Go On Safari At least Once In Your Life Time

African Safari Holiday Is A Lifetime Experience; Go On Safari At least Once In Your Life Time

Author: Patrick Omari

Africa is an area of outstanding natural beauty. And it is also uniquely different. For first time visitors,the difference can be shocking after leaving your cherished confort zone.

It is important to be prepared for your trip long before you set off. Long trips are hard to plan and it is impossible not to forget something important in your plans however meticulous you are. The only thing you can do is to hope that whatever you forget is not too serious. This human nature should not stop you from making sure everything has been worked out.

Here are some Travel tips and advice for the everyday Safari traveller. Take a look and add this to the often tired holiday-check-list that you might have already. Here are a few truths; Africa is mostly warm, but nights can be very cold. There are few places with seasonal sub-zero degrees especially mountain tops. Public transport is not reliable in terms of time keeping. Many of them run on unscheduled trips. Those that do are premium services, but still ridiculously cheap. Traffic rule enforcement can be lax. Drive as if you are the only sane person on the road.

It is not true that people are savages who don't value human life-just because you see those violent clashes on TV. The continent has its own share of thugs and zealots. It is not true that those poor women selling handicraft through the windows of the safari vans are vagabonds, that is the propaganda from the van drivers who are paid commission by directing you to more established safari dealers. You will be doing them a great favour to buy from them rather than buy from the rich kiosk owners strategically placed in convenient locations.

Here are a few things to remember. Always keep mobile phones and valuables like jewelry out of sight. They tend to attract the wrong kinds of people. Some street criminals snatch these items for sale. Travel light and keep your luggage close at hand at all times and in sight if possible. Make sure you have contact numbers for the people involved in your safari trip: your family, your safari hotel, your tour agent, the foreign office and the local police. On buses and trains, try sitting near other people in a busy carriage. Don't walk in alleys alone. Actually keep within the Central Business District of all major cities such as Nairobi and Kenya. Rural villages and towns are very safe because everybody is known to each other. If you lose something, the local leaders will apprehend the culprit.

Telephones are expensive and rare. It might help for you to carry your mobile phone. But I advise you to buy a local Pay As You Go phone the moment you land. It is cheaper to use the local phone than getting charged 10 times more by using your phone abroad. Once you buy, text your friends and family and tell them you have a new phone. Make sure the phone is charged at the hotel before you go and buy an extra top up voucher. In most countries, Pay As You Go are very cheap. You can get one of these cheap models for as little as 40 dollars, line and air time included. Texts from East Africa to UK cost about 20 pence per text. But it is about 80 pence if you use a UK connected phone.

There are other news sources that you can read before you depart for your destination. The starting point is to visit the Government's Foreign office to see if there is any travel advisories. Sometimes the advisories can be too general and not reflect the true picture on the ground. For example, whereas tour operators might be going about their business even when there is a political issue like the recent political fighting, the Foreign Office hoped to lift the advisory only after the whole scenario has been sorted in the street and in parliament. A shrewd traveller could have easily picked this time to travel because beds were empty at great discounts - almost free in fact.

Understandably so, the Government is slow to approve such situations because they fear backlash if something happened. There are many sites detailing the current news, current events, exchange rate, language, history, customs, types of food, art and festivals of the world's countries, at least one of which will have something for you. Besides, The Web can help you find the best deals on safari flights, accommodation or complete package safari holidays. Instead of spending time searching for a holiday, users can use the web to get the perfect holiday deal sent to them.

Most banks and travel agents now offer currency services and you can expect to pay around one or two percent of the total amount in commission. When thinking about a destination, think about whether you want hot or cold weather, something relaxed or active. Check that your credit card or travellers checks are accepted by the banks at your destination. Banks are only in major towns. There are accredited Foreign exchange Bureaus in countries such as Kenya and they do give better rates than hotels and Banks. But be careful, conmen and street money changes are many.

If you are web savvy, keep a diary or a safari blog of your holiday travels. Keep the family informed where you are. Keep a copy of the signed and valid passport, and a visa and copies of the itinerary, if required, with a family friend. Give them emergency numbers too.

Lastly, always check your overseas medical insurance coverage and ensure it is adequate. If you have money, there are world-class medical facilities available including the flying doctor. I am not proud of this but I must say that, contrary to myths, these facilities do exist although poor locals can not afford them.

