The world is blessed with wonderful beautiful sandy tropical beaches. These golden sun drenched beaches are just waiting for us to come and enjoy. A great way to experience a number of these beautiful tropical beaches while on one vacation is by cruising. Travel in relaxing and luxurious comfort across the sparkling turquoise water from one destination to another by magnificent cruise ships and then enjoy yet another tropical paradise and the marvelous beaches waiting there! You’ll want to check out some of the beaches listed below!

Best Sand Beach! Pink Sands, Harbour Island, Bahamas

Harbour Island is only half a mile wide and three miles long yet has some of the nicest sand beaches with an unbelievable laid back atmosphere. The island has less than 2,000 locals and only a few tourists making it a special choice for a relaxing getaway. This tiny island was once the home of the capital city of the Bahamas, Dunmore Town. Enjoy the Georgian Architecture, stroll through the tiny shops on quaint streets. And of course, lap up the sun on the beautiful pink sand beaches!

Most Romantic Beach! Matira Beach, Bora Bora, Tahiti

Just 18 miles long, Bora Bora is an enchanted tropical island in the French Polynesian chain. Nick-named the Romantic Island, Bora Bora lies in a secluded lagoon and boasts many secluded white sandy beaches. Intimate hotels and the quiet, relaxed South Seas atmosphere add to the feeling of romance. The secluded Matira Beach offers visitors all of that romantic atmosphere with bright turquoise water and brilliant South Seas sunsets!

Best Beach in America! Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

In May of 2004, Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a respected environmental scientist, named Hanauma Bay America’s best beach. About 10 miles east of Waikiki, one will find the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Nearly three thousand people visit the area every day to enjoy swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling and picnics. The bay itself is believed to be a 35,000 year old volcanic crater floor. Swimmers and snorkellers take special pleasure from the sheltered bay and are often greeted by a host of tropical reef fish.

Best Family Beach! Palm Beach, Aruba

Cond Nast Traveler have named this gorgeous white sand beach as one of the 12 best beaches in the world. And unlike many of the Caribbean islands, this Aruba and her beaches are geared up for the entertainment of families and kids. At Kibama Miniature Village and Park, kids can explore mini Aruban-style buildings. Adventure Golf in Aruba is billed as the world’s largest mini-golf course. Swimmers, sailors, fishermen and kids will all find Palm Beach, Aruba as an idyllic family vacation retreat!

Best Kept Secret Beach! Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Very few have had the opportunity to enjoy the unspoiled, breathtaking beaches of Fernando de Noronha. Only a mere 420 visitors are allowed on the island - off the northeast coast of Brazil - at any time. In 1988, the island was declared a marine national park. Being part of a volcanic archipelago, the island treats visitors to towering rock “sculptures”, pristine waterfalls with natural swimming pools and of course the exquisite white beaches tucked below jagged cliffs and caves.

Best Ancient Beaches! Tulum, Mexico

Dating from as early as 250 A.D., ancient Mayan ruins tower over the beaches. Swimmers and sunbathers can’t help but be swept up in the aura of ancient mystery when they look up from the beach. White sand beaches and crystal blue waters greet visitors to the water paradise!

These are but a miniscule sampling of the wonderful and beautiful tropical beaches awaiting vacationers. To enjoy a number of exotic tropical beaches in one vacation, check out various cruise itineraries. On some Caribbean cruises for example, you could visit four tropical beaches on a seven or eight night cruise!

For more information regarding beautiful tropical beaches and cruises browse through some of other interesting articles at www.a1-discount-cruises.com/articles. To find the best beaches and cruise for you, go to our main discount cruises pages www.a1-discount-cruises.com and click on some of the merchant links there. Many of the cruises are deeply discounted and offer a great vacation cruise deal! Then all that’s left to do is to book your cruise on-line and Get Excited!

Brian A Schmidt is the author and web publisher of a1-discount-cruises.com your #1 source for cruise information, discounts and great deals! Visit http://www.a1-discount-cruises.com to book your fabulous romantic gift cruise vacation! For more interesting articles visit our Article Map pages.

