Totally Tourist

traveling companions, originally uploaded by the trial.

When you hear of Ibiza, what images pop up in your mind? Ancient trading? Beaches? Parties? Rain? Ibiza, like Menorca, is one of Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and it sits to the left of the Mallorca Island. Also known as “Eivissa,” this island is rich in Phoenician history. Remember the Phoenicians who dominated trade in the first millennium BC?

Well it’s on this island that these same Phoenicians ran their lead, wine, and marble trade in 654 BCE. At that time, the island was known as ‘Ibossim’, and then later called ‘Ebusus’ by the early Romans. Later, the island was known for producing salt, wool, die, and fish sauce. By forming a treating with Romans, Ibiza was spared destruction and later became one of Roman’s official cities.

As you can guess, this historical tidbit makes Ibiza a fascinating place to visit and it’s current night-life seemingly attracts tourists from all over the world. International tourists visit this island to check out its most lively clubs: The Privilege, the Es Paradis, Te Amnesia, the Space, and the Pacha. All of these clubs are known for their active parties – some opening as early as eight in the morning! (Note that most shops and banks here are closed between the hours of two and four p.m. – known as the ‘siesta’.)

But that’s not all – Ibiza is the mother of ‘trance music’ – a style of music that is euphoric and melodic and that fuses the sounds of string instruments, mandolins, and soft vocals. You may have even heard some of this hypnotizing sound by artists like Solar Stone, Paul Oakenfold, Chicane, or DJ Tiesto. Lisa Lashes is a widely recognized artist within this genre too.

Traveling to this island, you’ll want to remember that you’ll be surrounded by some of the most beautiful beach spots in the world. And that’ll demand very light clothing – especially in the summer. At the most, you’ll want to bring along a light sweater for trips up into the mountain areas or at night along the island’s coasts. Either way, you’ll definitely want to dress to impress if you want to blend within the cultural trend that exists here.

Not only is this corner of the world known for it’s rich history and its high entertainment, it’s also known for its high fashion. Bright colors and prints are in!

Since you’ll spend the majority of your time here walking and enjoying the sights, pack the most comfortable pair of walking shoes that you own. Fancy dance shoes might be fine for evening fun, but most of the locals and other tourists you’ll see will stride in sandal-type footwear. Some of the streets on this island are still cobbled so if you tour the sights in anything that isn’t a flat-sole support, you might have a little trouble getting around – especially in shoes with a high heel.

But if you’re ready to hit the beaches, soaking up the sun on one of Ibiza’s many beaches unquestionably demands ultraviolet ray protection. So don’t forget the sunscreen, sunshades, or hat! If you travel during the winter months (November through February), bring your rain gear. We’re not talking about a full raincoat and boots set up – something simple like an umbrella will suffice!

Other things that you might find handy aren’t items that you’ll wear, but instead, items that you’ll use. For example, you might want to bring a camera along so that you can photograph the marvelous sights you’ll see including those party events that no one will believe happened unless you’ve captured them on film! When packing your camera, you’ll of course want to make sure that you bring along plenty of film, batteries, and repair parts in case these items are not available on the island.

Be careful though that when you do take photographs, you don’t violate any local laws or politically sensitive areas. Ask first – especially when you tour the religious sites of this land. Some belief systems don’t allow photographs and although the reasoning may not make sense to you, they make sense to the locals and you should respect the wishes of whatever rules are set in place.

In addition to a camera, you might appreciate bringing along a language translation book or an electronic language translator, as the native tongue spoken in Ibiza is Spanish. Speaking the same language as what your local hosts speak will help you in other activities available here like shopping, touring, or just speaking to a friendly passer-by. You could learn to say, “Que pasa?” for example, which means ‘what’s going on?’ or ‘what’s happening?’

You really want to bring along anything and everything that will enable you to enjoy your time here because as previously mentioned, Ibiza is a place to have fun, relax, and vacation as though you’ve never vacationed before.

Travel in Ibiza by Taxi

Traveling by taxi provides an extremely convenient way to move about. Like traveling by taxi in the United States, minimum charges accompany metered mileage plus a small additional fee for baggage and evening – night – or holiday drives.

