The sinking economy has a large impact on anyone (Americans) thinking about going to Europe on vacation. Thankfully the Cruise lines are well aware of what is going on with our economy and are offering significant savings and value for cruises ranging from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia. Regular cruisers already understand the savings involved and may want to move on to the bottom of the article where the top deals to Europe are listed. If you are new to cruising, it is important to remember that the price includes all of your meals, your cabin, activities on the ship and in many instances, onboard credit.
These cruises are appropriate for everyone – families, friends and couples. Of course the larger cruise lines will have the largest variety of folks, the smaller and sometimes, more expensive cruises tend to be geared for adults.
Cruise itineraries through Europe, Destination information and Current Deals: Beginning from the North moving South: If you want to see spectacular scenery, majestic Fjords and old European towns, then Scandinavian Cruises are the way to go. There are varying itineraries, but for the most part if you are departing from Norway, you will cruise through the Fjords cross the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes, an outpost near the Russian border. This is a cruise focused on scenery, wildlife and Viking towns. Finland is a popular spot and quite a unique surprise for Americans. Finland has been called “Finwacky” because of the Finnish sense of humor and pastimes. Even if you are visiting the city for just one summer day during a cruise ship port of call, you can check your inhibitions at the dock and get a little Finnwacky, whether you fancy spinning around upside down on a ride at Linnanmaki Amusement Park, lunching at an antique prison turned modern-day hotel or careening through the city to your own rendition of “My Way” in a Karaoke Taxi.
Right now you can enjoy 7 exciting nights experiencing the “Finwacky” culture for yourself starting at $1249 for your very own balcony. Look out into the Mediterranean Sea as you make stops in Copenhagen, Oslo and so much more! Bring the family along and have kids, 17 & under sail free. The sailing is in June, so you may want to pack a little light.
The next set of itineraries is for the Western Mediterranean: The Western Mediterranean offers arts and culture, surf and sand, cafe hopping and boutique shopping, a variety of sights, attractions and activities.
Itineraries that sail the Western Mediterranean typically emphasize ports of call in Spain, France and Italy (with a few interesting detours along the way). These could also include stops in Portugal (primarily Lisbon though Oporto is occasionally featured), Morocco (Casablanca and Tangier), Monte Carlo, Malta and Croatia (Dubrovnik, most commonly). The actual ports of call vary and could include everything from France’s very chic Villefranche to Italy’s open-air museum of Florence.
Some of these fabulous cruises start at just $999 in a Balcony. The cruise is for 7 nights and has a free upgrade from a balcony stateroom to a balcony superior.
Some Great Deals to the Eastern Mediterranean Moving east some memorable locations for your cruising experience come in the way of the Greek Isles, Turkey and the Croation Coasts. Because the summer months are in close proximity to us here in the America’s, June is the best time to go. Sailings in June to explore the Eastern Mediterranean start at just $1399 for a balcony stateroom or you can leave a month earlier in May and pay just $1299 for the same balcony. Imagine waking up to the sites of places like Venice and the Greek Islands.
Alternatively, if you decide that exploring Turkish treasures and the Croation Coasts is something that you would find more enjoyable, you can find some great deals starting at $1119 for a 7 night trip.
Lucknow is a multicultural city located along the Awadh region. It is famous for its wildlife attractions. The nature lovers and adventurous types would love to visit Lucknow.
Lucknow is the capital city in Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the Minority Concentrated Districts and the most populous state. The place is metaphorically called the Constantinople of India, being 497 km away from New Delhi. Lucknow is a vibrant city that promises interesting features of wildlife such as the hog deer, rhino, swamp deer, chital and sambar. Various attractions include parks, forests and sanctuaries which are also a favorite among tourists.
Dudhwa National Park
Dudhwa National Park was established in 1958 as the wildlife sanctuary. In 1977 it became a national park and a tiger reserve in the year 1988. The park lies on the borders of India and Nepal along the foothills of the Himalayas.
The thick forest has huge Sal trees, mosaic grasslands, swampy marshes, tall termite mounds and the Suheli River along the southern boundary. The main attractions are its 1,600 species of swamp deer and 98 different kinds of tigers.
Billy Arjan Singh is India’s leading conservationist who created the sanctuary of the swamp deer species. He also introduced zoo-born leopards and tigers in the Duhwa wilds. The Indian rhinoceros was reintroduced, coming from Nepal and the Assam Forests. Five of them were allocated but the 2 died. Four females were replaced in 1985.
