World Of Tourism

Today was a lengthy drive, so far as I am concerned (520km or about 323miles) and I was pretty tired when I got here - and rather 'ratty' with it, I'm afraid. It was an excellent drive though - overnight in Orléans it had been bitterly cold (several degrees below zero) with thick ice on the car in the early morning. However, by the time I came to leave (about 10am) the ice on my front and rear

The crossing last night was very comfortable indeed, although the cabin was rather over-heated for the first few hours. Whilst the sea was moderately rough, the ship is well-stabilised (as I knew from previous crossings) so any movement was very minor. After a decent dinner and some coffee watching the news on TV and reading, I headed straight back to my cabin and continued reading for a while.

I left this morning around 10am and by about 11.45 was driving into House of Bruar (a rather upmarket pit-stop for food and some quite fancy shopping), a little north of Pitlochry on the A9, where I had some lunch and bought a few 'typically Scottish' gifts to give to a couple of people at my destination - basically jams produced locally. Then just before 1pm I was on my way. The weather when I

Bunut Bolong located in Manggisari Village, Subdistrict of Pekutatan, Jembrana Regency. Bunut bolong located around 86 km from Denpasar and able to reach by car or motorcycle as well.Bunut Bolong is Bunut tree that has a hole on the body, and it's located right on the road. Bunut Bolong also have a strong magical aura that believed by all people who live near the tree area. On the south side of

Keen-eyed readers may notice that the sub-heading at the top of the blog has changed to reflect my departure next Tuesday from Scotland for Spain. In theory I should be blogging en route whilst driving down through France and Spain, where I expect to arrive at my destination in the Murcia region on Sunday 3rd February. Obviously this will depend on wi-fi availability on the ferry and the various

I wrote a few days ago that I had been putting off making a couple of telephone calls to people supplying things for my new house in Spain (see near the end of the 4th paragraph in the linked posting). Well I just made the two calls a short while ago.First I tried the curtain shop, where I recalled that the lady speaks a little English, roughly of the same mediocre level as my Spanish. In any

I had an email yesterday evening from one of the people doing work at my house to let me know he has now installed a security grille on a small circular 'port-hole' window on the side wall of the living-room. I'm assuming he was there yesterday with another contractor who will have been fitting out my wardrobes, adjusting some shelving in the kitchen and adding security measures to the doors and

Brahmavihara-Arama or commonly known as Wihara Buddha Banjar is the biggest Buddhist Vihara in Bali. Located in Banjar Tegeha Village, subdistrict of Banjar, Buleleng Regency. It's about 22km west of Singaraja City, and about 11 km from Lovina Beach. This Vihara located in a quit environment will make anyone who visit it feel calm and relax, besides from this Vihara also able to see Lovina beach

As I'll be driving down lengthy stretches of Spanish motorways (mostly the AP-7 and A-7) myself next week, news of three multiple pile-ups on the A-42 Madrid-Toledo freeway yesterday is rather worrying (a brief report in English is here). The area was affected by heavy fog and about 100 cars were involved with 68 people injured, of whom 54 had to be taken to hospital. Eight were seriously injured

The coin was initially minted from bronze, but since 1992 it has been minted in copper-plated steel. As this is less dense than bronze, post-1992 coins have been to some amount thicker. The British decimal Penny (1p) coin, fashioned by the Royal Mint, was issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British money was decimalised. In practice, it had been existing from banks in bags of £1 for some weeks previously. The coin weighs 3.56 grams and has a diameter of 20.32 millimetres.
The reverse of the coin, intended by Christopher Ironside, is a crowned portcullis with chains (an adaptation of the Badge of Henry VII which is now the brooch of the Palace of Westminster), with the numeral "1" written below the portcullis, and either NEW PENNY (1971–1981) or ONE PENNY (1982–present) above the portcullis.
During the times gone by of the coin, three unlike obverses have been used so far. Between 1971 and 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin was used, in which the Queen wears the 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' Tiara.

The Irish pound coin was introduced on June 20, 1990 using the plan of a red deer, by the Irish artist Tom Ryan. The 2000 Millennium was used to issue a monument coin, the design was based on the "Brighter Boat" in the National Museum of Ireland; the coins design was by Alan Ardiff and Garrett Stokes and were issued on November 29, 1999. The coin featured a milled edge - unique in Irish coinage.


The "Brighter Boat" issue for 2000.The Irish pound coin, which was introduced in 1990, residue the largest Irish coin introduced since decimalisation at 3.11 centimetres diameter and was 10 grams weight. The coin was nearly the same in dimensions to the old penny coin that circulated before 1971, and was quite similar in diameter to, but thinner, than the half-crown coin.

During the early movement of the coin, a lot of payphone and transaction machines which had been changed to accept the pound coin also accepted the old penny because of the similar size, the latter coin which was no longer legal gentle and had little value to collectors. As a result losses accrued to vending machine operators due to the replacement of the penny coin and additional costs were associated with updating the machines so they would no longer accept the penny.

This time next week I shall just be about an hour and a half away from my departure for Spain (I wrote about my detailed itinerary for this trip a few weeks ago here). Most of my pre-departure preparations are made, but a task I will do today (or just possibly tomorrow) is to do a dummy-run of packing up the car. One of the rooms in my apartment has all of the suitcases and bags laid out in it,

Juan Escudero, the ex-Mayor of Los Alcázares has been released Monday on bail of €60,000-, however the ex municipal architect Mariano Ayuso has been remanded in custody , joining the three (including his brother) who were remanded in custody on Saturday.The other person granted bail (of €27,000-) today was Diego Sánchez Gómez, recently-retired Town Hall secretary.

After the recent scandals uncovered in Totana and Los Alcázares, La Verdad newspaper asks a simple question: ¿Cuál es el siguiente municipio?. From what it is reporting, the fiscal and planning records of the municipalities of Torre Pacheco and Fuente Álamo will be the next to come under scrutiny.

1 Tigers, Kanha NP, India

Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh, central India, was the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and is one of the best places in India to see tigers.

A 16-day safari with Wildlife Worldwide visiting Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh National Parks costs from £2,450 including flights, most meals, accommodation in hotels and luxury camps and sightseeing in Delhi and Agra.

Tiger-viewing is on elephant or by jeep; leopards and bears are often seen. Departures: November-May.

