Author : Thomas GrasWhen it comes to planning a luxury family vacation, you really want to make sure that you are looking over all of your options for a vacation home If you are heading to a popular destination, you should have plenty to pick from
Too many people focus strictly on the price of the rented home and then find themselves surprised when it is not up to their normal standards If you want to make sure that everyone is going to have a good time and that it will be a relaxing adventure, there are a few things to take into consideration
One of the first things you will want to think about is the list of on-site amenities that the vacation has or does not have While some things may not be crucial to the success of the vacation, some things are When you realize this and take action on it, you will have a better chance of having the best vacation ever
You will also want to think about the furniture that is provided Are there plenty of places to sleep? What about tables? In the sitting area or living room, are there plenty of places to sit? What about at the kitchen table? You really have to look into this Just because an ad says "sleeps 8," it may not mean that there is enough furniture, outside of bedding for everyone you are traveling with
Now, you might not think that this will have a lot to do with how well you and your family enjoy your vacation, but the d??cor is something you want to think about If you are not into a western theme, no matter how cheap the rented vacation home is, you might not ever find yourself comfortable sitting in a living room full of horseshoes and pictures of farm land
You are going to want to make sure that the overall atmosphere matches what you and your family find interesting and relaxing When you can find a vacation home that suits your tastes, you are on the right track
Do not forget to think about the location of the vacation home You might want it close enough to all of the attractions so that you don't have far to go, but not too close to where the noise of the night life will bother the family while they try to sleep Then again, maybe you want something right in the center of all of the craziness
When it comes down to it, you will find that not all vacation homes are equal What might be a great option for one family might be a nightmare for another Because of this, you want to make sure that you are taking your time to review all of your options before you make any reservations
The author helps parents plan luxury family holidays and child friendly holidays. If you are planning childfriendly holidays stop by www.totstotravel.co.uk/
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Japanese monkey on the loose with a criminal record
Filed under: Asia, Japan, NewsMothers of Japan, lock up your daughters, there's a monkey on the loose and she has a record. A Japanese macaque named Lucky escaped from a government nature park in Mishima in central Japan while her cage was being cleaned this morning. City officials and residents are especially wary as Lucky escaped last year and went on a two-month "biting spree," attacking 120 people before being caught in October.
Lucky got her name after her capture last fall, when she was put on display in the nature park along with "Lucky" souvenirs (temporary bite tattoos, perhaps?) until the stress of her new fame got to her. The macaque was spotted near JR Mishima Station today and officials are working to get her back to the nature park before she bites again.
UPDATE: Lucky's latest reign of terror has ended after less than 24 hours on the loose with no injuries reported. Despite last fall's two-month search, this capture was easy. "We called her name repeatedly, and she came to us," city official Hidetsugu Uchida said. "She has been used to being called by her name." Here's hoping her next escape attempt is not so Lucky.
[Japanese macaque photo by Flickr user Kabacchi]Japanese monkey on the loose with a criminal record originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Lucky got her name after her capture last fall, when she was put on display in the nature park along with "Lucky" souvenirs (temporary bite tattoos, perhaps?) until the stress of her new fame got to her. The macaque was spotted near JR Mishima Station today and officials are working to get her back to the nature park before she bites again.
UPDATE: Lucky's latest reign of terror has ended after less than 24 hours on the loose with no injuries reported. Despite last fall's two-month search, this capture was easy. "We called her name repeatedly, and she came to us," city official Hidetsugu Uchida said. "She has been used to being called by her name." Here's hoping her next escape attempt is not so Lucky.
[Japanese macaque photo by Flickr user Kabacchi]Japanese monkey on the loose with a criminal record originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Best Backpacks
Whether you're schlepping gear for an all-day tour, or loading up on layers and snacks for an inbounds day, the right pack is important. Here are some of our favorites, from small sidecountry packs to huge haul bags.
Monday, January 24, 2011
How to Independently Trek Nepal?s Annapurna Sanctuary
A detailed route guide and tip list for hiking from Pokhara to Annapurna Base Camp.
