Friday, May 28, 2010

Essential things to do before you leave home for a vacation

It’s the vacation period of the year and you are filled with an enthusiasm to have a good time ahead. Holidays are the time to experience the break from the stress of everyday life. For a perfect holiday one has to make advance booking of the flight, car rental and hotel room. Apart from these you will have to take time off to do an in-depth research of the holiday destination, monetary arrangement and try everything to go in sync while you are away. The chief area of concern amidst several things running in your mind would be attending upon several last moment chores, necessitated prior leaving your abode.

If you are concerned about the safety of your dwelling, you can always arrange for someone to take care of it while you are away. He can be the guard, friend or a family member who can keep an eye on your house. Make sure to confirm the presence of such person before leaving the house to have a peaceful vacation.
During the non availability of someone you can always place the light timer at your residence. These lamps can light up during the night time and switch off during the daytime. It will indicate the presence of someone at the residence. You can also install a home alarm system to provide protection to the house.

If you have a pet who cannot accompany you on your trip, as soon as you get your reservations done, get in touch with the caretaker to attend to the needs of your pet in your absence. If you have a garden and you want your plants to be taken care of while you are away, arrange for someone to groom them.

After getting the confirmation of your travel booking you can go ahead and place the stop orders on your mails and newspaper which creates a pile in front of your house. You can do it online or can have a direct word with the service provider. Pay all your bills before leaving your house because payment while touring will cause needless troubles.
 
During the upcoming days of your journey, try to fix the latches and hooks of the windows and doors if damaged for them to function appropriately when you leave your home. To ensure the security of home you need to lock the doors and shut the windows properly.

Unplug the chords connecting the electronic gadgets like computers, television, stereo and other valuables. While still plugged to the switches it might be at the risk of causing fire in your nonattendance. Turn off all the taps of the house so that it does not flow in the house when not needed causing much wastage.

You should disconnect your garage door, in order to refrain it from being used from outside. You should also unplug the hoses of washing machine which can break anytime. Clean your refrigerator and defrost the freezer so that it does not run unnecessarily when not needed. Remove all the valuables away from the visible sights and keep them safely away at a more secure spot.

For Holiday Booking please contact FareBuzz. FareBuzz is a leading supplier of cheap business class flights, Cheap hotel reservation, Vacation packages and car rental.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Make the most of the stopover at the airport

Stopovers are unavoidable while travelling and the traveler has to face it. One can make a conscious decision to travel with a stopover or the stopover can be accidental occurrence due to some unavoidable reasons. The stopover flights are usually cheap and the passenger can use various modes to spend the interval caused by the layovers. Even if the flight has been delayed due to inexorable circumstances you need not grumble over it but utilize your time by indulging in some or the other activities.
 
Stopover does not always mean to stare at the clock ticking on the wall, solving crossword puzzles or flipping through the magazine pages. Such exercise will prolong the time further adding to your exasperation and boredom. Try adding fun to the wait, by doing things which you have been deprived of from a long time because of your busy schedule in everyday life. Such activities will make your time fly and leave you rejuvenated after the break.
 
One can explore the nearby locale which would not cost much of your money. Spending your time at sightseeing is the best way to make the most of the stopover. There are many modes of public transport available near the airport to take you to visit the city.
 
You can hit the gym at the airport, to increase the blood circulation in the body after getting down from the plane. Many airports provide an access to a gym to the passengers. You can easily workout and feel good to spend the time in by knocking away some extra pounds.
 
Pampering yourself through massages and spa treatment can prove to be a bonus to the stopover. Nowadays many airports provide various spa treatments and massages to the travelers.  All your fatigue will go away if you take advantage of such services and feel pepped up while catching the next flight.
 
There are plenty of shops to get duty free souvenirs for your loved ones. Thus shopping is another way to capitalize on the layovers. Shopping on necessary items which was being avoided due to lack of time will prove to be beneficial. You can also make a purchase of postcards in connection to the nearby city to be sent to your friends and family.
 
If you are suffering from sleep deprivation, you can make hotel booking at the airport for few hours. The layover period will be spent wisely leaving you refreshed, taking away your weariness after the much required rest.
 
If you love socializing you may end up with great friends from all over the different place. If the people waiting at the airport are from different part of the world you can exchange talks on the different cultures .If any of your new friend has been a visitor to the destination you are heading towards, then he can give you valuable information about the place.
 
If you play an instrument and carrying one with you, go ahead and play the instrument. By this way you will be able to kill your time and catch the attention of the people nearby, who will be entertained as well.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Singapore travel Guide

One of the cosmopolitan countries of the world, located in South east direction of Asia, is the Republic of Singapore. The country boasts of the tall glittering skyscrapers which appear to be inviting and enchanting. It is a perfect destination to visit whether it is leisure or a business trip.

Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries of Asia; known for its high technology .The multi culture blend of society lures visitors from all over the world towards it for the visit.

A visitor is spoilt with the diverse choices of sight seeing to choose from, when visiting Singapore. There are numerous park, monuments, museums and shopping places to go through.


The major pulls: 
  • Night safari, where the animal lovers can have good look at different kind of animals at night.
  • Zoo, the open zoo concept of Singapore is unique, as the animals move in the spacious place as they would have in the natural habitat.
  • Under water oceanarium has a collection of more than 2,500 marine creatures.
  • There is also bird, reptile, organic and botanic garden as Singapore is very rich in animal and insect kingdoms.  
Other attractions
Little India: Towards the eastern part of Singapore river, is located ‘little India’ where one can relish the vegetarian Indian cuisine, jewelry, gifts, clothes and various bollywood DVD’s.

If you want to explore authentic place and culture, ‘little India’ is a perfect place for you. You are spoilt with the choices like, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Abdul Gafoor Mosque, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and Sakyamuni Buddha Gaya Temple, to have your pick from.

CHIJMES: An exquisite five-building gothic-style complex, CHIJMES is one of the trendiest dining, shopping and lifestyle venues in Singapore. CHIJMES is a contemporary sought after and enjoyable nightlife site but scores of people still like to saunter around the charming colonial buildings in the daytime to shop at the boutiques, and to admire its beautiful design and architecture as well.

The Art house at the old Parliament house: The well maintained art house is a heritage structure built in 1827. The time between 1965-99 saw the place as the parliament of the country.

Statues of Sir Stamford Raffles: There are two statues of the founder of Singapore Sir Stamford Raffles, one at Victoria theatre and the other at North Boat Quay for the display.

Outlaying island’s of Singapore: Kusu Island, St John's Island, Pulau Ubin and Sisters Island are lesser developed with sparse people where one can swim, sunbathe or set up a camp.

Singapore Cuisine: Singapore has a major blend of multi ethnic society reflecting well on the palate of the local food as well. 

Bak Kut Teh is Chinese pork ribs soup cooked in herbs .

Char Kway Teow is a savoury sweet noodle dish.

Chilly Crabs are cooked in thick tomato and chilli based gravy.

Hainanese Chicken Rice, is mainly cooked with garlic, scallion and ginger and the rice is cooked till fragrant.

Hokkien ‘Mee’ (Noodles)  is cooked with yellow noodles and white noodle cooked with prawn stock, bean sprouts, prawns, squids, eggs and spring onions.

Fish Head Curry is a dish where the head of a fish, particularly red snapper is semi-stewed in thick curry gravy and lady’s’ fingers, brinjals are added to the dish. It is best eaten with white rice.

Fried carrot cake is a favourite dish among many Singaporeans.

Rojak , is a tasty local infused salad consisting of fruits, fried dough fritters, turnips, bean sprouts, cucumbers topped off with prawn paste and crushed peanuts.

Satay is a dish consisting of bite-sized pieces of meat grilled on skewers.

Singapore’s night life and drinks: The night life of Singapore is usually jam packed at weekends. Certain areas like Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are quiet popular with tourists. These places have been renovated from shop-houses and warehouses converted into noisy bars and restaurants overlooking the river. 

You can go on a drinking spree as there is no restriction on the alcohol and is quiet easily available. There is only one snag that it can burn holes in your pocket, this is due to Singapore’s heavy sin taxes. You can get hold of tax free alcohol at Changi airport.

Facts at glance:
  • Capital: Singapore
  • Government: Parliamentary Republic
  • Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD)
  • Area: 710.02 sq km
  • Population: 4,987,600
  • Language: English (official), Mandarin Chinese (official), Malay (official and national, Tamil (official)
  • Religion: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism
  • Electricity: 230V/50HZ (British plug)
  • Calling code: +65
  • Internet TLD: .sg
  • Time Zone: UTC +8
Modes of Conveyance in Singapore:
There are various modes of transportation to move around in Singapore, two of the least expensive ways of getting around Singapore are by bus or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).  There is huge number of air-conditioned taxis but there are surcharges for a variety of circumstances.  If using a trishaw, it is advisable to negotiate price beforehand. Since Singapore is "on" the water, there is bumboat which takes passenger on a thirty minute ride along the waterway in Singapore.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Holiday in Swiss Alps

It is summer season again, and the perfect way to beat the heat is to go in the lap of nature. Switzerland is one country which is surrounded by other countries like Italy, Austria, Germany and France. The huge and alluring mountains are huge and occupy three fifths of the Switzerland. It is quiet easy to move around in the country because of its smooth transport system. You can enjoy the scenic beauty whether moving on foot, by car, bus, train or even the lake steamer. The Swiss trains are a delight to travel into. The journey is really comfortable and captures most of the area to be watched by a traveler. If the Graubünden area lies in the east, then in the western direction you can explore Lake Geneva. While in the north you can visit Lake Constance, while Ticino region is in the south.

Dufourspitze is the highest summit in the Swiss Alps, lying near the Swiss-Italian border. Dom is the highest mountain lying entirely on Swiss territory. There are several rivers to be included in your list to be seen. The rivers are basically, hone, Rhine and Inn River on the northern side, while Ticino River is on Southern side.

There are beautiful lakes to choose from, for example to explore the area of Lake Geneva; you can take a vintage steam filled vessel made in 1904, which has been re-launched. When you move towards the northern side, one can visit the largest lake ‘Lake Neuchâtel’, bordered by Switzerland on all its sides, which pulls the visitors at its direction.

There are other lakes like Lake Lucerne and Lake Zurich, both of them enchanting and makes to the much watch list of the travelers. If you like hiking then put on your most comfortable pair of boot or shoes, and move on mountain ridge hike or a glacier tour. There are cycle routes, which you can follow the Alps on your bicycle and explore the area. There is Swiss National Park, in Graubünden to be visited and the Jungfrau -Aletsch Protected area which is the first world heritage site in the whole world, should be seen too. The visit to Swiss Alps can be taken during winters as well. The major place to witness winter sports and skiing can be seen in Valais, Bernese Oberland and Graubendan. If your taste buds tickle you can always go to the restaurants located at the alps.Le Cop Horn is one such place to dine, located at high on the slopes of  Courchevel, it offers fresh fish and pasta with black truffles or lobster accompanied with wine. Another dining joint is La Saulire, gives out dishes like, earthy crepe mushroom, cheese ravioli, and duck breast fillet with green pepper sauce, served with creamy, finely milled ploenta. Le Chabichou has the menu of cray fish risotto and mouth watering grilled aspagarus and many more dishes to choose from. While Le Chai Des Chartrons, is a wine bar served with snacks like snails, bread, cheese and olives .Le Kalico is a complete bar bar-cafe restaurant which serves food like pizzas and salad at moderate price.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Skiing holiday tips for family

In winters the major attraction is snowfall, and holidays can be converted into skiing holiday with the family. There are few important things to keep in mind and you are all set to have a gala time with your dear ones. To convert this family break into success one should do some meticulous planning beforehand. Skiing with the family can be really a refreshing experience even for the toddlers. Skiing as a sport is much easier to be learnt at a young age than an older age. Such holidays can build your family ties stronger and add much fun to it, making it memorable.

