmas lights on homes today.

So, the question is how to go about finding them. Some people actually have them passed down to them from generation to generation. However, if your family was not in the habit of doing this, there are still ways to find them and other Vintage Christmas decorations.

If you are not one for absolute authenticity, you can find reproductions of these vintage Christmas decorations at many season stores in your area, or in regular stores amongst their Christmas inventory. However, if you want to get the ones that are authentic, you will need to consider several things.

First of all, there is the issue of how much these kinds of Christmas decorations will cost. While they were probably not expensive in their day, they are now because they are harder to find. Also some vintage Christmas decorations, especially the ones intended to be placed on a mantle, were made out of sturdy cast iron, while nowadays many decorations are made out of plastic.

Something else that you will need to consider is the condition that these Christmas decorations will be in. For example, if you are thinking about getting a vintage Coca Cola Santa figurine, if you want it for a lower price you are going to have to get one in need of repair.

Try looking for vintage Christmas decorations at local antique shops. While they might have decorations available throughout the year, they are more apt to during the holiday season. You can also search the internet, since there are several websites that sell these. However, be sure to ask for a certificate of authenticity. With some research you are sure to find the best vintage Christmas decorations for your home.

Veterans Day Trivia Quiz Twenty Quiz Questions with Answers

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Well, this was a pretty quiet Veterans Day. I didn't go anywhere or celebrate in any particular way, but it sounds like an excuse to put up an article consisting of about twenty quiz questions involving Veterans Day and or military and war trivia questions and the like.

I find military trivia quite interesting. I guess it's a guy thing, war, army, fighter planes, tanks, bombs, and things of that nature are tied in somehow with testosterone. I enjoy history too, and what else is trivia but historical facts!

I am a veteran of the Vietnam War myself by the way. Thank you to all the rest of you fellow Veterans and you guys on active duty too. Those of you overseas, come home safe please.

You can copy and paste these military, wars, and battles trivia questions into your word processor, delete the answers, and print out the questions in your preferred format and presto you've got a nice icebreaker for a party or other get together.

Ok, without further ado here is my Veterans Day Trivia Quiz!

1. How long did the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 last?
A: Six days.

2. Where was the Bay of Pigs whose invasion sparked a world crisis in the 60s?
A: Cuba.

3. Which major weapon of war was used for the first time in 1916?
A: Tank.

4. What Operation was the codename for the D Day landings?
A: Overlord

5. What marked the first time since the Revolution that the U.S. accepted direct financial aid to fight a war?
A: The Persian Gulf War.

6. What Civil War general graduated first in the West Point class of 1829?
A: Robert E. Lee

7. What opportunistic country declared war on Japan five days before its surrender in 1945?
A: The Soviet Union.

8. What so called "war" spawned the dueling slogans "Better Dead Than Red" and "Better Red Than Dead" in the 1950s?
A: The Cold War.

9. How were the height and width of modern American battleships originally determined?
A: The ships had to be able to go beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and through the Panama Canal.
10. What was the name of the Japanese destroyer that sank PT-109, commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, on August 2, 1943?
A: Amigiri.

11. How many times did the nuclear submarine USS Triton surface during its historic 1960 underwater circumnavigation of the globe?
A: Twice--once to remove a sick crew member, and once to pay tribute to Ferdinand Magellan on the island of Mactan in the Philippines, where the explorer was killed in 1521 during his circumnavigation of the globe.

12. What great military leader was an accomplished yo-yo player?
A: Napoleon's nemesis, the Duke of Wellington. At the time, the yo-yo was known as a bandalore.

13. Who was the youngest U.S. Army officer ever to be promoted to general?
A: George Custer, a graduate of West Point, who became a general at age 23--14 years before his infamous battle of Little Big Horn.

14. What was the inspiration for the name Rough Riders--the name of the elite fighting unit Theodore Roosevelt organized for the Spanish-American War?
A: The Rough Riders Hotel in Medora, North Dakota, where Roosevelt had tried ranching.

15. What American actor was given the British Distinguished Service Cross for commanding a flotilla of raiding craft for Admiral Louis Mountbatten's commandos during World War II?
A: Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

16. Who was the first American congressman to don a uniform following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941?
A: President-to-be Lyndon Johnson, who served in the Navy.

17. What actor has attained the highest U.S. military rank in history for an entertainer?
A: James Stewart, who rose to the rank of a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

18. You may remember the Alamo, but do you now what the word means in Spanish?
A: Cottonwood.

19. Why did U.S. secret agents abandon plans--approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt--to drop live bats from airplanes to frighten the Japanese during World War II?
A: The bats froze at high altitudes, before they could be released.

20. What American military leader said, "Lafayette we are here," and on what occasion?
A: Gen. Black Jack Pershing, arriving in France in 1917 after the U.S. entered WWI.

Venture Off the Piste in La Plagne & Les Arcs

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Theres no better way to relax and truly recharge than by heading out to the beauty of the mountains. When youre trying to make the most of your winter holiday, enjoying the luxury of catered chalets is the way to go. As you wont need to worry about cooking and cleaning, youll be free to enjoy the wonders of the slopes and the unsculpted off-piste terrain that awaits your tracks.
One of the most exhilarating experiences of any ski holiday is venturing off-piste, which should only be undertaken by the most advanced skiers. Its also crucial to plan a route and to make sure that you are properly prepared.

How to Prepare for Off-Piste Adventures

Whats the best piece of advice for going off-piste? Hire a guide. Certified local guides have excellent knowledge of the mountains and will be able to take you down the best routes. Not only will you avoid any risky zones, but youll also access the very best snow! Guides will be able to provide you with specialist avalanche equipment, such as transceivers and shovels: taking the proper kit out with you is extremely important. It might sound obvious, but checking the snow and avalanche conditions before you head out is a must. As is listening carefully to official advice!

Les Arcs and La Plagne

Jointly forming the Paradiski area, the neighbouring resorts of Les Arcs and La Plagne offer huge expanses of excellent off-piste terrain.

Couloir de Pramain

This scenic off-piste route is easily accessed from La Plagne. Cut away from the Bellecte run and traverse to a col, where you will descend into a narrow couloir. Follow the couloir down the mountain to finish amongst the trees, before re-joining Le Drochoir piste.

Cairn Couloir

This well-known route down the North Face of the Bellecte peak is not for the faint-hearted. A narrow section at the top leads to small cliffs, which youll need to navigate all the way down. With slopes of 40-45 for the first 300m, this could be tricky! Once the first section is out of the way, youll descend the rest of the couloir and then ski out to the road below.

Grand Col

The impressive summit of the Grand Col in Les Arcs is accessed via a 30-minute hike from the Grand Col chairlift. Once youre up at the top, youll clearly see the descent, which follows the line of the valley. As you ski down, youll need to pick up the path that leads to Planay before entering the resort on the blue piste.

Kick Back in Catered Chalets

After hours of adrenaline-fuelled adventures either on or off the piste, kicking back in one of your resorts catered chalets will ensure that youre rejuvenated and that youre ready for all the action of the next day. With Ski Amis fully catered service, youll enjoy a full-English breakfast, homemade afternoon tea and a three- or four-course evening meal with wine. So relax, regain your strength and dont miss a minute on the mountains.

Belinda Smythson works for Ski Amis, a specialist ski travel agency and booking service that has been helping avid skiers and hikers craft their perfect winter holiday for over a quarter of a century. If you're looking for catered chalets, La Plagne is an ideal choice. For accommodation anywhere in the Three Valleys, Paradiski, Espace Killy or Chamonix Valley, Ski Amis is the go-to company for winter sports fans searching for the holiday of a lifetime.

Venices Naval Museum The Perfect Pick for Boat Lovers

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For those looking to explore Europe on one of the excellent river cruises, Italy opens up a wealth of possibilities. But it's not just about coasting down a river with a glass of fine wine in your hand although there is certainly a lot of that! Because as well as providing a luxurious and truly relaxing experience on the water, when it comes to river cruises, Italy also provides plenty of opportunities to delve into its history, art and culture through shore excursions.
On itineraries that pass through Venice, there's a must-see hidden gem for those who want to learn more about the citys nautical history.

