Weekend Getaway Ideas for Couples

Today, life is too busy to spend time with your partner. This is one of the reasons why several couples drift apart. However, you can bring back that closeness and romance into your relationship with just a little bit of effort.

If you have not thought of it as yet, then a romantic weekend is just the right medicine the doctor ordered. Spending couple of days alone can kindle the spark the once existed in your relationship. Remember, it does not have to be an expensive choice. Just a place for you and your partner to re-connect. Here are some romantic weekend getaway ideas that you plan for:

Check out some of the resorts that are located close to the city or town you are living in. Make sure that it is driving distance which will not tire you out. Book a room for the two of you and surprise your partner on Friday by taking him or her there. Spend time at the resort having candle lit dinners, getting a massage together or just spending the time walking around the resort de-stressing yourself. You will be amazed at the difference it will bring into your relationship.

If you do not want to be surrounded by people, then book a cottage where you can spend some romantic time in front of the fireplace. Take all the food you need for the weekend, so that you do not have to leave home. Spend time eating, talking, walking in the neighborhood to help you relax and have fun.

Weekend skiing trips are also great for spending time together and having some fun. After skiing, you can have a relaxed dinner in the restaurant or order room service if you are not in the mood to be surrounded by people. Of course, if you do not stay near a ski resort, it will require careful planning on your part. So, book your tickets and the resort carefully without spending too much money.

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Kum Martin is an online leading expert in the traveling industry. He also offers top quality articles like:
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Fear and Loathing Off the Beaten Path in Las Vegas

Just returned, as you know from an earlier post, from Las Vegas. The trip was part of a family friend kid's 21st birthday trip. The trip was not filled with the antics of "The Hangover", so do not get too excited. We are a tame bunch. But keep reading. You may pick up a few helpful information tidbits to consider when planning your next trip.

First, this was to be a cheap trip. Airline miles covered airfare, the selected hotel was to be very cheap based upon an offer extended to my wife's frequent card.
Imperial Palace was selected as it was to offer a rate of $94, for four nights, all taxes included. Well, it did not turn out that way. Since it was my wife's card, they would not honor my stay against it despite my trying aggressively. Total cost for what is basically a dumpy hotel: $320. Bad form Harrahs. Enough of the bad. We will devote this write up not on the typical Las Vegas, but some of the different things to do or see that is not gambling, excessive drinking, or others.....

Red Rocks. When it is 115 in central Las Vegas, head out west about 15 miles to Red Rocks park.. The elevation here is somewhere around 3-4K, and the temps are always about 15 degrees cooler. There is a long loop that leads through the foothills, with several parking areas that are trail heads with a variety of hiking trial difficulty. Bring a picnic lunch, feed the chipmunks, and enjoy a really relaxing time. Entry fee $5.

Bonnie Springs. Kids may like this as it is a old western town replica with a petting zoo. Not much interest for me, but then I know some have kiddies, and this would be decent place to take them. It is just beyond Red Rocks park. They have some kind of stage reenactment as well on schedule during weekends. Cheesy. Again, not for me, but someone may like it. It is not loosing your money in a slot machine.

Blue Diamond. This little post mining town is yet further west on the same road as Red Rocks. Population about 350, it is a little green oasis in the middle of dry. Wild Burros are this towns claim to fame, and they are usually feasting on the well manicured baseball diamond. They love to come up and stick their nose in your open window looking for a hand out. We always stop at the general store there. A Diet Mt Dew, and a few stories by the owner, and you are off. Each Saturday they gather around the store parking lot for a impromptu blues jam. I think its more on the weedy wacky side, if you know what I mean.

Lake Mead. In the other direction (that would be east for you geo challenged monkeys) is Lake Mead. A huge but disappearing body of water that is surrounded by what looks like the surface of the moon. Little vegetation. Go all the way down under Boulder City to a beach area, right around the corner from the Hoover Dam. There you can back your car up to the water's edge and enjoy the relatively clean, but really warm water. Usually a few strange sights here as well, like the time some chick in a bikini got her golf clubs out and analyzed her swing on the beach in the bikini...sorry, no pics, forgot my camera.

Hoover Dam. All I will say here is expect an 45 minute queue on Sat and Sun. During the week, go, you can get there without too much wait. great marvel. But now, it is joined by another marvel we found nearly as interesting...a bypass highway is being completed to relieve the weekend traffic jam. The bridge is high above Hoover damn, and a frigin engineering marvel...This is worth seeing if you have not been to Hoover in a while.

