My Travelog

If you are heading out on recession beating family holidays to any of the Balearics this year, try to make sure you get yourself over to one of these awesome waterparks.  There is nothing better than hitting some of the best water featured attractions in the blazing sun and it has to be said it is the most fun way to cool down in the heat.

Aqualand – Magaluf, Mallorca
This park is massive.With well over 15 slides and many other attractions, if you’re visiting Majorca and are in the west of the island you need to visit this park.  From unique slides like the boomerang, black hole and the tornado to the super slaloms and the 8 lane ‘multi-pistas’ there is an attraction for all.  They even have surf beach pool that can create over 1m high waves, and for the people that just want to relax, try the Congo River.  For the younger children there is the mini park catering in smaller versions of some of the grown up slides

Hidropark – Alcudia, Mallorca
If you are over the east of the island you have the Hidropark in Alcudia.  Hidropark is much smaller than the Aqualand but not short of slides. The kamikaze is well worth a ride although not for the faint hearted.  This park has nothing on Aqualand so if it’s in your budget, I would try to get to the other side of the island and experience the sheer size of the Aqualand.

Aguamar – Playa den Bossa, Ibiza

The White Isle has two worthy waterparks the first, and larger of the two is the Aguamar located just 15 minute bus drive from Ibiza town.  The Aguamar has many slides all will depend how daring you are feeling in your quest to cool down.  There are around seven types of slides as well as your relaxing rubber ring style slides.There is also one that other people describe as the high and fast one.This slide is definately not for the faint hearted.

Agualandia – Talamanca, Ibiza
Talamanca is a family oriented resort that benefits from having Aqualandia nearby.  Aqualandia is smaller than the Aguamar and caters more for children with many more children’s slides and lots of sheltered areas.Aqualandia has the very fun twisty inflatable slides and also the multiple lane slides.  This is without doubt the family friendly waterpark in Ibiza.

Aquacenter – Los Delfines, Menorca

Family friendly Aquacenter in Los Delfines has many attractions for the whole family to get splashing.The best water rides in this park are the Black Hole and the Giant Toboggan.They also have the rides that all water parks have like multi lane slides for the whole family to race to the finish. For the adults there is a Jacuzzi area to hide from the children.

Aquarock – Cala’n Bosch, Menorca
The main attraction in Aquarocks is kamikaze.This is an extreme slide this slide will pummel you into the water at a cracking rate.Like the other parks in this article this water park has a good family area that included smaller versions of the adult slides.  For the water shy family members there is always the go karts to keep you occupied.

Summer may be over in mainland Spain but there are outposts where the season never ends.  Such as the Canaries – the seven islands which are situated just off the coast of West Africa, many hundreds of miles south of the Iberian Peninsula.  A location that creates a great climate all year round.

As a result of this great climate the Canaries have become the second most visited region in Spain after Catalunya (with its star attraction of Barcelona).Attracting over 9 million visitors a year.  So despite the current economic climate thousands of travellers will still be booking holidays in Lanzarote and the Canaries this autumn.

Part of the reason for this ongoing popularity is that the Canaries are the closest winter sun destination to key tourist markets such as the UK and Germany.  Which are both just four hours flying time away.  This winter, flight prices for UK visitors also look set to fall thanks to growing competition on the route between the big guns of the low cost flight world.  Which will hopefully help to reduce the price of flights to Lanzarote. 

So for those who have never enjoyed a winter sun holiday in this part of the world before what can they expect?  The temperatures will certainly be warm enough for plenty of days on the beach or by the pool.  With the mercury rising into the early 20´s Celsius throughout December and January.  Whilst the sun never sets much before 6pm – in contrast to the dark afternoons prevalent in Britain at that time.  Rainfall is also very low. 

The island offers high standards of accommodation too.  Covering all of the bases from high quality hotels through to simple studio apartments.  A growing number of visitors now prefer to book their own accommodation online too – thanks to the growth in internet usage.  And as result interest in – and bookings for – Lanzarote villas have increased enormously over the last decade.

Because of the increase in visitors looking for Lanzarote apartments and villas is good news for holidaymakers and travellers as villa owners need to make sure clients requirements are met, and those extras and traditional add ons are now included in the price.

The resort of choice during he winter months is Playa Blanca, which is located right at the southern foot of the island. And consequently enjoys the best weather.  Playa Blanca has rapidly evolved over the last decade to become the second most popular destination on the island.  With a wide range of villas in Playa Blanca available for rental with prices starting from around £400 per week.  As well as a fine selection of good quality four star hotels lining the shoreline such as the Princesa Yaiza and the Timanfaya Palace.