Ibiza Driving Advice

European Union citizens (18 years or older) must own a national driving license to drive in Ibiza, however non-European Union citizens (18 years or older) also need an International Driving Permit as well. Both types of citizens must have car insurance and identification (license, passport, etc.) by law, is required at all times. Seat belts must be worn by all passengers, and travelers under the age of 14 must be seated in the back seat of the vehicle. When driving, remember that driving positions are reversed to American drivers. You must yield to on-coming traffic from junctures and traffic circles.

Special care should be taken to restrict your driving to the main routes outlined on the most recent maps of this area as other routes may not be appropriate for driving (dirt roads, mountain passes, etc.).

Traveling in Ibiza by Car / Car Rental

Because Ibiza’s city centers are so popular, you are cautioned to avoid driving in these areas – especially since the narrow roads in these places can accommodate traffic traveling in one direction only. In addition, parked automobiles make driving extremely difficult. Traveling by car rental is best accomplished by following a current map of its roads – which offer views that are nothing short of amazing.

Author Bio
Every Car Hire in association with Auto Europe provides discounted car rental with leading rental companies such as Hertz, Alamo, Budget and Europcar. For information on car hire or car rentals visit Every Car Hire at Car Hire Ibiza.

Best Spots for Camping Eastern PA
If Pennsylvania is your vacation destination, naturally, you would like to know about the best spots for Camping Eastern PA. Here is some useful information regarding some very good camping spots in Pennsylvania.

Appalachia Campsites
Whenever we look for accommodations for us, whatever purpose it may be, we always give top priority to the cleanliness. This is where Appalachia campsites score very high when we compare sites for camping in Eastern PA. Other amenities at this camping site are also very good and the courteous staff gives Appalachia campsites an edge over the others. This site offers some abandoned wooden sites as well.

Although the roads are not paved, they are very attentively cared for. These camping sites in Eastern PA are very large and spacious, each having a fire ring and picnic table. Because these campsites are near the highway, you may face some noise. However, it is not loud enough to irritate you and be a significant disturbance. It is possible to access the restrooms from all sites. Restrooms are neat and clean with free showers.

Listed here are some of the amenities and activities just to give you an idea how Camping in Eastern PA can be very enjoyable:

1. Swimming pool and Pond
2. Video Games and Pool table
3. Recreation hall and Live Entertainment
4. Playground
5. Television and Movies
6. Laundry services
7. Kids planned activities
8. Ice cream and Snack bars
9. Security gate

You can take your pet with you at these sites. Moreover, you can have some additional fun because the restaurants, amusements and retail stores are situated at nearby places.

Eagles Peak Family Camping Resort
Situated at the top of mountain, these sites for camping Eastern PA are really of very high quality. These sites offer many camping options so you can choose according to the type of camp you need. Almost all the amenities and activities found in other similar campsites are present here too. As an additional feature, this campsite in Eastern PA has two swimming pools. One swimming pool has a beautiful snack bar. The other one is smaller and is designed for the adults only.

Some Other Campsites and a Few Tips
Some other options for Camping Eastern PA are Lake-In-Wood, Otter Lake Camp Resort, Starlite Camping Resort and Warwick Woods Campground. No matter which campsite you choose, a little bit of planning will always make it a more memorable experience for you. For example, the majority of food you take with you might be the kind that does not require cooking. This saves time, trouble and space for packing. Be sure to take a mosquito net and suitable bed with you so that you can enjoy a sound sleep.

With these tips in mind, you’re sure to enjoy camping Eastern PA.

Author Bio
Steve Mattus is a travel expert and has experience travelling the world. His website, www.destinedforadventure.com, is a state of the art travel related website offering travel products, free travel articles, free Travel Adventure Bulletin and much, much more.

Holidays in Malta could be off the list of destinations offered by major tour operators from next summer, according to press reports.

While nothing has been confirmed yet, it has been reported that at least one of the tour operators is seriously considering withdrawing Malta as one of their destinations, and the fear among Malta hotel owners and those in the holiday industry is that once one holiday company pulls the plug on the island, others will follow, relegating Malta from a mainstream holiday island offered by major travel agents to smaller specialist companies.