Discover Venice's Nautical History

A city that is quite literally built on water could not help but have a fascinating and rich nautical history. There is no dearth of ways in which to discover it, but its important maritime heritage is without a doubt best told through a visit to the superb (and slightly off the beaten track) Museo Storico Navale the Naval History Museum.

The Making of a Museum

The city's history is so entwined with the sea that even back in the seventeenth century authorities saw the need to promote its maritime might with the establishment of the House of Models, dedicated to all things involving ship-building. Even though Venice was in dire economic decline, displaying the relics of its previous power allowed the citys reputation to remain intact in some ways.

The original collection was moved to several different locations in order to keep it safe during multiple historical events (including the Napoleonic occupation), although some of it was lost or destroyed. In 1919, its present home at the museum in Castello was established, housed in a former granary at the heart of the Arsenale, the city's former shipbuilding district.

A Glimpse Into the Past

Set over five impressive floors, the museum's main highlights are the intricate scale models that were originally used for the construction of ships. These include models of the traditional Venetian bucintori (barges) used by the doges.

The fabulous Ships Pavilion displays the collection of authentic antique vessels, which comprises a WWII torpedo motorboat, a coal-fired motorboat from the nineteenth century, a carved and gilded 18-oar ceremonial boat and a host of gondolas and other smaller vessels.

Science and Innovation

Pride of place in its own display hall stands the Elettra Marconi steam yacht engine, complete with its massive boilers, which was built in 1904. The 700-tonne, 67-metre long Elettra garnered Marconi (an eminent scientist) international attention for his invention, which he turned into a floating laboratory to carry out his research. The museum also curates an impressive collection of weaponry relating to the city's naval history.

Discover Venice's Maritime History on Exciting River Cruises

If youre interested in intriguing river cruises, Italy has one of the richest histories in Europe and, with its strategic position as a gateway to the Adriatic Sea, Venice served as a major naval and economic power. As well as facilitating a modern take on the waterways that surround this unique water city, a river cruise affords guests an abundance of opportunities to immerse in the maritime heritage off the water as well. The Museo Storico Navale is just one.

Author Plate

Paul Newman is the Marketing and E-Systems Executive for European Waterways, the UK's most respected provider of all-inclusive, luxury river cruises and barge holidays throughout Europe. If you're looking for the most exciting and relaxing river cruises, Italy is an ideal choice. Part of a team of experienced barging aficionados, Paul is first in line to endorse the perks of a slow-paced barge cruise to anyone looking for a unique holiday experience.

Vacations Recuperation Vs Exhaustion

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Sure, vacations can be hazardous to your health: Beachgoers get sunburned, campers get poison ivy, air travelers get headaches. But stay home, as record numbers may be doing this summer, and your health could suffer much more.

"Vacation deprivation," as it has been dubbed by Expedia.com, has been spreading for years as Americans' vacations get shorter or are skipped entirely. But this year's high travel costs, flying hassles and spooky economy may be creating a "perfect storm" that keeps people hunkered down as never before, says Geoffrey Godbey, professor emeritus in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at Pennsylvania State University.

(Even before the summer of $4-a-gallon gas arrived, a record-low 39% of Americans said in April that they planned a vacation trip in the next six months, says the non-profit Conference Board.)

The possible health toll:

More heart disease and death. Middle-aged men who were at high risk of heart disease were 20% less likely to die of any ca use and 50% less likely to die of a heart attack over nine years if they took frequent vacations, a study published in 2000 in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found.

Poorer sleep. People not only sleep better during vacations, but they also keep sleeping=2 0better afterward, some studies show.

More tension, depression, fatigue and marital strain, at least for women, according to one study of 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin, published in 2005 by researchers from the Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic.

"Vacation is not a frill," says Joe Robinson, a life coach and author who founded Work to Live, a group that advocates for more leisure time.

But one in four American workers get no paid holidays or vacation time, a 2007 study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research showed. The average worker gets 14 paid days off but works three of those days, an Expedia survey found. That survey found Europeans also give up a few vacation days but have more to squander: 26 in Great Britain, 33 in Italy and 37 in France.

The vacation gap has been proposed as one reason Americans are not as healthy as Europeans.

Why vacation might have that power is not clear. But studies do show "people walk more, they watch TV less, they read more and they talk to each other more" while on a trip, Godbey says. Some eat better, too. And vacationers literally slow down: They stroll along the golf course instead of racing through it; they stop and taste the berries at a fruit stand instead of rushing through a supermarket.

Studies have to yet to show how long a vacation must be to boost=2 0health. Also unknown: the benefits of a "staycation," in which people take time off at home. "The idea makes me cringe," Robinson says. "If you stay home, it's not a vacation."

Cathy McCarty, the researcher who led the study of rural Wisconsin women, isn't so sure. One friend, she says, takes off one week each summer just to garden. "That's absolutely a vacation for him." She is more worried about the 20% of women in her study who had no vacation in six years.

Godbey says he just hopes people with tight budgets will consider low-cost options such as Tours to Africa or Mexico to beat the high euro before staying home this summer: "The people who need a vacation most may be most likely to cancel."

Have a travel question or story? E-mail robert@lojtravel.com Please include your name, city and phone number. Selected questions will be answered and stories published online.

READERS: When was the last time you took a vacation? Do you think time off is a matter of physical or mental health? Share your views and experiences below.

Vacationing at Redang

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Redang is a very popular tourist spot. It a 7 kilometers longs and 6 kilometers wide which makes it one of the largest island in the east coast of Malaysia. It is situated about 45 kilometers offshore from Terengganu. The archipelago of Redang consists of 9 islands, which are:-
The Lima Island, Kerengga Besar Island, Kerengga Kecil Island, Paku Kecil Island, Paku Besar Island, Ekor Tebu Island, Pinang Island Ling Island, and Redang Island.

The archipelago has been generously endowed by nature with exceptionally beautiful marine fishes, coral reefs, and turtles. It is home to about 500 species of living corals, over 3,000 species of fishes, including the likes of stingrays, manta rays, sharks, as well as whale sharks. Redang along with the other islands forms a marine park which offers facilities for memorable diving and snorkeling experiences. The white sandy beaches giving way to crystal clear waters makes for an exceptional sight. And as if that was not all, this area is also the sight of two shipwrecks. The ships H.M.S Repulse and H.M.S. Prince of Wales sunk in this area during World War 2. These two shipwrecks attract even those people who are normally not interested in diving and of courses coupled with the rest of the attractions the area has become a haven for divers. Scuba diving is also very popular because of the crystal clear waters, which allow one to observe the exotic marine life of the area in their natural habitats. One can also indulge in other recreational activities like sea kayaks and beach volleyball. The government has however banned water skiing and jet skiing because they would be damaging to the corals.

Redang Island has many well maintained resorts which offer visitors a wide range of facilities. Many of them also offer snorkeling tours to neighboring islands. There over 20 sites for diving enthusiasts. Pasir Panjang has got some good reefs. It also has a small island which serves as the nesting area for baby sharks. Another interesting site is the Terumbu Kili which is a submerged chamber having uneven terrain caves.

Redang has a tropical climate with the temperature hovering around 30C. The best time to visit this area is between April to October. It experiences monsoon between November and March. Most of the resorts are shut down during this period and even the ferry services are extremely restricted.

Redang is a very popular tourist spot. It a 7 kilometers longs and 6 kilometers wide which makes it one of the largest island in the east coast of Malaysia. Redang Island has many well maintained resorts which offer visitors a wide range of facilities.

Vacation With The Kaito KA12AIR Airband Radio

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If you've ever made a list of must things to take on vacation, a pocket sized portable radio was almost certainly on it. Sometimes it's just so cool to set the holiday mood in your hotel room by switching everything else off and switching on the local FM radio. That's where you get the feel of the local sound and groove and can feel you are a part of that too!

Problem is, if you don't already have a great portable radio to take with you, which one to choose? Well you can limit the choice by focusing on exactly the features a traveller needs. So let's list them here.

First off, it must be pocket sized and lightweight. It must have a long battery life, sufficient to see you through your vacation. A fantastic reception and sound quality is essential to set a relaxed and stimulating mood.