One can find skiing resorts in the countries like Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and France and pretty much anywhere where there are mountains and snow. All you need to do is an avid research to get the best deal amongst them to have fun filled skiing holiday.

Children needs to be looked after by a caretaker, for that you can hire local care takers, and see to it that the language problem do not arise. One can also bring their own nanny along with them while on the trip.

One can hire agencies to book resort, ski passes and such things. If you are well aware of where you are heading towards, you can do these things on your own as well. Although agencies come handy while getting discounts on rooms, or providing more than one representative from the resort you are staying in. One should wear helmet while skiing, as there is always a danger of one slipping in the snow and hitting their head. Helmet helps you to combat fatal accidents.

There is risk of coming across the avalanches, so always pay attention to the warnings by the resort if there is a danger of such incidents and seek the help of local people about condition on a daily basis. Skiing can be physically taxing, so always prepare well before hand by exercising and eating well before you leave for skiing holiday.

Always research well about the skiing spot, so that the holiday becomes smoother. Always pack layers of clothes to keep yourself warm in the chilly weather when you go out for skiing.

One should look for resorts that have slopes which will appeal to young novices, and good improvers to move on to along with appropriate accommodation.

 While deciding on the kind of place to live, condominiums are the best suited place. The condominiums are usually spacious with more than two rooms, with a kitchenette, and you can avoid spending money, eating out.

 If you are a beginner in skiing, try to choose lesser rush area for skiing. This will enable you and your family to be within your comfort zone.

One should always make arrangements for the holiday beforehand; checking out the discounts and giving thought to small details. If you have time in hand try to survey the sites where there is sportswear, boots to wear and other things to get the best deal.

If you have disabled person with you, just have to be vigilant if the person needs any kind of assistant while skiing.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Tips for finding cheap air fare

If you are heading for a vacation, the meticulous planning for the trip can save you lots of money. Before leaving for a vacation one must plan for the tickets for the destination. There are few vital tips, which can come handy for the ticket bookers while leaving towards the desired destination.
 
Spending little time and effort while analyzing the airfares one can land with a beneficial deal while booking tickets for their upcoming holiday.

 Planning ahead:
 If one knows that a holiday is in the offing, he should book the tickets beforehand say few months ahead of the schedule, so that there is no rush and the tickets are easily available. With ample of time in one’s hand, the person can avoid the last minute rush and have smooth journey.
Go online:
With the mushrooming of several travel websites off late, life has become easier for the consumers, as booking the tickets online can save one’s time and money both.  
Visit FareBuzz for booking your tickets:
Fare Buzz provides you with Cheap Business Class and First Class Travel. One can save up to 70% of the total price on these tickets.
Have flexible travel dates
If you are flexible with the travel dates, then it might happen that the air fare is cheaper on the days previous or later as were scheduled earlier.
Travel on a Saturday night
Monday to Friday should be avoided as there is a lot of rush because of the business travelers during the early morning and late afternoons. Weekends provide you with the best bargain.
Travel during odd hours
One should be flexible with the travelling time as well. Early in the morning and late in the night can also fetch you with low price rates.
Fly on a major holidays
Most of the passengers do not travel on the very same day of the listed holidays. Therefore travelling on a major holiday can provide you with the opportunity of getting hold of a low ticket price and the journey also is hassle free sans major rush at the airport.
Try nearby airports:
Apart from major airports of the destination, the ticket booker can also book the tickets for the local airports near the major ones.
Book direct with the airline:
Sometimes booking the tickets through the website of the airline offers a better bargain than the travel agents or travel websites.
Get a package deal:
If you are going for a holiday, you would need a hotel and car rental as well .Instead of separately booking all the three one should go for a package deal as it is much cheaper that ways.
Plan your vacation off season:
One should do a methodical check on the background of the destination where one is heading towards. If the place is open during the off season, one can easily loiter around in peace as there would be lesser tourists and tickets would be booked quiet easily at comparatively cheaper price.
Book your ticket with a local airline:
Sometimes booking tickets with a local airline, instead of international carriers can get gainful in terms of profits in the air fare.