Mount Charleston. This is northwest. This is basically a village of vacation homes about 8000 feet high above the valley. Here the temps are 25 degrees less than the valley. There is hiking and picnic areas. There is also a restaurant on the way to the ski area (yes, I said ski area) that has a beautiful balcony to lunch and drink at. OK. I knew you were missing the drinking thing. Food is good here, service, not so much. But it is a great place to call your Mt Charleston destination among which the village is basically a mecca of stunning log vacation home scattered in the hillsides. Stop for lunch, or hike then hang out and watch the humming birds do battle over the feeder...but, they are pretty tame up there, so they will buzz you.

Jay Tracy
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5 Tips For a Smooth First Business Travel Experience

Travel help from business travel experts is as good as meeting a business tycoon for management tips. Learning from them will bring smoothness in your trip.

In today's working world, business operations have become more global. There are many business travel opportunities for the newly hired or promoted employee. While grabbing these travel opportunities a must, first time business travellers like you should travel smarter.

Sort Things Out
For first timers, it is best to be aware that you have two major classifications of the things that you will be bringing. One is your work-related things and the other one is your personal stuff.

Therefore, while choosing a light carryon luggage, it is also suggested that it is multi pocketed so you can enjoy more spaces.

Be Organized
In order to have an organized business travel, create a travel checklist of the work-related things that you need like your laptop, flash drive, printed reports on folders, brochures, calculators and the like. This will protect you from forgetting important or urgent tasks that your boss asked from you.

Make sure that you brought a good number of your business cards. Businesses can start with your plane mate or some other people you have bumped in the airport lobby.

Also check the lifespan of the batteries of your communication device so you won't miss any important office correspondences and instructions.

Be Budget Conscious
If your office allows you to take care of your own transportation and reservation as part of your per diem during your business travel, the internet is your tool to check online for the best flight and hotel deals in Europe or Asia available.

Look for package deals, promo flights, and reasonably-priced business hotels or even nearby hostels. Tips would be to ask if the published rates are inclusive of applicable taxes. Also ask for the rates of late check-ins so you can include it in your travel budget.

Always Be Prepared
For your personal belongings particularly your clothing, it is best that you have brought clothes with business colors and shades like black, dark blue, brown, white and gray. This will allow you to be flexible in doing some mix and match so you maintain your being presentable as well.

In the business world, there are times that first impression lasts. As first time business travellers, you may not be familiar or accustomed to the foods of your destination, it is highly recommended to have anti-histamine with you all the time. This will help you stop allergic reactions instantly in order not to disrupt or disturb your meeting schedules and appointments.

Follow Airport Rules
Your liquids, including gels, in the array of your toiletries should be in zip-lock plastics as it is mandatory in any airports. It is also best to use slip-on shoes going to the airport so it would not be time consuming for you to untie and tie your shoelaces during security checks.

With these travel help gathered from seasoned business travellers, you will be ready for a remarkable business travel that will widen your perspective of the career you have chosen and loved. This might be the start of a series of world travel experience from work to leisure.

For many years, Victor A. Jauernik traveled the world and developed tailor-made technical solutions together with his customers. His travels took him many times to remote places and allowed him to open his horizons. Having witnessed and applied various travel tips, he has created a Homepage called Smarter Traveling - Tips for Hassle Free Journeys, where he shares his thoughts with business, family and backpacking travelers. Just take a look at http://www.SmarterTraveling.com.

Motion Sickness - Don't Let It Get In The Way of Travel

We've known of people putting off their dreams of travelling due to the problem of motion sickness. Some people are just more prone to it than others are, but there are ways one can lessen the condition and enjoy travels and holidays to faraway places! Don't let motion sickness hold you back - there are ways to address the problem so travelling can be a more pleasant experience.

Motion sickness can be caused by stress and anxiety over a trip. So it would help to be well prepared so you can relax just before and during travel. Pack way ahead, begin to delegate the tasks you need to pass on while you're on holiday, settle all bills that have a deadline, and work out everything that will travel - not when you're already in the car, on a plane or ship. Also avoid alcohol beginning a few days before your trip and eat only a light meal prior to travelling. If you're taking a long flight or drive, keep your meals light, too, during the entire trip. Eating too heavy a meal will increase your chances of throwing up. Raw vegetables are said to help a lot, and some people will testify to the great effects of celery and carrots.

