Championship Golf Courses

Hilton Head is home to some of the best golf courses under the sun. The championship level of play attracts many notable participants in the various tournaments held in the area. For instance, the Harbour Town Golf Links may demand the most expensive in green fees, but allows the average player to share the same course with professionals. This is also where the Verizon Heritage tournament is held in April.

Beaches

Hilton Head offers 12 miles of beachfront land to explore, offering easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. This is one of the reasons why Hilton Head attracts so many to this intriguing destination. To enjoy the official beach season, each year visitors flock to the area between April 1st and September 30th. A few public accesses to the beach can be found off South Forest Beach Drive, off Coligny Circle, and at the end of Beach City Road.

Explore and Admire the Natural Beauty

The combination of sun, surf, and turf makes extremely inviting natural scenery that creates grassy dunes, lush forests, and tidal marshes. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the beautiful surroundings created by natures best. Hilton Head is considered a barrier island, which is comprised of a headland, beach, surf zone, and sand spit. This is the perfect mixture to provide a much-needed breath of fresh air.

Satisfying Sightseeing

When visiting Hilton Head, a trip to Harbour Town makes for a great sightseeing tour associated with the lap of luxury. This is where multi-million dollar yachts and homes are situated about various marinas. Famous celebrities have also bought into the land in Hilton Head, including singer-songwriter, John Mellencamp and former NBA star, Michael Jordan.

Wildlife Explorations

Hilton Head also serves as a haven for wildlife, so if you enjoy the company of animals, there will be plenty of opportunities to visit with the wild locals. Some of the residents include alligators, large water birds, deer, bobcats, mink, wild boars, the loggerhead turtle, and the bottle-nosed dolphin. To enjoy a guided nature tour and cruise, contact the Coastal Discovery Museum for excursions that visit points of nature interest, such as the Sea Pines Forest Preserve, and the Audubon-Newhall Preserve.

I know this sounds extreme, but it is by far better to be safe then sorry.

2) When traveling from your hotel to the airport, go with a taxi recommended by the hotel.

Again, taxis can be very dangerous. I cant express that enough.

3) Try not to arrive in a new city or town late at night.

This can just go wrong in a number of ways. It is much easier getting checked in during the day time and security at night in certain areas is just horrendous.

4) Travel in a group if possible.

Since when is traveling in numbers not a good idea?

5) Learn the basics in the local language before you arrive. Don’t expect that people will speak English.

English is becoming more widely spoken these days, but you want to be sure. You should always check on these things before your arrival.

6) Keep your valuables hidden.

A money belt is great if it is an option that you willing to look into. There are many different styles of money belt. One of the most popular is an over the shoulder style wallet on a strap that you were underneath your top. This makes it very difficult for a thief to make off with your valuables.

7) Avoid going on your own to remote areas/ruins where tourist would be expected to go. Seek local advice or take a guide.

Read the guide books and talk with other tourists to find out which areas are best avoided.

9) When leaving discos late at night take a taxi home no matter how close your hostel is. Outside most discos you’ll find a street vendor selling cigarettes. Usually these people know all the taxi drivers and can recommend a safe one.

10) When arriving in a new town, keep to your original plan and stay in the hostel that you have decided on. Don’t let the taxi driver persuade you that your hostel is fully booked and that he knows a cheaper and better one. He’ll be working on commission and the hostel probably won’t be in a safe part of town.

11) Even better, when arriving lane/train in a new city, try to reserve your hotel in advance, preferably with a hotel that has an airport/station collection service.

12) Don’t wear expensive looking jewelry.

13) On public transport have your day pack close to you at all times, preferably with the straps around your legs or padlocked to the luggage rack. On buses your backpack will normally go outside, either on top of the roof or in the external luggage compartments. On long distance buses ask for a receipt for your bags. On short rides just keep a careful eye out each time the bus stops to off-load bags. In the event of having your bags stolen, stay with the bus – you will probably require a declaration from the bus company accepting responsibility for the loss in order to claim any money from your insurance company.

14) Leave your valuables in your hotel safe when making day trips or longer tours. Obtain a receipt not just for your money belt/wallet etc. but for its contents, with each item listed.