But First Choice Holidays, winner of the ‘Holiday Company of the Year’ travel award in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and one of the UK’s best known holiday companies have told one Malta travel guide that despite being named in the Malta press as the company most likely to do so they have never said they were pulling out of the Malta holiday market, but did admit that the Malta market was ‘increasingly difficult’ to sale.

Malta has been struggling for some years to adapt to the modern traveller, but government figures released for March showed a year on year drop in tourists of nearly 10 per cent, and most worrying of all was that the number of tourists arriving from the UK, Malta’s main market, fell by over 13 per cent, and visitors from Italy, a market the Tourist Office had been trying to cultivate also fell.

Holidays in Malta and the related tourist sector are a major source of employment in Malta, and with unemployment running at over 8 per cent any fall in tourists could spell long term damage to the island’s economy.

Another sector of the economy that could suffer with the Malta holidays market is real estate.

Property in Malta has risen in price in recent years, and 2004 saw Malta achieving the highest increase among the EU countries, with speculators buying property in Malta in the hope that joining the EU would see Malta real estate increase in value in the short and medium term.

Tribune Properties, who specialise in Malta Real Estate, view the potential downgrading of holidays in Malta as a double edged sword.

Managing Director Michael Johnson says that many Malta property buyers do so after visiting the island on holiday, and liking it so much they want to move to the island full time, while others who normally stay in hotels in Malta want to buy a property they can buy for their own and family holidays in Malta, and see buying a property in Malta as an investment for the future that they can enjoy too.

With less people taking holidays in Malta, the number of potential buyers will fall too.

Silver Lining

While Malta hotels and the tourist industry in Malta wait anxiously for news, the withdrawal of major tour operators from the island might not be all bad news.

There has been some discontent on the island about the rising prices of property in Malta, and with less overseas buyers the possibility of prices falling and more islanders being able to get on the property ladder could be welcome news.

In addition to lower property prices, YourMalta feel that projections of a collapse in the island’s holiday market if tour operators did withdraw could be exaggerated.

‘While the loss of the tour operators bringing tourists to the island is significant, in time the island will be less reliant on their business as more and more people make independent travel plans through the internet, and book their flights and hotels in Malta independently of traditional holiday companies.

Malta tends to attract the older tourist, so it might take longer than somewhere like Ibiza for example which attracts a younger visitor who as a group are more internet friendly’, states Managing Director Roger Munns, ‘but in time when the internet is seen as the primary source of booking a holiday across the age range, Malta will stand as much chance as anywhere of attracting tourists.

There has been speculation for some time now that low cost airlines are going to start offering flights to Malta, and this will help the Malta hotels and holiday market as more people consider three and four day breaks instead of the traditional week or fortnight, boosting the overall number of visitors, especially if Air Malta and the low cost airlines bring the cost of Malta flights to levels seen for the Spanish islands.

With an ineffective promotions board there is plenty of hope still for the holiday market in Malta, despite and not because of the Malta Tourist Authority, who are failing to promote Malta in the UK in any meaningful way.’

Author Bio
Malta information and advice, including holidays in Malta, weather, map, real estate and property, car hire, flights and villa holidays visit www.yourmalta.com

As common courtesy on Montana trails, folks warn others when there is a bear around, especially heading into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Donny and I had just topped one of the major switchbacks on the trail to Pyramid Pass, and were heading deeper into the backcountry when we received a much appreciated trail update from some outfitters heading out. They mentioned a bear along the trail on up, suggesting we keep our eyes open – but “no major problem”.

No major problem! The outfitters make their living traveling these trails, equipped with rifle, and atop a set of horses. They passed that casual assessment to a couple of guys on foot, totally unarmed and completely unfamiliar with the ways of bearishness, warily working our way into territory widely known for it’s bonafide grizzly bear population. We laughed nervously, speculating about “no major problem” paired with “bear along the trail”.

Donny’s initial response, given that he grew up in Milwaukee, WI, – terminate the trek into the “Bob”. It was time to hastily make our way down the switchbacks to the vehicles and out of harms way. Alas, poor Donny, he was with me. Growing up in the Colorado backcountry, there were no grizzlies, but we had our share of sizeable black bears.

