Smiley Earth blog

Hello Philippines

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:48:00 GMT

This is one of the cheapest places to live – The Philippines. It will not cost you more than $500 (€350) a month living in a province area. We'll get away from the city of Manila and head to the southern part.

The city of Cebu, as one of the most developed provinces, has sandy beaches, golf courses and great shopping malls, will get you an apartment for $150 (€106) a month. In other boasting towns such as Damaguete City you can easily rent a room for around $40 (€28) per month.

Food is also cheap. $200 (€142) a month will be enough to provide you with all necessities including alcohol and tobacco - a big glass of beer and pack of cigarettes cost $0.55 (€0.39) and $0.80 (€0.57), respectively.

Travel Debt Free

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:15:00 GMT

Some of us couldn’t take some breathing time to travel due to impeding debts we carry on our shoulder. It’s impossible to enjoy our travel vacation with ease when are constantly mired about the surmounting unpaid bills back at home. If only we can eliminate our debt… drinking that fruit juice from the ice-cold glass on the beach will be an experience like never before.

And how do I possibly eliminate my debt?

Just like you, I do have debts…but not for long. I will arrange an agreement or so called an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) between me and some creditors that I’ll owe money from. It is at debtfree.co.uk where the arrangements begin, for I simply ask their experts advice about the best solution on when I’ll become debt free.

You could also try their analyser test, this test will help them find the best debt management option for you. But if your ready to take the IVA, which no telephone or papers involved then go ahead, it doesn’t take more than 15-20 minutes of your time.

I know I can maintain the payment we agreed upon and mind you, after less than 5 years or even less – I’m debt free.

You too can travel with peace of mind without carrying those debts on your shoulder…and remember that ice-cold fruit juice at the beach? I’ll be on that beach drinking that fruit juice and better yet… debt free.

Water fun in New Jersey

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:22:00 GMT

Lucky to those who started their summer vacation and after a long time of thinking, my family and I will also be going on a vacation – New Jersey here we come.

We have this list to where we want to go, although we are on a tight budget, but at the end, vacationing at New Jersey won’t be so bad. After all, the Radio Disney Summer Concert Series is a must see and seems like it has already started there in WildWood, somewhere at Morey’s Piers.

Looking first at MoreysPiers.com for a booking reservation, it seems like our budget is sensible enough to stay at one of their finest motels. And I’m also delighted their concerts are FREE, not to mention, many of the Top Radio Disney artists will be there.

Surely, after enjoying New Jersey water parks as well as their water slides, it will left us with memories will never forget. Memories of great fun in the water, water toys that let you beat the summer heat and the glass of cool water on the table next to you.

What will I remember about my New Jersey Vacation? Yup, the no ending fun things I can do on the water. :-)

Summer Mountain Resort at Utah

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:43:00 GMT

My cousin Jane had a very interesting story from skiing to mountain biking at Utah. And as summer steps in there, nothing gets any better than wearing those summer clothes in mountain resort at Utah.

This is not going to be a canopy tour but an adventure of a lifetime where you and your family nestled with stunning mountain sceneries and get thrilled with amusement rides.

As you spent the whole time climbing up a mountain or riding down through that basin, you will constantly amazed at the scenery…breathtaking I might say. And for the rides, you don’t have to wait for winter slide to come as dry track slides propels you down into twisty curls.

And where will you stay? Utah’s Park City Lodging offers complete accommodations and they simply supply everything you need to make your camping holidays comfortable and a whole lot of fun!

This is going to be a wonderful story I’ll share with Jane and for my friends after our vacation at Utah. 

Elkep Evi, cave hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:14:00 GMT

Would you like to have that adventurous place to stay, might consider a primitive cave to dwell on the night. But this is not just an ordinary cave, Elkep Evi, an underground cave hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey, hollowed into soft, volcanic rock, has luxuriously furnished with plush cushions, Turkish carpets, and comfy beds. With walls made of solid rock, it's a good bet guests don't hear their neighbors.

