Condotel Investments in the Philippines. Lancaster Suites Blogs

Beth Collingz, International Marketing Director of PLC Global an internet based sales and marketing company and lead marketing partners with Pacific Concord Properties, Inc., for the Lancaster Brand of Condotels in the Philippines, recently announced the company has acquired by purchase an additional 27 units in its Lancaster Cebu Condotel adding another 75M pesos to its project inventory and expansion. This brings the number of properties held in the development to 75 suites with another 120 units to be added before year end for Condo Hotel rental operations.

Property is all about LOCATION said Collingz. Mactan, Cebu, provides one with both the laid back pace of provincial living, as well as prerequisites of the urban dweller. Schools, hospitals, restaurants, shopping malls, and leisure are all found on the island itself.

Lancaster Cebu Resort Residences, located a mere 3 minutes from Mactan-Cebu International Airport, provides you with easy access to all the essentials of urban living. This ideal location will complement the Condotel operation since Lancaster Cebu will function as a condominium hotel a preferred accommodation choice of businessmen and holiday travelers alike. Clients can either purchase Condotel Suites for investment purposes or lease the units on weekly, monthly or yearly basis. We have Fully Furnished Executive Studio Suite and Two-Bedroom Suites available at Lancaster Cebu Resort Residences at Pre-Increase Prices that will be Ready For Occupancy from September 2007 at the current price said Collingz.

Fully furnished Studio Suites are priced at -Pph-2,753,924.06 and may be purchased with initial Reservation Fee -Pph-100,000.00 Balance Payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments of -Pph-110,580.17 [Tax Inclusive]. Alternatively Save -Pph-106,156.96 by making Reservation [-Pph-100,000.00] then within 30 days 40% Net Down Payment of -Pph-955,412.70 with resulting Balance payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments -Pph-66,348.10. Another option, Pay Cash and take 10% discount [Save -Pph-275,392.40] Pay the Reservation Now [-Pph-100,000.00] and the Cash Balance within 30 days [-Pph-2,378,531.66] for an Effective Total Cash Price of -Pph-2,478,531.66. This Suite many also be purchased on Five Year Payment Terms through our no qualification In-House Finance with 15% Down Payment.

Whilst, fully furnished 2 BR Loft Type Suites are priced at -Pph-5,467,004.14 and may also be purchased with an initial Reservation Fee of only -Pph-100,000.00 with the Balance Payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments of -Pph-223,625.18 Tax Inclusive. Alternatively Save -Pph-214,680.16 by making the Reservation -Pph-100,000.00 then within 30 days 40% Net Down Payment of -Pph-1,932,121.50 and resulting Balance payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments Pph-134,175.10. Another option, Pay Cash take 10% discount [Save -Pph-546,700.41] Pay the Reservation Now [-Pph-100,000.00] and Balance within 30 days [-Pph-4,820,303.73] for an Effective Total Cash Price of -Pph-4,920,303.73. These Two Bedroom Fully Furnished Suites many also be purchased on Five Year Payment Terms through our no qualification In-House Finance Available with 15% Down Payment.

Collingz said Lancaster Cebu Resort Residences is also offering Studio and 2-Bedroom Fully Furnished Ready for Occupancy Suites on daily, weekly, monthly or yearly lease rental terms. Whilst some renovation works are still ongoing within the complex, unit rentals are now available to guests at ‘Special Promo Rates’.

Cebu City is the acknowledged gateway and Queen City of the South. Cebu is the most important trading and commercial hub outside of Metro Manila. Mactan Cebu International Airport assures the arrival of a steady stream of international flights from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kota Kinabalu, Seoul and Qatar. There are also chartered flights from Incheon, Taipei, Kansai, Nagoya and Kiaoshung that arrive on a weekly basis. Cebu is identified by Asiaweek and Conde Nast Traveller as one of Asia’s Best Cities.

Condotel and Apartment Rentals in Cebu, Philippines

Beth Collingz, International Marketing Director of PLC Global Pinoy, an internet based sales and marketing company and lead marketing partners for the Lancaster Brand of Condotels in the Philippines, said guests can now choose to stay in the condotel’s well appointed executive studio suites and two-bedroom loft rooms complete with air-conditioning, queen-sized bed, television, toilet and bath, a living room set, and a kitchen and dining area, which comes complete with a set of cookware and dinnerware. The bathrooms are equipped with a bathtub, retractable clothesline, hairdryer and water heater.

Located in Lapu Lapu City, 3 minutes from Cebu-Mactan International Airport, LCRR is about 2 minutes away from Marina Mall, about 15 minutes away from the historic Lapu Lapu Shrine and Mactan Shangri-La Resort Hotel. Other resorts, Cebu White Sands, Tambuli Beach, Maribago Blue Waters and Plantation Bay Resort are all within 20-25 minutes drive.

For the soft launch, LHLPI has prepared special promotional room rates aimed at budget travelers. Guests can check-in to any of the executive studio suites for as low as $35 a night or to any of the two-bedroom loft rooms at $65 a night plus 13% Government Tax whilst longer term discounted rates for monthly and yearly lease rentals are also available said Collingz.

Lancaster Cebu also offers Studio Suites for sale. Collingz said Fully Furnished Studio Suite 36.5625sqm [395sqft] Philippine Pesos: -Pph-75,321.00/sqm -Pph-2,753,924.06 are available and may be purchased with initial Reservation Fee -Pph-100,000.00 Balance Payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments of -Pph-110,580.17 [Tax Inclusive]. Alternatively Save -Pph-106,156.96 by making Reservation [-Pph-100,000.00] then within 30 days 40% Net Down Payment of -Pph-955,412.70 with resulting Balance payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments -Pph-66,348.10. Another option, Pay Cash and take 10% discount [Save -Pph-275,392.40] Pay the Reservation Now [-Pph-100,000.00] and the Cash Balance within 30 days [-Pph-2,378,531.66] for an Effective Total Cash Price of -Pph-2,478,531.66. This Suite many also be purchased on Five Year Payment Terms through our no qualification “In-House” Finance with 15% Down Payment.

Whilst the Lancaster Cebu Resort Residences Executive 2 Bedroom Suite, Fully Furnished 2 BR Loft Suite 65.74sqm [710sqft] -Pph-83,161.00/sqm Philippine Pesos: -Pph-5,467,004.14, may be purchased with an initial Reservation Fee -Pph-100,000.00 Balance Payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments of -Pph-223,625.18 Tax Inclusive. Alternatively Save -Pph-214,680.16 by making the Reservation -Pph-100,000.00 then within 30 days 40% Net Down Payment of -Pph-1,932,121.50 and resulting Balance payable without interest over 24 consecutive equal monthly payments –Pph-134,175.10. Another option, Pay Cash take 10% discount [Save -Pph-546,700.41] Pay the Reservation Now [-Pph-100,000.00] and Balance within 30 days [-Pph-4,820,303.73] for an Effective Total Cash Price of -Pph-4,920,303.73. These Two Bedroom Fully Furnished Suites many also be purchased on Five Year Payment Terms through our no qualification “In-House” Finance Available with 15% Down Payment said Collingz

Whilst some renovation works are still ongoing within the complex, unit rentals are now available to guests at 'Special Promo Rates'. Cebu City is the acknowledged gateway and Queen City of the South. Cebu is the most important trading and commercial hub outside of Metro Manila. Mactan Cebu International Airport assures the arrival of a steady stream of international flights from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kota Kinabalu, Seoul and Qatar. There are also chartered flights from Incheon, Taipei, Kansai, Nagoya and Kiaoshung that arrive on a weekly basis. Cebu is identified by Asiaweek and Conde Nast Traveller as one of Asia’s Best Cities

Como Ganar Jugando Video Poquer

La mayoría de la gente te dirá que la única manera de salir de un casino siendo Millonario es entrar siendo un Millonario, pero la realidad es que no es completamente verdad. Solo es la forma más fácil de hacerlo.

Si eres el tipo de persona que no teme a los riesgos para ganar grandes sumas, entonces puede que esto te sea útil.

Las maquinas de video Póquer pueden ser encontradas en cada casino, en los clásicos casinos o en línea. Estas maquinas ofrecen las mejores posibilidades de hacerte un millonario si sabes como jugar.

Todo lo que necesitas es una tarjeta de crédito con por lo menos $20,000 y los cojones de arriesgarlo, en lo que puede ser menos de 20 minutos. Recomiendo guardar hasta $20,000 dólares antes de que lo intentes y no solo gastar el dinero de tu tarjeta.

El juego que elijas es muy importante. Hay muchos tipos de juegos diferentes de poquer ofrecidos en forma de video. En algunos juegas en un computador y el jugador con la mejor mano ganara, en otros no hay otros jugadores, la mejor mano que obtengas la maquina pagara mas. Un par paga 1:1; dos pares pagan 2:1 y sucesivamente. El segundo tipo de video póquer es el que mas te conviene.

Recuerda que esto no es no es una garantía de que ganaras, y si no ganas dinero puede que quedes con menos $20,000 dólares. Pero la realidad es que puede hacerte ganar mucho efectivo, de una forma bastante sencilla.

Usualmente conviene comenzar con por lo menos 20,000 dólares, y haciendo apuestas de $1,000 cada tanto, y así comenzar a ganar el gran monto real.

Te recomiendo no aumentar tus apuestas a mas de $1,000 hasta que no hayas hecho por lo menos $100,000.

He descubierto este método hace dos años; He gastado mis fines de semana en el casino jugando al poquer blackjack, Ruleta, sin ganar nada de dinero, pero durante la semana jugaba video póquer desde mi casa, y ganaba montos que nunca lo había hecho antes.

Un día decidí intentarlo y en vez de gastar mi dinero en juegos de mesa fui directamente al video póquer, y para el final del fin de semana había ganado casi $60,000 dólares.

