Tips, deals, and advice on traveling the continent on a budget.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Kenya Lake House Vacation

You become one of the privileged few when you stay at the kongoni Game valley ranch. The elegance of the Brithgttti ranch house and its dramatic setting make this a very special place. The Kongoni Game Valley Ranch house is on a hilltop overlooking Lake Naivasha and the surrounding volcano peaks. The romance of the place begins in 1901 with a French marquis who built this home in Africa for his new American bride. They lived there happily until the early 1940's.they are both buried in a secluded part of the garden where the view they loved is absolutely breathtaking. The long low stone house with its ochre-tiled roof stands in a wide expanse of mowed lawns and tended gardens. It all feels very established and well-cared for there is an aura if quality. The house is built around a central country yard the communal living and dining rooms overlook the lake and open out to a wide veranda furnished with commodious wicker furniture and cushions. Guests are encouraged to relax in this restful spot and enjoy the magnificent view.

Below, shinning beyond its fringe of acacia trees is the lake framed by extinct volcanoes and the soaring sides of the rift valley. A forest of primeval euphorbia contrast with the clipped lawns and English style flower beds of the garden. Meals at Kongoni are memorable; intimate tables, garden flowers, and views from the sunroom at breakfast, cozy candlelight inside at night. The food is wonderfully can smell the bread baklkig; pizza arrives fresh from oven. The emphasis is on gourmets Italian cooking and the pasta and ice cream are homemade. Gianna jokes that the big five at Kingoni valley ranch are parmesan cheese, olive oil, capers risotto and pasta-mouth watering. Guests can take a walk at the shore or go boating. you are likely to see a wide variety of birds and perhaps a wide-open toothy yawn from a hippo. You may decide. you may decide simply to sit on the veranda in cushioned comfort and absorb the beauty and peace

Accommodation

Kongoni can accommodate up to 26 guests. Every guest room has been furnished by Gianna. The many personal touches remind you that you are in a private home. Each room has a rather charming and old fashioned bathroom. Many with turn of- the century European fixtures, including bidet. Most rooms open onto the central courtyard but some are in separate cottages or have private outside entrances. Some have fireplaces, and one even has an en suite sauna. Kingoni Valley ranch has recently opened another house very near to the lake with beautiful water views. Though separate this house is still on ranch property and can accommodate a private party of uo to seven guests in one single and tree double bedrooms. it is fully catered and can enjoy all the activities and facilities of the ranch

Lakeside House

Lake side house is a small home near the turnoff onto Moi south lake road the grounds and gardens are not very grand, but you can look toward the papyrus at the edge of the lake from the veranda. Guest sleep in one double room in the main farmhouse and in a nearby cottage .The cottage rooms have en suite shower bathrooms. The rooms are very small and rather crowded with furnishing. There are homey touches such as books magazines and instant coffee/tea tray.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

How to Open a Bed and Breakfast

Opening a bed and breakfast is a challenging task and not for everyone. If you've always dreamed of having your own B&B, make sure you know what's involved so your dream doesn't turn to a nightmare. Follow these steps:

1. Assess whether or not you have the personality to be a good B&B host. You need to be outgoing and friendly at all times. You need to be on call 24/7. Talk to some bed and breakfast owners. Ask about their day-to-day activities. Is this the kind of life you're prepared to lead?

2. Find a location that is not only a place you'd like to live and work, but is also a place visitors would come to. This might be in or near a popular tourist spot, or it might be an out-of-the-way corner where passers-through can stop for rest and good food. Make sure there is something distinctive and alluring about the surroundings.

3. Check the zoning laws in the area. Be aware that not all cities allow bed and breakfasts. You must also check if there are any food service restrictions. If you're remodeling or restoring an older building, make sure you comply with all local building codes. Your contractor should be handling this for you, but it's your responsibility, so check on him.

4. Create a business plan. You need to know as closely as possible, what your costs will be in order to set your prices. Talk to other bed and breakfast owners, who may be willing to share their numbers with you. You can also contact the American Bed and Breakfast Association (ABBA, or a similar organization in your country) for any guidelines they may have.

5. Determine the number of guests you'll have at any one time. If you have more than five guest rooms in the U.S., you'll have to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This may entail installing wheelchair ramps and other handicap conveniences and providing handicap parking.

6. Check the competition in your chosen area. You'll need to set your prices to stay competitive and you may find a way to get an edge by offering services they don't.

7. Be realistic about your marketing costs when creating your marketing plan. They can be expensive. Find ways to get free press – press releases, articles in travel magazines, editorial coverage of your special events, etc.

