Travel and tips

An increasingly important number of visitors are traveling to Dubai each year,on business trips, to attend trade shows and conventions, or for leasure.
In the last nine months of 2007, the number of guests staying in hotels in Dubai rose 7 percent to 5.1 million while hotel occupancy rates rose 4.1 percent to reach 86.9 percent.
In terms of Hotels, Dubai offers a wide array of choices. However the hotelchain brand names, ratings and facilities differ dramatically from the Europeanor the US market. Also the ethnical and cultural variety of Dubai, its geographicalspread and its problematic traffic system, make it easy for you to make the WRONG choiceThere are a ton of websites that offer online hotel room booking for Dubai. But all these websites don’t offer more than the “official blabla” description of the hotelIs is a good hotel for business ? What if I’m attending a trade show ? Do they have working girls in the lobby (Could be a very bad idea if you’re traveling with children) ? Is their cuisine striclty asian ?A group of business travelers united to launch the first “honest” Dubai hotel reviews community at PracticalDubai dot com Dubai hotel reviews.
You can also contribute and send your tips and tricks, do’s and dont’s and help others all free of charge

ChinaVideoTravel is a new type of video travel website that provides an instantaneous online visual exploration of locations and tourist attractions around Shanghai and Beijing with more Chinese location videos and articles being added to the site every week. At the click of a mouse you can read informative articles and view interesting videos about China on just about any topic, like its history, people, produce, travel locations, travel tips, astrology, food, and you can even pick up a few easy to cook and very tasty Chinese recipes.
So far China Video travel has created many online video presentations in many locations in and around Beijing and Shanghai. Our Chinese video travel tours take you to places such as The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City (now known as the Palace museum), Tiananmen Square, The Imperial Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs, and the ultra modern skyline of Shanghai’s new business district Pudong. The many backstreets and Shopping areas of Beijing and Shanghai are a real visual experience and not to be missed and the journey doesn’t stop there as we give you sneak preview video tours of what happens behind the scenes of some of China’s well known industries such as the Jade, Tea, silk, and various Chinese artisan and performance groups, you will be amazed at what the Chinese can do. Care for an online tea tasting?We are continually updating the site with new articles and many more Chinese travel videos of tourist locations and points of interest around China. If you would like to experience life in China (especially Beijing and Shanghai) from the comfort of your own home log onto chinavideotravel.com now, and take yourself on an unforgettable video travel tour throughout China that will help you experience, get to know, and appreciate some of the most fascinating and beautiful things that the Chinese have to offer.

With history and culture as old as civilization itself, China is as complex as the DNA code of each of the 1.3 billion (and counting) Chinese populating the earth. Hence, we will not attempt on a crash course of the Chinese menu, but we will have a taste of its popular and most sought-after offerings.
Forbidden CityConstructed during the Ming and Qing dynasty eras, native Chinese call it Gu Gong while the tourism board and guests alike now call it the Palace Museum. It holds the record for being the largest palace complex in the world, sprawling over 74 hectares of property located at the very heart of Beijing.
A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1987, it served both as a residence and as a seat of power to a total of 24 emperors, fourteen from the Ming dynasty and ten from the Qing dynasty. An imperial palace for a period of almost five centuries, it is composed of two divisions, namely, the Inner Court and the Outer Court. The former is located in the northern half of the compound and used as the royal residence of the emperor and his family while the latter is the southern half and served as the seat of imperial power of the ruler of China.
The Great Wall of ChinaThe Great Wall of China is an ancient fortress with its own history of construction that spans across dynasties from the Western Zhou dynasty in 1100 BC to the Qin dynasty in 206 BC. The citadel that meanders through 6,700 kilometers of mountains and valleys, and grasslands and deserts from west to east, was refurbished and fortified by the Ming dynasty from 1368 to 1644.
A UNESCO World Heritage since 1987, it is one of the world’s greatest wonders and believed to be the only human construction on earth that is visible from outer space. A tourist who has never set foot on the Great Wall has never been to China.
Stone forestSculpted by nature’s own hands, the enchanting Stone Forest located in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County is acclaimed as the First Wonder of the World. It is a group of several patches of limestone formations interspersed with scenic oasis spots covering an area of 96,000 acres.The fabled Stone Forest has a rich collection of legends and myths pertaining to its origin. However, geologists simply say that it used to be an expansive sea which dried up and the result of millions of years of erosion.

