When allowing for the Internet as a compulsory vice and the hold to boundary reflection of the Internet to how it only impacts the sale of visitor rooms, in fact denies the collection of other areas where the Internet is having a major impact on costs, efficiencies and enhanced limitations, such as: Decreased sharing costs, sales objects, room images and photos, sharing of marketing guarantee, copies of advertisements and much more.
Online hotel reservations are attractive an extremely well-liked way for booking hotel rooms. User can book rooms from house by using online safety to protect their privacy and economic information and by using numerous online travel agents to compare prices and services at diverse hotels. Prior to the Internet, travelers could write, telephone the hotel directly, or use a travel agent to make a reservation. Nowadays, online travel agents have pictures of hotels and rooms, information on prices and deals, and even information on local resorts. Many also allow reviews of the traveler to be recorded with the online travel agent.
Online hotel reservations are also accommodating for making most recent travel planning. Hotels may go down the price of a room if quantities of rooms are still available. There are numerous websites that concentrate in searches for deals on hotel rooms. Huge hotel handcuffs characteristically have straight connections to the airline national distribution systems. These in turn offer hotel information directly to the hundreds of thousands of travel agents that arrange in a line themselves with one of these systems. Person hotels and little hotel chains often cannot find the money for the cost of these direct connections and turn to other companies to provide the connections.
Finally, public can book openly on a personality hotel’s website. A growing number of hotels are structure their possess websites to agree to them to market their hotels directly to clients. One benefit of booking with the hotel directly is utilized of the hotel’s full termination policy as well as not needing a place in most situations. To advance the probability of satisfying rooms, hotels are likely to use several of the above systems. The comfortable on many hotel reservation systems is attractive ever more similar as more hotels sign up to all the sites. Company thus has to moreover rely on particularly negotiated rates with the hotels and trust in the authority of search engine rankings to draw in customers.
The final examine provided by these companies to the hotels and the online customer is that they provide a particular database from which all reservation sources draw instant room availability and rates. It is very important that hotels join together with all the provide channels so that their visitors are capable to make exact online bookings. Owners of hotels in USA have begun to appreciate that the ideal way to keep their hotel rooms engaged all period long is to offer hotel reservations at lower costs than the huge comfort hotels. And hotel reservation costs at these tiny hotels are flexible and reservations can be made at a moments notice.

On paper, teaching English abroad is a pretty sweet option – exploring new cultures, getting paid to travel, notching up awesome stories to tell your mates back home.

But thinking you’re going to do it, and actually, properly getting on that plane are two very different things. So what holds people back? Fear that’s what! Teaching abroad may be great, but leaving everything you’ve ever known (including gravy, Radio 4 and Jaffa Cakes) behind can be a tad daunting. So, to help you turn feeling scared into feeling excited about the opportunities offered by TEFL, here are people’s most common TEFL fears and how to face them:

Fear 1: My students will eat me alive

Kids. A lot of the time they’re cute and well-behaved, but sometimes it feels like the spawn of Satan is sat at the desk in front of you. Lovely Astrid for instance recently had one kid sitting in class systematically breaking pencils in half. Not nice. Adults aren’t an easy option either – while they probably won’t smash up your stationery they can undermine your authority and start taking over your show.

Solution: Be assertive and take a stand, as students (of all ages) can smell fear, seriously. You’ll also feel much more confident about situations, and know how to cope with them better, if you do a TEFL course before you head out.

Fear 2: My school will treat me like dirt

The optimistic part of you is hoping for golden sands, friendly locals and lots of spare time to explore. The less optimistic part of you is imagining a dungeon-esque classroom which you’re locked into 7-days a week and forced to run English corners for the rest of eternity.

Solution: Research! Make sure you chat to people on forums and do a few Google searches of your school before you sign your name of the dotted line. You also need to negotiate with your employer to make sure that your expectations are going to be delivered. Ultimately though, take things you read online with a pinch of salt, as if everyone took everything the read on the internet seriously we’d never leave our houses. Also, if your school isn’t what you hoped it would be, there will be other options while you’re in-country. And if you do feel you need that extra support, a supported internship program like these might be the thing for you

Fear 3: I’ll be alone

All together now… ‘All by myself, don’t wanna be…’

What use is experiencing all these amazing new things if you don’t have anyone to share them with? You could be in the most incredible place in the world, but if you’re sat in a crummy apartment eating instant noodles and watching TV shows you can’t understand you won’t be having the best time in the world.