Maybe your favorite backpacking food is a freeze-dried turkey dinner. There really is no “best” backpacking food. There are reasons to bring certain foods, though. Here are ten foods, and the reasons you might want to consider them.

1. Nuts. This is one of the most calorie-packed foods you can take. That means less weight to carry. With lots of protein and other nutritonal benefits, nuts are one of the best backpacking foods.

2. Olive oil. Add a little to your soups or dip bread in it. The best of the oils health-wise, you can eat it before sleeping, to stay warm, because fats generate heat when digested.

3. Trail mixes. Any mix with raisins and nuts is great for backpacking. Vitamins, minerals, protein, and the best reason - convenience.

4. Corn products. Tortilla chips or corn nuts are convenient, and they don’t seem to cause the tiredness that potato chips and other simple carbohydrates can cause.

5. Ramen noodles. When you need a hot meal fast, there isn’t much that’s better.

6. Instant coffee. A necessity for caffeine addicts, and it’s good to have a stimulant available for emergencies.

7. Wild edible berries. Learn to identify a few, and you’ll have a nutricious excuse for a break along the trail.

8. Instant sports drinks. Pour a little in your water bottle and shake. Replacing electrolytes doesn’t get more convenient.

9. Instant refried beans. When you want sustained energy, eat beans.

10. Your favorites. Having your favorite foods can help salvage a rainy backpacking trip spent in the tent.

Always consider the nature of the trip when you choose your backpacking food. Hot meals are much more important in cold climates, and convenience is king, if you want to make miles. A bottle of rum might even be appropriate, if it’s a trip wih friends.

Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of ultralight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.TheBackpackingSite.com

Alaska cruises can be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance that magnificent experience with Celebrity Alaska cruises.

Celebrity takes cruising to the next level and their Alaska cruises are no different. Consistently being rated at the top in service by such experts as Conde’ Nast Traveler should give the most discerning cruise passenger a comfortable feeling about cruising with Celebrity.

Add to that a fantastic itinerary like Alaska, and you have a winning combination. The beauty of the land matched with the beauty on board. Celebrity has impeccable service having one staff member for every two cruise passengers. Fine wines being sipped on your Celebrity stateroom deck while watching an Alaskan glacier calving is an experience you will not soon forget!

In 2005, Celebrity will be running three ships during the Alaska cruise season. These magnificent ships offer exceptional amenities.

The Celebrity Cruise Lines’ Mercury is the newest of their Century-class of ships. Visually appealing with world class amenities and service make Alaskan cruising aboard this Celebrity a special treat!

Celebrity’s Infinity will be sailing Alaska cruises this year as well. Experience a world-class meal or a theatrical production of Broadway proportions. Celebrity Cruise Lines has done a marvelous job of d

Best of Teluk Kumbar: Relaxing with the fisherfolk

IT was low tide. The sun had long past its noon high and was making a gradual descent over the shimmering horizon. A row of colourful boats were moored, lining the long curved beach of white sand and “guarded” by a stretch of trees that provided a restful shade at certain spots.

This is Kampung Nelayan or Fishermen’s Village in Teluk Kumbar, Penang. It is in Pasir Belanda at the south-east end of the island.

The southern part of the island has a string of fishing villages stretching from Batu Maung to Gertak Sanggul. Many lie undisturbed and far from the curious eyes of locals and foreign visitors.

To get here, it takes about 40 minutes of unhurried driving from George Town, bypassing the Bayan Lepas airport, the bustling industrial estate, Penang Aquarium, the war museum and the much-talked-about Batu Maung seafood restaurants.

Some of the roads leading to Pasir Belanda are narrow and at certain times of the day, choked with traffic uncharacteristic of a sleepy hollow. Thankfully, only the number of cars and the occasional heavy flow of traffic are the only tangible signs of modern development around here.

Lazy, Hazy Afternoons

Kampung Nelayan is one of those fishing villages that city dwellers would like to see and experience but seldom get an opportunity to do so. Fishermen are simple folks who are used to a lifestyle that is inextricably linked to the fickleness of the weather and the sometimes wanton nature of the sea.