15) If you have to leave your passport and credits cards together, place the credit card in a sealed envelope and sign your name across the flap. This way when you return you will know that nothing has been tampered with.

16) If planning on going to market areas, crowded streets, fiestas etc. don’t go with all your valuables. Leave them in the hotel. If youre planning on buying something expensive keep your money safely in a money belt. Try to be discreet when opening it! To protect small change in your pockets you can stuff a handkerchief in after.

17) If the pavements are really crowded, especially in market areas, walk in the road.

18) If you suspect someone is following you, stop and stare them in the eye until they go. If you really get a bad feeling about a place, go with your first instincts and leave. Bag slashing is rare nowadays but for added safety you can wear your day pack on your chest.

19) If it’s on your back try to walk without stopping. If you need to stop, sway your pack gently from side to side so that you can feel if anyone is tampering with it.

20) When putting your bag down on the floor, to take a photo or just to sit in a caf, remember to put your foot through the strap. Not only will it be impossible to snatch, you also won’t forget it! This is the most common type of theft – tourists forgetting bags in cafes and on returning to ask if anyone has seen it, you’ve guessed it, it’s gone.

For decades, thousands of majestic Bald Eagles have been gathering on the riverbanks of the Squamish and Cheakamus Rivers, feasting on the ample salmon that either did not quite make it to the spawning channels, or have accomplished their lifes goal, and thus have met their subsequent demise. Working to preserve their energy in the winter months, eagles will eat up to a two pounds of this high value protein every day.

The highlight of the eagle-viewing period is the annual Bald Eagle Count, which will take place on January 8th this year and is headquartered out of the Brackendale Art Gallery. Using consistent methodology, a count of the eagles in the area on this weekend every year has been kept since 1986. In 1994 a world record 3769 eagles were counted within a few kilometers of the Squamish area and its tributary rivers.

Bad weather can be good for eagle viewing as the eagles tend to stay closer to the riverbanks and closer to viewing areas. When the weather is great, they are more likely to be off for a little fly around the rivers, mountains and forests of the Squamish area.

One of the best ways to see the Bald Eagles in their spectacular surroundings right in their own habitat is on an Eagle Float tour, or Eagle Safari through Canadian Outback Adventures. A dream experience for adventure travelers, photographers, families, schools and educational groups, it is the best way to get up close to these raptors without disturbing them. While they usually run white water rafting trips in the summer, in winter, Canadian Outback takes vacationers, school and educational groups on float tours down the rivers in the area in order to see these spectacular birds in their natural habitat, all with stunning mountain and forest backdrops.

The closest Squamish Hotel to the prime eagle viewing area in Brackendale is the Sea to Sky Hotel & Conference Center on Highway 99 at Garibaldi Way. Excellent eagle viewing areas are only about a kilometer away. The hotel also offers discount ski packages to those traveling to ski or board at Whistler Blackcomb.

There are other good viewing areas in town, particularly along the river dykes at the end of Judd Road, and around the spawning channels between the Mamquam River and the Squamish Valley Golf and Country Club.

Directions: To see the eagles from arguably the best viewing area, turn west from Highway 99 at Garibaldi Way. This is a left hand turn if you are coming from Vancouver, or a right hand turn if you are coming from Whistler. Turn right again in about 20 metres at the T-junction with Government Road. Follow Government road for just under one kilometer, and you will be at the Eagle Viewing area. There is lots of parking on the right and an interpretive center on the dyke from which you can get a great view of dozens of Bald Eagles. If you are very lucky, there may also be a few seals around, as well as a variety of other bird species. On weekends from December to mid-February there are often volunteers from Squamishs Eagle Watch program on have to offer more information and a peek through higher powered telescopes. Other great viewing areas are near the Tenderfoot Fish Hatchery, The Squamish Estuary, and near the Spawning channels between the Mamquam River and the Squamish Valley Golf and Country club.

