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Archive for May, 2011

Travel to India, can be the most enriching experience in ones life. It not only acquaints you with one of the first-born heritage of the globe but is also an eye opener and makes you realize how a country as diverse with inconsistency as huge as India, come together and function cohesively.

With over crawling billion inhabitants in the farmland, next only to China in the realm, India certainly altered challenges and opportunities up its sleeves. Even nonetheless the buzz in contemporary India resonates of growing and fortune, its disobedient people, disorganized road traffic, contamination, along with the rich enlightening heritage cannot be passed over.Every part of the wilderness is dissimilar, every ride a unique experience, every crossing will earn you closer to diverse population and make you value your life. Such is the mark of this nation state we know as India.

They say Traveling makes one , We say Travel In India and you will not only get the rich national experience but also be wiser, with the infinite , and each consciousness so singular than any other you have dreamt of, Travel in India is just a changed road of life, you get hit when you experience it, there is no another way, it only comes to you when you want to be there.

A trip to India you to select from for array of experiences. Start your India travel with New Delhi, where the new and old co-exist, with rich civilizing humanity heritage to new elaborate ; the city surely provides a good tastefulness of kit to come. It is in this city that you will find the busy nightlife that provides you a window into the standard of living of not so easily come across during travels Indians. They speak voluble English, dialogue with whos who of the voters, jet set to irrelative , group into wee hours till they are dead they are all here, screaming the same missive.We have arrived its all in and coming together in the city of New Delhi.

Not very far from Delhi ( or New Delhi as it is perfectly called) is the bordering imperial of Rajasthan. With its rich artistic heritage Forts and Palaces, luxury train rides, Heritage , Desert safaris, it a dream to live in the past and experience it like no additional position. The Luxury train, Palace on Wheels, will take you through the state-owned of Rajasthan, you in municipal of the art train luxury, no way seen before and with an fancy set aside only for those who want to travel in luxury and reminisce the extravagance of the rich and recognized in the former era. Cheaper alternatives are also available in lavishness. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Pushkar, each grade with its own , so close to each extra yet offering a uncommon appealing appeal.

Thats the business nigh on India; it accommodates everyone, every low-priced, every hue and creed and sends you back in its own imprint. Such is the mark of the land we know as India.

Seldom anyone makes a trip to India and not social call Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, peoples supreme symbol of love, so pure and Herculean, just like its stone, Marble, set in white, sound, time and natures .As a matter of fact, Agra has much more to proposition than just Taj Mahal. No doubt TajMahal forms the lovely of all the , but the city that served as antediluvian capital of India, has lavish heritage to display. The Agra Fort, Fathepur Sikri, the a mixture of monuments and tombs are all business for people to experience the favored era of Mughal rule in India.

Even nevertheless the Golden Triangle of India Travel (comprising of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur) is conceivably the most eminent tour in tourists Indian tour, yet there are not ever-termination options for Travel in India.

On one hand, Khajuraho calls for a trendy vacation coz of its renowned delineation of Kamasutra depicted thru directing craftsmens work on the temples, on the further hand Those on a psychic passage seek the situation of Haridwar/ Rishikesh and Varanasi. The ones who seek the pleasures of city life and Bollywood head to Mumbai, whereas The seashore bums turn to Goa to loosen, appreciate the song and caucus hard, and then yet again a few of us like the laid back atmosphere and head south to enjoy Kerala backwaters and its virgin beauty .And this is not even a drop of all the options available in India for travel.The just develop once you dig deeper into the places that India has to motion for tourists.

Much before you agree the question : But how do I do all this? Where can I go, How to book Hotels, How will I survive in India? Do ancestors there speak English? How do I know I am getting a pronounced deal?

At I Discover India you will be able to select the of through variety of travel sited both within and outside India. You can plan your trip, seek help or just in the region of find no matter what that you need to know or hear from a trusted workmate for that much awaited Trip to India.

As a senior executive for a large multinational corporation, I have been assigned to nine different countries in five different continents over the last 20 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and adapting to new cultures. But perhaps my favorite perk of the job is that it allows me to have my annual vacations in some of the most exotic locations on the planet. My vacation last summer has to count as one of the most surprising and most pleasant of all. It may sound hard to believe, but I really had a grand time spending nearly three weeks in Iceland.

As the name implies, Iceland is constantly covered in ice as more than 11 percent of the country is covered by ice glaciers. I know, that doesn’t sound very cozy, but Iceland’s climate is surprisingly mild and filled with countless geothermal hot spots.