If you're travelling on a plane, request for the window seat, preferably in the area over the wings since there's more stability there. It helps a lot to look out the window to prevent motion sickness. Try to take the front seat when travelling on the road, but if you have to seat yourself in the rear portion, the middle seat where you get an unobstructed view of the road ahead is a good spot, while others find that being at the sides with an open window greatly helps. Being seated in the middle also causes less movements and sways. If travelling on a ship, go for the deck more often. Fresh air and the view of the horizon do wonders for those suffering from dizzy spells during travel.

Avoid focusing on objects near you while travelling on the road, so never read a book, work on your laptop or play a hand-held game or text while travelling. And if you can drive, offer to take the wheel during the trip. People who drive rarely suffer from motion sickness, probably because they're concentrating on the outside surroundings during the entire trip.

Keep all these travel tips at bay so you lessen your miseries over motion sickness. Using most or all of these tips can turn your travel fears into an enjoyable travel experience and pretty soon, you'll find yourself on the travel route more often!

Andrea has written articles on many aspects of life for over 3 years and recommends that you check out coupon organizer as well as marketing strategies!

The New Forest Offers Something For Everyone

There aren't many places in England that can offer the complete family experience in a historical setting that includes natural beauty and activities like The New Forest. With a bevy of attractions and locations, the New Forest has long been and continues to be a favoured holiday location for families or a retreat for couples and singles looking for a quieter and more natural type of vacation.

The reasons are simple and start with the many different picnic and walks that are offered in this centuries old place that was once used as a hunting ground for kings. The natural beauty has been an attraction for that long surprisingly and today's visitors will be treated to the convenience of the National Park's 137 car parks that offer a splendid starting point for a nature walk or cycle.

Expert Guides For Your Natural Walks

Of course you can drive through certain points in the forest, but then you'll miss all the natural beauty and local attractions like the Beaulieu Motor Museum or the nearby Rockbourne Roman Villa to name just a few. In fact there are so many different things to see and do in the New Forest guides website has conveniently classified them to make for easy planning.

For example, there are some outstanding picnics and walks that you can take including a trip to the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary. This is the place that offers a deer watching platform where you can take photos of the local fallow herd. Another walk here will take you through the Bolderwood Arboretum that was first started in the 1800s, and if you are nice and quiet you may stumble across roaming deer herds just off the beaten track.

When You're Looking for More Physical Activities.

Hiking and cycling is a great natural experience, but there are those who might want something of a more physical nature from their stay, and The New Forest offers that as well. The Calshot Spit offers a great location for those who are looking to try their hands at canoeing and even windsurfing and for those who don't really want to play on the liquid water, the Calshot Activities Centre offers snowboarding and skiing as well when things turn a little colder.

A Salute To The History Of The Forest

Of course there's a salute to The New Forest's history as well so that you can get a fully rounded idea of what the place is all about and how it has evolved over the years. Lyndhurst is the location for this stop and once at The New Forest Museum, you'll been treated to areas that have been rebuilt and refurbished so that everyone including classes of school children will find it rewarding and educational.

There's something for everyone here at The New Forest. With a host of natural trails and other wonders, architecture and many stimulating activities, you'll find something to enjoy regardless of whether you're traveling as a family on vacation or a smaller group out for a quiet and personal holiday.

Author Dave Talbot: The New Forest National Park is one of the newest National Parks in the world but its beauty has been admired for centuries. To find out more about The New Forest or New Forest Accommodation visit the newforestguides.com website.

Finding a Travel Agent

If you are trying to find a travel specialist in order to book a trip at one of the many top vacation destinations, then you are not alone. Each year, millions of people around the world begin their search months (sometimes years) in advance in order to reserve all inclusive vacation packages.

Despite the fact that the economy is in a slump in the United States, it has not stopped families from seeking out great deals on family vacation destinations. In fact, the experience of trying to find a bargain deal for a vacation or getaway can be an extremely fun thing for some couples to do. However, for other couples, trying to plan out a vacation is one of the last things on their list of a million other things to do.

Between kids, work and other extracurricular activities that you may have to chase after your kids in, it often leaves you little time to try to sit down and figure out where to even begin. However, if you at least have a general idea of where it is you would like to go or what your family would definitely NOT enjoy, then it may be time to seek out the assistance of a travel agent or travel professional.

