Sometimes familiarity of a subject matter in the real sense is worth more than all the text books in the world. Take the kid who grows up around sailboats from age 10 and grows up to be an adult and then invents the world`s best sail, which assists the US Team in winning the World?s Most precious Sp...

My wife is an expert on Scotland. She writes about it for a living. Although born in the south east of England, she is a Robertson through and through and has returned to her roots, bringing me along with her. I`m very grateful! And, I`m not the only willing settler in this great country. The Scotsm...

Probably one of the coolest experimental aircraft twin-engine aircraft is the Diamond DA 42 Twinstar. The Twinstar is propelled by twin diesel engines which burn Jet A or even conventional diesel fuel. Sounds cool; doesn?t it? Think of the money you can save? The Diamond Twinstar was a huge hit at ...

With over fifty million tourists visiting Spain each year, this popular West European country must have something special which attracts the visitor. What exactly is it ...? The main beauty of this lovely land can be summed up in just one word - variety - and, as you all well know, variety is th...

Airbus has announced that it will build a $600 million aircraft manufacturing plant in Mobile Alabama. This is significant news and will open doors to US based commercial airlines to buy more Airbus Aircraft in the future. Alabama is quite good at attracting manufacturing facilities such as Mercedes...

The Central American countries stand out from the rest of Americas. There rich history and breathtaking scenic beauty makes them the favorite place to visit all the year round. With a blend of south and North America the countries like Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama etc. give the continent the fi...

Some of us singles cruise the bars, but me, I cruise the sea. Nearly every vacation for the past few years, I?ve taken one of those singles cruises we all hear about. The Caribbean is a big cruise destination. All those little islands and all that tropical sun! Love it. They?re reasonably priced, to...

Unique points Lubeck is a charming Hanseatic city, surrounded by a canal and a river. It has plenty of parks trees and open spaces. The best known symbol of the city is the Holtesten gate, built in 1477. Unfortuntately the gate was covered in scaffolding during my visit in June 2005, so I didn...

The rural town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England went for hundreds of years as just that. It was a country town with a market for the local farmers and traders to sell their wares, with shops, businesses, trades and agriculture being the usual income for local people. Situated on the ...

Located in the west Sichuan Basin of Southwestern China, Chengdu was once cited by a magazine as the most stress-free city in China. Bestowed with rich rainfall, fertile land, and a low cost of living, Chengdu is imbued with an atmosphere of ease and comfort, evident in its residents` leisurely mann...

Inns are a delightful alternative to hotels and resorts. They can be just the right ticket for your vacation, providing you understand how they work and function. Are they for everybody? No, they`re not. But here?s the answers to some basic questions to determine if it?s the type of accommodation th...

Rain is blamed for thousands of accidents yearly. Many of these accidents are preventable, but are caused by drivers who don`t realize that fair- and foul-weather driving are fundamentally different. When the road is wet, the film of the water on the asphalt causes tires to lose traction. Less obv...

Celebrities sure do seem to have a great life. Their every day lives are ones filled with glamour, and their vacations are even more spectacular! But just because you aren?t rich and famous, doesn?t mean you can?t travel like a celebrity! Today, the Hollywood Elite, A-list Stars, musicians, politici...

It appears that amongst Brits at least, the Charente is the favourite region to live in France. In a poll conducted by Boredeaux University, the Charente beat Aquitaine, Languedoc-Rousillon and Brittany as the preferred area to buy property, with many people opting for it as their main home. Of the ...

The big black and white killer whale -- his four-foot sail-like dorsal fin erect and rising from a long sleek black and white body -- came slicing rapidly through the water, seemiingly on a collision course with our vessel. Sort of a black and white torpedo with eyes, fin, flippers, and fluke! The ...

Las Vegas evokes visions of extravagant, exciting, colorful mega resorts; flashing neon lights; warm, desert weather; slot machines; showgirls; and fun. Las Vegas is no longer just about gambling. Today, Las Vegas has world-class restaurants, unique shopping, headliner entertainment, spas, golf, te...