Located in Northern Europe, Iceland is actually a large mountainous island in the North Atlantic that comprises one of the most picturesque places you will ever see. It is never dark in Iceland and nearly the entire landscape is filled with beautiful and colorful wildflowers, especially around the hills that surround the island’s deep fjords. The view of the ocean, mountains and delicate grassy shores is spectacular and breath-taking.

The typical Iceland vacation starts with a cruise from one of the many ports of Europe. You will sail through the country’s beautiful deep natural harbors and witness its quaint farming villages perched delicately on the rocky shores.

Once in Iceland, you will have every opportunity to try their natural hot springs, which are known all over the world and are universally recognized as sort of a native national pastime. Like bears in hibernation, Icelanders enjoy spending most of the winter and much of the summer months blissfully soaking in these springs to pass the long months of night away in relative comfort. It seems like the entire island is filled with these natural hot springs.

Traveling by car around the countryside is a novel experience as well since there is only a single road that traverses the whole rim of the island and affords a majestic view of island’s barren and icy interior.

To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world. Unknown
This week I had a coaching session that caused me stop, sit back and reflect on why we’re really here.
My client, M, and I have been working together with a focus on building her business, however, for this particular session, M advised she had learned of a dear friend’s death earlier that morning, and wanted to honor her by reflecting on the powerful impact she made on her life.
M had married young and moved far away from her family. Still a teenager, she and her husband settled in a small community in a beautiful mountain region.
Because she was so young and had little in common with members of the community, she felt as an outsider.
One day, she visited her local post office where she met the Post Mistress, Edna. Edna immediately made M feel welcome and opened her home and heart to her.
Through the many years that followed, Edna supported M through the births of her children, the heartbreaks that life inevitably brings, the trials and tribulations of raising a family, and the joys and celebrations that follow each victory.
Edna was there when M lost her parents and M was there when Edna lost her husband and several of her children. Edna would listen and support M without judgment. She showed love and acceptance to M and everyone else she encountered.
As M and I spoke about Edna, we reminded ourselves that in the end, it never matters how much wealth or material possessions you accumulate, how successful your business is or how many notches you have under your belt.
What matters is that you made this world a better place, just by being a part of it.
M is a wonderful, caring and generous woman who recognizes the greatness in everyone, and extends support and strength to others instinctively.
I believe that M is someone else’s Edna, although she may not be aware of it right now and may never know who she has touched the way Edna has touched her.
If I can have an impact on someone’s life the way Edna had on M’s, I will have achieved my purpose.
I hope some day I too will be given wings as Edna has so I may move on to the next level of my being.
Take some time today to think about how you are impacting others’ lives.
Do you encourage, support and accept others as they are?
What can you do today to make someone feel as though they are accepted and not judged?
Acknowledge the greatness in others and encourage them to be proud of who they are. Listen to their ideas and praise them for the things they do well.
All we can do is help each other to be the best we can be. Love each other no matter what and support each other when the times get tough.
Edna has passed the torch. Hold it tight and carry on.

New England is a beautiful part of the USA with both rural and urban areas. The region has a vast history that can be seen and felt within its traditional villages and impressive metropolis areas. The areas beaches are natural and rugged in appearance and the architecture portrays the revolutionary history. New England is comprised of the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Travelling There

Flying is an easy option as Bostons Logan International Airport receives flights from all over the world. If you are traveling from within the USA then the rail service would be a suitable option. This runs from Boston along the east coast as well as inland. Driving is also an option as the roads in the area are of good quality and networked.

Accommodation

The region is huge and offers all kinds of accommodation for a range of budgets. This includes hotels, villas, cabins or campsite accommodation. However, the region gets busy in holiday seasons so it is important to pre-book well in advance.

History

The region obtained its name when the English colonised it under the rule of James I. During this time, New Englands income came mainly from the many fishing, farming and timber industries within the area. However, colonizing the region was no east task as the Native American Indians fought and fought for the freedom of the territory up until the American Revolution, where the battle ended and the Americas won.

Sights and Attractions

Boston is a must see if you go to New England. It is a beautiful city with enormous historical appeal. There are also numerous museums and restaurants that makes for a great few days stay. To get a feel for the historic times of New England, drive up the coast and experience the beaches and rural setting. Cape Cod is the location that the tourists tend to head for.

