Buying the Perfect Boat
July 1, 2008
Why is it, that when you are looking to buy a boat, you can never find one that suits your needs? This is what happens to many people every year and in particular to ourselves. It’s just like buying a house. When you are selling, it is a buyer’s market and when you are buying it is a seller’s market! This year my husband and I decided that it was time to buy our first boat.
Now we have been boating with our friends on their Bayliner for many years. They pay for the boat expenses and we bring the food and drink in exchange. Not a bad deal we figured, until we got the boat bug ourselves. Now we want to own our own boat. After six years of boating and as many seasons of boat shows, we decided to take a boating course. So a couple of winters ago, we signed up for a rather lengthy boating course of 16 weeks. We decided that firstly we wanted to be safe boaters and secondly we wanted to protect our very expensive boat investment when the time came.
The Nile Cruise
June 25, 2008
Egypt is where history first emerged. It is here that we have the first pictographic record of events and persons. Hieroglyphics, the system of writing used by ancient Egyptians can be traced back to about 3200 BC. At about 3180 BC, the nations of Upper and Lower Egypt were brought under the rule of a single king titled Pharaoh. The first Pharaoh is thought to have been Menes, who set his capital at Memphis, 22 km south of Giza in today’s Cairo. The Pharaohs established the systems that brought forth the highly successful Egyptian civilization.
The history of Ancient Egypt lasted for about 3,000 years. Ancient Egypt declined, was overrun and thereafter ruled by foreign powers. The Greeks and Romans who ruled after the decline were aware of the great similarity between their own gods and those of the Egyptians. They not only tolerated Egyptian religion, but also expanded existing temples and dedicated new ones to existing cults. Some of the new overlords, Alexander the Great for example, styled themselves as divine priest-kings in imitation of the Pharaohs.
Find Many Cruise Deals That Suit Your Personal Style And Needs!
June 18, 2008
Finding Cruise Deals are half the battle when considering a cruise vacation! In order to maximize the value of your cruise, it’s a good idea to do some research and find out what type of cruise ship is right for your personal needs, and the Internet is a great place to start!
Some questions you want to write down are: What appeals to you most in your vacation? What are your likes and dislikes? Are you very active, or do you like to sit on the beach all day and soak up the sun, while sipping on a refreshing cocktail? Are you adventurous? Do you love to shop till you drop? Do you prefer the ship experience, or do you prefer to visit a port a day to take in the endless variety of culture? There are so many other factors you can write down to determine what type of cruising experience is right for you, so grab your paper and pencil and start writing away.
Diving Philippines is Impressive, Varied, and Spectacular
June 12, 2008
Scuba diving Philippines does not get any diverse, anywhere in the world! No matter what level of diver you are, diving Philippines has something to offer you. In fact I can just about guarantee that the scuba diving you do in the Philippines will blow your mind and make you think twice about diving when you get home. You will literally be spoilt when diving in the Philippines.
Water Temperature.
The water temperature diving in the Philippines, is similar to diving in your warm bath at home! It is absolutely divine. A balmy 22 C to 25 C during the cooler months of December to March and 25 C to 28 C during the warmer months of April to November. Water temperatures like these, gives you the opportunity of diving in the comfort of lycra skin suits or 3mm wetsuits. When you are use to diving in 5mm and 7mm steamers or even dry suits, this type of diving is pure heaven.
Why Dive the Philippines?
Philippines Surfing if You Want to Miss the Crowds
June 5, 2008
Philippines surfing is not quite a destination that would conjure up images of brilliant surfing breaks. Truth be told surfing in the Philippines can be fickle, but if you are after an adventure, are willing to go off the beaten track and are not afraid to try something different, then surfing in the Philippines will not disappoint you.
With 7,107 islands, the roaring Pacific Ocean bordering the eastern coastline and the South China Sea on the western coastline and attracting more typhoons than most neighboring countries, Philippines surfing is alive and well. In fact the Philippines are not a new surfing destination, with surfers enjoying the waves here since at least the sixties, maybe even earlier. Let’s face it who wouldn’t want a perfect left or right hander all to yourself!
Philippines surfing can be both temperamental and seasonal, it is important to know when the best time to come is or you may be disappointed, nothing worse that a surfer without surf.
Wanted! Adventurous Guests Looking For a New Experience on a Royal Caribbean Cruise
May 30, 2008
Wanted! Adventurous guests looking for a new experience on a Royal Caribbean Cruise! Royal Caribbean Cruise line is known to be a leading, innovative cruise vacation company that offers new experiences, a wide array of choices, and great vacation value for active singles, couples and entire families looking for exciting adventures.
The activities onboard their ships are endless, and you can spend all day rock climbing or ice-skating if you desire. As you spend your days on deck soaking up the sun or swimming in the pools, you will notice it could not be more casual, and you will fit right in wearing your comfortable sports clothes and resort wear.
