Kitesurfing

I was just down at Tulum and saw some kite surfers. This is truly an amazing sport and looks like a lot of fun. Here is a school that teaches it:

Approved by the British Kite Surfing Association, Mobius offer lessons of the highest quality by experienced, fully qualified and insured instructors, including two female instructors. All lessons include the latest equipment with the best safety features. The use of different beaches to suit changing wind directions for kitesurfing lessons, means our cancellation rate is a lot lower than schools on fixed locations. Our teaching locations are Perranporth (Nr Newquay), Hayle (Nr St Ives), Marazion (Nr Penzance), Pentewan (Nr St Austell) and St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly. Total beginners to very advanced flyers, group bookings, stag and hen parties, armed forces and corporate work away days all welcome.

http://mobiusonline.co.uk/

Technorati Tags: kitesurfing, kite surfing, kite school, mobius, travel

Birding Tours and Bird Photo Tours to Exotic Places

Exotic Birding is a family operated tour company offering specialty bird watching and bird/nature photo tours to Central and South America. Tours are carefully planned and organized to visit the best sites at the best times of year for seeing and photographing birds in each destination country. The company offers competitively priced tours to Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama in Central America, Ecuador, Guyana, and sometimes Brazil in South America, and the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador in some years. Tours are limited to 8 paid participants, making for a more personalized experience and giving everyone a better opportunity to get the most from the tour while avoiding the disruptive impact larger groups have on birds and animals in tropical rainforests.

Every tour is led by a professional birding guide who lives in the country full time, speaks excellent English as well as the local language, and is expert at finding and identifying the often baffling diversity of birds found in the tropics. Photo tours are also led by a professional photographer with years of experience photographing birds and other animals in the tropics. Birding tours concentrate on seeing as many species of birds as possible in a short period of time. This is accomplished with carefully crafted itineraries designed to visit many different habitats and altitudinal zones along with specific sites where rarities and range-restricted birds can be found. Photo tours are designed to provide numerous opportunities to photograph a wide variety of birds and mammals in the wild. They differ from traditional nature photo tours in that participants go into the field with an expert guide who is invaluable finding and identifying birds, monkeys, and other animals to photograph. Participants walk rainforest trails, enjoy boat trips along remote waterways, and explore out of the way places while photographing a wide array of non-traditional subjects including hawks, eagles, toucans, trogons, antbirds, tanagers, and many other kinds of birds in addition to more traditional subject matter such as herons, egrets, and hummingbirds.

Interested persons can obtain more information by calling 877-247-3371 or emailing to info@exoticbirding.com. The company website www.exoticbirding.com includes full details of tour itineraries and prices as well as many photographs taken on prior tours.

Technorati Tags: birds, birding, bird tour, tours, travel

Traveling in Cornwall

I was reading more about Corwall after seeing those beautiful pictures from the yacht charters. Seems like a great place to visit. If you are planning to holiday in the beautiful, rugged area of Cornwall, UK then I would suggest taking a look at www.activecornwall.co.uk. It has a great portfolio of some of the very best activities in Cornwall and what's more you can check availability, book online and they send you vouchers with directions. From horse riding to helicopter flights, canoeing, charter boat fishing, coasteering and sailing plus much more. They have something for all ages and abilities. All activities have been approved, have fully qualified instructors and insurance cover.

Cornwall has a first class reputation for good food. Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver both have restaurants there, however much of Cornwall's character comes from the fact that it has the highest proportion of small independent businesses in UK so whilst there, try to support the local economy by buying local. At www.purelycornish.co.uk there is a wonderful selection of Cornish produce from Cheeses to Cider and Chutneys sourced from the area and they make up beautifully presented hampers which they can post as gifts for you.

Technorati Tags: cornwall, uk, jamie oliver, rick stein, tours, travel

Birding and Bird Tours

I have a friend who is very much into bird watching and he has introduced me to the fact that there is a massive bird tour industry. I have always wanted to try a bird tour. It seems like a very relaxing way to get outside and get some fresh air.

There's a site I have been reading on the topic as well. The Birdtours web-site (http://www.birdtours.co.uk/ ) is a collection of over 1500 bird watching reports from over 130 countries. No one has counted precisely, but we think that over 9500 bird species are documented. Many new reports are added each month. Reports are sent in by travelling bird watchers worldwide, amateur and expert alike, who wish to share their experiences with others. The site is run primarily as a hobby page and as a free source of bird watching information by its owner, John Girdley.

Technorati Tags: bird tours, bird watching, travel

Charter Yachting in Cornwall

I have been speaking with the owner of a yacht charter company in Corwall, UK and some of the pictures he's shown me are devastatingly beautiful. This seems like a spectacular trip! They cruise in Cornwall, Devon and the Scilly Isles. From their web site:

"Falmouth on the South Coast of Cornwall is an excellent cruising area, with beautiful harbours, wooded creeks and fabulous coastal scenery. The sheltered waters provide excellent sailing in Carrick Roads and the Helford Estuary.

Offshore sailing to Fowey, Plymouth, Salcombe, Dartmouth going east and west to The Lizard and The Scilly Isles is great sailing, sail south to Brittany. These are all achievable cruising from Falmouth. The coastal scenic beauty, sheltered anchorage's and many onshore attractions sets the Cornish Coast apart from other cruising areas.

Brittany offers many challenges for the adventurous as well as great sailing, coastal scenery and Islands and harbours as well as good food and much warmer south of Brest.

If you haven't been to the Scilly Isles, then now is the time to enjoy there beauty and tranquility, wildlife, walks and Mediterranean flora .

Have the time of your life sailing aboard a 33 ft Westerly Skipper charter by myself Richard Lannowe Hall for skipper charter cruising in Cornwall, Devon & the Scilly Isles and Brittany.

The yacht is safe, comfortable and stable , well equipped, and fulfills all necessary safety requirements for the YDSA Certifying Authority.

As an experienced skipper I offer assisted cruising holidays for small groups or a family, one day, weekend and 7-day breaks. There is a expectation for charterers to partake in all activities."

Http://www.sailaday.co.UK/

Technorati Tags: cornwall, devon, scilly isles, uk, yacht, charter, travel, trips

A Great Hostel in San Diego

Lucky D's Hostel - San Diego

Offering you the best value and fun for your dollar is our goal. We offer
Free Internet, Free house phone (call anywhere in US and Canada Free), Free
evening meal three times a week and a Free weekly Pub Crawl. Free all you
can make waffle breakfast every weekend morning and Free cereal every
morning. We also offer Free tea and coffee all day and Free use of our linen
and towels.

Our central location makes getting around very easy. In two minutes you can
WALK to the Gaslamp quarter to enjoy the multitude of restaurants, bars,
clubs and shops that make up this district. Petco Park, San Diego's newly
built baseball stadium lies right on our doorstep. A baseball game is a must
in truly experiencing American culture. The bus, train and airport are all
easily reached, as is public transport.

Our activities director works hard to ensure you get to see all there is to
see in San Diego. We have daily activities organised such as a Gaslamp
Walking Tour and Gaslamp Pub Crawl to help you enjoy all San Diego has to
offer whilst meeting and hanging out with your fellow travelers. Balboa
Park, home to San Diegos many museums and the world famous Zoo is within
walking distance. The Greyhound (bus), Amtrak (train) and airport are all
easily reached, as is public transport.

All of our dorm rooms sleep only 4 people. All have brand new beds,
mattresses and pillows! Security lockers are provided in the rooms. Private
rooms have a Bunk bed with a full sized bed on the bottom and a single on
the top, cable TV, and mini fridge.

Technorati Tags: san diego, hostel, travel, lucky d's

Obama for High-Speed Rail in the U.S.

LA World Travel Examiner: A new era in U.S. train travel––Obama pushes for high-speed rail

Friday, April 17, President Barack Obama released a strategic plan outlining his vision for high-speed rail lines from city to city, reducing dependence on cars and planes, boosting the economy and the protection of the environment. The federal budget requests $8 billion as a down payment to jump-start the plan, envisioning a world-class passenger rail system that will set the direction of transportation policy for the future. By late summer, the Federal Railroad Administration will approve the first round of grants for state and local applicants and guide them in the implementation of the plan.

Potential recipients of federal funding for high-speed rail lines include California, Pacific Northwest, South Central, Gulf Coast, Chicago Hub Network, Florida, Southeast, Keystone, Empire and Northern New England.

The grants are very competitive to encourage local communities to plan and develop their own high-speed rail potential. The plan identifies two types of projects for funding:

1. The creation of new corridors for world-class high-speed rail, similar to systems in Europe and Japan.
2. Making train service along existing rail lines faster.

In his speech, President Obama voiced his belief that high-speed rail will revolutionize the way America travels. Not only that, but it promises to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, lower harmful carbon emissions, foster economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and increase travel in many areas that until now have been negatively impacted by lacking infrastructure. Last, not least, it will give travelers many more choices when it comes to exploring U.S. territory. Good-bye airports queues, good-bye jammed highways. Wouldn’t that be nice? He’s got my vote.

Technorati Tags: high-speed rail, travel, u.s., obama

For Vacation Rental Owners: Getlostrentals.com

Of all of the web sites I've ever used to book a vacation rental, Get Lost Rentals is by far the best. Why? The main reason has got to be their patented Multiple Inquiry feature. As you browse through Vacation Rentals you can add the properties you are interested in to your Multiple Inquiry list. Like a shopping cart, this list is saved as you continue to browse and once you're ready to make an inquiry to all of the properties in your list at once, all you have to do is click "Make Inquiry". This saves you ample time.

This feature brings renters back time and again, which makes it such a valuable investment for Owners. Other reasons include their 90 day money back guarantee and the fact that if you are not satisfied (though I can't imagine why you would ever be) they will give you your money back and keep your listing on the site so you continue to get inquiries.

As someone who manages several Vacation Rentals, I can tell you this is the best investment I've ever made for those properties. They are booked year-round because of the Inquiries I get from Get Lost.

Sign your property up for their 90-day risk-free listing here: Register your vacation rental

Get Lost Vacation Rentals

Technorati Tags: vacation rentals, get lost rentals

No Fee Tickets

I like this idea, companies need to start dropping the crazy fees during this economic slowdown. It will only boost competition, give people incentive to open their wallets, and  benefit the consumers. I like.

Budget travel site Orbitz offers discount blitz: No fee for tickets; Cheaptickets, Expedia beware

ORBITZ Worldwide plans to waive booking fees on flights reserved on Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com through next month, a move that pits the company against rivals in a battle for spring travel customers.

Online travel agencies like Orbitz, Priceline.com, Expedia and Travelocity are struggling to overcome slumping travel demand in a weak economy. The companies hope to spur travel with sales and other promotions.

Orbitz's promotion, which lasts until May 31, follows price guarantees offered last month by Priceline.com and Travelocity and a fee waiver issued last month by Expedia. Experts have said the various promotions may lure new customers, but could zap revenues.

Last year, Orbitz sought to get a upper hand on rivals by offering to refund the difference if its fares go down after customers used their Web site to book flights.

After suffering six straight quarterly losses, Orbitz announced in November it would cut 10% of its U.S. workforce.

News Wire Services

Technorati Tags: travel, no fee tickets, economy, orbitz, competition

Stress-related Travel?

People travelling to escape today's stress - Northumberland Today - Ontario, CA

Travel may be seen by some as a luxury item, but based on the experience of some local companies, people are still treating them as necessities.

"We were a little apprehensive," Marlin travel's manager, Jim Knight, said during a recent interview about the state of the travel industry. But the market hasn't dropped, he said.

Last fall was steady. Big ticket items like a 25-day Australian tour still went ahead even with fewer people than "we would have liked," Knight said.

This year, however, started very strong with a 15-to-20% increase over the same time in 2008 comparing statistics from Marlin Travel's offices in Cobourg, Port Hope and Bowmanville during January and February, Knight p>Families were still booking March break getaways and winter vacations possibly with the rationale that they needed to "get away" from the rising stress of the economic situation, he said.

Technorati Tags: travel, stress, economy

Obama to ease Cuban travel, financial restrictions

This is great news for Cuban-Americans. Hopefully this will be only the beginning of better relations with Cuba.

The Associated Press: Obama to ease Cuban travel, financial restrictions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration intends to allow Americans to visit relatives in Cuba and send money back to their families on the communist island nation, senior U.S. officials said Saturday.

President Barack Obama plans to announce the policy change before the Summit of the Americas April 17-19 in Trinidad and Tobago, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made.

Although some restrictions have been eased temporarily in legislation Obama signed last month, lifting the bans would meet a pledge he made during the presidential campaign and could signal a new openness with Cuba.

"The intent is to try to test the waters and see if we can get Cuba to move in another direction," one official said. "One way of getting the regime to open up may be to let people travel, increase exchanges and get money flowing to the island."

The official said there is no plan to lift the decades-old embargo on the island and that the move "is just the president fulfilling a campaign promise."

As a candidate, Obama promised to allow unlimited family travel and remittances to Cuba. "It's time to let Cuban-Americans see their mothers and fathers, their sisters and their brothers," he said in a speech last May in Miami. "It's time to let Cuban-American money make their families less dependent on the Castro regime."

Technorati Tags: travel, cuba, embargo, cuban-americans, obama, castro

iStopOver

iStopOver: Skip the Overpriced Hotel and Rent a Local Pad Instead

iStopOver is the easy and safe way to save money by renting space in someone’s home as an alternative to hotels.

If your travel budget has gone the way of the stock market, but you still want to traipse around the world and take a mini-vacay, you’ve got more options than you think when it comes to affordable accommodations — especially if you’re trying to avoid paying inflated hotel prices in metropolitan cities. Sure, you could peruse Craigslist () for people willing to rent their place out for a weekend, but for more search options, higher quality information, and safer financial transactions you can turn to iStopOver for finding (or renting out) the perfect place to stay.

Technorati Tags: travel, hotel, rooms

4 Steps to Travel Research

HOW TO: Use Social Media for Travel Research

Whether you’re traveling to another city, state, or continent, putting in a few hours to do your homework can mean the difference between a great vacation and a week full of headaches. Finding great local restaurants, comfortable sleeping accomodations, and hidden gems should be on the top of your travel list, no matter if it’s a one day business trip or a permanent move to Thailand.

In the past, this type of information was exclusive to travel agents and generic travel books. However, with the rise of social media and stronger interconnectivity, you can get the real story, avoid the tourist traps, and meet real locals. This guide provides an overview of tips and tools for using social media as a travel research tool.

Technorati Tags: travel, travel wiki, travel research