Ahora cada dos o tres meses voy al casino, con una cuenta de $20,000 y gano montos que nunca había pensado ganar nunca antes.

Recuerda que no hay garantías que esto te resulte un 100 por ciento, ya que ha habido momentos en donde puedes perder tus $20,000 antes de ganar tu primera buena mano, pero también puede que recibas una increíble mano y ganes de una $25,000 en la primera mano. Aprende más sobre eso en Juegos de casinos 6.

Sin duda las apuestas de casino son un tipo de actividad la cual puedes decepcionarte mucho o sorprenderte por haber recibido grandes ganancias. Si sientes que tu situación económica no pasa por sus mejores momentos, debes esperar hasta sentirte mas seguro para no tener grandes decepciones. Al mismo tiempo si buscas ganar dinero rápido, puede que sea tu oportunidad.

Communication par Internet entre Franchiseurs et Franchises

Cette communication entre franchiseurs et franchisés peut donc se faire aujourd'hui via Internet ou câbles de d'interconnexion reliant les franchises via leur réseau et permet de rentabiliser le travail des franchisés par le gain de temps en recherche d'informations si ce dernier est correctement utilisé.

Les franchisés peuvent alors passer leurs commandes en ligne et contrôler les dates de livraisons. La plus part des grandes franchises utilisent le système "à la minute", qui permet de connaître au moment précis l'état des stocks ou encore les livraisons effectuées à leur franchisés. Cela a donc réellement permis d'activer le processus et signifie également que le franchisé peut mieux réorganiser ses stocks sans être à court au moment X.

Les systèmes les plus pointus permettent également aux franchisés de s'approvisionner auprès d'un autre franchisé si le franchiseur est à cours de stock.

Les demandes peuvent être connectées au réseau et toutes les ventes peuvent être relayées auprès des franchiseurs. Cela implique donc que la plus part des cas des demandes d'ordres peuvent être retirées directement par le franchisé.

Pour le franchiseur, cela est fantastique car il n'est alors plus nécessaire de perdre du temps à rechercher le franchisé disposant de la quantité adéquate désirée qui pourrait répondre urgemment à la demande.

Les franchisés en tire un avantage certain car ils voient leur travail diminué et leur permet de passer plus de temps sur les problèmes marketings et la gestion de la relation clientèle.

Par ailleurs, les franchisés peuvent maintenant payer en même temps en ligne le franchiseur et les fournisseurs sans avoir recours aux carnets de chèques, enveloppes et postage. Une solution simple de payement en ligne donne de nombreux avantages que ne peuvent procurer les méthodes de payements classiques. En plus d'augmenter leur facilité de caisse, ce système leur permet également de réduire les risques de fraude.

Par exemple, une grande société de jeux carte possédant bon nombre de franchises. L'une d'entre elle se retrouve à cours de jeux que l'on vient de lui demander. Un simple passage sur Intranet et elle peut alors renseigner exactement son client quant aux délais de livraison du produit.

D'autres systèmes encore plus perfectionnés permettent de voir leurs comptes, rendant alors leur travail plus aisé grâce à une analyse plus objective. Le comptable est ainsi capable de voir en temps et en heure toute transaction effectuée et de récupérer les données des autres franchises.

Mais l'Intranet permet aussi à l'entreprise d'y déposer ses brochures, de visionner les dernières vidéos publicitaires de la société et éventuellement aider les franchiseurs en leur adressant un feedback sur la manière d'améliorer leur politique marketing pour le futur. Ils peuvent également tenir leurs opérateurs informés de façon régulière de manière manuelle.

Pour cela, un accès Internet haut débit est obligatoire, les franchisés développant habituellement leur business depuis leur ordinateur. Cela implique au franchiseur de devoir former son franchisé quant à l'utilisation et la maintenance de leur outil informatique.

es franchiseurs aiment adopter ce système afin de renforcer l'image de marque de la compagnie et faire participer activement leurs franchisés au cœur de cette dernière.

Toutefois, les dangers de l'utilisation d'Internet (ou intranet) sont nombreux. Si le serveur principal des franchiseurs tombe en panne et ne dispose pas de back up adéquate ou une facilité d'accès d'autres serveurs, tous les réseaux des franchisés peut être pénalisé.

City Of Lovers

Paris incites the senses, asking to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.

In the great local tradition of the flâneur, or considerate boulevard-stroller, Paris is a wonderful city for aimless moving about. Relaxed quarters such as the vibrant Marais, elegant St-Germain and romantic Montmartre are ideal for street-browsing, shopping and café-sitting, and the city’s lack of open space is making up for by beautiful formal gardens, by the pathways and pavements that run beside the River Seine, and by endless hidden or unexpected havens. Wherever one goes historic landmark buildings and contemporary architectural wonders reminds one of the city’s pride and grandeur.

The lovers should bond with nature, and each other. Paris is filled with beautiful gardens, and all make an extraordinarily romantic setting. Luxembourg Gardens, in particular, is a great spot for couples, and is adjacent to the breathtaking Luxembourg Castle. French kissing is a must here. One must have seen the scene in almost every romance set in Paris - a couple embraces for a deep kiss on a bridge overlooking the Seine River. Take one’s honey to the nearest bridge, walk to the center and get smooching. Wine and dine - There are few things better to savor in Paris than a wonderful meal, accompanied by a delectable bottle of wine. One can go in anywhere in Paris to find this. Wander along the Champs Elysee until a sidewalk cafe captivates one’s attention.

Walk arm in arm. Venture to the Ile Saint Louis (near Notre Dame) for a great neighborhood for walking. The tiny island within the Seine has cute boutique shops, nice restaurants and nightclubs filled with locals. Try Berthillon which is a delicious ice cream that can only be found in this small neighborhood. Jazz it up. This is one of the best cities in the world to listen to jazz, whether it’s at a smoky hole-in-the-wall or a popular club. Hit any jazz club, snuggle, sip wine and listen to the sounds of Gay Paris.

Long famed as the city of lovers, it’s easy to see why Paris still holds interest to couples looking for a little romance. It can be walking hand in hand along the quails of the Seine, or sharing a Bertillon ice cream in the Ile St Louis or even kissing in front of the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, lovers of all ages can absorb themselves in the same romantic Parisian atmosphere that has inspired centuries of novels, paintings, photographs and films.

It is known that the best things in life are free and one of the most romantic things about Paris is the ability to walk for hours finding one’s own special corner. Certain areas lend themselves beautifully to this form of exploration, from the winding streets of the medieval Marais to the overgrown cemetery of Pere Lachaise home to Oscar Wilde, Chopin and Jim Morrison. It is certainly a City for lovers.

Citas a Ciegas

Para todo aquel que busque encontrar su alma gemela, media naranja, amor, enamorarse, un compañero de emociones o como quieras llamarlo es algo difícil de encontrar. Para algunos desde ya no es algo complicado, les ha pasado a los 15 años, 18, 22, en fin ya comparten el día y la mayor parte de sus vidas con alguien desde hace mucho. A otros, sin embargo les es más complicado y duro de encontrar.

La experiencia de las citas a ciegas es algo inolvidable, bueno o malo puede ser interesante. Como dicen, la experiencia es cuando no encuentras lo que buscas. Sin embargo hay casos en que esta experiencia se vuelve en lo que uno busca.

Si eres de aquellos que creen en que un amigo, familia o alguien que te conoce puede llegar a tener a alguien con el cual encuentres lo que buscas, la pregunta es ¿Por qué no probar?

En mi caso personal, experimente varias citas a ciegas y amigas mías también lo hicieron. Algunas fueron sorprendentes, en el sentido de buenas y otras de malas. Es como un juego de ruleta una pequeña probabilidad en muchas de que salgas feliz o que algo interesante salga de ello.

Una amiga de mi mama quiso que conozca al hermano de su nuera. Cuando llegue al lugar de la cita y lo vi, rápidamente me di cuenta de que no era para mi pero quizás podía pasar un buen rato. El chico, trajo consigo un poema que había escrito y quería decírmelo. Era una situación muy rara e incomoda ya que el y yo no concordábamos en nada y no teníamos nada que ver. El problema era que la amiga de mi mama no me conocía tanto, y creía que si. Es por eso que la cita no funciono.

En el caso de mi hermana, al mudarse a un país nuevo la única forma de conocer gente y chicos era por medio de citas. Lo gracioso de la historia es que la señora de la lavandería le propuso salir con su hijo y ella acepto. Al llegar a la cita el chico tenía labio leporino y era nada atractivo en su aspecto. Mi hermana no podía disimular no mirar a su labio y en el medio de la cita encontró a otro chico en la mesa de enfrente que le gusto.

Mi amigo, que es gay y yo salimos hace unas semanas a una fiesta con una amiga mía. Los dos se hicieron amigos y ella le comento que tiene un amigo de su clase de la universidad que también es gay y es muy lindo. Entonces arreglaron que por que no se conocían. AL final de la noche intercambiaron teléfonos y quedo ella en hablar con su amigo. Su amigo acepto y se llamaron. Al encontrarse los dos no tenían nada de lo que hablar y el otro para hacer la cita más corto no pudo disimular su desinterés y hacia todo rápido para irse antes.

En fin, las citas a ciegas son algo que debes hacer si la persona que los conecta los conoce bien y puede llegar a saber que te gustara de la otra persona o que buscas. Sin embargo no hay certeza de que saldrás contento de una forma u otra. Puede pasar que de casualidad la persona te encante y que si tienes la mente abierta saldrás ganando.

Cinco de Mayo

With the political situation as it is, partying may not be the first thing on the minds of Mexican Americans, other Chicanos; and yanks that are looking for an excuse to tip a few Coronas. Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is quickly approaching and a night of festivities for everyone might be just what the doctor ordered. Cities throughout the United States celebrate Cinco de Mayo, also known as the Battle of Puebla, and many people mistake the holiday for Mexican Independence Day. However, Mexico declared independence from Spain on Sept. 16, 1810, whereas the Battle of Puebla happened on May 5, 1862, more than fifty years later.