Now, there's a whole jungle of radios out there, and if you read all the technical details you probably won't be any the wiser. So go for a reputable brand name at a good middle price range. Although simplicity is required, quality is a must.

Being a frequent traveller and avid FM radio user myself, I've taken many a portable on my travels. The only one I take with me these days is the Kaito KA12AIR. The sound is fabulous and it's simply the most practical and stylish quality radio for the job.

Fully digital, this model offers all the FM tuning possibilities you could need. Just switch it on, press a button and scan the local FM stations to suit to your taste. It's so easy and fun to use, which is just what you need to set a relaxing mood.

With the Kaito FM/Air radio you can even tune in on local aviation communications between airports and pilots. As that's all spoken in highly entertaining English, this radio could even help you feel a little closer to home. But hey, you're on vacation anyway, so you probably wouldn't need that, would you?

FM music radio on the road is an exotic background sound of jazz, rock, R'n'B, reggae, pop and chat that you've maybe never heard before. Try It - could be you'll like it too!

You can find out where to get the best deal on the Kaito KA12AIr radio here. Or check out this in-depth review at Airband Radios if you want to know even more.

Vacation Scams - How to Spot Them

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Again, your mother was right. Actually, she was right twice. One, nothing in life is free and two, if sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

One of the biggest and longest running scams to date is the Vacation Fraud, where you or a loved one is told that they have won a free vacation package or a glamorous cruise getaway. If not totally "free", these "agents" say that they can get you that dream tour for a rock-bottom price. At this point, you, like many other law-abiding citizens start thinking "what could possibly go wrong?" A lot, apparently.

Let's just start with the obvious: you will not get a free vacation. Granted, there are rare packages out there from reputable travel agencies that may be free, but err on the side of caution. The most common travel and vacation scams include the following:

The Dubious Travel Agency Scam - You are called and told you are getting a free vacation package but you must pay "fees" to reserve this opportunity. Then after you pay these fees, the "travel agency" can no longer be found. Their phone line has been disconnected and there is no way you can get your money back. Another variation of this scam is telling you that you've been booked on a luxurious vacation trip verycheaply, but this is only for a "limited time". You are then asked to pay a "reservation fee" immediately (and this is usually a big amount) to assure your slot. It's only after payment that the "travel agent" tells you that your vacation dates are not available or, after some time, will tell you that the offer has already "expired". Then the "Agent" also disappears, along with your money.

Plane Tickets for Free- Here, they call you and say you have won two plane tickets to great spots like the Bahamas. What they're not saying is that you must book your hotel and buy your meals from the company that's giving away the tickets. If you stop and do the math before you accept this "free ticket" offer, you can easily calculate that the amount for food and accommodation easily covers the cost of a plane fare because prices have been so inflated.

The "Free Vacation" - You fly all the way to Hawaii or Mexico, ready to start your vacation, but you find out that you are booked in a small and dirty hostel with bad food. If you check out, they tell you that you void your return ticket. So, you can either stay in your bad hotel or pay a horribly inflated fee to get out of it so you can sleep in a decent hotel.

The Time Share Scam - You are given a free vacation, but before you enjoy it, you have to sit through a presentation from a timeshare salesman. Sometimes, you're not even told about the obligatory timeshare lecture before you reach your destination. Oftentimes, to get food tickets and accommodation, people have been forced to sit in through long lectures and end up being forced to sign contracts that are also fraudulent. In some cases, when the vacationers try to get away, they have been subjected to bullying and other unscrupulous tactics from these sales agents.

"Become a Travel Agent" Scam - Someone tells you that you're better off to be a travel agent because it saves you a lot of money in the long run. As a travel agent, they say, you get a lot of discounts and freebies while you're on holiday. The catch is, you have to pay them a "fee" to become an instant travel agent and when you become one, you realize you can't avail yourself of the discounts because your credentials are not recognized by any travel authority.

Fraudulent Vacation Discount Cards - You pay for a vacation card thinking it will make your vacation a little cheaper, but then you realize that the card has so many restrictions that you can't get the discounts you're entitled to. OR if you do get a discount, it's just taken off a "special price" and still comes down to the same price as everyone else is paying.

Protect yourself from these travel scams by following your gut instinct and being sceptical. Don't be afraid to say no and assert yourself when these "agents" become pushy. Never give your credit card number over the phone in the name of "reserving" your slot. If they give you a time limit, say you need to think about it; being hurried is usually a sign of a scam. Before accepting the package, go the distance - check the hotel, the airline, etc. - and make sure they are working with this promotion at the prices the agent says they are. Buy tickets and packages only from genuine agencies and in person, if possible and remember, offers from phone calls or spam email are more likely to be scams.

Use Your Dental Insurance Before The Year Ends

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The holiday season is here, and one of the best gifts to give yourself is a healthy smile! If you have dental insurance, visit your dentist and find joy knowing your teeth are healthy and well. But hurry! Dental insurance is very tricky, and most insurances cut the benefits you invest in annually the moment the clock strikes midnight on New Years Day. During the happiest time of the year, let us show you why using your dental insurance before the years over will save you hundreds of dollars.

The Importance of Dental Insurance

Not too many think about this, but thousands of tooth-related injuries occur every day! Without dental insurance, youre responsible for paying the dentist the entire service charge, including examination fees, all out-of-pocket. The feeling of skimping out on presents thanks to an insurance-less trip to the dentist can wear down on your holiday cheer. Thats why its important to have dental insurance! Dental insurance is your fallback in the case of a dental emergency. Whether you need just a checkup, or have a dental emergency, your dental insurance will cover it.

Why its Important to USE Your Dental Insurance

Each year millions of people forget about their dental insurance, or dont find the opportunity to use it. Thats hundreds of dollars youre not using! That doesnt mean you dont need dental insurance, it means you need to start getting what you pay for!

Lets start with your deductible. Before your dental insurance covers any service, youre required to pay off your annual deductible (cost varies from plan to plan). Once you have, dental insurances offer co-pay, allowing you to pay a fixed low amount while they cover the rest. There is an annual maximum that dental insurances cover. Most plans cover between $1000-$5000 for dental services (not including cosmetic surgeries). Youll save hundreds, if not thousands, by leaning on your dental insurance. Dental insurance companies, not you, are the ones that benefit if you dont max out your dental insurance. Be the one to smile at the end of the year with a set of healthy teeth!

Your deductible isnt the only thing you have to plan to pay. Each month you deal with your dental premiums, which you must continue to pay if you want to keep your dental insurance. Paying your monthly premium doesnt take too much, but thats money down the drain if youre not using your dental insurance! It wont hurt for you to schedule an appointment with the dentist, even if it is just for a cleaning. Cleanings do help prevent cavities and aggressive gum diseases.

If You Have an FSA Account

Most employers make it easy to set aside some of your non-taxed income into a flexible spending account (FSA). Its great because its a personal account for medical use only. However, when the year resets, so does your FSA. Like your annual deductible, youll lose all benefits and will have to put money right back into it. If you have an FSA account, see what the balance of it is, and use it during your next scStartheduled visit to the dentist.

Dental insurance costs a lot, dont let the mindset of using it only for emergencies prevent you from taking advantage of it and save hundreds of dollars a year. Make sure you schedule an appointment with your dentist by the end of December to see how they can help you smile about your teeth in time for your New Years party.

Note - If you dont already have dental insurance, make this holiday season the one you gift it to yourself and your family. Apply for insurance through CoveredCA to see what plans you qualify for.

Use Free Printable Graduation Invitations

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Free printable graduation invitations may or may not suit your purpose at graduation. Graduation is such a wonderful time and it is a mistake not to try and do everything you can to make the best of it. The invitations and graduation party will probably be the best you can make of them given the budget you have to spend. The great thing about free invitations is they are simple, fun and easy to use and come in an enormous variety of colors, designs, wordings and also suit many stages of education. Clearly with so many High Scholl graduates each year the range available for them is excellent. Perhaps that is also true for college graduates where there is a good range too. The designs available do have lots of color, lots of shapes on them, great designs of the key graduation symbols and great choices of wording. Some have borders and some have different patterns around the edge. In fact there are thousands of designs available online and you should be able to find great ones to use.

