TravelPod.com TravelStream™ — Recent Entries at TravelPod.com TravelStream™ most recent 25 entries from TravelPod.com. Travel Blogs | Travel Journals | Travelogues | Travel Diaries ( Since 1997 ) http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:27:28 -0500 http://www.travelpod.comThis is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use. NATURE TRAILS AND WALKS -Tourism info — Larnaca, Cyprus http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/MwyxUl1dGRU/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/6/1258647710/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/6/1258647710/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:27:28 -0500 THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS
Larnaca, Cyprus

<i>NATURE TRAILS AND WALKS<i>(Tourist information)<i><i>If you are a tourist, I suggest that you join the guided tours that pass through many historic houses. <i>You can join the Larnaca walks offered free of charge by the Municipality of Larnaca in collaboration with Cyprus Tourist Organization and the Cyprus Tourist Guides Association.<i><i>It is a unique opportunity to become acquainted with the authentic character of the city and to have an invaluable introduction to the long history and traditions of Larnaca in an enriching and entertaining way.&nbsp; These guided walking tours also give the atmosphere and taste of everyday life, its craftsmen and commercial activity.<i><i>The tours do not include visits to the museums or churches of Larnaca.&nbsp; Among many walks, one or two popular are the Tour B.<i><i>SCALA – IT'S CRAFTSMEN<i><i>Scala is one of the names of Larnaca.<i>However, it describes best the area along the Castle seafront, Saint Lazarus church and the nearby city quarters.&nbsp; <i>The aim of this walk is to explore the area and visit the Handicraft Workshops created recently by young ceramic artists, most of them, inspired by ancient Cypriot art. The walk goes through the picturesque streets of traditional houses with kiosks of the Scala Turkish quarter, where the visitors have the chance to see the present use of this very old residential area, now inhabited by Greek refugees displaced from Famagusta.<i><i>Starting from the Castle the walk goes from Eski Carsi Street to Buyuk Cami and Said Mehment Aga Streets, where there are some protected houses with important traditional architecture.&nbsp;&nbsp; It continues on to Ahmet Kenan Street, Zehra, Alamdar, Kurtulus and end at Ak Deniz and Bozkurt Streets.<i><i>LARNACA BEACH TRAIL<i><i>For the lovers of long walks, a beach trail allows comfortable walking for several kilometers along the beautiful seafront of the Larnaca bay.&nbsp; <i><i>The trail runs parallel to the sea along the eastern beaches of Larnaca towards Oroklini and Pyla villages.&nbsp; It is a permanent walking structure, which combines stone – cement – wood – pier construction, and was awarded an international architectural prize.<i><i>The Larnaca sandy coast is rich in sea shells and very small colorful stones.&nbsp; The sunrise and the sunset on this beach are magical.&nbsp; Acess to this pedestrian trail can be made at any point along the Larnaca –Pyla tourist area.Most of the photos with the beautiful mansions are from the eastern beaches of Larnaca towards Oroklini and Pyla, up to&nbsp;the borders of Dekelia - British basis.&nbsp; &nbsp;This road is full of Hotels and restaurants with souvenir shops.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/6/1258647710/tpod.html Wat Rong Khun: The White Temple — Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai, Thailand http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/cSlnn1is-v8/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kitkatgo/1005/1258749938/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kitkatgo/1005/1258749938/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:07:02 -0500 Amazing Thailand!: Courtesy of Thai Airways & Tourism Authority of Thailand
Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Our final stop before arriving at our hotel, was Wat Rong Khun which is a contemporary temple created by renowned Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. It is still under construction and is not being built with help from the government.As of this year (2009) it is in its 12th year of construction, and even though work is yet to be done, it is Chiang Rai's top tourist attraction.It is really beautiful and very intriguing. The mural art inside the ubosot depicts many modern images, like the burning twin towers, a Rolex watch, and even Batman.Chalermchai has said, "Money and possessions are insignificant. They are not mine but are only make-beliefs. Merits belong to me; therefore, money is of no value to me. Money is valuable only as a way to make merit for further journey of the soul."
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kitkatgo/1005/1258749938/tpod.html Up Periscope! — Little Langdale, England, United Kingdom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/jDz9eQTmC-o/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258583000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258583000/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:04:54 -0500 I Climbed a Mountain - and Other Tales
Little Langdale, England, United Kingdom

The rain came down in sheets. There were gusts of wind that blew clouds of water across the motorway. The night was pitch black and spray from the&nbsp;road surface&nbsp;obscured the tail-lights of the cars infront. Many cars had their fog lights on to try to cut through the storm.&nbsp;The rain&nbsp;beat continuously on the windscreen. I started to wonder how many thudding drops glass needs before it starts to wear away. Would my&nbsp;windscreen be measurably thinner by the time I got to Langdale? How much water could the engine take? There must have been buckets of&nbsp;water running down through it from the bonnet&nbsp;above and dirty spray water drenching it from the road below too. I&nbsp;was amazed my little car kept going.&nbsp;Through this howling gale, Eartha (my six year old) and I were on our way to the Lake District for a gentle weekend's walking. The weather did not seem to be about to comply.The Climbing Hut was not one I had been to before. It is set about two miles off the main road down a potholed, rocky track. It took us a couple of attempts to find the right potholed, rocky track in the dark, but eventually we did. It is narrow and weaves around, zig-zagging between tight farm buildings, over cattle grids and&nbsp;past a lethal looking ford. The potholes were serious puddles. I'm sure my right headlamp dipped underwater&nbsp;as we drove through one of them.Finally we arrived and dragged our bedding in as fast as we could before it succumbed to the wet onslaught. Vince was sitting infront of the open fire, doing a cross-word. The rest of the ridiculously hardy BMC had walked to the pub (20 minutes away, cross-country,&nbsp;across&nbsp;a little footbridge, in the dark and stormy night). Mad fools. The bedroom had 15 sleeping places, consisting of 5 triple bunks. There were 14 of us staying, so it was kind of cosy. Eartha and I chose top layer bunks where you hit your head on the ceiling if you sat up too fast. Eartha went to sleep and I cracked open a bottle of homemade and joined Vince by&nbsp;the fire.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258583000/tpod.html The night before the big trip — United Kingdom, United Kingdom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/chvE0M6808A/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/climis/1/1258750569/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/climis/1/1258750569/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:02:08 -0500 climis's Great Adventure
United Kingdom, United Kingdom

Think I've packed up everything in the house now, feels weird without the cats being here.&nbsp; I think that's one of the toughest things I've ever had to do.&nbsp; I hope they go to a good home....Sold the car and rented out the flat and packed my life into a box.&nbsp; Strange feeling.It's the start of a new chapter of my life and one that I'm embracing with open arms, after the past couple of years I totally feel it's the right thing to do and in my heart of hearts I know it is.&nbsp; I'm on the path of my destiny now - not sure what the future has in store, but it's all good.I will write again when I arrive in south east asia.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/climis/1/1258750569/tpod.html Did you get to the Lagoon? — Krabi, Thailand http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/FOnKunjg3rU/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/izunia/1/1248965574/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/izunia/1/1248965574/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:57 -0500 izunia's Great Adventure
Krabi, Thailand