Squamish is an outdoor recreation Mecca with thousands of rock climbing routes, hundreds of kilometers of Mountain Bike trails, a dozen excellent day hikes, some of the best windsurfing and kite-surfing on the west coast of North America, excellent white water rafting or kayaking, and scuba diving in Howe Sound. For the less adventurous, there is fishing, 3 scenic golf courses, walking trails, beaches and lakes, and sailing available. The new Squamish Adventure Center was recently opened on Highway 99.

This article is also printed with pictures at: www.seatoskyhotel.com/dyn.Squamish_BC_Eagles_Article.php

Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn’t going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies — secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, “Love from your Valentine.”

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine’s Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D.

Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh — because they know that love can’t be beaten!

The desirability of Australia stems from so many factors it is a country where the quality of life achievable is very high, the employment prospects are plentiful, the education available is world class and the health care facilities are very good but to achieve permanent residence status in Australia can be very tricky because the amount of competition for the limited number of visas granted each year is intense.

Those who are serious about starting a new life down under in Australia have a number of ways they can apply for residency.

Those who have a specific skill set that is in demand in Australia can apply for immigration for their entire family via the Skilled Visa Program. Ironically, despite the fact that demand for visas to live, study and work in Australia is so intense, in 2004 not enough people applied for immigration under this particular scheme!

Those who are initially put off at the thought of having to prove their background experience in a given profession and demonstrate their skills should actually take confidence in the fact that if they genuinely DO have the skills they say they do and their profession appears on the Skilled Program list of in-demand skills, they stand an excellent chance of acceptance if they just apply yourself to the immigration process associated with this visa type.

People who find the thought of having to fill in a million forms and attend lots of interviews to be accepted for immigration frightening need to prepare themselves, because whichever program you apply under you will be subjected to a series of interviews, you will have to fill in a plethora of paperwork but the end result, if youre granted a visa, will be so well worth it.

Cities like Sydney and Melbourne in Australia are some of the most exciting, interesting and fun cities in the whole world. The lifestyle is laid back and informal and yet the cities are sophisticated and chic. If youre serious about wanting to start a new life in Australia, taking a trip to Sydney or Melbourne or Brisbane, Perth or Cairns will only make your desire even more intense. Australia is a country blessed with fine weather, fun people and of course a stunning and diverse natural landscape.

If you already have family living in Australia you could apply for a visa to reside in Australia permanently via the Partner, Child, Parent or Other Family Migration schemes. Other alternatives are available for those who already have a business they wish to relocate to Australia or those who intend to establish a business down under and employ local people. Refugees have a special visa type they can apply for and the final option available to anyone with plenty of money is to invest a fixed sum into a bank in Australia for a given period of time.

Whichever method suits your personal circumstances best, make sure you do everything within your power to make your dream of a new life down under come true. Seeing as Australia has been voted the best place in the world to live, demand for residency is only likely to intensify as we all move to Australia to get the best quality of life possible!

In 2003, New York announced the grand opening of a new alternative port for cruise lines. Because ports in Florida were becoming more and more crowded, additional docking facilities in interesting cities on the Eastern Seaboard were needed to provide cruise lines with a new home port. The port has been wildly popular. So much so that another has been added in nearby Brooklyn.

The Red Hook terminal in a neighborhood in Brooklyn opened in April 2006 and welcomed its first permanent resident, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 (formerly docked in Manhattan). Located on the Buttermilk Channel, the Brooklyn terminal gave the first increase in New York cruise ship pier capacity in over 30 years. With the likes of Cunard and Princess cruise lines as eager residents, the terminal has already become a success. Most other major cruise lines have also assigned vessels to sail from Brooklyn.

Princess Cruise lines will launch the Crown Princess from the Brooklyn dock in June 2006 for a Caribbean cruise. From June to October, Princess will offer numerous Caribbean tours, including calls on ports in popular destinations such as the Virgin Islands, Grand Turk and Jamaica. Star Princess will begin cruises from Brooklyn in October 2006 visiting ports up and down the New England and Canadian seacoast.

But Brooklyn? It doesn’t seem like the most exciting location for a cruise ship port. On the contrary. While not normally publicized as a vibrant city with plenty to do, Brooklyn offers cruisers an opportunity to spend a few days in New York before or after their tour.

