In March of 1999, the Guinness Book of Records bestowed upon Hotel Everest View the title of Highest Placed Hotel in the World. This hotel is situated 13,000 ft 3,964 m above sea level in Sagarmatha National Park in the Southern Khumbu region of Nepal. With its luxurious accommodations, guests stay overlooking the Himalayan peaks and Mt. Everest.
A Japanese construction company, Trans Himalayan Tours Ltd, built the Hotel Everest View in 1968. In October of 1973, the hotel opened its doors for the first time. The hotel was built with the intentions of attracting wealthy Japanese tourists seeking luxurious getaways that offered a breathtaking view of Mt. Everest. In order to accommodate tourists, the Shyangboche airstrip was built to receive private plans and helicopters.
Unfortunately, the Japanese tourists encountered some difficulties adjusting from a lower altitude to 10,000 ft above sea level. Tourists flying into the Shyangboche airstrip from Japan experienced horrible motion sickness, including nausea and vomiting. Even though Hotel Everest View offered a beautiful view of the surrounding peaks and high-quality accommodations, guests were unable to enjoy themselves.
Hotel management tried desperately to resolve the issue by supplying guests with oxygen tanks, but the problem still remained. It was after several deaths were reported that the government finally took action and forced the Shyangboche airstrip to shut down, leaving Japanese tourists to fly into Lukla 9,200 ft and walk three-days up the mountainside.
Elimination of chartered flights into Shyangboche airstrip caused a devastating affect on tourism for Hotel Everest View. Very few tourists would endure the three-day hike up the mountainside to enjoy the amenities of the hotel. Business declined rapidly and left the facility bare. Since than, the Shyangboche airstrip has reopened to transport gear and supplies to Mount Everest. Tourists that are accustomed to the altitude fly into Shyangboche airstrip to visit the Hotel Everest View.
Tourists still climb up the mountainside from Namche Bazaar, in the Himalayas, to stay at Hotel Everest View. Although the menu has changed from ravishing meals to light food and hot and cold beverages, this Japanese run establishments accommodations are still breathtaking. For a reasonable rate $170-$270 per night, guests can enjoy a luxurious room overlooking the surrounding peaks.
Hotel Everest View is staffed with Sherpa people, who are natives to the Mt. Everest region. Om mani padme hum, a Tibetan Buddhist mantra, is inscribed on the hotel interior walls. These ancient stone carvings serve as a constant reminder of the Sherpas deep religious beliefs. A Sherpa tour guide is on hand for guests.
Plane or helicopter charters are available for guests that desire a more direct flight to the hotel. Guests may also take advantage of a 50 minute flight over Shyangboche from Kathmandu and walk 45-minutes up the mountain trail to Hotel Everest View.
Reservations and transportation can be arranged through:
Hotel Everest View
P.O. Box 1624
Durbar Marg
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-01-224854
Shyangboche: 977-038-40118
Fax: 977-01-227289
Credit Cards Accepted

About The Author

Scott Chamaden owns and runs Route Four Travel a quality source of travel related information. For more travel articles take a look at: http://www.rftravel.com/ezine/

I. Thou shalt pack HALF the clothes you want.
II. Thou shalt take TWICE the money you will need.
III. Thou shalt pack an abundance of Patience.
IV. Thou shalt NOT count calories, especially on cruises.
V. Your extra large luggage shalt have wheels.
VI. Thou shalt NOT feel guilty if you don

Welcome to the second part of my special report of 4 awesome German castles! As I already have told, we have a long history here in Germany and very medieval castles. You can find them all over the country, but those four I have focused on South Germany, so that you do not have to travel hundreds of kilometres/miles and lose valuable time.
I am sure you are hot to get to know them now, so I go straight forward to them:
3. Stuttgart
Stuttgart area has, believe it or not, seven yes 7! castles and palaces. I only explain one of them, the new castle, because it is soooo huge, awesome and one of the most beautiful German castles.
The New Stuttgart castle was built in 1746 as a representative baroque residential palace for "Duke Carl Eugen von Wuerttemberg" long silly name, isnt it. After over sixty years of construction with repeated interruptions, the interior and exterior were completed in 1807. So much to the history.
When you are finished with the visit of this castle, downtown is not far away and you can explore this too. You will find many interesting restaurants, pubs and caf

Vacation packages can be of different kinds, depending on the destination. Las Vegas is the place to escape from all sense of convention known by all as "The Gambling and Entertainment Capital of the World." In recent years the attractions have expanded to include theme parks, family activities, excellent shopping, spas and world-class golfing. The whole world comes to Vegas to let loose and, in turn, you find yourself happily lost in a skylines from all the great cities of the earth. If you didn