However, on that searing afternoon, some were having a siesta. A group was resting in the shade of a small hut, shirtless and chatting in low tones. Others were tending to their nets. One was diligently repairing his white net.

Some young Malay girls took turns at two swings hanging from very tall branches. In the cool shade of leafy trees and fanned by wind blowing inland, the kampung children were happily frolicking in their own world.

One tired fisherman, who had probably gone out to sea in the pre-dawn hours, was taking a snooze on a hammock, oblivious to the intense afternoon heat. He was earlier lulled into dreamland by the sound of the waves licking the sun-kissed beach.

The water that lapped the beautiful beach carried residue of man-made waste. In fact, the murkiness of the water could be attributed to sewerage leaking into the sea from somewhere nearby.

But the coastal homes project unforgettable images that could easily spring from travel tales. This is the kind of setting that the residents here have long taken for granted but sojourners treasure ever so much. Mother Nature often reveals her best side in quiet and tranquil places like Kampung Nelayan.

Intact Traditions

A small restaurant stands at the edge of the village. A friendly Malay man stood outside, inviting passers-by to savour his food. It soon became apparent that he was actually asking passers-by to join in his family kenduri.

It is heartwarming to know that the old kampung ways are still very much intact. Whenever there is a celebration in a village, everybody is invited, regardless of race or creed. This is one of the most charming traditions of fisherfolk. It says a lot about a community of people struggling to eke out a living to support their families. Such warmth displayed by these seafaring people is as refreshing as the unpolluted air sweeping across the land.

The long and narrow jetty mentioned earlier came into view after a 10-minute walk. It points directly into the sea for an estimated 200 metres, about the length of two football fields. When uninvited guests seek to walk on “the wild side”, the jetty suddenly looks terribly inviting.

The first 50 metres were quite a thrill but from then on, the rapid walking pace slowed down to a crawl because some planks didn’t look too secure. In fact, they conjured a spectre that was akin to Indiana Jones treading gingerly on a dangerous walkway that offered little comfort.

However, the 360-degree panoramic view was impossible to resist. The trek was worth a couple of rapid heartbeats. Some village children ran and jumped gleefully on the shaky jetty.

They then planted themselves very close to the edge of “the jetty too far”. Such display of young, innocent courage was heartening to those who were strangers to their sanctuary.

It took 15 to 20 minutes to reach the far end, from where a backward glance unveiled the spectacular beauty of the long Kampung Nelayan beach. Breathtaking would be an apt description of Mother Nature’s sweet smile.

A Time To Recuperate

The magnificence of this part of Teluk Kumbar is beyond the reach of literary expressions. Every man, woman and child should have such an experience once in a lifetime.

The sea, the swaying coconut palms, rustic setting and the gradual setting sun is an elixir of life. This restful place is surely a natural balm for a tired body and mind.

Sometimes in the race on the road to fame and fortune, one forgets that an individual needs more than just the trappings of wealth and modern amenities.

The sights and sounds of Kampung Nelayan in Teluk Kumbar may have escaped the attention of many out-of-towners but they are some of Penang’s finest treasures that any tourist can enjoy without burning a hole in his pockets.

An erstwhile visitor can confidently describe Kampung Nelayan as a traveller’s haven at journey’s end. It is a pleasantly surprised visitor’s wish that the fishing village retains its unique personality for a long time. All of us need to escape to such places for a stint of relax-and-recuperation at regular intervals in our lives.

The real secret to cheap family vacations is to be opportunistic. When a friend offers you their cabin on the lake, say yes. Can you have as much fun at the cheaper, closer amusement park? Then that’s where you need to be. Do the kids like the idea of cooking dinner over a campfire? Drive right on by that reastaurant. Find out what everyone really enjoys. It’s sad to spend MORE on a trip for LESS enjoyment.

