Five Cities That are a Must See: Where to Travel

This website will tell you 5 amazing cities that you need to travel to. These are truly 5 wonderful places. It talks all about what you can do, what it is like, and what is best about the city.

Traveling to Italy and Greece: An Itinerary

This website gives a great itinerary for a 10-12 day trip to Italy and Greece. It gives amazing ideas. If you go by this itinerary your trip will be wonderful. It tells you what you can do while being there and it can help a lot with transportation ideas.

Travel Notes #1

This website is in a little series of websites. This and the rest of websites talk about what you can do in Ethiopia and South Africa. It is an amazing trip. It has great stories saying what happened to them while in the countries also!

Travel Notes #2

This website is in a little series of websites. This and the rest of websites talk about what you can do in Ethiopia and South Africa. It is an amazing trip. It has great stories saying what happened to them while in the countries also!

Travel Notes #3

This website is in a little series of websites. This and the rest of websites talk about what you can do in Ethiopia and South Africa. It is an amazing trip. It has great stories saying what happened to them while in the countries also!

Travel Notes #4

This website is in a little series of websites. This and the rest of websites talk about what you can do in Ethiopia and South Africa. It is an amazing trip. It has great stories saying what happened to them while in the countries also!

These are all great websites. They all have helped me more than once. They all give amazing ideas! When I plan to travel anywhere I will first read these websites for good ideas. So if you're planning or even thinking about traveling somewhere first read these websites!

Don't just stay on the mainland. Although there are some wonderful resorts around the Coral Coast and some of the newer players are up with the style and luxury that would satisfy the most discerning tourist. The towns on the mainland are wonderful for those who enjoy immersing themselves in island culture, but for the person who is simply looking for sea and relaxation, these towns will offer little.

THE PEOPLE

The people of Fiji are mostly a mix of the indigenous people, who are a Melanesian group. They own most of the land and are proud of their collection of islands and their history. They enjoy an envious lifestyle of good education, abundant food from the sea and the land and endless warmth from the tropical sun.

If you have time with some locals, try kava. Personally, I think it tastes like mud with disinfectant, but some can tolerate it long enough to become very laid back and mellow. The worst that can happen is that you may become unable to stand and will fall over and sleep it off.

The second largest ethnic group is the Indians. Brought to Fiji to work the sugar plantations, they continue to work the land as well as much of the business both in retail and in the tourism arena. At times there is unrest between the Fijians and the Indians as the Fijians are very jealous to keep their islands in Fijian control.

I have stayed with Fijian people in the highlands, where the tropical jungle threatens to reclaim the dirt road almost as you drive over the bumpy tracks and I have stayed with Indian people. On the second large island of Vanua Levu there is the town of Lambasa which has a mostly Indian population. It is not a tourist town, but having stayed with Indian friends there, I have been left with lifelong memories of their hospitality and warmth.

FOOD

Try the local raw fish dish, kokoda, pronounced kokonda, as Nadi, the gateway airport is pronounced Nandi. Even though there was a time that I managed to contract coral fish poisoning from this dish, and thought I might die, I would still order it. The fish is marinated in coconut cream and eaten as a salad by the aqua cool of a resort pool is one of life's great experiences.

On the mainland it is possible to visit local Indian restaurants and for a mere few dollars, eat one of the best goat or chicken or lamb curries complete with fresh naan or papadum. Fiji meat marsala is a mix of spices that is distinctly the flavour of Fijian curries. Delicious!

Fresh papaya (Paw Paw), mangoes, pineapple grow in abundance and there is nothing like Fijian payaya with a squeeze of lime for breakfast. Resorts range from basic to very luxurious, but good value food is to be found everywhere.

PLACES TO GO

Vanua Levu has some hidden away resorts such as Namale. For those who can afford it, this is one of the most romantic hideaways that could be found on earth. Diving around this island is legendary.

