Travel Ideas

by: Glynnis Farrow

Schedule Europe Trip for Best Seasons, Values
A journey to Europe is the holiday of a lifetime. Limitless sites and attractions are waiting throughout the continent. The prices and the weather are the major elements in deciding the prime travel periods.
A good compromise is to choose the period before and after the busy summer season, because the weather is mostly good and prices are lower. Southern Europe also offers a nice experience in the winter, with reasonably mild weather.
If nice weather is important to you, the winter is one of the worst times to see northern Europe. Gray, wet and cold weather is common December through February. And daylight is in short supply, so evenings will be spent primarily indoors.
However, winter travel offers the best prices. Italy or Greece would be good choices if you are limited to a winter vacation.
There are some other benefits to winter travel. Winter festivals and New Year’s are exciting times in Europe. Cities such as Paris are beautiful when decorated for the Christmas holidays. New Year’s eve in Paris is exciting, with parties, festivals and night life. Several other countries have holiday events and festivals as well.
The biggest benefit of winter travel is that you will see fewer other tourists. Your experience will be more authentic, seeing European life without the crush of people.
Early spring finds most of Europe still chilly and wet, especially in the north, so streets are uncrowded. Though not great for swimming, the weather is fine for outdoor tours and sightseeing. Budget-minded travelers will like the cheaper prices for airfare and hotels.
May and June are among the best months to visit most European countries. The weather is warm on most of the continent and it’s still uncrowded. There are a variety of festivals and cultural events throughout Europe in May and June. Because the tourist season hasn’t started into full swing yet, you can get good deals on accommodations and plane fare. An added benefit is few lines at most tourist attractions and plenty of room on tours and in restaurants.
Once schools let out, Europe quickly becomes crowded. The summer months are very busy and hotels get booked quickly. Because of the demand, everything is more expensive in the summer. Tourist destinations are very crowded and you will wait in lines at many attractions.
Northern Europe, with its good weather and smaller crowds, would be a good option for summer travel. Whatever season you choose, there are more than enough attractions to provide a great European holiday.

About The Author

Glynnis Farrow writes for the Europe site, YO Europe. Register for the Europe ezine at http://yoeurope.com.

by: Bob Kelly

Don?t let your travel agent give you the false information that the Dominican Republic is cheap. It is NOT TRUE! The prices are triple US prices for the basic necessities. Add insult to injury 85% of their people are poor!
The problem began when the last president drove the dollar to 56 to 1. Prices skyrocketed.
The elections rolled around and the voters sent President Mejia packing his bags. The new American raised president, Leonel Fernandez took on huge loans with the International Monetary Fund and he raised taxes American style to unbearable levels for their impoverished people.
This immediately plummeted the dollar back down to 28 to 1. After about 6 months the merchants lowered the prices on some items by approximately 10% and raised the prices on most items to a comparable price as if the dollar were at around 60 to 1. Everyone refuses to lower prices even though the peso revalued 50%! Prices continue to climb on everything. From a Coca Cola to a new car.
What that means to tourism is certain failure. Their Zona Franca that depends on a lower labor forces is crumbling with the devaluation of the dollar verses their worthless over valued peso.
The actual exchange rate is about 60 to 1, but the exchange rate is being falsely held down with Presidential hype, huge taxes and borrowed dollars. So in other words when a tourist exchanges dollars at 28 to 1 he is loosing 50% right from the get go. There are many poor people who have money sent from relatives who work for dollars in the US. When theses poor people receive their dollars from abroad they are forced to trade them at a 50% loss. When they go to the grocery store to buy foods the prices are based at 60 to 1.
Gasoline costs 103 pesos per gallon. Divide that by 28 and that gives you a price of $3.64 per gallon. Food and pharmaceuticals are so expensive that only the rich eat and have medicine available. The President lowered the dollar exchange rate but raised the prices. People are striking occasionally. Most people in the country are poor. They have a wealthy class. I don?t see how any rich person would want to live there with the mud roads and huge holes in the streets. And every where you look you see trash and poverty.
Simply put their poor just don?t eat.
The only solution is to let the peso free fall to its actual price of 60 to 1. But that looks like it is not going to happen because of the 50 million dollars a month their American raised President borrows every month from the IMF and the overbearing taxes the government forces their poor to pay as opposed to eating. There are plenty of IMF dollars in the street. Who knows where they are going other than in political pockets.
Long live poverty in the Dominican Republic.

