Thai massages are world renowned, and there is no better place to experience one than Thailand itself. Whilst Bangkok reigns with the largest amount of establishments that provide Thai massages from budget to high-end. With techniques and origins from over 2,500 years ago, Thai massages are one of the most sought after treatments throughout the world.

Thai massages draw their influence from ancient Indian ayurvedic traditions. There are numerous types of massages, each giving their own benefit. Massages can be done with aromatherapy oil, lotion or nothing at all. From triggering a memory, to help aiding you to sleep, recover from jetlag or to make your skin glow, Thai massages can be used to stimulate different aspects of your body.

Take for example the Thai facial massage that uses the fingers in an upward motion and circular strokes across the face. If done regularly, a Thai facial massage can reduce wrinkles and fine lines, and tone facial muscles. The Thai foot massage is perhaps one of the more popular massages that tourists get whilst in Thailand. According to traditional preaching’s it is said that each part of the body is linked to the foot. Feet are looked upon as the pillars of the human body, and hence much emphasis is placed on the feet. Either a massage will be done by hand, or by using a small wooden stick. Known to relieve pain and promote better posture, foot massages in Bangkok are famous! For one of the most traditional massages you can get in Bangkok, visit the Wat Po (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha).

To experience some of the best of Bangkok, why not try the Bangkok apartments by Compass Hospitality? These apartments in Bangkok provide all the modern conveniences coupled with exceptional service to ensure that their discerning guests have a memorable holiday. Compass Hospitality also features one of the most sought after spas in Bangkok called Ananda Spa that revives and restores mind, body and spirit.

The Kumbh Mela is one of the most important festivals of the Hindus. This Mela occurs at 4 different places in India; these are Ujjain, Allahabad, Nashik and Haridwar. This actually occurs 4 times in a period of 12 years.It is interesting to note that the, it is the largest human fair in the world. Millions of people including the ‘Naga Sadhus’ visit this mela. In Allahabad, Prayag is the site where the Mela is organized. The 3 holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati merge at Prayag. This is the reason why this place is considered to be extremely sacred by the Hindus.

Hindu pilgrims who come to the Maha Kumbh Mela bathes in the River Ganga. They believe that by doing this, they will be purged out of their sins and attain salvation. People sing devotional songs and also discuss religious topics at the Mela.In Haridwar, the place of the this,is where the River Ganga meets the plains on its descent from the Himalayan ranges.In Ujjain, the mela is organized on the banks of the River Ksipra. In Nashik, the banks of the River Godavari are flooded with pilgrims who come to the Kumbh Mela. Like all other Hindu festivals, it also has a legend associated with it. In fact, the legend dates back to the ages when the earth was just created and man was not even born!

The background of the Kumbh Mela is that during the creation of the earth the Gods suffered from a curse. So, in order to purge out their sins, they were supposed to consume divine nectar called ‘amrit’ by churning the ocean. The demons helped the Gods to procure ‘amrit’ but, they wanted half of it. After the nectar was procured, the Gods ran away with it without giving the demons their legitimate share. This initiated a battle between the two contesting parties. However, the demons managed to escape with the nectar. The Gods pursued them in the sky for 12 days and nights in order to retrieve the pot containing ‘amrit’. During this process, 4 drops of the ‘amrit’ fell on 4 different places on the earth. These places were Ujjain, Allahabad, Nashik and Haridwar.

Since time immemorial, it is believed (by the Hindus) that these places are extremely sacred. Astrologers say that during the 42 days long Kumbh Mela, the holy waters of these rives turn into ‘amrit’. So, anyone who takes holy dip will be relieved of his sins in this life. The Kumbh Mela is a perfect place to see the ‘Naga Babas’ (or the ‘Naga Sadhus’). They remain naked and their long hairs are tied into knots. Their bodies are smeared with ashes and they perform different types of yogic postures and ‘asana’. It is believed that they have positive healing powers. The ‘Naga Babas’ can live only on herbs and are not affected even when the temperature falls below 0 degree Celsius. They dwell in their own world and are completely emancipated from the vices of modern life.