2 Giant Pandas, Qinling Mountains, China

It has been very difficult to see giant pandas in the wild, but Laoxiancheng Panda Reserve in central China has a fledgling eco-tourism project. A pioneering 14-day panda trek in Shaanxi Province with Naturetrek costs from £3,395 including flights, most meals and accommodation in hotels, lodges and tents.

Trekking is described as tough. The tour includes a visit to the Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an and a chance to see rare golden monkeys. Departures: April 13 and October 5.

3 Desert elephants, Skeleton Coast, Namibia

The best chance of seeing the rare desert elephants of Namibia is in Skeleton Coast Park in the dry season (June-December) when the animals head for the hills to escape the rain. A three-night stay at Skeleton Coast Camp with Cazenove+Lloyd costs from £3,224 and includes flights and fully inclusive accommodation in luxurious meru-style tents.

The camp organises day trips in a 4WD vehicle in search of the elephants. Gemsbok, giraffe, ostrich, hyena, Hartmann's mountain zebra and, occasionally, lion and cheetah can all be seen from the camp.

4 Saami reindeer migration, Norway

The annual reindeer migration in Arctic Norway is the most important event of the year for the Saami people. A 10-day journey with a Saami herder family moving their animals from their winter to their summer grazing area, crossing the barren Arctic tundra on a snowmobile, is available exclusively through High and Wild.

The price of £2,435 per person in a group of seven includes accommodation in lavvu tents (like a teepee), snowmobile hire, Arctic-proof clothing, most meals, transfers to and from airport and the services of an expert guide. The return flight from Heathrow to Kirkenes can be arranged, from about £350. Departure: April 5.

5 Ocean giants, Ningaloo Reef, Australia

Whale sharks - the biggest fish in the sea, measuring up to 60ft long - can be seen on a 15-day dive, swim and snorkel tour of the reefs of Western Australia with Dive Worldwide.

Humpback, southern right, sperm and killer whales, dolphins, dugongs, giant manta and eagle rays are among the hundreds of species that can be seen on Ningaloo Reef, the largest fringing reef in the world. The cost of £3,795 includes flights, accommodation in a mixture of hotels, motels and chalets, most meals and guiding. Departure: June 3.

6 Orangutan study group, Borneo

The Orangutan Foundation, in cooperation with Discovery Initiatives offers privileged access to the famous orangutan study area in Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo. The 14-day trips offer the chance to see wild and rehabilitated orangutans and conduct wildlife surveys with Camp Leakey researchers.

The price, from £3,195, includes flights, twin-share accommodation at Rimba Lodge, most meals and a contribution to the Orangutan Foundation. Each trip is led by Ashley Leiman, head of the Orangutan Foundation in the UK, or one of her colleagues. Departures: June 21, August 30, September 13.

7 Wildebeest migration, Serengeti, Tanzania

The unspoilt Mara River area provides an unrivalled viewpoint for the annual Serengeti wildebeest migration away from other tourists. Steppes Travel is offering a 17-day itinerary to Tanzania, including five nights at the luxurious Sayari tented camp.

This is topped and tailed by stays at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge and the Matemwe Bungalows in Zanzibar. The price of £4,995 includes flights, road and light-aircraft transfers, accommodation, most meals, activities and guiding. Departures: February.

8 Whale watching, Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Grey and blue whales, dolphins and sea lions can all be seen at close quarters on a 17-day whalewatching, kayaking and hiking tour with Pura Aventura. The tour includes kayaking across the turquoise waters of Baja, California, a boat trip into the Bay of Magdalena to see migrating grey whales and a three-day hike in the Copper Canyon.

The price of £2,125 includes hotel and camp accommodation, most meals, guiding, transport and specialist equipment. Flights can be arranged - eg from Gatwick to La Paz via New Mexico - with American Airlines, from £660 return. Departures: February 2, 16 and 23.

9 Polar bears, Spitzbergen

At 80 degrees north and only 600 miles from the North Pole, the island of Spitzbergen is one of the best places in the world to see polar bears. Against a backdrop of icebergs, glaciers and immense sea cliffs, landings are made from an expedition cruise ship for encounters with walrus, Arctic foxes, whales and bears during a period of 24-hour daylight.

A 12-day guided expedition aboard the MV Vavilov with Exodus costs from £2,999 and includes flights, accommodation in a main-deck twin cabin, full board on the ship, and all activities. Departures: June, July, August.

10 Lion safari, Botswana

A two-stop safari in Botswana will pretty much guarantee the best lion sightings in Africa. First, at Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta, you will see large prides take on the local buffalo population and in the dry Savute Channel in the Chobe National Park you might see some of Africa's biggest lions take on elephant.

source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2008/01/19/et-animaltours-119.xml

This short video has a wide range of scenes from around the Murcia Region. Enjoy!

Pagerwesi is one of Bali sacred day that related to Saraswati. Pagerwesi held on wednesday, four days after Saraswati. Pagerwesi still related with Saraswati because Pagerwesi is one of procession of saraswati.The procession is like this :Saturday (Saniscara Umanis Watugunung) - SaraswatiSunday (Redite Paing Sinta) - Banyu PinaruhMonday (Soma Pon Sinta) - Soma RibekTuesday (Anggara Wage

Three of the original six arrested earlier this week in connection with the misappropriation of public funds and money-laundering in 'Operation Ninette' in Los Alcázares have been ordered to be held in provisional detention without bail in a hearing on Saturday before Eva María Algar, a judge at the Court of First Instance in San Javier. Those being held in detention are the brother of the

Looking for a new vacation spot this year? Try Mozambique, Oman, or even revisit Paris, all of which feature on a list of the top 10 must-visit destinations for 2008 from online travel site Concierge.com.

Here are the world's best environmentally friendly hotels, as selected by Travel+Leisure magazine, which partnered with Conservation International to assess properties.


1. Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada: "Sip your cocktail with a clear conscience, knowing the property's water is solar-heated, the bulbs are energy-saving compact fluorescents and the pool is treated with salt instead of chlorine." Doubles from $800, including meals.


2. Soneva Fushi Resort, Maldives: "A collection of refined, castaway-style villas, Soneva Fushi has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half by next year and achieve carbon neutrality by 2010." Doubles from $605.

3. Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka: "When viewed from afar, Heritance Kandalama resembles an ancient temple grown wild with disuse. In fact, the vegetation and location have nothing to do with neglect (note the handwoven tapestries and stunning floor-to-ceiling windows in each room) and everything to do with ensuring that rainwater flowing from the hills collects in the hotel's reservoir below." Doubles from $114, including breakfast.