The day-long trip getting into Krabi gave me a different view of Thailand...First of all, let me mention that the Thais are quite opportunistic and whenever they can earn a little more money, they'll definitely charge your bum quite well....our impression when we got our tickets from Koh Tao was that we would be dropped off at the town nearby our hotel, but when we got into Krabi Town we were told we had to pay another 150 baht a person to drive us 15 minutes down the road to take us to our hotel. You can't blame them for doing that. They're only trying to survive amidst a global recession which has hit the country quite hard, but a word to the wise: always bring extra cash! Anyway - so after paying our driver an additional 300 baht to take us 15 minutes down the road we arrived at our hotel which turned out to be the nicest place we have stayed at yet in Thailand. Tile floors, huge room, VERY clean (and no bugs!!) for a little over ten bucks a person each night. Pretty sweet since we got Thai prices with that guy who hooked us up at the TAT office back at Bangkok!&nbsp;Our first full day in Ao Nang Beach was one of those days which truly captured the spirit of budget traveling. We walked around town for a bit, tasting wonderful food here and there for practically nothing (shakes made with the most fresh fruit around 60 cents each, pad thais for a dollar each) and made use of our bargaining skills as we shopped. After taking a pretty long walk around town we noticed a little dirt road in between some cabanas going off into the huge limestone cliffs. We figured, why not see what's down the road?As we started walking down the road a whole new side of the town opened up to us. We were venturing off into cobra and Burmese python territory with huge cliffs overlooking us with gigantic stalactites hanging off its ledges. As we went further down the road we noticed around 15 cabanas lining what looked like the beach (which we didn't even realize went down so far) and decided to check it out. The cabanas turned out to be makeshift massage parlors which offer hour-long massages anywhere from 200-500 baht each (divide that by 33 and thats how much you get in USD...ridiculous). We chilled at the beach for a bit and decided to check out what looked like a huge cliff at the end of the beach. As we walked down I came across something I have never come across before and one which I didn't really anticipate: a monkey troop with their canine buddies. This troop seemed to be quite young - there seemed to be only one or two monkey elders around (I'm more than likely using the wrong terminology, but that's how it seemed like to a non-biologist) and a ton of monkey babies. At first I was quite apprehensive seeing so many of these monkeys around. I was afraid of perhaps stepping on a baby on accident and having a pissed off monkey mama beat me up. It didn't help to see one monkey jump on an eight-year old girl (which was by all means HILARIOUS but something which didn't sit well with me for a bit) and then hear her screams echo along the shore. But one thing was that these monkeys were surrounding wooden planks which went through the cliff and went off into something mysterious off in the distance. So Michael and I decided to just risk walking through the whole troop and see what was at the end of the trail. Going through the troop was intense, but I figured that they were more afraid of humans than we were of them. The trick to have them stay calm was to stay calm myself and send them good vibes. As we observed these monkeys I noticed that they acted completely like humans. One moment they were fighting (with teeth and everything) and another moment they were picking each other's fleas off their backs. They also played with the beach bum dogs which was cool. Going along the wooden trail planks through the cliff was intense. As I tried not to slip and fall into the depths below I tried to not think about the piles of bamboo leaves which had to be cobra nests. At the end of the trail there was an opening to another beach which turned out to be a private beach to a super elegant resort. As I walked along the beach I realized it was the same resort where so many tourists video-taped the tsunamis back in 2004 as the water rushed into their rooms. It was quite eerie to realize this and it hit me quite suddently that I was in a place that witnessed such horror just a few years before. Despite that horror, the beauty overcame everything. The limestone cliffs that jut out of the water here are indescribable...We chilled at the private beach until we were kicked out (which lasted around half an hour) and headed back into town. Not a bad first day. The next day we had a pre-paid speed boat tour throughout the most famous islands. The group we sat with on the boat were mostly Dutch and we made friends with them quite easily. At first they didn't really like us since Michael immediately had to bring up how we're from Texas (not the US) and I saw all of their eyes roll at the back of their heads with the horror. But they pretty soon warmed up to us and we joked around together for the rest of the day. We enjoyed each other's company despite the monsoon rainfall that hit us at Koh Phi Phi later on during the day. Overall, we visited Maya Bay, Bamboo Island and the Phi Phi islands. These islands were definitely worth seeing but extremely busy with working-class European tourists. It was fun though so no complaints here. The next day was another random day which illustrated Michael and mine's ability to make the most of our trip despite no money. We left our bungalow with the intention to visit Railay Beach which is only accessible by longtail boat and chill the whole day there. After eating some breakfast and buying suntan lotion we realized we only had enough for the roundtrip fare and only 50 baht to spare amongst the two of us while there. We decided to do it anyway instead of walk back to the bungalow (we were too lazy to do that anyway).When we got to Railay West we decided to hike around the island and check out the other beaches. We walked along a trail and noticed a sign with a map of the island which had a lagoon and viewpoint listed. We decided to check out the viewpoint&nbsp; and head down the trail. But as we walked down a normal, horizontal trail I suddenly noticed a makeshift sign nailed on the side of a tree stating "viewpoint, 200 m" and all I saw were vertical piles of rocks. Michael wanted to go right on ahead climbing and I just looked at the sheer cliff wondering what the hell he was thinking about. A German speaking couple then joined us just looking at the wall of rocks and I figured out with my broken German that they were also debating the same thing. German girl was thinking German boyfriend was crazy for wanting to go, German boyfriend wanted to go. They were arguing about it. Michael and I were arguing about it. Certain aspects of human relationships are universal.Another German speaking couple noticed our perplexion (mine and the other German speaking girls' that is) and they assured us that the climb over to the viewpoint really wasn't that bad. Except we had flip-flops on. That was a minus. They also told us to avoid the lagoon because that part was gnarly. I figured, what the hell might as well. The climb up to the viewpoint turned out to be okay. There were ropes attached so you got to get up pretty safely. On the way up we ran into an Israeli kid (who totally reminded me of my brother) who was climbing up solo and at the viewpoint we all made conversation and decided to check out the lagoon together. The viewpoint was definitely well worth it so I figured it would be wise to atleast check out the climb to the lagoon. The climb down to the lagoon was a bit sketchy in the begining. Let me just put in a side note here for my mother: I'm sorry you have to find out about this part of the trip this way. Wybacz mi.The rest of the climb down was a steep ... I shouldn't even say climb... more like a slide down with slippery rope. We passed up huge trees which are only found in the rainforest amidst a narrowing canyon-like crevasse. Then it got pretty bad when all of a sudden we noticed a vertical 10-15 foot drop with slippery rocks encased with mud. Some travelers on their way up told us it was a hard climb. It became clear that this was definitely for the more experiened rock climbers and we were all amateurs. Michael said he wasn't afraid but I knew he was scared just like the rest of us. What did capture me for a second was the group of people I was with - three Israelis, Mike, me (the Polish girl) and then a group of Germans (or Austrians) all helping each other out on this sketchy adventure. Let me just say that if anything happened on this trail, help would have taken hours upon hours to arrive. And it was REALLY easy to slip and fall and break something crucial. But we all stuck together and helped each other out just for the sake of adventure. Pretty cool moment. Anyway, the climb down was insane. These climbs definitely take mental strength and good moral support. We had two more creepy climbs down that were just as dangerous and we finally got to the bottom of the lagoon. All of us were covered with mud, sweaty and in pain due to the lack of shoes (since we decided to toss them coming down) but we didn't care. The lagoon turned out to be a karst sinkhole with monkeys foraging at the upper branches and caves all around. Absolutely gorgeous. I went into the water for a bit but then freaked myself out by thinking a water snake could bite me in the murky water. Quite ironic considering I just went down those insane cliffs, sticking my feet and hands into holes where any tarantula or other type of venomous animal could hide. Apparently going into the middle of the lagoon the sky looks like an eyeball. Oh well, I was fine sitting on the edge. The climb up wasn't nearly as bad as the climb down. It took some strength but in the end those types of climbs really test your mental limits. Going through that climb successfully without getting hysterical was an accomplishment for me for sure. And right when the climb got easiest, I wiped out by sliding on the mud. I was literally looking like a mud monster covered in red from head to tow. &nbsp;Some Spanish dude thought it would be funny if I fell again and have him take a picture. Smartass. It was pretty funny though.&nbsp;As soon as we climbed down we had to get to the other side of the island to wash ourselves off. Mike was dirty but I was looking ridiculous which elicited quite a few comments from English speakers and a number of looks from the local Thais. One guy said, "Hey! Did you get to the lagoon!?" Another asked if I just came from there, hence the title of this entry.We got back to our bungalow exhausted but proud of ourselves. We had no money but we had the time of our lives. That really shows that you really don't need much to live it up well.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/izunia/1/1248965574/tpod.html Hurry up and wait — Sullana, Peru http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/D8nMT2yrvDk/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nathanialwest/1/1257863483/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nathanialwest/1/1257863483/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:10 -0500 Mollie and Nate's big adventure
Sullana, Peru

Such is the essence of South American travel.&nbsp; Hurry up and run from one bus station to grab a taxi and high-tail it to the other terminal across town, only to find out that the midday bus has been mysteriously canceled without explanation, and that we must now wait 9 hours for the night bus to arrive, wait 9 hours in a town with nothing to do but drink and watch movies in the bus terminal on my laptop - and then be charged for the electricity that I have usurped.&nbsp; As usual, it was our fault. Just like the one and only time I didn't specify the price of the taxi ride and they charged me ten times as much as it should have been.&nbsp; Just like when holidays roll in and the bus fares double, same as election time when citizens are required to return to their place of birth.&nbsp; Just like the $40 entry fee to Machu Picchu for foreigners when its $3 for nationals.&nbsp; It's not just the gringos--this is a country that is, from it's inception, founded on taking advantage of others.&nbsp; Hurry up and wait.&nbsp; Go go go.&nbsp; Someone has fucked you over again, go fish.&nbsp; To hell with Peru.&nbsp; Cooperativa Loja, too.&nbsp; It's not the first time they've dicked me around, and God knows it won't be the last.&nbsp; Thank the stars we've finally moved on to a place where the prices are fixed, and even if the regional food sucks, it doesn't make you sick.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nathanialwest/1/1257863483/tpod.html A warm welcome from Aguas Calientes, Peru — Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley, Peru http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/Up9DAoJapuM/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/momentsintime/3/1254084468/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/momentsintime/3/1254084468/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:06 -0500 Machu Picchu, HERE I COME!
Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley, Peru

Dear Blog, In front of us,&nbsp;the&nbsp;village of <i>Aguas Calientes was opening&nbsp;its&nbsp;arms to us.&nbsp;&nbsp;We were entering into a very small&nbsp;village, population of&nbsp;around 2,000 people&nbsp;with houses built on both side of the train's tracks.&nbsp; The Andes, with its powerful presence,&nbsp;enveloped the village while the Urubamba river, in the middle of all of this,&nbsp;vigorously pushed its water along the rocks.&nbsp;&nbsp;No matter where you looked, you were surrounded by the Andes.&nbsp; It was incredible.&nbsp; My heart kept pounding with excitement.&nbsp; I was FINALLY HERE!&nbsp; I was here with a purpose. &nbsp;I&nbsp;had a date with nature, a date with <i>Machu Picchu! As we made our way outside the train station, Ali, our private guide, was waiting for us along with a person to whom we left our luggage with.&nbsp;&nbsp;We then followed Ali through a maze of alleys, markets, over a bridge, down steps&nbsp;to finally arrive at the bus station, a good 15 minutes later.&nbsp; Along the way, the&nbsp;village had a very warm feeling about it but one could see that it was surviving with the help of the tourists, the main attraction being Machu Picchu.&nbsp; A lot of structures were old and cracked whereas others, really nice.&nbsp;The small village, while being under developed and poor was&nbsp;slowly being expanded and improved.&nbsp;&nbsp;The people that I encountered, all had&nbsp;pleasant smiles, greeting us with HOLAS! We boarded a bus which made its way along a very narrowed road going up and up and up in zigzags along a very huge mountain.&nbsp; After 30 minutes, we were finally there, we were at the top of the mountain, and this time, within walking distance to my date, my <i>Machu Picchu!Thankful for warm welcomes,Mo
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/momentsintime/3/1254084468/tpod.html Best Laid Plans — Little Langdale, England, United Kingdom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/hzUFc0n3-HY/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258634871/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258634871/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:00 -0500 I Climbed a Mountain - and Other Tales
Little Langdale, England, United Kingdom

The day dawned bright and sunny. Actually, that's a total lie. The storm had settled down into heavy rain and the tops of the surrounding fells were clagged up with cloud. The path outside the hut had a small stream running down it. Even the good, rugged people of the BMC made a slow getaway in serious waterproofs.Eartha and I were the last to leave the hut.We borrowed a dry bag for the map and planned to stay low. We have waterproof coats and boots, but no plastic trousers, so heading up high where there was stiff wind was a non-starter. We planned a walk around Lingmoor Fell, pausing at Elterwater for a break about half way. This, on a good day, would take around four or five hours. I put the key in an obvious place, where the first people back could find it, and we set off up the track. It was gravel and rock underfoot, and should have been nice walking. The layer of water over the top, however, made it more tricky. The storm burst had pooled in places, leaving puddles several inches deep. Getting through gates, where there was a build up of mud also slowed us down, as we were trying to avoid getting wet feet.As it was, the rain was pouring straight down our waterproof coats and soaking into our less than waterproof trousers. After a mere half an hour, we were both soaked and Eartha was wanting to go back.We crossed over a couple of swollen, churning streams and modified our route. The back road to Little Langdale took us around in a circle. It circumvented Little Langdale Tarn. The entire route wouldn't be more than 2-3 miles, but in our present state, that was quite far enough. The road was flooded in places - easily calf deep. Eartha avoided the worst of it, by walking along the top of a dry stone wall (dry? Ha!) while I made a foolhardy dash for it through the flood. Needless to say I got even wetter than I already was. Eventually, the two bedraggled travellers arrived in the pub cum hotel that nestles in the centre of Little Langdale. We ordered hot chocolate and literally wrang out our socks and trousers in the sink in the Ladies. Eartha called it wrinkling out, which was kind of how I felt - wet and wrinkly.The last leg of the trek was back across fields and the charming&nbsp;Slater's bridge. This twisty, characterful bridge is made of the local&nbsp;stone and was heavily besieged with the rising brook. The trees opposite were already underwater.Back at the hut, the key was nowhere to be found. We stood in the porch feeling damp and sorry for ourselves, whilst the rain continued to bucket down. I searched under every stone and in each possible hiding place. Clearly someone had been back and gone out again. We dripped pathetically and considered our options. My car was there, but the keys were inside the hut. I could phone people, but there was little or no signal and even if they had the key I was still stuck outside because they were no doubt miles away. We could stand outside in the rain for a few hours and catch pneumonia. Or we could break in.I surveyed the hut. The upstairs window was open. I might be able to climb it but it was very wet. On the other hand, Eartha could climb it because I could hold her up nearly that high. I stood on a bench. She stood on first the window sill, then my&nbsp;outstretched hands&nbsp;and without a fuss, she was in. Of course, the fun didn't stop there. The door is mortice locked, so I had to climb in through the living room window. Indeed, the next four people back also climbed in through the window, as they couldn't find the key either. We handed dripping items back and forth through the window for depositing in the drying room. Vince set the open fire going.An hour or so later, the people who had hidden the key came back and did that annoying thing where they say "Key? Oh, it's just here!" and pluck it from a secret hiding place that we had searched half a dozen times already.Unfortunately, Marlene had run her car off the twisty, windy track that we'd driven down last night in the dark. A full blown rescue attempt was put into action to tow it out of the position it was stuck in. Everyone put their wet weather gear back on and headed off into the drizzle. Eartha and I were left strict instructions not to let the fire go out back at the Hut.Thankfully, the car was pulled free with little more damage than a bent bumper.After tea, the mad fools once again traipsed off to the pub, leaving Eartha and I to enjoy the peace and quiet of a hut to ourselves. Once Eartha was asleep I sunk into "Jupiter's Travels" and rode pillion across India with Ted Simon.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258634871/tpod.html After the Storm — Hawkshead, England, United Kingdom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/gt8Nw7kXwOM/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258642186/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258642186/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:59:42 -0500 I Climbed a Mountain - and Other Tales
Hawkshead, England, United Kingdom

Yet more car trouble was on the horizon for Sunday morning. Sherpa had managed to turn his car on, then somehow knock the locking system as he was getting out,&nbsp;just as the door blew shut. Sherpa was now locked out of his running car. Several resourceful hikers spent some considerable time trying to poke the switch on the dashboard with a long pole through the bent window seal. Fun.Eventually, plans were made, and the slightly lighter weather made a short comfortable walk possible. We met up with half a dozen of the others at the car park in Hawkshead. Following yesterday's soaking,&nbsp;I made a strategic purchase of a clear, dry bag&nbsp;for the map. I&nbsp;am now moving towards 'kitted out hiker',&nbsp;thus making me the Fonz of the rambling world. I am just&nbsp;sooo cool.Anyway, we followed a path across a couple of boggy fields and muddy stiles until it started to rise. The last few hundred yards towards the top of&nbsp;Latterbarrow&nbsp;felt like they went straight up. Fortunately, the view wasn't bad. Due to time constraints, we said our goodbyes at this point&nbsp;and the rest of the party headed off into the distance. We took a different route back down, through some stony sheep fields, back to Hawkshead. We had planned to stop in Ambleside on the way home to see the Roman ruin "Galava", which unfortunately turned out to be a muddy&nbsp;field with some ridges in. Most disappointing, and it started to rain again as we walked back to the car, leading to a damp drive home. On&nbsp;a positive note, we did&nbsp;get home&nbsp;in a record four hours, just in time for&nbsp;Eartha&nbsp;to watch Dr Who.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rachelkw/2/1258642186/tpod.html Outer Banks November Nor’Easter Recap — Locust Grove, Virginia, United States http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/La6x2r945rU/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seasidevacation/1/1258750583/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seasidevacation/1/1258750583/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:57:57 -0500 Seaside Vacation's Great Outer Banks Adventure
Locust Grove, Virginia, United States

Outer Banks November Nor’Easter&nbsp;RecapIt’s unclear what name will be used to “coin” last week’s storm that wreaked havoc on the Outer Banks as it lives on in the minds of those effected; is it the “November nor’easter,” “Veteran’s Day nor’easter,” “Friday the 13th&nbsp;nor’easter,” “Nor’Ida”?November nor’easter seems to be the most widely used for now, so we’ll stick with that.&nbsp; What is clear, however, is that the storm (really two weather systems; a high to the north and a low to the south – remnants of tropical storm Ida) was the worst the area has seen in a few years with major damage that will require significant time, energy, and monetary funds to repair.&nbsp; The damage is widespread from Hatters to Corolla and affects public and private property.<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1960 yui-img" alt="" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/11-13-09-017.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225" width="300" height="225"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1930 yui-img" alt="" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/2009-noreaster-2.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225" width="300" height="225">The storm arrived on the OBX on Wednesday afternoon and didn’t release its grip on the area until Saturday evening.&nbsp; The long duration of the storm is one of the main reasons for the severe impact.&nbsp; Residents and weather forecasters have compared this storm to Hurricane Isabel in 2003.&nbsp; In the end, the current storm surge during high tides was approximately a foot below Isabel’s storm surge; however, a significant difference between the storms is the duration.Hurricanes move quickly while nor’easters, and this storm in particular, tend to stall and barrage the Outer Banks for days rather than hours.&nbsp; Hurricanes can be violent, but they are generally short-lived; nor’easters tend to create an ideal environment for increased damage from extended periods of high&nbsp;winds, high surf, high storm surge, and standing water/flooding.Strong winds blew consistently for almost four days out of the northeast driving large surf to the beach, eventually overtaking the beach and dune lines.&nbsp; Houses sitting precariously along the dune line faced imminent danger from the crashing surf.&nbsp; Add to the dangerous surf and overwash significant rain fall, and flooding, especially along the beach, becomes one of the main forces underlying damage to roadways and residences.As of now, a week after the start of the storm and four days removed from the return of the sun, the damage assessments are ongoing and repairs are underway.&nbsp; Massive amounts of sand need to be removed; the area resembles the northeast after a major snowfall, but replace snow drifts with sand drifts.&nbsp; Debris needs to be removed from streets, beaches, and the ocean.&nbsp; Select roadways need significant repair; the main roadway casualty being Rt. 12 at the top of Hatters.<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1958 yui-img" alt="" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/rt-12-hatteras-beach-road-damage-nights-in-rodanthe.jpg?w=300&amp;h=218" width="300" height="218"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1959 yui-img" alt="" src="http://seasidevacations.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/rt-12-hatters-beach-road-repairs.jpg?w=300&amp;h=199" width="300" height="199">Rt. 12 at the top of Hatteras is a well known section of road for a &nbsp;few reasons; Rt. 12 is a nationally recognized scenic byway, this section is well-known in the surf culture for great OBX surf, the house from&nbsp;<i>Nights in Rodanthe&nbsp;is precariously perched in the beach here, and now it is gaining notoriety for the extensive damage from the November nor’easter.From last Friday through today, the road has been shut down due to significant damage, and keep in mind this is the only road out of Hatteras.&nbsp; On Monday, a temporary path was created for four-wheel drive vehicles, but it was a crude solution to a more significant problem.&nbsp; As of today, one lane has reopened while crews continue to work tirelessly to repair the dune line and roadway.&nbsp; As a result of the damage, Hatteras was declared a State of Emergency late last week, and Governor Purdue is expected to seek Federal aid for the repairs.In addition to the focus on the road in this area, a significant amount of attention is focused on “Serendipity,” the house from&nbsp;<i>Nights in Rodanthe.&nbsp; The house has been treacherously close to the waves for quite a while, but this storm brought a renewed threat to the&nbsp;already empty house.&nbsp; The devastating destruction caused by Mother Nature is clear from the disappearing dunes and mangled road.&nbsp; It doesn’t require a large stretch of imagination to comprehend the damage “Serendipity” is facing.&nbsp; As of today,&nbsp;Dare County has determined that “Serendipity” must be moved or removedfrom its precarious location.&nbsp; It could be the end of an icon that has stood as&nbsp;an OBX&nbsp;treasure since 1988 when it was erected by a local builder.Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)November 18, 2009&nbsp;-&nbsp;Posted by&nbsp;seasidevacations&nbsp;|&nbsp;OBX News,&nbsp;nature,&nbsp;weather&nbsp;|&nbsp;damage,&nbsp;Hatteras,&nbsp;Kill Devil Hills,&nbsp;Kitty Hawk,&nbsp;Nights in Rodanthe,&nbsp;Nor'easter,&nbsp;OBX,&nbsp;outer banks,&nbsp;overwash,&nbsp;road,&nbsp;Rt. 12,&nbsp;Serendipity,&nbsp;Storm,&nbsp;surf,&nbsp;waves,weather,&nbsp;wind&nbsp;|&nbsp;No Comments Yet&nbsp;|&nbsp;Edit
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seasidevacation/1/1258750583/tpod.html She arrived ... — Perth, Australia http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/CYqSy_F2bnc/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/samlc/1/1258749904/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/samlc/1/1258749904/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:45:04 -0500 Perth to Oakland (and surrounding San Franciscan areas)
Perth, Australia