Shopping

The many cosmopolitan cities provide a great choice for the shopaholics. Boston is riddled with huge air-conditioned malls and shopping centers. If you like browsing through markets then you are in luck as the majority of urban areas in New England have weekly markets.

Dining Options

There are dozens of great restaurants to choose from in New England. The majority of eating establishments are proud of their fresh seafood. Cape Cod has plenty of dining options that offer a unique experience to customers. The region itself is famed for clambakes and bean suppers so they are a must have bite to eat.

A Tale of Whales and a Whale of a Tour
The big black and white killer whale — his four-foot sail-like dorsal fin erect and rising from a long sleek black and white body — came slicing rapidly through the water, seemingly on a collision course with our vessel.
Sort of a black and white torpedo with eyes, fin, flippers, and fluke.
The Kansas lady to my right gave a little gasp. “Might it hit us?” she asked plaintively.
No time for her husband to answer. Seconds later, and only a scant four yards from our starboard rail, the orca suddenly dove, his body and dorsal disappearing from view. His course took him directly under (not into!) our boat. A mad scramble ensued as all of us raced through and around the ship’s forward lounge to the port side of the vessel. Most of us made it in time to see the great dorsal resurface. The creature thrust mightily with his horizontal fluke and sped away at incredible speed.
“Oh my,” said Kansas Lady, “that was a sight.”
“Oh yes,” replied Kansas Man, “a sight indeed.”
But the great thing was, it was only one of many memorable moments that day as we cruised the waters of Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park on an afternoon excursion out of Seward. Our ship was the Alaskan Explorer, one of several sightseeing vessels operated by Kenai Fjords Tours. In spite of absolutely rotten rainy weather during some portions of the trip, we (wife Marilyn and I) enjoyed one of the best waterborne excursions we have ever experienced. Proof indeed that in Alaska one should never forgo the pleasures of an outing just because of inclement weather; just dress warmly, in layers, for it.
The trip began about 11:30 a.m., shortly after we arrived in the Resurrection Bay city aboard the Alaska Railroad morning train from Anchorage. After leaving the dock we heard words of welcome and instruction from not one but two skippers, Chris and Roy. They advised us:
“Keep your hat on your head. We don’t go back for hats unless you are wearing one.”
“If you see any folks in the water, throw them a life ring – whether of not they are from this vessel.”
“A few nautical terms: ‘Port’ means left, ‘starboard’ means right, ‘aft’ is toward the back of the vessel and the ‘bow’ is the pointy end of the boat.”
And, “If you feel seasick, go aft to the rail on the lower deck. Repeat, aft!”
Shortly thereafter we had a tasty lunch, deli-style, consisting of breaded chicken or breaded fish (or both), apple chips, choice of light beverage, and cookies.
Our meal was interrupted (we didn’t mind) by the sight of our first critter of the day, a solitary sea otter who drifted by on the port side of the ship. (“Left?” someone asked. “Yeah, left.”) The creature was reclining in classic sea otter pose – flat on his back in the water, paws under his chin, with lower legs and tail tucked up toward his tummy.
“He weighs about 100 pounds,” said one of our captains speaking from the bridge, ” and he has one of the densest coats on earth.”
We heard lots of “Oohs,” “Aaahs,” and “Isn’t he darling…” coming from all over the lounge. One of our table mates, Pat Horner of New Jersey, was enthralled. “Nothing like this in New Jersey,” she told us. Her daughter, Gayle Newfeld of Kodiak, has seen plenty of sea otters near her Alaska home digs. But she, like us, was thrilled as well.
Next on our mammal list came a Dall’s porpoise, about a hundreds yards to starboard. “He’s one of the fastest swimmers in the North Pacific,” said the voice from the skipper’s mike. “Flipper in a tux. He weighs about 300 pounds and can travel upwards of 35 miles an hour.”
Then – highlight of our trip by any measure – came our romp on the wild side with the killer whales (orcas), including the eight-ton male who threatened to “torpedo” us.
Incredibly, during the course of our cruise not one but two separate orca pods, a half-dozen or so animals in each group, joined us to frolic close by our vessel.
Both groups paced us, raced us, and surrounded us when we slowed. They rolled, sounded, made shallow breaches, and approached literally within inches of our ship.
Once, ignoring the rain and looking straight down from my post at the forward port rail, I found myself gazing incredulously into one creature’s “blow” hole! Thank goodness he didn’t take that moment to exhale.
Another time the voice from the bridge announced the presence of Steller’s sea lions, the first of several large or smaller sightings. A big bunch of them, maybe three dozen or more, were sleeping, lounging, crawling, and climbing on rocky beach ledges at the base of a steep granite cliff. A few were swimming in the water, just off shore. Some looked dark gray, almost black; others were light rusty brown in color. “Actually,” we were told, “they are all the same color. Their fur just looks dark when they’re wet.” Whatever their coloration, these were impressive specimens, weighing in at a ton or more for the bulls, but “only” 650 pounds for the more diminutive females. Even from within the lounge of our vessel we could hear their incessant growls and bellowing.
Throughout our cruise, in spite of the weather, we saw a goodly number of seabirds including cormorants, American bald eagles, puffins (with little round “football” bodies and parrot-like beaks, the most comical-looking bird to fly over and dive into northern seas), black-legged kittiwakes, and (my personal favorite) murres. These incredible alcids can dive while fishing to a depth of 300 feet below the water’s surface or more. Wow! That’s equal to the height of a 30-story building. Because of their black and white coloring some folk call them “penguins of the north;” I prefer to think of penguins as “murres of the south.”
And what would an Alaska cruise be without glacier viewing? The ice river we saw and photographed and ogled over that day was Holgate Glacier. Not the biggest on the Pacific coast by any means, but a beautiful, classic tidewater glacier with deep blue colors and an impressive face that calved a few small “growler” bergs into the sea to the delight of all on board.
Our excursion ended about 5:30 p.m., just in time to board our rail cars for the return trip to Anchorage.
It was, all agreed, a marvelous tour, one that Alaska visitors can put in their memory caches as among the best trips in the north country.
Come this spring, summer, or fall you could do a lot worse than book one of these tours. More information is available on the internet at http://www.kenaifjords.com.

One Lucky Stag Has a Taste of Heaven in Estonias Thumping Capital

Theres a lot to love about a stag weekend in Tallinn. Right now all I could hear was Void you like another beer?, and all I could see was row upon row of straight, white, perfect Estonian teeth and long, shiny, blonde Estonian hair. The waitress, and owner of said teeth and hair, was asking for the trillionth time: Beer. Do-you-want-another-one? Even though it was my stag night which made me emperor and overlord of all I surveyed, I couldnt even muster eye contact and so just nervously spluttered out a well rehearsed Jah! Sweet. Beer in the form of the fine Le Coq Premium would be soon on its way and, well, I had to admit that my Estonian was coming along beautifully.

But before the beer could even be pulled from the beer pulling thing, before Miss Estonia could even return to service our table, the lights dimmed and there was a venerable hush. And after what had to be the slowest minute known to man, a vision appeared like a phoenix rising. Or something. Just 23 and a half hours earlier I had been arguing about the price of insulation batts in Reading Argos and now, before me stood or rather lay -a moveable feast in every sense of the word. She was Tanya. She was 22. She was from Haapsalu. Or was it Hishpalaa? Somewhere west of the capital. She was naked. She had our dinner strategically placed on her 22 year old perfect Estonian body. She was very talented.

In Japan, this practice is called nyotaimori and the name literally means adorned body of a woman and for the next three hours the unlimited beer flowed and me and my twenty-nine best friends wined, dined and hatched plans about escaping management consultancy and setting up our own bar in down town Tallinn. Or maybe we could open up an English school. Or an academy for young ladies wanting to be learned in the ways of contemporary British life. My Tallinn stag weekend was only half a day old and it was fast surpassing Skegness as my holiday destination of choice. We toasted to the Saku the finest Estonian lager to pass my lips, to Reading topping the table and to Tanyas left thigh. We toasted to Tallinns remarkable ability to produce the highest concentration of the fit birds per square mile and, of course to me and my upcoming nuptials. We were still toasting when we left Tanya half covered in dessert and fig leaves and little else. We were toasting the magnificent delights of Tanyas right thigh in a rather loud manner, lager and le Coqs in hand, when we noticed what seemed to be a troupe of troopers walking in our general direction.

Crazy-Tallinn-street-cleaners-who-just-couldnt-part-with-their-soviet-army-fatigues (to them it would always be 1989). We toasted to 1989. To Berlin. To Gorbachev. To Reagan. To Yeltsin, who we were all sure was very certain of the infinite native delights of Estonia. To the greatest stag weekend ever. Thank you Tanya, wherever you may be, Tanan and Head ood! Thank you and good night. I will never look at grilled Greek pork in the same way again.

Peter Finlay spoke to Amalia Illgner. We are pleased to announce that Peter is now a happily married man with a house full of white goods in Reading.

Special Thanks to Chillisauce for organizing Peter’s Tallinn stag weekend.

Now that’s what we like to call service!

A Short Guide To Having Fun In Italy
The best time to go to Italy could well be, well, anytime. In reality the best time is between April and June as the flood of school holidays hasnt yet hit the roads, the countryside is at its fullest bloom and the weather isnt uncomfortably hot yet.
When deciding at which time of the year to go to Italy it may be worth scheduling around a couple of festivals as they are invariably spectacular occasions.
Here is a shortlist of the best on offer:
Festa dei Ceri, Umbria in May
Il Palio, Siena in July and August
Carnevale, Venice in February
Festa di San Gennaro, Naples in December
I Candelieri, Sardinia in August
Palio delle Quattro Antiche Repubbliche Marinare, Venice / Pisa / Amalfe / Genoa in May / June
Processione dei Serpari, Abruzzo in May
Sa Sartiglia, Sardinia in February
Umbria Jazz, Perugia in July

In August prices tend to skyrocket across the country along with the weather, so is best avoided. However, that is not true of the whole of the country. In a country such as Italy the weather is incredibly diverse, ranging from stifling heat in the low-lands of Florence to the snow-capped chills of the Alps and the Dolomites.
Overall you can expect long hot summers the further south you are, with Sicily and Sardinia enjoying the best of all, where sea swimming is possible right into mid October.
Italy is a fairly expensive country with accommodation being the single most costly aspect of a trip. You may find cheaper accommodation out of the city centres and in surrounding satellite towns. Expect to pay around 12 to 20 euros for a youth hostel, 25 to 45 euros for a basic pensione or small hotel, and around 70 to 120 euros for a mid-range hotel.
Eating out is an incredible experience throughout Italy. As any Italian will tell you, there really is no such thing as Italian food, as each region tends to be known for its particular specialities. Budget for around 20 to 35 euros for a great full-course meal with a house wine on average.
The delectable Cucina Italiana is never far away in Italy. If youre a bit of a gastronomic connoiseur then id recommend touring around the Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Umbria regions for the quintessential food tour.
Shop for Italian delights to take home in the Mercato delle Erbe in Bologna, then head off to nearby Modena for a bottle of perhaps the worlds finest balsamic vinegar.
Next pick up a delicious antipasto in the most well-known food town of Parma – see Parma ham and Parmesan cheese.
For you first dish perhaps Umbria for some umbricelli (pasta served with shaved truffles). If you can try to get your hands on the ever-elusive tartufo nero or black truffle from Norcia.
For the next course perhaps a taste of the infamous bistecca alla fiorentina from Florence or head to Perugia for a porchetta, an Umbrian speciality of suckling pig stuffed with its own liver plus a handful of wild fennel and rosemary.
What to drink with these delights? Head to the Chianti region for a rocking red, or Orvieto for a succulent and sharp white.
Round off this tour with dessert in Siena in the form of a slice of panforte, a hard flatcake of candied fruits and nuts, or perhaps cantucci e vin santo (yes you guessed it – a biscuit doused in sweet white wine), a Tuscan speciality.
Getting around Italy is relatively easy and cheap, although car hire prices are on the rise. If you decide to take a train the regionale (local stopping trains) are much cheaper than the diretto (fast intercity and eurostar trains) and in my opinion are far more rewarding as you get to see more and take photos along the way.
It youre in search of good reading to help in capturing the spirit of Italy then id recommend picking up a copy of Il Gattopardo by GT di Lampedusa, The Aeneid by Virgil, La Storia by Elsa Morate or perhaps Grazia Deledda’s Canne al Vento.
Have fun!
ZZZZZZ

A Seemingly Sleepy Fishing Village Offers A Plethora Of Sailboat Excitement

Recognized as the Sailing Capital of North Carolina, the serene, maritime village of Oriental offers several tournaments and regattas throughout the Spring, Summer and Autumn months.

Regattas, Tournaments and So Much More in Oriental, North Carolina

Every year in late-April/early-May, The Oriental Dinghy Club of North Carolina holds their Annual Spring Regatta on the waters of the Neuse River. Large and small boat owners alike are invited to race and everyone can take part in the variety of social gathering events held throughout the weekend. The Oriental Dinghy Club also sponsors several more races throughout the seasons including the SOLO Race in October which welcomes boaters from near and far. For information on race schedules, registration, results and more, go to www.towndock.net/odc.

Early June is typically the time for the Oriental Cup Regatta, also referred to as the Premier Sailing Event of the Year. The weekend includes not only sailboat racing, but a full calendar of events that includes a Welcome Picnic, live music, fabulous food, dancing and more. The registration fee also provides you with one Regatta souvenir T-shirt and two land passes allowing complimentary entry to all meals and events! All proceeds benefit the Bill Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund get full-coverage details at www.towndock.net/orientalcup.

Taking place every year during the last weekend in July, The Rotary Club of Oriental sponsors their Annual Tarpon Tournament. It is the sport-fishing event of the year here, with cash and prizes totaling over $20,000! And the proceeds benefit a great cause The Oriental Rotary Scholarship Fund. To find out more, visit http://www.orientalrotary.org and click on the Tarpon Tournament link on the left margin of the web page. You can also contact the Rotary Club to find out about the upcoming event and/or registration by emailing info@OrientalRotary.org.

For all the current Oriental, North Carolina racing and local news including detailed wind, water and weather stats, visit: www.towndock.net.

A Review On Travel Insurance – Do You Need It Or Not?

Personally I think it would be very foolish not to have some sort of travel insurance, especially if you are flying abroad. People sometimes make the mistake in thinking that their local insurance policies will cover any losses and have a big shock when they come to make a claim. Besides, if you have the right policy, it takes all the worry out of your trip.

You should always be offered insurance, by your travel agent, when you arrange your trip. If not, ask, because it will be on your own head if anything goes wrong.

A Cheap Policy or Not?

When a travel insurance policy is issued there are a number of allocations if the premium, agents commissions, administrative costs, some goes towards profit and what’s left over goes towards the actual insurance coverage. So, you can see, if it’s a cheap travel insurance policy, something is going to miss out and you can bet it will be the level of coverage.

If you buy a regular travel insurance policy, that is, you fill out a form and send it to the insuarance company with your remittance there are a lot of costs involves. A better way would to get a wholesale policy (which travel agents do sell) where the administration costs are dramactically reduced, meaning more money is spent on the actual coverage.

Some tour operators and agents provide an “in-house” travel insurance policy and, often, all it covers is their own cancellation fees and little else. It may be cheaper but will not give you much travel insurance coverage.

Another way to reduce costs, which depends on the level of travel you are going to do, is to purhase an annual travel insurance policy. This is buying in bulk and is likely to be much less expensive than the one-off trip policy.

Primary or Secondry Travel Insurance Cover?

These 2 types of cover determine the way the payouts are made. The primary travel insurance cover means that the company will “Pay First”, that is the payment will be paid to the claim maker. The secondary travel insurance cover means they will pay only after you’ve have claimed as much as you can from other insurance cover that you may have. So, you can see that the primary cover is a lot better than the secondry cover.

What Type Of Coverage Will You Need?

It’s fair to say the 2 biggest risks that are covered by most travel insurance policies are the costs of changing your travel plans and and any medical care and emergency assistance that is required while you are away.

Most travel insurance policies will include a few hundred dollars for baggage/loss/damage/delay, loss of travel documents and other small sum for flight delay or interuption. Some will also cover for someone to fly out to you if you are to be hospitalised for more tha 2 or 3 days.

Another major cost, and I must admit I never thought of this one before, can be supplier bankruptcy. Many time the supplier of your travel insurance policy are unable to have the policy to cover thier own bankruptcy. This would be another good reason to have an independant policy from the company arranging your travel.

Most travel insurance policies include a large ammount of air death insurance, but surprisingly, it’s of very low value item about 25 cents for a $100,000 cover. I suppose this indicates how safe air travel is.

Some travel isurance policies will also cover car rental risks and this may be an important thing to consider as car rental insurance policies are extremely expensive.

Trip Cancellation/Change Coverage

To understand the possible costs that you may need if you have to change your itinery or cancel the trip, if you have pruchased an unrestricted first class ticket there may be not any costs associated with changing the ticket as this is usually covered in the purchase price.

It may seem strange but the the cheapest ticket has the most risk attached to it as far as cancellation/change is concerned. It can cost a heap more to change the cheap fare to return home on a different flight than the original purchase price of the ticket.

You will have to be aware that when some travel insurance policies state that they will cover ‘your total trip cost’ you may think that the full charges are covered, but this may not be so. Let’s say that your discounted fare cost $590 and you have a package that actually costs $895 and you have to change you may find the return trip will cost more than the whole package. Maybe you will have to pay another $1120 to get home on a no advanced one way return ticket.

I had this experience a few years ago when I had to rush home for my Father’s funeral. Because of time restrictions I had to buy a non-discounted ticket. After not feeling well all day, when I finally arrived at the airport I succumbed to a middle ear infection. So with all the vomitting and the different air pressures that come with flying there was no I could get on a aircraft. But, as I had purchased a full fare, there was problems in changing my flight to the next morning. Goes to show that you can’t always control your circumstances.

The more restictive travel insurance policies may exclude circumstances that are deemmed ‘under your own control’, and perhaps this may include work related issues. Let’s say you are about to leave work and you are told there is an issue that has to be solved and that you leave has to be deffered. There’s a very good chance that this type of travel insurance would no pay out because of this reason.

Medical Care and Emergency Assistance

Some people mistakenly think that their home medical insuarnce policy will cover all costs wherever they are in the world. They may find that that it doesn’t cover at all, or the deductions will be much higher or perhaps their medical costs are covered but not any related transport costs.

You may be on a cruise and you need some medical attention by the ship’s doctor. There is a good chance that their services are charged for as with any other doctor. You may have to be flown home on a stretcher and this will involve blocking out nine seats, can you imagine how much that would cost. You should make sure that you have travel insurance of at least $10,000 or more to cover these emergencies. Let’s imagine you are in a remote area and you break a leg and you need to be lifted out by a helicopter, this is what good travel insurance is all about.

To Summarise

Imagine your worst case travel mishap scenario and decide whether you need travel insurance. This may be the cancellation of the whole trip coupled with the associated cancellation costs or some emergency medical mishap that will require medivac and local care. I know these are horrible thoughts but if you can’t afford to self-insure the expenditure of around $100 on travel insurance will give you the piece of mind and one less thing to worry about.

A Recipe For The Perfect Maritime Vacation Includes Pei Lobster

A Prince Edward Island vacation is not a vacation at all without succumbing to the succulence offered up by a maritime lobster feed unlike any youre likely to find anywhere else.

Lobster is not so much a part of Prince Edward Island life as it is a fact of Prince Edward Island life and a visit to the gentle island without a lobster feast would be like a visit to the island without giving in to a round of golf. Or visiting the island and not walking along the miles and miles and miles of endless sandy beaches in shades of white, champagne, pink and of red. Or of visiting the island without taking in the many festivals that imbue it with its unique character, charm and of course, its culture.

There are two lobster fishing seasons on Prince Edward Island; one in the spring and the other occurring in the fall. Lobsters from the island are available year round, however, because they are kept in holding pens or pounds, (traditionally large, fenced areas of the ocean) or in more recent years, thanks to rapid the advancements made by technology, lobsters can be penned in huge dry-land holding facilities, in fact pioneered in Atlantic Canada. In the end, it means the lobster served to you is always as fresh as it is refreshing to the palate.

The American lobster or as its known by its scientific name, Homarus Americanus, can most often be found on the Atlantic coast where it is also known as the northern, Atlantic or Maine lobster. The colder waters of Canada are the more common lobster areas although they can be found as far south as North Carolina.

While a much vaunted delicacy today, in decades past, that hasnt always been the case. In fact, the lobster was once considered very common and farmers of Prince Edward Island would often spread lobsters on their fields for fertilizer. Perhaps thats one of the reasons Prince Edward Island potatoes have come to have the storied reputation and taste they do.

A live lobster is usually greenish-brown in appearance and color, although occasionally they have been known turn up in blue, partly white, yellow or bright red. These color variations are the result of a genetic defect in the lobster shell pigments and are very rare. In fact, for a blue lobster, the chances are one in a million. For a yellow lobster; one in 30 million.

The sight of a red lobster is considerably more common and can be found all over the island. This is, of course, due to the fact that its been cooked and served with butter. It is here, on the gentle island that the potato and lobster together are once again a familiar sight, preferably served piping hot in your newfound and favorite Prince Edward Island restaurant at the waters edge or along the boardwalk.

This summer, savor the succulence of a Prince Edward Island lobster, and all the tradition that comes with it. Bon appetit!