How To Plan Your Own Golf Vacation

How To Plan Your Own Golf Vacation
By NamSing Then

Playing golf is one of the passionate hobbies of the upper echelons of the society. Sometimes these people take a few days off their busy schedule and visit Golf courses or villas elsewhere in the country to enjoy the pleasures of playing Golf over there. They hardly mind packing off and traveling hundreds of miles just to play Golf; because they love Golf Vacation.

There are many places in US, which offer exotic Golf vacation, the list seems to be endless. From Palm Springs in California, Austin and Barton creek in Texas, Biloxi in Mississippi, Las Vegas in Nevada, Brooksville, Dayton Beach, Orlando, Miami and a dozen more in Florida there are several others located in different States of US.

There are clubs and organizations that specialize in offering Golf package tours and vacations. They take care to provide everything right from lodging, fixing tee times and arranging car rentals. Infact, you can select from over 600 Golf courses at over 250 different resorts and hotels. All you have to do is just get an online quote after you decide.

Plan your entire trip, in four easy steps
1.Select your destination
2.Select your hotel
3.Select your golf course
4.Optionally select your car rental
You can compare the prices of different packages and choose that which suits you best.

Of course, some would love to play Golf built on seaside shores as in Vero Beach, Florida which is a most charming coastal town. Here, Grand Harbor is a private, gated community golf course offering a wide variety of world-class amenities.

Its not only professionals who go on golf vacations, but even beginners who want to learn the game go one vacations to America's favorite Golf Schools, offering two, three and five day packages at over 50 locations across the United States. Every year, thousands of student graduates over 20 years passing out, these students return season after season to refine their playing skills, relax and enjoy the amenities that many of these locations have to offer. These clubs have dedicated teaching staff who sincerely care to teach and improve your golf playing skills. Their relaxed teaching structure lets you work and also have fun at your own pace, whatever your age or level of ability be Beginners and intermediates are just as welcome as low handicappers. Some of these clubs even offer discounts for senior citizens (60+) and military personnel. They can offer specialized private lessons and have golf schools for women, beginners and juniors.

In general, a Golf vacation could be as exciting and thrilling as any other vacation say to the sea-shore or mountains or water falls.

NamSing Then is a regular article contributor on many topics. Be sure to visit his websites Golf Vacation Resources, Golf And Spa Vacation and Orlando Golf Vacation

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You Don't Need to Be Crazy But It Helps

You Don't Need to Be Crazy But It Helps
By Raymond Strachan

Life throws up some challenges, but often it is only when you are in a situation where you have no other choice, do you rise to meet the challenge. And so, it is only when yo are thrown headlong into driving on European roads do you throw away anything that resembles sanity and go with the flow. If you are not up to it, stay at home in your bedroom slippers and stay safe and sane.

I chose to meet this particular challenge and now I have almost graduated from the European school of driving? I almost have all the requirements:

• I sit in the seat that passengers sit in in Australia
• I overtake on double lines
• I almost always ignore stop signs
• I always drive over the speed limit
• I park across car parking spaces but never in them
• I almost never indicate when changing lanes in traffic
• I push into traffic when I don't have right of way
• When passing just about anything, I always just miss them, especially babies in prams and little old ladies with walking sticks.
• I drive down one way streets
• I drive down a street just on the speed limit, the street being wide enough to take a Fiat Panda with the side mirrors folded in and I am in a Renault Megane and manage to stop in the case of an unsuspecting householder who happens to leave the house via the front door
• I cross busy intersections and as I go just miss, in order
  • A little old lady with a walking stick crossing 5 meters away from a pedestrian crossing
  • A Fiat panda stopped in the middle of the intersection while the driver, out of the passenger side window, talks to a man who has a barking dog on an extendable leash
  • Another motorist taking a short cut across the intersection on the wrong side of the road
  • A police car parked 2 meters away from the kerb
  • A 17th century arch which was built to ensure easy movement of two way traffic - on donkeys.
  • (did not see the baby in a pram.)

Now whilst this may seem impressive, I have still some of the most crucial skills yet to master. They are skills adopted from the days of gladiatorial contests in the Colosseum and refined over time to suit modern day Europe, the time of European unification. The passing of these skills are akin to initiation ceremonies where young inexperienced tyros are put through the mill, sometimes to the point of death, just to prove they can cut it in the real world.

The skills I have yet to master are:

• Overtaking on bends
• Overtaking on bends on mountainous roads
• Overtaking on bends on mountainous roads with cars coming in the other direction
• Overtaking on bends on mountainous roads with trucks coming in the other direction
• Overtaking on bends on mountainous roads with trucks coming in the other direction whilst the trucks are passing other trucks.
• Doing all of the above (including the first list) whilst talking on a mobile phone and lighting a cigarette simultaneously
• Oh yes, just in case you did not realise - the one way street the wrong way - of course.
• Doing all of the above without attracting the attention of the Cabinieri or the undertakers.

At least in Old Europe you do all of this in a nearly new car, with climate control air con and an over riding traffic update service which will cut in on your easy listening greatest hits of the seventies, eighties and nineties or your favourite cd by Jack Johnson or Cold Play. Cruise control is absolutely obsolete because you are overtaking and braking every 30 seconds or so. I am sure they are working on an I want to overtake NOW! mode to make it usable again..

In Turkey or some of the old eastern bloc countries you are more likely to be doing exactly the same in some rust bucket with brakes that barely work, a cracked windscreen and a couple of springs coming out of the seating. The one saving grace is that some enterprising mechanic will have got twice the performance out of the car than what it originally had. Especially if it's a taxi. But then they will have disconnected the meter to make sure that performance is not impeded.

Now, having reached a reasonable level of expertise, I have only five or six days to get the necessary skills and I think I can do it . There is just one problem area which I have not mentioned so far which I, like most Australians, will struggle with. It is the ability to be able to let other drivers do all the things that I have been talking about, to you, as often as you do it to them and do it most of the time with grace and humour, or at least tolerance. It's going to be tough.

See you on the roads in Australia!

Raymond Strachan loves life and tries to give it 110% at least 91% of the time. A quick look at the calculator will comfirm a 100% total. He has an off centre view on just about anything as can be seen in his travel blog, http://www.booknblog.com.

View the original blog plus pics of his experience here.

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24 Hours in Fukuoka City Travel Journal

24 Hours in Fukuoka City - Travel Journal
By Anndrea Law

I visited a good friend, Keiko, in Fukuoka recently. It was my first long vacation since I started working.

Tenjin StationUpon arriving at Fukuoka City, we placed my luggage in a locker at Tenjin train station, and headed to a traditional garden called Yusentei. There, we had the view of the Japanese garden to ourselves while enjoying matcha (green tea). The path in the garden led you right up to the edge of the water, and was ornamented with a small waterfall. The name of the vila is indeed apt: friendship-fountain-restplace.

Yusentei Japanese Villa

After Yusentei, we walked to the city's popular public park with a big lake. There was another park that Keiko wanted to show me, but we could not find the place. So we decided to have lunch and stumbled into a street with a character that reminded me of my place in Barcelona's Sierra district: safe, upper class and good food.

Lunch at El Bacharro

As if in reminiscence of my memory, we settled for a restaurant that serves food from Valencia called El Bacharro. I had vegetable with cheese and anchovies 'fondue', a popular dish of the house. The place was small but everything was carefully placed. We were particularly intrigued by the carefully camouflaged toilet entrance, which was no more than a flat wooden plank that ran across the concrete wall.

Western Food in Japan

According to Keiko, western cuisine is expensive in Japan, as Japanese food would be in most other cities. So during my stay, I was reated to western delicacies a la Japanese style a few times, e.g. the cheesecake that Keiko's parents bought from their weekend trip to an onsen (hot spring), and citrus muffins at a flower garden.

Court House

After lunch, we visited the courthouse, where Keiko frequented when she was still an working as a legal assistant. She tried hard to find a hearing that I would attend, but there was none that was not already in session or has ended. Still, it was interesting to see how open the courthouse is to the public. Anyone could walk in and sit into a hearing and the place resembled more of a hospital than a courthouse.

Cultural District

From the courthouse, we headed to a cultural district lined with museums, shops and temples. It was interesting to see the traditional sweets that Keiko gave me as a gift when she visited my home last summer.

We played with the traditional toys. There was one called Pabo, or something that mimicked the sound it made. It was a magical wooden book that clapped continuously once you set it in motion. The toy still rings vividly as I think about it now. Perhaps I should have bought one like Keiko said. But then we agreed that she would buy it for my first-born.

The porcelain artiste was in the musuem today. He was affable and chatty. We asked him to recommend a place to visit. He checked the time and replied that there was a Buddhist temple nearby that was still open for another hour. There, we could go through a test to see if we would go to heaven.