Travel specialist are a dime a dozen, which makes finding one yet another task in and of itself at times. You might begin your search for a travel agent through regular old word-of-mouth. Ask around to other parents and friends to see what kinds of vacations they have gone on in the past and to where. How much did it cost? Did they use a travel pro? How did they go about finding their dream vacation? These are all things that you'll want to keep in mind when you are trying to plan out your own destination vacation.

Don't let rumors sway you into thinking that you won't be able to afford a nice vacation. Contrary to popular belief, often times, those who book their vacations through a travel agent actually wind up saving more money in the long run. Just make sure that you do your research ahead of time in order to figure out which travel agent to go through. As you will find out, there are numerous travel specialists out there with varying areas of expertise. For instance, if you are interested in booking a honeymoon getaway, then look for the travel professional who has the most experience in booking honeymoon getaways. What sorts of memberships and affiliations does your travel agent have to add to their credibility?

Find A Travel Agent and Top Vacation Destinations

Stop Worrying and Just Enjoy Travel

Have you went on a trip recently, or enjoy to travel? You'll no doubt then spot from a mile away the conventional tourist "experience." It goes something like this:

• Wake up prematurely and race through the accommodation's brekkie.
• Go, Go, Go Go and see as many stops as possible until it is dark.
• Drop in a heap in your hotel room with a sore back, blisters, and totally exhausted.
• Do it again tomorrow.

The following are some traveling ideas to make your next journey adventure more enjoyable, less rushed, and more what you had in mind when you booked it in the first place. Do one, do all of them, but at least one to make your trip a little more special for you - you've earned it.

Start with Organization

I see a lot of the trek strain people bring upon themselves is mostly due to a lack of organization. Where is your passport - it should always go in a good spot. How about making a list of the stuff you need to take - and check things off the list before you go? The fact is that in most situations, you can leave whatever you are missing behind. Only your personal health and safety and your documents are the things that cannot straightforwardly be replaced. Make sure those two things are accounted for and stop freaking out about the rest.

On a similar note, a little bit of planning goes a long way. Regardless if it's the Capital Building or just a scenic view sure to know when to go/how to get there and mark it in your diary. With the abundance of journey planning sites, travel books, and other resources, you have no excuse for not arriving in a alien location informed of pretty much everything except that new shop that opened just last month.

Appreciate Your Traveling Personality

Any idea what sort of traveler you are like? Do you like museums and exhibits, or would you rather be outside in the drizzle looking at the flowers and walking the streets? How about your voyage partner - are you cozy companions or polar opposites? Same goes for eating out - do you like adventurous options, or would you prefer something a little 'normal' (from your world view) and safer. Also consider your abilities: museums that do not have signs in your local speech probably will not be as much fun, nor will that palace that you don't have the physical stamina to climb the stairs to. You should really be realistic on what you can't do and what you can. You are you who you are, so just do what you can do and forget the rest.

Relax and Appreciate Where You Are

Maybe you can sleep in for a change.

Maybe you can enjoy that second cup of coffee.

Just sit in the gardens with your feet in the fountain, enjoying the fresh air, and skip that twelfth museum.

The best tour experiences sometimes come through serendipity. So slow down, relax, and let those experiences find you. pick one or two absolute must-see places, check the opening hours, and go. Otherwise, just see how the rest unfolds. In other words: get your nose out of the guide and appreciate where you are.

Aidan Jones writes for Sharing Travel Experiences, a travel lifestyle magazine featuring articles about experiential travel.

Travelling With Your Family - A Strong Family Bonding Measure

Travelling is one of the best measures to bond with your family. A family vacation would tighten the family's closeness and togetherness. Having kids is never an easy task. Preparing food for your loved ones in the morning before going to work is not an easy job. But being a parent is the most rewarding and honorable job in the world. But do you get enough time to bond with your family? Do you talk to them often when your husband or wife gets home from work or your children gets home from school? Regardless of your answer, travelling with your family will make your bond stronger. Now here are a few travelling tips to make your family vacation a great bonding measure to make your bond as a family stronger:

1. Travel together as a family. Some families would let the children go first for the trip and the parents would just then follow. such measure is applicable if and only for a valid reason. But the most ideal way to start your bond as a family is to travel together whether by air, sea or land travel. What is important is the thought of togetherness wherever your destination may be. You can even do stop-overs and take pictures in unique places you will pass by through land travel. The thought would even give your inner emotions a greater impact towards your love for each other as a family.