Myanmar is stuck in a different era. Isolated from the outside world and with little infrastructure the country remains underdeveloped. This was my second visit and the purpose of the trip was to look at ‘all things new’…

Arriving late at night in Yangon I stayed briefly at the Savoy Hotel, a wonderful old colonial building with teak floors and Kipling memorabilia. The following morning I flew to Kyaingtong near the border with Thailand. This small town has a central lake and holds a buffalo market twice a week. It is the staging post for the 30km drive to the former colonial hill station of Loimwe. The road is now a track but during British times it had stone tram lines on which the cars ran. Anyone wanting a driving license and making it from Kyaingtong to Loimwe was granted one, an early test. Loimwe is in a shallow dip in the hills, pleasantly cool in summer. Surrounding the small hills are the colonial houses that the British stayed in. The hospital, the post office and a number of residences remain. There is also a Sikh temple here with a Sanskrit stone marker by the front door. Sadly it is in a terrible state.

In the far north of the country lies Putao. You are nearer to Bhutan here than you are to Mandalay; an isolated location and one that has only recently opened up to foreigners. The town is located in a long narrow valley surrounded on three sides by snow covered mountains and thick forest. On my first morning I met three lorry drivers who had just com from Mytchina, half way between Mandalay and Putao. They had just arrived with three six-wheel lorries and it had taken them 29 days to cover the 220 miles. Luckily I had flown in.

Putao is well worth the journey not least for the ten room Malika Lodge, which is fabulous. It is located at the base of the foothills on a bend of a river with impressive views of both the river and the mountains. Activities include gentle rafting, light or serious trekking (it is possible to trek for the day, stay away for several nights or do more serious treks of up to 2 weeks), biking or riding elephants.

Inle Lake was as magical as ever. Travelling by boat from the town of Nyang Shwe along a narrow waterway, the lake opens up to form a mirror in front of you. Crystal clear water with green weed a few inches from the surface is a haven for fish. The people rely on the lake. They create floating gardens held in place by bamboo poles on which they grow vegetables (beans, tomatoes, cucumbers), they fish using nets and large wicker baskets and live in floating villages, some which produce silk and cloth made from local lotus plants.

My final night in Yangon was spent at the Governor’s Residence, another fine old colonial building with a garden and veranda dining. A wonderful way to end a wonderful trip in an amazing country.

What should you do with your children when visiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom?  How do maximize their fun?  Here are some tips for traveling with smaller children to Disney World.

Go Early

Most kids are up early, anyway, so get out of bed and get to the parks!  Most people will make their way to the Magic Kingdom at their own leisure.  Of course, there are the hard core travelers that will make it to the opening, but generally, this is a less crowded time to be at the Magic Kingdom.

The one exception to this rule is Extra Magic Hours.  If the Extra Magic Hours occur at Magic Kingdom in the morning, this will likely be the most crowded park of the day.

Go Directly To Fantasyland

Fantasyland will be the most popular area for young children, so get here first.  The majority of guests will go to Tomorrowland or Frontierland first, putting off Fantasyland for later.  Later will be packed!

Part of this strategy involves avoiding characters.  Characters will populate Main Street and the area in front of the castle as a distraction — don’t fall for it!  It’s very tempting, but you must have a plan and work your plan.  The characters will be available for pictures throughout the day.  Come back to them after visiting the most popular rides in Fantasyland.

Use FastPass

Use FastPass to it’s maximum efficiency.  To do this, when you get to Fantasyland (after going directly to it) get a FastPass for a ride in Fantasyland.  While waiting for your return time, ride one of the non-FastPass rides in Fantasyland.  Repeat.

Use the Train

The train that encircles the Magic Kingdom often has little or no wait and kids LOVE IT!  It also helps with reducing the amount you have to walk.  Stops in Toon Town, Main Street, and Frontier Land.  After Fantasyland, you will likely end up in Mickey’s Toontown Fair.  Play around here a bit and then catch a ride on the Walt Disney World railroad.

These are just a few tips for maximizing fun and time at the Magic Kingdom with your little ones.  If you just follow the tips from this post for the Magic Kingdom, you will likely ride all the rides your little ones want to ride and avoid lots of standing around in lines — one of the most difficult times at Magic Kingdom with small children.  You’ll have the magical Disney vacation people often dream of, but seldom get.

Ladakh is a land of rich culture and heritage. It is one of those few destinations in the world where one can experience the thrill of Safari; experience the undying romance that digs itself out alive from history; experience God in the beauty of various monasteries; and do and experience many more aspects of Ladakh that might have existed only in scripts.

Ladakh is bounded by high mountain ranges from all directions. To the north is the mighty Rimo (7383m) and Saser Kangri I (7460m) in the Karakoram Range, while in the south is the Stok kangri and the Zanskar mountains ranges. To the west lies the ice-capped peaks of Nun (7135m) and Kun (7087m) in the Zanskar range of the himalayas.

Ladakh is for those who adore trekking, monasteries, snow and high mountains passes. The most attractive feature of Ladakh are the Buddhist monasteries. Ladakh buddhist monasteries or Gompas as we call in Ladakh are usually built on small hillocks. Every village has its own monastery and they either subscribe to the Mahayana or the Hinayana sect of Buddhism. The Hemis monastery is the largest monastery in the whole Ladakh famous for annual festival that it host during July every year. Shey monastery with a gold plated copper statue of Buddha is situated about 25 kms from Leh city. Besides these, Lamayuru, Alchi, Likir, Spituk, Thikse, Phugtal, Stakna, Sankar, etc are some of the other popular monasteries in Ladakh.

Leh Ladakh has a range of travel packages which will make your holiday a memorable one Trekking in Ladakh and the karakoram mountain ranges makes it full of adventure. Among the well-known treks in Ladakh are Sham valley trek, Markha valley trek, Lamayuru to Darcha trekking, Padum to Lamayuru trek. Stok-Khangri Massif located in Zanskar ranges of mountains which provide a breathtaking view of the Indus valley. Another famous kangri is that of Kangya-tse lying between Indus valley and the Markha valley.

The hotels in Ladakh provides accommodation that are fully furnished and with all necessary facilities. The hotels in Ladakh are usually located near to the main market, airlines booking offices, post office and other requisite areas.

For more information on traveling to Ladakh please visit free site at http://www.rangyul.com

If you are looking for a cheap holiday abroad or in the UK, there are a number of key issues to remember and you need to be prepared to hunt around and compare prices and venues. You also need to be flexible in order to get the best deals.

Today’s climate means that bargain holidays are hard to find but if you keep an open mind as to the time and location of where you want to travel, you can bag a bargain. Self catering accommodation has always seemed the best bet but sometimes half board and even full board can work out cheaper as you don’t have the cost of eating. If you are travelling with a larger group of people, always consider all-inclusive deals which are fantastic value in terms of the costs of meals and drinks.

You probably won’t get a good bargain if you decide to travel in the traditional summer holidays of July and August but if you look around two months before and two months afterwards, when the weather in the most popular resorts is still good, then you may get a good deal. Be flexible with time and be prepared to travel within weeks sometimes days of booking, as some large tour operators sell of empty seats on their less popular flights.

The internet is an excellent medium to help you find bargain holidays rather than having to haul yourself around travel agents. It’s quick and up to date, but beware, bargains are very often snapped up within minutes of them being posted. Also keep your eyes open for cancellations – although they are few and far between, they do happen and you can get them at a discounted rate as the tour operators just want to ensure that the plane and hotels are full. To ensure that you are getting a real bargain, check out some of the compare websites that have sprung up.

If you fancy a break in the UK, keep your eyes peeled for deals in newspapers that offer a break for under ?10 per person per night. These can work out to be very good value for money if you are flexible about when you can take a break.

Movers’ reviews have become an important aspect of moving. The question that may be popping up in your mind is: Why is a mover’s review so important for moving people? The answer is very simple. Let me explain it in brief. When a person needs to move to another place, whether the reason is personal or professional, he / she needs Relocation Company for the move. However, in the recent past it has been witnessed that there are numerous scam moving companies that have cropped up. These scams con people on every chance they get. The general strategy that has been witnessed involves the following points:

1. They offer very low price for relocation
2. People tend to get motivated by these low prices, thinking that they will get great value of money out of this
3. Once a customer approaches them via phone they convince the customer through their marketing skills. Generally, these scam companies don’t have their physical office. In fact, they don’t have license too, which technically bars them from offering any moving service.
4. Now, once the scam company gets hold of the goods for relocation, the same company becomes arrogant and asks for more money from the moving person.

This is the way through which scam moving companies extract money from the consumer. This is the sole reason that the significance of the movers’ reviews has increased so much. A mover’s review helps a person to go through the different good reviews / complaints of a moving company. People who avail services from a particular mover generally write about the service offered by the company. The experience of the moving person can either be good or bad. If all the services offered by a company are good then the customer will write a good review about the same and post it in a reputed review website. However, if his / her experience is not good with the relocation company then the customer would most probably post a negative comment / review.

This should also be kept in mind that movers’ reviews can also be created by professional copywriters. Hence, reviews should not be believed without cross checking. Generally, rival companies appoint expert review writers to write good reviews about their company and also write bad comments for rival companies. These comments are posted in review sites to motivate reputation management artificially. Most of the comment sites don’t cross check the claims of the comment posters. That’s why it’s is really tough to distinguish between an authentic mover’s review and a fake one. However, there are some sites which accept comments on companies and their services. The only difference in this case is that these types of sites verify a complaint from the representative of the company, against which a complaint has been submitted.

One should also check Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Rip Off Report for finding the reputation of the mover. There are many grades that are given by BBB to a company. If it gets ‘A’ then it is a very good one. Many times, complaints are also mentioned in the report, generated by Better Business Bureau (BBB). The status of such complaints is also mentioned in the same. Rip-Off-Report also helps people to submit their grievances. Thus, there are many such authentic movers’ reviews sites which cater cross-check reviews to people.

If you’ve never applied for a passport before, you may have no idea where to start. Where is your nearest passport office? Where do you go to submit a passport application?

There are two different types of passport offices that citizens should be aware of. The type of passport office you will visit depends on the type of passport services you require.

Most US citizens applying in person for a new passport can go to a passport acceptance facility. These passport offices are located inside other government offices, such as post offices, libraries and county court clerk’s offices. You can find the closest one to you by searching on the Department of State’s website. Passport acceptance facilities will accept applications for new passports and offer two different types of services: regular and expedited service.

Regular service usually takes at least 6 weeks, while expedited service usually takes at least 3. Processing times for each can vary, depending on how many applications the Department of State is dealing with at the time, so check the Department of State’s website for the most up-to-date information.

What if you need your passport sooner than that? If you are traveling within the next 2 weeks and you still need a passport, you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office to have a same day passport issued. These offices operate by appointment only. You must bring all necessary documents with you, along with your itinerary. To make an appointment, call 1 (877) 487-2778. Regional passport agency offices are closed on weekends and for all federal holidays.

There are currently only 19 regional passport agency offices in the entire US. If you don’t have a regional passport agency office nearby, you have two options: make an appointment and travel to whichever office is closest, or use a private passport expediting company instead. With an expediting company, you mail your application materials to the company and they will submit it the passport agency on your behalf.

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