4. Voyages Longitude 131, Australia: "The retreat's elevated canopy tents have solar-heated showers, a switch that lets guests control the floor-to-ceiling window blinds from the comfort of their king-size beds, and expansive views of Ayers Rock." Doubles from $1,980, including meals and activities.

5. Tiamo, Bahamas: "This solar-powered, 11-bunglaow hideaway, set alongside a stretch of perfect alabaster sand on the largely undeveloped South Andros Island, uses less electricity per month than one average American household." Doubles from $830 including meals.

6. Whitepod, Switzerland: "Set in the Swiss Alps near Aigle, the nine Buckminster Fuller-inspired geodesic domes ... may be electricity-free, but they keep things cosy with plush organic bedding, sheepskin throws and fireplaces fuelled with sustainably harvested wood." Doubles from $392, including some meals.

7. Devils' Thumb Ranch, Colorado: "Sixteen airy cabins and a soon-to-open lodge are all heated and cooled entirely with fireplaces (the wood is harvested on the property, often from beetle-infested pine trees) and geothermal energy. Best yet, the owners have limited their development to only one per cent of the land, leaving the rest free for guests - and elk, moose, bears and beavers - to roam." Doubles from $195.

8. El Nido Resorts, Philippines: "Guest cottages on stilts are set above the crystalline ocean. The resorts are active in both reef and island conservation." Doubles from $210.

9. Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, Tanzania: The sole resort in Tanzania's first managed marine protected area, Chumbe's rooftop rainwater-collection system and solar-powered lights keep the resort in harmony with its surroundings, while its seven open-air bungalows make it a favourite among honeymooners." Doubles from $440, including meals.

10. Adrere Amellal, Egypt: "With its walls built using rock salt and mud, doors and windows placed to catch the desert breeze, and oil lamps and candles lighting the corridors each night, the Adrere Amellal gives guests a taste of life in a traditional Berber community in the Egyptian desert. It also helps to fund and support numerous community projects. Meals are prepared using organic ingredients purchased from farmers at fair market value. Doubles from $448, including meals.

source:http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/story.html?id=eb0b5e97-c5ee-48b8-ae2f-4580ae048721&k=85150

Talking to newspersons here, Fairfest Media Limited Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Agarwal said "the three-day event will also provide the people with options to gather information on various national and international destinations, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, adventure tourism, theme parks, tour operators, travel agents, finance, insurance, airlines and railways and make bookings on the spot".

"It will also help prospective business and leisure travelers to discuss and finalise customised plans, tailored to suit their budget and individual needs and interests," he added.

He said the event would also provide an opportunity for the travel trade visitors from the city and the state to meet and do business with over 140 exhibitors from India and abroad.

TTF had participation from six countries, including partner country Nepal, feature countries such as Egypt, Malaysia,Chennai and Hong Kong, also including Dubai and Thailand as the other participants. Most of the state government departments were participating along with private sector hoteliers and operators from their respective states.

Mr Agarwal pointed out that among the new additions in the TTF was the first time participation by Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra.

source:http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7BD1F0462E-EF53-45B7-B4C4-B7532FC09558%7D&CATEGORYNAME=CHN

It's hard to keep up with the spped of what is going on in Los Alcázares and Murcia generally at present (specially when you're trying to follow it, as I am, from the north of Scotland)! After my post yesterday about 6 people having been arrested, including the former Mayor, now it seems that 20 more have been taken in for questionning in what is being called "Operation Ninette". Amongst those

in Los Alcázares this time. The ex-mayor of Los Alcázares and five others have been arrested on charges of misappropriating public funds and money-laundering. On this occasion the ex-mayor, Juan Escudero, was a member of the governing Socialist party until his expulsion yesterday when he was arrested. In the other recent case of town-hall corruption in Murcia Region (in Totana), the Mayor on that

Elisa Beni, the press officer of the Madrid High Court of Justice (and wife of High Court Judge Javier Gómez Bermúdez) has been fired from her job for publishing a book about her husband's experiences during the trial last year of the Madrid train bombers. The General Council of the Judiciary, Spain's judicial watchdog, accused both she and her husband of professional misconduct.So it's not just

... a soap opera from Mexico for "people who have only three weeks of Spanish". It illustrates quite nicely how limited ability to speak a language need not inhibit you from taking part in a wide variety of situations. Really quite funny!

Sierra Nevada is located in the Andalucian province of Granada and is Spain's most southerly ski resort. The highest point on Continental Spain can also be found within thee Sierra Nevada mountian range and is called "Mulhacen" which proudly stands over the area at some 3,479 meters in height.

Well, that didn't last long, did it? I've been reading over the past few days about the controversy caused by the words selected by the Spanish Olympic Committee (Comité Olímpico Español [COE]) to allow Spaniards to sing words when their national hymn is being played. However, the words remind too many people of the Franco era, quite apart from the fact that they are (in the opinion of this

... specially if you have been drinking heavily before carrying out the foul deed. And in this case the deed was very foul indeed!The crime involved a house occupied by six housemates in Alcalá de Henares, northeast of Madrid, probably all of East European origin - the linked article is not explicit about this except to include the details that the perpetrator is Polish man Roman Stanislaw

Saraswati is a goddess in Hindus mythology that appear like a very beautiful woman, She is a symbolize of knowledge. Saraswati usually held on Saturday (Wuku Watugunung) and held every 210 days. The most people who celebrate this sacred day are student and teacher, also will be held special ceremony in every school and college in Bali.Dewi Saraswati imagined by a very beautiful woman, that has

For many parents, the idea of touring the world with their children in tow sounds like Hell. But those who have tried it report that their experience was far closer to Heaven. The notion of being stuck together as a family 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is certainly a daunting prospect.

Burgnard family in Quebec
Getting away from it all: the Burgnard family in Quebec. The couple and their daughters are now on Easter Island

Mark Twain even managed a quip for this: "Familiarity breeds contempt - and children." But he also said: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." Travel - if planned correctly, with time together and apart - has a mysterious way of resolving family problems and of getting everyone rested and in the mood to start having fun again. Think therapy without the shrink.

Parents will have plenty to consider before they pack and go. They need to prepare for exhaustion and for new responsibilities, as well as recalibrating their lives on all levels - including career, self-image and curtailed freedoms and relationships. Compare these challenges with those faced by freewheeling kids on gap years and there's simply no contest.

So why doesn't putting one's feet up at home have the same benefits? Besides the sink and the stove, there's that third party - the television. You might well get some rest, but a clear head to work things out? Or the energy to do something enjoyable? No chance.

