South Africa Lets British Tourists Learn the Terrific Tigers and Lions by Night Safari

The terrific location of Africa known as South Luangwa has been called the leading place to safari in Africa. The location has been made famous in many years by the countries amazing wildlife experts. Couples will probably be able to observe big groups of tigers as well as incredible birds. Visit bush camps in Zambia with Kaingo and see what Southern Africa has to offer.

The wildlife park is well known for its good driving safaris and is popular with all UK people. The changing weather makes the park irrestible with a desert season all over winter and a green pleasant jungle feel over summer. During the changes in season the exotic animals might well change giving tourists a different aspect.

Find out the beauty of South Africa with a safari holiday and be at one with the gorgeous nature. The incredible rivers and wildlife may make UK travellers feel alive with energy. Couples will be able to take lots of photographs and take back the very greatest memories.

Southern Africa comes with a myriad of animals in its regions and tourists might easily pick up the perfect photograph of a lion. If you are not used to a walking safari you will often go on a driving safari and see large amounts of the country all within a short amount of time. When you have done your driving safari by day you will probably then go back to your resort to chill out. Many apartments are five star and fantastic.

Gain knowledge about the Traditional Royal Family

Public Post and Image

Associates of the Royal Family take on several civic engagements year on year, across England as officially recorded in the Court Circular, to credit, promote and discover the achievements or activities of people establishments and businesses in an array of sections of life. As representatives of the Queen, they continually join the community in remembering past occasions, festivals, celebratory & heartbreaking occurrences, & by and large also supports or joins in hundreds of charitable, artistic & social activities.

Their excursions overseas on behalf of the U.K. (called State Appointments when the sovereign publicly meets with other government officials) draws public attention to amicable relations within & between the Commonwealth & other nations, to British merchandise & trade, and to Britain as a historical, vacation, and holiday destination. Their present functions & traditional functions makes up the height of a recent “royal court,” & supply a particularly British and historical pageantry to official services (Like that of the Trooping the Colour) and outlook to public occasions (For example, Summer Parties, Royal Ascot). If you are travelling to England then why not find out more about the Royal Family at enjoyEngland.com today.

All through their lives they get massive public coverage in the way of picture, printed & broadcasted commentary on their daily activities, family relationships, rites of passage, traits, costumes, behaviour, & public functions.

Royal Payment

Finances that help out the Queen in the function of her jobs as the chief of state of the United Kingdom comes from the Civil List. This is a return of a minute section of the proceedings from the Crown Lands that are supplied by the monarch to parliament at the induction of each reign; all Crown Land being administered by The Crown Estates, an organisation responsible to parliament. In the 2003-04 monetary year, the total given was one-hundred and seventy-six million pounds, where the Queen’s expenditure totalled ?36 million. The Queen’s overheads does not however include the cost of bodyguards.

Read Our Practical Guide to the Capital’s Hotels

London at the moment is definitely one of the greatest destinations to visit in the entire world. What travellers desire in a hotel is without doubt going to be significantly different from what a common London resident would certainly search for. These days there are numerous distinct sorts of hotel accommodation around. As a result you should consider a good deal about what you are wanting for in your London hotel. This is a very individual opinion & with the choices available to you today it can without doubt be a hard judgement to make.

Modern, traditional, funky, are you wanting to be pampered, have afternoon tea somewhere superb or just have a couple nights to chill out in lavish accommodation.

A number of the more customary hotels are the oldest and grandest in the Capital and has to be noted that they are as a whole occupied with a certain type of customer, you’re not truly going to go here if you’re with your children or relatives. The Ritz, Savoy and Claridges are just several of these all of which have been functioning as long as the Victorian era. They have all been overhauled since then nevertheless still grasp loads of their renowned qualities and features. There are not many hotels in the world currently that presents this particular sort of luxury, hundreds of people come together from all over the earth to visit these hotels and the personnel make certain that the holidaymakers experience is utterly worth it.

With London of late being a chic place to visit it makes sense that they have stylish hotels to go together. Boutique hotels are becoming increasingly popular & present a unique sort of hotel accommodation than you would get from your more customary accommodation would offer. If you’re looking for some of the greatest then head to areas like Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Soho & you are expected to find precisely what you are looking for. The Soho Hotel and St Martin Lane Hotel are one of the two of the most excellent hotels in the Capital. If you are looking for essential information on London’s Hotels then visit www.timeout.com/london/hotels.

Tallinn, Estonia - A Great Place To Visit For Business Or Vacation!

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is well known for her fully preserved medieval Old Town and a pulsating nightlife. Recently many stylish places for eating and drinking have sprung up in Tallinn, many of them offering decent quality food, and it is not hard to find a place for dancing. Those who travel out of the city will get acquainted with our beautiful countryside (for instance, Estonia is known as the land of 1000 islands), the long seashore, the picturesque Baltic German manor houses etc.
And there are not many cities whose face is designed by the 21st century rather than the 18th or 19th.

Situation

Tallinn is situated in Northern Europe in the northeastern part of the Baltic Sea region. Its unique position between the high-tech Nordic countries and Russia, which her huge natural resources as well as an enormous market, has made the city an attractive place for investors from all over the world. Foreign investments into Estonia amounted to 189.7 billion kroons as of June 2004, making Estonia the most successful country in Eastern Europe in this respect.

Distances from some European cities (by plane):

• Helsinki 82km
• Riga 280km

• St Petersburg 315km

• Stockholm 380km

• Copenhagen and Moscow 860km

• Berlin 1030km.

Tallinn Top Culture Events

The top summer event in Tallinn is the Old Town Days in the first week of June; in December the Black Nights Film Festival brings the best of the year’s European films to Tallinn, and there are a lot of other annual cultural events like Jazzkaar, Orient, NYYD, and more.

Economic Life

About half of the GDP of Estonia is produced in Tallinn (and its Suburbs) and more than half of the foreign-owned companies reside here. The economy is boosted by close relations with Finland and Sweden and a liberal economy that is favorable to foreign investments. Rapid development of the communications infrastructure has created a situation where mobile technologies and the Internet are used more widely than in some larger and wealthier EU countries (e.g. Internet banking is used by more than 10% of the population, active users of the Internet are more than 50% of the whole population, every second Estonian has a mobile phone etc,
e-government and e-tax system are working etc). The projected economic growth for this year is 5.9% The GNP per capita Estonia in 2004 was 40% of the EU average (39% in Lithuania, 34% in Latvia).

Inhabitants

Tallinn has about 400,000 inhabitants, half of whom are Estonians 40% Russians and 10% other nationalities. You probably didn’t know that there are over 120 nationalities living in Estonia. The major ethnic groups are Russians, Byelorussians, Ukrainians, Finns, Tatars, Latvians, Poles, Jews, Lithuanians, Germans and Armenians. Basically every third inhabitant of Estonia speaks some other language.

Short History

• 10th century: ancient Estonians have already established the central trading point on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.

• 1219: Northern Estonia is conquered by the Danes. led by King Waldemar 2nd, who later establishes a stone castle at Toompea -multinational town grows around it.

• 1248: Tallinn acquires town rights.

• 1219-1346: the Danish period. A network of streets is formed inside the town wall, with a guild house, churches and convents, warehouses and defense buildings.

• 1347-1561: the Livonian Order acts as the sovereign; the building of the Old Town with its principal stone buildings is completed.

• 1561-1710: the Swedish period Tallinn’s trading success has faded because of long lasting wars.

• 1710: Tallinn capitulates to the Russian Army (Great Northern War).

• 1857: An important evolution in the town’s development was caused by the loss of stronghold status and the building of a railway connection to St Petersburg. Rapid industrial development begins, resulting in the swift growth of the town.

• February 24. 1918: the Estonian Salvation Committee declares the independent democratic Republic of Estonia. The new government immediately has to organize a defense against the attacking Russian bolshevist troops and the Estonian War of Independence begins. It ends in 1920.

• 1920: Tallinn becomes the capital of the independent Republic of Estonia.

• June, 1940: Soviet troops occupy Estonia, abolishing its independence and establishing Soviet order.

• 1st August 20, 1991: the Supreme Soviet of Estonia declares re-establishment of the independence of Estonia based on legal continuity.

• August 29. 1994: the last troops of Russian army are withdrawn from Estonia. The Second World War has come to an end for Estonia.

• May 1. 2004: Estonia joins the European Union.

Tallinn is a hospitable city, we welcome you to stay in one of our Tallinn apartments in the city center where modern interiors and security blend with old town charm. Emjoy the best of Tallinn for less than the cost of an hotel!

EXPERIENCE GORILLA SAFARI IN UGANDA

Uganda a land endowed with misty forests, snow-capped mountain ranges, lake and Rivers, hills, wildlife and beautiful landscapes. The country has beautiful sceneries and dense tropical rainforests-some of the few in Africa, which are a home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. I had an experience that proves that Uganda is truly ” Gifted by nature”.

Arrival in Uganda

We arrived in Uganda and had a short stay in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. It was so beautiful hanging out, relaxing and enjoying the experience in Africa with warmly welcoming people, beautiful people and service.

Journey to the heart of South-West

After our night in Kampala, we set out early morning to southwestern Uganda with Churchill safari guides, anxious for experience in “the pearl of Africa.” The journey took us 6 hours drive, passing charming attractions en route like the royal drum makers, the Equator, and we stopped at the roadside market to enjoy Lunch, fruit and vegetables en route. The journey from Kabale to Buhoma took us 3-4 hours with a 4WD, since the terrain is hilly and roads are bumpy. The driving time was approximately 9 hours and we arrived late afternoon and spent the night at Bwindi Tented Camp.

Gorilla tracking safari at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is magnificent Rain Forest, lying across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley. The forest is a home to 326 gorillas, roughly half of the World’s Mountain Gorillas. The altitude of the forest is above 5200 feet which means trackers need to be physically fit for tracking. Since the demand of Gorilla tracking is systematically growing, we had to book for gorilla permits in advance as well as organise our trip with the help of Churchill safaris and Travel.

Gorilla tracking experience started early morning with the guides waking us up, and preparing us for the all day adventure into the mountains. We then took a long walk at 8:30 am local time early in the morning through the forest in search of gorillas. Accompanied by a guide and porters, we were fitted out in jungle boots and rain jackets because the park is often wet. The terrain can be difficult, with steep slopes covered in dense vegetation that gives the park its name. The time taken to track the gorillas varies from as little as half an hour to as much as 8 hours, and it may occasionally last the whole day! The Tracking was quite rigorous, and rain gears, sunscreens, insect repellants and a hat given the fact that the weather is un-predictable was part of the experience.

The walk through the dense forest with our guides took us to the spot where the Gorillas were last seen, and we started following their trail through the dense forests of Bwindi. Finally we had the most exiting experience when we had an encounter with the Gorillas. Looking at the gentle giants is surely the most exciting encounter Uganda has to offer. We were limited to one hour with the gorillas with rules of course. We were also allowed to take a few pictures of the Gorillas, an opportunity no one could miss. Parting from the Gorillas is not easy. Leaving the spectacular view was such a difficult task.

The day ended with a walk back after a long day, with scenes of other attractions like mammals including diurnal primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, buffalo and elephants, bird species endemic to the Albertine Rift and butterflies. The forest has a dense under storey of fern, shrubs, vines, and About different tree species have been recorded here, 10 of which occur no where else in Uganda. The day was full of experience and adventure.

Gorilla tracking remains the most popular activity in Uganda safaris, though its dependant on the seasonal movements of the habituated gorilla groups. The experience was worth every drop of sweat and money paid, very enjoyable and exciting. An experience hard to forget.

For more information on Gorilla Safaris, contact Churchill Uganda Safari Company ,The premier Gorilla Safari Company in Uganda.

Las Vegas Is Booming: Why It’s So Hard To Find A Good Deal On A Hotel Room!

With 130,000 available hotel rooms (148,978 if you throw in Nye County and Laughlin) you might think there would be a “Deals” to be found. You would most likely be wrong! Finding a “deal” in a city whose Major Resort properties run near capacity is becoming increasingly difficult. Why? Because the top resort properties are controlled by a select group of companies that have no incentive to discount.

Vegas’ Law of Supply and Demand

Consider for a moment the simple law of “Supply and Demand”. When the supply is high and the demand is low the prices drop. Vegas is a boomtown, the demand is high and the supply is low. How could that be with 130,000 rooms? The answer is simple: 30 million annual visitors and growing! In fact the growth rate is so phenomenal that Mega Resorts like Mandalay Bay (43 story $375 million Spa Tower featuring 1,120 Suites completed in December 2004) and The Venetian (currently expanding) and the recently completed $2.4 Billion Wynn Las Vegas (Opened April 2005) are adding thousands of rooms to the “Heart of the Strip”. So phenomenal is the growth that even out of State Financiers like Donald Trump are getting in on the action. The Demand for Rooms is exceeding the supply so the prices are rising!

According to an interview published July 30, 2004 in USA Today Trump’s plans include a 64-story hotel-condominium tower to be built on a portion of the Frontier Hotel property across from the Wynn Las Vegas Resort and next to the Fashion Show Mall.

Scheduled to begin construction sometime in 2005 the $300 million project will feature 1,000 hotel rooms, and 50 luxury residential units modeled after the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York. There will be no Casino on the property.

Only 10% of Las Vegas Hotels are Booked Online

In several articles I’ve researched this year published in various Business Journals and by Hotel Industry analysts the actual booking rate for Hotels offering online services to their visitors is approximately 10% Nationwide. This I believe to be an accurate representation of Las Vegas as well. (Our company runs several websites offering Hotel Booking and these numbers are in line with our own).

Further Proof: “Only about 10 percent of our rooms are booked at Hyatt.COM,” said Gary Gotling, director of sales and marketing for Hyatt Regency Tampa.

This means 90% of you are using the Internet to gather information, but are not actually making your reservation Online! Traditional Travel Agents and telephone calls are still the preferred method of booking. The Internet is being used as an information gathering source, and little more. The big Players know this and use it to their advantage. Again there is no incentive to offer lower rates if your customers don’t take advantage of them. I’ll touch briefly on the issue of Room Taxation by saying that most local Governments hate the internet because rooms booked online by out of State interests are cutting into their available tax pool. Expect local Government officials to act sooner than later on this issue.

So where does your money go when you book online?

If you search Vegas.com you’ll find they are owned by Greenspun Media Group (Henderson, NV) which publishes the Las Vegas Sun Daily Newspaper, and owns Vegas Magazine, Showbiz Weekly, In Business, Las Vegas Weekly, VegasGolfer, Las Vegas Life, and The Ralston Report. Greenspun Media is part of the Greenspun Corporation, which also owns local Channel 25 UPN. Greenspun is a partner in Las Vegas ONE, an all-news cable channel. American Nevada, the real estate division of The Greenspun Corporation, is among the most recognized commercial and residential developers in the Las Vegas valley. Their annual advertising budget exceeds 7 figures! Somebody has to pay the price for all that advertising.

You might try the popular website LasVegas.com which has an interesting and storied history. The site Domain was licensed in 2002 from the Stephens Media Group of Littlerock Arkansas (Las Vegas Review Journal, Hawaii.com) to the Mandalay Resort Group and Parkplace Entertainment. Follow along now - 2004 Park Place became Caesars Entertainment, which in turn was purchased by Harrah’s Entertainment. This deal came just one month after MGM/Mirage agreed to purchase the Mandalay Resort Group. Need a room on the strip? Hmmm - I think the pricing is going to be pretty consistent! And to think that you could have owned LasVegas.com as late as 1997!

IAC (InterActiveCorp) run by Mega Financier Barry Diller operates these online Travel Booking Agencies

Expedia.com Vacations
Expedia’s Vegas Packages
Hotwire.com
TripAdvisor.com
Hotels.com
IAN.com

Note(s): Expedia is #1 in total online Travel Bookings for 3rd party internet based booking agencies. But their piece of the total “booking pie” is still very small. Mr. Diller also oversaw the recent acquisition of “Ask Jeeves” for a mere $1.85 billion. Don’t expect those room prices to drop any time soon.

Sabre Holdings Corp owns:

Travelocity - #3 in Travel Bookings

Note: Saber was the “Big Player” in the Travel Agent industry as most Travel Agent computers tied into their booking systems. Travelocity is #3 behind Expedia and Orbitz (Now owned by Cedant Corp.)

Cedant Crop is the worlds top Hotel Franchiser with over 6,400 locations and owns or franchises:

Orbitz - #2 in Travel Visitors
Lodging.com
HotelClub.com
Ratestogo.com

FYI - Cadant also owns Avis & Budget Rent A Car, Fairfield Resorts (timeshare resorts), Cheap Tickets.com, and Century 21 and Coldwell Banker Real Estate Franchises.

So where does this leave you? I’d suggest you take a quick read of the tips below.

Quick Tips for Vegas Visitors on a Budget?

You’re probably thinking I’ll suggest visiting in the “off season”. Don’t do it! August temperatures often exceed 110 degrees - and that’s the air temperature not the heat radiating off of the concrete and asphalt. No I’m going to suggest you do something much simpler - stay off the strip! Car rentals are cheap when you compare them to the exorbitant prices of the top “On Strip” Mega Resorts. Try a Hotel in Henderson or Summerlin. I’d suggest smaller resorts like The SunCoast or The Orleans.

Get a rental car and park behind the Excalibur, New York New York, or in the Fashion Show Mall (It’s covered and very secure). Click on Internet Ads and see what is available. While 90% of the rooms are booked at capacity the Hotels that are not booked fully actually do advertise! Click those ads! I once stayed at the Fiesta Henderson for $29.95 a night for 3 nights in a row, and I had a suite with 2 queen rooms! I found this deal on an Internet Ad! In fact when I called the Hotel to try and get an even better deal they told me I had to book online! Try corporate housing as it’s usually full during the weekdays but available on the Weekends when the business Travelers return home. Visit the websites of Hotels you may want to stay at and sign up for their email promos so you get offers sent directly to you before your trip (Use a free address like Hotmail for this purpose). Ask at the desk when you sign in for any additional perks or offers available to guests. It’s kind of like asking for the window seat on the airplane, if you don’t ask for it you won’t get it. And my final tip is Form before Fashion - bring your most comfortable walking shoes and stock up on bottled water at the local grocer before you check in. Enjoy!

Avagant, Inc. is a web marketing company with particular interest in the Travel Industry. We’ve been producing visitor friendly websites since 1996. Interested readers may learn more about Las Vegas or Henderson Nevada through our sites: http://www.ablasvegas.com (Avagant’s Las Vegas Guide) or http://www.las-vegas-coupon.com (Advice on Coupons, Deals, and Promotions), http://www.nevadahenderson.com (Henderson Nevada Services and Relocation Guide).

Tips for Women on a Round the World Trip

If you’re planning on setting off around the world, it’s worth preparing a few things in advance. There are always a few more risks when you’re in a new country - true for men as well as women. So, the better prepared you are, the more you can relax and enjoy yourself.

Here are 10 tips to set you on your way.

Travelling alone: You don’t often have to travel on your own if you don’t want to. You might be able to join a tour - a group with an experienced guide and 10 to 20 other like-minded people. Another plus is that you can budget cash more easily this way.

Fighting jetlag: One of the very best ways to combat jetlag on long flights is to drink lots of water whilst on the plane. If you arrive before 1pm local time, have a short sleep for no longer than three hours. Later than 1pm and you should try and stay awake as long as you can - try and hold out until 7pm.

Your handbag: The ideal bag for travelling has inner compartments that can be zipped closed. Use a bag with a long strap so you can wear it across your body. The thicker the strap, the better. Thieves sometimes cut a strap to get away with a bag.

Your valuables: Try to keep your valuables in a lightweight money purse under your clothes. In the unlikely event you’re confronted, you can give up your purse with less of a problem. It’s also worth taking a photocopy of your passport, itinerary, travel insurance, credit cards and other important documents. Keep them in a safe place - a different place to the originals, of course.

Culture and customs: It’s really useful to get an idea of local culture and customs. Respecting the way the locals do things will help you avoid uncomfortable scenarios.

Using the phone: If you don’t have a mobile that works in the countries you’re travelling to, carry a pre-paid international calling card. It’s advisable to ring home regularly too. We promise, your mum didn’t slip us a bribe.

Emergency numbers: Write the contact details of a few family members or friends. It’s amazing how you can forget numbers in times of stress. So, although you might think it’s over the top to write them down, it might be worth your while.

Pills and The Pill: You may not be able to get the same medication in the country you’re travelling to, so make sure you take enough supplies to last you. Remember your contraceptive pill, if you take one. And also take precautions against sexually-transmitted diseases - take condoms along.

HIV risk: It’s a good idea to avoid ear-piercing, tattooing, acupuncture and dental work whilst travelling, as there can be HIV risks in each of these cases.

Water: Try not to become dehydrated. Drink bottled water regularly - checking the seal on the bottle is intact. Becoming dehydrated can result in urinary tract infections, which can be very painful.

Haydn Wrath is the owner of round the world flight tickets and adventure travel specialists Travel Nation. Travel Nation have the expertise and experience to tailor the perfect travel experience.

For more information visit Travel Nation.

Costa Rica Travel Packages

Located in southern Central America, Costa Rica is surrounded by three different bodies of water including the Panama Canal on the southeast, the Pacific Ocean on the southwest and west and the Caribbean Ocean on the east. Because of Costa Rica’s close proximity to several bodies of water, the country is an ideal stopping point for various cruise ships carrying throngs of adventurous vacationers. Depending on the area of Costa Rica you are in, the climate can differ dramatically. There are cool wet mountain ranges, rain forests, dry tropical forests, cloud forests, the very dry Pacific coast and the damp Caribbean coast. Because of Costa Rica’s diverse climate, the country is home to 850 species of birds, 205 species of mammals, 9,000 species of flowering plants, 1,200 species of orchids and 376 species of reptiles and amphibians. For a country that only measures 51,060 square kilometers, this is a wide variety of natural wildlife. Costa Rica strives to maintain the land’s natural beauty and wildlife by designating one sixth of the country to national parks and wildlife refuges. Costa Rica is also home to several active volcanoes. Arenal erupts daily every fifteen minutes or so. The locals welcome foreigners with open arms making Costa Rica one of the most desirable vacation and retirement spots in the world. It is for these and other reasons that a Costa Rica vacation cruise should be booked today. The memories will last a lifetime.

An Abundance of Outdoor Recreation: Costa Rica is big on water related activities. Wave riders travel from all over the world to test out their expertise in Costa Rica’s waters. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts offer up some notorious surfing. On the Atlantic Coast, Puerto Viejo’s Salsa Brava gets some great breaks during the winter months although this area is often crowded. On the Pacific side, Playa Hermosa is the most consistent place to catch some waves. If these areas are flat, no need to worry, snorkeling and kayaking are always an option. Wind surfers have nothing but praise for Lake Arenal. It is considered one of the world’s best wind surfing spots and on good days you can cruise over 25 miles across the lake. There might not be anything more romantic when you’re on vacation with the one you love than enjoying a horseback ride. Whether its on the beach or through a National Park, the experience is sure to be memorable. Other popular outdoor activities to be enjoyed while in Costa Rica include hiking, mountain biking, deep sea fishing, bungee jumping, sailing, bird watching and ballooning. More adventurous activities include repelling down through the center of waterfalls, canopy tours through the tropical trees and white water rafting.

A Mecca for Nature Lovers: Nature lovers should take advantage of Costa Rica’s numerous National Parks and refuges. Crocovado is both a rain forest and black sand beach. The Tabacon Hot Springs is nature’s equivalent to the Jacuzzi. Unwind near cascading waterfalls in the various pools and hot springs. A trip to the Monteverde Cloud Forest will almost guarantee a sighting of Costa Rica’s most famous bird, the Quetzal. The Rain Forest Aerial Tram is located out of San Jose, the country’s capital, and offers a guided canopy tour of the rain forest. Manuel Antonio Park is teeming with monkeys and other wildlife. The Tortuguera is Costa Rica’s most famous protected nesting area. If you are not a fan of outdoor activities, don’t worry, there is plenty else to do and see. The National Museum traces Costa Rica’s colorful history and culture. The museum was founded in 1887 and is located in San Jose. Patrons of the arts should try and catch one of the numerous performance put on at the National Theater. The National Theater offers classical music and opera performances in addition to others. Sarchi is located outside of San Jose and is a great place to visit and admire the country’s handicraft.

Visit www.mytraveltocostarica.com to receive a FREE Costa Rica vacation package quote.

Aventuras Elegantes, AVEL, S.A. We are an american and costa rican group. Aventuras Elegantes, AVEL, S.A., started operation in 1995 as a receptive tourism agency specialized in promoting Costa Rica as a tourist destination worldwide.

www.mytraveltocostarica.com

info@mytraveltocostarica.com

The Villa Life - Jamaica

So you’ve rented a villa for your Jamaica vacation. Now what?
Well if you’ve rented a luxury, staffed villa here’s what you
might expect: Your driver will meet you at the airport in a
comfortable, air-conditioned van. On the drive to your villa, he
will indicate points of interest along the road and provide
refreshments- if it is a long drive do not hesitate to request a
stop. Upon arrival at your villa you will be greeted by your
staff; they are your caretakers for the duration of your stay
and you should feel completely at ease making reasonable
requests of them. Get to know your head-of-house as he or she
will be your primary point of contact should you have any
questions about the villa and how it operates. Your cook will
handle grocery shopping and meal preparation. She will
prepurchase your first few meals plus pantry staples, then
finish the week’s shopping after meeting with you. A typical
grocery budget is US$210 per adult per week (more in some
villas) … less for children. This may vary up or down
depending on market prices and menus. If you wish to go to the
various markets with your cook, feel free to do so. Otherwise,
simply review with her your likes and dislikes and she will
handle everything while you stay at the villa and relax. At some
of the villa colonies, like Tryall, it is possible for your cook
to charge groceries to your account, which you then settle at
the end of your stay. At most of the independent villas, unless
you’ve arranged for a mealplan, your cook will request money for
shopping; she’ll bring you receipts and change. The day starts
while guests are still asleep. The cook quietly places pots of
steaming Jamaican coffee and platters of fresh fruit outside
your bedroom door or at the breakfast table. Full breakfast is
served when all guests are ready. A typical breakfast may
include fresh orange juice and several fruits, banana fritters
or plantain, eggs, bacon, pancakes or cereal. Light lunches are
usual in Jamaica, then for dinner your cook will prepare her own
mix of Jamaican specialties … including delicious homemade
soups and desserts, ackee and saltfish, jerk pork or chicken,
shrimp or curried goat. Lobster, too, when in season … she can
of course also serve traditional American fare as you request.
Warning: Jamaican cooks are excellent and portions are big. Your
chambermaid and laundress will care for every detail of your
bedroom and bath … providing a daily supply of fresh linens
and flowers and returning your neatly-folded laundry each
afternoon before turning down your bed each evening. The
gardener will maintain the pool and grounds immaculately each
day. Larger villas are staffed by a butler who serves, tends bar
and generally facilitates. Available on request are a masseuse,
children’s nanny and chauffeur. At the conclusion of your stay
it is customary to tip for good service. Villa staffs, like most
jobs in the service industry, rely on tips as part of their
overall compensation. Recommended gratuities tend to be around
10% of the villa rental in High Season ~ 15% of the villa rental
in Low Season (some villas have more specific guidelines). These
percentages apply to the entire staff, not to each individual
staff member. In each villa, you will find a gratuity guide
advising you how tips should be distributed among your staff
members based on their seniority- in some cases you can pay the
entire amount to the head of house or directly to the property
manager for distribution. Once you have experienced the villa
lifestyle, it is only natural to be intrigued by the prospect of
owning one of these extraordinary properties. Whether it is an
existing villa or a home site on which to build the vacation
house of your dreams Jamaica’s experienced real estate agents
will help you find it.

What are the advantages to staying in a villa over a hotel? The
only true privacy you get in a hotel is in your bedroom or
suite. In a villa everything belongs to you ~ the pool, the sun
beds, the terrace, the music, the TV ~ it is your home every
minute of the day. You will only see the people you wish to see.
Even your staff will become “invisible” if that is what you
want, appearing only at those times you ask them to serve you.
In a villa you decide everything from what you eat to the time
you eat it. And yet, despite having all these major advantages,
a villa vacation compares very favorably on price with a hotel.
Certain villas include temporary memberships in private clubs
such as Tryall, Round Hill and Wyndham Rose Hall that offer a
host of activities including golf, tennis and watersports. Those
actually located within a villa colony offer the best-of-both
worlds, with the complete privacy of a villa vacation and all
the amenities and social opportunities of a fine resort.

**for more information visit www.jam-boree.com,
Jamaica’s visitor website, the complete source for travel and
tourism information featuring hand-picked deals on vacation
packages, hotels, villas, flights and car rentals**

Golf in Orlando: Playing Links-Style at the Royal St. Cloud - Unpretentious Golf at its Best

For a real links-style golf experience we discovered the Royal
St. Cloud Golf Links, located in St. Cloud, about 25 minutes
southeast of the Orlando airport or the Disney area. The Royal
St. Cloud Links greet you with a rolling layout of links-style
fairways, punctuated by classic links bunkers that feature names
such as Hell, Spectacles, Devil’s Pocket and Hoofprint. True to
its link heritage, every club in the bag will be utilized as the
terrain is naturally varied.

Unlike other Orlando golf courses, the Royal St. Cloud is free
of any residential developments and offers a pure golf
experience. The design features four sets of tees and from the
blue tee offers a championship length of 7,111 yards and a 74.6
rating, all on flawless fairways and silky-smooth Tifeagle
greens.

Its motto, as printed above the entrance to the club house is
“Original Golf Played Here”, and indeed the Royal St. Cloud
features original style golf at its unpretentious best. I had a
chance to talk to Bill Filson, the Director of Golf and since
2002 co-owner of this facility.

Bill has an extensive teaching background. He has personally
studied under some of the top-ranked teaching professionals and
brings 12 years of teaching experience that featured beginners
to PGA tour professionals. Bill has consistently been a
top-ranked PGA Professional. The Royal St. Cloud’s teaching
staff is complemented by Dave Rummels who brings 17 years of
valuable PGA Tour experience with him and can share advice from
the “Tour” with the students. Associate Professional, Doug
Holloway, has 16 years coaching experience.

At the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links the commitment to teaching the
game of golf commitment includes state-of-the art video
equipment and even a teaching tent for inclement weather.
Lessons, programs, and clinics are offered for every skill level
and requirement. Bill explained that they run very reasonably
priced children’s clinics at $7.00 per clinic and the club has
120 members in their junior program. Ladies can also learn the
sport without embarrassment in a relaxed, comfortable
environment. And with every family membership at the club kids
play for free.

Bill prides himself on offering one of the greatest values in
golf in the Orlando area. For the 2005-2006 season rates vary
from $46 to $48 from November 1 to January 10, and $64 from
January 11 to April 30, 2006. Discounted tee time rates are
available after 11 am or 12 pm respectively, 7 days/week. Bill
went on to say that the fees at the Royal St. Cloud are always
reasonable, and that he aims not to oversell his course, but to
exceed the visitors’ expectations.

In addition, he offers a very unique proposition: a 100%
money-back guarantee with no conditions if you didn’t enjoy your
playing experience at the Royal St. Clouds. He said in the
almost three years since he has run this course only 2 people
ever asked for a refund; a phenomenal achievement, considering
that several tens of thousands of rounds are played here every
year.

One of the very unique features of this course is the
handcrafted stonework which is evident in four bridges found
throughout the course that have been hand-built by one
individual brick by brick. Bill said that some of the bridges
are even a little bit crooked, just to give them more character.
The most famous stone bridge can be found on the 5th hole and
many of the British visitors to this golf course come here
specifically for this unique feature.

Bill explained that his golf course serves a value-based market
that is composed of local residents, snowbirds escaping the cold
northern winters, and British golfers, a very loyal crowd who
refer this facility to many of their friends back home.

The Royal St. Cloud Golf Links have been rated as one of the Top
5 Most Underrated Golf Courses in the Orlando area and they have
hosted the 2004 and 2005 British Junior Amateur. With its
wide-open fairways the course looks deceptively simple, however,
I experienced very quickly the unique challenges offered by the
Royal St. Cloud. Traditional links golf is played on the ground,
unfortunately I still managed to find water several times,
despite the generously open fairways.

Wood stork at the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links

The other feature I really enjoyed were a number of the ponds on
the back nine of the course that were playing host to a variety
of local wildlife and water birds. I particularly enjoyed
watching a very rare specimen of wood stork stalking the edges
of a pond for food, and a crane standing upright with stretched
out wings. The course had a very relaxed, casual and friendly
feel to it and we enjoyed a tasty hot dog after our game on the
beautiful patio outside the clubhouse as a way to cap off a very
enjoyable golf experience on a gorgeous day.

A crane stretches its wings

Driving Directions from the Disney Area: Royal St. Cloud Golf
Links is an easy 25 miles from the Disney area. (25-35 minute
approximate drive time) * Take Osceola Parkway to the Florida
Turnpike * Take Exit 244 to Hwy 192, turn left. * Go 4.6 miles
to Vermont Ave, turn right. * Take Vermont 2.1 miles to Creek
Woods Road, take a left. * Go only .7 miles to Michigan Ave,
take a right directly into the Golf Club.

Statistics Par 72 Yards Rating Slope Blue 7111 74.6 128 Gold
6680 72.2 125 Green 6083 69.2 115 Citrus 5531 66.6 111

For more information please visit Royal St. Cloud Golf Links
website or call them at (407) 891-7010.