February 25th, 2008
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.
Destinations
February 21st, 2008
Photos
February 21st, 2008
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.
Destinations
February 21st, 2008
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.
Destinations
February 20th, 2008
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.
Before You Go, Destinations
February 20th, 2008
If you are traveling for business or for pleasure and you own a laptop, the chances are you are going to want to bring it along. One of the biggest obstacles to most people working effectively on long flights is limited battery power. After all, whether you are working on a spreadsheet, a document, a presentation or even if you want to let your kids watch their favorite DVD, you can’t do much with a limiting two hours of battery life. So how do you plan and what should you do?
First, figure out whether the plane on which you are flying has appropriate power ports. On most planes, if you are traveling in business or first class they will have power ports for you in every seat. The big question is coach/economy and whether or not the plane is newer. If you can, find out from the airline which type of aircraft on which you’ll be flying. You can do this over the phone or online, for the most part. Then go to Seat Guru (www.seatguru.com) plug in the information and you’ll be able to see if you are going to have power from the aircraft. This is obviously especially useful on longer flights across the country or transatlantic.
If you have access to a power port then you should be all set for the duration of the flight. If you find out from taking the steps above that you don’t, you need to plan. First, assess what you have. If your laptop is newer you probably have a three hour battery, which may be sufficient for your needs. If you have a used laptop or a refurbished laptop, or just an older machine you may only have two hours of battery for use. Once you assess your power, then you’ll need to make a decision about buying a backup battery. This would obviously double your powerless access and it may offer you some additional security as having spares of just about everything, including batteries, on hand usually works out to your benefit.
If you need to buy an additional battery, or a newer battery with longer life, one of the best places to hit is Power Plant (www.pwrplant.com). They have batteries and power supplies that work with a variety of laptops for very reasonable prices. This means you can have power from coast to coast which will offer plenty of time to map out all of those ideas or to run through as many Pixar movies as you need to stay sane while traveling.
Finally, if you are traveling and you need internet access, check out your airport’s website and figure out whether or not they have WiFi. Some places will charge while others offer free wireless internet access. If you’re older, used laptop or refurbished laptop doesn’t yet have a wireless card, they are really inexpensive for the benefits you will gain. Some airlines are also introducing wireless internet on flights. Lufthansa Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA, Singapore Airlines and China Airlines are all taking advantage of the new Connexion by Boeing program. This program will be coming on more airlines soon so be sure to ask your carrier when they will be bringing it on board!
No matter your situation, there are ways to plan for laptop use and access on board your flight. You may as well make your flight as productive as possible!
Author Bio
Blair Stephens is an experienced writer and proud member of the www.UsedLaptops.com team. Used Laptops specializes in providing customers with the best possible used laptops and refurbished laptops at bargain prices. If you need computing power at bargain prices, Used Laptops is the place to go!
Before You Go
February 20th, 2008
Are you on the road again? From shorter family road-trips to retired folks who roam the U.S. in their RV’s, more and more people want to stay hooked in with their laptops on the road. Depending on the age of your laptop and its capabilities (many used laptops and refurbished laptops may need upgrades to be wireless for instance) you should be able to easily power your laptop from your car or RV and you can probably find tons of locations with Wireless internet access, both paid services and free!
To use your laptop in the car and pull power from the car battery, you will need a power inverter. In some cases, your laptop manufacturer will offer an auto adaptor, but the power inverter, which has a universal power plug could prove far more versatile and worth the money. The power inverter will convert the DC auto battery power into the right AC power your laptop needs. The power inverter will plug directly into your cigarette lighter and then will have an adaptor end which will let you plug your power cord directly to your vehicle.
You have options in terms of power inverters as well. There are two main types; modified sine wave and pure sine wave. You should check your laptop manual, or the support site to find out if your laptop will accept either kinds of AC power created by these inverters. In some cases, the power created by the modified sine wave doesn’t work with laptop computers, so you don’t want to spend the money and be out of luck!
When you begin shopping for inverters, here are some things to remember. Laptop computers, whether a new laptop, used laptop or refurbished laptop will require between 50 and 70 watts of power. Make sure you buy a power inverter that will provide more than the power load that you need. If you need to do this frequently, you should make sure to buy a quality inverter because it will be a better investment in the long run. Xantex makes a great power inverter, especially the StatPower PW-50 or 75 or the ProWatt 150. For frequent road-trippers the Simlex Power pure sine wave inverter is a great choice that will last for a while.