Some History on the Battle of Puebla

In the turbulent years after winning its independence from Spain, Mexico had amassed large amounts of debt from several countries, including Spain, England and France. Due to rising political unrest in the country, Mexican President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium on all foreign debt repayments for a period of two years, after which the payments would begin again.

Spain, England and France were outraged and banded together, each sending fleets of soldiers and national representatives to retrieve moneys owed to them and seize property rights in lieu of payments.

Spain and England both made agreements with Mexico concerning repayment and withdrew their troops. However, France, under Napoleon III, had other ideas in mind, namely conquest. Napoleon wanted to place his relative, the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, into power as ruler of the country. France refused the offers given to them and Napoleon ordered troops into Mexico City.

President Juarez reacted quickly by appointing General Ignacio Zaragoza. The general rounded together 4,500 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indian farmers set to attack. The French Army had brought only 6,500 troops, assuming an easy takeover, but was met with harsh resistance throughout the march from the coastal town of Veracruz, where the troops landed.

Once the French reached Puebla on May 5, the Mexican army defeated them with a combination of guerilla tactics, inhospitable terrain and a cattle stampede from nearby villagers. The French were forced to withdraw and the Mexicans won the battle.

Unfortunately, the romance soon came to an end and the French eventually won the war, occupying the country for a short time until 1867, when Archduke Maximilian was shot and Benito Juarez reformed the government.

Celebrations in the Mother Country

Today, May 5 is celebrated in Puebla, Mexico City and, to a lesser degree, the rest of Mexico. Military parades, special meals and even a reenactment (sometimes fought with real gunpowder rifles) can be seen in different cities throughout the country.

The city of Puebla is one of the most impressive and oldest colonial cities in Mexico. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique beauty, the magnificent historic center is an ideal starting point for a Cinco de Mayo tour

Source: www.leisuregrouptravel.com

other links:

www.grouptravelblog.com

www.leisuregrouptravel.com

Choosing Your Best Travel Destination

If you are planning to take a vacation, be sure to know what you really like to do, this will make your trip more meaningful. Mostly, travelers go for a trip that their friends recommend, but is it what they really want? It's never too early to plan and know what your heart desires.

It's nice to ask yourself these questions before starting to plan your vacation; do I want to relax? Do I want adventure or a learning experience? Do I want to get away from my job? Once you know the answers to these questions, then you are ready to plan your trip.

Vacations are needed for our emotional, physical and mental balance. Vacations give a person a chance to relax, renew his energy, and free him from his daily routine. Vacations could be far away or close to home. Wherever the vacation may be, it does the same thing. It is the satisfaction that is more important than the destination.

Generally, there are some different types of travel according to activities involved. Here are some of them:

1. Responsible Travel. Traveling doesn't always have to be self-serving. With responsible travel, one could have enjoyment as much as respecting the local environment and the people.

2. Rediscovering nature. Rediscovering travel is all about nature and everything in it. It revitalizes the soul while smelling and feeling nature.

3. Tribal cultures. In today's world of high technology, it is wise to experience the simpler life of the tribal people who live close to nature in the same way for the past thousands of years.

4. Responsible Diving. Diving not only let travelers appreciate what is down the sea but also making the traveler more aware of the conservation effort.

The country one is planning to travel to also leaves a great mark on the traveler's diary. Here are some of the most popular destinations today:

1. Thailand. Thailand is also known as Siam. It is an Asian country bounded by Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Behind the back draft of Thailand's jungles of bamboo, rubber trees and vines are the Five-star hotels of modern conveniences. In some parts of the country, elephants are still being use to lift timbers and buffalos are still being use in farming.

2. China. China is now the second largest country and fastest growing economy in the world. Most parts of China are still unexplored by tourist; however, the eastern portion is now popular to western tourist. First class hotels now offer highest class of amenities and dozens are still being built/

3. Italy. Italy is a boot-like shape country bounded by Switzerland, Austria, France, and Slovenia. The main attraction of Italy is St. Peter's Square where the Pope resides.

4. Caribbean. Caribbean is an archipelago of islands, 2000 square miles across. Most of the islands are plateaus and eruptions of underlying mountain systems. It has nice beaches of crushed coral and white or pink sand and the water at the shore is a deep blue.

The success of any vacation will not depend by how much the traveler spent or its destination. It is how the traveler enjoyed it and how he was able to achieve his primary goal of "getting away from it all."

Choosing The Best Travel Accommodation In Bali

As the prominent tourist destination, Bali has abundance choice of accommodation. It is ranged from budget hotel, guesthouse run by local people, cottage, bungalow, boutique hotel, luxury villa, to the international 5 star hotels. The accommodation spread up throughout Bali.

Cluster accommodation is not only to be found in crowd/centre tourist area, but also found even at secluded area. Hotel styles vary from traditional style to modern design. The tourists in Bali mostly favour Balinese style hotels. You’ll be easily to find a hotel that suits your needs either beach/lake side, cool mountain area, rice field view, hilltop, riverbanks, tropical garden, traditional village surroundings, town-centred, etc.

However, there are many things to consider when choosing your travel accommodations. The decision could make your trip fun or a disappointment. Choosing the right hotel is a must. Most travellers spend more time in airline ticket reservations and bargains but less time in choosing the right accommodations. Thus they may end up on the wrong side of the bed during their stay.

To get the most out of your hotel accommodations, remember to book as early as possible and make your dates more flexible. Hotels that specialize for business people will consider weekends as off-season. Family vacationers could tap into these special packages during weekends. Primarily, you should choose your hotel based on name, amenities, features, price, packages and location.

Here are some considerations in choosing your best travel accommodations:

1. Accommodations should be family-friendly. Always ask if your hotel offers children activity areas with educational and fun activities supervised by duly trained caregivers.

2. Your hotel should provide a swimming pool for children, day care service, crib rental and child-proof electrical outlets.

3. Stay in a hotel that has electronic room-key cards and has a security viewer installed on their doors.

4. Make it a priority to choose a room on the upper floor.

5. If you're the one who likes to spend more time in your hotel room and the balcony, you should ask for the available amenities and the conditions of the surrounding environment.

6. Depending on whether you're on a private or business trip, ask your hotel about the availability of laundry service, hair dryers, coffee makers, newspapers, free meals, fax machine, bar, cable television, parking, shuttle service, internet connection, etc.

7. The hotel property layout and its location may speak more of its surrounding environment. Noisy locations such as construction on adjacent property, car traffic and noisy waterfalls are not specified on hotel flyers. So be sure to ask about it.

8. Beautifully landscaped surroundings with trees, flowers and inner courts also enhance your travel pleasure. Moreover, gift shops and restaurants all add up to a wonderful travel experience.

9. The location of your hotel with respect to main attraction is equally important. It could save you money on taxi and bus fare.

10. Make sure that the room service is provided 24 hours a day.

11. Check out the room itself. Is it brightly coloured or classical? It sets the mood of your travel.

In order to get the most out of your travel, whether for business or family vacations, be sure to know everything about the hotel you are planning to check in to. Ask friends and relatives who have been there. Don't just depend on the hotel's web page, which is undoubtedly biased. Having to stay in a hotel, which you don’t like, could ruin your trip.

Choosing The Best Travel Accommodation

There are many things to consider when choosing your travel accommodations. The decision could make your trip fun or a disappointment. Choosing the right hotel is a must. Most travelers spend more time in airline ticket reservations and bargains but less time in choosing the right accommodations. Thus they may end up on the wrong side of the bed during their stay.

To get the most out of your hotel accommodations, remember to book as early as possible and make your dates more flexible. Hotels that specialize for business people will consider weekends as off season. Family vacationers could tap into these special packages during weekends. Primarily, you should choose your hotel based on name, amenities, features, price, packages and location.

Here are some considerations in choosing your best travel accommodations:

1. Accommodations should be family-friendly. Always ask if your hotel offers children activity areas with educational and fun activities supervised by duly-trained care-givers.

2. Your hotel should provide a swimming pool for children, daycare service, crib rental and child-proof electrical outlets.

3. Stay in a hotel that has electronic room-key cards and has a security viewer installed on their doors.

4. Make it a priority to choose a room on the upper floor.

5. If you're the one who likes to spend more time in your hotel room and the balcony, you should ask for the available amenities and the conditions of the surrounding environment.

6. Depending on whether you're on a private or business trip, ask your hotel about the availability of laundry service, hair dryers, coffee makers, newspapers, free meals, fax machine, bar, cable television, parking, shuttle service, internet connection, etc.

7. The hotel property layout and its location may speak more of its surrounding environment. Noisy locations such as construction on adjacent property, car traffic and noisy waterfalls are not specified on hotel flyers. So be sure to ask about it.

8. Beautifully landscaped surroundings with trees, flowers and inner courts also enhance your travel pleasure. Moreover, gift shops and restaurants all add up to a wonderful travel experience.

9. The location of your hotel with respect to main attraction is equally important. It could save you money on taxi and bus fare.

10. Make sure that the room service is provided 24 hours a day.

11. Check out the room itself. Is it brightly colored or classical? It sets the mood of your travel.

In order to get the most out of your travel, whether for business or family vacations, be sure to know everything about the hotel you are planning to check in to. Ask friends and relatives who have been there. Don't just depend on the hotel's webpage which is undoubtedly biased. Having to stay in a hotel which you don't like could ruin your trip.

Choosing The Best Airfare

You have several various choices when it come to choosing the primo place to find the absolute best airfare prices. The significant thing to do is to search around, don't simply go with the first selection available to you that you might come upon. Take the right amount of time while doing the research so that you don't land up paying a lot for your airfare than you have to.

Turn on your computer and get set up because you will discover that by researching airfares on the internet you will have an unbelievable number of options when it gets to finding an affordable airfare that best fits your abilities. Airfare can be completely outrageous, as almost some of you already experience, but you don't have to settle for unfair airfare! Provide yourself the time that it will take up so that you will then have the ability to go to several search engines and book the flight that is available to you at a deal.

As long as you're not to picky once it comes up to your availability, I know without doubt that you will come across an airfare that would be exactly right on for you. Just about most folks have got to be bargain shoppers because of all of the other expenses we ran into in life day-after-day. Be sure that when you are setting about in choosing your flight you maintain an eye out for several stops that could happen during your flight period, the numerous stops you will have to endure, the more probable it is that you will be finding a few discounts here and there.

Even if it is a little less convenient, the money that you have the ability of saving will be well worth whatever kind of waiting periods that you may have to tolerate. Either way it goes, you are all the same going to get to your destination, wether or not you have to make a couple of stops along the way or not. So a lot of folks are guilty of being impatient and what happens while you are impatient is that you have the potential of maybe regretting your impatience since good things can come to those who wait.

You do hold the choice of merely going to the airline business of choice and choosing your airfare right there, on the spot. Still, if you decide to get your airfare this manner you need to remember that no question about it, you will be paying a a lot higher price. If you would merely get online and do the researching, I bet you anything that you will before long be satisfied with the best airfare deals that are available in no time at all. Most folks are all of the time in a rush and by rushing trying out to find good airfare you will end up making a error and losing out on the great deals that they do have to offer to you. Ask a friend or family member which course they took in getting the best airfare, perhaps they could send you in the right direction in hopefully finding

Choosing A Travel Agency

Your vacation is a precious commodity. You work all year in order to be able to afford that two or three week time when you can go off to a destination of your choice and shake off the hassles of the year in as relaxing a manner as is possible. If you are planning on taking a vacation that requires any sort of extensive planning, such as out of the country or even to a popular destination in a different state, it is probably going to be necessary for you to enlist the services of a travel agency.

There are several advantages when it comes to using a travel agency over planning your entire vacation yourself. As businesses, travel agencies have many contacts in various areas of travel, whether the vacation you are planning is a cruise, a resort destination, or even a school travel group. In any case, a travel agency should have the contacts to be able to get you the best prices on quality vacation items such as airfare, hotel rooms, or the best possible cruise.

The first step in choosing your travel agency is to choose the vacation that is right for you. Travel agencies will often advertise bargain vacations to certain destinations, and if you re the type who likes to fly by the seat of your pants then this kind of spur of the moment planning may be perfect for you. For many others, however, the key to the perfect vacation will be in shopping around and deciding on where you would like to go before you go out looking for an agency.

Once you have decided on your dream vacation, it is time to find a travel agency. Remember, travel agencies are not all regulated, so you will want to find an agency that has a good reputation and a great track record. Word of mouth is a great tool when it comes to any kind of service, and choosing a travel agency is no exception. Talk to friends and family members who have taken similar vacations to the one that you are planning and find out how they felt about the agency that assisted them.

Try to find out which travel agency group the agency you are considering is associated with. Agencies with more extensive (think global) affiliations are more likely to be able to get you lower prices and added favors for your vacation. Keep in mind, however, that just because they are affiliated with a large group does not mean that the agency itself has to be large. Common knowledge would suggest that the bigger the agency, the easier it is to negotiate smaller prices. This is not always the case, however, so don’t make your decision on the number of employees in the store.

Finally, ask for references from the agency of both clients and suppliers. Clients, of course, are people like yourself who have used the agency’s services to go on vacations before. Suppliers are the people with whom the agency deals in order to purchase items such as hotel rooms and airline tickets, and will often have a clearer view of how the agency operates and whether or not they can do all that they claim as far as cost cutting and favors.

Chinese Games:Games with Chinese Origins

The Chinese culture has a significant influence on the American gambling industry. Many of todays popular casino games were introduced to American casinos by Chinese immigrants. In this review, you can read about some of the most popular Chinese gambling games that had a successful immigration to the West.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is a hybrid of American poker and traditional Chinese tiles game called Pai Gow. The original tile game Pai Gow, which means Make 9, is one of the most ancient gambling games that are still available in cotemporary casinos. Pai Gow Poker is played with playing cards instead of tiles and it uses the traditional poker hand ranking. It is one of the most popular casino games worldwide and it can be found in almost every major casino in the US. Its online version can be played at most casinos on the internet.

The object of the Pai Gow Poker is to form the highest possible two poker hands, one five card hand and a two card hand, out of the seven cards dealt to each player. Each player competes against the banker that can be either the casino dealer or one of the players who can afford paying the players winnings.

Sic Bo

Sic Bo is yet another popular casino game with roots that go back to ancient China. The chance game came to the States around the beginning of the 20th century by Chinese immigrants. It can be played in most land based casinos in Macau, the US and the UK. Sic Bo has an online version as well.

The meaning of Sic Bo is Dice Pair. It is played with three standard dice on a special table. Each player places any number of bets on the table and then tosses the dice. The outcome is determined by the combinations of the three dice. Each combination has a different payoff according to a payoff schedule, which vary from one casino to the other.

Fan Tan

Fan Tan used to be the most popular gambling game among Chinese gamblers but the glory days of Fan Tan have already passed. During the 1890s, Chinese immigrants brought the game to the United States. At that time, every Chinatown in American City had several Fan Tan houses that were always full of enthusiastic gamblers. Nowadays, you can find Fan Tan in some casinos in Macau as well as in some online gaming sites.

Traditional Fan Tan, not to be confused with the card game of the same name, used to be played with any objects such as coins, dried beans or small buttons on a table with a square marked on it. Fan Tan. The object of the game is pretty simple and odds are 1: 4.

The play begins with the banker puts on the table a pile of objects then covers them with a bowl. Each player has to bet on one of the numbers that mark the four sides of the square, or on one of the corners of the square. After the bowl is removed, the croupier removes four of the objects each time until the last group remains. If 1 object is left, then the player who placed a bet on 1 wins the pot, and so on.

Mahjong

Mahjong is probably the biggest inherit of Chinese culture to the gaming world. The ancient Chinese tile game has many variants worldwide including variety of online games. According to the myth, Mahjong was developed by Confucius around the 500 BC. The game was brought to the United States during the 1920s and soon was very popular especially among women. The game was played in Chinese style decorated rooms with waiters wearing traditional customs.

The American version of Mahjong was developed during the 1930s and it is played in America until today. At the same time, the National Mahjong league was founded. In addition to American Mahjong, there are Japanese, Vietnamese, Cantonese and other variations of the game, which vary from one to the other by their scoring structure, number of tiles and rules variants. In 1998, the China State Sports Commission had set a standard set of rules that will differentiate the illegal gambling game from the skill game.

Mahjong Solitaire, the online version of Mahjong, gains wide popularity recently. The online version of the classic Chinese game is a matching game that uses the Mahjong tiles. Online Mahjong games can be found in many online gaming sites in variety of layouts and versions.

Chinatown Bus Lines Are A Budget Traveler's Dream

A guide to the Chinatown Bus

The word is out—the cheapest way to get from one major U.S. city to another is on the “Chinatown bus”. In recent years this has become transportation option of choice for budget travelers in New York, Washington DC, and Boston, and more recently on the West Coast. Students, backpackers, and an array of other savvy travelers have long loved the rock bottom prices that these bus companies offer. Despite the popularity of these bus lines it can still be difficult to find information on Chinatown bus service.

What exactly is a “Chinatown Bus”? Read on and you will have the inside track on this great budget travel option.

Chinatown Bus history

The Chinatown bus phenomenon began in the late 1990s when an entrepreneur in New York’s Chinatown started running daily bus service from Chinatown in New York to Chinatown in Boston. The service was aimed at Asian immigrants who wanted to shop or visit relatives in either city and needed cheap and convenient transportation. The service was bare bones—no advertising, customer service, or bus stations. Customers simply went to the bus stop, waited for the bus (or van), and paid the driver upon boarding. For those willing to do without frills, they offered virtually the same service as traditional bus companies at a substantially lower price. Before long, the word spread and all kinds of people started using the service. It became especially popular with students, budget travelers, or people for whom the service was simply more convenient.

Soon more bus companies duplicated this model and started offering service in other cities. Now you can find this type of bus service in Philadelphia, Virginia, Baltimore Washington DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. At this point the term “Chinatown bus” is used more loosely to describe this sort of low-cost/low-frills service. Many, if not most, of the companies do not have Chinatown as their main location and may not cater to the immigrant population at all. These operators are also sometimes referred to as “curbside” operators.

How can tickets be so cheap?

$15 between New York to Boston? $25 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles? It seems hard to fathom. Chinatown bus companies are able to keep prices low because they operate in a fundamentally different way from traditional carriers. Foremost, the service is very basic. There is little in the way of customer service or amenities. Most of these operators do not have formal stations, picking up passengers at bus stops instead. They eschew traditional advertising in favor of word of mouth. Further, many of the operators play a very hands-on role in the operation—you will not see idle executives at a small independent bus company. Finally, these operators make sure they fill their buses. That is why Chinatown bus operators usually only operate on heavily trafficked routes. Indeed some companies only run buses at peak times.

Are they safe?

When these companies first started operating, concerns were raised about safety standards. There is still controversy within the bus industry about whether these newcomers are complying with the same regulations as the traditional companies. However, a task force set up by the Federal government to look at safety issues found that Chinatown bus companies did not perform better or worse than other types of bus companies (ie. charter, tour buses). All bus companies operating in the U.S. must undergo the same inspection standards and must comply with the same rules. Realistically there is probably a range of quality among Chinatown bus carriers. Some are fly-by-night operators trying to make a fast buck, while others are legitimate entrepreneurs who plan to grow and operate a long term business.

What you should expect

 No frills service—the driver may be the ticket collector; there will not be a lot of customer service.