For other stages of graduation you may have to look a bit harder to find what you want if it exists at all. If you think of the subject the graduate has just completed as their major, that may be the one image that you will like to have on the invitations and other graduation stationery. There are lots of possible types of graduate. That could be a math, physics, molecular biology, anatomy, medical, vet, nurse, computing, French, English, Spanish, catering, business studies, engineering, mechanical engineering, psychology, ornothology, economics, philosophy, dentistry or geography for example. Each of these major subjects has particularly strong images associated with it and is indeed something that the graduate should be very proud of.

Perhaps if you research thoroughly or get lucky you may find free printable graduation invitations that are just perfect for your graduate. However the subjects with smaller numbers of graduates will be harder to find invitations for.

There is I think a great way of making your invitations. Some of the web sites that provide the free invitations are very relaxed in their terms and conditions. This needs to be checked before you decide on the way ahead. However if it is permissible, what you could do is download the free invitations, copy it into a graphics package like Paint. Also download some free clip art that goes with the subject of choice. If for example it is a medical graduation the clip art could be a stethoscope. Then arrange the clipart and the free invitation design into a design that you want for the medical graduate. Just add the wording you want and you have completed the job.

I hope you can find great ways to use free printable graduation invitations.

Resource: Free Printable Graduation Invitations

Usability Tips to Improve Holiday Sales for your Magento eCommerce Website

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A Holiday season brings more opportunities for many merchants including those who sell online. And this is the time when they can create some biggest sales for their customers. Also, it is a profitable time for the merchants as the customers likely to spend more as they normally do.

As the holiday arises, you will expect the sales and conversion rates to increase. But remember that attracting visitors to your Website or increasing the traffic is totally different from increasing sales or converting those visitors into customers.

The useful thing is the high number of customers who visit your online store and then end up buying from you. During holidays you need to pay special attention to making improvements in your sales and marketing strategies.
Both these processes need separate strategies. So, to increase the conversion rates of your store during the holiday season, you should take care of below-mentioned tips:

Improve Site Performance

The shoppers purchasing things online dont like to wait for much to load your site and products and especially in the festive or holiday season. And to give them a better shopping experience on your store, your site should be fast, not only on the desktop but also on Mobile devices. To optimize the speed of your online store, you can take the help of various online tools to test the site speed, to make the necessary improvements.

Apart from the sites speed, it is also important to check the functionality of the various processes of your store such as creating accounts or wish lists, checkout process etc. on various devices and operating systems. There are certain marketing promotions for your Magento store and to make sure that everything goes well, you need to improve the performance of your Magento eCommerce store . Because you cannot afford to lose sales during festive season due to site performance.

Easy Shipping and Return Policies

If you created policies for certain processes then it is important to show those to your customers. Your customers must be aware of all the policies, especially about shipping and returns, on your website before they make the purchase. While creating the policies make sure that it is easy and simple understand and find on your store.

Before applying the policies, it is advisable that you should test it on real customers and not to yourself. After explaining those policies to the selected people, ask them whether they understood whatever you discussed with them and they can explain it to you clearly.

And while showing the shipping cost to the customers, make sure it appears before the checkout process because customers dont like such surprises and it can cause them to abandon their carts.

Complimentary Items or Gift Guide

The best time for shopping is during a holiday season as it brings new offers along with the right to choose the correct gifts. And considering these things if you could make the shopping process easier on your store, you can attract more customers and get their appreciation too.

When the holiday season arrives, you can create a separate section of your site for gifts only which will guide the customers to choose the correct gift and it will save their time. In this section, you should provide the apt filters using which the customers can easily find the desired items as per their cost, color, gift recipient etc.

Apart from helping them in selecting the gifts, you can also add a feature and functionality of suggesting the complimentary items for the products they are purchasing. For example, if your customer is purchasing a mens shoes, suggest him a pair of matching socks, or if they are purchasing a mobile phone, suggest them a mobile cover or other such accessories. With this strategy you can increase average order value and also show the other items you sell on your store.

Focus On Mobile Shoppers

As per Internet Retailer survey, in the U.S. more than 30% of online sales occurs on mobile devices. There are instances when most of the browsing is done using mobile and it ends with the purchase of products using the desktop. As it is easy for the customers to create and log into the accounts on mobile devices and even if they left the website, they can start the purchase process from that step (from where they left).

When you are developing a mobile focussed website, the design elements, and contents such as appearance categories, other features etc. should be the same on all the devices whether it is computers or mobile phones.

Interactive Shopping Cart

When you are creating or optimizing the shopping cart of your store, create it such that the customers are able to see the total cost of the product and orders along with other details such as product description, delivery date, quantity, color, main product image etc.

And it should allow them to update or make changes in the shopping cart like adding a quantity of the product or removing the product. This will help you increase conversions rates and revenue.

Simple and Interesting Navigation

Through an online store, the shop owners focus on creating the perfect shopping experience for their customers. And to create this experience, you need to take care of every possible thing and process on your store. The first thing which customer or visitors does is go through your website and search for the products.

So, to make the customers stay on your website, you need to make browsing on your site easy and fast. And the navigation on your store should be good looking as well as simple to make the users understand on which page they are.

Creation of Wish List

When a new visitors comes in your store, it is not necessary that they will purchase the item on their first visit. It may happen that first, they want to look at the products, select them and purchase it later as per their convenience.
So, for this to happen, you need to give them an option with which they can save the selected products in their cart or wish list first and then they purchase it later directly from there.

Smooth Order Confirmation Page

As we have discussed in earlier points that you could show the related or complimentary products whenever a customer places an order or searches a product. But, the stage at which you show those products does matter. It is advisable to show only the order confirmation message once a customer places the order and do not show the other products on that page. Keep the order confirmation page as clear and smooth as possible.

These were the tips to improve the usability of online store and enhance the sales as well as revenue for your business.

UK Passport Renewal Services Help Save Time and Stress

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If you need a UK/British passport renewal and you do not have a lot of time remaining before you have to put it to use again, then it is usually worth looking online for an emergency passport renewal.

You may find it is higher priced to renew your passport on the net nevertheless should you be pushed for time then the excess expense may be worth all the headache you might experience at your local post office or passport department. Absolutely nothing worse than waiting in line for several hours when you require a passport renewal immediately.

For those who look at the emergency passport providers available on the web you will discover that many will certainly do their best to make certain you obtain your passport renewed with the bare minimum of bother and annoyance

On the list of difficulty with trying to get your passport renewed in the regular way is usually that it could take such a very long time. You most likely don't have time to wait the weeks that it can require to get a renewal passport, and exactly why would you wish to when you may get it renewed in not much more than 24 hours.

As longs as you select a web site which has a background of obtaining individuals passports renewed within record time, exactly why might you want to hang on weeks for exactly the same service. Whenever you try to obtain your passport renewed in the standard manner you could be likely to be nervous wanting to know whether the renewal will arrive to you in time. If you need a new passport in a hurry then it's actually viable to acquire it inside of 24 hours.

Applying for a new British passport can be a real pain, in particular if you need it for a eleventh hour business trip. In the event you proceed the normal choice to getting your passport renewed, not only can you stand around waiting for ages to get served, there is no promise that your passport will not take 2 or 3 weeks to show up.

The passport service is, sadly, beset by bureaucracy, the faceless practice where nobody is actually responsible for what happens to your passport and exactly why it can be such a very long time coming.

If you need a speedy passport renewal without all of the bureaucracy and inconvenience that generally accompanies this kind of process, then the only method of doing it can be to apply for your renewal on the internet.

Online passport renewals are much less of a problem to deal with, and you'll be able to get your renewal sorted in twenty four hours if needs be.

If you want the passport for business purposes then you may well be capable of getting it paid for by your company. The higher passport renewal fee is sensible paying when you realize that you will have a brand new passport the very next day, in time for the trip.

Turkey's Top Five Historical Places

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As a destination that straddles both the Eastern and Western world, Turkey can claim to be offer a real mix of cultures, from ancient mosques to bustling party resorts. However, it seems that for this enigmatic country a cultural mix is nothing new and Turkey's top five historical destinations help give us a real insight into a country that has throughout history played host to a wide range of different people and beliefs.