I grew up understanding that the primary response for a bear seeing or hearing a humanoid heading their way, is to vacate the area, distance themselves from intruders. They don’t like human company, and prefer to enjoy the great outdoors by themselves. Of course, if surprised, or they have a meal all laid out, or their babies are lingering nearby those rules do vary. But in my 40 some years in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Montana I had never, ever encountered a bear.

We were headed to Pyramid Pass, the summit marking the Bob Marshall Wilderness boundary, one of the nearer accesses to the “Bob” from Seeley Lake, Montana. An awesome area, with the majestic Pyramid Peak north of the trail. The trail head starts up above Morrell Creek about 10 miles east and north of Seeley Lake. Hiking the trail a couple of times before, I knew we had our work cut out for us. A six mile journey into the backcountry is not bad. The 6 miles back always seemed to get me.

Starting out fairly level, the trail follows the lower ridges for the first mile or so. Heading up some gradual switchbacks it finally covers some steeper, shorter switchbacks. It evens out then for around 3 miles more, leading into the broad canyon above Trail Creek Crossing giant snowslide chutes, wonderful views open up of Pyramid Peak towering above. Mountain meadows also open up, filled with bear grass, flowers, berry bushes – all perfect areas for that dreaded bear to lurk.

We faced our impending doom boldly, picking up sturdy sticks. Granted, we could not fight off a marauding bear with a stick, but would not go down without a fight. Actually, we whacked the sticks on every nearby tree trunk and rock as we continued. If we made enough noise any bear would conclude a couple of obnoxious city boys were coming, disturbing the peace, and move to some other location. Key to preventing bear encounters – avoid surprising them kicking off a reaction response. So we did our part.

The final leg of the trail to the pass leads into tall, closer timber, along the upper reaches of Trail Creek through a marshier area. The close in brush along the trail seemed like a perfect place for a genuine bear encounter, so the anxiety meter jumped as well. Another group of horseback packers coming out confirmed the bear was just up ahead. Our rustling the brush and whacking the trees and rocks intensified as we anxiously worked our way on up the trail.

The trail crosses the creek, tops a slight rise and circles around an area of downed timber as it leads off up the last couple switchbacks to the pass summit. Topping that slight rise to begin the circle to the left we stopped in our tracks, staring in amazement – the bear sat right in the middle of that area of downed timber we were going to have to circle around.

Actually, the bear lay right in the middle of that area, sprawled out on a large downed tree – and about the size of a large black lab at his biggest! No offense to the bear, but we had built up wild images of the mega-bear of lore and song over the past couple hours, banging on every rock and tree trunk for miles – scaring away the monster boogey-bear. Talk about a sense of silly sheepishness – blended with a healthy dose of relief.

We continued along the trail circling around the spot where the bear had taken up it’s afternoon siesta and the bear didn’t budge. It made me wonder if all our racket had been wasted, but it was too funny, and such a monstrous relief to know we weren’t in imminent danger. The rest of the trek to the pass seemed so much lighter and easier as we laughed at our raging paranoias. The trail switched up through the brush, crossed a small open face, and finally broke out onto a small lake right before the wilderness boundary and our goal for the day.

It almost goes without saying – a truly wonderful corner of the world is found back up in there. We savored the awesome views back into the Bob Marshall Wilderness as we ate our lunch, then beat feet back out. Our weary bones rejoiced settling into a warm jacuzzi pool upon returning to our accommodations in Missoula at journey’s end. Many great choices are available throughout the region for resting your tired bodies through the Montana Adventure site at www.montanaadventure.com/out/state/us-mt.html – the perfect complement to your explorations throughout this spectacular part of the world!

Author Bio
As web designer for the Montana Recreation Connection and Wester States Wilderness Tours at (www.montanaadventure.com, Gordon Hollingshead has provided an online travel directory for the past 10 years for people planning theri vacations and travels throughout the western United States. More information contact Gordon at gordonh@montanaadventure.com.

With a population of 1,600,000 and with an area of approximately 525 square miles, Brisbane has shucked the reputation it had as a backwater and changed it to a reputation that the people living there can be proud of, being one of the country’s most progressive centers. Brisbane has a number of interesting locations such as a great riverside park and a good street cafe scene. Brisbane’s cultural calendar is quite busy and the nightlife is thirving too.

Locally, Brisbane is known as Bris Vegas, renowned elsewhere for the sun and the brash, grlitzy hordes that follow it. Brisbane is also an arts capital that is thriving, it has lot’s of theatres, concert halls, museums and galleries. It must be paradise with a climate this good.

Brisbane is placed in a good location where the weather is in a delightful contrast to the chilly weather further south, Brisbane
is most pleasant in winter time, June to August, when the days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool. All that while not suffering from the further north stifling humidity. Between June and August, a lot of people from Sydney and Melbourne move up north so a crows could be expected.

The Sunshine Coast

Not more than an hour drive from Brisbane you can reach the Sunshine Coast Queensland, beginning at Caloundra and extending to Cooloola, that is gateway to Fraser Island. The Sunshine Coast Queensland has a pristine coastline and lush hinterland and a superb cuisine. Whatever you are looking for adventure or a nice spot of sand to sit and ponder, the sunshine coast delivers. This coast is a holiday center for both couples and families.

Just to give some examples of the diversity, the kids can be kept happy fishing, visiting local attractions, canoeing or wandering around the markets. There are a variety of swimming spots provided by rivers, sheltered bays and beaches. You can take a quiet rainforest walk, play a round of golf or you can choose a romantic dinner by the sea or in the mountains.

The Sunshine Coast is an ideal place to relax, being a perfect mix of coast and country.

Author Bio
Visit our Brisbane accommodation and (www.sunshinecoastinfolink.com) Sunshine Coast accommodation sites for great information, services and more.

South Lancs Travel P347ROO Bolton, originally uploaded by Salford Ian.

South Lancs Travel P347ROO Volvo Olympian / East Lancs Pyoneer at Bolton Bus Station

By size, English-speaking Australia is the 6th largest country in the world and it extends on to include a group of islands – one of which you might be familiar: Tasmania! Other countries close by include New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Zealand, and a few more. So if you’re thinking about traveling to Australia, you might appreciate knowing a few answers to some questions that people usually ask before making a trip to ‘The Land Down Under’ based either on rumors they’ve heard or the experience of others.

Answers About Appliance Compatibility

For instance, you might appreciate knowing what personal appliances of yours will work in this country, like a blow dryer or some other appliance that you need to ‘plug in somewhere’. You should note that although the country is closer to American culture than most of the others, the outlets in Australia are not the same as the outlets in the U.S.

If you’re an American traveling to Australia, you’re going to need to get some socket adapters and you might also need to get some voltage adapters so that you can get some of your electronic appliances from back home to work. This is of course assuming that these adapters are not already in place at the hotel that you stay at (like if you were to visit with a relative or stay with a friend).

If you want to bring along some VHS videos (like home videos) with you on your trip however, you won’t have a problem displaying these because all VHS videos play on Australian VCRs. And if you can manage to get your hands on a DVD player that works in any location of the world, then you’ll certainly have no problem with displaying these disks either.

Other things like CD players and personal computers should work fine too, but your current telephone won’t work at all unless it can operate on a GSM-900 frequency. Should you decide to stay at a hotel, these accommodations should already be put in place. They’re really only relevant if again, you decide to visit with a relative or stay with a friend – or anywhere that might not support or use American-based electronics.

Answers About Tipping

Tipping in a foreign country is always a concern, as we’re often not too sure how much to tip or if even tipping is part of the custom. Although it’s customary in the United States, it’s actually an insult to tip a serviceman in other parts of the world. And what makes the issue even more confusing is that the rules about when to tip, who to tip, and how much to tip change all the time. Fortunately, the tipping rules in Australia are pretty simple. If you want to tip, feel free but note that most service charges are already included in any bill that you pay.

Answers About Touring the Land

Because of its immense size, touring about Australia is nothing short of extreme temptation- so you may appreciate a little lesson in its geography. For instance, If you plan to rent a car and create your own personal excavation, understand that most cities are situated around its coast. As you travel inward, toward the center of this continent, you enter areas that are less populated and the more inward you go – the more remote things become.