Examples Of Cheap Family Vacations

In Michigan, and many other places, you can find reasonable motels on the beach. Cheaper, and usually more scenic, are the numerous campgrounds on the beaches of Lakes Michigan, Superior, and Huron. You can find these in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and in Ontario, Canada. Below are a couple beach-based vacation ideas.

Treasure Hunting Vacations

Two metal detectors will cost less than a few nights with the family in a hotel. Why not camp near a ghost town or beach, and spend your days hiking, exploring, and hunting buried treasure? We always find interesting things when we take our metal detector to the beach. The kids will love the adventure, and when they get bored with digging up quarters, they have swimming nearby.

Beachcombing Vacations

This is cheap, and the whole family can enjoy it. You can find all sorts of things washed up on the beaches of the Great Lakes and the Oceans. In Michigan, we used to find bouys, parts of houses, and light bulbs. The light bulbs actually worked, a mystery solved years later when a sailor told me they throw them overboard for target practice. We were finding the ones that escaped the bullets.

We also found chunks of coal that had fallen off freighters. We burned them in the campfire. We found balloons with messages attached, sea shells, fossil rocks, odd-shaped driftwood, pieces of styrofoam big enough to use as rafts, and - you get the point.

Camping Vacations

If your family is willing to live in tents for a few days, or if you already own an RV, camping is the cheapest of cheap family vacations. We recently stayed at Williams Landing in Florida for eight days. We stalked alligators, watched armadillos walk through camp, saw a dozen other forms of wildlife, and sat around the fire trading stories with new friends from England and Texas every night. The cost, including the hot showers: zero. Woodall’s catalog, available at any big RV dealer has listings of free campgrounds.

Other Cheap Family Vacations

How about a Montana testicle festival? Festival vacations can keep the whole family happy. You’ll usually find carnival rides, music, events, contests, and more. By the way, Montana’s testicle festivals are billed as family events, but good luck trying to get the kids to eat the “Rocky Mountain Oysters.”

Boondocking is all about parking your recreational vehicle where you don’t have to pay. If you aren’t sure that kids will enjoy being in the middle of nowhere, find a ghost town or other treasure hunting locale. In Arizona, an old Mayan Indian showed us where to look for arrowheads, semi-precious stones, and ancient pottery. The desert is a great place to escape to in the winter, and treasure hunting is cheap vacation as well.

There are many more cheap family vacations, and many ways to keep any vacation cheaper. Stock the cooler with 25 cent pop instead of paying pop-machine prices. Keep the kids full on healthy snacks to avoid restaurants. Be an opportunistic vacationer.

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. For more cheap vacation ideas, and to read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com

Rituals and superstitions

THE Chinese believe that certain practices or rituals performed during Chinese New Year will ensure good fortune and a smooth-sailing year to come.

They believe that “prevention is better than cure” and if it is predicted that a person’s horoscope clashes with certain elements in the New Year, then that individual would be advised to undergo certain religious rituals to avoid bad luck.

These can be carried out in temples by the head of a family, to cast out bad luck that had befallen his family members in the previous year, and to bring good fortune in the coming year.

Temple staff will perform the rituals as requested by those who come to pray for health, safety, protection and harmony in the home and at the workplace.

The different clan houses observe their own unique practices during the 15-day celebrations but generally there are common practices adopted by all.

Festive Wishes

On the first day of the New Year, lion dances are performed to “invite” health, wealth and harmony. Lion dance troupes perform in homes, organisations or shops to the clash of cymbals and rhythm of drums.

Red lanterns and yellow pineapple decorations are hung at doorways for good luck. Red (hoong) is a most auspicious colour, a symbol of good luck and fortune while yellow (wang) is a royal colour as well as a sign of prosperity and luck.

Temples are busy for all the 15 days as devotees come to pray to the various deities for good business, peace and love, for offsprings, wealth and protection.

Changing of one’s luck (chuen wan) is also a common practice whereby the master will write down the devotee’s name on a piece of paper. The devotee will then follow the master and walk around the temple in circles.

Symbolic Acts

On the second day, married women visit their parent’s home to offer good wishes and on the fourth day, devotees will ignite stoves, prepare candles, incense, joss paper, fruit, wine and food to offer to the Gods as a “welcome home” gesture.

