Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

Maine Hotels

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

My husband has a business trip soon to Ogunquit. I have been given the job of looking into Ogunquit Maine hotels for him to find out which one he should be staying in. His company give each person a certain budget per day and then it is up to them how much they spend on meals and a room and they can keep whatever is left. We really need some extra money at the moment so I am looking at all of the Ogunquit hotels which are on the cheaper end of the market.

I have also decided to look at places to eat so that I can draw him up a list of healthy but cheap places that he can go. He is keen to save money too but I know that once he is there, he will not have the time to think about prices when he is selecting places to eat, so if we look at it together beforehand then he will not have to worry about it once he is there. I therefore have a list of 10 budget Ogunquit motels and hotels and a list of places for lunches and evening meals and we will sit down together and decide which he will use while he is there. Hopefully we can save a big chunk of money and keep it in our savings account for times when we are struggling with money.

Get amazing airplane views: 7 tips

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

I’m strapping myself in for a ride to the edge of the sky. Outside my porthole, the ground crew is preparing the vehicle for launch. The entry hatch is sealed, the mobile gantry pulled away. All systems are go. Soon, powerful thrusters will accelerate us to more than 500 miles per hour. At the peak of our trajectory, we will soar above about 80 percent of the atmosphere. The view of Earth will be panoramic.

Then the person behind me kicks my seat. Somewhere in the cabin a baby starts to cry. The college kid next to me slouches in her seat and flips through a magazine. Okay, so maybe a morning flight from JFK to Chicago isn’t all that glamorous. But think about it: At a time when people are lining up to pay $200,000 for suborbital rocket rides, I can soar to thirty or forty thousand feet for a fraction of the price — with beverages and pretzels thrown in for free. Now that’s a deal.

I didn’t used to care about looking out airplane windows. Like a lot of people, I stuck to aisle seats and spent most of my time wishing I were back on the ground. Then I took an introductory flying lesson and got hooked on small planes. Working toward my pilot’s license, I learned pilotage, the art of figuring out where you are by studying what you see on the ground.

It’s surprisingly hard: things don’t always appear quite like you expect them to. But once you learn to understand the view from on high, the once-incomprehensible jumble becomes infused with meaning and, by extension, beauty. After learning how to interpret the landscape, flying wasn’t just transportation anymore. It was a real-life IMAX show.

The view from above, in seven easy steps

CHOOSE A WINDOW SEAT. And avoid sitting over the wing! When you’re making reservations online, keep a tab open to SeatGuru, a Web site with charts on every type of aircraft operated by every major carrier, including details on wing location.

DO A LITTLE RESEARCH. The more you know, the more you’ll see. A superb reference is “America from the Air” by Daniel Mathews and James S. Jackson, which includes annotated aerial photos of topography across the United States and explanations of the predominant landforms. The book also comes with a CD-ROM of the major continental air routes. T+L.com: Top 10 vintage airline ads

PLOT YOUR COURSE. Type your route into Google Earth for a virtual flyover, and you’ll get a rough idea of what’s in store. The Web site fboweb.com generates Google Earth views of exact routes using up-to-the-minute FAA flight-tracking data. If you zoom in and tilt at the right angle, the view of the virtual globe looks just like what you’ll see out the airplane window.

PACK YOUR LAPTOP. For the sake of knowing exactly what I’m looking at, I like to bring a computer with flight-planning software that electronically plots a route from origin to destination via the navigational beacons that airliners follow. One such program is Golden Eagle FlightPrep.

LOOK FOR LANDMARKS. If a river is so big that its width is discernible from 30,000 feet, the chances are good that you’ve heard of it. Shorelines are easy to decipher. Flights between Berlin and Stockholm, for instance, pass over a large and very striking lagoon on the coast of the Baltic Sea. This is Szczecin Bay, at the mouth of the Oder River on the Polish-German border.