Although this certainly presents a circumstance of uncharted adventure for you, you’re strongly advised to stick to the cities along the outer limits unless you bring along an experienced guide. As long as you stick to the populated areas, you’ll be fine and you may come to enjoy some of the most attractive sights in the world like:

The Great Barrier Reef – located off the northeastern coast of Australia, it’s the largest coral reef in the world.

The Red Centre – home to the largest monolith in the world; otherwise known as the Ayers Rock.

Sydney – a popular city that offers Opera House entertainment plus the Bondi, Chinaman, and Manly beaches.

Melbourne – another city known for its stylish architecture, dining, and shopping

Canberra – the most modernized center of the world that serves as Australia’s own capital as well.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to miss Australia’s own unique plant life either – a sight that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the world. And because Australia is rich with distinctive plant life, you’re bound to catch sight of some unusual animals that you’ve probably only seen in books!

This certainly isn’t an extensive list of all your concerns, but hopefully it answered some of your thoughts about traveling to this great land.

Travel by Bus

Australia’s main cities can be well traveled by buses, as they frequently tour these areas on a regular basis. Moving about within urban and rural cities (up to 30 miles from city limits), you can visit some of the popular tourist attractions with discount tickets or ticket purchased directly from the bus driver.

Travel in Australia by Taxi

Traveling by taxi provides an extremely convenient way to move about when traveling short distances to important centers and residential districts. Like traveling by taxi in the United States, you can flag down a taxi anywhere in Australia including airports, train and bus stations, or even on the street.

Traveling in Australia by Car / Car Rental

Traveling by car rental in Australia is an inexpensive mode of traveling around the cities – especially since some car rental services in the area discount rentals that are arranged for three days or more. Rentals require a driver’s license and a credit card that’s issued to a driver between the ages of 23 to 70.

Author Bio
Every Car Hire in association with Auto Europe provides discounted car rental with leading rental companies such as Hertz, Alamo, Budget and Europcar. For information on car hire or car rentals visit Every Car Hire at Car Hire Australia.

Thinking about traveling to Spain? Spain – located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula – continues to be one of the most popular tourist attractions and vacation spots just as much today as it has always been in the past. Maybe you’re wondering about where to visit in Spain… Maybe you want to learn more about its history and experience its tremendous influence in European art… Whatever your reasons for wanting to visit are, you’re certainly bound to enjoy the rich culture, customs, and history of this country once you’ve arrived there.

As you can imagine, the architecture of Barcelona, the Holy Monstreat, and the Toledo cathedral make this a popular coordinate. And because this is such a hot travel spot, you’re advised to make your airline reservations, hotel reservations, and car rental preparations early – three to four months in advance as a matter of fact – especially when tourism is likely to be high (summer months, holidays, etc.). If you prefer to travel “off-season,” – that is, during a time when tourism is low, you may not need to make such early reservations. In the latter case, one month-advanced preparation may suffice.

After you’ve made your reservations, you can fulfill the rest of your time preparing for everything that Spain has to offer. One of the ways that you can do that is by taking a local trip to your favorite library and perusing the immense number of books about Spain. By doing this, you can prepare yourself with the language – perhaps even check out a few books or audio tapes of the language (if available) and additionally learn about Spain’s monetary system.

You should always learn about entry requirements, inoculations and other safety information you might need before you go not only to Spain – but also just about anywhere out of the country. But you can also familiarize yourself with the dress of the land and maybe try a few local restaurants that serve Spanish cuisine and play a little of its native music. Of course you can always visit your museum and inquire about the art of the land so that you’ll know what to look for once you get there – in particular, the works of El Greco. The idea here is to educate yourself amid all the excitement of visiting a place so rich in culture!

Now some people like spontaneity – a little adventure – the unknown – whatever you want to call it, but some of us like to create an itinerary of things to do and places to go. If you’re the “planning type,” then you might appreciate taking the time to map out your excursion. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that – seeing that you’re visiting a new area, your chances of being bored or going against spontaneity are very slim because Spain has so much to offer to each one of your physical senses!

