San Francisco is noted for how quickly the fog rolls in so be prepared. Your wardrobe that you take should include a warm jacket as well as some sweaters. You can bring shorts but it could be sunny when you leave to explore and an hour later you could be walking in fog. Put on layers of clothing this way if it gets warm you can take it off but if it gets cool and you don't have anything with you you'll end up suffering from the cool weather. Believe it or not the balmy weather is just past the Golden Gate Bridge where it stays pretty stable.
While visiting San Francisco take the transit. They offer buses, streetcars and cable cars which are not too bad of an option. This is the only way for you to get around in this great city. Parking spaces are like an Olympic event trying to find one. If you're lucky to find a parking meter the price is high so it's not worth it. If you insist on driving yourself there are parking places to be had for a price but the best value is at Stockton-Sutter Garage which is downtown or the Pier 39 Garage near Fisherman's Wharf.

If you're a smoker then San Francisco is going to be a little tough on you. Their laws forbid anyone to smoke in any public place such as restaurants, shops, bars, stadiums, parks, public squares or within 25 feet of any public building. Another law of San Francisco is that you are not allowed to smoke in your own car if you have children in it less than 18, so smokers beware. A fine of $100.00 applies to anyone who breaks these laws.
Dining in San Francisco can be almost as bad as parking although there are a few places that keep reserved seats for walk-ins. Lunch is a little easier as reservations are much easier to find. You may find a seat at the bar of the restaurant which serves the same food as the restaurant serves.

Catching a cable car can be a bit of a nightmare but only if you think that the only place to catch them is on Ghirardelli Square or Powell Street. These usually hold line ups of tourist waiting for the cable car but just a few blocks away from these car stops you'll probably find yourself alone. The best place to avoid line ups for the cable cars is at California Street.
Alcatraz is a must while you're visiting. This is the most popular tourist attraction in California so if you're going to visit there make reservations ahead of time. This can be done online before you leave but make sure you are at Pier 33 early in the morning.

You can take a tour with the Greyline buses but there is a cheaper way to do this and that is by taking vintage F-Line street cars. For as little as a $1.50 you can see all the sights you want. These street cars were brought over from many parts of the world and restored to their former beauty. You will feel like you have stepped back in time.

To get the most out of your sightseeing of San Francisco's skyline go North of Twin Peaks. Tank Hill is another private spot to see the Golden Gate Bridge including downtown and the Bay. You can go to Stanyan Street, take a left at Belgrave Park and walk up the dirt path. It will be well worth the effort when you see the views that are waiting. On the western part of the city you'll find a secluded hill where you get breathtaking views of the Pacific and the Bay.

Your visit to San Francisco should be one that will keep you talking for hours around the table after you return home and maybe even have you planning your next trip back there.

More than fabulous wine and cuisine, you'll definitely need to wade through the various aspects of vacation planning by asking the essential getaway questions… budget, transportation, accommodation, and recreation. Those are big question to consider but vital to your journey's success. Here's a useful tip… guided-tours are great for first-time visitors. Plan lodging by selecting hotels, villas, or apartments… and whether or not you'll be purchasing a vacation package.  With a host of sights to see throughout the year, try eliminating unnecessary mind clutter by determining your interests with a few hallmark destinations to start.

Top Venice Destinations

Piazza San Marco: Drawing international appeal, begin your vacation in the heart of Venice, where the ambiance of stunning architecture prevails as a must-see for any tourist.

Doge's Palace and Basilica di San Marco: Gothic estates and famous cathedrals embody the status of opulent Venice, making for a perfect stop along anycity tour.

The Venetian Ghetto: Originating in 1516, this historical attraction located in Cannaregiosestiere of Venice, is still a way of Jewish life and sightseers can visit shops, a restaurant, and synagogues.

Mercerie: If your credit cards are burning holes inside your wallet, spend the afternoon in the historic shopping district of Venice. Nestled between the Piazza San Marco and Rialto, visitors can browse a selection of boutiques while conquering the call of a little retail therapy.

Lido: Take a vaporetto to this gorgeouseleven-mile sandbar, located off the Adriatic Sea. It will keep you occupied for hours with its beautiful beach, shops, restaurants… and if you happen to be vacationing in September, Lido is the home to the Venice Film Festival.

