A Survival Kit In Your Mind

1. Willingness to learn. Even those who know nothing about survival until lost in the wilderness can still learn as they go – if they are willing to. If you’re cold, watch that squirrel dive under a pile of leaves, and try that to stay warm (it works). Notice what’s working and what isn’t, and keep trying new things.

2. Willingness to do what’s necessary. This is one of the most important items in your mental survival kit. Hey, they can eat hissing cockroaches just for the chance to win some money on “Fear Factor,” so you can do it to save your life, right? Spoon with your buddy to stay warm, break open logs to find grubs to eat – do whatever it takes.

3. Positive attitude. This is an essential. In many stories of survival it is clear that those who expected to survive did. Even if you’re not sure you can survive, encourage this attitude by acting as if you expect to.

4. Inspirational thoughts. This is how to have that positive attitude. An easy and enjoyable way to get this inspiration is to read true stories of wilderness survival. Some of the stories are about situations far worse than anything you are ever likely to encounter. Remembering them at the appropriate time is a sure way to see that you can survive. tell them to others too, if you are in a group.

5. Wilderness survival knowledge. You don’t have to go to a survival training school to read and remember that you can safely eat all North American mammals, or that you can stuff your jacket with cattail fluff to create a winter coat. Any little bit helps, so learn a new trick or two each season, or take an edible plant guide on your next hike.

6. Reasons to survive. We all have reasons to want to live, but we need to remember to pull out those reasons when the time comes. Many people have attributed their survival to the constant thought of a loved one waiting for them, or something they want in the future.

Maybe you’ve already done this mental preparation, but it can’t hurt to look over the list above again. Is there anything you need to work on in your mental survival kit?

A Mental Wilderness Survival Kit is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

1. The Grand-Place
Brussels’ central square is the focal point of activity for locals and tourists alike. The heaving markets are bursting with souvenir-seeking bargain hunters. Look out for the town hall (Hotel de Ville), a magnificent example of 15th century architecture.

2. Manneken Pis
This sacred 17th century bronze statue of the small boy urinating is a Brussels landmark. Several legends exist as to the origins of this statue. One says it depicts a young boy urinating on a burning charge destined to blow up the city walls when under siege from a foreign army, thus saving the city from invasion. Whatever the truth, he is undeniable cute and has over 500 outfits, one for every occasion.

3. St Nicholas Church
Constructed in the 11th century, this fine example of medieval architecture is the oldest church in Brussels. If you are lucky, you may even catch one of the occasional services given in English.

4. Royales Galeries Sint-Hubert
Europe’s oldest glass arcade was designed by JP Cluysenaer and built in 1847. Home to fashionable boutiques and cool cafes, it was renovated and reopened in 2000. The arcade is worth visiting if only to experience the magnificent architecture.

5. Belgian Chocolate
No visit to Brussels is complete without experiencing the world famous Belgian chocolate. It has a quality all of its own and is the obvious choice for gifts to take back home.

6. Avenue Louise
If you crave a shopping fix then the Avenue Louise is the place to be. Designer shops aplenty provide ample opportunity to flex your spending power. Popular purchases include diamonds and antiques.

7. Waterzooi
This local Belgian speciality is a kind of fish stew and very popular with the locals. Other appetising native dishes include mussels, waffles, and sweetbreads.

8. Pistes de Lancement
If you are travelling with children, be sure to catch this clown festival during March. The Saint-Gilles region is awash with circus acts entertaining children and adults alike.

9. Flower Carpet
Throughout August, the Grand’ Place is subjected to a sea of colour as thousands of flowers are laid out in stunning patterns.

10. Christmas Market
The festive period is a flurry of activity as traditional Christmas stalls suddenly emerge. The effervescent displays keep you entertained between purchases as jugglers and musicians perform amongst the festive shoppers.