The decision to get up and go can be a tough one, although some people need little persuasion. Juliet Heller was one such. Her eureka moment came when she was reading a bedtime story to her son. The tale told of a family that went sailing around the world. As the pages were turned, the fictional parents started talking, smiling at one another and cuddling.
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"Mmm, good idea," Juliet said to herself as she read on. And so off they went, to cruise the canals and waterways of the Netherlands for six weeks. "Apart from consolidating our own relationships, there's a special bond between sailors that makes friendships quick and easy to forge, especially when there are children on board," she says. Needless to say, the family had a wonderful time and this became the first of many similar trips.

The effects of such action are usually immediate. Besides the usual travel-dazzle pleasures, there's nothing quite like a world perspective to make us feel fortunate with our lot. Every trip also contributes to a sense of collective achievement as a family, and few sights are as warming as watching your offspring being patted and hugged by people you meet along the way. Even the odd run-in with poor companions can have a silver lining. As every parent knows, Other People's Children can make you feel curiously satisfied with your own.

Taking time out can also help parents to absorb some of their children's ability to play, making for some memorable moments together. Children, of course, are naturally amenable. As the novelist and travel writer Pico Iyer said: "Every child is a born adventurer, and every traveller a born-again child." Soon, everyone unwinds and begins to enjoy themselves: toes are wiggled in streams; milk shakes, hammocks and dreams are shared.

As part of the relaxation process, couples will inevitably have some frank conversations. Rows might occur, but problems between partners are best not ignored. And what better way to work things out than against a different backdrop?

The Harrises - Yael, in marketing and PR and husband Sam, a photographer - claim to have avoided conflict during their six years travelling in India and Australia with their two daughters, now eight and three. They both found work along the way, but otherwise conserved finances by "wwoofing" (from the acronym WWOOF - Willing Workers On Organic Farms). The scheme allows a few hours of farm work each day in exchange for food and a bed.

It's a period that they already refer to as their "Golden Years". When asked about rows, their response is: "What rows?" They eventually admit to a patch of "some tension" years ago. While listing the familiar benefits of travel, they also point out that, for most children, it's a rare treat to have both parents around all day long. "When you spend so much time together, you get to read and respect each other's needs," says Yael.

Adolescents have their own problems to work through, which is why they tend to be more difficult. The Burgnards, both teachers (a very transportable skill), are currently on Easter Island, mid-way through a gap year with their three daughters aged 16, 19, and 21. They say that being together has been a challenge, although they value the closeness it has given them as a family. Their youngest, Manouck, declares: "I wouldn't be talking to my parents in this way if my friends were around." Maybe that's the point. Without email, Facebook or the pub, everyone gets to spend more time with each other.

Matt Heason, now 35, trekked across Sudan and Nepal as a child with his parents. These days, he looks forward to travelling to his parents' kitchen, where the family gathers several times a year. After dinner, the travel stories are re-lived one by one, with the memories illustrated by the expedition photographs plastered all over the kitchen wall. As Matt's father, Alan (now a grandfather), says: "It's curious how even bad patches make for good memories. They can keep the kids happy for years." The lows, the highs, they're all good. What else in life can make a similar claim?

source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2008/01/12/fatravel112.xml

It was September in 2007. And thanks to Korea's traditional Chuseok (Full Moon) holiday, I received many vacation days from my Korean ESL (English as a second language) academy.

Many foreign ESL teachers, including myself, took full advantage of this time off work. We had an amazing opportunity to explore a communist country recently opened up to the world for international tourism ― China.

Due to its sheer land mass, its law regulations, and its language barriers, many ESL teachers choose to experience China through a guided tour. And this five-day tour made efficient use of my seven-day holiday.

Approximately, 20 teachers left on a tour collaboration between a Korean company, Happy Tour Agency, and local Chinese tour guides. Our group met one tour guide in Beijing and the other in Xian. The flight, Air China, flew out of Daegu International Airport and landed in Beijing International Airport.

Upon arrival in Beijing, Wally, our Beijing tour guide, quickly blew our group away with local sites and food. And our group maintained a maddening pace to experience China's best features. Since we only had five days, a tightly budgeting schedule managed to provide us many exotic foods, spectacular shows, and tours of breathtaking attractions.

Indulging in China's food was a tough job; we worked our stomachs very hard. Since every meal resembled one seen at a Chinese buffet, I would not recommend a visit to China on a diet. However, as opposed to a normal buffet, each dish was laid out on our moment of arrival.

Each dish certainly tasted fresh, and the style of cuisine varied with each restaurant. Possibly, the king of all our meals was Peking Duck; a mouth watering dinner prepared with a great imagination. The restaurant created and served food for politicians, businessmen, and exclusive families. And it did so for a good reason.

Each elegant duck dish was prepared with great detail. And the restaurant created and served so many that they were stacked one on top of each other on our spacious table. This site seemed a little intimidating at first glance. But, nevertheless, our group managed to devour a dinner fit for a king.

In addition to stuffing ourselves with authentic Chinese food, Hannah Tour visited sights hard to believe exist. On our tour, we saw two of China's most cherished treasures: the Great Wall outside Beijing, and the Terra-Cotta Warriors in Xian.

They represent two manmade wonders of the world. Honestly, after first-hand views of these structures, it seems as if people should admire the engineers that designed these awe aspiring creations. Likewise, people should take pity on those poor laborers who made the massive works of art possible.

China, not only offers masterful statues, it also features masterpiece performances. I watched one show that triggered personal memories as a childhood performer. As a five year old child, while I walked casually between two adults, I often locked our hands together, sprung off my feet, and flipped myself completely upside down. I rotated like a man suspended in air by a bungee cord.

But my childhood stunt was certainly mere child's play in comparison to China's Acrobatic Show. Without a doubt, China's kids performed feats of amazement only reproduced by superheroes.

For instance, I watched one teenage girl who resembled Wonder Women. Just like a superhero, she rode a bike and supported three other girls on her arms and shoulders. Additional girls joined this human pyramid.

More and more girls piled onto her bicycle until the rider simultaneously supported 11 girls. Wonder Women's surreal performance complimented another actor's performance.

I gave him the pseudo name: Spiderman. Spiderman, a teenager, swung 180 degrees, back and forth, on his own webbing: a tight rope. At the end of his act, he flung himself from side to side while he balanced himself upside down, in a handstand, on a stepladder.