 Comfortable buses. Despite the low fares buses are usually quite nice. Most buses are comparable to Greyhound and many are actually more deluxe.

 Communication challenges. Drivers are legally required to speak enough English to help passengers in the case of emergency. In reality this is often adhered to rather loosely. At the very least, expect your driver to have an accent.

 Possible delays. Many of these bus routes are on highly congested roads. When the roads are busy, expect delays.

 Rest stops. Buses will have a lavatory on board but there is usually a 10 or 15 minute bathroom break on trips over 4 hours. Don’t be late returning to the bus, the driver will not count heads before leaving at the appointed time.

 Full buses. Buses definitely sell out at peak times (weekends and evenings). Book ahead or get there early if you want secure a seat.

 Plastic Bags. An odd little quirk on Chinatown buses is that every aisle seat usually has a plastic grocery bag tied to the arm. I guess they find this is the best way to keep the buses clean.

How do I find the Chinatown Bus?

Again, “Chinatown bus” is a term used to describe a type of operator and not an individual bus company. Many unrelated bus companies fall into this category. Since most Chinatown buses do not spend money on advertising it can be difficult to find out details about schedules and bus stop locations. Many of the carriers are becoming savvier about the Internet and quite a few have websites with information. Usually an Internet search will yield links to bus service to your destination. There are also several directories, such as chinatown-bus.org that include links for most Chinatown bus companies and the author’s employer, GotoBus.com, is a centralized booking site that has schedules and sells tickets online for most Chinatown bus companies.

The Chinatown bus is not for everyone. If you want an orderly system with American style customer service, you should probably stick to traditional carriers. However, if you know what to expect and come prepared with a sense of adventure and humor, you should enjoy the trip just fine. You will also enjoy the money you save!

Chester City Guide, Including Chester Hotels

Introduction:

Visit Chester and discover a delightful cultural mix that evolves when a 21st century city has been shaped by 2,000 years of history. Within the city walls Chester combines five star luxuries, exclusive stores, excellent dining and a vibrant nightlife with attractions such as a Roman Amphitheatre and Gothic Cathedral.

Places of interest:

Chester boasts a complete circuit of historic walls, sections of which date back to Roman times, Chester’s most unique feature is the 13th century ‘Rows’ – two tiers of enticing shops, running through the main streets. Other attractions include the beautiful River Dee, the recently restored Grosvenor and Cheshire Military Museums, a Roman Amphitheatre, the Grosvenor Park and the city’s famous Roodee Racecourse.

The Roman Amphitheatre, the largest arena ever uncovered in Britain.

The famous Chester Rows are unique, being two-tiered galleries built in the traditional black and white ‘magpie’ style. They offer a wide range of shops selling goods from antiques to high fashion.

Grosvenor Museum offers visitors the chance to explore 2000 years of Chester history. This includes Roman life, Chester wildlife - past and present, art galleries, and a unique Chester timeline.

Entrance is free. You can take a light hearted journey through the Roman heritage of Chester. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and can be provided, on request, at any time of the year.

Chester Zoo is one of Europe's leading conservation zoos, with over 7,000 animals living in spacious and natural enclosures. The zoofari overhead railway and waterbus cater for your transportation needs. There is also a Children's Farm complete with Marmot Mania, brass rubbings and face-painting.

Chester Market, having been established in Chester since Roman times, is one of the oldest functions of the council.

Things to do:

There are many ways of seeing the attractions and surrounding areas of Chester. Tours by Foot, Bus, Rail and Waterway are all available. If you enjoy the festival atmosphere you can relax at the Chester races, the annual international film festival or food and drinks festival. All tastes are catered to in historic Chester.

Chester Racecourse holds meetings throughout the summer months including the May Festival, a Family fun day and a Roman day. There has been racing on the Roodee at Chester for over 450 years and the thrill of watching a race at Chester unfolding before you from the sophisticated surroundings of the course’s enclosures or the vantage point of the City walls is an unforgettable experience.

Bus tours operate from the Chester Visitor Centre that allows you to discover Chester from the comfort of a coach. Commentary is provided along the way by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. The tours take in such sites as the Amphitheatre, the River Dee and its bridges, the Old Port, and the Racecourse.

The Annual Food and Drink Festival celebrate the success of local producers where they exhibit their fayre to over 6,000 food and drink lovers.

The International Film Festival is run by the Chester Film Society. This popular annual event showcases fringe cinema from all over the world. The festival runs for a week, generally during early spring.

A Cruise along the Waterways of Cheshire is not only relaxing but offers a chance to enjoy the attractive sites of historic interest, heritage and culture of the area. There are more miles of canals here than in any other English county.

A Town Crier is a regular feature in the summer months You can enjoy this midday flamboyant spectacle at the Cross in the heart of the City, from Tuesday to Saturday from May to September.

Food & Drink:

There is plenty of opportunity to pause and take refreshment during your strolls around Chester in one of the many cafes, restaurants and wine bars. Contained within this vibrant city is an eating scene of diverse proportions. The styles of foods available include Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian and some of the best bars, night clubs and coffee houses you can imagine.

Samsi Japanese Yakitori Bar. Instead of the menu being divided the traditional manner of starters and main course you will find that most dishes are available in appetiser and main course portions. For people unaccustomed to Japanese food assistance is available.

Vito's Trattoria Pizzeria. This is a traditional pizzeria where the waiters pace about with enormous pepper mills and straw-wrapped Chianti bottles hold candles over gingham tablecloths. All the old favourite dishes appear on the long menu.

Chez Jules Restaurant. Located in a former fire station this is a bistro style restaurant where the reasonably priced menu is changed daily. There are usually about six starters and the same number of mains on offer. It is a firm favourite with the locals.

Mongolian Barbeque. An award-winning restaurant that offers customers the chance to choose their own combination of meat, fish and vegetables and then watch as they are stir fried on a huge Mongolian style griddle.

The Boot Inn, Chester’s oldest public house dates back to 1643, its façade was rebuilt and restored in the late 19th century and again in 1988. This very attractive 17th Century inn is accessible from the street level by narrow stony staircase. This leads into a large hall, which is divided into two main sections. Features include a fireplace, a large bar counter, low ceilings and exposed beams.

Hotels & Accommodation:

The city of Chester has a wide range of hotels and quality assured guest houses suitable for the business traveller and tourist alike. Elsewhere in Cheshire your options include luxurious country house hotels, excellent farmhouse B&B’s and self catering.

Macdonald Blossoms Hotel
Higher Huxley Hall Non-Smoking
Alton Lodge
Best Western Queen Hotel
Quality Hotel Chester
Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel
Eaton Hotel Non Smoking
Dene Hotel Chester
The Chester Grosvenor and Spa
Comfort Inn Chester
Ramada Chester
Brookside Hotel
Llyndir Hall Hotel
Chester Moat House
De Vere Carden Park Hotel Golf Resort Spa
Broxton Hall Country House Hotel
St. David's Park Hotel
Mollington Banastre Hotel
Best Western Westminster Hotel
Thornton Hall Classic Hotel
Hoole Hall Hotel
Express by Holiday Inn Chester Racecourse
Crabwall Manor
Gateway To Wales Hotel

Entertainment

Telford’s Warehouse is an independent family run bar/restaurant and an internationally renowned music and arts venue. Upstairs is a popular restaurant and contemporary art gallery. The lower area and bar are reserved for the many popular live music nights which having played host too many famous names that have helped to establish ‘Telford’s’ as one of the most important venues in the country.

The Miniature Theatre of Chester is based at the Chester Town Hall, performing works that include both world premieres and plays by local talent.

Chester Theatre Club, based at the little theatre, was founded in 1944 and stages 6 plays per year. The auditorium seats 126 and there is a licensed bar

Alexander's Jazz Theatre is the leading North West venue for jazz, blues and rock artists. It hosts Chester Jazz and Blues Festival. Alexander's is also a famous for the alternative comedy nights every Saturday.

Chester is an excellent destination for that short break. It is a city where you can immerse yourself in history, shopping or elegance. This Roman city and its 21st century delights will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed.

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Check Airfares Before Deciding To Fly Or Drive

In the days when gas cost 25 cents a gallon, it was an easy decision which was the cheaper method of travel, flying or driving. Driving was the standard mode of transportation, and flying was a luxury. However, with airlines in a cutthroat competition for customers, and gasoline becoming increasingly expensive, this may no longer hold true under all circumstances. The economy of both options should be evaluated for each planned trip. Don't assume that flying is the most expensive option, especially if you use the following tips to get the cheapest fares.

In order to figure out how much gas you'll need to reach your destination, find out the mileage both ways and then use an online fuel consumption calculator. Of course, how much gas you will use depends on whether you drive a Hummer or a Kia. For long trips, add on some money for wear and tear on your car and the tires.

In addition, add up the costs of food and beverages consumed en route, as well as hotel costs if the car trip lasts more than one day. Hotel costs alone can add up to a few hundred dollars for a two-way trip, and since cross-country airfares can be less than five hundred dollars, this expense alone may make it cheaper to fly. If you are travelling with a family, the hotel bill stays relatively constant while the airfare per person adds up quickly. However, for a single person or even a couple, air fare may very well be comparable.

Check out airfares with at least three online travel agencies. You will find a wide difference in fares, because each agency may have different specials, and charge different service fees.

When planning your trip, book as far in advance as possible. Economy seats on desirable flights sell out fast, especially during peak season. If possible, book your air travel during the off season, and avoid travelling at Christmas and New Years, spring break and the summer vacation season from July to August.
Airfare specials are often offered in spring and fall, making flying much more economical.

Students or a seniors should inquire for special rates. Airlines give student discounts, and seniors may be able to get a good deal on airfare from the AARP. If you belong to a club or service organization, ask if they are affiliated with any airlines or have a discount travel program.