Places To Go On Your Holidays In Cuba

Andrew Gibson

Cuba is full of the bounties of nature and is an attractive get away for all types of people. It has a variety of tourist attractions for people of all ages to see and explore. It has a lot of must see places such as the beautiful white sandy beaches, the exploration of the secret caves, rivers and canals.

There are no shortage of landmarks and tourist attractions for tourists to experience. Its plazas and archways are two evidential landmarks as well as several others, that make Cuba's trademark feeling of being frozen in time.

Tourists can walk the famous Malecon. It is one of the most renowned tourist attractions in the whole of Cuba. It runs along the waterfront and this pedestrian walkway also features six lanes of important roadway that serves as one of the city's main routes. This has become a popular meeting place for important social gatherings and various festivals celebrated in Cuba. According to many tourists it is also a perfect place to watch the sunset.

The La Habana Vieja, also known as the old Havana is well-known as a tourist magnet. There are several old mansions and churches that help make the Old Havana one of the top tourist attractions in Cuba. Nothing can be compared to these magnificent mansions and churches. They are the original buildings that have been very well preserved over the years and this the reason the buildings are considered to be so unique.

For those people interested in the history of Cuba, you should visit the Museo de la Revolution to learn all about the Cuban revolution. The Museo offers exhibits that pertain to the Cuban Revolution, as well as the Cuban War of Independence. Famous personalities such as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara are the main attractions of the museum. You can also see the yacht known as Granma, which Castro and his band of some 80 men used to sail from Mexico to Cuba for their coup.

Tourist can also explore the most recognized tourist attraction, the Bellamar Caves. It is located 60 miles from Havana and 25 miles from Varadero. The cave has an ornate crystal sculpture. It also has an exciting underground river and ponds. The crystal formations are magnificent because as they aren't corrupted. Anyone who visits here will witness the untamed nature of the cave. The things that are inside the cave are well preserved. This cave, as is rightfully said, is truly one of the Cuban attractions that need to be seen to be believed.

In Cayo Coco, diving enthusiasts come and go. World class scuba diving in Cayo Coco is certainly one of the more rewarding things to try in Cuba. The waters are crystal clear and plenty of species of colourful fish and all kinds of other interesting ocean creatures can be seen. Cayo Coco is open to experienced divers or to those trying it for the first time.

A Cheap Holiday Vacation To Montmarte, Paris

By Michael Peterson

If you are looking for a special holiday location, you will find Montmarte in Paris a beautiful and historic place to visit and spend time. Montmarte is a small bohemian community of artists. The area is three hundred feet above the other areas and you can have a splendid view of the Eiffel Tower. You will see the artists at work, painting, selling and just talking to all the visitors. This is a vacationer’s delight. If you want a cheap holiday vacation, this is where to go, the food and the drinks are affordable since this little community tailors itself to the visitor.

Getting up to Montmarte is a plight all in its own. People line up at the trains for a ride to the top. If you plan your trip to this area, stay in one of the many villas, hotels or B&B’s they have to offer. Once you are at the top, you will not want to come back down. The area is filled with gardens and beautiful artwork that can keep you busy for days. You might even enjoy a stay at one of the lodges near the vineyards. You can take tours of the countryside and the vineyards to see how the wines of Paris are made.

The area is well known for its nightlife and the famous Basilica of the Sacre Coeur. Another famous attraction is the Saint Pierre de Montmartre. If you plan your cheap holiday vacation to Montmarte in Paris, y
ou will hear about some of the famous artists who used the area to paint and become a household name. The names like Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet will be on your list of artists, you can see where they painted and learn a little more about the history of their beginnings.

You will find thirteen popular restaurants in Montmarte, which serve different types of cuisine. You will find over thirty hotels with affordable prices for your stay on the hilltop. Many people go to Montmarte to see the historic parts of Paris that no one ever talks about or sees. The area is a beautiful holiday vacation and if you want to see the Eiffel Tower from the top, this is the place to stay. You cannot find a better place to stay for restaurants, nightlife and culture than here. If you just visit for the day, you can take the stairs up, which offers more scenery, but it is quite a hike at three feet of stairs.

Anyone who plans a cheap holiday to Paris should stay on the hilltop and venture down to Paris below. You will find your stay enjoyable and very informative. Plan your stay for a week or a few days, but take in the nightlife on the hill. You will experience what the locals do for excitement. You will also get a better idea of how the artists get their creative juices flowing, so they can paint and live comfortable on top of hill. You will not regret a cheap holiday vacation like this. It is an experience of a lifetime.