A Guide to the Chinatown BusThe word is out—the cheapest way to get from one major U.S. city to another is on the “Chinatown bus”. In recent years this has become transportation option of choice for budget travelers in New York, Washington DC, and Boston, and more recently on the West Coast. Students, backpackers, and an array of other savvy travelers have long loved the rock bottom prices that these bus companies offer. Despite the popularity of these bus lines it can still be difficult to find information on Chinatown bus service. What exactly is a “Chinatown Bus”? Read on and you will have the inside track on this great budget travel option.
Chinatown Bus historyThe Chinatown bus phenomenon began in the late 1990s when an entrepreneur in New York’s Chinatown started running daily bus service from Chinatown in New York to Chinatown in Boston. The service was aimed at Asian immigrants who wanted to shop or visit relatives in either city and needed cheap and convenient transportation. The service was bare bones—no advertising, customer service, or bus stations. Customers simply went to the bus stop, waited for the bus (or van), and paid the driver upon boarding. For those willing to do without frills, they offered virtually the same service as traditional bus companies at a substantially lower price. Before long, the word spread and all kinds of people started using the service. It became especially popular with students, budget travelers, or people for whom the service was simply more convenient. Soon more bus companies duplicated this model and started offering service in other cities. Now you can find this type of bus service in Philadelphia, Virginia, Baltimore Washington DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. At this point the term “Chinatown bus” is used more loosely to describe this sort of low-cost/low-frills service. Many, if not most, of the companies do not have Chinatown as their main location and may not cater to the immigrant population at all. These operators are also sometimes referred to as “curbside” operators. How can tickets be so cheap?$15 between New York to Boston? $25 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles? It seems hard to fathom. Chinatown bus companies are able to keep prices low because they operate in a fundamentally different way from traditional carriers. Foremost, the service is very basic. There is little in the way of customer service or amenities. Most of these operators do not have formal stations, picking up passengers at bus stops instead. They eschew traditional advertising in favor of word of mouth. Further, many of the operators play a very hands-on role in the operation—you will not see idle executives at a small independent bus company. Finally, these operators make sure they fill their buses. That is why Chinatown bus operators usually only operate on heavily trafficked routes. Indeed some companies only run buses at peak times. Are they safe?When these companies first started operating, concerns were raised about safety standards. There is still controversy within the bus industry about whether these newcomers are complying with the same regulations as the traditional companies. However, a task force set up by the Federal government to look at safety issues found that Chinatown bus companies did not perform better or worse than other types of bus companies (ie. charter, tour buses). All bus companies operating in the U.S. must undergo the same inspection standards and must comply with the same rules. Realistically there is probably a range of quality among Chinatown bus carriers. Some are fly-by-night operators trying to make a fast buck, while others are legitimate entrepreneurs who plan to grow and operate a long term business. What you should expect

• No frills service—the driver may be the ticket collector; there will not be a lot of customer service.
• Comfortable buses. Despite the low fares buses are usually quite nice. Most buses are comparable to Greyhound and many are actually more deluxe.
• Communication challenges. Drivers are legally required to speak enough English to help passengers in the case of emergency. In reality this is often adhered to rather loosely. At the very least, expect your driver to have an accent.
• Possible delays. Many of these bus routes are on highly congested roads. When the roads are busy, expect delays.
• Rest stops. Buses will have a lavatory on board but there is usually a 10 or 15 minute bathroom break on trips over 4 hours. Don’t be late returning to the bus, the driver will not count heads before leaving at the appointed time.
• Full buses. Buses definitely sell out at peak times (weekends and evenings). Book ahead or get there early if you want secure a seat.
• Plastic Bags. An odd little quirk on Chinatown buses is that every aisle seat usually has a plastic grocery bag tied to the arm. I guess they find this is the best way to keep the buses clean.

How do I find the Chinatown Bus?Again, “Chinatown bus” is a term used to describe a type of operator and not an individual bus company. Many unrelated bus companies fall into this category. Since most Chinatown buses do not spend money on advertising it can be difficult to find out details about schedules and bus stop locations. Many of the carriers are becoming savvier about the Internet and quite a few have websites with information. Usually an Internet search will yield links to bus service to your destination. There are also several directories, such as chinatown-bus.org that include links for most Chinatown bus companies and the author’s employer, GotoBus.com, is a centralized booking site that has schedules and sells tickets online for most Chinatown bus companies.
The Chinatown bus is not for everyone. If you want an orderly system with American style customer service, you should probably stick to traditional carriers. However, if you know what to expect and come prepared with a sense of adventure and humor, you should enjoy the trip just fine. You will also enjoy the money you save!

Fantastic! What a wonderful place to relax. Just put your wallet, keys and phone in the safe and chill out in Magnificent surroundings The hotel in the resort of Taba Heights, Sinai. The hotel is designed the style of a Nubian Village and really sets the mark in Taba.
The views and grounds are spectacular - you can see Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel at over the gulf of Aqua on the Red sea. At night this is particularly stunning as the mountains take on a red hue reminiscent of sunset at Ayres Rock in Australia. The hotel has its own huge, 500 metre stretch of beach on the Red Sea where you can snorkel straight off the beach amongst the beautiful coral Reef. There’s more than enough sun-lounges (and the hotel was full) and food which is great. The staff are friendly and can’t do enough to help. If you want to go out and party beware! There are hardly any Bars or restaurants out side of the hotel Complexes. However, we were given a dine around card at reception which allowed us to eat in the Neighbouring hotels including the Intercontinental, Sofitel & the Marriott. Most of these hotels were within a 15 minute walk from the Hyatt Regency. Not that you could get bored with the food at the Hyatt there are over 5 restaurants to choose from all with an International theme. One evening we went in to on a Bedouin feast hosted in the desert by the local Bedouins. Where we drank tea, danced, and smoked the customary Shisha pipe. One day during our our stay we went to Water world for the day they have a range of water sports and diving classes for all levels. The underwater scenery was unforgettable. Due to the remoteness’ & tranquillity it is recommended that you take plenty of reading material as the books and Magazines they have on offer in the hotels are limited and Expensive. Overall I can say that this hotel is definitely worthy of its 5star Grading and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to go and really want to relax within a peaceful setting.
I can recommend booking with online company Holiday click who specialise in Taba Egyptian holidays. I found their staff very helpful and knowledgeable. We went in Early July and paid Ј429 for 7 nights half board and were given a free upgrade to sea view on arrival. Holidayclick contact details: www.holidayclick.co.uk 0800 4082009

