Travelling By Car With Young Children
A holiday abroad should always be fun, but when you travel with young children and need to rent a car from the airport to your holiday destination, you should take a few moments to read the following tips to make the trip fun andcomfortable. Remember that if the children enjoy the journey you will normally have a great time yourself.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
If children get car-sick easily, it is best to give them something to eat or drink and to wait a while before getting into the car. Take advantage of the time you have to wait for your luggage or at the car hire counter in the airport to avoid unnecessary delays.
Get a detailed roadmap at home or check the internet for the latest information on the journey from the airport to your destination. Work out how often you would need a break and plan plenty of stops when driving for a long time. It’s necessary to stop minimum 20 minutes every two hours, trying to go non-stop only leads to accidents. Check the corresponding motorway exits for convenient stops where your children can get out of the car and run around a while.
Try to stop at playgrounds where they can play safely. Take some time to relax and stretch your legs yourself. Your journey will take a bit longer but it will be a relaxed start of your holiday.
ENTERTAINMENT
All kids love to play so make sure to have their favourite toys, dolls or teddy bears ready in your hand luggage. Make sure to pack at least one familiar object like a favourite toy or a special blanket for every child.
Music is also a great way to keep your children occupied in the car. All modern rental cars come with radio nowadays, but the suppliers do not normally guarantee if it is equipped with CD or tape deck. Do not take the change and make sure to pack your children’s favourite music both on CD and on tape.
Books with multi-colour images or colouring books with pencils are also a great alternative. If you do not suffer from car sickness yourself reading a story for the children is also a good way to keep them occupied for a while and help the time pass more quickly.
If you can afford it consider a portable DVD player. A portable DVD player is worthwhile the money, it will keep your children busy for hours in the car but at the airports as well. It also comes very handy at your holiday destination during the hot siesta hours or on a rainy day.
Top 10 Beaches in the Caribbean
Caribbean offers you the chance to visit some of the most spectacular beaches in the world.Virtually every island of the Caribbean will have beaches that amaze with crystal clear blue seas, sugar white sand & palm trees.
To help you choose where to go and more importantly what beach to choose, we have compiled a list of the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean.
1/ Palm Beach (Aruba) – Idyllic beach setting with superb white sand.
2/ Grand Anse Beach (Grenada) – 3km beach with sugar-white sand, lots of space & shallow waters.
3/ Johnson's Point (Antigua) – Made up of secluded coves, these white soft sand beaches are a must for snorkeling and swimming.
4/ Pink Sand Beach ( Bahamas) – One of the world's most photographed beaches, often voted world's best by travel publications. 5km's of salmon pink coloured sand, due to red plankton that has mixed with the fine white sand.
5/ Crane Beach (Barbados) – Often voted as Barbados' most beautiful beach. Imposing cliffs, a natural coral reef and soft white sands make for a perfect beach.
6/ Negril Beach (Jamaica) – Laid back atmosphere and Jamaica's prettiest beach. A lot quieter than Seven Mile beach.
7/ Englishman's Bay (Tobago) – A sheltered beach with fine white sand, crystal waters & surrounded by a palm jungle.
8/ Grace Bay (Turks & Caicos) – Part of a national marine park, this beach has fine white sand, calm turquoise waters and is protected by a barrier reef.
9/ Trunk Bay (US Virgin Islands) – A beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, considered one of the best places for snorkeling in the Caribbean.
10/ Shoal Bay (Anguilla) – Put Angullia on the tourism map, sugar-white sand, crystal clear blue waters & coral reefs.
Las Vegas Attractions are Fascinating
Heading for Las Vegas? Lucky you! No other city in the world can keep
you mesmerized like Las Vegas does. Travel to Las Vegas to discover a
city of fun and fantasy mega-resort. The city has been named the
entertainment capital of the world. There are plenty of Las Vegas attractions that will keep you going for the days and throughout the nights. Las Vegas was created entirely to entertain and hosts the world's largest theme parks. This city of sin is home to over a million people and welcomes millions more each year to its lavish hotels and resorts. Visitors today are amazed to see that only 70 years ago this prosperous metropolis was a remote place with less than a thousand inhabitants whose only guests were railway passengers stopping off to stretch their legs on the long journey between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Today, Las Vegas has 18 out of 21 of the largest hotels in the world and walking down 'The Strip' visitors will see the skylines of New York and Paris, discover the canals of Venice and the Pyramids of Egypt and, at Treasure Island, see a full on-sea battle between a Pirate ship and a British Galleon.
Beside hub for gambling, Las Vegas is now also a family destination and there is no dearth of theme parks, shopping malls and golf courses. To keep up with the city's diverse clientele, dining and shopping scenes have become increasingly sophisticated, Vegas once derided by restaurant critics now are flooded with fantastic Las Vegas restaurants featuring all types of cuisine. Naturally, the cheap buffet is still found in every hotel, but top chefs also offer signature dishes at upscale spots in Las Vegas.