Gallipoli

Gallipoli is a pilgrimage destination for the thousands of Australians and New Zealanders who visit the destination on April 25th every year in order to pay their respects and watch the ANZAC day memorial celebrations. The Turkish leader feared that if England, France and Russia defeated Germany in the Great War then Turkey would be derived of more of its empire, so Turkey joined forces with Germany and fought against the allies. This saw New Zealand's entrance to the Great War and although the campaign was minor in numerical terms, it still holds great significance and personal importance to the Australians and New Zealanders who knew someone that fought there. On your holiday in Turkey the area is definitely worth a visit and you can expect to see an extensive collection of Great War paraphernalia from sunken battleships to guns, forts and battalions.

Cappadoccia

The fairytale castles of Cappadocia are simply breathtaking and a hot-air balloon ride over the peaks of them provides the perfect finale to your holiday in Turkey. The area is steeped with mystery and although the rock formations are said to be the result of years of fire, water and wind working together to create the outstanding landscapes, no one is quite sure why the inhabitants choose to live underground in cave houses. The houses date from 3000 BC and you can visit the inside of one whilst on your holiday in Turkey.

Ephesus

The ancient city of Ephesus is a tremendously popular site with tourists on their holidays in Turkey. The city is said to be the best preserved ancient city in the Eastern Mediterranean, and many believe it to be one of the best preserved Greek sites in the world. The city was home to the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the seven original wonders of the world, but now is only represented by a single column standing in a lake. Nevertheless there is still plenty to see on a visit to Ephesus and you certainly won't be disappointed on your Turkey holidays. The Basilica of St. John is the resting place of St. John the evangelist and is therefore a popular Christian pilgrimage destination, whilst the Cave of the Seven Sleepers tells the legend of seven Christian boys who fell asleep in this cave in 250AD and woke up in the 5th century.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale is an ethereal destination, with a name that translates into English as "Cotton Castles". The landmark is a made up of a naturally occurring phenomenon of white stalactites and water-filled plateaus. The geothermal hot springs that stand on this site are full of naturally occurring minerals, predominantly chalk and limestone, so when the water hardens whilst coming down the mountain this unique landscape occurs. Of course, something this spectacular can't be missed whilst on your holiday in Turkey and many tourists visit this area in order to bathe in the spectacular sacred pool, which is located inside the Pamukkale Hotel.

Didymia

Didymia is an ancient Greek Temple located near Turkey's holiday resort of Altinkum. The word "Didymia" is Ancient Greek for twin and this refers to Apollo and Artemis, who were the twin children of Zeus and Leto. The temple was an important Greek site for oracles, where deities gave answers to questions through the mouth of a priest. The Persians and Earthquakes may have destroyed a large amount of the Temple but the remains are definitely worth discovering on your Turkish holiday.

Turkey Holidays during Ramadan

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Turkey holidays during the holy month of Ramadan are particularly special and interesting. It is an enlightening and revealing time, especially for non-Muslim travelers, who may not be prepared for the restrictions which may be in place throughout the month. But these restrictions can be seen as a rare opportunity to observe and participate in another culture's beliefs, helping new understanding to emerge and allowing travelers to learn more on their Turkey holidays than they ever thought possible. It helps to be aware of what Ramadan is, and how it is observed, before traveling to Turkey during this holy month. Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and features approximately 28 days of fasting and contemplation for those who observe the holiday. Ramadan commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's receipt of the revelation of the Qur'an from the angel Gabriel and many modern-day Muslims in Turkey will strictly observe this holiday. Perhaps the most notable practice involved in the observance of Ramadan is the fasting. Between sunrise and sunset, Muslims will not allow anything to pass their lips including food, drink, gum, and cigarettes. When the sun goes down, they break their fast and gather with family for feasting and entertainment. Travelers are not expected to fast as well; however, they may find that some restaurants have shortened hours, or restricted menus, during this month. Eateries that typically serve alcohol may not do so during this month. It is considered polite for visitors to not eat in front of those who are observing the fast. Consequently, travelers may be required to eat indoors, rather than on a sidewalk or terrace. Travelers should also be aware of the revelry that takes place during the hours of darkness. Feasting and entertainment begin after the sun has set, and these sights are a spectacle no visitor should miss. Be aware, however, that the streets will be patrolled by drummers during the very early morning hours to awaken celebrants so that they may prepare the pre-dawn meal that must sustain the fasters during the hours of daylight. If you do not wish to be awakened, be sure to pack earplugs so that you may sleep through the disturbance. Also consider that many people in Turkey are fasting at this time, which means they may be hungry, dehydrated, and somewhat disoriented. Be patient, polite, and observant, and above all, enjoy this special time on your Turkey holidays.

Trekking Tours (And Other Things to Do in Vietnam)

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Who doesnt like going on holiday? A few weeks in a far flung place where you can immerse yourself in rest, relaxation and other cultures.

One country that may not be the top of your list, but certainly should be, is Vietnam.

A country filled with culture, history, and relaxing places to truly unwind, there is something for everybody to do there.

Lets take a look now at some of the great things to do in Vietnam.

Experience Culture the Ultimate in Relaxation When You Visit Vietnam

When you visit an exotic location, it is always handy to have an idea of what you want to do. You dont need a to-the-minute itinerary, but a general plan never hurts.

What sort of things are there to do in Vietnam, you may ask?

Lets take a look right now.

Trekking Tours Help You Explore this Majestic Country

What better way is there to explore a country than on foot. Get up close to the scenery, out into the fresh air and experience the beauty of this hidden gem. Vietnam trekking tours are a popular way to see the country. However, some of the very best are in the northern part of the land. Here you can leave mainstream tourism behind and stay with locals in their homes, and experience the true Vietnam.

Visit the War Remnants Museum

The Vietnam war museum is a stunning and poignant place to visit. Depicting the brutality of the conflict and the impact of civilians. If you love culture, then this is for you.

Pagoda Trips Offer a Relaxing Cultural Experience

There are several different pagoda based excursions and day trips that you can take, which offer you a stunning way to explore the country, see the sights and get a feel for the tranquility that is Vietnamese culture.

Day Trips Galore Mean You are Never Short of Things to do in Vietnam

With so much to see and do, day trips are a great way to make sure you see everything you need to see in a country like Vietnam.

From touring the Mekong Delta to Halong Bay and even excursions to the north of the country to places like Hoa Lu and Tam Coc. You will be hard pushed to run out of great things to do in Vietnam.

Hit the Caves if You Are Feeling Adventurous

For those that want to get a bit of adventure while on holiday, there are several caves in Vietnam that offer exactly what you are looking for.

From the vastness of Han Son Doong, the largest cave in the world to the caves of Tu Lan, where a day trip will see you walk and swim through the caverns before you reach a secluded beach where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.

Vietnam Offers a Vacationers Paradise

Whether you want to sit and relax in hanging pool, trek through the forests and enjoy a laid back cultural experience, Vietnam is one of the few holiday destinations that offer you all of that in one single package.

Covering both tropical and temperate weather conditions, it has sun, rain, and humidity, so having a game plan of things to do in Vietnam means you never need to be caught unprepared.

A land of mystery and intense spirituality, you will find something special waiting for you when you arrive in this great country.

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Travelur - Transforming Travel Experience Into Wonderful Memories

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lyour mind to more ideas and possibilities.
A Unique Platform For Exchanging Travel Experiences

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Travel Experiences have always not been very bright for a lot of people. There is so much difficulty a person can face in a foreign city or country. TravelUR comes to your rescue. It is a new platform to make all your travels very simple, easy and enjoyable. The Travel Experiences are magnified as soon as TravelUR plans the entire trip for you in affordable prices.
TravelUR was launched in April 2017 and they are the perfect Trip Planner. They help you in every step of trip planning. From flight tickets to booking hotels to arranging transportation, they take care of everything. It is not only convenient but also affordable.
Building Memories For Lifetime

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From Travel Planning to storing Travel Memories to Socialising, TravelUR does it all. It is an all in a single travel platform. It is a social network for travellers. It has a 25-member team who are all over the world. Technology architects, business leaders and travel domains experts are the mind behind TravelUR. The love for travelling was never seen put to such good use before. They understand the wanderlust and they aim to make each trip of a person memorable at the same time affordable. They want to expand to a fifty million user base in the next five years across the globe. They want to get rid of all the traveling difficulties. They want to provide every solution there is related to traveling and making it a memorable experience for everyone who uses it.
One Stop Place For All Travel Guidance

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They are not just the Trip Planner, what makes them different from the rest is that you can socialise and connect with like-minded people as well. They help you connect with other families in different, new destinations. Know their culture and their lifestyle. Further, they also know the importance of memories. We know that Good Trip calls for good pictures and videos. TravelUR helps you create Travel Memories by customising Digital records and you can store all the Travel memories, photos and videos there. It makes sure all your records are safe with them and only you can access them.
Traveling with the right partner or group is the key to a perfect holiday. TravelUR gets you the best customised deals ever. They plan trips based on your profiles and give out many travel giveaways. These getaways just not include a few trips to small cities or free flight tickets, but you can also win the chance to travel the Whole World. Thats right! They plan and give out World Tours for free. You should make a profile soon and go travel to your favourite destinations with your favourite people and keep building new memories.