Located in the heart of the scenic Cotswolds, Cheltenham is a city famous for many things – its horseracing and award-winning gardens being just two of them. Then, of course, you have the Regency architecture of the city centre and the lively shopping district, elements that come together to bring vivacity and life to this Gloucestershire city. Further, the city also proves to be a fine base from which to explore the surrounding Cotswolds, home of gently rolling hills and quaint, charming villages.
Places of interestWhen you come to Cheltenham, you will soon discover that the draw of the city lies in its appearance, for it has long been considered to be one of Britain’s prettiest towns. Accordingly, many of Cheltenham’s places to visit are ones that focus on scenic displays and historic buildings. Some of the most popular tourist destinations are:The Holst Birthplace Museum. Originally the home of the famous composer Gustav Holst (of ‘The Planets’ fame), this Regency home shows life as it was in the Victorian period – and incorporates a working Victorian kitchen.
Pittville Park & Pump Room. The beautiful Park contains two lakes, a golf course and spacious, well-tended lawns, whilst the historic Pump Room contains the drinkable spa waters that originally made Cheltenham famous.
The Imperial Gardens. For almost two hundred years, the gardens have been enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year – not least due to the 25,000 bedding plants used annually to create the extensive floral displays.
Sudeley Castle & Gardens. Located just eight miles outside of Cheltenham, the castle is open during the summer and visitors have the chance to see some of the beautiful paintings and artefacts inside.
The Promenade. Cheltenham’s most famous street boasts pavement cafes, smart shops and an attractive history. Lined with trees and boasting Regency architecture throughout, it is considered to be the most picturesque part of the city.
Things to doDuring your stay in Cheltenham, you’ll discover a pleasing variety of attractions to visit and things to do, whether you’re a family or couple, or just visiting alone. Throughout the year, the city is buzzing with activity, playing host to many festivals and events, such as the Literature Festival. Just a few things to see and do include:Cheltenham Town Hall. The elegant hall plays host to festivals in the city throughout the year, and at the same time stays a concert programme in which the music ranges from the classical to the contemporary.
The Everyman Theatre. This hotspot features a massive variety of live entertainment, where you can watch musicals, comedy, drama and even West End productions on tour.
Cheltenham Racecourse. This world-famous venue is home to plenty of racing during the October to April season. Why not time your visit to coincide with the popular National Hunt Festival in March, or visit the Hall of Fame that relays the history of steeple chasing?Cotswolds Coach Tours. Take the opportunity and join a scenic coach tour in which you’ll join a guide and take in some of the most beautiful views of the English Cotswolds.
Cotswold Farm Park. See history brought to life with numerous animal demonstrations and displays, an ideal place to visit for all the family. There are many rare breeds of farmyard animal from sheep to cattle, waterfowl to horses.
Food & DrinkCheltenham is home to many different types of restaurant, with the focus on quality. Of course, if you’re after something fast and easy, you’ll find plenty of different cafйs and takeaways serving up what you’re looking for, but Cheltenham particularly prides itself on being the home of many stylish eateries. Here are some of the best you can sample:The Scena Bistro. Enjoy one of the finest dining experiences in Cheltenham at this French restaurant, which has a relaxed and welcoming style.
Off the Square Restaurant. Located in Cheltenham’s fashionable Montpellier district, this friendly eatery serves a variety of dishes on the menu, including plenty of old favourites. Eat in style.
Monty’s Seafood Restaurant. Visit and enjoy a flexible menu that offers a range of different seafood. Alternatively, keep it simple and enjoy the stylish accompaniment of oysters with champagne.
The Storyteller Restaurant. Located in the heart of Cheltenham, this Californian restaurant is both welcoming and atmospheric, boasting the famous Mississippi Seafood Platter and the taste bud-teasing Duck from Heaven.
Epicurian. This is one of Cheltenham’s top restaurants, featuring a bistro and wine bar.
Hotels & AccommodationsThere are literally hundreds of places to stay during your visit to Cheltenham, whether you’re looking for a hotel, guesthouse, bed and breakfast or self-catering establishment. Alternatively, other types of accommodation include camping and caravan sites and hostels. Many of the hotels offer special offers and it’s always advisable to search around to find the best deals. Elizabethan manors and country mansions serve as the setting for some of the top hotels in the district.
Kings Arms HotelCheltenham Park HotelGeorge Cheltenham LtdBeaumont HouseMacdonald Queen’s HotelCotswold Grange HotelHotel On The ParkNorth Hall HotelThe Prestbury House Hotel & Oaks RestaurantClarence Court HotelThe Quality Hotel CheltenhamCleeve Hill HotelThistle CheltenhamThe CheltenhamTownhouse HotelLords of the ManorRising Sun HotelWhite Hart InnDe La Bere HotelOaklands Bed and BreakfastEntertainmentThe night life in Cheltenham is completely entertaining with a host of nightclubs and exciting pubs and bars. You’ll find Cheltenham to be a welcoming and friendly city where you’ll always feel safe. If you’re looking for a nightclub, Subtone and Enigma are two of the most popular, with attractive line-ups of events going on all the time; alternatively, if you’re a fan of Hollywood then you’ll discover that the Odeon cinema shows all the latest blockbusters as well as popular British films.
Cheltenham is sometimes called a city within a park, and when you visit, you’ll see why. The architecture of the city itself is beautiful enough, with Regency-period buildings (over two thousand of them listed!) and attractive designs, but the picturesque parks are what make Cheltenham really special. There are lots of tree-lined avenues, plenty of floral displays and many more examples of nature in bloom that give Cheltenham a truly attractive appearance. Combine this with the wealth of activities and places to see, and it’s hard to deny that Cheltenham is one city you really must visit.