Recently, China has generously opened its borders to one more trade: tourism. And since these dinners, attractions, and acts seem incredibly difficult to believe, you should research them yourself; the experience will be priceless.

source:http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2008/01/137_17142.html

Kenya's game parks usually teem with camera-toting tourists at this time of year. Now they are all but empty after images of deadly clashes that rocked the country were beamed around the world.

Operators say pictures of machete-wielding youths battling riot police and of a torched church that evoked nightmares of the Rwandan genocide, have sent some tourists packing and others delaying trips or scrapping planned visits outright.

A minority have bravely chosen to see out their holidays.

"We have never felt like we were in danger," said Debbie Shillito, a Canadian relaxing by the pool of a lodge in the Samburu Game Reserve, the only tourist in sight. "Our biggest fear was that our trip would be cancelled."

Protests and clashes following President Mwai Kibaki's re-election have killed 500 people. His rival, Raila Odinga, believes he was cheated of an election win and the controversy has triggered bloodletting displacing more than 250,000 people.

Tourism industry players say the violence, which has been in isolated places and usually far away from where tourists stay, has portrayed the whole country as a basket case and no-go zone.

Tourism is Kenya's biggest foreign exchange earner and supports about a million people.

Many western countries, including Britain -- Kenya's biggest source market -- have slapped travel bans on non-essential visits, meaning insurance firms won't cover anyone going there.

As a result, bed occupancy across the country has fallen to around 20 percent, when it would normally have been above 85 percent at this time, the industry's peak season.

"Phones are not ringing with new bookings. That is the main concern for us," said Peter Mbogua, sales and marketing manager for the Serena Group of hotels. "And the phones will not start ringing until the perception created is changed."

Mbogua said the Mara Serena in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, famous for its annual wildebeest migration, was just 40 percent occupied. Usually in January it would be nearly full.



TOURISM DOWN, ECONOMY DOWN

Those in the industry see attempts at a political deal as half-hearted and say if the impasse remains unresolved much longer, all their first quarter bookings -- worth an estimated 30 billion shillings ($460 million) -- may go down the drain.

"We are telling the politicians: take your toys and play with them elsewhere," said Duncan Muriuki, chairman of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators.

"If tourism goes down, the economy will go down big time and the multiplier effect will hit everyone," he said.

The private sector Kenya Tourism Federation asked political leaders to find a quick solution, warning in a newspaper statement on Friday that its members may have to lay off some 20,000 workers in the next three months alone.

Kenyan tourism has bounced back from previous scares. Ethnic clashes in a suburb of the resort city of Mombasa in 1997. Bomb attacks the following year and in 2002 also cut visitor numbers.

The Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) said it had just managed to get Kenya back onto international tour operators' itineraries.

"To see all these gains wiped out overnight due to this crisis is very unfortunate," said KTB's Managing Director Achieng' Ongong'a.

"Kenya had regained her place on the tourist map. All of a sudden, just because of the perception that it is unsafe, we receive all these cancellations." (Editing by Daniel Wallis)

sourcehttp://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL11253048

Raju Gandharva is a player of traditional musical instrument called Sarangi. He roams around Thamel area playing melodious tones and looking for tips from generous tourists.

This year while statistics have shown that record number of tourists – over half a million – came to Nepal, people like Gandharva are not too encouraged.

"Yes, there were tourists. But I could earn only as much as to feed myself," he said.

Similar is the response of small and medium traders in Thamel – the important tourism hub in the country.

Surendra Bajracharya, a trader of pashmina shawls, said that though increased numbers of tourists have come, their businesses have not flourished.

"It is true that the number of tourists have increased. More tourists have come but they come to Kathmandu and immediately leave for trekking or for other places, return back and then head to their home country. They have not been spending money in shopping," Bajracharya rued.

Sharing his sentiment, trader of handicraft and thanka items Arjun Kumar Shrestha said, "There has not been marked improvement in our sales as we had expected due to the revival of tourism."

"Quality Tourism"

One of the problems of tourism in Nepal, as pointed out by Nepal Tourism Board's director Subas Niraula, is the lack of tourists who spend much. Niraula said that on average, a tourist stays for nine to ten days and spends around $50 a day – which is quite less.

It is important, he says, to lure more tourists who will spend more. "Right now we have just reached base camp in terms of attracting tourists. After years of slump, tourism has finally recovered. This is a major psychological victory for all of us. In the coming days we will need to promote tourism in a manner so as to maximize our economic benefits," he said.

The tourist arrival has set a new record in 2007 by reaching half a million mark. While over 360,000 tourists came by air, around 150,000 came by land route.

Earlier, it was in 1999 when 491,000 tourists had come to Nepal. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has come out with a statement saying that the year 2007 saw growth of 27.1 percent in the arrival of tourists by air. The board has said that in the month of December alone, the arrival grew by 13 percent.

The NTB statement says that the arrival figure for 2007 reached 360,350 - an all time high since 2000 and against 283,516 in 2006. "In 2000, the number of visitors arriving Nepal by air was 376914. Since then, it has continued to plummet due to various socio-political reasons," the NTB statement says.

"One of the main reasons for inspiring growth in 2007 in tourist arrivals is the ongoing peace process and political stability in the county. Another reason is the good air connectivity with many destinations ushered in by the operation of nine new international airlines to Nepal in 2007," it says.

The board has expected that the year 2008 will be very promising for Nepalese travel trade "as more new airlines are coming and existing airlines are also extending their flight frequency to Nepal."`

source:http://www.mediaforfreedom.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=8671

(Please see UPDATE at end)One of the curiosities of Spain is that there are no words in its national anthem. Apparently this has caused disquiet amongst people in situations where the anthem is played and they must stand there mute, whereas citizens from most other countries can yell out their own anthem's words at the top of their voices. This has been particularly evident at sporting events.

According to the Federación de Consumidores en Acción (Facua), the cheapest mobile telephone service providers in Spain are Eroski for 'pay as you go' mobile telephones (aka 'cell' phones), whereas for mobiles with contracts the least expensive providers are Yoigo and Carrefour.The Facua study looked at tariffs offered by Movistar, Vodafone, Orange and Yoigo and five 'virtual' mobile providers (

f (document.body && typeof(document.body.unselectable) != 'undefined') { document.body.unselectable = true; } Some people that come to my blog was search about Bali Sacred Day in 2008. But unfortunately they will not found it until I publish this post. OK here we go, this is the list of most important Bali Sacred Day at 2008.JanuaryJanuary 6th, 2008 -

The Spanish government has responded to critisism of recent social reforms in Spain by saying it would not accept "moral guardianship" from anyone.Even the opposition Partido Popular (PP), although calling for "respect" for the church 'does not intend to abolish divorce and abortion as demanded by the Catholic hierarchy'. The PP is 'not even expected to cancel homosexual marriage, introduced by

The chief of police in Conil de la Frontera, Cádiz Province, Francisco Luis González Fernández, has been arrested because his unconventional method of dealing with recovered stolen cars has finally caught up with him - he was selling them on as a second-hand car business, rather than returning them to their rightful owners by forging the paperwork. The local town hall have denied all knowledge of

I think this is quite an unusual way of looking at a journey by metro, or the underground, or the tube, or the subway, or whatever it's called where you are:- pretty music too!

The 1956 film of Around the World in Eighty Days has one quintessential image: the urbane David Niven as Phileas Fogg cooling his champagne in ice he has scooped up as his balloon brushes an Alpine peak. Yet nowhere in Jules Verne's novel does Fogg use a balloon to travel.

It's a further irony that Niven was allergic to heights ("at home I almost pass out if I have to stand on a chair to change a lightbulb") and yet he helped to promote the first balloon festival in the Swiss Alpine town he chose to make his home: Château d'Oex.

To reach the resort for its International Balloon Festival, I took the train. The sleek Pininfarina-designed GoldenPass Panoramic climbs from Montreux through a series of hairpin curves to give stupendous view over Mont Blanc and the French Alps before diving into a long tunnel to reach the rolling pastoral country known as the Pays d'Enhaut. The sky above the snow-covered valleys near Château d'Oex itself was dotted with multi-coloured balloons from 20 different countries.

All were here to benefit from a microclimate that is ideal for the sport. In fact, so propitious a place is Château d'Oex that the first non-stop circumnavigation of the Earth by the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon took off from here in 1999, piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones. They made this remarkable journey in 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes.

Wim Verstraeten, part of the team who made that achievement possible, took me up in a blue-and-yellow balloon brought from his home town of Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. With almost British understatement he told me that "ballooning looks like hocus-pocus, but there's a bit more to it".

Nevertheless, to begin with it does look disarmingly simple. The envelope, as the balloon part is termed, is laid out on the ground beside the basket and filled with cold air using a large portable fan.Once basket and envelope are vertical, two Bunsen-like burners fuelled by liquid petroleum gas start to heat the air.

At this point passengers scramble into the basket to provide some ballast until the pilot is ready to take off, whereupon ground helpers release the balloon.

Watching your shadow leave the ground and diminish in size is a curious sensation, with the unfamiliar roar of the twin burners in your ears and a nozzle of flame 10m high shooting into the envelope. It's quite reassuring to learn that the ripstop nylon from which the balloon is made is extremely strong.

The first balloonists had no such comfort: when Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes became the first humans to fly (in Paris on 21 November 1783) the Montgolfier brothers' linen-paper balloon caught fire from the open brazier and had to be extinguished with wet sponges.

As the air inside the envelope warms, the balloon rises through the cooler air. The colder the air, the more stable is the flight, which is why winter in the Alps provides the best conditions. When the envelope cools to a similar temperature as the outside air, the balloon will begin to descend, so the rate of ascent and descent is controlled by the pilot's use of the burners. Great skill is needed to judge the altitude at which the wind is blowing in the appropriate direction.

The pilot has an altimeter and thermometer as well as a radio for communication with the ground crew, who meet the balloon wherever it lands. The giant laundry basket is divided into two compartments: one third for the pilot and gas tanks, and a leather-trimmed two thirds for the passengers. (The basket is made partly of wicker from willows grown on the Somerset Levels – the world's best balloons happen to be made in Bristol, by Cameron Balloons.)

Technical curiosity satisfied, you can become absorbed in the panorama from 3,000m above sea level. The almost unrestricted view is a world away from the porthole-sized windows of a plane, with a wonderfully liberating sense of space and fresh air.

In all directions there is nothing but endless valleys, peaks, glaciers and corries mantled with snow, the folds in the mountains becoming more pronounced as sunset approaches. To the west lies Lake Geneva and beyond is Mont Blanc; to the east the massif of the Bernese Oberland with the Eiger and Jungfrau; and to the south the mountains flanking the Rhône valley.

Evidence of the microclimate that gives Château d'Oex and the adjacent valleys so many days of clear skies and light winds can be seen from on high: more distant valleys are littered with clouds.

Beneath us were patterns in the landscape only usually seen in aerial photographs (which capture shapes and shadows to striking effect). I saw a tracery of dark-brown roads, the long shadows of a cluster of lonely chalets and barns, streams and ponds glinting in the sun, a forest of conifer crowns newly dusted with snow. Dogs barking can be heard at 2,000m. Indeed, the acoustics of the basket were a surprise: like being in a sound-proofed booth, perhaps because of the taut mass of material above.

After crossing a dozen or more threatening crags of rock, we descended into a broad valley that leads north to the cheese-making centre of Gruyères, floating past the hilltop town and its 12th-century castle at battlement level.

The landing, albeit on a cushion of snow, proved so gentle as to be almost imperceptible and so accurate that we came to rest less than a metre from the road on which the support crew and trailer were waiting. Within 10 minutes, the balloon was deflated and folded away and we were heading back to Château d'Oex.

That night I stood beside a stone church on the hill, steep as a Norman motte, overlooking the town for the "Night Glow", which attracts thousands of visitors for the evening. Loudspeakers the size of wardrobes filled the freezing night air with the incongruous sound of the haunting harmonica tune played by Charles Bronson in Once upon a Time in the West. On the mountainside above the town, balloons were lined up to give choreographed bursts of colour as their burners were ignited to illuminate the harlequin fabrics, while from the higher ridges hang-gliders took off, trailing showers of yellow sparks. In a breathtaking display of floodlighting, an entire mountain peak and its crown of trees behind the town were lit up as a dozen skiers descended the slopes in arcs of red and green lights.

Though the International Balloon Festival is undoubtedly the highlight of the calendar, every day of the year when conditions are favourable, a hot-air balloon takes off from Château d'Oex. The town's own balloon can be hired to take you up to between 2,500m and 3,500m for a minimum flight of one hour, costing from SFr1,500 (€937) for two people.

It's easy to see why many find ballooning addictive. By the end of the flight, I could identify with the words of the 18th-century pioneering French balloonist Professor Jacques Charles after his first flight: "It was not mere pleasure; it was perfect bliss." Phileas Fogg didn't know what he was missing.

source:http://www.independent.ie/travel/travel-destinations/switzerland-into-a-silent-world-of-wonder-1260746.html

Siwaratri is a sacred day that always held every year, every night one day before the Seventh deadmoon on Caka year. Balinese people believed this night is the darkest night on the year in Bali, and God as Siva will do a meditation at this night. Balinese people believed if they do the same as Siva did, all their trespass will be forgiven.There are certain thing that should do in Siwaratri, and

I wrote a couple of days ago about the itinerary I plan to follow for my next trip to Spain.Now I'm going to write a little about some of the things I've been doing here, in preparation for my departure. I mentioned when writing about my last visit to Spain in October/November that I had ordered various items of furniture and equipment and other work to be carried out on the house before my

Vitamins and minerals are substances that are found in foods we eat. Your body needs them to work properly, so you grow and develop just like you should. When it comes to vitamins, each one has a special role to play. For example:
Vitamin D in milk helps your bones.
Vitamin A in carrots helps you see at night.
Vitamin C in oranges helps your body heal if you get a cut.
B vitamins in leafy green vegetables help your body make protein and energy.

Spanish (Catalan) swimmer David Meca has successfully swum THREE TIMES consecutively across the Strait of Gibraltar, ending his 12+ hours marathon in Ceuta after having covered more than 60 kilometres in the water. He was naturally exhausted after his efforts and had to be taken to hospital where he remains under observation, but his nodition is thankfully not reported to be serious. A more

At the end of this month I shall be departing Nairn (a little town on the Moray coast of Scotland, just east of Inverness) and beginning my journey to Mazarron, where I hope to arrive about 126 hours later. First will be a three or so hour drive down to Rosyth, the ferry-port on the Fife shore just north of Edinburgh, where I will board the Superfast ferry for Zeebrugge. With luck, assuming we

West isn't necessarily best for sunseekers this month. MetService forecaster Bob Lake saying holidaymakers should hit the east coast - but be prepared for the odd day of rain.

"It looks like some of the best places to be will be around the middle of the country, the east of the South Island and the east of the North Island," he said.

"Much of the North Island will get a dose of rain around Tuesday and Wednesday, but it should improve on Thursday and Friday."

After that a high should move in, meaning next weekend looks settled, particularly for the North Island.

Lake expects a series of highs in late January to keep most of the country warm and dry, apart from occasional rain on one or two days.

That's great news for holiday- makers in Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and the Coromandel Peninsula, which should all get sunshine and little rain.

"The only place where it might be a bit dodgy is in the Far North, where there will be quite a lot of easterly winds, which could bring showers through that region, " Lake said.

The rest of the month would probably be "reasonably warm", with most places falling in the mid-20s.

Canterbury and Marlborough have been experiencing the highest temperatures this summer, up to 32C, and they would continue to be hot throughout January.

But whatever the weather, there could be problems finding somewhere to enjoy it. Campsites and holiday parks around the country are full, so workers planning weekend getaways are advised to book ahead.

Some space may come free over the coming weeks, but many holiday parks are booked until the end of January as families make the most of school holidays.

Baches are scarce until the end of January, while Top 10 Holiday Parks Group operations manager Keri Gibson said most of its sites were full for at least the next fortnight.

While camping spots traditionally became free from mid-January, Gibson said units and caravan sites tended to stay booked until school begins at the start of February.

Even then space can be tight, as international tourists start arriving.

But Gibson said there might be the occasional opening, and advised holiday-seekers to ring their preferred park to check for gaps.

"If someone is wanting to stay at a certain place, there may be a couple of dates available."

Things aren't much different in Auckland, said manager of the city's i-site centre Chanthara Sinclair. "Hotels, motels [and] campsites are all nearly fully booked. People should book before they arrive.
source:http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10485407

The widely distributed Sunday Telegraph newspaper says Iran is a key holiday destination offering 'comfort, solitude and authenticity', PressTV reported.

In an article titled 'Holiday hotspots: where to go in 2008', the paper refers to popular Iranian tourism spots as magical places which attract numerous international visitors.

The paper mentions Isfahan and Persepolis as great tourist attractions and says it is hard to feel safer and less hassled anywhere else in the world.

Iran with its many unique cultural features, magnificent historic monuments and breathtaking scenery is one of the Middle East's major tourism hubs.

source: http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=56805&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

The men on wheels at a small town in Kerala's northern district of Kannur are out to change that perception. They have set up an Auto Court to ensure a hassle-free journey to the passengers.

The passengers can take their complaints against the drivers to the court. If they are found genuine, the court punishes the errant driver. The court is an offshoot of the Auto Drivers Coordination Committee set up to protect the interest of the passengers as well as the auto drivers.

The committee consisting of trade unions affiliated to both the ruling and opposition parties had been engaged in settling the disputes between the drivers and passengers for the last two years.

The ‘Auto Court’ has no judicial powers. Yet its verdicts are accepted by both the auto drivers as well as the passengers. The result is a steep fall in the number of complaints involving auto rickshaws, except those concerning accidents.

“We were flooded with complaints about service and fares before the court started functioning. Now there are hardly any such complaints", says K.V. Chandran, an office-bearer of the Auto Drivers Coordination Committee.

The Auto Court is functioning like normal courts, hearing both sides and pronouncing punishment according to the degree of the ‘crime’. It meets every Saturday. The sittings are led by the office bearers of the committee.

Suspension from the operating service is the main punishment for minor crimes like overcharging and refusal to take the passengers to their desired destination. Drunken driving invites a month's suspension. Misbehaviour is punished with a heavy fine and licence confiscation.

The self-regulatory mechanism has got the support of 1,500 auto drivers operating in the Payyannur Municipal area. Each driver is allotted an identity card and a number, which are recognised by police and the Motor Vehicles Department.

The auto drivers display the card on their vehicle to enable the passengers to identify the ‘black sheep’. The system has eased the burden on police. Officials at the Payyannur station said cases involving auto drivers had declined drastically since the court started functioning.

The passengers are also happy with the system as they get instant justice from the Auto Court. Earlier they had to go through the police and hire advocates to plead their case in the court. The passengers themselves can argue their cases in the Auto Court.

The Auto Court at Payyannur adds to honest track record that the auto drivers have been maintaining in the northern districts of the state, especially Calicut. The drivers in Calicut are specially known for their passenger friendliness, honesty and fairness.


source:http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/December/subcontinent_December1009.xml&section=subcontinent&col=

Tourism industry Hotel Keralain India has seen a decent growth over past 3 quarters. The hotel room prices have been firm and this makes Tourism in India quite expensive for an Indian middle income family.

The prices may be less for foreign tourists and they are flocking at places like Goa, Kerala, Ooty and many other exotic destinations across India.

The prices for travel package for Kerala cost anywhere between Rs 30,000 – 60,000 excluding travel expenses. We inquired with many tourist agencies in Kerala for the prices of various packages.

The package for 5 days and 4 nights in Kerala Backwaters was costing around Rs 25,000 for economy. The price for Deluxe package was Rs 32,000 while the premium holiday package cost was around Rs 55,000.

The package offers food and complimentary drink on the houseboat. Package includes Sightseeing and cruises to Alleppey. Kumarakom is a nice place for nature lovers. Kumarakom bird sanctuary is good place to visit for bird watching.

The best option to reach by Air is a flight to Cochin International Airport. Most of the travel packages will include the transfer from Airport.

There are many other options to choose from for wildlife and nature lovers. Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary an interesting is a place to visit. Neyyar wildlife Sanctuary is a house for Elephants, Lions, Gaurs and Sloth bears.

At Kollam, one can spend good time at Shenduruni Wildlife Sanctuary. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is also a nice place to visit.

Kerala has also emerged as a nice destination for honeymooners. As Goa has been quite expensive and there isn’t much to discover for Indian couples in Goa, Kerala has taken a lead for honeymoon travel packages. The cost of package varies with the choice of hotels and the season, but will be still lower than Goa.

Our suggestion will be to check the prices with different agents before making a final decision. The peak season will remain till March and after that the prices will come down quite sharply. The prices for packages will start reducing in first week of February.

source:http://www.topnews.in/hotels-becoming-expensive-kerala-emerging-honeymoon-destination-211398

SriLankan Airlines has obtained wide publicity for Sri Lanka as a tourist destination, by organising visits by more than one hundred journalists and travel writers in 2007 from the country’s major tourism generating nations.

Chandana De Silva, Head of Corporate Communications at SriLankan, said: “The visits of these journalists are an important part of the numerous efforts of SriLankan Airlines to support Sri Lanka as a global tourism destination. They are invited and brought to Sri Lanka at the airline’s expense, not only to write about the airline, but to provide valuable publicity for the country.”

Journalists on familiarisation tours typically spend a week in the island, with the airline organising visits to the southern beach resorts, the mountain region of Nuwara Eliya, and cultural areas such as Dambulla, Sigiriya and Kandy. They also spend some time in Colombo, where they are shown the attractions of the capital, including its value-for-money shopping areas.

Ruvini Jayasinghe, Manager Media Relations, said: “We obtain the maximum publicity from these visits by choosing specialist travel writers and sports journalists from the most widely circulated magazines, newspapers, and electronic media. We are assisted in this by our PR agencies in target markets, and staff in our ticket offices around the world.”

The airline’s tours for journalists have also increased in sophistication, as well as numbers. It now organises tours for specialised writers who cover niche areas such as spa & wellness tourism, boutique hotels, adventure tourism, and wildlife.

Ruvini Jayasinghe added: “All our tours for media persons are geared specifically to promote the destination as well as the airline. For example, those who cover the airline’s events are given a complimentary tour of the country if they are first-timers to Sri Lanka. Their reports include as much or more about the country as about our event and the airline.”

In October alone, the airline hosted 63 media persons from Germany, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, France, Japan, UK, India, Bahrain, Malaysia, Oman and Dubai.

They included 43 who covered the SriLankan Golf Classic at the Victoria Golf & Country Club. There was also a group of six from Oman, another eight from Coimbatore to coincide with the launch of the airline’s services there; and half a dozen from Dubai in a joint effort with Sri Lanka Tourism. November saw visits by journalists from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.

The airline’s other international events, such as the Singer-SriLankan Rugby Sevens and its Surfing Competitions, also draw foreign media personnel to the island.

“We greatly appreciate the assistance of Sri Lanka Tourism and the country’s hotel and travel industries in organising these visits, which are of immense value to the country, especially when it comes to countering the negative publicity that the island sometimes receives,” said Chandana De Silva.

About SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Airlines first started its operations as Air Lanka in 1979 with initial management assistance from Singapore Airlines. Its present strategic partner is Emirates, the award-winning international airline of the UAE, which holds a 49% stake in SriLankan Airlines. The Sri Lanka national carrier has a route network spanning 54 destinations in 28 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Far East, and carries more than 2 million passengers a year to various parts of the globe.

source:http://www.forimmediaterelease.net/pm/1015.html

Three tours in the Michigan region are set for 2008 by the DeGraaf Nature Center. They are:

* "The Arc of Appalachia" wildflower and birding tour to Highlands Nature Sanctuary in Bainbridge, Ohio, Thursday to Sunday, April 17 to 20, 2008.

Witness one of the most spectacular natural shows on the face of the earth -- the blooming of the temperate Eastern broadleaf forest in the spring. This wildflower pilgrimage will be held in the 90-mile-long Arc of Appalachia region located in south-central Ohio.

Most meals, transportation, lodging and naturalist guides are included with the tour.

Registration is under way.

* "Tip of the Mitt and U.P. Birding and Wildlife Tour" -- June 10 to 14, 2008.

In early June, Mother Nature puts on a show. It is a time of vibrancy as spring colors explode across wild landscapes. This tour will focus on exceptional wildlife viewing areas found in the northern Lower Peninsula and eastern Upper Peninsula.

Included in this tour are lodging, one field lunch, transportation and naturalist guide.

* "Isle Royale National Park Wilderness Tour" with DeGraaf Nature Center, Tuesday, Aug. 5 through Saturday Aug. 9, 2008.

Wolves and moose, the wild North Woods forest, ever-changing weather, a cool climate, and the clear waters and rugged shoreline of Lake Superior characterize Isle Royale National Park. Ninety nine percent of the land mass is federally designated wilderness. There is excellent fishing, historic lighthouses and shipwrecks, ancient copper mining sites, and plenty of spots to observe wildlife.

Included in this tour are all meals and lodging while on the island, guided boat tours, guided walks and hikes, use of kayaks/canoes, tips at the lodge, fees for the National Park Service and transportation to and from Houghton.

source:http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/010208/local_20080102022.shtml