Very similar to Manhattan, Brooklyn offers a trendy nightlife as well as diverse cultures and eclectic cuisine. Bars, clubs and restaurants line the streets, offering a tremendous variety of options for visitors and locals alike.

If culture is your thing, Chinatown is always a wonderful experience. In addition, Flatbush offers the largest Caribbean population in the United States. In either place, you’ll delight in the authentic sights, sounds and tastes on every corner.

With spectacular views of many popular attractions, including the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, the Red Hook terminal also offers exciting options for sightseers. However, New York City is just a short cab ride away and opens a virtual treasure trove of attractions, shows, museums and affairs.

Overall, Brooklyn offers greater value (with lower rates on hotels) and a central location, making it a wonderful choice for both vacationers and the cruise lines. If New York is closer for you than Florida, or if you’ve been longing to visit the Big Apple, consider booking your next cruise from the Red Hook terminal in Brooklyn. Your travel agent will have a complete listing of which cruise lines sail from Red Hook and the destinations available.

There are many coves and inlets you can visit during your yacht charter to Hawaii where you can be completely alone, The 3800 foot cliffs on Moloka are the highest in the world and the Pelekunu Valley opens into a uninhabited valley. There are golden beaches in this area and if you wish you can moor your yacht offshore and row to shore in the dinghy. Hawaii Yacht Charters will also provide you with the opportunity to engage in spectacular diving experiences. With Hawaiian sailing vacations you can also enjoy the thrill of sliding down over 10 foot waves, something you wont encounter on other tropical yacht charters.

Hawaiian sailing vacations are very fast much faster than in the Caribbean. This is what makes Hawaii yacht charters so popular with those that have been sailing for years. You do have to have some knowledge of sailing the waters around Hawaii when before you take one of the bareboat charters. Tips to help you have a safe Hawaiian vacation with a yacht charter include such things as not taking a night trip on the water when the wings lay and avoiding going to the windward when the trades winds are up.

One of the advantages of booking one of the Hawaii yacht charters for the sailing vacation of your dreams is that there are no taxes in Hawaii. Therefore the cost you are quoted is what you pay. You dont have to allow any extra money for Hawaiian sailing vacations. The director will find the perfect yacht to suit your needs. There are also many options you can have included, for an extra price of course, so that you have a truly customized Hawaiian vacation.

Some of the various Hawaii yacht charters that you can choose from include sunset dinner charters, event charters, activity charters and charters for formal occasions, such as weddings. You can choose a yacht that can only hold 6 passengers or choose one that can hold as many as 49. This larger yacht is a powered boat and it is crewed so that you can enjoy a private resort as you are sailing the islands of Hawaii. You can book your Hawaii yacht charters completely online without leaving the comfort of your home.

In my preteen years I had an aborted takeoff during a commercial flight and while it didnt scare me at all during the event, when I later found out that it had made the local news I began to see that this was perhaps a bigger deal (it really wasnt but I was a preteen after all). I also began to recognize my own mortality and realized that I am a control freak and dont enjoy the thought of putting my life in the hands of pilots I dont know.

However, Im gradually working my way out of my fears and back into a state of mind that is not afraid. Its taking me a lot of time, but I make progress everyday.

My first technique is to get a large inside picture of a commercial plane (preferably one that Ill be flying in soon) and make it the background image of my computer desktop. This way, every time I get on my computer Im looking toward the front of an airplane as if I am a passenger. Initially this worked so well my pulse would race and my breathing rate went up. Ive now conditioned myself to seeing that image so it no longer bothers me.

I also like to watch internet videos of planes taking off and landing. My favorite videos are those that are taken from inside the plane, looking out the window at the wing; hearing the roar of the engines and seeing the ground fall away beneath the plane as it rises upon takeoff. Sitting in my recliner with headphones on and watching those videos enables me to participate in a takeoff without actually being on the plane. I can condition myself to the sights and sounds I would normally experience.

Ive found several helpful online courses designed to give information to fearful flyers. I use them a lot as I get closer to departure, and Ive bought every book I can find about conquering ones fear of flying. I take them with me, I read them often.

I dont watch news clips or specials about airplane crashes. The media sensationalizes airplane crashes simply because they happen so rarely. That also means they repeat that horrific story over and over, scaring the wits out of unsuspecting people.

There are dozens of helpful statistics about the safety of air travel; The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says your chances of being in a fatal plane crash are anywhere from 1 in 400,000 to 1 in 10 million depending on the airline youre flying. To someone who has a genuine fear of flying those numbers dont mean anything when youre locked in a steel tube with no way of setting foot on the ground until AFTER youve gone through takeoff, landing and turbulence.

I recognize that I need help and am trying to look at air travel from a logical perspective again. Each trip I hope to get a little better. If you are suffering from a similar fear, I encourage you to go through the various online resources available and seek additional professional help if your fears are strong enough and you are unable to get through them on your own. Its ok. We can get through this and learn to enjoy (or at least tolerate) this means of travel in order to take that awesome vacation, see family or fulfill the requirements of a great job.

1. Super Shopping

Dallas has the most shopping centers in the nation. Shopping malls cover the city and stores range from budget to couture. The downtown boasts major flag stores and designer holdings, while NorthPark Center is home to beautiful boutiques and one-of-a-kind artisan shops.

2. Sports Madness

Dallas is home to every type of professional sport meaning tourists can catch a game almost every day of the year. The Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Dallas Stars all call this city home.

3.Spa Overload

As one of the wealthiest cities in the country, you can bet your bottom dollar that Dallas also has some of the best spas. With one of the highest spas per capita rates, the offerings in Dallas are both diverse and delightful. Whether you’re looking for a quick manicure, or a full week of pampering, you’ll find it here.

4.Rodeo Round-up

The rodeo season in Dallas runs from early April through late September and it’s huge. There are weekly competitions at the Cowtown Coliseum in nearby Fort Worth and at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, as well as annual professional tours and major holiday events. If you’re a rodeo fan, don’t forget to check out the Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, dedicated to honoring the women of the Wild West.

5.The Tex-Mex

It’s good, really good. You can find tasty Mexican fare for a few dollars or you can visit some of the best Tex-Mex restaurants in the country, from laid-back to upscale. Remember though, there are a number of dry areas in Dallas, this means that restaurants can only serve alcohol to member patrons. If you’re hoping to enjoy a Margarita with your meal, double check before you book.

The entire coastline is known as Malpas de la Corona (badlands) and is strewn with white and golden sand which mingles intimately with volcanic magma forming small sheltered bays (a number of which are featured in this article), which are ideal for swimming. This preominently rural area harbours many of the natural marvels of Lanzarote such as Jameos del Agua and La Cueva de Los Verdes (See my related article 23xx on these attractions).
Our first of five beaches being reviewed in this area is known as El Caletn Blanco (The big inlet) measuring half a kilometre long and 9 m. wide, consisting of fine white sand.

Camping is also permitted on the beach, but youll need to get prior municipal approval at the Lanzarote Town Council (Cabildo). There is ample space for parking and the guaguas (autobus) also stops here.

Our second beach is known as El Risco, measuring 845m long and 8m wide and consisting of fine white sand. This beach gets very windy, although Isla Graciosa shelters it to a degree from the rougher seas. It is a 400m climb down (and back up !), so not for the faint hearted. The waves are moderate.

Our third Beach is known as Caleta Caballo, measuring 60 m long and 7m wide and consisting of white sand with pebbles. It is windy with moderate waves offering good conditions for windsurfing. This is accessible by guaguas (autobus).

Our fourth Beach in this area is known as Caleta del Mojn, measuring 100 m long and 13m wide and consisting of fine white sand and picon (the small black lava stones often found in gardens).

Our fifth and final Beach in this area is known as La Garita, measuring 810m long and 5m wide and consisting of fine white/golden sand. Calm waters make this a good practising ground before you take on the stronger waves elsewhere in the area. Unlike the other rural beaches, this one is in a semi-urban area, has a boardwalk and services such as restaurants, refreshment stands, telephones, parking area, washrooms and even a childrens play area. It is accessible by guaguas (autobus).