With breathtaking panoramic views and awe-inspiring design, you can highlight your getaway with everything from Venice Walking Tours to Veneto Wine Tasting Excursions and Ca' Rezzonico Museum to the Teatro La Fenice Theater.But let's not forget the cuisine… Taverna San Trovaso, Cipriani's Restaurant, L'Anice Stellato, and Pizzeria Alle Oche are just a few of the many mouthwatering eateries sure to please your palate.

Remember, Venice is world famous for its canals, and once you arrive in the city of light, you have two choices of public transportation… on foot or by water. A smart idea would be acquiring a map. Taking a vaporetto (water bus/taxi) is the epitome of getting around those winding canals and travel passes are available. However, for a paramount Venetian experience, many visitors still crave the gondola. If exploring the city on foot… don't worry if you get lost, just think of it as a cultural expedition.

Think outside the box… because the sky's the limit.

Chilean Bay

For those of you looking for a quiet, restful spot in the sun to park in for a few days and simply vegetate, Bahia Chileno or Chilean Bay with its pristine white sand and non-crowded space is the beach for you. It's easy to find on the right side of Highway 1 leading to San Jose. From the parking lot it is only a brief walk to the beach. Palapas are available, but it's best to bring your own beach umbrella to assure yourself of a place in the shade. It is worth noting that this is one of the only beaches that has restroom facilities with flushing toilets, but it's always a wide move to bring your own paper.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

Snorkeling and scuba diving are fantastic here. Snorkeling is especially fun because there are many reefs and cliffs for fish of all types to hide amongst and be discovered. Clownfish, blue damsels, puffer fish, and even a tuna or two are out there just waiting to be photographed, so don't forget your underwater camera! A word of warning, however. Rent your snorkeling equipment while in Cabo San Lucas, as there are no guarantees it will be easy to find or available once you are at the beach. And don't worry, prices are very reasonable.

Bullfighting

For those craving more excitement, there is a familiar pastime in Cabo San Lucas, bullfighting! Yes indeed these breathtaking and stunning events still take place right here every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon and are attended by large crowds. But rest assured that great pains are taken to make certain that no animals are harmed during the performances. The building where all this takes place is located within easy reach of the city centers, and the action is so spectacular that it is more than worth the price of admission.

Bungee Jumping and Cruises

Need still more excitement? Then bungee jumping is for you! There's nothing like the thrill of a bungee jump -- or so I've been told -- from the Baja Bungee, which is near Medano Beach. Almost 30 meters/100 feet high, the Bungee tower offers amazing views around Cabo San Lucas.

A sunset cruise around Cabo San Lucas Bay is a wonderful way to relax and unwind after a vigorous day of touring, and an added benefit is that you get to do some more sightseeing, this time while sitting back and sipping a cool drink of your choice. For something different, there are also cruises available on large catamarans, which depart from the dock at the Hacienda Beach Resort, champagne breakfast cruises, and luxury dinner cruises, which pass Lover's Beach and Land's End while you dine on some of the finest meals in Cabo San Lucas.

It's summer and let's face it we all love to go out and have fun take a day trip or a weekend trip or even that long needed vacation. Many of us stress out when it comes to planning the trip and what to bring the weather, looking great and so much more. Many time with stressing out will leave us vulnerable and after our, what is supposed to be relaxing trip, we end up sick and miserable. Here are some great tips to prevent that this year. If you are traveling and hoping on an airplane sometimes the abuse you luggage takes on will leave you clothes will a lot of lint. If you forgot a lint brush and are going out to a nice dinner, don't panic. Use the Sticker the airport put on your luggage. Its supper sticky and removes list just as well as a lint brush.

One great way to prevent that after vacation sickness is to take an Airborne when you now you will be in a large crowd like a bus or airplane. This works great for amusement parks too. Also bring some hand sanitizer (and put the bottle is a small Ziploc baggy to prevent messy spills) and sanitize after using restroom before you and any time you feel you need to.
When packing you clothes consider what you will be taking. Don't take anything that wrinkles easily unless you want to spent 1/4th of you trip ironing. Many professional travels recommend pants with Lycra in them. This makes sure you pants won't wrinkle and helps them keep their shape. They are also great to wear a couple of days in a row and they won't look worn. This will help you pack light. ** Ann Taylor and express have a huge selection of clothes with Lycra in them

If you are traveling internationally it is highly recommended that you leave all your good jewelry at home. This included your wedding and engagement bands. If you wish to still wear a ring go to Wal-Mart and any cheap jewelry place and buy some fake bands for you and you hubby to wear. Many international destinations (like Latin America) don't understand the concept of engagement rings and by wearing one you may attract the attention from the wrong kind of person.

When you are visiting museums and historical sites sneak into the gift shop first and look at the post cards. This will show you what is in the area and then you can decided where to you want to focus you efforts instead of wasting time and energy on this you don't want to see.

Taking the advice of Mr and Mrs Mahogany, I opted for a visit to Guadalest, a beautiful village in the mountains above Benidorm. The scenery is stunning, and there are lots of lovely little shops and museums built into the rocks. Considering Guadalest is something of a tourist trap, with dozens of coaches disgorging their cargoes of camera-clutching visitors from all points of the globe every day, the prices in the shops are much cheaper than we have come to expect on the coast.

There are lots of pick up points for the tours, all in areas where there is plenty of free, safe parking. We joined the coach at Quesada, only a 5 minute drive from our home in Algorfa. The coach was modern and comfortable and, once everyone had been collected, we discovered that our courier was very knowledgeable about the area and gave us plenty of information without being intrusive. So far, so good.

When we arrived at the Blanket Factory, we were told to expect a ‘short demonstration.' Our courier stressed that we were under no obligation to buy, and told us we could look forward to coffee and cake and a free raffle. ‘How could they afford to lay on all this?' I asked myself. Well, the demonstration didn't just involve blankets as we know it. These were double thickness, virgin merino lambs' wool under blankets, throws, pillows, dressing gowns and slippers, not to mention latex mattresses with lambs' wool toppers. The pillows retailed at around £80 each, while a complete ‘sleeping system' would set you back well over £1000.

The cheerful Geordie chappie who did our ‘short' (only an hour and a half!) demonstration assured us that, with this system, we'd get the best night's sleep we'd ever had. I wasn't so sure. The thought of parting with over a grand just for a mattress, blankets and pillows would keep me awake worrying about the state of my bank balance. Others obviously didn't have the same concerns, as several of the 20 or so people in our group made purchases. Others cheerfully admitted that they were only here for the trip and the free refreshments, and said they came on at least one trip every week.

When we finally arrived in Guadalest, we had two hours free time, which was nowhere near long enough to do justice to the place. Several people, including my husband and myself, decided that there just wasn't time to do lunch and explore, so we missed out on our meal. We needn't have worried, though. On the way back, we stopped at a large bodega where we were offered samples of wine, chorizo sausages and chocolates. You may think that sounds like an unlikely combination, but, when you've been on the road for over 6 hours with very little to eat and drink, it's just what the doctor ordered. Perhaps it was all part of a cunning plan, because almost everyone on the coach came out with a large bag of goodies.

Do the Blanket Factory Tours do what it says on the tin? Well, yes, although I'd argue with their definition of a ‘short demonstration.' An hour and a half is the length of the average feature film, and it's obviously going to eat into the time available at the destination. One couple who had sampled the Benidorm Market trip the previous week said that by the time they arrived, most of the stallholders were packing up. As it only costs around 10 Euros for Benidorm Market on an ordinary coach tour, I would imagine that that would be the better option, as there is plenty of free time in the resort. And would you really be prepared to sit through a demonstration of overpriced goods before embarking on the trip proper? I think I'd lose the will to live if I had to go through all that again. On the other hand, the Blanket Factory Tours are a good way of seeing the beautiful Costa Blanca if you're on a tight budget. With the pound currently at an all time low against the euro, many people are having to trim their living costs, so these trips do allow them to save on fuel and wear and tear on the car.