For the general traveller it is easy to access the islands closer to Nadi. There are so many to choose from and each has attraction depending on needs. For families, Plantation Island offers safe beaches and many activities. Parents can wave goodbye to their children in the morning and know that they will be happily and safely occupied all day.

My favourite islands would be Castaway, where I still haven't managed to actually stay, but dream of doing this and Treasure Island. Treasure is tiny, circumnavigated in about 10 minutes. But it is the island of travel brochure dreams. It is circled by a reef that is part of a marine protected area. This means that even a basic snorkeler can float just a few meters from the shore and see in the clear water, parrot fish, angel fish and a swarm of sea life.

Across the water is the twin island Beachcomber. This is where the young go to stay in dormitories and to party. I have stayed here too and may have enjoyed it more if I wasn't into my first day of the coral fish poisoning! Hope that you never win the lottery of indulging in a fish that has eaten the dreaded fungal poison. It is rare to have this happen. I just got "lucky".

Take a Blue Lagoon cruise and visit some of the most pristine pacific islands that exist. Here the movie "Blue Lagoon" was filmed and the island where it was filmed has a luxury resort where the rich and famous still frequent, Turtle Island.

FIJI MAGIC

There is something about the air in Fiji. As soon as the door opens at the airport, a blanket of warm, perfumed air wraps itself around you and the magic of Fiji has begun. It is a world of laughter and song and sights to soothe stressed minds.

Tourism operators here know exactly how to create paradise with service and style. Even the true giant sized Fijians seem to know how to pad silently with a slow sway, setting the pace for tranquility and charm. But don't be fooled. The waiter with the fresh red hibiscus tucked into the tight mass of dark curls, who smiles that wide guileless grin, is just as likely to hold a doctorate in tourism, or politics. They just know what visitors want and they do it well.

Note: I'm sure that you, being a completely sane person, will not make these mistakes. This guide is for scatterbrains like myself.

• Don't pack your mobile phone and forget your battery recharger. If you do, your phone won't be much use after a couple of days, unless it's one of those high-tech solar charging ones.
• If leaving for overseas, don't bring a mobile phone that doesn't have Roaming (ability to make calls in any country). Otherwise, it won't be much use, unless you brought it along to be your lucky talisman.
• Don't pack your passport in a bag that you don't personally carry. By "personally carry", I mean that your passport containing bag has to be on you at all times. Yes, even when you are in the toilet. The reason for this is that if you pack your passport into your suitcase, it's possible that it'll be missing later, because you haven't been attentive enough looking after your suitcase and someone else saw this as a wonderful opportunity to steal something.
• If your luggage is in danger of being "overweight", don't pack anything that's useless, like white/lined paper or an extra storybook. This means that you don't pack anything that'll be available in your destination and you don't pack anything that's not strictly necessary.
• Pack early. Otherwise you'll be buzzing around trying to find your favorite pair of jeans which seems to have "disappeared". Oh, and you are assured that doing so the day before your trip will result in an empty luggage and a mad luggage-holder.
• Don't count the number of books/CDs/etc that you bring to make sure that it doesn't amount to thirteen. Packing isn't the time for being superstitious.
• Don't waste time writing articles like this one, or any other articles at all. There'll be plenty of time for that when you get home. Of course, a little rebellious voice in you will shriek - “But I've got to finish this! I've got to. Absolutely got to!”

Well, if you follow those seven commandments above, you should be fine for packing. If you don't, I'm sure you'll be fine too, as long as you keep a level head and don't stress too much. If you are one of those lucky people with a robotic luggage packer or equivalent (i.e. if someone else helps you pack your luggage), don't forget to thank whomever it is with a hug and a kiss.

So you have at long last made up your mind that you are going on that South African safari or holiday. Well my friend here are some tips on how to stay alive and out of trouble. From the moment your plane touch African soil you better start thinking safety and caution. Make sure you have made arrangements for someone that you know to pick you up at the airport. If you have not, then get one of the airport taxis to take you to your hotel or where ever you want to go. If you take a rental car ensure to lock all the doors and keep the windows closed. Should you have a mobile phone on you, keep it out of sight and don’t wear to many flashy jewelery.