The park has over 350 to 400 species of residents and migratory birds, including the Great Slaty Woodpecker, Bengal Florican and Storks as well as the Swamp Francolin and many more. There are 37 mammals, 16 reptiles and 101 tigers to see.
Tree species are scattered throughout the park like the Bombax Malabaricum, Adina Cordifolia, Shorea Robusta and the Terminalia Belerica as well as the Terminalis Tomentosa, Eugenia Jambolana and the Dalbergia Sissoo.
Dudhwa National Park provides elephant rides for only Rs100 per head lasting for 3 hours. No jeep safaris or guides are available that is why visitors tend to hire a jeep or mini bus just to go around the park. They only ask for a Rs150 entry fee. Other attractions are the waters of Ganga, Varanasi and Agra.
All visitors are required an entry permit fee of Rs 50. The park is divided into nine ranges such as the Bankati, Salukhapur, Sathiana, Belrayan and Kila, offering great accommodation facilities. The best time to visit is during the months of November to May.
Kukrail Reserve Forest
Kukrail Reserve Forest is a picnic spot built by the Forest Department. It is 15 km from Lucknow. The deer farm and crocodile nursery are its main attractions which can be seen in their natural habitat. This reserve houses the black buck, spotted deer, sambhar and a variety of birds. The place also includes a rest house, a children’s park and a cafeteria for a whole day of sightseeing. The Science Museum and the Regional Science Center provides innovative programs about wildlife understanding.
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary
The Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh is the main hub for migratory birds during the winter months. It is one of the most important wildlife sanctuaries spread over a 3 square km area. The sanctuary was declared as a protected area in the year 1984 by the Indian government.
A shallow lake is the main area which serves as the place for water birds. Most rare birds come from Siberia and Europe, traveling around 5000 kilometers every year. This includes the Pintail, Gadwall, Coo, Mallard, Graylag Goose and the Cotton Teal. Other local birds are the Sarus, Peacock, White Ibis, Bronze Winged Jacana, Tern Vulture, King Crow, Bee Eater and many more. The Bird Interpretation Center gives lots of information about birds and their behavior.
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary is just 35 kilometers away from Lucknow. It is best visited from November to March.
Lucknow today has many places the whole family can visit and enjoy. Wildlife attractions in Lucknow are one of the major contributions in upbringing the city’s economy. It is also known as one of the world’s greatest wildlife sanctuary.
Please subscribe to me * Simbirdcom * Bird Bee Butterfly wildlife UK videos ~ Simon ~:-) Simbird.com ~ My bird website is at simbird.com google * simbird * Bird photographs, videos, twitter, information, links, RSPB, BBCT, help & tips… Description birds bees butterflies & wildlife videos & songs British Animals Insects & wildlife using canon s5 sx1 + telephoto zoom lens or webcam My * Birdcam * of wild birds in the garden with ~ sounds calls singing birdsong Wild animals & Nature in video and song ~ simbirdcom More vids photos info at * simbird * or simbird.com simbird.com by Simon Knott Cameras used Canon SX1 IS Powershot HD High Definition or Canon S5 IS HQ High Quality Wyre Forest ~ Kidderminster Worcestershire England UK Europe World Planet Earth Universe
People often think of an African holiday as a ‘once in a lifetime experience’ and don’t realise that it can actually be just as good value, and significantly more exotic, than heading for Europe. Particularly this year, when British holiday makers are not getting much for their money when it comes to spending in the Eurozone, this is the time to have a look at what else is on offer for your holiday rentals and hotel accommodation.
South Africa, although a long-ish flight (10 hours), is very easy to get to. There are lots of direct flights from the UK, and depending on what time of year you go, you can fly for as little as £300 per person. There is also no jetlag to contend with, so you won’t find yourself spending half your holiday getting over the time change. Accommodation choices abound here – from hotels and B&B’s to self catering holiday rentals in the form of houses on wine estates, beach huts, city apartments, game lodges and all points in between.
South Africa is a big country, so depending on how much time you’ve got, you’ll need to decide what you’re after. To experience some of everything, you’ll need to be there for quite some time, although internal travel is easy, and car hire and internal budget flights are an option. If you’ve got a couple of weeks, you could spend a week in one of the holiday rentals on offer in the western Cape, then head to the east of the country for a week of game viewing. Our winter is South Africa’s summer, although the north and eastern provinces can have good weather the whole year round.