So, finally you have found the time for your deserving break. You have already planned what to do on the big trip. Everything seems to be prepared. But what happens when you forget your favorite digicam and you only discovered it when you’re already nearing the point of your destination?Why does it happen that every time you go out of town, you always forget an item or accessory that you only remember after you left the house? If you are lucky, you usually forget small things like a toothbrush, where you can buy one in the nearest store.
But what happens if you forget, for example, your digicam? Or how about your raincoat in a rainy season? How about the travel supplies you usually forget? If you’re lucky, it’s a simple accessory like a toothbrush, which any hotel will have in their gift shop. But what if you forgot a more important product, for example, a rain coat? Or a backpack you’ll be using for a hiking trip? What are all the travel accessories you need? When going on trips, whether it is big or small, check out if you have a complete set of your travel accessories. What accessories should I bring? Among the most obvious are:- Suitcases- Travel clothing- Toiletries-Travel appliances (electric razor, travel alarm, hairdryer)These, however, are just the basic accessories. You will see that the more you travel, the more you need things other than suitcases, toiletries, and travel clothing and appliances. For example, did you think that you should have brought a small nice neck pillow in a long train ride or flight? Or, what if you get bruised from a hiking trip, do you have a first-aid kit close at hand?Here are some accessories that you might want to bring when you take your next trip: - Binoculars- Music player- Mini-flashlight- Camera- Clothing steamer- Mini-umbrella- Luggage rack- Door alarm- First-aid kitIt would not be surprising that you might have additional options to this list, or you might have a list entirely different from the list above. And when you check out stores and Internet sites that sell travel accessories, you would learn that there are many products out there that you thought you never needed but turned out to be the contrary!

For domestic flights, ensure that you check in 2 hours before your flight time. For international flights you should check in 3 hours early. For either type of flights, make sure that you have all your documentation readily available. You will need your ticket, proper identification, and for international flights, your passport and, if required, your visa.
Don’t check in at the last minute. Even if you make the flight, your bag may not. If you miss the airline’s check-in deadline, the carrier might not assume liability for your bag if it is delayed or lost. If you have a choice, select flights that minimize the potential for baggage disruption. The likelihood of a bag going astray increases from #1 to #4 below (i.e., #1 is safest): 1) nonstop flight 2) direct or ‘through’ flight (one or more stops, but no change of aircraft) 3) online connection (change of aircraft but not airlines) 4) interline connection (change of aircraft and airlines) Check with the airline on luggage weight restrictions. Different airlines and different classes of travel have different rules. Be prepared to pay for excess weight. When you check in, remove straps and hooks from garment bags that you are sending as checked baggage. These can get caught in baggage processing machinery, causing damage to the bag. The airline will put baggage destination tags on your luggage and give you the stubs to use as claim checks. Make sure you get a stub for every bag. Don’t throw them away until after you get your bags back and you check the contents. Not only will you need them if a claim is necessary, but you may need to show them to security upon leaving the baggage-claim area. Each tag has a three-letter code and flight number that show the baggage sorters on which plane and to which airport your luggage is supposed to go. Double-check the tag before your bags go down the conveyor belt. (The airline will be glad to tell you the code for your destination when you make reservations or buy your tickets.) Your bags may only be checked to one of your intermediate stops rather than your destination city if you must clear Customs short of your final destination, or if you are taking a connection involving two airlines that don’t have an interline agreement. Be sure all of the tags from previous trips are removed from your bag, since they may confuse busy baggage handlers.
When you get off of the plane, check and see what conveyor belt your luggage will be circling on. Ensure you pay attention and get your own bags. Many bags look alike. You may want to put some sort of identifying ribbon, tape, or band on your bags to make it easy to spot upon arrival.
If you have to go through immigration/customs, ensure that you do not open your suitcases until directed. The immigration officer usually asks a few preliminary questions and determines if you get the “green line” or if you need further checking. Cooperate with the security officer and it should only take a few minutes unless you have something illegal. Be honest on the customs declaration form. Telling lies can get you in some very big trouble.
Once you locate you bags and clear customs, it is time to start enjoying your vacation.