10 Must-Dos When In Brussels is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Cruise ships are like floating resorts with all the choices fine resorts have to offer. You can be by yourself and lie back in a lounge chair, breathe in the sea air, soak up the sun, read good books, or watch the ever-changing view. Cruise ships are required to follow strict environmental regulations that ensure that treated sewage and wastewater from showers, sinks and kitchen galleys are discharged properly at designated offshore perimeters. In fact, cruise line waste management is so highly regarded that cruise lines are often consulted by state governments on pollution abatement and sewage control. Cruise ships are like floating resorts with all the amenities fine resorts have to offer.

Passengers are invariably assigned to lifeboats or similar survival craft. The total capacity of all the survival craft on board will exceed the total number of persons on the vessel. Passengers become friends; they are never just cabin numbers. Unlike other larger ships, they are proud of the intimate world they offer, where modern-day conveniences sail in harmony with traditional values.

Statistically, cruise ships are safer than hotels and resorts when it comes to fires and violent crime. However, it is in your best interest not to abandon common sense just because you board a cruise ship for a wonderful vacation. Staterooms will receive upgraded soft goods, Shear Butter bathroom amenities from L’Occitane, flat screen TVs and DVD/CD players, and Bose Sound Docks for use with iPods, which can be borrowed at no charge from reception. Wireless connectivity in public areas is promised for all three ships.

Staterooms on many ships are even equipped with televisions. While most ships now have telephones in passenger cabins, you can also call someone on shore through the ship’s radio operator while at sea. Staterooms on all of today’s modern cruise ships are equipped with satellite televisions and in some cases in-cabin internet connections. And, you can make phone calls from most ports.

Everything you’ve heard about cruise ship dining is true. At each meal, you’ll find a varied selection of appetizers, salads, soups, main courses and desserts. Everything you’ve heard about cruise ship dining is true. At each meal, you’ll find a varied selection of entrees (appetizers, salads, soups, vegetables, and desserts, too), and each day the selection will be different.

All About Cruise Ships is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

As soon as you cast off from the dock, your adventure with BVI yacht charters begins. You can experience the thrill of sunbathing on deck, feeling the warm wind blowing in your face and the sights and sounds of the Caribbean islands. When you choose one of the BVI sailing charters with a full crew, you also have many other choices to make. The website will give you lists for you to choose from, such as what meals you want aboard the boat. You can also choose what you want in a Starter Kit if you are choosing a bareboat charter. With the many things that BVI can supply for you, you have less luggage to take with you and you can just have all the extras added to the price.

Even if you intend to bring everything with you for the yacht charter, taking a look at the list of provisions on the BVI Yacht Charters website will give you an excellent idea of what you will need. For example, if you like to barbeque, you may not realize that you do need to have your own coals, fluid and matches with you. Since you are on the water with BVI sailing charters, you just can’t pop to the store whenever you realize that you need supplies. You will have to wait until you reach your next destination.

For all-inclusive BVI Yacht Charters, you can order the kind of wine and drinks you want before you even arrive. This is because unlike a resort, everything you need for the perfect vacation has to be packed on board the sailing yacht. When you book one of the BVI sailing charters, you fly to St. Thomas and then take a ferry to Tortola. This is the starting destination for the yacht charter in the British Virgin Islands. There are also hotels in Tortola where you can spend the night before you leave on the yacht charter or the night after you return.

Before you actually depart on your charter, BVI Yacht Charters will brief you on how to use the charts on board the yachts for navigating the Caribbean waters. They will also give you advice on what to do and what not to do as well as places that you should avoid. When you do book a BVI sailing charter, the anchorage fees are included in the cost, but you can also buoys at various locations if you do not want to enter a port. BVI Yacht Charters has a well-established reputation for providing its customers with everything they need in a sailing charter.

BVI Yacht Charters – What A Way To Experience The British Virgin Islands! is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

On the other hand, corporate jet catering is a whole different animal. With delectable entrees, delightful soups, outstanding appetizers and snacks, and the most decadent desserts imaginable, the passenger on a private jet expects [and pays for!] food akin to a five star performance.