The tours compare favourably with regular coach tours in terms of customer service and comfort, so it's down to personal choice. There is absolutely no pressure to buy anything, so I suppose, in this instance, there is such a thing as a free lunch!

For most passengers arriving in Le Havre, the shorter the time spent there, the better! Driving off the ferry, many take the road to Paris or Rouen. Honfleur is just a few minutes over the Normandy Bridge. Those on foot, mostly take the train to Paris, which is a two hour journey. Rather pointless for passengers coming over on the ferry from Portsmouth. It is much quicker to fly from the UK, or to take the Eurostar from London. What are the attractions for the cruise passenger coming to Le Havre? Firstly, the town is within walking distance of the Cruise Terminal.

On leaving the terminal keep to the road on the left, which skirts the harbor. You will see on your left in the distance, about a kilometer away the semaphore, pictured below:

Semaphore

Follow the road to this landmark. There are cafes on the way should you need refreshment. The walk should take less than half an hour.

Opposite the semaphore, is the famous Malraux Art Gallery, with a very worthwhile collection of Impressionist paintings. This part of Normandy, was the birthplace of the Impressionist style of painting in the nineteenth century. Never, never forget that Le Havre was, and is, the port of Paris!!!!

Le Havre was painted by Monet, Pissarro, and Dufy. If art is not your cup of tea, and there is a cafe in the museum, press on north, along the coast road, hopefully you will be enjoying some sea air, and not too unpleasant weather. After passing the yacht harbor on your left, you will find on your right, the Tourist Office. A good starting place to explore the town.... In the summer, there is a boat trip around the harbor. For the fit and adventurous, bicycles or tandems can be hired near the tourist office, or on the beach. There are many dedicated cycle paths in the town, along the beach and in the port.

Tandems and Bicycles for Hire Near the Beach

Turning to the north and right at the roundabout from the tourist office in Le Havre, is the Avenue Foch that leads to the heart of the city. Walking on the left of this boulevard will take you past the Square St. Roch. A beautiful English garden with many interesting trees and shrubs around an ornamental lake. The Ginko tree and Gunnera bushes are amongst the many interesting specimens...

Gunnera in the Saint Roch Garden

In the background are willow trees.

Continuing along the Avenue Foch to the end, we find the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) and the gardens of the Hotel De Ville. The Town Hall is an excellent example of concrete post-war architecture. One of the most famous buildings designed by Auguste Perret. The Town square is the center of the town and the visitor on foot can venture east, along the Boulevard de Strasbourg to the Railway Station, which is close to the University and the indoor Municipal Swimming Pool. To the north are the footpaths and stairs leading to the higher part of the town. There is also access via a Funicular railway, not too far from the Town Hall Square. Heading back west along the Avenue Foch, one returns to the beach and, after turning right, the beach continues for several kilometers. A left turn is of course the road back to the Art Gallery and the Ship Terminals.

I have not forgotten the last alternative, to head south down the Rue de Paris. This was the major shopping street in the past, but two out of town shopping centers have certainly caused a decline. Just after the first road junction you will see the Volcan by the architect Niemeyer on the right, and on the left is one of the old harbors, Bassin du Commerce. By continuing down to the end of the Rue de Paris and then turning left you will be back on the road to the Ferry Port and Cruise Terminal.

An alternative to walking, is to purchase a one day bus ticket, which allows unlimited bus travel for the day. These tickets are bought from the bus driver of the first bus that you board. The office of the bus company is on the east side of the Town Hall square.

Renting a car is easy too, but it is best to book in advance, online. I suspect that the car rental service will meet you at the Cruise or Ferry Terminal. I have rented a car at the terminal on several occasions in the distant past. The important points to note are the conditions for the return of the car after rental. Make very certain that the return of the vehicle does not cause you any inconvenience or additional expense. Check this thoroughly before you enter into the agreement. Buying petrol or diesel at credit card only petrol stations may not be possible with a non-French credit card. It may be difficult to find manned petrol stations in the evening and on Sundays.

Had a look around duty free, and met up with rest of travelling companions, 2 sisters (Trisha, Andy), brother-in-law (Brent) and the one and only mother (Julie also a member of St Johns). We were told that mother went through customs and set the bells and whistles going, which also, by the way happened when coming back from Rarotonga .

