Before going, certainly going on a trip it helps to know what make the run, stress-free experience. Learn how to avoid wasting precious vacation time and how to travel within your budget while and this certainly is while getting the actual most out of your vacation.

Join in travel or like something else an automobile club can, certainly can save you like as in yourself money on maps, hotels,  car rentals, visits to museums, fairs, exhibits, galleries businesses, etc. Creating an itinerary will, like actually will save money, time and headaches.

Some people think that, certainly that planning ahead of time takes the actual fun out of travelling and makes it less adventurous. Nothing could be, and really be further from the actual truth. Take note of this part, it pays to be prepared.

Create Travel itinerary

Determine how many as in lot days you like as in yourself will travel. Mark List of the actual towns and places you like as in yourself plan to visit. Road map find how many as in lot miles you like as in yourself have to travel between towns, calculate how much time it will, like actually will take to travel. record on your itinerary.

On the actual internet find points of interest you like as in yourself want to visit along the actual way. Look for museums, historical monuments,  national parks, state parks, fairs, exhibits, galleries, etc. Record on your itinerary. Decide which places you like as in yourself want to visit, how much time it will, like actually will take to visit and how much time it will, like actually will take to get there. Record on your itinerary.

Decide how far you like as in yourself want to travel every day. This determines where you like as in yourself will spend the actual night. Record towns on your itinerary.

Look for hotels at your destination on the actual internet. Wait to make reservations until your itinerary has been, actually been finalized. For each travel day record: where you like as in yourself will start the actual day how many as in lot miles you like as in yourself will travel which laces/events you like as in yourself will visit where you like as in yourself will spend the actual night? how much money you like as in yourself will spend that, certainly that day for food, lodging and events.

Review and revise your list. Make sure to keep this is in mind. Ask, will you like as in yourself have enough time to do all the actual things you like as in yourself want to d.ill you like as in yourself have enough vacationday.ake changes as well as necessary. Figure out your budget: add up the actual cost of hotels, events/activities/ how much money you like as in yourself will need for food, gas and fun spending.

Add up the actual total projected cost of your trip and make adjustments if you like as in yourself find that you like as in yourself are going, certainly going over your travel budget. After you like as in yourself have create.inal budget, make hotel reservations.

Take Copy of your tour itinerary and leave another copy at home for your family or like something else friends. Take note of this part, include the actual phone numbers of the actual lodgings where you like as in yourself will be, and really be staying so they know where to find you like as in yourself in case of an emergency.

Raj Aryan

25 Jun 2010

http://blogs.rediff.com/peoplefav/2010/06/25/how-to-travel-smart/

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 242 user reviews.

Geography and Territory

The Libyan territory, closed by political boundaries straights but not morphological, bordered to the the Mediterranean Sea (900 km), with Algeria and Tunisia to  with Chad and Niger, with  Sudan and Egypt. The country is mostly occupied by the Sahara. Sandy or gravelly east (desert Calanscio), dry and rocky south-west (and Murzuk Ubari), in the Fezzan desert, only along the Mediterranean coast has hills (Jebel Akhdar) and short, fertile plains (plain Jefara). Extreme south rise the mountains Tibesti (3000 m) and the plateau of the Tassili (1000 m). In Libya there are no permanent rivers, but only on a seasonal wadis. Appear within a few oasis of Kufra and those are the greatest Sabha.

Climate


The climate is extremely arid, characterized by high temperature, hot dry winds that blow from the desert and rare winter rains along the coast (max. 100 mm at the end of December). Summer is very hot along the coast, where the moisture can be very high, you reach 30 º C while in the south can be as high as 50 º C. In the desert the temperature between day and night is always remarkable.
In winter the average daytime are at 20 º -25 º C maximum and the night of 5 º / 6 º C and minimum of 0 º C with peaks in December and January. In winter the climate is cooler, however, much cooler along the coast where rainfall was the highest (100 mm) at the end of December. In the spring blows ghibli, a hot dry wind from the desert that can significantly raise the temperature.

Festivals and Traditions


National holidays are March 2 (foundation of the Jamahiriya), June 11 (anniversary of the evacuation of U.S. military base Wheelus Field), September 1 (Day of the Revolution, Tripoli, parades, marching bands and folkloric companies) and 26 October ( Day of mourning: all activity stops, public phones do not work and ferries, close the borders). In October Harvest Festival is held on the dates and at New Year festival in Ghadames to Ghat Tuareg (30th, 31 December and 1 January). Interesting is also the Feast of Qasr Kabaw held in April. Are observed all the Islamic holidays such as New Year’s Eve and the end of Ramadan, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. They follow the Islamic lunar calendar which means that each year fall at different times.

Health


You need special care hygiene during your stay: purifying water or drink bottled water to avoid unpleasant diarrhea, not eating raw vegetables, peel the fruit. Local hospitals are often very far from Western standards and lack of ambulances, for less serious situations are reliable local doctors. Following the recent suspension air embargo is easier for medical evacuation, which remains the essential conclusion of a good private medical insurance. Medicines are not readily available, so if you need some special medicine portatevene a good supply.

Vaccinations


To enter Libya no one is required vaccination is required only yellow fever vaccination for travelers coming from infected areas. no prophylaxis is not considered necessary.

Pack Your Suitcase


Cotton dresses, a sweater and a heavy jacket in the evenings in winter months, personal hygiene products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper is difficult to find), hat and sunglasses; peril desert clothing heavy for the night, sturdy shoes and sandals, water bottle, pharmacy, travel goods (in addition to basic medicines, eye drops, tablets to purify water, salt and dextrose tablets, moisturizer and anti-sunburn), flashlight and batteries parts, multipurpose boxcutter, film, anti-sand plastic bag for the camera. We recommend using a backpack or soft bag, the bags are quite rigid unsuitable.

Behaviors


Libya is a Muslim country and therefore it should pay attention to clothing (avoid low-cut and skimpy clothes for women, men would be better advised to wear long pants and tank tops to avoid): This is true even if you’re in the desert where you can always meet with local people or military control functions.
The expressions of affection between men and women, even married, are frowned upon. During Ramadan you should not eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours. Remember that you do not eat, you do not need nor do they salute with his left hand.
Always ask permission before photographing people, especially women, and not to photograph potential strategic targets.  In the Libyan desert is important to know that there is a fundamental rule of conduct: who notice any person or a car is forced to go to them even without any kind of signal. Then follow this rule and do not try to dodge the issue because such behavior could be misinterpreted especially when the vehicle crossed considered to belong to a patrol around the controls.  The desert is a wonderful place and must remain: avoid thus polluted with the remains of your camps. Take a deep hole and throw your garbage, burn them and cover it all.

Consular Visas


Since September 2009, no longer need to be equipped with tibro bilingual and certified translation of your passport.
Entry visas are obtained in Libya at the airport and at border points.
This formality is initiated only after it was booked the trip (at least 25 days prior to departure).

IMPORTANT: Under the new law regulating the granting of visas at the airport every tourist must demonstrate at least 1000 USD or equivalent in Euros or a credit card issued by an international school.

ITALIAN BORN IN LIBYA:


And ‘formally revoked the ban for Italians born in Libya back into the country. Each participant is required to personally check the validity of your passport (which must not expire within six months from the date of departure), the presence of at least one free page and validity of the stamp.

Raj Aryan

17 Mar 2010

http://blogs.rediff.com/peoplefav/category/travel/libya/

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 153 user reviews.

The raging sea beats the island of Batanes as if to say I am King.
The waves violently slap the rocks with enviable freedom. Its stammering power heeds no remorse.

The island however doesn’t back down, doesn’t fold-up or disintegrates. It takes a proud beating with a ‘Hah’, I am Batanes.

Batanes should indeed be proud of its coffers. It offers an amazing landscape that is as complex as a Roger Dean art work. The twisting spiraling mountains roll for miles and miles carpeted with green pastures.

The Mahatao Lighthouse, Batanes, Philippines

Atop its numerous cliffs one can get a front seat view of the feisty merging waters of the China Sea with the Pacific Ocean. There is also something incredibly charming about the island’s unique stone houses. Around 3 meters thick, these rock abodes crafted by the ancestors have stood against torturous rain and bullying winds. The roofs are made of cogon providing water proof shade. From afar the houses create an amazing texture of color and form that is bucolic and unlike anything that I’ve ever been in the provinces I’ve visited.

In spite the amazing scenery the island’s greatest strength is its people–the Ivatans. Storm warriors by birth they still posses a gentle demeanor, friendly disposition and an unbelievable sense of trustworthiness.

Crime is said to be non-existent in Batanes and people find no need to lock their doors. There is even a sign posted in the city treasury that reads “LOST AND FOUND- MONEY. Please claim inside”.

As most travel junkies know Batanes is the northernmost province of the Philippines and its smallest island both in terms of land area and population. Among its ten petite islands only three are inhabited– Batan, Itbayat and Sabtang. Sandwiched by Babuyan Island and Taiwan, the province is closer to Taipei than Manila. In fact an urban legend states that on a clear day one can see Taiwan and hear Chinese roosters crow.

Growth in Batanes’ tourism has been spurred by airlines such as Asian Spirit that conveniently jets weeklyflights (for a P10, 000 round cheap tickets price).

Surprisingly posh, the main airport is located in Basco, the province’s capital (found in Batan island). Albeit the flight being a bit choppy, I land safely in Batanes and seek my adventure holidays.

Raj Aryan

31 Mar 2010

http://blogs.rediff.com/peoplefav/tag/manila/


Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 279 user reviews.