If you are travelling in a large group and are contemplating using individual cars or a long bus ride, check the cost of charter aircraft. Sometimes it is cheaper to reserve an entire plane than buy individual tickets. It's a lot more pleasant to take a short plane trip together than sit for an entire day stuffed together in a vehicle.

Last but not least, consider how much time you will save by flying. If you only have a week or two for your vacation, driving may cut into your free time significantly. It's tiring, too, and you may need a day or two to recuperate after a day of driving. It may be worth a bit of extra money to save a lot of aggravation.
Airfares out of large airports can be more expensive than out of smaller municipal airports, so if you are travelling to a large city, check smaller airports nearby. The trip may be much cheaper with only a small detour. Be sure to consider cab fare or rental car rates to get to final destination.

Cheap Weekend Break

One of the most significant aspects of vacation travel in Europe has been the recent explosion of interest in the short break vacation market. No-frills airlines have led the way to opening up cheap routes from London and regional airports to destinations all over Europe. A short weekend break in some thrilling city has now become a viable alternative to sitting home in front of the television set.

A UK survey of Britain's vacation habits recently shows that this weekend escape plan is now worth a phenomenal £34 billion a year. People are spending an average amount of £760 a year on these short breaks, flying off to European cities, cultural festivals and sporting events.

The three-day break is most popular, with 21% of respondents taking Friday off work to fly out and 34% arriving back late Sunday evening, giving them some 55 hours away.

Edinburgh and Glasgow were some of the most popular weekend break locations in UK, while Paris, Amsterdam, Palma, Dublin, Brussels, Venice, Nice and Madrid were their most popular European weekend destinations. Other airlines have reported strong interest in Prague, Rome and Barcelona.

The key ingredients to a successful weekend break away were spending quality time with a partner, sampling local food and drink, cultural sightseeing, weather and, (for the ladies), shopping. Nightlife, perhaps unsurprisingly, was more important to the younger travelers than the more elderly.

Psychologist Dr. Aric Sigman said, "The results indicate that the British have now developed proper escape plans to counterbalance the fact that they work the longest hours in Europe. The low cost and accessibility of short haul travel now enables people to act out the growing need to be physically and geographically removed from their everyday surroundings in order to truly get away psychologically and emotionally. In fact it has been found that when it comes to dealing with stress, frequent short breaks are more effective than infrequent long holidays. What is interesting is that most people spend their weekend breaks in a low-key way involving time alone with their partner, dining and R&R as opposed to the frenetic activity and nightlife sought by previous generations."

Whatever the reason, many UK residents are now taking advantage of rock bottom no-frills prices to spend four or more short breaks in the thrilling cities of Ireland, Scandinavia, Europe and the Mediterranean during the summer months, the German Christmas Markets and Alpine or Spanish ski slopes in winter. Visitors to the UK from North America are also taking advantage of these no-frills flight options, spicing up their vacation in England with short breaks in cities as far afield as Copenhagen, Berlin, Prague in the Czech Republic, Spain's Barcelona and Athens in Greece.

Given the astronomical prices charged by West End restaurants where dinner for two can set you back £250 or more, it makes sense to take off for a paella to the sound of Spanish guitar in Barcelona, a spaghetti and a bottle of Bardolino under the stars at a pavement restaurant in the Piazza Santa Maria in Rome's Trastevere, or a more expensive romantic dinner for two on a Seine bateau mouche in Paris. Before only the jeuness dore and the jet setting glitterati could afford such extravagances. But things have changed and many prefer to take a number of such fun jaunts through the year rather than undergo the hassles concomitant with organizing a long vacation.

Cheap London Hotel

Online hotel reservation allows you to reserve a hotel in advance to virtually any destination worldwide. There are many quality websites on the Internet that offer online hotel reservation facilities to worldwide destinations. Most of these websites also offer special hotel discount rates, virtual hotel tours, a list of hotel room facilities, hotel reservation tips and a lot more service to make your choice easier.

Why reserve hotels online?

There are many benefits of reserving your hotel online. Some of them are as follows:

• Most online hotel reservation websites allow you to take a virtual tour of discount luxury hotels so that can help you to decide better.

• As online reservation websites have hundreds of hotel listings, you get a chance to compare between different discount hotel rates, hotel amenities and fix up on the best deal.

• You can get direct access to any hotel discounts, special offers or hotel events and cash-in on them.

• Online hotel reservations are much faster than conventional methods allowing you to book a hotel room way in advance.

• Many online reservation websites give you information regarding discount hotels and combination deals allowing you to save up on money.

• You can get access to hotel brochures, discount coupons, festive offers and more.

• Most hotels offer 'cancellation policies' on your hotel reservations that give you flexibility.

Things to Check before/after hotel reservation

• Check discounted hotel rates for extra person, included breakfast, parking facilities, hotel shuttle services, pet policies etc.

• Check and carefully read the cancellation policy the hotel offers

• Check for special interest rates if any

• Check if the hotel offers special customer requests (customer request facility allows you to book a room of your choice)

• Check if the room rate is per person or per night

• Check for status of your reservation through mails/websites and enquire if delayed

• Make sure your hotel reservation is confirmed (generally confirmation should take place in 2 -5 hours for real time reservations)

It is no longer necessary to pay extravagant prices. Deals are found daily, whether it's an overage of seats on a specific airline, or unreserved room in major hotels; there is a reasonable travel package with your budget in mind.

Travel agents of course, will be able to find some great deals, but when the seasoned traveler makes use of the Internet, it opens up a whole new selection of travel deals. While the prices are unrivalled at times, there are some steps that need to be taken to ensure that you are in fact, getting not only a good travel package, but also, a great one! All of these will package airfare, hotel, car, and even schedule major attractions or entertainment at the click of a button. The prices are often much lower than an agencies advertised package price, and are just as reliable. Cruise travel packages under the budget category have become as popular as air travel and are also offered through Internet travel companies.

Cheap International Travel Secrets

What is the real secret to cheap international travel? it's the same as the secret to doing anything for less. Learn to be an opportunist. Opportunistic travelers get to travel more, see more & do more. Of coursework, you can ignore this advice if you have unlimited currency.

I went to Ecuador because it was cheap. Honestly, are not there plenty of interesting places in this world? Why not choose eight you can travel to inexpensively? The other places will be there in the future, & you may have an opportunity to go to those places cheaply at some point.

Ecuador is my favorite international location. You can still get a decent meal for eight dollars. U.S. dollars, by the way, since that is conveniently the official currency of Ecuador now. From the beautiful snow-capped Andes mountains, to the Galapagos Islands, you'll seldom run out of places to explore in Ecuador. Travel there is safe & inexpensive.

Cheap Countries

South America in general is inexpensive, & the most affordable countries are, in my opinion, the most beautiful. These are the countries along the Andes mountains; Ecuador, Peru, & Bolivia. Argentina, thanks to it's recent economic troubles, is once again a cheap place for travelers as well.

In Central America, it costs little to travel & holiday in both Nicaragua & Guatemala. Nicaragua, in particular, has become more stable & safe for travelers in recent years. Costa Rica is a wonderful , & though it's eight of more expensive counties of Central America, that probably still leaves it cheaper than Europe.

In Asia, India is still low-cost, if you stay in the numerous hostels & boarding houses. Thailand & Indonesia are also cheap. With all international destinations, the plane tickets will be your single biggest travel expense. This is true with the asian countries. Being there is cheap, but getting there may not be.

Cheap International Travel Tips

Wherever you go, there are things you can do to keep it cheap. Eat where locals eat, for example, instead of at the tourist restaurants. To keep it cheap, eat fruit from street markets (wash it well) & packaged snacks from grocery stores.

Visit the free & cheap attractions first. It's possible you'll have so much fun that you'll seldom get around to doing the expensive things. A higher price means better quality with travel bags, but not with travel experiences.

For cheap accommodations find out where local visitors from within the country stay. Negotiating room charges is common in some areas. In Banos, Ecuador, we negotiated our room rate down from $12 to $6 per night, by paying for several nights in advance. Consider hostels, if you don't mind sharing a room. they are much more common overseas.

Busses are cheaper than taxis in any country, but be careful of crowded city busses, where pickpockets hang out. jogging is even cheaper, & it's a great way to learn about a city. ask the locals where the dangerous parts are before you wander far.

Cheap international travel is often only as cheap as your plane tickets. Use the techniques outlined on our site to save big on tickets, or search the fares to several interesting countries. If eight is $500 less than the others, consider going there. $500 can buy a few extra days, or an extra mini-vacation some other time.

Cheap International Airfare

Always looking for the cheapest way to do things, I searched several websites that claimed to have cheap international airfare. The cheapest from Traverse City, Michigan to Quito, Ecuador, was $1720. Out of curiosity, I checked Miami to Quito, and it was only $404. Airfare from Traverse City to Miami was $299. Book two separate flights and I could save more than $1000! The discount sites aren't set up to check in this way, so you have to do this on your own.

Of course, if your first flight is late and you miss the second, you may not get a refund, so plan some time between flights. In any case, it's still cheaper (every time I checked) to just book a flight to Miami and catch a flight to Quito without a reservation, thus avoiding this problem. This strategy is for those in towns without international airports. If you live in Miami, you already have cheap international airfare.

Buy Cheap Aifare Online

We've found that travel agencies just can't compete with the discount ticket websites. You can search Google ("cheap airfare Europe", for example), or go straight to one of the well-known sites, like Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, Hotwire or Priceline.

Doing a quick search for the cheapest airfare from Tucson, Arizona, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, using the five sites mentioned, here's what I just found: They ranged from $1221 down to $873 for the lowest fares, with fares as high as $3728. Hotwire happened to be the cheapest, but they were the worst of the five when I searched for a domestic flight earlier. You cannot say which service will find the cheapest international airfare from week to week. My number one money-saving tip is to always check several websites when shopping for inexpensive flights.