We departed for Rarotonga 3 August at 4.10 pm , arrived Rarotonga 2 August at about 10 pm , a flight of about 3 hours 50 minutes. For those who do not know, we had to cross the International Date Line to get to Rarotonga , so it is about 22 hours behind us, thus we gained a day.

We hopped onto the courtesy bus to our destination of the Rarotongan Beach Resort and Spa, of which took about ½ hour to get to. On arrival we met with the wedding couple to be, my niece (Julie, named after granny) bride to be, and Shay the groom. The wedding was to take place on the Friday afternoon. We went to their accommodation, which was the honeymoon suite, and met with others in the wedding party. Got to sleep about 3 am (just talking of course) or maybe a little drinking.

Might as well say about the temperature while we were there. We had a couple of days with showers, the wedding day (Friday) was cloudy), the last 2 days was beautiful sunshine. The temperature was still warm (around mid 20 s) day and night whatever the weather. So warm that I was only wearing shorts and t-shirt, or colourful shirts, and sandals the whole time. But of course wore respectable attire for the wedding, even though I looked overdressed. Flashing those lily whites, and blinding everyone with the glare. Don't think I could handle the temperature in the middle of summer.

Got up sometime Wednesday morning and checked out the TV channels. There were 12 movie channels, but the funny part is that they looked like they were played through a DVD and the same movie was repeated for 24 hours. So if you missed something, or only saw part of a movie you could catch up with it later in the day. There was also the CNN channel, Cartoon Network, one I think was a French speaking channel and a couple of others.

Wednesday afternoon we all went into town. We traveled by bus, which took about ½ hour from our accommodation. There were 2 buses you could catch, the clockwise and the anti-clockwise, which ran hourly (one on the hour the other on the ½ hour). Not very big, but good to have a nose around. Saw that the Rarotongans have a $ 3 note, so brought one thinking it was a novelty. Went to a café and received another $ 3 in my change. There are two different types of $ 3 notes, one a pink and the other a green/blue. Also there $ 2 coin was shaped like a triangle, as I found out buying a beer later that day, but spent the coin instead of saving for a souvenir. Otherwise the currency we were using was NZ.

While travelling in the bus, we noticed that there were heaps of people on scooters, and not wearing helmets. The speed limit around town was 30 kph and on the open road I think about 50 kph. The roads were in dire need of repair, with pot-holes etc all over the place. I said to the family that it might be a good idea if I got my license to ride a scooter around the island, but for some reason they thought I might be too dangerous, or it could be hazardous to my health. One day we saw about 4 people on scooters going for their license, and the only one with a helmet was the police officer at the back. All one had to do was produce their NZ license and pay about $ 10 and they got their Rarotongan license.

That night we sent to an Island Night, which was fantastic. I think maybe my eye-sight improved a little for a short time. The entertainment was great, and the umu was delicious, and it all only cost $ 49 . Well worth the money.

Island Night Action

Digest some Cook Islands Culture – don't miss out on an island night! The dancing is reputed to be the best in Polynesia . An Island Night also includes the traditional ‘umukai' feast. Some of the resorts give you a genuine taste experience by cooking the food in the traditional underground oven. The umu fire is lit in a pit around mid-morning. Later the volcanic rocks are placed on the fire and once they are red hot, the umu food wrapped in banana leaves is placed in a large basket and lowered onto the rocks.

After another layer of banana leaves and sacking, sand is heaped on top of the oven to trap the heat. The food is steamed, broiled and smoked for around four hours – it's delicious! Dishes you may come across at an Island Feast include breadfruit, eke (octopus) a variety of meat and seafood, Ika mata (marinated raw fish with coconut cream), taro (prepared like potato) and taro leaves (known as rukau when cooked).

There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy dancing and feasting Raro' style at the Island Nights.

Directly after the show there was a karaoke in another bar. Which saw some good and not so good entertainers, but at least they had the guts to get up and have a go. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed themselves greatly. I kept a low profile, not wanting to clear the place. Managed to get to bed about 1 am or so, who was counting.

