Mark Van Overmeire asked:


/>You set your mind and you’re ready to travel to South America, a magical place of immense beauty where myth and legend continue to walk hand in hand. I’ve traveled 18 months in South America and can give you some tips on how to prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure.



Common Sense



We all hear the unpleasant stories and South America has a fame of being dangerous. I traveled thousands of miles traversing cities, jungles, islands and mountains. I survived 6 weeks in a street child care center in the favelas of Salvador da Bahía (Brazil) and had the party of a lifetime during carnival. Nothing, I repeat, nothing happened. Use your common sense. Avoid badly lit streets at night and if your sixth sense is giving you the “something is wrong” sign then take a taxi to your destination.



Travel Guide Book



The first thing that you will need is a travel guide book. It will be your best companion in your search for adventure. I can highly recommend Lonely Planet´s South America on a Shoestring to get you started. The book covers all you need to know to get the most out of your trip and is ideal to plan your journey ahead. I’ve used the guide extensively during my 18 month adventure. They offer excellent separate travel guides of all the countries (besides using the Lonely Planet Shoestring I’ve used their separate travel guides of Peru and Brazil). Their guides are the most popular among backpackers.



Other popular guides are The Rough Guide to South America and the South American Handbook. Ideal, but not practical because you want to travel light, would be to enjoy the adventure with a Lonely Planet and either the Rough Guide or the Handbook.



Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese



The most rewarding thing for me was the fact that you can travel in a huge continent like South America with only 2 languages. Spanish and Portuguese. If you plan to travel just for a few weeks you can invest in a Spanish and/or Brazilian Portuguese Phrase Book. English is not widely spoken and even a basic knowledge of Spanish and/or Portuguese makes the trip so much more rewarding (they’re extremely willing to help you, so don’t worry, be happy).



If on the other hand you’re planning to travel for a few months I can highly recommend taking a language course. Ideal would be in a school in South America (I took lessons in Quito, Ecuador, and had a private teacher for $2.50/h).



Walking Shoes



South America’s nature is overwhelming. You’ll walk for many hours day after day. It would be a shame to walk in the footsteps of the Incas with blisters on your feet. My biggest recommendation is to invest in high quality walking shoes with Gore-Tex.



Health Vaccinations



Yellow Fever (if you plan to go to the Amazon Basin), Typhoid (consists of two injections taken 4 weeks apart), Diphtheria-Tetanus, Polio, Cholera (only when necessary), Smallpox



Medical Kit:



Depending on what you plan to do you can include the following: Antiseptic cream, aspirin, lomotil for diarrhea, antibiotics, throat lozenges, ear and eye drops, antacid tablets, motion sickness medication, alcohol swabs, water purifier, lip salve, foot and groin powder, thermometer (in a case), surgical tape, assorted sticky plasters, gauze, bandages, butterfly closures, scissors and last but not least, first-aid booklet



Note: malaria pills are required in the amazon basin, please be aware that those pills are very b and you should check with your doctor before departure



Traveling Gear



Backpack:



Obviously a high quality backpack is a must. Choose the type that has different compartments that can be opened separately. Very handy if you need something quickly. Travel as light as possible. A heavy backpack is destined to undermine your traveling pleasure.



Clothing:



Depends on where you go. If it’s the mountains and the jungle, get some quality clothing from home. If it’s the beach, buy your t-shirts there (cheap).



Camping and Climbing Gear: You can rent camping and climbing material in South America but the quality may be questionable. Always check the material. Bring your own gear if possible. I traveled 18 months with my own tent and various camping utensils.



Photography



Pictures are something personal. Some people just want some snap shots, others want to publish in the National Geographic. All my pictures were taken with a cheap Nikon F50 camera. Have a look at some amazing photographs at www.travel-amaz ing-southamerica.com.



I had two zoom lenses, a 35-80 mm. and a 70-210mm. I also dragged a tripod and an excellent flash with me. I used FUJI slides (100 ASA) but you definitely need 200 to 400 ASA if you plan to go to the jungle. A polarize filter enhances the colours tremendously on sunny days.



Conclusion



South America will embrace you with open arms. It’s nature, people and history are overwhelming. With the right preparation and set of mind you’re ready for an unforgettable adventure

Jasons Born asked:


In the absence of proper professional guidance the trip may turn out to be a complete mess. Well, if you don’t wish to shell out hefty amount on hiring a guide or just don’t want to add extra cost because you believe in exploring things on your own then travel map Europe may surely be your partner in your need. A map is the best and most reliable guide that one can trust on. You can get all the required information that is necessary to make your travel convenient.

Always give priority to the places that you would not want to miss out at any cost, while preparing tour itinerary. Sometimes, you may not know everything about the place that you are going to and may miss out some important places that are popular due to your ignorance. So, to avoid such problems a map is the alternative. In a map, you will find out accurate details about various places in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Denmark etc. You can take help of road atlas and maps to navigate. Also you can garner information on local transport used by habitants of Europe so that you don’t face any problems while traveling.

Usually, paper maps are best thing to source information about places but they lack detailed information that facilitates you a lot. In such case, you can collate other required information through online source. Online you can easily find road maps, atlas and there are various websites that offer detailed information regarding the place. Collecting and accessing information online is really convenient and not at all a tedious job. You can access information from anywhere and at any point of time when you want.

With travel map Europe one can make his trip really convenient and free from hassles. Also it helps you to avoid the extra cost of professional guides that may harm your budget. So, traveling is a great idea with a map along with you.

Nancy Eben asked:


Known for its diverse culture and heritage, Malaysia is a popular tourist destination. Recent development and growth in the country has made it a renowned place in Asia and the world. With efforts from the government agencies and private players, Malaysia tourism tries to inform people around the world about its various tourist destinations. Malaysia houses best of the world beaches, islands, natural parks, hills, etc. Pulau Kapas in Malaysia is famous for its incomparable white beaches. Travelers could do swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, boating and fishing in the island.

Bukit Larut or Maxwell Hill is Malaysia’s oldest hill resort at the height of 1035m. Travelers can enjoy breathtaking verdant valleys from the top of the hill. The most attractive thing about the hill is its salubrious temperate climate which attracts travelers to stay here for long intervals. The nomenclature of the Bukit Larut hill is endowed to George Maxwell, who first time located the place for the purposes of staying. Malaysia not only has hills and beaches but its national parks are equally famous for rich wildlife.

Taman Negara National Park is spread in an area of 4 344 sq km. The park is so extensive that it covers a wide area of three states of Malaysia e.g. Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. Its 130 million-year-old forest houses comprehensive range of wildlife. Nature lovers from around the world flock in large numbers to explore rich and diverse species of flora and fauna inhabiting the jungle. Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is another tourist attraction in Malaysia. Spread in an area of 40,151ha, the forest reserve is considered to be the best managed mangrove reserve park. Moreover, it has received various awards for management and successful policy.

Various hotels in Malaysia, particularly budget hotels in Malaysia play crucial role in attracting travelers from around the world. Budget Malaysia hotels offer comprehensive range of accommodation facilities to travelers at affordable tariff. Hotel Malaya is an ideal Malaysia budget hotel which provides pleasing and living accommodation facilities at reasonable tariff. As the hotel is located near to various tourist destinations in Malaysia, travelers prefer to stay in it for obvious reasons. D’Oriental Inn in Chinatown is located in the heart of the country and popular among backpackers and budget travelers.

Staying in Winsin Hotel Chinatown is a best hotel deal in Singapore. The recently constructed hotel has 46 individually controlled air-conditioned rooms. It offers value to money, comfort and pleasant stay to body and mind. Chinatown Boutique Hotel on the other hand offers the best rooms in Chinatown Kuala Lumpur. As all rooms in the hotel have been designed giving stress towards showing intricacy and antiquity of the hotel, it has great architectural and stylish ambience. Offering extensive range of accommodation facilities Hotel China Town Inn has more than 70 rooms. Located in the heart of Malaysia at Chinatown, the hotels receive higher ratings from various lodgers.

Sandra Stammberger asked:


Traveling around the world is everybody’s dream. When teachers ask their students, what are your hopes and dreams? It never fails that one of the most frequent answers would be, to be able to go to every place there is around the world. Who wouldn’t want that? Even the busy people dream about having that grand break and dreaming to be able to have that new environment feeling as a way of easing the stressed mind and body.

Being able to see other places leaves that wonderful feeling that time could not easily erase. Everything that you do, see and experience in another land, the beauty of it all? It stays as a treasured memory worth remembering all through out your lifetime. It is also one of the best stories you could ever convey to your friends, and even to your grand children to be. After a really good and long journey, you will feel revitalized, as if you’re again ready for a new life.

So yeah, you’ve decided to go to that longed vacation: A grand tour to another part of this big planet. Time to unwind and face adventures that only nature can really give the best. What are the things to do first before packing all your stuffs? Before the things to bring list, what else should be taken in consideration?

Of course, choosing the target place would be the very important part of the whole plan. A thorough study of the best, satisfying journey should be carefully thought of. Studies about the country you want to visit, histories and local maps should be kept in the primary list you need to prepare. Although these maps will be available by the airport, it is still best to be well arranged.

Next thing, tickets. The main downside of travelling is caused mainly by the idea of the expenses you would be facing all through out the expedition. But do you know that if you have planned well, you’ll be able to think of ways to get cheaper items to buy, especially in travel tickets. Yes, there is such a thing as cheaper travel tickets. It only takes a little industrious research about informations on these things and for sure you’ll find something that would be really helpful for you.

No, its not just your usual discounted travel tickets, there really is somewhere out there, if you know where to look, cheaper travel tickets to your benefit. This could be included in airline travel deals, or some other kind of deal. The point is, if you’re after cheap tickets, be initiative enough to research on it first things first.

When you’ve got your tickets, then the rest would be easier. Things to bring, places to be contacted for reservations, informations on cheap restaurants but with quality services and foods should be in your list too. With all these planned out well, your trip would go smoothly and will really be carried on with your rendered budget.

Its all about how you handle the most important parts of the whole expedition extravaganza and for sure you’ll have the best time of your life to wherever you want to go. Be it with your family, your kids, your parents, your love partner, your best friend, your co-office worker, or whoever you’ll be going there with, it would be a blast when things fall right in place just the way you expected it to be.

Pawan Kumar asked:


A trip to Peru is fascinating and magical. Travel Peru’s varied scenery, from desert coastline to lush mountains and fertile valleys, sampling its tasty seafood and absorbing its ancient culture among the most interesting experiences in South America. Sightseeing in Peru is an other-worldly experience. It offers a plethora of scenic landscapes as well as a cultural mix that is evident in both the architecture and customs. The first taste makes the traveler curious to know more.

Visit Machu Picchu, the most recognized settlement of the Incas, located in the southern Peruvian Andes in a unique and mystical setting. Touring this holy place is to witness an archaeological site with architectonic and engineering innovations which have survived the ages. There are no words to describe the magnificence of such a scene which has become one of the most highly sought destinations for tour operators in Peru.

Cordillera Blanca is the perfect place for trekking, climbing, cycling, rafting or to simply enjoy the highest mountain in Peru. Huascaran National Park includes the whole Cordillera Blanca above 4.000 m and due of its character of Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, visiting this part of central Peru is a dream comes true for nature and archeology lovers.

The famous Nazca lines, located in the southwest of the country, are a set of gigantic ancient zoomorphic and geometric figures, some simple and others more complex. All images are mapped onto the surface and can be seen in their entirety only from the air. There are more questions than answers about how between 200 BC and 700 inhabitants of this desert were able to draw such immense images on the ground. Close by is located Cerro Blanco, which, with a height of 2078 m is the highest dune in the world, an ideal destination for sand boarding and paragliding in Peru.

Peru is a country with a strong indigenous tradition that can be seen in the colorful markets where each item can be viewed as a small masterpiece. Pisac, a small town located in the Sacred Valley, is one of the best ways to see how the Quechua tradition is experienced today. Pisac´s Sunday Market is well-known and is ideal for having direct contact with locals who are selling their products. At the same time, Pisac is an ideal starting point for tour to Peru, visiting archaeological sites, breathtaking scenery and the local flora and fauna.

Travel to Peru is discovering new tastes and scents, unique music, hallowed stories and congenial people. Ancient history and modern life run together in a poetic and captivating way, resulting in a beautiful country hard to leave behind.

vipinkhanna asked:


Booking world travel flights for your journey to any part of the world is fairly easy now. With reduced airfare, anyone can book his cheap international air travel tickets and get to his dream country easily.

Cheap international air travel tickets are offered by a number of different airlines. Most of them have introduced world travel flights, so that people can travel to any part of the world and get their travel airline tickets at very reasonable price. Another thing that makes it possible for people to book travel airline tickets is the fact that they have the ease to book their tickets by themselves now. They can search for cheap international air travel tickets for any country easily and make their travel plans easily.

There are a number of world travel flights which are available for your journey and can provide you with cheap international air travel tickets for your journey. With the online booking system, people can make their travel airline tickets booking online and can compare the different cheap international air travel tickets that are offered by the different world travel flights.

There are many websites that allow you to book your world travel flights online itself. But it is important to make sure that the website you choose for booking your travel airlines tickets is genuine and provides you with the cheap international air travel tickets that are available for your journey. You can book your travel airline tickets through travel-tickets.co.in which is known to provide with the best information about the cheap tickets.

People can browse through this site and can search for available world travel flights for their journey easily. They can simply fill the online ticket booking form to know about the different flights that are available for their journey. The form is easy to fill and provides the passengers with the flight schedules and cheap international air travel tickets for the available flights. The passenger can compare them all and then buy the air ticket that is within his budget plan. Once he has made the selection, he can book the ticket and can pay for it online itself.

Travel Guru asked:


No matter where you go or where your trip takes you there is and always will be a need for safety tips and rules. So to travel safely while on your city break you should use some if not all of the following tips:

Know Your Area

It doesn’t matter if you are in Rome or Greece you need to have a good idea of the town’s layout and important features. Some of the important places to know are where you are staying, where the local hospital is, where the police are located and at least one apothecary. Now this may seem hard, but if you have a map and mark them on it then find the center most location you have a start. Once you know what the center of town is find something unique or that will stand out, even a local business will work. Now that you know spot you chose and its local name you will be able to start back there time and time again, and by knowing which important item is in which direction you can get help when needed.

Keep Your Valuables Locked Up

Do not carry everything with you when you travel and what you do carry ensure it. Once you get to your destination many of the local banks and hotels have safety boxes you can rent and store your personal valuables in. You can also keep most of your belongings in your room as well, only place items that cannot be replaced in the safes.

Dress Accordingly

While you are out and about notice how others are dressed and try for the same casual look. Not only will you be able to blend in more and make targeting tourist harder but also you can experience the local country so much more.

Medical Needs

Keep all medicines with you at all times with extra locked away safely, have a list of instructions incase something does happen and make sure to have a list of phone numbers as well. By caring medicine in its prescribed bottle with you, if something happens the local doctor will already know some about you and how to treat you. Also having at the hotel helps to ensure you have a supply if you need it. When preparing for your trip you need to tell your doctor where you are going and for how long also that you want two bottles for your medicines one to carry and one to store.

Being safe and keeping safe while traveling in different countries is no different that when you are traveling to another state. By being prepared and paying attention to what is around you, you will find yourself having a better and healthier time abroad.

hassan ahmed asked:


The concept of buying concert or travel ticket in cheaper rates has become a kind of art and this often confuses people. There are always some variations in the price of the tickets and not two people sitting together have paid the same money for the tickets. In order to purchase online tickets for concerts or travel you need to know some tactics behind it.

Here are few tips that will guide you to buy cheap concert and travel tickets online.

1. secondary Buy the tickets on the day which is less popular because there are chances for you to get it in cheaper rates. Avoid the days when there are more people likely to go for the concert or travel. The cost of the tickets depends on the popularity of the day when people are more likely to go. While buying the ticket for the travel tickets then buy them when the seasons for holidays are off. You can always take the advice of the agents in order not to get confused.

There is a lot of difference in price between various airports so if you choose the airports wisely then you can save also of money in the tickets. Check in the site for the direct ticket because this will be cheaper than the one where you need o change different transport.

Booking the concert or travel ticket online through the ticket agent from your own region or country is normally cheaper than from the person who is from the other end of the globe. Specialized agents will give you a better idea and can offer you better deals then non specialized ones.

2. Before going for anything you must sit and plan ahead. After buying there tickets you cannot change your mind. Buying tickets on last minute will not be successful. It can be that you can get some sold out tickets or maybe you won’t get the tickets at all. If you plan ahead then you will be able to plan the other things later and do it according to the plan decided. So unless you plan everything clearly and decide you have done with the planning and is ready then only go for buying the tickets online. While checking the sites also you must look carefully at the site and if you need some more time to think over it then do take so because a wrong decision can be result in some problem later.

3. Once you decide with the site check out for the prices. Do not buy the tickets in a hurry and early. Wait for some time until the fares get dropped and check that the prices stated there are genuine and see that you are not charged extra. Check out Tickets at secondary http://ticketfront.com/

4. If you see that there are seats available and sold in cheaper rates then take the action right there. Do not wait or else that offer will not last long. There are seats that are sold in cheaper rates of the concert as well for the travel tickets. If you think you got the right seat and that to in less price then go for it quickly.

5. But before you go for this do check if there are any hidden cost or not such as additional fees, taxes, security charges etc. If you think the rate if any of these are higher then do not for it and if you think it is reasonable then go for it.

 

vipinkhanna asked:


The increasing competition within the aviation sector and the competitive airfare offered by different airlines is almost like a blessing for the travellers who could not afford to buy travel tickets earlier. But now with the cheapest airline flight, they can easily buy travel tickets for cheapest airline flights and travel in style. The reduction in the prices for the international air ticket has also made it easy for passengers to fulfill their dreams to travel to various parts of the world easily.