Lanzarote is a popular year round holiday island with a good choice of holiday resorts. Follow the links for additional information about villas in Playa Blanca in particular or other Lanzarote villas and apartments.

Certain things need to be considered when choosing a car rental agency. Planning the trip in advance and doing a little research about the available agencies will also help you.

Most companies will assure you that by making a reservation with them before you even arrive they will give you lower rates when in actual fact it is the opposite. Car charges are not constant and vary through out the year. So you must be quite clear on the conditions that are described to you and when they apply.

So before choosing a car rental it would be best to have an estimate of the amount that you are willing to spend on the rental, you should also know the places that you intend to visit. Then you should be clear on your dates and how flexible you are on these dates. These facts will help you choose the right car and help you when you are negotiating as well.

The best way to make a car booking would be to do it online. Online bookings are convenient for the car rental agencies and they will offer you a discount for booking online. When you are getting your quote from the car rental ask if their cars have any add on features that you might require. Extra features like storage facilities, roof racks for luggage or sports equipment.

Car rentals will have daily rates for a limited number of km and then charge per km there after. For those renting the car for more than two days you can negotiate a cover charge for the whole period than pay for extra km’s travelled . Some will require you to pay for extra drivers whilst other just need you to have them written down only. If you have good negotiating skills you can get a better deal than the original one, just compare the different agencies. I would suggest that you consider any of the following for good deals:

1. Car Rental Sandton
2. Car Hire Johannesburg For A Week
3. Imperial Car Rental South Africa

Pros and Cons of Air Travel

Over the past few decades air travel has been becoming popular among people. One can attribute a number of reasons for this increase in popularity and these are convenience and safety.  The following are some of the positive and negative factors involving air travel.

Disadvantage: Airplanes Cause Pollution.

The major shortcoming of air travel is the pollution caused by it. Airplanes are responsible for sending greenhouse gases into our atmosphere and these gases contribute for things like global warming.  A lot of people are keen to minimize the effect of global warming on the planet and they find this a major setback. Nowadays many airlines are taking necessary actions to reduce the global warming effect by becoming more conscious about the environment. One of the ways in which this is achieved by many of these airlines is to retrofit winglet devices that make the aircraft fuel efficient.  Apart from this the airlines invest a large sum of money to replace their old aircraft by fuel efficient aircraft.

Disadvantage: High Cost

High cost of travel makes many people avoid traveling by air. You may be able to travel by car to many destinations at a very cheap price as compared to traveling by flight. You can take advantage of discount
airline travel to obviate the high cost of travel by air. If you can find a good deal for airfare it can be the deciding factor for many people whether they will fly or drive.

Disadvantage: Fear of Flying

Many people simply do not like to fly.  This is mainly because of the fact that they were on a flight that has experienced extreme turbulence or some type of other event and this has been rather terrifying. 

Advantage: Speed of Travel

One of the major advantages in air travel is that it is able to take you to any of the places where airports are available at a much faster rate than any other forms of transportation.  Driving in United States between places could take you a number of days whereas you could cover this distance in a few hours by flight. The savings obtained in this mode of air travel gives you an opportunity to enjoy your vacation for a longer period.

Advantage: Easy to Travel Long Distances

It is possible to cover long distances by flight in a reasonably short time whereas it is difficult to cover far off destinations by other modes of transportation. traveling to any destination in the world is possible if you travel by air. Although many of these flying times are very long you will still find that the total time taken is much shorter than the time that would have been spent by using alternate modes of transportation.

Advantage:  Safety

It has been found in general that air travel is the safest form of travel as compared to other travel modes. Car accidents wherein people die happen in thousands every year. It is also not uncommon to read about train derailments as well.  As regards to air travel related accidents you will find that the frequency of occurrences is relatively minimal. For many people safety is the prime consideration for choosing air travel as compared to other form of transportation.

Choosing air travel is a personal decision, based on the factors discussed above along with a multitude factors not discussed here.  For most travelers safety, speed of travel and cost are the over riding factors.  As long as cost remains affordable air travel will continue to grow in popularity.

When you want to go to an excellent place to spend some vacation time you should certainly go to the Smoky Mountains. Smokey mountain provides you with excellent cabins so that there will be no worries as far as the living is concerned. The Smoky Mountain cabin rentals are located in the Gatlinburg, Tennessee which is also nearby to Pigeon Forge.

There are more than 200 cabins there and this provides the visitors with a choice. These cabin rentals provide cabins of different sizes along with different locations and facilities to meet visitor needs. Whatever is your budget and what ever is the size of your group, you can easily find a good cabin rental for you at Smoky Mountains.

Some of the cabins have a single bedroom, while other cabins have multiple bedrooms. The cabins available can support up to five whole bed rooms. The rentals vary according to the number of bedrooms. You will also be able to find cabins that are paid depending on how many individuals sleep in a cabin.

You can even rent a cabin to live out their normal life within the Smokey Mountains. You will be able to easily find these different types of cabin rentals here. If you have a location you are fond of, you can rent a cabin in that area. Also if you enjoy a game of pool or other table style game, those can be accommodated. At Gatlinburg Tennessee, you can find a wonderful cabin to stay in for whatever your Smoky Mountain needs are.

You can also find the cabin rentals with all the features like a fully furnished kitchen having Microwave etc and bathroom with hot water tubs in the Smoky Mountains. TV sets with satellite can also be made available, as well as refrigerators, so even out in the Smokey Mountains you can still be a part of the world. No matter where your cabin is, you can have all the necessities that your life requires. You will not find this type of vacation just anywhere, but you will find it at the Smoky Mountains.

The rental cabins can be rented for more than one night and are in close proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After arriving at your cabin, you will not believe all the fun attractions that are available in this area. These attractions include Splash Count, Dollywood, and others.

Also many shopping locations are dotted through the mountains allowing easy access to all you need. There are also great recreational activities available. There are tons of Ski Areas along with amusement parks. The Great Smoky National Park contains the second highest point east of the Mississippi River. From here you can get a view of seven States on a clear day.

For the best information about Smoky Mountain cabin rentals please visit http://www.smokymountaincabinrentals.org

The Algarve province in Portugal is separated geographically by the Monchique Mountains from the rest of the Portugal. The Algarve is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. If you wish to holiday in this great land of golden sandy beaches, sunshine, great winter temperature and the natural scenic beauty, you can have an affordable and luxurious accommodation in this place. Thanks to Algarve Portugal Villas!

Besides hotels and resorts, you can rent the holiday villas in Algarve which offer complete homely environment. These villas provide everything that you may need for your stay – 2-3/3-4/5-6 family accommodation, swimming pool and fitted kitchen for preparing your own food. Some villas also offer car facility for exploring the place.

Algarve is a wonderful place full of happening things, large luxurious hotels, comfortable and affordable resorts, endless beaches, breathtaking nightlife, superb shopping centers, wonderful Mediterranean cuisines, and health clubs. All these charms become more charismatic with the holiday villas for accommodation.

How to find Algarve Holiday Villas?

The internet is the best medium to book Algarve holiday villas. Before you land at the place, it is important that you book a villa for your family. Since it is a preferred sought after holiday place, you need to hurry to get a good villa on reaching the place. Advance online booking of your holiday villas in Portugal ensures that you will have no trouble in getting a villa. After landing at the Faro international airport, you can hire a taxi straight to the villa.

You can find lot of Algarve Property by surfing on the web. You can search the pages to find all the details on the Portugal holiday villas. Images of the villas are uploaded so that you can see them and feel how comfortable they will be for your family.

Location of Algarve Holiday Villas

Most of the Algarve villas are located near the beaches (at least 900 meters far from the beach). You can have wonderful coastal view from the villas. Most are located in villages near the sea giving you a different experience of the place. Those located a little inside in the town have easy and short cut access to beaches.

The villas are perfect for those who love tranquility and prefer to remain away from the hustle and bustle of normal life during holidays. The villas are nestled among mediterranean fruit trees and provide a wonderful envirnoment for the visitors. The serenity of countryside spots offer a different feeling here. You will have once in a life time experience in the villas of Algarve.

Price of Algarve Villas

Most villa owners and agencies dealing in Algarve villas quote charges for a week’s stay. If you wish to stay longer in the villas you can stay but the charges will be calculated on weekly basis. Search the web to find your holiday villas in Portugal. They are offered at competitive prices by agencies which deal in holiday villas in the region.

Is there actually any difference here? So what do you do when there are two of these holidays available to you. Both are at their peak summer times and both are for 7 nights. So which one do you take up, these places are the same as each other, would you be able to quickly make a decision.

The Maldives has a very warm climate, oh, and so does the Caribbean. The Maldives has sandy white beaches and many islands, yet so does the Caribbean. There must be some thing different about these places that will help people to make their minds up about which one they want to go to.

When you really look into it, these two holidays are very different, maybe not the climate, but different aspects. Well technically the Caribbean isn’t a place, it’s more of an area, with places in it’s boundaries. The Maldives is more of a collection of many small islands. In the Maldives you are very restricted to what you can actually do. Don’t go to the Maldives if you want to have a busy and crazy holiday, this is the place for relaxation and spa treatments. Although there are some activities like diving and walking along the beach, these holidays are more designed for you to chill out.

If you want to have a busy night in the Caribbean, then there are places for you to go and enjoy yourself. We muist look a bit deeper to see if there is something that people can distinguish as different between these two places, so that we can make our minds up on where to go. These holidays do have one big difference. You may think that Caribbean holidays are quite expensive, but what about the Maldives ones. Your average Maldives holiday is going to cost you almost twice that of a Caribbean one, leaving you very little spending money.

So Maldives holidays or Caribbean holidays? The luxury is in the Maldives holiday, but it’s also there in St Lucia holidays, here are some holidays that we can all enjoy!

So here is part two of the most successful celebrity’s that have come from Wales. Love them or hate them, say they aren’t successful or a load of rubbish, they have got a lot of money for some reason or other.

The Old Timer- Tom Jones

Thomas Jones Woodward was born 7th June 1940 and is known by his shortened stage name of Tom Jones. Tom Jones has sold a massive 100 million records to date and was actually knighted in 2006 by the Queen for his services to music. Anyone who doesn’t recognise the name Tom Jones will surely remember the song from the film Thunderball with the same title. It was this Bond movie that Tom Jones sang the tune forThis was of course the Bond movie that Tom Jones. “Mama Told Me Not To Come” and “It’s Not Unusual”.

The Brilliant Kathering Jenkins

was born 29th June 1980 and is an award winning classic crossover mezzo-soprano. She was actually born in Neath, Wales and is very well known for her classical voice. She first came to the attention of the public eye in 2003 when she supported Aled Jones on his tour. The Rugby World Cup in 2003 is when she made her Sydney Opera House debut and in 2004 she first appeared in the USA. Jenkins can speak Welsh very fluently and is the fastest selling mezzo-soprano artist of all time and she is still very young.

Charlotte church

Charlotte Church was born 21st February 1986 in Cardiff, Wales and his since gone on to become very rich and successful. She has managed to sell way over 10,500,000 albums across the world and has been rumoured to be worth £20 million. There does seem to be a lot of people out there that find her annoying and will not listen to her music. The singer has now got two children and hosts her own television program that is soon to come back onto our screens.

This is just some of the best celebrities that have come out of the awsaome country that is Wales.
Wales is actually a really nice spot to take one of those Family holidays UK or perhaps even one of those awesome family days out.

There have been many welsh celebrities over the past few years that have gone on to become huge successes. Many of them of course haven’t. This list is just a small amount of the overall people that have gone on to become very successful.

The Brilliant Christian Bale

Yes this huge Hollywood actor was actually born in Wales in 1974. Bale has to be on the list because he is such a huge actor, although he left Wales when he was two he simply has to be on the list. Many people are shocked when they find out that his father was a pilot and his mother a circus clown. After leaving Wales in 1976 he spent many years in England, Portugal and the USA. His top films include American Psycho, Batman Begins and Batman: The Dark Knight and of course Equilibrium.

Duffy (Aimee Duffy)

Aimee Duffy was born in 1984 and is an extremely successful singer-songwriter. The only album she has released so far was called Rockferry and it went on to become the number one album in the UK. What is quite rare for a lot of Welsh people nowadays is the fact that she grew up speaking Welsh as her mother tongue. The name Aimee was dropped a long while back for both personal and professional reasons.

Catherine-Zeta-Jones

Another welsh actor here and was born in Swansea in 1969. Acting was an ambition of Catherine's at a young age and she left school for it. Her most successful films include The Mask of Zorro, Chicago and The Legend of Zorro.

So there it is, only the first snippet of people that went on to become huge stars and were born in Wales, all of these people are now very wealthy.

Part two goes on to talk about Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins and the controversial Charlotte Church.

Wales is actually a really nice spot to take one of those UK family holidays or perhaps even one of those awesome family days out.