Buddhist Temple

The test was a journey into a dark passage way behind the alter of a big Buddha carved out of cypress. If you groped along the walls and touched a metal ring, then you are going to heaven. Silly as it may sound, I felt a real sense of cleansing after the test. For in the pitch blackness, ironically, it was as if someone shone a bright light into my soul. There was no way I could hide from my deepest conscience. (Of course, if you are wondering, Keiko and I are going to heaven.)

Canal City

We headed next to the glittering material world of Canal City, a popular mall with canals not unlike the Venice wannabes in Las Vegas. Watching the sunset unfold on the panoramic window of the cafe, Sweet Museum, we knew it was time to go home.

The author is an avid traveller and amateur photographer.To view the above article with accompanying photographs and to see more photo-journals, please visit http://viewmesomefreejournals.blogspot.com

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23 Lanzarote Attractions Rancho Texas Western Theme Park

23 Lanzarote Attractions - Rancho Texas, Western Theme Park
By John Plumb

Rancho Texas is located on the outskirts of Puerto del Carmen and on one of our many trips recently, we decided to spend a day out their with the children. Rancho Texas features amongst its attractions, an Indian amphitheatre where we witnessed a stunning display in falconry, a Nature Park where our children watched and even played with some of the animals, a Goldmine Where the big water-wheel runs water to gold-bearing sands and where the children can try to find hidden treasure and an Indian Village where they took a ride in an Indian canoes and visited the Tepees.

If youre looking for somewhere for the adults, then why return when they host one of the now legendary Rancho Texas Country and Western Nights.

We started our visit in the Nature Park, host to a wide variety of Animals and Birds. This area includes The Opera- A round enclosure with a great variety of singing birds where you can experience amazing sounds, The Promenade of colour with its sensational variety of birds and colours, Liliput Farm, where the children held the worlds smallest farm animals and saw much larger ones in the form of Turtles, Iguanas, Armadillos and Prairie dogs.

Before we could finish, we were attracted to crowd gathering in the Indian Amphitheatre (one of three live shows we would witness on the day). Once we settled down, the guide entertained us with a fantastic falconry demonstration, part of which involves the falcons flapping people on the head with thweir huge wings as they swoop from high gantries to the central stage.

After this, we took the children to the Indian Village to calm them down a bit. Our youngest (4 at the time) played in the Tepees, paddled a Canoes and found Treasure having followed the water from the big water-wheel to the gold-bearing sands. Our eldest (9 at the time) thought it was too young for him but agreed to look after his brother and clearly enjoyed himself, although he denied it at the time.

Next we were attracted to the restaurant area as we were informed that a second show would start in 15 minutes time. Like everyone else, we decided this would be a good time to have something to eat and drink and were surprised to see our Falconry expert helping out behind the food counter (we assumed he had washed his hands !). This would not be our last meeting, as he hosted the Parrot show whilst we had lunch. Another good show and some great pictures for the family.Our two boys wanted to let off some steam, so we let them play for a short while in the adventure play area, before going back to complete out tour of the animals.

Our third show of the day, was to be the best. Our expert returned (clearly multi-talented) and decided hed jump into a pit with the Alligators. He then crept up behind one of them and played with it (in case youre wondering, he has very quick reflexes). Toward the end of the show he decided to jump on the Alligator and sis finale involved holding the Alligators mouth closed between his chin and his chest some show !

The children were as amazed as we were and it just about rounded off a great day out and fantastic value at 14 Euros per adult and 9 Euros for the children (under twos are free).One of the most modern of Lanzarotes attractions, Rancho Texas, still has an element of the Manrique influence, with 60,000 m of theme park, designed with the utmost respect to the ambience and everything built with natural materials such as stones and wood.

At night the place comes alive with the Rancho Texas Country and Western Night, legendary in these parts. A party night for the whole family and the entertainments team (yes he was back), kept everyone entertained with Live Music and Line Dancing and special entertainment for the Kids. You can eat as much of the American Food, BBQ and Desserts as you like and enjoy free-flowing Beer, Sangria and Soft Drinks.Adults: 44,00 Children 2-12 years : half price Children to 2 years: free

and finally, if you want to Discover Lanzarote on horseback, Rancho Texas also has riding stables. Why not plan your day to include a trek on this wonderful island (three hour trek to the beach, for experienced riders only @ 54 or a One hour trek, no experience needed @ 21).

John Plumb, frequent visitor to Lanzarote, a place that is now my 'home from home' having taken the plunge into villa ownership on the island - See http://www.villa-rochelle.co.ukJohn is also the administrator of the Lanzarote Villa Owners Club @ http://www.lanzvillaowners.com.

