Tips & Articles on Traveling, Aviation, Boating and Cruises
Archive for March, 2010
Advantages and disadvantages of traveling with travel agency and by
Mar 27th
Advantages and disadvantages of traveling with travel agency and by your own.
When you decide to go somewhere on vacations the first question you are faced with is how to organize your trip. At least, you need tickets and accommodation. However, if you are going abroad, the situation becomes more complicated. You will need visa, foreign passport and a little bit of information about a country you are coming to. The citizens, living and traveling inside European Union borders are in better position. They are free to visit any EU country without any additional document and visas. But lets imagine you have chosen a country where you need visa. Well, now its time to make some preparations for your trip. At first, whether you trust organizing your trip to a travel agency, or organize it by your own. If you choose the first variant:
Advantages
1)Convenience. You dont have to besiege embassy and wait in long queues. You dont need to worry about buying tickets and booking hotels.
2)Price. Sometimes travel agencies have special agreements with hotels and the price becomes cheaper. The same thing can be said about avia and train tickets.
3)Comfort in the country of destination you are mostly provided with transfer to hotel and the representative of the agency can solve any of your problems.
4)Your vacation is organized. You have a choice of excursions; youll be shown the best shops and the most interesting attractions.
Disadvantages
1)Unfortunately, not all the agencies can be relied on, some of them disappear with the clients money.
2)Some people dont like to be limited – by excursions, by return tickets or by the necessity of staying in the hotel theyve chosen.
3)Its not always cheap often the excursions, offered by the agency representatives are more expensive than in other places in the city.
If you choose the second variant, you should be prepared to some problems, but of course, this variant has its light sides too.
Advantages
1)You are free to choose there and when to go. You are free to change you hotel of your return ticket.
2)You are most likely to see the places, not shown to usual tourists.
3)Its a kind of challenge. Cant imagine your holyday without risk and adrenaline? So, this variant is for you!
4)You can seek and find a cheaper variant and not just accept what the agency offers.
Disadvantages
1)Once again risk. You are not quite safe when traveling alone in the foreign country. Nowadays you are not quite safe anywhere, but still
2)It causes some problems in the stage of organization getting a visa can be a trouble. Interview, invitation and a lot of documents all this can be inevitable. So, prepare to waste some time and nerves.
Anyway, the choice is yours.
10 Things You Must Know When Camping In Bear Country
Mar 27th
10 Things You Must Know When Camping In Bear Country
Copyright 2006 Karin Manning
It goes without saying that there are risks when it comes to camping in bear country.
In fact, on 14 April 2006 this risk became a tragic fact of life when a 6 year old girl received fatal injuries from a black bear while camping.
Campgrounds are now having to incorporate policies and procedures to ensure bear conservation and safety for campers. The DEC Campgrounds in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves in New York State are two such campgrounds. Their staff have developed specific policies and procedures to minimize the occurrence of bear problems at their campgrounds while maintaining a healthy, natural black bear population.
There are eight critical ways that you can minimise the chances of getting hurt by bears by following these simple tips:
1. Avoid traditional bear feeding areas.
2. Avoid camp locations where bears have been known to roam in the past.
3. Avoid camping where you may have trouble seeing a bear through vegetation.
4. Avoid camping where you see bear droppings and fresh tracks.
5. Never feed wild bears.
6. Store your food in a cooler which is locked in the car
7. Like most animals, bears are attracted to garbage so make sure your campsite is very clean
8. Remember that behind every cute baby bear is a very overprotective bear mother!
9. Stop fishing when bears are present. They want your fish more than you do.
10. The minimum safe distance from a bear is 50-100 yards.
There are now a number of organizations that are working passionately on increasing bear awareness in the community. The National Spokesman of The National Be Bear Aware & Wildlife Stewardship Campaign, General H Norman Schwarzkopf, is dedicated to providing teachers, college students, youth groups and guiding/hunting groups with educational materials and training programs to teach outdoor enthusiasts and residents up to date safety skills and techniques for camping, hunting, viewing, hiking, photographing and living with wildlife like bears safely and responsibly. More information is available at the Campaign’s website at /bearsafe.htm
The Get Bear Smart Society based in Whistler, Canada, educates people on dealing with bears in the community and promoting innovative bear management practices. Supporters can make donations by visiting their website at .