We are planning a family trip for just a few days. That is my family, my brothers family, and my other brothers family. Our mother will be joining us, too. That makes four households, seven adults and six children all under three years old. Praise to my brave foolish wife who has somehow volunteered to coordinate the arrangements.
Even reserving months in advance, we were unable to get four rooms adjoining at the motel, all with the right view and on the right level. If we were going for longer, we would probably rent a house as we have done before. There are vacation rentals in almost every corner of the world, but they are particularly common in high-tourist areas like Florida, California and the Mediterranean countries.
Here is my top ten list of why a family should pick a vacation rental and specifically a vacation rental home:
1. Not toiling to find ideal, adjoining rooms.
2. Everybody gets privacy, without having to worry about where the kids are.
3. You dont have to share the common area with strangers, but you can still lounge around together.
4. More than one bathroom. Need I say more
5. Lots and lots and lots of more room. This is usually the main selling feature.
6. Private pool, in most cases. "Great to swim with the sound of insects....fortunately outside the cage", wrote one visitor in the guestbook of Lesley & Gerrys villa. http://www.lastminutevillas.net/villa/villa_id=15&x=21&y=7
7. Usually cost less than hotels.
8. Store cold drinks, ice creams, fresh fruit or any other snacks you fancy, which is a huge cost saver, suggests villa owner Christine Creasy. And a great convenience, too. http://www.lastminutevillas.net/villa/villa_id=65&x=26&y=7
9. Barbecue any time you want. You can still eat out, but you dont HAVE to.
10. You dont have to take home several weeks supply of dirty laundry.
There you have it. My top ten reasons to choose a vacation rental. Ive written before on the benefits of renting private accommodations:

http://www.lastminutevillas.net/villa-hotel.html

Of course, I still prefer a tent in a wilderness park, but I might have some difficulty convincing my mother to join us there.

About The Author
David Leonhardt is a freelance writer.
Visit his happiness website at:

http://www.thehappyguy.com

Or his vitamin website at:

http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net.

For Florida vacation villa rentals:
http://www.lastminutevillas.net .
For Orlando vacation home rentals:

http://www.orlandovillaowners.com

Info@thehappyguy.com

Whether your flying out of LAX for business or leisure, we all know how parking at Los Angeles International Airport can frustrate any human being. The lack of space, the price, the thought of your car being at an unsafe, insecure lot. As a frequent flyer myself, I understand that the person who only travelers maybe twice a year or 20 times year, the same holds true. Airport Parking is the toughest part of the trip. I have compiled a list of reason why it is extremely advantageous to

Ever since I began working for that Florida vacation rentals website, I have been plagued by recurring nightmares. I am haunted at night by the spirits of hotel rooms past.
There was a time when I traveled quite a bit on business. Thankfully, I dont hotels hop any more. But at night I float off to a hotel room far away in time...
The days work done, I phoned home to check up on the kids. It seems there was a shouting match going on in my absence. It sounded like Pandemonium was winning, but Total Bedlam was making some noise, too.
"Can you just quiet down a bit," I said into the phone.
"YOU shut up," I heard the man in the next room growl.
I chose to ignore him. "Come on guys. Cant you just stop fighting for a minute"
"Ill show you what fighting means" I heard through the wall.
"Geeze. I cant even here myself think," I complained into the phone.
"Hey! Ive had just about enough of you," the guy on the other side of the wall screamed.
Suddenly I got very scared. I pictured a burly, six-foot-two weightlifter smashing his fist through the wall. I hung up the phone, wondering how thin the walls were.
Nothing happened. No fist. No smashed wall. No burly, six-foot-two weightlifter.
I decided to go downstairs for a stress-relief stroll. As I was closing my door, the man from the next room emerged.
Fortunately, he was no weightlifter.
I was about to ask him why he had shouted at me through the wall while I was trying to discipline my kids, when he called to me, "Hey you. I was on the phone with my wife. Why did you have to heckle me"
All of a sudden, I knew how thin the walls were.
In fact, I discovered that hotel walls come in two thicknesses:
If youre lucky, you get "Turn down the volume on your TV!" walls. If you are less fortunate, you get "Turn down the brightness on your TV!" walls.
Fortunately, hotel rooms are immaculately clean. Its true. The sign says so. Just as long as you dont look under the mattress to find a 1976 copy of Businessweek Magazine and theatre tickets to a 1982 showing of The Music Man.
I dont know why hotels pretend to be so spotless. All that junk under the bed could be used as a marketing tool. "Stay at the Hilltop Hilton and join in our under-mattress-scavenger-hunt."
If the hotels dont catch on, sooner or later the motels will. They can turn anything into a sales pitch. Like, for example, "Color TV" Ooooooohh.. And "Outdoor Pool" I think the "outdoor" feature is a nice added touch, dont you And how about "Free Parking" which is really a way of saying, "You dont have to park your car in your room.".
What worries me most about hotels is what they keep in the drawers. Did you ever notice there is always a bible in the drawer Why
When you buy a car, there is no bible in the glove compartment, although the road is where you need prayers the most.
When you dig for the prize at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box, its never a bible.
Even in hospitals, where a prayer might be all you have left, there is no bible in the drawer.
Only in hotels and on death row do bibles come as standard equipment.
And why just the Bible I have had plenty of spare time to search for Torahs and Korans in hotel rooms, and I have never found any. Do Jews and Muslims not stay in hotels What do they know that I dont
Fortunately, I dont have to stay in hotels anymore. I dont have to endure shadow-puppet shows from the guy on the other side of the wall. I dont have to keep from reading over his shoulder. I dont have worry about what he ate for dinner.
And I dont have to listen to his snoring. I can enjoy my own nightmares in peace.