When and if you create such an itinerary, some of the things that you will want to include of course are things like times to eat, take tours, attend shows, and (our favorite) shop! You might think that this information is hard to find but thanks to the Internet, it really isn’t’ hard to find at all. If you’re working with a travel agent, then your efforts to fill an itinerary should be pretty minimal. But if you’re working alone, you can certainly visit the tourist websites of Spain and create your own chart of things to discover and enjoy.

If you’re handy with the native language of Spain (which you might have correctly guessed is Spanish), you can certainly read a few online Spanish newspapers to find events and locals that might be of interest to you. Chances are that you’ll find a lot more entertainment information by reading a Spanish newspaper than you would if you solely relied on an English interpretation.

Once you’ve arrived and have found transportation to your hotel, you can inquire further to find even more interests. By this time, you should be speaking a little Spanish so that you can effectively communicate and exchange money with your hotel manager:

Hola! (Hello)
Gracias! (Thank You)
Como te llamas? (What’s your name?)
Como estas? (How are you?)
Me llamo… (My name is…)
Soy de United States of America (I’m from the United States of America)
No comprendo (I don’t understand)
Por favor (please)
Me numero de telefono es el… (My phone number is [and then the numbers in Spanish [uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, etc.)

You’ll of course want to learn how to ask for other important things like help and/or directions. These are some of the things that will make your trip to Spain more enjoyable – especially as you converse with the natives and experiment with new foods or amusements that you hadn’t even planned for! Just remember to pack your camera or your small video cam so that you can record your experience and enjoy them with loved ones back home.

Travel in Spain by Taxi

Traveling by taxi in Spain provides an extremely convenient way to move about and “sight-see.” Like traveling by taxi in the United States, minimum charges accompany metered mileage plus a small additional fee for baggage and evening – night – or holiday drives.

Spain Driving Tips

European Union citizens (18 years or older) must own a national driving license to drive in Spain, however non-European Union citizens (18 years or older) also need an International Driving Permit as well. Both types of citizens must have car insurance and identification (license, passport, etc.) by law, is required at all times. Seat belts must be worn by all passengers, and travelers under the age of 14 must be seated in the back seat of the vehicle. When driving, remember that driving positions are reversed to American drivers. You must yield to on-coming traffic from junctures and traffic circles.

Special care should be taken to restrict your driving to the main routes outlined on the most recent maps of this area as other routes may not be appropriate for driving (dirt roads, mountain passes, etc.). In urban areas, you can conveniently refuel your vehicle from unleaded or diesel gas stations. But if you’ll drive for long periods of time, it’s wise to completely fill your tank, as fuel stations are sparse in rural sections of the country.

Driving speeds are generally restricted to 30 mph to 56 mph, however driving speeds can increase from 62 mph to 75 mph on highways with more than two lanes. Be prepared to pay both variable and fixed toll charges associated with city entry ways.

Traveling in Spain by Car / Car Rental

Because Spain’s city centers are so popular, you are cautioned to avoid driving in these areas – especially since the narrow roads in these places can accommodate traffic traveling in one direction only. In addition, parked automobiles make driving extremely difficult. Traveling by car rental is best accomplished by following a current map of its roads – which offer views that are nothing short of amazing.

Author Bio
Every Car Hire in association with Auto Europe provides discounted car rental with leading rental companies such as Hertz, Alamo, Budget and Europcar. For information on car hire or car rentals visit Every Car Hire at Car Hire Spain.

Menorca (also known as Minorca) – situated east of Mallorca – is one of Spain’s own Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. With a population of about 82 thousand Spanish-speaking people, you’re sure to find a wide variety of interests to enjoy should you decide to travel here – especially on January 17. January 17 is a nationally celebrated day that marks when Alfonso III of Aragon conquered the island.

In fact, the history of this island is what makes it so interesting to outsiders, as it has changed ownership several times over the centuries, inevitably showing the architectural and art influences with each successive change of rulership. Of particular interest to traveling Americans is the fact that Menorca was completely under British control in 1763 thanks to the Treaty of Paris, fell capture to Spanish and French forces during the American Revolutionary War – only to change hands again to the British during the French Revolutionary Wars.

This is of course before Spain acquired the island in 1802 once and for all. This does not suggest however, that Menorca lived peacefully ever after. Political stresses have continued to pull the island back and forth between reigning parties and powers over the years. Aside from this rich history, Menorca is known for bringing us some fun facts and trivia.