2. Book yourselves on a tour package on the place where you will have your vacation. This will give you the chance to have fun and enjoy all throughout the day with your family. You will get to take pictures together, experience the new place together and get to know people of different kinds together as a family.

3. Go and watch a movie together on a movie house. Nothing could be more exciting than watching a movie with your family especially if it's a horror movie. Buy yourselves large popcorn sizes and share it together when inside the movie house. The measure of watching a movie together would give you the chance to have one ting in common to talk about after you have watched the movie.

Family bonding is essential to keep the family together. Travel and have a vacation with your family for at least twice or thrice in a year. Keep in mind that blood is thicker than water.

Michael's passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at acuvue contact lenses which contains reviews on colored contact lenses and other information about contact lenses.

Find How to Get Relaxation and Comfort at Disneyland

Disneyland has not been built on a strip of land but it stands covering the huge space of the land. It is gigantic and it is extraordinary in appearance. The functionality is really very high because the modern architects and the designers have made a bold effort to heighten the quality and the elegance of the park. This is the most sophisticated park which will provide you non-stop pleasure and excitement. For this particular reason, myriad foreigners muster strong at the park for the full satisfaction after watching the mind blowing scenario and entertainment programs. There are a number of specially upgraded amusement hubs which you will have to visit to see how the modern technology has been utilized for the benefits of the mankind.

However, as it is gigantic in size, you need to walk down the streets and lanes to observe the many nice looking sites. You will feel bored and frustrated after walking long distance in the park. This is the amusement park which will provide you the full assurance for better amusement and fun. Therefore you need to travel from one place to other for seeing the wonder of the modern science and technology. It is the fact that the walking is always a painful process to cover the long distance. It will be more dangerous if you walk under the full glare of sun during the summer seasons. You need to purchase the qualitative shoes and durable footwear for protecting your foot from the onset of the skin diseases and dirty element. Your feet will be in safe during the roughness of weather. Therefore kindly purchase the high quality shoes and sneakers.

Clothes are also the effective accessories to safeguard your body from cold, heat and rain water. If you visit the Disneyland during the summer seasons, you need to change clothes in different times after visiting the sites in the park. You can take a locker on rent for the safe keeping of your apparels and clothes. You will be free to use the trousers and shirts or other accessories if necessary. Try to keep your body of out the reach of dirt, allergens and mud water. After walking for several hours, in case you find that your feet have been wounded due to traveling on bare foot for prolonged period of time, you should drench your feet in cool water which mixes with Epsom salt. It will act as medicated solution for revitalizing the tissues and muscles.

Michael's passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at http://duracellbatterycharger.com which contains reviews on duracell battery charger and other information about battery chargers.

Preparing For a Long Trip

For the holiday weekend, I will be traveling to New York from North Carolina, and I will be doing so by car. If you are traveling on a fairly lengthy road trip, it is best if you can work it out somehow so that you are not traveling alone. Finding a buddy or someone else to ride with you is a great way to pass the time as well as a deterrent for anyone who may want to cause you harm because they see that you are alone (especially if you are a woman).

For this trip, my boyfriend will be going with me, and though I have made the road trip to New York plenty of times and then some, it still helps to go through a checklist of things to bring with you. Whether you are a novice driver hitting the pavement for the first time or a champion road trip planner who is making your umpteenth trip to some place that you've been at least a dozen times, planning is everything when it comes to safety and preparation for the unknown. That being said, the night before a road trip, I usually start off by cleaning my apartment. My mother used to have a rule about taking at trip or vacation somewhere. She felt that when she came back to her house after staying away for a few days that she wanted to walk into a home that was nice and clean. She felt that it was nice to have your "home welcoming you". Adopting this thinking, I always make it a point to clean up. This means making sure that all of the dishes are done and put away, the garbage is taken out, the last load(s) of laundry are done, folded and put away and that everything is vacuumed and dusted. This is a great habit to get into because when most people get back from a long trip, the last thing that they want to do is have to worry about starting to clean anything!