South Africa is one of just 17 countries to the world which are considered to be ‘megadiverse’. It contains more than 10% of all the earth’s known plant species, and has endless national parks, lots of which are home to the ‘Big 5′, the five mammals which people flock to South Africa to see. There are holiday rentals all around the edges of the national parks, giving you easy access to the dawn and dusk wildlife viewing, and offering you an experience of bush living.
Colonial Cape Town is the antithesis of bush lifestyle – it’s a world famous city and teems with things to do and see, from fabulous restaurants to fascinating museums, exquisite views and easy day trips to the likes of Table Mountain, Robben island and the Cape of Good Hope. Hotels and holiday rentals in Cape Town offer you the chance to live right in the midst of this fascinating city. Not far from Cape Town are the Cape Winelands, where if you stay for a few days in somewhere like Stellenbosch, you can taste wine to your heart’s content while enjoying views across the stunning landscapes.
With something for everyone, from adrenalin activities, to beautiful beaches, city living and bush walking, it’s well worth the trip, especially if you want to try somewhere other than Europe this year.
Olly Symonds is the joint founder of One Off Places, a holiday property rentals website specifically geared towards individual and one-off style properties. Launched in 2007 it offers users the chance to search for exactly what they want on their holiday, whether it?s a secluded farmhouse, a penthouse apartment or a luxury villa. See www.oneoffplaces.co.uk for details.
Please subscribe to me * Simbirdcom * Bird Bee Butterfly wildlife UK videos ~ Simon ~:-) Simbird.com ~ My bird website is at simbird.com google * simbird * Bird photographs, videos, twitter, information, links, RSPB, BBCT, help & tips… Description birds bees butterflies & wildlife videos & songs British Animals Insects & wildlife using canon s5 sx1 + telephoto zoom lens or webcam My * Birdcam * of wild birds in the garden with ~ sounds calls singing birdsong Wild animals & Nature in video and song ~ simbirdcom More vids photos info at * simbird * or simbird.com simbird.com by Simon Knott Cameras used Canon SX1 IS Powershot HD High Definition or Canon S5 IS HQ High Quality Wyre Forest ~ Kidderminster Worcestershire England UK Europe World Planet Earth Universe
After my 4 year relationship ended with my boyfriend Ewan, I dragged my sorry butt around feeling sorry for myself for months. I remember thinking I would never find another man to notice me the way Ewan did. I thought I would never fall in love again; I was depressed and hid out at home.
My older sister came over one day, smiled at me and said, “ I know it may seem hopeless now, you’re probably heart broken and devastated, but there will be others. You’ll see”
I couldn’t believe she could say something so ridiculous; Ewan was the love of my life!!!
I did however discover the computer and started chatting online with men all around the world. I “met” Marco in Italy, Jean-Paul in France, Shaun in Ireland and Glen in the UK. I even flirted with one man in Australia! I enjoyed flirting with all of these men online and wrote back and forth with all of them regularly. It got to a point where that was my only excitement of the day and I would rush home to check my emails.
Amongst all the men I met online there was one young man that was very persistent, I rarely gave him the time of day as I was 24 and he was only 19 yrs old but when I was bored, he was ALWAYS available for a chat.
The funny thing was that he was actually one of the most mature guys I spoke with. He had good insight, listened intently and we actually shared a lot of intimate details with one another. I remember being shocked to hear that he was still a Virgin! He was an American in the Air Force, which I found exciting but again, he was only 19 and living in North Dakota so I found that part about him incredibly boring. The time came when I decided enough was enough and I was done with my hiding out. It was time for adventure again. Other than my 19 yr old chat buddy, I didn’t tell anyone else, not even my mother that I had made up my mind and was going to travel to Europe!
Within a week, I began researching flights, and travel packages. I hooked up with Sherry, a girl from work who had also recently broken up with her boyfriend and we decided to travel together.
About a week before I left, I shocked everyone with news of my impromptu trip to Europe and even finally told all of the men I had been chatting with that I would soon be in there own native country! I had a knot in my stomach the whole flight into the UK and wondered what it would be like meeting these “strange” men. Would they be very different from all the Canadian men I had dated????