8. Put up a website and get your B&B listed in all the guides and directories. Keep an eye on the competition's advertising. What's working for them could work for you.

9. Hire staff as needed. At first you'll need a housekeeper for sure. As your bed and breakfast grows more popular, you may need to add a cook, a bartender, a waiter and a gardener.

10. It's a good idea to hire a reservation service, like B&B Midwest Reservations. This will not only reduce your workload, but it will eliminate the need to get and pay for a credit card merchant account and it will expose your B&B to a wider audience of potential future guests than you could do on your own. It's somewhat costly, so use your judgment and don't forget to take these fees into consideration when setting your prices.

11. Set up the rules of your bed and breakfast. Things to consider include hours of check-in and checkout, whether or not pets will be welcomed, cancellation and late arrival policies, whether children and smoking will be allowed.

12. Plan the details that will keep your guests returning – a good wine list, excellent food, spotless rooms, tours of local attractions and those special personal touches.

13. Join ABBA and other useful organizations like your local chamber of commerce. This will increase awareness of your business in the community.

Follow these steps carefully and turn your bed and breakfast dream into a reality.

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Friday, June 22, 2007

How Hot Air Balloons Work

For practical purposes, hot air balloons really can't compete with airplanes and helicopters. They're extremely difficult to steer, and they can only move as quickly as the surrounding winds. But as a recreational activity, hot air ballooning can't be beat. You're outside, feeling the wind in your hair and the sun on your face, drifting serenely over the earth. If you've ever been in a hot air balloon, you know it's an experience you won't soon forget.

Hot air is less dense, and lighter, than cold air. Because it's lighter, it tends to rise. If you've ever taken a dive into a pool, you may have felt this effect in water: the surface water is warm, but as you move deeper, the water gets cooler. That's because warm water is lighter than cool water and tends to rise to the top, like air.

The air within a hot air balloon is heated, and as it rises, it takes the balloon—and anything attached to it—with it. A cubic foot of air within a balloon can lift about seven grams of weight. This isn't a lot of weight, which is why the balloon has to be so big.

The balloon itself is called an "envelope." It's usually made of nylon, which is the perfect fabric for hot air balloons: it's lightweight but sturdy, and it can withstand heat without melting easily.

Below the balloon, a burner is positioned to send a jet of flame upward into the envelope. The burner uses propane as a fuel. The fuel is stored as a highly compressed liquid in canisters attached to the burner with a fuel hose. Because it's so highly compressed, the liquid fuel flows quickly through the hose to the burner when the pilot turns it on. There, it's ignited by a pilot light. The flame heats up the surrounding metal of the burner, which turns the fuel to gas before it gets lit. This makes the flame stronger and the fuel usage more efficient.

If you look at a hot air balloon, you'll notice a big hole in the bottom where the burner is. So why doesn't the hot air escape through the hole at the lower end? Simple: buoyancy. Hot air is buoyant, which means it can only rise—it can't sink and drain out the bottom of the balloon. As long as the air stays hot, it will continue to rise.

It won't rise forever, though. The atmosphere thins as it goes up, and eventually the air within the envelope is too thin to support the weight of the balloon. The more air within the balloon, the greater the buoyancy—so bigger balloons can go higher than smaller ones.

A pilot can cause the balloon to rise by turning on the propane burner and heating the air within the envelope. To bring the balloon down, the pilot releases the parachute valve. That's a vent in the top of the envelope that allows some of the hot air to escape, cooling the temperature of the remaining air within. This causes the balloon to sink gradually.

There are no horizontal controls in a balloon, but pilots can still control the horizontal movement by raising and lowering the altitude of the craft. Winds at different altitudes move in different directions. If a pilot has a good working knowledge of the wind currents in the area, she can raise and lower the balloon to catch a current moving in the right direction.

Still, piloting a balloon isn't an exact science. It's impossible to target the precise location where you'll land. That's why it's usually necessary for someone on the ground to follow the balloon by car to meet the balloon where it lands and transport the equipment.

Launching and landing generally take more work than actually flying a balloon. The inflation process takes only about ten or fifteen minutes, and is done with a powerful fan. Once the balloon is full of air, it will still lie on the ground until the burner is fired, heating the air in the envelope and causing it to rise.

A balloon descends gradually, but can still land with a bit of a bump if the pilot isn't experienced enough to know how to bump the basket along the ground to lessen the impact. The wicker basket helps absorb the force of the landing. Wicker is lightweight and flexible, and absorbs the energy of landing better than a solid, less flexible basket would. This way, riders aren't jarred when the ride is over.

