First, there are the usual airline carriers. They are fast, safe, and reliable. But they are also pricey and may not always be an option. The second choice would be to go with a budget airline, but their reliability is often in question and in order to get the best deal you may have to fly on dates that do not cohere with your long anticipated travel plans. Fortunately, there are two other very good options to keep your plans afloat without sinking your wallet.

Trains

Fast, safe, and often less expensive than traditional airline carriers trains are how Europeans travel within Europe - and who better to learn from than Europeans themselves? Trains are a great option because not only do they provide an affordable way between almost all cities, but they run more frequently than planes and afford you the opportunity to see more of the countries you are visiting. In fact, an entire trip can revolve around a train trip. Perhaps you wish to retrace the path of the Orient Express. By train it's easy to get off at any stop and stay for a few hours, then hop on the next train to wherever you were going. Non-reserved tickets can be purchased for almost all trains giving the bearer an option of several months within which to travel. The flexibility and affordability are hard to beat!

So why chose anything other than trains for travel within Europe? Well, when trains are an option, you shouldn't! But sometimes towns are too small or too remote for train stations. In that case, take the bus!

Bus 

Often regarded as unsafe travel in Eastern European countries, busses - minibuses included - are safe ways to travel to areas where trains don't go. Busses are ultra affordable and occasionally good alternatives to trains when traveling on a really tight budget. Busses run very frequently and offer smooth traveling - most busses are well designed for comfort, even during extended trips. In fact, many conclude on the end of their bus journey that even Polish minibuses are superior to the Greyhound services available in the United States! The one drawback to busses is that bus drivers rarely speak English and stops are usually announced only in the native language so riding prepared is a must!

For great places to travel by train or bus within Europe check out this list of undiscovered travel destinations.

Whether by plane, train, or bus, happy travels!

I, along with my family, planned a visit to Nehru Planetarium. This name was derived after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India's late Prime Minister. It is erected at Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli. It was inaugurated by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru on 12th December 1976.

This scientific center seeks to inculcate in the people the spirit and temper of Science. The planetarium offers a new opportunity for fostering the scientific temper. They illustrate about space exploration via sky shows.

This helps visitors to learn astronomy and it was surely a pleasant experience. The shows combine entertainment with instructions and provide a new experience in cosmic awareness. The narration music, sound effects and special slide projections create sense of total participation in the show. They help expand the frontiers of knowledge of the universe.

The imposing Nehru Planetariums building has already become a landmark in Mumbai. It has three floors with a total area of 5000 square metres and is fully centrally air-conditioned.

There is provision in the basement for lecture halls and library of books on astronomies and space sciences. A hobby workshop will cater to the need of children and enthusiastic amateurs who wish to build their own telescopes and models. You can innovate their own pattern of study.

It has a circular sky-theater with a seating capacity of about 600 in the middle of the sky theater is giant planetarium projector. It's a night-sky as seen from any place on earth at any time, past, present and future.

We came to know that latest modern machinery and equipments are being bought to attract the people and lot of new science programs will be introduced You must not miss the opportunity of getting invaluable scientific information. It's really a must for every Indian and foreign visitor to pay a visit to Nehru Planetarium. So, don't forget to plan a visit to Nehru Planetarium

California, the Golden State, has a wide variety of landscapes and weather conditions to suit just about everybody. Remember that song by Albert Hammond, “It Never Rains in Southern California”? It does rain . . . sometimes for several days in a row. Some areas of California see more rain than others. When I lived in Sacramento, it rained frequently. The best part of all that rain is that the lawns are always green.

Here's an interesting bit of trivia about California. The highest point is Mt. Whitney at 14,494 feet above sea level. The lowest point is Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level.

Next I'd like to tell you about the wide variety of California landscapes and points of interest with which I am familiar, personally.

Mountains

If you're a ski enthusiast, I've got good news! Most of the time there's plenty of snow, and several ski resorts. I don't ski, so I can't provide any insight.

I love taking trips to the mountains during the spring, summer and early autumn. Surrounded by tall trees, breathing the fresh air, smelling nature's bounty, visiting the museums many national parks have (Angeles National Park near La Canada is one).

Idyllwild is a mountain community above the city of Hemet (in Riverside County). Idyllwild is a seasonal community, geared up for tourists and local area visitors in the spring and summer. In addition to live entertainment, there are a couple restaurants, several unique gift shops, and a variety of other interesting stores, such as the store where you purchase a ceramic item, paint it, then the shop fires it in the kiln. You couldn't have a better souvenir than one you crafted, in my opinion.

Beaches

California boasts many beaches and marinas up and down the coast. Again, there are several types of beaches, although most are family-friendly.

There are beaches where surfers hang out because of the high waves. Families out for some summer fun and sunbathers are likely to have a favorite. Some beaches have amenities and some do not. You can check it out in advance.

Venice Beach is a culture of its own. Along the strand, many vendors set up shop, much like a giant swap meet. Various people perform their talents for the people visiting. Donations are accepted. Amidst the throng of walkers and watchers are the roller bladers and bicycle riders. It's really quite a unique place which I highly recommend to any visitor to southern California.

Santa Monica Pier is another great beach with a carnival and the famous carousel. Long Beach is nice and a visitor can visit the Queen Mary and Aquarium of the Pacific, nearby attractions.

Deserts

The deserts, home to wild critters, cactus, sand and sagebrush, has a lot to offer someone who enjoys things like rock hunting, searching for gold, dune buggy riding, or some other activity. The deserts are beautiful in the spring. All the wild flowers are in bloom -- acres and acres of poppies, and yellow flowers (I don't know the name of them). Another thing about being in the desert is that at night one can see the stars clearly, even shooting stars on occasion.

City Life

Some folks love the city life. I do, personally. I can visit the other places for fun and change of environment, then come home to the city. In addition to the metropolitan areas and suburban cities, Beverly Hills and Hollywood are big hits with tourists.

In terms of distance from one place to another, which is often lengthy in terms of miles, people often express distance in terms of driving time ? it's about half an hour from here (depending on traffic).

Los Angeles as a whole includes Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Even though they are separate towns on their own, it's hard to tell one area from the other except for the scenery and price tags.

Speaking of prices (medium), the Farmers' Market at Third and Fairfax is nice, where there's a lot more than produce. I haven't been there in several years, so it might have changed. I used to enjoy shopping there on occasion.

My personal list of "must see and do" in California includes the following:

• Disneyland
• Solvang (an interesting Danish community near Santa Barbara)
• Hearst Castle (located near San Simeon)
• Cambria (a unique seaside town near Hearst Castle)
• J. Paul Getty Museum (Santa Monica)
• Griffith Park Observatory (Los Angeles)
• Balboa Park (San Diego) (several museums and beautiful architecture)
• Sea World (San Diego)
• San Diego Zoo
• Venice Beach
• Santa Monica Pier
• Griffith Park Observatory (Los Angeles) (check out the laser shows also)

Wherever you go, bring a sweater because it cools off quite a big after the sun goes down.

It's true that there are earthquakes in California. However, tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters are rare or non-existent in California.

California means many things to different people ? I think the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's Day gives a lot of people in the east a sense of wanderlust, tired of the freezing cold, snow and ice. I've heard that we do have an influx of people moving to California in the early part of the year. Is it because of the gorgeous weather we have on January 1? It could be!

Welcome to California!!!