Courier Flights

Courier companies ship things using the luggage space of an aircraft passenger. It can be quicker, cheaper, and more reliable than sending the shipment unaccompanied, since checked luggage bypasses many of the typical customs delays. The company purchases tickets, and then they resells them to you. In exchange for your luggage space, they give you a discount on the airfare.

I saved $160 on my plane tickets this way when I went to Ecuador the first time. I had several suitcases full of car parts, but there was a representative of the courier company on either end, and I looked inside the luggage, so I knew what I was carrying. I carried a plane propeller on the return trip, which wasn't much trouble, and made a good story.

It's easiest to be an air courier if you travel alone. Ocassionally, a courier company will have opportunities for flights on or near the same date. If not, your travel partner can pay full fare on the same flight. You also are usually allowed carry-on luggage, since the point is for the shipping company to use your checked luggage allowance.

Once in a while, air couriers fly internationally for free, and almost always very cheap. It's a matter of how badly the company needs you and how flexible you are (can you fly to London on Friday?). Air courier opportunities are becoming rarer, due to the recent heavier regulation of international flights, but there still are opportunities. Find out more at The Air Courier Association Website (www.aircourier.org). The ACA can also help you get really cheap plane tickets by way of airline ticket wholesalers, discounters, last minute specials, and stand-by travel.

More Tips For Cheap International Airfare

When searching the discount websites, try several different departure and return dates if you can. The difference of a day or two can save you a lot. There's little logic to airfare pricing, so don't try too hard to figure it out. Just be aware that if you leave on Friday instead of Wednesday (or vice-versa), you may save $100.

Check the boxes that say "any time" for departure and "2 or more connecting flights". Even if you aren't sure that you want to leave at midnight, see what your options are. The savings might change your mind. When search criteria allow you choices, first take the ones that are the least restrictive for the airlines. If the savings aren't enough, you can always book first class, direct flights, or whatever you prefer.

Buying your plane tickets two weeks in advance is usually cheaper. There can be a dramatic difference (but not always) if your trip is over thirty days. You may want to cut it from 32 days to 30 to save hundreds of dollars on your fare. Play with the dates. You never know what you might discover.

When my wife and I went to Ecuador for six weeks, the cheapest discount plane tickets we could find were $3400. Instead, we took a bus to Miami ($352 round-trip for 2), then flew from there to Quito ($622 round-trip for 2). We saved $2400. I'm not recommending this, but for us, it was worth a couple days on a bus. (The whole six weeks cost $2400.)

Spend a few minutes or an hour to do some research, if you want really cheap international airfare.

Cheap Hotels In UK

Cheap Hotels in UK: Classes of Accommodations

Hotels and Guest Houses

You will find a significant difference in both price and facilities between hotels and guest houses in the UK. Hotels usually offer breakfasts, lunches, teas, dinners, a licensed bar and a range of services and facilities to suit individuals, families and often business groups. Country house hotels will often add recreational facilities in their grounds such as golf, tennis, swimming, health spas, gyms and attended play areas for children. Top league international hotels in London and major cities offer comprehensive amenities and services for business and holiday guests, and a choice of first class and luxury accommodation. Guest houses may not have bars or offer lunch or teas, but will have television and sitting lounges.

In England and Wales, the AA, RAC (the largest UK motoring organisations) and the English Tourist Council have come together to provide an overall star for hotels and diamond rating for guest accommodations, including bed and breakfast. Hotels have between one and five stars; guest accommodations between one and five diamonds. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, all tourist accommodations are also graded regularly to provide a clear indication of the level of facilities you can expect.

Bed and Breakfast

Bed and breakfast accommodation, advertised by the famous 'B&B vacancies' sign, is mostly in private homes and the emphasis is on bedrooms rather than on facilities such as a bar or restaurant. They are often the least expensive form of guest accommodation although prices vary between those in the most popular holiday locations and those offering stopovers 'en route'.

Thousands of bed and breakfasts have been visited anonymously by tourist officers to be inspected for a diamond rating of between one and five stars. This is intended as a guide to the quality of accommodation and food on offer.

As private homes, including farmhouses and working farms, B&Bs tend to offer a very personal welcome, and an insight into British ways of life in different parts of the country. Breakfast is intended to fill you and will often include bacon, eggs, fried bread, tomatoes, even fried potatoes and local additions such as black pudding. Or you can enjoy a 'continental' breakfast: cereal, bread, toast, tea, coffee and juice.

Hostels

There are many hostels located all over England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Hostels vary in style and amenities but they offer bedrooms with between two and six beds for young people, families and groups. They usually provide substantial breakfasts and dinners at low prices and have communal kitchen facilities if you prefer to cater for yourself.

The main hostel organisations are the Youth Hostel Association (YHA), the Scottish Youth Hostel Association (SYHA) and Hostelling International Northern Ireland (HINI). You do not have to be a 'youth' to stay because there is no upper age limit (in Scotland the lower age limit is 5). But you do have to be a member of the YHA or SYHA, which involves paying a small annual membership fee. There are also a variety of independent hostels offering accommodation. Staying in hostels is traditionally popular with people pursuing backpacking, walking, cycling or generally exploring outdoor pursuits. But there are also hostels in many towns and cities, which enable members to enjoy good basic accommodation on a low budget.

Cheap Caribbean Travel

When it comes to island destinations, the Caribbean and its islands are one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. Here you can have the best of everything from gorgeous beaches, wonderful surf, sailing, scuba diving and snorkeling, to great food, exciting gambling casinos, shopping, and a wide range of nature-related activities. And accommodations? No problem! With cheap Caribbean travel plan, you can get a whole range of affordable accommodations from basic to the most luxurious all inclusive-resorts and rental villas.

Scroll down below for a list of our cheap Caribbean travel accommodations picks.

Dover Beach Hotel

A place that epitomizes Barbadian hospitality, the Dover Beach Hotel offers you cheap Caribbean travel accommodations tucked away on a secluded white sand beach where island warmth, peace, and tranquility are in abundance.

Located a mere 15-minute drive from either airport or from Bridgetown, the Dover Beach Hotel is also right within walking distance of the St. Lawrence Gap, famous for its lively nightlife, duty-free shopping and many bars and restaurants as well as other activities.

All accommodations at this cheap Caribbean travel hotel are either seafront or garden views with air-conditioned bedrooms, kitchenette, telephone, and private patio or terrace. There are weekly cocktail parties and nightly events. Amenities and facilities available include the following:

Children rates
Restaurant
Convenience store
Laundry service
Baby-sitting
Nearby shopping
Nearby tennis
Nearby banking
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
In-room safe
Beachfront
Bar
Children-friendly
Cribs
Daily maid service
Pool
Nearby water sports
In-room kitchens
TV available
Telephone in a room
Bath tub
Private balcony
Fax available

Morne Fendue Plantation House in Grenada

What's old is new again as Grenada? historic Morne Fendue Plantation House adds not, not two, but thirteen new guest rooms. Since 1974, the Morne Fendue has been welcoming visitors where they can enjoy overnight accommodations at this glorious estate. Each room offers cheap Caribbean travel accommodation for two guests with enough comfortable space to go around and a generous queen-size bed and modern bathroom facilities. What? more, the rooms also offer access to the estate? grand kitchen. But the highlight of each guest room is definitely the extensive balcony that overlooks scenic Mt. St. Catherine and the majestic sea where you can get excellent sunset views of the cheap Caribbean travel destination of Grenada.

Nevis and St. Kitts

For cheap Caribbean travel accommodations in the islands of Nevis and St. Kitts, try the following places:

Jonathan's Villa Hotel at Mount Lily, Nevis offers seaside charm and great secluded spots.

Yamseed Inn at New Castle, Nevis is a quaint little inn, offering comfortable accommodations for a reasonable price.

For guest houses, try Al's Cottage at Farm's Estate in Charlestown, Nevis. You can also try Meadville Cottages, Cabindish Villa, Pinney's Village Complex, and Central Cottage ?all of which offer cheap Caribbean travel accommodations at convenient distances from the most happening places in the region.

Cheap Car Hire In Spain

When thinking of hiring a car in Spain, it is of course crucial to have all the information on airports at hand if flying is your mode of transport when getting into the country.

Spain boasts over 30 international airports. Information on the major airports follows; information on any of the others can be obtained from AENA (Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegación Aérea) Calle Arturo Soria 109, Madrid 28043 (tel: (90) 240 4704 (customer service line); website: www.aena.es), which is the organization responsible for running all of the Spanish airports.

Madrid (MAD) (Barajas) is 15km (9 miles) northeast of the city. A bus service departs to the city around every 10 to 30 minutes (0700-2400) and underground services run every four to seven minutes (0600-0130). Taxi service is available. Airport facilities include restaurants and bars, a bank, several car hire offices, hotel reservation and tourist information desks, and outgoing duty free shop.

Barcelona (BCN) (del Prat) is 12km (7 miles) southwest of the city. Bus service to the city departs Mon-Fri every 15 minutes, Sat every 30 mins and Sun every 20 mins (0600-2400). Rail service is every 30 minutes (0645-2340). Taxi service to the city is available, costing about &Euro;18 (travel time - 30 minutes). Airport facilities include a bank, restaurant, bar, several car hire companies, hotel reservation and tourist information desks and duty free shops.

Alicante (ALC) (Altet) is 12km (7 miles) southwest of the city. Bus service runs to the city (0655-2310) every 10 to 40 minutes, costing &Euro;1. A taxi service is available to the city, costing about &Euro;12. There is a taxi connection between Alicante and Valencia Airport. Airport facilities include a duty free shop, bank, bureau de change, car hire, tourist information and restaurant.

Bilbao (BIO) (Sondika) is 10km (6 miles) north of the city. Bus and taxi services to the city are available (travel time - 30 minutes) and cost about &Euro;1. Airport facilities include a restaurant, duty free shop, tourist information desk and car hire.