Not anymore.

Today, in-flight caterers providing exemplary service and dining options is almost a thing of the past. Thanks to the rise of fractional jet operators who demand a narrow menu and smaller portion sizes, the quality levels with many in-flight caterers has nosedived. In addition, Air Chef, the largest provider of in-flight catering to business jets in the world, continues to snap up poorly performing caterers across the US. Now, corporate flight attendants must call a 1-800 number to place their order with an inexperienced and unknowledgeable clerk. Forget customer service and forget special orders…these do upset Air Chef!

With the bad name associated with the company, Air Chef is apparently seeking to distance itself from even its name. Air Culinaire, a caterer with operations in four different cities is now part of the Air Chef network. Now for the rub: word has it that Air Chef, in a bid to sharpen its image and to stave off the growing ranks of ticked off corporate flight attendants — their bread ‘n butter — the caterer will be changing its name to Air Culinaire.

Corporate flight attendants aren’t amused by Air Chef as evidenced by their comments on the Corporate Jet Catering site as well as on Cabin Managers, a forum that is also tied in with the Corporate Flight Attendant Community.

By the way, Rita’s Catering of Boston is another Air Chef caterer…business flight attendants know this and are fleeing to the competition as fast as they can.

Hey, Air Chef: do you get it?

Bad Airline Food – Now This?! is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

As a newbie to the wonderful world of 4-wheel drive, you’ll fall into one of two camps – those who think they know it all already, and those who are totally terrified and have no idea how to handle ‘their’ Camel-man-mobile safely, let alone get the best out of it!

This article is for you, whichever side you fall; never be too proud or too petrified to learn, for your sake and the sake of your passengers and fellow off-road track users.

Speed & Momentum

If you hit a spot of trouble DON’T accelerate – it can get you into a worse position. Slow down and take it easy – this helps you to keep traction and your tyres will work for you instead of spinning aimlessly.

When approaching an obstacle, you need momentum. The trick is to start a little way back to gain the momentum you need. This is a skill which you will master over time.

Limits

Don’t try new tricks when you’re out alone. Test your limits when you’re with more experienced drivers.

Mud

Use a stick to test a new mud hole for depth and softness. Remember a soft hole can prove impossible to escape! Enter the mud hole with a little momentum and if you feel that you’re getting stuck turn the wheel left to right to gain traction. Once you’ve gone as far forward as you can try reverse out.

Windows

Keep the windows up to avoid a mud shower or a face full of dust.

Stuck

If you are truly stuck, try letting a little air out of your tyres for better traction and when you get out of the ditch don’t forget to fill them up again.

Stalling

If you stall with your tailpipe under water, get towed out and pull the spark plugs before starting the engine again. A cylinder full of water can destroy an engine. When the plugs are out, however, the water will be safely ejected.

Obstacles

Go slowly over obstacles. Pull the hand brake a little for tension on the drive line to slow the vehicle and enable you to accelerate gently over.

Steering

Always hold the steering wheel with thumbs out when you’re off-road. If you hit a ditch or obstacle the wheel could spin too fast and hurt your thumbs. Keeping them out helps prevent injury. Keep your hands and arms inside the truck to avoid accidents.

Tools & Spares

Keep the following with you:
A hi-lift jack
Steel wire
Spare tyre and plug kit

Safety

Wear a safety belt
Don’t travel alone
Have a cell phone on you
Don’t drink alcohol when driving
Get back on the tar road before dark
Give fellow 4X4 drivers on the track plenty of space
Don’t race or churn up the soil needlessly.

Respect

Respect the land, the other people using the trail and the vehicle! Douse campfires, don’t litter (this includes cigarette butts), stick to trails so as to avoid damaging the plant life.

Leave your ego at home and remember it’s about having fun!