The Authentic Ski Tour: Red Lodge, Day 1
..... Billings, Montana (Ski Press)-They say that what you seek is what you find. So I shouldn?t have been surprised in the Billings airport, the ?gateway to the big sky,? to feel like I had landed in 1975, waiting for my bags in a nostalgic mountain scene of ranchers, miners and skiers, before anyone had heard of timeshares.Maybe it was the cowboys drinking Budweisers at the airport bakery and pastry bar, the guys in the seats on the plane behind me trading Clydesdale dreams and the promise of open land, or the horse statues at the baggage carousel, the stuffed sheep and all the soldiers coming home. But that sense of grassroots wonder started as soon as I heard those two good old boys behind me talking on the plane. ?If I had one of those Clydesdales I?d just keep it like a big old dog. Here puppy, puppy,? one of them said. And the other one agreed, that they were the most beautiful horses, and started to tell a story about how he used to ship bull semen all over the world. But then the plane hit a patch of bad air and the younger one said, ?Right now I?m just imagining that I?m driving down a gravel road.? Jeff Carroll picked me up outside. Tall, blonde and eternally tan, he had been Red Lodge Mountain?s Director of Sales and Marketing for nine months now, having made the move from Tamarack in Idaho. He said he had jumped at the job, and loved the mountain, and loved the opportunity to tell his wife that she was going home. ?She grew up here,? he said, driving to Red Lodge with all the deer beside the road. ?So it?s pretty amazing to raise our family here, too. He said he had a little girl, and another baby on the way. And I told him I remembered Red Lodge from coming up from Jackson Hole to ski Beartooth Pass in the late spring when the road was plowed between high white walls of snow; the red brick parade of buildings down Broadway and all the cowboy hats and Carhartts in the bars. We ate steak at the Carbon County Steakhouse, a perfect New York and Cowboy Coffee Ribeye. And I slept at Pollard?s down the street, the grand red brick hotel with the history of ?Liver? eating Johnston and William Jennings Bryants and even Ernest Hemingway on fishing trips coming through. There was a plaque behind the counter with the quote, ?Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear, and with a manly heart,? by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, that had been saved from the heyday of the miner?s ?Theatorium? next door. ?They started clearing out a lot of the statues and stuff when that place was used to make our own special ?cough syrup? during Prohibition,? the lady at check-in said. ?They used to ship their ?cure? all the way to Chicago and San Francisco.? I wanted to ask her more in the morning but she was gone. So I walked past the neon tipi of the Red Lodge Caf�, the wine bar, antique, pottery and kitchen stores, and past a fence made of skis where I saw a truck attached to an extension cord to keep the engine warm right next to an open Subaru hatchback loaded with fishing gear and thought: ?That?s Montana right there.? Slightly more than 2,000 people live in Red Lodge. And Jeff Carroll said his destination ski traffic is heavily weighted to North Dakota and Minnesota. ?So will I see lots of snowmobile suits and Viking?s Starter Jackets on the slope?? ?Oh,? Jeff assured me. ?Those are some of our best customers.? I didn?t see any obvious Brett Favre fans, but lots of hot-rodders in camouflage came zipping by, and telemarkers, snowboarders and kids in Day-Glo. We saw them skiing off Nichols and Grizzly Peak, and down into Palisades Park where the cliffs rise up like dinosaurs. Down the tree-sided steeps of Upper Continental and True Grit, and zooming the open slope of Lazy M with Bob, a fast-skiing welder from Billings who rides Harleys and only hunts with black powder now. He led us down ?Lodge Trail,? a gullet of bumps into the base area where I wish I had stopped to pull out my camera. And he stopped and smiled up at the sunshine and said, ?I?m going to have a beer then see a man about buying a house. It?s time I made the commute from here to Billings instead of the other way around.? At the gas station, Jeff started talking to the banker who said, ?Oh, Chico Hot Springs. You guys are going to love it there.?� Links: The Carbon County Steakhouse: www.thepizzaco.com/steakhouse The Pollard Hotel: www.thepollard.com Red Lodge Mountain: www.redlodgemountain.com
Where's hot now?
Think winter sun is an expensive luxury? Not with these last-minute bargains, from tropical beaches in Jamaica and Mauritius to a 21-day tour of India for under �700For dozens more budget breaks log on to Travel tomorrowMalaysiaJanuary average high: 32C An award-winning spa resort is good. One adjacent to a white sandy beach and a warm sea is even better. Tanjong Jara, on the east coast of Malaysia, is built in traditional Malay style and is surrounded by tropical gardens. Audley Travel (+44 (0)1993 838 130, audleytravel.com) has a half-price offer until 31 March, with free transfers, a daily spa treatment and all meals. That means a 10-day trip with seven nights at the resort is now �1,675pp, including international flights.JamaicaJanuary average high: 30C Save �597 on a seven-night all-inclusive holiday to the Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay, which boasts three beaches, an impressive water park and free Jamaican cooking classes. Virgin Holidays (0844 557 3865, virginholidays.co.uk) has departures from Gatwick between 25 January and 1 February for �984pp (reduced from �1,581), including flights.MauritiusJanuary average high: 30C Lavish Holidays (+44 (0)20 8206 0433, lavishholidays.com) has �850pp off a seven-night trip to the Sugar Beach resort on the west coast of Mauritius. The resort is newly refurbished and is based around a colonial-style plantation house set in 30 acres of gardens. Departures on 30 January are �1,229pp including flights from Heathrow, transfers and B&B.TanzaniaJanuary average high: 29C The Manta Resort is set on a small cliff overlooking a white sandy beach on the Kigomasha Peninsula on Pemba, an island just north off Zanzibar, Tanzania. It's a great area for diving, snorkelling and swimming. Farside Africa (+44 (0)131 315 2464, farsideafrica.com) is offering free flights from Zanzibar and a daily spa treatment, making a seven-night stay �1,055pp including full-board accommodation and transfers. International flights not included.IndiaJanuary average high: 21C Tucan Travel (+44 (0)20 8896 1600, tucantravel.com) has a 15% discount on an Images of India adventure tour, a 21-day round trip from Delhi. The tour includes a visit to the Taj Mahal, a tiger trail in Ranthambore and an overnight camel safari. Accommodation is in basic hotels, hostels and guesthouses and overland travel is mainly by public transport. The tour starting 12 February costs �690pp, or �770 for departures on 5 or 26 March, excluding flights.Winter sunLate offersBeach holidaysJamaicaMauritiusTanzaniaMalaysiaIndiaRachel Dixonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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