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21 Exciting Maui Activities

21 Exciting Maui Activities
By Scott Grover

There are a multitude of reasons to choose Maui for your next vacation destination. It could be to enjoy its 30 plus world-class beaches, experience its breath-taking vistas including incredible sunrises and sunsets, discover a tropical paradise, or to just relax and get away from it all. Part of Mauis lure is that it offers such a wide variety of activities, many family-oriented. Below Ive summarized 21 exciting Maui activities available to its visitors in no particular order.

1. Sunrise at Haleakala Crater. There's only one way to see the sunrise and that's at Haleakala Crater in Maui. Its an experience that is truly difficult to describe because of its stunning beauty. You begin to sense the magnitude of it when you see a photograph, but its something that you have to experience to really appreciate.

2.Biking Down Haleakala. We have seen two wonderful sunrises at Haleakala on two separate trips to Maui. Both times we drove (up and) back in our rental vehicles. Unfortunately, biking down Haleakala has never made it into our agenda. So we have now officially added it to our Maui Activities Wish List.

3.The Road to Hana. The drive on the Road to Hana is an experience of a lifetime. Along the way on this 60 mile winding trek you will see some of the worlds most beautiful rain forests, water falls, and enjoy some of the most gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean.

4.The Seven Sacred Pools (formally called Ohea Gulch). Almost everyone who takes the Road to Hana ends up at the Seven Sacred Pools. Waterfalls connect each pool, and the last pools waterfall empties into the Pacific Ocean. Legend has it that swimming in each pool (in order from one to seven) will bring the swimmer good luck.

5.Snorkeling in Maui. Change your view of the island to an underwater perspective by snorkeling in Maui. There are countless places to snorkel here with amazing views of marine life of all kinds.

6.Sugar Cane Train. If you (or your kids) love trains this inexpensive Maui activity is a must! Circling from Lahaina to Puukolii and back, a ride on the Sugar Cane Train will show you all the beauty of Maui from the coach car of an unforgettable real working historic steam engine. The conductor is more than knowledgeable. He's practically a one man show complete with ukulele and musical repertoire!

7.Maui Ocean Center. This was a great day activity to do with your kids. The Maui Ocean Center offers many hands-on activities that our kids loved. The three-acre marine park hosts more than 60 interactive exhibits, an outdoor central courtyard, two restaurants and the Maui Ocean Center Store.

8.Sightseeing on Front Street. A shoppers paradise! Quaint shops, restaurants and historical spots line Front Street in Old Lahaina. Our favorite discovery was the Bubba Gump's Shrimp Shop and Restaurant.

9.Sandcastle Contest Day. An activity the whole family can participate in is a Sandcastle Contest Day on Kaanapali Beach. Our kids have a ball building tunnels and mountains and the adults take the challenge very seriously!

10.Horseback Riding. You don't have to be a cowboy to enjoy some of the best horseback riding you'll ever experience. You're in Maui - which means you are riding in the some of the most beautiful countryside that you can imagine. Our ride took us through pineapple fields and a rainforest.

11.Parasailing. If you can handle being a human kite and enjoy the silence and peacefulness of gliding 500 feet above the ocean (except for the whisper of a light breeze), parasailing is a must-do Maui activity for you.

12.Scuba Diving. If you are looking for an experience of a lifetime and you want to experience a side of Maui many people miss, Maui Scuba Diving is the way to go. It is not uncommon, on a Maui scuba diving experience, to have water visibility around 100 feet, and it is sometimes better than 150 feet!

13.Golfing. Whether you're the casual golfer that hits the links three or four times a year or the avid golfer that never misses a weekend, you simply will not be disappointed with your morning (or afternoon) of Maui golf. There are over 180 courses in Maui to choose from -- besides the fact that you'll be playing in arguably one of the most scenic places in the world.

14.Helicopter Tours. Several companies offer a variety of Maui helicopter tours that can include viewing some or all of the following: the West Maui Mountains, the island of Molokai (just west of Maui), waterfalls and beaches of East Maui including the Seven Sacred Pools and Haleakala Crater. A bird's eye view of Maui is nothing less than spectacular.

15.ATV/Quad Tours. Not only can you hike parts of Haleakala Crater, you can also now take an ATV/quad tour of this scenic place.

16.Submarine Adventures. If you don't like to scuba dive, you don't have to miss the beauty of Maui's oceanscape and marine life when you are in a submarine with a view.