Next on my long trip planner has to do with packing. I've gotten my packing down to a science now. Especially if I am going home to spend time with my family, I know that I don't have to pack that much because I have purposely left some key items at my parents' house such as shampoo/conditioner, a few shirts, pants, toiletries, etc. all so that I don't have to bring quite as much with me. As a general rule of thumb, it is always best to try to pack as lightly as you can. Doing so will draw less attention to you when you travel and make you less of a target. If I am planning on leaving early in the morning to start my drive, then I will make sure that my bags are packed and set aside so that all I have to do in the morning is shower and go. Some people are under the impression that putting your bags in the car the night before saves you the trouble of having to do it the next day. While this may seem to make sense, it is not advisable because when you leave things in your vehicle (even if they are in a covered trunk space), you never know who is watching and will wait until you are in bed at night to break into your vehicle and steal things.

Lastly, make sure that you get PLENTY of rest. Too often in the past, I have made long road trips on little or no sleep, and it is a wonder that I even made it to where I was going in one piece. Do not do this! Get plenty of rest so that you are fully awake and alert when it is time to leave.

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The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Explained by a Peru Travel Expert at Peru For Less

A lot of people have had some negative things to say about the Inca trail. Yes, they are forced to limit the number of people on the trail each day to maintain a balance with the environment. Yes, it does require booking well in advance and yes, it is one of the most popular treks in the world. But there is a reason for all that. This trail is one of the most amazing cultural and historical treks treks on the planet.

You are trekking on old Inca paths, the same paths that the Chasqui runners who were bringing messages between Inca communities would run. Manco and his warriors used these trails to flee from the Spanish conquistadors in the 1500's. Not only is this a four-day trek culminating with a remarkable and rewarding descent upon Machu Picchu, but it is also a trail that visits a lot of fabulous sites on the way. You'll see tunnels, What sites do you see while hiking the Inca trail?

On the first day of the trek you'll be rewarded with spectacular views of the ruins of Patallacta. It is a beautiful site of farming terraces cut into the hillside at the junction of three valleys. This site was used for religious and ceremonial purposes as well as producing crops and housing soldiers.

On the third day you will come upon Sayacmarca, dubbed the 'inaccessible town,' because of its position perched above daunting cliffs. Descending the 98 steep Incan stone steps you will be able to enter the spectacular fortress with amazing views of the Andean countryside. On the same day you'll descend upon the 'town above the clouds' called Phuyupatamarca, surrounded by Inca terraces and with a complex irrigation system.

And finally, that day you will arrive at Wiñaywayna, 'forever young,' with amazing lower and upper structures set among numerous agricultural terraces on a mountainside site. There is a long string of fountains and ritual baths using as many as 19 springs to join the two structures.

On the ultimate day of your trek, leaving Wiñaywayna, the trail continues along below the east slope of Manch Picchu Mountain. There are a set of steep stairs that bring you to Intipunku, also known as the sun gate, where the beautiful ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is revealed below you. Hiking down the ancient paths to this magnificent wonder of the world, finally you have arrived!

To avoid all the hassles and complications, book a tour that will visit Cusco, and the Sacred Valley as well as book your Inca Trail Trek and your comfortable Peru hotels. The best and most up to date prices are best left to the professionals who will guarantee quality service. You can have all your transfers to the airports, train and bus stations arranged as well as adding on to the beginning or end of your tour.

Don't delay your Peru vacation any further. Now is the time to make magical memories that you'll have for the rest of your life!

This guide to Machu Picchu during Peru vacations was written by a Peru travel expert at Peru For Less, specialists in high value, fully customizable tours and packages.

Travel Safety - 6 Tips to Help You Protect Yourself and Still Enjoy Your Trip

Traveling can be stressful for even the most seasoned jet setters. Personal safety should always be at the forefront of your mind while traveling abroad. After all, venturing through regions where there may be a language barrier and being unfamiliar with your surroundings can make you more vulnerable than at home. While you should always be aware, cautious and alert when traveling abroad, you should also be able to relax and enjoy the experience.
Use these helpful safety tips when you travel to increase your personal safety:

1. Purchase travel insurance. Travel insurance can save you hassle and money. Health insurance is not international, so it is important to understand the health care systems of the countries you'll be visiting. Some have free health care; others use privately owned providers. If you become ill while traveling, you're responsible for paying all of the costs associated with your recovery. Many travel insurance services include international medical coverage so you're not stuck with a hefty medical bill. They can also include coverage for cancelled flights, lost luggage and more.
2. Safety in numbers. Travel with others whom you trust to stay alert and involved in travel plans. Petty thieves target solo travelers and large tourist groups alike. When you're with a group of friends, you may be more trusting and less aware of your surroundings. Stay vigilant.
3. Schedule your trip so you arrive during the day. Try to arrange your arrival in another country during daylight hours. It's safer to travel from the airport or train station when the majority of businesses will be open and more people will be out and about.
4. Learn transportation regulations. In some countries, certified cabs are only distinguishable by the color of their license plates. However, you may get offers from informal cabs or private drivers. Never accept these offers. Proactively research these details ahead of time so you know what to expect.
5. Obey traffic signals and patterns. Pedestrian and traffic rules can vary among countries, so be sure to learn the rules within your host country. For example, if you're visiting an area where drivers use the left-hand side of the road, familiarize yourself with the change by first riding in taxi cabs. This way, you'll have time to adjust before taking to the road.
6. Bring copies of important information. Make photocopies of your passport, driver's license, flight itinerary and any other important information. Store these documents in a zippered compartment in your suitcase or at the front desk of your hotel. As an extra precaution, scan these documents and email them to yourself, making them easily accessible should you need them. Write down phone numbers of your family members and accommodations while you're away in case you misplace or are unable to use your cell phone.

Now that you know some helpful travel safety tips, you should feel more secure about your decision to explore another country. Before you go, be sure to find a travel insurance policy that keeps your belongings and yourself protected while traveling abroad. Learn more about travel insurance services from a trusted company, like Nationwide Insurance, today.

Kristin Armstrong is a Senior SEO Associate at Rosetta, the largest interactive agency in the U.S. Armstrong received an M.A. in Communication from The University of Dayton and has five years of experience in marketing.

Advantages of Giving a Tour Holiday As a Staff Incentive

Giving your staff a tour holiday as a staff incentive has advantages over merely giving bonuses to your employees. In order to retain good employees, most companies give bonuses to their employees. But is it enough to make the employees happy? Why do employees still leave the company? It is because what given is not expected, and it can never be enough to satiate their wants.

It is human nature to always expect higher because they thought they have helped their company to earn good profits and have done so much for their bosses. Therefore, organizing a group tour or family day for your employees will provide a different perspective and results. It projects the company as more considerate and caring for their employees. It also helps to create bonding among employees and between the company and its employees.

The purpose to provide bonuses to employees is to make them happy. However, based on Dermatoglyphics (the scientific study of fingerprints), more than 50% of the populations are emotional. They are not only rewarded by monetary gains, but also rewarded by feeling good towards the company or organization. Therefore, creating feel good holiday moods for the employees by organizing a group tour could increase the satisfaction of your employees. After all, most people get happy and excited to go on a holiday.

Furthermore, a company trip helps the employees to release their stress. In the daily jobs, routine job descriptions, close-up environment, communications problems and office politics have created a lot of stress besides the heavy workload. An annual company tour is a good option as part of the office stress management system.

Many employees are facing and communicating only with computers and even machines in their daily work. Doing these mundane routine jobs may cause boredom in the workplace and stress in the workplace. If not handled properly, they carry these tensions back to their homes and affect their family members, destroying the joy and warmth of their family life. Many companies have been wise to invite their employees' families to join the company tour or family day to relax together, and to understand and appreciate the contributions and achievements of their spouse in the company.

Enhancing interpersonal communication skills and communication chances between employees is another good reason for organizing company tour. Many employees been sitting opposite or next to each other for many years but they seldom have the opportunity to talk or chat (communicate with each other), due to their daily heavy and routine work, especially in the factory production scenario. When traveling in a group, they would have the opportunity to stay together, and interact in games like telematches, treasure hunts or team building activities. More verbal communications can reduce misunderstanding in the workplace created by nonverbal communication.

Lastly, group traveling helps to broaden employees horizon. Many employees seldom travel outside their hometown due to budget constraints. Although the company paid them bonuses but they will still save the money. A company tour will help to get them out from their comfort zone and visit interesting places and widen their horizons. It could also help to increase their knowledge and ability in communicating with customers, when they have better knowledge.

So, if you are in Human Resource Department (HR Department or Personnel Department), or you a boss who wants to achieve the above, start planning today. Early planning helps to save money on hotel booking and to reduce hick-up during the tour due to enough time for preparations.