India Tour Packages – An Ultimate Holiday Packages
Mar 27th
India’s tourism industry is thriving due to an increase in foreign tourists’ arrivals and greater than before travel by Indians to domestic and abroad destinations. The visitors are pouring in from all over the world: Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. At the same time, the number of Indians traveling has also increased.
India is probably the only country that offers various categories of tourism. These include history tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism (ayurveda and other forms of Indian medications), spiritual tourism, beach tourism (India has the longest coastline in the East) etc.
Being an ancient country, India is a country of monuments. Just like the number, the variety is also varied in every sense. All in all these monuments spell the true colours of India and carry its very essence. But some incomparable monuments that form an integral part India’s historical heritage are, the epitome of endless love – Taj Mahal, the Axis of Islam – Qutub Minar, the pride of free India – Red Fort, the Chariot temple of the Sun God – Konark, the mighty Mughal citadel – Agra Fort, the glorious island caveland of Lord Shiva – Elephanta; the cave site of numerous Chaityas and Viharas – Ajanta, the grand memorial of an Emperor – Humayun’s tomb and last but not the least, the forgotten walled city of Fatehpur Sikri.
In recent years India’s emergence as one of the most sought-after adventure destinations is a well-known fact. The country offers the variety of adventure opportunities. This diversity is remarkably amazing – from the white water rafting on the Ganga, Indus or Teesta to heli-skiing in the high Himalayas; from hang-gliding and ballooning over the Indian plains to camel-safaris in the vast Thar Desert of Rajasthan; from chasing the elusive tiger on the backs of mighty elephants to trekking in the Himalayan ranges – the choices are endless.
The distinctive feature about the Himalayan tourism is that traveler has the option of enjoying myriad adventure activities. If you travel to Kashmir you can indulge in trekking, travel on horseback, go trout fishing in its rivers or enjoy in a little bit of skiing or water sports in its transparent lakes. Of late, skiing has put India on a pedestal in Asia. As a matter of fact, skiing in India is less expensive compared to anywhere in the world. The facilities are meant for beginners as well as for seasoned skiers. The three states that boast of providing these facilities are Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Heli-skiing has established as another prime attraction for travelers. The facility for Heli-skiing can be availed of at Manali in Himachal Pradesh. Water-rafting, kayaking and canoeing on the Ganga are becoming popular day by day.
Sailing, another adventure sport, is rapidly catching tourist’s imagination and gaining popularity in Nainital, Ramgarh and Khadakvasla in Maharshtra. Introduction of water-rafting in the Teesta River in northeastern India is beginning to attract the tourists on a large scale.
Medical Tourism in India is a developing concept whereby people from world over visit India for their medical and relaxation needs.
With yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other systems of medicines, India offers a unique basket of services to an individual that is difficult to match by other countries. Also, clinical outcomes in India are at par with the world’s best centres, besides having internationally qualified and experienced specialists. In addition to allopathic treatments and surgery available at hospitals like Apollo, you can also avail the benefits of Ayurvedic Medicine in India. India is the birthplace of this 5,000-year-old science. The many Ayurveda resorts in India are located in various scenic locations of the country, from Ananda in the Himalayas to the many resorts in the picturesque backwaters of Kerala. Ayurveda is the system of traditional medicine in India. It is based on many centuries of experience in medical practice, handed down through generations. Composed of two Sanskrit words, “Ayu” or life, and “Veda” or knowledge, Ayurveda is regarded as “The Science of Life” and the practice involves the care of physical, mental and spiritual health of human beings.India is also the birthplace of the concept of Yoga and Meditation, practices that are becoming increasingly relevant and popular in the context of today’s spiritual aridity.
India is a land of inherent spirituality and people have been known to travel here to find solace in its ancient wisdom since time immemorial. India is called the “yogabhoomi” and the gateway to the heavens. Innumerable saints and seers, in their quest for knowledge, have contributed largely to the development of various religious monuments viz. Temples, Mosques, Monasteries etc. built lavishly across the length and breadth of the country. The kind of cosmopolitan existence India has is best reflected in its pilgrim centres. Religion is the heartbeat of the nation and the followers of all the major religious and sects, viz., Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Zororastrianism have lived here for centuries. Together has come up temples, mosques, gurudwaras, churches, synagogues and religious and spiritual centres. The spiritual tour starts from the holy city of Varanasi , the Buddhist stupa at Sanchi and the Jain temples at Ujjain . While following in the Footsteps of the Buddha you can see the holy sites of Buddhism in India and Nepal including Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Kushinagar, Lumbini and Kapilvastu. On the North India you can visit Nepal , see the temple towns of Khajuraho and Varanasi in India and the temples of Pashupatinath and Bodhnath in Nepal . On the West, you can see the amazing rock cut temples of Ajanta and Ellora near Aurangabad and the Sai Baba Temple at Shirdi.