Some of the Las Vegas attractions that you don't want to miss while you are in Vegas are The Fountains of the Bellagio, The Adventure dome at Circus Circus, Flamingo Garden, MGM Grand Lion Habitat, Within Mirage, Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, Star Trek: The Experience, Las Vegas Chinatown Plaza, and Erotic Heritage Museum.
Lijiang, China: A Step Back in Time
Lijiang, located in northwest Yunnan Province is rich with cultural
heritage and has one of the best preserved "old towns" in all of China.
The highlight of Lijiang, and the main reason most visitors travel to
the area, is the Ancient Old Town of Lijiang. It is one of the last
places a foreign or domestic visitor can experience the historic culture
and city life of old world China just like in the movies.
The Old Town was constructed in the late Song Dynasty, more than 800 years ago, while "new town" was built around 50 years ago. Old Town consists of 3.8 square kilometers of beautiful cobblestone streets and intersecting waterways, and is home to numerous cultural minorities including the Naxi, Bai, Lisu, Pumi, Yi, Tibetan, and Miao. The Naxi people, descendents of ethnically Tibetan Qiang tribes, are historically the majority population and have called Lijiang home for over 1400 years. Naxi had the largest influence over Lijiang's architecture, unique layout, and cultural heritage and comprise 58% of the city's current inhabitants. Due to its preservation and long cultural history, Lijiang's Old Town was listed as a World Cultural Heritage City by UNESCO in December 1997, becoming China's first cultural heritage city and possibly its finest.
The entire Old Town is a museum in its own right. Dubbed the "Venice of the Orient", Lijiang is a complex web of canals and waterways transversed by cobblestone streets and over 350 marble bridges. The main water source is Black Dragon Pool (Heilongtan) which extends its fingers to every corner of Old Town. The cobblestone streets branch out from Sifang Jie (Old Market Square) in four directions, providing visitors with a nice jumping off point to explore and possibly get lost among the narrow and countless networks of streets in Old Town. If you do find yourself lost in Lijiang, merely follow the water upstream and you'll find your way back to Sifang Jie. Along the way you'll be able to gaze at the traditional Naxi wooden houses with sloping tile roofs; ornately carved wooden doors and archways; the hidden squares and gardens; and engage with the wonderful people of Lijiang. The main streets are lined with open air cafes and countless stone benches where you can sit and enjoy a book or simply people watch. Although the streets are busy with tourists almost every day of the year, if you start exploring early or late in the day, you'll be able to find some peaceful spots. The farther you get from Sifang Jie, the less likely you will be bombarded with tour groups and their infamous flags.
If wandering along the streets of Old Town isn't your cup of tea, there are numerous places to see and explore in and around Old Town Lijiang. Among the highlights are Lion Hill Park's Wanggu Tower, the Mu Family Mansion, and Black Dragon Pool Park. Wanggu Tower, a recently built five story wooded pavilion located at the peak of Lion Hill park, provides the best panoramic views of the peaked homes of Old Town and the natural surrounding scenery.
To the north of Old Town is Black Dragon Pool Park. You can easily spend an afternoon there exploring the many pavilions and temples, wandering amongst the willow trees and beautiful gardens, or relaxing by the jade green pond. The view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) from the park is one of the most photographed spots in southwestern China. Among the most famous pavilions in the park are Deyue and Five-Phoenix (Wufeng). Not to be missed within the park are two museums; The Dongba Research Institute and the Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture both of which house Naxi cultural artifacts.
Within Old Town, one of the most famous spots is the Mu Family Mansion, the former home of the local chiefdom for 22 generations. The Mansion is fashioned after a mini Forbidden City and is a maze of courtyards and residences set among some of the most exquisite gardens in the region. The Mu Family Mansion is a great place to relax and get away from the crowded streets of Old Town.
Finding a place to stay in Lijiang is relatively easy as there are over 700 Naxi guest houses in Old Town alone. The best places to stay for nighttime action are directly off Sifang Jie. At night Lijiang's bars and restaurants come alive with boisterous travelers from around the world. If you aren't interested in spending your night getting drunk at the local bar, you can enjoy a traditional Naxi concert by the Naxi Orchestra at the Naxi Music Academy or at the government run Dongba Palace. Old Town boasts an exhaustive list of cafés and bars serving up Chinese, Western and Westernized Naxi cuisine. However, if you are looking for traditional Naxi food, it's best to wander out of Old Town and find street vendors selling Baba, Lijian's local specialty of wheat flatbread, served plain or stuffed with meats, vegetables, and anything you can imagine.
Lijiang's Old Town is a destination not to be missed. The minute you
set eyes on Lijiang you'll feel magically transported back in time with
its whimsical old world beauty. Look past the crowds and you'll feel and
see the old world come alive all around you.
A trip to Char Dham
India is known for its religious opulence since the incarnation of human
culture and civilization, it is often refers to as the spiritual power
in the world. So, if you want to take yourself away from the daily
hectic routine and enter into the world of peace, devotion and eternal
happiness the chardham yatra
is best suited for you. Char Dham literally means four destinations,
the destinations of religious importance which has the power to make one
enter into the stage of self-actualization and eternal peace. The Hindu
mythologies describe this Char Dham into four religious destinations as
Sri Gangotri Dham, Sri Yamunotri Dham, Sri Kedarnath Dham, and Sri
Badrinath Dham. Apart from their religious importance these destinations
presents a spectacular view of natural beauty which mystically canopies
the entire area.Sri Gangotri Dham refers to the place which is the source of the holy river Ganga, which is worshipped by the Hindus in India. The Gaumukh glacier present in the area is the source of the river Ganga, pilgrims and tourists are fascinated to see the natural beauty of the place.
The Yamunotri Dham is the source of river Yamuna it is the place of Goddess Yamuna located in the western part of the Garhwal Himalayas, Kedarnath Dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva the place is covered by several pools called as Kunds in Hindi these pools are of religious significance and the sacred shrine is of high religious importance. Badrinath Dham is guided on the either side by two mountains Nar and Narayan the temple at this place is devoted to Lord Vishnu according to the Hindu mythological stories Badrinath Dham is situated on the bank of river Alaknanda river which is a hot water spring called as "Tapt kund". These destinations are the flooded by the tourists throughout the year, not only Indian but also the foreign nationals are also allured by the divinity and spiritual pleasure which these destinations offer to the Visitors.
The treks present across the area are highly adventurous and exciting for the visitors. There are several tour packages available for the Char Dham tour which is meant to suit the needs and span of the tour. These destinations has good connectivity with air and road, it has also got excellent fooding and lodging facilities. The hotels in these destinations range from luxury, deluxe, standard and economy class.
Bicycle Friendly Cities
With Boris Johnson and his bikes popping up all over London, it makes you wonder if there are cities that are slightly more bike friendly that London, with our incessant traffic and heavy pollution. An if you are a cycling fan, then why not include it in your holiday?
Curitiba, Brazil - Widely considered to be one o the best planned city in the world, Curitiba is also voted one of the best places to live in the country. Bicycles are one of the most common modes of transport with the locals, and the city was voted the Globe Sustainable City Award in 2010.
Bogota, Colombia – with only thirteen percent of citizens owning cars in the city, bikers are far more liked than bikers in London. People need transport, and the bike is the most popular form here.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands – a very flat country, it lends itself more to cycling that the more hilly cities across the world. Nearly forty percent of workers commute on their bikes, and you can easily rent a bike in public and dock it again somewhere further along the lines. Most visitors opt for bikes as their first mode of transport, and as such Amsterdam is a very eco and bike friendly city.
Montreal, Canada – recently having invested millions into revamping the city, Montreal expanded the number of bicycle friendly lock points, for citizens to cycle with ease and not worry about their bikes. It also has the first urban bike share programme in North America, providing over five thousand bikes.
Tours to Rajasthan
India is known to represent one of the oldest civilizations of world.
The twin city of Harappa and Mohejo – daro situated along the Indus
River are known to have mature civilization in the world. India is
famous for its golden past. Many veteran scholars and brave hero have
taken birth in this brave land. India was once called as "Golden Bird"
because of its lavish lifestyle of the people. The essence of lavishness
and bravery can still be felt in Indian state of Rajasthan. Rajasthan
is the largest state of India. It represents the historical grandeur of
India. It is the demo of old Indian culture and civilization. There are many historical attractions in India. The main attraction of Rajasthan includes historical and magnificent forts and palaces. Many forts and palaces stands in this royal land. Some of the popular forts and palaces of Rajasthan are Amber Fort, Junagarh Fort, Mehrangarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, City Palace, Lalgarh Palace, Hawa Mahal, etc. These magnificent building were constructed in the long past by the brave rulers of Rajasthan. The interior decoration of these forts and palaces are great example of Indian architecture. Some of these forts and palaces have been converted to heritage hotels. Besides forts and palaces, there are some more historical attractions in Rajasthan. Tourists should visit the historical museums to see the arms and ammunitions, shields, paintings, artistry, etc that are the evidence of royal past.
Tours of Rajasthan India is incomplete without exploring the golden beauty of Rajasthan Desert. Rajasthan has vast expense of Thar Desert. The exotic sand dunes dots the golden desert making it looks beautiful and stunning. Camel safari is an interesting activity to enjoy in the desert land of Rajasthan. Udaipur is also a must visit place in Rajasthan. Visiting the city of lake after visiting the dry and arid desert is quite pleasing. There are many lakes in Udaipur. The lakes are surrounded by green lush gardens making the landscape beautiful and surrounding romantic. It is quite relaxing to spend evening in the garden that surrounds the cool and calm lakes. There are some interesting tourist places nearby Udaipur. One can take Tours from Udaipur to such places to explore the beauty and grandeur of the place.
Rajasthan is a very historic place in India. It is suitable to let the tourist acquaint with the history and royal grandeur of royal India. Taj Mahal of Agra is also most historic monument in India. People visit Agra in large volume to get the glimpse of Taj Mahal. There are some more attractions in Agra. Agra Fort, Akbar's Fort, Fatehpur Sikri are the popular tourist sites in Agra. One can also take tours from Agra to cities like Mathura and Virindavan. These places are also worth visiting. You will come to know the historic religious customs of India by visiting these religious places.
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