Solution: Get out there! There are loads of ways to make friends whenever you’re in a new country – start with the people directly around you (other teachers at your school, students) and branch out from there. Emma Foers has some great advice for making friends when you’re new in town. Alternatively, sign up to a supported programme, like the Teach in China internship, where you’ll get a chance to meet lots of other people who are in the same boat as you.

Fear 4: I won’t like the food

Tasty Chinese food

It’s a fact of life – some people just aren’t that adventurous when it comes to food. In fact I had one ex-boyfriend whose entire diet consisted of beige food: cheese, bread, chicken, more cheese. I think he made an exception for bacon. Buut – it has a happy ending folks – he went out to Japan to teach English after uni and is having such a great time that he’s still out there. So I figure if he can get over his irrational fear of tomatoes to fulfil his travel dreams, anyone can.

Fear 5: I’ll be unemployable when I get home

You’re clued up, you’ve got a five year plan, but how does TEFL fit into it? Won’t employers see your swanning off around the world to teach English as rather indulgent? I mean, shouldn’t you have been back at home chained to a desk like they were at your age?!

Got more TEFL fears? Click here to request a free consultation with an i-to-i TEFL expert to chat through them.

*For the uninitiated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDMZEw5f7Q”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDMZEw5f7Q

What are your TEFL fears? And how did you get over them?

Delhi in India is playing the host to 2010 Commonwealth Games and India tourism industry is expecting and huge influx of tourists during the season. Most visitors who will travel to India for the Games are expected to visit Taj Mahal at Agra, and the royal icon of Rajasthan Tourism – Pink City of Jaipur, thereby completing the famous Golden Triangle tour circuit of North India. Several steps are being taken up to promote tourism during the games as well as cater to the expected number of tourists at the time. Hotels are coming up with lucrative deals, infrastructure is being upgraded, and places of interest and tourist attractions are being paid special attention these days.

One such measure is the one-time road tax system initiated by ministry of tourism and ministry of road transport and highways by government of India. Currently, cars and taxis have to pull over every time they enter another state to pay the tax, which include Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Scheduled to be effective from December 2009, the system will allow commercial and tourist vehicles of registered tour operators on the Golden Triangle Tour of India to pay the road tax only once at the beginning of the trip. This will allow these vehicles to avoid unnecessary delays during transit and allow more time to the tourists to actually see the tourist attractions they are interested in.

Besides, a number of AC Volvo buses will also be introduced during the Games to take the tourists from Delhi to Agra and Jaipur. Throughout the Golden Triangle circuit, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is in the process of setting up 500 sites that will have all the amenities that tourists and tour vehicles might need along the way, such as toilets, restaurants, telephone booths, first-aid facilities, telephone booths, kiosks, snack bars, parking lots, rooms where one can rest for a short while, and repair shops for normal travelers’ items.

Those who will want to make the most of their India travel might opt for super luxury trains such as Palace on Wheels and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels that not only cover three cities of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur on the Golden Triangle tour circuit but also take you to other cities of Rajasthan that showcase their splendor in art, culture, and rich historical and architectural heritage. The frequency of these trains will be increased during the Commonwealth Games in India and facilities like wi-fi Internet, on-board spa, and television with live satellite channels will also be introduced in the trains. Royal treatment on the train is only matched by the unique camel desert safaris, boat rides at Lake Pichola, and exclusive experiences of Rajasthan.

Though the three main cities of the Golden Triangle are connected via National Highways, the government is also focusing on developing better connecting roads to places of tourist importance, which will make the entire tour experience even better. The short and sweet Golden Triangle Tour of North India starts from Delhi, the capital of India and the host of Commonwealth Games in 2010, and takes you to Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, and Jaipur, the icon of royal grandeur in India. Within short distances of each other, these three cities introduce to the foundations on which modern India is laid.

It’s a pity Uganda has a not yet figured out a way to make this religious given situation as a tourist potential capable of eclipsing all other amazing, the level of reverence Uganda martyrs command globally. In the US alone there over 100 institutions named after the Uganda martyrs. Thirteen year old Kizito and Charles Lwanga seem to have a special appeal in the western world; many schools, churches and youth Associations are named after them.

Spiritual tourism is rated amongst the fastest growing businesses in the world. Just take a look at Saudi Arabia; Holy land to the Muslim faith, whereby the total number of pilgrims visiting the country every year is estimated to be 82,000 in the 1990 s to over 2million in 2007.

To facilitate the pilgrims on their Hajj, traders from all over the world, go to the holy land to do business; generating billion of dollars from Mecca and medina. However in 1980s the Saudi Authority imposed quotas to limit the number of pilgrims to around two million. This created a black market for places in the waiting lists established by Muslim government.

The wait in Iran, for example, could take 12 years. Some people would register as candidates for the pilgrimages and they sell there torn to others, for up to $ 10,000. Several countries like Israel and the Italy have also for years reaped big from the increasingly growing lucrative spiritual tourism sector.

Uganda has always been a popular tourist destination for all sorts of tourism, cultural, wildlife especially for gorilla trekking. This could explain why spiritual sub-sectors have not been in the spotlight, in spite of its huge potential.

The market for spiritual tourism is considerably small in the western world yet at the same time some of the potential attractions like the Uganda Martyrs are gaining ground. For Example many Black Americans in their campaign to get back their roots are adopting Uganda Martyrs as their patron saints. For years a number of them have been making annual pilgrimage to Namugingo to torch base with spiritual and racial roots.

Spiritual tourists are not easily turned away by things like poor weather. They are more tolerant, accommodative, dependable and generous. Take the example of Israel in the Middle East. Although the country has been in covered with insecurity since its inception the number of pilgrims that die in the hajji in Mecca every year has not stopped Muslims from going for the same activity.

Therefore traffic jams; the bad roads, bad food, poor accommodation facilities, the stuffy air and noise around the Namugongo shrine on every 3rd of June only make the pilgrims feel the worthiness of pilgrimage, Some pilgrims spend weeks walking; others sleep under trees all this in the name of attending Uganda martyrs day. The declaration Uganda martyrs both catholic and protestants and even a number of Muslims murdered by Mwanga in 1886 and Mutesa 1 respectively by the church has already gone along way in promoting the attraction. The government of Uganda needs to double its efforts in marketing and promoting the attraction in the outside world thereby increasing on the visitor numbers especially on Martyrs day.

Besides Namugongo, Uganda has other shrine in places like Munyonyo, Mityana, old Kampala, Nakivubo and Kyamula. Plans are in place to construct Mucuni Acholi Land, where Bishop Janan Luwumu was buried. Another place of worship worth being mentioned is the Bahai Temple on kikayi hill in Kampala. These are all potential tourists sites, where all sorts of business can be set up especially to cater for the need of spiritual tourists.

The only way of developing Uganda’s tourist potentials an be through embarking on aggressive world wide marketing strategy by stakeholders especially tour companies operating in Uganda like Africa Adventure safaris, Primate Adventure company being one of the leading Uganda gorilla safari provider and other safaris like Chimpanzee, rafting, wildlife and many more.

Its from this that the government of Uganda and church has tried to market the martyrs by declaring June 3rd a public Holiday thus giving the local population time to participate. Still there is a lot more that these institutions can do, for instance the government marketing the martyrs through the Ministry of tourism and the church in the pulpit and the pilgrims who go abroad for their various pilgrimages.

Companies are working to broaden their scope, to offer additional insurance options to their customers, to keep pace with the growth of the travel industry. The latest occurrences of terrorism, environmental diseases, and diseases in general has caused the need to offer travelers additional safeguards. Travelers can purchase financial protection insurance for both domestic and overseas trips.
More recently, companies have even begun granting travel insurance on a 24 hour basis and providing protection for the duration of even short trips and tours. Medical costs, hospitalization, dismemberment and death as a result of an accident are offered with the domestic coverage. The same coverage and more is available for overseas trips.
Currently, the industry offers a variety of insurance options, allowing travelers to select which best suits them. In the event of an accidental death due to an injury, Common Carrier “Air only” implements coverage. In this instance, as an insured voyager flying on a commercial flight, you would be covered.
It is helpful to carry accidental death and dismemberment coverage in the event that accidental death results from an injury. If this is the case, the beneficiary listed on the policy will be compensated. The coverage agreement specifies what is included with the subsidy purchased.
Accidental Medical Expenses – All travelers should consider purchasing Accidental Medical Expenses to protect themselves against the accumulation of debt due to requiring intensive medical care. With Accidental Medical Expenses insurance, you would be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses of medical treatment by a doctor. Still, you need to examine your benefits options to make the treatment costs will be covered completely.
Emergency Medical Evacuation might require your insurance to pay the expenses up to the limit specified in the insurance agreement. Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage only pays out if evacuation is deemed necessary The necessity of this shall be determined by a licenses physician depending on type and degree of injury.
The insurer will need to pay the reasonable covered cost of returning the insured’s body to the place where travel originated, when Repatriation of Remains coverage is purchased. However, your death must be during the travel insured and must be the end result of an injury. Cremation, embalming, coffins and transportation are some of the covered expenses in this policy.
Travelers have their luggage lost or stolen on a regular basis so Baggage and Personal Effects insurance is a must. This insurance only covers the property if it is registered with and under the supervision and power of a commercial airline commissioned by the government authority to transport fee paying ticketed passengers. Such losses must be immediately reported to the correct authorities, as well as the insurance carrier.
Even if your luggage is only delayed, a timely claim will reimburse you up to the amount outlined by the schedule of benefits for the purchase of emergency supplies. Included items such as clothing and toiletries qualify. The insurer will make sure your baggage was checked-in and was in the custody of whatever commercial airline’s flight you were traveling on.
You may also be compensated for any commercial flight you were booked to fly on when it’s delayed for more than twelve hours, based on the insurance plan you chose to buy. This type of insurance gives financial protection as well as peace of mind, for the traveler, and their respective beneficiaries. The price that you will pay, will be well worth the cost when you consider the benefits received by this kind of insurance.
In accordance with insurance companies adapting their policies to provide customers with better coverage, the emergence of e-tickets is also transforming the travel industry. This idea has eliminated the need to hold a physical paper ticket, as well as the passenger charges that are connected with prepaid tickets. Having your tickets lost, misplaced, forgotten or stolen can be one of the worst things that can happen to a traveler. Since you typically print the e-ticket right before you get on the plane, it is difficult to lose.

The Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey opened its doors in 1928, becoming the first ever major airport in the New York Metropolitan Area. It is located 15 miles away from Midtown Manhattan and it forms part of the larger Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is the busiest airport system in the world after London’s and it includes two other major international airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and the LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Newark Liberty International is the tenth busiest airport in the country and the fifth busiest international air gateway into the United States.
Newark Liberty is the site of Continental Airlines’ second largest hub. Continental occupies the airport’s entire Terminal C and a part of Terminal A. EWR has only three main passenger terminals, but they are all fairly large, Terminal A being the largest and comprising four levels. The parking options at EWR include short term parking, daily parking and long term parking. There are also a limited number of reserved spaces for passengers with disabilities. An official disabled permit or license plate must be prominently displayed.
Short term parking at EWR is very convenient and should be used if you’re just seeing someone off or waiting for a loved one’s arrival. The price on short term parking is $3 for the first 30 minutes and $6 for 31-60 minutes. Every additional half hour is an extra $3, and the maximum daily fee is $33. Daily parking is located in Parking Lots 1, 3 and 4. The Daily Parking rates are $24 per day on Lots 1 and 3, and $27 a day on Lot 4.
The rates for long term EWR airport parking at Newark Liberty Airport are $18 for the first 24 hours and $6 for each additional 8 hours after that. This comes to a lower hourly rate than that of the short term and daily parking lots, although it is still relatively pricey compared to the rates of off-site lots. If you choose to park off-site, you can get rates as low as $8 per day, and most independent off-site lots offer free airport shuttle service for customers.

The Kwai River Bridge was made famous by the 1960s movie about a bamboo bridge being built by British Soldiers in Burma during World War II. This movie was mostly fiction, the bridge is of concrete/metal construction and it is actually located in Thailand. Thailand Tourism authority offers a great service of train tours. These are low cost trips that you can take that range from day trips to long weekends to various scenic parts of Thailand. Most of the trips begin and end in the Hua Laphong Rail Station, the main rail hub for passengers for the entire country. Pictures of this station are shown above. The station is clean and organized, but beware, it is also VERY busy. As a side note: Thailand uses their rail and bus system as their major artery moving people and products throughout their borders.
The tour that I choose was a day trip that took me almost to the Thai border with Myanmar, ending in the Soiyak Water Falls but making stops in Phra Pathom Chedi, Bridge over the Rive Kwai, the “Death Railway”, and the Kanchanabury WWII Cemetery. I will describe each of these stops in detail below. The trip was a full day, starting at 7 am and not returning to Hua Laphong Station until after dark, around 7 pm. The train was un-air-conditioned but was comfortable, at least while we were moving.
Phra Pathom Chedi
Our first stop was at the temple called Phra Pathom Chedi , The Temple main feature was a huge pagoda (see the pictures below. The stop was just long enough to walk from the train station to the Temple without too much rush. To get to the temple we walk through a city market area where you can get anything from a quick snack to a glass of ice coffee.
Bridge over the River Kwai and the “Death Railway
The Bridge was made famous by a 1960’s film of the same name. The film, however was in fact fiction based loosely on the events surrounding this bridge. I will not go into detail of the differences between the film and this bridge but will let that up to you. Briefly, the bridge is located in Thailand, not Burma but many people (mostly British soldiers) did give their lives building this bridge for the Japanese during World War II. This is why this railway is known as the “Death Railway” in Thailand. The rail line leading from the Kwai River Bridge to the Soiyak Water Falls appears treacherous but is well maintained and safe for travel. The railway follows the river and often has sheer cliffs overlooking the river and can be quite scenic. However, these conditions lead to many deaths during WWII.
Kanchanaburi WWII Cemetery
The WWII Cemetery in Kanchanaburi is filled with the bodies of the people who gave their lives constructing the Kwai Bridge for the Japanese Army. This stop is quite sobering knowing these men gave their lives building the rail line that was we were just on.
Soiyak Water Falls
The Soiyak Water Fall is the final stop of this trip and it is quite refreshing. The waterfall is augmented in areas with concrete and being an geologist is could tell immediately that it wasn’t natural. The industrious Thai People have taken and natural water supply and made is a tourist stop. The surrounding area is a natural area and protected from development, which is good. There are hiking trails leading to the water falls source; a small stream filled with small fish and is icy cold. Also along the trail is a few caves to explore. The Thai People find these areas sacred, as evidenced by the presence of sacred images located in the caves. The trail are quite interesting, having many native plants and animals to observe along the way.
At the very end of the Railway sits an historic train, once used by the Japanese during the construction of the railway. The plaque commemorating the train and the people who died in its construction gave the trip some meaning for me.
We returned to the Hua Laphong Rail Station rather late and I was quite tired, but the trip was worthwhile and I would recommend this trip to anyone interested in learning some about historical Thailand. For more interesting travel ideas please visit my website: www.apllc-connect.com/travel/.

There are four steps that you should follow if you are interested in getting a China visa for work. A number of tragic events in the past have made it more difficult to gather all the required paperwork to get a China work visa. China has recently stiffened their security making it more difficult to get a China work visa. There are also stricter limits that determine what type of people is allowed to work in China. However, it is still possible to get a China work visa as along as you follow the proper procedures.
You will need to obtain an Alien Employment License before you can be issued a China employment visa. There are a number of requirements you need to meet in order to obtain this. You will need to submit an Application for Employment Permit for Foreigners. You will also need to posses a valid password and have copies of your health certificate that was issued by the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Authority. You will need to be able to explain the reasons of employ and provide copies of a government instrument of ratification. You will also need to prove that you have the adequate credentials to perform the job.
You will also need to obtain a Notification of Application for Employment Visa and Residence Permit. You will need to get a few pieces of information from your future employer in order to obtain this. You will need to posses an employment license and a valid passport as well as a valid business visa. You will also need to obtain an Application for Residence Qualifications for Working Foreigners in China. You employer will need to provide you with copies of their Industrial and Commercial Business License.
You will also need to obtain an Alien Employment Permit which will require your employer to provide their Employment License. You will also need to provide the Notification of Application for Employment Visa and Residence Permit. You will need to have an appointment for a Labor Contract or a valid one. After you have received your Alien Employment Permit it should remain valid for one year. After one year it will need to be renewed.
The fourth and final document that you will need is a Residence Permit. In order to obtain a Residence Permit you will need a valid passport and an Alien Employment Permit. You will also need to provide your Certificate of Verification for Physical Examination record for China as well as the Notification of Application for Employment Visa and Residence permit. You will to be able to prove that you had an interview for the Resident Qualification Application for Foreigners. You will also need to provide a China visa or a Residence Application Form.
After you have collected these four documents you will qualify to be issues a valid work and residence permit that will allow you to work and live in China. Normally, you will be able to live and work in China after receiving your credentials for one year before you have to renew your credentials.
It can take a long time to get all the documents required to receive a class z visa for China. The process is extremely difficult. Not only will the person who is wanting to work in China have to put forth a lot of effort but the company that they are going to be working for will have to forth a great deal of effort too. The Chinese consulate can reject your application if you fail to provide them with the necessary documents. This is why it is so important to take your time and make sure that you provide them with all of the proper documents.

The Indian train service is the perfect way to travel across India. This is because the Indian Rail service covers the entire Indian peninsula. There are simply innumerable Indian trains available to the people looking forward to travel almost anywhere in the country.

The Indian Rail service has made it possible for the passengers to travel across India in a comfortable way, whether they belong to the common population or the elite section of the population.

To make the whole traveling experience even more comfortable right from the start, the Indian train service has upgraded its website. The website has a number of sections dedicated to things like train timings and ticket bookings.

The timetable train facility provides detailed information the timing of the various Indian trains. There is a separate timetable train section that allows the travelers to check for the availability of the various trains. Then there is a section which allows the travelers to check the fare of the various Indian trains. The website also allows the travelers to find some more information about the Indian Rail service.

The Indian train service covers India by dividing it into the seven main geographical regions. The Indian train service offers trains with all the modern amenities and comforts. There are electric engines pulling the trains and the travelers can travel in fully AC and well furnished coaches. All the trains are very comfortable and are really fast. Even the most luxurious trains have really affordable fare these days.

The Indian train service allows the travelers to buy train tickets in a number of ways. The travelers can simply buy train tickets from the official ticket booking offices controlled by the Indian Railways authority. The Indian train service has also allowed some independent train booking agencies to let passenger buy train tickets for the various trains running across India.

The travelers can also buy train tickets online through the Indian Railways website. There the travelers can simply check out the timings of the Indian train of their choice, using the timetable train facility and check for the ticket’s availability and then can go ahead and buy train tickets. It is very easy to use the timetable train facility.

The fact is that the timetable train facility offered on the website coupled with other features has made the whole process of traveling by Indian trains, much better.

By buying travel insurance you can make sure that your holiday is going to be as stress-free as possible. If something goes wrong while you away from home, you want to make sure that you can deal with it, as quickly and efficiently as possible. A wisely chosen travel policy will assist you in achieving this goal. Buying travel insurance is an essential part of your preparation, although it involves adding to the cost of your holiday at the outset, it could save you a great deal of time and money if any problems should arise. So, where to begin? It is important to shop around when buying your travel insurance. There are a number of different policies on the market offering different levels of cover suitable for different needs. Most insurers will have websites where you can view their policies online. You should make sure that you check both the benefits and the exclusions of a policy before you buy. Some policies may look cheap, but if you check the exclusions or look at the amount of excess you will have to pay if you want to make a claim, they may work out as less cost effective than a policy with a more expensive premium. Investigating the reputation of your insurer before you buy a policy is a good way to ensure that making a claim is likely to be as hassle free as possible. AA Travel Insurance, Go Travel Insurance and 1Stop Travel Insurance are all recommended insurers as members of the Drakefield Insurance Group, which, since its incorporation in 1998, has established itself as a reliable insurer, winning a number of awards. Although all insurers are regulated by the Financial Services Authority, consumer reviews indicate that not all companies are supportive when it comes to making claims.