The Advantage of Booking A Cruise Trip

When most people go on holiday, they buy a plane ticket to their destination, fly there, and stay at that stop for the duration of the trip. They may travel around a bit, but the cost of getting there is usually so high that they decide to stay to save money. Even if they love that location, it is the only one that they get to see. For example, they could take a flight to Punta Cana, stay in a resort, and spend each day walking along the white sand beaches or swimming in the warm, blue-green water.

A cruise, on the other hand, is far different. You are essentially going to many different locations, all at the same time. You will board the ship at a port city, so that is the first place that you get to see. Many people will even fly to the port a few days early so that their trip can include an extended time there. After the boat leaves the port, you have a day or two at sea. This can be very entertaining if you have never been on the ocean before, or at least not that far out. After traveling, you get to your first stop.

However, you are certainly not going to stay there like those who flew in. You will probably just go on a day trip. A smaller craft will take you from the cruise ship to the shore, and you can then spend a few hours there, looking around, shopping, and having a good time. You may even stay for a meal. Then you get back on the ship and it continues to your next destination. There is more entertainment on the ship - games, performances, drinks, and much else. This process repeats itself at a few different places and then the ship returns to the original port and you disembark for good.

The upside of traveling with a cruise line like Royal Holiday is that you get to see and do a lot more for your money. Rather than paying for a single trip to get you to your destination, you are paying for a continuous voyage. You are paying for transportation every single day. The downside is that this is slower than flying, but you have to think of it like your accommodations and your transportation all rolled into one. When you look at it that way, it makes more sense. Much of the traveling will happen while you are asleep, and then you get to spend your days in exciting new locations. This is just as fast - if not faster - as flying every day, and it comes with a much smaller price tag.

As you plan your next vacation, you should look at both options and decide which one is best for you. Some people do not want the excitement of moving around; they just want to go to one place and stay there until they go home, and that's fine. Most people, though, have more places on their list of places to see than they can possibly get to in the near future, so they are looking for ways to see more and do more with each trip. That is what a cruise can offer, so it may be the best choice.

Five Things You Must Experience in the Himalayas

Since Sir Edmund Hillary climbed the highest mountain on earth, taking a trip to Himalaya has been a dream of many adventurers. It is no fluke that Himalayas enjoy a lofty reputation among the places of a lifetime. The fact that Himalayas are immense makes it difficult to decide which sites to visit. Still, each visitor should at least try to experience the following:

1) Mount Everest

No trip should be complete without a visit to the base camp of the highest mountain the world. Although, this is one of the most frequented sites in Nepal but many tourists feel an amazing urge to climb the mountain. Amazingly, the urge to conquer Mount Everest is so great that many climbers, once came to the base camp as ordinary visitors, without a real interest of mountaineering.

2) Village Walks

There is so much to experience on foot, rather than by car or train in most regions, and the Himalayas is no different. Village walks through Ladakh, Kumaon and Sikkim are beautiful, authentic and allow visitors to get a real ‘feel’ of the area. Himalayan walking tours, taken with a local guide, allow visitors to have a village experience, which can include following in villagers’ own ancient footpaths, meandering through pine forests and terraced fields of rice and wheat. You’ll be greeted by children, excited by your presence and you’ll see how the locals go about their daily tasks – just as they have done for centuries.

3) Potala Palace

Today, the Palace is converted into a museum but tourists are spell bound before even reaching the Palace grounds. Rising approximately 1000 feet, this huge complex is thirteen stories high and contains more than 1000 rooms, 10000 shrines and 100000 statues. Once inside the complex, it is easy to get lost among hundreds of galleries and alleyways.

4) Himalaya River Rafting

Nowhere in the world are there so many grade 5 white water river spans than Himalayas. If adventure is that you seek then it is necessary to try the famed river rafting of Himalayan rivers that challenge the body and spirit of ordinary people. If you don't like to spend time climbing mountains, white river rafting on grade 5 rapids is as close to the thrill of climbing as it gets.

5) Baltoro Glacier

If you can plan a visit to Pakistan then there is nothing more special than spending a night in Baltoro Glacier. This 70 km long stretch is one of the longest glaciers outside the polar region. What makes Baltoro Glacier special is the fact that it is surrounded by five 8000 meter high mountains and is considered to be the only place on earth with such a high concentration of mountains. Just imagine how would it feel to stand in the middle of 'almost nowhere' surrounded by mountains thousands of feet high. The silence is daunting as well as truly captivating. Maybe, it is the best place on earth to meditate.

Photos by: Himalaya reurinkjan

Scotland's Best Golf Courses

There is no experience that can compare to playing golf on Scotland’s 4 best golf courses. The home of golf as the modern world understands it began in this beautiful land. Scotland is one of the most unique cultures in the world and playing the game of golf here is a fantastic journey. Kings have wiled hours away and servants have found golf a restful pastime. Golf is a game that knows a multiple of social levels and genders. Man, matching his mind and skill against the land, the elements and the game.

1) Kingsbarns Golf Link, St Andrews Fife

This is a breath taking resort by the sea. Savor the vastness of the Ocean while you drive a hole in one. Use links with St Andrews and Fife, one of the world’s most exclusive golf resorts. Relaxing, exhilarating the country of Scotland is a must play golfing adventure. Find the place of your golfing dreams; play in the land of golf’s birth – try staying in a golf hotel in Fife near the course. In this environment golf takes on a different feeling, a meaning that is part of the land itself.

2) Downfield Golf Club, Dundee

This beautiful course overlooks the picturesque coastal area with light house and moor. The lovely championship golf course located along Scotland’s beautiful coast looking up on the Firth of Clyde. Tranquillity is a motivation from playing golf in this beautiful land, green hills extending into the sea.

3) Muir

Muir, established in the 1774, this exclusive membership in the golfing world is the longest running golf club in the modern world. This Scottish club established the original 13 rules of the game. Playing on this golf course the elements are always your challenge as you play in the solace of windswept trees. Sea land and green plateaus are the signatures of this gorgeous golf resorts backdrop.

4) Rosemount Course, Blairegowrie Perthshire

The lush grass and beautiful tree lined fairway where Silver Birch and lovely Pines stand as witness to a golfers great achievements or failures. This course with its spectacular landscaping gives the added chance to play at Lansdowne.

A golfing holiday is a wonderful way to polish your game. Scotland’s four best golf courses have developed over the years adding impressive changes to the facilities and defining the game the world loves so well. Take a golfing holiday at any one of these beautiful golfing resorts. The Scottish have trained and cultivated the game and the greens, making Scotland like no other place in the world to play golf.

Photos by: Mccheek

Five Unique Vacation Destinations

Our world contains some truly amazing places to visit! For a vacation that will create memories that will truly last a lifetime, check one (or more!) of these places out today.

1) NEW YORK CITY (UNITED STATES)

From strolling through Central Park to visiting the Statue of Liberty to just taking in the incredible sites and sounds on Times Square, this city truly has it all! New York City has a nightlife that is beyond compare. From taking in a show on Broadway to visiting one of the city's famous nightclubs, there is something for everyone.

2) CAPE TOWN (SOUTH AFRICA)

In terms of uniqueness, Cape Town is high up on the list. The beauty of Table Mountain and the stunning Western Cape meet a buzzing, melting pot of cultures, alongside awe inspiring wine lands. On the southern tip of Africa, Cape Town offers a night life to rival major capital cities but has a warm climate, amazing flora and fauna, beaches and countryside. With a low cost of living, plentiful Cape Town holiday villas to rent and friendly residents, visitors find themselves astounded with all that Cape Town has to offer.

3) PARIS (FRANCE)

World class cuisine, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral are the main attractions that most people think of when they think of "Paris". But this city has so much more to offer! Consider a trip though the ancient Parisian catacombs for an unforgetable adventure. As far as nightlife is concerned, why not take a trip through the red light district and check out the Moulon Rouge? While there you can see the home of Pablo Picasso.

4) TOKYO (JAPAN)

Exotic beauty abounds in this effervescent, thriving jewel of the Far East. Many believe the history of Tokyo actually goes all the way back to the 7th century, BC. This gives the city a rather unique history. While in Tokyo be sure to check out the Kabukiza Theatre to see traditional Japanese Kubuki performances, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At nightfall, make it a point to see if Tokyo really is the most haunted city in the world by seeking out one of the haunted Tokyo tours.

5) SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)

Where else in the world can you experience both ancient, unique mountains and incredible beaches? Sydney's mountains are rich in eucalyptus filled valleys and are part of the second oldest national park in the world. The beaches of Sydney and New South Wales are known the world over as a mecca for incredible surfing.
We live in a world full of incredibly beautiful places. Be sure to take some time out from the busy lives we all seem to lead these days and appreciate it.

Photos by: Ferguson

Travel Journaling: 4 Things to Bring to Help Record Your Trip

When you are traveling or on vacation, it can be easy to get caught up in all of the excitement of everything that's happening in the moment. However, once the trip is over you will wish that you recorded more of what happened, because it can be hard to remember every detail after the trip. There are several items you can bring with you on a vacation to ensure that you remember as much of it as possible, even after it is over.

