Ten "Travel" Commandments – Travel
Ten "Travel" Commandments
Marli Davis
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
Top Ten Reasons To Pick A Vacation Rental – Travel
Top Ten Reasons To Pick A Vacation Rental
David Leonhardt
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
Ten reasons to move to the Costa Brava – Travel
Ten reasons to move to the Costa Brava
Christopher Longmore
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