For instance, this little section of the world is responsible for sobrassada – a sausage that’s made with paprika. The natives here also brought us gin and Mao cheese among other things like the world-known megalithic stone monuments: navetes, taulas, and talaiots for example. As you can see, Menorca has much to offer the new world traveler or adventurer and it really is to your advantage to experience some of the new and exciting things that the culture of this land has to offer.

In an effort to learn as much as you can during your stay in Menorca, take a crash course in Spanish, the native language of the island. It’s not necessary to become fluent – although that would certainly make things easier for you and the locals that you communicate with. But it’s helpful to learn at least a few phrases that will enable you to get help when needed or to develop a meaningful and educational relationship with the people that you interact with.

You should be comforted in knowing that Spanish is one of the most easiest languages to learn and chances are that you already know a little Spanish if you’re an American. Many words of the English language are derivatives of the Spanish language, so as you learn it, you’ll find that it’s something you can pick up rather quickly.

Of course you could also educate yourself about the island prior to your visit. Learn about Menorca by reading books, learning about its art, literature, and music, its geography, its political history, and more. Viewing photographs will help you associate what you’ve learned from books with the images of the land so that they’ll be easily recognizable once you get there.

At Menorca however, don’t let books dictate how you’ll receive the island. Another way to absorb Menorca’s culture is to just get out and about and interact with people and the events that you find. The two major towns of this island are Ciutadella and Mao. So bring along a camera and really get into the experience so that you can not only enjoy it, but also learn from what the cities of Alaior, Es Castell, Ciutadella, Ferreries, Mahon, Es Mercadal, Es Migjorn Gran, and Sant Lluis have to offer.

Just be sure that if you’ve arrived to the island with a schedule to follow, you can arrange your list of activities so that they grant you ample time to tour significant landmarks, taste the food, visit its religious buildings, and experience it’s landscape. If time allows, rent a car and adventure out on your own or sign up for a tour. Treat the island as if it were your own homeland and experience it to the fullest.

Being so close to Spain, you can take a short trip to the mainland and witness the las fiestas de San Fermin celebrated every July 7th. This unique festival is known as “the release of the bulls” and precedes the exciting bullfights that this country has become famous for. Or you could take in a quick but intense game of futbol (soccer).

The important thing is that you make an effort to learn a new style of living, that you observe how that style of living works for others as well as how it can work for yourself and others you care about, and that you bring what you’ve learned back home. If all goes well, you should return home with a wider perspective and bigger appreciation of how the world really works.

Travel in Menorca by Taxi

Traveling by taxi in Menorca provides an extremely convenient way to move about and “sight-see.” Like traveling by taxi in the United States, minimum charges accompany metered mileage plus a small additional fee for baggage and evening – night – or holiday drives.

Menorca Driving Advice

European Union citizens (18 years or older) must own a national driving license to drive in Menorca, however non-European Union citizens (18 years or older) also need an International Driving Permit as well. Both types of citizens must have car insurance and identification (license, passport, etc.) by law, is required at all times. Seat belts must be worn by all passengers, and travelers under the age of 14 must be seated in the back seat of the vehicle. When driving, remember that driving positions are reversed to American drivers. You must yield to on-coming traffic from junctures and traffic circles. Driving speeds are generally restricted to 30 mph (in urban areas) to 56 mph (on major routes).

Special care should be taken to restrict your driving to the main routes outlined on the most recent maps of this area as other routes may not be appropriate for driving (dirt roads, mountain passes, etc.).

Traveling in Menorca by Car / Car Rental

Because Menorca’s city centers are so popular, you are cautioned to avoid driving in these areas – especially since the narrow roads in these places can accommodate traffic traveling in one direction only. In addition, parked automobiles make driving extremely difficult. Traveling by car rental is best accomplished by following a current map of its roads – which offer views that are nothing short of amazing.

Author Bio
Every Car Hire in association with Auto Europe provides discounted car rental with leading rental companies such as Hertz, Alamo, Budget and Europcar. For information on car hire or car rentals visit Every Car Hire at Car Hire Menorca.