The seventh day is People’s Birthday, a day of renewal when everyone will feast on yu shen, a colourful raw fish salad that is mixed at the table by diners who will toss everything high while shouting “loh sang” or “loh hei”.

The ninth day is a special day for the Fujien community who pray to give thanks to the Jade Emperor on his birthday. The ceremony starts on midnight of the eighth day. Offerings include cakes and sugarcane as hiding in fields of sugarcane protected the Fujiens from certain extermination generations ago.

Hopes & Beliefs

Chap Goh Meh or the 15th Day is also known as the “Chinese Valentine’s Day”. It is celebrated with firecrackers, a grand meal for family members, offering of thanksgiving prayers and praying to the God of Prosperity.

On this day, unmarried girls are encouraged to throw mandarin oranges into the sea or river. The ditty, “dim kum, keh ho ang” in Fukien dialect means “throw an orange, marry a good husband”.

In temples, the Tua Pek Kong urn containing sandalwood and joss sticks is fanned until it catches fire. Businessmen believe that if the vision of a tiger or dragon is seen in the flames, the year ahead for them will be filled with good fortune. Devotees will also release live fish, tortoises, birds or insects to signify freedom and life anew.

Common Practices

The giving of ang pau (red packets containing money) by married folks is something that children and single people look forward to with glee. The practice, which also includes the giving of ang pau by bosses to their employees, symbolises “good blessings for both the receiver and giver”.

On the eve of New Year, shops and other businesses close early so that everyone can go home for the reunion dinner. An auspicious date will be picked for the reopening of the business, usually after the second day.

Auspicious Symbols

The Chinese are a superstitious lot who believe that by eating food with “auspicious names” like har or prawns (laughter), ho si or oysters (good things), bao yu or abalone (guaranteed fortune), they will be rewarded likewise.

Apart from food, there are also auspicious fruit and plants. Kat (lime) trees signify good luck while kum (mandarin oranges) sound like gold.

Peonies and plum blossoms bring beauty, romance and purity, chrysanthemums are for longevity, plum blossoms for luck, narcissus for purity, orchids and lotuses for virtue

Festival Taboos

Just as there are good luck rituals, there are also those like the following that are said to bring bad luck.

1. Don’t quarrel and speak harsh words.

2. Don’t wear dark or black clothes, as black means death.

3. Don’t sweep the floor as it will sweep away good luck from the house.

4. Don’t give a present of shoes, sharp items or weapons as these mean bad luck or intention.

Located in the Andeas, Ecuador is a land of intrigue for travelers. Travel to Ecuador and you can trek the Amazon, climb volcanoes, or loaf on beautiful beaches. Perhaps the biggest reason to travel to Ecuador is a visit to the famous Galapagos Islands. Regardless of your preference, the following attractions are all worth a look.

Quito

A hot bed of colonial architecture, Quito is the capital of Ecuador. The city is considered one of the most beautiful in South America with architecturally masterpieces of white washed buildings with red tile roofs. For those living in large cities, you will be shocked by the lack of neon in Quito.

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the climate is an eternal spring throughout the year. The Avenue of the Amazons, “Avenida Amozonas”, is a bustling area with outdoor cafes and good people watching. Ecuador has economic problems, so watch out for pickpocket thieves.

Avenue of the Volcanoes

South of Quito, the Avenue of the Volcanoes is a must see. Running down each side of the valley are mountain peaks dotted with dormant volcanoes. Small villages throughout the valley give the area an old world vibe.

Galapagos Islands

Darwin and the Galapagos Islands. Galapagos Islands and Darwin. The two are inseparable. Roughly 600 miles off the mainland, the Galapagos consist of 13 islands with exotic wildlife. You can reach the islands by flying into San Cristobal or take a boat ride to the major islands such as Isabela. At last check, entrance to the islands required a $100 permit.

San Lorenzo Railway

If you’re looking for a new experience, try a ride from San Lorenzo Railway to Ibarra. The trip runs through picturesque scenery, but it the train that is most interesting. The train is actually a bus converted for the tracks! Only in Ecuador!

