Travel - Eat - Sleep

4 Must See Places To Visit in Australia

Tushar Mathur — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:36:43 +0000

Australia’s history is complex, to say the least. An incredibly topographically varied land once primarily host to the aboriginals, and then later transformed into an English prison colony, Australia is now a thriving, sophisticated continent that has managed to preserve its wild side while sustaining one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world. When visiting Australia, you absolutely must see these four places to get the full essence of the land down under.

1. Great Barrier Reef

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef isn’t exaggerating – there’s really no other place like it. The Reef stretches for 2600 kilometers and has about 900 separate islands. An incredible variety of sea life makes this place its home. The elaborate coral polyps that build the structures that make up the reef, which is the largest structure built by living creatures, make the Reef a beautiful view no matter what angle you approach it from, whether its from a scuba diving perspective, from the air, or even from space! Initially discovered by Western civilization in 1770 when James Cook accidentally ran his ship into the Reef, the Reef has been a spiritual place for the aboriginals for thousands of years, and continues to be a great place to fish and dive.

2. Uluru

This rock outcropping, which radiates in a gorgeous, deep red, especially at sunset, is located near the geographical heart of Australia, and figuratively is the continent’s center, and its actual highest point. Once a sacred aboriginal place (from which it derives its name) a visitor can climb Uluru in a day and take in an awe-inspiring view of the surrounding desert. The easy-to-walk plateau peak makes Uluru a place of contemplation and fun.

3. Sydney Harbor Bridge

If you prefer man-made wonders, the Sydney Harbor Bridge will delight your senses. Encompassing an iconic view of Australia’s capital city of Sydney, the bridge is both architecturally stunning and aesthetically pleasing. The world’s widest long span bridge, “The Coathanger” as it is called by locals, due its bowed out shape, takes in the Sydney Opera House and the gorgeous expanse of the city. For visitors who want to see the city all at once, there’s no better way than hopping a car across the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

4. Blue Mountains

While you’re in Sydney, you would benefit from planning an expedition to the Blue Mountains, which are within an hour’s drive of the capital. The gorgeous valleys, peaks and gorges feature incredible rock formations and vibrant outgrowths of vegetation. There are cave paintings, ancient dwellings and heart-stopping views interspersed among a variety of elevations. This is the place to get lost and let your soul roam in the heart of Australia—at least for the day.

About the Author

Mark is a writer for an Australian credit card website offering a range of frequent flyer and reward credit cards that make travel easier and more affordable. Mark is an avid traveler himself, having explored much of the Australian continent.

Recipe for Mac & Cheese

Tushar Mathur — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:32:43 +0000

Few meals bring up fond memories of our childhoods more than this staple, which is still one of the most popular processed foods in the market. Here we present a quick-and-easy variety that will surely please while making sure that your family is enjoying a heart-healthy entrée. Serve with our Roasted Vegetables.

Ingredients

* Refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray
* 6 ounces whole wheat medium shells, elbow macaroni, or other small pasta
* ½ teaspoon cornstarch
* ¾ cup evaporated skim milk
* 6 ounces low-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1¼ cups)
* 2 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* Freshly ground white pepper
* 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

Cooking Process

1. Coat an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. In a saucepan, stir the cornstarch into 1 tablespoon of the evaporated milk, then whisk in the remaining milk. Add the cheese, mustard to taste, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sauce thickens a bit and the cheese is completely melted. Stir in the cooked pasta and spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the diced tomatoes and place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until the top browns. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Dietitian’s Note:

Our mac and cheese, packed with dietary fiber and anti-oxidant-rich carotenoids, is a sure winner over traditional macaroni and cheese, which has 25 percent more calories and double the fat!

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 290 calories (19% calories from fat), 7 g total fat (4 g saturated fat), 20 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 6 g dietary fiber, 20 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 387 mg potassium

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Recipe for Mac & Cheese

Holidays in Lanzarote

Tushar Mathur — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:11:50 +0000

Lanzarote is part of the Canarian archipelago. A group of seven islands located off the coast of Africa which are often referred to as Europe´s Hawaii. Thanks to their volcanic terrain and great year round climate.