About The Author

Bob Kelly
I am a retired insurance agent. I am divorced because my wife caught me playing around. One day I came home and found myself locked out of my own house with all my clothes sitting in boxes on the front steps. Bob Kelly
mrbkkelly@yahoo.com

Stockholm ? A Great Destination That Is Kind To Your Budget

by: Marc A. De Jong

Sweden is one of the most affordable travel destinations in Western Europe. This statement would have raised some eyebrows a few years back, but it has become reality. So why not go to Stockholm this year?
Leaders from both continents may have different opinions about world politics, but US travelers love Europe, just like Europeans love to see the US. Some American tour operators and travel agencies even expect to sell more trips to Europe this year than ever before.
That is remarkable. The dollar-euro exchange rates make a European vacation far from cheap nowadays.
If you want to see Europe without losing too much money, you should pick destinations that have not switched to the euro.
Sweden is a great choice. Sweden is an EU country (no visa required for Americans), but the Swedes still pay with crowns, not with euros.
To check if prices in the Nordic country are really that much lower, I compared prices of three well-located three-star hotels in the Swedish capital Stockholm with similar hotels in the popular capitals of two euro-countries, Paris and Rome.
The difference was incredible. Rates in Stockholm started between 113 and 125 US dollar per night. In Rome you had to pay between USD 155 and 184 and in Paris between USD 167 and 222 USD.
And those are just hotel rates. Restaurant prices in Stockholm have gone down in recent years as well, at least for foreigners.
I also went to a popular airline ticket seller and searched for the lowest airfare. The cheapest ticket from New York to Stockholm cost USD 851, while the best tickets to Rome and Paris cost USD 897 each.
But hey, you?re not picking a travel destination because of money alone! You want to see something too!
Well, don?t worry about that. Stockholm is often called the most beautiful capital in the world, and rightly so.
The city is built on 14 islands and has another 24,000 just around the corner. Wherever you go you will always get a glimpse of water. It?s a very green city too. Stockholm is the only capital in the world with a legally protected national park within the city borders.
And that?s not all. There?s a well-preserved old town centre with medieval streets and alleys. The city has about 100 museums that are all different and appealing to all ages ? and many even have free admission.
The vibrant nightlife and modern shopping district keep you busy after sightseeing, while the relaxed atmosphere and stunningly clean streets only add to your holiday mood.
See you in Stockholm this year? You should be there already!

About The Author

Marc A. De Jong is journalist and editor of http://www.stockholm-sweden-travel-guide.com which tells you all about the major attractions, events, how to get there, where to stay, and gives lots of other practical tips. Including blog and RSS feed.

How To Save Money Buying Travel Online And Get The Best Deal

by: Jolana Klobouk

Want to save some money when booking your travel online? Here are some tips to help you do just that. You at home have access to thousands of travel deals with the click of a mouse.
1. Sign up for travel e-newsletters
Many airlines, tour operators, online travel agencies and travel sites have newsletters that they will send you via email; these usually include their latest travel deals.
2. Shop around
Check various travel sites and make sure you are comparing apples to apples, know what is included. That great cruise deal may not include airfare to the port! Also check in with a travel agent to compare prices. They may in fact have a better travel deal for you.
3. Consider all possible discounts
Do you have Air Miles or frequent flyer miles you can cash in? AAA/CAA membership or other affiliations? Ask about child or senior discounts. Do they have family rates or group rates? Don’t be afraid to ask.
4. Make the travel web sites do the work
Some of them will let you specify the dates of travel and vacation you are looking for and will send you an email when the price reaches your limit.
5. Travel in off-season.
Off-season will vary depending on where you are travelling so do your research and find out when that is. Off-season includes winter for Europe, summer and fall for the Caribbean, and when the kids are in school for theme parks like Disney and so on.
6. Traveling during the week can save you money
Saturday and flights during the week are less crowded and therfore more likely to have last minute discounting. Some companies charge a bit less for vacation package that leave mid-week. Many business hotels may also charge less on weekends.
7. Read your newspaper?s travel section
The Saturday travel sections in most newspapers are still a good source for travel news, tips and last minute travel deals, departing from your city. Read them religiously.
8. Do some negotiating of your own.
Just ask for a deal or a better price! This will usually work if you are dealing with a hotel or car rental company directly. It may also work with some travel agents.
9. Book last minute
When looking for a last minute travel deal, start shopping around about 6 weeks prior to your departure to get a good idea for prices and availability. Narrow down where you want to go and compare some prices. About 3 weeks prior to departure is probably your best time to book. When you notice packages begin to sell out, you want to book before you miss out on that travel deal. The prices only go so low and sometimes sell out before they really drop in price.
10. Book early
Some of the best deals may be had booking early. Most tour operators and cruise companies offer discounts for early booking. If there is a specific date you want to travel and or you have a specific resort or destination in mind, you are better off to book early and secure your vacation than to risk waiting for a last minute travel deal that may or may not happen.
Keep in mind the cheaper is not always better. If you save a few hundred dollars by adding lots of stops to your flight or staying in a hotel you are not happy with, it won’t be worth it. Save some money but don’t compromise too much with what you really want and need.

About The Author

Jolana Klobouk is the webmaster of http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com. A parent and former travel agent, she has travelled extensively for work and vacations with her family.

by: Elvis King

A carribean paradise or a haven for corruption.
White sandy shore lines and beautiful reasonably priced all-inclusive beach resorts.The Dominican Republic can offer you the best vacation of your life.
If you plan to get outside of your hotel room a good tour guide can be worth the money.
For a retirement destination it can be risky because the economy is very unstable and the dollars yo yo has left American products at about 10 times the their prices in the United States.When the dollar started going up from about 19 to 1 to 57 to 1 you could see the merchants in the stores and supermarkets raising there prices every five minutes. But when the dollar dropped from 57 back to 27 to 1 the stores owners didn?t notice and just sat in there offices and forgot to lower the prices. The Dominican people are close to starving to death because of the prices of food in the stores. Which also equates to extremely high prices for a person vacationing in dollars or living in dollars in the Dominican Republic. The tourist can get around the gastly prices by simply staying in an all-inclusive resourt. I had a stomach ache after eating my favorite peanut butter and fried banana sandwhich and went to buy a bottle of Pepto Bismol that cost $1.98 back home and I had to pay $15 dollars. That gives you an idea of how prices are set.
For a bachelor looking for a girlfriend or wife, there is no place better. The Dominican Republic has many available beautiful women. And I don?t say beautiful lightly. The Dominican Republic holds the crown for Miss Universe. Amelia Vega was crowned Miss Universe in 2003. To avoid the wrong girl again the bachelor looking for that special girl needs that special tour guide who is also a professional matchmaker. These beautiful girls are readily available but you have to know how and where to look for them. Again you have to have the right professional guide for the job. See the resource box listed below.
Getting around . You will need the military version of the Humvee. I couldn?t imagine any worse roads in the world. You can go into the most exquisite areas in the Dominican Republic where their wealthy live and you will find mud roads with deep holes in the roads. The wealthy have no respect for their communities. Trash , Dominicans aren?t happy if they don?t have some trash in the street. Even in the most exclusive areas.
The people. The nicest people in the world. They are kind, friendly and beautiful people. They seem to love Americans.They have an American raised and educated President. He was born in the Dominican Republic but raised and educated in New York.
Safety, In my opinion one of the safest countries on earth. Less violence against their own people and tourists than most places you might want to vacation or retire.
Theft issues. They will steal your shirt off your back if your not looking. However, very little armed robbery. Again it?s a very safe country if you use common sense as to where you go.
Bank safety. The government seems to be more honorable than most countries. When A local banker stole 2.5 billion dollars from a local bank the government stood behind the bank and paid back the money, but in pesos. You wouldn?t get your money back if a U.S or Western Country banker stole that much money.
Corruption. The banker stole 2.5 billion and walked away as free as a bird. He is flying around in his helicopters and cruising in one of his private yahts in the French Riviera right now. While the poor people can?t even buy a green banana to eat. Why? That?s the Dominican system. If your going to steal? steal big. You can walk away as free as a bird. Steal a Papaya and you could be gunned down in the street. Both events actually happened in the Dominican Republic. Moral of the story. Steal 2.5 billion dallars and you walk. Steal a papaya and you can be shot dead. You can buy your way out of anything in the Dominican Republic with 2.5 billion dollars. But if you don?t have 100 pesos for the papaya you could be in trouble.
Not to worry, the International Monitary Fund is repacing all of the money, no questions asked. They swept the whole scandel under the rug and have committed to return all the stolen money. You decide if the IMF is promoting corruption. The American Embassy screamed about the scandel. But the IMF is standing behind there decision to replace the stolen money and they are not demanding that the banker be held accountable for the crime.
But lets look at the over all picture. Would I recommend the Dominican Republic for retirement or a vacation . You bet your life I would. I love it. I am a 56 year old bachelor and the young women think I am Elvis Presley come back to life. Admittedly I have a stong resemblence and my name is Elvis and I was born in Mississippi and I later lived in Menphis. However, if you bachelors don?t know how and where to look for the nice girls you can and will go home empty handed without your Miss Universe. I couldn?t possibly pick one wife out of all these beautiful women so I decicided to keep just keep them all for myself. But one day my vacation will come to an end and I will take my Miss Universe bride home to live in Graceland. I?m coming home. The King. Elvis King. Since I can?t write songs any more I decided to write articles. Elvis.
Elvis King specializes in finding that special dream girl or girls for the lonely, older man. His one on one Bachelor Dream Tours are becoming so popular that soon only the wealthiest will be able to go on the Bachelor Dream Tour do to the waiting list and popular demand. Email him at loverboybachelor@yahoo.com or join the group at http://www.msnusers.com/BachelorDreamTours.
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at loverboybachelor@yahoo.com

About The Author

Elvis King was born in Mississippi and grew up in Menphis, Tennesse. He is a retired actor and singer. Not to be confused with the other Elvis. Elvis Presley.
loverboybachelor@yahoo.com

How To Navigate the Bewildering Array of Internet Cruise Deals

by: John Williams

Why do people love cruises ? Why do so many cruise vacationers swear they wouldn’t go back to hotel vacations? Cruise travel represents a pinnacle of luxury. You travel around the world, or your chosen area, in cosseted pleasure.
Every whim gets catered for. Every time you’re hungry, food awaits. You go ashore to sightsee a new place, but return to your own bed every night. A floating hotel, travelling to a new location every day.
But how do you choose your cruise deal ? How do you know what’s good or bad ? Firstly, let’s look at the different types of cruises.
* Size
Ships range from city size (’000s of people) right down to small sailing vessels holding less than 10 people.
* Location
Your choice of ship might depend on location. If you’re cruising the Caribbean, you could try a sailing ship. If you want a world tour, you probably should go for something bigger ?
Some of the newer ships from the major cruise operators allow you to cruise the world in luxury. Their high-tech stabilizers mean your wine barely ripples, even in rough seas.
So for smaller cruises in benign weather e.g Caribbean or Med, you can choose large or small. For longer cruises, such as an Atlantic crossing, Arctic visit etc., you need a big ship.
* Price
Prices vary dramatically. Only a few years ago, cruises were an expensive luxury. Now prices fall within any vacation budget. In fact, all inclusive special cruise deals can be much cheaper than land-based vacations. For less than a 5* hotel, you can get 7-days all inclusive in a luxury location.
* Internet
How do you find these great deals ? As always, use the Internet. Sure, call your local travel agent, or respond to newspaper ads, but you’ll find the best deals online.
There’s only a limited number of cruise ships. So you’ll find exactly the same cabin standard, exactly the same food deal, for widely varying prices.
Try to narrow down your preferred location before starting. How long do you want to go for ? Then start searching the web. Try ‘cheap cruises deals’ for a search term, and see what comes up. Immediately, you’ll be faced with a bewildering array of choices.
Click on a few of these search results sites. Read some advice and info. Get an idea of prices to your preferred location.
When you’ve seen some deals you like. When you’ve seen at least three different deals to your preferred location. When you’re tempted to book right there & then. Stop !
Before you book, you must seperate the wheat from the chaff. That bewildering array’s about to become clear. Put the cruise company name into your search engine. Put the destination into the search engine. You’re looking for reviews. You’re looking for feedback from other people who’ve been with that cruise company. You’re looking for reviews about your destination.
Do this for each of your cruise vacation shortlist. Check there’s no hidden catches. Check price fully includes everything, and you won’t be stung for lots of onboard extras.
Follow these simple guidelines, and you’ll soon be embarking on the cruise of your dreams.

Discover valuable cruise information, advice and great special deals. Go to ==> http://www.cheapcruisesdeals.com/

About The Author

John Williams

© DigiLectual Inc. 2004

http://www.cheapcruisesdeals.com/

john@cheapcruisesdeals.com

by: Alexander Vournas

The skipper is the heart of every floating vessel on earth. His word is (or should be) law to everybody on board. Yet, on a pleasant sailing holiday with your friends it can be deemed as unpleasant, and hard for the skipper, to order those friends to do something they may not like to do, and may consider unnecessary or a “dirty job”. A crew member might think -”why me again, why not Charlie this time”, not realising he may be the best person for the job, especially in difficult or tricky maneuvers. It is not always easy for skipper or crew member.
What about the situation where you have hired a professional skipper? You have to admit that the situation where your employee (the skipper) commands you to do something you may not like, is something which does not occur in other forms of business or social life !! But please bear in mind that you are paying this guy to do precisely this. If he doesn’t, then he is not doing his job properly and you must remember that in extreme situations your life may depend on his decisions and commands, and the way you react to them.
There are three aspects regarding the skipper and I will analyse them for you:
a. You are the Skipper
You must discuss your position with your family and friends IN ADVANCE, preferably before you even book the holiday. Having chosen you as skipper, they have to understand that your word is LAW on board. If they can not accept this then do not accept the position. If you are the only one with sailing experience you can always accept the position of navigator, and let someone else be skipper, however if the crew can not all accept your original conditions you would be well advised not to make the trip, as the chances of failure are very high.
It has to be understood that the skipper’s authority is not only confined to emergency situations where you are about to hit rocks (they will certainly accept commands then) but have to cover all the mundane daily tasks involved in living on board.
For example, there are 6 men in the crew, it has been a long and exhausting day and you have just enjoyed a magnificent dinner of fried fish, which you have bought at the local market, washed down with a sufficiency of good local white wine and are now sitting together to enjoy a coffee and brandy. BUT there is a huge pile of dirty plates, pans - approaching deck-high. Who is going to do the washing-up, when everyone is tired and a volunteer does not appear? To leave them will smell the cabin out - having eaten fish. But it has to be done and you have to ask, or eventually command, someone to spend the next hour doing the unpleasant job. If you don’t, then what started out as a very pleasant evening will end up with arguments as to who will do what, and when - and it will all be your fault !
This example may be extreme but you would be surprised how many holidays are spoiled because these seemingly trivial issues are not handled properly. If the crew chose you as skipper they must accept your word as law. Good leadership skills by you, making sure that the crew all share the dirty jobs, as well as the rewarding ones, including yourself in the various domestic tasks, will ensure a happy ship and a subsequently enjoyable holiday.
b. You are the crew - and you have to choose the Skipper
Again, an early decision is by far the best. If more than one crew member has sailing experience choose the one with the additional leadership skills rather, than the purely technical sailor. You should choose someone you respect and whose orders you will follow without question.
Respect on someone’s skills has nothing to do with age. How many children these days know more about computers than their fathers ??
During the trip you must follow the skipper’s orders without question. If the skipper appears to be picking on you and you seem to be getting more than your share of a particular job - don’t argue in front of the rest of the crew, just do it - and then have a quiet word with the skipper about your feelings quietly and in private later.
c. You hired a professional skipper for your holiday
Well, this is an article by itself and will be published separately in the short future.
Alexander M. Vournas

About The Author

Alex. Vournas is the owner and managing director of Almi Yachts ltd, a yacht charter company in Greece. He is also the web designer and SEO for www.almiyachts.com,

avournas@almiyachts.com

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