There's nothing like soaring over the earth in a balloon. Hot air balloons are exciting, fascinating, and pure fun. If you've never taken a ride in one, you're definitely missing out on an experience you'll never forget.

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Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Aircraft Portable Oxygen System

One of the very basic primary needs is to breathe completely and freely. Any blockage in the respiratory system can not only cause discomfort but also lead to restricted movements. But through advancement in technology and effective light compact systems of portable oxygen are available that give you freedom to travel. Many companies provide aircraft portable oxygen system, which are lightweight and compact.

Currently, the respiratory homecare industry has brought relief to the patients of oxygen therapy with the approval of FAA, portable oxygen concentrators have brought about a revolution the travel industry. Millions of potential travelers who were confined to the homes due to traditional oxygen therapy methods can now break the bondages and fly freely with concentrator from Inogen One and other related company products.

Usually chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases patients may though live a normal life but oxygen therapy is needed. COPD is a disease in which the lung damage is done due to smoking and other exposure to dust and chemicals. These diseases are chronic bronchitis and emphysema which narrow the air passages and scar the lung tissues, causing breathlessness and wheezing. With aircraft portable oxygen system that is now being allowed on board has given them chance to travel better.

Unlike conventional oxygen therapy means of heavy oxygen tanks and need to store oxygen in pressurized cylinders have given way to Inogen One concentrators .These not only filter the nitrogen from the air but also deliver oxygen therapy to the patient. While traveling also they can be slid under the airline's passenger seat and weigh less than 10 pounds.

The inogen one can be run on batteries or plugged into a wall charging unit. They have been designed so that they do not interfere with the aircraft procedures during takeoff, in air and landings. As they are silent they do not cause any disturbance for the other passengers, making the trip for oxygen dependent patients comfortable and safe.

Earlier not only was carrying oxygen supply on board aircraft expensive but also difficult to arrange and worrisome. Laws relating to oxygen on board were difficult to manipulate and airlines did not rent out cylinders. It required prior assistance with health workers and airlines personnel to ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen to the individual.
But now it is as convenient as anyone else traveling on board.

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Friday, June 08, 2007

Finding The Cheapest Air Line Fare

There's never any guarantee when it comes to finding the cheapest air line fare. I am afraid that there is no way to ever guarantee that you are getting the cheapest fare, you can only hope for the cheapest that you can afford. However, there are a number of ways to make sure that you get a great deal on air fare. I've listed the ways I use to find the cheapest air line fare below, and I hope that some of them will help you as well.

Online Travel Sites

Before you go to check for the cheapest air line fare, be sure that you know exactly where it is you want to go. If you are willing to land at a smaller airport just outside of where it is you actually want to go. Smaller airports can usually offer you a cheaper rate than the major international airports.

The first thing you want to do is check with the online travel sites. I usually start with Priceline.com, because it seems to service the most airlines. You can not find out the exact details of the flight you choose until you have actually made the purchase. But you can name the price you are willing to pay; and if you don't mind a few layovers, once you have arrived at a price you like, you will generally find that you have gotten the cheapest air line fare available. Sometimes it will be with a lesser known airline, but often it is a flight on one of the four major lines.

If you can't get the price you want at Priceline, there are several other companies to choose from. If you know which airline you want to use, try Orbitz.com or Tavelocity.com. Both sites have discounted flights from most of the major airlines. It is important to keep in mind that Orbitz.com is actually owned by the airlines; so, while you are probably going to get a pretty good deal, you still may not be getting the cheapest air line fare available.

For absolute last minute deals I always try Hotwire.com. They usually have great fares for last minute flights. Unfortunately, like with Priceline you will not know the details of your flight, such as the airport you will leave from, or the name of your airline, until you have purchased the flight. There is also a time limit on buying flights from Hotwire.com. I think that you have only an hour to actually purchase your tickets after they give you the flight information.

I have never actually used Site59.com, but I have heard that it is much like Hotwire.com in the time limit to buy, and the lack of flight details until your purchase is actually completed.

If you want to get the cheapest air line fare directly from an airline, then I always use Southwest airlines. You have to get the information for Southwest's flights directly from their website, or from one of their customer service representatives, though. At this point in time, they have not contracted with any of the current online travel sites for rate and flight information. Southwest has always been known, though, for having the cheapest air line fare available out of all of the major airlines.

Like I said before, there is never really any guaranteed way to know for sure that you have gotten the cheapest air line fare available; but if you're willing to go the extra mile, and wait for the lowest possible price you are willing to pay, it is possible to get a great deal on the cheapest air line fare.

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Monday, June 04, 2007

Renting Jets Provides an Excellent Value

Waiting in line to check in at the airport, the harried business executive discovers that her flight has been delayed, meaning that she will be late for an important business meeting. Using commercial airlines can be unproductive if your time is very valuable in terms of the work you do. With delayed flights, long waits in line for security and check in, not to mention the time spent in flight, there are several hours that pass by underutilized. Instead of this frustrating situation, many business executives choose plane charter over commercial flights. Because of their time savings, convenience, safety and comfort, jet rental provides an excellent value for executives.

The time savings you will experience on a jet charter is unparalleled. You will not have to wait in long lines at the airport. Instead, you arrive and a member of your flight crew escorts you onboard. It's that easy. While you are in flight, you will have access to as many assistants as you wish, including temporary workers, secretaries, technicians, legal assistants, accountants, even experts in the fields of catering and event planning, so that every moment of your valuable time is well spent.

The convenience that is yours when you charter a jet will leave you satisfied. Instead of the hassle of layovers and transfers, which are common on commercial flights, you will be able to travel directly to your destination. When using private jets, you will have access to over 6,000 airports worldwide, whereas commercial jets are authorized to use only 500. Charter jets afford you the opportunity to travel to exactly where you need to anywhere in the world, saving you time and conserving your precious energy so that you will be ready for a big meeting at the end of your wonderful charter flight.

Private jet brokers are concerned with your safety, and every measure is taken to ensure that you are protected every time you fly in a Lear jet. All aircraft, airports, and flight personnel should be held to the strict standards as set forth by Arg/US and Wyvern Consulting Ltd. safety consultants, as well as the National Air Transportation Association and NATA First. It is safest to have two experienced pilots piloting your jet who hold Airplane instrument ratings, as well as only flying into FAA- certified airports worldwide. Your safety is your top priority when you fly, and it should be of the utmost importance for any private jet brokerage with which you do business.

You also value your comfort, and you will fly in luxurious conditions on a private jet charter. Hairdressers, masseuses, as well as any five-star cuisine you wish are available for you to enjoy, whenever you like on an executive jet.

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Saturday, June 02, 2007

The Advantages Of Caribbean Rental Villas

Caribbean rental villas are a wonderful way to enjoy your next tropical vacation. There you will find the people you want to spend time with rather than fighting through the typical crowds of people you find at resorts.

Caribbean rental villas also provide a sense of luxury that is unmatched by many of the hotels and resorts in the region. With some time and research on the internet, you can undoubtedly find a Caribbean rental villa that is sure to suit your specific vacationing needs.

Staying at the Caribbean Rental Villas of Distinction in the Crystal Springs area of Barbados, guests have access to an eight bedroom and four bathroom mansion for an enjoyable adventure. This vacation villa rental sits directly on the beach and it was recently refurbished to provide new and luxurious amenities.

The yard is fully landscaped with waterfalls and fountains to give an impressive appearance as you approach its front door. You can also take advantage of the staff of cooks, maids, and butlers afforded to guests of these rental villas. This will undoubtedly give you a once-in-a-lifetime relaxing vacation.

The Bon Vivant Caribbean vacation rental villas is another place to appreciate a luxurious and relaxing vacation on the islands. This mansion-like Caribbean rental villa is completely furnished with central air conditioning as well as a Jacuzzi for a laid-back environment for its guests.

A large patio affords you the opportunity to sit outside and revel in the gentle breeze and scents of the local fauna as you watch the sun descend into the horizon. This first-rate Caribbean vacation villa also includes a pool table, game room, and sport courts if you want to have a more active lifestyle during your stay.

Other guests will appreciate the accessibility to scuba diving or other water-related sports in the waters outside their front door. You can even go to one of the many nightclubs in the area during the evening to add to your already fun and exciting vacation.

If you want to have a secluded and private getaway, the Caribbean rental villas offers the Reeds House facility as an exclusive place for couples. With bargain prices, you can stay at this Caribbean rental villa for as long as you want without being concerned about your budget.

You can also take advantage of the local activities, including water sports, nightclubs, and golf courses to add excitement to your getaway. Whatever you envision for your next romantic vacation, the Caribbean rental villas will undoubtedly have something to meet your specific needs.

Caribbean vacation rentals have a variety of options to meet any vacationer's needs. Whether you want to bring a bunch of friends and family or just enjoy a romantic vacation with your wife, Caribbean rental villas will undoubtedly provide everything you need to enjoy your island stay.

With a luxurious and spectacular vacation villa rental, you will have a vacation that you will be talking about for many years to come.

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