ASK THE CAPTAIN. When you see something remarkable and can’t figure out what it is, flag down a flight attendant, who will probably go ask the captain, who will probably be thrilled to show off his or her geographical expertise (even if all it involves is checking the GPS system). One time I was flying north from Phoenix and noticed a gaping pit in the desert floor. A helpful flight attendant went up to the cockpit and came back with a positive ID: it was the famous Meteor Crater, formed by a cosmic impact 50,000 years ago.

WATCH THE CLOUDS. You don’t just have to look down. Some of the most interesting sights are meteorological. On any flight of more than a few hours, you’re bound to witness at least one complete frontal system, and a range of cloud formations. To keep track of the vast menagerie of clouds, get a copy of “The Cloudspotter’s Guide” by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, with extensive (and effusive) descriptions and photographs.

What can a bring to entertain me on the plane?

Saturday, July 26th, 2008


Im gonna be in there for a gazillion hours. xD
Is there any place I can print some puzzles or brainteasers, too?

 

Get a book of Soduku or word searches or crossword puzzles at any supermarket. Also bring an iPod and a portable DVD player. If you have a laptop, bring that too to watch DVDs. If you like stuff like gimp or hemp, bring some so you can make bracelets or something. If you’re into video games, bring a DS or PSP or whatever.

http://brainden.com/
http://www.mirroreyes.com/crossword/

—-

iPod, portable DVD player, books, magazines, and anything else small that you like, as long as it doesn’t have sharp edges or is more than 6 fl.oz. :D
I’m sure you could just Google free printable puzzles and find a ton of stuff. Have fun on your flight for a gazillion hours!! :D

Tuna Fishing

Friday, July 4th, 2008

Massachusetts offers some of the best waters for Tuna Fishing. Anglers from across the country flock to this pristine location where some of the finest Blue fin Tuna are found. When trolling for tuna, you will generally use many lines with lures at various distances in the boat’s wake as it trolls at speeds of around 10 knots. The reason that you use as many lines as possible is because it imitates the look of a school of bait fish.

It is the noise from the tuna fishing charter boat’s propeller that attracts the tuna, and when they come to the surface to investigate the noise, the will hopefully see the lures and jump on. When this occurs, multiple hookups can happen. At this point the hit rod will then be put into one of two fighting chairs. The boat is then slowed and the angler is able to reel in the fish. The only drawback to troll fishing is that the movement of the boat adds to the stress of fighting the fish and it can take a good bit of muscle to finally land a giant. Another method to employ when tuna fishing mass later in the season is to tempt the fish with bait. This becomes easier as the fish start to settle in a given area.

St. George Bermuda?

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008


my family is thinking of taking a cruise to St. George Bermuda, and i am severely allergic to dogs, i know that in Mexico and the Caribbeans dogs roam around free over there, is it the same in St. George?
i trusted this site last time i went on a cruise to San Juan and people said there was dogs, i didnt get off but my family did, they told me there was no dogs!!!!

 

I have been to Bermuda twice and on our last trip we walked from St George to a couple beaches nearby, and back through neighborhood streets and we di not encounter any dogs. Now I am sure that some people do have dogs but they were not roaming the streets.

St George is a very small town, kinda like a New England fishing village, with a town square and a few stores. So it’s not a big place and/or a place where you will stay exclusively during your trip. Bermuda is a small island, only about 22 miles long. So when you get there you should buy a transportation pass and ride the buses to other places. There is really only one other town, Hamilton, and its one of the places where cruise ships will also dock. You can walk to beaches from St George but there are better beaches that you can reach from there by bus. And when we rode the buses we did not encounter any dogs either while awaiting the bus.

I have been places where dogs roam loose but Bermuda is not one of them.

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Become Your Own Travel Agent

Friday, April 4th, 2008

With the Internet people are now able to become their own travel agent and search for the best travel packages any time of the day or night. This is really incredible because you will be able to find the best discount travel deals and immediately take advantage of them. You won’t have to pay someone else a premium nor will you have to deal with what a travel agent wants you to do. Instead, when you plan your own vacation you can choose whether or not you want to take escorted tours. You can decide how many days you want to stay in a specific location and whether or not you want the option of being able to extend your stay should you desire to do so.

When you act as your own travel agent you will find that your trip is actually better not to mention a whole lot cheaper. There are so many ways for you to find the best deals when it comes to trips and travel so it is a good idea to start checking out your options on the web. In time you will become a pro and learn all about the best places to buy discounted travel as well as the best times to visit different parts of the world.

Things to do in Utah

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

When you visit Utah you will find there are so many things to do and see, including the flaming gorge. There are so many things to do in the area that you will certainly need to check into Green River hotels to find a great place to stay and be able to enjoy several days of fun and excitement in Utah. Keep in mind the Flaming Gorge Resort when looking for Green River lodging because it has so much to offer travelers. The Uintah Mountains provide a great backdrop for beautiful scenery and outdoor adventure. Some of the fun things to see and do in and around the gorge include hunting, rafting, hiking, water and snow skiing, animal watching, and just relaxing. The beautiful backdrop of nature is a perfect place to enjoy a stress free vacation and time to enjoy fresh air. Depending on the time of year you visit there will be different activities to enjoy. As a result, plan your trip for the time of year that will work best with your preferences. Check out the temperature as well as hunting seasons to find the best time of the year to visit the flaming gorge.

Which city is more populated ?

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007
  1. SHANGHAI :)
  2. i think it’s New York.
  3. Mumbai
  4. Mumbai
  5. Out of the city you have mentioned Tokyo is more populated. London is better to live.
  6. New York - 8,250,567

    Tokyo - Yokohama - 35,000,000

    London - 7,500,000

    Mumbai - 13,000,000

    New York or London would be the best to live in. They speak English there. (Well, at least in London.)

  7. Even though by next year more than half of the world population will be … it said adding Mumbai is the most densely populated city in the world with 29650 …
  8. Mumbai of course.
  9. Its 1 and only
    Mumbai.

What are some good Australian holiday destinations for thrill seekers?

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007
  1. It may sound cheesy but I went up to the Gold Coast and went on this boat ride called the “Scream Machine” and sat right at the front and it was truly so scary I thought I was going to die.

    The boat literally surfs waves, and when you’re at the front you lift right out of the water and slam back down - we weren’t strapped in and I was sure I was going to fall out or we were going to flip or something.

  2. Canyoning in the Blue Mountains is awesome fun Grant.

    Or head to Thredbo during the summer and do some downhill mountain biking. Yeah man, can you handle it????

  3. Hi Grant
    I tried white water rafting for the first time in Cairns, Qld and it was the best time I’ve ever had.
    I’d also like to try hanggliding at Stanwell Tops, NSW.
  4. How about staying home with your girlfriend and relax with her and both your families for a couple of weeks and then go on an adrenaline rush together. After all the excitement, both of you can wind down together. But being together is an adrenaline rush anyway.
  5. Thrill… Go four wheel driving at Mt Cole with my two sons… That will put you to the test…Or you could be game enough to go motor bike riding with them……
  6. aw jeez u guys are all just jealous! Grant u are a true sweetie and id recommend going to Airlie Beach. I spent 12 months up there and its heaven on a stick.
  7. Hi Grant,

    Ignore the haters! I personally love sharing my holiday experiences of our great country to enable others to get out there & have a good look around!

    The biggest adrenaline rush holiday I have had was to The Horizontal Water Falls in Northwest Western Australia. I flew by seaplane from Broome to Talbot Bay where we were offloaded to a mother ship, then onto jet boats to explore the Falls. For those who are unaware the Horizontal Falls are caused by the volume of water rushing out at the turn of the tide through a small space between two pieces of land. Due to the height produced by the force of the water it appears to drop thereby giving the impression of a water fall.

    At this particular place there are huge whirlpools and danger is imminent as you are in crocodile & shark infested waters! I actually was lucky enough to join a private catamaran here & explore the coast between Talbot Bay & Broome over a ten day period. This part of the coastline is unaccessable by road.

    It was the best experience I’ve had travelling around this awesome country we call home - I say “we are so lucky to have such a beautiful backyard, why go overseas?”

  8. Margret river in WA has lot of treacherous surf, It’s good place for surfers of any skill level.
  9. Have you tried the theme parks on the Gold Coast. There is also The Big Pineapple on the Sunshine Coast. Also there is the Whitsunday Islands just north of Mackay in North Queensland. I hope this will help you with your Australian holiday.
  10. Do a trip around on a motorbike anywhere in Oz. I recommend coastal roads to start for some good hair raising experiences not to mention superb views. From Sydney head South through the National Park and keep going through some awesome riding through Stanwell park and over Seacliff bridge. Go through Gerringong to Nowra. Ride down to the B23 at Cann River and follow up to Cooma. Head out to Kiandra and take the road across the mountains to Khancoban. Head off to Bright. Then head towards the Great Ocean Road etc etc etc. This gets you to multiple destinations and you get the thrill on the way.
  11. A J Hackett bunjee jumping at Kuranda just out of Cairns. Once that elastic snaps back and you realise you’re not going to die it is the biggest rush ever :)
  12. For a once in a life-time experience, where your heart literally ends up in your mouth, head for Tasmania and bungee jump and abseil off the Gordon-Franklin Dam Wall.

    It is a distance of approx 140metres!

    Then there is always Cradle Mountain, jet boating, etc, etc.

    No rest for the wicked!

  13. Grant i would have to recommend the driver training and V8 racing at Mallala raceway in South Australia
  14. Just go swimming to Byron Bay, in the Central Coast of NSW. You are going to be chased by sharks of all types. Full adrenaline mate. Good luck!
  15. Try driving through the brisbane trafic everyday.
    On the roads these days is like going to dreamworld but without the fun.
  16. i hear king cross is full of thrills and if you want an adrenaline rush go to victoria and just glance at a police officer sideways…the consequences are sure to get your heart pumping…only hope it continues.
    best wishes.
  17. It has to be Stand up padlesurfing in Byron Bay. Just think of the Adrenalin rush when you are getting circled by sharks. Happens at least once a month.
  18. I too love an adrenaline rush

    Personally though, a great holiday destination for thrill seekers would be the Dancing with the Stars studio
    but if you don’t have much time, it’s hard to go past the Sunrise set
    trying to mingle with the crowds for the longest possible time withour being recognised is quite a heart-starter

  19. Anywhere but the Lower Murray-
    Im sick of all the speedboats ruining my weekends
    How would u people feel if I came and spent my weekends and holidays making a huge noise in your backyard and leaving it covered in litter and mess?
  20. I’d watch out for the Boxing Day sale at Myers in Melbourne. Egad you can lose a limb in the twinkling of an eye.
  21. Hi! This is awesome, you’re famous, hey! Cool.
    Well I’m from South Australia, in the country, I love it, but I went to Canberra on a school trip not long ago, and for a short but sweet adrenaline rush, go to Questacon!!
    It is the best! Like 4 levels of fun science games, and you learn great things along the way. That or going crazy places on 4 wheelers! Maybe you should go to the Riverland next year, they have like drag races every year, you should feature in one of them! We don’t get alot of excitement these days.
    Love your work Grant!
    Have fun!!
  22. Arrnhem Land,,dont know if we’ll see you again bro,,thats the thrill of it ay,……… ???
  23. Hi Grant, Hmmm, serious Question? maybe, maybe not but tell me, if you choose the best answer does that person get to come with you for the adrenalin rush? if not then try my back yard cause its a real rush everytime I go out there..never know if I am gong to make it back from the jungle!
  24. Nude Olympic will be such a thrill for you… I know you like dare!!! Go for it, Grant…
  25. Hi Grant,

    There is always heaps of places to go to around Australia, Check out each state, and see what they can offer.

    Parachute jumping , Rally Driving - Skydiving , Abseiling ,
    SWimming with Sharks etc.

    Check the different theme park added attractions , well worth the extra money .

    There is so much in Australia , I dont know why people pay big money to go around the world to do things , when they can do it all here in Australia for alot cheaper.

  26. Just go North and see where you end up, it’s all an adventure up there
  27. Well… Sidney, Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle and Temora. Actually, I do not know any of these cities, but say they are the most beautiful and rich landscapes in cities in Australia. Perhaps, someday, when I have a lot of money, I go to some these places.
  28. go swimming with the crocodiles ;) nah go jumping off skyscrapers or something ;)

Towns of the Costa Blanca – Benidorm and Alicante

Thursday, September 27th, 2007

One of the most regularly visited regions in the whole of the European country of Spain is the Costa Blanca, which is located in the south-east of the country on the beautiful Mediterranean coastline, the Costa Blanca is completely within the province of Alicante which in turn is part of the Communidad de Valencia.

The Costa Blanca coast is lined with lovely seaside resorts and the whole area is renowned for its superb, golden sandy beaches. Two of the most popular towns along this busy coastline are the vibrant and brash resort of Benidorm and the capital city of the province, Alicante.

Benidorm is the biggest and the most visited seaside resort on the Costa Blanca by a long way, and in fact welcomes more holidaymakers than any other coastal resort in Europe, with over four million heading for Benidorm every year, many returning again and again, for there is so much to see and do in the town. Benidorm is located between Valencia and Alicante and is very easily accessible from Alicante (El Altet) airport (around thirty minutes drive) or also by way of Valencia airport (somewhat further). Benidorm is especially popular for its varied and busy nightlife scene, its wide, golden, sandy beaches, its fine old town and its amazing theme parks. Benidorm has long been associated with ‘lager lout’ types but if you keep away from the main pub district, this need never affect your stay, in any case Benidorm has much more to offer than just its nightlife.

Even so, Benidorm nightlife is second to none, with a varied selection on offer, from friendly ‘English’ style pubs and tiny Spanish style tapas bars to sensational cabaret shows at venues like the Benidorm Palace with top acts and entertainers on show. If you are looking for comedy, adult entertainment, magicians, hypnotists or just a decent live singer, you will find it all in Benidorm.

The fabulous beaches of this resort stretch for many kilometres and the two primary ones are Playa Levante and Playa Poinente, there is plenty of room for sun worshippers but they can still get very hectic during the hot summer months, so to claim the best spots, be sure to arrive early. Benidorm weather is warm and sunny all year round with over 300 days of sunshine each year, so it is an ideal resort for a winter break. The fantastic Benidorm theme parks which are worth a visit on their own merit comprise the Terra Mitica, Aqualandia, Mundomar and the Terra Natura Safari Park. There are a great selection of Benidorm hotels to choose from, so you should have no difficulty in finding accommodation, there are also plenty of privately owned apartments and villas to choose from, so have a good look around before deciding.

The capital city of the Costa Blanca is Alicante, which has a distinguished and interesting past. The second largest city in the Valencian Community it has a population of around 300,000 and a history stretching back the the fourth century BC. Originally settled by the Greeks, Alicante was later occupied by Iberians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors, before returing again to Christianity in the 14th Century. One of the best known landmarks in Alicante is the amazing Santa Barabara Castle, dating from the 9th Century, and one of the biggest medieval fortresses in Europe, it looks down on Alicante from its lofty position high on the nearby Mount Benacantil. The vast majority of visitors to the Costa Blanca arrive at Alicante airport and this fine airport has good road and motorway links to most of the other towns and resorts plus Alicante also has a railway line running to Denia and known locally as the ‘Lemon Train’, this serves many of the Northern Costa Blanca resorts. The Costa Blanca itself takes in around 200 km of beautiful coastline, and extends roughly from Pilar de la Horadada in the south to Gandia in the north, it also has a large hinterland with regions of mountains, sierras, plains and Natural Parks. This part of the coast has been important for the production of salt since Roman times and the salt lakes at Torrevieja, La Mata, Calpe and Santa Pola being of particular importance, the Romans used salt as a currency and it was known as ‘white gold’, the Romans were also responsible for many of the roads and agricultural systems, later taken over by the Moors.

If you are visiting Spain or the Costa Blanca soon be sure not to miss two of its finest towns Benidorm and Alicante.