4×4 Tips For Beginners is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Now if you are really interested in selling your ‘water craft’ and need some proven ideas to guide you, then I have good news for you. I advice that you approach boat selling with cautions to avoid being cheated.

For the remaining part of this article, let me showcase couple tips to sell your boat fast, starting from today.

Tip #1
Get smart knowledge of the best time to sell your boat: Does this sound weird to you? Having smart knowledge of the right seasons before selling your boat will boost your bottom line. As an example, most boat buyers hardly open their wallet for boat during or middle of winter season.

Avoid selling at very cold seasons unless you want to sell at a low price. On the other hand, you can get the best price for your boat just when the boating season begins. This is a smart marketing move because lots of people are always looking to buy a boat then. Apart from the fact you will likely sell your boat for good price, you will avoid a lot of the marketing cost that you would spend during the winter months.

Tip #2
What is the market willing to pay? The next point is to find the best possible price an average buyer is willing to pay for your boat. How can you accomplish this?

Firstly, research the boat’s worth, by getting advice and appraisals from a competent boat sales professional.

But if you don’t want to pay a professional, then check with the marine blue book value. Simply change the price predicated on the accessories plus depreciation for your boat. If you add any new accessories or some resurfacing such as carpeting, make sure to compute that and all of the boating accessories that you are going to provide with the boat.

Tip #3
Study your competitors. Always remember you’re not alone in the game. There are many competitors, just as some boat buyers may opt for buying a new boat instead of buying yours.

Therefore, you must set a very competitive price based on features that potential buyers may really desires. For example, if you find out that many similar boats (both old and new models) lack certain features such as radio, GPS, fish finders, you may add them to your own boat and let the potential buyers know this.

Tip #4
Use smart advertising techniques. Displaying a mere small add in an obscure corner of a daily newspaper may not get you many good inquiries, if any at all. Most boaters now use the Internet to search for their preferred boats. As a result, to win the game, advertise your boat by displaying both the profile and photographs of different angles of the interiors and exteriors.

Make sure your pictures are good-looking quality pictures, studies have proven that a profile with professional pictures command more attention and help to sell a boat faster online.

Tip #5
Get a boat broker. Not everyone can stand the rigor of showing boats to potential customers and answering their questions. Why don’t you contact a broker to do the ‘dirty job’ for you? The difference is 10% or 15% commission the broker will earn – but he will get the job done very fast and without any hassles to you.

However, insist to know the methods that the broker will use to advertise your boat. The best medium is to use the Internet so as to attract a large percentage of buyers as fast as humanly possible.

Tip #6
Be patient. Judging by normal standards, you may have to wait for three to six months to sell your boat. So if you want to advertise it yourself, start early and display on sites where listing are allowed for several months. However, with some luck, you will sell your boat sooner.

Tip #7
Boaters love clean boats. Apart from adding new features, make sure you clean your boat very well. Using soapy water and a handful dab, start cleaning from the exterior to the interiors. Clean off every mold, mildew and rusty stain. Everything must be thoroughly cleaned and replaced back properly after they’re completely dried up. I strongly urge you do this before you add new features and advertise you boat for sale.

Make sure the storage is cleaned and organized and get rid of any odor from the interior. This should be accomplished at the time of cleaning the boat. However, many people miss out on this vital aspect. Apart from cleaning and replacing rusty and leaking clamps and hoses, ensure the stove, cushions and refrigerators are all in working order. Also, remove every item from the storage lockers to avoid giving buyers the wrong impression that your boat storage is inadequate.

Tip #8
Do not be rigid on pricing. It’s good to sell at the best price, but let your customers’ interest be uppermost. Put yourself in his shoes and ask yourself this question, “If I’m buying this boat, what special deals will easily sway my interests to buy this boat rather than other boats that are similar?”

Tip #9
Consider doing a survey. Having considered every tip that will help you sell your boat fast, nevertheless, it’ll be futile to get loads of potential buyers coming to check your boat, their minds ready to issue you a check – but they stopped because something ‘bad’ was discovered: The buyer discovered your boat not in the best working condition!

Most times this is beyond the competence of the boat owner. So to avoid disappointment, do a survey to determine the working condition of your boat before listing. Survey cost in the region of $10 per linear foot, which means that a 20ft will cost $200.

If the survey returns a clean bill of health, you can even use it to dangle a sweet carrot before buyers to get better price.

Happy Selling!

9 Tips for Selling Your Boat Fast is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

The legends of Easter Island have been recounted many times. What’s less known is that the island’s assorted wonders are easily accessible on foot from the comfort of the only settlement, Hanga Roa. Before setting out see the sights, however, visit the excellent archaeological museum next to Ahu Tahai on the north side of town (the term “ahu” refers to an ancient stone platform). Aside from the exhibits, the museum has maps which can help you plan your trip.

The first morning after arrival, I suggest you climb Easter Island’s most spectacular volcano, Rano Kau, where Orongo, a major archaeological site, sits on the crater’s rim. But rather than marching straight up the main road to the crater, look for the unmarked shortcut trail off a driveway to the right just past the forestry station south of town. It takes under two hours to cover the six km from Hanga Roa to Orongo, but bring along a picnic lunch and make a day of it. (If climbing a 316-meter hill sounds daunting, you can take a taxi to the summit for around US$6 and easily walk back later in the day.) Once on top, you’ll find hiking down into the colourful crater presents no difficulty. It may also look easy to go right around the crater rim, but only do so if you’re a very experienced hiker and have a companion along as shear 250-meter cliffs drop into the sea from the ridge.

Another day, rise early and take a taxi to lovely Anakena Beach at the end of the paved road on the north side of the island (you should pay under US$10 for the 20 km). A few of the famous Easter Island statues have been restored at Anakena and you could go for a swim, although the main reason you’ve come is the chance to trek back to Hanga Roa around the road-free northwest corner of the island. You’ll pass numerous abandoned statues lying facedown where they fell, and the only living creatures you’re unlikely to encounter are the small brown hawks which will watch you intently from perches on nearby rocks. If you keep moving, you’ll arrive back in town in five or six hours (but take adequate food, water, and sunscreen). This is probably the finest coastal walk in the South Pacific.

Almost as good is the hike along the south coast, although you’re bound to run into other tourists here as a paved highway follows the shore. Begin early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, the stone quarry where all of the island’s statues were born. This is easily the island’s most spectacular sight with 397 statues in various stages of completion lying scattered around the crater. And each day large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to sightsee and have lunch. However, if you arrive before 9 am, you’ll have the site to yourself for a few hours. When you see the first tour buses headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on the coast, where 15 massive statues were reerected in 1994. From here, just start walking back toward Hanga Roa (20 km) along the south coast. You’ll pass many fallen statues and enjoy some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, simply go up onto the highway and stick out your thumb and you’ll be back in town in a jiffy.

An outstanding 13-km walk begins at the museum and follows the west coast five km north to Ahu Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes pealed for banana trees growing out of the barren rocks as these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland from Ahu Tepeu is one of the island’s most photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues restored in 1960. From here an interior farm road runs straight back to town (study the maps at the museum carefully, as you’ll go far out of your way if you choose the wrong road here).

A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller crater which provided stone for the red topknots that originally crowned the island’s statues. There’s a great view of Hanga Roa from the three crosses on an adjacent hill and you can easily do it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right around the 3,353-meter airport runway, which crosses the island just south of town. Near the east end of the runway is Ahu Vinapu with perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in Peru.

Easter Island’s moderate climate and scant vegetation make for easy cross country hiking, and you won’t find yourself blocked by fences and private property signs very often. You could also tour the island by mountain bike, available from several locations at US$10 a day. If you surf or scuba dive, there are many opportunities here. A minimum of five days are needed to see the main sights of Easter Island, and two weeks would be far better. The variety of things to see and do will surprise you, and you’ll be blessed with some unforgettable memories.

A Hiking Guide to Easter Island is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

1. Markt Square
Watch the world go by in one of the Markt Square’s multitude of cafes and restaurants. A vibrant open area, relax with a coffee as the rat race scuttles around you.

2. Basilica of the Holy Blood
Upon homecoming from the Crusades, the count of Flanders returned with what was believed to be the blood of Christ. Unopened to this day, the relic remains in this 12th century chapel.

3. Groeningen Museum
Bruges is blessed with many fine art museums, in particular the Groeningen, with Belgian and Dutch paintings including the works of Jan Van Eyck and Hieronymous Bosch.

4. Church of Our Lady
Believed to be the only sculpture to have left Italy in his lifetime, Michelangelo’s Madonna is a beautiful marble figure brought to Bruges in 1506 and housed ever since in the Church of Our Lady.

5. Memling Museum
Originally built as a medieval hospital, the Memling Museum offers a fascinating insight into Bruges ancient history. Today, the museum is part of the St John’s Hospital complex.

6. Zand Feasts
July, August and September are host to these ever popular flea markets. Crowds flock to inspect the arts, crafts and souvenirs on offer at the lively bazaars.

7. The Belfry
One of the great landmarks of the city, the 83 meter high Belfry tower dominates the main city square. Dating back to 1240, the original tower was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt. Climb the 366 steps for a magnificent view of the city.

8. The Canals
Sometimes referred to as ‘The Venice of the North’, Bruges is a myriad of canal networks. Originally an important trade route, nowadays the canals are used solely for tourism and are a great way of seeing the town from a different perspective.

9. The Minnewater
Known locally as ‘The Lake of Love’, this enchanting lake stands at the entrance to the city. Elegant swans adorn the lake which affords commanding panoramic views across the city. During the summer, pop concerts play in the adjacent park, luring the crowds from near and afar.

10. The Beguinage
If the busy and overcrowded city centre streets become too much, tranquillity can be yours in the garden of the Beguinage, a monastery for the Benedictine sisters who still live there today.

10 Must-Dos When In Bruges is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Alicante offers a more subtle break in the Costa Blanca. The beaches and coastal attractions remains constant in the region, but the area is slightly more laid back than its’ noisy neighbour. Alicante has moved upmarket in recent years with a multitude of exclusive restaurants and bars popping up around the marina and commercial port area. The boulevard meanders pleasantly past the marina and beachfront area which merges into the charming Old Quarter.

From a pleasant base in Alicante, Costa Blanca offers much to the more discerning tourist. The church at Altea is renowned and presents one of the most enduring and symbolic sights in the Costa Blanca. The regions old towns are typically a mix of traditional Christian and Moorish architecture with narrow, cobbled streets and plazas offering a pleasant atmosphere to while away the hours ( http://www.costablanca.org )

Further South lie Murcia and Valencia – a thriving modern city which has benefited from regeneration in recent years. Valencia is a cosmopolitan city which juxtaposes the traditional and modern features of Spain in miniature form.

Alicante provides the ideal base for exploration of the region. The town offers a fine tourism infrastructure itself but the best way to explore the Costa Blanca is by self drive. There are several options for those willing to travel out with Alicante to discover the Costa Blanca on their own terms. The reliable train service meanders up and down the coast, taking in Altea and Denia as well as the bright lights of Benidorm. For a more authentic experience, hire cars are readily available (http://www.easycar.com/aspx/car-hire/location/Alicante.aspx/EN ).

Driving in the region has much to offer with pleasant coastal roads allowing you to explore on your own terms. The roads are generally safe, but some of the more mountainous areas should be traversed with some additional caution.

When you have clocked up the miles and soaked in all that the region has to offer, Alicante provides a relaxed and pleasant base to unwind in. Unless you fancy a night on the town amid the bright lights of Benidorm, that is….

Alicante is more than merely a runway is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel