July 16th, 2011

Brits planning on booking flights to Goa would do well to find out when the region’s monsoon season occurs beforehand, according to one commentator.Noting that more than 15 million Brits will be looking to book a holiday during the January sale season, esure reports that some travellers risk an unpleasant surprise by not knowing when monsoon season in Asia, or the hurricane spell in the US, occurs.According to esure, 87 per cent of travellers are unaware as to when the seasonal rains in Asia takes place, while less than half of all holidaymakers check for severe weather warnings before booking a trip abroad.”Most people love to jump on the bandwagon of the January sales season. Read more…

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Tags: Monsoon Season, Season | Posted in Travel Tips |
July 15th, 2011


British families planning to go abroad during the forthcoming school holidays could consider visiting Bulgaria, which was ranked by Post Office Travel Money as ‘this summer’s bargain buy’.

The company surveyed the price of beach extras such as jelly shoes, lilos and pedalo rides in various countries and found that the overall cost is half as much in Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach as in the Vendee region of France.

Spain’s Costa Blanca emerged as the cheapest place to buy a bucket and spade, while Turkey is ‘great value’ for an ice cream, according to the study.

Sarah Munro, head of Post Office Travel Money, encouraged parents to show caution regarding beach extras for their children, as they could run the risk of blowing their holiday budget.

She added: ‘For families who haven’t already booked, it’s worth considering Bulgaria or a cheaper eurozone destination like Portugal or Spain.’

The research found that ice creams, sightseeing trips and fizzy drinks are among the items that parents most regularly fail to budget for.

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Tags: Holiday, Holiday Bargains | Posted in Travel Tips |
July 15th, 2011

Cats need a diet that has proteins, fat, water, carbs, and vitamins and minerals, just like we do. But how much of each? What should we look for on the labels? What should we keep in mind when buying cat food?

Cats need protein and depending on the type and brand of cat food, protein may come from animal or plant sources. Soy, chicken, lamb, turkey, and fish are examples of proteins. Cat food also contains by-products of these sources.

As carnivores, cats rely mainly on nutrients found in animals that contain high protein, moderate fat, and minimal carbohydrates. Their bodies are made to metabolize animal proteins and also need the amino acids that are found in animal-based protein such as taurine, arginine, and menthionine. Some cats have to eat prescription food if their bodies dont make these in adequate amounts.

Read more…

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Tags: Cat, Cat Food | Posted in Travel Deals |
July 15th, 2011

A review of top media choices and competitive intelligence

Have you ever wondered how your marketing efforts compare with the best in your industry? The Travel Marketing Trends Report 2011, featured in the Wanderlust Report newsletter, shared results of a recent survey and discussed the patterns revealed about travel and tourism marketing today. Here is the second round of survey results, covering the choice of media outlets and the use of competitive intelligence.

Travel marketers still invest in declining channels

While the numbers show a clear adoption of online media channels, travel marketers continue to invest in channels of questionable value and shrinking returns.

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July 15th, 2011

By Charles Kulander

The greatest hotels–those places that summon up the culture, history, and character of a destinationare the modern equivalent of a muse, inspiring writers and guests alike to look at the world from a new perspective. Whether you’re writing a postcard or the Great American Novel, here are eight hotels with a proven track record when it comes to jump-starting the imagination.

Strater Hotel: Durango, Colorado

Louis L’Amour wrote many of his Sackett novels in Room 222 ($219-$279), inspired by the honky-tonk noise of the Diamond Belle saloon rising up through the floorboards (a “noise issue” since remedied with soundproofing.) The saloon still has plenty of the same rollicking Wild West energy, not to mention a redemptive Sunday Gospel Brunch.

Mabel Dodge Luhan House: Taos, New Mexico

This adobe pueblo-styled retreatonce home to the Gertrude Stein of New Mexicohas hosted plenty of literati: Willa Cather, Robinson Jeffers, Aldous Huxley, and most notably, D.H. Lawrence,

Read more…

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