About The Author
David Leonhardt publishes The Happy Guy humor column:

http://www.thehappyguy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html

And A Daily Dose of Happiness:

http://www.thehappyguy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html

He also writes personal growth articles:

http://www.thehappyguy.com/self-actualization-articles.html

And sells liquid vitamins:

http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net

Info@thehappyguy.com

After France, Spain is Europes most popular holiday destination, and the apparent dominance of France is to a large extent due to visitors in transit elsewhere. In 1996 between 1.2 and 1.3 million European tourists visited Spain. It is therefore not surprising that many of them become interested in buying a home there. Spains property market generally has enjoyed strong growth, with the Costa Brava enjoying a particularly large rise in values. About 20% of foreign owners are more or less permanent residents of Spain, while the remaining 80% bought their property for either holidays or investment purposes.
The Costa Brava is particularly attractive because

Summer heat is less intense than further south,
Scenery is spectacular,
There are beautiful well-preserved mediaeval towns like Pals and Peratallada everywhere,
Catalonia is well run with good roads and railways
The A7 motorway is never more than a few minutes drive and connects to the French network
Barcelona is easily accessible
Golf courses are numerous and of the highest standard all year round
In winter, there is good skiing in the nearby Pyrenees
There are cheap flights to Girona/Costa Brave airport and to Barcelona and Perpignan.
Eating out is inexpensive and a real pleasure
The cost of living generally is reasonable.

That is an impressive catalogue of benefits. Add that attractive property is still fairly freely available and competitively priced and you will quickly understand the popularity of the region.
Many different nationalities settle here, but unlike further south they are all intermingled, with no "English" estates or "German" estates. The whole atmosphere is much more cosmopolitan. That does not suit everybody.
Before buying anything, do visit the area in and out of season. Resorts that are a buzz in summer often die completely in the winter. To most Catalonians, the Costa Brava is where they go for their summer holidays; they dont live there, and they dont even visit at week-ends out of season. If you are buying just for summer rentals and/or your own summer holidays, that does not matter, but if you are thinking of permanent residence, it is a critical factor. Never assume that you may be able to rent your property in winter. It is most unlikely.
If you are thinking of semi-permanent or even permanent residence, you may be concerned that you will find it hard to make friends here, and therefore be somewhat isolated. This is generally not so. Most residents are retired or semi-retired and it is fairly easy to meet new people, particularly of course if you play golf. Incomers tend to be of a similar age and background, even if from different countries. They too want to make new friends.
This may be an advantage or a disadvantage! You will also suddenly find that you have many friends in England wanting to visit you. Some of them may be friends that you thought of only as acquaintances. It can also be difficult for visitors to understand that you are not there just to entertain them, but have your own life to lead as well.
All in all though, the Costa Brava is a terrific place to holiday or live as long as you have thought through your purchase correctly. Our experience comes as part of the package, and our job is to make sure that you make the right decision for you. This is not the Costa del Sol either in terms of weather or life style, but it is culturally rich, welcoming, and offers a great life to those that respond to what it offers.
This article and more can be found at: Costa Brava Homes

About The Author

You can found the original article at http://www.costa-brava-homes.com/index/eng/life.html.
© Costa Brava Homes www.costa-brava-homes.com & Christopher B. Longmore 2004

Car rental agencies, along with many other factors, have played a vital role in increasing the easiness of travelling by providing a service through which travelers can easily rent a car of their choice. One can rent a car of any color, shape and model at reasonable prices from these car rental agencies. A rented car, which has been rented from an office sited in one city, can be easily dropped at another office situated in a different city. Besides manual reservations, most car rental companies have developed interactive websites to assist in making online reservations and helping travelers.
Being able to rent a car is a service as the number of companies providing car rental services has greatly increased in the last few years. National car rental, Enterprise car rental, Budget car rental, Thrifty car rental, Alamo car rental, Cheap car rental and many others are all recognized for providing admirable amenities and services to their customers. Initially, many of these intended to capture the American market only, but now almost all have open sub-offices in many different countries of the world.
It really doesn

The introduction of the VCR changed so much for the television viewer. Before the introduction of the VCR, you had to watch the show when it was broadcast by the network