Travel Journal

Bicycling Resources: Check Answers.com Biking Answers

2014-03-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Looking for resources on bicycling? Check out Biking.Answers.com! There are articles on topics ranging from commuter bikes to proper safety gear and cycling training.

Photo Courtesy of Dave Moulton's Blog.

According to Jake Niehaus of Answers.com, the biking data is constantly updated by the in-house content creators and nationally recognized expert Dave Moulton.

Dave started racing in England in the early 1950's and competed in road races throughout the 1960's and 1970's and had a full time bicycle frame-building business. His bikes were used in the Tour de France, Olympics, and World Championships.

He know shares his vast knowledge of bicycles on Biking.Answers.com.
Check out the site and tell me what you think!

10 Tips for Learning a New Language with Help from Online Resources

2013-11-22T15:56:00.001-08:00

Consider learning a language before you travel. Here's a guest post on 10 Tips for Learning a New Language. For more info, visit: http://www.university-liverpool-online.com/.

Learning a new language is challenging. Yet thousands of adults manage to learn a new language every year. The Internet has made it easier thanks to all the resources now available. You can learn a new language — if you put in the effort.

1. Decide to Learn A New Language. Your resolve is going to see you through.

2. Choose a Language You'll Use. Select a language you will use or want to use regularly, because when you stop using the language, it will start fading from memory.

3. Focus on Grammar. Grammar is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. If you learn the general format of sentences you will feel more comfortable as you talk or write the language. For example, English uses the basic format of a Subject, Verb, then Object. Remember that from grade school? It will feel like that all over again.

4. Don't Forget Pronunciation. Words may sound similar but they may not always mean the same thing as in your native language. You run the risk of saying something you didn’t mean to say. Practice your pronunciation with someone who is fluent.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice. Repetition is key to learning the language. Try setting aside an hour a day in short bursts. For example, practice 15 minutes on the way to work, 20 minutes after the kids fall asleep or spend half of your lunch learning the new language.

6. Get a Language Buddy. See if you can find a partner who wants to learn English and speaks your target language. This way they can help you practice, correct you pronunciation and grammar, and give you a sense of the culture you can’t get from books. Online communication tools, like Skype, make this connection easier to obtain.

7. Watch Foreign Language Movies On Youtube. YouTube is a hotbed for learning languages. From videos with help on pronunciation to full length foreign language movies, YouTube and other similar video sites have access to the language material you need to succeed.

8. Get An Online Tutor. Depending on the language you want to learn, you can get a native tutor very inexpensively and use web-based communication tools, like Skype, to communicate.

9. Learn the Language online. There’s little difference between taking a language course on the web or in the classroom. You’ll still need to learn the language and use resources beyond the language program you are using, but you’ll also be saving time and transportation costs.

10. Visit a country where the language is prevalent. After all your language study and practice, visit the country where your language of choice is the official language. Try to speak your new language for the entire trip.

Learning a new language is never easy, but the web makes it easier for you. Perseverance is key to becoming fluent in the new language. Remember: practice, practice, practice.

Author Bio

Nick is on the blog outreach team at Liverpool University Online. Check us out: FB page.

New Way to View and Experience Voluntourism

2013-11-13T10:36:00.000-08:00

This is the most important tourism, travel article I have read in a long time. Click through the Slideshare presentation and see if you agree.

Learning Service Slideshare from Daniela Papi

Whitewater Rafting Adventures with OARS on the American River - Photos by Karen Kefauver

2013-08-26T16:22:00.005-07:00

On June 1, 2013, I joined OARS for a whitewater rafting day trip on the South Fork of the American River, which runs from the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River. OARS' scenic new camp was about an hour's drive from Sacramento, California. In addition to the joy of the whitewater rapids, I was also lucky enough to participate in the company's first raft and dine program, called, "Fork, Cork and Paddle," which included a fabulous farm-fresh meal paired with regional wine after the day's adventures.

I think my rafting photos, below, sum it up best. Plus, thanks to OARS' photography partner, Hot Shot Imaging, who took the whitewater action shots while I was too busy paddling! (You can also buy photos from them when you raft!) I wrote a story about my great trip in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Here's the link to my story: http://www.karenkefauver.com/spin-city/Cyclist-Swaps-Singletrack-Trails-Whitewater-Rafting.

There I am in green striped shirt laughing with delight going through Class III rapids on the South Fork of the American River during OARS day trip, near Sacramento, California. Photo credit: Hot Shot Imaging

OARS River Park Adventure Campground is located in a gorgeous spot in Lotus, California, about an hour's drive from Sacramento. Photo credit: Karen Kefauver

My friend Hank and I were excited to go on the American River whitewater rafting day trip called Fork, Cork and Paddle. We listened intently to the rafting safety briefing before getting in the boats. Photo credit: Karen Kefauver

We learned what to do if the boat flips over or if we fall out of the raft. Safety talk was well done!