(Photo:Getty Image)

Living a Techie Life in Tel Aviv, Israel

Sun, 31 May 2009 23:36:00 GMT

You might not find anything here like techie gadgets, next-generation cell phones, a high-speed public transportation system, advanced electronics, smaller microchips, and the highlight -- digital toilets, but at least there’s a good chance that one in four Israelis working in a high-tech fields are positioned in Tel Aviv, one of the world’s top tech cities.

Why the city does have so much venture capital and start-ups? Is because they are so well-funded by Microsoft. Microsoft indeed likes Tel Aviv so much that it’s opening a new R&D center in the city. With a population that spends more time online per capita than any other country, it appears the city is in a good spot to experience even more growth in the future.

Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas

Sun, 24 May 2009 12:30:00 GMT

To look down and really feel like you're on top of the world in just a few nights at Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas…if you can shell out $40,000 a night then I envy you!

Hugh Hefner’s Playboy-themed suite at the Palms Casino resort has a $700,000 jacuzzi that cantilevers out above the Las Vegas strip. The 10,000 square-foot, two-story suite comes with around-the-clock butler service and (of course) a rotating bed set beneath a mirrored ceiling.

Booking a Hotel Online

Sun, 17 May 2009 04:08:00 GMT

When I try to book a hotel online, this makes my booking a lot easier and hassle-free. I also get fair hotel price discount as well as the best offer they can provide. Although there are a handful of the most-known hotels booking websites, you might ask, “How do you choose the booking site?”

Choosing should not be this complicated when booking online, and the first thing I look at in a booking website is its clearness and user-friendliness. WhataHotel.com, owned by Lorraine Travel, simply have those services, they clearly provide detailed and accurate information about some of the world's best hotels - including the Four Seasons Hotels. WhataHotel is proud to be a partner of Four Seasons Hotels, which offers luxurious amenities and unparallel locations from Buenos Aires to Bali Indonesia.

Speaking about locations, while searching at WhataHotel, I’m glad I found full details about one Four Season Hotel in the heart of San Francisco, my next city tour destination. Most importantly, they guarantee a reservation when I book online.

How do you look for a hotel and start booking at WhataHotel? First, browse by country or search your ideal hotel using their search bar, which is visible on top. Select your ideal hotel, and then input your availability date for reservation. Next, select at least one room and see its corresponding prices and room photos. Lastly, provide the Guest Information and Reservation Details…Congratulations, you are now booked!

That is how I choose a booking site, and at WhataHotel.com, which offers the world's best hotels accommodation, they simple make my booking a lot easier.

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania

Mon, 11 May 2009 12:32:00 GMT

How exciting it would be when you know that your hotel lodge can see below the vast natural basin, which is teeming with elephants, lions and wildebeest?

Hello Ngorongoro Crater! One of the world’s largest calderas, which are formed when volcanoes explode and collapse upon themselves. The result is an elevated plateau perfectly ringed with tall mountains. Also, built on the south-western rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater lies in northern Tanzania, at the western edge of the Great Rift Valley. It is surrounded to the west by the Serengeti National Park and Lake Eyasi, and to the north by Lake Natron. The nearest village is Karatu, 30km away.

Although children are welcome, but not recommended for children under 8 yrs old.

Let me know if you have been into a wild safari paradise! :)

Auyantepui in Venezuela

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:51:00 GMT

Who will stop in and visit any cliffs this year? I’ve never been at one, if anyone does please let me know your fun experience…I might visit it someday.

Briefly speaking, the magnificent cliffs truly inspires us especially the view from the top. Below is one cliff I find worth visiting.

Auyantepui or Devil’s Mountain in the Canaima National Park in Bolivar State, Venezuela, where Angel Falls (Santo Angel in Spanish) drops from a cleft near the summit. Angel Falls is the world’s highest waterfall at 979 m (3,212 ft), with the height of the longest drop 807 m (2,647 ft). As a comparison, the Angel Falls are more than 19 times higher than the Niagara Falls.