Don't Settle for an Ordinary Vacation -- Go for Extraordinary

by Dan Farrell


Copyright 2005 MHG Consulting

You work hard all year long, and look forward to your vacation. So why settle for ordinary, when you could do something different this year and create memories that really will last a lifetime?

Today there are so many more choices than just taking a regular cruise or guided tour. If you're willing to think outside the box, and put a little effort into planning it, your vacation can be extraordinary.

First of all, think about your interests or passions. Is there something that you've always wanted to do like learn to paint, try skydiving, or scuba diving?

What about some place that you've always wanted to visit like Venice, Paris or Tahiti?

What do you love to do in your spare time...visit art galleries, read or go to flea markets?

If you've always wanted to be a painter, why not choose Paris? But instead of staying in a hotel, and making the rounds of the usual tourist attractions, check into renting a flat or participating in a housing exchange program. (You can find several reliable companies on the Internet.) On the money you'll save on the hotel and restaurants, sign up for art classes at one of the cultural centers near where you'll be staying. And instead of signing up for a guided tour, visit the tourist attractions with your paints and easel. Live the life of an artist in Paris for two weeks!

Interested in living dangerously? You can find several adventure programs that are created around the extreme sports you're most interested in -- such as skydiving, white water rafting or rock climbing -- and they are available almost everywhere in the world -- from Africa to Istanbul to the Arctic Circle.

Want to do more than lay around on a tropical beach and work on your tan? What about visiting another country and helping to build a home for a low-income family? Rebuilding a community after a natural disaster? Or working with orphans in a third-world country? Check with your local United Way or faith-based organization. Many nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or the Red Cross organize special trips for people who want to make a difference.

Or, if you've always wondered what Green Peace Volunteers do or wanted to work on a scientific exhibition digging up fossils or exploring the ocean, why not give them a call, to see if you could spend your vacation as a working volunteer?

What about learning a foreign language? (Your local community college probably offers "immersion" vacations as a member of a language class. During your vacation, you stay as a guest in someone's home, and have the opportunity to live like a native. You'll become totally immersed in the country of your choice, having the chance to speak the language with your hosts, learn the best places to visit, and getting to eat home cooked meals.)

If you have an idea for the "perfect" vacation, or there's something you've always wanted to do, but don't know where to start to make it happen, call your local travel agent. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what she can help you arrange.

Whatever your interests, hobbies or passions, if you've got unfinished items on your "things to do before I die" list -- why not figure out a way to start putting a checkmark in front of some of them, by incorporating your dreams into your next vacation?

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About the Author
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For more information on travel and especially The Venetian Las Vegas, go to: http://www.venetianlasvegashome.com/

Pacet and Myth of a Messenger

by Niel Situmorang


Pacet, a natural hot spring located near Mojokerto, a city in East Java, a province of Indonesia. The spring itself surrounded by a mountain range and display a breathtaking scenery. Nobody here would want to miss the baked corn, specially cooked by professional trained for years.

But, all is nothing compared to the legend that lived in the mountain, long before the first men found the hot spring. The legend, actually lived up to a myth that still existed until nowadays.

For days, people live a peaceful life, away from the rush of the urban, nor the industrialization. Up until one day, a men and a woman from the city came with their new idea of modern-day-living.

For people who interested in something new, this idea does affected them much. Slowly but surely, the custom switched their point of view. Not such as sin, now matter in their post-religious community.

The broken law spread from every men, women, into innocent child. There the Messenger sent to remind them of their true customs.

The message is clear : "The god warned you"

The simple message delivered in a lethal ways. An avalanche swallow much people, women and children. Nowadays, people believe and will always remember with the famous "Messenger of Pacet"

The myth does makes sense, as it happens. Just don't forget that it is a "fantasy spot" as you might be able to met the messenger 'personally' (some people said they actually met the messenger).

See it yourself!

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About the author
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Niel Situmorang, programmer whose hobby to travel with bike, visit various place with legend. The pacet myth actually draws his attention after several times visit.

Switzerland - Interlaken, Zurich, St. Moritz and Geneva

by Rick Chapo


Switzerland is the land of skiing, chocolate and very private banking. Ah, but there is so much more to experience in the land of neutrality.