Ecuador has much to offer travelers looking for something off the beaten path. While the Galapagos Islands are amazing, the rest of the country has much to offer.

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of travel writing journals. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read travel articles and travelogues.

If you’re looking for an adventurous and safe way to enjoy yourself, consider sailing vacations. With a variety of locations and packages, sailing vacations call to the explorer in everyone.

Sailing vacations are offered in such diverse spots as the Great Lakes, Maine, the Caribbean and India. No matter your inclinations, you should be able to find a location that will call to your soul.

Sailing vacations can be as luxurious or as spartan as you wish. With no sailing experience, you would need a crewed boat. Even with experience, you may want the freedom to just enjoy the breeze as you glide over the water, without having to worry about making the boat do that gliding.

If you’re experienced and enjoy the challenge of sailing, then a barebones charter may be the thing for you. Barebones is a boat that is fully supplied with everything you need except a crew. Sailing vacations using a barebones package will be a bit more work and less pricey.

What if you want the barebones experience but have never set foot on a sailboat? Many sailing vacations are offered with lessons, so that you can become certified or at least experienced enough to take out your own boat. If you enjoy sailing, this may be the type of gift to yourself that just keeps on giving.

Other options include sailing vacations that provide the crew but invite guests to work alongside them, handling the sails and riggings.

So, what can you expect with sailing vacations? What should you take? What costs will there be? These questions vary from company to company. Be sure to look for information about food. How is food handled? Who provides it? If this is a crewed ship, does the crew cook? Do you have a responsibility for feeding them? Sailing vacations will be much more fun with a full stomach, especially if you know in advance who is expected to do the cooking.

Make sure you find out before your trip what clothing is appropriate. While sailing vacations in the Caribbean will likely be much warmer than some other locales, being on open water may be significantly cooler than you’d expect.

Other questions to ask of the outfitter or sailing company include how many people will comfortably fit on the boat? What are the sleeping accommodations? This is important to know. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, it may ruin your sailing vacations.

What facilities are there? How do you take care of waste? While these are very basic questions and not something most people want to think about, knowing ahead of time will help ensure all your sailing vacations are fun, not drudgery.

What emergency procedures are in place in case of a problem? While the likelihood is nil of a company letting you sail out with the threat of a hurricane, Mother Nature likes to shake things up once in a while and sailing vacations aren’t immune. Is there more than one radio? How many batteries? Life preservers? Flotation devices? Emergency rations? No, this isn’t the most enjoyable topic when considering a vacation, but it’s one that is vital to your continued good health.

Finally, be sure to compare companies at
Logon Sailing
or a similar site when looking at sailing vacations. Look at professional and former client reviews, find out each company’s safety ratings. While you may not want to pay top dollar for your adventure, neither do you want a bottom of the barrel company if it’s not one with a good proven record.

No matter what option you choose, sailing vacations can provide the adventure of a lifetime.

If you enjoyed this article see more sailing information at http://www.salingfever.com and http://www.salingdaily.com

Would you like to spend nights at the most beautiful, most exciting and most unforgettable places?

Would you like to constantly receive TOP Insider Tips from natives, whose are really well versed - and this totally free of charge?

Would you like to save 50 to 80% of your usual overnight expenses?

If you answered one or all above questions with “YES”, read on ; -)

Did you know that the youth hostels were “invented” in the year 1909 by Richard Schirrmann, Germany?

Did you further know that ever more adult and “smart” people firmly build hostels into their travel planning to get hold of the benefit from advantages which they would not receive with usual hotels?

The hostels in Germany offer far more to you than a low-priced accommodation.

Getting to know each other and intercultural meetings are motivating again and again not only grades, groups of children and young people, but also families, seminar organizers and many interested single travellers to consciously experience their spare time in a youth hostel.

Tolerance towards the other one, the helpfulness, open dialogue, and a strong environmental awareness make the hostels in Germany for its guests an unusual and experience-rich destination.