1) Journal

Though you might be able to remember places you visited and what you did, one of the most important things that people tend to forget is how they felt as they visited a place or viewed a famous piece of history. Having a journal will give you a place to not only to write down what it is that you did, but how you felt about it. Looking back on it years later, you'll be able to relive the same feelings by reflecting on your memories and what you wrote.

2) Pens and Pencils

It might seem obvious, but if you don't have a pen or a pencil you won't be able to record the important things during your trip. If you have some downtime during your trip, such as a bus ride or a wait for an attraction, which can be the perfect time to write things down while they are still fresh in your mind. If you buy a pen, make sure it’s a good one that lasts–one you can keep forever, like a german-made lamy pen. However, if you don't carry a good pen or pencil with you then you may miss the opportunity to record it, and memories might fade before you can write them down.

3) Folder

Having some sort of small folder or envelope to collect important papers and scraps of your trip is a great way to record your trip. You can save pamphlets, ticket stubs, and any other small items that you acquired during your trip. These can later be used just to reflect on the good time you had, or to use in a scrapbook or journal.

4) Digital Camera

Most people have digital cameras in today's day and age, but many people don't take as many pictures on vacation as they should. Though you may not be able to quite capture that beautiful sunset as well as you saw it in real life, just having the picture of it will bring back your own memory of it. Photographs are also one of the best ways to let other people that weren't there see what you experienced.

photo by: swim parallel

Americans Discovering Cheap Alternative Treatments

The United States is known for it's high technology health care, but many people are now being turned off by that and seeking a more ancient approach. When new treatments come with large costs that can't be paid with a simple short term payday loan, and instead require that you get a second mortgage, it's time to seek alternatives. In fact, many Americans are finding that other countries can offer them some treatments that seem to work well for them, even if the FDA won't endorse them as being official medical treatments.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture works on the Chinese principle of an energy that runs through the body that can experience blockages, causing diseases. While Americans in the past thought that was weird, these days it's very popular. People in China have long used it to control pain, remove wrinkles, and even treat allergies. The effectiveness of the treatment is an individual perception, but everyone can easily tell that the cost is much less than conventional medicines. Plus, there are no side effects.

Herbals and Solutions

For those people without a proper health care plan, a simple antibiotic may not just be about the cost of the actual antibiotic, but also the necessary trip to the doctor that can easily range in the hundreds of dollars. Some natural health enthusiasts use colloidal silver as a natural antibiotic since it was the choice of treatment before the others came into being. For people with allergies, they may take herbal solutions rather than choosing to see a allergy specialist or take an over-the-counter synthetic drug. For people who are into natural health, changing the diet is seen as the best way to prevent disease in the first place and is a very cheap way to implement health care plan at home. The choice to eat more foods grown at home or bought organic can increase the amount of nutrition available for the body while reducing the exposure to chemicals and pesticides.

Using Business Loan Calculators

Are you looking for a new loan? Do you want to know if you could truly afford that loan? If you have answered yes to these two questions than think about finding a business loan calculator online. There are several types of these calculators online like the merchant advance calculator.

A merchant advance calculator is designed to work on merchant cash advances only. In other words, if you have decided your best course of action is to purchase a cash advance rather than a mainstream loan, you would need to use the merchant advance calculator. This calculator will ask how much you need and then calculator the daily percentage you would have to pay in order to repay the loan. Some of these calculators do not show the interest or fees you are charged for the loan. So, be sure to find one that offers all the information.

Other business loan calculators are strictly for mainstream loans like a bank loan. A bank loan has a few parts to it as well. You need to input the amount of the loan, current interest rate, any closing fees, and any down payment. You will also be asked how long the loan will be for. From this you can calculate whether the loan would be affordable regarding the monthly payments required. The results will be shown in monthly payments with most calculators.

By using business loan calculators you have the opportunity to change a few of the factors like the interest rate, down payment loan term, etc. These changes will show what you might expect if the variables are changed by the bank. The ultimate goal in using any of the business loan calculators out there is to see what your affordability of a loan would be under different scenarios.

For instance, the interest rate in the calculator may be one percent higher than the current Fed Bank Rate. However, the loan company feels you are too risky, so they increase this 5 percent rate to 7 percent. By doing your own calculations you know as soon as they tell you the rate is 7 percent whether you can afford the payments. Furthermore, you know if you have to reduce the loan amount.

The loan amount you seek is often based on what you need it for. If you are remodeling you may not be able to reduce the loan amount. In a different scenario you may be able to reduce the loan just enough to make the payments affordable at a higher interest. Using business loan calculators will give you all the information you need to know regarding your new loan. Make sure to use them for different scenarios for a clear picture.