Are you a Traveler?

I’m making an assumption that at want point in your life you’ve been a tourist. You’ve carried a map, a camera, maybe even had a tour guide. You’ve traveled to different destinations, relaxed on remote beaches, climbed stairs in buildings you see on television. You’ve done all of these things but some how when you get arrive home, all your left with is a short memory, and a few photographs.

Vacations are nice every once in a while, but it doesn’t make sense to me why we will travel thousands of miles to sit in hotel rooms and watch movies, or lie on a pool deck and catch some rays. These are all things that we can do where we are from, I want you to think about being a traveler not a tourist. You want to soak in as much of the new country and culture that you can rather than bring as much of your culture to them. It’s really quite simple. In one step you need to forget about your way of live, and adopt theirs.

It’s simple things like the mindset that we have when we go abroad, and what we bring. Don’t bring all of the things that we depend on in America. Bring what it is that you are going to need to survive and stay healthy during your visit. The more comforts you have, the more you will depend on them, and the less you will step out to become the traveler you ought to be!

Put yourself out there. Locals are always interested to interact with foreigners, and it’s best to take advantage of this. Meet people that you can share life with while you are in their country. Immerse into their culture and be open to new idea’s. A lot of times we are closed to new idea’s and we miss out on opportunities for better things to come along. Be open, willing and accepting.

If you want to be changed, and to experience you need to leave the tourist at home. Bring out the inner traveler in you and see the world in the way that it was meant to be seen.

5 Best Party Beaches In The World

The idea of partying on the beach is universally appealing, conjuring up images of dancing from sunset to sunrise on golden sands, with bonfires, great music, crashing waves and cocktails in the mix.

From Ibiza to Miami, there are as many types of beach parties as there are party-people looking for a good time. From down and dirty dancing to celebrity-spotting socializing, read on for the 5 best party beaches in the world!

IBIZA, SPAIN

The name Ibiza has been synonymous with the phrase ‘beach party’ ever since the late ‘80’s when the former hangout of hippies and flower-children, metamorphosized into the party capital of the world. Stars, celebs and models all love to get down at the clubs dotted around this picturesque Spanish isle. The Playa d’en Bossa Beach is the longest stretch of beach on the island with its bars and cafés. The far end of the beach (away from Ibiza Town) is calmer, with less people and house music. But for the definitive Ibiza beach party, head to Bora Bora, half way along d'en Bossa beach. Ibiza is also known as a gay-friendly beach party destination.

MYKONOS, GREECE

With its welcoming locals and trendy beach bars oceanside, Mykonos is another great place to party on the sands. Head to Paradise Beach Bar, located right on the beach between the palm trees. Here the partying starts early - from 2 pm – and goes on till sunrise the following day. This breathtakingly beautiful island is another favourite destination of the world’s fashionable party-set, so expect to enjoy celebrity-spotting while you dance the night away. Lots of places of historical and cultural interest, plus great tanning opportunities, mean you’ll never be bored while waiting for the fun to begin.

SOUTH BEACH, MIAMI

Where the beautiful people hang out – South Beach offers all the partying you’ll ever need. Although not strictly speaking ON the beach, the numerous fabulous clubs sprinkled along this expensive coastline are so hot that they bring the beach atmosphere right inside. This is where the posh people party, but the good times only get under way from 11 pm, so strolling along the beach, dining out or having a drink in the earlier part of the evening is recommended to avoid arriving too early. Many top model agencies send scouts to South Beach - you never know who might spot you on one of the awesome dance floors. The beach itself is stunning, with white, baby-powder sands caressed by the Atlantic. Not only can you dine here during the day but when the sun goes down you can have fun at the beds on stilts at Nikki Beach.

BLOOMINGDALE AAN ZEE, HOLLAND

This event-venue opened nearly 7 years ago as a beach party for Amsterdam locals. The club has grown to accommodate 2 400 revelers with both in- and out-of-door areas. The setting is one of the most aesthetic on the Netherlands coast. Bloomingdales is renowned for its all-day Sunday parties held regularly throughout the year. The music tends towards chilled, laid-back tunes, perfect for the beach-setting. Top DJ’s are hosted regularly here.

CAMPS BAY, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

The white sands of this beautiful beach are popular throughout summer with both locals and international visitors to the Mother City of Cape Town, South Africa. With bars, cafes and restaurants right along the Camps Bay strip there are always trendy and beautiful people spilling out of these venues on to the beach. While volley ball and tanning are popular by day, sundowners and impromptu beach parties are on from early evening to well past midnight. Enjoy music, fire-jugglers and drumming around the huge bonfires which are lit during the summer holiday season.