Obviously, your RV probably has the right power plugs you need to run your laptop. The bigger issue with an RV’er is going to be finding consistent internet access for reasonable prices, or better yet, for free! Many RV campgrounds are now offering high speed wireless internet so their travelers can easily connect. You can find many campgrounds that offer WiFi at RV Internet Access (rvinternetaccess.com) and at sites like RV Travel (www.rvtravel.com). If you are camping our on your road-trip, you’ll also be able to find tons of resources online like WiFi Free Spot (www.wififreespot.com) and others. As long as you have your power and your laptop is wireless enabled you should be good to go!
Just because you are on the road, doesn’t mean you have to be disconnected from friends and family. Make sure your used laptop, refurbished laptop or even your new laptop is ready for power and Wifi and has the memory to support your internet connection and you’ll be connected in no time, wherever and whenever you want!
Author Bio
Blair Stephens is an experienced writer and proud member of the www.UsedLaptops.com team. Used Laptops specializes in providing customers with the best possible used laptops and refurbished laptops at bargain prices. If you need computing power at bargain prices, Used Laptops is the place to go!
Before You Go
February 19th, 2008
Visitusa.com humbly presents its list for what we believe are the best beaches in California. Of all the beaches California has to offer, we think these are tops! If you can find better beaches in California, then we’ll eat out hat (metaphorically speaking)!
Malibu Lagoon Beach:
A beautiful lagoon beach with 22 acres of wetlands, gardens and sandy beach. It’s considered one of the worlds premiere surfing beaches. On the east side of the Malibu Creek Bridge is the Malibu Pier, which is excellent for saltwater fishing. On the west side is a nature area.
Venice Beach:
No trip to Los Angeles would be complete without a trip to this iconic beach. Street performers, artists and “the beautiful people” mingle and stroll all the way to Santa Monica along the famous boardwalk that runs through this inimitable California beach town.
El Capitan Beach:
This shady, sandy, Santa Barbara beach features rocky tide pools along El Capitan Creek. It’s perfect for swimming, fishing, surfing, picnicking and camping. A long stairway gives access from the bluffs to beach and a bike trail connects the park with Refugio State Beach.
Ocean Beach:
O.B. as the locals call it is a laid-back beach-community know for its surfers and liberal politics. It is an eclectic beach community with a leash free “dog beach”, a fishing pier, swimming, surfing and volleyball. It has separate swimming and surfing zones, which is definitely a good idea.
Rio Del Mar Beach:
This long, sandy beach is found in the town of Aptos, California, in Santa Cruz County. It features fire rings and a barbecue and picnic area and is a popular summer beach. It is also the home to the “cement boat” a long stranded freighter ship.
Muir Beach:
This beach is less than a half hour drive from San Francisco down scenic Hwy I. It’s one of the most glorious regions of Northern California in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Fishing, surfing and campfires are allowed, and there are many coastal trails above the beach for hikers to explore.
Black Sands Beach at Shelter Cove:
This splendid black sand beach is a great place for Whale watching. Located north of the small hamlet of Shelter Cove in a remote region of the “Lost Coast”, it’s the trailhead for the famous King Range hike. This is a day only beach, so campers will have to head for the mountains.
La Jolla’s Beaches:
La Jolla means “the jewel,” a fitting name for the precious beaches of La Jolla’s coast. Surfers prefer Windansea beach, harbor seals love the Children’s Pool, La Jolla Shores is popular for swimming and sunbathing, while the Cove is a favorite snorkeling spot.
Drake’s Beach:
This vast stretch of white sand can be found at the Point Reyes National Seashore. The areas strong winds and choppy seas make it at little too violent for most swimmers, but sun worshippers will be delighted by the opportunity to work on their tans in a beautiful California outdoor hotspot.
Author Bio
Looking for more information on California Beaches check out visitusa.com, your outdoor adventure travel guide.
Destinations
February 19th, 2008
Train Travel in Morocco, originally uploaded by Mtl_Shag.
The view from my train as it traveled between Casablanca and Marrakesh, Morocco. The land got progressively more desert like, but was still nothing like on the other side of the High Atlas mountains.
Destinations, Photos
February 19th, 2008
People, Photos
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