The Thursday was a holiday for Rarotonga, the Rarotonga 's 40 year Constitution Day Celebrations. Our Governor General Dame Sylvia Cartwright and entourage were there at our resort, with the official dignitaries of Rarotonga . As they were milling about in the reception area and we were walking through I accidentally bumped into our Governor General and of course quickly apologised. Lucky for me the body guards or cops didn't nab me, or maybe they could tell I was not a threat. Close call all around, but at least I can say I have bumped into the Governor General of New Zealand . So any other time after that we diverted away from the entourage to make sure it didn't happen again. Better safe than sorry.

Thursday night we went to the ‘Crab Races' held at our resort. There were 3 races with the last race being hurdles. The winner crab was number 3 , and what was strange that it won all 3 races (but of course it had a kiwi name, which I can't remember). Great fun was had by all and it only cost $ 2 maximum and $ 2 minimum bets.

Friday was the big day of course, the wedding. The wedding was held on the beach with lovely surroundings. Shay (groom) stood waiting with his 3 best men (or whatever they are called) in nice black suits and Shay wore a traditional lae for the ceremony. The bridesmaids came down the beach aisle one by one with a gap in between until they reached Shay and the guys. They were wearing a nice pinky/red dress (don't expect a mere male like me to give you a great description of the wedding attire, ask Wendy if you know her). Next came Julie (bride) flanked by Andy (mother), and Brent (step-father) looking nice in their particular attire. Julie looked great in her white wedding dress (won't even try to describe it). Of course they were around the customary 15 minutes late. When Julie stood next to the groom she seemed to have a bit of the giggles. Found out later that as they were walking down the aisle, Andy said “slow down we are going a bit too fast”, and Brent replied “yeah you don't want to look to eager”. Or something similar.

The ceremony was short with the both of them doing the usual vows etc. Then we had the group photos, taken with Julie and Shay sitting on a log and everyone behind them. A very well worked out spot for photos. Of course they have had heaps of weddings in the same area. Then they planted a coconut tree in memory of their wedding at Rarotonga , of which there were quite a few. Shay gave granny (my mother) the lae he was wearing and everyone started to call her the Queen of Rarotonga. Otherwise everyone, even the staff called her granny.

Next was the reception with the usual speeches and telegrams from absent people. A few drinks and dancing was enjoyed by all, and even I had one dance, but then my bronchitis kicked in and made me slow down a bit. The bar staff were excellent (especially when replacing drinks without having to get up and get one, or ask for one). Got to bed who knows when????

There were 3 weddings on the Saturday and another on the Sunday, so it seems they have a few weddings at the resort.

Saturday was market day, so we went to see what it was like. Some of the produce looked a little bit suspect, and some things I couldn't recognise. The market closed at mid-day. We saw everything in about 20 minutes, so we went to a café and had brunch, while watching bantams were wondering around. Strange the different standards to NZ. Then caught the bus back to the resort.

Saturday night we went to where Brent's brother was staying for a bbq. We all had fun a couple of drinks and then back to resort for a quiet night.

Sunday we all just sat back, relaxed and did our own thing. Some went canoeing, swimming, sun-bathing, or just sat back and read a book (which I did), while watching a movie at one stage.

Monday was our final day in Rarotonga , and we had a morning call at 5.15 am to get ready to go home. We caught the bus at 6.15 to the airport, and checked in our luggage. We then went and paid our departure tax of $ 30 (thought it was meant to be $ 25 ). Then sat down and had a cup of tea. Next we went through customs and had a look at the duty free shops. We departed Rarotonga at 8.45 am on Tuesday 8 August, and arrived in Auckland on Tuesday 9 August at 11.40 am approx. We were about a ½ hour late due to a head wind all the way. Wendy and I then checked in at the domestic transfer counter, so that we didn't have to carry our bags all the way to the Domestic Terminal. We had lunch in the café area with sister Trisha and then caught the courtesy bus to the Domestic Terminal. We departed Auckland at 3.25 pm and arrived in Wanganui around 4.20 pm .

Overall a great trip and enjoyable wedding. Recommend to anyone who has thought about going to Raro. The people are bubbly and friendly.