... safe & sound - if completely knackered & starving ... she was convinced she'd been booked onto a seniors flight - if you're wondering where all the old people are, they're making the air hosties' lives hell on QF73 ...our aussie chick breezed through customs with a "Hello there young lady what brings you to California?" from a man half her age ... and there was PG waitin' for her out the other side - exactly how she thought he'd be ...train ride out to Oakland under the bay - so nothing to report there ... cab ride to PG's from the BART station - still nothing to report ... out for some Mexican for lunch - amazing chicken soup that was - well - amazing ... then a walk 'round the 'hood ... past pixar studios - where she was tempted to just rock up to the security station and announce she was here and enquire what time her tour started - but didn't ...day two's adventure was into Oakland city ... out Aussie chick dropped PG off at work, ignored his directions and set off on her own route ... of course she got lost - found herself wandering around in china town & sticking out like the proverbial ... eventually she found the lake & was able to re-orientate herself ... the next adventure was to find a toilet - no wait - the restroom ... it got a little desperate for a short while ...she spent the morning wandering through shops etc ... gosh everyone was so polite - even more so when she figured out which side of the pavement to walk on - hint: it ain't the side she'sused to ... she discovered that tights are not pants in Amercia either - but no one realises ... her accent was instantly recognisable and warmly welcomed ... and an Ethiopian newsagent asked her for her number -awh ...she then picked up PG for a late lunch (was only 5 minutes late) at Pho 54 or another number - details, details ... more amazing food ... curried prawns & a yummy eggplant dishthen off to her first ridgy didge gig ... in Albany no less! - very cool, dark, little place called the Ivy Room ... she met some more super nice people ... PG's trio - Bush of Ghosts - cranked out some free jazz & were really cool ... yes it's expected our chick would say that but they werethe next day or so were pretty uneventful - our Aussie chick simply couldn't raise enough energy to venture out - she was completely knackered and could not keep her eyes open ... so she slept, ate, read, nappped, DVD'd, napped, ate more, drank tea, napped and then slept ...today she's ventured out to Berkeley ... out to check out the campus and pretend she's a student ... she picked an awesome day for it ... cold, windy & wet! ... ah well that's what umbrellas are for ...photos to come once she figures it out ...Sent from Sam's iPhone
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/samlc/1/1258749904/tpod.html First night out camping — Horsham, England, United Kingdom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/3KWYP70ewDI/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bruceandpetra/1/1257708870/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bruceandpetra/1/1257708870/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:44:23 -0500 Bruce and Petra's Africa Trip
Horsham, England, United Kingdom

Camping in Barnes Green was good fun. We set out for the night to test the new tent, awning and cooking gear. It was very cold and we eneded up caught in a thunder storm, but I'm glad to report the tent was suberb. It was dry inside and our sleeping bags also did the job. We were nice and snug inside and we had a big fry up for breakfast, so all in all a success! We got our carnet yesterday, so we're pretty much ready to go! Roll on December 24th!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bruceandpetra/1/1257708870/tpod.html Alms, Cooking Class, Cobra Whiskey & Kangaroo Bar — Chiang Mai, Thailand http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/MGSBYmvh6Go/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kitkatgo/1005/1256504472/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kitkatgo/1005/1256504472/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:40:39 -0500 Amazing Thailand!: Courtesy of Thai Airways & Tourism Authority of Thailand
Chiang Mai, Thailand

We got up at the crack of dawn. I'm not fond of getting up that early. But since I was off kilter because of jet lag, it wasn't too bad. Once in the van, we headed in the same direction as Doi Suthep, but stopped before going up the mountain.There is a shrine there, and it is a popular spot for giving alms to the monks who walk there from a couple of different temples. There are quite a few tables set up with trays of food for sale at 20 baht each which equals about 65 cents USD.For the Alms Giving Ceremony, our guide would invite the monks over as they passed by and they would lift the lids of their bowls. We then put the items from our trays into their containers (again, as a woman, I had to be careful to not touch them). Afterwards, locals take their shoes off and kneel in front of the monks while they give their blessing. Foreigners can remain standing. The blessing is given in Sanskrit. Then the monks continue their walk to accept more offerings. They do this for several hours each morning which gives them their food and drink for the day: breakfast and lunch. They receive so much food, though, that they are able to provide for the needy as well. The temple dogs will get fed last; none of them looked underfed.Every Thai boy or man is expected to join the monkhood at some point in life. They can join for 1 week, 3 months or their whole life (for any amount of time). It really seems like a pretty decent idea. Living a meek and humble life for even a short period might do some good for our spoiled male population in the States.We returned to the hotel and went to Kad Kafe for breakfast. I had a really nice meal. Such great fruits and fruit juices in Thailand! Some of our group went for a more traditional American breakfast, while others went more along the lines of a traditional Thai breakfast. I went somewhere in the middle, eating fruit, nibbling on potatoes, and drinking tea.After breakfast, we met a chef from the Four Seasons at a food market (I'm afraid I don't have the name of it). Her name is Por, and she showed us all around the market. Our first stop was a stall selling little Thai "donut holes" that were absolutely delicious. There was a sugar-coated one and a plain one...both were very yummy. We all would have liked to eat more of them, but we were still full from breakfast. Next, we needed something to drink. So we went around the corner to get Thai tea or Thai iced coffee. I got the Thai tea, which came in a bag. I remember seeing Anthony Bourdain posing for a photo shoot with a bag of Thai tea on one of his shows. Now it was my turn. It was great. I had not realized how easy it is to make. Everyone uses the same type of tea in Thailand (No. One Tea), then you add condensed sweetened milk and evaporated milk...you know, good ole Carnation. That's it. So good. Still not sure why it turns orange though.From there we walked around the different stalls investigating the vegetables, fruits, fish, meats, you name it. Por showed us the inside of a 1000-yr old egg. Did not look appetizing to me. It smelled ok though. The meat section was kind of gnarly: snouts, entrails, eyeballs looking at you. I admit, sometimes I prefer the American plastic-wrapped, styrofoam tray option. Lastly, we stopped at the hot sauce booth. We all made purchases of hot sauce, dipping sauce, and spice mixes. A couple of the spice mixes you can only get in that particular part of Thailand. Por said she would get us a recipe for the mix (and she did later).Then we headed over to the Four Seasons Chiang Mai (in the Mae Rim District)&nbsp; for a cooking class. We were taken to the Cooking School via golf cart. The Cooking School was built for the sole purpose of teaching people how to cook Thai cuisine. There are only two walls at each end; it is open to the outdoors and a trully beautiful kitchen. Before we entered the kitchen, we made wishes and lit some incense for the Spirit House of the Cooking School.Our Chef, who we christened Tiger Chef, was fantastic. He demonstrated each dish for us, then let us taste it. Then it would be our turn to make it. We each had our own station and staff members would watch over us and help when needed. I love cooking, and Thai cuisine is something I have little, ok, no experience with, so it was great fun.I did nick my finger with the knife, and you'd think I had hacked off my hand or something. They were so attentive and took great care of my finger. It really was a minor injury and no big deal. Most of the others didn't know until later that I had even cut myself even with the fuss the staff had made.Our first dish was Thom Yum Kung (Spicy Prawn Soup with Lemongrass). It was delicious. I realized when I was eating it, though, that I could have actually made it a little hotter. To go with the soup, Tiger Chef gave some of us a shot of the cobra/scorpion whiskey that we had spied on the shelf earlier. It was surprisingly smooth and mild. Then we made Thom Yum Gai Muang (Northern Style Chicken Soup). This dish used one of the spice packets we got from the market and is a Northern Thailand specialty. Next we learned how to make Egg Net...not an easy thing to do, but it was fun. I wouldn't make it at home though, because it's rather messy. We found out that the egg nets would be wrapped around the Phad Thai Goong (Stir Fried Rice Noodles with Prawns) which we made following the soup. Tiger Chef also demonstrated how to make a couple of other amazing dishes.We tasted everything along the way, so we had little room for the feast we were served after all the cooking. We sat at a long table and were served all the dishes we had made (with the exception of the first soup). Each of us ate our own creations. Tiger Chef joined us for another shot of whiskey, but this one was some other kind.We had such a good time. Tiger Chef must have enjoyed it too, because he invited us for a vegetable and fruit carving class and also to stay for dinner. Sadly, we could not stay. We were presented with Certificates of Completion of Traditional Soups &amp; Noodles, new aprons, the recipes of the dishes we had made and a dinner set. What a fantastic experience this was!After we returned, we had a tour of the hotel, which included a look at the beautiful spa. I wish I'd had time to have a treatment there or take a yoga class in their teak yoga pavillion. When we were returning from the spa, there was a rainbow in the sky, which seemed especially appropriate considering we were in Shangri-La.After our site inspection, we would have had dinner, but we were all too full from our megafeast at the Cooking School. I went back to my room to make final contact with TravelPodders who were interested in having a meetup. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen.So I met with a couple of the writers at the Horizon Lounge and had a Gin &amp; Tonic. We sat and talked and relaxed until our fourth muskateer showed up. We then went out to the Night Bazaar which was within walking distance from the hotel.We shopped along the way and finally made it to the Paradise Bar. It turned out that this was their last night because Chang Beer had bought up the whole block of bars and stores to open up a beer garden. It was quite sad, because I'm sure it will lose all its original charm. We had fun there though and played the longest pool game EVER. We said a fond farewell to the Paradise Bar. However, before we left, Ally and I had to go to the little girls' room. Ally had asked at the bar, and they suggested going in the alley rather than using their facility. Hmm...scary. So we went a couple blocks to a public restroom we saw while walking to the bar. Dang, it was closed! So we went to the bar across the street and asked them. They pointed down the way to another bathroom. The good news was that we didn't have to pay to get in, the bad news was that they were squat toilets. EEeeeeek! I had avoided them in France, I had avoided them in Japan, but it just wasn't going to happen in Thailand. So I had my first experience with a hole in the ground. You'll be happy to know everything turned out ok. TMI, I know.We decided we were finally hungry, and we wanted street food. We finally came across a vendor, and we each ordered something different: chicken, beef, fish, and pork. Mine was the beef, and it was like little bits of jerky. It all came with a bag of rice. I liked mine, but it was a little strange have beef jerky &amp; rice for dinner, lol. We ate our "dinners" and drank some Singha at the Kangaroo Bar. As is implied, it's owned by an Aussie who didn't even look old enough to legally drink. Loi Kathong was still being celebrated, so he lit some, well, I wouldn't call them fire crackers, more like fire bombs, off right in front of us. If I lose my hearing at some point in life, I'll know why. They'll light anything, anywhere in Thailand!There was a Fish Spa next door...you know, you stick your feet in a fish tank and they nibble off the dead skin off your feet. We had thought, "Hey, let's go do that!" but the last customers were there and they wouldn't let any more come in. The owner came over to our table and explained that it had been very busy because of the festival and the fish were tired.So, no Fish Spa. Instead we walked down the street back to the hotel and went nighty night. Another fun, but very long day had slipped by.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kitkatgo/1005/1256504472/tpod.html YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME — COMFORT INN, Mississippi, United States http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/zx-lQ01DCtM/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rhondanorton6/1/1258722988/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rhondanorton6/1/1258722988/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:38:19 -0500 rhondanorton6's Great Adventure
COMFORT INN, Mississippi, United States

THE COMFORT INN ,McCOMB, MISSISSIPPI; HAS COMFORTABLE, CLEAN ROOMS FOR THE BEST PRICE IN TOWN.WE HAVE RESTAURANTS AND SHOPPING NEARBY. WE ARE CENTRALLY LOCATED&nbsp;65 MILES SOUTH OF&nbsp;JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI . 60 MILES WEST OF HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI.&nbsp;110 MILES NORTH OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. 65 MILES EAST OF NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI.WE OFFER : 24-HOUR BUSINESS CENTER, A VERY FILLING SUNSHINE BREAKFAST FROM 6AM - 10AM 7 DAYS A WEEK&nbsp;, WE HAVE FREE WIRELESS HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS IN ALL OUR PUBLIC AREAS AND A FRIENDLY, PROFESSIONAL STAFF 24 HOURS A DAY TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS.ALL OUR ROOMS HAVE:&nbsp; 4-CUP COFFEE POT,&nbsp;FULL SIZE IRON &amp; IRONING BOARD, HAIR DRYERS, MICRO-FRIDGE AND A COLOR T.V. W/ REMOTE (FREE HBO), AND HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS (WIRELESS OR CABLE ACCESS).OUR ROOMS ARE&nbsp;VERY CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE AND WE OFFER 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED IF WE CAN NOT FIX YOUR PROBLEM.SO CALL US FOR RESERVATIONS: 601-249-0080FAX :601-249-1061&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rhondanorton6/1/1258722988/tpod.html Iron Maiden on the rocks! — Arequipa, Peru http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/yuQi7nfS8PA/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/skoylesr/1/1258663325/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/skoylesr/1/1258663325/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:35:31 -0500 Skoylesy does South Amercia - road trip stylie!
Arequipa, Peru

dudes!Had&nbsp;a great time in Lima. It is one of those cities that isn´t necessarily that amazing to see (bar the plazas) but there is a good and happy vibe to it. After arriving and updating the blog I went off in search of a camera, so now snap happy again. Had a knockout first night in Lima, great that the tour leaders know where best areas and bars are, they chose well. It was so good&nbsp; to be in a real bed again after 10 nights camping. So good that I didn´t wake up to 10.30...bed at 3.30 tho - said it was a good night!Once up and compus mentus again my roomy (rich) and I went off in search of the main sights in Lima. We were on a culture vulture mission. We saw the changing of the guard at the presidents gaff, and various different processions following the ending of Sunday mass. We then visited the church of san francisco, which had an old monastery attached, with catacombs. Although the skeletons and bones from the 25,000 people buried underneath the monastery was really interesting and creepy, my favourite part of the tour was seeing the 20ft wide painted depiction of the last supper. I´ve seen a few versions of this in various religious&nbsp;buildings&nbsp;around the world but this is the 1st one that featured a roasted guinea pig as the last supper! By the time I got Lima I was down to last of clean clothes so it was great to get a ´service wash´ (eastenders special!). I´d been walking around Lima in a stavros vest on, looking very pale still&nbsp;and&nbsp;with a weeks worth of stubble.. So very wisely I avoided the cameras that day, for fear of ridicule&nbsp;at a later date.Left Lima on 16th and drove a few hrs to the Ballestas Island; which are dubbed as the poor mans Galapagos. Given that Darwin didn´t even visit these Islands I decided to set out to discover some new boobys for myself. But as we all know it isn´t all about the boobys - there is always a lot else to discover when on an exploratory mission.....unfortunately&nbsp;there was no sign of any Peruvian beaver here though. We were lucky enough to see dolphins, penguins, seals, cormorants, pelicans, the list goes on and on. Everyone was really surprised how good the trip was as we didn´t have great expectations. But in the end were wow´d by what we saw and how close we got. A&nbsp;little too close in some instances, particularly considering it was mating season for the sea lions and I wouldn´t not have fancied spoiling their fun. So - a fantastic start to the day.We then traveled onto an oasis in a desert - literally. It was a small purpose built centre for the dune buggy and sand boarding trip we were about to embark on. Needless to say the dune buggying was awesome, and our driver get it a serious amount of booty la la. The sand boarding was cool too - lying flat on waxed boards and booting it down&nbsp;full on steep and massive dunes. No major injuries sustained on this one, but did lose one guy as effects of food poisoning kicked in at top of dune in middle of nowhere. Night in hospital and he´s doing lot better now though. After watching the sunset we headed off to our camp for the night...you guessed it, more sand dunes. A bbq and plenty of the local pisco juice then we were ready to sleep under the stars. I can truly say that after I went to bed that night I had one of the best nights of my life; which considering I slept alone is quite a claim I suppose. I woke up at 3.30am and after watching the crystal clear and&nbsp;deathly silent skies for half an hr I decided to walk up to the top of one of the dunes (lot easier than it sounds) and have a personal moment...no, not like that.&nbsp;It was unforgettable, which is lucky as I´d banned myself from taking the new camera into the desert. The huge rolling dunes, set against the moonlit and star filled sky, and in the far far distance on the horizon a reassuring sight of the street lights of the nearest (?!) town called, Ica. Words cannot convey how amazing this moment and sight was. My&nbsp;animal instincts then came rushing to the fore so I did the only natural thing to do and scented my territory, before then falling down the dunes back to the sleeping bag, where I continued to watch the sky and 2 shooting stars. Morning broke and before we knew it we were back in the buggy, getting air whilst rushing back to the oasis&nbsp;-&nbsp;a great wake up call at 5.45am.Left the coast now and currently in&nbsp;Arequipa, which is Peru´s 2nd largest city and is very picturesque. The city is surrounded by 2 mammoth volcanoes and is full of cobbled streets, history and very beautiful plazas once more. In reference to the Iron Maiden on the rocks.....it is a loose connection but bare with me...or maybe that should be bear with me. Not sure but there is no need to get naked in order to carry on reading. Anyway, back in 1995 a 512yr old Inca girl was discovered at the top of one of the volcanoes here....unfortunately she had been dead 500 yrs so didn`t have a lot of chat, but her body was perfectly preserved.&nbsp;I remember reading about it in news so no doubt you do too. She was nicknamed the Ice Maiden and after falling 100 ft, was found on some&nbsp;rocks. So Iron Maiden on the rocks works I&nbsp;think!&nbsp;Went to museum yesterday and saw her body....still frozen obviously. Seemed a little sad in some way that she was not still on the mountain (well over 6000m) where she should be, but interesting nonetheless.Arequipa is definitely more of a touristy place than Lima, but nice as it isn´t on the coast so not full of yanks in ill fitting and distasteful clothing that have just stepped off a cruise ship. It is however full of english peasants that have just stepped off a big yellow truck wearing ill fitting and distasteful clothing...which of course is perfectly acceptable. FYI - the socks and flip flop combo were strictly for the jungle and only viewed by the peeps on tour and local Ecuadorian wildlife. Even the mosquitoes didn´t want to be seen dead on me that night.One more night here before long trek to Cuzco in truck, and then on Weds 25th start a 4 day hike up Machu Picchu, bring that barbarella on.Hope all good with u. Thanks for all emails, and comments on here once more. Take it easy.Ricardo Skwalez.ps - had a guinea pig as a starter 2 nights ago. Followed that with alpaca steak and little bit of ostrich steak.....nice!! Actually the GP was quite minging in taste but when in rome and all that!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/skoylesr/1/1258663325/tpod.html We went down, down, down, the flames went higher — Cabanaconde, Arequipa, Peru http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/0fHSuJUS8FU/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nathanialwest/1/1255375283/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nathanialwest/1/1255375283/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:28:54 -0500 Mollie and Nate's big adventure
Cabanaconde, Arequipa, Peru

I've spent a few days ruminating on our experience, and have hesitated to cement it into blogdom because overall, it wasn't a bad experience.&nbsp; However, it was very very nearly, overall, a bad experience.The scenery, as you can see, is pretty amazing.&nbsp; It was just as amazing through the bus window (a six-hour trip over hellishly bumpy roads) as it was on the horrendous cattle trail we walked, a 2500m descent to the tourist trap of all tourist traps.&nbsp; Going down was difficult, especially since we started later than we should have, and with more gear than was necessary, but we'd planned on a longer trek than we would accomplish, and gave up on the second and third leg of it because we were so discouraged by the first.Tourists:&nbsp; this is your warning--DO NOT do the Cabanaconde-Sangalle trek.&nbsp; If you must, take no gear other than water, sunscreen and a hat, and a few soles to buy the overpriced, lukewarm beers and bottled water at the "oasis" at the bottom of the canyon.&nbsp; Also, plan on coming back the same day, either around 5pm to avoid the sun, or at 5am the next morning to beat the heat that will be overpowering by 9am.&nbsp; Consider it a 2 hour descent/3.5-4 hour ascent, no matter what the locals say.&nbsp; The Oasis itself, owned by the hostal where we stayed (which, we liked best of all) is a bunch of nasty huts on a plateau that exists just to have a reason for tourists to trek from Cabanaconde at all.&nbsp; We had our tent, and though we paid for the weight of it on the way down, we were glad not to be bitten to pieces as everyone else was, sleeping in dusty linens over a dirt-floored, bamboo-sided festering holes romantically called bungalows.That aside, the entire trail was full of ankle-rollers--rocks about the size of a baseball, that hold no threat to the overpriced mule teams carrying defeated tourists back up to civilization, but to a person, they mean attention paid to every step you take, so the opportunity to take in your surroundings diminishes to the cliffside and five feet in front of you.&nbsp; After our trip with the mules, of which we are still somewhat ashamed, we hurried to get on the 9 o'clock bus back to Arequipa and forget the whole thing.&nbsp; We learned after the fact that we should've trekked from Chivay, another town inside the canyon, and the treks were lower-impact and more prolonged.&nbsp; However, the guide at Colca Trek, an outfit recommended by Lonely Planet, for reasons unbenownst to me, charged us a s#itload for a topographic map and gave us next to no essential information on the tour they suggested.&nbsp; Colca Trek gets one big F-U from myself, and by way of me, from Pablo, owner of Hostal Tierra del Fuego.(Mollies Notes: I HATE THE DESERT AND THE CANYON! It gave me some serious bowel problems. I've decided to never go to the desert again, and I now know, forever and ever that I am a cool weather person... and I will miss winter this year because I hate the desert so hard.)The hostal's price was right, and its restaurant was surprisingly good, with nice ambience, though the smoke from the two fireplaces inside was a bit overwhelming.&nbsp; We still had a nice night, preceding the death race to come the next day, the highlight of which was spotting three condors from 50 feet or so away.&nbsp; They were big and looked like vultures with feathery heads.(Mollies Notes: eh. birds. Nate woke up in the middle of the night jumping and shaking his sleeping bag, it was something like a seziure... he thought there was a bug on his thigh. Scared the bejeezus out of me, but it was really funny...)So, now we're two days back in Arequipa, at our lovely hostal, Sol de Oro, and we've just been invited to leave with the owners and tag along on their promotional tour in Puno and Cusco, the two largest tourist centers in Peru.&nbsp; This will probably mean some sweet discounts for us, which is awesome, since we blew thirty bucks on the mule trip.(Mollies Notes: LOVE Arequipa. Clean city, great food, beautiful hostal, lovely buildings... I'd consider staying forever.)We did learn some valuable lessons:&nbsp; the right questions to ask, what gear we could leave behind, and how to say, "the hell with it," and stick together, when the plan fell to pieces.&nbsp; Two cases of heat exhaustion later, we've come to agree, the snow and ice of home beat the dry desolation of canyon country any day of the week.(Mollies Notes: I hate the desert.)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/nathanialwest/1/1255375283/tpod.html And finally some art... — New York City, New York, United States http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/ALmWtDv27WQ/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/hannah.goanna/1/1258729677/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/hannah.goanna/1/1258729677/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:28:50 -0500 New York, New York...
New York City, New York, United States

So this morning I wandered down to New Museum to see the Fischer show - OMG that guy has put together 3 floors of the most hallucinatory world you could never imagine!&nbsp; I'm going to go back tomo morning, I walked out scratching my head wondering what it was I'd seen.&nbsp; It's fabulous but so out there and different!&nbsp; I'll give a proper description tomorrow when I've processed a bit further.I didn't have my camera on me this morning so after having a bite to eat at the so so fabulous Balthazar (brother venue to Pastis which is also on my list!), I went back to the apartment to pick up the camera and make my way to MoMA.&nbsp; I'd decided to make it a 5th Ave adventure so walked straight up Thompson St to Washington Square Park - on the other side, Thompson St turns into 5th Ave.&nbsp; I almost didn't make it to MoMA again because the Ave provided plenty of distraction!&nbsp; Hotel Gershwin with its weird little 'white tadpole' lights swimming up the facade, Lord &amp; Taylor's Xmas displays, Cartier's big red bow (please excuse the quality of some of the photos I was taking some on phone, some on camera).When I finally got to MoMA I made a beeline for the New Photography show which was fantastic, it really highlighted the shifts towards constructing images rather than taking images.&nbsp; Construction happened on a number of different levels from a created scene, to collaging found images and rephotographing these or digital imaging or elements of graphic design.&nbsp; As well as the 'New' show there was the permanent collection up with all the big names - Moholy-Nagy, Avedon, Weston, Cartier-Bresson, etc, etc... some really beautiful images.&nbsp; Tim Burton's show was also on and it was lots of fun, thanks to Simone I could gain entrance to the member's preview.&nbsp; He's one hell of a kooky man!&nbsp; I generally really like his aesthetic, even Sweeney Todd which I disliked as a movie, I thought was gorgeous as a series of images.I also managed to see the Erotic Object exhibition which was interested and one of the painting galleries, though these had to be quick as MoMA was closing as I was running through!Afterwards I walked back to SoHo, Simone had got back in the afternoon but I knew she needed to crash out so just took my time to enjoy and be distracted by 5th Ave after dark.Atlas at the Rockefeller looked fantastic lit up in all his glory, it's a strong statue that dominates the plaza.&nbsp; And looking up to the main tower is aweinspiring - something difficult to maintain in a city like this.&nbsp; Everywhere I look there is architecture that inspirse a degree of awe, or at the very least interest.&nbsp; Standing at the bottom of the Empire State Building was amazing, I saved going up for another night.&nbsp; I tried to get a photo from the bottom but it didn't really work.Further down 5th Ave, I was quite taken with a church, but it wasnt until I got closer I realised that hanging from the fence there were yellow strips.&nbsp; On each of teh strips was a name, rank and age.&nbsp; I'm assuming these were memorials for firefighters or other emergency workers at 9/11, but Im not sure so if anyone knows, please enlighten me!&nbsp; They looked gorgeous lit up and blowing in the breeze. Coming down 5th Ave I also spotted the Flat Iron building which I had completely missed coming in the other direction, it looked beautiful in the funny evening light.&nbsp; That's one thing about NY, it's never dark!&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/hannah.goanna/1/1258729677/tpod.html FLYING TO KOS ISLAND — Kos Town, Dodecanese, Greece http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/nvGxQctCubk/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1243788015/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1243788015/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:27:39 -0500 EXPLORING NEW DESTINATIONS S U M M E R 2009
Kos Town, Dodecanese, Greece

ARRIVING AT&nbsp; KOS1st DayThe trip from Athens to Kos is just 35 minutes by plane.&nbsp; Our car is waiting for us at the airport and it's a Fiat Panda for just 23 euro a day.Of course we have booked the car 2 months ago!We have a 25 minute drive to the centre of Kos and come to our 3 star hotel TRITON.&nbsp; It is a newly renovated family ran hotel.&nbsp; The location is unbelievable.&nbsp; Even if I had the choice to book at a 5 star hotel in another area I would still prefer this hotel. The location is unique, the hotel perfect, and the people who work here, so helpful and friendly.We get most of the information on how to move around and picking the best destinations and special places to eat from Zoi.&nbsp; She has become our advisor and we owe much to her. She is the kind and smiling woman at the reception.The hotel is just 5 minutes walk from the centre which is very popular and full of tourists.The hotel is just on the beach and there are all sorts of shops around.&nbsp; People are swimming just two steps from the street across. Every now and then we see ships and sailing boats coming in or leaving Kos.&nbsp; Opposite in some distance, we can see Turkey.&nbsp;&nbsp; It is so interesting and we can't wait to explore the whole island....and who knows, even other places too!!Kos is full of PALM trees, full of life, and beauty.&nbsp; It is still May and it is full of tourists!&nbsp; ******&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ******&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; *******&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; *******
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1243788015/tpod.html THE WATERFALL NEAR POTAMOS — KARLOVASI NORTH SAMOS, Greece http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/Tr-ctd6nkCY/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1249314507/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1249314507/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:26:28 -0500 EXPLORING NEW DESTINATIONS S U M M E R 2009
KARLOVASI NORTH SAMOS, Greece

THE WATERFALL<i>A small river with a waterfall spreads out among the thick vegetation. We follow it taking with us hats to protect ourselves from the sun, but the thick vegetation soon proves that hats are not needed. It is so pleasant walking through this gorge!<i><i>WALKING DISTANCE – About 800 metres:<i><i>When we reached the final point, and we were supposed to see the waterfall, we found out that we had to walk further into water, that comes approximately up to our waiste, to see it. &nbsp;I was afraid to do that to be honest thinking that I might fall in the water while going there and I did not want to lose my camera.<i>Instead I asked some people to show me the small video they had taken from the waterfall before leaving. &nbsp;I believe that people who go there should have their swimming suits on if they wish to walk and see it. &nbsp;It was pity that we did not see it after walking all the way up there, but at least I saw the video.<i><i>The walk however through the dense wood of thick vegetation, was worth it.&nbsp; Believe me, I wished it had been longer!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1249314507/tpod.html wie alles sich noch zum guten wendete..... — Doha, Qatar http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/9BaRLqjDyG4/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/larissa-ume/1/1258747673/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/larissa-ume/1/1258747673/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:26:14 -0500 Larissa & Ume's Great Adventure
Doha, Qatar

wow,wir haben in den letzten 48 noch soviel erlebt,dass ich gar nicht weiss wo ich anfangen soll zu erzaehlen....die eindruecklichsten erlebnisse waren.....gestern ein ausflug in die wueste:die duenen voellig kaputt gefahren von den wahnsinns autos die hier alle fahren,auto zu schnell gefahren?kaputt?neues kaufen,haben ja genug oel und geld sowieso!!!!!ein scheich....war natuerlich keiner,aber fuer uns sind hier alle maenner mit kopftuch scheichs.....machte mit uns eine duenen fahrt(adrenalien pur)duene hoch und runter mit min.80kmh und die steigung war nicht ohne!!!dann lud er uns in sein camp ein,liess seinen privaten koch fuer uns essen zubereiten,was wir dann gemeinsam mit den haenden aus einer riesen schuessel assen!!!!und das hat geschmeckt!!!!!!und tee und getraenke gabs natuerlich reichlich,das ganze eigentlich direkt am meer unterm klaren sternen himmel,nur scheinen die scheichs dafuer keinen sinn zuhaben,weil die lichter und der generator sind so stark dass manvon der natur kaum etwas mitbekommt. Bei einem spaziergang am meer, spuerten wir das absolut warme(27 grad aufwaerts) meer und freuten uns schon auf die straende in thailand.Heute waren wir zum einem aus einen arabischen Markt, mit all seinen geruechen,farben und menschen inklusive und das totalle kontrast programm,ein neues shopping mall,in dem venedig nachgebaut worden ist. D.h. der "canale grande"fliesst mitten durch das center, und wer eine bootstour machen will,wird von einem italienisch aussehenden typen und seiner "gondelaäbgholt!!!!!In was fuer einer welt befinden wir uns eigentlich.Achja eine schlittschuh bahn gab es auch und das neben h&amp;m Mc Donalt und den exlusivesten geschaeften dieser welt!!!!.Wir haben das gefuehl,mit all dem geld was in diesem land (noch) fliesst,versucht man sich die vielseitigkeit der welt hier aufzubauen um bloss nichts verpassen zu muessen. Der absolute wahnsinn. Irgendwo sind wir doch ganz froh morgen nach thailand weiter zu fliegen. Den Tag werden wir hier noch im welness center(von qatarairways)&nbsp;mit sport und schwimmen verbringen und uns abend mit vorfreude auf ein hoffentlich identischeres thailand in den flieger setzten. Wir melden uns wieder. Hoffen ihr habt die Fotos gesehen,Liebste gruesse an euch alle,Ume&amp;larissa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/larissa-ume/1/1258747673/tpod.html STALACTITES PERAMA CAVE — IOANNINA , Greece http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/VDWQ_ohfIbw/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1250433645/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1250433645/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:25:47 -0500 EXPLORING NEW DESTINATIONS S U M M E R 2009
IOANNINA , Greece

<i>PERAMA CAVE&nbsp; IOANNINA<i><i>The Perama cave was discovered by accident in 1940 during the World War II, as the inhabitants of the village were trying to find a shelter against bombardments.&nbsp; At the end of the war Constantine Kasvikis, a gymnast and an amateur speleologist, found himself in Perama where, with his team, he took pictures that were published in the local press of Athens.<i>Thusly Ioannis and Anna Petrochilou found out about the cave, visit Perama and began systematic exploration and mapping of the cave in order to be developed as a tourist attraction.<i><i>Where it is situated.<i>Situated next to the picturesque lake of Ioannina, it is extremely interesting and worth visiting.<i>It is the most important natural ecosystem.<i>In there you can see the emergence of the stalactite.<i><i>THE CAVE&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <i><i>It is one of the rarest caves in the world.&nbsp; It is located only 4 kilometres away from the city, in Perama of Ioannina.&nbsp; <i>The cave occupies an area of 14.800 sq.m.&nbsp; <i>The tourist route is initially downhill and at the end it is uphill. One thousand metres in total.&nbsp; <i><i>A tourist can visit the cave daily at 8'oclock in the morning until sunset.&nbsp; The entrance of the tourist groups takes place every 10 minutes.<i>The fee to enter&nbsp;is 6 euros.<i><i><i>&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/greekcypriot/3/1250433645/tpod.html SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY CAPITAL — MONROE, Louisiana, United States http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/5PLwWa0eVNg/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rhondanorton6/1/1258723138/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rhondanorton6/1/1258723138/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:17:46 -0500 rhondanorton6's Great Adventure
MONROE, Louisiana, United States

FOR A RELAXING AND COMFORTABLE STAY IN MONROE, LA. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHOOSE COMFORT SUITES ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DRIVE.THIS IS A 100% SMOKE FREE HOTEL. VERY CLEAN ROOMS AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF.&nbsp; THE HOTEL IS CLOSE TO SHOPPING, AND RESTAURANTS.&nbsp; WHEN YOU COME TO MONROE. THIS IS THE PLACE TO STAY.PHONE : 318-410-0145OTHER PROPERTIES OWNED BY SAME MANAGEMENT:HAMPTON INN1407 MARTIN LUTHER KING DRIVEMONROE,&nbsp; LA&nbsp;&nbsp; 71202PHONE: 318-361-9944
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rhondanorton6/1/1258723138/tpod.html VoiceLogic.com - Making your voice heard — Syracuse, Texas, United States http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/lkZv212i2y8/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/voicelogiccom/1/1258748099/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/voicelogiccom/1/1258748099/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:16:11 -0500 voicelogiccom's Great Adventure
Syracuse, Texas, United States