Travelers fascinated by World Renowned Meerkats

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Famous for being the worlds largest man-made hole, Kimberly (South Africas historic mining town) is becoming increasingly popular to tourists not only for having been blessed with some of the worlds most precious diamonds, but also for being a sacred haven for the creators beautiful Meerkat species.

The effect of the screenings of Animal Planets Meerkat Manor episodes has ignited a tremendous amount of spectator value and interest in wild Meerkat viewing for tourists from around the world. On the edge of the mysterious Kalahari Desert wilderness is a large concession that is home to more than 70 species of mammal including lion, cheetah and the rare desert black rhino. This historical home of the Bushmen offers a rare but beautiful natural habitat for these small social carnivores also known as the desert Mongoose.

News of these exquisite creatures has traveled far and wide as tourists share their unique Meerkat encounters with other wildlife and travel enthusiasts. Meerkat sightingsare becoming so popular that travelers are making a visit to view the Kimberly Meerkat an essential part of their Meerkat experience en route to their visits to see the Desert Meerkats. Travelers can enjoy the sightings and attractions offered by this famous old mining town which is less than 400 kilometers away from the Kalahari Desert before they continue on to their tour of viewing the Meerkat in their natural surrounds.

The Meerkat adventure begins before sunrise in Kimberley. Travelers enjoy early morning coffee and rusks (a crispy baked dough enjoyed as a typical South African morning treat) in the veld (a South African term for the bush) while watching the sun come up and the Meerkat awakening to another day with a ritual sunbathing session. This is a wild gang of Meerkat and the viewing is done at a respectful distance. After a rustic brunch in the African veld, travelers visit the Big Hole in Kimberly where the middle part of the day is spent exploring the history of this fascinating diamond town.

Afternoon sunsets are then spent with a tame or habituated Meerkat group of orphans. Up close and personal, visitors will be able to get an intimate insight into their social lives and also some great photo opportunities. When the Meerkats go to sleep in their burrows, the visitors bid each other farewell over sundowners and shared memories of an unforgettable day with Meerkats in the Kalahari Desert.

The Kalahari is renowned for having exclusive luxury private and malaria free game reserves situated in the heart of the Northern Cape Province. It offers the ultimate safari experience in elegantly simple surroundings nestled in the red sands of the Kalahari. Star gazing is big in the Kalahari, hot air ballooning too, but the reserve is known across the world as an excellent place for bird watching with more than 200 species of birds some of them indigenous to the arid zone, found in the varying habitats of the reserve. Raptors and in particular, vultures, are very well represented. The most abundant species are the white-backed vulture and the lappet-faced vulture.

Of course the main activity in this Game Reserve is game watching from the private game viewing vehicle or guided walks or horseback trails across the red dunes.

With activities like these one can almost predict that some of the luxurious deluxe facilities available within the reserve would include a well stocked private wine cellar, private plane, high powered telescope (for star gazing, of course), a private chef, a library and a host of other luxuries.

Towns Named Madrid in the United States

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If you think you will have to travel to Europe to see Madrid, you will be surprised to know that there are many towns named Madrid in the United States. The original Madrid in Spain, no doubt, is very famous, thanks to the classics of Ernest Hemmingway, and also because it is a popular tourist resort.

Madrid, Maine is located in the heart of Franklin County and actually named for the Spanish capital. The tiny town has a population well under 200 residents and sits on the lovely banks of the Sandy River near Salem. Madrid, Maine dates back to 1887 and was settled by Free Baptists, who opened seven schoolhouses for the town's children.

The state of Alabama has its own Madrid. This one is little bigger than Madrid, Maine. This town has a population of more than 300 and is located in Houston County which is a part of metropolitan Dothan. Just like Madrid Maine, this town is also named after the famous Spanish city of Madrid.

The early settlers of the year 1801, who settled in a small area of land adjacent to the Grasse river in New York state called it Madrid. The name kept alternating between Madrid and New Madrid until the city council finally ruled in favor of Madrid. Madrid's neighbours include Potsdam and Lisbon. The town had a big and flourishing grist mill which operated successfully for many years before its closure. Located in St. Lawrence County, Madrid is a lovely town that is a true reflection of its namesake.

New Madrid is a much bigger town. It was founded in 1783 by two French settlers who originally named it L'Anse a la Graisse. Now, New Madrid has a population of nearly 3,000 residents and is about 4.5 square miles in size. New Madrid is situated approximately 45 miles south of Cape Girardeau and 145 miles south of St. Louis. The earthquake of 1811 had almost completely destroyed New Madrid.

Also in the Midwestern United States is Madrid, Iowa. Considered a bedroom community of Des Moines, Madrid is a mere 25 miles northwest of Iowa's capital city. The town, formerly known as Swede Point, was founded in 1846 by Swedish settlers new to this country. In fact, Madrid is the oldest Swedish settlement that has been continuously inhabited west of the Mississippi River. The town was renamed in 1882 and incorporated in 1886, just in time to see prosperity as the railway traveled through the small hamlet.

You can get more information on these towns through their websites. Though few of these towns are small,they are abreast of the latest technological inovations and have a well established presence on the web.

It's a good idea to visit Madrid, USA before you can make it to the Spanish capital. It makes interesting study and you will find many other American towns named after European capitals.

Tourism Rising

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Tourism Marketing is defined as the enabler of a country to invite guests from different cultures, customs, traditions, to enjoy their rich culture, heritage, cuisines, art and architecture, entertainment and hospitality.

Tourism Industry is the largest employment generator in the world. We find that small countries like Malaysia and Singapore woo millions of foreign tourists and bag billions of foreign exchange. India has been lagging behind so far, due to innumerable reasons.

Now India tourism receipts show better stats. India received $15 billion and Kerala received $3 billion. India, who houses rich tourist locations, have so far been at the bottom of the World Tourism Receipt countries and does not figure in the top ten. This is mainly because of the step daughterly treatment Tourism Industry got from the country's planners. It was only last year that the Government allocated 1000 crores in the Indian budget for the Tourism sector.

United States lead with receipts of over $ 100 b. Spain is second with 60 b, Germany, UK and China are about 40 billion.

Tourism infrastructure should be improved in India, if India is to exploit the full potential of Tourism. India at the moment receives 5 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals and earns more than $ 15 b in forex. Domestic tourists have gone up to 200 million. This low rank of India, when compared to other countries, is due to the lack of vision of the Indian authorities, who considered Tourism as a pastime for the rich !

Tourism is actually Recreational Therapy. When the mind is fed up with daily chores and hard work, a vacation becomes the need of the hour. People prefer beaches and backwaters and the mind finds relief in vacational experiences !

Kerala was an unknown destination, till the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, promoted it. Kerala is promoted as Green and Cool, in contrast to the hot and dusty India !. Kerala is totally different from the rest. She receives seven months of continous rainfall, almost 3000 mm of rains per year, and is full of greenery, and looks like a Paradise on earth.

India at the moment has a poor marketing image and she has to improve her marketing efforts. Tourism Marketing is different from other forms of Marketing and needs a well integrated marketing approach. You are marketing a country and Positioning and Promotion are twin eyes. It is integrated with leisure, entertainment, transportation, communication and all service sectors. The whole process has to be revitalized and a full fledged marketing process should be undertaken. The same old Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning method can be used in this form of marketing, to bring home the bacon.

