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Archive for February 7th, 2009

Bali Villas, Indeed More Than Just Accommodations Feb 07

Staying at Bali villas during holiday is now becoming trend and lifestyle. Many kinds of trevelers, whether local or international have chosen Bali villas as their favorable destinations. Bali villas allow anything to happen, mostly the sweetest things. Bali villas are all about the thrills and romantic scenes that can please the reasons you come to Bali for. The fine furnishings of every villa in Bali can beautifully adorn the entire surroundings. What differentiates Bali from the other hot spots is due to the alluring views, some of them even untouched.

Villas in Bali are giving you the most pelasant views to behold, displaying anyone more than just great pictures or supreme surroundings. Why bali? It’s because this island has all the serenity anyone might come to Bali for. You never know what does the great holiday feels before you come and enjoy Bali villas. You don’t need to dream any longer to experience seamless services of Bali villas, everything has been prepared stunningly.

Freedom can be celebrated at Bali villas, for stress-free holiday as well as the new experiences in life. For making your holiday worth remembering, Bali villas are designed in almost every area in Bali, without any exception. Traveling to Bali is not complete without exploring to every area that can give you different views of life. Showing up only the best views, anything seems so seamless in Bali. When it’s holiday season, what is waiting for you is an endless option for pampering yourself with the finest. Coming to Bali feels more amusing when you decide to stay at Bali villas. A villa in Bali is a breath of nature for the family, for first time honeymooners, or individuals who want to re-encounter the self being. As place with so much natural allures, most villas in Bali are where we capture the perfect harmony between secrecy and nature. Since long, Bali villas have been being recognized as ideal places for merging and engaging the human being with nature.

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{Stay at Caribe Cove and Find Out There’s More to Orlando than Meets the Eye|With Caribe Cove You’ll Find an Orlando You Never Knew Existed} Feb 07

Although probably the theme park capital of the world, a vacation in Orlando, Florida does not mean these are the only attractions to keep visitors amused. Orlando city has a wide range of sights, places to eat with many of these available along International Drive where it is possible to park the car and take a stroll. People come back here every year because they know it is where they will find everything they could possibly want.

If you are an animal lover then you one place you must visit is the Central Florida Zoological Park in Sanford which was opened to the public in 1975 and houses a collection of over 400 hundred animals. They are a charitable privately owned organization that are dedicated to protecting exotic animals and those that originated in Florida as well as provide classes and events for children.

When seeing the sights you need to plan a stop at The Orlando Science Center. Located about twenty minutes from the Orlando Airport, you can find the super complex that was built in 1955. It sports over 2,000 square feet of space and over ten halls. The International Trolley and Train Museum contains 14 trains that continually run through the mountains, forests, and urban areas and they contain three waterfalls that run 12,000 gallons of water each hour.

With so many resorts to explore, the website Trip Advisor’s archive of unbaised reviews is a good place to start and can really help sort the good from the great. One brand new resort which is becoming popular is the Caribe Cove Resort in Kissimmee. Caribe Cove Resort is a platinum rated resort in a quiet location, yet close enough to the action, with enormous condos and first class decor and furnishings. It is surrounded by lush wetlands yet still only minutes from Disney and provides a real oasis to return to after a frenetic day at the parks and attractions of Orlando. There’s no need for ‘candid’ photos at this resort as what you see is really what you get!

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How to Save for Extended Travel Feb 07

One of the reasons that people tend to avoid long term travel is because they think it is expensive and feel they will never save enough for a trip. That is not true. One of the greatest myths of travel is that it is expensive. People think you need to be rich because they see advertisements for expensive vacations. But it isn’t. The reality is that travel is cheap.  You can travel around the world for under $15,000 dollars for one year of travel. If you only visit cheap countries, you can do it for even less.

$15,000 dollars sounds like a lot of money right? Sure it is but in terms of living off just that for one year, it’s quite reasonable. You probably spend more than that already. It also sounds impossible to save but you’re wrong again. If you cut spending, there are a plethora of ways to save. It simply requires persistence and making saving money a habit and priority.

$15,000 dollars is about $1,200 dollars per month, which is a lot but perfectly doable if you restrict you’re spending and cut your bills. It is possible to save that much if you are frugal and careful with your spending. It is hard to fathom the money people waste everyday. Cut out your extra spending and watch your bank account rise and rise.

The easiest way to save is to cut out your vices. One cup of coffee a day is $150 dollars a month. A pack a day smoker would save $210 dollars per month. You can save over $400 dollars a month if you stop drinking at bars. Already we have saved $400 or more dollars, depending on your habits.

Those things are easy to cut out. The real way to save money is to eat in and consume less. If you are an average person, you probably eat out 5 to 7 times a week. If each meal costs an average of $20 dollars, that is between $400-$560 dollars per month. Cooking meals can reduce your weekly food bill to 80 dollars or less. That saves you a lot of money, since you probably already do some grocery shopping too.

By cutting out your consumption, you buy only what you require. That is the real secret to saving for a trip around the world. Buy only what you need and save the rest. People spend hundreds of dollars a month on little things that they don’t really need- DVDs, music, movies, drinks, and a lot more. All of that adds.

If you only eat in and go out once a week, you will only spend $340 per month and save over $800 dollars per month just by doing those two things. Moving into a smallar apartment is an extreme measure you can also make to save even more money. Even consider moving home if you have that option.
If you use these tips, you will save what you need by living more frugally. Your friends may think you are living like a monk and it may seem that way at times but think of the reward you will have waiting for you- one year around the world. It is worth it.

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Cheap Caribbean Vacations: Visiting the Caribbean on a Shoestring Feb 07

The Caribbean is a great place for anyone with a passion for sand, surf, and sun.

So many places around the world started out as great little summer vacation spots, only to eventually become nothing more than tacky tourist traps.

The Caribbean, though, still retains much of its authentic, out of the way, endless summer appeal. There are a few spots that can get a little packed with tourists in the dead of summer, but if you don’t mind taking a bus a few miles north or south, you can easily find a quiet spot where you can enjoy the scenery all by your lonesome.

So that’s what the appeal of the Caribbean is, but here’s the puzzle: How do you spend a week in the Caribbean without having to sell your car to finance the trip?

The first major expense is going to be your airfare, of course, so that means that the first step to saving a bunch of money on your Caribbean vacation is to simply book well in advance. If you think you might want to go to the Caribbean someday, take a guess at when, in the future, you might want to go, and start looking at ticket prices for that day right now.

The trick to getting low airfare is to book in advance, to choose arrival and departure dates that aren’t right smack dab in the middle of the heavy tourist seasons, and to be willing to make a few layovers on the way there. We can’t give you an exact estimate of what you should expect to pay to hit the Caribbean with these tips in mind, but you might just cut your airfare in half, or even better.

The second expense is, of course, going to be booking a hotel.

As for this problem, well, see above: Book in advance! You could probably get a great package deal through a good travel agency, shaving a good chunk of money off of both your airfare and hotel costs.

In fact, while you’re at it, you’re probably going to need a rental car, so look for a good package deal that covers all three of these bases.

After that, you have, of course, your day-to-day expenses. You’re probably not going to have a kitchen in your hotel room, so you can probably expect to do a lot of eating out. Luckily, the Caribbean isn’t really the most expensive part of the world when it comes to simply getting a bite to eat. Even with the economy as it is today, you can still find some great, inexpensive restaurants and cafes in the Caribbean. Just remember – and this is true whether you’re taking a trip to the Caribbean, New York City, or Nowhereseville USA - Ask the locals. The local inhabitants of any town often know better than any travel expert how to get a great meal without spending half your pay check.

Make sure you check out the travel coupons websites before you book. There are lots of great Caribbean discounts and package deals throughout the year, and several websites devote themselves, at least in part to cheap Caribbean vacations.

Best Places To Retire - Malaysia Feb 07

Asia Retirement

Asia is a great retirement option for those seeking affordable yet comfortable living, without compromising on natural beauty, entertainment and great food. Malaysia could be the place you’ve been dreaming about. If you’re not familiar with it, Malaysia is situated on the lower part of the Malay peninsula, just north of Singapore.

East Malaysia is situated on the northern third or so of Borneo – about 400 miles east of the mainland. Peninsular Malaysia is more developed, with all of the major cities, and East Malaysia is where you will find large expanses of jungle, many rivers, and some of the best diving in Southeast Asia.

Most retirees would probably find Peninsular Malaysia more convenient for living, and East Malaysia good for occasional visits.  If you want to retire to Asia, Malaysia is as good a place as any. 

Malaysia was a British colony until 1957, and has existed in it’s present form since 1963. English is spoken widely, although many other languages are spoken as well – various dialects of Chinese, Tamil (a south Indian language), Malayalam (another South Indian Language) and the national language, Bahasa Malaysia.

Malaysia is blessed with a pleasant, warm climate, inviting shorelines of white sands skirted by crystal clear waters. Lots of public and private hospitals, recreational/entertainment facilities and developed and quality education system are also available.

Malaysia offers a low cost, tropical paradise to retirees. The monsoon season generally runs from December to March, and hits the East Coast hardest- although rain is year round. It can be very hot in northern Malaysia in the summer, and temperatures in the low-lying areas generally reach into the low 90sF at their hottest.