I quickly learned while in London that nope, they weren’t very different at all. Both Glen from London and Shaun from Dublin were going to meet me in London on different days and of course, neither one of them showed up! Cowards. They turned out to be all talk! I left Great Britain with Great Disappointment in regards to those men. I was also disappointed after getting into a big argument with Sherry in London Square. I fought with her for not wanting to go out and visit the local pubs or any of the dance clubs. She was so dull. I did however get to enjoy all the yummy Brits I got to gawk at while visiting all the “touristy” places. I got to visit Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and left with tons of cheesy souvenirs and photos. I even spent some time in a Fish n’ Chips place flirting with the local wildlife for a couple of hours. So, in the end London wasn’t an entire loss and damn, how I loved that sexy British accent.
Off to France next to meet Jean-Paul where I was sure to be captured by the allure and romance of Paris! Sherry didn’t really have any interest in meeting the locals and got extremely sick on our way into France. I was tired when I arrived and I remember riding in a bus to my hotel. It was raining, Sherry and I weren’t talking and my heart ached to be in Paris with my ex boyfriend Ewan. Still feeling somewhat let down by men, I didn’t notice I was traveling alongside the river Sienne, nor did I even notice the beautiful architecture until I saw “it”. It was raining and I was blankly looking out the window of the bus when I spotted it. Various buildings covered it and I saw just the tip of it at first, but then I saw it a bit more and a bit more until finally, we turned a corner and there it was in all it’s glory.
I was speechless. Nothing could have prepared me for the magnificent structure that was…the Eiffel Tower. I felt a lump in my throat, my eyes and nose burned a bit and I cried a little. Yes, I cried. All of my life I had seen the Eiffel tower in movies and in photos and here I was looking at in REAL life. All of the heartache and pain I had gone through in my childhood had almost convinced me that I would never get to view such real beauty. Almost as if I had never been deserving enough to experience something I had only ever read about or dreamed about. Only “normal” people got to travel and see such things, not me!!! At that moment, I forgot all about old Glen and Shaun who hadn’t shown up in London and I silently wept in the back of the bus by myself. I didn’t know it at the time but I had just begun another chapter in my book of life and discoveries around men.
So, I met my online Frenchman, Jean-Paul in Paris AND his girlfriend, that’s right his girlfriend. Oh and his friend he brought along to throw in my path. I was pissed off at first but as the night went on, I really got to know the friend that Jean-Paul had brought along and started thinking things were gonna turn out quite well actually. His name was Olivier and he was incredibly cute. I ditched Jean-Paul and his chick and spent the rest of my time in France, seeing the sights with Olivier. He held my hand and spoke to me in that incredibly romantic French accent. I had the time of my life.
I saw the Louvre, the Arc de Triumph, and the Moulin Rouge and finally came the day when Olivier took me by the hand and led me to the Eiffel Tower. The elevator was rickety and scary and I held on to him tightly because I was SO “frightened”. Well no, not really but it worked like a charm. We went alllll the way to the top and the adrenaline rushed through me. Here I was at a place I had only dreamed of, one of the most romantic places in the world and I was with a European man. My heart pounded. I was in awe of how much of Paris I could see from up here.
As we stood there together, quietly, Olivier suddenly took me by the shoulders and gently turned me around so I could look into his eyes.
His French accent killed me, “jur ice are sew bewtifool,” he said to me as the wind blew through my hair.
My God, I couldn’t believe this was real. I closed my eyes so he could kiss me and all I felt was the wind blowing again before he gave me a gentle, little kiss on the forehead.
A kiss on the forehead?!?! What the fuck was that? I was expecting something hot and heavy!!!! I blankly stared at him. He just smiled again, turned me around to look out from the tower and he wrapped his arms around me. I stood there kinda confused but shrugged it off and just enjoyed myself.
That night we went to a dance club and after dancing the night away, he drove me back to my hotel and went on and explained how he had “strong” feelings for me but didn’t want to fall in love with a stranger he would never see again. So he hugged me tightly and gave me a kiss on my cheek. Hmph. “ What a rip-off” I thought to myself.
On my last day in France, we were very “huggy” with each other and he took me out for lunch. I told Oliver how much I had appreciated his company, how I couldn’t wait for him to visit me in Canada in one day and I left without every feeling his French lips on mine.
On the train into Italy however, I smiled at my little romantic interlude with this Parisian cutie and all I could hear in my head was, “ jur ice are sew bewtifool.”