India possesses everything. The rich cultural heritage, sprawling deserts, highest mountains, sculptures, temples, palaces, delicious cuisines, rare mixture of life style - all these make India a Cross Cultural Paradise on earth. The Private Sector should work with the Government to make India a great destination for the traveller.

We have lost this massive golden opportunity for the last 53 years and should not do so in the future, which belongs to China and India. This decade will see the emergence of these two giants, the Dragon and the sleeping Elephant !

Tourism in IndiaTop Three Options

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India is a vast and great country. It is the land of amazing diversity. It is rich diverse cultural and geographical features which have made this country one of the most sought after tourism destinations in the world. Tourism in India appeals travelers and vacationers from all over the world. Here travelers can enjoy varied tourism options such as cultural and heritage tourism, hill station tourism, adventure tourism, beach tourism, pilgrimage tourism, wildlife tourism, monsoon tourism, health tourism, etc. These options for sightseeing tours in this country will surely impress you. You will enjoy lots here in this country.

Among various options available cultural and heritage, adventure and wildlife tourism are very popular among tourists and vacationers coming from all over the world. These are key major draw-cards of Indian tour operators and travel agents. Indian tour operators cater these options enthusiastically in their India tour packages. Have a look at these popular tourism options of India.

Cultural and Heritage Tourism: Major of tourists from all over the world visit India to explore cultural and heritage attractions of this country. India is the land of rich culture, tradition, history and heritage. There are many rich cultural heritage attractions in this country which can be visited and explored on your tours and travels in this country. Taj Mahal (one of the Seven Wonders of the World) in Agra, Red Fort in Delhi, Golden Fort in Jaisalmer, Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan, Churches and Convents in Goa, Fort Kochi in Kerala, Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra and Ladakh Monasteries in Jammu and Kashmir are major attractions of cultural and heritage tourism in India. You will have a unique lifetime experience.

Wildlife Tourism: India has rich flora and fauna. There are many wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, national parks and bird sanctuaries in this country which attract nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts from all over the world. Ranthambore National Park, Corbett National Park, Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Gir Forest Reserve, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Bandhavgarh National Park, Sariska Tiger Reserve, Kanha Tiger Reserve, etc are popular destinations for wildlife tourism in India. These sanctuaries and national parks have been major draw-cards for ever India tour operator or Indian Travel Agent.

Adventure Tourism: There are ample opportunities for adventure tourism in India. The Himalayan region of India is very popular among adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. In this region, travelers can enjoy amazing mountain beauty and lots of adventure activities such as mountaineering, rock climbing, mountain biking, camping, trekking, hiking, etc. River rafting, water sports, winters sports, etc also can be enjoyed in India. Manali, Kullu and Ladakh are popular destinations in Himalayan region for adventure tourism. Most Indian tour operators and travel agents cater adventure tourism to travelers.

Top Tips for Planning a Family Ski Trip in La Plagne

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There is a lot of planning that goes into a ski holiday especially when you have little ones in tow. I always recommend the fantastic resort of La Plagne to parents seeking a family-friendly resort. This is because it is car-free, has a variety of skiing opportunities for all abilities, offers all kinds of fun activities and boasts a friendly and welcoming atmosphere throughout La Plagne. Chalets are also excellent and provide you with ample space to feel at home and make your own food.
Whilst it is great that the resort is targeted towards families, this also means that you need to be smart when planning so that you can all enjoy a fun, valuable and memorable trip.

Early Booking

The phrase the early bird catches the worm certainly applies when booking a family ski holiday. This is because you can benefit from a wider choice of accommodation, special offers and reductions on flights, transfers and hire costs. Additionally, childcare places can be limited and you will certainly want to use this service if you are planning some peace and quiet! Booking early also allows you to secure a place at ski school for your children.

Weekend Trip

Many parents think that they need a long holiday to make the most of what is on offer, but you can actually benefit greatly by planning a weekend trip (or anything shorter than a week). The key reason for this is that you can make huge savings on accommodation, lift passes, ski lessons and daily expenditures. Additionally, this allows you to book out-side school holidays so it will be quieter (as well as cheaper!).

On top of this, a weekend is a good window for learners as it allows them to get to grips with the basics without becoming bored or tired. Whilst your trip may be more con-densed, you can still see and do it all whilst making big savings.

What to Expect

Lift Passes: There is a range of family ski passes available that can provide big savings (everyone pays the child's rate). There are also beginner and pedestrian passes available if required.

Ski Schools: One of my favourite aspects of La Plagne is the fact that it features superb ski schools that will help kids (and adults) to develop their skills and confidence. There are multiple English speaking schools in each village with half and full-day sessions available. These schools have dedicated areas where beginners can get to grips with the basics. This is also a great way for your kids to make some new friends!

Ski Areas: La Plagne is part of the world famous Paradiski region - this vast expanse features has over 425km of pistes, many brilliant snowparks and a modern ski lift infra-structure which makes getting around simple and straightforward. There are beginner areas in each resort and slow drag lifts. Additionally, there are kid friendly slopes and Magic Carpets throughout La Plagne.

Accommodation: There is a range of excellent family-friendly accommodation and this is one of the reasons that so many parents flock to La Plagne. Chalets are ideal for families because they are comfortable, spacious and private. Additionally, there is self-catered and catered chalets available, so you can enjoy family meals together each day (another fantastic way to save money!).

It is no surprise that so many families come here for their ski holiday and you will struggle to find a better family-friendly resort than La Plagne. Chalets, ski schools, zero cars and a friendly atmosphere all make this a great choice, but be sure to plan in advance for a successful trip!

Author Plate

Belinda Smythson works for Ski Amis, a specialist ski travel agency and booking service that has been helping avid skiers craft their perfect winter holiday for over a quarter of a century. If you're looking for the best La Plagne chalets, or for accommodation anywhere in the Three Val-leys, Paradiski, Espace Killy or Chamonix Valley, Ski Amis is the go-to company for win-ter sports fans searching for the holiday of a lifetime.

Top Things To Do On The East Coast

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If you're ever going on a tour of the East Coast, rest assured you'll have plenty to do. The East Coast has so many activities, sites and so forth that there is literally something for everyone to do. Whether you like seeing historical sites, like to go shopping, enjoy lounging on the beach or want to experience adventure, an East Coast tour is a great option for your next vacation. Here are some of the top things to do on the East Coast:

- Times Square - One of the busiest and most dynamic places on the planet, Times Square represents the heart of New York and is a great place to visit. Named after the New York Times, which moved there in 1924, this vibrant, neon-lit area in the heart of the Theater District is a must-see for any visitor. Filled with mega stores and theme restaurants, Times Square has something for everyone making a trip to New York.

- Miami Beach - Relax in the sun at one of the world's most famous beaches. Bring your hat, towel and tanning lotion and check out the hottest fashions. Enjoy the sun and sand on your Miami tour and then feast at the restaurants, or hang out at the boutiques and spas.

- Boston Common - America's oldest park lies in the heart of Boston and offers many recreational opportunities for visitors and residents alike. This area offers a glimpse into history and was home to British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Tours to Boston will bring you to this park, which adjoins the Massachusetts State House and Beacon Hill.

- Independence Hall - The birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, a trip to Philadelphia is not complete without visiting Independence Hall. Arguably one of the most important sites of U.S. history, this landmark is the centerpiece of the 45-acre Independence National Historic Park, home to 20 buildings of historical significance.

- Niagara Falls - Created about 12,000 years ago, Niagara Falls is a spectacular wonder of nature that plays home to millions of visitors each year. More than 60,000 cubic meters of water gush over the brink of the falls each second, making for a memorable vacation when you take your trip to Niagara Falls.

- Montreal - Obviously not part of the United States but still on the East Cost, Montreal is close enough that you can visit this city while also taking a tour of New York, a Philadelphia vacation and more. Montreal contains a great variety of natural beauty, historical sites and nightlife. This blend makes tours of Montreal a great way to spend any vacation... just remember to take your passport!