Crime is very low in Malaysia, few areas could be considered unsafe, even in the larger cities. The best advice is "Don't Do Drugs!" in Malaysia. The people are very friendly.  This alone makes it one of the best places to retire in Asia.

You may think a US citizen visiting a Muslim country might experience some ill will, but if you show respect for the local cultures and religions it should rarely be a problem. The main everyday sign that this is an Islamic country is the head scarf that observant Muslim women wear, and the sound of the call to prayer from the Mosques.

People who want a little adventure in their retirement years, while still enjoying a decent standard of living would like living here. People who enjoy trying new foods – Malay, all sorts of Indian food, all sorts of Chinese food, fresh seafood all year would enjoy staying here. Same with those people who have decent health and who want to keep it that way by being active and curious.

Things are cheap in Malaysia so you do not need large retirement savings to live well here.

Malaysia has a low cost of living and the taxes are low so you can afford to live here cheap.  This is a good reason to retire in Malaysia.

Another reason why some people want to retire in Malaysia is that it has superb healthcare facilities and highly-skilled medical practitioners. Medical expenses and health insurance are very affordable compared to other countries, even the US.

Malaysia’s cultural mosaic is marked by multinational traditions, originating from China, India, the Middle East, Europe, and the entire Malay Archipelago.

New cultural influences from Europe and China mixed with Hindu and Islamic traditions later in history. A collective but distinctively Malay cultural pattern has emerged from this blend. You can see it in the literature, music, dance, and other performing art forms.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia, where more than a million work and reside, and functions as the center of Malaysia’s political, commercial and social life. It is a city of delightful contrasts. The favorable climate accounts for the lush greenery and profusion of tropical blooms in a riot of colors. The end result is a unique blend of age-old customs and traditions; colorful festivals, songs and dances and a rich variety of foods to tempt the palate.

Credit cards and travelers cheques are accepted at larger establishments. Most banks readily accept foreign currencies like the US Dollar, Pound Sterling, Yen, Deustchmark and Franc for exchange into Malaysian Ringgit.

Escape Disaster by Traveling Insured Feb 07

Believe it or not, there are people who think that travel insurance is a waste of money.

The fact is, even the healthiest person can become ill when travelling. Here’s a perfect example.

My husband, Vic, with the exception of a head cold, is never sick and questioned the need for health insurance prior to our overseas trip.

I always make sure that I travel insured from anything that might happen.

No sooner had we landed in Singapore that Vic had his first taste of reality. Our dinner had been delightful had Vic did not eat the orange chunks in the cuisine. Vic thought he was eating carrots. The carrots turned out to be chunks of chilli. Vic’s allergic to chilli. He spent the following ten minutes clinging onto life.

Still feeling somewhat wounded, Vic settled into the hotel and soon after headed off to the hotel’s pool for a swim. The pool was on the roof. Out of luck again, my poor husband missed his footing and skidden 6 steps down on his butt, which could very well ended up his life. If he hadn’t reached out and taken grip of a thin wire cable that surrounded the roof area, he would have certainly gone over the edge.

A week later, on approach to Cairo airport, while the other passengers clapped, guess who had a haemorrhage in his right eye, which was most likely caused by cabin pressure. On landing, Vic needed to have his eye checked by doctor, luckily the haemorrhage was minor.

A further two weeks into our trip, I found Vic curled up in a hot bath of water at three O’clock in the morning. He was in agony with what turned out to be a kidney stone, which he ended up passing in time to catch our plane onto London.

Needless to say, we never leave home without travel insurance. And yes, if you’re travelling last minute you can purchase your travel insurance online, and if you don’t have access to a computer, call the insurance company and ask to be put through to a sales person.

Declare all your health conditions when you get a travel insurance for a good purpose. Let’s say for example you have arthritis in your hip, and while on your trip you have a fall and the fall leads to injury. It could be argued that your pre-existing condition, your arthritic hip, was the cause of your fall, and you could well find your travel insurer rejecting your claim.

It’s also a good idea to have a dental check up before leaving, as dental work in most countries can be a wallet cruncher. It’s easy to break a tooth while away, and if you have proof of a check up before leaving, your travel insurer has no valid reason to reject your claim.  If taking your PC or notebook with you, don’t forget to let your insurer know, as you may have to purchase extra cover for the duration of your trip.

It’s better to be covered, not only will you have peace of mind; you won’t be out of pocket. Enjoy hassle free holiday this way when you travel. And don’t forget that if you are taking a last minute trip, you still need a travel insurance to cover your back in case things don’t go as well as planned.

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