It is sad but true that thousands of tourists get hi-jacked and robbed of their mobile phones and jewelery every year. If you should get lost while driving somewhere, don’t stop and asked for directions in the middle of nowhere, drive until you get to a big shopping centre or somewhere that there are a lot of people. Avoid driving at night. Most incidents happens at night or early mornings, when the victims are tired or not alert. Another thing these thugs do is to try and flag you down by pretending that they are hurt or their car has broken down. Don’t stop, they will rape, rob or worse kill you. It is also known that the thugs sometimes follow victims to their house or apartments where they then rob them. So always be alert, if you should see a car tailing you, rather go straight to your nearest police station and report the incident. Remember drive to stay alive!

Accomodation

Ensure you keep all your windows closed at night. If you go out during the day be sure to lock all doors and again make sure that all the windows are closed. Should you be indoors during the day with the windows open, don’t let anything of value lying around, things like mobile phones, wallets, jewelery, cameras and laptops. If you don’t do this the thugs will simply climbed through the window and take what they want.

On The Beach

South Africa is well known for it’s beautiful weather, so if you are going to the beach, don’t leave anything of value lying around. When you go for a swim make sure that there is someone to look after it at all times. What these thugs do is to keep an eye on you and as soon as you are in the water or turn your back they will simply walk past and take what they want, and disappear. Another thing, don’t go for a stroll alone on a secluded beach, day or night, many tourists had been robbed, raped and killed. I used the beach for an example, but you should be careful and alert wherever you go at all times. Always think safety!

Restaurants and Automatic Teller Machines

When you need to withdraw money from a (ATM) try to do it during the day. When you approach an (ATM) have a look round first for any suspicious persons just standing there. Don’t accept help from strangers trying to show you how the machine works, if need to ask for an bank employee to assist you. If you go to a restaurant and you are sitting outside ensure not to let your wallet or handbag out of sight.

Hope when you go to South Africa, or any place in Africa that you will remember my article and that it will help you. Trust me I know what I am talking about, I had lived there more than thirty years.

1. Auckland-Wellington: Five direct daily return flights from 15 November. A special sale fare has been launched of $39 one way. Usual fares will start from $69 one way on the net.
2. Auckland-Christchurch: Two direct daily return flights from 15 November. A special sale fare has been launched of $39 one way. Usual fares will start from $79 one way on the net.
3. Wellington-Christchurch: Three direct daily return flights from 15 November. A special sale fare has been launched of $39 one way. Usual fares will start from $59 one way on the net.

Encouraging Better Prices

These prices will still make kiwis feel better and maybe allow students to go home between semesters. The new prices are still about $20 cheaper, per ticket than previous prices offered which is a 20% saving. Southern students have been disadvantaged in comparison to their northern peers, in respect of keeping in touch with parents, friends and family because of the cost of traveling.

It has been a longstanding joke to Kiwi's because it has generally been cheaper to fly from Auckland to Sydney rather than Auckland to Christchurch. It is easier to leave the country rather than settle here. The scenery is stunning in New Zealand and it upsets many traveled Kiwi's that for some New Zealanders there is more opportunity to get set up and financial in another country rather than in New Zealand.

It seems that another airline eying up our skies is Tiger Airways from Singapore. They are due to commence business in Australia in November. Air New Zealand has stated that the market is too small in New Zealand for three domestic airlines.

There was another company that has also put its plans on hold, Kiwijet, who are based in Nelson who were hoping to fill the space left by Origin Pacific, the company that collapsed a year ago. All interest in the skies around New Zealand could mean a major overhaul in general and that could mean better services and prices in general for Kiwi travelers.