For untold centuries, the powerful triad of the sun, the sea and the sand have pooled their resources to present spectacular effects and memorable experiences to a cross section of people from all over of the globe. India has almost a 6,000 km long coastline, which is home to some of the finest beaches in the world. Both the West and East Coast of India offer verdant vistas of palm on the Arabian Sea shores or the Bay of Bengal.On the west coast there are miles of sandy beaches broken into attractive bays by rocky headlands. The most popular ones are the beaches of Goa and Kovalam at Kerala.The beaches on the eastern coast are less well developed. The best known are the beaches of Mahabalipuram and a small but exquisite beach in Orissa called Gopalpur-on-Sea.
The Travel and Tourism industry holds tremendous potential for India’s economy. It can provide impetus to other industries, create millions of new jobs and generate enough wealth to help pay off the international debt. That is why we have included Tourism amongst the Core Sectors of the Indian Economy.
If you want to explore India you can visit the following site:
Travel in the United States since the terrorist attacks of
Mar 27th
Travel in the United States since the terrorist attacks of 9/11: How have things changed?
Long gone are the days when an airline passenger is able to go straight to the gate and catch their flight. As you all know, the way we think about travel has been profoundly changed by the events of Sept. 11 and their aftermath. These shifts have had a practical and psychological impact on all of us. Most of these changes have taken place in the airline industry although other parts of the travel industry and the nation as a whole have been forced to adjust also. Immediately after Sept. 11, as you know, travel was drastically reduced virtually across the planet. In the past year, it has been steadily picking up. However, in most cases, it has not reached pre-September 11 levels. Domestic travel In the United States has recovered much more quickly than international travel. In fact, domestic travel has been very strong this summer, with some destinations such as the national parks are reporting record breaking numbers of visitors. International travel has been picking up too, but more slowly. Recently, more people are beginning to plan international trips again.
How has Sept. 11 affected the traveler? Well, many of you are no doubt familiar with the practical changes that have come about after 9-11. These have especially impacted air travelers. Airport security is much tighter. Access is much more rigorously restricted. Long lines are visible inside terminals and sometimes along the sidewalks outside the airport buildings. In short, you have to wait longer and in more lines than you used to. As a result, whether you are flying domestically or internationally, it is necessary to arrive at airports earlier than before, and make sure that all your documents are in order. One of the more drastic changes is that all security screeners at United States airports have been professionally trained. Passengers carry on items are passed through an X-ray machine where they are checked for what in todays terms are considered dangerous items such as knives, corkscrews, etc. Until just recently, scissors were considered a threatening item. They are now allowed in carry-on bags as long as they are no more than 4″ at blade length. Screeners are now more frequently performing random searches of baggage and performing passenger pat downs. 100% of all checked baggage is checked for explosives and other dangerous items. Now all passengers are required to go to the ticket counter before check in. Passengers must have some form of government issued ID such as a state drivers license or passport. If you do not have ID, you are not getting on an airplane. Most airports allow only ticketed passengers to go to the departing gate, and you now have to walk quite a stretch before your loved ones can greet you upon arrival.
Even the airplanes themselves are more secure. After 9/11, when the Department of Homeland Security was put into place, they were given the task of performing vulnerability assessments on over 75 of the United States major airports and actual airline security systems. As a result, every US larger passenger aircraft has now been equipped with hardened cockpit doors. Thousands of federal air marshals were assigned to flights in order to help ensure the safety of passengers, and to guard against terrorist acts. We have just recently witnessed an unfortunate event where a person on an aircraft claiming to have a bomb was shot by an air marshal. Make no mistake about it; these security measures are very serious.
Psychologically, the changes have been profound. Americans are skittish travelers, and they tend to somewhat indiscriminately lump together vast portions of the world. After Sept. 11, they have tended to avoid travel to any country in the Middle East and much of Asia, as well as India and Pakistan. For the traveler, one of the results of travel in a post-9/11 world is that you need to be better informed about your destination. It is a good idea to read up on the places you are planning to visit, to understand their history, laws, cultures, customs and current conditions. The more you know about your destination, the better prepared you will be to anticipate problems that could have been avoided.
Changes within the travel insurance industry as well have taken place as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Currently some travel insurance companies provide coverage for terrorist attacks committed in the United States of America such as CSA Travel Protection (). Prior to 9/11, travel insurance only covered terrorist attacks committed overseas. Along with the travel insurance industry the methods Americans use to plan their trips have changed because of 9/11. More than 60% of US vacationers are now using the Internet to plan their vacations either alone or with assistance of a professional travel agent. Americans had already known about travel information and travel business on the Internet prior to September 11th, but many more began to utilize it after the attacks. A lot of online travel deals became available from airline companies and hotels desperate to regain business directly after 9/11. It soon became widely known that great travel deals were available online. Many comprehensive or all-inclusive packages have become popular due to value-added offers that have enticed many Americans to re-evaluate and re-adjust their take on travel. With the proper planning and contextual awareness, traveling can be enjoyable again
Although the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 are in no way seen as something positive, these same horrific events have lead to many improvements to the safety and security of travel within the United States. Some of these new security practices may seem like an inconvenience but they have been set up to ensure the safety and continuity of American and friendly foreign travelers traumatized by the events of September 11th.
Been There, Done That Cruising Tips From Seasoned Travelers
Mar 27th
Been There, Done That Cruising Tips From Seasoned Travelers
If you are cruising for the first time congratulations! You are in for a unique, worthwhile experience. As a newbie, though, you probably have questions about some of the dos and donts of traveling aboard a cruise ship. Luckily, there are many die-hard cruisers who are happy to share some tips to make your first time more rewarding.
Before You Leave Home:
Have a friend or neighbour take in your mail daily. Accumulating mail is a big sign to thieves and other troublemakers that no one is home. You could also have your mail held at the post office until you return.
Set your lights on timers so that it appears someone is home to deter troublemakers. Tell your neighborhood community patrol to make a few extra passes by your home while you are away.
Preprint labels and stamps if you plan to mail postcards out while you are on your cruise. This saves some time and you wont have to lug around an awkward address book.
Money Matters:
Stock up on travelers checks since they are replaceable if lost or stolen. To expedite the replacements should your travelers checks be lost or stolen, write down the serial numbers and put them in a safe and separate place. That way, it makes the banks job a little easier and speed up the process for your replacements.
Keep a handy supply of small denominational bills, usually ones and fives. Tipping is appreciated for porters and stewards at both the airport and docking pier of the ship. This is especially important in foreign countries. Horror stories abound about stolen or lost bags that never make it to the ship. Sometimes, you have got to grease their palms with cash. Its a small price to pay for having your clothing and toiletries aboard for your cruise.
To avoid long lines at the end of your cruise, check out your ending invoice on your account. Check for any errors and resolve them as soon as possible. There is no sense adding the stress of standing in line to pay your final tab after you just had a relaxing vacation.
Take a few rubber bands with you to wrap around your wallet. The rubber will grab onto your clothing. This makes it very difficult for a pickpocket to part with your wallet without you feeling it.
Kid Stuff:
If you are traveling with babies or toddlers, paper throwaway bibs are perfect for protecting your child from stains and messes at meal times, thus prolonging the wear of their clothing.
Bring a collapsible stroller for your young child. The cruise ship is a happening place and before long you will hear the strains of Im tired! Carry me! This is exhausting to parents. With a stroller, you can just pop your kid inside and roll on.
Pack a few portable, self contained snacks for your child like peanut butter or cheese crackers. These will come in handy and are much cheaper than buying some once you are cruising or at port.
Odds and Ends:
Throw inside your suitcase a few of those annoying plastic shopping bags that you usually get from the grocery store. These are handy for storing dirty clothing.
If you have an inside cabin, take a nightlight with you. Darkness is not fun when you are in a strange room. No sense running into walls or stubbing your toe if you can avoid it. Little maglight keychain flash lights are handy too.
Bring a little first aid kits for those minor emergencies. Wet wipes are handy too for those instance were a sink isnt handy.
There are literally hundreds of cruise tips that can save the sanity of newbie travelers. Think of those little shortcuts or ideas that you use at home. Decide if they are adaptable to the cruise ship. The less you have to worry about, the more relaxed you will be after your cruise.