As you decide whether to sail the Western, Eastern, or Southern Caribbean, the experience will be equally refreshing and unique. The western islands offer tropical paradise settings, with spectacular waterfalls, rich culture, complex histories, archaic ruins, rain forests, and beaches.
The Eastern Caribbean offers relaxing white-sand beaches, and gorgeous turquoise waters. If your looking for a Caribbean adventure, you will find yourself parasailing high above, where you can easily view stunning mountains and unspoiled beaches as far as the eyes can see. For the nature lovers, you can spend the day having hours of fun at the Dolphin Encounter.
Family Reunion Cruises - Something Everyone Can Live With
May 23, 2008
The mere thought of getting together for a family reunion can strike terror into even the most stalwart of human beings. Don’t get me wrong. We love our families — but usually we prefer to do that loving from afar — often several states afar! Even so, there is something inexplicably appealing about getting together with our relatives every once in a while for a reunion.
When that urge strikes (and believe me, it will strike), you’ve got to be prepared with a plan of action. If you mention the idea of a “family reunion” to your family members without a plan, you’ll most likely end up with mayhem on your hands. The next thing you know you’ll have relatives camping out on every square inch of your floor, piling your sink sky high with dirty dishes, and making executive decisions with your remote control. In addition, you’ll become far too acquainted with the health problems and bodily functions of some of your senior relatives (Who knew that toenail fungus was so prevalent?).
So, what’s the plan of action? You’ve got to head off those pesky relatives at the pass and make sure they never plan that family reunion at your house. What’s the alternative? You’ve got to plan your family reunion on a cruise ship!
See Alaska as Never Before: Alaska Inside Passage Cruises
May 17, 2008
Between the Alaskan mainland and its islands, lies an intriguing waterway best known as the inside passage. Abundant in wildlife and breathtaking beauty, the inside passage affords visitors an experience that cannot be found anywhere in Alaska or in the world.
From the waterway of the passage, one can look upon some of the most magnificent natural scenery to be found such as coastal rainforests, deep blue fjords and tidewater glaciers. Also to be found in the passage are numerous species of wildlife including humpback whales, sea lions and seabirds. Because of the awe-inspiring beauty of the passage and since many destinations along the Alaska inside passage are only accessible by plane or boat, inside passage cruises have become one of the most popular tourist attractions of the state.
Few people have visited Alaska without experiencing once in a lifetime moments. Towering tidewater glaciers offer natural beauty that usually is only fully appreciated with an up close and personal view that only a cruise through the inland waterways can afford. From this vantage point you will stand in awe of these mighty glaciers that reach several hundred feet in height and enjoy plentiful wildlife viewing such as humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, mountain goats, brown bears and bald eagles. You will also be stricken speechless by the sheer beauty of the inside passage’s botanical gardens, spectacular waterfalls, and the Alaskan sunrise as seen from the cruise ship.
Yacht Chartering in Greece - A Few Things to Consider
May 10, 2008
When to Go
The sailing season in Greece lasts from March to early November. During the Spring months, the weather during the day varies from cool to warm and is usually cool at night. The sea temperature is not usually suitable for swimming until the middle of May and then you can swim right through to the middle of October. The months of May, June, September and October usually have warm to hot daytime temperatures and pleasant temperatures at night. There are good winds at this time, but they are often variable. In July and August there are stronger winds, particularly in the Cyclades islands. Spring and Autumn are the most popular seasons for yacht chartering in Greece because this is when the climate is most suitable and there are far fewer tourists on the mainland and on the islands, than in high Summer.
Deciding on the Type of Charter
Cunard! The Name Alone Evokes Nostalgia For A More Civilized Era
May 4, 2008
Traveling famously on a Transatlantic crossing or cruising the world on a stately Cunard has been the exemplar of the good life for 163 years. Cunard’s rich legacy of lustrous White Star Service? and realm of privileged indulgence are the gold standard by which others are measured. Few thrills compare…
Cunard has launched nearly 180 ships with enough firsts and foremost to be forever inscribed in maritime history. Canadian Samuel Cunard began his steamship company in the early 1800’s with a vision, but it is unlikely he foresaw ships with the size, speed or cultured, gracious living afforded by the magnificent Cunarders of today.
The onboard ambience attracts a loyal following of guests with similar interests and values - the opportunity to socialize with peers who share so much in common is one of the great joys of “traveling Cunard.”
Cunard Cruise Lines White Star Service can only be described as truly European in that staff attends to every desire with polite, gracious and highly responsive attention - unobtrusive but very much there. When you first come on board, if you half-close your eyes, you will sense immediately that you are on a liner from the twenties or thirties. But open them fully and you will realize at once that the décor is strikingly contemporary.