The Canaries first started to emerge as a popular holiday destination during the 1970´s – as package tourism started to take off in Spain. And are now established as the second most popular destination in the country, second only to Catalonia.

Lanzarote is located at the far eastern end of the group – and is more arid than the other islands. Boasting lower rainfall and less flora as a result. Lanzarote has also been more visibly affected than the other Canary Islands by volcanic activity. As a huge series of eruptions here in the 1730´s covered much of the interior in lava, whilst creating hundreds of new volcanic peaks in it’s wake.

As you’d expect from a well established tourist destination Lanzarote boasts great beaches – over 90 in fact. With some, such as Famara and Papagayo, regarded as amongst the best in the Canaries. The beaches here are also comprised of golden sands – as opposed to the black grains that predominate on the other islands.

Travel To Lanzarote

Lanzarote is just four hours flying time from the UK and Germany. The island’s two largest tourist markets. In the UK competition on this route has increased considerably over the last year – with both easyJet and Ryanair now offering low cost flights to Lanzarote from all major UK airports. With returns starting from around £100, depending on the time of year.

Where To Stay in Lanzarote

There’s a wide selection of accommodation options on the island. During the winter months the resort of Playa Blanca, located at the southern tip of Lanzarote, is the best choice. As this area enjoys the best microclimate. Whist also boasting the largest selection of four star hotels and luxury villas in Lanzarot.

The island oldest resort of Puerto del Carmen is ideal for anyone planning an apartment holiday on a budget. As this resort has the highest concentration of self catering complexes on the island.

Getting Around

Car hire on Lanzarote is much better value than in other Spanish sunspots such as the Balearics. Where prices rise dramatically during he summer season. On Lanzarote however rental rates remain the same all year round, starting at around €13 per day for basic model.

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Holidays in Lanzarote

Good golf courses in Asia

Tushar Mathur — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:33:59 +0000

GOLF fever shows no signs of abating in Asia, where the latest set of clubs remain a definite status symbol.

The lists of the most interesting golf courses in Asia are as follows:

Kabul: Visit Afghanistan to test out the devilish “browns” at the Kabul Golf. It has the compacted oil and sand combination. It has a 9-hole course.

Thailand: Laguna Phuket Golf Club is part of one of Thailand’s top golf resorts. The 18-hole, par-71 course was designed by Max Wexler and David Abell. There’s also an indoor teaching centre that opened in mid-2004.
In Phuket the most famous club is, the Blue Canyon Country Club. It is surrounded by hills and sea in northern Phuket, it has two 18-hole par-72 award-winning championship courses: the 7,179-yard Canyon Course and the 7,129-yard Lakes Course.
Phuket Country Club, Loch Palm Golf Club and the 27-hole Mission Hills Golf Resort are few other golf courses in Thailand.
Bankok also has a number of prominent golf courses. The Ronald Garl designed championship Alpine Golf and Sports Club. It was the venue for the 2000 and 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic PGA tournament; it is at about an 80-minute drive from the city. It also hosted the 2000 and 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic, and it is also said that it’s one of Thailand’s most challenging courses.
At a short drive from Pattaya there is Laem Chabang International Country Club, it is a par-72, Jack Nicklaus-designed course. There are two courses, the 3,446-yard Mountain 9 and the 3,419 Valley 9, with a stream running all the way through it.

Some other to mention are as follows:

The Santiburi Country Club Chiang Rai: It is an 18-hole, 6,853-yard Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed course, 10km from the Chiang Rai city centre.
The Waterford Valley Chiangrai Golf Club & Resort Wiangchai Hills.

Indonesia golf options are as follows:
The Ria Bintan Golf Club: it has a popular 27-hole championship golf course designed by veteran Gary Player, consisting of an 18-hole Ocean Course and a 9-hole Forest Course.
The Club Med Ria Bintan
The Banyan Tree: it has its own 18-hole Greg Norman-designed Laguna Bintan course with signature holes 7 and 8, framed by the South China Sea.
The Bintan Lagoon Resort: It has two acclaimed championship courses. The first, a Seaview Course designed by Jack Nicklaus.
The “Island of the Gods”, Bali has the award-winning Bali Golf and Country Club it is famous for par-72 course that provides “three distinct” playing environments.
About two hours’ drive from Bali’s Nusa Dua resort area, the Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club is yet another option.

Plan your next vacation and enjoy the clubs and the holes !

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Good golf courses in Asia

Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Tushar Mathur — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:53:56 +0000

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans whole kernel corn, drained

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped finely

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3-cup fresh limejuice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped

Preparation

Mix all ingredients together, cover and chill.

Before serving add chopped avocado.

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Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Renting a car

Tushar Mathur — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:26:09 +0000

First, let me say that there are several businesses that feature car rentals. Hertz, Enterprise Rent-a-car, Budget, and Expedia are just to mention a few. Researching and selecting one of these companies can be stressful and very time consuming. We have completed the work for you, and have listed the most important tips for selecting a car rental company. These things listed are the things to pay attention to and ask the company before deciding on one company.

First, it is important to know that the most important things to check on are the rental agreements, prices, insurance and possible hidden fees in the contract. Also, there are options as to the kind of car you might want. If it is simply you needing the car, than a basic car would be the cheapest way to go. However, if you are requesting a Cadillac, than you can expect to pay more. The same is true in regards to a big SUV or pickup truck. The make of the car plays a huge part in the prices. So, consider those when picking out the rental vehicle.

If you are booking online, you should remember that some companies offer their costs and give you rates of the competition. This would be a good thing to take advantage of for two reasons. First, it is always a good idea to shop around, comparison-shopping for many companies on one website would be time consuming, and you can get the same service for a lower price, possibly from a company you had not originally planned on using.

In addition, online booking sometimes benefits a consumer with an online discount, or an online special rate. This will also help save you some dough. If you do book online, make sure to read, and even print the terms and conditions. These are usually a long and boring read, but they are filled with the small print details necessary to completely understand the agreement you will be bound to.

Lastly, if you are just doing a one-way rental, be sure to understand if there are any drop-off charges. As these may be in the small print only, and may not be told to you until you drop the car off. It is best to be prepared for some of these “hidden charges”.

Renting a car can really make any trip easier, but with anything, researching before you pay is always the way to go.

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Renting a car

Things to Do in Panama City

Tushar Mathur — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:50:57 +0000

Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise

Come, if you dare, to walk in a pirate’s shoes and see through a pirate’s eyes! Enjoy an exciting and scenic 2-hour family adventure cruise that includes dolphin sightings, great music and non-stop pirate activities for the kids. Cold beer, soda, snacks, t-shirts & pirate souvenirs are available on board as well as clean restrooms. It’s the Greatest sightseeing adventure ever! We’re located on Grand Lagoon in the Lighthouse Marina next to the Boatyard Restaurant. Open March through October!

This was awesome. Less than $70 for two awesome hours of fun. The crew was VERY kid friendly.

For 2 hours the kids are entertained with “pirate activities”: face painting, sword fights, swabbing the deck, finding treasure, shooting the cannon, etc.

The pirate crew kept the kids entertained and involved in activities for the entire trip. They had sword fights, squirt guns, face painting, dancing, cannon shooting, and sunken treasure. The kids came home with bracelets, “treasure”, pirate necklaces, hats, and candy. Parents were able to sit back with a drink and enjoy the cruise.

Panama City Beach

The beach is beautiful and has plenty of room. No problem with erosion here. The water is beautiful–green and blue. There is lots of seaweed at times in the shallower portions, but if you go out farther, the water is clearer. What I like about this beach is the sand is not scorching; and, after going to about five feet deep, I can step up on a sandbar where the water is calmer and a little shallower (I’m short and always have to have my feet touching the bottom). The waves are marvelous for just “riding” without a board. The water is so gentle, you can float on it, as you would in a pool. The weather is so hot here, that the ocean is the only water that stays cool. The ocean bottom is very soft and sandy–very few marine animals, no sharp shells or rocks.

I could not believe the water clarity and gentleness of the waves. There were also a lot of sandbars that allow for excellent pictures without going too far out into the water.