17.Jet Skiing. If you have enjoyed jet skiing anywhere else, just add Mauis unsurpassed beauty to the thrill of the ride and you start to get an idea of how fun it would be to jet ski in Maui.

18.Kayaking. This is an activity that is not only environmentally friendly but will also give you a good cardio workout.

19.Jeep Tour. Rent a jeep or other four wheel drive vehicle for an enjoyable excursion around the southern and western end of Maui. Most visitors to Maui don't take advantage of this scenic tour. You will see two of the most recent Haleakala lava flows that reached the ocean, dating back less than 500 years to 800 years old.

20.Cave Exploration. Explore some of the worlds largest lava tubes.

21.Surfing on Mauis North Shore. Surf enthusiasts from all over come here to ride some of the biggest waves in the world.

This is by no means a complete list of Maui activities, but it should give you a good idea why Maui has become our number one vacation destination.

This article was written by Scott Grover who considers himself a Maui enthusiast with three vacations to Maui over the past 9 years (1997, 2000, and 2004), and another family vacation planned there for December 2006. You can read about him and his familys Maui adventures at his website http://www.Barefoot-In-Maui.com

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Hotels Hotels Hotels...Which One Do I Choose!

Hotels Hotels Hotels...Which One Do I Choose!
By Mike Yeager

Hotels in Las Vegas furnish a guest with the excitement, amenities and appeal of this wonderful destination. Everyone has heard of Circus Circus. Its appealing restaurants, theme parks, shops, gaming and the world's greatest circus acts guarantees good fun for everyone. Best of all, it continues to be the value leader on the Las Vegas Strip. The possibilities are unlimited in where to stay, when you play in Las Vegas! Some things to consider when selecting a hotel are its amenities, restaurants, attractions and more. Check out the casinos for games, dining and entertainment.

Hotels like Hilton have the hottest entertainment acts performing nightly. From the nightclub center stage to the world famous theater, only the top acts in show business perform on stage at the Las Vegas Hilton. It has spacious accommodations, which provides you a homey atmosphere and makes you feel like a pampered guest. Heck, you can even enjoy yourself in cheap hotels or discount hotels.

Hotel Marriot ----What I really liked about the room was the huge Jacuzzi tub that you could lay down in. That is ultimate pleasure! There are several restaurants presently at the JW Marriott. The pool is one of the best features at the JW Marriott. It offers a serene environment to host board meetings or romantic weddings, receptions and social affairs. Wedding parties have the opportunity to select a venue sited for rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid's brunches or evening parties when staying at the Marriott.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-vacations-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

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Caribbean Travel Tips

Caribbean Travel Tips
By Gary R

When you are travelling to the caribbean, whether it be Mexico, Cuba, Bahamas, or the Dominican Republic, you will want to be fully prepared so that you can make the most of your trip and your caribbean vacation investment. There are several areas of caribbean travel that you will want to keep in mind.

There are tips that you can keep in mind in areas like booking the vacation, packing, flight, arrival and check-in, resort and hotel, excursions, food, and other general areas.

Here are a few examples of some caribbean travel tips that you will want to keep in mind:

• Try to make an effort to speak a few words in the native language down there. They appreciate it!!
• Anything like mouse for your hair, shampoo, creams etc that may explode in your suitcase on the plane should be packed in plastic bags or alternatively put in your carry on.
• Try to understand that check in may take some time and that depending on the time of arrival rooms may not be ready. Since check-out and maid service must happen before you can check into your room, this is sometimes the case.
• Bring insulated travel mugs for drinks! You will understand this on once you get down there, especially if you hate drinking your alcohol from tiny plastic cups.
• Do try to go on a few excursions off your resort. You will have so much fun and will really get to see much more of the culture of the country. Catamarans are very fun, as are jeep tours. Both are worth the money.
• Drinks made with milk (i.e. pina coladas) should not be consumed in high quantities. Drink these as treats and not as your only drink of choice. The milk acts as a diuretic and can also cause a lot of diarrhea.
• If you are visiting a country where only bottled water is allowed, then make sure you brush your teeth with bottled water and use sanitizer after washing your hands in the washroom. When in the shower, keep your mouth closed at all times and try not to get water around your mouth or in your eyes.

These are just a few caribbean travel tips that will help make your caribbean vacation go smoothly. You can see a full list of over 50 caribbean travel tips by following the link.

Gary R is an executive editor for www.robarspages.ca and wrote this caribbean travel tips article from actual travel experience.

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