Whether you're a history buff who enjoys visiting some of the great places that formed the foundation that this country was built from, or you enjoy lounging on a beautiful beach full where fashion and fine dining are just a few feet away, a trip to the East Coast has something for you to enjoy!

Top Ski Resorts For Beginners

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Breckenridge's Peak Nine training area is one of the best in Colorado for novices and those with intermediate skiing skills. The very smooth, dry snow makes perfecting parallel turns easy, and the high-speed quad chair life means more time to practice and less time traveling. Breckenridge also provides challenging ski slopes for advanced skiers. Many local hotels provide ski-in and ski-out access to Breckenridge's trails.

Buttermilk took top honors last year in SKI Magazine's ranking of ski schools nationwide. Buttermilk is part of the Aspen resort network, and is ranked second (after Snowmass) as the nation's best ski destination for families. Classes are small, and the 200 instructors offer personalized instruction designed to get novices on the slopes quickly and safely. All 43 runs are easy enough for beginners, and once you get out of the glut of beginners at the bottom of the slopes, the well-kept trails offer scenic beauty and excellent skiing.

Copper Mountain is a perennial favorite, also located in Colorado, and offers some of the lowest-priced packages to be had in the Rockies. Long, wide novice trails occupy the west portion of the resort, and progressively more difficult skiing can be found in the eastern half. Located near Vail, Copper Mountain shares the high country's superb snow conditions and provides adequate if not spectacular lift access.

Crested Butte - Another superb Colorado beginner's venue, features long, smooth, well-groomed runs on which to practice parallel turns and other skiing techniques. Crested Butte, recently the host of the U.S. Extreme Skiing Championship, offers advanced skiing and 150 acres of novice terrain. You can find discount accommodations and even free skiing at specified times.

Deer Valley, Utah is another location that features smooth, well-groomed, open ski slopes and runs that offer beginners a lot of choice without pushing them past their limits. First-time skiers will delight in Wild West, a beginner's-only area, free from the unexpected assaults of hot-dog professionals. Deer Valley reportedly offers the best food and customer service in the Rockies.

Mount Snow, Vermont is reportedly the best Eastern venue for skiers who want to move up from novice to professional skill level. With a wide choice of rapid lifts on its gentler trails, Mount Snow clearly values the beginning skier, and the excellent cruising runs will keep more advanced skiers happy as well

Northstar-at-Tahoe, California offers a wide range of ski slopes for the novice and intermediate skier. The terrain is primarily intermediate, and the lower runs are as good as any in the West. For novices who still fear lifts, Tahoe offers a conveyor belt modeled after airport conveyors, called the Magic Carpet, that will whisk them up the slopes without causing a panic attack. Tahoe also has slopes for more advanced skiers.

Park City, Utah is large enough to offer an opportunity to all levels of skiers, from the first-timer to the advanced. The 3,100 feet of vertical drop makes it seem like an advanced skier's resort; the large network of open intermediate runs provides a venue for the intermediate skier, and the addition of several new lifts make even the central runs accessible to beginners. Other good beginner's resorts include Snowmass, in Colorado, which features a Treehouse Kid's Adventure Center and the Elk Camp Meadows training center. Or visit Steamboat, high in the Colorado Rockies, famed for its welcoming, down-home atmosphere and 164 trails which cater to everything from the novice to the professional. For Vermonters, Timberline features 1,000 vertical feet of runs and one long beginner's trail. Upper Midwesterners can ski Welch or Afton, in Minnesota. Afton is reported as less pricey, but Welch offers better beginner's slopes. The lifts at Welch are a little slow and cranky, but the slopes are groomed more often.

Top Reasons Why Sri Lanka Tour And Beach Holiday Is A Perfect Way To Enjoy A Fun Filled Family Vacation

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Sri Lanka Beach Holiday For Families

Sri Lanka is a land that attracts counts of tourists on a daily basis. All of these arrive for various reasons, but they all leave with the immense satisfaction and fondness with the aim to return back for more. Out of the many different types of holidays that can be enjoyed in the country, Sri Lanka tour and beach holidays are found to be the most commonly chosen. Therefore if you too are looking for a way to spend your next family holiday together, you might want to try out an exciting Sri Lanka beach holiday that is guaranteed not to disappoint. The following are a few key reasons why you should consider making such a trip.
They can be enjoyed across any age group

Your family probably spans across a wide age group. Therefore it is important to find a type of holiday that will be enjoyable for you all. When you select a Sri Lanka tour and beach holiday, all of you will be able to have a wonderful time together and create lasting memories that can be treasured for the rest of your life. You will find that such a holiday is great to relax and spend some quality time together and also engage in new experiences and thrilling activities that will give an element of surprise and overall fun for you to enjoy.
They are quite affordable

When you go on Sri Lanka tour and beach holidays, you do not have to worry too much about things being too expensive or out of your reach. Since Sri Lanka is a land that promotes tourism, you will find there are many reasonably priced accommodation options as well as the chance to enjoy so many great things at a very low price or sometimes even, free.

Planning Sri Lanka Tour And Beach Holidays

The possibilities of planning a fun filled Sri Lanka tour and beach holiday are virtually endless. Since Sri Lanka is surrounded by over 1600 kilometers of golden sandy beaches, you can easily choose any of these locations to enjoy your holidays. For the perfect Sri Lanka beach holiday you could choose to stay in any of the popular beaches like Nilaveli, Bentota, Arugam Bay, Kalpitiya, Galle, Mirissa, Mount Lavinia, Negombo and many more.

Author's Bio: 

Jerome Julian is writing on family holidays to Sri Lanka based on his beach travel experiences to Sri Lanka. He likes Sri Lanka for its beaches and the land, he recommends to check out more beach tour packages from Dilra Tours.

Top Five Attractions to Visit on Holidays in Menorca

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Menorca is a magical and exotic island, with towns full of Spanish vibrancy and calming shores lapped at by the endless blue of the Mediterranean. The island provides much more than just incredible sandy beaches and great natural beauty; the attractions on offer are interesting and diverse. We examine the top five places and activities to see and do on a holiday in Menorca, giving you a flavour of this amazing island...

5. Cales Coves

Cales Coves are a short drive from the capital of Mahon, the Cales Coves offer tourists on holiday in Menorca the chance to truly explore. The Coves were once burial chambers for the islands people, and there is supposed to be ancient treasure buried in some of the many chambers and caves in the cliffs. While any treasure that was there is almost certainly gone now, the caves still make for an exciting experience - with no maps, guides or tours, its up to you and a strong torch to do the exploring.

4. Xoriguer Distillery

Intermittent British rule during the 18th century gave the island new tastes in food and drink, specifically creating a love of producing and drinking gin. The Xoriguer distillery dates from the 18th century, and is a great historical site even for tee-total visitors. Take a guided tour of the huge copper stills and fermenting process to find out more about a process that has now been continuing here for hundreds of years. Over eighteens may also wish to sample the unique blends that the distillery provides, and can take a taste of their Menorcan holiday home in some of the products sold in the shop.

3. Los Delfines Aquapark

If a distillery doesnt get the family out of your Menorcan villa and into exploring the island, the Los Delfines Aquapark certainly will. Pull on your swimsuit and jump right into the exciting water rides and fun flumes. A favourite on holidays in Menorca, the water park offers features like The Giant Toboggan, Adventure River, The Black Hole and many Hydrotubes. A must for families, children and big kids of all ages.

2.S'Albufera des Grau

This nature reserve is a great place to enjoy and explore while on holiday in Menorca. Full of hundreds of interesting specimens of native flora and fauna, the reserve is relaxing and peaceful; a picturesque stretch of scrubland, wetlands, coasts and cliffs. It is also perfect of birdwatchers on holidays in Menorca - the area attracts over 100 species of birds at different times in the season.

1. Mahon

Mahon is the islands capital city and a must on any holiday to Menorca. The city has been the centre of Menorcan culture and history since the Punic wars of Ancient Rome, and as such is a melting pot of interesting Menorcan historic buildings and museums; of stylish and rustic restaurants serving the local cuisine; of boats and ships riding at anchor and of bars and clubs echoing with fun and excitement. The city has something for everyone on a holiday in Menorca, and is a wonderful port of call at any point in your holiday on the island.