Archive for category Traveling and Tours
Honeymoon in India – A Couple of Facts
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on July 6th, 2009
It’s good to know a few things about the country you are going to spend your honeymoon in before you go. Here are two facts which are very handy to know before going to India.
Tipping
Tourist restaurants and hotels usually tack a surcharge onto the bill. In other places you only need to tip a few rupees (not a percentage of the bill). Hotel porters expect Rs5 to Rs15. Other regular tipping amounts are Rs2 for bike watcher; Rs10-Rs15 for train conductors or station porters who perform miracles for you; and Rs5-15 for hotel staff performing extra duties.
Clothes
Most travelers pack too much clothing for their Indian trip. Cotton clothes (excellent for heat) are cheap throughout India. Women will find that dressing conservatively will minimize (but not eliminate) unwanted attention from the local men, and you should be extra diligent at touristy places such as Goa.
Fireworks, 4th of July
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on July 6th, 2009
The big plan was for me to meet my friends at the Lynn Creek Park Fireworks. This turned out to be easier said then done. Of course my brother and I got started a little late to get out there. This meant that we got caught in what turned out to be a way worse traffic jam than we could have ever imagined. It was at least 45 minutes before we got up to the booth to pay to get in.
Once we were in the park, it was impossible to try and find anyone. Even talking on the phone and trying to coordinate who was where, there was just to much traffic. Part of this was our fault since it was only about a half hour before dark. We eventually just found a place where we could park, a spot to put our blanket out, and sat and waited for the show.
It was a bummer we missed hanging out with friends but in the end, the fireworks were just awesome. Next year…well we will have to get started a little earlier.
Ocean Pier Fishing in SC
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 29th, 2009
I went pier fishing for the first time ever last week. It seemed an odd thing as it would not right off the bat seem like something that offers any kind of advantage for catching fish. Why would a marine fish be any more likely to bite on whatever you are fishing with if you are a few hundred feet beyond the shore as opposed to just fishing from the surf? I would say being out in a boat, say a quarter mile out to sea is a change but this close to shore, it seems a bit pointless. The important distinction to me in using one method versus the other is price – fishing from the beach is free while most fishing piers charge a fee to fish from them.
Regardless, I bit the bullet and headed over to Myrtle Beach State Park. They have a nice fishing pier there. It is in good shape and there were not too many people there. The weather was good, neither breezy nor too hot. I caught a few fish and ended up having a great time. It was cool to not have to deal with the sand like you do when you go surf fishing. I could put my pole in a readily available rod holder and could just leave it be. The other cool part was hanging out talking to the other fishermen. I think I learned more about fishing in the nearshore of the ocean than I had in the last five years.
I has a good time and will be head back out to Myrtle Beach for some more fishing next week.
Jacksonville Area Golf Resorts
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 28th, 2009
Jacksonville weather encourages golfing for both the individual sports player and the professional sports tournaments. Winters are mild and summers, while hot, have less humidity than coastal areas further south.
Two golf resorts located just minutes from downtown Jacksonville are the Sawgrass Marriot and the Ponte Verda Inn and Club. The Sawgrass Marriot hosts many professional events and you will need to schedule your stay according to your personal interests. If you wish to watch professional players, stay during an event, or if you want to play on a professional course, plan to stay when an event is not taking place. The hotel is family friendly and just a short walk from the beach.
The Ponte Verda Inn and Club has two 18-hole courses, also on the beach. It has facilities for wedding and family reunions, and is well-respected in the community of Jacksonville beach resorts.
Mt Maunganui, Tauranga, New Zealand
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 21st, 2009
Mount Maunganui, or as it is affectionately known by locals as “The Mount” was once a sleepy coastal town dubbed the retirement capital of New Zealand.
These days nothing could be further from the truth. While it is still a great place to retire given its warm and sunny climate, Mt Maunganui is far from sleepy. It has experienced huge growth and now instead of tiny wooden holiday houses you’ll find multi-million dollar apartments. If you do so the occasional rustic holiday bach, don’t be fooled, it’s probably sitting on a $2,000,000 piece of land!
Only a short drive over the harbour bridge to Tauranga; Mount Maunganui is truly a wonderful place to visit, don’t miss out on the sandy beaches that run for miles, the artificial surf reef or a climb up Mauao.
Travel Insurance is a Must
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 20th, 2009
Safety in foreign countries is something that every traveler should take into consideration. Accidents can and will happen in a foreign country, and having to deal with a hospital situation in a foreign language is a terrifying experience. Luckily, there are companies that have stepped in to create insurance programs that cross borders and are specifically created to ease the pain of a problems in foreign hospitals.
Travel insurance companies offer fee-based coverage that can be global or focused on just one area that you will be traveling. They are accepted worldwide, and having that card in your wallet may make the difference between being covered and paying out of pocket. Websites like Worldnomads will insure travelers for small fees, and they are very cheap compared to paying out of coverage fees from major carriers. They are an excellent way to both save cash and protect your health while studying, traveling, or living abroad. Travel insurance can also be used to insure items like computers or jewelry that you are taking with you.
Tropical Islands in the Caribbean
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 20th, 2009
Vacationing during this economic downturn might look difficult, but if you research heavily you will find that heavy discounts have made traveling more attractive than ever. With many staying home under heavy debt loads and shrinking incomes, anyone that has saved for their travels has a lot of buying power right now. A visit to any one of the tropical islands in the Caribbean is much cheaper than it would have been even six months ago. This is one of the few times in history when procrastinating on travel plans has worked out in our favor.
Visiting good tropical islands in the Caribbean now requires your United States passport, so do not forget to keep that handy when making your plans! Also, plan for crowds during the summer months, even with the recession in full effect. Look for deals through both airlines and booking engines like Expedia or Orbitz, because they are slashing their prices right now in desperation for business. Be a savvy traveler and you will find that visiting the good tropical islands just got easier!
The Catalan Dragons – Rugby in Perpignan
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 19th, 2009
The French, in the South of France, are rugby crazy and this is no place to be if you are a soccer fan. The love of rugby, by which I mean rugby union, goes way back and France have a proud tradition in the sport. Over the last few years there has been an upsurge of interest in the alternative version of the game, rugby league. This has been driven by the achievements of the Catalan Dragons who were recently allowed entry in to the UK’s Super League.
Since then Perpignan rugby has taken off with hoards of English descending on the city where the Dragons play, to watch their English team take on these foreigners. The first couple of seasons were something of a disappointment for the Catalan club but since then they have brought in some excellent players and the results have improved dramatically. In 2008 they finished in a very respectable third place.
Packing a Travel Backpack
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 16th, 2009
Have you ever found a fantastic souvenir on one of your travels, only to find that you have no space in your cramped and overstuffed backpack for the trinket? It can be a real pain to try and make things fit if you are not packing everything correctly. Luckily, there are ways to mitigate packing problems and get stuff settled correctly in your travel backpacks. Stuff sacks are small cylindrical bags that have straps on the outside that can be tamped down, compressing whatever items (like clothing) are inside. They make these in a variety of sizes and lengths, so they can fit anything from socks and underwear to large and unwieldy sleeping bags.
Also, when packing a backpack it is important to remember how to organize things. Travel backpacks should have the heavier items distributed across the bottom of the bag, to create an even weight distribution for walking. No one wants to tip over when they are on the mountain. Lighter items should be placed in color-coded stuff sacks to easily remember what you need.
Camping Cooking Supplies Food List
Posted by whaleadmin in Traveling and Tours on June 16th, 2009
When coming up with a list for camping cooking supplies, you must not forget to include food. If you are backpacking, you will need to go light with the supplies you bring as you will be carrying everything on your back. If you are camping in a camper or RV, then the camping cooking supplies you pack can be more liberal. For starters, you should include salt and pepper and other seasonings. Herbs such as the most common ones you use will be most helpful. Also pack along some canned staple items like vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, etc.) and sauces like tomato or spaghetti sauce, gravy and diced tomatoes and beans. It is also helpful to have a supply of rice and dried pasta for a quick meal. For refrigerated supplies, you can pack milk, eggs, cheese and meats that will be used in the short-term. For baking, bring along flour, sugar, baking powder and perhaps some raisins. Adding these basic ingredients into your camping cooking supplies list will help to ensure you have a stocked pantry that is just waiting to add some fresh local ingredients to.