So if sun, sand and sea make put you in the mood for some sexy partying – why leave the beach? Head for one of these 5 hot spots and the party need never end!

10 Places To Get That Holiday Trip Tan

Are you tired of watching your friends, family members and coworkers go on vacation and return a week later with a beautiful tan? Well it could be you with that stunning tan if you plan your next vacation in the right place. By selecting one of our top ten places to get a tan as your next travel destination, you will be sure to come back with an eye-catching tan.

1. Located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Copacabana Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. With a backdrop of the rolling hills of Brazil, you will not only find yourself tanning here but also enjoying the beautiful scenery. In addition to being a great place for tanning and for enjoying the landscape, Copacabana Beach is rarely quiet. There is always something happening on this beach, whether it is tourists enjoying the summer sun during the day or music and drinking at night. Copacabana Beach offers it all to the tourist looking for a tan.

2. Waikiki Beach on the Hawaiian island of Oahu is a great place for sunbathers to sit back, enjoy the sun and watch the action all around them. While sitting on the sand beachgoers can watch the experienced surfers surf the large waves that swell off the two-mile long beach. Hawaiian beaches offer soft sand and spectacular sun. After tanning during the day, stick around to watch the beautiful sunset at night.

3. If you are looking to get a great tan during your trip to Europe make a stop in Greece. The island of Crete off of the south coast of Greece is surrounded by 100 miles of beach along its coastline. Try the area of Rethimno on the island’s northern coast. The beach is beautiful but tends to be crowded, as it is one of the most popular spots on the island. If you are looking for a place to tan in solitude then try elsewhere, as there are plenty of small, secluded beaches scattered around the island where you will be more than likely to catch a few rays.

4. Baby Beach located on the coast of Aruba is a great place for sunbathers. The ocean along the beach’s shore remains very calm and shallow making it a great place to put a low beach chair for the day. If you would rather work on your tan than take a dip, you can spread your beach towel out in the soft Arabian sand that lines the shore of Baby Beach. How great is this beach? It is even a favorite among locals, who make this one of the most frequently visited beaches among locals.

5. If you are looking for a great beach for sunbathing but are not sure about leaving the US, try Newpoprt Beach in Southern California. Newport Beach is one of the most famous and frequently visited beaches in California. When you arrive make sure to take notice of all the tan bodies around you, proof that sunbathing on this beach will get you that bronze tan you are looking for.

6. The worst part about tanning, other than the unexpected burn, is the tan lines that inevitably come with your sunbathing. What is the best way to avoid tan lines? By losing your bathing suit! Haulover Beach in Miami, Florida offers beachgoers the option of shedding their suits in pursuit of that all over tan. Located close to both South Beach and downtown Miami, Haulover Beach is the ultimate place for those seeking the perfect tan.

7. For the frequent traveler who is looking for a more unique place to bronze up, why not try the Sentosa Resort in Singapore. Sentosa offers guests the option of three beaches; Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach, and Tanjong Beach, which is probably the best bet for sunbathing. Tanjong Beach is typically frequented by those looking for a quiet day of solace and relaxation on the beach. The sun is bright, the water is cool and the conditions are perfect for tanning.

8. For a beautiful tan in a beautiful place, make sure to visit St. John Island in the Virgin Islands. One of the only seemingly untouched islands in the Caribbean, two-thirds of St. John is designated as a National Park, preventing any development on the land. There are a number of beaches on St. John from Cinnamon Bay to Hawksnest Beach but one thing is certain, whatever beach you choose on this island will be beautiful and great for tanning.

9. Down in southern Mexico you will find miles and miles of beaches in Cancun. Cancun boasts a fourteen mile peninsula that jets out into the ocean and provides a favorite beach-going spot for vacationers. There are a number of scenic beaches great for tanning in Cancun but think about trying San Miguelito, which is also home to a small, historic Mayan ruin.

10. If you have plenty of money to spend on your vacation, consider visiting the beaches of St. Tropez in France. A number of famous people make vacation stops at St. Tropez each year, pointing to the specter of this French getaway. The Plage Port Grimaud is undoubtedly the place to be seen catching rays in St. Tropez, as it is the most popular beach in the area.

5 Days In Amsterdam

All was still. Around one hundred people had settled in the rest room for the overnight ferry crossing from Hull to Holland. It was pitch black and the only sounds were the faint humming of the engines and the odd snorer.

All the seats had been snapped up so I found myself lying in a vacant space on the floor with a couple of mates trying to get comfortable. About five minutes had passed and I could feel myself about to drop off.