Passengers can now buy travel tickets online for their journey and can plan it by themselves. They don’t have to go to the airlines office or to a travel agent to get information for cheapest airlines flights or to buy international air ticket. With the online system they can search for the cheapest airlines flights easily and can buy travel tickets online.

There are many websites which provide with online ticket booking system for domestic and international air ticket so that the passengers can make their travel plans easily. However, some of them may not provide you with good information about the cheapest airline flights or about cheap international air ticket. So, if you need genuine information and need to buy travel tickets online, then you can contact travel-tickets.co.in which can help you with it easily.

The website is known to provide with the best information about the domestic and international air ticket so that people can buy travel tickets that suit their requirement. It lists out all the cheapest airline flights that are available for your journey and therefore makes it convenient for the passengers to plan their travel. It is easy to search for cheapest airline flights or for international air ticket prices through this site and proper guidance is also provided here. One just needs to fill the online ticket booking form that can help him to learn about the available tickets for his journey.

The flights are listed according to their prices and other details like time and duration are also mentioned here. You can select the flight that suits your travel plans and buy travel tickets easily immediately.

Subert Kiing asked:


Malaysian Tourism Board promotes the country as Truly Asia. With the fascinating fusions of tradition and modernity, Malaysian cities’ unique multi-cultural heritage, cuisine, arts and architecture make them ideal cosmopolitan getaways. Malaysia’s mix background of Chinese, Malay, Indian and colonial heritages constantly amaze western travelers with its cultural richness and harmony, presenting a truly Asian variety of sights and sounds.

Kuala Lumpur City Center

Travel to Kuala Lumpur city and you would be awestruck by the ultra-modern Petronas Twin Towers at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). The Petronas Twin Towers are 452 meters tall, contain 88 stories, & are the world’s tallest twin structures.

Situated on the previous site of the Royal Turf Club in the heart of the capital city, the Kuala Lumpur City Centre is truly a spectacular Architectural sight. Here, the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin structures, soars to a dizzying height of 452 metres. Cesar Pelli was the Architect of this masterpiece. Inspired by the Five Pillars of Islam, this gleaming mega-structure was designed by the Argentinian-American architect in earlies 90s. Below the towers, lies a beautifully landscaped fountain park designed by prominent Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. KLCC is also home to the world-class Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Suria Shopping Centre and Petronas Philharmonic Hall.

Kuala Lumpur Railway station

Take a short taxi ride from KLCC and let yourself be charmed by the classic Moorish-style of the old Railway station. Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is located at Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It is a very beautiful building. It has a Moorish-style which was designed by architect A.B Hubbock. Built in 1910, the building is about 80 years old. I am sure it is built long before you and me were here. In 1986, the station went under extensive renovations, upgraded to have air-conditioned waiting hall, snack kiosks, tourism information booth and many more. In the past, it used be very quiet but since the city commuter service started, it is a very busy station now. All the Intercity train services do not stop here anymore because there is a new railway station opened called KL Sentral, less than 1KM away from the old railway station.

Shopping Extravaganza

Shop in some of world’s most luxurious malls at Kuala Lumpur shopping precincts like Bukit Bintang, Damansara Utama, Ampang, Mid valley, Subang Jaya, Sunway City, etc.

Every year, Malaysia has six weeks of great shopping promotions, bargains and discounts of up to 70% on a wide range of products and services at all major shopping precincts, malls and retail outlets nationwide. Check on www.tourism.gov.my for the yearly Malaysia Megasale calendar periods.

Be part of the festivities when you drop-in at your favorite malls and enjoy fantastic prizes as you take part in the fun contests and activities lined-up for you and your family. Get instant redemption and gifts when you charge with Master Card and be in the running to win your dream holiday at Malaysia’s premier resort destination, The Four Seasons, Langkawi.

Know that your shopping experience doesn’t stop at the malls. Do check out the countless bargains and offers from hotels, travel agents, entertainment outlets, spas and restaurants around town. With the whole of Malaysia celebrating this major sale event, you and your family can shop to your hearts’ content and have a great fun time chilling out too.

Malaysian Nightlife

Experience a bargain with a trader in a bustling night market. Whether you sample a succulent stick of satay at a roadside hawker stall or spicy chilli crab at a Chinese restaurant, you will revel in the many alluring attractions. The Night Market is a nice place to visit as the atmosphere at nightfall always makes for a different experience. Here, you will get a chance to dine al fresco under the stars and moon. There are food stalls set up near the main bus terminal. These stalls are open from 6pm onwards till about midnight, serving up some truly delicious dishes. This is your chance to enjoy good Malaysian food, the Malaysian way!

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