After deciding to move to Siberia for a year to teach at the Chita State Technical University, I embarked on a travel odyssey unlike any other. In this entry, we pick up the last stage of the seven-day trip to get there. Siberia As Seen From A Train In preparing for my trip, I had actually done some...

With all of the choices available to you, where should you go to find the best and most affordable Prague Accommodations? I have always felt like getting the right accommodations does as much in helping or hurting a trip as anything else you do, so that makes finding them crucial. It becomes even mo...

Located in Eastern Europe, Hungary is diverse and beautiful country. The undisputed treasure of the country is Budapest. Budapest ? A Tale of Three Cities Over 2,000 years old, Budapest is a large city containing traces of the various forces that have ruled it over time. Romans, Turks, Goths and man...

Did you know you can go on a 7-day cruise for half the price? Or visit Europe for 15 days for only $2,000 per person including airfare, hotels, car rental and meals? If you follow these steps, you can save more up to 50% in travel expenses. 1. Travel during low season. Choosing to go on vacation du...

A couple years back, when I was a flight student, struggling to understand and memorize all the procedures, maneuvers, scan patterns, landing pattern, and myriad other aspects of slipping the surly bonds, one of my instructors would routinely see how frazzled I was. After one notable flight, he was...

With the holiday travel season around the corner, I am reminded of highways and airports will filled with families trying to get to visit relatives, and business travelers trying to get home. During this time, you may experience chaos and delay, so I am sharing with you what I learned the last time...

When fuel costs are so high, people favor flying to driving. If the distance to be traveled is over 500 miles it often makes sense to fly. If the distance is over 1000 miles then it definitely makes sense to fly to save fuel. In fact unless you really need a car once you get there and unless you wil...

The spice islands of Zanzibar refer to an archipelago of fifty or so islands with Unquia and Pemba being the largest. The main island is more commonly referred to simply as Zanzibar and to all intents and purposes Unquia is Zanzibar. Stone Town is the capital, the port and entrance to this spiced is...

Due to its isolated location and the freezing San Francisco Bay waters, the authorities considered Alcatraz as an ideal place for holding dangerous prisoners. Alcatraz operated for a full 29 years and during that time; there had been no known case of any successful escape attempts. There were 14 cas...

That?s the intent of this article, to wake up some ideas in your head, and plan for things to do in Florida and any of your travels. When we venture down to Florida or anywhere for that fact of the matter, we first figure out what activities we definitely don?t want to miss. Here is our list of fav...

I haven?t posted my column in a while. I have been working on some manuscripts?books?that are finally ready to send to publishers. So I thought and thought, ?what should I write for my column? and I have come up with this: My honeymoon has finally ended with Mexico. Now, do not get me wrong. I do no...

Celts rarely forget, are not quick to forgive. In the early fifteenth century Henry IV waged war on the people of Wales and their king, Owen Glendower. After a campaign that started in 1400 and lasted a dozen years Henry won handily. In victory, vengeance. Henry vented his rage on the Welsh people w...

Are you planning a trip to Kiev, Ukraine? If so, you may be wondering whether it is better to stay in a Kiev hotel or rent an apartment in Kiev. The purpose of this brief article is to list here some of the factors that will hopefully help you take the decision right for you. Staying in Kiev hotel...

Namibia is a largely arid country of stark rough-hewn beauty. The most vivid images are those of a haunting technicolor landscape of swirling orange dunes, shimmering mirages and treacherous dust devils. The apparent desolation is deceptive and plant and animal life and even man has adapted to this ...

Dijon, the capital of the region of Burgundy, is a great city full of interesting things to do and places to meet. This city usually takes several days for visitors to fully explore it and meet all its historically interesting spots, since its origins date from 2500 years ago and therefore it contai...

An increasing number of individuals utilize the internet to make travel reservations. Potential travelers often make their arrangements through the company or website offering the lowest prices. Popular sites such as Hotwire offer highly discounted rates on various types of travel packages. However,...

Definitely don`t drink the water if the locals don`t. Aside from this travel guideline, it`s tough to judge when it is safe to drink the water in another country. It is often best to rely on bottled water, which is available almost everywhere now, and is cheaper in other countries than in the United...