Beside small cosy old buildings or the experience in castles and residences you also find many houses in scenic delightful environments as well as in large cities.

At first sight it has even the appearance at some, that it would be a 5-star luxury hotel. But after all if you ask for the conditions you experience that you have been landed in a fantastically beautiful youth hostel and will feel at ease in the time of your stay.

Whatever you are looking for - whether conference atmosphere, sport possibilities, school experiences without classroom, or a particularly for families co-ordinated equipment - with the hostels in Germany you’ll find the fitting for you.

By the way, between youth hostels and schools exists a long active tradition. You find more about this on my page about the actual developed history of youth hostels at www.smart-travel-germany.com/youth-hostels.html.

Anyhow, it is important for them that they do not only offer touristic attractions. The youth hostels above all attach also importance to obtain conscious travel. The social, economic and ecological consequences of a blind mass tourism are very conscious to them. Therefore, you will still get expert consultation and insider knowledge, and all this free of charge. Fits somehow to my website concept

Good. Most hostels in Germany are located at places, from which you can discover a lot of beautiful things. Whether it is on a mountain from which you have a fantastic view, or in the country, where you can get to know the very German life, or in the middle of a city, where you can admire the attractive and historical points of interest.

There are even youth hostels with extensive wellness supply! By some I am inclined to call them Secret Resorts. (More about Secret Resorts and how to find them in my specific 4-part article or on my website)

If you however attach great importance to comfort, you should better book your accommodation in a hotel. In the youth hostels often no or little service is offered. Service you usually get in hotels.

Moreover, in Bavaria are lodgings which offer overnight stays only for humans up to 26 years. That is, they proverbially concentrate on the youth. You will find however sufficient others in which is also offered a cosy bed to adults.

Today we have youth hostels in the whole world (I even had the time of my life in the hostel of New York City!). You will however see, feel, and smell that the origin of hostels was developed in Germany.

Now still a few numbers of Germany Hostels: world-wide there are more than 4,000 youth hostels in 65 countries, whereby more than 600 alone in Germany. You need a membership card in order to be able to stay overnight there, which costs only 20 EUR per year and is world-wide valid! More than half of the 1.7 million members in Germany are adults. The average cost per night is somehow between 10 and 25 EUR. So you save a lot of money, don’t you?

You find more details on the official website of the German Youth Hostel Association.

However, I wish you a lot of fun on your journeys!

Marcus Hochstadt
© Copyright www.smart-travel-germany.com, All Rights Reserved
You may use this article in its entirety with the Author Bio and links.

Marcus Hochstadt travels extensively to countries, continents and Germany itself as a sales manager and entrepreneur since more than 14 years. He knows in almost each German city the points of real interest. In his free monthly Special Report at http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/smart-travel-guide.html he reveales more valuable insider tips and travel secrets.

We are now designing high-energy airborne lasers small enough to put into fighter aircraft. The device would be the size of a large refrigerator laid on its side. This will help us when we go to war with China, because they have 8000 plus fighter aircraft and we have maybe 500 or less. So in other words we will not have enough missiles to shoot them all down. So having on board lasers is a good idea. But if we are using chemical lasers we will need places to store compressed gases that will be used for the lasers, such as Argon or CO2. Yet in most fighters we have limited space for such storage and if we use drop tanks that will take away our ability to maintain stealth in the battlespace, so we need to think about putting these tanks inside the wings of the aircraft.

As long as we have chemical lasers onboard we might also think about using the chemical gas lasers to create mini-tornadoes or eddies above the wings to increase lift. If we store the gas in the outer wings of the aircraft they will stay cool due to the ambient air at altitude. Storing the gas in the fuselage may be problematic due to the heat of the engines, as the gases are volatile and we do not wish to use aircraft or UAVs to accidents unnecessarily. We also need to consider complete expenditure of these gases while airborne because one rough landing aboard the Aircraft Carrier and the whole thing could go up. After all we are just now being able to trust our UAVs to land on the ship with their arresting gear out. So we need to be thinking here.

“Lance Winslow” - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs