Maritius – Maritius is a perfect place to relax during winter. There are lots of Christmas holiday packages available from tour operators so that vactioning there is not only fun but also budget friendly. The island is a hodge podge of religions and though there are lots of non-Christian religions there Christmas is still celebrated with great festivity.

Maldives – This cluster of islands is known for its beautiful corals, warm waters, and white sand. Those seeking a quiet private Christmas will definitely find any of the small resorts found in maldives a perfect place to stay. If you are into lots of activities and socialising though Maldives might not be the place for you.

Canary Islands – Each of the islands making up the Canary islands have a different strengths. This means that whatever your preference might be you will find it here. Make sure though too choose the island that suits your personality best. If you want to be part of the noise and fun a crush of tourist brings then head on Gran Canaria and check in at the mega-resort of Playa de Ingles. Those who seek a quieter atmosphere can relax at either the islands of El Hierrro and La Gomera. And those that want to experience beaches with black sand can go to the volcanic island of Lanzarote.

Australia – Australia is a great place to visit year round but the great thing about visiting it during the Christmas season is that it is summer there. In Australia you can have a summer and Christmas vacation in one! Being such a huge place you have a whole slew of towns and cities you can choose to visit. If you are really into heat remember that the further north you go the nearer to the equator you go. So go somewhere in norther Australia if you want a hot summer. Of course the east coast is equally fun or you can just opt to tour different parts of Australia. Hey it’ll be fun diving in the Great Barrier Reef between Christmas and new year!

Egypt – Another great warm place to spend the holiday season would be in southern Egypt. It’s not too hot there but it sure is a hot place to visit. I mean, Christ went to Egypt when he was a babe so why not see the place too? Even without the Christmas context Egypt simply reeks of history and is simply awe inspiring. Pyramids, tombs, temples, and other ancient wonders to gawk at, not to mention the Nile River, Egypt will surely make you feel warm on Christmas.

Sudan – If you really want to go to Sudan at least stay away from Darfur. Darfur is not safe for locals much less tourists where violence is an everyday thing thanks to the government-backed militias. As for the rest of Sudan there are terrorist attacks every now and then. Caucasians are also considered a prime target for kidnappings.

Côte d’Ivoire – The north and northwest part of Côte d’Ivoire are the most dangerous parts in the country since they are still under the control of armed rebels. However, even if you do stay away from the north the situation there is still pretty volatile. The crime rate is also on the rise with carjackings and armed robbery getting more common.

Haiti – Haiti is inching its way towards political stability but is still a significantly dangerous place to visit. Kidnappings is a problem and violence is common. Despite the presence of 8,000 UN peacekeeping troops it remains classified as a high security and travel risk.

Story and Image Source: Forbes Most Dangerous Destinations 2007

According to Forbes the most dangerous places to visit this year include:

Somalia – Abductions and attacks on foreigners are very common in troubled Somalia. Although the federal governments has recently taken control of the country the new exchange in power does not automatically mean more stability but in fact signals even more problems ahead as the power struggle continues.

Iraq – Everyone knows why Iraq is a dangerous place to visit this days. Enough said.

Afghanistan – Kabul is relatively safe (emphasis on relatively) but the rest of Afghanistan is a no no for tourists unless you wan to be kidnapped, assasinated, or step on a land mine or two.

Chad – Highway banditry is common in this country and foreigners have been reported to have been harassed in checkpoints. Oh and if that isn’t enough for you visit the eastern border near Darfur (Sudan) to see inter-ethnic fighting first hand.

Democratic Republic of Congo – Thankfully the civil war has ended in this country. Sadly, it still isn’t safe for locals and tourists alike as the UN forces are powerless to stop all the pillaging, carjackings, murders, rapes and kidnappings going on.

Next up…
Lebanon, Liberia, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire and Haiti

Image Source: Spiegel.de

It would come as a surprise to a lot of people that the Giza is only a few minutes away from the Egyptian capital of Cairo. Weirdly enough a Pizza Hut restaurant can be spotted a few hundred meters from the pyramid complex itself. For all the damage that it does to ambiance, the younger crowd who might get cranky under the searing African sun could find comfort in the fact that some Western influence has found its way to this tourist destination. If you’re not happy with pizza, Col. Sanders also has an outpost near the site so you could have your KFC fix even when you’re at the edge of the Sahara Desert.

The four most imposing features at the complex include three pyramids and the legendary statue of the sphinx. Of the three pyramids, the largest is the Pyramid of Khufu (sometimes referred to as Cheops). The two other pyramids are considerably smaller – the Pyramids of Khafre and Menaukre.

Tips when visiting the Pyramids:

• Egypt has only two seasons: a mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October.
• Temperatures vary widely in the inland desert areas, especially in summer, when they may range from 7° C at night to 43° C during the day. During winter, temperatures in the desert fluctuate less dramatically, but they can be as low as 0° C at night and as high as 18° C during the day.

Weather information.

The Quebec Winter Carnival is an ice palace built in Place Loto Quebec every year. What makes it amazing is that each season, a different concept and design is made to make sure that people who visit them will be treated to various sculptures and themes.

The experience is truly something worth remembering. The best part of it is that it is not limited to adults but the entire family as well. Going on tourist vacation is something that would truly be enchanting if the whole family would be on hand. All the more if these are places that conceptualize natural ideas such as that of the Quebec Winter Carnival that lures in the tourists each year.

[tags]quebec, winter carnival, family tours, europe[/tags]

Such has been the gift of innovation for people who love to travel. Through search engines like Yahoo, online bookings are enumerated for people to see and check out. Among the usual online bookings include that of Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline.com. Each would have their own set of packages that would give reasonable pricings for potential clients.

These new ways of securing airfares and travel needs has indeed been something convenient for people to check out. As it stands, it has totally changed and made the life of the frequent traveler a whole lot easier.

[tags]online booking, travel agencies, websites[/tags]

It is like striking two stones. One is you get to ride on these large creatures on a rare opportunity and second is you are able to appreciate the destination point of Nepal where the Royal Chitwan National Park lies. There are other mammals to see as well at the Royal Chitwan National Park such as crocodiles, pythons and lizards. For lucky patrons, they might even get a chance to see the rare Bengali Tiger along the way.

Aside from this, Nepal’s national park is famous for its altitude drops and roiling whitewaters. With these along with the various sceneries and rapids in tow, such an adventure would surely be a tale to share with others after the expedition has been done with.

[tags]safaris, elephants, tours, nepal, national park[/tags]

The difference in cultures is indeed amazing. The simple things may end up being a big thing for people. Like in Taiwan, it is a sign of disrespect to fork your chopsticks against your food since it is a sign of death. When passing by a mourning family, it is customary not to look since it is a sign of bad luck.

For sure, various regions as well such as Europe and the American continents follow a certain culture that strangers may find different. Hence the need to adjust to their beliefs is indeed a must since it is quite embarrassing to offend the natural heritage while visiting their countries.

[tags]culture, tradition, customs, taiwan, asia, europe[/tags]

A lot of these adventure tours can be enjoyed in places like Africa and Northern Italy. Both offering vast difference in the field of culture and tradition, the experience is expected to be a memorable one. Roughing it in a sense, the adventure tours in such countries offer a diverse way of educating and showing off the other natural beauties laid out by nature on such gifted countries offering a different meaning to the definition of tourism in today’s new age.

[tags]africa, adventure tours, europe[/tags]

People who love to travel are already used to the different time zones that most countries have. Sudden changes in the time and weather may prove to be a problem on adjusting to such if a person is not used to such fast paced evolution and lifestyle.

For people, traveling to any part of the world such as the United States, Europe and Asian continents would need body clock adjustments as well. The cultural practices and traditions are not the only immediate things that globetrotters should worry about but rather their ability to cope up with change.

Climate also entails being ready for the level of health a person is able to sustain. Sudden changes like cold and hot temperatures would need standby requirements of medicine or clothing just in case to ensure that the human body does not suffer a sudden burst of bodily reaction towards such external factors of nature from any part of the world that they may want to visit.

[tags]jetlag, climate, weather, travel[/tags]

Dubai has its share of attractions as well. These include the Dubai Creek, The Grand Mosque and various golf courses that tourists would usually fit in their itinerary in most cases. Shopping malls are also present to provide the necessary purchases of souvenirs and other items to bring back home. A good place to oblige to such tourist shopping demands would be that of the Deira City Shopping Mall in Dubai, a good stopover for people who simply want to get something to bring back home from the country.

[tags]dubai, beaches, shopping, attractions, golf[/tags]

Born in 1813, David Livingstone was a Scottish explorer and missionary and doctor who walked across Africa from coast to coast before there were any roads, bridges, hospitals or shops. He survived fevers and infections, attacks by wild animals and Muslim slave traders.

Livingstone was the first person to bring medicine and Christian gospels to many remote regions of Central Africa. His travels covered one-third of the continent, from the Cape to near the Equator, and from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.

Livingstone was raised in poverty; the family of nine lived in a single room in a Lanarkshire cotton mill tenement. In 1838 he went to London to offer his services as a medical missionary to the London Missionary Society (LMS), which he chose because of its nonsectarian character. Livingstone was a devote evangelical Christian; his own conversion came when he realized that faith and science were compatible.

In 1840 he received his medical license, was ordained, and set sail for Cape Town. His first assignment was in Bachuanaland (now Botswana), where he was to found a mission station north of Moffat’s. Here he began what was to become his standard practice. He traveled into the interior and stayed with the local people until he learned their languages, preaching and studying the botany and natural history of the area. In 1844 he was badly mauled by a lion, so that he was forced afterward to fire his rifle from his left shoulder.

Livingstone embarked on a series of long explorations that were unprecedented at the time and that would take up the rest of his life. His determination was clear: “I shall open up a path into the interior or perish,” he said. Livingstone was convinced that Christianity, commerce, and civilization would deliver Africa from slavery and barbarism. In 1856 he returned to England and was awarded by Queen Victoria as a a national hero, but died in Zambia in 1873 where his heart is buried under a tree near Chitambo’s village.

[tags]famous travelers,travel,David Livingstone, missionary[/tags]

Maybe its my penchant for colonial elegance ( think White Mischief), but I do believe that one of the best ways to see this magnificent continent is through the famous and ultra-luxe Blue Train of South Africa.

The transport of choice of kings and heads of state, the Blue Train is really akin to being a 5-star hotel on wheels. Instead of a rickety hard carriage seat, picture yourself in a gorgeous suite furnished with a spacious bed complete with fine cotton linens and a goose down duvet. The sweltering African heat outside is a non-issue with individually-controlled air conditioning, as well as under-floor heating in both the bathroom and bedroom for when things do get chilly.

And the bathrooms! For a train (and perhaps even a hotel on land), the bathrooms here are incredibly indulgent (bordering on the ostentatious) with gold-fitted baths and marble vanities.

When away from your private sanctuary, you can unwind (what else would be there to do?) in the chic lounge car reminiscent of a smart gentleman’s club, and play bridge or read a book from the train’s library with a frothy cappucino.

Dining naturally, is also an experience in itself. There’s a strict dress code for dinner (jacket and tie for the gents, evening dress for the ladies), and quite rightly so. You wouldn’t want a heathen in ripped jeans and flip-flops to ruin the ambience while you tuck into your gourmet meal, would you?

To top it all off, you’ll have a personal butler and a little boutique stocked with elegant African mementos to take back home. Main routes stretch from Pretoria to Cape Town and vice-versa, or from Pretoria to Durban. Other routes include stops at game reserves, and special chartered journeys are also easily managed for those who want to really splash out in style.

The world is my oyster and I’m going to taste all of it…..