You could hear a pin drop. Then my mate farted. It began as a kind of muffled snort and developed into a full crescendo. The whole process must have taken at least five seconds. I struggled for a moment, trying to contain my laughter. Eventually I had to leave the room, quickly followed by my two mates.

After docking in Holland we were ushered onto a waiting coach for the one-hour drive to Amsterdam. The landscape was full of all the quintessential things that make Holland so unique.

Windmills were liberally scattered throughout the land. Wonderful white structures whose arms spun endlessly in the wind. The undramatic flat countryside seemed to stretch forever. In fact, over a third of Holland lies below sea level.

The coach dropped us off in the heart of Amsterdam, deep amongst the network of canals that divide this old city into a million different pieces. We found ourselves stood outside the central train station debating our accommodation options. We had decided beforehand to wait until our arrival until finding a hotel.

Just as we were getting anxious, a middle-aged woman approached us. She walked with a swagger and wore an air of confidence.

“Are you lads looking for a room?” she asked in broken English.

“Yes,” we all replied simultaneously. We sensed a solution to our predicament was imminent.

“I have a bed and breakfast not far from here, just two stops on the underground. Would you like a room?”

The hotel was reasonable enough. A twenty-minute walk and we were back in town with all the other tourists, walking round in circles trying to get a bearing.

Amsterdam is a truly surreal place. Legalising cannabis has certainly raised an eyebrow from the rest of the world and is regarded with a certain fascination. As we sampled the local delicacy, one day pretty much blended into another like some sort of hazy dream. Before we knew it we were back home contemplating a quite bizarre vacation.

5 Countries to visit before you die

1 - Egypt. King Tut, The Pyramids, The Valley of the Kings. The list is endless. But it’s just not the history and the culture, it’s the people too. Egyptians are some of the kindest and most generous people on the planet. They will welcome you into their homes in a second and even if they have almost nothing, they will share it with you.

An afternoon on the Nile with an Egyptian felucca captain sailing your boat as the sun sets over the Nile in Luxor is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed.

2 – China. China is not somewhere people immediately think of when planning a holiday…but they should, and hopefully after the Olympics in Beijing they will. Even if you could only afford 7 to 10 days, an itinerary that takes in Beijing, Xian, a Yangtze River Cruise and Shanghai will be a great introduction.

And for an unforgettable experience, juts visit Guilin. Guilins landscape is amazing and totally unique. It can’t necessarily be called Mountainous as such, but the peaks that do rise, rise almost vertically up into the mist.

If you get a chance take a ski lift up to one of the peaks and just stare in awe at the view, and if you are feeing adventurous, take a kart down a toboggan style run (about 3,000 feet in length) !

3 – Jordan. Handily located, if you plan it right you can visit Egypt and Jordan together to make a real trip to remember. Amman is a great city full of atmosphere, Petra is marvellous, but surely the can’t miss site is the Dead Sea. The only ocean in the world with so much salt in it, you actually float !

This alone makes Jordan a must see country and on top of what I have already mentioned, don’t forget the Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Jerash and the Kings Highway. A week in Jordan is good, but 10 days is better.

4 – Hong Kong. Although there is much more to Hong Kong than just shopping, if you do love to shop, then Hong Kong is the place for you. A stroll along Nathan Road and a visit to the Temple Street market just HAS to be done. And make sure you have your bargaining hat on as haggling is as big a part of the experience as the purchases themselves.

There lots more to Hong Kong too. The great thing is that despite it being a modern city, there is tradition around every corner. Don’t forget to take a trip to Victoria Peak and enjoy the stunning views and remember that even if it’s misty, there are 2 guys at the top who will take your picture and transpose it onto a picture of what you should see if the weather where not so poor ! I also suggest a couple of half day visits out to Lama and Lantau Islands too. A great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the craziness that is Hong Kong.

5 – Thailand. Thailand suffers a little from it’s reputation of being a very hedonistic destination and while it is true that the is a very wild side to Thaialnd (especially certain areas of Bangkok, Phucket etc) there is also an amazing culture to immerse yourself in.

There really is everything there, adventure, culture and even for the not faint hearted, a place about 1 hour north of Thailand where you can go in, yes go in, with real live tigers. No cages, no chains, just you and around a dozen tigers. For me it was a thrill of a lifetime and without doubt it is just one of the many reasons that Thailand is in my top 5 of places you need to visit in the world

10 Lanzarote Beaches - General

Lanzarote offers a wide variety of beaches including white and black sand, placid and ruffled waters and these are, as you would expect distributed along the entire coast of the island.