Interlaken

Interlaken gets its highly creative name from sitting on the split of land between two lakes. If you're looking for a little extreme sporting, this is place. You can backpack, horseback ride, parasail and so on. To really take in the majesty of the alps, I highly recommend you cough up the money for a go at skydiving. You may have gone ski diving before, but I guarantee you nothing compares to free falling down through the mountains of Switzerland. This is how God must feel looking down at the earth. While God gets the view for free, you will have to pay...a lot. Still, the view and experience is something you will never forget.

Zurich

Zurich is the cleanest city in Switzerland, Europe and maybe the world. There place simply sparkles. Various guide books challenge readers to find a cigarette butt or piece of trash on the sparkling streets. Personally, I find the cleanliness of the city a bit of a negative. Stop rolling your eyes. The place is simply so clean that it seems to lack any real character. One keeps getting the feeling you are walking around a Disneyland Park. The budget traveler should be aware that Zurich is more expensive than even Disneyland.

St. Moritz

If you're looking for the arrogant rich, over the top luxury and incredibly expensive prices, St. Moritz is for you. Not really my crowd, so on to the next city...

Geneva

Geneva is not "just another" clean city in Switzerland. Okay, it looks like it at first and second glance, but the third glance may prove a delight. With cobble stone streets, the city reminds one of the stereotypical Swiss images in the media. In reality, Geneva has a bustling underground of live music, art and general fun. Four aspirin and two bottles of water later, I can certainly attest to it. The only way to let your hair down in Geneva is to buddy up to a local and follow their lead. Trust me, you'll have a blast.

Switzerland often seems a bit too good to be true. Perhaps it truly is a mountain mirage. Guess you'll just have to visit to do your own investigation!

About the Author

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of travel journals. Writing journals are the perfect travel accessories. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travel articles and travelogues.

Welcome to Bali Island of the Gods with Bali Hotels Holiday

by balihotelsholiday.com


BALI, the fabled Island of the Gods with Thousands Temples, Mystery, Beauty, Enchantment and Serenity. And with its famous beauty scene, dynamic culture, and friendly people in harmony with nature made Bali as the one of the favorite holiday destination in the world. One goes to Bali for holiday experience, a journey of a lifetime, to face remarkable people, to explore their customs and traditions, their beliefs, their hopes and their eternal search for peace. You can find out all discount hotels bali and bali villa accommodation for your holiday in Bali with us.

Find and select more than 300 hundreds of our Best Bali Hotels from Bali Budget Hotels Accommodation to Bali Luxury Villas and Bali Luxury Hotels for your Great Holiday in Bali. Bali Hotels Holiday is your guide to find out all our Cheap Bali Hotels and luxury villas collection.

And also you can find out our bali special Holiday Package for Bali Spa Treatment, Bali Sightseeing Tours, Bali Adventures Experience, Bali Cruises, Bali Golf Package, Bali Luxury Villas and Bali Luxury Hotels, Lombok Hotels, Yogyakarta Hotels and other related services during your Special Holiday in Bali and Indonesia. You can find out all discount hotels in Bali holiday destination and bali villa accommodation for your holiday. Bali Indonesia hotels provided.

About the Author

Bali Hotels Holiday (Travel Service) www.balihotelsholiday.com

Lima's Lord of Miracles

by Ferrer


Imagine a dark-skinned Christ, painted on a wall by an Angolan slave during the Spanish Viceroyalty. Imagine a wooden platform covered with silver and gold, weighting over a ton. Imagine a procession of hundreds of thousands of devotees, all dressed in purple habits. If you can, you've probably been in Lima during October, the mystical month. That's when the city's patron, the Señor de los Milagros -or Lord of Miracles-, is celebrated. The largest procession in the whole South America, it congregates devotees from all over the country.

The origins of the Lord of Miracles date back to the mid XVII century (probably between 1650 and 1651), during the Spanish Viceroyalty. An anonymous Angolan slave painted a dark-skinned Christ on the wall of a humble plot in the Pachacamilla ranch, near Lima. At the time a non-white Christ was considered heretic, but notwithstanding the furious attempts by the Spanish ecclesiastical hierarchy to erase it, the image resisted. The devotion for the image boosted in 1655, when a massive earthquake demolished every building in the proximities, but not that wall.

During the whole month of October, known as the mes morado -or purple month, due to the Patron's colours- minor observations are celebrated. The main event though, a colossal procession, is reserved for the 18th. Hundreds of thousands of devotees, wearing their purple habits, sing and pray while accompanying the image on its 24-hour route from the Nazarenas temple to La Merced church, in the historic yet weary Barrios Altos district.

The wooden portable platform that holds the image is completely covered with silver and gold, and weights more than a ton. It is carried out on shoulders by groups of loaders, organized in cuadrillas (teams) according to shoulder size and height. Nowadays there are 20 cuadrillas, such as the "Pachacamilla Christ Brotherhood" or the "Loaders of the Canopy". During the first procession, some 300 years ago, only eight loaders were needed to hold the platform; today, more than thirty strong men are needed.

Traditional sweets and food can be purchased from vendors along the path of the procession, in particular the Turrón de Doña Pepa, a soft nougat candy made almost only during October.

Bullfighting Season
During October and November, the Señor de los Milagros bullfighting season takes place in Lima's Plaza de Acho (1768), one of the oldest bullrings in the Americas. Known as the Feria Taurina del Señor de los Milagros, it gathers the most prestigious bullfighters of America and Spain, who compete for the Escapulario de Oro (golden scapular).

This year the traditional bullfighting season celebrates its 60th anniversary, and celebrates it with eight dates: four bullfights, one rejoneo (bullfights from horse-back), two novilladas (bullfights with young bulls), and a gala festival. Some 10 renowned matadors will participate, including Julián López "El Juli", Enrique Ponce, Luis Francisco Esplá, and Finito de Córdoba.

About the Author

Journalist, impenitent traveller, and aficionado cook, Ferrer is founder of The Peru Guide, and its Lima Restaurant and Nightlife editor.

Fantasy Travel Through Time

by Ridho Herasmara


It's a year.. it's a decade.. it's a century past Indonesia's colonial period. Bring back memory, it is you who can travel across time. For those who don't have memory about that period, then create a new everlasting ones!

Today, there are so many places to visit. But, why don't make your journey worth remembering, for a lifetime?

The city of Malang represent the old Indonesian, the colonial period. All of it, from city planning, the "Oen", Brawijaya museum, and even "Coban Perawan" (which literally translate as "Waterfall of the Virgin").

Then if you tired of staying in a hotel, doing a time-scheduled-tourism-package, why don't ask for the local to guide you on a personal journey, or maybe with your beloved ones, only two of you, across time.

Some of the list are:
"Oen" : a shop, a colonial shop protected by goverment law against change, is where you should start your journey.

"Coban Perawan" : Literally translate as "Waterfall of the Virgin", doesn't mean you must still virgin to be allowed here.. But it will remind the time where the "Virgin" live.

"Brawijaya museum" : is not a mausoleum! You won't be bored to death here, as it display every reason why the Indonesian deserve their independence.

But most of all, some still live in colonial age, although many switched to urban-lifestyle. It doesn't matter what lifestyle.. just say "Hi" to them, you'd expect smile for the least.


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About the author
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As a consultant, he usually spend time travelling as his hobby, as well as writing article.

Swimming with Dolphins in Cancun

by Thomas Morva


Cancun is one of the few places in the world where you can get a wide variety of swim-with-dolphin options at some of the most spectacular settings on earth.

Here at several dolphinariums you can feel the thrill of the foot push as two dolphins use their noses to lift you clean out of the water and push you for up to 25 meters at astonishing speeds.

At the Riviera Maya, you can have a real adventure with dolphins at Xcaret or Xel-Ha, two of the many dolphin sanctuaries, and acquire through their behavior consciousness about their environment.

Both dolphin areas are wide, with a lively and natural underwater world with lots of incredible species sharing the beauty.

On Isla Mujeres, Dolphin Discovery provides you with the opportunity to swim with the dolphins preceded by a half-hour educational introduction.

In Cancún, the Parque Nizuc marine park also offers the participants a chance to swim with dolphins and view them in their dolphin aquarium. The park has numerous pools, waterslides, and rides.

There is an interactive aquarium at La Isla Shopping Center, Bulevar Kukulkán, with dolphin swims and the chance to feed a shark.

These dolphinariums are designed to reproduce natural conditions, providing visitors with an opportunity to experience the dolphins in an ocean-like habitat.

Several different programs are offered at these aquariums that allow different levels of interactivity with the dolphins.

The warm and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean make the perfect setting for making your dream of swim with dolphin come true.

During the dolphin swim program at Xcaret, a group of dolphins will swim freely with you long enough to allow time for play.

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About the Author
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Dolphin Swim Info provides detailed information about swimming with dolphins, including profiles of the best places to swim with dolphins: Florida, Hawaii, Cancun, California, Malta, Key Largo, and the Bahamas. Dolphin Swim Info is affiliated with Original Content.