The beach is just beautiful. It has blue and green waters and sugar white sand. The sunset is amazing!

Panama City Beach (PCB), Florida has by far the most beautiful beach in Florida! White beaches with Emerald green waters, which is why it is called The Emerald Beach!

Gulf World Marine Park

Gulf World Marine Park has different aquatic animals as well as birds and a night time entertainment show. The park can be expensive for large families so check for coupons before you go. The swim with the dolphins can also be pricey (compared to seeing them for free in the Gulf), but it’s worth it if you want to get up close and personal. Gulf World is a great diversion if you are tired of the beaches and the pools. It also provides educational opportunities for the kids.

Devote about four hours for this park and you will get to see all of the shows. The dolphin, sea lion, diving, and magic shows were the highlight of the park. The bird show was okay.

All shows are in covered areas and most of Gulf World is under shaded trees anyway so you don’t have to worry about rain or sunburns. Between shows you can walk around and pet stingrays, see alligators, sharks, turtles, sea lions, birds, etc. The difference between now and 15 years ago is that there is a nice, new building with additional theatre space and more birds.

We saw dolphin, sea lion and reptile shows, all fun. The big room with the birds is also neat. The park isn’t huge, and it’s not brand-new, but it is worth the money and great for a cloudy or rainy day.

Shell Island

We went to shell Island aboard the Captain Anderson III from Captain Anderson Marina.
When it was only $18/per person to ride I was a little weary but this was a bargain for what we got out of it. They take you out to shell island and let you look for shells for an hour. My stepdaughter came back with a whole sack full while my father and I relived our child hood by body surfing on the high waves that day. On the way back you go look for dolphins and i had told my self that we wouldn’t see any but i was wrong. We saw 4 to 5 groups of them and the captain gets as close with the boat so you can take pictures. It well worth the money for the 3 hours we were out. I highly recommend this tour to go to shell island.

The sand is the whitest that you will see. The water is crystal clear. If your lucky you might even see a dolphin on the way.

There is nothing there but a beautiful island, but I would love to get stuck there! Be forwarned it is long walk across, and there is nothing to do, nothing to eat or drink. It is just a truly beautiful beach.

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Things to Do in Panama City

Road trips

Tushar Mathur — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:25:48 +0000

Road trips give you a lot of excitement and pleasure. They also give you a number of benefits over air travel. In road trips you can make your own timetable and change plans whenever you need. More than that, you get the enjoyment of seeing steady changes in the scenery as you drive. If you really want your road trip the utmost happening then it is always vital to keep safety in mind. Simply by applying some easy safety tips, you will have many joyful, secure road trips in front of you.
Whether you should buy a train ticket or go on the wheel of your car to your destination, the answer depends on a lot of reasons. Some of the pros and cons of road trips are as follows.
Road Trip Pros:
• You can control your arrival time, departure time, journey and bring to a halt in the way wherever you feel.
• You don’t have to stick to the particular hotel, train food or airplane food instead you can pack from home or can eat in a drive-through.
• You can change your destination if you don’t like that fussy place, you can simply drive away.
• You can see the landscapes in the pathway and not only a train track. That will give you a great relaxation and pleasure.
• You can put any number of bags that fits into the capacity of your car, and you don’t have to pay additional money. You can save money, particularly if you are traveling in a group because total traveling expense will be shared among the group.
• If there is a road, you can travel to the smallest town also as all small towns does not have airports.
• You can effortlessly abandon a road trip or come back whenever you want.
Road Trip Cons:
• Driving through road takes much time as it is the slowest means to travel between two points, particularly between large cities where there is good facility of rail and airline service.
• Traveling by car is a big risk as it is more accident prone.
• You have to do all the work. From route planning to direction-finding to accommodation finding all is up to you.
• Traveling by car can be costly, including all the factors like petrol, tolls, parking, and meals and accommodation along the way.
• Bad weather conditions can affect your trip.
• If you are traveling through an older car, you might have to hire a car for your road trip, which is a more pricey option. Sometimes in the way, wear and tear on your car also turns to a costly expenditure.

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Road trips

Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City – Review

Tushar Mathur — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:45:54 +0000

Last weekend, we made our summer trip to Panama City ans stayed at the Edgewater Beach Resort.

Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort is a gated resort community with 110 acres of private beach, and an 11,500-square-foot lagoon-style pool with rock formation islands and waterfalls. A fitness center offers cardio and Nautilus equipment and fitness classes. An on-site activities director assists guests with vacation planning, and the resort offers supervised activities and programs for children (surcharge).

Shops, including an ice cream parlor, surf shop, and Internet café are scattered throughout the resort. Guests can access the different areas of the resort via Edgewater’s Beach Resort Tram.

The resort also offers 32,000-square-feet of meeting space.

We stayed in a 1 BR Standard Oceanfront condo, Tower 3-409. This unit was like brand new. There were flat screen TVs and new furniture and appliances. The view from the 4th floor was breathtaking. The room was very clean.

The front desk made the check in/out easy. The restaurant, Oceans, that is on property is the best kept secret on the beach. If you want to go to other restaurants, there are several really good ones within walking distance.

The resort is fabulous with a beautiful, relaxing lagoon pool, on site full service restaurant, Pizza Hut, ice cream shop, beach, beach chairs, jet ski rentals, etc.

The ambiance is tropical and it seems that Edgewater is making every effort to stay as a top resort.

The grounds were impeccable and the staff was fantastic. They have free DVD rentals (like Red Box but for free) and they also have free internet and computers in the registration office.

One of our favorite things about Edgewater is that you come to the beach to lie out and Edgewater has more chairs than any other place down here so we always have a place to sit by the pool and plenty of room for swimming!!! Even when the resort is booked to capacity we have never had a problem finding lounge chairs for our family out by the pool.

The workout facility was good for a condo resort as well as the golf and tennis but unfortunately the property doesn’t rent/demo golf clubs or tennis rackets so we were not able play.

We love Edgewater because of the pool ( largest on the beach) and that we can park right in front of the building without having to cross the street like many of the other resorts on the beach. We can get to our car in a matter of seconds and with the building being only 12 floors we NEVER have to wait more than 1 minute for the elevator unlike the other resorts where it can be an extremely long wait.

All in all, We had a wonderful time. The room was beautiful and could not ask for more. The beach was easy to access, there was a lot to do. The room was colorful and interesting.

You do not have to leave the resort all week.

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Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City – Review

Winter Driving

Tushar Mathur — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:25:34 +0000

Winter driving needs some extra attention, special skills, and lots of patience.
When ice or snow is covering the ground, the first thing to remember when going somewhere is to have plenty of emergency items with you. Blankets, coat, flashlight, flashers and standard items such as a spare tire and jack are items needed in case of car trouble. Bottled water and snack items are also a good idea to have in the trunk or glove box in case of long waiting hours for help.

When it comes to driving on ice, the rule of thumb is the slower, the better. Be in no hurry. Allow extra time to arrive to your destination. Also, be prepared for the slow driving conditions. It is best not to try to pass the slow moving traffic. They are driving at their comfort level, and are driving that speed for a reason. If you have a vehicle that features 4-wheel drive, do not be too comfortable with that feature. This feature might help with traction, but it will not help you stop any faster, or any safer.

Always drive with your headlights on, especially if ice or snow is currently falling. Make it a practice not to use cruise control on this type of road condition. Semi-trucks have an even harder time slowing down, so do not cut in front of them.

Intersections, off-ramps, bridges and shady spots have more potential to have black ice spots. Black ice is very difficult, sometimes impossible to see, and can cause your car to spin out of control in the blink of an eye.

One important way to decrease the chance of losing control of your car is to avoid sudden stops, hard braking, or quick acceleration of the car. Another way is to also slow down upon approaching areas listed above that harbor black ice. Also, allow plenty of extra time to slow down for a turn, or to even come to a stop at an intersection.

Watching ahead and behind of your vehicle is always a good idea. Making sure you know what other drivers on the road are doing can ensure you safely respond to them. Watching the brake lights of the second car in line ahead of you will give you extra time to know and respond to their stopping.

Following these tips, and using common sense in the winter months, will help increase your chances of arriving safe and sound.

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Winter Driving