You name it, New York?s got it. Let?s see, a trip to New York would naturally take weeks, if not months to complete and if you don?t go to the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, American Museum of Natural History, The Guggenheim and Madame Tussard?s Wax Museum, you?ve not even b...

The owners of Fiji`s largest budget accommodation chain have decided to counter the burgeoning bus and package tour trade by refocusing on the independent traveler. With more and more visitors being booked onto pre-arranged itineraries straight off the plane in Nadi, Cathay Hotels (Fiji) Limited h...

Jet lag is a common sleep disorder suffered by many millions of travelers every day, whether traveling on business or for pleasure. In one recent survey of international business travelers, seventy four percent of those questioned said that they suffered frequently from jet lag. Jet lag affects p...

Situated in the northeastern portion of Florida, lies one of the gems of the state and a popular vacation destination: Jacksonville. Far from being just an urban destination, Jacksonville offers a unique vacationing experience complete with beaches, natural attraction, museums, wildlife exhibits and...

Of the Southeast Asian nations, Myanmar attracts fewer tourists than the more ?trendy? spots such as Thailand, Malaysia and recently Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. But a country that is known by two names evokes its own cloud of mystery and is sure to pique the interest of adventure seekers and the mor...

A trip that will always be remembered is the one in Las Vegas, what is sometimes referred to as "Sin City" due to it`s casino gambling places, though I prefer to remember it as a "sensational" city, LasVegas, Nevada. From LA to this gambler`s city, It was a 4 hour drive during the summer months. ...

One of the main reasons people buy digital cameras is so they can share their photos with others. Even if you are just going to print your photos for yourself, you will want them to look their best. Here are some tips on getting your images ready for sharing or printing. 1. ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS ...

China is a large country at a size of 9,596,960 sq km. China was only partially open to the world from 1980 onwards and has been a communist country for many decades. Although there is much progress in the travel industry and infrastructure of China, there remain areas that need to be improved befor...

In the last twenty years, discount airlines have single-handedly changed the way the airline industry functions. With a focus on getting customers to their desired destinations without the frills of regular airline travel, discount airlines can charge lower prices and still meet strict safety codes....

The introduction of the VCR changed so much for the television viewer. Before the introduction of the VCR, you had to watch the show when it was broadcast by the network ? that was your only option. If you recorded your favorite show, you were able to watch it when you wanted to ? and as many times ...

"I`m coming home. I`ve been away too long. Been away so long. I`m coming home" ? Ian Thomas, in Coming Home I still recall my road warrior days. It seemed like every other week, I was hopping on a plane for Orlando or Vancouver or Palm Springs or Washington or Chicago or Toronto. It might no...

It takes a special person to travel with kids ? a parent. Children have their own needs. Their idea of a vacation is more "adventurous" than a parent`s. They need constant stimulation and they can get as tired as they are tiring. There are many top ten type lists of tips for traveling with chil...

Many people with a desire to live overseas have difficulty in deciding where to go and are sometimes in search of help in making their decisions. Cultural and other activities frequently play an important role in the decision making process. One useful parameter to consider when deciding on where to...

What to expect upon arriving in Jamaica and at your Sandals Resort When your plane touches down at Sangster International Airport in Jamaica you will have to get your bags and then clear customs. Once through customs there will be many people wanting to help you with your bags etc. I`d suggest just...

The four Warner Brothers, which included the womanizing Jack, the conservative Harry, the quiet Albert and the visionary Sam, had risen from obscurity with The Jazz Singer (1927) the first famous and financially successful talking movie ever made. Tragically, Sam Warner, the real brains behind the w...

Gene Hackman once lamented that the worst thing about becoming a famous actor is that you lose the ability to observe people without being noticed yourself. But some performers are so good at disguises that notoriety is no obstacle. A case in point was John Barrymore trying to buy his first house ...

(NC)?All skin types - normal, dry, and oily - needs to be moisturized in summer. Your face may appear to have a shine without a morning lotion, "but what you may be witnessing," says Jacquie Hutchinson, national product trainer for Almay, "is a false sense of security." The skin, she says, has the...