Further articles posted by me discuss in more detail the best beaches in each of the seven municipalities (articles 11 to 17) and these form part of a much wider portfolio of information I'm providing to help holiday makers.

So, where is the best beach then ?

As my ‘home-from-home’ is in the south of the island in Playa Blanca in the municipality of Yaiza, I am somewhat biased as to where the best beach is and for me it is without doubt, Papagayo. Judging by the research I’ve done on the Internet, I am not alone in this opinion, so no matter where you are staying, I would suggest that you should not miss this one out.

Punta de Papagayo (to give it its full name), is located at the southernmost tip of Lanzarote. With a surrounding landscape of volcanic ash, crystal clear water and fine white sand, this stretch of the coast , with several small bays and coves is quite simply stunning. Access is gained by first driving across a dirt track road (quite bumpy), then paying a toll (it’s that good, they charge you a small entrance fee), and then walking down the sand banks to the beach as there is no man-made path.

BEFORE you walk down the banks, remember to get anything you need from the one and only cafeteria in this area, as you won’t want to keep trudging up and down, trust me, I’ve done it. The difficulty in getting to the beach is worth it. If you decide to walk along the beach to look at other bays, please bear in mind the fact that some visitors bathe nude at this location as it is permitted. You should not encounter this in the bay by the cafeteria.

If you research this beach on the Internet more widely, you will read statements like ‘wild at times’ and ‘waves can be a little strong at times’, so your instinct will, quite rightly tell you to keep an eye on the children.

I want to devote the rest of this introductory article to a day on Papagayo in the Spring of 2005.
On this particular trip, my wife decided to stay at the top of the cliff by the cafeteria, as we were not planning to stay long. I took my two sons down to the immediate bay as the children were pestering me to let them play in the sand and have a dip in the water (as children do). I did what most parents do on holiday - I gave in to their demands for a peaceful life.

My eldest son (who was 11 at the time) decided he’d like to be a little braver than the younger one, who was 6 years old and who stayed in the ‘ankles only’ region of the sea with me. He wandered out to a point that each wave broke about the chest to neck area and if he jumped up as the wave broke to avoid getting a mouthful of salt water.

All children do this and I’m sure by now, you know what’s coming…. well he didn’t !

I could see a rather large wave behind him out at sea and began to shout towards him to come back in a bit. He never understood my gesticulations towards him, so I moved towards him (instructing the younger one to go back up the beach immediately and ‘stay put’). For once, the younger one did as he was told and as I got closer he heard me and moved towards me. I got to within 5 metres of him before the wave crashed 15 feet above his head !

For what seemed an eternity at the time, I completely lost sight of him. He resurfaced, spluttering, and a good 30 metres away from me, which should give you an appreciation of the waves power. My son waited to see my reaction before bursting out laughing (I think he thought I would be angry with him, as if !). He was covered from head to foot in sand, had drank a pint or more of salt water and despite his brave face, he was clearly shook up and to this day we still recall that wave at Papagayo, but he had learnt his lesson and he lives to swallow salt water another day.

It is worth pointing out that both of my children are very good swimmers, having attended swimming lessons from an early age. Their ‘reward’ for this, is to be given more freedom when on holiday, particularly in the swimming pools, providing we can still see them. I did not for one moment (you know I really mean that I did) think that he would not come back up, but please take my experience into account if you go to Papagayo as the warning ‘strong waves at times’ is often dismissed by the occasional visitor.

But don’t let this put you off, as this is truly a fantastic location and we still go back on most visits to the island.

I will to bring this article to a close with an important Safety Message - Swimming & playing in the sea is great fun, but be aware of the dangers and act responsibly and look out for Flag warnings.
To this end, you should :

1. Swim parallel to the shore ;
2. Swim within your depth (it can often be difficult to swim back to the Beach as currents can be strong) ;
3. Never swim immediately after eating ;
4. Never swim alone or at night ;
5. Be aware of local conditions (currents etc), seek advice if in doubt and beware of boats and jet skis if they are in the vicinity and please do not swim in areas allocated for their use ;
6. Remember that a Red Flag means “Dangerous Conditions, do not enter the water” ;
7. Remember that a Yellow Flag means “Dangerous Conditions, exercise caution” ; and
8. Remember that a Green Flag means its “Safe for swimming”.

Oh… and in case you’re wondering, it was a Green Flag at the time of the incident with my son and it was altered to Yellow by the time we got back to the top of the cliff.

Were we unlucky ? No we were lucky !