Italy came and went but not without experiencing the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican City, the Roman Coliseum, the catacombs, the Spanish steps and of course the delicious Italian food, wine and MEN!
As soon as I got off the train in Rome, I saw the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my whole life. He was drop dead gorgeous and the men there just kept on getting better and better. To this day I don’t know if I have ever seen such “gorgeousness” again! I’m talking male perfection.
I remember meeting up with Marco in Rome. He was SO Italian! He met Sherry and I for a bit of sight seeing but she complained of being tired and wanted to go back to the hotel room. By this time I was really pissed off at her but I realized that Sherry was not on the same journey as I. She wasn’t there for the same reasons as I. I was on a new path of discovery and I wasn’t going to let my incompatible travel partner get in the way of that journey. After being in a four year relationship with Ewan, I was ready to let go and really have some fun. So we dropped Sherry off at the hotel and I left with Marco to enjoy Italy. I spent all of my time with Marco enjoying Italy; he was from Naples and showed me what the locals did and how different Italian culture really is from ours. I had SO much fun. On my last night in Rome, Marco took me out for a celebratory night!
We spent the evening drinking wine and dancing the night away. He took me to a fabulous Italian restaurant. We laughed and flirted like crazy; he was a singer and had the most incredible voice. He surprised me with a signed CD and he looked great on the cover! I loved listening to his Italian accent but by now I couldn’t even recognize my own accent. I had met and shared rooms with other English-speaking people on my travels but they were all Americans and Australians and I had started talking like them. I had been in England the longest, spent so much time with Olivier in Paris and now trying to make my way around Italy, my once “Canadian, eh” accent was some garbled French/ Italian/ Aussie/ New Yorken type of mush.
I continued to dance on though, not caring what I sounded or looked like. I was flying back to Canada the next morning at 9am but I didn’t give a shit, this was my last night in Europe so I partied away with Marco until about 3am!
By the time we left the dance club, it had started to lightly rain. It was still incredibly warm out so the rain was actually refreshing but Marco and I weren’t dressed for rain so I remember him taking my hand and we ran down the cobblestoned streets to his car. Just before reaching his car he quickly stopped, pressed me up against a building and kissed me. I closed my eyes and let this Italian stranger kiss me and feel me up all over. He kissed me and kissed me and I just let the rain come over us. I didn’t give a rat’s ass anymore and it wasn’t like I was going to sleep with him or ever see him again. I don’t know how long that kiss lasted before we were back holding hands and running in the rain again. Once more I was in a movie, a romance novel, running through the streets of Rome with a sexy Italian man after a night of wining and dining and it just didn’t seem real.
That night, after making out in his car, he dropped me off at my hotel but not before asking me to spend the night with him. We had barely just gotten to know each other; did he actually think I was going to sleep with him??? Well of course he did! Why not? I had given him every indication that I was going to. Even though all along in my mind I knew that I wasn’t going to sleep with Marco, I realized none of my actions displayed that and he left a sad, lonely Italian without ever getting his piece of Canadian ass. But hey, for the record, I didn’t get my piece of Italian ass either!
LESSON LEARNED: Humans are resilient and even though after a broken heart you may feel like you’ll never love again, the truth is, you will. You will. It is important however that you do things on your own again to discover what you are passionate about. After a long-term relationship ends, go out and re-learn what makes your heart sing. Be comfortable in your own skin and learn to love yourself unconditionally because despite different cultures and customs, men really are the same globally. I learned the men I attracted and how they treated me was largely determined by how I was treating myself at the time. I also learned to be careful of what my actions were telling a man. Are you letting him lead when really you want to rip his clothes off? Are you giving him all the signals that you want to sleep with him when really you don’t? Men don’t get hints. Ask for what you want. As for them, men are action oriented and if you really want to know what a man is saying, watch his actions. His words may tell you he wants you or he may promise you the world but when it comes to the “nitty gritty” believe his actions not necessarily his words and THAT is true, throughout the continents, sorry guys, you’ve been exposed!
Author of the E-book and creator of the successful workshop by the same name, The Man Safari.
Fab music and stunning image cutting launches Wild Europe into the awesome world of 3D. Make sure you click on HQ to view it in high quality! Wild Wonders of Europe is the world’s biggest nature photography based initiative, ever. Check us out on www.wild-wonders.com Brilliant monthly photo competitions, great blogs, awesome photos. Join us on Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in..