When traveling on a budget, one of the most often asked questions is whether it is best to travel independently, reserving your own airfare, hotel stay and sightseeing reservations, or choose a package tour where everything is set up for you in advance.
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. It is largely dependent on the location you have selected and dates of travel. For instance, travel to European destinations are often less costly to book on your own, especially when the airlines are running specials of European airfares in the off-season. On the other hand, travel to many exotic locations, like Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, and India, are often much less expensive when booked through a vacation package company or travel agent. That is because these tour operators often have special deals with the national airlines of these companies, and with very nice resort hotels, to provide considerable discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.
For instance, with a little bit of shopping, you can book a vacation package from New York to Egypt for a grand total of $1,100, including airfare, an excellent hotel, daily breakfast, airport transfers, and daily sightseeing tours, including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is far less than you would have paid if you had booked this trip independently.
Similar deals exist for other locations, notably India, China, and Taiwan. So be sure to check on the availability of these package deals when shopping for a budget travel deal.
Of course, some great deals can be had on your own as well, and this is often a great way to go, especially if you are a solo traveler. Solo travelers often have difficulty getting those great deals on package deals, since the required single supplement can often ruin the deal. It is also important to find out exactly what is, and what is not included, in any package you are considering. Many package deals have optional excursions built in, and these extras can add considerable cost. Be sure to ask for a detailed daily itinerary to determine if you will be left on your own if you fail to take these optional. Also ask for a detailed list of these optional excursions, including full descriptions and prices, and then carefully compare the total price to what you could find on your own.
If you are traveling on your own, be sure to start shopping early, especially if you are traveling by air. The important thing to remember is that airlines allocate only so many seats for those advertised low fares, and if you fail to act quickly, you may be out of luck. It is important to book the airfare, and the hotel, as early as possible to ensure the lowest possible prices.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to choose a vacation package deal or independent travel is up to each individual traveler. It is important to carefully compare package prices with those for independent travel to the same location. It is also important to consider your own personal travel style. Some people are more comfortable with a packaged tour, particularly to an unfamiliar location, while others relish the freedom from schedules that independent travel provides.

An increasing number of individuals utilize the internet to make travel reservations. Potential travelers often make their arrangements through the company or website offering the lowest prices. Popular sites such as Hotwire offer highly discounted rates on various types of travel packages. However, these types of sites do not disclose certain information such as name of hotel or airline until after the customer has made the non-refundable purchase. Alternative travel agents generally offer similar rates to one another. However, it is possible to save significantly on your travel, vacation packages and entertainment. Every day, thousands of tickets and fares become automatically discounted by companies due to unclaimed or unsold status. Tickets are discounted by travel companies and direct providers for a variety of reasons such as unclaimed status, unsold status, discontinued status, midnight fare recalibration status and more. These tickets are then sold to travel customers for up to 90% off the original price. Previously, these types of direct discount purchases were generally only available to authorized travel agents. However, there are currently internet databases which provide these tickets for purchase to members. Anyone is eligible to join these sites. Members are provided with a searchable database of discounted flight tickets, vacations, cruises and entertainment packages. Flights and cruises are available to hundreds of destinations worldwide on every major airline and cruise line. A variety of travel options are accessible, including trips to exotic destinations, family holidays, romantic getaways, weekend deals and more. Entertainment packages include tickets to sports events, concerts, theater plays and many more. Upon sign up, users are given access to the database which usually contains listings of thousands of available packages. Members book directly with special discounts through wholesalers, travel discounters, last minute specials and air couriers. Unlike more popular discount sites, users are provided with full details before purchase. Buying through unclaimed ticket databases provides consumers with huge travel savings. Now individuals previously considering a vacation but were unable to afford it may now have the opportunity. Regular travelers can also benefit from the significant cost savings.