Travel insurance protects the cost of your trip against cancellation and interruption along with providing medical, travel delay coverage and lost or damaged property. In the event of cancellation or travel interruption, travelers are reimbursed. Apart from this, travel insurance also covers for emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation and a number of other situations which can arise. But the most important element of travel insurance is the medical expenses cover. If you don't have cover and you are traveling to a country with high medical costs, or if you needed to be flown back in an emergency, the potential cost to you could be huge.

Many travelers encounter emergencies before they even board the plane. Even if you are taking a short trip within the USA , travel insurance should still be considered a necessity. Visiting the USA can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can become very unpleasant and challenging when sickness or injury occurs and medical services or medical evacuation is needed immediately. Medical care is excellent in most parts of the US , but it can be very expensive for cases of critical illness. Due to the high medical costs in the USA , it is hard to get covered if you are planning a holiday there and any such emergency occurs.

When you are planning your trip, it is a good idea to contact your primary healthcare provider or insurer to determine your policy details such as, under what circumstances and to what extent are you covered, while traveling abroad. It is possible your health care provider offers little or no protection while traveling in the USA . If this is the case, then you must immediately purchase supplementary international medical insurance or travel insurance to avoid the high costs that might result from serious sickness or injury on their trip.

International Medical Insurance is short or long term insurance designed to reimburse your medical expenses incurred while traveling or living in a foreign country. The plan coverage includes emergency evacuation, reunion and repatriation benefits as well as other travel assistance services. The plan coverage may be single trip, multi-trip or renewable.

These are some types of medical expenses that the insurance company does not cover and hence does not pay. These usually include expenses arising from the illegal use of drugs, medical conditions that existed prior to the purchase of the insurance and medical costs arising from participation in dangerous activities or risky sports.

There are many websites that offer travel insurance online thus making selecting and purchasing global travel insurance fast and easy. Most sites offer only one type of coverage, either a travel protection plan or international medical insurance, or they offer coverage to citizens of a particular country. Only a few insurers offer a variety of plans for travelers from all countries. With the help of the Internet, you can compare quotes from different providers and more importantly see what you get for your money in relation to other quotes.

Quote Travel Insurance allows you to quote and buy your choice of travel insurance from its selection of 100 different products. This is the first system to rate individual components within a policy, therefore making it a unique comparison site. As soon as your purchase is accepted, you will receive a policy number and a complete email confirmation document.

USA Tourist has partnered with Travel Insurance Center and it provides a wide selection of travel protection plans and International Medical Insurance. You can purchase your travel insurance online from their web pages.

Essential Travel Limited has affiliated with Quote Travel Insurance to provide USA residents with more than 100 travel insurance proposals. Customers can purchase insurance immediately or use their detailed comparison system.

Travel insurance can be arranged months in advance of a trip, and fully trained and friendly staffs provide advice and general information as well as issue quotes and policies. There are several comprehensive plans offered by companies including –

• Medical Expenses
• Medical Coverage for Non-U.S. citizens
• Personal Liability
• Legal Expenses
• Flight Insurance (Cancellation Cover, Airline Ticket protection, flight accident insurance) – This is helpful in case travelers are unable to take their trip due to illness or death (of the traveler or a family member), weather, airline strikes, terrorism, bankruptcy, becoming unemployed, jury duty or their home being rendered uninhabitable due to fire / flood etc.
• Single Trip Plans
• Personal Belongings Cover
• Emergency Medical Evacuation – In the event, the traveler is unable to get to a local hospital on his own, he is provided emergency transportation to a local hospital. If the family members are covered on the same policy they can return home also.
• Emergency Reunion covers the expenses of bringing a family member to the injured or ill person during a medical emergency.

Travel insurance is thus very important and should be considered a priority. You should set aside sufficient time to research and choose the coverage that is appropriate for you and your trip. Whether you are traveling abroad or within the USA , travel insurance is an important consideration that deserves some thoughtful planning. Purchasing your coverage right away may save you a frantic call on the way to the airport when you realize you have overlooked this important consideration.