George ONG is the Master Travel & Tour Planner of EIGHTY-EIGHT HOLIDAYS (M) SDN BHD (88Holidays). As one of the top group tour company in Malaysia, 88Holidays is specialized in organizing group tour, meeting and training packages, conferences & conventions, tele-match and treasure hunt, team building workshops, company dinner & etc for companies & factories! The only testimonial 88Holidays is proud of is its repeating corporate clients who let this trusted tour operator organizes their company tours in Malaysia and even overseas years after years.

If you are planning for company's events, activities and company tours within or outside Malaysia, it is best to first contact 88Holidays at General@88Holidays.com or Malaysia hotline 1-700-80-1388. To view its clients' activities or group photos, please go to http://www.88Holidays.com.

Three Things I Need Whenever I Travel

Guess what three items are absolute 'must packs' for me when traveling, no matter whether for a day, a week or a month. A good book? Yes, but if I forget to pack one, I can still purchase one along the way. Puzzles? Yes, but most dailies easily fulfill that passion as well. What is not so easily fixed along the way is first: Good, light weight luggage, second: my own music, and third: my Canon digital camera.

Good luggage needs no explanation. Good, light weight, rolling luggage simply makes traveling easier! My own music? It's difficult in strange surroundings to find a radio station that suits my tastes. My iPod, on the other hand, holds more music than I can comfortably listen to in quite a while. Most important, though, my DSLR camera!

For the duration of the trip my camera becomes an extra appendage - two legs? Check. Two arms? Check. One head? Check. One camera? Check.

I've lived and traveled this way for quite a few years. Proof is easily produced by the stacks of photo albums and, of late, the wonderful collection of images that slides across our monitor whenever our computer is not being used. Both my husband and I love to test our memory by standing in the doorway for a few moments and calling out the pictures' location: St. Augustine! Venice! Berlin! The Rockies! On good days it may even be: Jasper, 2006. Dresden, 2005. Riviera Maya 2004.

My heart absolutely melts, of course, when I see photos of the grand kids, who are growing up way too quickly. O, they were so cute! The older they get, the cuter they seem to us now, but every time they're over for a visit, they still make tempting photo objects.

On our daily walks in the park we often encounter camera crazies, who seem to enjoy taking pictures of everything around them. Some carry tripods and huge extra lenses, with which to zoom in on the tiniest treasures of nature. Others look for the best landscapes, or record their dogs bouncing after sticks, balls and Frisbee.

This prompts the exclamation: Aren't digital cameras the best thing since sliced bread? Isn't it a fantastic option to be able to experiment with your camera in all kinds of lighting, in all sorts of surroundings, with any object you choose, and then to be able to check over the results and discard what you don't like and save only the best? In the times of 35 mm film that would have been an expensive undertaking.

Years ago American Express coined the slogan: Don't leave home without it. That's exactly what I want to say about your camera. "Don't leave home without it," and you will sing like Bob Hope, "Thanks for the memories."

If you would like to create your own memories, go here:

http://www.squidoo.com/CanonEOSRebelT1iCMOSDigitalSLRCamera

Lis Jakub is a practicing marketing student, who loves life, travel, photography and grandchildren - not necessarily in that order. She aims to live well and die healthy.

World Travel - Holiday Gone Bad

There are a lot of reported cases of tempting holidays gone really, really bad. People, who got to the destination and found out that the hotels were miserable or that there simply were no hotels where they should have been, people who had to pay a lot of extra money for things they already paid for and so on.

So in order to prevent these unfortunate happenings you'd better start looking for a travel agent who will help you to make the best decision that meets your desires when it comes to traveling somewhere. Find an agent who has a lot of experience and can determine scams in time. He should be a person you fully trust as in his hands lies your long wanted holiday.

Before deciding for one, ask about his reputation. If possible, contact some of his former clients and check if they had things going for them as they wanted or who knows, even better. Choose and agent who can meet all your conditions, involving destination, hotel, family accommodation, prices for your budget and any special needs. Think outside the box: bigger aren't necessarily better. You can get really good service from smaller agencies as well.

Check if the agent is available anytime in case of an emergency. You have to rely on him that he will solve any issues that might occur. Look for someone with whom you'll be able to establish a long time relationship, someone nice who isn't interested just to take your money but who is committed to his job and tries as hard as he can to make you happy. He has to be up to date with the best offers and prices.

Having a good agent means that you will be able to save some money, time and you'll get to your wanted destination having your mind relaxed.

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