Málaga (AGP) is 10km (6 miles) southwest of the city. Buses run every 10 to 30 minutes (travel time - 20 minutes). Train service runs every 30 minutes and costs about &Euro;1. Taxi service to the city is available, costing &Euro;12. Airport facilities include duty free shop, bank/bureau de change, restaurant and car hire.

Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) is 10km (6 miles) northeast of the city. Buses and taxis are available to the city center (travel time - 10 to 15 minutes). Airport facilities include bar, banks, car hire and shops.

Seville (SVQ) is 8km (5 miles) from the city. Taxis and buses are available to the city center (travel time - 20 to 30 minutes).

Valencia (VLC) (Manises) is 8km (5 miles) west of the city. Taxis and buses (0600-2300, every 15 minutes) are available to the city center (travel time - 60 minutes (bus), 30 minutes (taxi). Airport facilities include several car hire firms, bank/bureau de change, restaurant, bar and duty free shop.

Cheap Airline Tickets: Great Ways To Save

A round-the-world trip remains the world's greatest journey. For two out of every three people, this is the ultimate travel experience, according to recent research. Needless to say, in a world obsessed by travel, travelers and travel agents are both looking for the cheapest tickets and airfares available.

Cheap airline tickets, in most cases, can be obtained from wholesale dealers and discounters.

If your requirements are simple - you want a round-trip ticket from one place to another, you have a particular airline on your mind and you have definite dates; then you can go directly to the source - to the ticket discount agency which buys cheap tickets in bulk from wholesalers and consolidators.

In real life most trips require more planning, and most people need a help from the agent to figure out what would be the best air ticket solution for their particular case. Cheap airfares to a particular region can often be found with local airlines that specialize in that country. Sometimes an agency that operates and retails tours to a particular country will have a discount agreement with the national carrier and will sell discount tickets on that airline.

With a bit of research through travel magazines aimed at the particular country of your choice, you can often find agencies dealing with national carriers for that country. For the cheapest possible airfare to many places the most affordable prices are often found in local travel agencies that deal with a particular destination selling round-trip discount airline flights - most likely to the capital of that country and a few main cities.

Sometimes you can find a really cheap air ticket with a discount retail agency that specializes in trips to a wider range of destinations or to multiple destinations. Through the sheer number of tickets that they sell they can command a reasonable discount. However, keep in mind that most advertised prices do not include taxes, luggage fee and airport tax, so the cheap airfare may end up being not so cheap. Best to read the small print to clarify exactly what you are getting before you purchase a ticket.

Another trick of the trade is for agencies to grab attention by indicating the lowest possible prices, which only apply on specific dates in low season. You’ll find that all agencies do this, even the most expensive ones so, don’t be surprised if you get a quote at double the price from what was displayed in the ad.

Airlines usually publish their scheduled flights and prices six months in advance. If you have decided on a destination it can be a good opportunity to get an ‘early bird’ discount by booking well in advance. Keep your eye on the travel press and also airline web-sites. There are often special discounts and incentives aimed at travelers who book online, as carrying out a booking online is cheaper for the company than through an intermediary who will take a commission.

However, although you can expect to get the cheapest air ticket if you start searching many months ahead, there are some exceptions. At times like Christmas or other periods of high demand the prices are usually inflated and planes fill up many months in advance. If you can be flexible and travel on actual holiday days such as Christmas day or New Years Eve you can find some pretty attractive discounts.

Chapeau Noir...Cheap Chic Travels!

Copyright 2006 The Edventures Group

You've got a favorite photo from your last vacation, right?

Mine is of moi in Paris on the Champs Elysee. I'm posed at the edge of boredom. After all, I am an American in Paris, and can't look too exited.

Looming large in the photo behind me is the famous Louis Vutton store. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about. Gentlemen, if you don't, you are better off not knowing. This knowledge will cost you.

The Louis store is a temple to designer excess, fashioned as a towering classic leather trunk bag. It has a Land of the Giants feel, and, "the little people" with deep pockets enter this palace of style, awed by its scale and grandeur. The French have built it, and people come. And people buy. Thousands of euros per day are spent there even in the face of a declining dollar by style conscious Americans in Paris like moi.

But I didn't spend. Instead I had my picture snapped in front of the faux leather facade. Me, the queen of faux, I am standing tall in my digital photo in other people's clothes.

You see, nearly everything I wear is lovingly broken in by someone before I buy it. So my favorite photo is me walking a mile on the celebrated French street of stylish dreams in someone else's shoes. Literally. Thrift store or East side NY designer consignment, I've tried them all. But there is more to parlez-vous. I score big in Paris. And I don't even go into the Louis store. My favorite photo chronicles me at an important moment. I am on the verge of the biggest fashion score of my consignment career. Unknowingly, I'm ready to hit the mother load. And those who are spending their euros in the Palace of Vuton have a lesson to learn that I will soon teach on the streets of Paris: cheap can be so chic.

Killer style in Paris is not housed on runways or within the grand walls of the fashion giants, but shelved in small consignment stores in the side streets of the City of Lights. And it is style that takes you to scale new fashion heights...or in this case widths.

What I bought in Paris is a hat the size of Texas, Black. Le Chapeau Noir of any woman's dreams, the hat that rivals Audrey Hepburns's Ascot straw, designed by Edith Head for My Fair Lady. One of a kind, and one hell of a price. Now, think back to Louis Vuton where my "sistahs" are laying down thousands of dollars to carry a genuine French Louis purse. Me, I am opening my own Vuton knock off bag, a clutch Louis -- direct from Canal Street NYC--spending 30 euros. And it buys someone else's black shiny straw hat. Okay it's bigger than a pizza. But Kate Winslet regally wore a similar the chapeau in the opening scene from Titanic. Why not me?

And did I need a hat that dramatic? Absolutement!. I was going to a wedding on the Siene the next day and I would meet the challenge of style suited to a Parisienne yacht wedding at dusk. And I would do it without forking over the equivalent of a mortgage payment. That alone created high drama.

As I carried my purchase to the taxi for the ride to the hotel, I had a feeling that the hat had changed everything for me on that trip.

My first clue that things were going to be different was simply getting in a taxi.

I love to walk in Paris, but my fabulous hat was presenting problems as I carried it along the Rue St. Honore. It was drawing sidelong looks from passersby and getting in the way of pedestrians as I navigated the twisting street, so for time and convenience sake, we took a cab. The hat rode in the front of the taxi while my husband and I shared the back seat. Little did we know that the hat was now in the driver seat for the rest of our stay.

Another indicator that the hat was exceeding its purchase value came later that evening. Upon returning to the room from dinner,I scolded my husband for moving the hat to the hotel's window ledge risking the chance that it might fall to the courtyard below. He emphatically denied touching the bargain, thus giving way to the obvious: either the turn down maid had found the hat irresistible as moi and had tried on the chapeau, or the hat had taken it upon itself to travel.

The allure of the 30 Euro French chapeau continued. It inspired me.

The next evening, I wore the hat with a consigned, strapless cocktail dress, making me feel like some cross between Andy Mc Dowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Natasha in Rocky and Bullwinkle. I bought black lace stockings and had the overwhelming urge to don a pair of sleek black sunglasses to top off the effect.

So strong was my impression of a Parisian somebody as I stood across from the Louve, that the doorman of the Hotel pleaded with me to return to the lobby. He was trying to hail a cab to take us to the River Siene. The hat was stopping traffic. Horns blared and French curses filled the air. Even the most jaded Parisian seemed taken with the sight. A tour bus group of Japanese visitors nearby me, could not resist pointing their cameras," Le Chapeau Noir" became the final stop on the tour. I found myself instinctively taking on the pose in the Louis photo, look bored. Look stylish.

The hat had was now in charge.

The rest of the evening was memorable for the Chapeau Noir. It was the hit of the yacht wedding, challenging the bride's own tasteful beige tulle hat, and mocking it with its striking presence. And did women love it. The hat was passed around from guest to guest, photographed to the point of distraction. Women who did not smoke cigarettes lit up when wearing the hat. I suspected that my theory about the chambermaid was true. The hat was irresistible. It had to be experiencd. It danced the night away on the heads of young and old and finished the evening at the Bastille where it was worn briefly by a charming French waiter who served up the last bottle of champagne at five in the morning in an all night café.

It was the last time I saw my treasure.

As much as I loved my chapeau noir, I felt it belonged to the world. And I also knew that I was boarding a flight back to the US in a few hours and barely able to get myself on the plane after an all nighter in Paris, I entrusted my hat to a friend who lived in NY City. She promised to bring the hat home at any cost. Yet, my other theory would hold true. The hat, set free from the consignment store, had its own plan...it wanted to travel.

Since then, the Chapeau noir has journeyed through Switzerland, Italy, Britain and France. It graces the heads of lovely women, friends and friends of friends who are taken by its chic, cheap charm. It has smoked endless cigarettes, drunk countless glasses of wine and has, I suspect, even witnessed trysts.

It is lent, borrowed and returned, over and over. And its power to make drama wherever it goes makes it killer style. It is the subject of emails that have flown back and forth from the USA to the UK to Paris.

And like a child that has a special place in your heart, that you've set free, it is missed. You want it to come home.

In short, fini. I want my chapeau back.

So sometime soon I will board a plane to Paris and bring my summer treasure home. Adding it to my collection of clothes that other people wear, I will use free air miles and stay with friends when I collect it, keeping the cost of owning the cheap 30 Euro hat from breaking me as I claim it for myself again. And this time, I plan to return to the Louis Vuton store on the Champs Elysee and take a new travel photo. Moi, in my beloved chapeau noir, not outside the temple of style, but inside the extravagant interior. I will pose for this photo beside the Louis Vutton bags wearing a million dollar smile and a 30 Euro hat, that, if it could talk, would render it priceless.

Quelle photo...An American in Paris, not looking bored, but looking tres stylish in a chapeau noir that travels, taking all who wear it to fabulous heights of glamour.