Why use a Call Center as a medium? 1. Your clients will appreciate a live phone call. A personal callcarries more value than email or any other direct mail campaign. 2. Rapid outbound Call Center® costs less than your employee’s base pay. 3. Rapid outbound Call Center® is a faster campaign due to minimaltraining; costs much less than your traditional call center. 4. Email lists are very transient. Telephone numbers are morereliable and don’t change as often; therefore your campaign will bemore successful with a phone list instead of an email list.Voicelogic.com Call Center E-mail HTMLWith our E-mail HTML solution, you can provide your message withyour corporate look and feel. E-mail HTML allows for active links,graphics and logos within the body of your message.Voicelogic.com Newsletter Who records the message?You can record the message, but we have in-house staff that will do it free of charge.What is the maximum length of the message?Max length is 30 secondsVoicelogic.com Contact Voicelogic.com* Order taking: Order taking is a cumbersome job and it requires aspecial person to take orders in proper manner. If there is some faultin taking out the orders, then the whole purpose is lost. Customer caneven get agitated for delivering wrong products to them.Voicelogic.com In a call center, the sound of phones ringing is a thing of the past.Modern day call centers use a queuing system to handle all callsfairly. When a customer dials in, their call is placed in the queue inthe order in which it was received. If all agents are busy assistingother customers, the call will be placed on hold, usually with holdmusic. The first available agent will receive the call that has beenholding for the longest period of time. There will usually be a screenin the call center that displays the number of calls holding, and thelength of time of the longest hold. Goals are usually set to determinethe maximum amount of time a customer should be on time, the lengtheach call should be, and the number of calls a day each agent shouldrealistically be able to handle. These goals help management plan forthe number of staff they will need each day based on the average numberof callers expected on each given day.About Voicelogic.com Thenumber of innovative solutions for call centers available in the markethas increased in recent years. Call centers should assess theirobjectives and deploy solutions that increase efficiency and enablesustainable growth and development.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/voicelogiccom/1/1258748099/tpod.html A Tiny Imperfect, Yet Perfect Paradise — Koh Tao, Thailand http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/Kc2o7CsYSqM/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/izunia/1/1248672904/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/izunia/1/1248672904/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:11:25 -0500 izunia's Great Adventure
Koh Tao, Thailand

Before I even stepped off the Lomprayah Ferry coming in from Koh Pan Ngan, Koh Tao already took my breath away. This tiny island, not more than 48 square km in size, is one that will always be dear to my heart. As we neared the harbor the car-sized black boulders against the backdrop of every shade of green jutting out of the water assured me that this island was going to be a site of some great memories.&nbsp;As soon as we got off a taxi driver from our hotel picked us up. On the way to the truck we walked through the town's tiny dirt road streets and Michael almost got ran over by two Thai ladies on a motorbike (they ended up yelling at him for being in their way...as they drove away I told them they were bitches). But anyway, when we got to the truck to go to our hotel the taxi ride was anything but normal. The taxi consisted of a pick-up truck with some seats in the bed of the truck and the ride consisted of some of the gnarliest mountain roads I've ever seen. If this was ever allowed in the United States (which would be NEVER) we would have had to sign a bunch of liability forms. Hah, not in Thailand. Here anything goes!&nbsp;The way up was absolutely gorgeous - we cut through from a tiny town called Mae Had across the island amidst huge black boulders, mango and coconut trees, and saw views from atleast 300 meters up (maybe even higher) of the deep blue sea. The taxi ride was quite rocky but fun. We reserved a bungalow atop a hill overlooking Tanote Bay for $11 a night. Not the most luxurious of accomodiations as it had only a cold shower and the septic system constantly made itself known throughout the day and night - but the view was well worth it. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the views.The next day Michael took me out to do something I have never done - snorkeling. When we first went out the waves were quite choppy and as I swam with Michael I couldn't help but keep choking on the saltwater that kept on coming through my mask. The reef was amazing but I felt like such a wanker up until Michael didn't tell me until around an hour later that it was one of the hardest snorkeling reefs to go on AND that my mask sucked. Good thing I didn't die but hell, it was cool.The next day was quite rainy since well.. it's the rainy season here so we decided to hit up Sairee Beach in our rain gear. This beach is absolutely gorgeous....around 2 km long and 30 meters wide with colorful long boats and cabanas dotting the shore. One thing I should mention are the Thai dogs. They are everywhere in Thailand but they are especially present and quite happy on the beaches here. As we walked in the rain along the beach we found some dogs hunting shrimp in some puddles - one of the cutest sights ever. Despite the rain everything was just perfect. The next day we decided to take a snorkeling trip around the island. This was one of the best deals I think we could have gotten to truly explore the island. This package included a free ride to the port, free lunch and snacks, snorkeling gear, and stops at around 4 locations including Mango Bay and Koh Nangyuan all for 650 baht a piece (around $20). When we first left the port I don't think anyone really realized how choppy the waters were up until we were out with the boat almost capsizing around a hundred times. I've sailed in some freaky waters, but this was something else. Being on top of a rickety boat with your stuff flying everywhere was pretty scary - oh yeah, and then going over to my boyfriend for comfort who would just laugh and say "hey, if you go into the water just think about it this way, you'll die fast being fed to the great whites." Yeah, that was really helpful. I was seriously thinking that this trip was a bust for good. But thank the LORD that as soon as we got into our first snorkeling spot the waters calmed down and the sun came out. And voila, I saw my first shark in the water! A black-tipped baby. Michael of course wanted to get closer but I stayed far away. Just looking at it go on doing its regular business was good enough for me.The rest of the snorkeling spots were some of the most amazing things I have ever seen - the reef in Koh Tao is alive, especially in a place called Koh Nangyuan which is a designated park (we had to pay an extra 100 baht to get in, around $3 a person). This place was just heaven. I swam with a school of rainbow fish and saw other fish of colors I never even knew existed. The reef there is just undescribable with its beauty and one that I don't want to even describe more just so not that many other people see it, but I know that won't happen.&nbsp;The next day we decided to not pay the taxi to get into town (which cost 100 baht a piece....Thais really know how to earn money off of anything) and instead we opted to take a hike. In 90+ degree weather which what seemed to be 90% humidity (just the same as in Houston during the summertime) it was quite a hike, but so worth it. We saw parts of the island which can only be seen up close and saw sights which are overlooked as one is rocked in the back of a pick-up truck. We went back to Sairee beach with it being sunny this time around and just relaxed the day away. The next day we were lazy bums once again and just chilled at Tanote Bay but did some of the most awesome things for the cheapest price. We ate freshly cooked seafood along the beach under the naked sky at night followed by fabulous Thai massages along the beach for 300 baht each (a little under $10). The background noise during this massage was the sound of the crashing waves and drunken Thais (it was a Saturday night). Everything was just perfect. In a nutshell, that's what Koh Tao pretty much was. Despite the occasional rain, bugs (we found a huge spider in the bed one night..), cold shower, smell of raw sewage, and lack of maid service for a full week (it got dirty after a few days)... it was all just perfect.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/izunia/1/1248672904/tpod.html Shrewsbury, England — Shrewsbury, England, United Kingdom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/gU8OVke8fEA/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tmdj/1/1248560465/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tmdj/1/1248560465/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:10:34 -0500 tmdj's Great Adventure
Shrewsbury, England, United Kingdom

Drove from North Wales to Shrewsbury, England on Saturday afternoon July 25th. &nbsp;Found our way right into the Inn (having been warned by John that we'd need to pull in under the hotel archway just on the curve as we entered Frankwell. &nbsp;We drove through into their rear courtyard to park, passing right under a portion of the Inn. &nbsp;There was a knock on our door only minutes after we had checked in and unloaded our luggage...it was John and Olive! &nbsp;They were so eager to meet us, they had just stopped by to say hello - welcome - and, we'll see you later!&nbsp;Our drive from Wales to Shrewsbury was fairly easy - though we had to carefully watch for the road signs. We certainly laughed at each others' attempts to pronounce the various Welsh village names listed on the road signs we passed! &nbsp;"Ll's," "dd's," and a few extra "y's" made most words quite challenging. &nbsp;And though Donna had spent some time studying the Welsh language, reading lengthy (and frequently quite similar) placenames as we drove past, was its own challenge!The drive down "Horseshoe Pass" into the vale of Llangollen was quite hairy! &nbsp;About a thousand foot drop, a narrow two-lane road, and no guard-rail...oh, yes, and sheep freely wandering across the road...well! &nbsp;You can imagine...!! &nbsp;We pulled over two or three times to enjoy the views, or was it to catch our breath?! &nbsp;At one spot, we noticed that we were looking down into a field where a horse jumping competition was taking place! &nbsp;We would like to have stayed and watched for a bit, but had apparently missed the entry road, and didn't want to turn about in the heavy market-day traffic headed into Llangollen! &nbsp;Approaching Shropshire, we admired lovely pastoral views of the Cambrian Mountains. Though considerably smaller than the Snowdonia range, they are still very beautiful. &nbsp;(Rather like trying to compare the Rocky Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains in the U.S. - they each have their own great beauty.) &nbsp;In any case, Tom did another great job of driving on the left - even getting into the correct lane at some really very large round-a-bouts. &nbsp;Those with many placenames listed on signs at five different exit roads were fairly confusing - but we just drove 'round an extra time to re-read for the correct highway!Finally, on a July evening in 2008, I was able to get together again with my long "absent" relatives! &nbsp;(Or, was I the one who'd been absent?!) &nbsp;:&gt;) &nbsp;We had a joyous visit, exchanging lots of stories, and bringing each other up-to-date a bit. &nbsp;So, you will see many faces in these photos. We spent a week visiting three of my four cousins (Aunt Molly's boys): John, Tony, and Christopher... and their wives and children. (Terry was -sadly - absent. &nbsp;We had not been able to reach him.) &nbsp;After a really good supper at the Bucks Head, we all gathered in the beer garden of the Inn to toast each other and take some long-awaited family photos.On Sunday, we went to Shrewsbury's Catholic Cathedral: "St. Mary Help of Christians and St Peter of Alcontara" - a beautiful little cathedral up along the town walls. &nbsp;That was where Donna's mum and dad were married in 1945 - pictures are shown. &nbsp;That afternoon, we met up with "the boys"&nbsp;(and their gals) for a picnic in the country! &nbsp;'Twas a rainy day, but we had great fun none-the-less and Chris, Pauline and Olive had put together a perfect picnic meal!&nbsp;Here's a link to the webcams of Shrewsbury:&nbsp;http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/webcams.nsf
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